The Amazing Spider-Man of Young Justice (Season 1)

The Truth

Peter sat at the dinner table, the comforting aroma of freshly brewed tea filling the room. Aunt May set down two steaming cups in front of them and took a seat, a warm smile on her face as she settled into her chair. They'd been chatting about Zatanna, and Peter couldn't help but smile at how animated Aunt May was.

"Zatanna," May chuckled, stirring her tea with a spoon, "I have to say, Peter, she sounds like quite the character. A magician, huh? Did she pull a rabbit out of a hat for you?"

Peter laughed, leaning back in his chair. "Not quite, May. More like... card tricks and disappearing coins. But she's really nice. Different. You'd like her."

"I'm sure I would," May replied, giving him a knowing look. "You're talking about her with that same little smile you used to have when you'd talk about Mary Jane."

Peter's smile faded slightly at the mention of MJ, but he quickly recovered, nodding. "Yeah... I guess I am."

A brief silence fell between them, the clinking of spoons against ceramic the only sound. Peter's gaze dropped to his cup, and the conversation's lightness started to shift into something heavier. He glanced up at May, and he could see the same shift happening in her eyes too, her smile faltering ever so slightly.

"May," Peter began softly, voice almost hesitant, "you don't need to punish yourself over what happened to Ben. You know that, right?"

May's expression wavered, and she shook her head, her eyes misting over a little. "I know I shouldn't. I do. It's just... if only I'd stopped him that night, Peter. If only I'd asked him to stay home... maybe the three of us would be sitting here, having tea together."

The room fell into a silence that felt heavy and suffocating. Peter's heart clenched, the guilt he'd been carrying pressing down on him like a weight he couldn't escape. He stared at the table, unable to meet her gaze anymore. He couldn't take it.

"May," he said, voice barely above a whisper, "I'm responsible."

Aunt May's brows furrowed, her head tilting slightly in confusion. "Responsible? For what?"

"For what happened to Ben," Peter replied, his voice cracking.

May's eyes softened, and she immediately shook her head. "Peter, no. That's not true. You were at the library that night, doing your homework. Ben and I, we talked about it. He was proud of you."

Peter looked away, swallowing hard. "I was dropped off there, but I never went in."

The room seemed to go even quieter, the air thick with tension. May's expression shifted from confusion to concern. "What do you mean?"

Peter's hands trembled as he spoke, the words spilling out in a rush as if he'd been holding them back for years. "I went to this place... to get some easy money. I wanted to buy a cool car, something that would impress Mary Jane. And I won the money, but the guy wouldn't pay me. He got robbed right after, and the thief ran towards me... but I didn't stop him. I don't know what came over me... Hate... Revenge... Pettines... I just let him go."

Aunt May's hand slowly flew to her mouth, her eyes widening in shock.

Peter's voice broke, tears welling up in his eyes. "The thief needed a car. He tried to take Ben's, but Ben said no. He... he shot him, May. Uncle Ben was the only one doing the right thing that night. He was the only one."

His voice trailed off, the room filled with the sounds of Peter's ragged breathing. He reached out, his hand trembling as he tried to place it over May's. But she pulled her hand back, her face a mask of disbelief and pain.

May stood up abruptly, her chair scraping against the floor. She didn't look at him, her gaze fixed somewhere distant, as if she couldn't bear to face him. Peter's heart sank deeper, the reality of what he'd confessed sinking in.