Rain soaked his red suit, painting it black. It drenched his suit so much so that he could feel it sticking to his body, the drops sending shivers through his skin, but Spider-Man didn’t care. He had to show Bruce he meant business.

Above his perch, he saw the media rats huddling under tents. He wondered what the buzz would be if they saw Spider-Man enter the manor only to be greeted by state-of-the-art security that they couldn’t imagine. He chuckled at the thought and was almost tempted to go through with it but decided against it. Bruce wasn’t the only one who knew the mansion well.

The manor was built by a cliffside. Spider-Man knew that there was an emergency exit in the Batcave that lead to a beachfront. Being an emergency exit, most of the security drones and (non-lethal) turrets were focused in that area. Spider-Man passed through the forest, disabling the hidden cameras he knew were dotted around the manor with electric webs. The forest lead to the cliffside, all Spider-Man had to do was make it through without alerting Bruce.

He almost got caught by a drone but luckily his spider sense alerted him before it could register him. An impact web shattered the bat-shaped nuisance, and he was by the cliffside. Below him was a beach and ahead of him, the vast sea. Droplets of water agitating the churning surface causing it to twist and turn.

He was about to make the drop when he felt his phone start vibrating. He took it out and saw the caller ID.

Aunt May.

He hung up.

…

Otto. Otto. The man who tried to kill him, the man who almost failed. That same man was extending his hand for a shake and smiling at him. Aunt May was leaning on the kitchen door, smiling at them. Peter could see the eager expectation in her eyes.

Peter didn’t shake his hand. Otto put his aside.

“Sorry,” Otto said. “Maybe I was a tad bit too forward.”

Peter forced his best smile. “No, I’m sorry. I’m a bit…”

Otto shrugged. “It’s fine, not everyday you see a man in a wheelchair.”

Aunt May stared at Peter. She was not having that as an excuse. “Peter, how…”

Otto raised a hand. “It’s fine, May. Cut the boy some slack, he’s probably dazed because he got here in a rush, right?”

Otto smiled at him. Peter couldn’t smile back.

“Well boys,” Aunt May said. “Looks like dinner’s ready. Maybe some food in his belly will get Peter to open up.”

As Peter walked into the kitchen, Aunt May walked towards Otto and stood behind his wheelchair.

“Oh, come on May,” Otto said, big smile on his face. “I’m not a child. I can get there myself.”

“Hush you,” May said with a grin. “Otherwise, I’m going to put a bib on you.”

As May pushed Otto into the kitchen, they both looked at each other, smiling, grinning, laughing and joking. He couldn’t hear what they were saying, just the blood in his body and the thumping in his heart. Otto turned to him and gave him a warm smile.

“C’mon Pete,” Otto said. “What are you waiting for?”

Somewhere in his mind, Peter heard the scraping of metal and the gnashing of steel claws.

…

Behind him, he heard the waves crashing against the shore. It was almost calming. Ahead of him, the dark gnawing chasm of the cave beckoned him forward. Spider-Man knew it would be anything but relaxing. His spider sense warned him of that.

A part of him beckoned him to turn back. His pride. After all the arguments with Bruce, this would just be like giving up. This would be saying that his methods were correct, saying that all those disagreements and arguments meant nothing. But when the danger was this close to home, the only thing Spider-Man could do was swallow his pride.

He entered the cave. His footsteps echoed through the cave. The muffled sounds of the waves felt like a million miles away. His eyesight barely adjusted to the darkness. The only thing he could see was the jagged outlines of the stalagmites above and below. The only thing Spider-Man could do was go deeper and deeper into the cave until the darkness swallowed him.

…

“Peter, you’re not touching your food,” Aunt May said.

They sat across each other, Otto sitting dangerously close to his Aunt, on his wheelchair. Peter had to stop himself from staring at him as he tried to eat the pot chicken in front of him.

“Don’t worry, I didn’t poison anything,” Otto said with a laugh. Aunt May chuckled.

Peter didn’t find that very funny. Whenever he looked at Otto, he could feel the scars he left on his body twitch.

“I don’t know what’s wrong with him,” Aunt May said. “He’s usually so chatty.”

They sat there in silence, May and Otto joking while Peter remained silent, just staring at his plate. The conversation felt distant, muffled by the sounds of his own thoughts.

“Peter,” May said. “Are you okay?”

“What?” Peter said, sounding like he had just woken up. “What’s up?”

“Otto’s saying something,” May said. There was a tension in her voice and she gave her that look that spelled that he was definitely going to be in trouble after he left.

“Aunt May tells me you’re a scientist,” Otto said. “Or at least trying to be one.”

Peter nodded. “Yeah. Kinda.”

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“I am… was a scientist,” Otto said. “Used to work for Wayne Corp until my legs gave in. May tells me it’s your essay you wrote on them that got you into Gotham High?”

Peter just nodded.

“Corporate propaganda, basically?” The bitterness in his voice transported Peter back to the sewers. For a brief moment the friendliness slipped away, and Peter wasn’t staring at Otto Octavius but Dr. Octopus.

May laughed, like she was used to Otto’s switch. That was the same voice he used when he held Peter aloft like a doll. “C’mon Otto, not on the dinner table.” She held his shoulder, Otto turned to her with a grin.

“I’m sorry,” Otto said. “It’s just the Waynes. I used to work there. I didn’t agree with their methods. You think people like Bruce Wayne get rich by paying you a fair wage?”

“Otto, Peter works as an intern at Wayne Corp,” May said. “I’m surprised I didn’t mention it.”

Otto raised an eyebrow. “You work there? Wow. From ex-Wayne Corp member to new one, get the hell out of there as fast as possible.” Otto laughed, May followed. Peter forced out a chuckle.

“But I’m not here to talk about myself,” Otto said. “Tell me about you. How’s school? May tells me you’re an excellent student.”

“School’s okay,” Peter said, shrugging.

“I don’t know what’s wrong with him today,” May chuckled. “Usually, he has an essay’s worth to say about school, his girlfriend…”

“Don’t tell him,” Peter snapped. When Peter noticed the judgemental stares, he was getting he knew he wasn’t getting out of this.

“Peter what’s this about?” May said. “What’s the matter with you? You’re quiet and now all of a sudden you just snap?”

“It’s my fault,” Otto said. “I shouldn’t have…”

“No,” May said. “It’s not your fault. I thought Peter was okay with this…”

“I’m not okay with it,” Peter growled. “I’m not okay with this… this…”

Peter saw the sadness in Otto’s eyes. Why did it make him feel so damn guilty? He saw the anger slowly start building in Aunt May’s…

“Just get out the house,” Peter yelled. “Leave!”

“Peter Parker!” May stood up. “I did not teach you to be this disrespectful.”

“He’s lying to you May,” Peter shouted. “He’s a monster, he’s… he’s…”

Peter slammed his fist against the table. “Fuck!”

“It seems I’m not welcome here,” Otto said. May tightly grabbed his hand.

“No, Otto,” May said. “It’s not that, it’s…”

“Peter, I did not raise you this way,” May said. “What’s going on?”

“It’s him,” Peter said, pointing a finger. He tried to kill me, he’s the Master Planner. He’s Doctor Fucking Octopus. But Peter couldn’t say that. Not at the risk of outing him, not at the risk of putting May in danger. Peter wanted nothing more than to do something. But what could he do when danger was so close to home? When that danger almost killed him? When that danger kill May?

Peter’s finger fell to the side. “I’ll be in my room.”

“Good,” May said. “And we’re going to have a talk afterwards.”

Peter shrunk back to his room, head held down and hands in his pocket. Before he entered his room, he heard May’s and Otto’s voices carry over in the hallway.

“I’m sorry, I just have no idea where this came from.”

“You think it could be…”

“No, God no. Peter is a hundred things but he would never discriminate anyone on any basis.”

“Like I said, it was too fast. I don’t think…”

“But he was okay with this, he got you a gift and everything.”

“Maybe he feels threatened. I shouldn’t speak on his behalf but his uncle did die just over a year ago. I don’t expect him to move on so quickly.”

May sighed. “I don’t understand. He seemed ready to move on, ready to welcome you. Now…”

There was a pause.

“I just wish I knew what’s going on with that boy.”

…

The fighting didn’t start until he got deeper into the cave but when it did start, he was prepared.

A silent drone hovered behind him. A normal person wouldn’t have heard it before it launched a bolt of electricity that stunned them. Spider-Man was no normal person. Before the electric bolt even launched, an impact web caused the drone to explode into bits.

But that wasn’t the end of it. Not by a longshot. More drones appeared. Spider-Man dodged the electric bolts launching all sorts of webs to disable them. They were three, Peter launched one impact web and attached two normal webs to the other two before yanking them together. More drones started popping out of the depths of the cave, more than a dozen. Spider-Man started making a run for it, dodging the bolts hurtling his way.

As he ran through the cave and made it to the silver driveway. He launched a web mine that caught some of the drones. He bounced off the walls and pressed his arms together, palms facing outwards as he created a net of web fluid.

That’d keep them caught up for a while. But now from the side of the driveway and a bunch of turrets started firing bolts at him. Spider-man started firing electric webs but some of the bolts hit him. He started to feel woozy, but he fought against it. He had to make it to Bruce.

Spider-Man dodged the turrets but whenever he dodged one bolt another attacked him from a direction he didn’t predict. His body started to ache. He could feel himself losing consciousness. The drones managed to tear through the webs and started getting closer. Bolts started to fire from them.

Spider-Man had to fight them. He had to make it to Bruce…

A bolt struck his shoulder, then his chest and arm. He tried fighting back but his body started to get sluggish. He couldn’t move as fast as he could before, his body couldn’t catch up with his willpower and then…

Collapsed. The drones buzzed away, and the turrets stopped firing.

Spider-Man heard footsteps start to echo. He saw a pair of black boots.

“What do you want?” Bruce said.

“Help…me,” Spider-Man croaked out before he lost consciousness.

…

Through the door, he heard the muffled discussion of Otto leaving. May’s rushed apologies, conversation that wanted to continue but was cut short by obligation and time. Peter was familiar with that type of conversation, he’d had them a million a times with Barbara. He hated that May was having it with Otto.

May washed the dishes, he heard the clunk of the plate and the running of water. Each moment felt excruciating, Peter trying to figure out what to say, whether to apologize or tell the truth. He hated lying to her, he hated it so much. But her heart, protecting her, making sure she was safe from danger. And Otto was the danger, the exact thing he wanted to protect her from. Whatever choice he made was a dangerous one. If he told the truth, that’d risk Aunt May’s life and if he lied…

He heard May’s sigh before she knocked the door. “Peter, I’m sorry if you’re asleep but…”

Peter opened the door. His head was held down. He saw May had wrapped his leftover chicken in tinfoil.

“You didn’t eat so…”

Peter opened the door and sat on his bed. May placed the chicken on his desk before sitting next to him.

“Peter what was that at the dinner table?” May asked. “What you said was frankly disgusting. I did not raise you to be like that. I understand what you feel about your uncle but to raise your voice to Otto like that…”

The words faded away to the sound of his thoughts. The truth or…

“I’m sorry,” Peter said. “Tell Otto I’m sorry. What happened…”

He wasn’t lying anymore. This went way beyond that.

“It was Ben,” Peter said. When he said those words, he felt nauseous. When he brought up his name in that way. “I… I thought I was ready but…”

Who was he? What was he becoming?

“It… it won’t happen again…”

He saw his reflection in the mirror, he wasn’t sure what he was looking at.

Aunt May hugged him. “I understand. I shouldn’t have pushed this on you so quickly, meeting him, I mean.”

Peter couldn’t bring himself to hug her back.

…

When Spider-Man regained consciousness he found himself in a transparent cell with his arms and legs bound. Bruce stood on the other side, wearing his Batsuit without the mask.

“I’m not dealing with this again,” Spider-Man sighed. He broke free from the bindings. “No electricity this time, nice.”

“You’re only in this cell because you let your sense guide you,” Bruce said. “You don’t…”

“I know,” Spider-Man said. “I know.”

“I thought I told you not to come back here,” Bruce said. “I should kick you out, let the media…”

Spider-Man took out his mask. “I want to continue my training.”

“Why?” Bruce asked.

Peter met Bruce’s eyes, turning to him and standing tall. In them Bruce saw an anger, a determination that he always wanted in his Robins.

“Very well,” Bruce said. “We start tomorrow. You better be on time.”

To be continued