Spider-Man: Coming Back Home

Chapter 12

"So... you wanted to show me something?" Peter gives a puzzled look at Pepper.
Pepper gives her son a reluctant look, as if she doesn't want to share what she will. "Let's... eat first. Okay?"
"You changed your mind?"
"No! I'm just worried you won't be happy... let's eat."
"Mommy! Peter! Hurry up!" Morgan has no idea what's wrong with Peter. She just wants to eat some lunch, and she calls from the kitchen to let it be known. "I'm gonna eat it all!"
"Morgan, NO!" Pepper screams, sprinting to the kitchen.

"Peter, how was your day?" Morgan asks sweetly to her brother. The Starks used to ask each other about their day every single meal, until her father had to leave.
"Oh, uh," Peter stutters, calming down, "It was great. What about you, Ms Stark?" Pepper gives her son a look of happiness.
"My day is great too! What about you, Mommy?"
"It's great, hon." Pepper, although happy, still has the dark bags under her eyes. Her rivers still have remnants after over a week. "I'm glad Peter is here." Pepper glances at Peter knowingly. Of course she knows he skipped school- she was a volunteer for the school district for about a year after the Snap; she stays up to date with everything schools. She knows when school is.
"Me, too." Peter was reluctant to say. He doesn't want to feel weird, but he knows that he can't avoid it now.

"Okay, so let me talk to you." Pepper says, pulling Peter aside later into the memorial room.
"What is it?" Peter asks, dying to know, but keeping it casual.
Pepper hesitates before speaking. "That wasn't the only recording Tony left you." She couldn't tell him until now, she couldn't bear it. But now, she has the strength.
Peter turns cold, but his face turns red. "Wh- why didn't you tell me?"
"You had too much to think about. But I think this is just the thing to keep your mind off of your friends." Pepper smiles as she presses the button on the old helmet.

"Hey, Pete. Morgan's asleep now, so I can talk now...
I wanted to say some more stuff, soooo here we go. I know that if you're seeing this recording, then something happened. I know that. Because you'd already know this, kid, if I was here with you.
I've been keeping track of a lot of things. I've been trying to keep tabs on people who lost important people in their lives, like your aunt. I know she's struggling and I can't bring myself to talk to her. Now, I know- it's stupid, but that's life, right?
So anyway- I've been trying to think about all possible things to do. And, Pepper and I have talked about this a lot. I want you to know... no, that's not how to say it..."
Peter's shocked. Tony never restarted a sentence, he was always too sure of himself. But Peter doesn't know what's lies in store.
"Peter, I want to take you and your aunt in. You two can live with us, and your aunt doesn't have to struggle. You can be the big brother Morgan knows you are, and..." Tony's eyes well up with tears in the recording. "I know it's dumb, but I want the best for your family, Peter." He sighs. "But, I'm sure we won't need this recording, right? Everything's gonna turn out great. And, tomorrow, we time heist. You changed my life, Peter. Bye."
Peter turns to Pepper, tears streaming down his face.
"Your aunt knows about this, Peter." Pepper confesses. "She wants you to live with us."
Peter's mind goes blank. What does he say? Yes, I would like to leave my struggling aunt behind? No, I don't want to spend time with my family?
"I... I can't. I can't do that to my aunt. No matter if she thinks it's okay or not. I- is this.. another test, Ms. uhm, Pepper?"
Pepper is surprised. She knows Peter so well, but she's surprised he thought it was a test. "Uh, yes," she stutters, "we wanted you to still be the kid we always knew you to be. Great job, Peter."
"So... should I go?"
"Sure, hon."

Walking home, Peter ponders the experience. Did Tony seriously spend the time out of his last day to make a test? Was it a test? Peter sighs. He may never figure it out. But one thing was for sure: he wants to live with the Starks. He loves them, and he knows that. But he can't not be there for Aunt May. She's too important for him. Suddenly, Peter is surprised by a voice. "Hey kid, can you shut the hell up and stop crying?" A man walking next to Peter, with black bags under his eyes, is talking on the phone.
"Oh, yes sir, I get it." Peter knows a father when he sees one. The man's briefcase has Play-Dough on it, and Peter can hear a baby's cry from the other end of the phone. As Peter walks past the man, he thinks of Morgan. He thinks about how Morgan will barely remember her father, while Peter had Uncle Ben until, well, recently. He thinks about how Happy told him that Tony's first "test" wasn't a test, and that Tony was actually surprised by how he responded to the Avengers proposal. He then remembers that the man he passed told him to stop crying; how did he not notice it? So many thoughts for our Peter...

"Peter? Is that you?" May calls from the kitchen, hearing the entryway door creak shut. She's surprised he took the stairs and not his bedroom window.
"It's me," Peter sighs.
May walks calmly to Peter from the kitchen, then does something unexpecting to Peter. "Where the hell were you?! The school told me that you ran out of the school during class!" A stern look washes onto May's face, as she's coming closer to Peter. 
"MJ's in college." That's all Peter says, and that's all he has to say.
"Peter, I  should have told you..." May's eyes water and her expression changes. "I'm sorry." 
"She's a student teacher."
"I know."
"She hasn't changed a bit." Peter's face feels wet.
"I know." May and Peter's hug feels warmer and kinder than any other they had. You can see the regret and sorrow in her eyes and posture, with weak arms and a heavy head to go with her heavy heart. 

"What else happened today, Peter?" May and Peter have now sat on the couch of the run-down apartment, with May's hands in Peter's.
Peter sighs. "Pepper showed me a video-"
"Go live with them, Peter."
"What?"
May smiles bittersweetly. "Live with them."
"But-"
"Peter, you know how hard life has been for just me. I can't do this to you. And Pepper practically is your mother. She loves you, and so does Morgan. I'll visit as much as I can, but I have to work more. Plus, they live closer to the school, so you can be there quicker."
"But if I just get a job-"
"It's not that simple, Peter." May's tears reform. "Go be happy. I have to sell the apartment."
"What?!"
May's face shows her guilt. "I've been keeping a lot to my chest. Peter, after Ben, then the Snap, everything... it just fell apart. there's nothing we.. I... can do."
"Aunt May..." Peter gives his aunt a hug, soaking her shirt with tears. "I could have been helping. You could have used my college money. My parents' money. You-"
"No!" It was May's turn to break down. Her tears keep streaming down, and she doesn't make a sound. Soon, she falls asleep, leaving Peter to lay her down on the uncomfortable couch. Peter spends the next few moments looking on at his aunt, wondering what he'll do. But he does know one thing: this wasn't a test.