C624 The Painful Truth

Want to read ahead of what I've posted so far? Go to my patreòn and get early access chapters!

As of now, the patreòn is 9 chapters ahead.

🛑patreón.com/AlienWarlord🛑

——————

🚨Insert Cringe GIFs/PICs here - Most likes wins🚨(A/N: only TWO entries per person!)

🏆Yesterday's GIF winner(s): BenBagMan!🏆 (A/N: 👑)

"What's this about?" Peter asked, wondering if this had something to do with Miles canon event, which has yet to take place.

Gwen's gaze shifted nervously between the faces of Peter, MJ, Miles, and Tobey, the weight of her betrayal heavy on her shoulders. Taking a deep breath, she finally spoke, her voice tinged with guilt.

"Peter, I need to explain. The reason I came here was to gather information for Miguel and the Spider-Society. I've been reporting back to them about everything, including your recent fight with the Silver Surfer." She admitted, clearly upset and guilt ridden. "I... I thought I was doing what was right, helping them understand you, but maybe I shouldn't have..."

Peter listened in silence, his expression unreadable. When Gwen finished, he looked at her and calmly asked, "I'm sorry, but did you really think I didn't know this already?" He raised a curious brow.

Gwen's eyes widened in shock. "Y-You knew?"

Peter rolled his eyes. "Of course, I knew. Did you think you were being discreet? You may have superpowers, Gwen, but you're not some secret agent."

Gwen awkwardly scratched the back of her head, muttering, "Well, yeah..."

Peter sighed, explaining, "How was I not supposed to know? First, you come here and the first thing you do is start interrogating me, then you call the Spider Society nightly to give them reports. You know this is my house, right? I have all sorts of enchantments on it, which report to me all the ongoing activities of any guests."

Gwen's eyes widened as she realized she had been caught from the very beginning.

Peter continued, stating, "And even if I didn't have those enchantments on the house, I have super hearing. Did you think I wouldn't hear you?"

Gwen turned her gaze away, unable to look Peter in the eye. She asked, "Then why didn't you do anything about it? If you knew I was spying on you from the start, how come you didn't stop me?"

Peter simply shrugged. "Because it didn't matter."

This answer caused everyone to raise a questioning eyebrow.

Miles asked, "What does that mean? It doesn't matter! Of course, it matters!" He yelled, clearly upset. After all, out of every single member of their little Spider-Gang, the one he trusted the most was Gwen.

Though that might just be because he has a crush on her…

Peter shrugged again and said, "No, not really." He said, leaning back into the couch. "I'm sorry if this upsets you Gwen, but the Spider-Society is nothing to me. What does it matter if you report some information to a weak organization? It's not like they can do anything to me. Besides, I'm already planning to deal with them…"

"But she still betrayed you…" Tobey stated, making sure Peter understood that.

Peter nodded his head. "Yeah, and she's lost a good bit of my trust, which she'll have to work hard to regain, but I understand her situation at the very least." He said understandingly.

Gwen seemed hopeful as she heard Peter mention the possibility of regaining his trust.

Seeing that everyone else was giving him questioning looks, Peter continued, explaining Gwen's situation to them, "Like a manipulative cult, the Spider-Society took Gwen in when she was at her lowest. Her father found out that she was Spider-Woman, and tried to arrest her. And when everything was falling apart, the Spider-Society offered her a place to call home and a purpose, which she could throw herself into in order to forget all of her real problems."

As Peter shared the details of Gwen's situation, the shift in the atmosphere of the room was palpable. With every word he spoke, everyone's gaze turned toward Gwen in a more understanding light.

Even MJ, who typically held a very protective and defensive stance when it came to her husband, felt a twinge of sympathy for Gwen's predicament.

Miles, still reeling from the perceived betrayal, began to calm down as well, seeing things from her perspective.

Gwen, though relieved that Peter acknowledged her circumstances, couldn't escape the uncomfortable weight of the pitying gazes surrounding her.

The room had transitioned from an accusatory environment to one marked by empathy and compassion. It was as if they were no longer judging her as a traitor but rather as someone who had been taken advantage of.

Miles, turning to Peter, asked the question lingering on everybody's mind, "So, do you think the Spider-Society purposefully waited until she was at her lowest to recruit her? Is that what they do?"

Peter pondered the thought for a moment before nodding. "It's possible, but I'm not 100% sure."

Though Peter wouldn't be surprised if that was the case. After all, with the overarching goal of the Spider-Society, which is to pretty much ensure the deaths of innocent people, how else are they supposed to recruit people willing to get the job done?

'It really is like a cult… People like Gwen, who feel indebted to Miguel and the Society would be a lot more empathetic to the cause, and willing to follow orders…' Peter thought, though he would have to verify his conclusion.

Hearing this, Gwen couldn't help but second-guess her initial encounters with the Spider-Society. She muttered, "No, that's not possible. They wouldn't do that…"

However, her words only intensified the pitying gazes from all around the room. Everyone just looked at her as if she were a victim, which she was to a certain extent, though she hasn't exactly realized that yet.

But thankfully, instead of perceiving her as a traitor anymore, everyone now saw Gwen as a girl who had been taken advantage of, manipulated into a situation she didn't fully understand.

MJ, breaking the silence, offered a soft reassurance, "Gwen, we understand that life can be complicated, and sometimes we find ourselves making choices we later regret. What matters now is how you move forward." She said, her gaze turning stern for a moment. "And most of all, making up for your mistakes."

Tobey nodded in agreement, adding, "You're not alone in facing difficult situations. We've all had our fair share of struggles, but what's important is learning from them."

Gwen's eyes welled with gratitude as she received unexpected support from the people she had expected to condemn her.

Miles, though still processing the situation, spoke up, "I guess I get it. You were at a low point, and they took advantage of that. But still, you should've trusted us enough to talk about it."

Gwen nodded, still unsure of whether or not she was taken advantage of, acknowledging the validity of Miles' point. "I should have, and I shouldn't have been spying on you guys… I'm sorry. I'll do whatever it takes to make things right."

…

Once Gwen's apology to Peter had been addressed, she turned her attention to Miles. "…"

The room, previously filled with a sense of understanding, took a collective breath, thinking the drama had concluded and they could finally move on. However, just when everyone relaxed a bit, Gwen raised her hand, indicating she had more to say.

Surprised that Gwen still had something to add, everyone, besides Peter, raised curious and slightly confused eyebrows. Gwen, feeling the weight of her actions, audibly gulped before mustering the courage to speak. If she didn't tell Miles now, then he would never forgive her.

"I... I'm not done," she began, her voice shaky but determined. If she truly wanted to make amends, she had to reveal the whole truth, regardless of the consequences.

Gwen continued, her voice shaky, refusing to look anywhere near Miles. "You know about Canon Events right?" She asks, getting nods all around. "Well, Miles… You have a Canon Event coming up."

"What?" Miles asked, a confused look on his face. "What do you mean, I have a Canon Event coming up?"

Gwen explained. "It's your dad, Miles. He's going to die…" She ripped the bandaid off in one heart wrenching pull. "Just like how every Peter Parker in the multiverse loses their Uncle Ben, Aunt May, or sometimes both, every Miles Morales experiences the same tragic event, the loss of their father. It's a canon event that I was told is inevitable. I'm so sorry, Miles..."

Hearing this revelation, shock painted the faces of everyone in the room, but none more so than Miles himself. His eyes widened, and he stared at Gwen, processing the information slowly. In a tone mixed with disbelief and fear, he asked, "How long have you known this?"

Gwen, unable to meet Miles's gaze, turned her head away and admitted, "Months. I've known for months."

Miles's mouth fell open, and he looked at Gwen with a profound sense of betrayal. He muttered, "You knew that my dad would die for months, and you didn't even bother telling me? We talked every day, Gwen! How could you not tell me?!"

Gwen, stammering in her response, defended herself, "I-I didn't know how to tell you. I was scared of how you'd react and I didn't want you to do anything that could put your universe at risk... I was wrong, and I'm sorry."

The room fell into a heavy silence as the weight of Gwen's revelation settled among them. The atmosphere, once marked by empathy and understanding, shifted to one fraught with tension and unresolved emotions.

Gwen, facing the consequences of withholding such crucial information, waited for his response, knowing she had crossed a line that might be irreparable.

Miles, struggling to process the news, clenched his fists, his eyes filled with a mix of anger and hurt. "That's not good enough!" He shouted. "What would have happened if you didn't tell me? My dad would be dead and what? You'd just keep quiet about it and pretend it never happened?!"

Tears began to well up in Gwen's eyes as she began to shake under her friend's harsh gaze. "I-I'm sorry… I'm really sorry…"

"Being sorry isn't enough!" Miles shouted again before he suddenly became eerily calm. "You know what? If I heard that your dad, or someone who you loved would die, I would tell you immediately, without a second thought. Do you know why?" He asked, waiting for her to answer.

"…" Gwen couldn't answer, the words escaping her.

"Of course you don't." Miles muttered, as he turned away and walked to the front door.

"M-Miles, where are you going!" Gwen exclaimed as she tried to follow him and grab his arm, but he simply shrugged her off.

Turning back, he eyed her with a harsh glare. "Dont touch me…" He said, freezing her with his stare as he opened the door and walked out, not even bothering to close it behind him.

A/N: 1805 :)

🚨GIVE💎STONES💎🥺🚨

👇DONT FORGET TO VOTE!👇