"You don't have to bring flowers every time you visit. I'm already past my prime; these are better suited for young girls."
The following morning, at the entrance of No. 20 Forest Hills, Aunt May—wearing a headscarf—took the flowers from Batman's hand. She grumbled even as she secretly leaned in to catch their scent.
"Uncle Ben would certainly be unhappy to hear you say that. Whether it's in his eyes, Peter's, or even mine, you have always been young," Batman said. A youthful, vibrant smile played across his face—an image worlds apart from the madman who had threatened the moon god Khonshu with a nuclear strike just the night before.
"Oh, you boy," Aunt May said, playfully swatting Batman's arm with feigned anger, though the smile on her face never wavered.
Batman didn't dodge. Instead, he proactively offered his arm for Aunt May to take. Together, the elder and the youth began a slow stroll against the morning sun.
The Forest Hills community had long since been upgraded by Batman. It had been transformed from an ordinary civilian neighborhood into a high-end district capable of meeting almost every life necessity—from lush greenery and top-tier security to medical facilities and shopping centers.
Flowerbeds lined the roads, shaded by massive trees under which young children frolicked and played. The community featured a sprawling park that was practically a small amusement park; on the grass, an elderly Chinese man was currently performing Tai Chi with slow, deliberate movements.
As Aunt May walked arm-in-arm with Batman, people constantly greeted her. There were children and seniors alike, and occasionally someone would ask who the handsome, refined young man beside her was. Whenever that happened, Aunt May would introduce him as her nephew with a face full of pride.
After walking for a while, they reached the artificial lake within the community where the crowds were thinner. Aunt May suddenly spoke up.
"Child, you still haven't told me what your real name is."
"Thomas Pennyworth," Batman answered.
He would not tell Aunt May his true name, "Bruce Wayne," nor did he dare use his father's name, Thomas Wayne, as an alias. Thomas came from his father, while the surname Pennyworth came from Alfred. This was Batman's new identity in front of Aunt May.
"Thomas," Aunt May repeated the name twice, as if trying to etch it into her heart.
In truth, that was exactly what she was doing. In Aunt May's heart, "Thomas Pennyworth" had completely become her second nephew. She didn't want to reach a day where she didn't even know her own child's name.
"Thomas, what did you do for a living before?" Aunt May tightened her grip on his arm, chatting like they were just discussing family matters. "You established a conglomerate using Peter's name; you gave this old woman quite a shock last time. You'll have to make it up to me."
"Before?" Images of various monsters, sorcerers, and dark gods he had defeated flashed before Batman's eyes. He smiled at Aunt May and said, "I was a businessman. How would you like me to make it up to you, Aunt May?"
"By staying for dinner tonight, of course, you silly boy." Aunt May looked lovingly at the man who currently bore Peter's face—Thomas Pennyworth.
"No problem. I will spend the entire day with you," Batman nodded solemnly. His serious expression made Aunt May cover her mouth as she let out a laugh.
After laughing for a moment, Aunt May began prying with curiosity.
"How tall were you before?"
"Six-foot-two, Aunt May."
"Quite a bit taller than Peter. And how much do you weigh? I see many businessmen on TV with big potbellies. If you're like that, I'll have to personally manage your diet."
"I've always been very conscious of my health, Aunt May. I usually weigh around 210 pounds."
"The Forest Hills community is getting better and better. That must be because of your quiet contributions, right?"
"And here I thought I'd hidden it well enough. I didn't expect you to find out, Aunt May."
"Oh, please, Thomas. The time you bought the house at No. 20 and started taking me for drives in luxury cars lined up perfectly with when the community started its upgrades. Your aunt is old, but she isn't senile yet."
"My little tricks obviously can't fool the brilliant and beautiful Aunt May."
"Of course not, Thomas, my sweetheart."
From morning until evening, Batman accompanied Aunt May for the entire day.
It wasn't until they had finished the dinner Aunt May had personally prepared and he had watched her fall into a deep sleep that Batman finally stepped out of No. 20.
He didn't drive directly back to the Batcave. Instead, he hid in the shadows, focusing his senses to guard the area, only truly leaving several hours later. Batman did this because even though Forest Hills' security and surveillance network were more than sufficient, he still couldn't rest easy. He would not allow even the slightest accident to occur while protecting Aunt May.
When he returned to the Batcave, Venom Robin was frantically stuffing chocolate into his mouth at a rate of three kilograms per second. Black Widow, wearing a metal mask, sat in a corner of the cave with her knees pulled to her chest.
Seeing Batman return, Venom Robin immediately straightened his back, pretending he hadn't just been binging on chocolate. Black Widow, hearing the footsteps, fumbled as she stood up.
"Batman, just how much longer are you going to keep me locked up?"
She had been trying to remove the mask, but every time she took it off, she saw the images she feared most in the depths of her soul. This forced her to accept the reality that the mask could not be removed.
Even so, Black Widow had never given up.
Through a series of clues involving Ant-Man, Batman, and others, she had finally deduced that the mission S.H.I.E.L.D. had given her was to stay by Batman's side. She was supposed to work from the inside while Clint Barton—Hawkeye—worked from the outside to coordinate Batman's arrest.
With her eyes covered like this, the intelligence Black Widow could gather on Batman was extremely limited. She couldn't even tell when he was nearby or when he had left.
I have to find a way to take off the mask and get Batman to remove these damn hallucinations, Black Widow resolved in her heart. Or perhaps... face the fear in my heart and overcome it entirely?
Batman glanced at Black Widow. He nodded to Venom Robin, signaling him to stay quiet, then stepped forward and grabbed Black Widow's hand.
"Hmm?"
Black Widow's heart skipped a beat. Feeling her wrist grabbed by Batman, her first instinct was to lean gently into his strength, her body becoming as supple as a boneless snake.
To the side, Venom Robin stuck out his tongue, making a gagging face.
Batman wasn't surprised by Black Widow's behavior. He allowed her to lean into his embrace, then pulled out a pair of metal handcuffs.
As the cuffs locked around her wrists, a flash of astonishment crossed Black Widow's face, but her voice only grew more seductive.
"So, you like it this way, do you?"
Batman looked at her face, which was obscured by the metal mask. Through an encrypted communication channel, he contacted another member of S.H.I.E.L.D.
"Clint. Meet me at the top of the Empire State Building."
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