Even if Aunt May's true love was Peter Parker, the young man whose soul had vanished and whose body he now occupied.
But when Batman saw the concern, love, and worry in Aunt May's eyes, even his decades of experience playing Bruce Wayne nearly gave him away.
Batman quickly lifted the flowers in his hand and presented them to Aunt May, using them to obscure his face.
"Sorry, Aunt May, these are for you."
"Oh, Peter." Aunt May accepted the bouquet, her face lighting up with pure joy, and then she pulled Batman into a tight hug.
Batman's body instinctively resisted this familial embrace, but he couldn't pull away; he needed to play the role of Peter Parker convincingly.
So Batman's arms hung awkwardly in the air for a moment, but eventually, he gently returned the hug and patted her back lightly, with minimal force.
"Alright, how much longer are we going to stand at the door?"
Aunt May was the first to release her nephew from the embrace, leading Batman into the house and seating him at the dining table.
Then Aunt May brought out steaming dishes from the kitchen, handed him a knife and fork, and looked at Batman expectantly.
"Peter, I just learned a new pizza recipe from TV. Come on, try it and tell me how Aunt May's cooking turned out."
Batman held the knife and fork, staring at the steaming pizza and dishes. He didn't know how many times Aunt May had reheated the food while waiting for him to come home, or how long she had sat alone at the table, just so she could open the door the moment he knocked.
"This unconditional love..."
"I once had it, and then I lost it. In this strange universe, it has reappeared, like a warm but fragile bubble."
Batman tried to force a smile. The terrifying embodiment of fear that had shattered Green Goblin's will just hours earlier could only play the role of an obedient college student in front of Aunt May.
"I cannot defile it, nor can I rely on it... I need to maintain this lie, and then keep my distance."
He had returned to Aunt May's last Saturday for Peter Parker's birthday, but Batman had fled in a hurry before even finishing the meal.
However, he couldn't avoid Aunt May forever; he had to face the old woman eventually.
The hand holding the knife and fork trembled slightly. Even Batman's iron will couldn't fully resist Aunt May's unconditional love. He could only give her a smile, then cut a slice of pizza and eat it.
Then Batman genuinely smiled from the bottom of his heart as he complimented Aunt May's cooking.
"This taste reminds me of the best dessert I had as a child. Thank you, Aunt May."
Aunt May's eyes flashed with a hint of surprise, but she didn't say much, instead pushing the plate closer to Batman.
"You must be starving, child."
Batman nodded. At that moment, he set aside any thoughts of customized meal plans, eating his dinner heartily and clearing every bit of food from the table.
From start to finish, Aunt May smiled at Batman, as if she could never get enough of looking at her nephew.
However, Batman felt like he was sitting on pins and needles. He was accustomed to Alfred's restrained, profound, and unspoken care.
But Aunt May's direct, warm, and overwhelming love made him feel as if he were basking in a sunlight that was both longed-for and unfamiliar, leaving him somewhat at a loss.
After dinner, Batman stood up to help Aunt May clear the dishes, then announced his departure.
He still had things to do that night. The S.H.I.E.L.D. security firewall was his own creation, and tonight he intended to thoroughly extract every possible clue for returning to his original world from this covert, multinational organization.
He needed to go to the second and third basements of the Osborn Group to find more information about the Super Soldier Serum, to understand why Norman Osborn had become so crazed and evil after his transformation.
He had to deal with the remaining forces in Hell's Kitchen after Kingpin was sent to the police station, and to fulfill his promise to Silver Sable.
He had to deal with the list of New York gang leaders he had compiled the day after he crossed over, taking them down one by one.
Batman never stopped; he always had his next plan.
"Aunt May, see you next Saturday."
Batman pushed open the door and said this after another hug with Aunt May.
Aunt May, however, did not let go. She looked up at Batman, who was much taller than her, a smile on her face, but her words made Batman feel as if he had plunged into an ice cellar.
"You're not my Peter, are you, child?"
Boom!
The gentle evening breeze felt like a torrential downpour on Batman, followed by a bolt of lightning striking him.
There was no content about Peter Parker in his memories. He knew he lacked Peter's habitual actions, and he would be exposed sooner or later.
Therefore, Batman had pretended to be sick the first time he met Harry, and fled in a hurry the first time he met Aunt May.
But Batman hadn't expected to be exposed so quickly.
His muscles tensed rapidly, and his mind sharpened in an instant, but he just as swiftly dropped this battle-ready posture.
If anyone else had exposed him, Batman might have immediately executed the plan he had already formulated in his mind, but the person in front of him was Aunt May.
Aunt May, from whom Batman, occupying Peter Parker's body, felt the maternal love he had not possessed for decades.
"My Peter was a chatty little tiger."
Aunt May exposed Batman's disguise, but she showed no panic or fear. Instead, she took Batman's hand and sat on the steps by the door, leaning against his shoulder as she slowly spoke.
"Every time I learned a new skill on TV, Peter and Ben would complain while still eating all the food... I know my cooking isn't good, but I enjoy the process of making dinner for my loved ones, my child."
"But you are too calm, child. Even when you praised the pizza, you were very sincere, but still too calm—so calm that you weren't like Peter."
Batman's body stiffened once again. He dared not look into Aunt May's eyes beside him, only gazing into the distance.
"When Peter helped me wash dishes, he always treated it like a game, happily chattering about recent events," Aunt May continued. "Last time you fled in a hurry, I thought it was because Ben's passing had hit him too hard... But you and Peter are completely different people."
Aunt May's voice was soft, but Batman grew increasingly nervous. He didn't know how to face Aunt May.
Aunt May finally stopped leaning on Batman's shoulder and turned to look at his profile.
"You don't need to be nervous. I know you're a good child. Perhaps you yourself are very confused, not knowing why this situation has occurred."
Batman opened his mouth, speaking somewhat dryly.
"You are right... I... don't know how to explain why I am here."
Aunt May reached out and cupped Batman's face, making him look into her eyes.
"Is my Peter still alive?"
Her eyes flickered, and a hint of tears glimmered. Batman took a deep breath; he knew he couldn't say he didn't know anymore.
"He is alive. His soul is safe and sound. I swear on my life that I will find a way to bring him back."
Whether in Heaven or Hell, whether across countless universe dimensions, no matter where the original Peter was, Batman silently resolved in his heart to bring him back. (This plot point is at the end, this book only writes about Batman, no body swapping)
This did not conflict with his ultimate goal of returning to Gotham.
Aunt May seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. She slowly caressed Batman's face with the back of her hand, smiling kindly as she said.
"Child, no matter who you are, you look utterly exhausted. You're carrying something very heavy alone, aren't you?"
Before Batman could say anything, Aunt May had already stood up, saying cheerfully.
"I need to learn more cooking from TV. Remember to come back next Saturday to try it."
"Until you find your way home, this will still be your home."
Batman said nothing more. After silently hugging Aunt May one last time, he turned and disappeared into the dark night.