Miles Morales stood in front of his parents, feeling a mixture of anxiety and determination. His heart pounded as he looked at Jefferson Davis, his father, and Rio Morales, his mother. This was the moment he'd been dreading, but it was also one he couldn't avoid any longer.
"I love you both," Miles began, his voice firm but tinged with nervousness. "And don't freak out about what I'm about to say."
Jefferson furrowed his brow, glancing at Rio with a confused expression. "What? Freak out? What are you talking about?" His father's tone was half concerned, half curious, and that only made Miles more uneasy.
Miles took a deep breath. "I am Spider-Man."
Silence filled the room. Jefferson blinked, looking at Miles as if he'd misheard. "Wait… you are Spider-Man?" His voice carried disbelief, but there was something else beneath it—an undercurrent of protective worry.
Miles nodded, standing tall. "Yes, I am. I'm The Spider-Man."
Rio, who had been quiet up to this point, gave a small chuckle. "You're joking, right? I mean, you're always a jokester, Miles." Her tone was light, but the smile on her face was already fading as she saw the seriousness in her son's eyes.
Miles sighed, knowing there was no more avoiding it. Without saying a word, he pulled at the collar of his shirt and revealed the red-and-black spandex of his Spider-Man suit underneath. The iconic spider symbol emblazoned across his chest left no doubt.
Rio's awkward laugh filled the room, but it was cut short by the look of sheer disbelief on her face. "So... it's not a joke?" She laughed again, but this time it was hollow, almost like she was trying to convince herself it wasn't real. She looked at Jefferson, her eyes wide with panic. "Tell me this is not a dream."
Jefferson, equally shaken, ran a hand over his face. "I… I want to wake up from this dream too," he muttered, rubbing his temples. "This… this can't be real, right?"
Miles took a deep breath, watching his parents' reactions carefully. He had imagined this moment countless times, but nothing could have prepared him for the real thing. His heart raced as he stood there, revealing his Spider-Man suit beneath his clothes.
"I didn't want to keep it from you," Miles finally said, his voice softer. "But it wasn't safe to tell you until now. I've been Spider-Man for a while... and I've been trying to protect you. I didn't want you to worry."
Jefferson stared at the ground for a moment, trying to make sense of it all. He'd seen Spider-Man swinging through the streets of Brooklyn, saving lives, battling criminals, risking everything. The idea that it had been his son this entire time… it was too much to process.
Jefferson rubbed his face, pacing slightly as he tried to process the revelation. "You're telling me… that all this time, my son has been running around as Spider-Man? The superhero we've been seeing on the news?" His voice was a mixture of disbelief and concern.
"Yeah, Dad," Miles said, his tone soft but firm. "I've been protecting the city… fighting villains… and trying to balance school and life with, you know, saving the day."
Rio's laughter had died down now, replaced by a look of worry. She placed her hands on her hips, staring at Miles like she was seeing him for the first time. "Mi hijo… all those nights you were out late, all those times you came home tired… it was because of this? Because you were out there risking your life?"
Miles bit his lip, fighting back the flood of emotions. "I was trying to protect you. The less you knew, the safer you were." His words hung in the air, but the weight of them didn't seem to lessen the tension.
Jefferson shook his head, his voice firm. "You didn't think we'd be scared that our son is fighting some random mobs? Miles, you're our son! And you're telling us you've been going up against criminals, super-powered villains? That's not something you just drop on us like it's no big deal!"
Miles' shoulders slumped. "I know, Dad. I know. But I've been doing this for a while now… and I'm good at it. I've saved a lot of people, and I've had help from others like me. I'm not alone in this."
Rio, still shaken, took a step forward and placed a hand on Miles's arm. "But you're just a kid," she whispered, tears forming in her eyes. "How could you carry something like this alone?"
Miles looked at his mother, the pain in her eyes matching the pain he had carried for so long. "I wasn't alone, Mom. I had help. Other Spider-Men... mentors." He thought of Michael Wilson, Peter B Parker, Gwen, and all the others who had been by his side during his journey. But at this moment, that didn't seem to matter. All that mattered was that his parents were finally learning the truth.
Rio, still holding onto Miles's arm, whispered, "Are you in danger? Is this... Spider-Man thing still happening? Are you still fighting?" The worry in her voice cut through Miles's heart.
Miles looked up at his mother, feeling the weight of his secret finally lifted but replaced with the burden of his parents' concern. "Yes, Mom. I'm still Spider-Man. It doesn't stop. It can't stop."he admitted. "But I'm still me. I'm still your son. And I've been doing this because it's what I believe is right. To protect people. To make sure bad things don't happen to others."
Jefferson let out a long sigh, running a hand through his hair. "I always knew you were special, Miles, but this… this is a whole different level. I just… we need some time to wrap our heads around this."
Rio nodded in agreement. "We love you, and we're proud of the man you're becoming. But being Spider-Man? That's a lot to take in, Miles. We need to… we need to figure out how to support you in this, and how to protect you, too."
Miles smiled softly, feeling a wave of relief wash over him. "That's all I could ever ask for."
There was a long silence between them, each trying to come to terms with this new reality. Finally, Jefferson spoke, his voice softer than before. "You really are Spider-Man, huh? That explains a lot. Guess we'll have to get used to this new 'normal' now."
Rio gave a small chuckle, though it was still laced with worry. "We'll figure it out, Miles. Just promise us… you'll be careful. We can't lose you." Rio pulled Miles into a tight embrace, her tears finally spilling over.
Miles hugged her back, nodding. "I will, Mom. I promise."
And for the first time in a long time, Miles felt like he could truly be himself with his family, no more secrets, just the truth and their love.