Héctor understands, doesn't he? He understands too well the sort of regret that eats you alive from the inside. It's that understanding that really gets through to Peter, that helps pierce through the fog of misery that seeing his uncle has put him into. He opens his mouth to protest - to say that it's really that bad, that it's worse than Héctor thinks - but closes it again after a moment.

Mijo. He knows what that word means. Uncertain that he's earned it yet, but it makes his eyes fill with tears anyway. Here come the water works again. This is the second time he's cried on Héctor, and he's kind of sorry about that? But this dumb school and their ridiculous shenanigans have forged something here. He'd be an idiot to deny that bond now.

"I'm sorry," he says, leaning into Héctor's hand after a moment. Head bowed a little. "I wouldn't - I don't want Aunt May or anyone else to worry." He's serious about that too. Ben hadn't tripped over some nascent urge inside his head, other than his ever present guilt. Normally Peter's a fairly stable kid. But having your uncle essentially threaten to kill you will stir up all kinds of ugliness. "He wouldn't have wanted me to worry any of you either."

So that couldn't have been Ben. Not Ben in his right mind, anyway. Peter is still certain that that's still his uncle under there, deep down. But he's willing to believe that something's wrong. Something he could help with; some way he could save him.