r/AmItheAsshole

[nepotis]

Posted by: u/throw__away14

AITA for ghosting my best friend?

My (21M) best friend (28M) showed up in this world a month or so before I did, from several years in our future. When we first saw each other, he looked horrified to see me, but I had no idea why. The last time I had seen him back in our world, I had asked him to arrange a meeting between me and our world's superhero, because he (the superhero) had something only he could give me, that I needed to save my life. The superhero said no, and I was (understandably, I think) pretty furious.

Things were a little awkward between me and my friend here in the present. He never told me what happened in the years in between us, but I didn't press him about it, either. We were catching up on stuff when that kaiju attack happened, and we both got roped into piloting a giant robot together. Because of the mind-linking technology, I accidentally saw some of my friend's memories, at which point I learned that he actually was the superhero who had refused to help me back in our world.

Again, I think I was pretty justified for being angry that he had kept this secret from me, on top of being angry at him for denying me the help I needed to avoid a certain death sentence. I bailed on him then and there and have been ignoring his calls ever since.

He's still my closest friend, in this world or in ours, but it's going to take me a long time to get over feeling betrayed by his actions. AITA for wanting to keep my distance from him? Other people I've spoken to who know about the situation say I should try to reach back out to him, but I don't think I'm ready for that.

Comments

un: higgledypiggledy

[somepig]

NTA, but I can't make a judgment on your buddy til I know what you were asking him for.

Either way if you want to stay away from him, I wouldn't blame you. Even if he had a good reason for it.

UN: whodatitme

[slowmotionbuscrash]

INFO: Did you get the death sentence?

UN: throwaway346373

[mostdangerousbird]

Provided we are talking about an actual death sentence, NTA. None of the details matter here. Superheroes don't get to lightly make the call on who lives and dies.

I know there are some who approach it with the idea that, in the heat of a fight, if killing one villain saves innocents - they will accept that loss and burden.

But your situation doesn't sound like that. If you were asking a friend to arrange a meeting with a superhero, it's hardly a situation where he has to make quick decisions with lives on the line. He's not trusting in the justice system; he's actively tampering with your case by refusing to provide the relevant evidence. If you don't get put to death, he's still perverting the course of justice. If you do, and you were innocent, IMO he's a murderer.

un: littlealbatross

[soulmakingsound]

More context needed. Firstly: what does AITA stand for?

Secondly: define "death sentence". Is this hyperbolic or part of the justice system in your world? Not that I trust most government mandated justice systems, merely a clarification.

un: $how$topper

[lowercase_el]

Possibly NTA but it also depends. What was it you needed from him to survive that he said no to?

un: spelltuchus

[nerdylilspidey]

this potentially sounds pretty complicated. were you asking him to get something for you? like from somewhere else? or was it something he already had?

un: nox

[a_gaggle_of_ghosties]

NTA.

It's a perfectly reasonable response. And if that's how he felt about it, he should have at least had the decency to be forthcoming about the fact he was the one who refused.

Anything less is just cowardice. And, arguably, what makes it a betrayal in the first place.

un: mr_action

[jimmies]

info:

do u still want to be friends?

not now but like eventually?

private, LOKIOFASGARD; audio

[ikols]

[ Knowing what he does from Peter, there's only one person this could be. He could call him directly, being late to this post, but it's more appropriate to respond to it. ]

He's gone, Harry.