I hope you guys enjoy this one-shot and thank you for being patient with the sporadic update schedule! College is a crazy time, let me tell you! :D
Disclaimer: I do not own Spider-Man or any related materials.
**TRIGGER WARNING: GRAPHIC DESCRIPTIONS OF CHILD ABUSE/NEGLECT.**
NEW 2020 EDIT: THIS IS NOT STARKER.
__________
The thing is, David hadn't meant to hit Peter that hard.
At least, that's what the boy tells himself as he presses an ice patch to his eye, the ring of black and blue bruises standing out against his abnormally pale skin.
Normally, the man hits him in places that aren't easily noticeable. Peter's side, his upper arms, his back.
This time, however, the hit came too fast, too hard and not aimed correctly, David struck blind by his misplaced rage. His fist had smacked against Peter's face and the boy had cried out, shoving the man too hard and sending him stumbling into the cabinets.
That's when Peter had run to the bathroom. He stands there now, staring at his face with a mix of dread and self-loathing.
His eyes are sad when he looks in the mirror.
He tries not to look for too long anymore.
Peter had just been in his way, that's all. He had been standing too close to the Doctor, or what ever the fuck his Aunt's boyfriend did for a job and had gotten in the way and the man had gotten mad and had swung at him and–
Nope. Not going down that road again.
Walking back into his room, the teenager slips on his jacket, trying not to wince as his sore body protests.
David hadn't been in Peter's life for that long. A few weeks at most.
3 weeks. 3 weeks and 2 days and 6 hours.
But it's not like Peter's counting or anything.
It was– not nice per say, but bearable– at first. May has been so happy, so carefree and it made the spiderling try to push aside all the mean looks and too condescending questions David would shoot him over dinner or in the hallway.
"Join any sport teams yet, Petey?"
"Got any hot girls in your classes?"
"Do you really stutter this much or is it just a tick?"
All the times the man would accidentally push him into the wall hard enough to bruise or ram his arm into Peter's when walking past.
And he drank. A lot.
Mostly when May was at work or running errands. David would grab as many beers as possible and just chug and chug, leaving his trash all over the house for Peter to pick up.
And the boy did. If anything, to keep May from getting even more stressed.
But Peter isn't worried that much. He's Spider-Man. He can survive some small rough-housing and chores.
Because that's all it is. Just "man stuff" and all that. Becoming strong and reliable. So it's good, it's fine.
Nothing to worry about.
YOU ARE READING
The Black And The Blue (All That It Takes Out Of You)
FanfictionDavid wasn't a person Peter would ever want to be around, but with him being May's new boyfriend and all, it makes it harder and harder to avoid him. But it was fine, May was happy and of course, Peter still has Tony. But that was before the hitting...
