Three days later and Peter was still not healing from the other night. But, nevertheless, he was still swinging between buildings and stopping crime. Just because he was injured didn't mean that all of Queens had to suffer because of him.
It was twelve-thirty p.m and so far Peter had stopped a grocery-store robbery, helped a drunk girl get home, and cuddled a street cat that happened to be sitting where he had hid his backpack. It was a pretty uneventful night yet he was still in excruciating pain. Every time he moved his shoulder it felt like he was getting shot all over again. Then, his thigh also ended up getting injured. Peter wasn't sure what caused it, though, because there wasn't any skin broken; just a constant burning sensation. There wasn't even a bruise!
Whenever Queens was quiet, Peter would sit on the roof-top of a small diner and do his homework. He could not let his grades drop if he wanted to get the internship. So, here he was, doing his physics homework, using his cellphone flashlight to be able to see the questions and what he was writing. His stomach loudly grumbled, and all Peter could do was take a big swig of his water and continue ignoring it.
After around fifteen minutes of silence, he heard a girl's voice and some other lower, slurred voices. Peter poked his head out from the side of the rooftop and saw a girl, probably around the age of twenty-one, being hassled by a group of three men over the age of forty. Peter hated dealing with drunk men. They had no respect for anyone except themselves and felt entitled to every single living being. Groaning, Peter hopped off the roof and snuck over to the girl's side.
"Hey, guys!" Peter smiled, even though he knew they couldn't see it from under his mask. "What's going on here?"
"What the hell are you?" One of the bigger guys barely slurred out. "Some kind of spidey boy?"
"Wait I've heard of this dude." Another said, stepping forward. "Black Widow!"
"Um," Peter stifled a laugh. "No, Black Widow is a girl."
"And you're not?" The biggest one laughed. "You sure sound like one."
"Rude," Peter mumbled, frowning. He thought his voice was deepening. I guess not.
"Anyways little spidey boy, we have business to do." One said and reached to grab the girl, who quickly flinched backward. Peter grabbed the man's wrist before he could touch her and smiled. "Sorry, but it doesn't seem like she wants you to touch her."
"Listen here you little shit," He said and shook his wrist out of Peter's grip. "You can go mind your own business, or you can see what real grown men can do to wimps like you."
"How about neither?" Peter said, grabbing hold of the girl and swinging away. The men cursed and attempted to chase after them, but swinging is way faster than running, especially when the one running is drunk. After they swung a few blocks away, Peter couldn't stand the girl screaming in his ear and landed in a parking lot.
"Would you like me to walk you home?" Peter asked, letting go of the girl. She stared at him in fear and quickly shook her head before running off. Peter sighed and let her go. He was too tired to argue with her about safety.
Peter took a step and immediately felt a surging pain go throughout his entire leg. He fell to the ground, letting out a quick loud scream, before covering his mouth with his hand. Peter bit down on his hand hard, drawing a tiny bit of blood. Holy shit. Holy shit.
"What the hell is happening," Peter whispered, tears slowly falling down his face. He'd had a lot of stuff happen to him, but this was by far the most painful one. Peter just laid there, waiting for the pain to ease, but it never did. Here he was, sprawled out like a starfish in a Walmart parking lot. With struggle, Peter pulled out his phone and texted Ned.
Peter:
<Please tell me you're awake
<I know it's almost 1am but please be awake
Peter waited for a response, but once he didn't get one, he groaned and set his phone down on the pavement. He couldn't contact Aunt May because then he'd have to reveal his secret identity. I guess I'll just die.
Peter seemed to be laying there for hours before he heard a ding come from his phone, indicating that he received a text message.
:Ned
Hey Peter what's wrong??>
What happened??>
Peter:
<thank god
<I don't know what's wrong but I'm
laying down in a parking lot and I can't move.
<Could you possibly come save me?
:Ned
Peter I'm so so sorry but I can't>
I'm at my cousins' place>
I'll contact MJ for you>
Peter:
<nono it's ok I'm sorry to bug you.
<I'll contact her myself
:Ned
I'm so sorry please stay safe and text me as soon
as you get rescued by MJ>
Peter:
<I will
Peter tried sitting up but immediately winced when his entire leg started uncontrollably shaking. He didn't mean to disturb Ned, and now he was even more reluctant to text MJ. I could just lay here and wait for someone to come find me... Before Peter could even think more about that plan, he received a text message.
:MJ
Ned texted me. Send me your location. >
Peter:
<I'm okay ! !
<Already feeling better :D
:MJ
Now.
Peter:
The Walmart on shackle street....
:MJ
On my way loser.
It wasn't even ten minutes before MJ pulled up into the parking lot in her family's golf cart. No one in her family owned a car, and she certainly didn't have her license, so this was the best she could get. The mystery was how she was able to get the golf cart to go quick enough to get to Peter in record speed.
"Sheesh, Peter what did you do?" MJ said, hopping out of the small vehicle to help Peter into it. "You look horrible."
"Thanks," Peter rolled his eyes, gripping onto her arm for support as she wobbled him off the pavement and into the cart. "I appreciate it."
"You're welcome," She said, hopping into the driver's seat and inserting the key into the ignition. The golf cart started and they were soon moving at unbelievable speeds for the vehicle they were in. Peter relaxed into the seat, attempting to ignore the throbbing pain that was spreading throughout his body.
"So, are you wanting to go back to your place or are you coming to mine?" MJ asked as she got closer to where they both lived. They weren't super close together, but they were technically within walking distance of each other. Peter was about to say his place, but then he remembered that it would be loud trying to get him into his apartment, and May had worked the night shift tonight so he definitely didn't want to wake her up. He would be concerned about MJ's family, but they were in Australia for some kind of work thing. So, MJ was at home by herself.
"Yours if that's okay?" Peter said, glancing at MJ for any indication of discomfort. However, she just had her typical blank expression.
"I offered so of course it would be okay, loser." She said, turning onto her street. "I wouldn't have given you the option if I didn't mind you staying over."
"Okay," Peter nodded nervously. "I'll leave first thing in the morning."
"Stay as long as you need, dimwit." She said, pulling into the driveway of her average one-story house. "I told you, my parents are gone until" She paused, "Honestly, I don't know. But they're not coming home tomorrow."
"If you're sure it's okay.." Peter said as MJ pulled him out of the cart and practically dragged him inside. Once they entered and shut the front door, Peter took off his shoes with much struggle and collapsed onto the couch in the front room. MJ rolled her eyes, disappearing into the hallway. After a few minutes of distant rustling, she emerged back into the front room with a blanket and a pillow.
"Here you go," MJ said, throwing the objects at him. She then left to go into the kitchen but quickly reappeared with three boxes of pop-tarts. "I haven't seen you eating at lunch, and based on your current healing abilities, you're probably not eating enough at home either. If you don't eat all of these I'm telling May about your food intake."
"Thank you," Peter said and softly smiled as he took the boxes. He was about to open one when he remembered Ned saying he wanted to know when he was safe. MJ was already leaving the room so Peter struggled to reach onto the coffee table where it had somehow been placed. However, before he could really even try to grab it, MJ was there, placing it in his hand.
"If you need something, Peter, tell me." She said, glaring at him. Peter swiftly nodded and watched as she left the room. He could hear her walking down the hall, and then a door softly closing shut. Sighing, he unlocked his phone and pulled up Ned's contact. After making sure it was Ned and not Mr. Antonio, he typed out a message.
Peter:
<Safe and consuming pop-tarts.
<Thank you for texting her :]
And with that, and the consumption of all three boxes of pop-tarts, Peter closed his eyes and fell asleep. Of course, not after thanking any god's out there for giving him the friends that he had.