"Only those who care about you can hear you when you're quiet."
Cap insisted on Peter riding on the back of his motorcycle for the ride back to the tower. Honestly, Peter was glad. He wasn't exactly sure leaping tall buildings with a back slashed bloody and a bruised set of ribs was a good idea. Tony and Dr. Strange hovered above him and Cap, Tony inspecting Dr. Strange's platform with interest. When he wasn't nagging Peter, of course.
They got back to the compound, and Peter hopped off the bike, only for the world to sway dramatically. He tried not to show it, yanking off his mask and leaning against the bike for a second.
"Let's get you inside." Cap suggested, walking ahead. Tony fell in step beside Peter, and the teen was grateful for Tony's arm around him.
When they got inside, all Peter wanted to do was go to his room and wait for his back to heal by sleeping - but no, of course not.
"What took you so long?" Nat demanded as soon as they walked in. "We were worried Cap was seen by the cops or something." Clint added from the couch, where most of the other Avengers were gathered. "Try; or something." Tony spat, and Peter masked a flinch at his tone right by his ear. Not another episode, he begged himself when the sounds around him steadily grew louder, he didn't think the Avengers could take it.
Most of the time it took days after the signs for an episode to develop, so maybe he could ward it off in time.
"So what happened?" Wanda asked anxiously, and Tony steered Peter down the hallway. Nat was the only one close enough to see his back, and she gasped. "I'm taking Peter to the infirmary." Tony explained as Nat's hand flew to her mouth.
The Avengers leapt off the couch. "What happened?" Scott asked, standing beside Falcon who looked about ready to punch the lights out of whoever did something to Peter. "It's no big deal..." Peter tried, only to be cut off by Dr. Strange himself. "Oh no, you getting blasted through a skyscraper window is no big deal." He drawled, and Peter sighed. Strange's eyes softened as he looked at Tony for permission. "I am actually a doctor, hence the name. I can help."
"Of course you can." Tony scoffed, rolling his eyes.
"Wait, this conversation is not over!" Rhodey insisted, stepping into the hallway. "Who the hell blasted Peter through a window?"
"The Enforcers." Peter answered for them. "They're the ones that kidnapped me and, oh right, we just put them in jail." He said, wincing when the pain from his back started getting to him. It was trying to heal, but there were shards of glass that needed to come out first.
"How did they get out of jail?" Wanda asked, remembering her own time in a cell. Vision noticed with a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "We don't know." Cap admitted.
Peter was struggling to stay upright by now, having lost too much blood and probably bleeding internally from Shocker's blast and being blown through a window. He'd probably be fine if someone, anyone would just let him sleep.
"Maybe we should check the prison." Clint suggested, fiddling with the tip of an arrow. "We don't know who else escaped."
Peter felt his knees buckle beneath him, and Tony became the only thing supporting him. The billionare noticed. "Peter?" He asked worriedly, seeing Peter pale and panting. "I need... to lay... lay down..." Peter attempted to explain, but his vision blurred and he pitched forward.
"Peter!" The Avengers lurched forwards, Nat catching Peter and Tony did his best to slow the boy's descent.
"Holy crap, the kid was bleeding this whole time?" Sam exclaimed, leering around Dr. Strange who was examining Peter's limp form.
"Infirmary. Now." Strange commanded, and the Avengers didn't argue. "What's happening?" Scott asked anxiously. "His body has a healing factor. You didn't tell me." Strange said instead of explaining, and Steve rolled his eyes. "For someone who came out of nowhere declaring to protect Peter, we thought you'd know something about him."
"I know something about him; he's in danger. His body is trying to heal but there's glass in his skin. If his body heals around it, it could contaminate his bloodstream and other systems. It could kill him."
Cap wasn't sarcastic after that.
Peter let out a groan as he was laid out on the table, and Tony kneeled beside him, running a hand through his hair. "Hey, kid, hang in there." He cooed, and Nat watched with interest. She herself had a soft spot for Peter, but never thought she'd see the day where Tony Stark converted to Dad Mode right before her eyes.
"I'm ok, I'm fine." Peter slurred, struggling to get up. "Just need... to sleep it off." He continued, and Tony shook his head in disbelief. "No, if you sleep without doing anything about the debree in your skin, you might not wake up." The billionare explained, watching Strange take off his cape and put on gloves. The cape floated in the corner. On its own. Not the time, Tony.
"What... debree?" Peter asked, cracking open his eyes. Tony smiled a little at him. "Glass, Pete." He muttered and Peter nodded. "Toxicity." He mumbled, and Tony almost laughed. Sometimes he forgot how smart this kid was. "Yeah. You're going to have to hold still, alright?" He asked, but when he looked at Peter, the boy was out cold. Clenching his jaw, Tony stood.
"What are we doing wrong?" Tony asked Nat, still watching his hand in Peter's hair as Strange pulled out the bloody pieces of glass. As soon as the pieces were out, the skin began to close. While Strange was fascinated, he knew it was definitely the wrong time.
Nat looked up at Tony's question sympathetically. "I don't think there's much more we can do. He's an incredible boy, we just aren't the only ones who think so." She explained. Tony shook his head. "There must be some way to protect him..." he trailed off, and his hand fell absently still in Peter's silky curls. The billionare scanned Peter's suit with narrowed eyes. He had promised the boy something if he joined the Avengers. And it looked like the kid was going to need it.
"I'm going to... fetch something. Have FRIDAY send for me when he wakes up." He told Nat, Strange and Clint who was hovering in the doorway uncertainly. Wanda, Vision, Scott and Sam were clustered in the hallway while Cap, Bucky and Rhodey were off doing who knew what. Tony didn't let that distract him - not even the floating cape, which told you how focused he was - as he marched to his workshop.
In the infirmary, Nat's hand replaced Tony's in Peter's hair as the boy started to squirm. "Can't you give him anything?" Clint asked, coming in a little more now that space had opened up. He hated seeing the boy with his features twisted in pain. "With his healing factor, anything I give him will be burned up too quickly." Strange replied almost autonomously. He was Doctor Mode now, Nat realised, just as she had seen Tony in Dad Mode.
Peter attracted the strangest people.
"How long until he wakes up?" Wanda asked, peeking in the doorway and replacing Clint's earlier position. Good to know there was a revolving door of Avengers at Peter's aid.
"Not long, hopefully he'll be under long enough for me to get this glass out." Strange explained through clenched teeth. Clint flinched at the build-up of bloody glass on the metal tray beside the doctor. Wanda followed his gaze and felt her stomach twist in horror.
They should've been there. All of them. How were they supposed to protect Peter if they were still so divided?
Clint looked to Natasha and they shared a knowing look. They needed to hear the rest of the story on what exactly happened. The two spies already caught on to what was puzzling the rest of the Avengers;
Spiderman had a target on his back.
Yup, slipping back into the drama. You thought this book was going to be fluffy? Well HAH!!! Seriously, though, anyone got any fluffy ideas?
AS OF RIGHT NOW I AM ACCEPTING PROMPTS WHETHER THEY BE FLUFFY, DRAMATIC OR... IDK AS LONG AS THEY'RE CLEAN NO SMUT PLEASE I MEAN... I'm not going to write that. Let's just not even go there.
BUT ANY PROMPTS FOR FLUFF OR DRAMA OR FLUFFY DRAMA OR DRAMATIC FLUFF JUST SEND THEM MY WAY AND I WILL WRITE THEM AND MENTION YOU OF COURSE BECAUSE OTHERWISE THAT WOULD BE A DICK MOVE ON MY PART AND I don't know why I was yelling. Cheese.
Also, *deep breath* tHANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU FANTASTIC WONDERFUL PEOPLE WHO ARE READING THIS
You are the reason I update!!! Please enjoy my story!!! LOVE Y'ALL (that's not a word but I'm just going to overlook that. Quick, hit publish! Must. Not. Correct. AAAAGH)
Love you all.
I gave in.
I'm sorry.
~Meow