Oh my lord, I never expected to get the feedback that came and the amount of helpful advice has blown me away! I've been motivated once more because of you lovely people! I also want to apologise for the late update, but- for some reason- I couldn't think of the words best to describe events like I did last time, so this took me a laborious amount of time- add onto the fact that I wanted to insert the advise people gave me. I really should of waited until I finished all the chapters before posting, but it's been done so you'll have to wait a few days or weeks between updates... Sorry.
I've had some suggestions for future chapters, which I'm really grateful for, and I'd wish to explore them! An idea for a sick Peter was contributed by Alana, which I couldn't resist- hopefully I did it some justice!
Chapter 2: Unconscious Moniker
Peter perched upon a ledge as he swept his gaze across the bustling city. His red and blue costume barely visible in the pale beams of moonlight filtering through the smog of dark grey clouds. The pupils of his mask were squinted as he strained his senses to pick up any disturbances to the ordinary surroundings below. Spider-Man's stiff frame hardly shifted as the wind brushed past him- the spider bite coming in handy when needing to stick to a surface...
The tingling sensation in the back of his skull alerted Peter to a threat near by; springing into action, he released a thread of webbing with a swift flick of his wrist. Twisting his body to trapeze across the city-scape, Peter searched for any suspicious activities. A bullet echoed through the buildings, allowing Peter to quickly locate its origin. Peter only hoped there were no casualties because he had left his bag at home, which meant he couldn't contact anyone if someone was hurt! Settling his body on a fire escape, Peter contemplated his next course of action. He had time to defuse the situation, because the bullet was simply an intimidation method. A warning shot. The people below were cowering from the multiple thugs as they waved their weapons. Observing from his concealed spot, he took into account the positions of the men and the weapons they had equipped: two by the exit with metal bats and a gun each, three towering over the civilians with metal poles and more guns. The last guy seemed to be over looking the entire scene. The ring leader, Peter guessed. A scowl formed on his face as he noticed the masks hiding the identities of the thugs. Damn!
Crawling silently down the fire escape, Spider-Man prepared to engage with the three men terrorising the pedestrians. Just as the guy in the middle lifted his metal pole, Spider-Man tucked his to fingers towards his wrist- activating the web shooters. As the material snagged on the weapon, he twisted his arm forcing the weapon out of the grasp of the bad guy and clatter at the vigilante's feet. "Uh, what the 'ell?" The middle dude startled, furrowing his brow as he stared at his empty hands. However, his companions faced Spidey.
"Move it Bug, or we'll squash you!" The first thug hissed, his mask distorted to display his anger. Each of the men had a custom made mask on, although each had a theme with skulls sprayed onto the material- the only difference being the colour and shape of the skulls.
"I don't particularly feel in the mood for being squashed, but if you let the people go I'm sure we can discuss an alternative," Spider-man suggested as he gave a nonchalant shrug. If he distracted them away from the hostages then maybe he could get them to safety.
"Hey, d'you think we could wrap this up, I think I'm going to be late to bed and I still got Algebra homework to finish." He drawled out, casually fiddling with the metal pole while also pretending to gaze at a watch tied to his wrist.
"Right that's it, boys let's teach this punk who's boss." One of the guys at the entrance began to stalk closer along with his other pal. As soon as the exit to the alley was open, the people scurried away like mice.
"Look what you idiots did, you let them get away!"
"This is all the Spider-Kid's fault!"
"Err- excuse me but I am no kid, it's in the title. Spider-Man, no one seems to grasp the concept of the 'Man' part..." Spider-Man interrupted their bickering, readying himself by lowering his body into a crouching stance. Quickly firing a white streak towards the guns strapped to their hips, Spider-Man snaked his hand around the silver cord and tugged- forcing them to release their hold on the weapons
One of the thugs charged at him, raising a bat above his head- ready to swing down with force. Spider-Man's faithful Spider sense began to gnaw at his mind, driving him to flip backwards shooting a web at the guy who decided to sneak up behind him. Using him as an anchor, Spider-Man propelled his body around both men as the other guy crashed into his comrade: which resulted in Spidey wrapping both up and hanging them from the fire escape. Two down, four more to deal with! The three previously terrorising the people hesitantly took on defensive stances; Spider-Man decided to roll towards them, using his hands to spring up and kick the nearest one with both feet. Tying up the grounded guy, Spider-Man felt the familiar buzz, but couldn't react until the guy before him was secured; As he jumped into action, he was batted to the side- the wind knocked out of him in a gasp- by, who he assumed was, the leader. He tried to stand up, but a boot forced his face back to the ground; he grunted quietly. "This is what happens when you stop us from getting what we want. You coulda just left it, but no- incy wincy spider wanted to help!" a deep voice snarled from above, foot steps echoing in the alley. "Go back to bed brat, I'm sure it's way past your bed time." The mocking tone irritated Spider-Man as he discretely shifted his weight under the henchman's foot. Thrusting his foot into the guy above him, Spider-man was able to stun him and wrap him up along with the others. Turning to face the leader, he had to evade a knife being thrust towards his torso- the weapon only succeeded in slashing a cut through his skin. They continued the routine of dodge and stab for five more minutes, with Spider-Man sustaining cuts along his body- until, Spider-Man flushed the guy with a decent amount of web fluid. "That's what you need, time in the naughty corner!" he quipped while also addressing the police on the leader's discard phone.
"Ah man, I'm gonna be late home now!" He quickly exited the alley, attempted to attach some webbing to the nearest building. Key word: attempted. A wheezing sound vibrated from his left hand web-shooters, spluttering out white liquid substance; he aimed with his right hand, which resulted in the same choking effect. The web-shooters made it sound like they were dying, pathetic. "It's already past midnight and I left the rest of my web fluid cartridges at home, this day can't get any worse!" He growled as he began to crawl up the nearest wall. Just as he reached the roof top, a low rumble echoed across the city and drops of rain splattered against the concrete. Spider-Man grumbled incoherently. He sprang from the ledge he'd been situated on towards the opposite building and broke out into a run, vaulting across roofs at a quick pace- hurrying towards the closest destination as the rain pelted onto his thin frame. After repeating the process of bounding towards shelter, Spider-Man finally reached a familiar structure. The dim blue hue of the Avengers insignia illuminated against the night gloom. Entering through one of the open windows, Spider-Man tugged at his mask and discarded it on the nearest free surface- he then proceeded to collapse on the available sofa. A sniffle resonated from his shivering form. "H-hey FRIDAY, th-think you could t-tell Mr. Stark I'm h-here?" Peter inquired as his teeth chattered.
"Of course, Mr. Parker, the Boss is currently in his workshop- would you like me to send him to your location?" The AI replied, a hint of concern laced around her words- of course, Peter didn't identify that as he struggled to stay conscious.
"Tha' won't be necessary, thanks though," Peter mumbled quietly.
Tony tinkered on his newest project- which happened to be a modified version of his repulsers- trying to distract his mind from 'important' matters, or what Pepper deemed necessary. After admiring a set of code and a 3D model of the design on the holographic computer, Tony decided to save his progress to his personal Iron Man file and take a moment to prepare some coffee; stepping towards the mini kitchen in the lab, he turned on the radio and set it to a random channel- a new pop song filtered through the speakers at a reasonable volume. Propping his back against the smooth surface, Tony breathed onto the steaming mug and gingerly took a sip. Simply taking the time to relax was a rarity for Stark and not having to worry over the next wounded comrade relieved Tony some what: of course, with half the Avengers being chased down by the Government didn't ease his nerves and the fact that the whole 'Civil War' managed to break friendships and create new ones left Tony very exhausted from emotions. Emotions were too difficult, why didn't anybody leave a manual to figure them out!? Before Tony could delve too deep into the random thoughts that happened to have sprouted, FRIDAY intervened with: "Sir, Mr. Parker has arrived and is currently sleeping on the provided couches of the lounging area." Furrowing his brow in confusion, Tony inquired, "What's the kid doing here at half four in the morning?"
"He has requested that I not send you up to him, however, he appears to have a high temperature- my senses spotted his elevated body heat when he entered the facility." The AI responded curtly, concealing her fretting poorly- in any other situation, Stark would have laughed at the surprisingly expressive AI fretting over a accident prone teen, he was too stunned to react and tease her over her report. Further confusion became evident as Tony discarded his coffee on the counter and approached the elevator in a hasty fashion.
Once the doors slid open, Tony emerged and made a bee-line for the lounge- hoping to find some solution to the oddness of Peter's late night appearance. He was taken aback by the scruffy teenager that was sprawled across the sofa, uniform soaked and hair mussed. Blood caked into the spider themed costume, as well as scratches marring his features. Striding over quietly, Tony bent over and placed the palm of his hand onto Peter's sweaty brow, feeling the heat radiate from his skin. "Geez Kid, where have you been?" He pondered to himself, not expecting a response.
"There appears to be a thunder storm currently outside, Boss." FRIDAY conveniently replies as a clap of thunder rumbled from afar. Acknowledging the information, Tony gathered the nearest cloth and soaked it under a cool tap, located adjacent to the lounge area- the lounge area was situated in a large room that occupied a kitchen to the side and a dining table between the kitchen and the sofas. Consider the area a common room- and approached the slumbering teen. Draping the damp material onto the Kid's forehead, Tony readied a thermometer in case he awoke Peter- which, undoubtedly, he indeed did. The poor Kid bolted straight up, flailing about with his eyes- glazed over by sleep- darting everywhere in a startled, frenzied panic. "Eh, M-Mr. Stark, w-what are y-you doing, w-what's happaning!?" He spluttered out as he peeled off the cloth and stared at it, baffled.
"Kid, calm down, you're at the compound on the sofa. Now, be very still and stick this in your mouth," before Peter could protest, the thermometer was forced to rest on his tongue. For a whole minute, Peter sat there in stunned silence as Tony sat across from him with a concentrated frown plastered to his face.
Removing the transparent stick, Mr. Stark focused intently at the results. Flushing anxiously, Peter leaned over to figure out the value measured by the crimson liquid substance, however, instead of his arms bracing his weight, they gave in and he toppled off the sofa with an almost silent thud. "Oh god, Peter are you all right!?" Mr. Stark scrambled to reposition Peter where he lay him down onto the couch. Peter hacked up a few coughs before he could apologise, his stomach churning uncomfortably. "That's it, I'm calling Aunt May," Mr. Stark stated, as he strode towards the phone. Frantically gliding his fingers across the screen, Mr. Stark pressured his thumb onto the call button and waited impatiently, tapping his foot in sync to the ring tone. Peter whimpered out pathetically, while he offered quiet- hopefully- soothing whispers.
"May, err- I think Peter's come down with something- err I don't think he eat anything rancid, at least he didn't mention that yet. I think it might be a tummy bug or a cold, but if it's all right with you, I think he should stay at the compound for a few days to recover. Oh no, that's fine, I'm sure I can manage. Uh-huh, thanks, I'll talk to you again when he's improved!" After ending the call, Tony began to pile any spare blankets and pillows onto the shivering teen; "uh, no, 't's too 'ot!" Peter complained, words slurred as he struggled to remove the material.
"Sorry Kiddo, this is for your own good." Tony reasoned, mind plagued by guilt as he forced the teen to still and relocated the pillows to support Peter's head. Tears edged Peter's eyes and Tony managed to view Peter as a vulnerable child. Of course, he'd known that when he involved Peter in Germany that he was really young and his puppy-like excitement enforced that view. But, seeing the Kid in so much pain and weak struck a cord in Tony's heart. Shushing him, Tony carded his fingers through the mop of brown hair in an attempt to calm the silently weeping kid. Luckily, Peter calmed down somewhat, so Tony managed to gather some more necessities such as: blankets and pillows for himself- what? He was gonna be there the Kid- a sick bucket, pain killers, a bucket of iced water and numerous flannels.
Turning to face the TV, Tony decided to flick through the channels to busy his mind, while also checking on Peter occasionally. Cringing, he kept the volume minimal as he heard the Kid sniffle and whimper as some action film made explosive sound effects too loud. Tony allowed the time drift by, while also convincing himself that the Kid wasn't going to die. The stress and worry gnawing at his insides. He never realised caring for someone would be so difficu- No, he'd not finish that sentence because he wouldn't stop looking out for the Kid. It felt nice to make that lop-sided grin appear on his face, or enjoy his ramblings- however annoying it could get. Tony wouldn't trade it for the world. Though, the one thing he wish he could dispose of: was the way Peter looked so disappointed when he couldn't help Tony, the way he admired Tony and idolised the man. Peter thought 'Mr. Stark' was amazing and every time Tony yelled to the Kid, the look he was given always broke his heart. Sometimes Tony felt like he was a failure whenever Peter looked so broken after he'd yelled at him. God, this was so difficult to cope with and right now, Tony hated how fragile Peter appeared. He looked too young when he shivered under the blankets, eyes squeezed shut and breath shallowly panting.
Glancing at the clock, Tony turned the TV off and settled onto the opposite sofa, albeit cautiously due to Peter's ragged breath concerning him. "FRIDAY dim the lights by eighty-five percent." Which the AI complied and allowed a light orange hue to overcome the room.
Tony was startled awake as soon as he heard screams, he jolted from the sofa and was about to call the Iron Man suit when he glanced around his surroundings; his focus landed on Peter, who was writhing and thrashing in his sleep. Incoherent words spilling through his lips in frantic panic: "Help, I-I can't get u-up! I'm s-stuck, somebody a-anybody help!" Tony easily concluded the effects of a night terror clouding Peter's mind. After moments of wavering confidence, Tony approached Peter tentatively in hopes of dissolving the minor drama- insinuating that Tony could defuse the situation quickly, which even Tony admits makes him skeptical. He calls out to the Kid in the most soothing voice he could muster, while firmly placing his hands on the teen's shoulders- effectively calming Peter somewhat. "Uhh, Pete, it's just a dream. Nothing's really happening. Calm on, you've got to snap out of it." Tony emphasises his point by gently rocking him in an half embrace. Tony didn't have the patience, nor the heart, to feel awkward or embarrass the Kid later: this was serious and Tony needed to sort it out before things got worse. Noticing the first gleams of the sun rising from the horizon, Tony thought that it'd be better for Peter to be awake for the rest of the day. Chocolate brown eyes fluttered open, tears streaking down pudgy cheeks as Peter sniffled and straightened himself to gaze around the room. "Heh, sorry for disturbing you, Mr. Stark." He wheezed humourlessly. Concealing his concern by feigning a humorous vibe as he responded, "Nonsense Kiddo, I was already up so..." Rummaging through the many cupboards, Stark retrieved some headache tablets and medicine for the cold. He snagged a glass from another cupboard and began to fill it with water. Sliding the items towards Peter- Who was now sat up with the blanket wrapped around him in the form of a cocoon. Forcing the pills into his throat, Peter downed them by taking a swig of the contents in the glass; after a few moments of coughing, he then took two spoonfuls of the medicine- his face contorting in disgust at the foul taste.
"I talked to May last night, you are grounded for the next few days. My job is to make sure you recover. Do you want to watch some TV?" In Peter's dazed state, he didn't register the inquiry until Mr. Stark stood in front of him- and even then he had to take a moment to process the words: "Uh, s-sure I don't really mind." He muttered, attempting not to strain his voice. Mr. Stark complied and began to flick through the channels, while settling himself onto the sofa next to Peter. Struggling to keep conscious, Peter found himself slanting towards the nearest support and when he rested his head onto an available surface he didn't expect it to feel muscled nor actually to move. "You all right there, Kiddo?" Suppressing his surprise, Peter simply hummed in confirmation. The throbbing in his head hindering his concentration and the churning in his stomach pestering him. All Peter wanted to do was sleep this horrible sickness away, and Mr. Stark didn't seemed to mind being a human pillow. He better take the chance while it was still free, he guessed absent-mindedly.
When the Kid leant onto his shoulder, Tony interpreted it as Peter being unconscious, but when he received the vague reply he couldn't help the smile that presented itself onto his face. "'Night Pete." He cooed as he heard soft snores drift to his ears. "Good 'ight Dad." Peter slurred, while snuggling closer into Tony's side. The swell of pride in his chest wouldn't disappear even though Peter was necessarily in the right mind, but Tony would deal with every time Peter got sick just to hear him call him the title again. "FRIDAY, save the conversation to my personal folders." He demanded quietly.
"Of course, Boss." The AI complied obediently.
Focusing his attention to the TV, Tony attempted to catch up with the latest news story: "With the Sokovian Accords being in place for over a few months, do you believe that Tony Stark has matured Sheryl?" A reporter inquired, addressing some intelligent woman.
"I believe that Mr. Stark has shown some responsibility by agreeing to the terms, but I do not think he will be able to change. He will always be a drunken billionaire, because it is in his personality and he will continue to act in such a way regardless of the consequences he experiences-" Before she continue her rant, Tony slammed his hand over the power button and seethed to himself; "Bullshit! And, I haven't even drunk anything in half a year, that's got to be an achievement!"
"Congratulations Sir, that is an impressive feat," FRIDAY congratulated.
"Fuck you!" Tony sneered, he cursed himself for programming sassy and sarcastic creations.
The ending there was slightly rushed, but I felt it conveyed the message as best as I could. I really wanted to include the sleepwalking part of Alana's suggestion, but I'd already spent too long writing this, which almost killed me. Anyway, feedback is always welcomed and I hope you enjoyed this chapter! 'Til next time...
-Kyrani Ervin