Caged Guidance (Spiderson/Irondad) Short Story

Chapter 12: Starting Over

This chapter is calm compared to the rest. I'm allowing Peter a mini vacation.

--------------------------------

Stan Lee was an angel sent from God in Peter's eyes. He kindly invited him to his house and allowed him to take a shower to clean and relax for a couple of minutes. Peter kept stuttering thanks over a hundred times – "Actually, it's 112 times, I counted"- ...thanks Venom. Stan just laughs fondly and pats his shoulder.

"Go on now, take a hot shower and I'll leave some clothes for you by the door. I believe one of my daughters had some appropriate clothing here somewhere. Of course, she doesn't wear it anymore. But it should fit you just fine."

"Thank you so much- again! Sir. You really didn't have to."

"Nonsense. Even Spider-Man needs help." Stan Lee waves him off with a smile as he takes a seat on his 'lucky couch'. "Now, shower."

"Oh right, yes. Thank you!" Peter calls back as he walks into the bathroom.

"That was another two 'thank you's', just so you're aware I'm still counting." Venom says.

"You're so bored that you started counting that." Peter states.

"Yeah."

Peter has never been thankful for hot shower water until the second it hit his cold skin. He did put a towel- that he asked Stan if he can use- for the bullet wound, planning on removing the bullet after and wrap it up. Stan said he would give him something to eat, a quick bite so it can speed up his healing process.

Like Peter said, Stan Lee is an angel. He's starting to wonder why the world isn't like him in this regard. Why can't people listen before assuming?

"Because they're humans."

...Peter has to agree.

Just like Stan had told him, there were clothes out by the bathroom door ready for him. Some black jeans, a green shirt with ACDC on the front- Tony would have loved it- and a black hoodie jacket with a zipper, he even left some boxers (which Peter assumes are new). Comfortable, Peter likes it.

Along with the clothes was a roll of bandages and tweezers. Peter, after putting on only the shirt and boxers, seats himself on the tiles- he shivers at the cold, and leans on the bathtub, steadying his breathing. Taking a deep breath he grabs the tweezers and holds his breath. His hands were shaking and he honestly did not want to do this. Exhaling heavily, Peter moves the tweezers over the bullet wound-

"Stop." Venom suddenly says.

"Wha! What?" Peter finds himself panting.

"Hold your breath."

Confused, Peter does so...and he yelps because, ouch?! The bullet is practically spat out from his skin. Peter stares in shock as he lets go of the breath he was holding, the bullet laying there on the floor with a couple droplets of blood trailing from its fall.

"...Since when can you do that?" Peter eventually asks.

"...Since forever..."

"And you didn't take it out before why- wait...I didn't bleed o- were you holding the blood in?!"

"...Kind of? I'm not sure what I was doing. All I know is that it kept your ass alive- I'm not a medic!"

"Rude." Peter pouts as he stands, throwing the bullet in the trash before him and wraps the bandages around his leg. He can feel a small tingle on the wound, his super healing finally doing something, though he could use some food to speed the process- damn quick metabolism. He throws on the rest of the clothes Stan gave him and shakily stands up.