The Little Match Spider

Who are you?

When Peter woke up again he didn't know what happened. Upon opening his eyes slowly, the first thing he noticed was that he was no longer lying outside on the bench.

Or outside at all.

He didn't feel cold or in pain from the weather making his skin hurt, but he knew he wasn't wearing his rag clothing. He felt...warm, really, warm.

The next thing he realized was that he was sitting in a marble bathtub (the largest tub he'd ever seen) filled with hot water and foam soap. Aunt May hadn't allowed him to bathe or shower to save money on the water bill, he'd sometimes get to bathe himself for five minutes if he had finished cleaning or made a little money (which wasn't often). He'd never got to sit in a bath like this before, Peter had to wonder if it was real. He slowly regained consciousness and quickly felt hands playing with his hair for reasons Peter wasn't sure of.

"Oh, your awake".

The voice caught Peter off by surprise, where it made him jump slightly. Turning around Peter saw an adult black man behind him.

Only then did he realize he currently wasn't in his own bathroom, a much larger one belonging to someone else. A strangers home nonetheless, fear ran through Peter as he scooted himself back in the bath against the faucets to be out of reach.

"W..who are you?" Peter stuttered. Terrific, probably another person who was gonna beat the words "your worthless" into him.

The man didn't try to grab or catch him (to Peter's relief) instead gave him a friendly warm smile.

"My name is T'Challa".

Now Peter was really confused and shocked at the same time. He had never heard the name "TChalla" before, it certainly never crossed paths with him it wasn't long that thought was out of his head and a new question filled his head.

Where was he?

He became scared again as he realized he was no doubt in a strangers house in their bathroom, he didn't see the man as friendly he knew it was all just an act to get him to let his guard down so getting him corned and beating him would be easier. His mind went back to Aunt May slapping him across the face and cutting his skin. All the painful memories caused Peter to start hyperventilating.

He had to get out of here!

Wherever he was.

"G...get away from me!" he stuttered, now breathing heavily. Stuttering had been an issue to him for a while now. He had always gotten nervous about talking to strangers (fearing they'd hurt him physically) and this was no different. 

"Calm yourself young one", T'Challa reassured moving closer to the frightened teen, who kept trying to get farther away from him.

Peter knew better to trust strangers or people you just met, T'Challa wouldn't be any better then the bad people he had already faced in life. Even though abusive, May actually had taught him something important: the world was cruel, selfish, and dark whose people only cared about themselves.

"G...g...get away!" by now Peter had tears in his eyes from fear, he wondered how long it would be till this man made him a tool to let his anger out on "I don't want you to hurt me! Please!".

T'Challa looked him confused and a bit concerned "hurt you? I would never hurt you."

"Then what are you doing to me here?"

"Giving you a bath" T'Challa reached his arm out to hold Peter's hand in an attempt which did help slightly, it did make Peter stop hyperventilating "I was just washing your hair when you woke up".