Tin Can boy || Peter Parker

eleven

The doctors had pronounced him slightly dehydrated, hungry and bruised but otherwise okay. The cut on his neck didn't need stitches and his bruises had be treated with creams to reduce the swelling. Once the doctors were done and Tony had been appropriately reassured, he had showered and changed into comfortable clothes. When he returned to the living room of their apartment, it was to find everyone there. By everyone, he meant his friends. Tony was snoring on the sofa, head on Pepper's lap. He had looked exhausted and Tate felt a bit guilty that he had caused his dad so much stress, even though logically it wasn't his fault. That guilt quickly transformed into surprise as a shrill shriek sent Tony waking with a sharp gasp.

Callum's hug nearly bowled Tate over. The taller boy wrapping him in his arms and practically smothering him. "Tate! How dare you scare me again! I swear to god that I will kill you of you end up in hospital again".

"I didn't end up in hospital". His reply came out mumbled as several other pairs of arms wrapped around him.

"You made Jason cry", Charley muttered into his hair. Tate sighed deeply as Jason stifled a sob into his shoulder.

"I didn't cry", he said like a liar who was definitely crying. His eyes were red rimmed and he sniffed guiltily. Tate smiled and held his arms open. Jason squeezed him tightly before moving back to allow Abe a turn.

"I can't believe you got kidnapped right in front of us", Abe huffed.

"It's an occupational hazard".

"It's rude. I wanted to watch the movie and celebrate my friend's birthday. What gave them the right?"

"Yeah yeah", Callum rolled his eyes. "The whole world should bow to the great Abe".

"Damn right", Abe pulled away and struck a heroic pose. "I could be the next president for all you know". Charley and Jason snorted in unison. Tate just grinned.

"But really", MJ changed the subject, eyes analysing Tate carefully. "How are you?" She hadn't hugged him but he had spotted her hand ruffling his hair while he was being swarmed.

"Yeah", Ned voiced. The boy was the only one who had hung back. Peter at his side, but upon seeing the others had stopped swarming him, he got up and changed positions to squirm into the space between Tate and Callum. The Stark boy leaning back into him comfortably. "Your rescue was all over the news dude. Which was very cool by the way".

"It was only cool because of Spiderman. Other than that, I don't recommend the experience. Actually, I give the whole thing about two stars". He wriggled and twisted so that he was leaning mostly against Peter rather than the couch. Peter's hand had found his hair and he was stroking his fingers through it soothingly.

"That's one star higher than the incident with the terrorists", Pepper remarked. Tony was still snoring on her lap. She smiled at Tate softly, able to read the trauma he was repressing. He could process the whole 'my sperm donor is a drug lord who kidnapped me' thing later. Right now, he was just enjoying being home.

"They hurt more. I think I got off pretty easily this time", Tate mumbled. The hands in his hair were making him sleepy. "Did I miss much?"

"The news is pouring over you", Pepper sighed. "I'll try and shut it up as much as possible but unfortunately your name is out there now honey. But that's a problem for later. No need to worry about it now".

Tate sighed but she was right. That wasn't his problem at the moment. Right now, he could enjoy being around his friends again. He let them herd him to a seat on the sofa, Callum on one side and Peter on the other. Tony and Pepper on the opposite sofa while the rest of the fit themselves around them. MJ squeezing next to Peter and the arm of the couch with Jason on the floor at her feet, using her legs as a pillow. Abe and Charley doing the same with the brown haired boy leaning against Callum and Abe resting between Peter and MJ. Ned stole a beanbag from Tate's room and set it next to the sofa after grumbling about the uncomfortable floor. The boy nestled into it quiet happily.

Tate hummed in contentment. Outside the apartment the city was light up with it's night lights. It was late, nearing midnight yet no one wanted to go to bed yet. Charley, Jason, Ned and Callum were discussing movies with Tony. Pepper typing something on her iPad, probably something about the media articles about to come out. Tate felt the exhaustion seep into his bones as he watched them. It felt strange. He had slept in the car and before that had only been awake for six hours (he had done the math). Though he guessed that the artificial sleep that he had been in the last three days was not true rest. He stifled a yawn and noticed Peter doing the same.

"How much did you sleep?" He murmured under the movie discussion. Tony advertising the classics while the rest of the boys were aiming for a modern romcom.

"Not much", Peter revealed softly. Tate could tell by the bags under his eyes and the dryness of his skin.

"Lean on me", he instructed as he took one of Peter's hands. "I'm not going anywhere". Peter slouched down a bit to comfortably rest his head on the black haired boy's shoulder. Tate interlocked their fingers together and began stroking smooth lines into the soft skin on the back of the paler boy's hand with his thumb. Around them, the others had settled on Atonement. Tate fully expected tears but the end, especially from Jason and Charley. (Those two always cried the easiest during movies).

As he the movie began it's opening sequence, he felt Peter's breath deepen as the other boys sagged gently into his side. Tate smiled softly to himself and rested his head back against the couch cushions as he watched the colours light up the screen. He caught MJ's eye as she smiled at them. He blinked at her, eyes half kidded as sleep crept up on him. She turned back to the screen and he closed his eyes. He was asleep before the the dinner scene.

Later, in the early hours of the morning, when the tv had turned itself off and the living room was a mess of slumbering teens, he jolted awake with his heart in his throat. Kris' face in his mind's eye, cold eyes watching as the knife began to carve open his neck and blood spilled out in warm red rivers. It took a second of him gasping, pulse in his ears before the world returned to him. The boys were asleep in a nest of pillows and blankets on the floor. Tony and Pepper were gone from the couch, presumably in their own room, and MJ was sprawled across his with her own blanket. Callum had moved down to spoon with Charley, leaving the last couch for Tate and Peter. The two of them had turned in their sleep and were curled up together on the cushions. Peter half sprawled across Tate like a muscular blanket.

His head was resting against Tate's chest and it must have been the thundering of his heartbeat that stirred him. Peter shifted and his head lifted in the gloom of the living room. "Tate?" His voice was quiet but heavy with sleep. "What's wrong?"

Tate took a deep breath and willed the nightmare away. He was safe. It was okay. "Just a bad dream", he whispered back as he relaxed. He closed his eyes and wrapped his arms around Peter, the other boy's comforting weight on top of him grounding. "Just go back to sleep".

Peter was still exhausted. "Okay", he mumbled before resting his head back down, hair ticking the hollow of Tate's throat. Tate took a few more deep breaths until his heartbeat soothed and sleep was creeping up on him again. Th soft sounds of the room and the warmth around him keeping him safe from further nightmares as he slipped back to sleep.

Unedited

It's been a while. I've missed the Tate and his emotional support friends.