Bruised But Not Broken - Irondad/spiderson

Cold

Standing in the mirror, I notice that in the months of being 'Spiderman,' my body has started to change; I'm stronger but still cold. The bruises from last night's robbery attempt are beginning to fade, but they haunt me of my past, my daunting past. I look different, thinner. Ned mentioned yesterday that my face had changed. I could tell he was worried, but I change the subject as usual. My alarm on my phone started ringing from my bedroom across the hall; time to get ready for school. Aunt May is rummaging through the kitchen draws, trying to find the last bit of cereal I promised we had left when I made her a bowl last night. She won't find anything. I'd rather her eat, I can manage for a while. "I'll get something on the way to school!" I won't, but it will help Aunt May feel better.

Teeth and hair brushed, I grab my bag off the floor and head out the door; it's a long walk to school. I have my suit packed in the back pocket of my bag, ready for my after-school activities and my science homework, so my bag is light. I can hear the obnoxiously loud school blocks away. The first few weeks of school after being bit were hell; every time the bell rang, I thought I would somehow pass out, but I didn't. I survived. With my head down, I manage to enter the school grounds unnoticed by my tormentors. Glancing up, I saw Ned waiting at my locker. 

"Dude! Did you do the science homework? "before I could answer, Ned cut over me. 

"What am I even saying? You're Peter Parker. Of course you did the science homework; what am I crazy." I laugh, holding up the homework - 

"Yup, sure did, it was pretty basic though." We both nodded in agreement as the bell sounded through the halls. 

"I'll see you in the homeroom!" Ned shouted down the hall as we separated for our classes.

Sitting through class after class, the burning sensation in my stomach started to kick in. I'm used to feeling this way, but it doesn't make it any less painful. Soon, Lunch, then homeroom rolls around. I'm not a fan of homeroom, as it's my only class with Flash. I can handle most things he throws my way... the usual "pathetic orphan" or "whats up diquat" but sometimes, he would be in a nasty mood. Sometimes, it seems like today. Flash sat right behind me and stretched his feet out, pushing on the back of my chair and tapping his foot to rock my seat. Ned looks at me like he's going to say something to Flash.

 "Don't" I whisper "you'll just make it worse. I'll be okay."He continued to rock all lesson faster and faster and faster; my stomach was churning with what was left in it. By the end of the class, I rushed out the door as fast as possible with Ned in tail, but I wasn't fast enough.

 As the bell rang through the quickly crowding hallway, Ned is pushed away from me, and I feel my shirt get yanked backwards as I got pulled into an all too familiar place. The boys' bathroom. The force of being pulled backwards shot me into the floor of the bathroom, where the torture began. I try to push myself off the floor but meet faces with none other than Eugene' Flash' Thompson. 

"you're going to get it, Parker", he spat into my face.

"Woah, now Flashy, no need to get so close", I mocked back. This wasn't my brightest idea.. but he will hurt me regardless. I might as well have some fun with it. After a few head swirls in the toilet and knocks to the skull, my vision slips into the comfort of darkness. 

Cold, lonely darkness. I miss Uncle Ben so much; he died to a desperate mugger. He was only out in the mean streets because of me; he was picking me up from the library, but I wasn't outside. I was running late. If only I wasn't late. I'd still have an uncle. We would still be a family.

Vibrations filled my body, my phone was buzzing. I open my eyes to a dimmed light, dripping of the bathroom sink. My vision blurred as I sit up. My phone shows 20 missed calls, some from Ned and mostly from Aunt May. I must be late. First, I need to get off the dirty floor. My body feels like it weighs ten times more than usual. Grasping at the sink's edge, I heave myself up, confronted with a reflection, bruises, and blood. My face is unrecognisable. Great. Turning the tap on seems like a small task, right? Not when you can't feel your hand. I pulled as hard as I could, and the tap starts dripping fast, then slowly running. I wince at the water running over my cuts, and just the sound of the pipes is overloading my ears. I drag my half-limp body out the door, grabbing my now seemingly heavy bag and limping out the door.

 I know I should fight back, but part of me thinks it will make everything a whole lot worse; plus, Uncle Ben always said, 'With great power comes great responsibility,' and I would never want to willingly let Uncle Ben down. Scrolling through my phone while I walk back shows Aunt May worrying about where I am; I send a small text explaining I was doing homework at the library. I didn't want her to worry; she worries too much.

By the time I reached the side of the apartment, my face was already less swollen and red, but I still didn't want anyone to see it. I walked up the stairs and entered through door 204 with my hood up. The door creaked.

 "Peter, is that you?" Aunt May called from her bedroom. 

"yeah, it's me; I'm Just going to have a shower!" I rush over to the bathroom and locked the door closed before she could see me, "that was close", I whispered to myself.

 I let the hot water of the shower run down my body as I began to scrub the cuts and blood off my face; most of the swelling had gone down by now, thanks to my 'spidey' healing. The air was cold tonight; not even the hot steam from the shower could keep me warm. I slunk across to my bedroom and shouted to May, 

"I have a test in the morning, so I'm getting an early night!" A simple hum of agreeance was heard across the hall.

 "Okay, Petey, have a good sleep." With that, I pulled my hand-crafted Spiderman suit on and swung myself up to the roof of the building.

 A quiet night. It's like the city knew Spiderman needed a break, time to rest. There were a few robberies and small gang fights, but nothing intense tonight. I sat on the top of the building and listened to people snoring. I can even hear Aunt May softly breathing in her sleep. It helps keep me peaceful. She's all I have left. I tend to find myself staring at the night sky, looking at the stars and thinking about my parents. What had become of them? What would have happened if they hadn't gotten on that plane and left me here with May and Ben? So many what-ifs as the sun starts to rise. It's morning when we can mourn the falling of the night before. Where I can mourn the lost. My family. But for now, I need to get some rest, a few hours until school, until May is awake, and I have to lie about food again. I can feel my body weakening. I'll be fine. I can last a couple more days before getting desperate. I just have to make sure Aunt May is taken care of first. What will the day hold for me?