[Burden] /slow updates :(/

Chapter Fifteen

tw: depressing thoughts/self-harm/graphic description of self-harm

Peter woke up with a start. He was sweating profusely, panicked from yet one of his nightmares again. He looked around and saw that he was still in his room. He sighed in exasperation as this was his fifth nightmare this week.
It always was the same scenario, he woke up in the club he found his aunt May, or her body per se, and as he made his way inside the building his dead relatives pushed him around and taunted him, blaming him for their deaths.
It always ends with him waking up in tears and Tony comforting him but this day was different. Sure, it was the same nightmare but this was also the time which was more vivid than the others and on top of that, Tony and the Avengers were on a mission.

He raised his body, which took more effort than he anticipated, and tried to calm himself.

No, I can't break down now, they'll know I've been lying, if I relapse now I'll never be able to stop..

"But you deserve this! You think that they love you? Naive! It is the only way to end your pain. Do it."

At this point, Peter was fighting himself. With his inner voices and thoughts overwhelming him, he let out a strangled cry.

"Please, I don't want to do this! They will be so disappointed..."

"As if they aren't already.."

The young hero had completely broke down, screaming and crying because he didn't want this. He didn't want to cut again but his body didn't listen to his mind and was acting on it's own.
He was so deep in thought that he hadn't realised he was already at his bathroom slicing relentlessly his arm. The teenager continued on and on and on until his arm was raw and stinging with pain and blood dripping on the tiles making a mess. His thoughts were foggy, he couldn't think straight probably because of the loss of blood.
Peter grabbed his phone from the nightstand and looked through his contacts looking for someone to call. He called his dad, his uncles, his aunt Natasha, he even called Wade, MJ and Ned but no one answered.

Ah, they're on a mission, of course they won't pick it up.. Ned and MJ are probably studying right now.. or ignoring me..

Peter sighed and made his way to the MedBay in order to patch his wounds. He gathered his resources and began cleaning them. He winced as the alcohol hit his deep cuts but continued putting pressure to stop the bleeding. He sat on the bed and looked around. It was eerily quiet. His spidey-sense was going off but he ignored it, thinking it was nothing.

ah, fuck, these will need stitches, what do I do now

He exhaled with force and looked around trying to find the proper tools to stitch his cuts.

"You don't know how to do stitches, you're only going to cause more pain and probably hurt yourself.", a voice from behind him said.

"Who- Dr. Strange?! What are you doing here?", said the surprised teen looking at the tall man in front of him.

"Forget it. I need to check your cuts."

"Dr. Strange, no, it's fine, really. It's just some little cuts!"

"Peter I can see the blood seeping through the bandages. Please let me take a look at them." the sorcerer pleaded, knowing well enough that if left unattended, the child could bleed out and lose consciousness and hurt himself.
Peter huffed and nodded.

After finishing the stitches, he bandaged his arm and looked at the teenager sitting in front of him.

"You know, you can talk to me if you want."

Peter lifted his eyes fron the floor and looked at the sorcerer then looked back down again. He was ashamed.

"It's just that.. I have these nightmares where my aunt and uncle, and my mom and my dad, they blame me for their deaths. And I know that this is not true but.. deep down it hurts. It hurts to feel- to know everyone around you is dying because of you."

Stephen was shocked to say the least. He knew about the kid's past but that it haunts him till today is something he didn't expect. He hugged Peter tight, as the young hero cried in his arms.

They sat like this until Peter had calmed down. Stephen lifted the teenager swiftly and carried him to his room. He layed him down on the bed and turned around to leave when he felt a tug on his sleeve. The sorcerer turned around and saw Peter looking at him shyly.

"Can you maybe.. uh.. if you don't have work I mean.. could you please stay, sir?"

Strange smilled at the child and removed his shoes, lying next to the teen who immediately cuddled close to him.

"Call me Stephen."

hello guys! thank you for reading my story y'all! idk what this chapter is lol. hope you are safe!

-ppeterpparker