Stronger

chapter seven

I'll say it again. I have no idea of the details of injuries or how you would correctly take care of them. The worst injuries I've had are bruises and not even bad ones. I get the ones you get when you are clumsy and don't pay attention and run into a chair or trip up the stairs.

(I actually just did that yesterday)

––🕷––

Peter's face paled, and if it was possible, his eyes widened further.

Tony's eyes got wide as well. "Peter, we have to get you to the Med Bay. Like, now." He must've seen Peter open his mouth to argue because he continued. "Don't even try to argue with me. It's not a suggestion."

Defeated, Peter followed Tony, not bothering to hide his slight limp. Tony led him to an empty room and motioned for Peter to sit on the bed. It looked like a standard medical room, which was a little surprising considering how everything else was super high-tech.

"FRIDAY, can you tell Bruce to get down here immediately?"

"Right away, Sir."

Tony moved his hand up to rub his face while sighing, and Peter flinched at the movement. Tony glanced at him, furrowing his eyebrows.

"Kid, why didn't you tell me?"

Peter paused before answering to get his thoughts together. "I just didn't want to cause you any trouble. I didn't think it was a big deal, anyway."

"Of course it's a big deal! You got badly injured and are literally starving and you thought it was fine?" Tony raised his voice, not quite yelling yet though. Peter flinched at his tone and tensed up automatically. Tony must have noticed, because, in a softer voice, he asked, "What happened? Why haven't you eaten?"

Peter opened his mouth but didn't know what to say. What could he say anyway? There was no good, believable excuse as to why he hadn't eaten. And it's not like he could tell Tony the truth.

The door opened and revealed Bruce Banner rushing in, saving Peter from answering. "Hey Tony, what's wrong?" he asks hurriedly.

"Peter here, my new intern, got himself injured pretty badly. I don't remember it all. FRIDAY, can you read it off again?"

"Peter is malnourished and has multiple severe injuries: one broken and two bruised ribs, internal bleeding, as well as multiple contusions, small 2nd-degree burns, and lacerations, including one requiring stitches," FRIDAY repeats.

Bruce looks aghast but quickly gets to work. "Okay, let's start with that cut that needs stitches. Where is it?" Peter points to the spot under his shirt. "Alright, can you take your shirt off?"

Peter, once again, pales at the request. He hesitates before asking shakily, "D-do I have to?"

"Yeah, there's no easy way to stitch it with your shirt on. Sorry." Bruce looks sympathetic.

Peter gulps and gives a small nod, before taking his shirt off with shaking hands. His eyes instantly find the floor as Bruce gasps and Tony's mouth drops open.

His arms and torso were all different shades of dark blue, yellow, green, and brown. There were hardly any spots that aren't bruised. Except for the spots with small cuts and scabs. He was also way too skinny. It wasn't terrible, but it was alarmingly easy to count his ribs.

Bruce set his jaw, hesitantly stepped forward, and unwrapped the bandage, while Peter suppressed a gasp. He quickly got to work with cleaning, numbing, and sewing the cut back together. Bruce worked fast, and he was done pretty soon.