Us Against The World ｡ Peter Parker [2]

28 - Everything Breaks

Usually, the bright lights of New York City blinded the silvery shine of the stars above but tonight, in the midst of a city blackout the starlight winked down on me. It would have been beautiful, it would have been perfect but there was a blinding pain in my abdomen that was howling for me to stay awake. Also, the fact that a blind man with incredible skill and a little nickname was hovering above me, his chin dripping with inky blood.

"Florence, please...just hold on." Peter Parker's voice broke with emotion. I blinked up at him, my body feeling like it was being licked with raging fire. In that split second, I didn't just see my boyfriend with my blood coating his hands from the bullet wound. I saw a boy that had knelt over his uncle one fateful night last year. I saw the poor kid that had witnessed the life leaving the man that had raised him. I saw him reliving that night again.

My throat closed up, my hands shaking while trying to cling to his body but his Spider-Man suit was skin tight and there was nothing to hold onto. Quickly, the man standing beside him was dropping to his knees. His eyes were unfocused but with a great calmness, one hand reached for my stomach and he felt the wound. Peter was swinging his gaze towards the man, his mouth opening and closing as tears begged to fall from his eyes. Peter didn't stop the man when he yanked up a strip of my shirt, my stomach exposed where a flood of blood waited. "It's a clean wound. The bullet went right through." It sounded almost like a positive thing and with my vision blurring slightly, I glanced down and found he was not wrong.

With the man's thick voice something was snapping inside Peter though. I could see the flash in his eyes as reality sunk in a little deeper. With so much fear and confusion painted on his face, he realised his secret identity was shattered. With my lungs burning, my hand gripped his arm, making him look down at me. "It's okay," I croaked out. "He's Daredevil."

Apparently, the very thought hadn't crossed Peter Parker's mind, despite being a witness to the man's lethal abilities which seemed almost impossible. The man's lips tipped up briefly, maybe a little impressed with my own power to connect tiny details that not many other people could. "Don't worry kid, your secret is safe with me." he grunted out quietly. "I'm blind too, there really isn't an issue in ruining your identity."

Peter blinked across at him, "Uh, okay."

Suddenly, the pain echoing through my body roared to life again. A helpless groan slipped from my dry lips and both men were pushing aside the moment shared by two heroes that resided in the same streets of the city. "Great. Cute bromance moment but can we wrap this up? I would prefer not bleeding to death in some dirty alleyway."

My boyfriend was already bending back down to apply some pressure to the wound which had my teeth biting down into my bottom lip, pain dousing every inch of my body. With the world bleeding with darkness around me, a scary thought danced in my mind. What if I really did die in this alleyway tonight? As if Peter Parker could read my mind, he was shaking his head. "That's not happening, do you hear me?"

I managed a blunt nod of my head. "It's not a bad wound." The man noted quietly and I actually believed him, knowing he must have some experience with bloody wounds. He was the Devil of Hell's Kitchen after all, naturally, his body must have been covered with scars from battle. "I have a nurse friend. She's discreet, knows how to keep a secret."

"No, absolutely not." My voice was laced with pain and an inkling of anger. "I'm sure your nurse patches you up wonderfully, but I want a hospital." I knew why this man had suggested his friend, he was most likely used to patching his own wounds because he couldn't have doctors questioning why he was injured, whole hero complex and whatnot, but I wasn't wearing some mask and I wanted professional bandaging up tonight.

Peter was scurrying aside while the man dropped to his knees. In the darkness I noticed the blood staining his crisp white shirt and loose tie around his neck. I was already pinning him as some decent career man with his attire which made me question what sort of man enjoyed living a double life? "This might hurt a little bit..." he warned me before his hands slipped under my legs and around my waist, lifting my body into his arms. A scream echoed from my lips, the pain blazing with the sudden movement. "Sorry, kid."