Life Changes

Ten

Hello all. I'm sorry this chapter is late! Please enjoy!

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Peter was sitting on his bed reading when there was a knock on the door frame, causing him to startle and look up. Stephen Strange stood there, looking nervous. The look seemed strangely out of place on the man's face.

"I don't mean to disturb you but I was wondering if we could get to know one another, as you are dating my best friend." He sounded unsure and Peter found it endearing.

Peter closed his book and smiles. "Yeah, come on in." He folds his good leg under his injured one and watches Stephen cross the room. "What's on your mind?" He asks.

"Well," Stephen takes a seat and folded his arms. "People are idiots." He says bluntly, making Peter laugh.

"Care to expand on that?"

"There was this guy in the ER today who did body shots off of a complete stranger and got piece of glass stuck up his nose and didn't realize until three days later and it had moved up to his eye socket."

Peter winces. "Oh my god. Gross."

"Gross indeed." Stephen laughs and shakes his head. "How do you not realize you have glass up your nose?"

"Well some people are dumb." Peter remarks, shifting and wincing a little. "Sonofabitch." He hisses.

"Try bending your knee a few times every hour. You're not moving it enough and it's getting stiff. If you let it get to stiff, the work you're doing with Natasha is only going to hurt more." The older man suggests, standing up. "May I?"

Peter stared at him blankly for a moment, before he realized what was happening. "Uh, yeah. Okay? Sure."

Stephen slowly wraps his hands around Peter's leg, on either side of his knee.

"This is going to hurt." He warns before slowly bending the leg. Peter gasped loudly and reaches to stop him but Stephen shoos his hand away. "Let me help you."

Peter lays back and closes his eyes, tightening his jaw.

"Talk to me Peter. It may distract you."

"About what?" Peter's voice raises an octave when the rods touched a little.

"Sorry sorry." Stephen releases his leg and lays it flat. "Tony?"

"What about Tony?"

"Anything. I have many stories and can answer questions if you want?"

"Okay but I do have a question for you."

"Fire away."

"How come you or Steve haven't threatened me yet? You are his best friends right? I don't get a whole 'you hurt him and I'll kill you and make it look natural'?"

Stephen laughs at that. "I take it Pepper hasn't come to visit you yet." Then his face sobers. "But do keep in mind that I am a brain surgeon, Nat is helping you learn to walk again and Pepper and Steve are trauma surgeons. You do not want to piss off a bunch of doctors."

Peter gaped at him for a moment then breaks into a grin. "That's what I was waiting for."

"Also remember that both Steve and Bucky are ex military so they don't take kindly to someone hurting one of their own." Stephen takes his seat again. "But I'm honestly not worried because you make Tony really happy and you're good for him."

Peter is quiet for a few minutes after that. "I'm glad because I've never felt this way about anyone before. He's amazing."

"Yes, he really is."