Chapter Text
It had been a week since the Daredevil incident, and Peter was done with the world. He spent all week ignoring the stares and questions. News had spread quickly. Peter Parker, renowned nerd, knew Hell’s Kitchen’s vigilante.
Flash hadn’t believed it at first. But then a video was posted, showing clearly Peter’s conversation with Daredevil. He had been fuming silently since then.
School was starting to go back to normal; the hype had died down somewhat.
Tony, later that cursed day, laughed so hard he had cried. Peter didn’t find it that funny.
So, Peter thought it was over. He thought he was done with the sudden surprises from his teammates that think they’re funny. He had even texted Matt, told him to leave him alone during school hours, to which Matt had cackled. Wade had crossed his fingers and promised not to bother him. Very reassuring.
Eighth period, PE, Peter’s second least favorite subject, was when it all went to hell.
It was the next Wednesday, and Peter was running laps. Ned jogged at a steady pace beside him, MJ sat on the bleachers in the corner. Flash was being obnoxious again, as always.
Peter tripped as he went to take another step, his foot caught on the tile as his head screamed at him. His neck tingled, and Peter held back a groan. It wasn’t a dangerous tingle, just a gentle warning. He went sprawling onto the ground. He almost didn’t get up, because he heard something new.
The gentle click of a cane that hit the tile.
The steady heartbeat of a man careful in all the things he did.
Matthew Murdock, not Daredevil, made his way down the hallways of Midtown High, headed towards the gym.
Peter closed his eyes. His life could not get any worse at this point.
“Peter?” Ned asked. He was bent down over him, concern in his eyes. “What happened?”
He sighed. “Matt’s here.” Ned’s eyes widened, and Peter tried for a smile. “I’m glad someone enjoys this.”
The doors to the gym opened, and Peter prepared for the worst.
“Hello,” Matt announced to the gym, cane held at his side. “Could someone please direct me to Peter Parker?”
Everybody stopped. Coach Wilson started towards the doors, hands out for the students to step back.
“Can we help you, sir?”
“Ah,” Matt said, purposefully looking in the opposite direction, something only Peter picked up on, “you must be the Coach. I was told Peter is in this class? The nice lady at the front told me I could come down here to pick him up.” He lifted a slip of paper for them to see.
Peter hefted himself up, grumbled under his breath insults for only Matt to hear.
Coach Wilson looked back at Peter and sent him a questioning look, “Do you know this man, Mr. Parker?”
“Yes, I do, Coach, unfortunately.” He moved towards the door, meeting Matt in the middle. Matt, who was dramatically clicking his cane for the audience, reaching out his hand until it came in contact with Peter’s face.
“Peter?” He gasped.
“Overplaying it, Matt,” Peter whispered harshly. He saw the returning grin and sighed again.
“Oh, Peter,” Matt announced, “there has been an accident at Nelson and Murdock, and we need our intern to help sort things out. Don’t worry, Pete, it wasn’t a violent accident. Foggy fell down some stairs, and Karen went down after him. It was a whole mess. I had to walk here from Hell’s Kitchen on my own. I think a nun stole my wallet.”
Peter hung his head. “I hate you.”
“No you don’t.”
Somebody in the gym cleared their throat, and Peter whimpered.
“I thought Parker has an internship with Stark Industries,” Flash sneered. He looked overjoyed at the revelation.
Matt frowned. “He does. He has a dual internship. On weekends he works with Stark, and on school days, he comes to Nelson and Murdock.”
“ Nelson and Murdock ?” Flash asked.
MJ scoffed. “Yes, Nelson and Murdock. The firm that took down WIlson Fisk. They look out for the little people of New York when big firms go for money. They do more pro bono work than any other law firm. That Nelson and Murdock.” She sounded bored.
Peter took Matt’s elbow. “We gotta get out of here, sorry, folks. We should probably go check on those two who fell down the stairs. Right, Matthew?”
He tried to tug the man through the open doors.
Matt frowned again, adjusted his glasses. “Are you Flash? You’re the one who’s been bullying my intern?”
Flash gawked, cheeks flushed red.
“I will take that as a yes.” He took a step on his own, hand clenched around his cane, looked right at Flash with a scowl. “Stay away from Peter. He has friends in high places, and if they find out what’s been happening,” he chuckled darkly, “you’re gone. Daredevil? Iron Man? The two lawyers that took down Wilson Fisk ? Stay away, Eugene.”
Peter got in front of him and pushed, sent Matt stumbling through the doorway.
He shot a glance back into the gym. “See you guys tomorrow.”