Work Text:
Soft music came from the radio that was playing in the office of Nelson, Murdock & Page. It was a warm spring afternoon and the windows were open, the breeze coming in. Karen had turned on a small fan that sat on her desk to counteract the slight humidity.
All of the trio sat at their desks and were working on their respective cases, doing research or typing a report. Foggy was typing his report for a custody battle over a young boy. The mother was more suitable to have the child, as she was the one who wasn’t a drug addict and had a stable job. It was an easy case.
Foggy saw Matt start to twitch uncomfortably in his chair, and it caught his attention. Foggy looked up to see that Matt had stopped reading his papers and was just sitting there with his head cocked to the side.
“Matt, you okay?” Foggy called out. Foggy heard Karen’s typing stop from the other side of the office space.
Matt seemed to snap out of his concentrated listening and turned his head towards Foggy.
“Oh.. yeah. I just thought I heard something familiar.” Matt’s voice sounded fine, years of fine tuning had made Matt hard to read, but Foggy could see the slight tense in his neck and how his hands curled slightly. He was worried about something.
“If you say so, buddy.” Foggy knew that Matt could tell he didn’t believe the words coming from his mouth. Foggy turned back to his computer and tried to ignore the fact that his best friend was tripping out over something he wasn’t willing to share.
The next few minutes was quiet as Matt slowly went back to his work. The room seemed to take back a calm and serene feeling to it. Until Matt suddenly stood up quickly, knocking his pen cup off the table. Karen let out a panicked gasp from where she was sitting and Foggy jolted, looking up quickly to Matt.
“Matt!” Foggy breathed out, almost like he was reprimanding Matt. “What the hell is going on?”
Matt ignored Foggy as he moved around his desk. There was a soft knock on the door, making Karen and Foggy pause.
“Karen, go get the medkit.” Matt barely glanced in Karen’s direction. She nodded and got up, heading towards the small break room quickly. Foggy got up from his chair and followed Matt to the door. Matt walked briskly to the door and opened it.
In the doorway stumbled in a small teenage boy. He was wearing a black hoodie that looked like it was wet. His hair was a mess, his eyes were red from crying (which doubled with the tears on his face), his nose was bleeding, and he had bruises on his face. He stumbled in and Matt caught him in his arms.
“M-Matt.” The kid said out loud and grabbed onto Matt’s suit with shaky hands. The same hands that were pressed against his hoodie side and were painted with red. Bloodo.
“Peter? What happened?” Matt helped the kid, Peter, into the office. In Matt’s voice was a rare hint of panic and fear. Whoever Peter was, Matt cared for him greatly. Foggy closed the door quickly as Matt got Peter to the conference room. Foggy followed quickly.
Matt sat Peter down in a chair, making sure to not hurt him. Karen came back in and gasped again.
“Oh my God, what happened to him?” Karen asked as she sat down the medkit.
“I was just asking him that, Karen.” Matt responded, tilting his head towards her before looking back to Peter. “Peter, tell me. I won’t get angry. You have a fractured rib and a ton of torn muscles.”
“I was in the neighborhood, getting some chocolates for May. Her birthday is in a few days, you know?” Matt nodded like he knew what Peter was talking about. Matt started to take off Peter’s hoodie to help get to the wounds. Foggy noticed the holes in the science t-shirt and hoodie then. “And I heard something happening a few blocks down. I didn’t have the suit, but I could help whoever it was get away.”
Matt took a deep breath and Foggy didn’t understand.
“Peter.” Matt said in his disapproving way.
“I know! But you said I could help out a bit if you’re busy and I’m around. And if I was in trouble, I could come by! I helped the woman get away from the men. But they had guns and decided that they didn’t like what I did. So they shot at me. Only four hit my side! That’s better than last time!” Peter smiled at Matt, who frowned more and got Peter’s shirt off. Karen made a sound like someone had just kicked a puppy. Which to Foggy, this felt the same. “Karen, not you Ms. Page, called Mr. Stark the second she recognized I was hurt. He told me to get to the nearest safe place. So I did!”
Foggy noticed the fancy looking bracelets on the boy’s wrists and frowned. They were some type of Stark Tech. Then it hit Foggy. Peter meant Tony Stark. Some billionaire Avenger’s kid or something like that was injured in his office. Some teenager had gotten shot and didn’t go to the hospital. And worse, he knew Matt for obvious reasons that aren’t for the Law (or the right side of the law). Panic filled Foggy as he watched Karen grab tweezers from the kit. Foggy was kind of glad that Karen took classes for this and got certified for first aid.
“You couldn’t have just kept your nose out of it?” Matt asked. “Peter, you can’t just do things without your suit!”
“I know, I know! But if I’m nothing without the suit, then what am I with the suit?” Peter whined as he watched Karen disinfect the tweezers.
“This might hurt slightly. I have to get the bullets out.” Karen informed Peter.
“Okay, thanks.” Peter nodded and looked back to Matt. “And sides, Matt. Wade and Mr. Castle aren’t around so I had to come here. They’re both doing their own things. I think that they wouldn’t be throwing a big fit like you are.”
That seemed to set Matt off. Foggy had never seen Matt actually get pissed at anyone in person. It was a sight to see, though.
“No, Peter. You’re a kid. I know you heal fast but you can’t just throw yourself at every dangerous thing. And big fit? Wait until Mother Hen #2 comes flying into the coop.” Matt’s voice was cold and held a harsh tone. Foggy knew that Matt was livid with the kid, but also worried sick. Karen glanced up as she pulled a bullet out. “You cannot say that they wouldn’t throw a huge fit. Wade is insane and Frank wouldn’t put up with a child getting shot!”
Silence filled the room and Matt’s breathing was heavy. His shoulders were shaking. Peter stared at Matt for a second before sighing, seemingly giving up.
“Peter, I will spare you the adult speech that Stark will give you. But I swear to God, if you do this shit one more time without your suit I will tie you to the empire state building.” Matt threatened.
Peter made an offended noise that quickly turned into a wheeze of pain.
“Sorry.” Karen mumbled as she took out another bullet. She was doing it quickly and efficiently.
“So uhm… who is this?” Foggy asked. “Because it is an emotional storm having a child bleeding in my office.”
“I’m not a child.” Peter grumbled.
“You’re 16.” Matt shot back. Peter just huffed and shrugged at Matt. “This is Peter. He is from… my other job. That spider vigilante from Queens. He’s a child that has no sense for danger and things he shouldn’t get himself into.”
“Sounds like someone I know.” Karen glanced up to Matt.
“Very funny.” Matt shook his head.
“Wait, you’re that vigilante that is in close cahoots with the Avengers.” Foggy realized. This was Spider-Man.
“Yup. Mr. Stark is one of my guardians actually. He’s on his way. Should be here in a minute. I think he was in a meeting.” Peter grimaced as Karen got the last bullet out and moved to clean him.
“Will he… kill us for you being injured?” Foggy hesitated. He didn’t need to be sued for something he didn’t do. Even if he could take them.
“No. Stark isn’t that harsh.” Matt pat Peter’s head as Karen started to stitch him up. “He will track down whoever shot his kid though.”
“They’re going to jail.” Peter shrugged.
“When I thought I only had to deal with one idiotic vigilante, another one waltz into my life.” Foggy felt himself calm down more as Karen finished up.
“What about Mr. Castle and Wade?” Peter asked.
“Wade is a mercenary. And Frank is more of an Anti-Hero. Not a vigilante.” Karen explained. “I assume Wade is Deadpool?”
“That lunatic? Yes.” Matt nodded. Karen hummed in reply as she finished up.
“There we go, almost good as new.” Karen stood up and smiled.
“Thanks, Ms. Page.” Peter smiled at her.
“You’re welcome.” Karen smiled at him. She then turned to the medkit, cleaning up the mess that was made.
They watched quietly as Karen retreated to the break room again to put up the medkit and throw away the bloodied medical supplies. Peter held a bullet up and inspected it.
“You’re really dumb.” Matt commented before patting Peter’s head.
“Hey, he will be okay, right?” Foggy asked as Peter slowly stood up.
“Yes. He has really good healing. He should be healed by morning.” Matt waved off Foggy’s anxiety and Peter sent him a sheepish smile.
“This isn’t even the worse that had happened to me.” Peter followed Matt to his desk.
“What do you mean it’s not the worst?” Foggy followed the two vigilantes.
“Buildings have fallen on me.” Peter shrugs.
“Oh my God, why are vigilantes so frustrating? Do you not have a sense of danger?” Foggy groaned.
“Mmmm, not really?” Peter smiled.
Foggy sighed and there was a knock on the door before it opened. In stepped Tony Stark, in a suit and sunglasses.
“Peter.” Stark frowned at the shirtless teenager. Foggy noticed he was holding a t-shrit as he held it out.
“Hey, Mr. Stark.” Peter walked to him and accepted it. “I got the bullets so you can track them.”
“Good.” Stark smiled slightly and seemed to relax slightly as Peter put on the shirt. “I’m glad you didn’t die.”
“Ms. Page patched me up!” Peter smiled as he tugged the shirt over his waistline. Karen had walked out as it was said and she had to do a double take as she noticed Stark.
“Oh! Hello.” She glanced at Foggy, who shrugged, before looking back to Stark and smiling.
“I’m guessing you’re Ms. Page?” Stark asked and Karen nodded.
“Karen Page.” Karen introduced herself, holding her hand out for a handshake. Foggy held his breath as Stark looked at it. He let the breath go as Stark shook it.
“Thanks for patching this idiot up. Can’t have him bleeding out. His aunt would murder me, and I’m pretty sure my fiance would join her.” Stark had a small smile on his face as he said it.
“Peter seems like a nice kid. It would be a shame if he had bled out in my office.” Karen smiled back.
Foggy debated if this was really happening.
“Well, I think we should get going. We have to get those chocolates for May and get those criminals.” Stark put his hand on Peter’s shoulders. He then turned to Matt and nodded, receiving one back. Foggy wondered if they had met before. Well, it was obvious they had.
“Bye Ms. Page, Mr. Nelson, and Matt! Thanks again.” Peter smiled and waved as Stark led him out of the office. The door shut softly behind them, leaving the office in silence.
“Soooo…” Karen started. “I’m guessing Peter is going to be around more often?”
Matt groaned from his desk and thumped his forehead against his desk.
“Is that not a no?” Karen grinned as she moved towards Matt. “He’s a great kid from what I can tell. Maybe we can invite him to the Christmas party?”
Foggy watched as Matt probably debated his death. Or the murder of a 16 year old.
“I’m going to make some coffee.” Foggy turned and decided he needed caffeine.
“Make me some!” Karen called back to Foggy from where she now sat on Matt’s pristine desk. “Matt, you can’t just not allow us to help. That kid is a lost cause.”
“Shoot me.” Matt mumbled.
Foggy snorted and Karen laughed from where she sat on the desk.
Foggy wouldn’t mind seeing the kid more. It would probably sooth his anxiety and keep him grounded from knowing the kid was in danger.
So yeah. Foggy would want the kid around more.