Work Text:
He shouldn't have ran.
If he hadn't run away, they wouldn't be in this situation.
Peter and his Uncle Ben had had an argument and Peter had gotten upset and ran from the apartment. He just wanted to clear his head but by the time he was thinking straight again, he was lost.
Uncle Ben had come looking for him.
They'd been just about to go back home when the man had entered the alley they'd been hugging in.
"Give me your money!" The man had a gun. A gun that was pointing right at them.
Ben held up his hands and subtly stepped in front of his nephew. "Now, there's no need for that. Put the gun down." He spoke calmly. Firm.
"Give me your fucking money or I swear I'll shoot!" The man was shaking. Peter couldn't tell if it was from anger or fear but from his rapid heartbeat he could take a guess.
"I can help you but you have to put the gun down." Ben took a small step forward, hands still raised.
"Don't move!" The finger on the trigger seemed to almost tighten. Peter was worried the man's trembling would cause the gun to go off.
"Why don't you put the gun down, son? You don't have to do this." Ben carefully took another step, almost close enough to grab the weapon. Peter's senses screamed.
Bang!
Peter saw it as if in slow motion.
The squeezing of the trigger.
The shock on the man's face.
The red soaking his uncle's shirt.
The man ran. Peter dropped to his knees.
"Ben! Uncle Ben! It's okay, you're gonna be okay-" Peter frantically tried to reassure him as he pressed on the wound. Blood flowed from the hole between his ribs.
"Pete... It's okay..." Ben rasped quietly. He placed his hand over Peter's.
"You- you gotta stay awake, okay? You gotta stay awake until the ambulance comes. Shit ambulance!" Peter fumbled for his phone before remembering he'd left it at home. He dug into his uncle's pockets for his phone.
"Pete-" Ben tried to call for him only for harsh coughs to emerge. Red liquid bubbled from his lips.
"We have to call an ambulance! Or the- the police! They can help you! It'll be- it'll be fine!"
"Peter!" Ben grabbed his hand weakly. "It's okay. You're safe now. That's all that matters."
"Please..." Peter whispered. He'd already lost his parents, he didn't want to lose his uncle too. "Please..."
"I'm sorry Peter... But you'll be okay... You and May... Take care of each other..."
He was gone.
He was gone and there was nothing Peter could do.
The boy let out a heartbreaking wail, part sob part scream, and buried his face in his uncle's chest. That's where the police found him ten minutes later. It took three officers to pull him away. A kind man sat with him until Aunt May got there. She pulled him close and not let go for almost half an hour. Peter held her back even tighter. It was just him and her now. He couldn't lose her too...