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“Hey, it’s the kid you helped save from being bombarded by press- No, is that too generic? There’s like, hundreds of those. Hey, it’s the kid you helped after his superhero identity got revealed to the whole world when his surrogate father figure who is, by the way, a billionaire, died while snapping a giant titan to dust.” Peter grumbles under his breath as he paces infront of the door that looks like it’s mocking him- he’s going insane.
Nelson and Murdock, attorneys at law. There were only so many blind lawyers who could by the way, catch bricks flying, and Peter was absolutely impressed by literally any lawyer because how does anyone remember the entirety of that thick book of laws? Peter’s speech still isn’t quite right.
“Hey, I’m the kid who you-“ The door opens quickly, a disgruntled? Murdock? Pulls open the door, mindlessly reaching for Peter and pulling him in. Theres a single old man on the bench, starkly (ha) familiar, but he can’t place his finger on who it is-, ironic, because no one can place their finger on who he is.
After waving to a blonde woman at a desk, Peter settles in Murdock’s office with his fingers drumming the table anxiously. His mind is blank.
“Are you a superhero?” Peter blurts out, honestly the only oddity was that Murdock had caught the brick, why did he say that? It comes out rushed and half finished, before the thought had even cemented in his brain- it gives him waves of memories from a better, more carefree time when he fawned over Iron man and Captain America. Peter frowns and leans back. Murdock does the same, the annoyed look remaining clearly on his face.
“Sorry. That wasn’t at all what I was trying to say. You won’t remember me, but I’m Peter Parker, the kid you helped legally when my identity was revealed.” Murdock leans forward and tilts his head, glasses sliding slightly off his nose. Peter stays still, rejoicing at his non shaky voice.
“Okay.” Screw the rejoice, bring out the candles and burn this office down.
“Okay?!” Peter shoots up and sits back down, tapping his knees anxiously. Okay?! Okay. That’s all he said? Not even a- Excuse me? Or a- dubious ‘Really?’
Not acceptance. Not- not ‘Okay.’ Maybe he was reading too far into this, but too much was at stake and who knows where Strange has floated off too. Peter still wants that cape. It’s a cool cape, no matter how depressed someone is, a magic cape is always cool.
“Yes. Okay. I believe you. What else do you want me to do?” Peter chews on his lip and leans back. At least he believed him? ‘Okay’ was still the least accurate way to describe his situation.
“I don’t know? Can you help me sue a wizard for performing the wrong spell, or does it not count if the wizard remembers?” Peter doesn’t know Dr. Strange’s real name. He’s searched it up, but no way the wizard dude is the same as the old surgeon guy, or it could be the shitty old Duck Duck Go internet on the computer.
“Give me your address and I’ll go find you when I’m able.” Peter doesn’t mention how Murdock is going to have to get through several flights of dangerous stairs, creaking doors and misleading signs.
As he steps out with ink on the side of his hands from rushing to scribble his apartment’s address, he realizes this and turns back around with a hand curling around the doorknob but it doesn’t budge, and Murdock shouts at him to go away.
-
Matt kicks open the door after no one answers it, tapping the floor with his cane. This apartment took forever to find. It was located in the cheapest, dirtiest and least safe part of New York; not a good look. Matt steps in and the heat signature on the bed- could you even call that thing a bed? Shoots up and rushes over to Matt. The air is stale. Matt hates it; it feels like dust in his nose.
“So, what’s this about an evil wizard? What, destroyed your family? Enslaved your life? Stole your money?” Matt feels Peter’s lips curl up slightly.
“No, it’s more a made-everyone-forget-me-including-himself-by-the-way- Which is just dumb. Or loyal. Depends on your worldview, which I expect is pessimistic.” Obviously Matt knew about the whole dead dad thing. God, the number of times this dude repeated his story outside of him office- it got so repetitive. Matt expects Peter to be Spiderman? But theres no record of Spiderman previous to a few weeks ago.
But he’s not lying. That’s for sure. Even the Black Widow can’t lie to Matt. He can hear everything in someone’s voice, the honesty, and Peter doesn’t have that dishonest tone to him, nor does he have the skipping heartbeat. So Matt settles down and listens to the whole story Peter spews about what led him to this point-
He somehow ends up helping Peter do the dishes and pick out what socks to wear for the next day- ‘There’s a girl, I want to impress.’ Matt doesn’t think socks are the way to go, but Peter insists it’s the only actual thing he can afford new pairs of; Matt is definitely buying him something.
And god, Peter’s life is shit. And that’s saying quite a bit because when you’re a dude who lost his eyes and lied to his best friend (not necessarily) about your blindness, an underestimated lawyer and a devoted Catholic who beats up B list criminals, nothing really catches you off guard.
Of course, being a lawyer really raises or lowers your empathy, and Matt reels from shock when Peter rattles off another life changing event that he just monotones. Matt lists them off in his head: Dead parents, Spider bite, bullied, dead uncle, dead father figure (Whos Iron Man, are they going to ignore that), manipulated by a random grudging man after his surrogate father figure died, dead aunt, lost his friend and girlfriend to a spell that made everyone in the world to forget completely about his existence.
He’s seventeen.
Matt can only pat Peter’s shoulder as they walk to the office to file a extensive, berating lawsuit against Dr Strange.
-
Peter was wrong. So wrong. Dr Strange was the guy’s real name, and he was pissed. It was kind of funny, to see an Avenger just hanging around the court.
“I don’t remember casting the spell.” Peter knows it’s not Strange’s fault, but this was his only idea of contacting him in an urgent way; he knows it’s dumb and immature. Why did he do this. Surely there had been better ways.
“Mr. Murdock, let’s put this off another day.” The Judge sighs and leaves, allowing Peter to attack Dr Strange before his cape and him (so cool, seriously, does ebay sell magic capes?) run off.
“Dr Strange! Sorry. Sorry. I had no other way of contacting you. I’m so sorry. Everyone else I know is dead.” His voice is light, but there’s no way of dancing around that- everyone is dead.
Dr Strange gives him a frown, his cape twirling incredibly as he turns away and Peter reaches out, and the door slams. Shit. Shit. He’ll have time next week. Still.
Matt pats him on the back, again, and Peter groans and sits back down.