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Ned Leeds was someone who was pretty known for finding himself in situations in which he had no idea what he was doing, what was going on, or even where he was. Most of his MIT stories revolve around scenarios just like that— going with the flow and ending up where he ends up, not really caring much about silly things like "safety" or "well-being".
But as he rounded the corner into a damp alleyway that reeked of garbage and piss, he knew he was way out of his depth.
All he knew is that ever since taking on Spider-Man as a best friend again, after apparently spending four years with no recollection of the guy, he was more glued to SpideyTracker than he was before (which is saying something). Stepping into the role of guy in the chair once again gave him a sense of purpose he never thought he would experience again, and he became dedicated to knowing Peter's location at all times. Call him overprotective, but when your best friend is as stab-prone as Peter is, you have a fair justification for being a helicopter friend.
Which is why when it's been 30 minutes sense someone reported spotting Spider-Man in an alleyway at 3am and he apparently has not moved, Ned's own spidey sense began to tingle and before he knew it he was rushing to his friend's location, blasting music in his headphones to drown out the worst case scenarios his brain was feeding him.
He couldn't help but be kind of grateful for these intrusive thoughts of Peter's dead body, though; since they made the actual sight of Peter slumped up against a grime-caked wall, mask off, with a bleeding wound so much more palatable.
"Spider-Man…?"
Peter sluggishly lifts his head and glances toward the sound, half-lidded eyes lighting up at the sight of his best friend, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Nedddd! Hiiiii! Wha… wha are you doin up? Pas your bedtime!'
"I could ask you the same thing." Ned cautiously approached his friend, unsure of how to handle the situation. "What happened your mask?"
"Is fineeee. Don need it. Nobody around here, nobody knows me. Needed it gone. Real sweaty, don know why…"
"Probably because you're bleeding. A lot." It was hard to really get a look at with only the light of the moon and the city to aluminate it (a slight blessing in Ned's stomach's book), but it was obvious the hero was bleeding profusely. If the dark red liquid wasn't enough of an indicator, Peter acting like he was high was enough to clue a guy in.
"Wha..?" Peter's face scrunches in confusion as he peers down at the stab wound in his side, the one that is currently hemorrhaging blood. "Oh! Look atdat! Thas not good!"
"No!" Ned leans down to meet Peter's level, close enough to feel Peter's body heat. "No it's not! This really isn't good, you're not… this isn't good!"
"Stop worryin, you worry too much. I feel like a million bucks." The vigilante smirked, words slurred together. He glanced up to meet Ned's brown eyes with his own, pupils completely blown. "And you look like a million bucks. Could… could kiss you."
Ned smiled for a brief moment at that, face heating up and butterflies swirling in his stomach. Truth is, he always had a little thing for his friend. How could he not? Peter Parker was not only beautiful, but so intelligent, and with a heart as big as his biceps to boot. But any feelings he had didn't matter, not when his friend was so vulnerable. So he shoved them down. "I'm not sure if MJ would like that."
"Wanna kiss her too. Kiss you both. Everyone gets kisses!"
"You're delirious."
Peter just hummed, still smiling, still completely out of it. "Delirious. Is a funny word. Doesn't even sound real. Delirious."
"I know, hilarious right?" Ned's voice held a bit more sarcasm than he intended. Truly, he did want to keep his friend calm in this moment and engage in conversation, but it's hard when said friend is losing blood to the point of being loopy and you are completely unqualified to handle the situation. He remembered that he should try to put pressure on the wound, though. So, without much thought, his MIT hoodie was being unzipped and removed from his body to be pressed against Peter's side— blood stains be damned.
"Woah." Peter breathed out, eyes glazing over with both desire and rapid loss of lucidity. "Your arms. They're so… arms. Wow."
Ned felt his face heat up again, still opting to not engage. They could unpack this when Peter was in his right mind and had his blood safely inside of him, flowing through his veins and arteries instead of onto the dirty New York pavement.. "I know right? It's like everyone has them!"
"Yours are da best, though. Good for huggin. You… you give good cuddles. Best cuddles." Peter's voice was getting quieter and quieter, more into a breathy whisper. His eyes began to droop more, which meant Ned's stomach began to swoop more.
"Hey! Stay awake, Peter! It's okay!" He gently tapped his friends face with just enough force to rouse him before his eyes completely shut. "Million bucks, remember?"
A smile danced on Peter's face again. "Yeah, million bucks. Wish I had a million bucks. Would get you so many bahn-mis."
"Yeah, I sure do love those, don't I?" Ned responded absentmindedly, brain more focused on getting his hoodie tied around Peter, tight tight tight, just enough to keep the bleeding at bay until he could get to his apartment. "Okay, we need to get you back to the apartment. Are you okay to walk with my help? It's not far at all."
"Your place? Movin so fast…"
"Peter, you're there all the time."
"Right… yeah… love your place… safe… cozy…"
"Yeah, gonna take you some place safe and cozy! Now, can you walk there with my help? Because I can't carry you and we need the first aid kit."
After a few beats of Peter's oxygen-deprived brain processing what was being asked of him, Peter gave an almost undetectable nod of the head. With the go-ahead, Ned lazily slung Peter's arm around his shoulders, guiding him up up up off the pavement, dazey word vomit still pouring out of his astronaut of a best friend, "So strong…"
"Not as strong as you, which is why I know you can do it! One foot in front of the other… we got this…"
It took the duo about 25 minutes of slowly walking, haphazardly leaned into each other and moving as if they were in some kind of three-legged race, to reach Ned's apartment. Luckily due to the time, nobody spotted a maskless Spider-Man at his most vulnerable. The city may never sleep, but luckily this neighbourhood tends to, which granted the boys their much needed privacy. The two block walk felt like a trek to Mordor, with Peter remaining silent the entire time as he was too focused on staying awake and actually moving to keep up with his flirtatious remarks. Ned was grateful for this, he couldn't afford to be distracted while half-carrying cargo so precious.
The two breathed a sigh of relief once they were in the apartment, moving carefully as not to wake MJ up. Ned gently deposited Peter onto their couch, a place he has crashed many a time. "You're so good to me, Ned… best… best friend a guy could ask for."
Ned genuinely smiled at that, a soft smile that felt so right on his face. A smile that was free of guilt now that his friend was somewhere safe. "You're not so bad yourself. I'm gonna go get the first aid kit from the bathroom."
"Wai…" A lazy hand stopped his walk to the bathroom, a hand that belonged to an exhausted Peter Parker who could barely manage a grip. "Wanna… say somethin…."
"Floor is yours."
A smile flashed on his face as he mumbled three little words, words that would not be audible to anyone who wasn't attentively listening. "I love you…"
Peter was out like a light as soon as the words left his soft lips, but that didn't stop Ned's butterflies from coming back in full force— some in his stomach making it twist and turn, some in his chest playing his heart like a drum as it beat faster faster faster, heating up his face once again. He allowed himself to return the smile, indulging in an exchange that is as platonic as it is romantic. "I love you too, Peter."
And he did. He really did. He loved him enough to carefully stitch him up, gentle as to not wake him up. He loved him enough to card his hands through his hair whenever Peter whimpered in his sleep at the feeling of a stitch, knowing the action calms him down. He loved him enough to gently cover him in a blanket once wound was stitched up nicely and Peter bleeding out was no longer a worry. He loved him enough to sit and listen to his friend purr in his sleep at his presence. He loved him enough to plant a soft kiss to his forehead before heading to sleep himself, where he could dream about Peter's lips against his.
When he left his room in the morning afternoon, he was met with the sight of Peter & MJ cuddled on the couch; her curls down and messy from sleep, fingers carding through his in the same way Ned's own did mere hours ago. He was snuggled comfortably into her, still asleep and purring, while his girlfriend showered him in apologies for not being there and reassurances that he's okay and safe. A small bit of jealousy panged in his chest, but it was overtaken by the sheer love he had for his friends, and happiness at the love they had for one another.
MJ sensed his presence and glanced up at Ned as he sat on the chair across from them. "Morning Ned." She gave him a soft smile before returning her gaze to the sleeping puppy of a boyfriend on her lap, speaking as softly as she would around a sleeping infant. "Thank you for taking care of him last night."
Ned met her smile and matched her soft tone. "Of course. Anything for him."
Eventually Ned may talk with Peter about last night— the flirty remarks, the talk of kissing, the "I love yous"… but not yet. For now, he soaked up the presence of his two best friends, and it was all the love he could ever ask for.