Keep You Safe
-Oh no... I gotta find Tony (Bruce)
*****
-Fine.. I'll do it.. But can we do this tomorrow? I'm tired.
-Of course, whenever you're ready.
-Thanks.
-C'mon, let's watch something else.
******
-Hello, sir.
-Oh, hi. How are you? (Steve)
-Is everything okay?
-Yeah, we're fine. Thank you.
The man nods.
Tony and Peter arrive downstairs. Both looking like a wreck.
The moment Peter sees the man, he freezes. He can't walk. He totally forgot today's Monday and that's the day he comes to work.
Skip Wescott. The man who raped him.
-Wescott! How nice to see you! How was your weekend?
Tony and Skip shake hands.
-It was a nice weekend, sir. Thank you. And yours?
-Oh! It was just fine, thanks. So.. make yourself at home.
Skip Wescott works for Tony for 5 years. He basically saw Peter growing up and sometimes would even teach him things about life that Peter uses to this day. He's one of the security guards of the house and it is a very trustable man. In the eyes of Steve and Tony. He's a tall,
strong, white straight hair, with a smile that can give you goosebumps or terrify you man type.
Tony notices how terrified Peter looks.
He comes closer to help him.
-Pete, are you okay? Are you alright?
But the boy doesn't answer.
Then, the pieces finally come together.
Peter has always liked Skip. He saw him growing up. He helped him druing the adoption process.
And seeing his kid this terrified could mean only one thing: that man raped him.
Tony looks at Steve to see if he's seeing the same thing, but he doesn't seem to notice.
Tony's hands are shaking. He doesn't know what to do. He wants to punch the man.
He comes closer to Skip, looking furious.
-Did you touch my child?
-What?
-Did you touch Peter!?
-What? Of course not!
Tony now looks at Peter.
-IS THAT THE MAN WHO RAPED YOU?
Peter can't move. Everybody's looking at him.
-PETER, DID HE RAPE YOU?
-THAT'S INSANE I WOULD NEVER DO THAT!
-Tony!
Bruce arrives and realizes he's too late. Tony's already figured it out.
-Tony, listen to me! (Bruce)
-Why didnt you tell us!? Why didn't you tell us kid? (Tony)
-I didn't touch the kid! Tell them I didn't do anything! (Skip says coming closer to Peter)
-DON'T COME NEAR HIM!
Tony pushes Skip against the wall.
-Tell me why I shouldn't fucking kill you right now!
-I would never touch him! He's a lying little slut!
And that's when hell breaks lose.
Tony starts punching him as hard as he can. It takes several minutes for Steve and Bruce to take him away from Wescott, who's now bleeding.
-TONY, STOP! YOU'RE SCARING PETER! (Steve)
-Call the police! (Tony)
-What? (Steve)
-CALL THE POLICE! Bruce, take him out of here.
-C'mon, kid. C'mon..
Bruce puts his arm around Pete's shoulders and takes him to the lab.
*****
-Are you okay? (Bruce)
Peter doesn't answer.
-Do you need something? C'mon, kid, talk to me..
Only after Bruce touches his shoulder, can Peter come back go reality.
-He didn't do anything! Skip.. He's.. He didn't!
-Peter, I was about to tell your father that the DNA we had on you... matches with Skip's..
-No.. No....
-Peter, you know that's the truth. You know I have to tell them.. They have the right to know and understand what's going on.. I'm sorry..
-I just wanna forget this! What difference does it make anyway? I'm the one who's traumatized and all fucked up! Me! Not you, not him, not my parents! ME! And nobody fucking understands that! And now I've learned my father can't control himself and can just punch a random person without having proof of nothing and I'm fucking terrified! Everything sucks right now. I'd rather be dead!
-I'm so sorry you're going through this. Is there anything I can do? Anything..
-I wanna get out of this house.
-Okay.. Ahm.. Do you wanna stay at my house? You can sleep there if that's okay.
And pretend nothing is going on, just for today.
-Are you sure?
-Of course, Peter. You're always welcome.
-That would be great. Thank you, Bruce!
*****
-So, make yourself at home.
-Bruce?
-Yeah?
-I.. uh.. I think I need help..
Peter shows him his wrists.
-Jesus Christ, kid. Did you do this?
-Y—Yes.. I.... I'm sorry.
-Wait here, I'll get my stuff. Jesus Christ!
Peter is left alone with his thoughts and with the image of Tony beating Skip.
-C'mere, sit down. This will hurt.
But it doesn't. Peter is used to the pain. He used to burn himself.
-There. Jesus, kid. You could've died if it wasn't for your advanced metabolism!
-Maybe... maybe that was my intention..
Bruce doesn't know how to answer. Can only remember about his days of suicidal ideation.
-Peter, I need you to listen to me very carefully now..
-Alright..
-What happened to you... It doesn't define who you are. What you've done to yourself doesn't define who you are. You don't have to let it consume you, you know? These aren't the only parts of your narrative..
-You don't understand, Bruce.
-But I do. I've dealt with my days of suicidal thoughts. I tried to kill myself several times, but, because of who and how I am, there's nothing I can do to myself that will make me die because I'm not strong enough to end with Hulk. And that made me feel even worse, like, I couldn't even die! And I'm not embarrassed to talk about it anymore. It was an important phase of my life and I wanna share it so people don't feel lonely. And it's true: you're not alone. Peter, if only you could see how much your parents love you. Like, literally see. The way they look at you when they see you doing something you like or how they're always trying to protect you. They love you so much. And for the rest of us: me, Nat, Buck, Thor and Loki and Wanda, we love you the same. You're part of our dysfunctional family! And we're proud to have you. Believe me. You're our kid. Our favorite one. And we just want to see you happy and healthy, that's all. Because you deserve it. And I know one day you'll believe in the words I'm saying. But, it takes time. But you'll get there. You can do it.
-Wow, Bruce.. I... I'm sorry, but I don't know what to say. This is what I needed to hear. Thank you for telling me your story too. It meant a lot. Thanks..
-No problem, kiddo! So, do you wanna eat something? Drink something?
-I's like a cup of water, please.
-Alright. Be right back.
*****
Steve called 911 for Wescott. Tony did a number on him.
-Will you stop!? Do you wanna go to jail too!?
-Fine! Fine!! Jesus...
-You know.. You're kid was the best sex I've ever had. He's tight. Pure.
-SHUT UP! SHUT UP! YOU SON OF A BITCH! YOU RUINED MT BABY'S LIFE! HOW DARE YOU!
Tony starts kicking him.
-STOP! ANTHONY STOP IT! (Steve)
-No! Let me go! He raped my baby.. My.. My son!
Wescott still can't get up because of the pain.
Tony is in the verge of a panic attack. Steve might throw up at any moment. They just stay still until the ambulance and the police arrive.
After what it felt like forever, they hear the sirens.
Before the cops can say anything, Tony runs fo them and starts screaming
-Arrest him! He raped my child! Arrest him right now!!
-Sir, calm down! We can't arrest a man that's been beaten! It looks like you're the one who should go to jail!
-No! No! My husband didn't do anything wrong! He came to our house. And told everything. He confessed! He.. He raped our baby..
-We're gonna take him to a hospital and the police will take you to the station.
Okay?
-Okay. (Steve)
Tony texts Bruce explaining what's going on.
*****
-Pete, Tony told me they're gonna take him to the hospital and your parents to the police station.
-O—Okay, thanks.
*****
They arrive at the police. They're both terrified.
After a couple of minutes, a cop calls them to a room.
-Hi, I'm detective Evans. So, tell me what happened.
-That man raped our son! (Tony)
-Can you explain exactly what your son told you?
-I.. I found him on the party. He was hit and bleeding. He told me he was... raped.. I took him to my own medbay and got the evidences for the police. There was blood and semen. The results only came out today.
-I see. Sir, I'm sorry you're going through this. I'm gonna have to ask you to bring your child here. So we can get his statement.
-Hasn't he been through enough? (Steve)
-Yes.. But we have to do this if you want the man in jail.
They look at each other and agree to get Peter. This is gonna be horrible..
END OF CHAPTER