eight.
Each strike stung worse than the last. Each blow landing like a bomb to the Earth. The skin ripped on impact, the sores festered and bled. Lips split open and eyes swelled shut. Teeth and blood fell to the floor and bruises covered him head to toe.
And then he healed. Blood dried on his body when the skin grew shut. Bruises faded and teeth regrew.
And through all of the pain, and the hours of torture, not once did he plead. Never begged for an end. Never once did he attempt to fight back, or even move.
Each new strike was like a pebble into water, a ripple that crossed his whole body. Yet he refused to fight back. Sam Wilson, AKA The Falcon, and Wanda Maximoff, AKA Scarlet Witch, had never done anything to Wade before. Even now they were just doing their jobs.
Excruciating as it were, he found it pointless to fight. Which is a first for Wade because, if caught off guard, he'd fight his own reflection.
Wade needed to be strong, for when Peter needed him next. He was sure Peter would need him again, especially if he was the only teenager in a compound full of adults like Tony Stark.
He didn't even attempt any witty one-liners or jokes. He knew it would just make it worse.
----
Natasha led Peter through the halls. Her gentle voice soothed Peter's hysterics, but only for a moment. "Where's Wade?"
Her brows pull together. "Wade?"
He nods quickly. "What are they gonna do to him?"
"You should be more concerned with yourself, Peter."
"I can't! He- He helped me! He was there! What are they going to do to him?"
She shook her head, having no idea. She would've shot him and gone on her way. She knew he wouldn't die, but at least it would hurt a bit.
Peter turned on his heel to run to the basement, and Natasha followed suit. Peter, as he ran, was starting to have flashbacks again.
----
The doors at the end of the hall burst open, revealing an exhausted looking Peter Parker, with Natasha in tow. Sam was sure that this would spell trouble, and he knew he was right the minute the web-slinger threw himself up against the glass wall that separated him from them. "Stop it! Stop it, leave him alone!"
Wade rose his head, blood dripping down his face and just smiled. "It's okay Peter."
Peter looked near ready to cry. "Stop! Sam! S- Wanda, please!"
"Sorry Peter, Tony's orders." Sam shrugged before delivering another blow so violent Peter flinched. Peter turned around to stare at a camera on the ceiling. "Leave him alone! Make them stop!"
Natasha quickly realized that Peter was freaking out about more than just Wade, and told Sam and Wanda to cease with beating the assassin. When the pair opened the door to come out, Peter slipped in.
He didn't mind the blood or the smell that it caused. All he did was fall down onto the floor and use Wade's lap as a pillow.