Peter Parker was a man that had everything.
Being only 30 years old he had everything a person could ever want, he was rich and considered to be one of the smartest people on the planet.
Also being named America's most eligible bachelor really didn't hurt either, not that he really cared about women all that much.
He was walking home after spending the last 3 hours with aunt May asking when he was going to settle down and start a family of his own. Of course Peter answered the same way he always did, that he was too busy.
Running a billion dollar company was hard enough, never mind the fact that he was also a Superhero.
That was why he wasn't really worried about walking down the dark new york street at 2 am, even if he was jumped Peter knew he could more than handle himself.
A group of men suddenly ran past him from a alleyway.
Peters first instinct was to follow after them, after all no ones in an alley at this time of night and up to any good.
However then he heard a groan.
So small and quiet that if peter didn't have enhanced hearing there was no way he could of heard it.
Forgetting the men Peter turned into the ally turning his nose up at the smell of piss and garbage. It was too dark to really see anything, but his spidey-sense didn't warn him about any danger…
Didn't do much to ease the dread in the pit of his stomach.
“Hello?” Peter called just as he tripped over a leg.
He managed to catch himself before he fell face first into what he really hoped was a muddy puddle, but considering it was new york he really doubted it.
“Hey!” A weak voice snapped as the leg retracted into the darkness, curling up into a body hidden under thick coat and a large faded red hat.
“Sorry.” Peter said quickly, “I saw some guys running out of here, figured someone got mugged.”
He shifted awkwardly, he had never really spent much time around the homeless, and that's exactly what this guy appeared to be. Peter could see much under the old dirty clothes, but he could just about make out a mop of too long matted brown hair slipping out from under the hat.
“No one got mugged, they tried to rough me up a bit but they ran off pretty quick.” the man shrugged.
Peter moved closer in interest “how come?”
“Lets just say i really shocked them.” The man began to laugh but it quickly dissolved into bone rattling coughs so wet and deep that Peter winced in sympathy.
“Hey are you ok?” Peter asked as he crouched down. This time the shock did send him falling to the ground. But he didn't really care about the designer suit that was now likely ruined by the ‘mud’.
He didn't care because he got a look at the mans face.
Peter had assumed the man was around his age maybe even a little older considering how painfully thin and hunched he seemed even under the coat.
But then he saw his face… it was young.
So painfully young that he shouldn't be out of middle school let alone out on the freezing streets so late at night huddled in a corner.
“M’fine” He mumbled glaring at Peter and seemed to be fumbling in his pocket for something that the older man assumed was a knife.
However when his movements died down and a look of barley contained fear crossed the boys face peter guessed that whatever weapon he had was missing.
“You looking for what you used to scare off those men?” Peter asked raising an eyebrow as he spotted what looked like a homemade taser resting just next to him. He subtly kicked it under the dumpster.
The boy didn't answer, just coughing a few more times until he slumped against the wall clearly exhausted.
“Hey… look at me.” Peter frowned as he tilted his face towards him.
He allowed Peter to move him without much resistance, face burning with what he could only assume was a fever. A bad one at that.
“Can you tell where you live? Where your parents are?” Peter asked looking the kid over with growing concern as his eyes widened in panic and he flinched away.
Peter knew the signs of abuse when he saw them, if being out here looking like that wasn't enough of a clue then the fading yellow bruise on his jaw line filled in the rest of the blanks.
“Ok ok no parents… what about your name and age hmm?” Peter sighed not really expecting an answer.
“Tony… im 12.”