Bruce snapped everyone back. As soon as Peter was back he was confused but still followed Dr. Strange through the portal he opened. When he saw Tony he immediately went to him. He wanted to say everything he thought as he disappeared into dust since that was Peter’s last memory. But he knew he couldn’t as they were in the middle of a battle. But at least he could see Mr. Stark right now since he thought he would never see the man again.
He jumped over to him and helped the man up, “Holy cow, you will not believe what’s been going on,” he started, “remember when we were in space and I got all dusty?” Mr. Stark just looked at him like he wasn’t real. Like he was a dream that he didn’t want to wake up from. “I must have passed out because when I woke up you were gone. But Dr. Strange was there right and he was like, it’s been five years, come on they need us. And then he started doing the yellow sparkly thing that he does all the time.” During his rant Mr. Stark was slowly making his way closer to him. Then he started wrapping his arms around him, “What are you doing?” Peter questioned but wrapped his arms around Tony anyways.
Tony hugged the boy tight and looked up almost thanking any God out there that he got Peter back. “Oh, this is nice,” Peter said as he tightened his hold on the man. Sadly that hug didn’t last nearly as long as either water as they had to go back to fighting.
The battle was a blur up until Tony said the words, “I am Iron Man.” And snapped his fingers. The bad guys, including Thanos, got dusted, just as Peter had been, and blew away in the wind. Tony drags himself over to some wreckage and leans against it feeling pain and numbness at the same time.
Peter quickly made his way over. “Mr. Stark?” He says as he takes in the scene. Tony breathing heavily, his face paler than he’s ever seen it. Bruns that go from the tips of his fingers on his right hand to the top of his temple. His skin chard black and much of his hair burnt off. “Hey,” he said frantically kneeling in front of him, “Mr. Stark, can you hear me?” Tony was looking up and out somewhere no one could see. His eyes glazed over and were hollow. “It’s Peter,” he said as he kept looking for some sign of recognition but found none. “Hey, we won…Mr Stark.” He kept looking at the man that was once so alive looking so close to death's door now. “We won Mr. Stark.” Peter's voice wavered as he repeated his words. “We won you did it sir, you did it.” His words were thick with emotion as tears welled up. Tony was now looking at him, but it was like he was seeing right through him. Peter looked down and cried as Pepper pried him away. “I’m sorry Tony.” He said as he tried to hold onto the man.
He will never get to tell him what he thought as he got dusted. How he thought of him as more of a father figure than just a mentor. Rhodey held him back as Dr. Strange opened another portal, this one to Avenger’s Medbay at the compound. A gurney came through and Tony was immediately lifted onto it and then wheeled and disappeared inside. Peter was left crying with the image of Mr. Stark dying burnt into his mind just like the countless burns left on the man’s body.
____
Tony did not die, he was very close, but the man was too stubborn to walk into the light. He stayed in a coma for a few weeks. His arm had to be amputated and Shuri was already making a vibranium prosthetic for when he woke up. Peter refused to leave Mr. Stark for the first week, but then he was forced to go back to school. He stayed every weekend though, barely leaving the man’s side. Everything was so different now anyways, the compound was safe. He didn’t have to see peers that had aged five years without him, even May looked a bit different. He also didn't like his new apartment much, May had moved a year after Peter was dusted. The compound was familiar and that’s what he wanted.
It was a Saturday when Tony finally awoke. He shifted hearing a mechanical beeping noise beside him. He opened his eyes slowly taking in the white walls and ceiling. He looked to where the noise was coming from to see a heart monitor, he realized he was in his Medbay. He went to rub his eyes, but only one hand came up. He looked over to his right to see nothing there. Everything suddenly came back to him, the snap, the five years, Peter coming back, and then him snapping. Did he succeed? He thought. He felt something shift on his bed and looked towards it.
There on his left side was a familiar head of curls resting in his blanket. Peter was there, which meant it worked. He did it and the one he did it for, was there with him. He took the hand he had left and placed it on the boy’s head to prove to himself that this was real. Peter was alive; Peter was here.
Peter shifted at the weight on his head. He opened his bleary eyes expecting to see May, Rhodey, Pepper, or Happy urging him to eat or take a shower, but what he saw had him shoot straight up and freeze. Mr. Stark was looking at him. Mr. Stark was awake!!
“Mr. Stark!!” Peter all but yelled after getting his bearings.
A smile appeared on the older man’s face, “Hey Underoos.”
Usually, Peter would cringe at the nickname, but not now. Only one person called him that, one person he thought he would never see again. Peter wanted to say everything he didn’t get to, but he wanted to make sure Mr. Stark was okay first, “How are you feeling?” There was concern woven into his words. The last time he saw Mr.Stark awake was when he was dying, burnt beyond belief, and staring into a void Peter couldn’t see.
“A bit out of it, but considering I only have one arm, I feel okay. Tired more than anything.” In the old days he would have just lied and said, ‘I’m fine.’ but since losing Peter and having Morgan he has been more open about his feelings, physically and emotionally. He would be more shocked about his arm, but if his arm was what it took to save the universe, if his arm was what it took to save Peter he would give the other one as well.
Peter couldn’t help but glance over at the missing arm, after he did, he quickly casted his eyes downward, “I’m so sorry Mr. Stark, I wish I had been the one to snap.”
“Don’t ever say that again Peter,” His words were firm but not harsh. Peter looked up surprised by the emotion behind that sentence, “I already lost you once Peter and it almost killed me I couldn’t do it again.” The man had tears in his eyes.
Peter looked shocked, he had thought of Mr. Stark as more than just a mentor. More of a father figure, but assumed Tony did not feel the same way. He has his own kid now anyway. “But you have a kid that needs you, you could have left her.”
Just the thought sends pain into Tony’s chest, but he knew that it was a possibility when he took those stones. “May needs you too.”
“That’s not the same. She survived without me for five years, she would have been okay.”
“No one is okay without you Peter,” Tony said, his voice full of sincerity. “May had to move out of your apartment because she couldn't handle the constant reminder of you.”
Peter looked down at that, he felt bad for causing May such grief. “Still Morgan can’t grow up without a dad, trust me I know. Your kid needs you.”
Tony had a soft smile on his face that was also a bit sad after hearing what Peter said. He was alos a bit anxious about his next sentence, “I had to find a way to get my other kid back and keep him safe.”
Peter looked at him shocked and confused, “What?”
Tony needed to be completely honest here no matter the boy's reaction. He owed it to himself and he owed it to Peter. “Peter I almost lost it when you die-” He choked on his words and took a breath, “when you got dusted.” he amended. “I wouldn’t come out of my lab and I barely ate. A world without you just didn’t seem worth it. I wish I had realized this before I lost you, but sometimes you don’t know how much someone means to you until their gone.” Peter stared dumbfounded, “When Pepper got pregnant I felt that light had flooded back into my life. It never took away the hurt of losing you, but I had another kid to look after and I was;’t going to fail her like I did you.”
“You didn’t fail m-”
“I did.” he cut Peter off. “After Morgan, I came out of my depressive spiral enough to use every waking minute to find a way to bring you back.”
“Bring half the universe back.” Peter corrected.
“No Peter.” He took one of Peter’s hands in the only one he had left. “To bring you back. The rest of the universe was lucky they got to come along, you were the one I found a way for.”
Peter felt tears glaze over his eyes, “I never thought I would see you again, both when I was dusted and on the battlefield. I had so many things I wanted to say to you, but there was never enough time.” he whispered.
Tony gave a watery smile. “Come here kiddo,” Peter looked at the man who patted the bed and scooted over a bit.
“Are you sure?” Peter asked, “I’m not sure Dr. Cho wou-”
“I spent the last five years without you and then you almost lost me, I’m sure she’ll understand.” Mr. Stark said with an eye roll and a smile.
Peter hesitantly climbed onto the bed being very careful not to hurt Mr. Stark. Tony wrapped his remaining arm around the boy and hugged him tight. He kissed his forehead, “I missed you Pete.”
“I missed you too,” Peter whispered back as he laid his head down on Tony chest careful not to touch the left side of the man’s body as he was still healing.
“If you want to tell me what you didn't have time to say then I’m all ears and then later you can meet your sister.”
“Morgan?”
Tony laughed, “Yes, of course, Morgan.”
Peter smiled. He has a sister now. “I met her briefly, but Pepper didn’t want her here while you were still in the coma.”
Tony was grateful his wife kept Morgan away, saving her some trauma. “Well, we’ve got all the time in the world now.”
Peter gave a slight nod and he held on to Tony and started to tell him what went on in his head when he got dusted. How he thought of Mr. Stark as a father figure. How he was worried about the people of New York and his family since he wasn’t going to be there to protect them. How he knew Mr. Stak was going to lock himself away and blame himself for what happened. Here and there Tony would speak words of comfort or wipe Peter's tears. Mr. Stark then told Peter everything he regretted not saying before he was dusted. Peter was then the one to offer comforting words and wipe Tony’s eyes. They stayed like that for a long time. Eventually Mr. Stark began to get sleepy as he still had a long road of recovery.
“Do you know what my biggest regret was?” Tony asked as his eyes started to droop.
“Hmm?” Peter hummed
“My biggest regret was not telling you how proud I was and am of you and that I love you. I regretted that every day when you were gone.”
Tony’s eyes slipped shut, but before he fell back into the back abyss of unconsciousness he heard Peter say, “I love you too Mr. Stark.” And then he was out.