Tony Stark, otherwise known as Iron Man, survived Thanos’ defeat. Just barely.
He survived the Iron Man-made Infinity Gauntlet he created from his own suit. He survived the snap and the gamma radiation and the Infinity Stones.
Though he still looked dead.
“Mister Stark? Hey... Mister Stark? Can you hear me? it’s Peter. Tony, it’s Peter. We won and you did it, sir…You did it. I’m sorry...Tony...”
Peter Parker. Spider-Man.
The first time he’d ever called him Tony. When he’s afraid Tony Stark is going to die.
Tony himself was barely conscious, focusing on the blabbering of the barely teen-aged Spider-Man next to him.
He still can’t believe this poor kid got dragged into this. That he had nearly died multiple times…and was technically dead for five years.
“It’s okay Tony. You can rest now.”
That time it was Pepper, one of her hands on his shoulder.
Still fading in and out of consciousness, unsure if he’d wake up again if he closed his eyes. He wouldn’t expect it, anyways, knowing the gamma radiation is most likely trying to kill him st this very moment.
The last thing Tony remembered hearing before the darkness overcame him and the light in his arc reactor went out, was Peter, more apologies and reassurances. Peter was always focused on helping and consoling others, even when he was dying all those years ago due to the blip.
He didn’t expect to wake up again. It was a hell of a surprise when he did.
••••
When he opened his eyes next, it didn’t take Tony Stark too long to learn he was in a hospital. It’s something specific, even through the confusion from everything that had happened earlier. However earlier it was. Days, weeks, he didn’t know.
He was barely awake, half-conscious, disoriented, but he could hear the heart monitor, another solid notion that Tony Stark was not, in fact, dead.
He turned his head to see Pepper and Peter sitting close by. Neither looked like they had gotten any sleep in about a week. Peter was crying, his face hidden in his hands. Pepper wasn’t, however, though it looked like she had been for days. And he was about to say something when he fell unconscious once more.
What he thinks to be hours later he wakes up again. Still disoriented, but less so now. Both Pepper and Peter were still in the room, the young Spider-Man asleep on a cot next to him. Tony doesn’t think he’s left, but he’s glad he is sleeping now.
Steve is standing against the doorway, fighting to stay awake. Tony doesn’t think he’s slept either.
He closes his eyes again, the light in the halls too bright. He isn’t used to it.
“Tones. You’re awake.”
Steve Rodgers.
“Mhm…” Tony confirms, most definitely still out of it.
“How’re you feeling? Docs say you’re gonna be okay, maybe just a few more days stuck here. Shouldn’t be too bad.”
“I’m okay, Cap..”
“Well you weren’t for a while, your arc reactor went out. You died, Tony. Thank god Strange has half a brain.”
“I have a lot more than half a brain, Rodgers. I mean, Tony is alive after all.”
“Thanks, Strange,” Tony mutters weakly. “I mean it.”
“Pleasure’s mine. You’re alive and that’s good. There is something important you should know however, so do you think you’re in the right state to hear this?”
“I was just revived from the dead , Strange. I’m out of it but I can handle it.”
Steve cocks an eyebrow while staring at Tony.
“What? I can handle it.”
“If you say so…” Dr. Strange starts, actually entering the hospital room, pulling curtains over the windows to hopefully lessen the brightness of the room, for Tony’s sake. “Your arm, Tony. The damage was too great, there was no way to save it. The doctors tried to save it, did everything they could, but ultimately they couldn’t save your arm.”
That should’ve surprised him more.
He lost an arm and he isn’t even fazed. It was ever-so-slightly expected, given the Infinity Gauntlet he made out of his suit.
He still doesn’t look. He doesn’t want to.
“Tony, you're going to be fine. Doctors said you’re gonna make a full recovery. After some time, of course.”
Tony just nods. “Got it. How’s the kid?”
“Peter has barely slept since you got to the hospital. It’s been about two weeks…and he’s slept maybe eight hours at most in that time. He’s been worried for you, and hasn't left the hospital. Stephen and Pepper haven’t either, mind you. They’ll be happy to know you’re okay.”
“What about May? May Parker?”
“She’s come by a few times, mainly to check up on Peter. She wishes and hopes you have a full recovery.”
“I explained to her the extent of your injuries and what caused it, the whole…Thanos situation. She does hope you have a full recovery.”
“Speaking of that, I’m going back to sleep.”
Stephen and Steve look at each other before looking back at Tony.
“Get some rest. We’ll let the others know you’re awake and alive.”
“Thanks, Cap.”
“Any time.”
He definitely owes Stephen one .
••••
The next time he wakes up, he wakes up in a shock, a horridly surreal nightmare from when he died being the cause of that.
He shot up in the hospital bed, hearing the heart monitor's pace quicken.
He swears it wakes up Peter, who had previously been asleep in the cot next to him. Or it could just be his “Peter Tingle”, his Spider-Sense.
Peter was partially awake, snapping out of a half-asleep delirium the moment he saw Tony.
“Mr. Stark! Hey, Mr. Stark everything is okay, you’ll be okay. It’s me, Peter. Peter Parker…Mr. Stark. This isn’t going to be bad…it’s just a panic attack. You’re alive and you’ll be okay. Just-…Just listen to me. Breathe in, Breathe out…like me, okay, Mr. Stark? Just…just do what I’m doing, okay?”
Tony could tell that Peter was beyond frantic just by hearing his voice, but he stayed focused on it, calming from what was most definitely a trauma-induced panic attack close to ten minutes later, his head in his hands, well, hand .
And he was well aware his left arm was gone but he still didn’t accept it.
“Are you okay now, Mr. Stark?”
“Yes, and call me Tony, Peter. Thank you.”
“I’m glad you’re okay, Mr. Stark, really, I am. I’m…sorry about your arm though…”
“So you heard.”
“I knew about it ever since you got out of surgery…um…Mr. Rodgers and Dr. Strange told me.”
“Glad to know you’re being updated, kid.” Tony mumbles as he moves a little to allow Peter space to sit in front of him at the edge of the bed. “You didn’t have to stay.”
“Aunt May has been working most of the time…and I didn’t want to leave. No one did! A few of us had to but Ms. Potts, Mr. Rodgers, Col. Rhodey, and I…and Dr. Strange of course…stayed the whole time you’ve been here. We couldn’t leave you. And you’re okay Mr. Stark! It’s amazing!”
“I’m glad I’m alive too. Did you take care of yourself?”
“Mostly…Mr. Rodgers made sure I did.”
“Good. Good.”
“Mr. Stark…?”
“Yes, kiddo?”
“Um…have you seen your arm yet?”
“Not really, no. I don’t really wanna see it just yet, either.”
“I get it, I get it…just curious. Ned and MJ wish you a fast recovery…they…d-don’t know you lost your arm…or what actually happened. They just know you’re in the hospital.”
“Tell ‘em if you want. You trust ‘em, after all. How’s Morgan?”
“Worried. Of course she would be worried for her dad. I think Ms. Potts told her everything. I don’t know though. She misses you.”
“I miss her too, Pete.”
“May’s been with Morgan when she isn’t working, and Happy too…we’ve been helping.”
“Thank you. And Pete, how are you?“
“I’m okay, don’t worry about me, Mr. Stark.”
“I will, considering that I heard you have barely slept four hours in the last two weeks.”
“I was worried for you, Mr. Stark…and I’ve been sleeping more…I slept more than 10 hours!”
“Still not good.”
“I will be fine, Mr. Stark…and also, Morgan’s taken to calling me her ‘big brother’…she said you called me her big brother a lot, when talking about my patrols and stuff, y’know?”
Tony definitely remembers talking to a young Morgan Stark about Peter Parker. His daughter’s favorite story took place right before Peter got dusted. Because Peter Parker’s a hero.
“I did. Because…well, you’re like my kid, Pete.”
Peter sleepily smiled and he hugged Tony, not finding proper words to say.
And that was the first time Tony truly became aware of the fact he lost his arm. Just by a brush of Peter’s hand against what was left of his left arm.
Peter’s head was resting against Tony’s shoulder, the teenage Spiderling half-asleep.
“Go back to bed, Pete. You need the sleep.”
“Nuh-uh. I missed you.”
“I’m not gonna disappear, Pete. I’m here, perfectly alive and well…despite the missing arm and arc reactor.”
“Okay then Mr. Stark.”
“Sleep well Spiderling, we’ll talk more when it isn’t two in the morning.”
“Night, Mr. Stark…”Peter mutters sleepily as he climbs onto the cot bed, pulling the blankets over his body. “I missed you, glad you’re okay.”
“I missed you too, Pete.”
••••
Tony wakes up to a “Daddy!”, obviously from his daughter, Morgan. His eyes open and he sees Morgan sitting next to Peter and Pepper, smiling right at him.
Tony can’t help but smile, seeing his kid happy to see him.
“Mommy said you got hurt…a-and you lost-ed your arm. But it’s okay! I still love you three-thousand!”
“I love you three thousand too. I heard you’ve been staying with Uncle Happy and Aunt May, hm? And Peter too? Did you like being with them?”
Speaking of Peter, he was unusually quiet, half-awake, watching Morgan and Tony, occasionally checking his phone.
“Mhm! Peter is the bestest?”
“Better than me and your mom?”
“Not better than you or Mommy, but close!”
Peter smiled at that. Maybe only the second time he’s seen Peter smile since the incident. The first was when he saw Tony was alive.
Both Peter and Tony remained quiet as Morgan talks about her time with Peter, Happy, and Aunt May, and Ned and MJ visiting at the hospital. How Ned and Morgan played with LEGOs and more stories.
The stories only stop when Pepper asks Morgan to go get some food with her, looking at Peter, how he isn’t even paying any sort of attention to anything, tapping at his phone even if nothing is going on. And she gives Tony that look .
“What about Pe’er?”
“Peter is gonna stay to keep your dad company. We wouldn’t wanna leave him alone, now do we?”
Morgan nods and follows Pepper out, not before hugging Tony as tight as her five-year-old self could, saying “I love you three-thousand.”
“I love you three-thousand too, Mor.”
“Pete…hey, I know it’s tough…”
“Mr. Stark…I know you do. I’ve just been scared and worried about you is all. I’m getting the same lectures from MJ and Mr. Rodgers and Dr. Strange…”
“So you know you need to eat and sleep.”
“I know, Mr. Stark. I just…haven’t been hungry…maybe it’s just nerves?”
“You’re lucky Mor and Pep are bringing cheeseburgers.” Tony lightly jokes with a laugh.
“Yeah…” Peter mutters. “MJ’s been worried about me. I have barely seen her or been in school since…since you got to the hospital and nearly died…”
“It’s understandable that she would be. Did you let her know you’re okay?”
“Yes, uh…she’s been messaging me. I let her know you’re okay too, just…missing an arm…but her and Ned are happy you’re okay…”
Peter looked to be on the verge of crying. “S-Sorry Mr. Stark…g-god this is embarrassing…”
“It’s not embarrassing, and you don’t need to apologize. C’mere kid.”
Peter practically throws himself into Tony’s arms, being pulled into as tight of a hug as Tony physically can give. And Peter starts crying.
“I shouldn’t be crying…I mean…I’m not the one in a hospital bed…” Peter mumbles into Tony’s shoulder, hugging him tight. “I-I’m sorry, Mr. Stark.”
“Why are you sorry, Pete?” Tony asks as he moved a bit away from Peter, just to see his face. He was most definitely crying.
“Col. Rhodes…he…he said I was the reason you f-figured out time travel. I-I’m the reason you lost your arm…the reason you d-died. G-God…if it hadn’t been for this hospital or Dr. Strange you would’ve been actually dead and M-Morgan would’ve grown up without a father and I…” Peter trails off, wiping tears off his cheeks.
“And you what, Pete?”
“And I would’ve lost another father figure…”
With that Tony brings Peter back into a hug with his one arm, holding him tight. “I knew the risks, Pete. I knew what I was doing…and hell…I didn’t even expect this, to be alive, but I’m damn glad I am, for you and Morgan and Pepper. And I’m gonna chat with Rhodey later too, maybe when he comes to visit. But, Pete, really, you may have been the driving force for me to create time travel, to bring you and everyone else back, but no way in hell does that mean you caused any of this. You didn’t gather all the stones, snap half the universe out of existence, create time travel…and you didn’t put the stones on my arm or snap my fingers for me. Nothing you did caused this. I’m only sorry it took five damn years to bring you back. None of this is your fault, Pete. I mean it.”
“I-If you insist Mr. Stark.”
“You had no hand in this, so please stop being so hard on yourself, kid.”
“I’ll try, Mr. Stark.”
“Good.”
Soon after, Morgan and Pepper arrive with cheeseburgers, and the four of them talk. Mostly about Tony and his arm. And how everything will be after he leaves the hospital.
“I’ll be fine, Pep. It’s just gonna take some adjustment.”
“Tony, you’ve been in pain half the time you’ve been awake.”
“And the doctors say I’d get accustomed to it. Plus, painkillers for now.”
“Don’t get dependent on those.”
“I solemnly swear I won’t, Pete.”
“Tony, have you even looked at your arm yet?” Steve asks for maths doorway, Dr. Strange standing next to him.
“Just barely. It’s…weird.”
“That’s to be expected. And as you said, it’s going to be an adjustment. And you know the doctors tried as hard as the could to save your entire arm and they saved as much as they could, which was right below your shoulder. And you do have some scarring on your face. A plastic surgeon worked on you to make sure your scarring on your face will be minimal, and that your arm will heal and heal well. Though that will all take time. Time that you luckily have, and you can spend that time with Pepper and Morgan and Peter. But I will be on your ass every once and a while to make sure you’re healing. I’m a doctor after all.”
Of course Dr. Stephen Strange, always on his ass.
••••
Three extra weeks.
Three weeks after Tony had woken up he had been in the hospital. Going through way too many tests.
Of course he knew the doctors wanted to be sure he was okay, same goes for his family and what was left of the Avengers as well.
Especially considering he was in pain. Missing arm and all that shit.
It took too much effort for him to do basically anything, something that frustrated him the most.
He’s only looked at the arm once. What was left of it, anyway. It was heavily bandaged when he did, something he was quite happy of, not wanting to see it without the bandage.
Until today. Tony was officially discharged from the hospital after close to a month, and before he was clear to leave the doctors wanted to check his arm, just to be sure it has been healing well.
And it had been. Minimal scarring. Stitches had been removed one of the last times before this, about a week or so ago.
It felt weird for Tony to not have his arm. Obviously.
Again, it’s an adjustment.
But he’ll live.
In the car, in the way to Tony’s home, Peter had told him about many blueprints for a prosthetic arm that was lightly based off of Bucky’s own prosthetic.
He’s a smart kid, and he had mentioned he got some help from Shuri, who had aided in creating the newest version of Bucky’s arm.
“Shuri is awesome! She gave me so many ideas on how to create this! We can make it like your old Iron Man armor! It would look so cool, huh? Plus, that way you would have both arms, too! Shuri said that we could work on it together, all three of us. Is that a good idea?”
“Sounds like a good idea, kid. I’d love to help but I have a lot to adjust to,” Tony replies, gesturing to what was left of his left arm. “Maybe once I get used to this I’ll join you. And I’ll ask Bucky how it’s like to have a prosthetic arm.”
Peter smiles, texting someone who is most likely either Shuri or MJ, before hugging Tony tight. “We won’t let you down, Mr. Stark.”
“I didn’t think you could.”