Chapter 3
Tony looked down on Peter's brown curls slightly stroking them, for the first time since it started you could hear nothing but the movie playing in the background. Peter turned his head and took a small breath as if he wanted to say something. He did not want to make it harder for his Mentor, so he looked away.
“Pete, please tell me...” Tony said grabbing the boy's head and carefully turning it so that he can see his eyes.
“I just wondered If... If you guys could maybe look after the neighborhood for me” he mumbled
Tony stroked his cheeks “Of course, you’ll see New York will be safe as it has it has never been” The next Moment he faltered, Peter won't see he’ll be gone... If only he could rewind the time and warn Peter... stop this nightmare
Peter snapped him out of his bleak thoughts “Thanks Dad, for everything. being adopted by you meant so much to me, I wouldn't have made it otherwise, I had nothing more to live for. You gave me a family. My Family”
“You are the one that made us a family. Previously we were a team, of egocentric human beings, that to be honest never got along very well. You forced us to spend time together, we got to know each other and grew closer, like a weird family. But you made it the best family I could have imagined. Thank you for choosing me, Nothing better could have happened to me.”
Peter smiled tiredly and suppressed a yawn and Tony kissed him on his head “You have no idea how much I love you” the lump in his throat made it difficult to speak, It felt like it was blocking off his airways swelling into a rock of grief and guilt.
“I love you too, Dad”
He looked at his son, who was fighting against his growing fatigue. It breaks his heart to see how his son is clinging to his life with all his strength, not wanting to leave his family behind. And he wished and prayed for a wonder, that would make his sweet and lovely Peter survive. But he knew this type of wonder does not exist. Peter is dying and Tony can do absolutely nothing. He felt like he was breaking under the grief, but he has to stay strong and let Peter go in peace. He should know that his family is going to be okay. The last thing he sees cant be an image of his father breaking down, screaming and crying, crushed by this feeling of helplessness.
„Close your Eyes, Pete, it's going to be okay, you don't have to fight“ He wished that he could tell him to keep going, to stay with him. He Could not continue to watch Peter torture himself through a losing battle.
Peter smiled, his eyes still have that lively spark to them, that never failed to make Tony simile. “It's okay go to sleep, I will stay with you”
One last time Peter looked at his Dad, his eyes full of Trust and love. Then he closes his eyes and snuggled in the arm of his father.
”I love you 3000” he whispers so quietly Tony could barely hear it, silent tears are running down his cheeks, and he doesn't even care to wipe them off. Seeing his son like that feels like his heart is being ripped out of his chest, and he suppresses a sob.
“I love you infinite and forever” a gentle smile appeared on the face of the boy, as his chest raises again just before it
stood still. Forever.
Tonz body is shaking from despairing sobs and crazy he can't hold back anymore. He presses the lifeless and limp body to his body, slowly feeling the warmth of it fade. HE strokes his son's brown curls, who looks like he is sleeping, his eyes are closed and his face looks relaxed, he felt like he could still see the smile on his face.
The realization hit him like a truck draining the air from his lung and cramping his stomach into a tight lump.
Peter is dead
He will never see him again, or hug him again. He will never hear his voice and endless stories he had to tell, never witness again how he would just light up every room with his presence. He will miss bouncy-ball energy, their movie and game nights, and his smile. Peter and he were never to work together in the lab again, never hug him again He is never going to stick to the ceiling of various rooms just to scare him Never come home after school almost exploding in excitement to be with Tony.
Never again
The pain he felt holding the limp and lifeless body of his son was unbearable, it was worse than everything he had ever witnessed. As if Peter took all the light and happiness with him.
When he stepped into his life he took his heart by storm, he flattened the walls he had built around his heart and filled his world with light.
All that, it cant be over.
He is now crying loudly sobbing so hard he feels like he is running out of breath. Still holding on to his son slowly cradling.
He isn't ready to saz goodbye. He never was