Chapter 5
After more hours in the kitchen, Pepper finally convinced Tony to lie down for a bit. He needed the sleep already, but still, he could not fall asleep. Eventually, however, fatigue and exhaustion won out and he fell into a fitful sleep.
When he woke up his eyes fell on the necklace with the small spider charm, one of the last things they had built together, Pete Exuberantly embraced him in his arms when they finally got it done. He took the small piece of jewelry and closed his hand around it.
He wished for nothing more than to be able to hold his son in his arms like this once more, to hear him laugh happily once more, or to see him leaning over one of their projects in concentration. He wanted his son back, whom death had taken from him far too soon.
He wiped off the tears, which came out of his eyes once again, and stood up to get himself a coffee, he needed it, more than ever.
As he stepped into the kitchen his eyes fell on the box on the table. It was one of the last things his son has given him and he promised to make sure everyone receives theirs. Tony slowly lifts the lid and looks at a bunch of colorful envelopes. His stomach cramped again and his eyes watered up, of course, they had to look like birthday cards for a seven-year-old. He must have bought them, knowing he will write his Farewell letters on them.
Finally, He carefully dumped the letters on the table and started reading the names on them: Mr. Rogers, Natasha, Clint... Of course, All of the avengers got a letter. When he picked up his letter his breath stopped for a moment, it was significantly thicker than the other avenger's ones, only two more letters are around the same size.
God, Mj and Ned, they both don't know what's going on, that their best friend is gone, forever, they didn't even got the chance to say goodbye. He promised himself, that he will try to visit them today, even if he feels like he is breaking into pieces.
“FRIDAY please write a message to Ned and MJ, tell them to meet me at Neds House. Today at seven p.m“
He sighted and sorted the letters back into the box. His one remains on the table, he wasn't jet ready to read it, it felt like an invisible burden is keeping him from opening the sealed envelope. As he turns it in his hands, he notices a small post-it sticking on the back of it.
“P.s. Mr.Stark since I have the necklace and a new watch now. I would be happy if you could give my old watch to Ned when you don't want to keep it. And please give MJ my leather bracelet, she should have something to remember me too. Thanks a million, times. <3Peter”
Pete…
Of course, he was going to give Ned the watch, It was one of the first things Tony had gifted Peter, it had a tracker and could form into an emergency web shooter if he was in trouble. They had later replaced it with a newer version.
But now he needed neither of them and everything was worthless he did not protect his son enough… He feels like he failed him. Even after he talked to his son, He feels the same. Peter is right, he would have been spiderman anyways, but that does not feel like the truth. Only the feeling of failure does.
The dark, depressing feelings that seem to be slowly crushing him got even heavier when he walked into Peter's room the next day. Just before meeting Ned and MJ, he went to get the Heirlooms his son left for his friends. That's a sentence he never wanted to ever hear or worse say.
The teenager's room still looked like he is going to come back every second, the science Posters on the walls, the books on the shelves, the Legos, the unmade bed, the Star-Wars merch… He had to leave he can't stand this room.. full of… of Peter.
Exactly at seven he pressed the doorbell of Neds Apartment, he needed a drink now, the afternoon was hard enough, he finally changed his clothes, and he didn't change them since… Peter died.
He didn't have the energy to shower, only for the bare minimum, change, and coffee.
Getting up and Driving to Ned's apartment, he did not have the energy for that, but he made a promise.
When Ned opened the door, Tony saw the worry in the young man's otherwise bright eyes.
“Please Come in, MJ is waiting in the living room. Do you want a glass of water?”
He had always been very nervous when he talked to Tony, but now that is overshadowed by concern.
Tony followed him into the small but cozy living room and sat down in an armchair and thankfully accepted the glass of water Ned offers him, but he secretly wished it was scotch.
Ned sits down on the couch next to MJ and They silently watch Tony.
”I guess you two wonder why I needed to meet you here” he starts, he took a deep breath, trying to hold himself together “Two days ago Peter was- he was… attached on Patrol, and later- he.. he- did not survive- the… Peter is dead’’
A stifling silence filled the room and tears welled up in the eyes of the two teenagers. Ned only managed a quiet sob, but MJ looked him straight in the eye and pleaded, "It's not true, tell me you're wrong." When she saw that Tony couldn't hold back the tears either, she buried her face in her hands and began to cry bitterly.
After a few minutes, she looks at him again “Was he in pain?”. Tony wiped the tears from his eyes, that's a thing he could say with certainty “No he wasn't”. MJ nodded and turned her head to look out of the window.
After a few minutes, or hours, he honestly lost the sense of time, Tony finally found the strength to bring up the Inheritences Peter lefr for his friends.
“ He wrote you letters and he wanted me to give you that…” He reached into his pockets and pulled out the bright colored envelopes, the watch and the bracelet.
Both of the teenagers couldnt bring up a word as thez recievved the jewellry their friend left for them, he wore them everyday, they were… him.
Ned alwys liked the watch, one time Peter even gave it to him to wear for a Partz, thez alwazs joked that when Peter died, Ned finally gets to keep this watch… This stupid watch he now holds in his hands, he does not want it… not for that priece. He would give everything to talk to his best friend one more Time, even if it is just “Good Bye”.
He ran his fingers over Peter's writing on the envelope, thick tears running down his cheeks. He couldn't just leave him, that wasn't fair, he left the letter there, his last goodbye. He wasn't ready to read it, he didn't know if he ever would be.
MJ immediately put the slim leather bracelet in her pocket and started on the letter. He has had the bracelet forever, yet it still looked like new. Peter told her he bought it on one of the few trips with his aunt, before the bite. He also wore it on their first date, he was so nervous he couldn't stop fiddling with it. But that's gone now. At least he had a chance to say goodbye, but she didn't, that stupid letter, she just wants to say goodbye....
But she probably doesn't have the chance anymore.
Nobody has