Chapter 1
Peter spun and dodged the villain’s hit, aiming a web for the wall. He scrambled up and jumped on the man, prying the knife from his hands.
“Hey, buddy! It’s not nice to play with knives! I think we learned that in kindergarten,” he shouted.
“I assume you did,” the man grunted, kicking Peter in the chest. “But I took a much more interesting course.”
“Oh?” he gasped, staggering to his feet. “What would that be?”
He smiled wickedly, his teeth sharp and pointed. “Magic.”
He stepped forward, his hands moving in a circular motion, a red light spinning between them. “I apologize, child. You don’t deserve this.”
Peter was engulfed in red. His chest felt heavy and the air left his lungs.
He crumpled to the ground, and everything went dark.
~~~~~
Tony couldn’t describe the terror he felt when he found his kid lying on the ground in an empty alleyway, limp and still.
“Peter!” he cried, scrambling to him and falling to his knees. “Peter! Kiddo, wake up!” He frantically felt for a pulse. “Thank god,” he whispered, as steady thumps met his fingers.
Carefully Tony pulled off his mask, stroking Peter’s cheek. “C’mon, Petey, wake up. You’re scaring me, kiddo. C’mon.”
He pulled his kid onto his lap, cradling him against his chest. Worry flooded through him at how pale Peter looked. “Come on, sweetheart. It’s time to wake up now.”
Peter’s button nose scrunched up as Tony kissed it. He groaned slightly and blinked. “Miss’r Stark?”
Tony smiled comfortingly, relief flooding through him. “I’m right here, kiddo. You’re okay. It’s okay, Petey, can you open those big brown eyes for me? There you go, baby.”
He opened his eyes, blinking rapidly. “Where are you?”
Tony frowned. “I’m right here, mimmo. I’m here.”
Peter’s eyes searched blankly for him, and Tony had a moment of heart-wrenching fear. “Why’s it so dark?”
He stared at his kid, horror flooding through him. “Petey? Kiddo, can you see this?” He put his hand directly in front of his face.
“See what, Mr. Stark?”
~~~~~
Tony cradled Peter close, watching anxiously as Cho performed various tests.
He hated the blank look in his eyes.
Peter looked up where he judged Tony’s head was. “Mr. Stark? A-am I blind?”
He kissed his soft curls firmly, squeezing him tight. “It looks like it, Petey.” They both stiffened. “But it’s okay, kiddo. I promise I will fix this. I swear.”
Peter bit his trembling lip. “I-I can’t see,” he choked. “Mr. Stark I can’t see!”
He wrapped his arms tighter around him. “I know sweetheart. I know. I’ll fix this,
il mio piccolo bambino. I promise I will fix this.”
He helped Peter lie down on the hospital bed, grasping his hand and playing with his curls, hoping to comfort him.
Peter was trembling.
Tony sat on the bed and gently lifted Peter to his lap. The boy wrapped his arms around his waist, sobbing.
“Shh, Petey, it’s okay. It’s okay. I will fix this. I’ll figure this out, baby, I will. I promise,” he comforted.
“No- no, how can you promise?” Peter choked. “I-It was magic! You c-can’t fix it!”
“Shh, sweetheart, please don’t worry. I know you’re scared, it’s okay. I know.” Tony smoothed his hair. “I will fix this. Whatever I have to do, I will. You’ll be okay, Petey.”
The boy sniffed, his face pressed into Tony’s stomach. “It’s so dark.”
~~~~~
May rushed to the medbay, where Peter, asleep, was curled in Tony’s lap. Tony was deep in thought, dark worry lines creasing his face, rubbing his thumb along Peter’s cheekbone.
“Tony? What’s going on? Is Pete okay?”
He looked up. “God, May. He- he can’t see. He’s fucking blind.” He rested his chin on his other hand. “Lord.”
May looked at him in shock. “Oh god. Oh my god. Tony, how did this happen?! Can you fix it?!”
The man rubbed his eyes. “I don’t know, but I have to. Peter- I can’t- god. I’ll fix it. Lord, he’s so scared. So fucking scared.”
“What the hell happened to him? How can we fix it?”
“I didn’t ask him. He was so scared- I’m scared too, I don’t even-” Tony took a deep breath. “He said something about magic.”
May smoothed Peter’s bangs from his face. “Why am I not surprised?”
~~~~~
Peter clutched his hand tightly. “Mr. Stark, are you sure I h-have to?”
Helen took a cotton swab and cleaned the crook of his elbow. Peter flinched.
Tony sighed. “I’m sorry, kiddo. We need to figure out what’s going on.”
The boy leaned against him, eyes staring straight ahead, seeing nothing. “But…”
Tony kissed his curls. “I know, sweet Pete. I know. But we need to fix this.”
Peter buried his face in his chest as he heard Cho pick up the needle. Tony cupped the back of his head.
“This might pinch a little,” she said.
His blood was drawn without more than a few whimpers. Tony ignored the way each cry pierced his heart and tried to comfort his kid. When Cho was done, he handed Peter, who was quite pale, a capri-sun.
“You feeling okay, baby?”
“‘M okay,” he whispered. “Just… give me a sec’.”
He couldn’t stand the way Peter flinched at every sound, trying to pinpoint it. Tony gently helped him down and guided his kid to the couch. He walked slowly, a hand out to feel, sliding his feet on the ground.
They settled on the couch, Peter leaning against him. Tony wrapped his strong arms around him, wishing desperately that he could fix this.
“Mr. Stark, it’s okay.”
He sighed. “Oh kiddo. Don’t worry about me.”
He shrugged. “You feel guilty. I can tell.”
Tony ran a hand through his curls. “I’m fine, kiddo. You’re the one we should be worrying about.”
And worry he did.
~~~~~
Tony sat awake in bed for hours, trying to think.
Around 2am, his phone rang.
It was Helen.
“Tony! You need to get here, now.”
He was bolting through the door before she finished the sentence.
~~~~~
“W-what the fuck do you mean he’s dying?!” he cried. “No! No, no, nonononono. No.”
“I’m sorry, Tony,” she said. “Whatever happened- the magic, it’s in his blood. It’s draining his energy. We don’t have much time.”
Tony gaped at her.
No
No
Nonononono
The man hit the ground with a thundering crash.