Peter sat with his hands in his lap, twirling his fingers together. He was sat on his bed, legs crossed, just staring at the closed laptop Happy had given him.
“It’s from Tony. You don’t have to watch it now, but he wanted me to give it to you.” He’d said. Peter had taken it wordlessly, almost collapsing into Happy’s arms as he hugged the man goodbye.
He closed his eyes tight, the only other sound he could hear was MJ’s soft breathing as she was sat next to him.
“Peter.” She spoke softly, then waited.
“Peter, if this is too hard, I can leave. It might be something you want to do alone.”
Peter didn’t open his eyes but took a deep breath. MJ made to move and the boy's eyes flew open. His hand stuck out suddenly and reached for hers. Her heart broke for him.
“Please, stay.” He whispered knowing his voice wouldn’t keep steady if he tried to speak normally.
“Okay.” MJ made herself comfortable next to him and laced their fingers together. She looked into his sad eyes, the unshed tears threatening to spill with just one blink.
“I’ll stay.”
Peter turned back to the laptop and swallowed past the lump in his throat. He reached for the lid with shaky fingers and tried to pry open the laptop. With her unoccupied hand, MJ reached out to steady the bottom so Peter could raise the lid.
He smiled at her in thanks.
Peter wiggled the mouse and the device came to life. Happy had said there wasn’t a passcode set up so all he had to do was press enter.
The folder was already open with only one file on it reading: Peter P.
Peter felt the knot in his stomach clench and he raised a trembling finger to open the file.
It took a moment to load up and Peter felt his breath hitch.
“Hey, Underoos-“
Peter frantically hit the enter button, halting the video as he let out a gut-wrenching sob at the man's voice.
He felt MJ squeeze his hand tight as he sucked in a few shaky breaths. Blinking a few tears away he let out a loud puff of air before pressing play again.
Tony was in his cabin, maybe in an office or garage, it was difficult to tell. In the back he could see a photograph of Pepper, Tony and Morgan together and the knot only worsened.
“- I, uh, I figured it out.” Peter watched Tony spread his hands out.
“Can you believe it. I figured out time travel. If I could only see your reaction, well, I can already imagine it pretty well.” The spark in Tony’s eye seemed to dim.
“I’ve really missed you kiddo.” Tony sighed. “The first few months were so bad I honestly didn’t think I was gunna make it through. I saw your face every night, every damn night I lost you, over and over again. And then Pep said she was pregnant and I couldn’t- I just couldn’t imagine life going on without you in it.” Tony paused and stared up at the camera and for a moment, just a moment, Peter could pretend he was really looking into Tony’s eyes.
MJ squeezed his hand again.
“I miss your smile so damn much kid. You used to light up a whole damn room with it, you know that? There was never a dull moment when you were around, and I don’t know why it took me so long to realise that- that I loved you.” Tony’s voice broke and Peter let out a whimper as the tears fell.
“Pete,” Tony continued, “I still do. I love you so so much and I’m so sorry I never said it sooner. I should have told you every day. Every. Single. Day. But I’m a coward. I never let anyone in and it’s my own fault but Pete, kiddo, I’m so glad you wormed your way into my life, despite the way I am."
Tony laughed lightly and a smile graced Peter's lips. Tony sighed and wiped at his eyes.
“I need you to know, Peter, I’m doing this for you. Everything I’ve built, this cabin, this life- this family, I have to keep it at all costs, I just have to. I’ve had to keep living my life and it’s sucked and been so hard without you that when they turned up on my door telling me we could fix it-“Tony bowed his head.
“I couldn’t stop thinking about it. About you. How we actually have a shot- and we do- we do have a shot at this and if you’re the one at stake there’s no possible chance that I’m messing it up.”
Tony looked back into the camera, eyes filling with tears again.
“I’m going to the Compound in the morning. I’m going to invent time travel, I’m going the save the whole world. And it’s all cause’ of you kiddo.” Tony smiled tearfully into the laptop screen.
Peter reached out to hold the side of the screen, brushing his thumb along it as he hiccupped a sob.
“You know Pete, and this is just between you and me-" Peter felt MJ pull away a touch but he kept their hands clasped firmly together, never taking his eyes off the screen.
“You’ve always been my kid. I told you before that I didn’t want to be like my dad. It scared me half to death when Pepper said she was pregnant until she told me not to be, that this new baby wasn’t my first child but my second. I had you. And I know not in blood, you’re not my biological child- I don’t have that honour- but to me, you’ll always be my kid.
“And Morgan,” Tony smiled genuinely. “She will be so excited to meet her big brother.”
Tony wiped the oncoming tears away with the back of his hand while Peter let out a strangled whine.
“I really hope you don’t mind, but I told her you were Spiderman. I think she was getting bored of my stories and wanted more exciting ones: so I told her all about you. Also,” Tony leaned towards the camera a little more, “If she says Spiderman is her favourite superhero, she’s obviously lying.”
Peter let out a wet laugh, but it stopped short when Tony spoke next.
“I’ve gotta wrap this up kiddo, big day tomorrow.” Tony wiped a hand down his face.
“Pete. If I don’t get to say this to you yourself, I love you. After this whole thing’s over, I’m going to sit you down, smother you in forehead kisses and then lock you and Morgan in my cabin so no one can ever hurt my babies again.”
Tony laughed and Peter sobbed. Even MJ felt the tears spring to her eyes, knowing the two never did have that moment.
“If I don’t make it Pete, I don’t want you to feel bad. You can grieve, because god knows I’ve grieved you, but it’s not your fault. None of this is your fault. I’m giving you a couple things-Happy will know about them. And I just want you to take care of yourself. Do what you need to do. Don’t care about what anyone else does or says. You’re the smartest kid I know, and I know you’ll always do what’s right, even though it might take a little while to get there.
“Mentoring you has been one of the highlights of my life kiddo, you’ve given me grey hair and near heart attacks, but I wouldn’t change it for the world. I love you 3000 Peter.”
The recording went black and Peter screwed his eyes shut. His body hitched with his breathing as he sobbed and sobbed.
He turned suddenly and buried himself in MJ’s arms. She froze for a moment but scooped him up and held on to him tightly. She was never one for showing her emotions so having Peter cry so freely was slightly jarring.
“It’s not fair its just- its just not fair.” He cried harder and MJ could feel her own tears start to fall.
She’d never known the depths of Peter’s relationship with Tony Stark, only that he interned there, and it kept him busy. She never knew they were as close as father and son, and for Peter to lose another father-figure… MJ just held on tight and let her boyfriend cry himself out.
May knocked on the door a little while later. Peter was fast asleep, his head in MJ’s lap with the girl looking down at him while carding her fingers through his hair.
She looked up when she heard May approach.
“Hey Mrs Parker.” She whispered; her hand stilled in Peter’s hair.
“Hey Michelle, you know you can call me May.” May smiled warmly.
Her smiled turned sad when she looked down upon her nephew.
“He watched the video.” MJ supplied. “He’s so strong, I don’t know how he does it.” The girl felt a lump in her throat.
May smiled genuinely this time.
“He’s a Parker, and he’s a Stark. There’ll be no stopping him.”