Resurrection

Chapter-1

Over the years, he had been called various names –underoos, prodigy, genius, pure, innocent and if in Flash’s crass term –penis parker. But what others never realised about him was his never ending optimism and devotion to Tony. Mr stark. Funny how easily he could pronounce the word Tony without a stutter in the dark. A formidable feat that he mustered.

But right optimism. So when half of the world wiped out, in the sense when Dr strange (not a made up name) and guardians of the galaxy was left remaining leaving Tony to dust. He couldn’t fathom. No, Iron man was invincible. His tony can’t be defeated. That’s exactly what he screamed. He kept chanting his name, shooting those webs to all the parts of the broken down pieces in the forsaken land to see where his Tony was hiding.

It took some time and extreme patience for Dr strange (which he wasn’t sure whether the old man had) to convince that they were the ones dead and stark didn’t die. And what a joy it was. To know that Iron Man was alive. But it only lasted for a day before he realised how much he missed his mentor. Maybe in the dark it’s easier to admit that Mr stark was more than his mentor. His childhood crush. His first love. His everything.

And that maybe the reason why he knew that he needed to get back to him. Even though Strange told that nothing was going to help them to get back. He couldn’t stop trying. A part of him hoped that Tony would do the same for him.

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Time was a relative concept that no longer kept him worried. He knew that being dead and packed away in some soul dimension was messing with his brain. But he realised that time was manipulated according to their whim. When it was night for him, it would be morning for others. The first time he realised that was when he woke up with a night mare and looked up to see Mr Quill, Wanda and winter soldier crouching on the ground.

Before he could apologize to them, he heard Mr Quill’s incredulous voice speaking up- “kid, what’s wrong with you. How could you sleep in this daylight?”

Peter was confused. He blinked twice and all he could see was pitch black night and he told such. Nobody would take his word until Mantis decided to check upon herself. Or to feel herself.

“He is in extreme pain and feels deep remorse for the love he lost. He misses…” and Mantis might have seen his pleading expression as she stopped abruptly and continued – “yes, it is night for him. He hasn’t seen sunlight since the day we were left here.

Even Shakespeare couldn’t have been this poetic. Peter couldn’t see the light because his love of life was gone.

Right optimism.

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In the end it was all anticlimactic. He had imagined meeting Tony in his Armani suit, eyes shone with tears to find his intern back. But their first encounter was in a battle field. Not that he would complain. Any where he could find his Tony was better than those dreary night.

And that was the reason why he didn’t mind the explosions or blast or the numerous light saber like bullets he had to dodge to reach near him. Tony looked old, weary as if the exhaustion that he had to endure was catching upon, but it was that hint of resolute, that determination jerked him back. Like those brown eyes knew something that others didn’t. And thus he nervously rambled. He don’t know what he spoke to his mentor to shake off his nervousness but he found himself in a hug and it was nice. Like coming home.

And then the fight happened. Thanos was defeated. Iron man had once again saved the day but his spider senses was tingling as if the victory was nothing but awaiting of an impending disaster. With shaky legs he wobbled onwards. Too exhausted to use his web slingers. There near one of the wrecked ships was tony- half burnt, half broken. He didn’t know how he did. But he remembered looking at stark with his eyes filled with tears.

“Mr stark, we won. I am back. We won. Let’s celebrate” he doesn’t know why he felt that it was reassurances to himself more than to the older man.

And then there was a gentle tap and he looked up to see Rhodey grabbing his hand. In the same time he heard Miss Potts leaning down and assuring Mr stark – “we are gonna be okay”.

Then the lights of arc reactor dimmed and extinguished.

Optimism it was a word to hurt the innocent.

The funeral ceremony was private in a cabin house that Mr stark was created. It was so beautiful. In the middle of a forest, far away from the mayhems of the city- it seemed like the best asylum for anyone in need of comfort. But today it seems like there was only silence. Nobody could look at the coffin placed neatly in the right corner of the hall. There was a message from Tony to his wife and daughter- Morgan stark.

But Peter couldn’t bear to watch it. So he sneaked away catching a glance of Tony’s stone cold body but didn’t have the strength to stand near it. He didn’t know how long he sat in the position. His tears never ending. It had begun to turn to tearless sob when he heard a small voice near his ears.

“Are you hungry?” Morgan stark was peering down with her huge brown eyes and in that instant he could see how much she looked like Mr stark. She would grow up to be one of the powerful woman he would ever know.

“No. Are you?” he asked feeling a small smile at the tiny pout that was forming on the little girl’s cheek.

“I am. I asked Happy to bring me cheese burgers” she said as if it was the most important thing in the world.

He could only hug her in response as he found once again body wrecking with tears.

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One year later

He once again found that time was irrelevant. In a strange way he missed the starless nights in that planet. The days and night held no meaning for him. Yet the world was still moving on. Captain America had gone back to the time line and came back as old. Though it baffled him and bit intrigued him how the life course could be changed, he was happy. Captain needed some happiness after all that happened. Mr Bucky had retired to Wakanda and was completely detached from the present world.

As for the other captain, you could see her visiting more frequently to Earth now that Rhodey and marvel was in relationship. Though sometimes it’s hard to understand how that came about. Hawkeye had moved in with his family fully retired. Dr Banner was back in India to help the poor and cure some sickness with the newly found vaccination. Wanda was a living shell. She refused to speak to others. Confining almost in the room that the shield had provided to her.

Mrs .Pepper stark was now completely in charge of stark industries and though she had given full access to his mentors lab, it was hard for him to step in the place which was now a demon of his dreams.

As for himself, he occasionally adorned the spider suit (the old one and not the new shiny metallic one) for missions when Fury called. But there were no more patrols, no more after party. He tried to forget him. Went on dates with MJ only to realise that he was gay to T. or maybe he was pansexual. Or maybe he had eyes only for one certain eccentric billionaire.

He should have been angry when he realised that Mr stark had married his long term girlfriend and had a beautiful girl. But he couldn’t bring himself to hate him. After all the pain, even the iron man needed comfort. And honestly Morgan was an angel.

Peter parker was completely preparing for another normal life when he heard a whirring sound and an orange flame, he didn’t have to turn around to see who it was as he heard a cocky voice-“how long are you gonna stay in this pitiful state”.

“Mr strange” he greeted back with a sigh.

For the past one year there was something of relationship between him and Strange- something of paternal figure. He wasn’t sure why strange wanted to look out for him but it was nice and a little bit annoying to know that someone cared for him.

“You look like a kicked puppy, like you were abandoned. Seriously kid what are you up to these days?” anyone who knew could have heard the concern in the sorcerer’s voice.

“Nothing much. Studies. Temporary job in the café down. TV” peter parroted the same things he told to aunt may.

“You live alone?”

“Yes. I do. It was affordable with all the money I earned from “stark internship”, he quoted in air to emphasize what exactly he was talking about.

“Oh yes. You could afford to have a single apartment but not a clean bedding.”

“No one visits here”. Peter half shrugged as if he was not bothered by the litter of papers and food wrappers laying in the floor.

The sorcerer could only sigh.

When he spoke there was no more of humour in his voice- “why are you doing this, Peter?”

“You know why, doctor” he replied equally with no mirth.

“No, I don’t. Maybe I do. But it’s not enough. You knew that Stark would die sooner or later. He is older than you and he was married and had a kid. Grief is acceptable, you could mourn in your own terms. Even his wife moved on. Everyone is grateful for the life they got back and is trying to move forward. You should too child.”

“You want me to move on. It’s not as If I am trying. I can’t. I love him, doctor. All through the years the only thing that helped to get back was to know that on the other end there was Mr stark. There was Tony. He may be married but that doesn’t mean I could stop loving him. I can’t. I just can’t” Peter couldn’t stop the tremors rolling down his body. How many days he tried to get drunk, to have meaningless dates, to engage in conversations but everything seemed futile. He couldn’t bring himself up for it.

“I wanted to end this misery, doc. But seems like I am too afraid of death” he said through the tears welling in his eyes.

“Kid, what I am gonna say you have to hear it completely. There might be a way to bring him back” strange said soothing the boy’s hair affectionately.

“What do you mean? You mean you could bring him back?” peter could hear the hope in his voice even though he tried to appear nonchalant.

“I cannot bring him back. If I did, I have to use dark matter which is forbidden. But I know someone who could bring him back, or in this matter I know the where about of his brother. Last time I knew he was with the guardians of the galaxy. So he is somewhere in space. And surely he might know where his brother is.”

“Who are you talking about?” Peter asked although he had his suspicions.

“Loki- God of mischief, fire and lies”