Raise your shield and cry for help (but no one is coming, no, no one is coming)
Welcome back to another fic! This one is my longest yet at 1513 words. Written all today in honor of @superherotiger , Happy Birthday!!! A while back I talked about writing this idea and she said to write it, so here it is months later. Thanks to @lost-lunar-wolf for vibing with me while I wrote it. This fic is IronDad but inspired by a scene from the DSMP. Knowledge of DSMP not required.
Summary: Peter has an important decision to make- whether or not to press a button. Then, Tony shows up like all great Dads do. Is very angsty, but ends happily.
Warnings: Temporary Major Character Death
{Click the keep reading to check out the of the fic!}
“What are you doing,” a voice questioned.
Startled, Peter frantically turns around to face the new voice- a voice he recognizes, his dad, Tony Stark. Famous inventor, the hero Iron Man, but, in this case, also his enemy. Tony wasn’t going to let him do it, he realized. Tony wasn’t going to let him do what had to be done. He wasn’t going to understand that he had to press the detonator. He couldn’t stop. If he didn’t do it, May was going to die. Everyone he loved- even Tony was going to die. Because of him. Because he couldn’t do what he was told to do. He had to press the button.
The button was red and glossy, almost like it was out of a cartoon of some sort. He could feel it beckoning him closer, just begging him to press it. “Tony?” Peter responded. “Tony- what are you doing here? Why are you here? You shouldn’t be here, you need to go.” This wasn’t part of the plan- all he needed to do was press the button. Then, everyone he loved would be safe. Then, everything would be alright. He would be free. Free from the pain and torment of his painful deeds. Free from the guilt weighing him down. Free, allowed to float for an eternity.
As his thoughts raced, Tony began to approach. With his arms outstretched he makes his way down the hallway towards the room where Peter waits. Peter, who stands with his back to both a wall and a table- a table where a red button sits with wires snaking out of it to the floor.
“Kid, you don’t need to be scared, I don’t want to hurt you- I just want to help. But, to do that I need to know what you are doing? What is going on here? Why are you in a room with an ominous red button? Let me help, we can figure this out just like we always do- together.” Tony pleads. A look into his eyes promises that he is being genuine, that he really does believe that he can help, but Peter knows better. It's too late, they have May and they’ll take Tony. He can’t watch anyone else he loves die again- not when he can stop it. He has to do it. He has to press it.
Slowly, Peter begins to turn to face the table where his destiny awaits. He has to finish this, end it, he has to do it so that everyone he loves will be okay. “I’m doing what I have to do. They have May, Tony. What else do you want me to do? I have to do it- but it’ll be okay. All of you will be okay.” He answers with an accepting smile. “It’s all going to be okay.”
Peter presses the button and a smile graces his face- now he can be free.
Seconds after he presses the button everything moves quickly. He can hear a shout, a heartbreaking scream of “No” that could have only come from Tony, but he ignores it. He spreads his arms and prepares to embrace it, he prepares to meet death and be held in her cozy arms, after all it's what he deserves.
The sweet embrace never comes. Instead, he feels himself be tackled to the ground as the explosions begin. He can feel liquid running out of his ears- everything is so loud yet he can hear nothing. He can feel the vibrations as the earth shakes. He can feel the vibrations as buildings across the city topple. Because of him- he did this- he’s a monster, he thinks. But he doesn’t care because it means that May is safe. He doesn’t have to watch her die- not like his parents, not like Ben, Parker luck doesn’t get to take her. Instead, it can have him.
Moments pass before the weight on his back is moving. As soon as he is able, he scrambles away from Tony. Looking to his left he sees a hole in the wall. A hole that lets him look out onto his home, the city he loved, the city that he destroyed. On the street he recognizes his fellow Avengers. From Captain Rogers to Thor, he sees them, and they’re all looking at him. Looking at him with sympathy.
Turning, he sees Tony. Tony, who saved him. Tony, the man who has done so much for him that he is practically his father. Tony, who loves him- even now when he doesn’t love himself.
Grasping the wall for support, Peter stands and truly looks at Tony. What he sees surprises him- the suit is in pieces. Parts from the side nearest to the explosion are black or gone. The skin underneath looks burned. He did this- he was responsible for Tony’s pain, the voice in the back of his mind whispered. And it was time for him to pay for it.
“Tony-” He calls and then waits to make sure Tony is looking at him. “I need you to do one more thing for me.” Taking a step forward, his legs nearly buckle. Tony rushes forward to grab him. “I need you to kill me. It was part of the deal. I pressed the button and I died- you all got to live.”
Tony stares at him in disbelief. He’s in shock- like he can’t believe what Peter is asking of him. “Please Tony, they said they were going to hurt everyone if I didn’t do what I was told- they promised me. They showed me May, Pepper, Happy and then You. They’re gonna hurt them, please Tony, please…” he begged as his breathing picked up. If Tony didn’t do it then he was going to lose everyone again. Everyone he loved was going to die, again, just because he couldn’t do what he was told. Parker luck strikes again.
Holding him, Tony stared. “Okay.” he whispered. Gently, he lets go of Peter and Peter falls to the ground. On his knees, he looks up at Tony as he glances around the room- like he was questioning if he was really going to do this. “I love you Peter, never forget that.” Tony speaks, his voice wet as Peter can see the tears start to roll down his mentor's cheeks. With a glance towards his right hand, the nanotech begins to move and takes the shape of a sword.
Once again, Peter looks unto the city that he loved and to the street where his fellow Avengers remain. They look shocked and Peter can see Thor summoning his hammer, like he is going to try and come save Peter from Tony. But, he is too late. As Peter turns his glaze onto Tony’s once more, he smiles and nods. Then, his vision goes white. All he can feel is burning white-hot pain coming from his center. Then, he hears the screams. The screams that echo from below but also from in front of him. Tony comes crashing to the ground and the nanotech blade disappears. Quickly, Tony pulls him close and he begins to weep. His eyes shine with sorrow and regret. Peter looks around once more through his own clouded eyes and then stares into Tony’s. “It’s okay,” he says as the pain increases and his sight begins to fade, “It’s okay.” And then, Peter is gone. Into the arms of death where she will readily comfort and embrace him. Into the eternity where he will find peace.
----------
Tony jolts with a start. There are tears rolling down his face and his body shakes. He- he killed Peter? Peter is dead? Scrambling, he throws his feet over the edge of the bed and into his slippers. He has to check.
Walking out of his bedroom door, he begins to make his way down the hall. Just a couple more doors- and there it is. Peter’s room. The room he had made for him all those years ago- the room that Peter has decorated with Star Wars and Superhero figurines. Turning the know quietly, he peeks inside. And asleep in his bed lies Peter. Peter, who has one leg off the bed and nearly half his body out from underneath his blanket.
Taking care not to let the door creak, Tony opens it more before entering the room. Walking towards the bed where his kid lies is nerve wracking. What if Peter was in bed but he was dead? As he reaches Peter he places his hand over the kid's chest. A steady bump bump answers him. His kid is alright. It was just a dream. Bending over, he fixes the kid's leg and blanket. Moving towards his head he lifts his hand and brushes the hair off his forehead. With a smile he bends over again and places a gentle kiss on Peter’s forehead. “Goodnight kiddo,” he whispers before making his way back to the door.
With a final glance back to the sleeping kid, he closes the door and sighs. What a dream.