A/N: Needless to say, I felt quite evil when this one-shot popped into my head. This is my favourite Marvel one-shot I've written so far though, and I'm extremely proud of it so I hope you guys like it! Please let me know what you think :)
Quick warning, this story includes profanity, the near death of a major character, and quite a lot of angst with a fluffy ending.
Enjoy!
It began as a completely typical evening.
Feeling an overloading sense of joy and freedom, Peter Parker was out patrolling as his superhero persona Spider-Man, swinging from building to building as the setting sun cast a golden glow across the city. His adrenaline was racing like a jittery hummingbird after spending a terribly drawn-out day in school. Now however, soaring over the streets of New York couldn't be described better than a breath of fresh air.
He front-flipped in midair and landed down with a huff on the roof of an apartment building.
"Alright Karen, let's get to work," he excitedly instructed his suit's AI. "What've you got?"
A feminine voice replied, "There is a minivan crash causing trouble, 5 blocks from where you stand."
"On it!"
With a leap, a free-fall and a cheer of exhilaration, Peter swung off toward the location of the accident. He threw his arm forward and shot his web fluid from one of the mechanical shooters on his wrist. Once it found it's place latched to the side of a building, the bendy web became as sturdy as metal and he used it as a rope to swing over the busy streets.
Whenever the teenager took the time to glance down, he would often see civilians holding up their phones taking videos of him as he went by, or sometimes people would be cheering for his success. It gave him a feeling of delight every time.
Throughout the evening, his patrolling as friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man had gone just as routinely as always. He found a group of robbers making plans in an alley and shut them down, saved a runaway dog for a young man, helped an elderly lady or two cross a busy street, and broke up a fist fight between a couple teenagers.
By the time the moon was raising into the darkened sky and his midnight curfew was approaching, Peter was swinging from his webbing back in the direction of his home when he suddenly got a more urgent alert from Karen.
"There's an abandoned building close by that's being taken down in a few days. There are three men inside on the top floor wielding weapons from a previous man you have arrested, Adrian Toomes."
Vulture!
"They have a helicopter on the roof and are planning to make their escape in a few minutes."
Karen was just too good!
Wasting no time, Peter changed his course to make his way toward the building his AI signaled him to. It wasn't far from the apartment he shared with May, a small office building that looked more worn down and old fashioned. He spotted the probably-stolen helicopter sitting atop the structure.
He landed on another rooftop across from where the criminals were, and narrowed his eyes trying to get a glimpse of the inside through a window.
"What's it looking like in there Karen?" Peter murmured to his AI. Although, he realized a moment later there was no need to keep quiet yet.
"Detecting three men, all rather young, each holding an advanced weapon. They are holding more inside the vehicle atop the building, each previously bought from Adrian Toomes."
Karen alerted him of the three figures huddled on the top floor inside, each gripping one of three weapons. Peter smirked under his hero mask.
This'll be a piece of cake! I've taken down much worse than a few measly criminals with weapons.
Peter shot out his webbing like a rope, before leaping off of where he stood and swinging at the old building. He rammed his body, foot first, into one of the windows and made a cloud of glass fly all around him. Thankfully, his durable Spider-Man suit prevented any damage from the shards.
What he had expected is what he was met with: Three younger adult men wielding alien-tech weapons with surprise in their gazes as he jumped in, prepared to foil whatever plans they had.
What he hadn't expected was for them to be prepared.
Just as Peter got to his feet from breaking in he, was met with a blinding orange light and a horribly painful burning sliced across his entire body. He choked back a shout through gritted teeth and found his body to be frozen when he tried to move. It lasted for only a few moments, but his strength ebbed away after the light faded and he felt his legs give out under him as he fell to the floor.
"Nice shot Patrick!" one of the men cheered.
With great struggle, Peter lifted his head from the cold floor beneath him and caught a partially blurry glimpse of a brown haired man supposedly named Patrick holding up a laser gun at him, with orange glows around the sides like rings that dimmed as the device cooled down. Subsequent to the teen's attempt to stand up, a hot flash of pain rippled through every inch of his body and he loudly grimaced.
Crap, these are seriously dangerous weapons! he thought urgently. I shouldn't have let my guard down. I need to stop them!
Peter's body, however, disagreed with his thoughts as he found himself barely able to move or speak from the terrible ache that smothered him. He slowly lifted his wrist to shoot a web at the three criminals, but they saw it coming from a mile away easily dodged out of the way, resulting in a white spider web sticking against the back wall. Peter didn't know what to do as he trembled on his hands and knees with exertion.
"You appear to be in a great amount of pain," Karen's sweet voice piped up. "I suggest you back out of the building so that you can recover."
I wish I could...
A different man approached him, staring down at his crippled body with amusement. Peter decided then that he would nickname that man Tiger, since he had a tattoo of one on his lower leg.
"I woulda thought you'd be better than this Spider-Boy," Tiger mocked him.
He gritted his teeth with determination and tried again to find the strength to stand, but to no avail. Peter's face contorted with discomfort and a shaky breath escaped him.
God, this hurts so bad! The laser must have damaged my skin or something.
What do these guys even want from me? They were obviously prepared for me, but they haven't bothered trying to remove my mask yet.
Whatever, whatever, I just need to call Mr. Stark!
I can't do this alone, I need his help!
But I can't move...
Mr. Stark!
Tiger leaned down and gripped a strong hand around Peter's neck, causing a choking noise from him as he lifted his body into the air. He could've sworn he heard Karen's voice telling him something, but he couldn't depict it through the bellowing coming from right in front of him.
"It was so easy to see through your little plans, you know. We all knew you'd be swinging around and probably try to stop us, and that's why we had to be ready for ya. I assure you, you won't be foiling our plans today Spidey."
Peter gripped the man's wrist to try and get him to let go of his neck.
Can't breathe...
"And I mean sure, we could go ahead and kill you right here where you stand, but we have a more interesting plan in mind to make sure you stay out of our way."
Oh god... they want to kill me!
No, no, no, I can't die here! I can't move, so I can't fight back!
I need Mr. Stark's help!
The third man, who Peter decided to call Baldy for his lack of hair, came up to where the teen struggled and attached a metal device to his ankles, essentially shackling them together. He felt a massive weight suddenly pull him toward the ground, hindering his movement even further.
What were these crooks planning?
Determined not to let them have their way, Peter gritted his teeth and used his web shooter to grab the hand around his neck and pull it back, and he gasped for breath once he was free. He used his other hand to shoot another artificial web at Patrick and trapped him against the wall.
Yes!
Peter made an attempt to move, his new excitement making him already forgetting about the heavy weight around his ankles. He fell back down to the floor face first and could feel Baldy's smirk burning into the back of his head.
"Just give it up kid, we've got you trapped," he snickered to him. "Now c'mon, we've got a place to be and you have a lake to be drowning in."
What did he just say?!
He wanted to protest, he wanted to scream for help, he wanted to do something, but when he parted his lips all that escaped from his now aching throat was a raspy, "D-Don't..."
The bald man couched down in front of him until they were practically nose to nose. He smirked and said in a cooing voice, "Aww, is the wittle spider afwaid to die? Don't worry, you'll only feel the pain for a couple minutes."
Ohmygodohmygodohmygod!
Peter felt terror churning in his stomach, and all he wanted more than anything was for his mentor to come and save him. He wanted to hear the gentle voice that Mr. Stark only gave to him and no one else, telling him that it was okay and he would be safe because he was here now to rescue him. He knew he should feel embarrassed to have to rely on someone else to save him when he was a superhero himself, but Mr. Stark had already saved him countless times before.
Mr. Stark is always there for me. He always rescues me.
I know he will this time too.
Tiger approached once again and laughed, grabbing Peter by the wrists to dragging him across the floor toward a door that led to the top of the building. He struggled to resist him, unsuccessful with his fresh ache despite his super strength. The man dragged him carelessly up a flight of stairs and then emerged on the roof, where the two criminals left Patrick behind while he remained stuck to the wall as they threw Peter into the helicopter they had.
The hero struggled to move his heavily weighed down feet, he tried to get up and run away, he tried to speak, he tried to fight, he tried to protest, he tried to do something, but somehow nothing was working!
I need to call Mr. Stark! he thought frantically. I can't do this alone, I need help!
"You're going for a ride, Spidey," Tiger snickered as he started up the vehicle. "Don't whimper like a little baby on the way there, okay?"
Peter lay sprawled out on the floor of the helicopter as Baldy kept him held down, and just as the engine started he knew he had to call Tony. He was the only one who could save him now.
He desperately searched for his voice lost in the pain. Speaking was his only hope left. He couldn't move, he couldn't save himself. The only one capable of rescuing him now was his mentor, so he had to speak.
So with great effort, Peter struggled to rasp out, "Karen... c-call Tony Stark!"
"Calling Mr. Stark now."
Peter's breath was bated, feeling lucky that the criminals didn't seem to care about what he was mumbling on about. His heart was pounding. He was in pain, he couldn't move, and he was going to be drowned.
These psychos were planning on drowning him!
He silently begged and pleaded for Tony to pick up the call. He desperately wanted to hear his mentor's voice, especially if he was about to die. He needed to hear his voice one more time!
Please answer please answer please answer...
"Kid?" Tony answered the call, a certain tenderness to his tone. "What's going on, I got an alert from your AI that your heart rate spiked. Are you in danger?"
The man holding him to the floor glared down at Peter and questioned, "What was that? Are you calling for help you little wuss?"
"... Kid, who is that?" he heard Tony growl.
Peter panted with fear. He didn't have much time.
"M-Mr. Stark, I need you to track my location right now. It's an emergency!" he gasped, his volume starting to return to him.
"An emergency?! I'm getting on it kid, what's happening?"
Baldy lowered his head to where Peter lay and scowled angrily. He could feel his hot breath against his mask.
"You are calling for help!" he spoke disapprovingly. "Well, I guess it doesn't matter. We're almost there anyway, you might as well give up hope."
Peter held back a whimper of panic. He was really running low on time.
He urgently told his mentor, "Some criminals attached a heavy weight to my feet and I c-can't move. Th-They said they were going to drown me! P-Please, I need your help!"
He would have felt embarrassed by the way his voice cracked and whimpered, but right now he couldn't care less.
Tony sounded like he was starting to panic as well as he replied, "Oh god, okay stay calm kid I'm on my way, I'll come get you! I promise I'll-"
The billionaire's voice was drowned out as blaring wind took over Peter's hearing, and he had to stop himself from wincing. He looked over to see the helicopter door opened up with a small lake underneath them, the water dark against the night sky like a pitch black abyss.
Baldy turned to the teen after opening the door and snickered.
"Well, here we are wimp. Guess you won't be needing these in the afterlife," he yelled over the force of the wind as he tore off Peter's webshooters.
Oh my god, oh my god, helphelphelphelphelp!
Peter growled to Blady, "Why are you doing this to me?"
He cast an amused gaze at him and replied, "We have plans to make lots of cash, and knowing you and your goody-two-shoes attitude, you'll try to stop us. So why don't we just make sure that never happens. It's not like you have anyone who will care if you're gone."
He gripped the Spider-Man suit by the chest and grunted as he lifted Peter up before turning and hanging him out from the door of the helicopter. His legs began to hurt as the heavy steel binding around his ankles tugged at them.
Please help please help please help please help!
The bald man grabbed onto Peter and pulled him close so he could mutter in his face, "So long little spider," and, to his upmost dismay, let go of him.
Peter was free-falling. The weight at his feet was keeping his ankles tightly secured, and dragging him toward the water at a fast rate. It would only be a few moments before he was trapped under the surface of the black water.
He began to panic.
Mr. Stark please help me! I can't die, I can't go out like this! I'm supposed to be home right now. I'm supposed to be sharing a warm hug with Aunt May, or building a lego set with Ned.
Please, I can't die!
The teenager drew in a sharp breath before freezing cold darkness overwhelmed him and his body sank. His eyes glued shut, his strong arms floundered desperately to try and pull himself to the surface and drink in the air, but was no match for the metal dragging him lower and lower.
He struggled to swim, he stroked his arms strongly through the water to try and jerk his body upward, but all he felt was down.
Down, down, down and down. Eventually, he felt himself stop moving, and the weight at his feet made a soft 'thump' as it hit the bottom of the lake.
Peter began giving up, his panic morphing into a pained haziness.
I can't do this...
I can't do this, I'm gonna die!
I'm gonna die here in the cold darkness...
It hurts so bad...
His strength was ebbing.
The world got darker and colder the more time went on. Peter wasn't even sure of how much time had gone by now. His senses were growing foggy. All he could feel now was his lungs burning in agony and screaming for oxygen.
I need... to breathe...
Tony... s-save me...
S-Save me... p-please...
...It hurts...
I'm s-sorry...
N-Ned... I'm s-sorry...
May... I'm so sorry... I love you...
M-Mr. Stark... T-Tony...
...I...I'm sorry...
...
All of Peter's senses were stolen from him by the freezing, painful abyss.
Nothingness consumed him. As he thought of his aunt and mentor one final time, his final ounce of consciousness was lost.
Tony Stark had been mindlessly tinkering in his workshop when he got the emergency call from Peter, which is definitely something he wasn't prepared for, and definitely didn't want. As he got the urgent news from the teenager and felt a strong, panicked urge to get to his rescue and protect him, the line went dead and for all he knew he could've been underwater at that very moment.
His fingers bundled tightly into determined fists. Peter was like a child to Tony. He lost him once, he would never lose him again!
He equipped his Iron Man suit which he kept not far from where he worked, and blasted off out of the tower into the night sky, in the direction of where FRIDAY had just located the kid. Tony activated maximum thrusters as he flew across New York to get to where Peter was. It would only take a few minutes, but by then it could be too late.
He must be so scared right now, he thought urgently. I've gotta get to my kid!
His care for Peter had grown very deep with all the time they had spent together after the defeat of Thanos. He and the bright teenager had grown such a strong bond, he refused for it to be shattered at the hands of a bunch of goons and water. He couldn't lose him like this. He never wanted to experience losing Peter Parker again, and now it was on the verge of happening.
FRIDAY's voice appeared in his ears, "Boss, Mr. Parker's vitals are slowing down and he just fell unconscious."
Shit!
His heart dropped. The kid only had another minute. He had to get him above water, he had to.
Tony could see the dark lake not far up ahead where Peter was shown to be, and once he made it there he wasted no time before diving into the water to rescue him, thanks to his AI's guidance.
"How long has he been out FRIDAY?" he asked just after flying beneath the surface.
"Just over 30 seconds. Peter Parker is just up ahead at the lake's bottom, and appears to be weighed down significantly at his ankles," FRIDAY reported.
It's gonna be okay, it's gonna be okay kiddo... Tony's thoughts were running as if the kid could hear him. I'm right here, everything's okay. You're safe now, I'm here.
With the light he had from his suit, Tony managed to spot Peter freely floating in the water, and he could barely choke back a sigh of relief from the sight of the Spider-Man suit. He swiftly used a blaster to destroy the weight at his feet, hug the teen close to his suit's chest in bridal style, and start flying toward the surface before his helmet gave out and began filling with water.
The billionaire breached the surface in a matter of seconds, but was scared at Peter's unresponsiveness. He activated the heater in the Spider-Man suit and flew toward the closest rooftop, landing down with a 'thunk'. Now feeling hysterical desperation for the kid's survival, Tony set him down before ejecting his body from his Iron Man suit.
The steel plates drew back to expose his body and he knelt down beside Peter and nearly ripped his Spider-Man mask off, his breath bating at the sight of the boy. He looked almost peaceful. His eyes were gently closed as if asleep, his brunette curls were dried off and soft, and his lips were parted slightly. The only terrifying sight to the image was how ghostly pale his skin was.
If he wasn't refusing for Peter to die, he would've thought he was dead already.
Oh my god, oh my god, Tony's thoughts raced. He can't be dead! Please don't be dead!
He placed two callous fingers against his pulse point. He felt a beat, much to Tony's relief, but it was slow and faint. He lowered the side of his head to Peter's lips, and then his chest, listening.
He's not breathing!
First-aid memories flooding back to him, Tony locked his hands together and began performing CPR on Peter immediately, desperate for him to show any sign of life left in him besides a slowing pulse. He stared at his pale face while he did chest compressions.
30 chest compressions, tilt up the chin, provide air for lungs twice...
30 chest compressions, tilt up the chin, provide air for lungs twice...
God Peter, please be alive!
C'mon, I can't lose you again! Breathe for me, please!
Tony drew his hands back after 30 compressions against the teen's chest. He was still out cold. Cursing under his breath, he lifted Peter's chin and breathed twice into his lungs to provide air.
Never in my life did I imagine sitting on a rooftop giving mouth-to-mouth CPR to a teenager, Tony thought in awe as he returned to pressing his hands to Peter's chest. But right now I really need you to start breathing again! C'mon kid, you're gonna die in not too much longer if you don't come back to me! I can't lose you, I can't!
Please!
"Boss, Peter's vitals are growing dangerously low," FRIDAY warned him. "He'll likely die in the next minute if he doesn't receive air."
Shitshitshitshitshit!
Tony tried his best to remain calm as he continued CPR, but he felt very much off kilter. His breath was coming out shaky and his arms trembled, as moisture was building in his eyes. He tried to keep his compressions strong as his body, senses and thoughts grew hasty and uncoordinated.
My day cannot end like this! Please, you can't die Peter!
His breath hitched in his throat.
You were supposed to grow up to become an Avenger! You were going to be one of the strongest on the team. You need to have your first kiss and go to university, and then take over Stark Industries for me! You can't go when you have such a bright future ahead of you!
Tony couldn't imagine a world without Peter Parker. The kid was such a light in his life, would there be any left when he was gone? Would he ever find complete happiness again without Peter? When he lost him before, he at least knew that there was a way to bring him back, and he did come back, but this time...
If he dies, he's gone for good.
If Peter died, then Tony would too. He would carry the guilt and burden for as long as he lived that he couldn't save a teenager from drowning.
No, not just a teenager.
He couldn't save Peter Parker.
30 seconds had passed since FRIDAY's warning. The teenage hero's lips and fingers were turning blue, and he made no sudden movements or breaths. Tony gritted his teeth, fighting back tears as he felt his hope starting to fade.
Nonononononononono I can't lose him again...
He just needed to see him breathing. Tony needed his kid to be okay and alive.
"Please kiddo," he choked out with a hiccup. "I gotta hope that you're still in there, and if you can hear me I need you to breathe, okay?"
He felt warm tears start to slip. He couldn't give up hope!
You have to live! You have to live!
Don't leave me kiddo...
Please!
"Just breathe Peter!"
And then, it was as if Tony's world warped into the happy ending of a fairy tale.
His CPR compressions were interrupted by a sudden choking gasp from the kid beneath him, and he swiftly rolled him onto his side so he could hurl up several mouthfuls of water across the rooftop. Colour returned to Peter's skin shortly after. Tony rubbed his hand gently against the poor teen's back as he finished throwing up before breaking into several fits of hacking, gagging, and rough coughing. They lasted for many minutes, but eventually Peter's breathing settled down to a raspy panting, and he turned to look over at his mentor.
He was moving, he was breathing, he was staring at his mentor with those familiar brown eyes.
He was alive.
The billionaire let out a terribly shaky sigh of relief. As much as he hated coming off as vulnerable, Peter was one of the people in his life that he felt he could really be open with. The kid always understood. The kid would never mind.
Thank god he's alive... Peter's alive!
He's breathing, he's okay!
Peter's okay!
"Hey there kiddo," he eventually greeted softly with a voice crack. "How are you feeling? I'm really glad you're okay."
I'm so happy that you're alive!
The teenager chuckled as he lethargically moved to sit in a more comfortable position.
"That w-wasn't f-fun at all," he responded.
Tony couldn't help but genuinely smile. Even after this kid had been nearly dead and just threw up half a liter of water, he just brushed it off like a little mistake. He couldn't possibly imagine if he had somehow lost Peter a second time.
"Nope, it wasn't fun for me either. Let's agree to never let this happen again?"
He nodded, and Tony edged closer to the teenager when he gestured for his mentor to sit with him. As he wrapped an arm around him for warmth and comfort, it felt like a blessing.
His skin is warm, his eyes are open, his pulse is beating.
Peter made no hesitation to wrap around his mentor's side with affection, resting his head against the taller man's shoulder and smiling despite his continuous coughs and hoarse breaths.
He murmured, "Th-Thank you for s-saving me... again."
Tony smiled, squeezing the teen's shoulder and holding him close.
"It was my pleasure kid. You had me worried sick, and I wasn't about to let you die in front of me a second time."
He nodded and sighed.
"Yeah... I'm s-sorry for making you scared. I'll be more cautious next time, I promise," he muttered in between coughs.
Sorry for making me scared? You must've been terrified!
This kid...
Tony smiled and rubbed Peter's back reassuringly. He reveled in the sound of his labouring breaths.
He's alive...
"It's okay buddy, it wasn't your fault."
"But it was," he argued. "I should have b-been better. I got so cocky and confident about a bunch of thugs that I let my guard down. Now a they're off doing something bad with illegal weapons because I couldn't do anything to stop them."
He put a hand against his face in shame.
"I was weak..."
Tony frowned. He wanted to find the words to comfort him so badly, but couldn't help but relate to the poor teenager, knowing exactly how he felt.
He was supposed to solve the situation but he only made it worse. For him and others.
The billionaire turned his body to face the upset hero sitting beside him, and lifted his chin with his hand to look up at him. He wished that he could be better at emotional comfort, and Peter even told him that he was great at it, but personally he never knew what to do.
He stated softly, "Kid, do you remember the situation a long time ago with a robot named Ultron?"
Peter blinked and nodded.
"Well... as much as you might not believe it, that whole situation was entirely my fault."
His chocolate eyes lit with surprise and he confirmed, "It was?"
"Yep, all me. I knew that absolutely horrible things would happen if he got his way, so you know what I did?"
"What?"
Tony smiled.
"I fixed the mistake that I made. I created Vision with some help, and the Avengers made a plan to stop Ultron from causing all human extinction. Quite a bit more intense than a few illegal weapons, huh?"
He put his hand onto Peter's shoulder, fighting back the urge to run a hand through his disheveled hair.
"So what I'm saying, Pete, is that if you're upset about making a mistake then you've gotta find a way to own up to what you did and fix it, cause mistakes happen. It's okay."
The kid hummed lightly, seeming to feel more relaxed at his mentor's words.
"So... what should I do?" he murmured.
"Well, why don't you get that mask of yours back on and the two of us will go kick some delinquent ass?"
Much to Tony's delight, the teen's eyes suddenlt lit up and he eagerly nodded. He scooped up his red mask from the rooftop while the billionaire stood up to brush debris off his clothes and take a bit of a breather. He knew Peter always got excited about getting to fight alongside him.
Just before Tony got into his suit, Peter approached him once again and gently binded his arms around the man's torso again. He rested his chin against his shoulder, and Tony returned the hug gladly.
"Thank you Mr. Stark," the kid said quietly.
The billionaire chuckled and hugged him back, responding, "You're welcome kid."
They held the embrace for a few moments longer, before Tony added, "By the way, enough with the "Mr. Stark" stuff, alright? Just call me Tony."
Peter hummed happily.
"Okay, I will. Also, my name isn't "kid" either. Just call me Peter."
The two men drew back and Tony ruffled the teen's curls with a chuckle.
"Alright Peter."
A/N: Please forgive me! ^^'
Please let me know if you think I can improve in any way! Thanks for reading!