Disclaimer: Starlight does not own Marvel.
When Tony first saw Mantis fade away into dust, the first thing that came to mind was…'He's done it…' And how Strange had said there was no other way….He couldn't really believe it. Had there really been no other way for them to win? Another way without sacrifices?Another way besides the people he cared about dying? But what came next…everything just came crashing down at that point.
The memory comes flying back.
"Mr. Stark?…I-I don't feel so good.."
"You're alright.."
Oh how he wishes that was true.
"I don't-I don't know what's happening!..I don't.." The kid falls onto Tony, clutching him as he cries into his chest. "I don't want to go. I don't want to go, Mr. Stark! Please. Please, I don't want to go. I don't want to go….."
Tony can still feel his hands grabbing and crying into his suit and shirt. His shirt is still wet with his tears.
The kid falls to the ground as he becomes weaker. Tony huddled over him and the kid looks at him one last time with those broken brown eyes…
"..I'm sorry…"
He crumbles to dust and it floats away into the sky..
Sorry for what? The kid never did anything wrong. Everything he did was perfect! So what was he sorry for? What was he sorry for?!..They all should've lived…He should've lived…
Drip…
He stares at his hand, the blood mixed tear sliding down his finger. He hadn't noticed that he started crying due to the memory. He shakes the tear off, wipes the blood off his face, and stand up. He stares at the spot below him, some of the dust still on the ground. The dust which used to be his trainee.
"Thanos is going to pay for this…." He starts stomping his way to the Guardian's ship. "Help me fly this thing!" He calls out to blue skinned alien, Nebula, who follows him.
He starts putting wires together and tapping buttons, trying to figure out how to start the ship. The memory still replays in his mind, over and over and over again.
And, even though Tony may never admit it, Peter Parker was and will always be like a son to him…
Always…
Me: (Wipes tears away) I cried while writing this. Peter's death was and will always be the saddest for me. May that little, innocent cinnamon roll Rest In Peace.