Warnings/Tags - Alcoholism, Spoilers for Civil War, Post-Civil War AU, Major Character Death
Character Focus - Tony Stark, Peter Parker.
Peter had come to categorize his life into two parts. Before Tony Stark, and now After Tony Stark. Before Tony had been something interesting, but he had always had May there beside him, even after Ben's heart attack when Peter had been 13. They had clung to each other, with May nearly breaking down when Peter had been deathly ill following the spider bite.
It wasn't until he met Tony Stark, and got to know the man behind the famous persona that he started to learn what it felt like to care for someone to such a degree. To worry about someone constantly throwing themselves into some kind of danger, regardless of the reason why. It was how Peter learned just what it was like to be May.
And he knew he was being stupid. He was a 16 year old kid, and Tony was thirty years older than him. He didn't need some kid worrying over him like that, didn't need him worrying about whether or not Tony was okay. He had other people for that, better people for that.
Until one day, he didn't.
Peter hadn't known when it started, but eventually he stopped seeing traces of Pepper anywhere, stopped hearing Tony talk about her, talk about Rhodey, talk about anyone. And eventually, he finds out why.
MAJOR BREAKUP AT STARK INDUSTRIES?
The headline had been in bold print, and it had made that gnawing pit of worry in Peter's stomach grow a little bit deeper.
Everyone had abandoned Tony, from what he could tell from the article, as well as a bit of investigating through the internet. Both Miss Potts and Colonel Rhodes had stopped visiting the Compound, and Vision hadn't been seen since the fight in Germany. It made his heart ache at the thought of the man being left alone, but he forced himself to be consoled with the fact that as long as he was alive, he'd never leave Tony alone.
It would have to be enough.
He already knew it most likely wasn't going to be.
He could smell the stench of alcohol the moment he entered the common area, could hear stumbling and cursing. Most of the compound was dark and not currently in use, Tony didn't need any of it, and none of the Avengers stopped by anymore. Everyone had sided with Rogers, and those who didn't wanted to be left out of everything. It was one of those few rare occasions where Peter felt that burning hot rage, the kind that made him want to hurt someone, anyone, to stop holding back and break those that dared to touch what he cared about.
He wanted to kill Steve Rogers, he wanted to kill all of them.
With a rough swallow, he forces himself onwards.
"FRIDAY, activate Protocol Sierra Mike Foxtrot Mike, override code Parker."
"Of course, Small Boss. Please take care of him. It's December 16th, and he's..."
The AI trails off, and Peter already can guess. From what he had read, Tony hated December with a passion, something only made worse in the few recent years with the Winter Soldier surfacing, and Rogers siding against Tony for him.
"Stupid fuckin Capsicle, fucking traitorous spies. Why did I ever fucking bother?"
He can hear Tony rambling as he approaches the illuminated common room, and he stops in the doorway, brown eyes taking in the scene rather quickly. Tony was laying on the floor, surrounded by various bottles of liquor. Peter's heart clenches at the sight, and he exhales shakily, forcing the weakness from his body. He needed to help Tony, especially now that no one else was going to.
"Mr. Stark?"
"Go home, kid. We aren't scheduled to meet until Friday."
Tony's voice, while almost slurring, is still coherent enough as the man lifts his head, eyeing Peter with suspicious brown eyes.
"Why are you here?"
His voice is suspicious and cautious, eyes flitting between Peter and the other entrances, as if half expecting one of the rogues to show up, eager to berate him even more than they already had. Peter shrugs, and steps into the common room, shrugging off his backpack as he lowers himself to sit near Tony, one leg resting on top of the man's as he picks up a half empty bottle. He lifts the bottle to his lips, and gets halfway through what's there before Tony moves, snatching the bottle away with narrowed eyes. Peter sighs, leaning back against the nearby couch as his head slumps back.
"May died."
She had died a week previous, and at this point the only thing that kept Peter going was the fact that Tony clearly needed him. If he ever stopped to think about it for too long, he knew he'd break down and then he wouldn't be of use to anyone, so he shoved it down where he didn't have to look at it.
"Shit, kid, why didn't you tell me?"
Tony sighs, a hand rubbing over his face as he almost sways slightly in place. Peter knew the only reason the man was upright was his vigorous attempts at drowning himself in alcohol since his early teens giving him a tolerance that most wouldn't have. Peter shrugs again, and picks up another bottle, tossing it back as he finishes it. He didn't feel a thing, his metabolism handling it before he even could. Yet another thing that he lost because of the fucking spider.
"Never came up. Doesn't really matter. I'm an emancipated minor. Between the internship, and the profits from the patent on the medspray I made, I make enough to support myself and still go to school. Didn't make sense to bother you about it."
Not when you already had so much else going on.
Tony eyes him wearily, but doesn't say anything about the way Peter had drank so eagerly. He knew as well as Peter did just how seriously fast his metabolism was, and knew that other than the taste the kid wasn't getting anything from it. What little fatherly instinct that there was inside of him balked at the sight of the kid drinking alcohol for any reason, but it wasn't his place to call him on it. Especially now, laying on the floor surrounded by nearly a dozen different bottles.
"I handled your R&D reports for the week. Everything looks ship shape, with a few exceptions that I figured you would want to check out personally. Most of it was requisitions for more funding, or for new equipment. There are a few notices from Miss Potts, but nothing addressed specifically to you. Department wide things, I'm guessing."
His voice is quiet and flat as he speaks, and Tony waves him off, shaking his head. He hated it when the kid got like that, although he admired the fervor with which Peter had taken to being his actual intern, as opposed to using it solely as an excuse for Spider-Man shit. It was the least Tony could do to at least attempt to make up for the shit with Toomes, not being there when the sick fuck dropped a building on his kid.
"I'll look it all over when I'm sober."
And he likely would. Ever since Peter had become his intern, Tony had gotten better about making sure his SI work was completed, at risk of getting the kid in trouble, something he refused to do. Fucking up his own life was one thing, but fucking up Peter's? Not happening, not in this lifetime or the next.
"We gotta be better than this, Mr. Stark. Sitting here, wallowing, drinking your sorrows away, it's not doing anything but proving that fucker was right about you, and I know for a fact he wasn't. You're better than whatever the hell he thinks about you."
Emotion sparks in Peter's voice as he turns his brown eyes to Tony, staring intently at the man. Tony hums softly, and he can't help but notice the we in the statement.
"I know, kid, I know. I'm just...every time I close my eyes, I watch Barnes kill my mom, and then Steve defends him without even stopping to figure out why I was so angry? It just...it drives me fucking insane, kid."
Tony almost rambles, his head turned so he can watch Peter from where he laid on the ground. Peter gives him a half smile, although it's closer to a grimace than anything.
"I haven't been sleeping much lately. Every time I do, I'm back under that building, alone. And I don't lift it. I just...suffocate. Dead, alone, and a disappointment."
Peter's words are soft, and he draws one leg up to rest against his chest, chin pressing against his knee. Tony reaches out a hand, and gives Peter's leg a gentle pat.
"It'll be okay, kid."
He wishes he could believe him with the same nigh on worship as he had once upon a time, but he knows he can't afford to do so anymore. Not even with Tony.
A little on the bleak side, I know. I always seem to do best with the sad shit, for some reason. Makes me wonder sometimes.