The funeral had been a sombre affair. Under normal circumstances Ned would be excited to meet Tony Stark but today, it was hard to care. today his best friend was being buried.
It had been a week since his death and Ned still had trouble believing it. His friend, the superhero, the one who had faced off the vulture, the rogue Avengers, and Thanos and had, well, maybe not survived but certainly lived afterwards. And yet, it was something as mundane as mugging that killed him. it would be funny, if it wasn't so god damned tragic.
The service was held in a small church in queens, its walls were a wood of a soft brown.
It was surprising. after sixteen years of life only six people attended the funeral. Mr Delmar sat on one side of May while Ned sat on the other. she had cried; so had Ned. MJ had sat next Ned seeming altogether more stoic, but Ned could have sworn he saw her blink tears away a few times. Mr Stark and Happy sat two rows behind everyone else. it was clear that they felt as though they were intruding upon something deeply private. About halfway through the service a young man walked through the church door and sat at the back. His skin was gaunt, and he looked exhausted and miserable; Peter had never mentioned him.
After the service they milled about the church, speaking in hushed tones, as if afraid to wake the dead.
The skinny kid who Ned had seen enter walked up to Ned and Michelle nervously. His eyes were fixed to the floor, "Peter told me about you, about both of you. He said you were good friends. I just wanted to say… he was a good guy and I'm sorry" the boy began walking away from a bewildered Ned and Michelle.
Ned called after him, "Wait, Peter never mentioned you. What's your name?"
The boy turned, "Emit." and with that he was gone.
After that they made their way back to May's apartment. Upon crossing the threshold Tony snorted and muttered something to May about an 'internship'. She laughed wetly.
Mr Delmar, MJ, Ned, and May reminisced about Peter over food. Happy hovered uncertainly and Tony leaned against the wall, hands in his pockets. After a time, he pushed himself off the wall and made his way to May.
He smiled sadly at her "He was a good kid".
"Yeah." May sniffled "He was".
And with that Tony walked out the door and left with Happy in toe. As they left Ned raised his hand in a Vulcan salute. MJ Surveyed him for a long time before declaring him a "loser". The room exploded in laughter
Later that night…
Alexandra surveyed the scene, the mound of dirt next to the empty grave, the coffin being loaded into the car and the pitch-black sky which oversaw it all. She turned as the grave was being filled in again. She got in car and took her gloves off. Every move she made seemed to emanate elegance and poise. She leaned back and expelled a breath as the car began to move. Alexandra smiled.