Another prompt from a whumptober I found. This one is 2020 number 19: Broken Hearts. tw: character death
Tony stares down at the child in his arms. What hair that's grown is styled into a bowl cut it seems like all kids have at one point. It leaves a tuft of curly bangs across her forehead, hiding the wound just scabbed over. All Tony wants to do is smooth it back, to feel her impossibly soft skin under his hands and memorize the strong, fast beat of her heart.
He tightens his arms almost expecting her to disappear like a mirage. The only thing keeping him sane is her weight, growing legs and large head and wiggling hands, constant in his arms. He likes that reminder. She's there with him even in sleep. That this child, so young she doesn't understand what's happened yet, still carries a part of him with her.
The back of his throat burns as a sob threatens to tear its way out of him.
Pepper clears her throat beside him and they stand. Tony carefully moves the child, May is her name he reminds himself, so that her head hooks over his shoulder. Her hair tickles his neck and he brings a hand to her back moving it slowly up and down as they make their way to the desk.
Happy thought they should have their team of lawyers come and do this – the paperwork and the waiting. He thought they should hurry home and not worry about this until everything was settled, but Tony and Pepper declined. They hadn't felt right about it. This had to be done right. He and Pepper had to be here for this to make sure nothing went wrong even if he couldn't stop the trembling in his hands.
May stirs for a moment, a tired mumble escapes her lips before she burrows deeper into his neck. Her forehead cements itself to his skin seeking some comfort as a deep breath returns her to the sandman. He both aches and takes pride she can fall asleep on him.
What he wouldn't give to sleep right now.
"Names?" The front desk attendant asks from his spot behind a computer. Pepper clears her throat and the man's eyes widen when he finally looks up. Even with the dark circles and mussed hair they are easily recognizable.
"Anthony Stark and Pepper Potts-Stark." He says with an apology on his face. He doesn't want to alienate this person now. "Here are the release forms."
He juggles the bundle in his arms, all five years of limbs around him, and Pepper finally takes the clipboard from him and hands it to the worker.
"Alright and May Belle Parker is…?"
"She's right here, obviously." Pepper says with a smile and piercing eyes. If Tony wasn't so tired he would laugh at her exasperated expression, used to cow business folks from around the world, the man quickly falls under its power.
"Parents?"
Any thought of laughter fades from his mind.
"Peter Parker and Michelle Jones-Watson. Yes, that's hyphenated. Thank you."
There's clacking from the keyboard he's starting to despise. Tony feels like once this is entered into the computer things will be official. Once the typing is done and enter is pressed, nothing can go back to the way things were. It's unfair and false. The man doing his job has nothing to do with what happened but it doesn't stop Tony from tapping his foot against the ground. His teeth grind together so hard it gives him a headache.
"You're her, grandfather?"
"It says on the paperwork." Pepper says again, fire in her eyes. He can tell she's close to a lecture. Tony wants to comfort her but his hands are full. Instead he leans over and presses his shoulder into hers. Pepper turns her head towards him and muster a small smile. Her eyes search his face before turning to the girl sleeping in his arms. Pepper's smile dims.
"We're her guardians." Tony can't help but think about his family. Of Peter and MJ. Their child tucked away in his arms.
The kid is busy. Spiderman and fatherhood are not the most logical jumps in his profession but Tony knows from experience that his kid can handle anything the world throws at him.
It also means Uncle Tony makes the drive out to the Parker and Jones residence more than they come to the Tower. He ribs Peter about it but actually loves the home they've built and welcomed him into with open arms.
"The surround sound just doesn't have the same quality as the Tower." He says one day after watching Encanto for the second time in a row. Peter rolls his eyes muttering something about being a spoiled child.
Tony knows he's not referring to the little girl sitting between the two men.
"Surround sound! Surround sound!" She cheers at them. Her limbs tangle up in the covers, sending her toppling over Tony. May hugs his knees, her chin digs into the side of his thigh but all he does is pick her up under the arms and place her more firmly on his lap. Accident prone is a gentle term for the stage she's a now. Tony doesn't want another tumble off the couch incident. Peter still doesn't let him forget about the last time when Tony had been too unsure with the wiggling kid. "Uncle Tony! Camilo is my favorite. What about you?"
He sighs, like he's hard pressed to be asked about a fictional character and she giggles while waiting for an answer.
"I would have to say if your favorite character is Camilo then my favorite character is Camilo."
"That's cheating!"
"Is not."
"Is so."
"And why am I not surprised to know Tony is cheating again." He looks up to see MJ standing in the doorway, tired it looks from the circles under her eyes but with a subtle smile if you know where to look.
Tony keeps one arm wrapped around the now wiggling child and places the other on his hip.
"I would never, scout's honor."
Peter snots and the evening is spent together. As a family.
"We're her guardians." He repeats but the words sound hallow. The sudden barrage of fire and smoke and screams associated with the words makes his heart pound. The sheer madness holdback by willpower, by their duty, before but now he's sucked away and all he can see is death.
The call comes in the afternoon. Not unreasonably out of the ordinary but strange enough that Tony answers immediately. Karen 2.0 calls him while he's counting ceiling tiles in a meeting.
The first Karen had been hacked about eight years ago when Peter was in college and destroyed before Peter or him could save her. He still regrets not being on time then.
It's unusual in a way that makes his fingers twitch. He doesn't realize he's away from the meeting and in the hallway until he can hear the crashes and pure chaos on the other side of the line. He flinches but tries to remain calm, at least on the outside.
"Karen? What's happening?"
"I've sent you coordinates. Hurry." The AI's have always been alive, Tony thinks about how he regrets the emotion present in her voice. The wavering urgency that makes his stomach lurch like he's on a rollercoaster.
He runs. There's a window and he doesn't even break a stride. The suit is on him, encapsulating his hand first so he can blast the window and he's falling.
He feels like Peter, falling without a jetpack power suit for a moment. Tony's falling through the sky before the suit covers his whole body.
"Set coordinates. Stat." He says to Friday. "Karen?"
There's static and he would scream if his throat wasn't so dry.
"P - patching you through to Pe — ter."
The sounds get louder. Rubble falls with huge rumbles barely blocking out the sounds of people screaming. Someone breaths on the phone, ragged and uneven.
"Peter? Kid? That you?" The breathing continues with no discernable pattern. "Come on, kid. Remember the protocols. Give me status." He hates how he can't let himself be emotional. He sounds like the AI now. His words are harsh and stoic over the roar of his engines.
"Tony?" Peter slurs his words before coughing, wet hacking noises. "It's a… code black… black, Mr… got MJ. Help." The message is broken up and terrible to parse out. Tony hopes this is a nightmare. He would welcome the falling sensation or dreamlike ghosts over whatever hell this is.
"I'm coming." He repeats over and over and over and over. He sees Peter as he was years ago. All knobby knees and a pajama homemade suit. Even then Tony is awed by how strong Peter is and it's only grown the longer they've known each other. They've made it through the bullying in high school, the flimsy excuse for an internship, college applications (the stress of it all got to Tony and he would never tell Peter how often he and Pepper talked about them), Goblin attacks, and venom, and everything life threw at them. Tony's been there and he will continue to be for as long as Peter lets him.
If only he could fly faster.
The first thing he sees is smoke. Large, wafting clouds come up from the apartment building. They darken the sky, infect the sun's rays with their glooming mass. Next in his field of vision is the building or what's left of it. The side and roof look like they've been torn off. Rubble piles up under the walls creating huge hills of concrete and rock. He makes Friday scan for people under them and prays there is no one.
"Call emergency responders and anyone that can help. You know the drill, Friday."
"On it, Boss."
Their apartment is on the backside of the building, facing east so MJ can watch the sunrise from around the other buildings. He flies around and feels his heart stop.
It's all but gone.
No roof or walls are left. Fire licks at any surface it can reach like a starving animal. It's thoughtless in its conquest for food and the damage around it is unimaginable.
His first thought is denial. This must be the wrong apartment. Maybe Karen had it wrong and Peter, MJ, and May are all safe. Maybe he's misremembering. Maybe this really is a dream. Something shiny catches his eye. Friday analyzes without prompt.
The photo is one he's familiar with and he's never hates it so much before. This is no dream. It's the same one sitting on his desk and bedside table. Everyone together. Rhodey, Pep, MJ, him and Peter holding baby May. They're at some park Peter loves and the sun is shining on their smiles now being burned away. Their eyes alight with love look almost haunting as it disappears in the fire.
"Peter" He screams. "MJ! May! Can you hear me."
He flies toward the bedrooms, clustered around the back.
"Michelle. Anyone!" His voice is hoarse, like he's been yelling all day.
Tony doesn't want to take another step. Doesn't want to see any more distruction. He wants it to be a normal day but still he moves forward. There's a quiet shout from the back. Tony finds Peter in the front bedroom. Of course, the kid never backs down from a fight and always jumps into the front lines without hesitation, especially if he's protecting someone.
Tony kneels down next to his prone body. Takes in the gaping cuts and burns and bruises. Sees the tear tracks running down his face and knows his kid fought hard, fought to the end.
"Mr. — Mr. Stark?" Peter gasps out, his eyes glazed at the ceiling. Tony grips his shoulders, to keep him still; to hold him close.
He knows it's bad when the kid refers to him like he did in the beginning. Tony hasn't been Mr. Stark in years but whenever it happened Peter would say, 'old habits' with a blush.
"It's me. It's Tony. Mr. Stark." He says loud so Peter can hear.
"I fought, I tried, did we, did I get them. I fought… Mj's here. I…" Peter's breathing comes in bursts, his diaphragm moves in exaggerated motions, like it takes up all his will just to continue that automatic necessity.
"Peter, you" His voice fails. Peter is gazing at him like he has so many times, too much adoration and love than he deserves but the kid is always ready to offer. Tony closes his eyes so Peter doesn't see the despair ready to crush him. "You did amazing. You always have, kid. I'm so proud of you. I love you."
Tony tunes Friday out. They have everything under control and with the rescue teams coming he can concentrate here. He chest under him, working so hard, stills. Tony opens his eyes. He wishes he never shut them. His hand shakes but he moves it forward, letting his suite mold off it so he can check for a pulse even after Friday tells him there is none.
He has to check.
Tony carefully shuts Peter's eyes. The kid's bangs fall flat on his face so Tony pushes them up like he's done so many times over the years. Something in him empties as he regards Peter. It's not truly emptiness. That presumes never has ever been there, but it's more like an absence pitting down through his heart where once Peter fit.
"Two more in the room." Friday says breaking through his thoughts.
He thinks a call should never be this threatening. He's done his time and shouldn't have to worry if every phone call and perfectly normal day will end in disaster.
Tony continues to make himself move. Each step is a thousand and tears begin to fall when he sees MJ's feet. A large slab of cement covers her body. Tony rushes forward, gripping the hulking mass and lifting it off. It lands on the other side of the room stirring up dust. He's enraptured as it slowly makes its way back to the ground, to MJ. Her back faces him and her body's positioned like she's doing a tornado drill. He's never seen her so small before; so still.
Her arms aren't around her neck like they teach. They aren't protecting the vulnerable part of her neck and he can't figure out why she hadn't done that. She knows the protocols. He drilled their whole family in them.
"MJ?" He says but there's no answer. Why isn't there an answer?
What should he do? Why isn't he here sooner? What's going to happen? Tony can't stop thinking. Can't help but see MJ's smile or hear her laugh, rare but delightful when it's heard. And he should have been here sooner.
Why didn't she follow the rules?
Instead they reach around her front in a circle. There's a whimper, a cry that sets him back into motion.
Friday scans.
"Under her." They say.
Tony moves MJ in the least jarring way possible. Her arms stay circled tight and her face is slack and unlike her it makes bile rise up in his throat. Tony checks her pulse. Just to make sure.
He finally looks and sees what she was curled up for. Why she hadn't followed the rules. May is curled underneath her mom. Hands over her ears as tears mix with dirt and blood over her face. Her body is so small compared to the bits of wall around them.
His hand reaches out, just to check, just to make sure.
There's a pulse.
He sobs at the rhythm. The racing pulse of May.
"May? Sweetheart?"
Friday tells him it's okay to move her.
"There's nothing wrong with her back and spine, boss."
He can't even begin to fathom MJ's thoughts but knows even though he's grateful, that he can't thank her for her sacrifice.
"Uncle Tony?" She says in the weakest voice. "Where's mom?"
She peers up at him, eyes unseeing, and loosens her hands over her ears. Tony can't answer. He brings a hand to her face to wipe away a trail of tears and block her view of MJ.
There's a deep gash across her forehead that continues to bleed without signs of stopping. The blood runs down her face and Tony's never seen her bleed this much before.
"Can you move, baby?"
He holds his arms out to her, hovering in her line of sight so she won't look around. The last thing he wants for her is to see the unnatural stillness in her parents. May shouldn't have to face how terrible life can be and if he can spare her, for a few moments at least, then he will do anything. Their lack of movement. May grabs his hands and he pulls her close to him. Tony covers her in as much of the suit as possible to still fly and takes off for the hospital.
He's betraying Peter and MJ by leaving them in the demolished apartment. They should be going with him, carrying their daughter, fussing over her, and worrying about what to do next. Tony should have protected them. He should have made sure nothing bad happened.
He can't breathe.
May cries into him. The suit connects them together and Tony's holding her as tight as he possibly can. Wonders if she can feel the absence of light growing in his heart. Tony staggers up to his feet and she grabs him tighter, burying her face in his chest. She will never fall in his arms. He will always hold her, tight and safe.
Tony can't look back. If he does his failure will be too much. Their discarded bodies proof of his ineptitude. Another heartbreak and disaster he's not sure he can recover from. The only thing keeping him going is May. She needs him and Tony will do anything to protect her.
They take off into the air. The sounds of his engines and crying – both of them – is the only thing he hears. He wraps his arms around her and thinks about how unfair life is.
May moves against him, gripping the back of his shirt with her hands, and he's back at the hospital. Hours later, maybe days, with May in his arms asleep from exhaustion and grief.
He left the kid there. He left MJ.
He wasn't in time.
Tony swallows and startles when Pepper rests a hand on his arm.
"We're going to find out who did this." She says, it's her family too, he thinks. Their family. Now gone.
He nods.
There are few things he knows with absolute certainty.
He will find the people who did this and destroy them. Tony will wipe them from the planet until they beg for something worse than hell.
The second thing he knows is that he loves his family.
He holds May in his arms. Feels her breathing into his neck, the pulse of her heartbeat strong against his.
She doesn't disappear like a mirage. She's with him.
Tony stares down at the child in his arms. Memorizes the bowl cut and curly hair. The cut he can barely see peeking out on her forehead. This child isn't his; shouldn't be his. But here she is. May's sleeping in his arms with both their tears soaked into his shirt. It's not fair, he rages silently. So much is taken away from her now and he knows he can never make up for it, wouldn't want to even try. Tony rubs a hand up and down her back, feels her pulse and thanks whatever is listening that May is okay.
Tony once said he wanted to build armor around the world. The armor he needs now is a bit smaller.
Thank you for reading!