Peter halted in the middle of Tony Stark's driveway, his ears prickling at what his senses had just picked up.
He could hear various guests inside the house; from Avengers and wizards to top military generals, everyone came to pay their respects to Tony Stark.
But despite the chatter buzzing within those walls, Peter could hear something unmistakable.
"This is Daddy's friend from work, honey," came Pepper's voice. "Say 'hi.'"
Daddy?
"Hi."
Peter froze.
It was a little girl's voice. Small. Shy.
He listened more intently.
He knew how to differentiate heartbeats now. An adult's was far calmer than a child's. And those rapid, strong pulses? That was a kid's, alright.
"You coming?" asked May, looking back at Peter when she realized he wasn't following her up to the house.
"He has a kid," Peter choked out, half-listening.
Mr. Stark—Tony, he reminded himself. They've been through a lot. He was Tony now—had a kid. And Tony was dead.
Peter shook his head at his aunt. "I can't go in there." He hadn't wanted to come in the first place.
May took a step forward. "Peter, what are you—"
"You go without me. I'll see you at home."
"Peter!"
But Peter had already started running.
…
Peter heard May come home even before the door to the apartment swung open. If he wanted to, he had plenty of time to hide and avoid the conversation he knew they were going to have.
But he had already avoided a whole wake today. He couldn't avoid this too.
"Hey," he called out from the living room couch as soon as May walked in.
"Hey."
He heard her drop her bags, could feel her approaching.
And then she was right beside him on the couch. She put a hand on his arm and rubbed it soothingly.
They sat there in silence until Peter decided to ask, "How was the wake?"
"Sad," said May, "But happy. You know, in that mixed feelings kind of way."
Peter nodded, knowing exactly the kind of mixed feeling his aunt was describing. How could you be sad when Tony died saving everyone? But how could you be happy that the universe is in one piece when Iron Man wasn't in it?
"They asked after you."
Peter raised his head in interest.
"What'd you tell them?"
"That you weren't feeling well."
Peter huffed at the obvious lie. He had rapid healing. Everyone knew that.
May squeezed his hand. "They understand what you're going through, Peter. Pepper understood."
Peter shook his head in shame. He had no right to skip out on the wake. If anyone had the right to isolate themselves, it was Pepper…. And the little girl.
"He… Was… I heard that Mr—that Tony had a kid." Had a life. Tony had a whole life for five years. And now he had none.
"Yeah. 4 years old. Her name's Morgan. You'd like her."
Peter looked at May and found a small smile on her face.
"What's she like?"
May cocked her head in thought. "Brown eyes. Brown hair. Has her dad's smile. A little bit shy, though. Wouldn't leave Pepper's side."
"She must be confused."
May nodded. "A little, but I think she understands that her dad's not coming back. She's smart."
"Well, she is Tony's kid."
May chuckled and so did Peter.
When their smiles had faded, May said, "You know you're going to have to go to the funeral tomorrow."
"I know."
"You're gonna meet her eventually."
Peter glanced at May. "Is it weird that I don't want to?"
"Why?"
"Because…" Peter could feel heat rise to his face in shame. His chest felt heavy as he blinked his eyes rapidly to stem the incoming flow of tears. That didn't work though; a tear leaked out and Peter hid his face in May's chest.
"Her dad's dead," he choked out. "Tony's dead and it's my fault."
May wrapped her arms around her nephew. "Oh, Peter, honey, it's not your fault."
"It is!" Peter insisted, gripping May tightly. "If I had just been fast enough, I could've gotten the gauntlet, I could've snapped my fingers. I have accelerated healing. I would've survived it! But Mr. Stark was human! He couldn't—there was no way—How can I look at his kid in the face knowing it was my fault her dad's not coming back?" his next words were garbled and unintelligible.
May continued rubbing his back, small tears coming out of her own eyes. "Your suit was broken, Pete. You did what you could. Tony knew what he was gonna do, he knew what it would cost him. He wouldn't want you to blame yourself."
Peter lifted his head, wiping his tears. "I just… I feel like I don't deserve to be there with his family."
"You are his family too, Pete."
Peter sniffled and sent his aunt a doubtful look.
"I told you. Everybody asked after you." She paused. "Even Morgan."
"What?"
"Pepper introduced me to her. She said I was your aunt. And Morgan knew who you were, Peter."
Morgan knew who he was? Did that—did she—
"Spider-Man?"
"Not Spider-Man." May took his hands and squeezed. "You. She asked after you specifically, asked why her brother wasn't there."
Peter's head started to throb. "Brother?"
"Turns out Tony had been telling her stories about you. And there's apparently a picture of you in the house."
Peter let out a breath. "I… I'm…"
"Like I said, you're family to her, Pete."
May rose, leaving Peter alone on the couch to think about that revelation.
A small brown bag was suddenly thrust in his face.
Peter looked up.
"Pepper told me to give you this. It's from Tony."
...
Family.
Family.
Tony saw him as family.
Peter took a deep breath as he paced under Morgan's bedroom window. Her bedroom light was on, telling Peter she was still awake at 8 in the evening.
His heartbeat was thundering in his ears, he could feel his muscles tense.
Oh, God.
He could do this.
He owed Tony this much.
He exhaled, shook his arms to get his icy blood flowing, got into a jumping stance and then—
"Spider-Man?"
"Shit!" Peter shrieked in surprise, jumping around. He had been so nervous he hadn't sensed anyone coming up behind him.
A little girl stood looking at him. She was holding Pepper's hand. They looked like they had just gotten back from an evening stroll if the girl's blinking rubber shoes were anything to go by.
What was it May had said?
Brown eyes.
Brown hair.
Had Tony's smile?
Now that he saw her, Peter definitely saw Tony in the girl's crooked smirk.
Yep. This was Morgan.
She was beautiful.
Morgan shook her head at him. "That's Mommy's word."
Her mother laughed silently but stayed where they were.
"Hello, Spider-Man," said Pepper, smiling knowingly at Peter. "Fancy seeing you here tonight."
Peter was almost grateful he was wearing the new Spider-Man suit and that Pepper couldn't see how red his face was. Then again, his mask was just as red.
He scratched the back of his head out of habit and chuckled nervously. "I was in the neighborhood. Thought I'd stop by."
"To see me?" asked Morgan excitedly, her feet dancing in excitement.
"Uhhh," Peter glanced at Pepper who nodded subtly. "Yeah!" Peter took a couple steps forward, his courage growing.
"Did Daddy send you?"
Peter froze. Did Tony what?
"Um," Peter looked at Pepper again who shrugged her shoulders this time. He was on his own, then. "No."
The smile on Morgan's face fell and she looked sad.
"He didn't send me, but… but I wouldn't be here if it weren't for him. Your dad's my hero. He saved my life."
Morgan smiled at that. "He's Iron Man."
Remembering Tony's last words, Peter's voice shook a little, "Yeah, he is. He's my favorite superhero."
Morgan suddenly let go of her mom's hand and walked towards him. She looked up at him and Peter didn't know what else to do other than to crouch down to her level.
Morgan wrapped her arms around him. "I like Iron Man too. But you're my favorite!"
Peter awkwardly patted Morgan in the back whilst looking at Pepper. She had a misty look in her eyes and Peter knew if he'd stare at her longer, he'd be misty-eyed too.
Morgan pulled away and said, "Daddy tells me bedtime stories about Spider-Man. My favorite is The Lost Bicycle."
Peter started to laugh. Of all the stories to tell his kid, Tony chose that one?
"Morgan, why don't you invite Spider-Man in the house?"
Morgan reached up and took Peter's hand. "Come on!"
Peter glanced around the house as soon as he took a step inside. It was cozy and it felt safe; he could almost imagine Tony working on that table, sitting on that couch, eating in the kitchen.
Peter sat himself on one of the kitchen chairs while Pepper made Morgan drink water.
"Do you want anything, Pet—Spider-Man?" The little slip from Pepper told Peter that Morgan didn't know that Peter and Spider-Man were the same person.
Hmm. He'd had thought Tony would've told his kid.
Or maybe… maybe Tony thought it wasn't his secret to tell. Or maybe he thought Peter might come back and tell Morgan himself.
Then again, there was a reason Peter came to the lake house wearing his suit, a reason why he hid his face under the mask.
"No, thanks. I'm good."
Pepper nodded, looking between him and Morgan with a sad smile on her face. "I'll be in the living room if you need me. Morgan?"
Morgan turned to her mother, mouth still on the glass of water she was drinking so suspiciously slow.
"I want that glass empty, okay?"
"Okay, Mommy."
Pepper gave her daughter a knowing look and then left them alone.
Morgan finally drew the glass away and grinned at Peter. "I have to drink lots of water so I'll grow."
"Good idea."
Morgan sat on the chair beside Peter's, her glass of water forgotten on the table despite her earlier comment.
She gave Peter a pensive look and then said, "Are you afraid of frogs?
That was a random question. "What? No. Why do you ask?"
"Because frogs eat spiders," Morgan said simply.
"Oh, well—"
"And lizards too."
She asked him about other stuff, about what his favorite ice cream flavor was, what his favorite color was.
She reminded Peter of Ned a little bit, wide-eyed and enthusiastic to know everything there was to know about Spider-Man.
She wasn't kidding when she said Spider-Man was her favorite.
It made Peter's heart melt when she mentioned she had a Spider-Man stuffed toy in her room.
"Do you have spider friends? Can you speak to spiders?"
"No, unfortunately, I don't have that power like Ant-Man."
Morgan's eyes widened. "Is Ant-Man your best friend?"
Peter figured he might as well nod. "Yeah. We help each other out sometimes."
"What about Mantis?"
"Mantis? Oh, the green alien?"
Morgan nodded. "She's awesome."
"Yeah, she is. I wish I had her powers."
"But you have Spider Eyes! You can look at the bad guy and make them do whatever you want."
Peter did a double take. Did he hear that right? "What? Who told you that?"
"Daddy!"
"Exactly what has your dad been telling you about me?"
It turned out Tony took advantage of the fact that Peter wasn't around to refute him to tell Morgan some pretty outrageous bedtime stories that were founded on 10% truth and 90% creative license.
But Peter didn't mind. Not when Morgan clearly enjoyed the stories so much. If that was all she would remember of her dad, Peter wasn't going to break her bubble.
"You're not scared of the Lizard-Man?"
Peter bit back his laugh and what came out was a snort. Lizard-Man? Where did Tony get all these stories from?
"No. He was pretty sticky, though," said Peter, playing along.
He wondered if this was what it'd be like if he had been around for the past five years. Seen Morgan get born, played with her, pretended to be fighting a Lizard-Man…
Peter eyed the now-empty glass of water. "You done?"
Morgan nodded and Peter offered to put it away for her.
"Thank you," said Morgan politely. There was still that excited look in her face, like she can't quite believe Spider-Man was in her kitchen.
"You're welcome."
He spotted a framed photograph on his way to the sink.
He picked it up.
"That's my big brother Peter and my Daddy. Peter's not here though."
Peter gripped the picture tightly.
Morgan already knew who he was. Knew who Spider-Man was. He shouldn't hide from her anymore.
"Yes, he is." Peter took his mask off and then turned around. "Hi, Morgan. It's me. It's Peter."
Morgan's mouth is a perfect O.
"It's nice to meet you," Peter said lamely because what do you say when— "Oh!"
Morgan had come barreling into him, tiny arms once again wrapped around Peter.
Peter returned the hug, whispering, "I'm sorry I'm late, but I'm here now."