It happened all too fast.

One moment Peter was battling intergalactic aliens alongside the Avengers and the next he was crying out, Don't go, don't go, don't go, please, don't leave me.

He was fighting the Chitauri, shooting webs and bombs at the ever-approaching figures. Even though Peter was fighting for his life, he felt free, slightly proud, even, knowing that he was protecting the world and that Mr. Sta- Tony, was trusting him to fight alongside all the other superheroes. Because that's what he was now. A superhero.

It didn't change the fact that he was scared though. He didn't want to die, he didn't want to have others attending his funeral, or worse, having to attend others' funerals. Especially someone he considered family. But Peter knew that if Tony had a choice, he would've asked him to stay home, even though by now, he knew that Peter wouldn't listen at all. He knew him as well as a father would. And he was his father, in a way.

Father's day was coming up. If they managed to defeat Thanos, Peter would definitely make something for Tony, because it wasn't exactly easy buying something for a billionaire. He'd been asking Karen about what he should get, because he reeaally didn't wanna mess this up. Karen had only said, "I'm sure Boss would appreciate anything you got for his birthday. He dotes on you like a father and Boss has had his share of bad parenting to know how to love a child properly. Don't worry Peter, you still have a month." Karen sounded amused, even if she was an AI. Trust Tony Stark to create robots more human than most people. Peter asked Aunt May when he got home, only changing the question so it was asking about what a hypothetical son would get his kind-of Dad for father's day. May had laughed because the poor boy was very bad at trying to cover up his adoration for Stark. "I'm sure you know what to get him. Besides, if he doesn't like it, I'll make sure to have a word with him! But I know he won't because, what kind of hypothetical father doesn't love his son?" Peter had only spluttered indignantly, embarrassed, but still immensely happy because, well, Peter finally had someone to think of as 'Dad'. Peter wasn't sure if they would all be alive after this, but that didn't stop him from hoping.

And then Thanos had looked at Peter, pure malice shimmering in his eyes as he made a thoughtful noise. He turned towards Tony. Peter's eyes widened in fear, fear, so much fear.

"How much do you care about the boy?"

Even though he had not addressed him specifically, Tony whipped his head around, not even looking as he blasted two Chitauri gaining on his back.

"What. do. you. want."

Tony's voice was cold, mechanical and showing no emotions. But if Peter had been able to look inside the suit he would've seen a scared man, a father hating himself for having to have dragged his son into the mess in the first place, a vulnerable,broken man telling himself to keep his emotions at bay or he would lose someone else.

" , would you die for this boy?"

Tony turned to face Peter. He looked at him, bit his inner cheek until he drew blood and took a breath.

"Yes."

"Then do it."

Thanos raised his gauntlet, thrumming with unknown energies that none of them could hope to defend against. It was the first time they had seen him use it. Thanos prepared to fire.

No

Tony was already flying, propulsors flaring and leaving burning streaks behind him. He didn't care about anything else.

Nononononono

Peter wanted to scream. Tony, no please. It's ok, it's alright, please I can't lose you, I'm okay, I'm not a kid. But he was scared, scared, scare-

Tony fired back with his arc reactor, trying to make the powerful beam stop before it would reach his son. I'm sorry Peter, I'm so sorry, but I wouldn't be able to deal - I wouldn't be able to live if I lost you. You helped me so much, after Siberia, after everything. You are so much better than me.

Tony lifted up his faceplate and smiled, tears rolling down his bruised cheeks. He couldn't stop them, he couldn't stop the beam with his repulsors, he had to do this, for Peter, for the people he loved.

"Take care ki-"

And then blue light engulfed his body and it was awful, and too fast, but Peter's heightened senses made it seem like a lifetime of watching the man who supported him turn into nothing but a flash of light and Peter screamed, a wave of anguish and denial and - dontgodontleavedontpleaseplease I ca n't, don't leave me please, not again, not again,

Peter collapsed to the ground, face in shock, tears streaking his unmasked face.

There wasn't even a body left. Just some ashes he couldn't tell apart from dirt.

And Peter broke. He started mumbling and hyperventilating, everything around him drowning in white noise. "Not again, comebackcomebackcomeback, I love you, Dad please, I'm begging you, I was gonna spend Father's day with you. I finally had a father to spend the day with. It was going to be perfect. Maybe this is like New York, maybe he'll come back."

He didn't come back.

Peter continued rambling on, voice cracking and fresh tears threatening to spill over the other ones. "Come on Peter get it together, he'll come back, he'll be back. Get it together, you're Spider-man, not a kid, you have to do this. You can't think about this now, you can-t, you, you, can't, thin-k."

Peter heard Rhodey talking to him, distant, saying something, something he couldn't hear, but he could tell the man was just as broken as he was.

Peter took a shuddering breath; closing his eyes to put on his mask. Spider-man got up.

Later, Peter would realise that Thanos had the opportunity to kill him several times during that occurrence. But instead he took Tony's life. It didn't matter though. Because Peter had broken enough to make it count.

After all, you could only lose your father so many times.