A/N: SO… I've been listening to this one song OBSESSIVELY lately, wondering what story-idea was trying to form in my head. Until this came out.

DISCLAIMER: Oh, me? PFFFT! I… own… nothing. If I did own something we wouldn't have to wait for the new 'Avengers' flick for so long…

WARNINGS: A tiny bit of language… A biiiiiiiit of feels… WOAH. That's a SHORT list.

NOW. I do believe that it's go-time. Soooo, let's roll! I REALLY hope that you'll enjoy the ride.

Sunset

The sun was setting slowly as the Iron Man landed to a rooftop. Tony Stark spent a few moments admiring the nearly surreal view before focusing on his companion. "Another patrol?" he inquired, trying to sound casual despite feeling the kind of unease he wasn't used to.

Clearly surprised, Peter Parker looked up at him from where the teenager had been sitting on the edge watching and listening. The boy gave him a painfully innocent smile that made him appear every bit as young as he was. "Hey, Mr. Stark! What are you doing here?"

Tony shrugged, stepping out of the suit. He shivered when the wind caught a hold of him. "Just thought I should give the view you keep going on about a look. I've gotta admit, it's pretty impressive."

Peter grinned. "Right? Just wait until five minutes before the dark. That's when it's at its best."

"Yeah?" Tony walked closer, until he stood right beside the teenager. "Do I need to remind of the curfew your ridiculously hot aunt and I agreed on? An hour and a half. Then go home before you turn into a pumpkin."

Peter gave him an amused look. "Was that a Disney joke?"

"Yeah. A bad one." Tony rolled his eyes. "Don't laugh at me! Not everyone has your skills when it comes to pop-culture references. And don't change the subject when I'm trying real hard to pretend that I'm a responsible adult."

"An hour and forty-five minutes?" Peter tried to bargain, with big eyes that were too damned hard to resist.

Tony did his best to glare. "An hour and a half. Or I'm launching Babysitter Protocol. We haven't tested it yet, but I've got a feeling that you wouldn't like it."

"But Mr. Stark!" Peter whined. Sounding heartbreakingly lot like someone of his actual age, like a child who was planning on going after criminals most adults wouldn't have wanted to face. "What if someone needs me when the curfew comes?"

"I would need you if you'd ignore your curfew. Again. You have no idea what your aunt threatened me with last time you did that." Tony winced at the memory of the verbal assault.

Peter huffed. "Fine. An hour and a half." The boy seemed sheepish for a moment. "I… guess I've given May too many gray hairs already, since she found out about Spider-Man."

"And me!" Tony pointed out. "I'm the one who receives Karen's reports every time you get yourself into a trouble, remember? So, for the sake of my sanity and poor old heart… Try to stay out of trouble tonight."

Peter pursed his lips, eyes meeting his. It was anyone's guess what the kid saw. "Okay."

"Okay?" Tony replied. Then rolled his eyes again. (He was making a habit out of that, and hated it because it made him feel too much like his father.) "Yeah, kid… Really convincing." He pushed his fist gently against the boy's shoulder. "I get the whole Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man thing. But remember that you've got people who care about you, too. We're expecting you to come back from your patrol in one piece."

Peter tried to appear irritated. But it was easy to see how much his words meant to the teenager. "You're getting worse than May."

Tony grinned. "Good. I take that as a compliment."

Peter seemed to hear something that Tony couldn't and bounced up. The boy's feet came so close to going over the edge that the billionaire felt cold, but the Spider-Man's balance didn't weaver for even a second. Just about to put on his mask, Peter gave him a smile. "Mr. Stark? Don't worry so much. I'll be fine." Soon the mask was in place, hiding the boy's face. "See you tomorrow! I can't wait to get started with that new web-solution!" Then, nearly giving Tony a heart-attack despite the Iron Man knowing that it was ridiculous to panic, the boy jumped.

Peter went down, down, down. Until finally, finally web flew and broke the fall. Not missing a single beat, Peter began to swing further and further away from Tony. Until the Spider-Man was gone.

/ "See you tomorrow!" /

Hurt began to spread. So sharp and merciless that it threatened to leave Tony breathless. Instinctively his hand found its way to a wound that still felt fresh, even if he knew that it wasn't the source of this agony.

/ "Mr. Stark? Don't worry so much. I'll be fine." /

Tony shuddered when his phone began to ring. He had to compose himself for several seconds and clear his throat before he was able to pick up. "Hey. Sorry I…" His voice broke. "Sorry I disappeared on you."

"Goddamnit, Tony!" Pepper sounded like she'd been on the verge of a panic attack. "How many times do I have to tell you not to do that? I thought…" She trailed off and sighed. "Where are you?"

Tony gulped thickly. He didn't want to wonder why his eyes were blurry. "On… the rooftop." He looked towards the sunset. Five minutes before the dark. It was definitely at its most beautiful. "I… needed to talk to Pete."

A long, heavy silence followed. When Pepper murmured he heard her holding back tears. "Tony…"

"I know, I know." Tony wiped his eyes angrily. It did nothing to help with the tears. "I know." He knew how things were, he wasn't that out of touch with reality yet. He'd just needed this one, bittersweet moment of delusion.

Pepper took a shuddering breath. "Just… come home. I'll have jasmine tea waiting." It was their new tradition for sunsets like this. (As though stupid tea would've mended the gaping wound the loss left behind.)

"'K." Tony clenched his jaw, trying to be the man of iron he was supposed to be. Before he managed that flashbacks made him tremble. "Just… give me five minutes." He hung up without letting Pepper answer and hoped that she wouldn't hate him for it.

Putting away the phone with a hand that trembled so badly he nearly dropped the item, Tony stared at New York. At the city Peter loved from the bottom of his young, unhealthily big heart, despite its numerous flaws. And for a moment he felt the boy right there beside him, so vividly that it hurt. Until merciless reality came crashing down on him.

Peter wasn't there anymore. Because Thanos snapped his fingers and the Spider-Man turned to dust in Tony's arms. Peter faded away, terrified, pleading and apologizing. And Tony, a man who'd lived far longer than he ever expected to in his youth, was left behind, bleeding. Where was the justice in any of that?

Tony inhaled a shaky breath. "Kid… Wherever you are, because I know that you're out there, somewhere…" You have to be…! (Someone like Peter deserve so much better than turning into dust before even getting to really live.) "Listen good, because I'll never repeat this. And I'll never, ever admit to having said any of this." He gulped, fighting past the lump in his throat. "I… I have no idea why you… went, instead of me. But… I'll bring you back, just watch me. Whatever it takes, I'll bring you back. And when I do… Thanos will regret the day he was born. That's a promise." His brief, bitter chuckle sounded too much like a sob. "And unlike most of my promises, I'll keep this one."

The day when he'd find his kid would come. Tony would make sure of it. But it wasn't today. Today Tony stood all alone on Peter's favorite rooftop, with the most painful of his ghosts lingering everywhere in the air around him. And he watched the sunset through eyes that were so blurry they could barely see.

"Bye, Pete", he whispered hoarsely to the setting sun. No longer even trying to wipe away the tears. "See you tomorrow."

End

A/N: I'm so, so sorry for doing that. (winces and dodges thrown objects) But DANGIT! Of all the heartbreak I had to go through with 'Infinity War', Pete's fading away was the WORST. Anyone else agree?

SOOOO… How was that? ANY good? Deletion worthy? PLEASE, do let me know! I LOVE hearing from you.

('Fun' fact? This was inspired by 'I Was Here' by Beyoncé.)

THANK YOU, so much, for reading! Whoever knows. Maybe I'll see you again one day?

Take care!