I have a duty | a spiderman story

Chapter 25

You really thought I would let you guys be happy? 
TW: angst, also cuteness overload

~~~~~

Tony hadn't left his lab in days. Ever seen Peter had woken up and he had spoke to him. He felt like such a failure. He had let his son get hurt. He hadn't been there to protect him. 

It was 

all

his

fault

And that wasn't the worse of it. Peter had been screaming when he had seen Tony. He had screamed in such an inhuman way it would replay in Tony's mind whenever he wasn't busy. 

That's why he stayed in his lab. It forced him to stay busy. It forced the negative thoughts out. 

He hadn't slept in days and truth be told he was exhausted but every time he closed his eyes he saw the image of Peter's broken beaten body. He watched as Peter screamed out in pain and he did nothing to help. He would wake up screaming coated in sweat. 

He choked out a sob. It was all. his. fault. No matter what Stephen told him he knew it was the truth. He collapsed onto the floor tears streaming down his cheeks. Sobs shook his body as he let all the pain that had grasped his heart out. He let out a scream of anguish before collapsing, curling into a ball. 

~~~~~

Stephen whistled cheerfully as he took the elevator down to Tony's lab. He was excited to tell him the good news. 

As he approached the lab the sound of sobs got louder and louder and as soon as the elevator stopped he rushed out and pulled at the lab door. It was locked. He pulled on his sling ring and stepped through a portal into the lab.

When he entered he saw his husband weeping on the floor curled in a ball with lab equipment scattered everywhere. He sighed slowly before approaching the weeping man.

"Hey Tony" he whispered as he wrapped his arms around the smaller man. "It's just me, it's okay, I've got you."

Tony continued to cry and if possible his sobs got louder and he shook more violently. Stephen quickly opened a portal to their bedroom and carried Tony through it placing him gently on their bed. He stroked the mans back as he cried whispering sweet nothings to him.

Slowly, Tony's sobs got quieter and he started to uncurl himself. He opened his bloodshot eyes to look up at his husband.

"Why?" the broken man asked.

"Why what?" Stephen asked confused

"Why do you stay with me? I'm just a waste of space, a failure, a disappointment. I'm a mess who lets everyone down. I failed Peter, I failed you, I failed New York. I can't do anything right." Tony began to sob again.

"Tony, it's okay. Look at me. Tony look at me." Tony slowly lifted his gaze to look at the doctor.

"I'm not going to leave you, I never will."

"Why?" Tony asked softly.

"Because I love you Tony and nothing is ever going to change that. I love you despite your imperfections. I love you because of them. You're the best thing that's ever happened to me and if I didn't believe that, I wouldn't have married you." Stephen said tears swimming in his eyes. 

He wrapped his arms around Tony pulling him in for a hug. He felt Tony grab onto his shirt nuzzling his head into Stephen's chest. He had always found it cute when Tony did that. After da couple of minutes he felt Tony's breathing slow to a steady pace and knew he had fallen asleep. Smiling softly Stephen drifted into a dreamless sleep.

~~~~~

"Wade?" Sam asked.

"Sup" 

"Didn't Stephen say he was going to come up and join us at dinner?"  The group of Avengers were chatting to each other happily after finding out that Peter's memory was returning.

Wade ans Sam suddenly stood up before running out of the room.

"Fri where is Dr Strange?" Wade asked the AI

"Dr Strange is in his and Mr Stark's bedroom." Friday responded. 

"Are they busy?" Sam asked.

Stephen and Tony are currently sleeping. Would you like me to wake them up?" 

"No that's okay, thanks Fri"

"Of course Sam" 

The two teens crept to Stark's bedroom and peeped in. They knew Tony hadn't been sleeping recently and it was a surprise to see him out of his lab. They smiled at the pair holding each other as they slept. 

"Hey Fri. Can you take a photo of this and send it to my phone?" Sam asked

"Of course Sam" 

A second later Sam felt her phone buzz and she pulled it out smiling at the photo. The two teens silently crept away back into the Kitchen. 

"Where'd you two go?" Nat asked the two. Sam answered by pulling out her phone and showing everyone the photo. A collective aww commenced. 

"I'm glad Tony's sleeping again" Someone whispered and everyone nodded in agreement.

~~~~~

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