lacuna || Peter Parker (Spider-Man: Homecoming)

19

Tony Stark had always been Peter Parker's hero.

The teen had watched him on the news, when he was only young, just having escaped Afghanistan. The billionaire had just announced that he won't be selling or manufacturing weapons anymore. That was when he became Peter's idol.

Not when he revealed that he was Iron Man. Sure, being Iron Man was a bonus – with a much higher pay-grade – but Peter still only ever wanted to see the Tony Stark.

Then, when he heard that the Expo was happening, he had begged his aunt and uncle to take him. They had agreed almost immediately, not having seen Peter so excited since after his parents died.

He had nearly fainted when Tony had given him a noogie, while he was walking out of the theatre, after presenting the Expo.

But days later, he had received the fright of his life. Those Hammer Drones were trying to kill Mr Stark and Peter wanted to help. So, he had shoved on his Iron Man suit, "blaster-thingy's" – as he like to call it – and all. But he hadn't expected any of those Drones to actually mistake him for the really thing.

But then Tony Stark had swooped in a saved him.

Never will he ever forget his words, as he flew away:

"Nice work, kid."

Then suddenly he was bitten by some radioactive spider, had crazy abilities and senses that was completely inhumane, he was creating his own suit, he was saving people-

His uncle was dying-

Then he was being recruited by this same Tony Stark, of whom he had looked up to for years and years, who had no idea about their meeting seven years ago.

Then he was fighting alongside his hero, with a new suit and a new purpose. And that hole that was left behind when Ben had died was slowly patching up.

Then it was re-opened when he messed up. His suit was taken away, and all he wanted to was to prove himself. So, he did. And things began to get better again.

Then he was kidnapped, and he literally died.

But Tony Stark brought him back to life, so maybe he did care. Because he was there for him. He brought him back.

And from that point onward...that whole was patched up. He had made a father out of Tony Stark. And Tony had made a son out of him. Of course, Peter's life wasn't perfect. He wasn't happy, but then again, neither was Mr Stark. But he knew what Peter went through – he went through it himself – and he didn't try to sugar-coat it. God, Peter hated it when people tried to make him feel better. Sometimes he just needed someone to understand. And Tony gave him that.

So, when that bomb went off...

He felt like his entire world was ripped in two.

How much more did Peter have to lose?

How much more did he have to go through before the damn devil was satisfied?

How much more broken did he have to be, for someone to help?

After he had been and gone from the Avenger's hospital clinic, he had stumbled back home in shock. He had lain in bed for hours, just staring back up at the ceiling.

Then May had gotten home and all he had done was smile and give her a warm hug. He hadn't touched his dinner at all. He felt too sick to eat anything.

So, he had gone back to bed. And it was a long time before sleep snuck up on him, but he woke up every half hour or so, screaming and screaming and screaming. Every time he shut his eyes, he saw...he saw his failure.