Iron Dad One Shots (mcu)

Part of the Journey is the End

Spoilers (??) for the Avengers: Endgame trailer. Warning for lots and lots of Tony angst.

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He tried. He tried so fucking hard. Really, he did. He flew a damn nuke into space, fought the Chitauri in New York, built an AI that would protect the Earth only to end up having to fight that same AI to save the Earth, lost his teammates — his friends — all in an attempt to keep the world safe.

And yet.

He's lost in space. Completely alone. No food, no water, limited air. No way of contacting anybody. Everyone still on Earth must think he died in the Snap.

(He wishes he did.)

He recorded messages for Pepper, Rhodey, Happy, fuck, even Steve. It was stupid wishful thinking that they'd ever see it. He has no idea if any of them are even alive. For all he knew, they'd been dusted just like Peter.

Oh, god, Peter.

Watching Peter disappear had been like losing his own son. No cuts and bruises he'd ever experienced compared to the pain of losing him.

But for everything he was wrong about, Thanos was right about one thing. Being dusted was mercy.

Because if Peter hadn't died, then he'd have to go through days of agonizing hunger pains. He'd start to cry everyday, because he knows he's going to die soon and he's so fucking scared, only to find no tears. He'd spend hours losing sleep wondering what it'll feel like to suffocate slowly. Will it hurt? Will he just get dizzy? Will it be like falling asleep? Will it be like drowning?

Peter didn't have to go through that.

Tony did.

Utterly broken, wrecked and dismayed, he buries his face in shaking hands and sobs, long given up the fight of keeping his emotions at bay. He cries for his kid, his fiancé, his team, himself. It doesn't matter. No one can hear him anyways.