(ENDGAME SPOILERS;OBVIOUSLY)
Post Endgame;Tony's death.
The cold breeze washed over the dull,dark cemetary. Only noise that could be heard was the crickets and owls;the visitors of the night.
The black sky glistened bright with bright,shimmering stars. A clear,cold night.
It has been weeks;After the earth's best protector,and now,the savior, has been buried back to where he had came from;Leaving behind just his legacy and revalutionary vision.
Small whimpers were heard beside the infamous grave,a place where no one would prefer Tony Stark to be. Six feet under.
The highschooler was hunched by the grave,handful of flowers resting on his lap. Peter missed Tony. It was a habit by now,to visit the grave at least once every night. He mostly snuck out with the Spiderman suit;not risking to be caught by anyone he recognizes. He was about to leave the colorful flowers down on the dull dirt and go home;but a tall figure caught him by surprise.
"Hey,Kid." A low voice called out,stepping closer to the grave. The ice blue eyes being the first to come in view. He slowly eased himself down by the highschooler,while Peter turned his curious gaze to the Sorcerer. "Dr.Strange?"
Stephen gave a tired smile. "Stephen for now." He muttered,fixing his sleeves. He didn't have his usual robe and cloak with him,but more... Casual clothing instead. Albeit of course,the time stone was wrapped around his neck,the sorcerer being the sworn protector of it.
Peter gave a small nod,the air intense and somber. "...Right,sir."
Stephen let out a sigh,hesitantly rising his hand to the teen's back and rubbing it comfortingly. Peter tensed at first,but then let the comforting gesture sooth him,quietly scooting close and resting his head on the sorcerer's shoulder.
Truth was,for Peter,even though Aunt May and Happy was there for the him,they were still not in the battlefield,and witnessed firsthand how the events unfolded. Peter was grateful of their support and comfort,but it still didn't give enough of it to the kid,since they didn't quite... Get the mood that was exchanged between the Avengers and Stark. They didn't see how Tony was limp,lifeless,hollow. They didn't witness the kid's weeping over the corpse of his mentor and... Father figure. So,having Strange,who was there with them,and took care of the kid after they woke up,was a relief and an undeniable source of comfort for Peter.
No more words were exchanged between the two for a long while,just being accompanied by the tender sway of the grass and leaves around them.
When it was getting quite late for the teen,Stephen warned him and convinced him to leave and go home. He still had school tomorrow,after all. Peter knew to comply,and even though he was concerned,He accepted on leaving.
Now,alone by the grave,Stephen trailed his shaking fingertips down the cold stone,a shudder passing through him. It felt so cold,empty.
"I tried,Stark." He spoke up,soft and quiet at first,ashamed.
"I've looked and seen. Again,and again,and again... To find a happy ending for everyone. For you.
Fourteen million times. It just... Rolls off the tongue,doesn't it?"
The sorcerer gave a weak chuckle,hunched under the heavy weight of his guilt and sorrow. Hands brushing over the dirt,flower petals,the carving of the name. 'Anthony Stark,Hero.'
"You have no idea... How many times I've watched everyone die,dissappear,how many times I've watched your suffering. It hurt,So much." Stephen recalled,desperately looking over and over and over again,just to find that one,one reality,where everything would have turned out okay. He would have done anything for it to exist. He recalled how painful it was to see everyone so dull and scared,lost. Recalled how Tony died again and again,in front of his eyes.
"I tried to find it,for Morgan,Peter... Pepper. God,I don't even know why I'm doing this. I feel like a madman." Honestly,talking to a grave isn't exactly... Normal. But death always had more meaning for Stephen.
"I just... couldn't find it..."
By now,the sorcerer was tearing up. No matter what,he could never stop feeling responsible for it. And he knew that was never going to change.
Stephen got up from the ground,dusting himself up;Heart aching with the weight of the death of a hero.
"I'm sorry... Tony."
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