Endgame 2.0 (A Peter Parker and Avengers fanfiction)

Chapter 8

Wow what is this, a two-day updating streak? Insane. I'm trying to get this all wrapped up before the one-year anniversary of Endgame, which, while perhaps not realistic, is what I'm setting my sights on, so here's Chapter 8 :)

Wow only 4 more chapters left.

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It took a few minutes for the room to unfreeze from the shock. The second Tony felt the tension glueing him to the ground melt away, he took after the kid.

"Tony-" he heard someone call after him.

"Give me five minutes." he called back, already having no intention of turning back to chat.

"FRI, where'd he go?" Tony asked, pausing out in the hallway. The AI was quiet for a few seconds before responding.

"Look up, boss." she said, and that was definitely humor laced in her words. Tony looked up and was met face to face with Peter, suspended from the ceiling with a faint smile on his face.

"Little shit." Tony muttered.

"Me or FRIDAY?" Peter jested.

"Both of you." Tony responded, a smile on his own face. However, it quickly melted away as the severity of the situation hit him. Peter noticed the change in his countenance and the smile fell off his own face; he flipped down from the ceiling and stood in front of his mentor, looking him in the eye.

"I'm not letting you die, Mr. Stark." Peter said with such certainty Tony paused, surveying him with a calculating gaze.

"Yeah well, same goes for you, kid."

"So we have a deal?" Peter asked, and Tony rolled his eyes.

"Yeah kid, whatever you say."

There was a long pause, and Tony briefly looked away from the teenager only to fix him with a fierce gaze seconds later.

"He's not wrong about you, kid. Neither was the time stone. I may not be big fans of either, but they chose correctly." he said quietly, sincerity bleeding into his tone. Normally he wouldn't be this upfront with his emotions, but he knew the kid needed this reassurance, especially with the weight of the universe and everyone's futures on his shoulders. And Tony would be damned if he let him carry that burden alone. Peter looked up at him, gaze wet with unshed tears yet piercing straight through him. They flicked up and down his frame, trying to decided whether Tony was placating him with false reassurances or whether he really meant it. Tony didn't break his gaze from him the entire time, and eventually, Peter nodded slowly, realizing that this was real. Tony wholeheartedly trusted in his abilities.

"Thanks, Mr. Stark." he said softly, quickly using his sleeve to sweep away the tears before they could fall down his cheeks. Tony patted him on the shoulder, soft if not a bit awkward, and the kid offered a wan smile. "We should get back to them, shouldn't we?"

"Eh, probably." Tony replied. "I always like to be fashionably late, though, so I don't think I'm the best consultant." This earned a snort from the teen so the billionaire took it as a win. They hadn't traveled far from the room where the rest of the Avengers were gathered, so they reached the doorway in a couple of seconds before Peter stopped abruptly.

"There's someone in there who wasn't before." Peter said, tilting his head. "Another heartbeat. They're in the left corner of the room behind the table, hiding in the shadows." 

Tony opened his mouth to respond; to warn the team or ask FRIDAY, he wasn't sure. Since they were in the doorway, however, several Avengers had already heard Peter's warning and turned to the corner, where a figure was obscured in the shadows. Natasha waved them off when the figure gave a chuckle; her stance was relax and unthreatened and she approached the person like an old friend.