Chapter Text
May cried when she got the news.
It was like something out of a horror movie for her. A police officer had knocked on her door, and she had opened it, confused.
“May Parker? You’re Peter Parker’s legal guardian, correct?”
“Yes, that’s me. What seems to be the problem?”
“Peter Parker committed suicide this afternoon.”
May didn’t cry at first.
The shock had been overwhelming.
Her first thought was, no, that can’t be. Peter wouldn’t do that. It can’t be. Peter wasn’t depressed.
But he never did talk about things, now that May thought about it.
And with that thought came overwhelming guilt.
-
The first thing she did was call Tony.
He needed to know.
Tony was in his lab, thinking Peter was alright and safe, thinking he was okay at all.
Then, he got May’s call.
He didn’t think much of it. Perhaps Peter had left homework in the lab, or something similar. Nothing too serious.
Until he heard May sobbing.
Fear panged in his chest.
“May? What’s wrong?”
“Peter, he-” May’s voice got cut off by another sob.
“What happened?” Tony rushed, and this time, his worry was audible.
“He killed himself. Peter… he’s dead.”
May still seemed in disbelief as she said it, and another wave of sobs sounded through the phone. Admitting it had made it much more real for her.
Tony was in shock.
Shock.
That was a theme, wasn’t it?
Nobody thinks anything until you actually die.
“What?” He nearly dropped the phone as he heard it. “No. No, that can’t… no.”
“I’m sorry,” May whispered.
“I…” Tony was speechless. “I have to go.”
He hung up without waiting for a response.
He was distantly aware he was trembling, a crushing guilt in his chest. He sank down to the floor, leaning against the wall.
He let out a scream.
-
Ned and MJ found out next.
Ned looked shocked.
MJ started crying.
-
The funeral was… there were no words to describe it.
Sad? Depressing? Crushing?
No. Any word used would undermine it.
May was sobbing uncontrollably throughout the whole thing. After all, she had lost the only piece of family she had left, the person she was supposed to protect.
And Tony knew he would’ve joined her if not for Pepper. He held her hand the whole time, his grip tight as he tried to control his emotions.
Even he couldn’t control the tears that had fallen down his face toward the end.
Ned and MJ… they gave a speech. They were inconsolable by the end of it.
“Peter was… the best person in the world, with no doubt. He had morals. He was kind. He was the best friend we could have asked for,” MJ spoke, her voice wobbling.
“He put others before himself. I suppose that’s a part of the reason why we’re standing here today,” Ned continued, tears dripping down his face as he let out a bitter chuckle.
“He was a great person,” MJ repeated. “And it kills me that the one person who deserved to live didn’t want to.”
The speech went on.
All four of them had one thing in common.
They couldn’t help the crushing guilt, the grief, the blame they took up on themselves.
May thought she should’ve seen the signs. She was supposed to protect her.
Tony was moments away from his façade cracking. Peter spent so much time with him. He should have known, should have noticed, should have stopped him.
Ned still couldn’t believe it. What kind of best friend was he? He never once considered the possibility that Peter had even considered something like this.
MJ was supposed to be smart , and she didn’t notice something as big and obvious as her best friend wanting to kill himself. If only she had gotten him help, if only she had done something .
But there was nothing they could do now.
Peter Parker was dead.
And none of them could stop it.
~ Fin ~