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( “A camera? Pete, I know I've made sex tapes in the past but I'm a changed man now- evolved as one might say.”
Peter covers his ears in disgust at his mentor. “Gross!”
Tony can't help but chuckle and clap the teenager's back with his free hand. “Seriously, kid, thank you.”
He flushes slightly and locks eyes with the billionaire. “You're welcome, Mister Stark.” )
Memory01_30may2018_video
“-ou own a tech company and don't even know how to get the thing to start?” Someone giggles. It's obviously Peter from the way it's mindless, uncontrolled.
“Listen here you little shit-”
The camera fumbles, then suddenly Peter and Tony have their faces squished together as they focus into view.
Tony smirks at the teenager, pushing him out of screen gently. “Got it.”
The camera stills quickly and after the slight blur, Peter is slouching on the couch. They're visibly close. Tony watches Peter fondly as he slips down the couch, unable to catch himself before he hit the ground.
There's a thud and very loud laughter to accommodate the screen going black.
( “We could do vlogs, Mister Stark!”
“We are not doing ‘vlogs.’” )
Memory02_30may2018_video
Peter is holding the camera at a selfie angle awkwardly. We twitches and fidgets nervously. “Hey guys welcome to the vlog-”
A loud crash in the background makes him wince.
“Peter, what did I tell you the other day?”
The teenager looks at the camera comically, showing a face if guilt. “That we aren't doing vlogs.”
“And what are you doing right now?”
He pouts before setting the camera down. “Making a vlog.”
The screen goes black.
Memory03_03june2018_photograph
The photo is dimly lit and take place in the kitchen. Peter is standing in front of the stove, a spatula in hand while the other holds a plate of blue pancakes. His hair is curly and tousled to match the lazy grin across his face.
Memory04_03june2018_photograph
The setting of the photo is the same except Peter is sitting beside the cameraman, cheeks puffed filled with pancakes yet a smile still encompasses his features. Syrup drips down his chin messily and his hair is sprinkled with flour.
There's a curiously blurry, white hand swiping across the corner of the screen in the same direction of Peter's newly styled curls.
Memory05_03june2018_photograph
The windows outside show that its darker than before, white panels up meaning that sound is blocked from the outside. This time they're on the couch laying horizontally across it. Peter is on top of the older man, head resting against where his heart would be. Tony's arm is behind the back of his head, the other is right across Peter's back.
( “ Mister Stark,” Peter whines, “I swear I'm not even tired.”
He rolls his eyes and nudges the teenager towards the sofa. “Yeah? Give it fifteen seconds of cuddling. You're a clingy Spider- Baby when you're tired.” )
Memory06_11june2018_video
There's a distant giggling. The angle is awkward and shaky though it's very clear that it's not Tony holding the camera. The man is hunched over on his lab table and there's a strong of drool coming from his chin pooling on a pile of papers.
The camera is placed across the table as Peter comes into view with a large blanket. Gingerly, he wraps it around his mentors shoulders and then grabs a throw pillow. Peter slips it under Tony's head, fixing his posture so his neck and back won't be as sore when he wakes.
Peter freezes as Tony grabs his arm lightly. “Thanks, kid.” He grumbles.
Peter smiles even though Tony's eyes are still closed. He hums to no one in particular and smiles before the screen goes black.
Memory07_13june2018_photograph
Peter is leaning over the edge of the couch, smiling brightly and there's even a visible twinkle in his eyes. The position can't be comfortable, but behind him is Tony, typing on his StarkPad.
Memory08_14june2018_photograph
Peter is standing in front of a lilac bush, back to the camera. He's in the middle of picking off one of the branches.
Memory09_14june2018_video
“Kid, put that down! That's-that's-”
The camera focuses on Peter who has has hands cupped, keeping something from escaping his slim fingers.
Peter smiles almost maniacally and turns towards the camera, his eyes wide. “A bee!”
The screen goes black as Peter opens his hands.
Memory10_28june2018_photograph
Peter is curled into the sofa, clutching a blanket across his back and arms. His hair is fluffy and tousled adoringly. Shielding his eyes are a pair of dark sunglasses. His feet hang out of the end of his blanket.
His socks are a suspicious red and gold, the picture is cut off at the bottom cutting off the rest of his feet.
Memory11_28june2018_photograph
It's similar to a previous picture; Tony obviously isn't aware that the photo is being taken. His fingers are racking through Peter's hair, the teenager's head is on his mentor's lap, cushioned by a fluffy-looking pillow.
They're illuminated by the light of a TV screen and there's snack wrappers littered around them. They look peaceful.
Memory12_29june2018_video
Peter turns quickly as DUM-E's claw pats his back as gently as the robot is capable of. The teenager smiles and lets out a small bout of laughter.
“Did you take the picture?”
Tony grunts and the camera goes from a horizontal view to a vertical one, showing Peter's full height.
The older man laughs. It's loud and full-bodied as he points to the both, his arm now in the shot.
“Even DUM-E is taller than you.” Tony manages through his laughter.
Peter's face goes red in embarrassment as he glares at Tony. “Is not! I can see right over him!”
“Whatever, kiddo.”
Peter sticks his tongue out at him. “I'm not done growing yet.”
Another loud laugh goes through the speaker. “Yeah, going from 5'2 to 5'3 would take some time, I suppose.”
“You're not tall either-”
The screen goes black.
Memory13_30june2018_photograph
Both men are in suits, Tony's a blue pinstripe with a white matching tie, Peter's wearing all black with a red and blue tie over his white dress shirt. Both suits are buttoned and it's obvious they're outside of a conference building.
Tony's smiling, one arm right around Peter and the other gesturing at him as if to say ‘look at my kid.’ Peter is also smiling bright as ever, slightly leaning into his mentor's hold as he gives the camera a thumbs-up.
Memory14_30june2018_photograph
Peter is dressed the same as the last photo but this time his arm is wrapped around his aunt's waist. She's wearing glasses and her hair down, sporting a professional-looking navy blue dress. Her smile is also wide.
Next to May is Rhodey, dresses in a grey suit and white tie. His smile is smaller but not less meaningful.
Memory15_30june2018_photograph
This photo is like the last, only it's just Peter and May. She's kissing his cheek sweetly and he smiles at the camera all the same.
Memory16_06july2018_video
Tony is driving in the car while Queen plays softly in the background. He's mumbling the lyrics under his breath but its unintelligible.
“Mister Stark!” Peter saying loudly.
Tony curses and jolts, getting the car back under control. He looks worryingly at Peter and gives the camera a glare for good measure. “Christ, kid. Don't do that unless you want to be Spider- Baby roadkill.”
Peter ignore the remark and the camera shakes intently. “Where are we going?!”
Tony groans. “Pete-”
“Where are we going?!” Peter asked louder this time.
The older man groans and rolls his eyes. “We're going to the compound, Peter, you've been there so many times I don't know why you-”
Peter turns the camera so it's a close-up of his smiling face. “We're going to the compound!”
The screen goes black.
Memory17_07august2018_photograph
Tony is on one knee in front of Pepper. They're in front of a clean-cut lawn in sweatpants and hoodies. A bonfire is behind them with forgotten and burning marshmallows on sticks. Both of them are smiling, albeit Tony looks tense.
Memory18_07august2018_photograph
Tony and Pepper are hugging. Her feet are off the ground, face red with the biggest smile she's ever publicly shown. Tony's face is covered by her messy hair.
They both look oddly younger. This time, neither are tense; happiness is the only emotion that can be found.
Memory19_07august2018_video
The camera won't still therefore its o virus Peter is behind it. He, like everyone else, is too excited. The pair is still hugging and there's even laughter behind him, more people celebrating.
“Congratulations!” The crowd yells in a chorus. Peter's is the most clear. He sounds emotional.
The two look at him, then each other, then back at Peter. The camera is snatched by someone behind him as the pair barrel towards the teenager.
Tony swoops in with one arm and hugs him so tight it looks painful. With the other he holds Pepper.
The video blurs before going blank, not before Peter lets out a happy squeal that sounds suspiciously like a sob.
Memory20_10august2018_video
This time, Peter is the one being taped. He's snoring softly under a large white duvet that seemingly swallows him whole.
“Man, just do it and stop staring.”
The other man, Tony, hisses at who must be Rhodey holding the camera.
Quietly and sweetly, the men begin to sing. Tony sits on the edge of the teenager's bed and rubs up and down gently.
The chorus of ‘Happy Birthday’ ends and Peter groans, rubbing his eyes with an embarrassed smile.
He's beaming at the men before him. “Guys!” Peter blushes.
Tony ruffles his bedhead styled curls. “Happy 17th, kiddo.”
The screen goes black.
“Sir, this is the last one. Should I remind you that it has been 48 hours since you last slept and will not be able to function properly soon?”
“Damn it, F.R.I.D.A.Y., play the clip!”
She doesn't answer and the last video clip starts.
Memory21_08september2018
“Mister Stark, I told you my field trip is tomorrow-”
Tony tsks and ruffles Peter's hair. It's a common thing throughout the snippets, a constant. “Get some sleep, Pete. It'll all be here when you get back.”
The camera is slightly hidden between the crack of a door. Tomt and Peter don't know they're being filmed.
Peter looks the the ground, his expression is unreadable by the angle of the camera. There's a long pause before he speaks up again. “You sure?”
Tony chuckles at this. He places a hand on the teenager's shoulder and pulls him in so they're sidd to side. “You'll always have a place here, kid.”
“Thanks, Mister Stark.”
( Tony scoffs. “I should be thanking you.”
Peter's eye grows scrunched in confusion. “Why?”
He shrugs a little before forcing himself to answer. “You're just you , kid. Best little mentee I've ever had.”
“I'm the only mentee you've ever had! And I'm not little. ” )
The screen goes black.
Its torture, watching these tapes and seeing all the moments he took for granted. Watching his already- raised kid melt his walls with smiles and a intelligence that even he had trouble keeping up with at times.
It's almost funny , he thinks.
Tony watches every single one of the tapes after his persistent nightmares. He watched them before he got married, leaving an empty groomsman spot for his psuedo- son. His birthday passes, the day he would have graduated goes before that. He celebrates by clicking glasses with the bits in his workshop, the ones Peter loved like family.
Tony cries on the summer night that MIT students would have moved into their dorms. If Peter was there Tony would be doing the same, anyway.
Its motivation. Tony let's the tape play in the background as he builds, even uses some of Peter's designs and he hopes he's making the kid proud somewhere.
He listens to them once before getting in a spaceship with men qnd women he thought he'd never see again. The recording ends as they land on red dust over a cracked ground that makes worry coil in his chest at mere recollection.
Tony shuts off the camera for good when he can feel Peter, wrapped up a blanket with tear stained cheeks, pressing against his side and he's so damaged but he's alive and that's the only thing that matters.
“Is it a bad time to make a Star Trek pun?”
Peter looks up at him with dulled eyes, it makes his entire body pang with sadness. He's searching for words that never come out. His thin-lipped smile is uncharacteristic but Tony is undeniably grateful.
“Yeah, uh, new ground rule.” Tony swallows and tightens his grip. “No space jokes.”
Peter moans miserably. “Those are the best ones though.”
It's quiet after that, a peaceful quiet. The ship ticks along, destined for Earth. The Guardians and Strange are talking about their experiences but Tony has no interest. His only intent is getting knots out of Peter's hair and holding him tightly against his chest.
“The camera's broken.”
Tony looks are yeah, the camera is smashed into pieces in front of them. They're sparkly and beautiful displayed in front of them but Peter is crying.
“Its okay.” Tony tells him into the crown of his head. “We'll make more memories.”
( “Can I vlog?”
Tony sighs. “ Fine. ” )