Chapter Text
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“Spider-Man is dead.”
A sudden hush fell over the press conference room. Everyone, reporters, Avengers, and spectators alike froze, every single person not believing the words that had just left Pepper Pott’s mouth.
”Last week,” Pepper continued, clearing her throat, that unable to stop the waver in her voice as her eyes glazed over, “As many of you know, there was an organized attack led by HYDRA. This attack was intended to disrupt New York and kill tens of thousands of people. But, it didn’t. The bomb was planted on Liberty Island, and if the blast had been successful, the chaos would have, most assuredly, reached all the way to Manhattan, or worse. But, thanks to our friendly neighborhood Spider-Man-“
Pepper started to choke up more, Tony’s hand reaching and supportively touching her back, their tearful eyes meeting as he nodded at her in support. She collectes herself, looking back to the cameras as she continued.
”-he, along with the other Avenger’s were able to get every New Yorker and tourist alike off the island, including clearing the ferry’s as they tried to deconstruct the bomb. I will spare you all the details of the mission, but please know, everything in our power was done to try and prevent this tragedy. And, because of Spider-Man, it didn’t not become as big of one.”
Nobody spoke as Tony’s attention was turned away from his wife’s and to the reporters.
”But, we’re not here to tell you all of the details about how we have lost the best vigilante New York has ever gotten the honor to have. No, we’re here to tell you about who that vigilante is underneath the mask.” Tony nodded, a small smile cracking on his lips as he flipped open a small holographic devise, a picture of a young boy popping up.
His hair was brunette and curly, his eyes were a soft hazel, and his face still appeared as if it had some sort of baby fat to it. No one knew who this guy was, but it was blatantly clear that he was young.
”This,” Tony sighed, his tone a weird mix of grief and pride, “is Peter Parker. For those of you who haven’t gotten the honor to meet him, I’ll tell you a bit. He’s a sixteen year old kid from Queens. Insanely smart, I’ll tell you what, he hurts my ego a bit with the size of his head, y’know that? I could tell you everything about this kid - how big his heart is, how big his appetite is, and how much he cares for those around him. Friends, family, all that sappy stuff. But, I want you all to know that he… went out doing what he loved most. That being protecting New York.”
”Thank you, Tony.” Pepper smiled, tears rolling down her face as her hand crept up onto the table to interlock with Tony’s own. Her heart aching at Tony’s avoidance of using any terms implying death or Peter actually being gone. “On behalf of the Avenger’s, as well as Stark Enterprises, we ask that, at this time, you please give us time to mourn, not only Spider-Man, but our intern, our teammate, and our family member. We will take no further questions at this time, thank you.”
No member of the press even moved as the Starks, followed by Happy Hogan - who had a concealed tissue in his hand to wipe his own stray tears, left the conference room. Some stray foot prints drifting behind them, those belonging the two Avenger’s who had attended the conference that being Steve Rogers and Sam Wilson.
The second they entered the elevator, Tony’s face went dull as he stared blankly at the doors, but his hand not leaving Pepper’s.
Part of Tony Stark didn’t want to admit it was real, that Peter was dead.
The other part of Tony felt the impending sense of doom that this was, in fact, all too sudden and in his face.
It had been less than a week and Tony already knew that he had made the worst mistake of his life - not by letting a kid into the Avengers, not even by continuing to let him keep fighting crime, or by giving the kid the internship.
No, those were all just parts of the bigger picture.
Tony regretted ever feeling like he had ever deserved to let this kid into his life, by ever even having the audacity to approach him to ask him to fight for his own selfish reasons.
He, single-handedly, created the rise, downfall, and death of a kid.
And he knew the kid didn’t even regret the thought of dying for the cause Tony had instilled in his dead.
So, in Tony’s mind, HYDRA didn’t kill Peter,
he did.