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Peter’s eyes blinked open, slowly pushing through the haze of the world surrounding him. The first thing he noticed was it was bright. He was in a room, on a bed. It was a hospital room; the walls and floors were white and sterile, and he could hear a steady beeping sound.
He tried to sit, but he couldn’t move. There was tubes running into his arm and there was some kind of mask covering his mouth and nose.
Then it clicked. All his memories seemed to come rushing back to him at once. He remembered. He remembered the battle, and thanks. He remembered thinking there were going to lose, then seeing an opportunity. He remembered grabbing the gauntlet, and doing the snap. But what he remembered most of all, was the pain. It felt like only yesterday, but he knew it couldn’t have been.
Now all he could think about was the pain, the burning and aching over his whole body. He squeezed his eyes tightly closed. He was too trapped in his thoughts to hear the heart monitor beeping getting faster and faster, too consumed to feel the hand holding his, and the voice telling him it was all okay. He was okay.
After what felt like hours - though it could have only been minutes - he slowly came back to his senses. He could feel something other than pain. He could feel a hand holding his, not tight enough to hurt, but enough to remind him where he was. And he could feel another hand running through his hair, the slow and repetitive motion grounding him.
When he finally opened his eyes again, after his vision had adapted to the blinding white lights, he was surprised to see he was in a room full of people. His eyes scanned the room, and he realised that Aunt May was on his right, she was the hand running through his hair and on his left, was Tony, holding his hand. The rest of the avengers were near the back of the room - some on the couch, and others standing around the room.
He blinked slowly, wondering if this was some kind of dream. He muttered something under his breath as he turned his head to Aunt May. He studied her face. She had tears streaming down her cheeks and her eyes looked more dull and sorrowful since he’d last seen her, and she looked older. She looked tired, and he bet she hadn’t slept in days. He couldn’t say the same for himself. How long had he been out for anyway.
He tried to ask but no one could hear what he was saying. Tony seemed to understand as he said, “It’s been 2 weeks and 4 days, Pete.”
Peter knew he must have looked shocked as Tony continued, “You did it, you saved the world.” A tear rolled down his face as he said that, even though he was smiling.
Peter tried to take the mask off his face, he could breathe just fine but Aunt May grabbed his wrist. “I’m fine,” he rasped. Aunt May just raised her brows, but realeased her grip all the same. Peter reluctantly pulled off the mask, wincing in pain from even just moving his arm (even though the other one was the one in the cast). Once it was off, he just asked, “Can someone help me sit up?”
“Sure, here,” Tony said, offering Peter his arm as Aunt May put a hand on his back.
Now he was sitting, he could properly look around the room. Sam, Bucky and Wanda were all sitting on the small couch, standing next to the end nearest to Wanda was Vision, and Bruce was the other side. Thor and Steve were both next to the door, and Nat and Clint were leaning against the opposite wall and Pepper was next to Tony.
All eyes were on him, as he gasped for air. (Who knew sitting up was such hard work, huh.)
“So…” Tony supplied, his voice wobbling slightly. Everyone in the room looked close to tears, it had been a very emotional few weeks - well longer than that really, and he’d missed five years.
“So how long do I have to be here for?” Peter questioned, and immediately everyone spoke at once. At least it wasn’t so awkward anymore, Peter thought. Peter just looked around the room dazed as everyone started bickering in smaller groups.
He felt happy for once. He felt like he was part of this huge family once again. Tony looked at him as everyone continued with their separate conversation and remarked, “You’re lucky you’re Spider-Man, you know. If you didn’t heal, like, super quick you would have been toast.”
“Well it turned out fine, didn’t it, old man,” he laughed, falling right back into the way it used to be - even if it had been 5 years.
“Well, I guess you’ll just stay here even longer then,” Tony laughed right back.
“How have I just had the longest sleep of my life, and yet I’m still tired.” Peter sighed.
“Well, just go back to sleep, you need it - and I bet you’ll heal quicker that way,” Tony answered.
Peter just squeezed his hand and lied back down in response, only taking seconds to fall back into a dreamless sleep.