a spider in the wrong universe

welcome home

peter's p.o.v.:
after saying goodbye to everyone, i swing back to the original alleyway i found myself in when i first got here. it's a full circle moment and i'm met with both happiness and sadness. i don't want to leave everyone behind, but i can't wait to be back home. i almost started to miss aunt may's horrible cooking. almost.

as the sun sets, i close my eyes and feel myself drift back to the infinity stone reality.

doctor strange is there to greet me. "are you ready to go home, peter?"

"yes, i am."

starting from my chest, warmth spreads throughout my body. i feel energy swirling in my stomach as i wait patiently to return home. i feel myself slowly fade in and out of reality.

when the warmth goes away and the energy stops, i open my eyes and find myself standing in my room at stark tower. it's exactly as i left it.

my heart hammers at my chest as i make my way to the door. i have seen mr. stark in months. i could hardly believe this was really happening. i had crossed universes, fought strange enemies, went toe to toe with thanos, and won. and now i was back in my home universe.

i leave my room at make my way down to the lab. it's where tony usually is. my hand shakes as i go to open the door. i step inside, looking around anxiously.

the lab was eerily quiet, there was no loud music blasting through FRIDAY's speakers, mr. stark wasn't fooling around with his iron man gear.

looking around, i didn't see anybody.
"mr. stark?" i call out

and all of a sudden, i heard it. the sound of footsteps behind me.

i whipped around, my heart racing, my eyes wide.

and there he was. my mentor, my protector, my father-figure, my dad.

tony stark.

"pete?"

mr. stark was standing in the doorway of the lab, eyes wide lips parted in disbelief. his hand gripped the doorframe like it was the only thing holding him upright. his face was pale, looking me up and down as if to make sure it was really me.

mr. stark took a couple steps forward
"peter? you—what—how-?"

i took a hesitant step forward, unsure of what to say. there was so much to say. so so much to fill mr. stark in on.

"mr. stark..." my voice came out shaky, i didn't know how to explain everything i had went through. "i—i'm back. after i got all dusty i-i woke up in another universe. but- but im back. i found a way home"

"oh peter." he finally engulfs me in a hug. "i thought i lost you." he places a kiss on my forehead.

i immediately melt into the hug. all the worries of explaining my journey fade away. nothing is more important than this moment.
"i missed you dad."

not breaking the hug mr. stark says, "i missed you too, kid. you don't know how much i've been searching for you, looking for a way to get you back. i thought you were gone for good." his voice cracked slightly and he blinked quickly, trying to regain control of his emotions. this was the side of him he never let anybody see.

mr. stark breaks the hug and take a step back to look at me, holding my shoulders.

"don't you ever do that again. don't you ever leave me again, do you hear me?"

i smile at him, "i'm not going anywhere mr. stark." he ruffles my hair. "now do you want to hear about how i sucker punched thanos in the face?"