Spiderson Irondad Oneshots

It's Not Fair

He'd had so much potential. 

Peter Parker was a genius, he had plans, and he had all the abilities to really make it. Before he'd crumbled to dust in Tony Stark's arms.

He'd been stuck, lying on the ground, for far too long, staring up into a pale white void. Just existing for a while, listening to Karen try to function, and then crying. And shaking.

His thoughts overwhelmed him as he felt his being get ripped to shreds and then forced back together in a matter of seconds. But it felt as though he had been stitched up all wrong, his mind scrambled and heart pounding haphazardly in his chest.

There was the sound of screams behind him, filled with rage and betrayal. "How could you! We almost had him!" 

"Let it go Drax, he had to do this, you just don't know it yet"

Footsteps came closer and Peter stood up quickly, adrenaline pumping through his veins once again.

Peter was used to his focus being spread way too thinly, but now in this quiet universe it was easy to have just one thing to focus on. The face of Stephen Strange.

His face was calm yet run down, as if he hadn't slept in many days. "You're not dead Peter"

Peter swallowed hard, nodding his head rapidly, "that's, uh," He choked back tears "thats good to know"

Strange put his hand on his shoulder, leading him back to where the others were.  Drax, Mantis, and Quill. Quill had his head tilted to the sky, his eyes closed and jaw shaking, seemingly in deep thought.

"Peter, we're not going to be in here forever. You know that right?" Strange said softly, "Tony will get us out of this"

"How can you be sure?" Peter voice was broken, feeling small in comparison to these heroes he was surrounded by.

"Because I saw it, and even if I hadn't, Tony Stark is a great man. And I wouldn't have traded my life if I didn't think he could've saved us."

"I know he is, and I know I'm going to get out of here, but" He inhaled deeply,  feeling guilty for the selfish words he was about to speak, "it's just not fair, and it hurts.  And I know it was the right thing to do but why can't I just look out for myself?"

His breathing was speeding up so Mantis laid a hand on his shoulder, calming him as she started to weep silently.

"It's just,  I've saved so many people and so much good has come from what I'm able to do, but sometimes I'm looking out for everyone else, and I just have  to deal with all the pain that comes with it"

Strange smiled sadly, pulling him into an awkward hug, his cloak wrapping around Peter slightly, "I know kid, and you're right, this isn't fair, but it is the burden that those with strength must carry, to be good and selfless, because a weak man may be weak but they simply cannot understand the struggle that comes when you are expected to be able do it all, despite the cost"

"I'm sorry" Quill said, looking at them both, "I should've held myself back. But he took her from me, man"

Peter lifted his head off of Strange's chest, "It's okay, it had to be like this. And it does hurt, and it's not fair, but it's okay, Mr Stark will get us out of this."

Does this even have a plot what