The Dadsandwich

It Finally Hit Him

Narrator's POV

"Oliver, where's your brother?" Tony asked as he got some orange juice out of the fridge.

"I don't know actually." Oliver said. "I haven't seen him all morning." He said, eating a spoonful of cereal.

Wade made his way downstairs with his backpack over his shoulder and Peter's bag in his hand.

"Mornin' Wilson." Tony said.

"Hey, uh...Tony." Wade said, his tone of voice was a little concerned.

"Yup?" Tony asked, pouring himself a cup of coffee.

"Peter's not feeling very well." Wade said, setting the backpacks on the couch.

"What do you mean?" Tony asked. "Did he come down with a fever? Throw up? Did he eat dairy again?" Tony shook his head. "I swear that boy is gonna be-"

"No." Wade said. "He's been crying all morning since four." He said. "I tried talking to him, but he said that he's been wanting you, and only you." He said.

Tony looked up at Wade. "Crying, you say?"

"Yeah. A lot, actually." Wade said.

"Poor guy must be extremely dehydrated." Tony said, pouring a glass of orange juice. He picked up his coffee mug and the glass. "Let me talk to him."

"Sure." Wade moved aside. "He's a little more sensitive than usual, so I wouldn't make very much noise." Wade advised him.

"Mm." Tony walked up the staircase to Peter's room, gently knocking on it before he opened it. "Pete." He said.

There was no response but a few sniffles.

Tony spotted Peter laying on his bed with his back to the door, curled up in himself. "Hey, Pete." He said, slowly approaching the bed. He sat on the edge of it. "You okay, bud?" He asked, placing the glass of orange juice on the nightstand.

Peter turned to him, his eyes were red and puffy full of tears. He wiped his jacket sleeve over his eyes and sniffled. "No." He said, his voice quivered.

"What's wrong?" Tony asked.

"I..." Peter let out a sob. "I miss him dad." Peter said. "I miss Dr. Strange." He cried. "I miss Dr. Dad." He said, sobbing.

Tony's expression changed into a sad one. "I know." He placed a hand on Peter's shoulder. "I miss him too." He scoffed. "A lot."

He sniffled. "You have someone around for so long and get used to them being there, all the time." He said. "And then they're gone. They disappear out of the blue just like that. I know it's been three months, and I've been able to manage most of the way, but there was something different about today. It won me over Dad. I was trying to be strong, I really was." Peter cried a little. "But I couldn't stop once the first few tears slipped. How are you so strong?" Peter asked. "How do you not break down in tears and cry and not want to get out of bed?"

"Oh, Pete." Tony laughed. "I'm not as strong as I look." He said.

Peter looked at him.

"I cried." Tony said. "I cried a lot, trust me." He said. "I cried rivers, waterfalls, lakes, oceans."

Peter looked at him. "Really?" He asked, wiping his sleeve across his face.

"Oh yeah." Tony nodded. "I almost drowned in my own room." He said. "I'd wake up soaked from head to toe."

Peter laughed. "That's impossible."

Tony joined him in a little laughter. "Maybe." He nodded. "But that doesn't mean you should give up. Your dad, may be gone, but he's still with us. He's still in your heart and in your mind." Tony said, messing Peter's hair up.

Peter smiled. "He's doing happy wizard stuff wherever he is, right?" He asked.

"Oh yeah. Pulling rabbits out of hats and card tricks." Tony joked. "You know, when I first met your dad I asked him if he could pull out a rabbit from his shorts because they were hideous." He said.

"Dad." Peter shoved him aside, laughing. "You probably offended him. You know how sensitive he was."

"Oh yeah." Tony said. "One time he got really upset because I found his ballet slippers."

"Ballet slippers?" Peter asked sitting up.

"I'll have to tell you that another day." Tony said.

Peter laughed.

Tony smiled at him. "You up for going to school?" He asked.

Peter sat up, looking at his clock. He still had time. "Let me get dressed." He said.

"Alright. I'll be downstairs." Tony said, getting up from the bed. "I have breakfast ready."

"Okay." Peter nodded.

Tony left the room.

>knock< >knock<

Two gentle knocks disturbed Peter's short moment of silence.

He turned to the door.

Wade was standing there.

"Are you alright Peter?" He asked.

"Um, yes." Peter said, wiping his sleeve across his face. "I was just...missing my dad." He said.

"Oh." Wade said. "I see... I miss Dr. Strange too." He said.

"Yeah. Everything's just been a bit different without him." Peter said.

"Yeah." Wade looked at Peter, who was looking a little sad again. "He wouldn't want to see you sad." He said, walking up to Peter and cupping his chin, and picking his head up. "He wants to see his beautiful son smiling."

Peter smiled at Wade. "You always know what to say."

"I don't want to see you cry, my precious baby boy." Wade said, leaning forward toward Peter.

"Peter." Came a voice at the door, interrupting the two.

The two boys smiled, looking at each other before pulling away.

"Yes, Ollie?" Peter asked.

"I made you a gift to make you feel better." Oliver said, pulling a card from behind his back.

"Oh." Peter said.

Oliver walked closer to him and handed it over to him. "I put some razzle dazzle to it." Oliver said, winking and walking out.

"Thank you." Peter said. He opened the card and a lot of glitter fell out of it. "Oh, wow." He said, laughing a bit.

Wade smiled at him. "He wasn't kidding."

"Yeah." Peter said, smiling.

Suddenly the glitter started to move and form words.

Love you Pete
- Ollie

Peter's heart melted on the spot. "I have the best little brother ever." He said, smiling.