Spooktober.30
(One more to go!!!)
Lack of sleep can make your PTSD worse. That's what Tony's therapist said.
Nevertheless, here he was, sitting in his room. Not sleeping, just staring off into space.
He knows it isn't real.
He knows it can't be real.
But it felt so real. It looked so real. He knows if he squinted hard enough, or just plugged his ears and used his imagination, then it would be like the past few traumas never even happened.
It would be like Peter was in fact sitting up on the ceiling, talking to him with bright eyes. Probably ranting about some feature in the suit he discovered, or what someone did to stand up to his school bully that day.
Tony blinks sluggishly. He was tired. He couldn't bare to look away from his late son.
At some point, thoughts of 'why couldn't you' have switched to 'I miss him' over the time he had come back from Titan. Apparently this is part of the grieving process, but Tony never noticed it with his parents. But he notices Peter.
More like, he notices Peter's absence. He notices how Peter doesn't text him at weird hours of the night with what his exhaustion thinks are funny jokes. He notices how Peter doesn't tap him on the shoulder while he's in the lab to ask a question. Because Peter's gone. And he had been for over four months.
It seemed like forever ago. It seemed like yesterday. The lines between those two statements blurred until Tony was too weak to have the want to differentiate them.
This was one of those times, for Tony was exhausted, really. He hasn't slept in forever. He doesn't even want to close his eyes. He wants to find Peter. He wants to save the world. He wants to be angry.
Tony Stark has so many things to be angry about.
The world has given him so much injustice. It would not be wise to be angry about them all, but he just wants to be angry about one.
Karma is not a nice person, though. It's job is to get back. The best way to get back at a parent is to go for the kid. Karma knows this.
Tony, unfortunately, did not. That is, he did not know, until it was too late.
So he is angry. He is angry at Karma. He is angry that Peter was the one to go. Peter doesn't deserve that. He didn't deserve that at all.
Tony stays silent. There's an IV in his arm, and he wishes to pull it out. He doesn't deserve the nutrients when his kid could be out there, god knows where, needing it more than he does.
Tony doesn't know anything. For once, he is completely blind in knowledge. He doesn't know where Peter is. He doesn't know what happened back on Titan. He doesn't know why Thanos had talked to him in such a way. He simply doesn't know.
It stressed him out in a way Stark Industries never has, and never will be able to replicate.
He keeps staring at Peter.
A tear falls down his cheek and he smiles sadly at the copy of the one person he wants back more than anyone else.
The copy frowns at Tony. It looks as if he's asking something. Probably if he's okay. Even Tony's subconscious version of Peter is concerned about him. He can't tell if that's even more upsetting or not.
The words don't reach him. It's like he's in an ocean of some sorts, making the words distant and incoherent.
Exhaustion has taken over Tony. He closes his eyes.
He can stress about getting Peter back another day.
Right now, he just needs sleep.
pumkim
(yes I know I'm bad at carving shut the heck ur mouth please and thank u)
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Spider-Son & Iron Dad one shots
FanfictionA whole bunch of funny, cute one shots for our favourite father-son duo in the MCU:) -- MY CONTENT AND ACCOUNT IS NOT A SAFE SPACE FOR ST*RKER SHIPPERS. THIS IS A PUBLIC AND VERY LOUD DNI. GTFO MY PAGE.