Alright guys. You know the drill.

I love soulmate AUs for Peter and Tony, but none of mine are, or ever will be Starker.

Never.

All of my stories of them are strictly platonic.

That being said, enjoy this flangst concoction I cooked up late at night on no sleep.

The first time he saw color was in a small apartment in Queens.

It was the happiest he'd ever been.

Soulmates were always a foreign concept to Tony.

His mother and father had been soulmates, but they hadn't been very happy.

So he decided he didn't need one.

Not being able to see colors wasn't the worst thing that could happen.

Then he met a bright eyed fifteen year old from Queens that managed to tear down the walls around his heart, and carve a nice Peter-sized shape there.

The world in color was beautiful.

He could see the fiery red of Pepper's hair.

The blue of the sky. 

The red and gold of his suits.

But the best thing was when he could see Peter's brown eyes, bright with childish affection, watching him while he worked, showing the teen how to build something.

A soulmate meant more than what society thought of it: it was love, yes, but it didn't have to be romantic. It was the kind of love that makes you feel like you would do anything to keep them safe and happy. 

Give anything.

The last time he saw color was on Titan.

It was the worst pain he'd ever felt, worse than having a hole cut into his chest, worse than being betrayed by his team.

Worse than a shield trying to end his life.

He couldn't see the color of Pepper's hair anymore.

He had to have Friday tell him what color things were in his workshop.

He couldn't see the color of Morgan's eyes when she was born.

When he saw color again for the first time in five years, he cried.

When he saw Peter on the battlefield, a piece of him that had been broken was fixed.

He pulled the teenager into his arms, breath coming in gasps. "You're- you're okay, you're alive-"

Peter buried his face in the crook of Tony's neck, breath warm against his skin. "I'm scared."

A tremor was barely noticeable in his voice, and Tony wanted to fix it.

Wanted so much to fix it, but he was barely holding it together as it was, and so he could only press his lips to Peter's temple, squeezing tightly. "I love you kiddo. Okay? Don't forget that. You're my kid."

The teenager pulled back, eyes panickedly searching Tony's face. "What are you going to do?"

"I'm going to fix this." Tony brought his hand up to cradle the side of Peter's face. "Yeah? And then… then you can meet Morgan. She's my kid too."

Peter blinked rapidly, eyes shining. "You're gonna be okay, right? Promise?"

Tony smiled briefly. "Yeah."

Using the gauntlet hurt.

But it wasn't worse than losing Peter had been, so he didn't even bat an eye, staring the Titan straight in the face. "And you, don't get to take my kid from me."

Snap.

The next thing he heard was broken sobbing, along with choked words in a voice he knew so well.

"Tony please, please don't go we won! Please- no don't go don't leave me-"

Then a gentle voice. "Peter."

Pepper.

"No- No! Pepper I can't see his colors! Please someone help- please…  please…"

The words died away in a renewed bout of sobbing, and a gentle hand rested against the side of his face.

"We're going to be okay, Tony. You can rest now."

A choked scream.

"No- Tony-!"

There was a familiar ceiling above him.

There was a crack in the plaster, looking like an upside down bunny.

Gentle instrumental music was playing, and a soft voice was singing.

It sounded like-

Peter?

The teenager was curled in a chair beside his bed, Morgan in his lap, singing lowly. "Try to remember when life was so tender, when no one wept except the willow."

The song was as familiar as the boy singing it.

"Try to remember when life was so tender, when dreams were kept beside your pillow." Peter kissed Morgan's forehead.

A faint smile lifted the corner of Tony's mouth.

"Try to remember when life was so tender, when love was an ember about to billow." The teenager stood carefully, voice steady, and carried the sleeping five year old to a couch against the wall.

"Try to remember," Peter tucked a blanket over her.  "And if you remember, then follow."

His voice shook as he whispered the last word.

Then Peter returned to his seat, staring at his phone screen blankly.

Tony was content to just watch his kid, peaceful, alive, here.

He probably couldn't have said anything anyway.

So he just watched.

Until Peter's eyes lifted, and he straightened as if he'd been shocked. "Tony?"

Tony smiled weakly, relief spilling over into his gaze as Peter returned it, then disappearing as Peter broke down crying.

"I thought- I thought you were dead," he choked, scrubbing at his eyes. "I- your colors- I couldn't see your colors Tony! And you promised me that you would be okay!"

"I am," Tony murmured, hand lifting to brush away his kid's tears. "I'm okay Pete."

Peter clutched it tightly, sobs still shaking his body. "But you weren't."

Tony ran his thumb over Peter's cheekbone. "I am, bud. It's okay."

Shaking his head swiftly, Peter lurched forward, arms wrapping around his mentor. "Please don't do that again-" his voice broke. "I don't wanna lose you."

Tony lifted himself on one elbow, returning the hug, even though his body was shaking. "Come up here, Pete. There's enough room for my favorite Spiderkid."

Peter laughed wetly, already helping him move slightly to the side. "I'm the only Spider kid."

The older man hummed. "An' my favorite."

The teenager carefully sat on the bed, turning, and leaning back into Tony's embrace.

Face buried in his neck, Peter wrapped his arms around Tony, breath hitching in his throat. "I love you."

Tony kissed his temple. "Love you more."

They rested.