Endgame spoilers, but AU, I guess.

Not canon.

Anywho.

Major character death, but not really?

Like kinda?

But I fixed it?

I'm sorry?

This can't be happening.

Please no.

Please-

"Mr Stark?"

Please-

"Can you hear me?"

Please help-

"It's me. It's Peter."

Wake up.

An orange gleam caught his eye, and his gaze fell to the gauntlet.

Among the other stones, the soul stone gleamed, an enticing orange glow.

A soul for a soul.

He reached out, gripping it tightly, and breaking it away from the ruined, twisted metal.

Hurry. Time is running out.

He closed his eyes, and one thought ran through his mind.

Save him.

Pain crawled up his arm, and faintly he could hear surprised exclamations around him.

Whatever it takes.

The stone glowed brighter, and he was suddenly numb, crumpling to the ground beside Tony.

Save him.

Hands were lifting him off the ground, rolling him over, resting his head in their lap, and above all the voices, gasping, and crying, there rose one whose voice Peter could never forget.

"Peter-?"

Then darkness.

Peter opened his eyes.

He was... somewhere.

He could hear voices, but they were faint, and he couldn't hear the words.

So he moved closer.

Or...

Tried to move.

Without conscious thought, he was drifting upwards, closer to the voices.

As he got closer, they got clearer.

"Where's Peter?"

"Tony-"

"Where is he, Pepper?"

"Tony, he- he isn't-"

"What happened, Pepper? What happened to my kid?"

His kid?

"Tony, he's- he's gone."

A dreadful silence.

"What?" The one word was laced with terror, disbelief, and pain. "Pep-"

A choked sob. "Tony, he- he used the soul stone. You were dead. A soul for a soul. Clint said that's what happened to Nat."

"No. No. Please, Pepper, tell me he didn't-"

"He did."

And Peter drifted.

"Peter? Why would you-"

Tony.

A broken silence, breath catching in his throat.

"Why would you do that? I can't- I'm not worth it. You should have been safe, and happy. I invented time travel, for you. I made the gauntlet to bring everyone back, for you. So you could live your life. I tried to live in this world without you, I really tried. But I couldn't. I couldn't live without you. That's why I helped them. And you- then you did this. I can't do it again. One hug wasn't nearly enough. I want you back, Pete. I could give you all the hugs you wanted, I could tell you- that I love you. You're like my son. Please, I just want you back."

I want to come back.

The darkness dissolved into a spinning maelstrom of color, and then he was sitting in a room, across from a... being.

It exuded a friendly presence, not menacing in the slightest.

It was... glowing.

Huh.

"Welcome, Peter."

"Hi," Peter said slowly. "Where am I? Who are you? What happened?"

The being chuckled softly. "I am Soul. I am the entity that resides in the soul stone. You are with me. And you are here because you sacrificed yourself to save your father."

My father?

Oh.

"He isn't- he's not my dad, really. Well- not by blood."

Soul smiled, a bright flash. "We do not care for blood bonds here. He sees himself as your father, you see yourself as his son, and we respect that. I have not seen this love in any other place, in any other world. Nor this willing spirit of self sacrifice for the one you love most. And in light of your sacrifice, we would offer you a gift. Any gift you wish."

Peter hesitated. "I could go back?"

I could see Tony again? May, Ned, Mj?

"If you wish it. You may have anything your heart desires. We would grant your pure heart a reward."

"I want to go back. I want to live my life. I want to see my dad."

"Very well." Soul rose, lifting one shining finger to touch his cheek. "I think you have chosen wisely. A pure heart indeed."

Then Peter was standing in a dark room, staring at a Star Wars poster, and Lego sets.

What?

Footsteps sounded overhead, along with a gentle voice.

"Tony, you know visiting his room won't make you feel better."

Tony?

"I know, Pepper, just- please let me do this, okay? It's the only place I can go to feel closer to him."

The footsteps came to the door, paused, and then opened it.

The light flipped on, and Peter was staring at Tony with wide eyes.

Tony was- healthy looking, except for the red eyes, and wrinkles around them. He didn't have the burns, or the scars. He was also looking at Peter like he'd seen a ghost.

Oh... yeah.

"Tony?" Peter couldn't stop himself from drinking in the sight of Tony being alive.

"Friday?" Tony's voice was tight, and painful.

"I see him boss. You're not crazy, Peter is standing in front of you."

"Peter," Tony whispered. "But- how-?"

Peter hid his trembling fingers behind his back, offering a shaky smile. "Hey."

They stood frozen for several seconds, just staring at each other.

"I missed you," Peter mumbled. "'M glad you're okay now."

Tony was across the room in a flash, tugging Peter into a vice-like hug.

"Peter," he choked. "Peter."

Peter closed his eyes, burying his face in Tony's neck as his control fractured, and ragged sobs spilled out of his mouth. "I thought you were dead," he whispered. "I thought I wouldn't get to say goodbye."

Tony pulled him closer, tucking the teenager's head under his chin, one hand on the back of Peter's neck, and the other arm curled around his shoulders.

He couldn't speak, even if he wanted to.

The teenager breathed in the comforting scent of aftershave and cologne that clung to his mentor's neck, and relaxed into the hug.

"How long?"

He didn't realize he'd spoken until he felt Tony stiffen slightly. "Two months."

"Oh."

Tony gave a shuddering sigh, stepping back slightly to meet the teen's eyes.

"Why would you do that?"

The question was loaded with weeks of anger, of grief, of suffering.

Peter didn't have to ask what he was referring to.

Unconsciously he sank down on the bed, running his hand over the soft blanket. "Have you ever lost your whole world, before? In one second," he snapped his fingers. "Like that? Quicker than you can blink, and your world has collapsed around you?"

He continued before Tony could speak. "When my parents died, I was really young, and I didn't realize exactly what 'dead' meant. I knew they weren't coming back, but I thought they just left me behind. Then with Ben, he was gone, and I understood it. I knew what had happened. I saw what happened. And it hurt more than anything I'd ever felt."

A shudder ran through him. "Me and May tried to pick up the pieces, like we could live without him. And somehow we made a good charade of it. Then I met you, and lost her."

A glance up showed that his mentor was frozen, watching him with wet eyes.

"And you were great," he continued. "I looked up to you. You'd been my hero since I could talk. And then you became my mentor, and it was the greatest moment of my life. Lab days became overnight, overnight turned into weekends, and when you watched the entire Star Wars trilogy with me, I realized that maybe I could be happy. Maybe I could have a-" here he hesitated, sending a quick sideways glance to Tony, "parental figure that would actually stay. That wouldn't leave me."

The young face was earnest, eyes shining with tears that he refused to let spill. "I can't lose you too, Mr Stark. I can't."

Silent footsteps moved to him, and Tony sank down beside him, cradling his chin in one hand, using the other to wipe away the wetness.

The gesture was warm, comforting, and almost- paternal.

"I have lost my world before. I lost you."

He dropped a soft kiss to Peter's temple, feeling the teen sink into the contact with a sigh, making no effort to move away.

"I love you, Peter."

The admission came easier than he expected it to, and it was rewarded with Peter's soft hum of contentment.

"Love you too, Dad."

Time slowed to a stop.

Did he just-

A smile crept over his lips, and he hid it in Peter's messy curls.

I like the sound of that.

Dad.