Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-man (Tom Holland Movies)

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Characters: Tony Stark | Iron Man, Peter Parker | Spider-man, Sam Wilson | Falcon, Loki, Thor

Tags: Hurt Peter Parker, Protective Avengers, Protective Loki, Overworked Peter Parker

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Brief Warning: as seen in the tags, Peter is kidnapped and there will be implied murder though it is not touched upon. if these are one of your triggers, please proceed with caution.

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Peter didn't know how long he's been struggling for... an hour? Two? He didn't know, but the world was starting to get fuzzy, vision getting spottier by the second. It was a weird feeling, something unfamiliar. These kidnappers were the real deal. This time, it wasn't just random thugs with some guns for show.

They were terrorists, hulking men with the aura and skills to match.

Frankly, Peter was overwhelmed.

There was no other way to put it. He had had a long month, not that he'd ever admit that out loud. He had to go on patrols, study for tests which, admittedly, was pathetically easy, continue his work as Tony Stark's personal intern and assistant, as well as just concentrate on, well, living.

Today was especially rough on him, he had to endure an extra-long patrol that felt like it would never end, sensations pricking, pricking, pricking. He didn't know what to do with it. So, in normal Peter Parker fashion, he chose to ignore it; let it fester. It was like an ugly gnawing feeling.

Now, Peter knew he was kinda, sorta, slightly, just a tiny little bit acting like a hypocrite. He did tell Mr. Stark to take care of himself just a few months ago. It's like what he always says, do as I say, not as I do.

Point is, he got himself into a... situation.

Long story short, he had found the trafficking ring that he'd been tracking for the past month and a half and contrary to expectation, they had more men than he'd expected. They jumped him on patrol and, normally, this wouldn't be a problem. Peter could handle getting jumped.

What he couldn't handle was that as he was about to leave, he caught sight of the numerous children in the other room.

He had been able to rescue most but, most importantly, not all.

Now, Peter was a competent hero, thank you very much. It's just. Everything has been overwhelming lately and the fatigue was already starting to get to him.

That, coupled with the weird gas that was slowly filling his lungs, made him slower and slower until finally, everything blacked out and he hit the floor.

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It was a seldom occurrence for the Avengers to meet up. In the months that they worked together, they always did missions in groups or handled different aspects of heroism.

For example, Tony and Hope were often caught up in work, Tony especially, at their respective companies. Stephen had to watch over the sanctum and other wizard-y things he did, Hogwarts and whatnot. Most had their own jobs, Peter being the exception as he was the only underage hero.

As such, seeing all these heroes in one room, Alex was filled with awe.

However, that wasn't really an appropriate reaction.

Why, you ask?

The room, though filled with people, was quiet. The silence heavy and suffocating. Everyone stoic, expressionless.

No.

That's not the word.

They were numb.

Seething. Furious. Scared.

There was only one person who could garner this reaction in the world and that person was Peter Parker.

Peter Parker, who stitched the team together, one movie night at a time. Peter Parker who everyone in the initiative adored. Peter Parker, their workaholic youngest.

Peter Parker, who was MIA.

Peter Parker, whose suit was turning a dark red from the blood, and was currently, starring in a video sent by his kidnappers, threatening Tony Stark, and, by extension, the team.

Tony Stark, who notified the calvary. All of whom had arrived, save for the two who were on their way.

The kidnappers were so sure that they wouldn't be found that the building they were in was secure, the people they had were loyal and the plans in place rock solid, that they didn't care they sent a video with possibly identifiable features.

They got careless.

They go so careless that they didn't quite notice spiders roaming around the area.

They didn't notice the tiny light on Bugsy that signified he was online.

They didn't know that all 127 men they brought were being watched.

They didn't know that they were dead men walking.

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Meanwhile, in Norway, a man sits on the Asgardian throne. Gesturing to his guards, he said, "Call my brother."

As he waits for Thor to arrive, Loki's eyes close slowly as he whispers a few indecipherable words to the wind. While he was watching the scene in his mind's eye, Loki hears the doors open.

Opening his eyes, he turns to stare at his brother. "Someone took Peter."

And as the two gods stare at each other, eyes darkening with fury, they make preparations to leave.

There are millions of beings in the universe.

But they had to target Peter Parker.

How courageous of them, they didn't fear death at all.

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If the kidnappers cared to notice, they'd find that there were a few things that were off.

The first would be the silence. Creepy, depressing silence. As if it was a snake sent to wrap around your throat and kill you. It was the eerie hush over a street that should have been bustling with sound, the lack of life around the area. It was the distinct lack of the telltale creaking and croaking of the old wood in a rickety building.

Next would be the time. It slowed, crawled, like a depressed snail. It felt the world was moving without you, as if you were the only thing stationary. It felt like time stood still.

Maybe, it did.

The third would be the greenish tinge to the right side of the street - their side of the street. If they cared to look, it would have been obvious that the building was surrounded by green, like lightning but wilder, more untamed. It writhed and sparked and moved like it had its own mind. Like it knew that something was coming; anticipation evident in the twists and turns of its visible form. Maybe, they would have noticed that they were trapped inside; that they had no way out.

After that, when viewing a little farther away, they'd find helicopters and jets. Police cars surrounding the street. They'd find men with serious expressions - furious expressions - that screamed danger, danger, danger. They'd see snipers aiming their guns, mercenaries sharpening their knives. They'd see policeman guarding the perimeter, soldiers at stand-by.

They'd find that Peter Parker was practically worshipped everywhere - a living legend - especially in the military.

If they even tried to look up, farther than the helicopters and jets, they'd find a spaceship. They'd find a certain panther lying in wait on top of it and a glint of red and gold armor flying cautiously to the other side of the building, coupled with the flap of metallic wings of a certain falcon. They'd find a glowing woman and a flying horse or the hundreds of sparks of yellow dancing in a circular motion on the ground.

They'd find that Deadpool was silent, for once; not able to joke about in the situation. They'd find the X-Men lying in wait.

But what they should have taken note of most wasn't the vehicles or the technology and heroes. It wasn't the military on stand-by or the numerous murderous glances.

No, what they should have focused on was the distinct lack of a certain antihero.

If they did, they would have knelt and prayed to the lord.

But alas, there was nothing that could have saved them.

Not even Jesus.

They were just dead men walking.

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When Loki arrived, everyone was already in place. Lifting a finger, he signaled to the team. All preparations were done.

Now, all they had to do was get Peter.

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When it all ends, they find one Peter Parker, unconscious and bleeding, covering two unconscious children with his own body.

And as he stared at the state Peter was in, Loki turned to the men around him who were all shaking and beaten to all hell, staring at them with cold eyes, suppressed fury evident in his posture. "Kneel."

That day, the underground finally learns that hurting Peter Parker was practically suicide.

Yet, curiously, at that moment, no one heard a sound. Not one scream or voice begging for mercy. The woman who walked her dog past their house heard absolutely nothing. It was as if sounds were gone,

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It takes Helen 2 hours to stabilize Peter.

For the heroes sitting on cold, hard floors, it felt like years.

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Tony Stark thought about Peter Parker, his kid.

In most ways, Peter was the type to commit to things. First, it was science. From what May told him, Peter always loved it, the logic in all things, ever since he was a child. Now, 16 years old, he still liked science, still loved the way logic can get you to a conclusion.

Then, it was Spider-man. The internship.

Peter committed to things.

It was in his nature, Tony guessed.

Yet, as he looked at the form of his protégé, small on the hospital bed, attached to IV drips and heart monitors made specifically for him, Tony couldn't help but remember.

He remembered Peter's never-ending pursuit of knowledge, a thirst that he knew from experience would never be quenched.

He watched Peter painstakingly read through report after report at Stark Industries.

He patched Peter's wounds up, stitched his stab wounds together himself.

Peter was burning himself out, overworking himself. No, that was wrong. Peter was burnt out. This time, it was a hostage situation. What would happen next time?

Tony knew from experience, unfortunately, that overworking yourself, forcing yourself to keep going even when the fuel was all used up, resulted in bad things.

What that could be differed.

Maybe it was a wound, an injury, or the distinct lack of new ideas.

Still, Tony wasn't just going to watch as his kid, Peter Parker, worked himself to the bone. Not again. He wasn't going to let Peter go through what he did, experience the pain of not being able to do enough because he didn't have the strength to do so. This time, the children were all safe and sound.

But what about next time?

Combing his hand through Peter's hair, careful not to touch anything, Tony sighed and sat down on the chair by the bed, Pepper settling down beside him. Both of them knew very vividly that Peter kept going, going, going and never knew when to stop, when to let himself take a break.

If he thought about it too much, Tony would go numb, lose focus. At the rate he was going, Tony knew that it would only be a matter of time before Peter would come home bloodied and injured, or worse, not come home at all.

Watching his child unconscious, still trying to save even when it felt bleak, Tony is distinctly reminded that heroics, heroism, wasn't a pretty occupation. Logically, he knew that Peter saw things that most adults wouldn't be able to stomach. He knew that Peter Parker was one of the strongest people he knew.

What Tony also knew was that Peter Parker chased dreams and goals like a batshit hippie high on drugs. No signs of stopping. At all.

Peter Parker was, without a doubt, overworking himself.

And isn't that a terrifying thought?

As a rule of thumb, Peter was the type of person who would take on the world silently, lift the skies with no complaint whatsoever.

Yet, as he watched the child he considered his son open his eyes blearily, Tony couldn't help but mourn a little. Both he and Pepper knew what overworking would do to a hero.

Now, it would be this hostage situation that he had to endure alone, next it would result into something far worse, the thing that Tony would rather die than even consider.

Peter didn't like to call for help.

What would happen when he stretched himself so thin that he wouldn't be able to handle everything on his own? That he would face a situation that they wouldn't be able to get to in time?

"Sorry, Mr. Stark," Peter muttered, obviously downhearted, "I'm so weak that I can't even save them." sneering at himself, Peter flexed his hands, "how pathetic of me."

Tony disagreed.

Peter Parker was a lot of things.

Genius. Student. Hero. Intern. Son.

But, no matter what, he'd never be pathetic.

To hear Peter put himself down like this was heartbreaking for the couple.

Trying to reassure him, Tony said, "Pete, listen to me. We can't save everyone. This isn't your fault."

Sullenly, Peter replied, "But I'm Spider-man. If I can't save those children... do I even deserve the title of a hero? I should have trained harder."

At this, Tony jolts, his stomach dropping. He knew that line. That was a sentence he said years ago, when he was wet behind the ears. That sentence was a dangerous, dangerous sentence, a thought that could one day get Peter killed.

Replying, he said seriously, "We are heroes, not martyrs." Reaching for his son's hands, Tony sighed internally. He needed to get this one thing into his head, the most important lesson he had to understand through the years in his work as Iron Man. "We are heroes, not martyrs. So, we cannot save others if we do not save ourselves. Peter," making eye contact with Peter, Tony repeated, practically pleading. "Please understand, we cannot save others if we do not save ourselves. Overworking yourself will do nothing but make your job harder."

Peter looked at his hands, he didn't know what to do. Muttering weakly, he said, "But, I... don't know when to stop... what happens when I don't know when to stop?"

Cupping his face, Pepper reached over. "Then, depend on us. Tony and I, the team, everyone else... we're all here for you, Pete. We're here with you. If you come across a situation where you can't handle it alone, call us and we'll be there. That's what we are. A team."

Hearing the door open, all three look over to see Loki floating in a huge TV, Bucky moving tables, Sam and Scott balancing 3 bowls of popcorn each. They see the rest of the team come in.

Turning to Peter, Rhodey said, "Hey, Pete. Glad you're awake, kiddo. Want to have a movie night?"

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Later, as Peter looked around at his family, all staring at the TV screen and muttering commentaries, he sees their faces, glowing from the light of the screen, warm and safe, Peter relaxed into the hospital bed. He wasn't going to know the ins and outs of being a hero just yet. He still lacked the years and the experience.

But what he did not lack is support. Family. A team.

He wasn't going to get it right off the bat, but he had other people to teach him.

Peter Parker didn't have a lot of things, but he had home.

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Author's Note: this was originally posted on AO3 on July 6, 2021. constructive criticism and feedback are appreciated! if you have any prompts or requests, hmu! <3