The day Tony made it back from Titan, he went straight to his lab.
Pepper was fine. Alive.
But so many people were gone.
So many.
His eyes were nearly closing from exhaustion.
His feet felt like they were made of lead.
He could barely force himself to move.
But he did.
He couldn't be around the team.
Not now.
-----------
In the aftermath of the decimation, the team had gathered back at their base.
When Tony and Nebula arrived, starving, half dead in Tony's case, they were worried.
Because Tony looked broken.
Utterly, irreparably broken.
His mouth no longer turned up into a smirk.
His shoulders hunched, as if carrying the weight of the world.
And his eyes...
Oh his eyes.
They say the eyes are the window to the soul.
And his held all the pain they had never seen, all the pain he had hidden for so long.
Because this?
It was his worst nightmare.
------------
The lab was empty.
Silent.
No sound of laughter, or a young voice telling one of his jokes.
No music playing that the teenager liked, and would try to get Tony to like.
No life.
Tony sank down on his chair, staring at the abandoned blueprints of his suit.
He lifted his hand, swiping until the plans were gone.
Then he rested his head in his hands, feeling a tear trickle down his cheek.
"Boss?"
Tony lifted his head as Friday spoke.
"There is something that Peter left for you. A video."
Tony closed his eyes. "Show it."
-------------
"Hey."
The video starts. The teenager is sitting at a desk, his eyes solemn.
"If you have this, it probably means I'm gone."
He took a deep breath.
"Missing or dead, I don't know."
His eyes darted to the side.
"But I wanted you to have this. I wanted to let you know, you're the best father figure I could ask for.
I know you didn't exactly ask for it. I just... sort of assigned you that role."
The teenager gave a small laugh.
"And you never disappointed.
You're a hero, you know. My hero."
He paused.
"And I don't mean Iron man. Yes, he saves people, I know.
But that isn't why you're my hero.
You took me in."
His voice grew shaky.
"When I was cold, and hungry, and tired, and so, so hurt.
You took care of me.
They say Tony Stark doesn't have a heart.
That isn't true.
You are the best person I know. And I would be really proud to call you my dad.
You say you need the suits so you can help people.
You don't need the suit to be a hero.
Because you,"
He hesitated.
"You're already mine. You are the only person who cared about me.
I didn't need ironman.
I needed you.
I needed a dad.
And that's what you gave me.
So thank you."
He gave a slightly playful grin.
"And don't kill Steve for me. Ok? No matter how satisfactory it would be."
Tony touched the frozen image of the boy grinning, his eyes dark.
"Got it. I'll find you, Pete. And Thanos will pay."