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Tony Stark snapped. Tony Stark saved the universe. Tony Stark is was a hero. Tony Stark is dead.
Peter Parker lost his parents. Peter Parker lost Ben. Peter Parker lost Tony.
The universe can be unforgiving and cruel, none more than when Peter lost May too. The boy was alone in every sense of the word. Each time he gained a family member the Fates decided, out of irony or fun, to cut the string tying them to life. He was done listening and cowering to destiny, or whatever bullshit is causing death to follow him through each minestrone of his life. At least his aunt and uncle were together again.
After everything went down, he might not be remembered in his own universe, but he’s gotten acquainted with beings from other universes. Spider people just like him. He even has his own Dimensional Travel Watch now so that he can get away from his own bleak domain. After May died he decided there was nothing left for him there. There were enough other vigilantes and heros to protect New York, he was just a tiny blip on the radar.
He thinks of what kind of Universe he would want to settle down in. Somewhere he won’t be so alone. He could pick one where one of his Spider friends live, but that means that another Spider-Man is probably not needed. But what if he was needed? What if he could find a universe where the version of him either doesn’t exist entirely, or they met the fate of Peter’s loved ones.
He would still be alone though…unless, just maybe… there is a universe where Peter Parker is gone, but Tony Stark didn’t snap, or at the least survived. There are infinite universes right? What are the odds that Peter will be able to find it though?
He packs his backpack filling it with clothes, his phone and charger, his wallet with a little saved up cash, snacks, pictures of everyone he lost but refuses to forget, and his Spider-Man suit. He looked around the empty apartment he refused to call home, took a breath, and pressed the largest button on the watch; he was off.
_________
He had been traveling for months, stopping at other Spider-People’s places to rest, wash his clothes, and get necessities. Sometimes he even got to patrol with them. As he traveled, Peter’s form kept changing as he hopped from one universe to the next. One moment he was real, then he was a cartoon, next he was in black and white, and then just a splotch of color. If someone had told Peter before this that he would turn into a lego, he would have laughed and called them insane. Now though, he knew what it felt to have plastic skin and he would rather never feel that again. He’s decided to stick with just playing with them for now on. A few times he thought he was stuck, trapped, unable to reach his watch. He figured it out every time though.
This time he is in a world basically identical to his own. He has come across a good few of these types of universes. He had actually run into an identical version of himself on the street in one of the other semi-identical universes. He had been heading to Stark Tower for lab day. Peter couldn’t help his eye’s water remember how much he loved lab day, he looked forward to it the moment he left the Tower from the previous session. Still he smiled and told the other Peter to enjoy his time with Mr. Stark. He envies him, but he would never want to ruin their time together. Who knows how much time they each have left in this universe.
This universe looked the same as that one, but he had to check and see who resides here. He makes his way to Stark Tower. He walks in and heads to reception, a man with short blond hair looks up to Peter from where he’s sitting behind a large desk.
“I’m here to see Tony Stark,” this is about the time when the other receptionists would be disgusted in him for making a joke as their Tony Stark is dead.
Insead he asks, “Do you have an appointment?” Peter can tell he’s suspicious, probably because of Peter’s age.
“Uh, no.”
“I’m sorry but if you don’t have an appointment I cannot give you access to the building.”
Peter knew that was the case, but he had to see Tony anyway, “Please, just call up and tell them my name.”
The man stands, he’s wearing a plain black suit with a white shirt and black tie, “Listen, kid, I really don’t want to call security on you.”
“Please, just call, I-” Peter tried to think of something to convince the guy, “Happy Hogan! I-Is he still head of security?”
“How do you know that?” the man’s eyes narrowed.
“Please, just call Happy.” The man stares at him. Peter sighs, “I’m literally asking you to call security on me. Just please call Happy.”
The man eyes him for another moment but then reaches down for the reception phone. “Mr. Hogan?” He keeps his eyes on Peter as he talks. “I’ve got a-” he cocks his head to the side slightly.
“Uh, Peter Parker,” Peter answers the questioning movement.
“A Peter Parker asking to speak with Tony Stark.” He breaks eye contact with Peter as Happy says something on the line.
Peter uses his enhanced hearing to listen as Happy says, “I’m sorry,” there's a small pause, “did you say Peter Parker?” Peter almost tears up at hearing the man’s gruff voice.
“Yes that’s correct, Peter Parker.”
“That’s impossible." There's a pause, "What does he look like?”
The man leans forward looking over the teen, “Slightly curly brown hair, brown eyes, pale skin, lanky, in jeans and a red Spider-Man T-shirt.” Peter usually would never wear his own merchandise, but it was one of Tony’s last gifts to him. It was a gag gift, but now Peter wears it whenever he can.
“I’ll be right down, don’t let him leave.”
The man hangs up the phone, Peter can tell he’s surprised. “Mr. Hogan will be right down, please step to the side as you wait.”
Peter waited, but not two minutes later Happy appeared and stopped short when his eyes fell on Peter. He didn’t move closer, the security checkpoint still between them. Happy grabs his phone and calls someone. Once again Peter can easily hear it, even if the man is farther away than the receptionist had been. “Tony, I need you to come to the front right now, bring the suit in case.”
“What, why? What’s going on?” Peter felt a tear travel down his cheek the second he heard his mentor’s voice. He’s here. He’s alive.
“Just get down here.” He hangs up. Happy comes closer, but not by too much, “Whoever you are, stay where you are.” He orders Peter. Others have started to notice that something is off, so they stop to watch.
Peter doesn’t want to cause trouble, so he says firmly where he is and keeps his mouth shut for now. Happy had a hand at his side, close to his gun in case he needed it. Peter doesn’t care, he just stares at the man, memorizing him. They might not have been the closest, but after the Vulture incident Happy was there if he ever needed him. His Happy might not have died, but their relationship was lost after Peter’s existence was erased.
Peter catches the elevator open out of his periphery. Tony is not in his suit, but he does have one gauntlet on. He heads straight for Happy. “Hap, what the hell?”
When his best friend doesn’t answer he follows his line of sight to Peter. It looks as if the man glitched and is now frozen. His lips are slightly parted as if he let out a breath. He looks Peter up and down and then locks eyes with him.
It is taking everything in Peter not to jump over the security barricade. Tony looks the same and yet so different. He looks a lot more tired, the bags under his eyes stark against his pale skin. His hair has a lot more gray stands than Peter remembers. He looks skinnier and he has frown lines now. His eyes look haunted and distant.
“Tony.”
Tony shakes out of his frozen state at Happy addressing him. He steps forward and Peter’s eyes widen as Tony aims his gauntlet towards him. “Mr. Stark?”
“Don’t call me that,” the man says, fury in his eyes, “who are you?”
“Mr. Stark, it’s me, Peter.” Peter can feel more tears overflow as he watches the man he’s been searching for threatens him.
“No,” Tony shakes his head slightly, water teetering against his waterline, “Peter Parker died.”
He found it.
A universe where there is a Tony Stark and no Peter Parker.
“FRIDAY,” Tony orders, “scan him.”
A blue horizontal beam travels from the top of his head to his feet. “Analysis complete. Peter Parker from Earth-616.”
Tony’s arm starts to lower, “You’re really Peter?” his voice comes out less sure as his tears finally escape. Peter doesn’t trust himself to talk now, he simply nods as he keeps crying as well.
Peter watches as Tony strides forward, his gauntlet reverting back into a ring on Tony’s right hand. He easily walks through the security system and forcefully pulls Peter into a hug. Peter puts his arms around his mentor in turn. “Peter, oh god, I can’t believe it’s you.”
Peter feels a bit guilty, he speaks, the sound slightly muffled by Tony’s suit, “I’m from another Universe, I’m not your Peter.”
“Doesn’t matter.” The man responds, placing a kiss on the crown of the boy's head, “You are Peter Parker and you are alive. That’s all I care about.” He holds the kid tighter, afraid he'll disappear, turn to dust, or any other horrific scenario the man's mind tortured him with.
Peter Parker and Tony Stark were both alive and in the same universe, that’s all that mattered.