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English
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Published:
2022-06-07
Updated:
2022-06-19
Words:
9,164
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3/4
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33
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175
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Don't Die (Not You Too)

Chapter 3

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

“Peter,” Tony forces Peter to look him in the eye, “no need to be scared. We’re gonna be just fi-”

A loud BOOM drowns out Mr. Stark’s words before he could continue, flames giving them too much lighting after the eternal darkness they’ve been used to. Peter tries to cover most of his mentor’s body with his own, writhing because dammit he can’t move and they can get caught up in the flames if they don’t do something-

Apparently, moving deems itself a bad idea because once Peter was able to get a slight shift out of the rubble, the bomb goes again and his time, Peter feels it. The debris that wasn’t the necessary weight to suffocate them to death had become just that, as the pressure that was once felt at ten tons has now become a thousand times worse, and the teenager can’t help but scream.

Ican’tbreatheIcan’tbreatheIcan’tbreathe-

Peter, in panic, tries to get a glimpse at his mentor but stops once the rubble shifts again, the weight unbearable. Something digs at his back and he’s sure it’s going to break if the debris keep piling up at that rate. He has to- he has to do something!

He isn’t letting Mr. Stark die today.

A squeeze to his shoulder snaps his attention to the older man, whom Peter can’t see his face. The teenager groans at the sight of how awkwardly Tony’s head’s dangling, with nothing to support it like there has been. The plank of wood Tony’s head was resting on -and probably didn’t know existed- is gone. Peter panics as he can barely feel the man’s heartbeats against his chest, so he calls,

“Mr. S-S-t…” He can’t speak. Can barely breathe. Coughing hurts him and possibly hurts his mentor, too. He tries to gasp, tries to call, “T-Ton- Mist-” A rough groan escapes him, “C-Come o-on…”

He needs to see the man’s face. He needs to hear his voice. Any type of reassurance.

“Ple- Ple’s…” He wheezes, then remembers that both of his hands are free. Slowly he takes one out from under Tony and supports a hand under his head, ignoring his screaming back and possibly broken ribs, to lift it. His heart drops.

Tony’s eyes are closed.

“No, no, n-n-” He almost lets go of him, “D-Don’, u-up, W-W-Wake u-up,” He suppresses a scream in pain, “T-Ton… T-T-Tony ple’s-”

Don’t die.

Don’t die.

Don’t die.

“N-Not y-you-” He sobs, shifting as much as possible to rest his forehead onto his mentor’s, “‘m S-Sorr-” He effectively yelps, the harsh sobbing making the unstable debris move. His body can’t stop trembling, it hurts.

The man suddenly spasms, then his whole body writhes with a wet, bloody, cough and in a flash his eyes are wide open with a gasp. Peter smiles ever so slightly, still trying to support Tony’s head, but the smile falls quickly once Tony begins to move, unknowingly making things worse,

“Kid-” Tony calls like he doesn’t see him, eyes darting everywhere. The hand on Peter’s shoulder falls as the man attempts to push himself into a sitting position-

“W-Wait!” Peter’s surprised he could get any words out, “‘S no- s-safe-! M-M-Mr. S-Stark- AGH!” He screams before he could stop himself, feeling the piece of rod stuck inside his leg getting pushed in after the sudden movements, which makes him let go of his mentor’s head. That seems to finally snap Tony back,

“K-Kid-” He wheezes, now out of sight. Peter watches with blurry eyes as Tony tries to lift his head but all he accomplishes are a few sways. The gasps Mr. Stark’s emitting are concerning to say the least, his chest rising and falling against Peter’s way too quickly, and something clicks in Peter’s mind,

Tony can’t breathe in that position.

“Shi-” Peter strains, hurriedly and almost carelessly lifting Tony’s head again, seeing as his eyes flutter and roll dangerously once he’s in sight. His temple is supporting a new bleeding cut, said blood shining, covering more than the half of Tony’s face. The older man blinks a few times to the flame lights, breathing seeming a bit better, and finally meets Peter’s own irises,

“P-Pete… wha…” Tony almost gives out again, and Peter’s shaking hands can barely hold it together. He needs to think fast. The digging of the rubble on his back is too much to bear, the amount of fresh blood oozing out of his leg is disconcerting at best. It’s either they stay until they suffocate to death, or move and risk getting more rubble on top of the two of them. Peter can’t have it in him to choose.

“Rhodey…” Tony mutters wearily, and Peter shakes his head with a cough,

“I-I can’t- I can’t h-hear him…” He strains, knowing that this is probably a fly-by-night declaration considering that he can’t hear anything other than shifting rubble for God’s sake, but even then, they can’t just hang onto false hope that Rhodey might be here. Peter’s spiraling thoughts don’t give him a chance to reconsider his next words before he blurts them out, “I-I need to g-get you out, M-Mr. Stark…”

“Wha-?” Tony takes a moment to register the statement, and then his eyes suddenly widen, “Wha? Kid, Peter, no,” He whispers while shaking his head, clenching on Peter’s unoccupied hand as if to still him. Peter talks right over his sentence, shaking his head as well,

“I-I have to try. I h-have t-to-”

“I didn’t ask you t-to.” Tony’s voice is barely a whisper, but strong, strict, “Don’t- Don’t do anything stupid…”

“It’s a-a chance I’m w-willing to take, Mr. S-Stark.” Peter doesn’t talk further as he gently lets go of Tony’s head to brace both of his hands on the ground and push, but Tony stops him with the firmest squeeze on his arm,

“I get out, and then what, huh?!” Tony lifts his head to send a sharp glare, “Think this through!”

Peter frowns, “I already have.”

Drowning out the rest of his mentor’s protests, Peter readies himself as he breathes in and out audibly in resolution and pushes. He screams in both pain and determination, feeling as the ton of rubble on top of him starts shifting ever so slightly. He’s sure to prevent touching his mentor at all, as to not hurt him, but it doesn’t help since he doesn’t have a great grip with his hands that is enough to lift him, unlike last time. Still, he tries, his sweat staining his mentor’s shirt and his breathing rapid and insanely shallow, his shrieks louder than whatever Tony’s trying to say as of now. Finally, he senses progress, as his chest parts away mere inches from Tony’s. He laughs breathlessly, suddenly finding it in himself to push further, even with his terribly barely-holding shaking arms and raw throat, even with the amount of rubble doubled from last time and a rod sticking into his flesh, even with the too-weak grip on the ground and not enough pressure– he won’t back down now, he can’t back down now. It isn’t an option because he isn’t allowing it to be. Because he isn’t losing anyone today. Especially not him. Not Tony. Not his mentor.

Not another father figure.

God, please, no.

He feels lightheaded from the screaming, his vision is starting to blur, everything hurts, but he keeps going. He keeps pushing and pushing and pushing, till the end of time, till he is almost on his knees, till his mentor is almost free, and then he hears it– the yells. The yells, that aren’t coming out of him– far from it-

“-KID, JUST STOP! JUST- DAMMIT! STOP IT, PETER!!” It’s the loudest he’s ever heard his mentor, but he ignores him because he’s close, he’s so close, just a little further, just a little more, he can make it, he will make it,

He feels like passing out-

Tears fall without him noticing it, his body’s vibrating to a terrifying degree, but finally, finally, he’s fully on his knees, panting, still screaming, but he can’t miss the chance,

“GO, GO, GO!!”

“I CAN’T LEAVE Y-”

“JUST GO!!” He cries, unable to breathe, unable to think, doubtfully holding on for much longer. Tony takes the hint, sliding from underneath him, albeit a little slow due to his broken legs. Peter groans, arm suddenly getting bent against his will, begging for mercy, but he can’t take that chance until Mr. Stark is fully free, away and safe, so he responds with even more torture, and a shriek that will surely drain the life out of him but can’t help it.

He smiles, laughs even, as he feels the last brush against his body. Tony’s out. He’s free. He saved him. Peter’s saved him. Nobody’s dying today. No one else is dying under his watch. Not again, not ever, not in a long time– Thank you, thank you,

God, thank you!

“PETER!!” Tony calls from the void space, and Peter breathlessly jerks his head up with a toothy smile. Mr. Stark looks scared– heck, terrified, and the boy can’t do anything about it. He’s slipping away, mere seconds from either passing out temporarily, or for good. But Peter doesn’t mind. Mr. Stark’s out, Mr. Stark’s free, and that’s enough for Peter.

It’s more than enough…

“PETER, WHAT NOW?! WHAT NOW?!” Tony cries, reaching a hand for him. It’s a surprise Peter’s still conscious at all, his mind too numb to process anything, but not too numb to process one last thing,

“I-I can h-hear Rhodey…” He whispers happily, just happy…

“No… NO!!” Tony shakes his head for the umpteenth time.

Peter sends a laugh that’s clear in the flames’ lights before he gives out, with the debris giving out with him…

“PETEEEEER…!!!”

He’s sure he’s done well.

Notes:

Sweet, sweet trauma… :’)

Tell me how I did, because it’s been a while since I’ve depicted intense emotions as such and I’m afraid I’ve done a poor job of it… hehe… *cries*

Criticism is always welcome, that’s all I’m saying! :D

-

Chapter 4 is gonna take long to get uploaded! I repeat, long!! My exams are this freaking week and I’m finishing them next month! So wish me luck! As soon as I’m finished with both the chapter and the exams, I promise I’m gonna update. Until then, please be patient! Hope you understand… <3