Marvel Imagines

015 - Tony Stark imagine (platonic) - Funereal

A/N : Quick warning, this imagine contains MASSIVE spoilers for Avengers Endgame so, if you haven't seen the movie and want to, please be warned. I haven't updated for a while as well so be prepared, this is gonna a bit of a long one! :)

Funereal - [adjective] having the mournful, sombre character appropriate to a funeral.

A single tear rolled down your cheek.

He was gone. It was really happening - no more surprises.

The great Tony Stark had been your boss, your best friend and your fellow teammate for ten whole years. Now, whilst his wife and child laid a wreath of flowers on the lake and pushed them away from the dock, you stood in sombre silence with one arm wrapped around Thor's waist. You couldn't help but sneak glances at Peter from time to time. He was a mess; tears streaming down his face as he looked straight ahead into the distance.

If only you'd been the one - if only you'd taken the stones - maybe Tony would still be alive.

Tony had a family - a young daughter who may not even remember her father by the time she reached her teens. Who did you have? No one. You had planned during the battle to do what Nat did for Clint; to take the stones and Stark's glove then do the second snap yourself. You wanted to do that for everyone. Nat was like a sister to you so, in your mind, it felt right for both of you to go out in the same fight, making sacrifices to save and bring back the people you loved.

After the funeral was over, everyone was invited into the house by Pepper. You couldn't bear it. During the five years between Thanos' snap and Tony's, you had visited the house on a weekly basis - looking after Morgan, helping Pepper with the laundry and tinkering on mechanical parts in the garage with Tony. You didn't want to be in the house without him there; even the idea felt wrong.

Pepper must have seen you standing beside the door because, as you hesitated on the porch, she sent Morgan away with Happy and wrapped her arm around your shoulders. "Are you okay?"

You wiped away the tears that you hadn't even realised were falling and the two of you moved towards the railing. "Oh god, you must think that I'm so weak. I should be asking you how you are..."

"No, don't downplay your relationship with him like that. You worked alongside him every day for over ten years. He loved you like a daughter. You were his child long before we had Morgan. Now, you, her and Peter are all I have left of him". Tears were beginning to form in Pepper's eyes and you willed them with all your might to stop.

You pulled her into a tight embrace as her tears began to fall onto your shoulder, dampening the sleeve of your black dress. Not knowing what to say, you held her in your arms, a hand rested on the small of her back. You'd never known that she considered you like that — like a daughter.

When Pepper had regained some of her composure, the two of you held tightly to each other's hands and walked through the front door into the Stark's family home. Everything was like it had been the last time you were there. It was silly, but it seemed like at any minute Tony would walk in from the kitchen asking if anyone wanted a cocktail or spring out of the bathroom and yell "Boo". If only.

Rhodey approached Pepper and wrapped her into a warm hug, forcing her to drop your hand. You left the two of them and thought about who you wanted to talk to. You knew that you needed to speak to Peter - the boy who was practically an adopted brother to you - but someone else caught your eye. A glimpse of blue flashed in the corner of your vision and you followed it instantly. Nebula. She was standing apart from the other Guardians, browsing a collection of photos over a fireplace with an awkward look on her face.

Before you had a chance to walk over to her, Peter gently tapped your shoulder. You spun to face him and was pulled into his chest before you could even react. He was taller than you so your face was pushed against him, making it almost impossible to breathe. You were going to tease him but stopped yourself when you heard that he was crying. Gently, you snaked your arms around his waist and held him tightly while he let his emotions out. After a while, you had to move and tapped him so he'd let you go.

Determined not to cry again in a room full of people, you took his hand and did for him what Pepper had done for you. Without a word, you pulled him outside and didn't talk until you were by the dock — out of ear-shot from the guests.

"Peter..." you started but you didn't know what to say. What could you say to a teenager who had just lost the only father-figure they had left in the world?

"He was the only dad I had," he muttered in a voice that was barely a whisper, seeming to have not heard you. He took a seat on the wooden planks, sitting cross-legged like a child. You sat next to him — allowing your knees to touch — with both of your backs to the house.

"I know; same here". The two of you looked across the water, the setting sun reflecting across the peaceful, glassy surface. "We don't have to go back in, you know. We can just stay here if you'd like".

"Yeah...yeah, I think that'd be for the best". He scooted closer, filling the tiny gap that he been left between you both, and wrapped an arm around your waist. You copied him and leaned your head against his shoulder, staring off into the water.

RIP Tony Stark - May 29th 1970 -- 2023