"Are you saying that there's a problem with the reactor in Mr. Stark's chest?" Peter asked Ethan.
"Peter, you're smart..." Ethan draped his arm over Peter's shoulder, turning to him, "Even if you think a little bit, you should realize how dangerous it is to embed an energy source that works on this principle, into the body."
Worried, Peter asked, "What should we do? We should be able to develop something new to replace it, right?"
"Sure, Tony is a genius. If he seriously wants to do something, he will be successful. But what if he doesn't want to?"
"Why wouldn't he want it? This concerns his life..." Peter had barely finished his sentence when he halted. Ethan said, "You must have also noticed, Tony is sort of negative nowadays. He always thinks about dying like a hero rather than how to live well."
Peter remembered the image of Stark flying towards the Highland Building without hesitation, despite his advice, Stark never stopped. This stance, along with his bravery, indeed had a scent of death.
Peter sighed, sat in the chair, rested an arm on the table, and said, "I heard about Mr. Stark's recent ordeal from Doctor Schiller. To be honest, it would be hard on anyone."
"What do you think I should do?" Peter spread his hands and said, "I want to help him, but I might not be able to help him technically."
"Stark needs no one's help technically. I believe that you can persuade him."
Ethan leaned on the lab table next to Peter and looked at him, "Haven't you noticed? Stark treats you differently. We're his friends, but he never listens to our advice. But you, you may be different."
After Ethan left, Peter, who was alone in the lab, stood still and began to reminisce about his time with Stark.
In the beginning, Stark told him the story of his time in Afghanistan at the top of the New York TV Tower.
That day, when they were still strangers, Stark told Peter that it hurt to want to be a hero.
It was not until later that Peter realized that Stark was not a man who easily gives in to pain.
Peter could only imagine that embedding a reactor in one's chest, no matter how potent it is or how powerful a Mecha it could drive, will always be uncomfortable for the host body.
The lights in the laboratory were dim. Only the lights from the equipment crisscrossed on the floor. Spider Man is not averse to fatigue. In such an environment, after a day of battling, Peter also felt tired and sleepy.
In his drowsiness, it seemed like Stark was sitting in front of him on the floor, leaning against the lab table, holding a model of a reactor.
Peter remembered asking Stark about the model always displayed on his table. Stark remained silent for a long time but eventually only uttered a name – "Howard".
Peter had heard the name in passing from others. For instance, Steve had told him that Howard was anold war buddy and a genius, but also a party animal.
Natasha seemed to have also mentioned this name, but again not in a nice way. Same with Nick, who mentioned Stark's father in passing but didn't leave a profound impression on Peter.
Just like his own father, Peter thought, he always knew merely a name and some vague descriptions from his Uncle Ben and Aunt May.
Father, Peter thought, a word so distant to him.
Peter's sleepiness intensified. In a dream-like state, he saw Stark put down the model, then closed his eyes, as if he had fallen asleep.
In each of these dark nights, in the deserted lab at the Stark Building, even Iron Man feels pain.
He always says, Howard is not the one he should remember when he is in pain. But no one knows who Iron Man thinks of every dark night.
In a deeper dream, Peter dreamt that Stark became his father.
This dream did not feature the advanced equipment of Stark Group or luxurious spaces; none of the grandeur Peter could not imagine in a wealthy household.
His childhood was still stuck in that old house, his memories filled with patched-up clothes, a box of toys that were never enough, and a storytelling book with dog-eared pages.
What did change was that he had a father, a father who would disassemble toy cars with him, build various machines with Lego parts.
They used marbles for planets and laid out a solar system map on the slightly old floor. In the small room, the sunset light shone on the simple toys. The tall Stark and young Peter, both engrossed in the glass pebbles on the floor – this father and son seemed to have the whole cosmos.
Their appearances began to change. Peter saw Stark transform into Howard, and he, into a young Stark.
Howard gently nudged a marble, narrating numerous cosmic secrets; the lights on the glass orbs grew brighter, more blinding.
Peter saw a father-son duo standing hand in hand above the Earth. All the planets in the solar system moved at their command, even the sun obeyed the father and dimmed its glow. The planets kept rotating, numerous lights blinking.