Chapter Text
“Really? I ask you for your parents’ address, you say no one’s home right now, so you get me to bring you here instead? Stark freaking Tower?” The police officer crosses her arms and stares at Peter flatly. “You think you’re funny, young man? Maybe I should’ve arrested you after all.”
“No, officer! This is the right address, I swear. Look, I have a building pass.” He takes the card out of his pocket to show the cop.
“Hm. Your parents work here or something?”
“Well…” Peter begins. “Sort of?”
“‘Sort of’?” She shakes her head. “Fine, whatever. Let’s get this over with. Lead the way.”
Peter scans his card and they walk into the building together, the officer holding Peter’s upper arm as if she thinks he’s going to make a run for it. She grumbles something about having more important things to do tonight than escorting home a juvenile delinquent.
During the elevator ride up to the penthouse, Peter finally gets the courage to ask. “Um, ma’am? You won’t…um…get too, well… detailed …about what happened, will you? It’s…I-I mean, it’s pretty personal. You can just say–”
The cop cuts him off. “I’ll tell your parents as much as I think they need to know in order for them to discipline you properly and make sure this doesn’t happen again.”
The finality of her tone tells Peter there’s no use arguing. He silently prays that she’ll have mercy on him when she sees who they’re about to meet.
When the elevator opens and they step out, Tony is already waiting directly in front of the door, arms crossed. Friday must have informed him that Peter had arrived accompanied by a police officer. Their eyes meet and Peter quickly lowers his gaze at the sight of his mentor’s steely expression.
The officer recognizes Tony and her eyes grow wide. Then she looks around and her jaw drops as she realizes she’s standing right in the middle of the Iron Man’s sprawling living area.
“Holy shit.”
Tony raises his eyebrows. He’s clearly waiting for her to say something else.
“Right,” she says, pulling herself together. “Good evening, Mr. – erm – Stark. I’m Officer Allen.” She clears her throat and frowns. “You’re this boy’s guardian?”
“Depends,” replies Tony, his narrowed eyes boring into Peter. “What did he do?”
All of Peter’s elevator prayers are summarily obliterated by Officer Allen’s next sentence. In a flash, his entire world blinks out of existence under his feet.
“My partner and I were patrolling Roosevelt Island and found him and another boy naked in the backseat of a parked car. I don’t think I need to elaborate on what they were up to.”
A tiny whine escapes Peter’s lips at the officer’s words. He feels like he’s been punched in the gut. Tony quirks an eyebrow but otherwise doesn’t show any surprise at learning for the first time that Peter is interested in boys.
The officer continues. “Lots of couples like to go to Roosevelt at night. The park there is quiet and out of the way. But nudity in a car is illegal if passersby can readily see in. My partner took the other boy home. And Mr. Parker here gave me this address.” Her eyes sweep the penthouse living area. “He lives here?”
“On and off,” says Tony, who’s still staring at Peter with an unreadable expression. He finally tears his eyes from the teen and addresses the cop. “Thanks for bringing him. I’ll take it from here. Obviously you won’t press charges?”
“Oh no, no way. I’m not in the business of ruining young lives like that for something so minor.”
Yeah, right, thinks Peter, closing his eyes. Don’t you know you’ve already ruined my young life by telling Mr. Stark everything?
The cop turns to Peter and gives him a serious look. “But another cop might not have been so forgiving. So think twice next time you and your boyfriend want to get busy in a public place, okay?”
Peter suppresses a cringe at the officer using the word ‘boyfriend’ so casually in front of Tony. “Yes ma’am,” he whispers.
But Tony’s not done yet. He gives the officer a piercing look, locking eyes with hers. “And, Officer…Allen, was it?” His tone leaves no doubt that he’s going to remember her name. “Nothing about this will make it into any papers. Even if no names are mentioned. Not even a little blurb on page twenty-two…” The rest of his phrase is unspoken, but Tony’s body language practically screams it: ‘… or else’.
The officer looks a bit taken aback at how adamant Tony is on this point. “That didn’t even cross my mind, Mr. Stark. It’ll be forgotten as soon as I walk out of here.” She turns to Peter. “Just don’t let it happen again.”
Tony relaxes slightly. “Alright, then. Thank you.” He shoots Peter an icy look that makes him flinch. “I can guarantee you it won’t ever happen again.”
Once the officer says goodnight and steps back into the elevator, Tony spins on his heel and walks to the sitting area. He jabs a finger toward the couch and utters a clipped “ Sit, ” before continuing on to the floor-to-ceiling window nearby. He just looks out the window a moment, one hand on his hip and the other pinching the bridge of his nose.
Peter flops down on the couch and stares at his knees, not saying anything. All he can think is, it’s all over . His mentor knows he isn’t only into girls. He knows he has a boyfriend. And he knows he’s sleeping with his boyfriend. Mr. Stark must be disgusted with him right now. Frankly, Peter is surprised that Tony didn’t just send him to his bedroom to pack his things and get out forever. Surely, no matter what else happens, his internship is over. Will he take the suit back, too?
Of course he will, his brain answers. Nobody wants a queer Spider-Man. Tears prick the backs of his eyes at the thought and he blinks them away.
Tony finally turns away from the window and approaches the couch. His expression can only be described as smouldering fury. He paces in front of Peter a few times, jaw clenched and lips pressed together. But when he looks at Peter, who’s sitting hunched over with his arms around his middle, looking about half his usual size, Tony’s expression softens slightly. He takes a deep breath and, with some effort, appears to calm himself a little. He grabs a footstool and sits down in front of Peter.
“Alright. Explain.”
Peter’s tears threaten to return. He looks at the ceiling and wills them to stay down. “Um, well, I-I don’t really know what to say. I…like him, Mr. Stark. And he likes me. I guess I’ve known for a long time that I like both girls and guys. I…I can’t help it.” He takes a breath to try to calm the shaking in his voice. A few traitorous tears fall. “And y-you’re probably thinking, if I like both, why can’t I just stick with girls then? I don’t know. I just…we’re in love.” His breath hitches in his throat and his voice breaks when he continues. “I’m really sorry. You must hate me–”
Tony’s frown has been deepening as Peter speaks. Finally he holds up a hand. “Whoa whoa whoa, hang on a sec.” He stares at Peter like he’s seeing him for the first time. “Peter , do you think I’m angry at you for being with a guy? ”
Peter sniffs and looks at Tony. He’s not sure what’s going on.
“Aren’t you?”
Tony is so incredulous that he’s rendered speechless for a moment. “No!” he exclaims, then quickly reins in his outburst. He clears his throat and proceeds at a normal volume. “No. What the hell, kid? I’m not angry at you for having a boyfriend. I couldn’t care less about that. I’m angry at you for sleeping with him in a car at the fucking Four Freedoms Park.”
Peter just stares at Tony as the full meaning of his words sinks in. “Oh. Oh. S-So you’re not– you’re not– Oh my God.” He breaks off as his breath hitches. He can hardly breathe. The sudden relief he feels is so overwhelming that he’s nearly hyperventilating.
Without warning, he breaks down completely and starts to sob. Bewildering thoughts flood his mind. His life isn’t over. Mr. Stark isn’t mad at him for liking boys. It doesn’t bother him at all.
Peter covers his face with his hands as the tears continue to fall, and he tries in vain to stifle his sobs. Part of him is embarrassed at breaking down like this in front of Tony, and another part of him realizes that he’s still in trouble for what he did. But right now, all of that is eclipsed by sheer, utter relief.
He feels the couch cushion next to him depress. One of Tony’s arms wraps around his shoulder, and he feels himself being pulled into his mentor’s chest. Tony just holds him and lets him cry.
His sobs die down after a short while, but he makes no move to sit up. Until a moment ago, he’d been certain that he was on the verge of losing his mentor forever. He doesn’t want to let go of him just yet.
Tony lightly squeezes Peter’s shoulder. “How could you think I’d hate you for being bisexual, Pete?” His tone is gentle, but Peter can also hear confusion. “Do you not know who you’re talking to, here? I’ve been with more men than women, you know.”
Huh? Peter sits up and stares at Tony, wide-eyed. “Wh-what? You have?”
Tony squints at him in confusion. “Kid. Seriously? Haven’t you ever googled me? The stories are all over the internet.”
Peter shrugs. “I mean yeah, I used to google you sometimes. But I learned pretty soon after meeting you that most of what they write about you online is false. I don’t believe anything I read about you anymore.”
“Good man,” says Tony with an approving smile. He shifts so he’s fully facing Peter, and rests an elbow on the back of the couch. “But this is one thing they actually got right. You wouldn’t know it by looking, since I’ve been with Pepper since before you and I met, but I’m about as brazenly bisexual as they come.”
Peter’s brain struggles to comprehend what he’s hearing. Iron Man. One of the Avengers. His mentor; his hero; his – the word is barely a whisper, even in his mind – father figure, is bisexual too?
Is this a dream? What the hell did I do to deserve something so great? he wants to shout.
“How come you never mentioned it?” he asks instead.
Tony shrugs. “I didn’t go out of my way not to. I thought you already knew. It’s been common knowledge since about 1990, so I didn’t think I needed to bring it up. I see now that I should’ve. I didn’t realize you were carrying around this burden or that you were worried about coming out to me. I’m sorry that cop had to do it for you.”
“It’s alright. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you before. I didn’t know you’d be so okay with it.”
“Don’t be sorry. You’re not obligated to tell anyone. But for future reference? You can tell me anything. Like, anything. ”
Peter looks sceptical. Surely Mr. Stark doesn’t mean anything.
“I’m serious. And not just mundane stuff, like you’re dating a guy. Even stuff that’s actually bad.”
“Like what?”
“I don’t know. Anything. Like you’re high as fuck and can’t remember the way home. Or you hit someone with your car. I mean– obviously don’t do those things.”
Peter chuckles and Tony pauses a moment to gather his thoughts before continuing. “My point is, if you were worried about telling me this, it’s fair to say you’d be worried about telling me more serious stuff. So I’m just letting you know in advance: you don’t need to be worried. You can call me no matter what. I might freak out for a minute, but I’m working on that. But I won’t disown you or anything. And I’ll never take the suit from you again. That’s a promise. Just– I wanna know that if you’re in trouble, you’ll ask for help.”
Peter nods, taking in every one of Tony’s words. He’s not quite sure what prompted his mentor to say all this, but it warms his heart to know how much the man cares.
Now Tony’s expression changes, and he levels Peter with a piercing look. “Speaking of being in trouble.”
Peter winces. Oh yeah.
“That’s right. You’re still in shit here, kid. Sex in your boyfriend’s car? On a public street? That’s incredibly careless, Pete. And dangerous. If the wrong person had seen you– Plus it’s illegal. You’re lucky that cop didn’t arrest you. Come on, kid, you know better than that.”
“I know. It was stupid.”
“Why his car? Why not go to your place? Or his place? Or a hotel?”
“We can’t go to his place. His parents are super homophobic. They have no idea he’s gay. They’d flip. And you need a credit card to stay at a hotel, which I can’t get until I’m eighteen. And as for my place… I haven’t actually come out to May yet. I think she’ll be okay with it. But she’s never really made her opinion clear on that point. And even if she is okay with it, she’d never let anyone I’m dating stay over. She probably wouldn’t let us go into my room at all. Sometimes I feel like she doesn’t realize I’m seventeen. I don’t think she could handle the idea that I’m…I’m…”
“Sexually active.”
Peter ducks his head in mild embarrassment at Tony’s bluntness. “Yeah. I’m afraid to risk saying anything to her while I’m actually dating Sean. What if she loses it and tries to make me break up with him? I don’t think she will, but I’m just not ready to risk it yet, y’know?”
“Yeah, I know.” Tony huffs a laugh. “Trust me, I know. If you’ve googled me, then you must have also read some stuff about my dad. Most of what they wrote about him is true. Brilliant man, but straitlaced as all hell and obsessed with his image. So you can imagine how he reacted to reading about his only son in the newspaper for the first time. Caught in the janitor’s closet with his chauffeur Ganesh at the annual Stark Foundation gala when I was twenty.”
Peter’s jaw drops. “Are you serious?” He did not expect his mentor to say that. Suddenly it makes sense why Tony was so emphatic with the police officer that she say nothing to the press. He’s been there before, and doesn’t want anything like that happening to Peter.
“Yep. Hadn’t seen him in that much of a rage in years. Though I kind of stoked the flames a little. ‘Baby’s first scandal,’ I called it when he confronted me. Suggested we commemorate the milestone with a drink, since it would probably be the first of many times I would disgrace the Stark name. He was not amused.” A bitter smile crosses Tony’s face and he sighs. “Ganesh got off a bit easier. He just got fired. And I managed to keep his last name out of the paper.”
His eyes unfocus for a moment as if he’s lost in thought, transported back to 1990. Although Tony’s lips are still curved in a half-smile, there seems to be something raw, hurt and broken in his eyes, something that’s been shoved away for years. Peter wonders if he regrets the entire incident, or just regrets getting caught. Were they in love? Or was it just sex? Did Tony ever see him again? Would they still be together if it hadn’t been such a scandal? All of these questions flood Peter’s mind, but somehow it doesn’t seem appropriate to ask just now.
Tony gives himself a shake. “But how’d we get so off-topic, anyway?” He focuses on Peter again. “Look, kiddo. I get that it’s hard to have a relationship when neither of you is out to your family. But no more sexy time in parked cars, alright? It’s not safe. And if the cops decide to book you next time, and you’re still seventeen, legally it’s May they have to call, not me. Whether or not you’ve come out to her. And if you’re eighteen and you get them to call me? I’m still gonna call May. Because if Iron Man is seen picking you up from Rikers Island, it’ll take a team of lawyers and a shitload of cash to keep that story out of the paper. No joke. Got it?”
As Tony’s words sink in, Peter mentally kicks himself. He never even considered that there could be repercussions for Tony if some dumb teen he’s associated with got arrested.
He swallows and nods. “Yes, sir. I’m sorry. It won’t happen again.”
Tony holds his gaze for a moment longer, then nods once. “Alright, then. You’re forgiven.”
Peter lets out a breath, relieved that his rash behaviour hasn’t changed things between him and his mentor.
“So,” Tony says, his mood visibly lighter. “On to more important things. This guy. Sean, is it?” Peter nods. “Tell me about him. What’s he like? You must really like him if you’re willing to sneak around so much to be with him.” He gives Peter a knowing smile.
Again, Peter has to suppress his astonishment at how this night ended up. One minute thinking that life as he knew it was over, and the next, being asked to gush about his boyfriend who until fifteen minutes ago had been a secret from every adult in his life.
“I do. He’s…really great.” He can’t think of anything else to say. Being able to talk about Sean freely is still a very foreign concept.
“You two are using protection, right?”
An instant blush colours Peter’s cheeks at the way Tony just blurted out the question so matter-of-factly. He grabs a throw pillow to press over his embarrassed face. “Urgh. Yes, okay?”
Tony snatches the pillow away playfully and rolls his eyes. “Alright, alright. I had to check. You haven’t exactly shown impeccable judgement tonight.”
Peter can’t really argue with that.
“I think it’s about time I meet him,” Tony continues. “I wanna see for myself that he’s good enough for you. You should bring him here for your next date night.”
“Haha,” Peter laughs dismissively. Then he sees that Tony’s expression hasn’t changed. “Oh. You’re serious!”
“Yeah, I’m serious. It can be a double date. Me and Pepper, you and Sean. Eating Thai, me and Pep swapping embarrassing stories about you with Sean. It’ll be fun. For me at least,” he adds with a mischievous smile.
“I’ll think about it,” says Peter with a shrug, though he’s already deciding on a good night next week when he and Sean are free.
“Oh, and one more thing. New rule, starting now. Since you’ve already got your own room here, you might as well have full resident privileges. That includes the right to invite guests overnight. Well,” he amends, “as long as I meet them first and conclude they’re not a dick. I have dick-guest veto rights. And I’m not afraid to exercise them. Just ask Bruce.” He tilts his head. “On second thought, don’t. He’s still pretty sore about that. Don’t want him to Hulk out if you bring it up at a bad time.”
Peter isn’t sure that he heard correctly. Did Tony just offer to let him spend the night with Sean here at the tower? But that doesn’t make sense. Parents (and mentors) aren’t supposed to be okay with their teens doing… that. Much less under their roof.
“You mean, like, stay over stay over? Like in the same room?”
Tony quirks an eyebrow. “Yes, ‘like in the same room’. He’s your boyfriend, isn’t he? And I’m not naive; I know you two are gonna do what you’re gonna do either way. You’re old enough to make that choice, and I’m not my uptight old man; I won’t stop you. I was younger than you when– anyway.”
Peter suppresses a grin at the way Tony cut off whatever he was about to say.
“Bottom line is, if you’re gonna sleep together anyway, I’d rather it be somewhere you won’t get busted by the cops. Your reputation has remained unsullied up til now, and I’d like to keep it that way.”
Peter is still doubtful. He tries to imagine himself and Sean waking up in his bedroom some morning and going out to the penthouse kitchen in their pyjamas, greeting Tony who’s already sitting on a barstool with a cup of coffee. The whole idea seems incredibly foreign.
“Aren’t you worried it would be…y’know…awkward?”
Tony barks a laugh. “No, kid. Awkward is trying to get yourself invited to some kid’s party where the parents aren’t home, so you and Sean can try to find a room no one will walk in on. Awkward is him sneaking out your bedroom window at six a.m. before May gets home from her night shift.” He gives Peter a pointed look. “And you know what’s really awkward? Trying to make it work in the cramped backseat of your boyfriend’s car on a public street and getting dragged home by the cops.”
“I don’t know, wouldn’t a janitor’s closet at your parents’ gala be more awkward?” Peter jokes.
“Touché, smartass.” And Tony laughs heartily, but Peter notices that the mirth doesn’t quite reach his eyes.
Peter’s phone buzzes. It’s a message from Sean.
“Oh, thank God,” he says as he reads it. “The other cop didn’t tell Sean’s parents that he was with me. I was really worried. Especially after my cop blurted everything out to you.”
“Yeah, she shouldn’t’ve done that,” says Tony, tilting his head. “You should’ve been able to tell me on your own terms.”
“You should’ve, too, with your parents,” Peter replies softly. “I’m sorry the newspaper did it for you.”
“Me too, kiddo.” And Tony’s eyes take on that faraway look again, making Peter wonder just exactly what happened all those years ago. He wishes he hadn’t made that joke about it a minute ago.
“Hey,” Tony says after a moment. “Hungry? I’ve got frozen pizza. The kind with the disgusting olives that you love. And there’s a new episode of Brooklyn Nine-Nine out.”
“Yeah, sounds good!” says Peter, suddenly realizing how hungry he is.
They eat their pizza in front of the TV. Halfway through the show, Peter realizes that Tony seems distracted. He hasn’t been laughing very hard at the jokes. Brooklyn Nine-Nine is usually one of his favourite shows.
Then Tony pulls out his phone and types something, and spends the next few minutes scrolling. Peter is about to ask if everything’s alright when Tony puts his phone away. He focuses on the TV for the rest of the episode, still with that air of distraction.
“I’m gonna turn in early tonight,” he tells Peter as soon as it’s over. “Pepper’s back from her trip tomorrow, and I want to render her speechless by actually getting a full night’s sleep while she’s out of town for once.” He stands up. “You gonna stay out here a while longer?”
“Yeah, I think so. I’m not tired at all. I’ve had so many surprises tonight that my mind is racing. I’ll probably put on a movie and text with Sean.”
“Tell him I said hi. And that I hope for his sake he’s not a dick. Remember to shut out the lights when you turn in.” He starts to walk away.
Peter suddenly makes a decision. He jumps up. “Mr. Stark?”
“Yeah?” Tony barely has time to turn around before Peter pulls him into a tight hug. He rests his head on his mentor’s shoulder, and when he speaks, his voice trembles with emotion again but he doesn’t care.
“Thank you. So much. For everything.”
Tony returns the hug, wrapping one arm around Peter’s shoulders and burying his other hand in his hair. “Don’t mention it, kiddo,” he whispers.
They break apart after a moment, and Tony says goodnight. As he leaves the living area, he pulls out his phone again. Again Peter wonders what’s so interesting on there.
As his mentor’s footsteps fade away down the hall, Peter hears him dial a number on his phone. He’s nearly arrived at his bedroom on the opposite side of the penthouse, but thanks to Peter’s super hearing, it sounds like Tony is standing across the room. After a second, he hears Tony speak softly as he’s opening his bedroom door.
“Uh…Hi. Is this Ganesh?”
Oh. So that’s what he was doing on his phone. Looking up his long lost love. Peter wonders if this is the first time they’ve spoken since the incident. Tony’s voice is almost unrecognizable; Peter has never heard him sound so nervous before.
He feels a sudden rush of affection for his mentor and the difficult life he must have had, growing up under a microscope with Howard Stark for a father. He firmly resolves not to do anything else to make Mr. Stark’s life any harder.
Tony continues speaking, his voice low and trembling slightly. “Yeah, hi. It’s…Tony. Yeah. That Tony. I know. How’ve you–” The soundproof door closes and Peter hears nothing more.