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"Hey kid, can you hand me those tweezers?" Tony asks, nose deep into rewiring a gauntlet, though he barley goes out as Iron Man anymore.
Peter narrows his eyes, smirking from across the work table. "I don't know Mister Stark, can I?" he says with a passive snort.
Tony raises a single eyebrow, seemingly not amused. "Aren't you funny. May you hand me those tweezers?"
"Oh, why yes, I'd be delighted to hand you the tweezers."
"Thank you, you delinquent."
They've been in the lab for the past day, working on unfinished projects and upgrading their suits. With May on a business trip somewhere in Pennsylvania, Peter's been put into Tony's custody for the one week remainder of winter break. So far, they haven't done much besides spending an unhealthy amount of time in the lab, playing several rounds of paper football, eating Thai and getting shouted by Pepper. In other words, Peter's ideal way of spending the rest of the break. Minus getting shouted at by Pepper because they had forgotten to eat lunch. That was extremely scary, never again, wouldn't recommend.
And Tony's been cool about it too--letting a teenager stay at his penthouse for a whole week, so Peter has just been kicking off and relaxing for the whole time.
"What do you want for dinner?" Tony asks, stretching and popping a bone.
He replies, "Checkers,"
"Kid, if you want burgers we can just go to Burger King."
Peter rolls his eyes, keeping his eyes trained on fixing his suit's parachute, which he deployed after having jumped off a building while in pursuit of a robber. "I cannot believe you right now. Burger King? Mister Stark, that's so basic,"
"I'm a basic bitch, what can I do?"
"Never say that ever again. I swear to God."
Tony raises his hands into the air. "Fine. Whatever you say. But next time I get to choose."
"Deal."
Having had enough with working, Peter sighs and drops his suit onto the table. It can wait another day. Or two. He's not so intent on being Spider-Man this week anyway. "I'm gonna go take a shower, I have your lab grease all over me."
Tony scowls, but there's no actual malice behind it. "My lab grease?"
"Yeah, you own the grease, it's your property. Your lab grease."
"I can't even think of anything to say, wow, okay." Tony blinks, wide-eyed. "Well, just don't take too long- I want to watch the Parks and Rec season finale."
Peter can only groan. "Again? Why do you even like that show? It has like, no substance. At all."
Tony gently sets a hand onto his shoulder, turning off the lights and guiding them out the lab for the night. "I like it because Aubrey Plaza is in it, thank you very much."
"I'm telling Pepper,"
"Go ahead, you don't know how much she talks about Idris Elba."
"Yeah but that's Idris Elba, who doesn't like him?"
"Point."
There's a low rumbling in his lower stomach, when was the last time he ate? He'll have to ask Tony to get him the extra large burgers and fries later--ever since the bite, his metabolism has increased by at least eighty percent and his appetite by a hundred. It usually isn't a problem until two meals have been skipped.
He separates from Tony and slips into his room. It's funny, he hasn't even slept in here yet but there are already clothes on the floor and books scattered on the desk. May says that he has a natural tendency of carrying a trail of mess wherever he goes, his bedroom at the apartment is incredibly untidy, to put it in simpler terms.
Peter walks into the en-suite bathroom, locking the door before chucking his shirt off. He's been wearing his binder since Happy came to pick him up at ten this morning and Peter knows, all too well he would say, that wearing a binder for more than six hours (seven when he really pushes it) at a time is seriously damaging to the ribs. The one thing he's thankful for is the fact that he has a small chest--sometimes wearing a sports bra is enough but it also comes with the tedious task of having to adjust his shirt so it doesn't look weird as he walks.
His sweatpants come off next, landing softly on the expensively tiled floor before he kicks them to the side. "What the fuck-"
It's a reasonable reaction, seeing the bright blotch of red inside the crotch of his pants. And Peter thinks, this can't be happening. He forgot. He completely forgot. The date--today is the third and he completely forgot. He should have checked before packing his bag this morning. And he'd been sure to grab everything; toothbrush, hoodies, socks goddammit. But he forgot to check the date and now the consequences are coming back to haunt him.
He curses himself for the bad timing. How is he supposed to go about the rest of the week? Maybe he could just ask Tony.
Ask Tony. Just ask Tony.
No way. No absolute way. There's a cloud of nausea stirring in his head like a violent storm. He can't do that, it's ridiculous. The very thought makes him want to scream his guts out entirely.
But what other choice does he have?
And it's not like he hasn't told Tony that he's trans, the man knows and fully supports him. But does the universe seriously expect him to waltz up to Tony and ask him for a pad? Hey Mister Stark, do you have any spare pads lying around?
Peter cringes at the the thought of having to tell Tony freaking Stark--the literal embodiment of the word man, of masculinity--that he's on his period.
He already thinks you aren't normal, you don't need to add this to the list.
"Breathe Peter, breathe," he calmly tells himself as he sharply sucks air in through his nostrils.
You can figure this out. You're Spider-Man. Spider-Man is quick, he's efficient and he's durable.
His eyes move to the bathroom cabinets. There must be something in here, this is supposed to be a guest bathroom in a guest room. If there are towels, shampoo and bodywash, there has to be at least a single box of- "What? Tampons?"
Peter lets go of the box, sighing in frustration. Absolutely not. Tampons are out of the picture--as if he isn't feeling dysphoric enough. He'd never learned to use them anyway, today is not going to be the day nor will it ever be.
What is Tony even going to do? Laugh at him? Of course not. Peter'd seen the video of him peeing in his suit, that is ten times more embarrassing than this.
All he has to do is ask.
And it's either that...or the tampons.
He pulls on a pair of gym shorts.
There's a string of two voices floating from the kitchen when Peter waddles out of his room.
Tony and Pepper--they're both standing and talking by the counter and when they see him suddenly appear in the middle of the room, their attention and eyes zero onto him. On a normal day, this wouldn't have been a problem. Today, however, it feels like he's being shredded under the intense stare of (probably) the most powerful couple in America.
"Hey Peter," Pepper prompts, smiling and waving.
"Um. Hi, Miss Potts." it's an awkward greeting.
"I was just about to order our food, extra large burgers and fries for you right?" Tony asks. "I know how that big appetite of yours works."
He's zoned out for a bit, thinking of all the possible ways this conversation could end. "Uh, yeah- I just, I need to,"
Tony frowns, phone halfway out of his pocket. "Yes...?"
I need some pads because I'm on my period and I forgot to pack some. Come on, talk Parker. The sooner the better.
The realization that there's a woman in the room, that is in no doubt more experienced in this field, only sinks in when Pepper's hand gently brushes against his forearm.
"Is something wrong, sweetheart?"
Pepper's accepting, right? If Tony is, then she has to be too. Stark Industries has hosted galas for the Trevor Foundation and other similar projects, right? The idea of telling her doesn't make Peter any more comfortable--it's just that she's more likely to understand. More than than Tony, at least,
"Actually- uh, M-Miss Potts, can I just-" he chokes out. "-can I talk to you for a second?"
"Oh. Well, okay, of course."
The look on Tony's face is a true depiction of utter confusion, as Peter asks him to go away for the time being.
"What do you mean?" the man protests. "You're under my care, kid. I should know if something is up or not."
Exasperatedly, Peter replies, "I know but- I just, just need to talk to Miss Potts." he basically pleads, not wanting to go into further detail.
He doesn't know if it's the look in his eyes or the tone of his voice but Tony pinches the bridge of his nose and nods. Just like that, he easily lets go without a fight. "Fine, but you better not be hiding an injury Parker, or you are toast. And Helen Cho will be doing the toasting, mind you, she's very good at toasting! She once toasted me so hard after I hid my broken ankle from her for a week-"
Peter wishes it were an injury. Anything but this.
"Tony." an annoyed Pepper says.
"Fine, fine, I'm getting out, see? Really feeling the love,"
The woman rolls her eyes as her fiance stomps out of the kitchen. "Don't worry about him, he'll be out of his funk sooner or later. So, I believe there's something you want to tell me?"
"Yeah, uh, I just- I don't know if uh, if Mister Stark has ever brought this up but I'm, uh," he clears his throat. "I'm trans. I'm sorry, I-"
She tilts her head, crossing her arms over her chest. "Why are you apologizing, Peter? You have nothing to say sorry about. It's okay, honey, that's more than okay."
It suddenly feels like he's swimming back up the ocean and getting a fresh gasp of relieving air. She accepts you, almost sounds like, you've been validated, in his head.
"I know it must have been hard but thank you for trusting and telling me. You're an amazing kid Peter, and if you think I think of you any different then I'm going to have to call you out, sweetheart." Pepper smiles, her eyes radiating warmth.
"W-wow, thank you so much Miss Potts b-but I actually- that's not actually what I wanted to say. I mean, it was but it's just a segue, I mean- what I really wanted to say was that I want- I need like- I'm on my period?"
Surely, it's the hardest thing he's ever had to say to someone other than May. Even confessing to being Spider-Man had been way easier to do--he's found that things are easier to do as Spider-Man. Partly because he has a figurative and literal mask over his face, once it comes on, he can do almost anything. Without the mask, he's just vulnerable Peter Parker.
"Oh honey,"
He doesn't know the meaning behind those words. Good or bad? Regretful or pitying? "I-I shouldn't have said anything, I'm sorry."
"Peter, you've got to stop apologizing," she lands a grounding hand onto his back. "come on, I think I can help you."
Tony jumps up from the living room couch at the sight of the two of them but Pepper, bless her, decides she has other plans for him. "Have you ordered dinner yet?"
The man is clearly taken aback, judging by the way his eyes blow up. "Dinner? What- no, I-"
"Then I suggest you get right to it, Tony."
"Where are you going?"
"I'm sorry, did you not hear what I said about dinner?"
Beside them, Peter is quietly shaking.
Tony sputters, "Yeah, I have, actually but-"
"Great. I'll have a cheeseburger then, you remember Peter's order." she says. "We'll be right back."
"Where are you going- Pep-"
"Tony,"
Admittedly, it's extremely funny and refreshing to see the amount of power Pepper has over Tony. It goes to show that you should never try get on her bad side.
She guides him to their bedroom, leaving Peter to awkwardly stand in the middle as she sifts through the bathroom drawers. "I'm not sure which ones would be more fitting for you. I have regular, which is more heavy-duty and small but you'll have to change more often. I also have some nighttime ones, if you want."
"Uh, no, I don't- regular is fine, thank you."
Pepper places a box into his hands and all he can think is; that wasn't so hard.
"I'm not going to tell Tony, if that's what you're thinking." Pepper confides.
"Um. Will he- he won't make a big deal out of it if you do?"
She snorts. "Tony? God, no. Who do you think buys all the supplies?"
And image of Tony with a large shopping cart, reading labels pops into his head. He smiles. "Really? Oh. That's...cool. I just thought he had other people do his groceries."
"Trust me, he runs all the errands."
Peter doesn't really know what to say to that. "O-okay. I guess, I guess you can tell him."
Pepper cocks an eyebrow. "Really?"
"Yeah, it's fine." also because he isn't sure if he knows the man is going to coax it out of him anyway. That's the things about Tony- he can be annoyingly overbearing and put you under the interrogation light until he gets information out of you. "Thank you, again. For uh, these."
"No problem. You can always come to me if you need anything,"
Pepper walks him back to his room before closing the door and leaving him to his own devices.
By the time he showers and comes out of the bathroom, there are sweatpants and a sweatshirt neatly sitting on his bed. Next to them is a handwritten note.
Hey kiddo, sorry for being such an a-hole earlier. These are the softest clothes I own, take them as my way of repayment. I hope you're feeling alright--if you are, that's amazing and if you aren't, I'm here if you want to talk. Or Pepper, either one of us. Or we could call May, whatever you want.
P.S. I stole some of your fries, sorry.
- TS