Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Tony Stark added Capsicle, Shakespeare, Legolas, GreenGiant, Widowmaker, Spider-Boy, Bird-Man, Starbucks, Maleficent, and JARVIS #2 to the chat. 

Capsicle: What...is this?

Shakespeare: A group chat! My dear friend, this was an excellent idea! 

Starbucks: no. 

Starbucks has left the chat.  

Tony Stark: Oh no you don't 

Tony Stark has added Starbucks to the chat.

Starbucks: I left for a reason.

Tony Stark: and I added you back for a reason. :)

Starbucks: Steve, do something about this. 

Tony Stark: no can do, Buckaroo. You're in this for the long run. 

Widowmaker: Tony, why are we in a group chat?

Legolas: Exactly what I want to know. 

Tony Stark: Because I thought it would be a good idea for us to have a chat room to talk in. You know, in case of emergency and stuff. 

Spider-Boy: Mr. Stark, I don't mind being in the chat but why am I "Spider-Boy"? 

Tony Stark: Because it's your nickname kid. 

Spider-Boy: But my name is Spider-Man not Spider-Boy

Tony Stark: If it bothers you that much you can change it.

Spider-Boy changed their nickname to Spider-Man.

Spider-Man: Thank you, Mr. Stark!

Maleficent: As much as I appreciate the thought of being included, I'm going to pass. 

Tony Stark: nope you're staying 

Maleficent: is this really necessary, Stark? 

Tony Stark: It sure is. :) 

Bird-Man: fuckin' hell, "Bird-Man"? Really? 

Capsicle: Language, Sam. 

Tony Stark: yes

Bird-Man: Can I change my name?

Tony Stark: no 

Bird-Man: Why not? Spider-Boy got to change his. 

Spider-Man: I'm not Spider-Boy!

Tony Stark: kid was an exception 

Bird-Man: Goddamnit 

Legolas: hold on, hold on. Nobody is gonna mention the fact that Cap just told Sam to watch his language? 

Tony Stark: like he's never swore before 

Starbucks: bullshit Steve would swear back in the day 

Capsicle: Bucky!

Starbucks: what?

Tony Stark: I fucking knew he did. Nat, you owe me 20. 

Widowmaker: damn I forgot about that bet

Tony Stark: I didn't! :D 

Capsicle: you placed bets if I swore back then?

Tony Stark: yea Nat and I were trying to figure out if you were as big of a goodie two-shoes as you are now before being iced and I knew there was no way you weren't if you went into the army. 

Widowmaker: I'd imagine that you'd be the one soldier who didn't do shit like the others with swearing and whatnot and you'd always try to excel above everyone. 

Starbucks: nah it's both especially with being around me all the time 

Capsicle: BUCKY stop 

Starbucks: too late 

JARVIS #2: I have a feeling this chat room will not be used for emergency purposes as Mr. Stark originally planned.

GreenGiant: It won't be.

Tony Stark: nope. :)

Spider-Man: Mr. Stark, are you online?

Tony Stark: yeah kid, what do you need? 

Spider-Man: I was thinking maybe we could add a few more heroes to the chat?

Tony Stark: What for? 

Spider-Man: idk in case something happens and we need to get a hold of them? 

Tony Stark: doesn't sound like too bad of a plan. anyone object? 

Widowmaker: no

Capsicle: go ahead

Starbucks: might as well 

Bird-Man: who tf are you inviting? 

Tony Stark: you'll find out ;) 

Bird-Man: why does that make me not want to find out?

Legolas: can't be too bad if Pete's suggesting it. 

Spider-Man: oh...thanks I guess, Mr. Barton! 

Legolas: yeah no problem 

Legolas: and call me Clint, please. being called Mr. makes me feel old

Spider-Man: oh okay sorry I will!

Tony Stark added xxCrawlUpThanos'Assxx, Harry Potter, Nyan Cat, HarryPotter'sSideKick and MemeQueen to the chat.

Nyan Cat: ...

Tony Stark: yes, your highness?

Nyan Cat: ...Out of all the nicknames you could have given me, you chose this one? 

MemeQueen: it's an excellent name 

Tony Stark: Thank you, Shuri. :)

Nyan Cat: …

Nyan Cat has left the chat. 

MemeQueen: ugh I'll bring him back. I swear he has no sense of humor. 

MemeQueen has added Nyan Cat to the chat. 

Nyan Cat: What do you want, Shuri? 

MemeQueen: for you to stay and learn the language of my people

Spider-Man: !

MemeQueen: Spider-Boy! You're here! 

Spider-Man: … 

MemeQueen: :P 

Spider-Man: hey Shuri :) 

xxCrawlUpThanos'Assxx: fucking amazing nickname, Stark

Tony Stark: I'M GLAD SOMEONE APPRECIATES THEIR NICKNAME

xxCrawlUpThanos'Assxx: if I could crawl up his ass, I would. But I don't want to risk it. 

Tony Stark: understandable 

Nyan Cat: … 

Harry Potter: I should hace known not to accept the invure. 

Tony Stark: about time you said something Strange. 

Harry Potter: my bad, my hands are shajing and I can't harfly type anythibg 

Tony Stark: typo wizard

Harry Potter: stfu 

Tony Stark changed HarryPotter's nickname to TypoWizard .

TypoWizard: …

TypoWizard has left the chat. 

Tony Stark: Wong bring him back

HarryPotter'sSideKick: you caused him to leave not me 

Tony Stark: fucking- 

Tony Stark has added TypoWizard to the chat.

TypoWizard: what 

Tony Stark: stay pls we need you 

TypoWizard: do you? 

Tony Stark: yes now please stay 

TypoWizard: …

TypoWizard: change mt name them 

Tony Stark: I'm going to assume you want me to change your name. 

TypoWizard: yes 

Tony Stark has changed TypoWizard's nickname to Doctor Strange.

Tony Stark: Better? 

Doctor Strange: Yes. 

Bird-Man: So, you can change Strange's name and Peter's name but not mine? 

Tony Stark: yes.

Nyan Cat: And mine? 

Tony Stark: yes. They're exceptions. 

Widowmaker: why am I not surprised? 

Nyan Cat: I'll forever have this nickname, won't I?

Capsicle: yes

Starbucks: yes

Spider-Man: yes 

xxCrawlUpThanos'Assxx: yes

GreenGiant: yes 

Maleficent: yes 

MemeQueen: yes

JARVIS #2: yes 

Widowmaker: yes

HarryPotter'sSideKick: yes 

Legolas: yes 

HarryPotter: yes

Bird-Man: yes 

Shakespeare : aye

Tony Stark: yes :) 

Nyan Cat: …………

Nyan Cat: Damn you, Stark.

Tony Stark: :D

Shakespeare: Stark, my friend. Might I ask a question? 

Tony Stark: Go ahead, Point Break. 

Shakespeare: Should we not name the group chat? I feel as if it should have a name to identify itself. 

Spider-Man: yeah that sounds like a great idea, Thor!

MemeQueen: i have a few suggestions 

Nyan Cat: No. 

MemeQueen: why not?

Nyan Cat: Because everything you come up with involves memes, whatever those are. 

MemeQueen: your point? 

Spider-Man: no offense, king T’Challa, but I don’t see anything wrong with Shuri’s suggestions. 

Nyan Cat: None taken, Spider-Man. And please, call me T’Challa. We are informal in this chat. 

Spider-Man: if you insist 

Legolas: guys let’s focus, what should we name the chat? 

Tony Stark: that is the million dollar question of the year. 

Tony Stark: oh wait, I have an idea!

Tony Stark has named the chat room Days of Our Lives: Avengers Edition.

Capsicle: …

Starbucks: …

Widowmaker: ...

Bird-Man: …

Doctor Strange: that was not as baf as i thoyghr it would be

HarryPotter’sSideKick: it was certainly more tame than I thought it would be 

Capsicle: exactly my thinking 

Shakespeare: A wonderful name, if I do say so myself!

Tony Stark: it’s now official then, ladies and gents

Widowmaker: This is going to be a shitshow

Chapter Text

Widowmaker: Hey, Tony. I've got a question for you

Tony Stark: yes?

Widowmaker: do you like Strange? 

Tony Stark: what? 

Widowmaker: do you like Strange? 

Tony Stark: Why are you asking this? 

Widowmaker: because I can and I'm asking for everyone else. 

Tony Stark: WHAT?

Widowmaker: no one else will admit it but we all want to know if you like Strange.

Doctor Strange: what

Tony Stark: I have no idea what you're talking about, Nat. 

Shakespeare: I know of what Lady Natasha speaks of! 

Tony Stark: Thor, no. 

Shakespeare: There's nothing wrong with loving someone, my friend. If you do like him, I suggest expressing your feelings! 

Spider-Man: Mr. Stark, you like someone?! 

Bird-Man: read the posts, kid 

Tony Stark: DON'T READ THE POSTS PETER

Spider-Man: Mr. Stark, I already did. 

Tony Stark: goddamnit I said not to 

Doctor Strange: I stilk want to kbow why this is a topix

Widowmaker: It's a topic because we want to know if Tony likes you or not. 

Tony Stark: …

Tony Stark: … 

Widowmaker: well? 

Tony Stark: I'm not answering that. 

Tony Stark has left the chat.

Starbucks: he left his own fucking group chat 

Capsicle: maybe you shouldn't have asked? @Widowmaker 

Widowmaker: it was going to come out sooner or later. 

Doctor Strange: ...

Doctor Strange: what makes you thinj he likes me? 

Bird-Man: oh boy 

xxCrawlUpThanos'Assxx: I leave for a day and come back to this 

Maleficent: same 

Legolas: same 

Widowmaker: should I explain or should I let you @Capsicle or @GreenGiant do it? 

Capsicle: go ahead 

GreenGiant: I regret being involved with this 

Doctor Strange: ????

Widowmaker: basically, all of us notice how Tony looks at you whenever you're around and he talks about you non-stop. 

Doctor Strange: he does thay anywat though? 

Widowmaker: no not like that 

Widowmaker: you know how when someone has a crush on another person they talk about them and whatnot? 

Widowmaker: that's how he is with you 

GreenGiant: and we've all noticed it 

Capsicle: We ask him about you and he kind of gets flustered sometimes. 

Doctor Strange: …

Spider-Man: huh I never noticed 

Widowmaker: well, you know about it now

Doctor Strange: do you know wgere he is? 

Bird-Man: I think I saw him walk off to the workshop but I could be wrong 

Spider-Man: you're at the Sanctum though, aren't you? 

Doctor Strange: I am 

Doctor Strange: but I can pasd a messafr on 

Widowmaker: ? 

Doctor Strange: just tekl him I wabr to talk 

Capsicle: you want to let him know you want to talk to him?

Doctor Strange: yes 

Shakespeare: I can pass on the message if wanted?

Capsicle: Thanks, Thor. But I've got it from here. 

Shakespeare: Best of luck to you then, Steven! 

Tony Stark has entered the chat. 

Starbucks: about fucking time 

Tony Stark: I have a boyfriend

Spider-Man: !

Spider-Man: Holy shit, really?! 

Legolas: details 

Widowmaker: we want details 

Tony Stark: so

Tony Stark: Stephen ended up coming over to the tower a few hours after Steve told me he wanted to talk. I didn’t know he was coming until Pepper came down to the workshop to tell me he was here for something. (Speaking of Pepper, we should add her to the chat) We talked and now I have a boyfriend. :) 

Doctor Strange: I’m goibg to regret this, arem’t I? 

GreenGiant: Yes, you are

Tony Stark: D:<

Tony Stark: thanks for having my back, Bruce

GreenGiant: you’re welcome 

Spider-Man: omg congrats Mr. Stark!

Bird-Man: I can feel the homo from here 

Tony Stark: better get used to it 

Tony Stark has changed their name to IronGay ™

Bird-Man: …

Bird-Man: ...are you serious? 

IronGay ™: Yes

IronGay™: Also, I’m going to do something real quick 

Doctor Strange: that’s conderning 

Starbucks: anything Tony does is concerning 

IronGay ™ has added FreckledPepperoni and AaronBurrSir to the chat.

FreckledPepperoni: Why am I not surprised? 

AaronBurrSir: out of all the nicknames you could have given me, I’m highly surprised that this one is tame. 

Starbucks: welcome to literal Hell 

FreckledPepperoni: With Tony as the admin, I’d imagine it is Hell. 

Nyan Cat: it is

IronGay ™: wow so nice today, aren’t you Pepper?

FreckledPepperoni: yep 

AaronBurrSir: hold on, hold on. Who is @Nyan Cat ? 

Nyan Cat: Take a lucky guess

MemeQueen: lmao 

AaronBurrSir: is it...T’Challa? 

MemeQueen: 100% @AaronBurrSir

AaronBurrSir: wait you’re serious? 

Nyan Cat: Unfortunately, she is.

IronGay ™ : :D

Nyan Cat: get lost Stark

IronGay ™: D: 

IronGay ™: @Doctor Strange honey I’m being harassed do something

Doctor Strange: you fot yourself into thos

Bird-Man: full homo right there @IronGay ™

IronGay ™: damn straight

FreckledPepperoni: you’re not

IronGay ™: that’s besides the point 

AaronBurrSir: I’m still losing my shit over the fact that the king of Wakanda’s nickname is NYAN CAT 

AaronBurrSir: NYAN CAT

Nyan Cat: Please don't remind me, Rhodey. 

Chapter Text

Bird-Man: okay not to sound like a dick but @Spider-Man and @Widowmaker do you guys like spiders?

Spider-Man: why would you think that? 

GreenGiant: …

Widowmaker: …

Spider-Man: I realize why you would think that and I suddenly feel attacked right now 

Widowmaker: To answer for the both of us, no Sam. We don’t.

Bird-Man: I’m glad someone answered my question without being a dick about it @Capsicle 

Capsicle: we were in an armored truck with the king of Wakanda and you asked him if he liked cats right after we chased each other. What did you think I was going to tell you?

Starbucks: he’s got a point 

Bird-Man: stfu you always agree with Steve 

Capsicle: no he doesn’t 

Starbucks: no I sure as hell don’t 

Bird-Man: ? 

Capsicle: contrary to popular belief, Bucky doesn’t agree with everything I do 

Starbucks: damn straight about that 

Widowmaker: you’re not 

IronGay ™: 👀

IronGay ™: hold up what does that mean? 

Widowmaker: It’s surreal when people don’t know 

IronGay ™: what’s surreal 

Starbucks: Steve and I are dating 

Spider-Man: ???!!!

IronGay ™: how long has this been happening??? 

AaronBurrSir: woah you guys are a thing? 

Capsicle: have been for a few months 

IronGay ™: ??? 

IronGay ™: This is the first I’m hearing of this? 

Starbucks: yeah we didn’t want the press or anyone to get nosy so we kept it to ourselves. 

Starbucks: so far it’s working 

Bird-Man: how have you guys kept it a secret though? I thought the press was always on Steve’s back with him being Captain America and after you got out of Wakanda stuff? 

Capsicle: We just haven’t given them anything to work with 

Starbucks: we don’t really go out or do anything in public so they can’t get pictures or nothing and if we do we try to be a casual as we can around people 

IronGay ™: I mean....whatever works i guess 

Bird-Man: so now we’ve confirmed that Captain America, Doctor Strange, The Winter Soldier and Iron Man are gay. 

IronGay ™: essentially yes, we have 

Starbucks: i regret knowing all of you 

Spider-Man: hey Mr. Stark can you pick me up from school? 

IronGay ™: I thought May was picking you up, kid? 

Spider-Man: she was but she got held up with work and stuff 

Spider-Man: couldn’t get time off 

IronGay ™: okay I’ll be there

Bird-Man: “I’m not Peter’s dad” my ass.

Spider-Man: ??!!

Spider-Man: “Dad?” 

IronGay ™: Sam-what the absolute fuck 

Bird-Man: you heard me 

Starbucks: technically he didn’t. You typed it out

Bird-Man: I hate you 

Starbucks: right back at you, pal 

IronGay ™: guys I'm bored 

Legolas: who's fault is that? 

IronGay ™: not mine

Widowmaker: sure

IronGay ™: @Widowmaker why are you always against me?

Widowmaker: I'm like that with everyone 

Starbucks: she is 

IronGay ™: still not my fault 

IronGay ™: I just came up amazing  an idea for us

AaronBurrSir: Tones, any idea you have is concerning. 

Doctor Strange: agreed

IronGay ™: i get it, i get it, my ideas normally end up in disaster but hear me out on this one

IronGay ™: movie night

Capsicle: I can stand behind that. 

Shakespeare: that sounds like a wonderful night to participate in!

GreenGiant: Thor, have you ever seen any movies before? 

Shakespeare: not many, but Jane was nice enough to show me some when we were still together 

Legolas: I'll come but it depends on when we're having it since Laura and I have stuff planned with the kids 

IronGay ™: look at you, being all domestic 

Legolas: bite me 

IronGay ™: no thanks I'm not Hannibal Lecter 

Widowmaker: ngl Mads Mikkelson was perfect for Hannibal 

Bird-Man: Mads Mikkelson is a perfect pick for any role-what are you talking about? 

IronGay ™: @Spider-Man you up for movie night Friday, kid? 

Spider-Man: you want me to come, Mr. Stark? 

IronGay™: If you can make it, yeah you can come. 

Spider-Man: I'll ask aunt May! 

IronGay™: @everyone anyone who's in this chat can come to movie night 

Nyan Cat: I am in Wakanda as is Shuri but I appreciate the offer, Stark. 

IronGay™: figure out a way to come then 

MemeQueen: aight I got you

Nyan Cat: Shuri, I have a meeting with the council all day Friday.

MemeQueen: forget the council

MemeQueen: it's movie night

IronGay™: yeah movie night is more important than politics

Nyan Cat: I regret to inform you that it is not more important than politics. 

IronGay ™: killjoy

MemeQueen: ^^^^

Spider-Man: …

IronGay ™: @ Spider-Man I see you typing what did she say?

Spider-Man: Sorry Mr. Stark, I can’t come Friday night.

IronGay ™: did she say why? 

Spider-Man: yeah she wants me to meet her new boyfriend. Friday night is apparently the only night he has time to come over and I haven’t met him yet. 

Legolas: well shit 

IronGay ™: exactly my thinking 

IronGay ™: also when tf did she get a boyfriend? I don’t remember her having one last time I saw her. 

Spider-Man: sometime within the last two weeks i guess but she wanted me to meet him in person and stuff. He hasn’t been over to the apartment yet and she wanted him to come over this Friday evening and have us meet. 

IronGay ™: Alright, sorry it didn’t work out kid. We’ll get another time in for you sometime soon. 

Spider-Man: thanks Mr. Stark :) 

MemeQueen: aight we’re coming

xxCrawlUpThanos’Assxx: coming? What does that mean? 

MemeQueen: I mean, I convinced T’Challa to let us come Friday-we’re leaving tomorrow

Nyan Cat: please do not ask for details on how she convinced me 

IronGay ™: You bet your ass I’m asking for details @MemeQueen

Nyan Cat: Shuri, I swear on Bast I will cancel this trip if you say anything

MemeQueen: My big brother had a meeting with the tribes and decided he didn’t want to sit there all day on his throne and listen to them moan and groan about foreigners and foreign policies so he decided he was going to say he was going on a weekend long mission just to get away from them. 

Widowmaker: to be fair though, I wouldn't want to sit there and listen to them either. 

MemeQueen: exactly 

Nyan Cat: I will admit, I find most of their talks to be tiresome

IronGay ™: just say that they’re boring, your highness. We’ll all understand and keep our mouths shut. ;)

Nyan Cat: You are the last person I would tell a secret to even if it meant my life was on the line. 

Doctor Strange: touché

IronGay ™: wow I can feel the love from here >:(

Chapter Text

Direct Messages: IronGay™

-Friday, 4:15PM-

IronGay™: hey kid, how did it go with meeting the new bf?

Spider-Man: he hasn’t gotten here yet, May said he would be here sometime within the next hour or so. But from what I heard from her, he seems pretty cool. 

IronGay ™: good to hear. listen if you want since you couldn’t make it tonight, you want to plan something for Sunday? Everyone’s up for it again except for Bucky and Steve-they’re going out for the day and Natasha has stuff to take care of but everyone else can make it. They all want to see you. 

Spider-Man: oh yeah totally! I’ll ask May if I can come over again! 

IronGay ™: great I’ll see you around then,  kid. 

-Friday, 5:35PM-

James was interesting. 

When Peter met him, he seemed nice enough. He had even brought his daughter with him to his and May’s apartment Friday night and Peter played with her while James and May chatted with each other after introductions were made.

He was a police officer for the Manhattan precinct. Peter hadn’t ever seen him before as Spider-Man but then again, he didn’t really pay attention to faces while helping others. He just made sure the job was done to the best of his ability. 

They didn’t mention anything about that part of his life. He made sure to mute his phone, keeping his fingers away from typing in the chat so no one could accidentally see his screen. Of course if they did, some names wouldn’t have been obvious but others would be. It would be better to play it safe than sorry though until later on if he ever decided to tell James about his other life.

“So, Peter.” James began, sticking his fork into a piece of his sliced steak. “What do you do?” 

“What do I do?” Peter asked, taking his attention briefly away from Alice, the hyperactive six year old who was clinging onto his leg, wanting him to play with her more before they had to sit down and eat. 

“Yeah, what do you do? Do you have a job?”

Well…yes but actually no. It wasn’t something he really got paid to do but he enjoyed it, never less. 

“I’m uh, I intern for Stark Enterprises but other than that I just focus on school.” 

“Woah, you work for Iron-Man?! That’s so cool! What’s Mr. Stark like?! Are you smart like him?” 

“Oh he’s very smart,” May chimed in after James’s daughter, setting down a dish of mashed potatoes on the table before taking a seat herself. “Mr. Stark came here himself asking for him after Peter applied. I didn’t know about it until he arrived but either way I’m proud of him.”

James smiled. “That’s good. We need young people these days to take a step up in society and I’m glad you put the first step into it even if it isn’t an actual job.” 

It wasn’t meant to sound…harsh. Peter agreed with him. It wasn’t an actual job. He was just interning. But interning was only a part of it. Interning was more of a…a coverup for everything else he did. The Avengers, all of it. 

He helped Alice get into her seat, the little girl insisting she sat next to him before sitting down himself and getting his own food. 

“Woah, slow down there champ that’s a lot! Are you sure you can eat all of that?” James had suddenly spoken up, apparently taking notice of Peter’s large portions. 

He had a high metabolism. He ate like this every chance he could because otherwise, it would just go straight through him. It was one of the drawbacks of having his powers but he learned to live with it. Was it really that much? He had only gotten a few portions of the mashed potatoes and a steak. 

Before he had the chance to respond, May did it for him. “It’s fine dear, don’t worry. Peter has to eat like this all the time, his body doesn’t process food normally like everyone else.” 

May’s boyfriend had nodded before returning to his plate. 

From there, it was somewhat smooth sailing.

They would talk about what Peter did, how May’s week at work was and occasionally Alice would say something about herself and how she was done eating so she could go play with Peter more. He would have to keep telling her to finish what she had first and then they could play. Once they were all done, Peter would go and do the dishes but his aunt would chide him, telling him that she would do them instead and for him to play with Alice like she had wanted.

“Are you sure, May? I can do them really quick for-“ 

“Yes, Peter. I’m sure.” His aunt assured him, gathering up a stack full of plates to put in the dishes. “You’ve done a lot already this week and I think Alice is starting to get impatient. Don’t worry about it.” 

“Yeah, Petey let’s play Iron-Man and bad guys!” Alice exclaimed, tugging on the sleeve of his sweater and pulling him back to the living room. 

“Okay, okay let’s go play then! I’ll do the dishes tomorrow, Aunt May!” 

Time flew by fast. Peter played the role of the bad guys while Alice played the role of Iron-Man defeating them, eventually proclaiming her victory with Peter lying on the ground and her hand as a repulser pointed at him. He didn’t even notice that several hours had passed already, leaving the sky already pitch black and dotted with stars outside. 

“I’ve got you now! There’s no escape from justice, HYDRA!”

May seemed to be enjoying watching them play but before long, James had finished helping her clean up the kitchen and it was time for them to go. 

“But daddy, I want to play with Peter more!” Alice protested, practically crawling on top of him to try and keep him from getting up so she wouldn’t have to leave. 

“I know sweetpea but Peter has to go to bed. May says he’s going to be busy tomorrow and we’ll be packing to come back Sunday again so you can see him then.”

“We’re coming back Sunday?!”

They were...coming back Sunday? 

He looked over at May with a confused look on his face. He thought that they were just coming over tonight and heading back home to wherever they lived. He didn’t mind them coming back over but...he was expecting to be able to go with Tony and the rest of the Avengers on Sunday to the Tower where they could be together while T’Challa and Shuri were still in the states. 

“Yeah, we are! Pete, you don’t mind it, right? May and I just sat down and talked about it while you and Alice were playing with each other and thought that maybe it would give you guys some bonding time. Get to know each other, you know?” James asked. 

If he was being honest...yes, he did mind it. Maybe he should have told May about the new plans but he didn’t so that part was on him but either way, he was still supposed to be with Shuri on Saturday. Maybe though it would all work out and be okay. He could spend a couple hours home and the rest of his time at the Tower. Shuri wouldn’t have minded if he was a little bit late, right? He knew that Mr. Stark wouldn’t have minded, at least. 

“Oh uh, yeah that’s fine. I’m just going to be out Saturday with Mr. Stark and a friend so I might not be around much. Sunday I was also going to go back to the Tower again because Mr. Stark asked me to be there that evening for a few hours to hang out?”

James hummed in response. “If you’re busy, that’s okay. Interning with Stark can be a lot of work and a handful so I get it if you won’t have a lot of time for us.” 

Peter shook his head. “No, no I’ll have time! I’ll just be out for a while before I come back home. Pepper and Happy are supposed to pick me up around nine tomorrow morning and I don’t know how long they want me for.” 

“You’ll still be able to play with me though, right Petey?” Alice then asked, looking down at him with an almost pleading voice. They had just met and she was already this attached to him.

“Yeah, of course! I can play with you when I get back, okay?”

It was almost like she was disappointed in his response. Putting on a slight pouty face when she told him that he wouldn’t be there first thing for her. It made him feel bad but...Peter had already made plans with Shuri. He couldn’t just ditch on her, what kind of a friend would he be then if he did that? As much as he loved Alice within the first few hours of getting to know her, he couldn’t just drop everything in his life for her right then and there. 

May seemed to understand, at least. 

“Alice honey, Peter’s going to be here most of Sunday. You can still see him then but he’s very busy with his friends and internship for Mr. Stark. You wouldn’t want Mr. Stark wondering where he was, would you?” 

She had crawled off of him while May was consoling her, her arms crossed over her chest as she stood there, trying to make her own case. Peter could tell that she wasn’t taking the news well but she was willing to listen to his aunt’s point of view. 

“No...but Mr. Stark could find him though, right? He’s smart like that. He’s Iron-Man. He can just fly over here if he wanted to and he can take Petey when we’re done.” 

James laughed at his daughter’s response before picking her up, gathering her into his arms and holding onto her.

“I’m sorry baby but we really have to go now. It’s getting dark and I’m sure Peter’s tired but like May said, you can play with him Sunday, okay?” 

Alice had buried her face into her father’s neck before replying. “Okay. Bye Petey, I’ll see you Sunday.” 

Peter had told her goodbye and assured her that she would. After that, James went to take his leave with his daughter, giving May a quick peck on the lips before heading out. 

The apartment was slightly a mess from his and Alice’s rough housing but Peter made the effort to help clean up, putting the pillows back on the couch and straightening up what was misplaced throughout the last few hours. 

“So,” May’s voice took him out of his thoughts, causing him to look up at her as he was rearranging coasters on the coffee table. “When did Tony ask you to come over on Sunday? I thought you were just going to be there for tomorrow with Shuri?” 

Yeah maybe he should have asked earlier. It slipped his mind and he forgot all about it after Mr. Stark had texted him. 

“He asked about an hour before James came over, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you first, May. I just forgot.” Peter apologized. 

“It’s okay, Peter.” She replied. “I would just like to know so that way I can make plans work too. I know it was last minute but James wanted to come over again and I offered to let him stay Sunday and next week since he’s off for a couple of days from work and he can just drive from the apartment to there. Alice is staying over too so I’m sorry if she becomes a little too much for you to handle. She can be a lot, I know. But she’s a good kid.” 

No, he agreed with his aunt. He loved Alice. Within the short amount of time they got to know each other, he already knew they were going to get along just fine. Alice was energetic and happy. She was ready to play at a moment’s notice and not wanting to stop until she tired out eventually from her imagination.

“It’s fine, really. I don’t mind it. I’ll probably be with Mr. Stark mostly so it’s not that big of a deal.” Peter tried to assure her but May looked at him like she didn’t buy it. 

“Peter, if it’s really bothering you, I can just tell James we can do this another time. You two just met so I understand how this can be a lot.” 

“Really, May it’s okay. I don’t mind it at all with them coming over.” 

His aunt let out a sigh, finally accepting it. 

“If you say so. Just let me know if you feel any different about it, alright?” She wanted him to be comfortable with James and Alice spending the week with them. She was always putting him over herself with comfort and Peter loved her but he also wished that she would prioritize herself more. He 

“I will, don’t worry.” Peter replied, waving her off. “Can you go sit or lay down now? You’ve been up and busy since this morning. I’ll help clean up before I go to bed.” 

May’s lips curled into a smile at her nephew’s proposition, giving into his wishes. “Alright, but do not stay up past eleven. I want you to get at least some type of sleep.” 

-Friday, 10:24PM- 

Bird-Man: Steve, what the fuck man 

Bird-Man: I thought I told you to watch Ghostbusters 

Widowmaker: Steve’s probably in bed, old people need their sleep

Capsicle: I am not!

Starbucks: stop lying

Capsicle: BUCKY

Starbucks: what

Starbucks: you brought this on yourself 

IronGay ™: oh my god he just called him out

Bird-Man: THAT’S BESIDES THE POINT

Spider-Man: wait Mr. Rogers, you haven’t seen Ghostbusters?

Bird-Man: NO HE HASN’T

Capsicle: Sam, I’m sorry.

Bird-Man: no fuck off

Bird-Man: to catch you up to speed @Spider-Man

Capsicle: do you really have to do this?

Bird-Man: yes I do

Spider-Man: 👀

Bird-Man: while we were having movie night, I asked if we could watch Ghostbusters next because you know, it’s a classic. I told Steve a while back ago some movies he should watch and that was on the list I gave him. I WANTED to see how much he understood about it BUT THIS BITCH DIDN’T EVEN WATCH ANYTHING.

Capsicle: i got busy 

Capsicle: to be fair, you told me that while we were dealing with Ross so I have an excuse

Bird-Man: BULLSHIT

xxxCrawlUpThanos’Assxx: damn Cap, that’s a little disappointing, ngl. 

IronGay ™: guys chill out first 

IronGay ™: Steve doesn’t like this kind of language

Legolas: yeah Sam and Scott, watch your mouths 

AaronBurrSir: oh god this again

Bird-Man: 🖕🏾

Capsicle: …

Capsicle has left the chat

xxxCrawlUpThanos’Assxx: !!!!!

xxxCrawlUpThanos’Assxx: HE JUST LEFT

Starbucks: wow

Starbucks: i’m impressed

Spider-Man: i leave for a few hours and i miss a lot

Maleficent: that’s to be expected at this point

Starbucks: usually I leave but Steve left this time 

Starbucks: that’s an accomplishment 

MemeQueen: I can’t tell if you’re being sarcastic or not @Starbucks but either way i love it

Starbucks: no i’m being genuine

Starbucks: it’s fucking hilarious watching Steve just give up on this chat

GreenGiant: did you just bully Steve so much he actually left @Bird-Man

Bird-Man: I DID NOT BULLY HIM

Bird-Man: i just called him out on his bullshit and Peter was there to witness I am no bully

Spider-Man: omg

IronGay ™: damn kid he really threw you under the bus like that

Bird-Man: I DON’T MEAN IT IN A BAD WAY

IronGay ™: wait hold on

IronGay ™ has changed the chat room name to In This House We Bully Captain America

IronGay ™: done

Bird-Man: …

Doctor Strange: Tony, I leave you alone for a few minutes-

Starbucks:  i love this so much i can't wait for Steve to find it when he comes back

IronGay ™: !

IronGay ™: Hey, @Doctor Strange you’re getting better at typing!

IronGay ™: or are you just using autocorrect?

Doctor Strange: Shuri set it up for me so that way I don’t have to keep correcting traditional autocorrect that still doesn’t know what I’m trying to type but now I don’t have to worry about it 

MemeQueen: you’re welcome

MemeQueen: ;)

-Friday,11:47PM-

He reads through the countless messages, typing out his responses. Eventually, Peter loses track of the time as the endless notifications pour through. 

It’s nearly midnight. 

Steve eventually comes back online, and it was just at the right time as Peter announces he’s going to bed and several others as well. 

It's great. Everything is great and even though there are some changes in his life that he'll have to adjust to, with James and his daughter being around, he was sure it would be a breeze. 

Peter pulls the covers over him, setting his phone on the nightstand by his bed before willing himself to go to sleep.

Chapter Text

-Saturday, 10:14AM-

IronGay ™: okay so

IronGay ™: @Capsicle

Capsicle: what is it now, Tony?

IronGay ™: I just want an answer for this

IronGay ™: SteveRogersSchoolDetentionVideo.mp4

Bird-Man: LMAO

Bird-Man: I’VE SEEN THIS ON VINE

Capsicle: …

Spider-Man: woah they show this at school! 

Spider-Man: I didn’t know it was a vine!

Widowmaker: oh my god it’s the entire video

IronGay ™: ALSO THIS ONE HOLD ON

IronGay ™: SteveRogersFitnessVideoForHighSchoolers.mp4

Spider-Man: THEY SHOWED US THIS ONE TOO IN GYM CLASS

Bird-Man: omfg I CAN’TTTT

Bird-Man: “sO, yOu GoT dEtEnTiOn.”

Capsicle: …

IronGay ™: you still haven’t answered us, Steve

Capsicle: I’m not going to

AaronBurrSir: damn Rogers, they really did you dirty like that 

Legolas: Captain America PSA’s are my favorite compilations to watch 

IronGay ™: Barton, you better send me those videos

MemeQueen: DO YOU WATCH THE ONES WITH THE EDITS BECAUSE THOSE ARE MY FAVORITE 

Legolas: YEAH THOSE

Capsicle: …

Capsicle: I have no comment

Capsicle has left the chat. 

IronGay ™: akdhskdjska

IronGay ™: STEVE COME BACK I MISS YOU

GreenGiant: you miss bullying him 

IronGay ™: yeah that too 

Widowmaker: brb i'm trying not to laugh 

IronGay ™ has added Capsicle to the chat.

Capsicle: what now?

Legolas: wow you left twice in a row, that’s a record

IronGay ™: I’m sorry Steve we love you <3

IronGay ™: not as much as Bucky but we still love you <3

Capsicle: that’s very nice but no thanks BUCKY loves me and that’s enough

AaronBurrSir: I can feel the saltiness from the screen omg

FreckledPepperoni: how to tell everyone to fuck off politely except for one person

Spider-Man: ouch

Capsicle: peter is an exception 

Spider-Man: :D

-Saturday, 12:34PM-

Happy was late but that was fine. He had to drop Pepper off at a last minute meeting in Manhattan with an industrial company that was partnered with Stark Enterprises so it was just the two of them in the car as they drove to the tower. 

From May’s apartment, the tower is only about a half hour worth of a drive and they would drive through a majority of traffic on the way. 

It made the drive longer, but it gave him time to talk to Happy from the passenger seat. How his day was, what he did, what Happy had planned for the evening, etc. 

Their relationship seemed to actually be getting better, as the personal guard for Mr. Stark actually talked to him more now than when they first met. 

After about an hour they arrived, pulling into the private garage of the tower.

Mr. Stark was there waiting for him and so was the princess of Wakanda herself. 

Eagerly, Peter had gotten out of the car to meet the both of them. 

From there the day had been one of the best he had ever had. 

Shuri was ecstatic to see him, as well as the rest of the Avengers who were currently in the building and not out doing whatever it was they had planned outside of town. 

If there was anyone more excited though, it had to be Peter. Seeing everyone and being around Mr. Stark the whole day was enough to satisfy his mood. Throughout the day, he helped Mr. Stark in the lab with Shuri, occasionally getting visits from Doctor Strange who had come downstairs to announce his leave back to the Sanctum for a while, taking care of his business before he came back to the tower. 

-Saturday, 6:45PM-

It was well into the evening before Peter returned home back to May’s apartment, Tony offering to drive him back himself. 

“We still good for tomorrow, kid?” The billionaire asked, looking over at Peter. 

“Yeah, Mr. Stark. May said I could come over. I don’t know for how long though, her boyfriend and his daughter are supposed to be back over to spend the week with us I think.”

"Okay, that’s fine.” Mr. Stark says.

At around the same time, the car comes to a stop by the sidewalk, indicating for Peter to hop out. 

“Are you sure, Mr. Stark?” Peter asks, as his hand is on the door handle. 

Mr. Stark gives him a side eye accompanied with a raised eyebrow. 

“Pete, if you need to spend time with your family, that’s okay. It’s whatever you and May want. You don’t always have to worry about what I’m going to say with stuff that happens in your life, you know?” 

Peter blinks. 

It hadn’t really occurred to him that Mr. Stark wouldn’t mind him being caught up in other plans. But judging by his mentor’s demeanor, he was being dead serious. 

“Uh, yeah. Thanks, Mr. Stark.” 

At least they can agree on that part. 

They end their conversation by Peter getting out of the car and Tony speeding back off onto the highway. 

He finds his way into the building, saying a quick hello to the receptionist at the desk before he goes to press the button for the elevator-

Of course, there’s someone in it. 

He usually doesn’t have a problem with riding with other people in an elevator. He usually doesn’t have a problem with anyone at all. 

But this time, thanks to his luck, it was the asshole neighbor next door. 

There were always complaints filed under his name about May’s apartment (each one being invalid as when an investigation was done, there wasn’t any evidence) but it was a hassle to deal with and Peter wasn’t exactly pleased with how much his aunt had to go through with Mr. Asshole. 

His name was actually Mr. Jones but Mr. Asshole had a better ring to it. 

“Parker.” 

“Mr. Jones.”

He presses the button to the third floor and thankfully, Mr. Asshole walks out before the doors close. It wasn’t a long interaction but the hostility between them made it feel much longer.

Peter nearly runs into someone else stumbling into the elevator when it opens back up again (probably drunk out of their minds) but a quick side-step and he rounds the corner 

to his front door.

-Saturday, 7:45PM-

He takes a shower. It’s a long one but after being out all day today at the Tower, Peter feels as if he needs one and May doesn’t need him at the moment so he turns the music up on his phone, uses up about a handful of shampoo and soap to clean himself and once he’s out of the shower, he blow dries everything with a hair dryer. 

Thinking about it, he hadn’t even really seen May since he came back home. He had called out for her, to let her know that he had returned but he didn't get a response back. It wasn’t anything to cause alarm, though. More than likely, she was just out in town or something similar like that. 

He thought about doing the dishes and then maybe cleaning up the living room while she wasn’t home, just so he could have something to do and so he could get some chores done. 

He throws on a Midtown High shirt and some sweatpants, looking at himself in the mirror briefly. 

The bruises from last week’s patrol have already healed. Fighting a group of robbers left him with some injuries to take care of but it wasn’t nothing that band aids and Neosporin wouldn’t solve. 

He checks his messages one more time from the group chat and being satisfied that no new notifications have popped up while he was in the shower, he opens up the bathroom door into the hallway and almost pisses himself out of sudden freight when he walks out. 

Because standing there is James.

Now, his first thought is what the hell because James isn’t supposed to be here until Sunday and it’s only Saturday night. 

His next thought is, why the hell is James even here right now and May and supposed Alice aren’t? Also, how did he not notice him coming in the apartment? Did he come in while he was taking a shower and he was just so zoned out in his own thoughts to not hear him coming through the front door? 

“Um, hi?” Peter greets after composing himself, staring at the man before him. 

“Hi.” James says. It isn’t friendly and Peter noticed that instantly. He didn’t need spider sense or common sense to figure that one out.

There was an awkward silence between them before he spoke up again. 

“Is uh, is May here? I thought you weren’t coming back until Sunday?”

James looks at him flatly. 

Maybe he should shut up. 

“No, she’s out with Alice. It’s about an hour’s drive and she said that we could stay tonight early to avoid the weather. That’s not a problem, is it?”

“No, no, it’s not I just-” 

James cuts him off midway. 

“Listen, I don’t want to hear your excuses.” He starts off. Peter registers that he’s trying to open his mouth to say something in return but decides not to about halfway when James speaks up again. “I came in and I could hear whatever you’re playing on your phone by the front door from the bathroom. Do you not realize that there’s other people living next to you and people like me who don’t want to hear it?”

He sputters out an apology, finding it hard to look James in the eyes right now. He didn’t think it was that loud…he was sure that it wasn’t? Nobody ever complained about hearing his music before outside in the halls and May certainly didn’t seem to mind. 

It’s like he’s a little kid getting yelled at, if he was to put it into comparison. A little kid getting scolded for something he really didn’t realize was wrong. “I’mreallyssorry, I didn’t realize it was that loud and I’ll keep it off next time to not bother anyone and-”

The slap came so fast and unexpected that his brain didn’t have time to register the incoming danger. 

For a moment, Peter couldn’t think. 

His thoughts shut off and the only thing he can register is the stinging and slight throbbing on his face from the red mark that was surely left behind. 

James had smacked him.

“You look at me when you talk to me, understand?” Peter forced himself to look up. James was close to him now, backing him up against the bathroom door and leaving stuck, not able to run off. 

He could smell whatever cologne James had on. Cologne, deodorant and slight traces of sweat. 

“May might let you do whatever you want but whenever I’m around, you do what I tell you to. You don’t question it, you don’t disagree or talk back. Alice knows how to behave better than you and is more considerate of others living around her. Think more of other people next time, and I won’t have to hit you again. Got it?”

Before James is finished, he’s already nodding his head in response. 

“Yeah, yeah I got it. It won’t happen again.” 

For now, James seems pleased with that response from him. He backed off of Peter and conveniently at the same time he heard the door to their apartment open down the hall, indicating that someone had came in.

“Daddy, we’re back!” Peter heard Alice call out and it was almost like James completely forgot about his existence and the talk they just had, a genuine smile plastered on his face as he turned around to go and meet his daughter. 

He didn’t move, even after James had left. 

There was still a faint tingling sensation on his face from when he had been slapped. The feeling of it overpowered his other thoughts, repeating in his head that James had hit him . 

He hadn’t ever been hit like that before…not even by May if he did something wrong. Then again, that rarely ever happened but if it did, the usual form of childhood punishment was either being grounded or put in time out. 

He could hear his aunt and James conversing down the hall. 

“Peter, I’m home! James, where is he?” 

“I ran into him in the hallway, May. Don’t worry, he’s somewhere around here.”

“I know that, I just need to talk to him about this. I’m sure it’s a shock to him about why you’re back so soon.”

“Yeah, I want to see Petey! He can help me set up my room!” Alice chimed in. 

He took a breath and steeled himself. It was fine. James was right, he should have been more considerate of others. He didn’t think about it this time but next time he would and he would be better. 

Peter put a smile on his face and walked out. 

Immediately he was greeted by Alice with her running up to him and hugging his legs from her height. 

“Hey Petey! Guess what? Miss May let daddy and I stay over today when we were supposed to come tomorrow! We can play longer now and I was wondering if you could please help me set up my room? It’ll be fun, I promise!” 

A part of him wondered if Alice actually liked him as much as she portrayed. 

Even though he had only known her for little over a daay, she was always chipper around him like he was her big brother.

He didn’t want to set a bad example for her. 

“Yeah sure, we can do that. After I talk with May, okay?” He tried not to look up at James when he talked to her. 

“Okay! I’m gonna go put my stuff in there first! Meet you there!” With that, Alice had let go of him and ran off, picking up her suitcase and backpack she had placed by the couch sometime earlier while he was in the hallway and ran off to the guest room across from his own. 

James had taken his leave then, giving May a quick peck on the cheek so that way she and Peter could talk like she had wanted before walking off into another area of their apartment. 

If Peter was being honest, he couldn’t help but to feel a sensation of relief when he could no longer see the other man. 

“I’m sorry.” May finally spoke up after they had left. 

He blinked, looking back over at her. 

“I should have called or texted you that they were coming but you were with Tony and everyone else and I didn’t want to bother you but I really should have since you expected them to come tomorrow instead of tonight. Alice wanted to go out into town so I took her and James came here to get settled in.”

Peter shook his head. “No, no, May it’s okay.”

“But Peter, it’s really not-” 

He stops her mid sentence. Maybe it’s rude but he doesn’t want her blaming herself for anything that wasn’t worth beating herself up about.

“May, it’s okay, really. I don’t mind it at all. James and I talked in the hallway after I got done taking a shower and explained it. It’s really okay.”

She sighs, shaking her head. “Alright…if you say so. I just wanted you to know that I’m sorry for not telling you about it sooner.” 

She means it, genuinely. He could tell. But still, it’s not her fault. May didn’t mean to not tell him and it was over and done with. James and Alice were already here and they couldn’t change that. 

He gives her a reassuring smile, hoping to calm her nerves. 

“Don’t worry about it, May. I promise it’s okay. Will it make you feel better if I did the dishes tonight? I was going to do them anyway after dinner.”

“No, I got it.” His aunt replies, ruffling up his hair. “You just go be with Alice and you can do them tomorrow when you get back from the Tower, deal?”

Speak of the devil and down the hall he could hear Alice call his name. 

“Deal.”

All the while, he was glad that the red mark on his face had healed over already, not wanting May to ask questions about it.

***

Helping Alice set up her room was easier said than done. Not that there was anything bad about spending time with her but she was a little kid and little kids often made up their minds on where they wanted things to go. 

They spent about an hour or so decorating and setting up her room with everything she had brought with her for the week before May called them for dinner and after they ate, Peter helped Alice get into bed. 

James didn’t say anything to him the whole time at the table.

In truth, he wished he could have skipped dinner so he wouldn’t have to think about what happened by the bathroom but that would be mildly suspicious and he didn’t want to cause any possible drama.

He had picked up Alice after her demands of wanting to be held and took her back to her room, letting May know that it shouldn’t take more than a few minutes.

“Hey, Petey?” Alice chirped up from his shoulder, her head buried in it as he walked down the hallway. 

“Yeah? What’s up?”

“Thanks for playing and being with me today.” 

Her tone was…almost sad? He couldn’t put his finger on how to describe it. It was like a longingness to be with someone who at least showed her a bit of attention. But no, that doesn’t make sense. She had her father who always showed that he loved her. Who picked her up and spun her around in the air whenever she ran up to him. 

“Of course.” Peter smiled down at her, before helping her get into bed. 

He’d continue to play with her as long as she wanted. Maybe James cared about it, maybe he didn’t.

But for now, Peter didn’t care. He could worry about James later. He learned from his mistakes and he wasn’t going to get hit again if he could help it. 

Right now all that mattered was Alice, May, and making sure that Peter behaved like he was supposed to. 

Chapter Text

– Sunday, 8:00AM - 

Peter first wakes up to a series of texts from Ned.

Ned: Hey, did you do the homework for Harrington? 

Me: That’s not due until Tuesday, right?

Ned: Well, yeah but MJ and I are struggling. Want to work on it today sometime?

Me: Can’t. I’m going to see Mr. Stark again today, sorry. Tomorrow? 

Ned: Definitely, dude!

Eventually, he staggers out of bed. The alarm clock on the nightstand says that it’s 8AM. It’s way too early but he’s already up but he might as well be productive a little bit. He takes a shower, leaving his phone in his bedroom to not be tempted to play anything out loud and then he gets dressed once he’s done. 

He doesn’t see James at all during the half-hour that he’s awake. 

Maybe he was at work? It might have been a Sunday morning, but he wanted to keep his hopes up that perhaps he wouldn’t show up for a while until Peter got back home from the Tower. 

Alice must have also either been sleeping or out with him, as he didn’t hear her when he walked out into the hallway like expected. 

He did however smell the over easy eggs, cauliflower and bacon being cooked on a non-stick pan in the kitchen and goes to see whoever is making breakfast. 

There’s no surprise when he sees May in front of the stove, stirring around some ingredients. 

“Hey May.” 

Still focused on the pan so as to not burn the sizzling bacon, May responds to him.

“Hey! You want to eat? It’s just us this morning, James is out with Alice right now. What time is Happy or Tony picking you up?”

When she said that James was out, he couldn’t help but to feel some sort of relief.

“I don’t know. They haven't sent me anything yet but I’m sure they’ll let me know soon.”

She hummed in response. 

“That’s fine. Just stay safe when you go there, alright? I know it can get crazy sometimes.”

That was an understatement. 

“I will, May. If anything happens, I’ll call and let you know.”

May nods, scooping out the food from the pan with her spatula evenly onto two plates before handing one off to him. 

“Good. Now, eat up because I’ve been up for an hour cooking this and I want your opinion on it.” 

For the next hour of the morning, it was just the two of them sitting at the table and eating breakfast. It was good, actually. May had gotten the recipe from some sort of magazine and wanted to try it. He didn’t know the name of it, but she had put a colored sticky note there just in case he wanted it again. 

By the time Happy had shown up, Peter had done the dishes, cleaned his room and had gone through a rerun of Back to the Future that was playing on the TV. It was around twelve in the afternoon at this point in time. James had yet to show back up with Alice but it wasn’t that big of a deal, as he would be coming back later on that night to see them again.

-Sunday, 12:15PM-

“I’m sorry-”

“Happy, it’s really okay.”

“Yeah but I got caught up and Tony-” 

“I get it, really.” 

They were in the car now. 

Traffic was easy at first and then a wreck happened up the main highway so he promptly texted Mr. Stark that they were going to be a little late. Happy kept trying to apologize about not picking up Peter earlier but wasn’t having any of it. 

The latter sighed, leaning back into his seat. 

“If you say so. Just know that I am sorry. I meant to come earlier but I got caught up. Shuri’s waiting for you, I know that at least. I think Tony wants you for something though so whatever you’re planning with him tonight might have to be put on hold. It sounded kind of serious.” 

A part of him was excited. Another part of him was worried. If it was as serious as Happy described it, then maybe it wasn’t so bad and Mr. Stark just needed his help. But then again, he would find out later when they finally got there. 

“Okay,” Peter drawled, uncertain in his voice. “He didn’t say anything about that in the chat this morning? Does anyone else know about it?”

“That’s because he’s been busy and yes, just about everyone does. Before you ask me to join, no. I’m not looking at that chat because I know what you talk about there and I’m not going to be a part of it.” 

He opens his mouth to say something but no words come out and he closes it. He had him there. It wasn’t like they were talking about anything bad though. Mostly just shit posting, memes, and the occasional serious moment. 

They make it to the tower, pulling into the private garage. He tells Happy he can go on by himself to which the other obliges, waving him off. 

The tower is like his second home. He knows a lot of people here and a lot of people know him. It’s nice. When he gets in the lobby, he’s able to greet the receptionist, Margaux today. She swaps out occasionally with Thomas and Peter knows him as well, being one of the nicest guys around. 

“Hey, Peter.” Margaux calls out to him, giving him a little wave from behind her computer screen.

“What’s up, Margaux? You still going back to Cannes to see your family soon?”

“Yep. I’m leaving next week so Thomas is taking over. You’ll see him more often than you usually do.”

“I’ll make sure he organizes everything as you want it then, I know how you are about that.” 

“Good. Now, get your ass upstairs before someone sees us talking. I’m working right now.” 

He laughed at her remark before waving goodbye and stepping into the elevator. 

***

The first thing Peter sees when he gets to the top floor is Shuri. 

In fact, he nearly gets bombarded by her wrapping her arms around him and demanding why he was late. 

“Blame Happy. He was late and we got caught up in traffic.”

“Excuses, excuses,” The princess of Wakanda chides him, playfully punching his shoulder. “It’s always the white people who are late to every single event that gets planned out. Throwing Happy under the bus too? That’s a bold move.”

He steps out of the elevator with her. 

“Yeah uh, very bold move. Also, I planned the event for tonight so I take offense to the white people comment.” Tony speaks up, coming from around the corner after they had made their way into the main lounge. 

“I’m not sorry because I’m right.” Shuri quipped back. 

“Of course, you’re not. When are you ever? Also, I am telling Happy you said that, Pete. Throwing him under the bus like that? That’s just mean.” 

“What? Come on, I didn’t mean it! I was just joking!” 

“Sure you were.” Tony replies, to which Peter rolls his eyes in response. “But anyway, back to business. Did Happy tell you what I told him to tell you on the way here?” 

“Something being serious?”

Mr. Stark clapped his hands together. “Good, he did. Plans are going to get changed because of it so, sorry about that but on the plus side, you’ll be staying here so that isn’t changing. If you want to help out with this you can, if you don’t you don’t have to and you can stay here until we get back.” He took a breath. “It’s a sting operation. Pirates off the coast trying to steal weapons left over from SHIELD when it still existed. Nothing that we can’t handle but I figured you might have wanted to help since it gives you more experience with being out on the field and such. Before you start worrying, we’ll be back before tonight, I’ll take you back to May’s if you want and I’ll let her know.” 

Of course he wanted in. Why wouldn’t he? It would give him a chance to help and work besides the Avengers as Spider-Man. He might be home a little late but May would understand why. She wouldn’t have a problem with it and she could just explain it to James whenever he showed back up. 

“Who 's all coming?” 

He shrugged. “You, Steve, Bucky, Nat, and me. Bucky and Steve weren’t supposed to come but they said that they would. We’re leaving here in about,” Mr. Stark glances down at his watch, which Peter was pretty sure costed more than May’s own apartment. “an hour or so. Nick's already up my ass about timing but I wanted to see what you wanted first because it'll give you experience. Are you coming or not though? I gotta get you prepped for it with your suit. Just know that you’re following behind me the whole time, alright? I don’t want you getting sidetracked.” 

“I don’t get sidetracked !” 

Okay…maybe he did from time to time. But in the end, he always got his assignments done and helped whoever he could. From the look on Mr. Stark’s face, he could already tell he was digging himself into a hole and Peter sighed. “Okay, fine. I’ll go and stay with you.” 

At that, Mr. Stark clapped his hand on his shoulder. 

“Good, let’s go then. Shuri, you know the rules. Just…stay with T’Challa wherever he is, I’m sure he’s around here somewhere.” 

The princess rolled her eyes, walking off from him and Peter.

“Sure thing, Mr. Stark. Try not to break anything too bad while you’re out there, I don’t want to have to fix another white boy!”

- Sunday, 2:20pm -

The first thing he does is he tries to call May before they head out. It goes to voicemail almost immediately, meaning she has her phone turned off for whatever reason. Probably work, if he had to assume. 

“Hey, May. I uh, might be home a little late tonight. Mr. Stark’s going to call sometime soon and let you know what’s up but it’s nothing bad before you start freaking out. I’m just helping him with Avenger stuff for a while, you know how that is. He said he’d drop me off back at home later tonight and he’ll talk to you about it if you want when we get there. It kinda just popped up but he wanted to know if I wanted to go or not before they left so here we are! If anything changes, I’ll let you know.” 

He hangs up. 

The suit as always feels like it’s just another part of his skin. It’s comfortable, flexible, and easy to move in. Mr. Stark made it specifically to adjust to his needs whenever he was crime fighting.

He loves it. 

Speak of the devil and suddenly, Mr. Stark is there behind him, his hand on his shoulder.

“Okay, here’s the deal,” He begins. “We go in, you stay close to me.  If you see something that needs to be dealt with, you tell one of us, got it?”

“Come on, Stark. Let the kid live a little. It's not supposed to be a hard recon!” He heard Bucky speak up, coming from the co-pilot’s seat of the Quinjet. Steve was flying them to their destination in the pilot’s seat with Natasha in the same room. 

“How else is he going to learn? That's why you brought him, right?” Natasha asks, arms crossed as she leans against the wall behind Steve’s seat.

“He can learn by not getting hurt.” Tony replied, looking at her flatly to which she rolled her eyes, standing back up from the wall and walking off. 

“I’m not going to get hurt, Mr. Stark. I’ll be fine!” Peter tried to assure him, but the other shook his head.

“I’m not taking chances, either way. You stay with me and that’s final.” 

"For once," Captain Rogers says. "I agree with him. Stay close by, kid. Don't want anything happening to you is all." 

Sometimes he wished that Mr. Stark would just listen to him. Even everyone else (minus Steve but that was normal) was saying that it should be fine so why couldn't he just do his friendly neighborhood Spider-Man thing and take care of business on his own?! 

He wasn't going to get hurt. 

His senses were reliable enough and if he did need help, they were all going to be around him so he wouldn't have to worry. It was just a normal recon mission that they were being sent out on last minute. Take care of some bad guys doing bad things and that was it. 

He really should have listened better. 

It probably would have saved his skin but he was a stupid teenager and stupid teenagers did stupid things. 

Chapter Text

-Sunday, 3:45PM-

So, maybe he was wrong about getting hurt.

But hey, that didn’t mean everything didn’t go to plan, right? 

They got in and got out easy enough. Stopped the operation from happening, handed people into custody. All the usual business. 

He stayed by Mr. Stark like he was told to. Fought side by side with him while the other three went on to do their portion of the work. 

Then, he had to get shot.

“Peter, you’ve been wounded. I suggest that you-“

“No, Karen! We’re not done yet!”

“But you’re losing blood and Mr. Stark is nearby. Protocol says that I need to contact him should you get hurt. He could offer assistance-“ 

“There’s still another guy, I’ve got to get him!” 

Technically, he didn’t have to. He could call on Steve, Natasha or even Bucky for help but he just so happened to end up in the engine room with one of the guards and Peter took his chance to intercept him, having a brief fight before he lost focus with another one entering the room after hearing the commotion from outside. From there, he got into a scuffle with them. Using his web shooters as projectiles to slow them down, giving him the opportunity to jump in and land a kick at the other one, slamming him into the wall while leaving a dent mark from the force Peter had put behind his attack. It left him unconscious, which was what Peter had been hoping for, and then the tingling feeling in the back of his head went off again like needles rapidly poking his brain and telling him to move. 

Mr. Stark was going to kill him. He went to set up some sort of device to hack into their network and get some info on the sting operation and Peter deviated, seeing someone run down the stairs to the ship that definitely wasn’t on their side. He didn’t give Mr. Stark a chance to chase after him when he shouted he was going after whoever was running down the stairs.

The guard that was left had opened fire. He used a semi-automatic, firing rounds at rapid rates in Peter’s direction. He couldn’t snatch the guy’s gun out of his hands directly with webs, as the shots were directly aimed at him. Quickly, he dove for cover, running behind a pole. The man started shouting something in a different language, presumably using a communicator while reloading and Peter took that opportunity to intercept him, shooting a web in the guy’s direction to snag onto his gun and throw it aside. 

From there it became a scuffle, the guard trying to throw punches and kicks at Peter that were easy to evade. At one point he had taken out a knife to try and stab him but he managed to disarm him before pinning him down, shooting a volley of webs at the man to keep him stuck to the ground. The sense of danger was still high, tingling in the back of his as he stood over his defeated enemy. 

“Fucking Avengers.” He spat, finally stopping his attempts to struggle against the webs. 

“Hey man, it’s not my fault you chose to get involved-“ 

His mind started tingling and he makes a move to jump out the way but dealing with bad guy number one first was still on his mind and he ended up miscalculating how he needed to move. 

There’s a white hot pain searing through him. 

It’s sudden, like one minute it wasn’t there and the next it suddenly appeared. The initial shock of something tearing through him jolted through his body and he stumbled at first but caught his footing. There’s blood starting to form underneath his suit and he could hear someone behind him bolt through the hallway and take off. 

That was where he was at now, with Karen insisting to contact Mr. Stark and Peter’s refusals. 

Mr. Stark was probably busy, having his own share of guys to deal with and if Mr. Stark was busy, so were the others. He knew Natasha was around somewhere nearby and so were Bucky and Steve but he couldn’t afford to break away from chasing this guy down and stopping him when he had the chance. He was running on pure adrenaline right now, breaking away from the shock and pain as he took off.

“Karen, where did he go?!” 

“I’m picking up a radio signal coming from the other hallway.” 

The pain in his side was excruciating with every step he took. He was sure that he was leaving a trail of blood for someone to find later on. He pushed on through, running through the halls of the ship to catch up to the one who had shot him. Taking a chance at gaining on him, he used his webs, swinging and jumping off walls before swinging overhead and landing in front of the guard, blocking his path.

He didn’t waste time for him to potentially reload the gun, snatching it from him with a quick shot of webbing.

“Listen,” The guard started off, hands raised in the air. “I’m just doing what I was told.” 

“And? You shot me!” 

“I didn’t mean to!” He tried to reason with Peter. “I thought you would jump out the way or something like I always see you do on the news!” 

“Well obviously I didn’t!”

The guy gave a light shrug. 

Peter sent a web at his arms, binding them together before leaning against the wall. He could feel the lightheadedness start to settle in, his head throbbing from an oncoming headache. 

“Dude, you might want to get that looked at. You don’t look so good.” Said Mr. bad guy. 

No shit, Sherlock. 

Peter ignored him, activating his comms.

“Kid! Where the hell are you?! I told you to stay by my side and you ran off!” Mr. Stark shouted at him.

Yeah he was mad. 

“Mr. Stark, I’m sorry but I saw them making a run for it and I wanted to catch them since you were busy and-“

Tony cut him off.

“Zip it, Parker. I don’t want to hear it. Where are you?” 

He winced, adjusting his position on the wall. Was that blood going down his leg? He felt something wet start to drip down so it probably was. “Listen, before you get mad at me, I got the guys down here and webbed them all up. It’s not really a big deal, I’m fine I can walk back up I just-“

“Mr. Stark, Peter has sustained a gunshot wound to his right side. I believe it was a 9mm bullet that pierced him underneath his ribs and I suggest immediate medical attention before he loses more blood.” 

If there was any moment in time where he wanted Karen to shut off, now would be that time. 

“I’m sorry-WHAT?” Peter could hear the tone in Mr. Stark’s voice change from angry to even more angry and shocked. “You got fucking shot?! FRIDAY, get me his location now! Tell Cho to be on standby at the tower!” 

He tried to get up from the wall, using his free arm to push off of it. Almost immediately the room started to spin but he started protesting. “No, no, Mr. Stark I’m okay! I’m fine, I can meet you up there and-“

“Parker so help me God, sit the fuck down and stop moving! You’re going to make it worse! You guys, get the Quinjet prepped, Pete’s been shot and he’s gotta go to Helen for help!” 

There was shuffling going on in the background of their private radio and he could only imagine that it was the rest of them running off to get everything ready for him. He didn’t want this to happen. Didn’t want to ruin a victory they had just won even if it was a small one. He slid down the wall, a streak of blood following downwards from where he had been standing against it. Sitting down now, Peter kept his hand over the wound. He could feel his blood pouring out, making him dizzy. Faintly, he could hear the sound of Mr. Stark’s voice. 

“Kid! Stay awake, you hear me?!” 

Peter nods, even though he knows that Mr. Stark wouldn’t be able to see it. 

“Yeah…I hear you still, Mr. Stark.” 

“You’ll be fine, just hold on a little while longer okay?”  He didn’t hear anymore anger behind Tony’s voice. Only concern and worry. Or maybe that was just his mind playing tricks on him. He wasn’t sure. 

“Okay. I trust you, Mr. Stark.” 

His eyes started to close when he heard the sound of frantic footsteps coming down a flight of stairs and ending with someone shouting at him. He couldn’t make out everything they were saying but he knew it was Mr. Stark. He knew that he was safe. 

His eyes closed and he allowed himself to pass out.

***

-Tuesday, 6:17AM-

“I wouldn’t be surprised if he wakes up any minute now. It’s been a couple of days. Shuri’s Wakandan technology also helped speed up the healing process so later today he should be fine to go back to his aunt.” 

“Thanks, Helen. Helps a lot knowing you’re taking care of him.” 

“Of course, anything for Peter. If there’s anything else you need, just let me know. I’ll have to run a few tests on him before I give him the all clear but after that he should be okay.” 

The voices were slightly muffled but he could pick out what they were saying. He was laying down on something soft, his head propped up with an equally soft, but firm pillow. 

He heard a door shut. He can hear machines running wherever he was at close by. There’s a strong smell of sanitizer lingering in the air.  

“Rise and shine, Parker.” 

Peter opened his eyes.

At first, it was hard to adjust to the blinding light from the overhead lights but once he did after blinking rapidly for a minute, he looked over to his side to see Mr. Stark, arms crossed and sitting in a chair by the bed he was laying in. 

He tried to sit up but his side throbbed and he felt Tony push him back down. 

“Nope, you’re not getting up. You’re staying your ass in the bed until Cho gives you the all clear to leave.” 

“Mr. Stark…what happened?” His throat was dry and hurt whenever he spoke. As if his mentor read his mind, he got up and walked over to a table with a water pitcher sitting on top of it and poured it into a plastic cup before giving it to Peter who graciously took and drank it. 

“Let’s see,” Tony began with a shrug, setting the pitcher back on the table. “We went to take care of that sting operation that was going on. I told you to stay by my side and you didn’t. You got shot and now we’re back at the Tower. That ring any bells to you?”

The sting operation? Mr. Stark telling him not to-oh shit.

He tried sitting up again, cup in one hand while the other reached out to him. Surprisingly this time he was able to push himself up. 

“Mr. Stark I’m sorry I-“

His mentor held up a finger at him and Peter stopped stumbling over his words.

“Save it. I don’t want to hear it right now. You ran from me when I told you not to. Do you have any idea how worried I was? After you made that call I found you and I thought you were dead until FRIDAY ran a scan on you and said you weren’t.” 

His words were stern. It had the same effect of getting told how disappointed a parent was in you as their child if you did something bad. In this case, Tony was the parent and Peter was the child. 

“I carried you back to the jet and we got you back here. You’ve been out for a couple of days. It was Sunday then and now it’s Tuesday. Before you start freaking out, I called and told May. She’s been up here constantly but I assured her that you would be fine.” 

A couple of days. He had been out for a couple of days? He couldn’t have. They left for the operation on Sunday, there was no way it could have been Tuesday right now.  When Mr. Stark mentioned May, Peter’s heart sunk to the bottom of his chest. 

Oh God, May. 

He was supposed to be back to spend time with her, Alice and James. Alice especially wanted him to be there. 

“Did you let-“

“Yes, I let her boyfriend know too if that’s what you were going to ask. I didn’t say anything about being an Avenger and stuff. Just told him it you got caught up but May knows what happened and she told me she wouldn’t tell James the truth unless you wanted him to know. You don’t have to worry about it, kid. I got you covered.“

He didn’t know if he should relieved or not. For a moment, Peter glanced outside the window next to his bed. From the outside, he could see several people in white coats walking around the halls or chatting with each other about whatever it was they had on their minds. He fiddled with the white bed sheets covering his lower half, continuing to stare before looking down at his hands.

The beeping of his heart rate monitor filled the room before Peter spoke again, voice quiet and slightly filled with regret.

“I’m…I’m sorry Mr. Stark. I just thought if I got to them first then it would be fine and I could help. I didn’t mean for anything to happen.” 

He expected Tony to lecture him again but instead the billionaire sighed, folding his arms over his chest and crossing his legs. 

“Kid, I’m not mad at you for trying to help.” He started. “I’m mad at you for doing your own thing and not doing what I told you to. There’s a reason why I watch over you and it’s to make sure that stuff like this doesn’t happen. I don’t want you to get hurt when doing this sort of stuff and I’m certainly not going to let you die because if you die, it’s on me.” 

It’s like the talk they had after Peter tried to hold the ship together. He wasn’t successful. He almost got people hurt because he tried to do it on his own but Mr. Stark stepped in at the last second and came to their rescue. He didn’t want to disappoint him. Not in the least bit. He wanted Mr. Stark to be proud of him for what he was doing as Spider-Man but right now, the look his mentor gave him said otherwise.

“I get it,” Peter mumbled, grasping at the sheets again before looking up at him. “I shouldn’t have ran off like you told me to but I just couldn’t help myself. I see something that doesn’t look right and I want to jump in and stop it. I don’t want anyone to get hurt because of it. Maybe I should have thought more but I just thought that maybe if I took care of those guys for you then you’d see that I’d know what I was doing. That I know how to protect people as their friendly neighborhood Spider-Man, you know?”

Mr. Stark fell silent for a while. Was it the pain meds talking and making him spout nonsense? Did he say something wrong? There were a list of possibilities going through Peter’s head but he wasn’t expecting the one that Mr. Stark did.

He got up from his chair and walked over to his bed, sitting down on the edge of it. Peter watched as Tony patted one of hands before giving it a light squeeze.

“You’re going to be fine, Pete.” A warm smile spread over his face. “You’re doing great. I think everyone knows you’re good and care about other people. Just...try and listen more so this doesn’t happen again, okay? I don’t want you to get hurt again.”

Mr. Stark believed in him. He believed that he could help people and Peter wanted nothing more than to hear that come from his own mouth. He didn’t hesitate to wrap his arms around his mentor, burying his face into his shoulder. 

“Thank you, Mr. Stark. Thank you so much.” 

For the first time in a while, Peter felt like he was finally doing something right. That he was living up to the title of an Avenger. Mr. Stark returned his hug with one of his own, wrapping his arms around Peter and holding him. He wasn’t sure how much time had passed but eventually, they both let go and he heard the sound of his door opening.

“Did I miss anything important? Sorry, I was getting coffee and the line was rather long.” 

“Nothing much other than a lecture. Did you make sure my order has five pumps of vanilla? Sometimes they don’t put it all in.” 

Dr. Strange had walked in the room carrying two cups in his hands. Setting one down on the counter, he walked over to Tony, giving him the larger one out of the two. 

“Yes, a Venti Iced Coffee with five extra pumps of vanilla, two shots of extra cream and light ice with caramel on the inside. I saw them make it.” He replied, voice filled with disinterest. 

Tony took a sip of it and nodded. 

“Yeah, they got it right this time. Probably the red headed guy was behind the counter today. He usually gets my order right. I don’t know why it’s so hard to follow but-“ 

Strange promptly cut him off, shooting Tony a look before turning his attention to Peter.

“I take it you’re doing better after what happened?” Like Mr. Stark, his voice fit the one of a parent being disappointed in a child and it was like Peter was a puppy being kicked in the ribs.

“Yeah, I feel…better? I expected to feel more I don’t know, in pain since I got shot?”

The sorcerer half-shrugged. “Well, that tends to be what happens when you get shot. You end up in a lot of pain.”

“But,” Tony interjected, taking another sip of his coffee before continuing. “Dr. Cho, you know, Helen? She used some Wakandan tech that Shuri brought over to help stabilize you and quicken the healing process more. Your healing factor also helped with that and so did her fabricator so you should thank her when you get the chance.” 

He had only ran into Dr. CHo a few times but those few times involved him getting hurt and needing her help. Each time she pulled through and didn’t hesitate to help Peter at all. He would always be thankful for that.

“Yeah, I will when I see her.” 

Dr. Strange gave him a small smile, lips slightly pursed. “Just try not to get shot again, will you Parker? I don’t appreciate having to force Tony to sleep because he won’t leave your bedside.”

Mr. Stark snorted at his comment. “What? Like it’s a bad thing? I took naps here! You worry too much.” 

“It’s my job now to worry about you.” 

“You chose to get hired by me.” 

“That I unfortunately did.” 

Peter couldn’t help but to laugh at the expression of betrayal and disbelief Mr. Stark had shot at his partner, the latter smiling down at him in return. Rolling his eyes, Mr. Stark turned his attention back on him, fishing for something in his pocket before pulling it out for him to take.

It was his phone.

“By the way, check in with the group chat. Steve, Nat and Bucky know how you’re doing already. They stopped by a few times to check on you but just let everyone else know you’re up now, okay? I was going to give them an update anyway whenever you woke up but I figured you could do it yourself now.” 

Peter took it from Mr. Stark’s hands and nodded. 

“I will. Thanks, Mr. Stark.”

-Tuesday, 7:01AM-

Spider-Man: Hey guys! Sorry I’ve been MIA, I got shot but I’m doing better now!

Bird-Man: jfc I heard what happened. Glad you’re okay now kid. 

Capsicle: Glad to see you’re awake, Pete. You were out when we stopped by but if you want us to come by again today we can or just meet you another time.

Spider-Man: That’s okay, thanks though, Cap. I really appreciate you guys doing that for me. Sorry I screwed up. 

Capsicle: It’s okay kid, just try not to get shot again, okay? When you get better, you can come over to our place and we can talk if you want. 

Spider-Man: definitely :) 

Spider-Man: I’m going to go now though. Mr. Stark and Dr. Strange are here and I don’t want to be on my phone while talking to them. 

***

With that, he had set aside his phone on the nightstand next to his bed. He would check the rest of his messages later but for now, he wasn’t going to bother with them

The next hour went by pretty slowly but he enjoyed being able to talk with Mr. Stark and Dr. Strange. They both cared about him in their own way and he was happy to have them in his life. Dr. Cho came sometime later in the morning to run some tests and gave him the all clear that he was going to be fine. He would need some more than usual bed rest but other than that and some soreness, he should be fully healed up within the week. Mr. Stark stepped out to make a call to his aunt, letting her know that she could come up and get him and about half an hour later, May arrived, throwing her arms around him and crying. 

He wished he could have saw Shuri or T’Challa since they were both here before he left but Mr. Stark told them they had to leave yesterday, being called in for government issues and such. 

“May, I’m fine! See? You can’t even see the scar!” Peter tried to assure her, lifting up his shirt to show his aunt where the bullet had once been but was now completely normal skin. 

“Oh my God I’m just happy you’re safe.” She sobbed into him before pulling him back from her and sternly waving a finger in his face. “If you ever do that again I’m kicking you out of the house!” 

Peter just laughed in response and hugged her back. 

He gave his thanks to Dr. Cho and running up to hug Tony and Stephen before him and May left the tower. Happy offered to escort them out but Peter told him that they would be okay on their own. 

Everything was calm in the apartment when they finally got there. He talked to the rest of the Avengers in the group chat the whole ride back, May asking him about certain usernames and Peter having to tell her that they were all Mr. Stark’s ideas.

She laughed and said, “Of course they are.”

He offered to help wash the dishes in the sink but she told him to go rest up in his room like Dr. Cho had told him to. She was going to run out and do some errands and be back sometime later but once she was, they could have a movie night together. James wasn’t in the apartment at the moment but she said that he would be coming over to pick up a few things.

She told him the whole time he was out, she didn’t tell James anything. That Peter was just busy with Mr. Stark and was required to stay long than originally planned at the Tower. She had talked to Mr. Stark about it beforehand and the both of them had decided it seemed to keep Peter's hero business away from James for the time being. It meant that May would have to go back home to their apartment so nothing would seem out of the ordinary and while she was distraught about not being able to be with Peter 24/7 after the incident, Peter did his best to assure her that he was okay with it and for her not to worry. 

It was a relief to know she had done that for him to keep the truth a secret from James. 

They chatted for a while before May made him go back to his room, knowing he would continue to talk and not get some rest like she wanted. 

She left not long after that. He heard the front door open and close so now it was just him.

When he had got into his room, he promptly dropped himself into the mattress, feeling the exhaustion start to overwhelm him after the morning’s long events. Being in the medical ward all day apparently made him more tired than he thought he would be. His eyes had closed after he felt them start to get heavy, and he had started to fall asleep when he heard it.

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?!”

Chapter Text

-Tuesday, 10:34AM-

There’s a sudden tingling in the back of his mind and Peter barely has any time to sit up before he jolts awake to the sound of his door being slammed open. 

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?!”  

The intrusion startles him and causes him to shuffle quickly off of his bed with his feet kicking the covers off of it in the process.

“Ohmygod I didn’t hear you come in I-“

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?!” James repeats while cutting him off and there’s a feeling of dread building up. Peter starts to stutter out some sort of response but he can’t get anything coherently out, still reeling from the sudden force of James entering his room and the confusion of why he was so mad and what was happening and- 

“I asked you a goddamn question! May tells me you called her that you’ll be staying over somewhere else with Tony fucking Stark on Sunday night and it’s now Tuesday morning?! You were supposed to be back days ago and Alice has been crying to me asking when you were coming back!” 

Peter can’t say anything. Can’t come up with some sort of excuse or lie as to what really happened. Can’t form words that would have been useful. 

All he does is stand there, mouth opening and closing to try and say something but nothing comes out. 

He’s too confused, too scared, and most of all, too disoriented to understand anything. He hasn’t ever been yelled at like this before. Even when he accidentally broke his aunt’s lamp one time while running through the apartment as a kid, he wasn’t yelled at. Instead, he was given a stern, but meaningful lecture about why he should be careful when playing around and he took it to heart, promising himself to not do anything like that again. 

“I-I’m sorry, May knew why and I had to stay and I just didn’t think about it and Mr. Stark wanted-“ 

“Mr. Stark wanted something?” He scoffs. “Of course he does. When doesn’t he ever? He picks you up for however long he wants and doesn’t care that you have business elsewhere right?” 

Peter doesn’t know what to say to that. Instead, he stands there, looking down at the ground to avoid eye contact. 

He doesn’t understand. Why was James like this? Did he screw up? He wouldn’t be surprised if he did but this time, he didn’t even know what he did wrong to make him so angry at him. Had he been drinking? Was that it? It was a possibility to consider but Peter didn’t smell any alcohol on him at all. He knew that some people could fly into a rage when drunk, but right now, James was sober. 

The man in front of him sighs deeply, turning around and pinching the bridge of his nose.

He could hear his own heart beating in his chest at a rapid pace, waiting for whatever came next.

For some reason, he decided to open his mouth again and attempt another apology, trying to keep his voice from wavering.

“I’m sorry, I just thought that if she told you that I wouldn’t be home for a while then it would be okay and I didn’t realize it was an issue.”

There was a silence between them. One that leaves tension that could be cut in half with a knife with how thick it was. 

Then, James speaks up. 

“I’ve had a really long day,” He says, thinly. Peter was tempted to say, "So have I" but he doesn’t. “A really long day and it’s not even past twelve in the damn afternoon yet. I’m too stressed to deal with your shit right now. Go and see Alice, I just put her in her room a few minutes ago. We’ll talk about this later.” 

"We’ll talk about this later."

He doesn’t want to talk about it later. He wants to stay very far away from it and pretend nothing just happened. But he knew it was inevitable and that sometime today, the “talk” would occur one way or another.

When James tells him that, there’s a chill running down his spine and he simply nods, not hesitating to brush past him to leave his room, making sure to grab his phone on the way out. James didn’t say anything in response to that which was a relief in his mind. 

His hands were shaky. As he held his phone, he could see the light trembling and promptly shoved his phone into his back pocket, not taking the time to check and see if there were any messages from the past few hours. The walk to Alice’s room was short but in his mind, it felt much longer. His thoughts were racing through his head, such as, what the hell was that,  and why am I like this right now? He only snaps out of it when he hears James walk out of his room, prompting him to hurry and scuffle his way to Alice's room before James notices him. 

When he's there he knocks, poking his head through the door as he opens it. 

In the corner where a small, white tent is set up by some bookshelves, he sees Alice with her nose deep in a book, surrounded by others that were open and laying on the floor. She takes notice of him almost immediately whenever he comes in and the expression on her face quickly turns to excitement. 

“Petey! You’re back!” 

Alice jumps up, setting the book to the side and rushing to hug him. He tries not to wince at the sudden contact, the side where he was shot was protesting against the force. 

“I’m sorry, I had some stuff come up.” He apologizes to her, returning her hug by bending down to her height. 

“It’s okay, Miss May told me that you were busy with Mr. Stark and had to stay over. I asked daddy when you would come back and he didn’t know so I just waited for you.” 

"Alice has been crying to me, asking when you were coming back!"

James’s words run through his head about her and Peter can’t help but feel like he was more than likely overreacting about it all. 

“Yeah well, I’m back now,” Peter says, giving her a small smile. “You wanna play? I’m free for the day if you want to.” 

“Yes!” Alice beams at him, and then promptly drags him by his sleeve into her room, not before closing the door behind her.

“You have to keep it shut,” She informs him, pulling him towards the tent and he sits down after she does. “Daddy doesn’t like it when I make a lot of noise playing.”

It reminds him of when he had played music in the shower that one time, with James confronting him about it. Peter can’t help but frown when she tells him that.

“He doesn’t?” 

Alice shakes her head, reaching for a largely-sized stuffed penguin against the wall and holding it in her lap. 

“No, he doesn’t. He usually just tells me to keep it down but as long as we aren’t too loud, we can play whatever we want.” 

Peter nods.

In the back of his mind, he wonders if James...if he ever hit her like him for making too much noise. It doesn’t seem like he does. From what he sees between them, Alice is always running to her father, wanting to be picked up. He calls her sweetpea and honey, just like any dad would. It was a thought he had that maybe he was overreacting about it all. Maybe he had fucked up and done something he wasn’t supposed to without realizing it. Actions came with consequences, after all-that was what he was taught growing up. 

“Hey, Petey? Before we play, can I ask you a question?” Alice asks, looking up at him. 

“Yeah, sure. What’s up?” Peter sat up a bit. Nervousness pools at the bottom of his stomach for some reason.

“Why did you look sad earlier when you came into my room? Did dad say something to you?” 

Everything in him stopped. Emotions and thoughts alike. It was like when someone asked you how you were doing that day and everything collapsed inside of you because your day was shit. Had he really looked that way when he came in? He was sure that he tried to steady himself; keeping his hands from trembling the way they were while he was walking over. 

He didn’t want her to know. These were his own problems and she was just a kid. Alice didn’t need to know anything about his screw-ups and he certainly didn’t want to place anything like that on her. 

He shook his head, doing his best to attempt a smile. “No, I’m okay. Thanks for asking though. Now, what do you say to Spider-Man versus bad guys?” 

“I say you’re the bad guy and I’m Spider-Man!” Before he had the chance to jump up, Alice had already jumped on top of him, causing him to start laughing.

There was a big grin on her face as she stood over top of him, pointing an imaginary web shooter down at him. 

“It’s over, robber! I have the high ground!” 

“You’ll never beat me! I have the power of starting tickle fights!” 

Alice started howling with laughter, doubling over as Peter started to tickle her while trying to wriggle away from his fingers. They rolled around on the floor for a while, Peter going for her sides while Alice tries to kick him away. 

They continued to play, for most of the time. Apparently, not as loud as Peter thought they were since James hadn’t shown up at all during their rounds of Spider-Man versus bad guys and Thor versus Loki. 

.

They were too caught up in their games to notice that May had come back from running errands earlier that morning, walking in on them.

“What is going on in here?!” Amusement in her voice as she opens up the door to Alice’s room.

Peter was on his back, hands thrown up in front of his face to block Alice from using a toy lightsaber she had gotten at one point during the morning of playtime that was now turned into the afternoon. 

“I defeated Petey! He was a secret Sith Lord making plans to destroy the Jedi Council!” Alice proclaimed proudly and May chuckled in response. James had come into view next to her, a smile on his face that Peter couldn’t help but notice was obviously fake. 

“Ooh, Darth Peter huh? Well, let’s wrap up play time and come out to the kitchen. I’ll have lunch ready soon.” May informed them. 

“We’ll be there in a second, May!” Peter replied. He crawled out from underneath Alice and she reached down, offering him a hand. He took it, but pulled himself up with most of his own weight. 

The rest of the afternoon went somewhat smoothly. May pulled him aside, and asked him how he was healing up and though he was a bit sore, he told her that he was fine and that tomorrow he would probably feel better. She asked why he was up in the first place and…he wanted to tell her about James. How he barged in and started demanding answers as to what happened. How he thought he was going to get hit again. But he didn’t. He didn’t want to cause trouble, especially not in their relationship. There was still that thought lingering in the back of his mind of how James had still wanted to talk later but he pushed it aside. 

In the end, he told her that he had just woken up whenever James came in and told him that he and Alice were there. 

May doesn’t look like she bought it, shrugging her shoulders and taking a bite of a cracker on the plate that was set aside on the counter before saying, “Okay.” 

They had their movie night as she promised, all of them on the couch scrunched in with one another. Thankfully, James was on the other side of May so she sat as a barrier between them. He did his best to avoid looking over at him, either keeping his eyes peeled to the screen, on May whenever she spoke to him, or on Alice whenever she cuddled up next to him.

Peter had to admit that about halfway through Jurassic Park he had zoned out, nodding off and falling asleep whenever the kids got trapped in the kitchen by the velociraptors. 

He’s back on the ship again, with bad guy number one webbed up behind him. 

There’s another one somewhere. He’s doing a 360 scan of the room but he doesn’t see or feel anything. Peter knows though that bad guy number two is around.

He turns around and suddenly bad guy number one has been replaced by May. May. No, no, no what is she doing here? 

“May!” He cries out, running to her to rip the webs off. When he touches her, she disintegrates into ash in an instant. It coats his fingers and for a long time, he doesn’t do anything but stare at them. His breath is shaky and Peter continues to look at his hands, trembling slightly from the shock. 

Then, it’s empty. He blinks and there is no longer a room but instead an empty, white space all around him. Is he…supposed to move? Walk around? He takes a step forwards but stops when he feels the pressure of a gun barrel against the back of his head. 

There’s a click. 

He’s frozen in place. Unable to move. 

Then, the gun is fired. 

He awakes with a jolt, Alice grabbing his arm with a shriek after seeing a T-Rex appear on screen, doing its signature roar. Jeff Goldblum was in the iconic outdoor bathroom scene where it tries to kill him. For a minute, he doesn’t know where he is. His eyes dart around the room, trying to figure out his surroundings and when he realized he was still in the living room with May, Alice and James, he almost breathed a sigh of relief.

“Pete, baby? You okay?” May is waving at him, trying to get his attention. 

“What?” He asks. His aunt frowns at him. James has taken notice of them and Peter can see him leaning over to observe the conversation. All eyes are on him now and for some reason, he’s never felt more exposed. 

“I asked if you were okay. Did you fall asleep or something? You can go to bed if you’re tired.” 

He was exhausted. But he was also scared. James looking over at him certainly didn’t help. 

He shook his head. “I’m okay...I'm not that tired May, don’t worry about it.” 

“Are you sure? We can finish the movie without you, it’s not that big of a deal and-“ May kept trying to insist but Peter shook his head once more, ignoring James the best he could as he continued to watch. 

“No, really May. I’m okay.” He tries to muster up a smile for her. “It’s almost over. I’ll just wait until then and put Alice in bed for you.” At the mention of her name, he ruffled her hair slightly, producing a giggle from her. James finally leaned back in his seat after that and his aunt shrugged.

“Whatever you say, Peter.” 

He stayed awake for the rest of the movie. It was a struggle but also at the same time, it wasn’t. On one hand, he wanted to go back to sleep. His side slightly throbbed where he had been shot but it wasn’t too bad. Sleep would help get rid of that pain but on the other hand, he didn’t want to see May webbed up like that again, suddenly disappearing whenever he got too close. He didn't want the feeling of dread whenever the barrel of the gun was pressed to the back of his head again. 

He put Alice to bed once it was over like he said he would, the little girl already having fallen asleep on him by the time the credits rolled around. Carrying her to her bedroom, he could hear May and James having some sort of conversation and he picked up his name in a couple of sentences before he closed Alice’s door behind him.

Laying her down on the twin-sized bed pushed up against the wall, he tucked her in. 

“Hey, Petey?” Alice suddenly speaks up, her voice quiet.

“Yeah?“ He asks. 

Alice sits up in her covers.

“Does dad ever hit you?” 

Every hair on his body stands up. 

He freezes.

“What?” He didn’t mean to say it out loud but it came out anyway.

“Does he ever hit you?” Alice repeats without missing a beat, looking up at him with her brown eyes. 

“I…” 

Alice looks down at her hands on the blankets in front of her before continuing.

“I asked you why you were sad earlier. You told me you were okay but you didn’t look okay. I get sad whenever dad hits me so I just assumed that maybe he hits you too. I don’t know why he hits me but I don’t want him to hit you too. I like playing with you. You’re nice.” 

His throat is suddenly tight. Alice still isn’t looking up at him, twiddling her fingers around and if Peter isn’t mistaken, he can see the faintest of wetness in her eyes. He swallows, the task being harder to accomplish than normal.

He doesn’t want to believe it. Doesn’t want to believe the assumption that maybe he isn’t the only one that James doesn’t like in this household. I get sad whenever dad hits me so I just assumed he hit you too. The words repeat in his head over and over again. 

“Petey?” Alice probes him, finally looking back up after he hasn’t said anything in a while. He finds himself sitting on the edge of her bed now, looking down at the ground before back at her.

“Where…where does he hit you? When?” 

She shrugs. “He uses a belt or hits me in the face sometimes if I do something he doesn’t like. He hit me outside yesterday before we came here. He didn’t like how I was asking about where you were at. You left and I thought you weren’t coming back ever. I thought you were going to stay with Mr. Stark and leave me but Miss May said you had just gotten caught up with him and he needed your help a lot. Does daddy hit you too, though? You didn’t answer that.” 

He can’t talk. His mouth opens and closes but he can’t form words. 

"He hit me outside yesterday before we came here. He didn’t like how I was asking about where you were at."

"Does daddy hit you too, though? "

Alice reached out for him, a hand gently shaking his arm and he snaps out of it.

“Are you okay, Petey?” 

"Are you okay, Petey? "

No. He’s far from okay. But he can’t shut off now. Not when she’s telling him this.

It wouldn't be right. 

“He did,” Peter says, finally looking at her. His lips are formed into a tight line. “He hit me once when I was coming out of the bathroom for playing music. After that, he just threatens me. He said he wanted to talk to me later. I don’t know what that means.” 

The room was silent, neither Alice nor or Peter saying anything for what seemed like the longest of times.  

“I’m sorry.” She finally mumbles, her knees were drawn up to her chest with her head resting against them. Peter shakes his head. 

“No, Alice. Don’t be sorry, it’s not your fault.” He scoots closer to her, close enough to where he can wrap an arm around her shoulders while she leaned on him. 

“I know. But my dad hits you. Miss May never hit you before but he does. You shouldn’t have to get hurt like I do.” The words dig into his chest and they hurt but he can’t do anything about them. At least for right now, he can’t. All he can do is sit here and hold her while letting her lean up against him for some sort of comfort. “Do you think…do you think we could tell Mr. Stark? He could help with his Avenger friends, right? You have his number and you see him a lot, don’t you?” 

He does. He sees Mr. Stark and the Avengers almost every day. He takes out his phone from his back pocket and the screen lights up instantly, showing his notifications and time. 

50+ unread messages - In This House We Bully Captain America

“What’s that?” Alice asks, looking at his screen and Peter forgot she was there for the briefest of moments and that she could see it. He pulled out his phone and it slipped his mind and shit. He panics and turns it off, putting his phone back into his pocket. 

“It’s nothing. Just a group chat I’m in with some friends.” He replied, quickly making up some story for it. Technically, he wasn’t lying. 

“Oh, okay." Alice says. The sadness in her tone was clear as day and it made him feel even more guilty than before. "I wish I had friends. Dad never wants me to interact with anyone else. But do you think that maybe Mr. Stark could help? You never answered that.” 

She was one persistent kid, he’d have to give her that. Peter sighed. “I…I don’t know Alice. I don’t know if we should tell him or not. If James finds out, he might hurt us more and I don’t want him to hurt you like you’ve been saying.” He frowned. “We’re friends though, right? I want to be friends with you if you’ll let me.” 

Alice looks like she’s considering his offer for a moment of being friends with him, that is until she gives a firm nod and a smile reappears on her face, holding out her hand for him to shake. “Yeah, I want to be friends with you, Petey! I like having you as a friend!” 

He takes her hand and shakes it. 

“Sounds like a solid deal to me, Alice. You’re stuck with me now.” She laughs, letting go of his hand and falling back into her pillows. Peter tucks her in again, telling her goodnight. 

There was a knock on the door as Peter was getting up off the bed, and the tingling returned. 

James. 

The door opened and he was there with May.

“Hey kiddos,” She greets them, leaning up against the door frame. Peter stands next to Alice’s bed, with her grabbing for his hand ever so lightly to where he could feel her fingertips brush against his. “everything okay in here?” 

“Yeah, everything’s good, May. I was just telling Alice good night.“

Alice nods in agreement. “Yeah. Petey was telling me goodnight and reading me a short story.”

It was a lie. Probably because James was there. It clicked in his head almost instantly. She was trying to make him look good. 

He felt sick.

May must have picked up on his mood shift. “You okay, Pete? You look more tired than before.” 

“Nothing that a good night’s sleep can’t fix,” James offers. “he’s a growing boy, he needs his rest.” 

May chuckles. “That he does. Sweet dreams, Alice. We’ll go roller skating tomorrow like I promised, okay?” Alice nods and beams at her and May gestures for Peter to come out of the room, hugging him at the threshold and leading him down the hall while James shuts the door to Alice’s room.

“Did you do anything exciting over at Stark’s, Peter? Exciting enough to not be here for a few days?” He asks once they’re out of earshot from Alice.

“I uh, yeah. I helped Mr. Stark with his projects. Doctor Strange was there too.” 

James lets out a low whistle. “Wow, Doctor Strange too? That’s big.” 

Peter nods. “Yeah, really big.” 

There was a brief awkward moment of silence before May (thankfully) intervened. 

“Okay,” She draws out, stepping between the both of them before walking to the kitchen. “I don’t know about you two but I’m going to bed and I suggest you do the same. It’s late and before you go to bed, Peter, we need to talk.” 

"We’ll talk about this later."

"We need to talk."

Her words are eerily similar to James’s and he can’t help but feel a twinge of fear when she says that but he just nods. 

“In my room?” He suggests, so they could have some form of privacy.

“If that’s what you want, sure.” His aunt agrees, while pouring a glass of water. She gives James a peck on the cheek before telling him she’ll go to bed soon, and then following Peter to his room.

Being in his room felt like sanctuary, if he were to compare it to anything. James hadn’t really come in there yet besides this morning and it was the one place where Peter felt like there wasn’t a heavy weight lingering above. 

She closes the door behind her, leaning up against it as he sits down on the bed, lightly bouncing on it as he did.

“What is it?” Peter asked, looking up at her. “You look like you have something on your mind? Is it bad?” 

May shrugs, taking a sip of her drink before setting it down on his desk and sitting next to him. 

“You tell me,” She says. “Is it bad?” 

He looks at her, confused. “I don’t understand, what are you trying to say, May?” 

She stares at him for another minute. He starts to feel a rising panic and then just when he thinks he's in deep water, she laughs, a smile breaking out on her face as she ruffles his hair. 

Peter can’t help but smile in return out of relief. 

“May, May, stop!” He laughs, trying to swat her hands away but it only intensifies, her starting to tickle him and eventually stopping when both of them are having fits of laughter.

“Ohmygod, May you scared me!“ Peter exclaims, once he’s able to breathe again. “I thought I did something wrong!”

She makes a sound of disbelief. “What ? You? Peter Parker doing something wrong?” She jabs playfully at his nose. “Never. I was just messing with you, you should know that by now!” His aunt wrapped her arms around him, rocking them back and forth slightly before ruffling his hair one more time and getting off the bed. 

“How’s Tony and everyone else? Have they all been doing okay after everything?” She asks.

“I don’t know, I haven’t checked yet.” 

“Well, you do that. I’m sure they’ve been trying to get a hold of you all day. Tell them I said hello and that I still need to meet up with Sam one day and get his sister’s recipes, I hear they’re to die for.” Peter rolls his eyes and May waves him off. “Also, I’ve been meaning to ask but do you want to go to school tomorrow? I know you took a hard hit and if you don’t want to, that’s okay. I’ll just be working is the only thing. Maybe you can ask Happy to take you back to the Tower or something?” 

Skip school or go and possibly hang out with the Avengers? It was an obvious choice. 

“You don’t care if I skip tomorrow? I can get all my homework and stuff Thursday and get it turned in by Friday.” 

May nodded, her hand on the doorknob. “Yeah, totally! Or if you want we can hang out later and have some time to ourselves. It’s up to you though. I’m gonna go now because I’m tired but I’ll catch up with you later, alright? If you need anything you know where I'm at. Try and get some sleep though, will you? It’ll help you heal. You heard what Dr. Cho said.” 

“I will, May. Don’t worry about me.” 

“I’ll always worry about you, Peter. I larb you.” 

He continues to smile as she closes the door, leaving a crack open to wave her fingers through at him. “I larb you too, May.” 

-Tuesday, 9:25PM-

Bird-Man: ay yo Steve what the fuck man

Capsicle: what now 

Bird-Man : SteveRogersOfficialTwitter.jpg

MemeQueen: LMAO ARE YOU SERIOUS

MemeQueen: “How do I Tweet?” 

IronGay ™:  as he’s Tweeting it lollll

Capsicle: listen I’m not that great with technology.

IronGay ™: yeah no shit Sherlock 

IronGay ™: @ Spider-Man I see you lurking you can’t hide from me 

Spider-Man: !!!!

Spider-Man: I’ve been called out 

IronGay ™: damn right

MemeQueen: Peter! How are you? Do you feel any better?

xxxCrawlUpThanos’sAssxxx: yeah we’re all wondering the same thing.

Widowmaker: ☝️

Spider-Man : I’m okay now guys, thanks! Doctor Cho fixed me up pretty good. :) 

Starbucks: thank god 

Starbucks: I mean, we knew you were okay already but still 

Maleficent: I’m glad you’re okay and so is Vision.

JARVIS #2: Exactly what Ms. Maximoff and everyone else is saying. I’m glad that you’re well, Peter. Also, please respond to my DMs whenever you have the chance. 

Spider-Man: I gotchu, Vis. ;) 

JARVIS #2: Thank you. 

IronGay ™: respond to mine too please I want attention and @Doctor Strange isn’t giving me any

Doctor Strange: I’m literally on a different continent right now, Tony.

IronGay ™: and? 

Doctor Strange: We’re not having this discussion right now. Peter, I’m glad you’re better from the last time I saw you. I hope you’ll continue to stay that way.

Spider-Man: me too, Doctor Strange! Thanks and I hope you have safe travels wherever you're at!

IronGay ™: >:( 

Maleficent: don’t be such a baby, Stark.

IronGay ™: I am not a baby! 

Maleficent: you sure about that?

IronGay ™: I’ll kick you from this chat

Maleficent: No you won’t 

IronGay ™: fuck you 

Widowmaker: an actual child

IronGay ™: D:< 

IronGay ™: after all I do for you guys this is how I get treated

IronGay ™: at least Peter won’t backstab me, right @ Spider-Man ? :(

Spider-Man: sure, Mr. Stark lol 

Starbucks: don’t support him Peter, come to the dark side with us 

Bird-Man : we’re better than him

IronGay ™: D:<

IronGay ™: oh yeah now that I think about it, Pete, if you aren’t going to school tomorrow, do you want me or Happy to pick you up? Idm either way but it’s up to you. Not sure what you have going on but thought I'd offer if you wanted to come over. 

Maleficent: Vision and I will be there if you wanted to do something with us 

Spider-Man: 👀👀👀

Spider-Man: hell yeah, you can pick me up if you want, Mr. Stark! 

IronGay ™: done, be ready by 9AM and let May know I’m coming

Spider-Man: I will. Thanks, Mr. Stark! She said hi to everyone by the way and @Bird-Man she wants your sister’s recipes.

Bird-Man : ah shit I know what this is about 

Bird-Man: I’ll let Sarah know, thanks kid 

Starbucks: Sarah?

Bird-Man: my sister, dumbass

Starbucks : someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning 

Starbucks : 🖕🏿

Spider-Man : okayyy well I’m going to bed now because I’m tired and sore. Good night! I’ll see whoever’s going to be at the Tower tomorrow! 

IronGay ™: night, kid

Capsicle: see you, Peter

MemeQueen: yeah, bye Peter! Video chat with me sometime soon if you can! I got stuff to show you! 

Spider-Man: 👍

- Tuesday, 10:45PM- 

He sends May a message on her phone, letting her know about tomorrow’s plans to hang out with Mr. Stark and the other Avengers. A part of him feels guilty, knowing that May wanted to spend some time with him but they always had other days, right? 

"Do you think we could tell Mr. Stark?"

Alice's words repeated themselves in his head for the umpteenth time today. 

"If James finds out, he might hurt us more and I don’t want him to hurt you."

He doesn’t want James to hurt Alice. She doesn’t deserve that. No one does, not even him. Mr. Stark…he could help. Help protect them both. A sickening thought plagued his mind.

What if James was hurting May too? 

No, no he wasn’t. May would have said something. She would have been stronger than him, she would have hit back. Peter on the other hand? He had no idea what he was doing. If he should tell her or not. 

That night, he lay there. His eyes refused to close as thoughts rampaged through his mind of how tomorrow was going to go.

Chapter Text

- Wednesday, 8:58AM - 

He’s getting started on his second bagel whenever Mr. Stark texts him, letting him know that he’s outside waiting for him. It’s almost nine in the morning and he’s already texted MJ and Ned to let them know that he wasn’t coming to school today but that he would be there sometime later in the week. 

“Let Happy and Tony know I said hi!” May calls out to him as he practically jumps off the stool he was sitting on in the kitchen, giving Alice a quick hug goodbye who was sitting at the kitchen table across from him. 

According to May, James had opted to homeschool her so she could be around him most of the day, and he wouldn’t have to worry about other kids picking on her. 

Which meant that while James was at work, Alice would be at the apartment or with a tutor at their house.

It didn’t bother Peter whenever he was informed of it and as far as he knew, it also didn’t bother May so it was normal now to see her here in the morning on certain days. 

“Yeah, I will!” Peter shouts back, grabbing his bag off of the couch before making his way out the door and shouting a quick goodbye to the both of them. 

He opts out of the elevator this morning, seeing the small crowd around it and instead runs down the stairwell, apologizing to those who were sitting on it that he had to step over. 

Joey was sitting at the front desk today. The receptionist had his feet propped up and headphones on, reading a magazine. He notices Peter before he opens the door.

“Hey Pete, what’s up?” He inquires, peaking over the magazine while holding it closed a little.

“Nothing much, Joey. Talk later?”

“Sure thing, Parker.” 

He goes back to reading and Peter takes that as his que to leave, the bell above the door jingling as he exits the complex.

Immediately he sees Mr. Stark’s car parked by the sidewalk with his mentor sitting in the driver’s seat, honking the horn for Peter to hurry up as soon as he was spotted. 

He wasted no time in rushing over to the Bugatti, getting into the passenger seat. 

“You took your time,” Mr. Stark huffs a small laugh as Peter sits down, putting his bag on the floorboard in front of him.

“I still made it, didn’t I?” Peter replies and Mr. Stark responds by ruffling his hair, causing him to swat his hands at the older man to get him to stop before he starts driving. 

There’s a weight lifted off of his shoulders as they pull away from his and May’s apartment. Like the tension from the previous night was just a dream that was now blissfully disappearing from his reality. 

We’ll talk about this later. 

They still hadn’t had their talk yet. 

It was nerve wracking, to think about. At this point, James was so unpredictable that Peter could only imagine how their talk was going to go, whenever James decided to pull him aside to have it. 

Mr. Stark must have picked up on his nervousness, looking over at him when they were stopped by a red light. 

“You good, Pete? You’re normally talking my ear off by now.” He asks.

“Yeah, I’m good. Sorry, Mr. Stark, I was just thinking about some stuff.” 

“Oh yeah?” Mr. Stark replies. “What about?” 

Peter shrugs, in an attempt to act nonchalant about it. 

“Just…I don’t know, family stuff. It’s nothing important. May said hi, by the way.” 

Mr. Stark nods and Peter thinks for a second that maybe he buys it. The red light turns green and they make another turn down the street.  

“If you say so,” The older man begins. “Ask her how she’s doing for me when you get the chance? I know she’s busy right now.”

He says that he will and he thinks that the topic is dropped for the most part. It usually ends at that point, right? Well, he thinks wrong (as per usual) because then Mr. Stark asks him the question that sends him immediately on alert in his mind. 

“How’s the boyfriend she's got? I haven’t met him yet but is everything good with him? What’s his name again, James?” 

“Mr. Stark wanted something?” He scoffs. “Of course he does. When doesn’t he ever? He picks you up for however long he wants and doesn’t care that you have business elsewhere right?” 

For some reason, he remembered the conversation specifically that he had with James yesterday morning after the latter had come into his room and started yelling about him for staying over at the tower as late as he did. 

Peter doesn’t look at Mr. Stark when he answers him, instead choosing to look down at his hands after nodding to acknowledge him as much as he didn’t want to.

“Yeah, that’s his name. He’s…fine I guess? He’s not a bad dude if that’s what you’re asking about.”

“I mean, that wasn’t what I was specifically asking about but it’s close enough within the range of it.” Mr. Stark replied. 

Shit shit shit. Why did he say that? A feeling of existential dread creeped over him, not like the tingling in the back of his head that he was all too familiar with, but it was a feeling that was starting to build up moment by moment as he sat in the car with Mr. Stark. 

Mr. Stark could not know. 

That was not an option right now because in the back of his mind if Mr. Stark knew that James hit him once it would be all over for him and Alice. 

He especially couldn’t tell him about Alice. 

It wasn’t that he didn’t want to say anything to him. There were constant red flags going off every time James talked to him or was around him and also Alice, now that he knew about how James really was towards her. Alice wanted him to tell Mr. Stark about James. But he couldn’t risk it. No way. If he opened his mouth about it, he’d probably never hear the end of it from Mr. Stark. 

Because of this, a part of him knew that it was wrong. 

How James was treating him, that is. 

The small comments, the sudden yelling, the slap across the face he received from playing music too loud. 

But another part of him knew that it was probably deserved because he wasn’t being considerate of others like he should have been. Like May had taught him to be.

“What? You? Peter Parker doing something wrong? Never. I was just messing with you, you should know that by now!” 

May never seemed to think he would ever do anything wrong like that. May wouldn’t lie to him about it, would she? No, that’s not her. May always told him she loved him and he knew she wasn’t lying when she’d tell him that every day. 

But the thought of her maybe lying about it…the thought of it being a possibility on top of James and Alice…

James was not a bad guy. He was just trying to teach him some discipline is all. He was stern with his words but he cared, right? He cared about Alice, Peter had to assume. He gave her nicknames, picked her up whenever she wanted him to and although Alice told him that he had hit her before…Peter wasn’t so sure anymore about anything. 

“-Pete? Hey- shit are you crying?” 

It didn’t even register to him that Mr. Stark was talking to him until he heard the last bit of what he had just said.

It also didn’t register to him that he was crying until he asked him, his voice slightly elevated with a mixture of worry etched in it. 

Tears streaked down his face and all at once it hit him. He was crying in front of Mr. Stark. 

He shouldn’t be crying, there was no reason to. Mr. Stark only wanted to know about James and May and there was really no reason to be crying but as he sat in the car listening to him talk, Peter realized there was no way to escape even the slightest thought of the man who had just walked into his life out of nowhere even while he was with the man who had taken it upon himself to be there for him when he didn’t have to. 

The realization must have come crashing down on him at that point and it didn’t register in his mind until now. 

Mr. Stark swore to himself, a quiet barrage of shits and goddamnits under his breath and through slightly blurred vision, Peter saw that he was pulling over in an empty parking spot by the side of the street. 

“Mr. Stark, why are we stopping?” He asks, looking over at him as he puts the car in park. 

The older man doesn’t say anything for a moment and Peter is about to ask him to please just take him to the tower so he can see Wanda, Vision and whoever else was going to be there so he wouldn’t have to sit here knowing that he was crying in front of Tony Stark of all people but he doesn’t have the chance to ask because suddenly Mr. Stark’s arms are wrapped around him in an embrace and Peter can’t help but to cry more as he returns the gesture. 

He doesn’t know why he’s crying. He shouldn’t be crying but here he was, crying on Mr. Stark’s shoulder as he held him in the car. 

The silence continues between them, with Mr. Stark holding him tighter as he cries and holds him like he’s some sort of life line. 

He doesn’t know how long they’ve been parked on the side of the road, it feels like eternity but finally Mr. Stark pulls back from him once he’s calmed down. 

“Hey,” Tony says, resting his forehead on Peter’s and cradling the sides of his face in his hands. “Kid…are you okay?” 

Peter shakes his head. 

No, he wasn’t. 

He shouldn’t be telling Mr. Stark this. He can see the wetness forming in his mentor’s eyes, brown irises getting clouded over with the beginning of tears. Mr. Stark was worried enough about him to be crying over him. 

He shouldn’t be, but here he was. 

Mr. Stark pulls away from him and back into another embrace and they stay like that until Peter was no longer able to shed any more tears. 

“Shit kid…” Mr. Stark says under his breath, letting him go so Peter could have some space. “If I said something, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to-” 

“ What ?” Peter says quickly. “No, no it’s okay, Mr. Stark, you didn’t do anything wrong-”

“If I didn’t then what’s wrong?” Tony interrupts him. Peter’s slightly taken back by the sudden snappiness of his voice but Tony breathes. He doesn’t think that Mr. Stark meant for it to come out that way but the way he asks him makes him think of how James sometimes talks to him. “I’m sorry I’m just…I don’t like seeing you this way, kid. It came out of nowhere and that’s not normal. Did something happen at home? Was it because I asked about James?” 

Peter doesn’t say anything. It wasn’t like he could just cower somewhere so he didn’t have to answer him. They were face to face, in the same car directly in front of each other. 

Mr. Stark was expecting an answer out of him sooner rather than later judging by the look on his face. 

“It’s…” Don’t tell him. You’re done for probably as soon as you say something when you get home. What would May think? “It’s nothing, just…stuff that happened at home with him, that’s all.” 

Tony narrows his eyes, the skepticism noticeable in them. 

“ Stuff ?” He asks, shifting in his seat to lean his back against the window while talking to Peter, arms folded across his chest. “What kind of stuff ?”

“Nothing,” Peter says without thinking, shaking his head. “Really, Mr. Stark, it’s stupid. I’m sorry I made you worry about me like that. You didn’t need to do that.”

Tony scoffs. 

“Kid, don’t ever say that shit again. I’m going to worry about you, it’s my job to worry about you.”

“Yeah, of course. I’m sorry, Mr.-”

“I swear to God Pete, if you keep apologizing I will make you walk all the way to the tower and don’t think I’m joking with you.” 

It’s the first time he genuinely laughs in what feels like a long while. It’s small, sure. But he still laughed because he knew that Mr. Stark wasn’t being serious. Even in the worst of situations, Mr. Stark somehow had the ability to humor someone. It was one of his iconic traits. 

“Yeah, sure Mr. Stark.” Peter smiles. 

“I’m being serious!” Tony says, in a tone that was not so serious. “Your ass is walking the next time you ever say something like that again and don’t think Happy will come and save you from the streets because I’ll make sure he doesn’t have access to any of my keys.” 

He scoffs and rolls his eyes in return, smile still present. “Who’s to say Happy wouldn’t just take the keys from you when you aren’t looking?” 

“Touché,” Mr. Stark says, nodding his head after consideration of the scenario. “But for real, kid. Is the stuff that’s been going on something I should be concerned about? You’re never like this and for you to just start crying after I asked you about some guy isn’t normal.”

Another iconic trait that Mr. Stark has is making him comfortable enough around him to tell him things. Like a father would a son. Not that he considered Mr. Stark to be close to him like that (Of course not, why would he? He’s only know Mr. Stark for a few months after all, they couldn’t have been that close already.) but it was the first analogy that came to mind. 

“I…it’s nothing that bad,” Peter says. He’s being careful with his words because everything in him is telling him to shut up but maybe he could say something that wouldn’t make James out like too much of a bad guy?

He wasn’t a bad guy, after all. He was just teaching him some well deserved discipline. 

“James is fine. He’s…sometimes he’s interested about what I do with you and why I stay overnight sometimes. He asked about the last few days since I got shot and May just told him that I had some stuff come up and not to worry but…I don’t know, maybe I should have told him?” 

“About being Spider-Man?” Mr. Stark asks and Peter can see the confusion starting to blossom over his face through his narrowed eyes.

“I don’t know,” Peter shakes his head, as an attempt to restart. “I just meant like, maybe I should have told him that I was hurt and had to stay with you longer? He was worried about me and asked why I was gone for so long and why I didn’t let him know sooner and that you always wanted something from me.” The last few words he said dropped off quietly but Mr. Stark heard them anyway. 

He sighed. 

“Jesus, he didn’t yell at you or anything like that for it, did he? If he did, I can come over and explain to him-” 

“I asked you a goddamn question! May tells me you called her and told her that you’ll be staying over somewhere else with Tony fucking Stark on Sunday night and now it’s Tuesday morning?! You were supposed to be back days ago and Alice has been crying to me constantly, asking when you’d be coming back home!” 

“No!” Peter cuts him off, voice sharp. “I mean, no. He didn’t do that or anything, he just told me I needed to let him know next time I did something like that. Really, Mr. Stark, it’s my fault it happened. I shouldn't have left him like that.” 

Mr. Stark frowns. “Peter, it’s not your fault you got shot.” He said sternly. “If he yelled at you for something like that, I can just give him a version of what happened because he doesn’t need to know that you’re with us. That’s completely off the table. You’re not about to out yourself to some guy who walked in on your life recently because there’s no telling what he can do and if that’s offensive then I don’t give a shit because it’s true.” He wasn’t wrong about that. Peter couldn’t just go around telling people he was Spider-Man just because they were considered family now. Alice included. May was the only one who knew and even then, that was purely by accident. “I’m also not about to have him yell at you for what happened. Did he do anything else I need to know about?” 

His mind takes him back to the time slapped him. The sudden shock of it replays in his mind like a record until despite the protests his thoughts give him to not say a word, he speaks up. 

“He hit me, once.” Peter says, his voice quiet and not wanting to look up at Mr. Stark while he says it. He starts to stutter out of some sort of excuse and his words are coming out faster than he can think because the next thing he says it’s about Alice and Mr. Stark cuts him off almost immediately. 

“I’m sorry, he did what?” Tony hissed. Just the sound of the anger in his voice alone was enough to make Peter start rambling. 

“I…I don’t know if it’s true or not but that’s what she told me,” He shouldn’t be saying it but he can’t stop himself, some of that contributing from Mr. Stark’s look of bewilderment. “I don’t think she would lie about something like that though. He hit me once but that’s it.”

The silence that followed was as deafening as it was suffocating. 

It lasted for what felt like minutes, until Mr. Stark finally broke it. 

“Okay.” 

That was it. 

“Okay? Okay…what?” 

“Your aunt’s home, right?” 

“Well yeah, but Mr. Stark-“

Mr. Stark doesn’t listen to him.

Instead, he starts to pull off from the parking spot and makes a u-turn and Peter feels his blood turn cold.

No.

No, no, no.

May can’t know. 

If she knew he was done because then she would tell James. 

He…he had to reason with Mr. Stark. Get him to turn back around and go to the Tower where they could just forget about it all and he could be around the other Avengers, Happy and Pepper. 

He shouldn’t have said anything. 

“Mr. Stark, please May’s probably busy right now, we can go back later!” 

“Pete-“

Now it was his turn to interrupt him. 

“Can we just go to the Tower? Happy and the others waiting for us to get back, we shouldn’t keep them waiting!”

“Peter-“ 

“Alice is there too, she’s working on school stuff I don’t think we should bother-“

“ Peter !” 

Mr. Stark’s voice is soft but stern, having enough force in it to grasp his attention. It makes him want to lean back in his seat even more than what was physically possible. 

They’re stopped at a red light and Peter knows this street. It’s only a block away from the apartment. 

He’s screwed. 

“I’m not-“ Tony catches himself, breath hitching as he inhales sharply. He’s not…it doesn sound like he’s angry with him, surprisingly enough. “I get it. You don’t want her to know.” 

“It’s not that big of a deal, Mr. Stark.” Peter tries to get in rather quickly but the former catches him. 

“Kid, I don’t think you realize how big of a deal it actually is.” He sighs. The light turns green and they’re moving again. “You’re not…you’re not talking straight. What you’re saying isn’t normal. I’m not mad at you or anything before you start jumping to conclusions. James may be an okay guy, I’ll give him the benefit of a doubt since I don’t know him. But if you’re telling me that he’s hitting you, even once and Alice? Do you see where I’m coming from?” 

Unfortunately, he does. 

Mr. Stark had a point. He could see how it looked but really, it was only one time. He yelled at him, sure. But it was his fault, that much Peter knew. He should have been more considerate. 

He wasn’t sure about Alice, though. 

Alice was a different story, he barely knew the specifics with her besides what she told him last night. 

But he could understand where Mr. Stark stood. It made him wonder briefly, why he cared so much. He was just his mentor, in Peter’s eyes. Someone to guide him as he navigated his way through becoming Spider-Man and helping out the Avengers on several occasions. 

His silence seems to be satisfactory enough for Mr. Stark. 

“I just…I want to make sure everything’s okay at home with you and the other kid, alright? The way you’re talking about it doesn’t make it sound okay. All I’m going to do is have a quick chat with May, I won’t let her know any of the specifics and if I’m able to get ahold of him, I want to talk to James too and that’s it. If I’m wrong, I’m wrong. If you get the heat of it, I’ll talk to the both of them to let you off the hook and that it was just me blowing things out of proportion. If you did something wrong, that’s okay, stuff happens. I don’t know how James and May do discipline but if he hit you for a mistake I’m not okay with that.” 

He doesn’t want him to talk to either of them, but no matter how much he pleads with Mr. Stark, he doesn’t budge.

They pull back up to his apartment complex, Mr. Stark being the first to get out and Peter following behind him after the first gestures for him to come on.

It had only been a little over an hour since he left…he wasn’t sure what May was doing now but Peter guessed that he would find out soon enough.

There’s the usual chatter in the stairwell as they pass by. Some acknowledge him and others acknowledge Mr. Stark, knowing the billionaire to be somewhat of a regular to stop by and see Peter. 

May answers the door almost immediately after Tony knocks. 

Peter feels his chest tighten whenever he sees her. 

“Mr. Stark!” His aunt greets, her face showing genuine surprise whenever she sees him and then Peter, looking at him in confusion. “I thought you were taking Peter to the Tower today? Is everything okay?” 

Peter doesn’t say anything, wanting to look away from her but he forces himself to keep giving her his attention. He sees Alice behind his aunt, sitting at the kitchen table and looking over at them. He doesn’t think she notices him yet, as she’s leaning forward to try and get a better look. 

“Yeah I am, May.” Mr. Stark says. “Is it okay if we come in? I need to talk to you about something first away from them.” 

She looks concerned and nods, opening up the door for him and Mr. Stark to come through. Alice finally sees him and gasps, jumping up out of her chair. 

“Woah, Petey you brought Iron-Man with you here?! I thought you were going to work with him?!”

May has to stop her from running up to Tony, wanting to hug him while expressing how much she loves him and the Avengers. 

“It’s okay May, I don’t mind.” Tony tries to  reassure his aunt with a chuckle, as the little girl immediately sees this as approval to rush up and hug him. 

“Thank you, thank you, thank you for being Iron-Man, Mr. Stark! You’re so cool and so are all the other Avengers! Did Peter tell you about my dad? What does Petey do for you?!”

“Alice, honey, Mr. Stark came here to talk to me, okay?” Aunt May said, trying to calm the little girl down and separate her from Tony. “How about you take a break from your homework and go play with Peter for a bit?” 

He doesn’t want to leave Mr. Stark with his aunt. He doesn’t know what he’ll say but Mr. Stark is trustworthy enough, right? He wouldn’t tell May the specifics about James hitting him like he said he would, right? 

All he wanted to do was just go to the Tower. He didn’t want them to talk. He shouldn’t have said anything. 

But he did and now this was where he was at because of it. 

It doesn’t take much to get Alice to agree and she takes off with him, holding Peter’s hand as she drags him to her room, leaving Mr. Stark and his aunt in the living room. 

Chapter Text

James  

 
When he arrives back to May’s apartment after a long and rather frustrating third shift, the last person he expected to see was Tony fucking Stark; the self-proclaimed hero billionaire playboy sitting across from her at their small wooden kitchen table.  

From what he knew according to her, Stark came around because her nephew had an internship with him. It didn’t make sense to James because he was sure Stark had other interns who didn’t get such a “special” treatment like her kid did but at the end of the day, it didn’t really matter to him. 

It was still somewhat surprising to see Stark inside though, lounging around like he was comfortable being there.  

Well, lounging wasn’t the correct word.  

Being a police officer, James was very well versed with body language and from what he could see, Stark’s posture was slightly stiffened. Like he was agitated. His suspicions were confirmed whenever Stark turned around at the sound of his approaching footsteps.  

There was an aura of anger emitting from the man accompanied by a sharp glare. He was about to say something, getting ready to stand up until May catches his arm, ushering him to sit back down.  

He wasn’t sure what this was about but judging by the sudden tension in the room, it wasn’t good.  

In the back of his mind, James had somewhat of an inkling of what the topic could be. Stark was here talking with May so that led to the conclusion that it had something to do with Peter and after coming to that conclusion, James had more of an idea as to what the issue was.  

It wasn’t that he didn’t like the kid. He was bright, had potential. As much as he didn’t like Stark, he had to admit that Peter must have been smart to catch his attention and get into an internship program.  

But like Alice, the kid needed to be disciplined. May let him run around and do whatever he wanted whenever he wanted but with Alice around, James didn’t think it was appropriate. Growing up, he was always taught to be respectful towards his elders and it seemed like Peter hadn’t been taught that lesson, given that he had to teach him the hard way like he was at his age.  

It was all for his and Alice’s betterment though. They both needed to learn respect at a young age otherwise, they would never learn it at all.  

“Hey, James! How was work?” May greets him, letting go of Stark’s arm once he sits back down. He doesn’t stop glaring at him though.  

 
“Fine?” He says. As Stark continued to glare, James watches with a look of confusion. “May, what is this? Why is he here?” He waves nonchalantly over to their uninvited guest.  

She looks uneasy and it makes him frown, brows knit together in concern.  

“Mr. Stark comes over sometimes for Peter, it’s normal. Sorry I didn’t tell you before you got back. He was supposed to be taking him to the tower today for work, but they came back. He’s in Alice’s room playing with her right now. Listen, I know you just got off, but can we talk about something? All three of us, if you don’t mind?”  

“Why does it need to be the three of us? I don’t see what he has to do with our home life, May.”  

“I know, I know.” May says. She seems even more timid now and James wonders if Stark had said or done something to her while he was gone to make her like this. Just the thought of it makes his hatred for the man grow ever so slightly more. “But this is about Peter and Mr. Stark really cares about him and just wants to make sure everything is okay between you two. It won’t take long, I promise.”  

He wants to throttle Stark right then and there.  

Stark probably wants to do the same but if he does, he doesn’t make it known except through the glare he continues to send James’s way.  

He inhales sharply and nods, releasing the breath.  

“Fine.”
 

***

Peter  

“ You fucking hit him or Alice again and I’ll beat your ass so far into the ground nobody will be able to dig you up! ” 

 
“ Are you threatening me ?!”  

He should never have told Mr. Stark what had happened.  

He should have kept his mouth shut but what did he do instead? Opened it and blabbed about his personal business and now he can hear James and Mr. Stark faintly arguing in the kitchen about the hitting incident.  

“ Tony , please -” 

“ No, May! He fucking hit Pete and Alice, I don’t stand for that shit! He was crying in my car about it, and I don’t care if it’s for discipline or whatever! You don’t hit kids! ”  

If Alice could hear them, she made no indication as she continued to color in her coloring book underneath her makeshift tent that they were sitting underneath.  

He was hoping she didn’t hear them. He knew that the music he was playing softly in the background as he pretended to scroll through his phone could only do so much. His enhanced hearing certainly wasn’t helping the situation.  

“Hey, Petey?” Alice asks. 

He looks up from the illuminated screen.  

“Yeah, what’s up?”  

“Did you tell Mr. Stark? Is that why he and daddy are fighting?”  

He shouldn’t have been surprised. 

He wants to break down right there, but he doesn’t. He keeps himself together and the one thing that allows him to is a notification from the group chat that pops up briefly. It’s from Sam but Peter swipes up on it, making a mental note to check it later.  

“Yeah. I told him. I didn’t think he’d be this…volatile. Sorry.”  

“What does that mean? Like, he’s mad?”  

“Yeah, sort of.” Peter nods, setting his phone face down. “Means when someone loses their cool quickly. He’s usually not like that.”  

“He sounds like he lost his cool.” Alice confirms after more faint shouting.  

It definitely sounded like he did.  

He knew how Mr. Stark grew up. On some nights, they would have some deep talks whenever Peter was over at the tower, and they would stay up late in the workshop. Sometimes, they’d get on topics about life and what it means to live, how to make yourself better than you already are, etc.  

He remembers one night whenever for some reason; they had gotten onto the topic about their parents. Mr. Stark had asked him if he knew anything about his other than what his aunt had told him. The answer was no, of course. He didn’t know much besides the plane crash. He knew their names. Richard and Mary Parker. He knew that they did some type of secretive work, but he never really cared to find out the details on what. It didn’t really matter now in his opinion, considering that they were dead.  

They talked for a long time about them.  

It was the most Peter thought he had ever talked about his parents with anyone.  

***

It was well into the evening, and they still weren’t even halfway done with Tony’s new suit. New calibrations here, new calibrations there. A wire couldn’t fit into its correct port, and it took longer to fix it than they first thought.  

Peter had already called May to let her know he was going to be staying with Mr. Stark that night since they were still working and wanted to finish the suit asap.  

Right now, if he had to wager because he didn’t have his phone on him, it was probably about 8PM.  

He wouldn’t be surprised if Pepper were to come in sometime soon, demanding that they stop working for the night and finish up in the morning.  

“So, you got any questions for me since I bombarded you with my own, kid?” Mr. Stark asks, as he connects a red wire to a circuit.  

“You don’t mind?” Peter asks. He’s on standby next to the billionaire, holding a toolbox that Mr. Stark would occasionally rummage through.  

“No? Why would I?” Mr. Stark asks, pausing what he was doing to look up at him from being hunched over the workbench.  

“I don’t know. I just-never mind.” Peter shakes his head. “I might have a few, is all? If that’s okay?”  

Mr. Stark, in his ever-loving patience, nods. “That’s why I asked. Shoot. I’m all ears.”  

“Okay…well, you asked me about my parents so what about yours? What were they like? I know I can probably find it on Google or something but the internet’s not always right.”  

Mr. Stark chuckles with a soft hum. He stands up straighter, arching his back forwards slightly with his arms raised above his head, hands clasped together as he stretched before he addressed Peter.  

“Yeah, well, you aren’t wrong about that, Pete.” He says. He pushes some of the equipment on the bench aside, making enough room for two people to sit on. “C’mon. If you want the long story it’ll take a bit. I’m fucking tired anyway, I need a break.” Mr. Stark says, patting the extra empty spot after he pushes himself up onto the surface to sit on it.  

“You sure you don’t mind? We don’t have to talk about them, if you don’t want to.”  

The look Mr. Stark gives him is enough to reassure Peter, who takes the hint and sets down the toolbox before clambering up to his reserved spot.  

“No, I don’t mind.” Mr. Stark says with a playful eyeroll. “Honestly, kid don’t worry about it. You’re fine. You don't need to reassure yourself all the time with me, alright? I promise.”  

“Yeah, yeah, I get it Mr. Stark.” Peter smiles, shaking his head at the remark.  

“Good. So, shoot with whatever you want to ask me before Pepper comes in and ends it for us. She’s always a joy-killer.”  

He does. He asks him what it was like growing up with Howard Stark and having to deal with the constant fame his name brought to his family on a daily basis. He asked what it was like way back then (earning him a side eye at the implication of calling Mr. Stark “old”) and anything else that came to mind. 

What stuck with Peter the most though was how Mr. Stark described his father. 

The history books portrayed Howard Stark as a hero and founder of modern day technology. That he was the greatest inventor that ever existed before his and his wife’s tragic end. 

He supposed he shouldn’t be surprised about how wrong they really were when he was learning how he\truly was straight from the source. 

“He wasn’t…the greatest.” Mr. Stark says. The room is silent besides the occasionally humming/beeping of machinery and their own voices. “I’m not going to get into all the details since you don’t need to know the extent of them but you’re old enough to understand most of it.” Looking at him, it was like talking about his father aged him slightly. Peter didn’t know how to describe it but it almost seemed like it put his body under more stress even just trying to think of what to say. 

“We don’t have to talk about him if you don’t want to…Mr. Stark?” He offers, as some sort of assurance.

But Mr. Stark shakes his head. “I told you, kid. It’s okay. He just…wasn’t the best person that everyone made him out to be. Always expected more even if I gave 200%. He wanted double that amount and it didn’t matter what it was for. Mom was alright. She always tried to keep things somewhat normal for me but with him around it was easier said than done.”

Peter waits for him to continue, hands folded in front of him. 

“But yeah, he wasn’t all that everyone made him up to be. Sure, he did some pretty great things for technology and everything else but when it came to home life? He wasn’t exactly built for that. Half the time he wasn’t even really around to be honest with you. I guess I get it though, since he had to work all the time and now I’m doing almost the same thing.” 

  “What about the other half?” 

“Hm?”

“You said he wasn’t there for half the time but…what about the other half? When he was there?” 

Mr. Stark looks down and Peter thinks that maybe he shouldn’t have asked. It was obvious that he was thinking about those times and just asking something about it probably reopened some sort of old wound that Peter had no business knowing but his big mouth had to say something and now in a moment of internal panic, he was starting to regret what he had said. 

He was about to start profusely apologizing and beg for forgiveness when Mr. Stark beat him to it, answering his question. 

“The other half he…he was pretty bad when he was at home. This might sound bad but I think I kind of preferred it when he was gone. Didn’t have to deal with him and mom arguing all the time. Usually they ended up fighting and I tried to stay away from it but I couldn’t always do that.” Mr. Stark sighs. “I’ve only told a few people I could trust not to spill it to news outlets. I don’t want to get tangled up in anything with it now. It’s easier to just let people believe what they want to about someone than having to prove anything about it, especially since it happened that long ago.” 

Unfortunately, he supposed it made sense. But still, it nagged at Peter the wrong way. If Howard Stark was actually a bad man, then why wouldn’t Mr. Stark want to say something about it? News outlets reporting on it in a frenzy or not? It wasn’t fair for Mr. Stark to have to carry around his past knowing what actually happened and having to see people praise a man for his accomplishments when in reality, he truly wasn’t a good person. 

He didn’t like seeing it affect Mr. Stark like this. He knew he wasn’t telling him everything for a reason but like he said, he was old enough to understand the possible extent of harm that his own father put him through. 

It just couldn’t process in Peter’s mind why a parent would ever want to harm their child or spouse like that. 

“I won’t tell anyone, Mr. Stark. I promise. I’m sorry I asked.” 

The billionaire shakes his head, looking at Peter. 

“I know you won’t and that’s why I’m telling you. I also told you don’t be sorry whenever you’re asking about whatever around me. I trust you, Pete. You don’t have to apologize for talking or anything like that. You got that?” 

He does. He knows he has nothing to apologize for but it’s just a habit for some reason.

Peter nods. 

“Yeah, Mr. Stark. I got it.” 

It’s satisfying enough, as Mr. Stark accepts his answers with a nod before stretching his back again and sliding off of the bench. He glances at his watch briefly as he straightens himself with a little bounce. 

“Good. Well, it’s almost 10 o'clock and I’m willing to bet Pepper’s going to come through that door and try to throw us out in about half an hour and I don’t want your aunt to strangle me because I didn’t get you in bed on time. Let’s see if we can finish this before then, shall we?” 

“I don’t have a bedtime, you know?” Peter  quips. “I’m 16! May won’t kill you if I stay up for a couple more hours.” 

“Yeah, sure you don’t. C’mon and help and old man, will you? She might not but I know Pepper will.” 

***

The shouting finally died down after a while and even though Mr. Stark and James weren’t yelling at each other anymore, he could still hear them through the door. 

“If I ever hear anything from Peter again about you putting your hands on him or Alice I’ll make sure your entire division knows about it. I don’t care if you lose your job-don’t fucking touch them.” 

“Don’t ever come to my house again and tell me how to parent my child, Stark. You don’t have the right and for you to just come here and harass May about it? Fuck you! I knew I didn’t like you for a goddamn reason! You and the rest of your fucking team can go to Hell for all I care! You’re all the same with jumping to conclusions the first chance you get just to fuck someone else like me over. I don’t hit kids just because I want to! So fuck off with that bullshit! Go and get your little intern and fuck off back to your fancy tower where you don’t do shit except whore around with whatever man you can find that’ll please you before you move onto the next one like the slut you are!” 

“James!-”

“What May? Who the fuck does he think he is to come in here and start making demands in our own home?! And accuse me of hitting kids for fun?!”

He wants to shut it all out. Everything. It’s so loud to him even though the arguing is just hushed talking now because of the language being used and he knows for a fact that Alice can’t thankfully hear it but he could and it was agonizing . 

It made him want to throw up listening to James call Mr. Stark all those words. 

Even though it wasn’t directed at him, it made him feel filthy and he hoped that it didn’t do the same to Mr. Stark. It almost made him want to take a shower immediately to scrub off what he had heard. 

He tried to keep his mind occupied on anything else but the conversation down the hall by checking his phone and talking to Alice, helping her color in her book whenever she offered her pack of crayons to him to use.

He was glad that whenever he got the chance to look at his messages, there were plenty for him to read through. However, he remembered one in particular on his mind that he wanted to send himself to someone from a previous conversation they had.

He wasn’t sure if it would help or if they would even oblige him. But maybe it was worth a shot? It could give him something to look forward to while also getting him away from everything hopefully. 

Direct Messages: Capsicle

Spider-Man: hey Captain Rogers! Hope you and Sergeant Barnes are doing well! If you aren’t busy, can I ask you something?

Capsicle is typing…

Capsicle: Hi, Peter. Good to hear from you. Hope you’re doing okay at home too. We’re doing good, thanks for asking. Sure, what’s on your mind? You can also just call us by our names, by the way. No need for ranks anymore here. 

Spider-Man: Okay! I’ll keep that in mind, thanks! I remember you saying we could get together whenever and talk since I didn’t get the chance to see you guys at the tower again since I was still out. If there’s any way, could I swing by your place sometime tomorrow afternoon/evening maybe if you aren’t going to be at the tower later today? Mr. Stark and I are supposed to be there sometime later but idk when we’re leaving or for how long. 

Capsicle is typing…

Capsicle: Sure. Just let us know when you want to come over? We don’t have anything going on tomorrow so it should be fine and we won’t be at the tower today, sorry. Make sure it’s fine with your aunt first though and give her our address in case anything happens, will you? 

Spider-Man: totally! Thanks so much! 

Capsicle: Of course, anytime. If you want we can also go around Brooklyn too since I know you don’t come around here that often. Let me know whatever you want to do. If you want dinner we can also do that I don’t mind. 

Spider-Man: Sounds fun! Dinner sounds good too and I’m okay with whatever! Thanks again and I’ll let you know tomorrow morning what time I can come over? 

Capsicle: Sounds like a plan. See you then, kid.

Spider-Man: you too, cap! Say hi to Mr. Barnes for me!

Capsicle: I will. He’s online though talking to Sam about something though if you want to do it yourself. :) 

Spider-Man: 🙏

***

He puts his phone back down, making mental note to look at the group chat later and thankfully by the time he gets done, the arguing finally subsided, leaving his ears at peace. 

He’s not sure what he plans to get out of talking with Captain Rogers. Maybe reassurance? But to be honest, he isn’t even sure what he wants to talk about. 

He figures that it’s just a way to escape things at least for now. Something for him to look forward to, if nothing else. A part of him feels bad that Alice can’t come and she has to stay behind with his aunt and her father but another part of him knows that he needs this. 

Just for a night he wants no worries.

Hopefully this’ll steady his nerves and make him feel better because if not, he isn’t sure what he’s going to do whenever he gets back. 

Peter isn’t sure why, but anxiety starts to creep up on his mind again. What if he’s bothering them? What if they already had something planned and Captain Rogers is just lying to him to be nice? He didn’t want to ruin anything he might have had planned with Sergeant Barnes by being there. He would have told him though, right? Surely he would have, Captain Rogers isn’t like that. He wouldn’t lie just to be nice to him. 

Right?

Thankfully, he didn’t have to think about it for long because a knocking pattern came from the door, causing him and Alice to both look up at the same time. 

His senses weren’t tingling at least so he knew it wasn’t James. 

“Guys, can I come in?”

May. 

“Yeah, go ahead!” Peter calls back. She opens the door.

“Miss May! Petey and I are coloring!” Alice says, holding up her coloring book for his aunt to see. She gasps in delight, kneeling down so she can reach for it, flipping through the pages. 

“Wow! These look really nice, sweetheart! You both did great on them! The flowers are my favorite!”

“Thanks!” Alice beams. “Petey did the fish ones. I don’t like fish.” 

“Really? Why not?” 

“Because sometimes they’re slimy! And they stink sometimes too. I don’t like stinky things.”

May chuckles, handing her the coloring book back. 

“That’s understandable. I don’t like stinky things either.” She smiles. She looks over at Peter and for the briefest of moments, he sees her demeanor change. “Listen, Alice honey, I need to talk with Peter outside for a bit with him, your dad and Mr. Stark, okay? Is it alright if I borrow him for a few minutes?” 

No.

No, no, no, no . 

He was not going out there. 

Not with James and Mr. Stark both around. 

He’d rather do anything but that. 

Please don’t make me, May. Pleasepleasepleasepleaseplease-

Alice nods. 

“Okay! As long as he comes back and says bye before he leaves again!”

“Alright ma’am, I’ll make sure he does.” May says, her smile still bright but now that he’s more aware of what’s happening, he can see that it’s just the slightest bit forced. “What do you say, Pete?” 

“I…yeah. I’ll come back, I promise.” He tells Alice. 

“Good! A deal’s a deal!”

He wants to throw up again. 

He hates this feeling. 

May pushes herself up with her hands on her knees. She offers a hand to Peter. 

He takes it. 

He really doesn’t want to do this. Anything else would really be preferable at the moment than this. 

They walk out of the room and he tries to give Alice a little reassuring wave, seeing that she was watching them the whole time as they walked before May shut the door behind them. 

He could slightly hear Mr. Stark said something to James in the kitchen but with his head pounding so much everything was starting to become muddled together. 

“Peter? Honey? Are you okay?” 

It only just now registered in his mind that May was talking to him. 

“W-what?” 

“I asked if you were okay?” She asks, voiced hushed so that the two men down the hall and Alice couldn’t hear her if she was even listening. 

No.

He was far from okay. 

But he wasn’t about to admit it. She had better things to worry about. 

“I…yeah, I’m okay. Sorry. Just a lot on my mind, that's all.”

“It’s okay to say you aren’t, Peter.” She says. Her words almost make him want to break down right there. He can feel the tears start to well up in his eyes as she speaks. “I don’t know what happened between you two but I’m sure whatever it was, he didn’t mean to hit you or even hit you at all. I know you’re dealing with a lot of stuff right now between school and being an Avenger but I’m sure it was just miscommunication between the both of you. James is new. He’s going to take some time getting used to. Him and Alice both. You’ll both be okay, I promise. He’s going to apologize and I know Mr. Stark is a little heated right now but after you get back I want you two to talk about it, alright?” 

Oh. 

He feels his stomach drop and the tears that were once threatening to spill disappear. 

The feeling of sadness and his anxiety was replaced by shock. 

She didn’t believe him. 

He didn’t know why it hit him as hard as it did but it felt like a sharp knife was plunged into heart as hard as possible.  His chest felt tight. 

But Mr. Stark told her about what happened, right? Surely, he did! He went off at James and defended him! 

Yes, he was her boyfriend but why…why did all of a sudden her opinion on him change? He wouldn’t lie about it. James had hit him by the bathroom. He remembers how much it had hurt and the lingering stinging that had remained afterwards. He didn’t lie about it and it had happened but she was implying that he was. 

But…why? 

The shock turned into despair but he didn’t start crying. He couldn’t in front of her. Not anymore. It was more of a numbness that filled his body like it was too much effort to do anything in that moment let alone simply stand and talk to her. 

“You…you don’t believe me, May?” He asks. It comes out before he’s able to stop himself but he doesn’t care. He’ll probably regret it later but right now, he wanted some sort of answer. Maybe he was misinterpreting it? Surely that was it, right? 

She inhales sharply, her gaze loving but to Peter, it didn’t feel that way. 

“I-I’m not saying that, I’m just saying I know you’ve been under a lot of stress and I don’t know if that’s attributing to anything with James at all but you two just need to talk, okay? I don’t know what happened exactly but I know James wouldn’t intentionally hurt you like that. I love him, you, and Alice too and I know he feels the same way. Just please listen to him, will you, baby? I don’t want Mr. Stark to be more angry than he already is and I know he cares a lot about you, sweetheart. Just doing this shows it but if you listen to James, I’m sure everything will be cleared up, okay? I’m sorry.” 

It was basically like hearing a record on repeat. She didn’t believe him. 

Okay. 

After the first few sentences, Peter had shut out the rest but regardless, he nodded. 

He just wanted to get this over with and go to the tower. 

He didn’t want to be here anymore. 

He wanted to lock himself away forever in the workshop and never come out. 

Sorry, Mr. Stark. You'll have to find somewhere else to work on your suits. 

“Okay.” He says quietly. “Sorry I lied, May. I uh...I thought I'd also let you know while we're here that I'm going to Captain Roger’s place tomorrow in Brooklyn after patrol, by the way. He invited me over and I don’t know what time I’ll be back.” 

She nodded, a sad, soft smile was on her face as reaches up to cradle his cheek with her hand. While Peter normally always accepted his aunt’s gestures of love towards him, this was the first time he wanted nothing more than to jerk his face back and get away from her. 

“I didn’t say you lied, Pete.” But you did. You just said you did. “But okay. If that’s how you feel, I’ll accept your apology. Let James know, okay? That’s fine if you want to go over tomorrow, just let me know what’s going on so I can tell him and Alice. I hope you have fun with Cap.” 

“I will. Thanks.” 

“Alright.” She takes her hand away from his face after rubbing her thumb over his cheek a couple of times. “Ready? I’m sure you’re ready to leave with Mr. Stark to the tower. The sooner you listen, the sooner you both can leave. I larb you.” 

He couldn’t bring himself to say it, even when he knew she was expecting a response from him. Instead, all he could do was nod. 

“Yeah…okay. Let’s go.”

Peter could at least agree with her on one thing though. 

He was definitely ready to get out of this damned apartment and not come back for as long as possible.