Archive of Our Own ^beta

“Oh my- goodness, what happened?” Pepper yelped, the most undignified sound Peter had ever heard from the woman. Peter self-consciously ran a hand over his now shaven head, a shadow still there from the roots that would soon be gone completely with the next round of chemo. 

“Peter wanted a haircut, and I joined in on the fun,” Tony said simply. Something in his eyes must’ve clued Pepper into what was actually happening, as her own softened. 

“Well, I think it looks great Peter. Tony, you look like an orangutang.” 

Peter’s laugh jumped out of him as Tony scoffed. “Sure, the cute kid gets compliments but I don’t?” 

“I mock you out of love dear.” 

“I think that is what they call a toxic relationship dear.“

“What’s happening over here?” Aunt May’s voice trickled into the hallway, just seconds before the woman herself rounded the corner. She paused, taking in the scene, and simply nodded with a smile. “You look great sweetheart,” she said as she wrapped Peter in a side hug. “Tony, Pepper was absolutely right, you look like a bearded monkey.” 

“I’ll disown the lot of you. I feed you, I house you, and I get bullied in return.” 

May mockingly pouted, turning her attention to Peter, “You’re going to need a hat to keep warm in this weather,” she commented, running her hand over his head. 

Peter winced, “Tony said we could get matching ones, to help with the whole thing…” 

Tony, noticing his hesitation, nodded, “Exactly. Kid, you’re the only one I like right now, so we are going to flaunt our twin status.” 

Tony grasped Peter’s shoulder, tugging him under his arm and away from the ladies. 

“Tony, just put it on my card!” May called after them. 

“Not a chance Aunt hottie!” 

“Mr. Stark!” 

-

“Are you gonna tell them?” 

Peter glanced up at Tony who was hovering over his shoulder. A dark blue beanie settled over his brow matching the one on Peter’s own head. Peter sat on the floor in front of the couch, staring a hole in his phone on the coffee table. 

“I have to, don’t I?” 

“Not right now, no. But you should. It has been over a month since you’ve talked to them,” Tony set his hands on the table, lowering himself onto the floor next to Peter. His knees cracked horrendously with the movement. “I am way too old for this.” 

“Better be careful, you’re one foot in the grave already. Any further you’ll be six feet under,” Peter snarked. 

Tony laughed, but the moment was short-lived.  

“How do I even explain?” Peter asked helplessly. 

“Text them and tell them to come here,” Tony shook his head at Peter’s pleading look, “No, no. You cannot do this over text. Or a phone call. That’s not fair.” 

Peter huffed, shoulders drooping. “I know,” He bit his lip, “Will you be there when I tell them?” He asked sheepishly. 

“If you want me there, I will be there kid,” Tony paused, then held up his pinky finger, “pinky promises are still in style now right?” 

Peter blinked, then chuckled lowly, wrapping his own pinky around Tony’s “Not since elementary, but it’s a nice sentiment.” 

After another pause, Peter slowly picked up his phone. Almost immediately, the phone sprang to life, and Ned’s contact lit up the screen. The obnoxious ring tone blared from the speakers. Peter yelped, dropping the phone back on the table with a thump.  

He glanced at Tony frantically. Tony simply nodded at the phone and placed a hand at the nape of Peter’s neck, under the edge of his hat. 

Taking a deep breath, Peter picked up his phone again, pressing the green answer button.

“Peter! Peter? Oh my god, are you okay? It’s been weeks! You went awol!”

“Ned,” Peter’s voice cracked. He cleared his throat, “Ned, is-is MJ with you?” 

“MJ? No, she’s at work, why? Peter, wha-“

“Ned.” Peter cut him off from the questions. Ned could ramble endlessly, and he needed to do this before he lost his nerve. Tony’s hand was a comforting presence at his nape as he inhaled, “Can you and MJ come to the tower? It’s. Kinda important.” 

“Yes, yeah, no sure, um,” Ned seemed to flounder for a moment, rustling sounds from his end permeating the speakers as he presumably freaked out. Peter didn’t invite him to the tower often because he usually only came for suit upgrades and other Avengers stuff. But since he was pretty much living here now, that would have to change. 

“Do you know when-when you guys can be here?” Peter stuttered.

“Yeah, yes um. MJ is off work at four, I think. So, like. An hour tops.”

“Okay,” Peter nodded at Tony, who graced him with a small smile. 

“Peter, is everything okay?”

Peter exhaled sharply, “I can’t- I can’t explain over the phone.” 

He heard more rustling over the phone, then Ned’s voice again. “Okay, no worries. I’m headed to MJ’s work now, then we’ll go to the tower. I’ll text when we’re on the way.”

“‘kay, see you soon.” 

They hung up, and Peter pulled the phone away from his ear. He stared at his reflection on the black screen. 

“Well?” 

Tony’s voice pulled him from his thoughts, “They’ll be here in about an hour.” 

“Then we have an hour to relax and breathe.” 

Tony’s hand was still on his nape, and he used it to tug Peter into his side as the first signs of tears started. 

-

Taylor Swift said it first, and Peter never felt it was more true than in this exact moment. 

I’ve never heard silence quite this loud.

MJ and Ned had finally arrived. They were settled on one side of the U-shaped couch, Peter and Tony sat across from them. They had both received confused looks for the hats but neither guest said anything about it. Whether out of nerves from being in the billionaire’s tower, or noticing Peter’s anxiety as soon as they walked through the door, Peter wasn’t sure. 

Peter didn’t even know how to start the conversation. He had to, didn’t he? He invited them. He said they couldn’t discuss over the phone. 

Taking a deep breath, Peter averted his eyes from his two best friends, Ned’s confusion and MJ’s piercing gaze too much to handle while also telling them everything that had occurred in the last few weeks. 

“Peter?” Ned’s voice broke the silence, and Peter jumped, the sound loud in the quiet. 

Taking a deep breath, Peter nodded, “Right. So-um,” Peter’s voice croaked, and he looked to Tony for help. 

Tony wrapped a reassuring arm over his shoulders and mimicked taking a deep breath. He had to do this, and he couldn’t do this if he was panicking. 

“Um, a little over a month ago, I was feeling really tired, a-and sick, and a bunch of other things on top of that-“ Peter inhaled, blinking his eyes quickly to clear the little river that had started forming, “So, Dr. Banner and Dr. Cho ran some tests.” 

Peter tried, he really did, to get the rest out. To tell them all that had happened since getting those cursed results. But he couldn’t. The lump in his throat grew so large he couldn’t speak around it, his eyes overflowing and tears streaming down his cheeks. 

Peter barely registered the startled faces of his friends before his hands covered his face, embarrassment and fear and many other emotions running wild. 

Peter felt Mr. Stark’s hand squeeze his shoulder a few times, and Peter simply shook his head. He couldn’t do it. he thought he could, but he couldn’t. His friends were the last normal thing he had. He couldn’t lose this too. 

Mr. Stark exhaled heavily through his nose above him, and Peter heard him quietly announce, “Peter has cancer, acute leukemia, stage two.” 

Silence. The living room was so silent you could hear a pin drop. 

“What?” Ned whispered. Peter finally dropped his hands, clearing his tears a useless endeavor. 

Ned looked absolutely horrified, and MJ seemed shocked for the first time since he met her. Both sat silently on the couch. 

“But..” Ned started quietly, “The bite? Your powers- I thought you couldn’t-“ 

Peter huffed un-amusedly, “Yeah, that bite was what caused it.” 

Ned’s eyes flickered between Peter and Tony. MJ sat in silent stillness. 

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you guys,” Peter whispered. 

Peter barely registered Tony shuffling out of the way as Ned and MJ rushed to each of his sides, the group hug crushing but so, so comforting. Peter released a sob, his hands holding tight to Ned’s arm wrapped around his neck, and could feel the pressure of MJ’s around his waist as he keeled over. A litany of “I’m sorry” escaped his mouth as he broke down. 

“Peter, Peter it’s okay,” MJ whispered in his ear. “It’s okay, we’re okay,“ 

“I got the diagnoses a-and I couldn’t- I didn’t- I panicked. I didn’t know how to-“ Peter scrambled through his sobs, trying to explain. 

“Hey,” MJ whispered, and she and Ned pulled back so they could all see each other, “We are gonna help you get through this.” She stated. 

“Yeah,” Ned said, “you are not doing this alone. Sure you didn’t tell us right away, but we don’t blame you,” Ned’s eyes softened into sympathy, “This is a lot for anyone to deal with, even Spider-Man.” 

Peter looked back and forth between his friends, disbelieving that they could just be okay with him ignoring and lying to them. 

As they both shoved in close for another group hug, Peter looked up at Tony, who now sat just a few cushions away. He was watching silently with a little smile, which grew when he caught Peter watching. His right brow raised in his Tony way of saying ‘I told you so’. 

The hardest parts were done. All he had to do now was get better. 

-