Chapter Text
The first time Peter Parker goes to Pride, he’s seventeen, three months on testosterone, and scared shitless. He’s been out to May for a year. She cried, hugged him, and helped pick out a name that felt like home. But being out to the Avengers is different. They’re his team. His family. Superheroes. What if they don’t see him the same?
But then, two weeks before Pride, Tony calls him into the lab. "Kid," Tony says, leaning against a worktable, arms crossed but soft-eyed. "You wanna come with us to Pride?" Peter nearly short-circuits. “W-what?”
“Pride, Queens Boy Wonder. LGBTQIA+. Rainbows. Glitter. Protest signs. Corporate floats trying too hard.”
“I know what Pride is,” Peter mumbles. Tony grins. “Just checking. Natasha’s organizing the whole thing. Thor’s excited. I think he bought a crop top.” Peter blinks. Tony’s grin deepens. “Point is we’d love to have you there.”
Peter swallows, heart pounding. “You know?” Tony shrugs. “Course I do. FRIDAY clocked your preferred name change the same day you uploaded it to your school portal. I figured you'd tell us when you were ready. Or, y'know, never. That’s cool too.” Peter’s eyes blur. He wipes them furiously. “I’m ready.”
Tony claps a hand on his shoulder. “Then you’re coming with us.”
The day of Pride dawns clear and hot. Peter wakes up in the Compound, a bundle of nerves and excitement. His binder is snug, his custom “SPIDEY TRANS PRIDE” shirt lies folded at the foot of the bed, and Natasha has promised face glitter if he’s brave enough.
By 9 a.m., the living room looks like a queer explosion. Natasha’s in black boots and a cropped tank that reads “LESBIANS BITE BACK” in white stencil. Her hair’s braided down one side, and she’s painting Clint’s face with a rainbow that starts on his left cheekbone and ends near his ear.
“I’m so straight,” Clint groans. “Why do I agree to this?”
“Because you’re an ally and your daughter thinks you’re cool when you do gay shit,” Natasha deadpans. Thor bounds in wearing a bisexual flag as a cape and a flower crown.
“Is this enough?” he booms. “No such thing,” Tony says, emerging in tight rainbow pants and a metallic gold crop top that says “PANNED BUT NOT PANICKED.”
Bruce follows, the least showy of the group, in a button-down and a small ally pin. He adjusts his glasses and offers Peter a proud smile. “You look great, Peter.”
Peter stammers a thanks, heart swelling. He hasn’t even put on his glitter yet.
They get to the parade route an hour before kickoff. Tony’s secured a float. Of course, he has. It’s sleek, shiny, and covered in glittering “STARK INDUSTRIES LOVES PRIDE” banners. Peter stands near the back with Natasha, watching as more floats arrive and the streets fill with people of every age, gender, and orientation.
There are lesbians in matching tuxedos. A group of trans teens with homemade signs. Drag queens with six-inch heels and towering wigs. Families with two moms or two dads and toddlers in rainbow tutus.
Peter’s chest tightens. “You okay?” Natasha asks quietly, her tone soft in a way it rarely is. “I just… didn’t know people like this existed. Not this many. Not this openly.” Natasha nods. “I know what you mean.” Peter glances at her.
“I grew up in the Red Room,” she says. “There wasn’t room for queerness. Or identity. But I knew. I always knew I liked women.” She looks out over the crowd, her gaze flickering with something unspoken. “I never thought I’d get to celebrate that. Not until the Avengers. Not until now.”
Peter doesn’t know what to say, so he just nods. They stand together in the sun, letting the music swell around them. The parade begins with cheers. The Avengers’ float rolls forward, blasting music. Natasha takes the mic and starts calling out to the crowd.
“Happy Pride, New York! From your friendly neighborhood Avengers!” Peter throws out Stark-funded rainbow bracelets, feeling bold. He grins as kids scramble for them. Thor tosses enchanted bubble rings that release glitter clouds. Bruce hands out pamphlets about mental health support for queer teens. Clint juggles pride-colored arrows.
Tony? Tony’s dancing on top of the float, helmetless, shaking his hips with zero shame.
Peter’s stomach hurts from laughing. “Hey, kid,” Tony calls, dancing over to him. “You’re glowing.”
“I think that’s the glitter.”
“Nope,” Tony says. “That’s confidence.”
Peter beams.
They stop halfway through the route for a break. Peter steps off the float to get water. He’s mobbed almost immediately by a group of queer teens who recognize him even out of the Spidey suit.
“You’re Spider-Man, right?”
Peter freezes. “ I-uh—maybe?”
One of them grins. “Dude. Your shirt. The trans pride one. You’re trans?” Peter hesitates. Then nods. The kid throws his arms around him. “I’m trans too. And my parents suck. But seeing you? You’re a hero.”
Peter blinks back tears.
“ I-I’m still figuring it out,” he admits. “But… thank you.” They talk for fifteen minutes. By the time Peter rejoins the float, his heart feels full to bursting. The second half of the parade is even rowdier. Peter’s shirt is soaked with sweat and joy. He dances beside Thor, rides on Bruce’s shoulders, and throws confetti with Clint.
He catches Natasha smiling. Actually smiling. She looks at peace.
Later, when the float slows for a moment, Peter stands beside Tony and says, “Thanks. For this. For inviting me.” Tony slings an arm around him.
“You don’t need to thank me for being exactly who you are, kid.”
Peter smiles, and for the first time in a long time, he really believes it.
That night, back at the Compound, Natasha lets Peter braid a rainbow streak into her hair. Clint cooks on the grill. Thor sings something loud and off-key. Bruce and Tony argue about gender-inclusive lab protocols.
Peter looks around the firepit and thinks: This is what it means to be proud.
Not just of who you are.
But of who you choose to stand beside.