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“You’re that spider guy, from YouTube, right?”
Peter broke into a bright, beaming smile as he leaned over the building to call down to the street vendor. “Call me Spider-Man!”
“Okay, Spider-Man. (and didn’t that just take Peter’s breath away, how easily the man accepted that) Do a flip!”
Peter let out a breathless laugh as he did a backflip, watching the guy cheer and feeling his smile grow. He swung away to finish up patrol, letting out a whoop that most people would assume was due to adrenaline. Some parts of it were adrenaline, yes, but it was mostly down to the euphoria Peter got when someone other than May, Ned, or MJ saw him as a man. He swung into his room through the open window, smacking his watch to retract the suit which left him in civilian clothes.
“May!” He skidded into the kitchen.
“One second, honey!” Peter heard the toilet flush and winced from how loud it was to his enhanced senses, but not even that could diminish his joy.
“What’s up?” May walked out of the bathroom, still drying her hands.
Peter beamed. “Someone called me a boy today on patrol.”
“Peter, that’s amazing!” May strode over to her nephew and opened her arms in offering, which he rushed into. “You do know you’re a boy no matter how people perceive you, yes?”
He smiled at the easy assurance he’d heard countless times before. “I know, May, but it’s still nice to hear.”
She returned her nephew’s grin. “I get it. Why don’t you go share the good news with Tony, I can feel you vibrating still.”
Peter laughed sheepishly. “That sounds good. You sure you don’t mind me leaving?”
May laughed. “Go. Why don’t you stay for dinner as well? Just let me know if you plan on staying over.”
“Thanks, May!” He squeezed his aunt once more and dashed out of the apartment, taking the stairs two at a time up to the roof. He slapped his watch again, hearing the nanotech release, and jumped off the roof with another whoop. In a matter of seconds, he was at the window into his bedroom which he instructed Karen to open.
“Where’s Mr. Stark?” he asked FRIDAY as he dashed to the elevator.
“He is in his lab,” the soothing Irish accented-AI replied, opening the elevator doors for him. “Shall I let him know you are here and on your way down?”
“Yeah, thanks!” He stepped into the elevator and it began moving on its own. The elevator dinged after about five seconds and the doors opened on the lab floor. Taylor Swift’s ‘Elizabeth Taylor’ was blasting, which made Peter smile. Ever since he’d mentioned to Tony that he felt like his music taste was quite ‘girly’ and it made him a little dysphoric, the man no longer hid his love for Taylor Swift and played her whenever he got wind of Peter’s approach, to convince the kid that there was no such thing as girly music. He had to admit, it was working.
“Mr. Stark!” he shouted gleefully, entering the door code and rushing up to the engineer’s side.
The man chuckled, pausing whatever he was doing to turn and wrap Peter in a hug. “What’s going on, squirt? You sound excited.” As he spoke, FRIDAY lowered the music to a much more manageable volume for conversation.
“I am! Someone called me a boy on patrol and it made me really happy.”
Tony grinned warmly, releasing his protégé to look him in the eyes. “That’s amazing, Pete! I’m so happy for you.”
Peter nodded excitedly. “I can’t believe it! I mean, I know I pass moderately well, but to have a civilian look up at me and still think I’m a boy? Crazy cool! Thanks again for building a binder into my suit, Mr. Stark.”
“Course, bambino. It was my pleasure. Hey, I have something for you, by the way. FRIDAY?” (bambino = child or kid) He turned Peter away from the display as FRIDAY pulled up the appropriate files, and then let him look.
Peter’s jaw promptly dropped open. “Mr. Stark, no! I can’t let you do this!” The files were all about top surgery, with a price circled on top and the bold letters 'COVERED BY STARK’ at the top.
Tony’s smile widened. “On the contrary, Peter. I insist that you let me cover it. I already spoke to May and she agreed.”
“How the hell did you get her to agree to this?”
“I just threatened to pay your rent for the next year.” Tony shrugged, making Peter laugh. That would be an effective threat.
“Well I can’t argue with that, can I? Do you have any physical papers?”
Tony grinned like he’d been waiting for that question. “I do in fact! Here’s a binder full of ways to stop wearing a binder.”
Peter groaned theatrically, a smile worming onto his face despite his best efforts. “Mr. Staaaark!”
The genius spread his hands. “I’m a dad, what do you expect?”
Peter’s smile softened. “Thank you though, Mr. Stark.”
Tony drew his kid back into his arms. “Anytime, Peter. You know I love you. So fucking much, kid, I love you.”
“Love you too, dad!” Peter chirped.