He knew things were always going to be the same no matter how many years have passed since the accident. Peter sat on his full size bed in his room in the Stark's mansion. Will he ever get used to living here? It's been three years and nothing changed. He held the picture of him and his Aunt May in his hands as tears started to well up in his eyes, maybe if he was able to save her things would have been different than it is today. Maybe he would even have the guts to come out to his dads, instead of just sitting there drowning in the depths of a hole, he might not be able to ever pull himself out of. "Beatrix, Mr. Stark would like to see you in his office…" Friday suddenly pulled him out of his tranced, but made his stomach flip in the process.
"How many times do I have to tell you, Friday … It's Peter when we are alone." Peter wiped his tears away with some tissues near his bed and stuck the photo back into his bedside drawer. He quickly got off the bed and walked out of the automatic sliding door, and down the hallway. There were many pictures hanging up on the wall, mostly of Tony Stark himself. There were also pictures of the Avengers when they were still assembled and pictures of Tony and Stephen's wedding. Sticking his hands in his pockets as he walked down the hallway with his head tilted to the ground, he managed to make it to Mr. Stark's bedroom without running into anything or anyone. Not like anyone was here. Dr. Strange was barely here, and Mr. Stark was usually in his office or somewhere else. Always leaving him alone with Friday.
"Come in Bea," called Mr. Stark before he even had the time to knock on the cherry wood door of the office. He turned the knob slowly wondering what he could even be summoned for. As Peter walked into the office, he saw the leatherback of Mr. Stark's computer chair, leaning gently against the clutter messed of the dark mahogany desk. "Have a seat, love." He quietly said, Peter did and sat in front of the desk. The ace bandages that were wrapped around his chest dug into his ribs, making it uncomfortable for him to sit still for longer than ten minutes. The man in front of him turned his seat round, he was middle-aged around mid 40s, average height and weight. Caucasian skin with deep caring brown eyes, and black graying hair which was mostly kept in a rough-edged manner.
"What is this about, Mr. Stark," Peter asked biting the inside of his cheek, he hated when Tony called him into his office. Usually it was for nothing, but something told him it was different.
Tony rested his folded hands on his desk as he leaned forward to look at the child in front of him. Her hair was up in a bun inside a beanie and she was wearing baggy clothes. He never understand kid's trends these days with always looking like the opposite gender, but if that what makes them happy, then he will accept it. The girl in front of him was turning eighteen tomorrow, June 23rd. She looked so nervous as she sat in front of him in the chair it was almost cute to him, "How many times do I have to tell you not to call me, Mr. Stark, Bea? It's either Tony or if you like Dad." There were times where Bea would call him dad, but it rarely happened since the accident. How many years has it been? It would be three years July 2nd. "Do you know what today is?"
"Friday?" Peter asked with a cocked eye, and a small smile on his face acting dumb just to get a smile out of Mr. Stark. Mr. Stark looked down to hide the smile forming on his lips from his daughter's remark, she knew exactly what he was getting at. He shook his head, "Yeah, I know what today is, the 22nd of June. Did you call me to ask me about my plans for tomorrow?"
"Ah, there is the smart girl I know," Peter held back the cringe at what he called him. He knew he didn't mean it because Peter haven't even told him yet. He was waiting for the right moment even if he knew that Tony would accept him for him, it was just a bit hard. "So, do you have anything planned or can Stephen and I make plans for you?" There was that smile again back on the older man's face. He knew if he let Tony and Stephen plan out his eighteenth birthday, then he was going to invite everyone under the blue moon.
"You guys can plan it … but only the Avengers and a few close friends can come. And can we pick of Cairo later, so he can stay with us for a few for my birthday please?" The boy batted his eyes and smiled wide at his caregiver, he knew that Tony Stark wouldn't say no when he gave him the look. Cairo Cédrick was his best friend back in New York, he was the only one who knows who he is other than his Aunt May…
Mr. Stark chuckled and pressed a button on his intercom, "Yes, Mr. Stark?" Happy answered on the other side of the box, his voice seemed to be going in and out, like there was trouble with the connection.
"I need you to take Beatrix to New York to pick up her best friend, Cairo." He stood up along with Tony after the call and gave the old man a hug. "While you are away, we'll be planning your birthday party. So, take your time in New York, but be back before six pm western time. Now go back, wheels up in thirty." Peter got a pat on the back and he tensed over that Tony thought the bandages was just a sports bra or something. They pulled away and Tony didn't say anything about it, "Now go or you won't have time to pack."
Peter nodded and walked out of the room, running down the hallway, back to his room. This was the happiest he was since the accident, everything after that was just a blur of emotions and numbness. Quickly packing his bag with things he needed, and swung the bag around his shoulder. Wait where was the metal suitcase, "Friday, where's my spider suit?" He called.
"Mr. Stark had already ordered the suit to be put on the plane, Peter. Which is waiting for you on the roof with Happy." Friday's voice filled the room and Peter smiled wide at the fact that Friday finally used the right name. "Happy seems to be getting upset, you better hurry."
Peter went to his bedside drawer and grabbed the picture he was looking at just moments ago, sticking it in his pocket. If he was going to New York, he was going to bring Aunt May with him, he walked back over to the drawer and looked into the room for one last second to see if he had forgotten anything. Finally coming to the conclusion that he wasn't, he shut the light off and headed to the roof. Happy was sure on the room leaning against the smaller size jet, looking down at his phone, unbeknownst that Parker was there. "Where is that child?" Mumbled Happy before dialing a number on his phone, Peter's own phone started to ring with a smirk on his face. Happy looked up with his cheeks red as he met the eyes of Peter. "Hey, you're here. How long have you been standing there?"
"Not long. About a few minutes, I wanted to see how long it would take you to notice that I was here. Come on Happy, we're gonna be late picking of Cairo." He heard Happy grumble as he walked up the stairs of the jet behind him. "How have you been, Happy?" He asked as he took his sit on the jet which was near the window. He loved the view of the sky when they were up hundreds of feet in the air.
"Been fine. How have you been, Bea?" Happy asked and Peter sighed. "Something wrong over there?" The man asked the younger adult. He had sensed something has been up with the kid for a bit now, but finally asked as they were along on the jet. "For the past couple of weeks, you have been acting weird. Do you have a boyfriend that you do not want Mr. Stark or Dr. Strange to know about?" His eyes widened, "Is Cairo your boyfriend?!" He asked with much excitement acting like a teenage girl himself.
The boy frowned before making a disgusted face, "Ew no. For one Cairo is Stra-" He stopped himself from finishing the sentence. God, he was about to blow everything. Please tell me that he didn't catch that mistake.
"Were you about to tell me Cairo was straight? Isn't that the whole purpose of a heterosexual relationship?" Happy asked with a cocked eyebrow and a confused frown on his face. Peter kicked himself in the stomach mentally, how does one get out of this? He looked around trying to sense if there was any bugs in the jet or not. No, Stark likes his privacy.
"Can I tell you a secret, Happy? Just between you and me?" Peter asked hopefully his heart was beating and his palms were sweaty. Was he actually going to tell Happy before he even tells Mr. Stark or Dr Strange? How was he even going to tell him? He felt his chest constricting against him and his throat tightening. He couldn't breath. Take deep breaths Peter. Take deep breaths.
"Beatrix? Are you okay?" Happy got up and sat next to the kid, "It's going to be okay. Whatever it is, I am here for you." He rubbed the kid's back up and down soothly, "Take deep breaths." He said some other things trying to take the kid out of the panic attack that they were happy. It was rare for him to see the kid like this, but it wasn't the first time it happened. Once the kid had their breathing under control, he looked into their eyes. They were scared and it genuinely made Happy concerned for their wellbeing. "What was it you wanted to tell me?"
"Happy … I'm transgender. I go by male pronouns and my name is Peter …" Happy was silent for what seemed like forever before he looked up at the boy next to him with a cheshire smile. Peter had never seen Happy act like this and it kind of made him afraid. Just like what was the older man thinking? He bit his lip, "So … yeah … but I haven't told Mr. Stark yet … you're the only one to know other than Cairo …" He twirled his thumbs in his hands not looking at Happy who kept silent. Maybe this wasn't a good idea to tell him about this.
Happy grabbed Peter into a hug and just held him there for a few minutes. It was out of character for Happy which made Peter more nervous then he was before, but slowly wrapped his arms around the older man. Happy just held the kid in his arms, "I'm humbled that you told me this, Peter." He whispered softly bringing tears to Peter's eyes. "My nephew Eljas, he's trans too. You have my full support, son." He patted him on the back and pulled away from the boy to see him crying, he chuckled. "Why are you crying? Please tell me those are tears of happiness?"
"He is throwing you a birthday party tomorrow, right? With Stephen." Peter nodded, "I think maybe at the party with everyone there, you should tell him. I know that's a big step for this, and it's scary. But you have me by your side and you have Cairo, I know for sure that Steve would accept you, and most definitely Thor. The Asgardians do not have the same concept as us humans." Peter nodded knowing this was true and all the norse mythology stories he read when he was a kid. He also knew Loki would accept him for him as well, as he was genderfluid. "I can tell you this, I know Mr. Stark will love you no matter what. He let's you go by Spiderman, doesn't he?"
Peter's eyes drifted to the metal suitcase strapped to the wall of the jet, that's where his spidersuit was. He could still remember the conversation he had with Mr. Stark about the name situation. "Why go by Spiderman? Why not Spiderwoman… or spidergirl?" Mr. Stark was so confused with the name and Peter would always tell him "Because if they knew I was a girl they wouldn't look up to me as much as they do if they knew I was a man instead." It was hard to tell him that he was a "girl," but it was the only way to keep him off his back about the name. Peter nodded once again, "Yeah he does after some time of convincing. I don't know though Happy. What if you are wrong and he doesn't actually accept me for me? I don't know what would happen? Will he stop having me live with him? How would I get the money to live on my own in the economy."
Happy sighed, he knew the fears of what this boy was going on about. He had to take care of his nephew in the same way because he was too scared of his father. "I have been working with Mr. Stark for years, if I know somebody, I know him. He'll accept you." He looked down at his phone it was going on three o'clock, has that much time gone by? Wasn't it just twelve? He shook his head and looked out the window of the Jet, the Statue of Liberty zipped passed them. He guess they were already in New York. "Have you connected Cairo that you were coming?"
Peter shook his head, "I wanted to tell him a bit later. I got some plans to do before I go tell him. I just want to relax in the room knowing that I am back home for a few hours." Happy nodded, he could guess what the plans were too. He was going to her grave. It's been a few months since his last visit there, he must miss her a ton. "Hey can you do something for me Happy … I have the money for it …"
"What is it, son?" Peter's stomach flipped at the nickname, he smiled gently and tried to not cry again. Happy was a good man, he could be a dick sometimes, but right now he is what Peter needs.
"C-can you go get me a binder …" Happy's eyes dropped down to Peter's chest making him feel a bit self-conscious. He gulped maybe it was too soon to ask him this question, but he thought maybe he knew where to get one because of his nephew.
"Have you been wearing ace bandages?" Happy asked with so much concern in his voice. He also almost sounded frighten for the boy. Peter bit his cheek harder and nodded, "Peter … you know how dangerous that is for your health? Of course I will go get you binder! Don't worry about giving me the money, think off this as a birthday present from me."
"Thank you so much, Happy. I owe you one." He smiled before being jolted as the jet did a rocky landed. "I hate planes …" He groaned holding his pounding head, blinking a few times and sighing, he stood up once the plane had came to a complete stop. "Let's go check into a hotel room. I want to eat something I'm starving."
Once they were settled into the hotel room, Happy ordered food and they ate. It was around five-thirty when they had finished and Peter had put on his spider suit underneath his clothes. "You're not wearing the bandages underneath that are you?" Peter shook his head, "Good I'm glad. You go do what you need too by the time you get back, I'll have your binder."
Peter gave Happy a hug before walking out the door of the room, he wanted to jump out of the window, but Happy gave him a weird look so he didn't. In the room anyway, once he was for sure that no one was looking, he went to a hallway window and just jumped out of that. He zipped through the air building to building, until he got to where he needed to go the flourist that was about to close. He jumped down into the alley and ran around the corner, "Excuse me, before you close up, can I get a couple of flowers please?" The old lady looked at Peter before nodding opening back the shop for him to pick out some flowers. Soon he was out and on his way to the actual destination on his mind.
Forest Hills Cemetery. He dropped down in front of the gate and walked through looking for a certain area then he found it. "Hey Uncle Ben … Aunt May … It's good to see you two. I brought you some flowers, I thought you needed some beauty around here." He grabbed the dead flowers from the pot and put the fresh ones down. He then sat down with his legs criss crossed in front of the tombstone.
A/N: Hello. How did you like the first chapter of the story? I have been wanting to write this for awhile, but my mind has been on Steven Universe and those stories. Now though, I finially had the inspiration to write this.
I want to give everyone a friendly reminder, please, please, do not ever wear ace bandages. It is so so dangerous. I know how dysphoria can kill you, but Ace bandages will kill you faster. Thank you for understanding. - XDomoX