This wasn't how it was supposed to go. It was unfair, and Peter couldn't fantom the entire situation. Infact, the situation had become worse, and not only did he feel terrible about his body, he also felt absolutely conflicted about his mentor. He didn't like arguing, and especially not with the man that had given him so much - which he was thankful for - but that didn't give Tony a free ticket into his personal life. But was Tony wrong on this? Were they both to blame? Or was Peter being a spoiled brat who felt he could justify everything and insult his rolemodel without seeing things from the other man's perspective.
Peter ran up the stairs as quick as he could, and he hauled himself up in his room for the moment. He was angry - his blood was boiling and he was seething like he had never done before. He felt disregarded, and most of all, disrespected. Even despite the age difference, it didn't mean Tony could do whatever he liked and Peter couldn't oppose it - they had a functional relationship, and it meant that they had to show mutual respect and be considerate. But now, it felt like it had crumbled apart entirely, and that made his heart hurt.
He didn't even care about that stupid phone anymore, he just wanted to get away from everything, and hoped to god that it wouldn't affect his spider-sense. But, in the back of his mind, he knew this would. This was just the cherry ontop of the pie, and in the worst possible scenario he could've imagined in his head.
He heard them talking downstairs, and while he wanted to remain in the house and listen to the conversation, his emotions wouldn't let him. His brains went haywire and logical thinking was all but possible - it was all inane. The young man grabbed his bag and went out to take his suit, but when realization struck his head, he recalled that Tony had taken it from him to make those adjustments. With the rage becoming the victor in his head, he threw the bag aside and moved to the window. His eyes were red, and they felt like they were swollen - waves and waves of tears were held back as he clenched his fists and turned around, moving towards his closet and grabbing his old suit that once was compared to an onesie - it would have to suffice. When he finally put the old suit one, which wasn't so much of a suit, but more like a juvenile training outfit, he returned to his spot at the window.
Outside, the sky had turned dark, and much like his mood, it was preparing to unleash a storm. Strangely, in the chaos and darkness of the rainfalls that had began to pour down, Peter found comfort. The rain was something that not many liked - just like himself. He was impure - a malformed human being, doomed to damnation and salivating over an older man. The rain would be his friend in this dire time, and while he might be exaggerating, he was allowed to feel the way he felt. Nobody else could tell him that his feelings were wrong, for they were his own, not theirs. He climbed onto the edge and eventually extended his right hand and a string of web made its way from his palm to the other side of the opposing building. He disappeared into the night, and if he had the choice, he'd disappear forever from this nightmare.
Tony had taken the liberty of requesting to continue to the conversation in the living room, and May was not opposed to the notion. She sat down on the couch, and Tony sat next to her, with a respective distance between the two. The genius felt a little in dismay, knowing that his intern was upstairs and probably crying about the ordeal, as he'd term it. He didn't want to upset the kid, but the situation unfortunately went that way, and all he could do was pick up the broken pieces and try to repair them. He cared for Peter - more than the kid probably realized, and the thought that something would happen to him really messed with his mind.
He crossed one leg over the other as his lips pursed and his eyes, after a moment, finally had the courage to face Peter's aunt. May looked at him in anticipation with evident confusion littered over her face, likely not having expected an argument between the two of them. ''Well, May. See, Zoe has been an intern for a long while with me - but she never introduced herself as 'Zoe', but as Peter. I had reason to believe that he was not doing it as a joke.''
May blinked several times in disbelief as she moved a hand to cover her mouth. After composing herself at hearing such information, she eventually managed to lower the hand and nod - likely indicating that he should proceed. Tony, who understood what she meant, continued as desired. ''Only recently, I thought I should have asked him what was going on and while some girls dress like men, they remain females, and they are happy being one. With her -..him, I felt it wasn't the case, and I eventually confronted him and he told me he is transgender.''
Tony was trying to be careful with his wording. He didn't like saying 'she', when he spoke of Peter, who is a 'he', but he was trying to make his aunt understand, and the use of the pronouns were a little confusing, but he was a smart man - he managed to keep them separated on the subject. ''Transgender means that one is born in a body they don't want. In this case, she feels like a he - it's why he dresses like a guy and acts like one. I'm sure you've never seen him in a dress, or wearing make-up, or something?'' May look a little pale, probably trying to make sense of everything in her head, and being the old lady that she is, and not being used to these modern terms, she struggled. Eventually, she spoke; ''Oh dear..- my poor girl..-'' She cleared her throat and shook her head. ''I didn't know. All this time and I didn't know. If she -..if he truly feels like that, I won't take away his chance for happiness, Tony..''
May leaned back a little as she ran a hand over her features and her lips remained parted for a while. ''Sh-..he was always like this. Even when younger..- always liked things that boys liked. All these times I said Zoe to h-..to..- to him.'' Her eyes welled up and she couldn't look more guilty and lost. Tony cleared his throat as he hadn't expected such an emotional response, and especially not the guilt from her side. He hesitated before he reached his arm out to pat her shoulder, in a rather comforting and soothing motion. ''He will need surgery and hormone injections, May. You will need to sign the paper for him. The earlier he starts, the better the results will be - and the happier he'll end up.'' Tony offered her a rather reassuring smile as she lowly sobbed and eventually offered a weak smile in return. ''I -..I shall talk to him about this. A heart to heart, as they say it..'' May said with a shaky voice.
The billionaire offered her another smile as he slowly got up from his seat and looked to her. ''I'll go check up on the kid if you don't mind.'' She shook her head, and he took this as approval. The man adjusted his suit and ran a hand over his eyes as he made way to the staircase and looked up. Only ten minutes ago he was yelling at the kid he held so dear and he had invaded his privacy and heard something he shouldn't have, but knowing that the kid was in love with him made their relationship all the more strained. He would make many sacrifices to ensure Peter's life - more than he could imagine, and that only made it more clearer that he did care alot for him. He wanted to be there for him - he wanted to break that cycle of shame as his father wasn't there for him.
As he moved up the stairs, he looked at the door where Peter was in, or so he had assumed. He knocked once, and no response. He knocked another time, and yet again, silence was his answer. The third time would be the deciding one; he knocked once again and he had no reply. He resorted to his AI; ''JARVIS, is Peter in this room?'' The AI made several calculations and tracked Spider-Man by the use of the tracker that Tony had put in his bag, and it appeared the bag was indeed inside the room. ''Mister Parker is currently not in his room. The bag was left behind.'' Tony rolled his eyes - ofcourse, he told Peter this. ''JARVIS, scan the tracker in his phone. He wouldn't leave it behind.'' Tony's arms moved around himself in order to keep himself calm as he was slowly getting more worried about Peter's whereabouts. ''Mister Parker is currently on top of the roof of one of the abandoned buildings bordering the Hudson River. There is heavy rainfall and a thunderstorm that will last approximately until 4 AM.''
Rain, a thunderstorm and the roof of a building. A wonderful combination. No, it's not. ''Can't be Point Break.'' He muttered to himself as he turned around and moved down the stairs again and eventually back to the living room. May was not there, so he looked for her in the kitchen. He folded his arms as she was making tea, presumably to calm herself down. ''He's..asleep, so, I'll come back tomorrow.'' Tony said, as much as he hated lying, he didn't want to worry May more - it was a white lie that was needed, and now, he needed to find the kid before he got himself into trouble. He would be lying to himself if he claimed he didn't feel bad.
Once he said his farewells to May, he closed the door behind him and called his suit to him - it wasn't long before the intricate, powerful armor hugged his frame once again and he was hovering in the air once again, flying towards towards the Hudson River and the buildings that were for the most part warehouses and the like. Few of them were abandoned. On his interface, he could see that Peter wasn't far away, and when the distance became closer and only a few metres were left, he finally laid his eyes on a red being that had put itself on the open area of the roof. He wasn't sheltering himself and his 'onesie', was drowning in water. Tony landed with a thud on the top of the roof as he approached Peter who was lying on the ground with both his hands over his eyes and the raining pouring down on him.
''Go away.'' Peter said the moment Tony had landed. He did not want to face Tony right now, actually, he considered if he ever wanted to see the man again after their argue. He was mocked and laughed at, and having endured such a feeling is demeaning. Tony made a scan of the building to make sure nobody was around, and that made the possibility of them being able to converse as Tony and Peter - mostly for Peter's sake. ''We can talk this through. Come on. You know I didn't mean to mock you - I just thought you weren't serious. Do you know how strange it is to hear a kid like you likes someone like me?'' Tony was riddled with guilt, and he would have to apologize - not find an excuse like he always makes, or laugh it all away. ''I..- I apologize, alright? I'm not exactly the best role-model in the world, and I know we had our differences, but can you just home to May? She needs you back - I need you back.''
The young man played silent for a while before he eventually pushed himself up and he stormed towards Tony with balled fists at his sides. ''You made fun of me. Like you're always the best and thinking you can never be wrong.'' His spider-sense was definitely damaged now as his emotions ran free like a horde of ferals. ''Just for one moment I thought you could treat me equally - not like this damn kid you see me as.'' Tony cleared his throat, even if it couldn't be seen. ''I didn't forget about all of the things you've done for me, but..- listening in into my personal conversations with my friend..- I didn't want you to find out. I didn't want anything to ruin what we have - especially not something like this.''
Eventually, Tony lifted a part of his mask that showed some of his face and the guilt on it was self-explanatory. ''I know, kid. It won't get inbetween us - trust me. But you have to understand me aswell. I will be responsible when I have to bury you - have you put in a coffin, six feet underground..- and what will I tell your aunt? You have to see reason.'' Peter eventually gave in, knowing that what Tony was saying was right. Tony thought ahead, and Peter didn't consider that. He didn't consider that Tony cared for him. Not this much. ''Let me bring you back to May. She doesn't know you're gone. Get a shower and talk to her. - I didn't have a choice when I called you Peter. She seems to understand.''
The boy's gaze descended and he felt like the air had left his lungs. His aunt knew now, and he wasn't the one who had told her, but Tony did. In a way, it felt better, as he probably could never face his aunt and tell her outright that he was transgender - that he was a male. He was just hoping that Tony was right, and that she understood as he seemed to. ''Thanks..'' He muttered as his gaze lifted to the genius' again. ''We'll talk tomorrow..'' He nodded as he ran towards the edge of the building and made his way home in the despicable weather.
Tony closed his helmet again and he sighed lowly as he turned around and made his way back to the Tower. This would be a long, sleepless night.