"If you don't want to see him then you should just tell May," MJ said as Peter ate lunch in the cafeteria with her and Ned.
"I just…"
"She'll be okay with you saying that you don't want to be around her boyfriend." MJ took a bite of her sandwich. "He sounds like a loser."
Ned nodded and ate some of his Oreo cookies.
"I… I guess," Peter said, even though he completely agreed. "But he makes May happy."
"I doubt May would want to be with someone you don't like." MJ put her hand on Peter's.
"She's right, dude," Ned said as he ate another Oreo and offered one to Peter. Peter shook his head. "May wouldn't want to be with someone who you didn't like. She loves you a lot."
MJ just nodded.
"Yeah, I know," Peter said, looking at his food. He didn't really want to talk about this too much. Yes, he knew that they were right to a point, but May had done so much for him. He shouldn't be asking for her to make sacrifices for him.
Dealing with Eddie was the least that he could do for Aunt May.
"So what are you going to do, loser?" MJ asked, looking at him with her big brown eyes.
Peter froze. "I…"
Luckily then the lunch bell rung, and they had no choice but to go back to class. MJ gave him a look, but Peter just shrugged hoping both she and Ned would drop it.
And he got lucky and they didn't mention it too much after that. MJ had a few times, but he was able to change the subject. The next few days, the subject had hardly been breached although Tony also seemed suspicious and kept asking Peter all sorts of questions about who had been in the room the other day.
Steve had dropped it that day, but Tony, of course hadn't. Tony was so different than he had been before the snap. Much more open and affectionate. It was good, but he also was nosier and seemed to be concerned about whatever Peter did.
As if Peter was a little kid and not Spider-Man.
On Saturday when he was just relaxing in his room, he had made the mistake of telling Tony that he was going on a date with MJ. He had gotten super fatherly and had told him to be careful. Then he had gone off on a story about when he was a teenager and how he should be prepared if he was going to have sex, but it would be better if he waited.
Peter had honestly not even known what to say. It was surreal that this was the same Tony Stark who had been known for being promiscuous.
And even through his texts he seemed concerned about the Eddie thing. He kept asking over and over what Eddie was like and if Peter liked him and how he treated him and Aunt May. Peter always just said fine and didn't go into details.
"I'm just checking on you, Underoos. Trying to make sure you're OK." Tony texted back. "Don't want you to have to deal with assholes at home and when you're patrolling."
Peter hadn't even known how to respond to that. He had missed so much over the last five years when he had been… gone… Tony was different. He wasn't the same person he had been before. He was much more fatherly than before.
It was sad that Peter had to miss so much.
Peter managed to dodge his question and soon the two of them just texted about Spider-Man things. The next two days were busy but finally Saturday came along.
Peter was trying to catch up on homework. Tonight, he wanted to get some serious patrolling done and tomorrow evening he was taking MJ out. However, then there was a knock on his bedroom door and Eddie came in without waiting. Peter tried not to react.
Somehow, he managed not to cringe.
"Hey kid, ready to go to lunch?" Eddie asked.
That was today? They hadn't talked about when it would be, right? But now would be a good time. Yanking the Band-Aid off.
"Uh… yeah sure," Peter said. He was just wearing jeans and one of his science shirts.
"If you're busy it's not a big deal," Eddie said, shrugging as went back toward the door. Despite his words there was an edge to his voice.
"No, I want to go." He wanted to because it would make May happy. Maybe Eddie was just awkward.
It was just getting along with him wasn't easy. With Happy, he didn't have to worry about what he did.
"Good. I'm glad to hear that."
Peter nodded and crammed his homework back in his backpack before following Eddie to the living room. May came over and kissed Eddie before hugging Peter.
"I'm glad you two are doing this," May said, letting him go. Yep, Peter knew that she would be. She had liked how he got along with Happy.
"It'll be good," Peter said, still trying to smile even though his stomach was twisting.
"Yeah, the kid and I—"
"Don't call me that," Peter said, not able to keep himself from spitting it out.
Eddie gave him a look and then laughed. "But you are a kid."
No, he wasn't, but that wasn't why he didn't want him to call him that.
"Peter had a mentor who called him kid," May said. "He was like a dad to him."
Peter froze. Tony called him all sorts of things and yes that was one of them. He didn't want Eddie using any nicknames that people he liked used for him.
"Yeah, I just miss him," Peter said.
"And who was this?"
"He was…" Peter didn't want to talk to Eddie about the Stark internship or Tony. "Like May said. My mentor."
Eddie opened his mouth but then must have decided it wasn't worth it to ask more questions about that and shrugged.
"Let's go," Eddie said. He put his hand on Peter's shoulder and Peter cringed. Just couldn't help it. Eddie didn't mention it.
Peter nodded and they went down to his car. The ride was… awkward. Neither of them said anything, but Eddie didn't turn on any music.
Finally, they arrived at a burger place. The place was packed full of people and the smell of delicious fries was in the air. Peter's stomach grumbled.
"You're hungry," Eddie said as they sat at a table. "Good. There'll be a lot to eat here."
But Peter knew that it wasn't be enough. It wouldn't be like when he went places with May, Happy, or Tony who understood that because of his powers he had to eat more than most people.
Now he'd have to hold back.
The whole experience was awkward but not completely horrible even though Peter's spidey sense was slightly going off. He kept having to engage in small talk and Eddie's complaining about how MIT would be too expensive and how Peter should go to community college first.
"I haven't even applied anywhere yet," Peter said, although that was going to change soon.
"I've seen your applications." Eddie rolled his eyes. Really? So he had been snooping in his room when he wasn't there? It was a miracle Peter had moved the Iron Spider suit to the closet. Maybe he would have to talk to Tony about moving it to the Tower.
"Don't go into my room," Peter muttered, knowing it was rude, but he couldn't help it. "May wouldn't want that."
"Don't tell me what May would or wouldn't like," Eddie said. He opened his mouth to say more but then the waitress came with their burgers.
Even though Peter had been hungry before now he wasn't sure he would be able to eat at all.
Eddie remained quiet until the waitress was gone. "Listen, Peter, I know we're very different people, but I'm dating your aunt and you need to respect that."
"I never said I didn't." Peter forced himself to eat some fries even though now they tasted like cardboard.
"It's obvious. I don't know what's wrong with you. I've been nice," Eddie said.
"It…" Peter took a long sip of his water. It was like he couldn't talk.
"And I like you even though you're weird and obviously disobedient. I know someone like you probably wishes he had a father. You're an orphan or something."
"I had a father," Peter said even though he could barely remember him. "And my uncle was like a dad to me." He had raised him after all and had always been there for him.
And he sort of had a father figure now. Maybe two but Eddie wasn't one of them.
Eddie shrugged. "May wants us to get along and I bet she would want me to make sure that you don't go out of control."
Peter ripped at his napkin. "I'm almost an adult and you're not my father."
He thought that Eddie would argue more with him, but he rolled his eyes. "Well, I want to start over with you. I know the other day I got angrier than I should have."
"Yeah, fine," Peter said and then he took a huge bite of his burger since he didn't want to say anything and then Eddie wouldn't expect a reply."
"I'm honestly just trying. I love your aunt."
Now Peter couldn't help but cringe. Maybe May wouldn't like him as much Eddie liked her.
Eddie kept looking at him.
"Okay," Peter finally choked out. "I just want May to be happy."
And that was the truth.
"I want that too," Eddie said.
After that they didn't say much else. Peter forced himself to eat even though he didn't feel hungry. He didn't trust Eddie. If he ever did anything to May, well… he would regret it.
Even when they went in the car, they didn't say much. Eddie finally turned on the radio. It was a popular rock song that Peter used to like but now he wasn't that sure.
Eddie kept looking at him as if he expected for him to say something so Peter kept himself occupied by playing on his phone. He said MJ and Ned texts saying that it had been weird.
They tried to ask more, but Peter just said something about how he was just weird, but he cared about May and that was all that mattered.
The car came to a stop in front of the apartment. "Uh thanks. For the food I mean."
"You're welcome, kid." He smirked at him and Peter glared at him. That was what Tony and Happy and some of the other Avengers called him. "But I mean it. It's not a problem."
"Yeah, well, thanks anyway," Peter said, opening his door.
Eddie got out too. Great… Peter had been hoping that he would just go home. He should have known that he wouldn't be lucky enough.
Peter took a few steps away when his spidey sense went off. Eddie tried to grab his arm and Peter dodged him.
Eddie put his hands up. "I don't think we should tell your aunt about our talk."
Peter wasn't sure but he could handle this. And May was happy. He didn't want to ruin it. But that didn't mean that he couldn't talk to her at all about it.
Maybe Eddie was just weird but still.
"Fine," Peter said since he knew that was the answer that Eddie wanted. It wasn't like he had to follow through the promise.
"She's an amazing woman."
That was something that Peter actually agreed with him on.
"And there is something else I need to tell you. Something we should have talked about in the car."
"Okay?" Peter said, shifting his weight from one foot to another.
"May and I are going to move in together." Eddie sighed and rolled his eyes. "I wanted us to move into my place, but she went on and on about how you're a senior and you should be able to be with your friends and how this is your home."
Peter was frozen in place and couldn't even think about what to say. May and Eddie were going to move in together, but they had just got together. Did she even like him that much? Why would she?
But maybe there was more to him than Peter could see?
"That's… Okay…"
It was the least that Peter could do for May even though it was going to make his life so much harder. Spidermanning would be like it used to be before she knew. Probably worse actually since May had trusted him and it was obvious that was far from the case with Eddie who somehow thought that he could boss him around.
"I know the two of us have gotten off to a bad start, but we should try and get along," Eddie said.
Peter just forced himself to nod, but apparently that was enough. Eddie tried to put his hand on his shoulder, but Peter moved away. Eddie did roll his eyes, but he didn't say anything so that was fine. Really it didn't matter if Eddie liked Peter or not. Just as long as May was happy, and he didn't interfere in Peter's Spider-Man activities.
Neither of them said anything else and they went up the stairs of the apartment. Peter could hear May talking on the phone all excited. She still liked talking on the phone even though Peter didn't get it. Texting was better.
He opened the door and pushed it open, stepping in. May wasn't alone. No, not at all.
Tony was here. He hadn't told Peter that he was going to be able to come back to the city yet. He had still been acting like it could be awhile.
Tony grinned when he saw him. "Hey kid, surprise." His smile faltered when Peter must not have reacted the way that he wanted. "You okay, kiddo?"
Peter didn't even answer and hurried over, almost tripping over his own feet, while he ran over to hug Tony.
((AN: Thank you all so much for reading. I actually have chapter 7 done already and 8 almost is. I should post chapter 7 on Wednesday. Thank you again.
kellentia: Yeah, he is creepy. I named him after this guy I used to work with who... well wasn't a good person. And I'm glad you're enjoying the story so much.
TravilingByBooks: I decided to keep him young. And I'm glad you love the story. I love your username I hope you liked this chapter.
Moorsey23: I'm glad you enjoyed reading it, and I hope you like this new chapter as well.
skydancer121: Aww that's good, and I will do my best to keep it up. I will keep writing this. That's for sure.
Cheshire-sama: I suppose writing creepy characters is one of my things. I have a lot of creepers in my stories that aren't fan fiction. I thought Steve playing Fortnite would be funny so... it happened lol. I'm glad you like the story.
nanigirl15: Aww thank you. You are so sweet. I'm glad you love it as much as you do. Enjoy this new chapter :D ))
