Peter
Since talking to Tony, and knowing he'd probably get a chance to pick Nat or Clint's brain about a lot of the platonic soulmate stuff, Peter's head felt a little calmer, and he was able to concentrate enough to get his English research paper final draft done. And he studied for his last final. A little bit.
He also spent a lot of the time on the phone with MJ, talking about soulmates (she had less information than him, so she had some questions he could actually help a little bit with), school, and college. She was hoping to get accepted to Stanford or Harvard to study something in social justice. He wanted to study biochemistry and either electrical engineering or mechanical engineering, but he hadn't decided for sure. Tony was pushing for MIT, and Peter was definitely interested in that, but he also wasn't sure if he wanted to leave New York and May. And even Tony and Pepper, for that matter. He was still undecided, so he had also applied to Stanford, CalTech (where Ned was hoping to go), Virginia Tech, and Columbia, which was basically home. Tony was against Columbia, and actually, anything but MIT, but Peter couldn't shake the feeling that he wanted to keep his options open.
He was packing a small bag for the weekend when May popped her head in the door.
"Hey Mr. Senior. How are you doing tonight?"
"Me? I'm good. Why?"
"I was just talking to Pepper, and-"
Peter flopped down on his twin bed dramatically. "I think I liked it better before all you guys were friends," Peter said grumpily, but without heat.
"Honey, we love you, and care about you. I just wanted to make sure Tony didn't screw it up, and that you're actually doing better," she teased.
"He gave me a very good mentor-slash-parental talk about looking on the bright side, and how he can't imagine anyone not being excited to be my soulmate, etc. etc. etc," Peter assured in monotone.
"Peter," May warned lightly.
"No, I'm kidding, May, kidding. It was good. I appreciated it. I was just surprised Karen tattled on me."
"She just cares about you, bud."
"I know. It's weird when she does new stuff. But also insanely cool, considering where she started."
May smiled. "You have everything you need?"
"Almost. I don't really need any clothes, I don't think. I have enough stuff at the Tower."
"Sounds good, baby. I hope your weekend is great. You guys be sure to make it up north before that storm that's coming through, right?"
"I dunno May. They're a bunch of superheroes. I'm sure they're taking the weather into account," he said, rolling his eyes. May pointed a finger at him, her brows lowered to tell him what she thought of his sass. He smiled innocently at her, and she shook her head, waving good-night to him.
Unfortunately, sleep was short-lived. Peter drifted off around 11 and woke at roughly 4:30 because it felt like something had bitten him on the arm. It was itching like crazy, and burning just a little bit. Peter sat up and blearily flipped his light on. There on the inside of his right forearm, starting at his wrist and stretching up about 3 inches was a thick, light pink line. What in the world? In his sleep-haze he tried to figure out if he'd burned himself on anything the day before, or come in contact with any chemicals. But then as he woke up more, he realized he hadn't done anything to his arm. This felt exactly like his shoulder had on Wednesday, actually. Was it possible?
Peter dropped his head forward into his hands and rubbed at his temples. He knew it was possible to have both a platonic and a romantic soulmate, but it was fairly unlikely. Less than 5-10% of a chance, right? He wasn't sure what to think.
He knew May was asleep, and he knew she had an extra long shift the next day. "Karen? Is Tony up, by chance? Will you check with FRIDAY?"
"I'll check, Peter. Are you unwell?"
"No, I just think I may have a second soul mark."
Tony
"Boss?" FRIDAY was calling him. Why?
"What's up, FRI? Tony whispered, sitting up.
"Karen said Peter seems to be in mild distress and has asked about you. Protocol dictates that I wake you in such a case." She was barely audible, but Pepper still stirred next to him.
"Yeah, good. Thanks, FRI," Tony said quietly, stumbling out of bed and grabbing a shirt off the chair next to it. He didn't want to wake Pepper if he could help it.
As soon as he made it out of his room and into his office, he asked FRIDAY to connect him to Peter.
"Tony?" The vulnerability in the kid's voice snapped Tony to full awareness.
"Hey, Pete. Early morning?"
"Were you, uh… still up working on something? I thought you'd been doing better about going to bed, so I wasn't going to call or anything…"
"I slept some, no worries. Karen said you're thinking you might have a second blank mark?"
"I can't figure out what else it would be. It feels just like the first one, but it's darker than my regular skin, and kind of pinkish. Uh, Karen, can you send Mr. Stark the picture?"
It entertained Tony how often the kid switched from "Mr. Stark" to "Tony" and back these days. He was happy to call him "Tony," but "Mr. Stark" was ingrained from using it for so long, and Tony didn't care which one he used. He was just glad that he finally got him to feel comfortable with his first name as well. Honestly, Peter could call him pretty much anything he wanted, and Tony would happily answer to it. He really wasn't sure what he was going to do with himself when Peter went off to MIT next fall (he was determined to steer the kid that direction). Somehow he had completely insinuated himself into Tony's life, and Tony wasn't mad about it. They'd started out just doing lab time in the workshop once a week then suddenly one day he was having a staring match with the kid over the last pop-tart at breakfast. And he wouldn't change a thing.
The picture came through, and Tony sat down as he looked carefully at it. "Same symptoms as before, Pete?"
"Yeah. It's itching like crazy. It woke me up, actually, and I was sure something had bitten me this time. But do you think-"
"Yeah, pretty sure you're right, kid." Tony was smiling incredulously from his end. "Congrats on being in the elite percent, Pete. That's kinda your thing, isn't it?" he asked, teasing him about his stellar test scores but also propensity for "Parker Luck."
"This is just so crazy. I don't even know what to think."
"I know. It is crazy. But crazy can be really good. I'm excited for you kid. That's a higher chance that you'll meet at least one of your soulmates sooner, right?"
"Yeah, I guess so." Silence for a minute. "Tony?"
"Yeah?" Peter sounded nervous, or worried.
"Do you think... Is there a chance… that I might match with MJ?" Oh, kid. The tone he couldn't place had been "hopeful."
Tony answered slowly. "Well, buddy, of course it's possible. Is it probable? Not necessarily, but where there wasn't a chance before, I guess there is now."
Peter didn't say anything, but Tony could hear him breathing on the other end.
"The good news is, you can know for sure within about 6 hours, tesoro. I wouldn't call anything final until then. FRIDAY? Is that the time we're looking at?"
"Statistics say all blank marks are fully formed by the 6-hour mark and should react when presented with a soulmate who also has a developed mark."
"There it is, kiddo. You'll know for sure if you see her after… 10:30. Try not to get your hopes up though, okay?"
"Okay, sir, I'll try."
"Wow, breaking out the 'sir,' huh? Sounds like someone needs some more sleep," he teased gently.
"I don't think I could possibly go to sleep now. Plus, it still itches."
Tony wished that the boy was at the Tower with him. A Star Wars movie on the couch, plus fingers gently playing with his hair at just the right moment could usually drop him within about five minutes. He knew May could do it, too, because she'd been the one to teach him that particular jedi skill, but he doubted Peter would be willing to wake her. Besides, it worked best if he didn't know they were trying to get him to sleep.
"Well, I guess we can go to bed early tonight…"
"Ugh, that's lame."
"You have to sleep sometime, kiddo."
"Says who?"
"The grown-ups," Tony said dryly. "Why don't you try to lay back down? Have Karen read from your history book or something."
Peter sighed audibly. "I'll try to sleep a little more. I have to be up by 7."
"I'm going to try to go back to sleep, too. Maybe we'll both get lucky."
"Wait, you were asleep? Did FRIDAY wake you up for this? I didn't-"
"End call."
Tony sighed. He rubbed at the back of his neck, trying to ease some of the tension there. He probably needed to schedule a massage. There was a lot going on this week. His hand unconsciously went to his right bicep, finding the slightly smooth spot that looked like a scar. What he hadn't ever told anyone, even Pepper, or Rhodey, was that he knew it wasn't a scar. He remembered the same itching in that spot as in the one on his chest, where his romantic soul mark eventually formed. The marks had developed almost simultaneously. Tony Stark had a platonic blank too, but it had never reacted to anyone he'd met. And as he'd told Peter, he knew a lot of people. Until he'd met Pepper, he just saw it as a double message from the universe that he wasn't worthy of a soulmate.
But now… he tried to listen to his own advice, to not get his hopes up. It was unlikely that he'd match with a 17-year-old kid from Queens. Another superhero. A child that he loved as if he was his own, and liked more than almost anyone he'd ever met. He'd assumed long ago that something had just happened to his other soulmate. He already considered himself the luckiest man in the world to have finally found Pepper, and that she had accepted him. Someone like Tony Stark didn't deserve luck like that twice.
Peter
Peter groaned as his alarm went off. Though it had been some time after 5:30, apparently he had finally fallen back asleep. He scratched absently at his arm, and his eyes flew open. His second blank. How could he have forgotten, even for a matter of seconds? Today he would find out if he was maybe a match with MJ. And going forward from today, he could meet one of his soulmates at any given moment. Or it could take years. How was he ever supposed to sleep again with that knowledge?
What time was it? May should still be here. He jumped out of bed and staggered through his door to see his aunt quietly drinking her coffee at the table, dressed and ready in her scrubs. He knew she had a normal 12-hour shift, then was covering the first 6 hours of someone else's shift that night. He was glad he hadn't woken her. And glad Tony had been available. Or had made himself available. Peter frowned as he remembered that FRIDAY had been instructed to wake his mentor, even though Peter wasn't really in any danger or distress. He'd have to try to deal with that later. FRIDAY could sometimes be logicked with, until Tony found out and countermanded his suggestions more precisely.
"May?"
"Hey, baby. Shouldn't you be in the shower?"
"Yeah, I just wanted to see you before you left."
"Aw, that's sweet." She stood up and walked over to kiss the side of his head. "You're gonna have a great weekend," she said with a smile, patting his cheek. She turned to finish gathering her things, but Peter stopped her with a hand on her arm.
"Hey, May?" She turned back, eyebrows raised. "So, this happened."
Peter held up his arm so his new, pale pink mark was visible. Again, predictably, May screamed, dropping her coffee cup.
Peter's reflexes jumped in and rescued her cup from shattering on the floor with just a foot to spare. He got splashed with warm coffee for his efforts, but it was still better than a mess.
"Peter, are you kidding me? Wh-wh-when did this happen?"
"It woke me up about 4:30 this morning, itching," Peter said shyly.
"Peter Benjamin Parker! You didn't wake me?"
"May, you have like a huge day today. I wasn't going to make you miss out on sleep. I wasn't even sure if that's what it was. But then Tony said-"
"You talked to Tony at 4:30 this morning?" she asked, eyes widening.
"Well, I asked Karen to ask FRIDAY if he was up, and then a few minutes later he called me, but I guess FRIDAY actually woke him up, which wasn't my intention, but…"
"No, honey, I'm sure it was fine, if he'd told her to," May said softly. Peter wasn't sure what the look in her eyes was. Maybe a little bit of sadness? Was she sad he'd told Tony before her? (Again)
"May, if you didn't have such a long shift today, I would've woke you, I promise."
"No, it's perfectly fine, Peter," she said with a smile. "I was just surprised. Did he help?"
"Yeah, he looked at it and we talked a little, then he convinced me to try to go back to sleep."
She nodded. "Were you able to?"
"Yeah, for a little bit." She looked at him discerningly. "There's something else, isn't there?"
"I'm just… I… when I see MJ today, after this should be settled for sure, I…"
"You're wondering if you might match with her."
He nodded, rubbing roughly at the back of his neck.
"Oh, honey," she said, pulling him into a hug. "I really hope that happens for you. I hope so much. But please try not to expect it."
"I know, May. I'm trying."
"As your parental figure, you know I'm hoping you wait a nice long time before you find this one," she said, pointing at his arm. "You don't really need to be married at 17, mister. Life will be much less complicated if you manage to wait."
"May!" Peter said, rolling his eyes and pulling away. "We'd make it work."
"Hmm. Bye, sweetie. I'd better hear from you today if anything happens, though. I'll put your number on an emergency push-through, so don't call me about finding your gym shorts, forgetting I'm working."
"Okay, May," Peter smiled. "Have a good day, and a good weekend. Larb you!"
"Larb you too, honey."
Peter went in to get his clothes and head into the shower. He'd kind of forgotten that detail. A romantic soulmate pair that accepted the bond was considered married in most countries. It was the same kind of personal commitment, and being legally married introduced a lot of protections and rights. He thought it was just laziness on the part of the government, though, borrowing from marriage language and laws instead of creating a new legal category for soulmates. Peter rolled his eyes at the whole thing. He didn't even know if there were any legal changes that happened with platonic soulmates. Apparently he hadn't been paying attention to that part in the short class they'd all been encouraged to take the year before. There probably were? And how would either affect him as a minor? He really needed to be better informed, now that all of this was actually applicable to him. He lathered up his hair quickly, not wanting to be late. He did still have to take a final. And… crap. Print his paper that he'd finished the night before. He hoped he could find the stapler…
Peter walked towards lunch later that morning and almost couldn't breathe. He hadn't told either of his friends about his new romantic mark, and though he'd chatted absentmindedly with Ned in several classes, he didn't actually see MJ until lunchtime, if he carefully avoided running into her, which he had. He just needed to make sure, and he wanted some space to deal with his emotions if they didn't have any reaction to each other. He'd finally realized she deserved a heads up, too, since he'd have a reaction either way the next time he saw her, so about an hour ago he'd texted her.
So, last night/this morning I developed a second blank
A few minutes later she'd responded.
Are you serious?
Odds are against us being a match. I've tried to keep from thinking about it. But I needed you to know, so you know why I might be a little off when I see you next. Because of course I want us to be.
He'd had to wait nearly ten minutes for her next reply. She was probably dealing with her own thoughts on the matter.
Thanks for telling me. I'll see you at lunch. Either way, I love you.
I love you too. I'm so grateful to have you in my life no matter what.
Same. Meet me in the breezeway on the west of the cafeteria?
As he walked towards the meeting spot, he saw MJ waiting. She was so beautiful. And he liked her so, so much. He would not get his hopes up. He would not . As he got close, her gaze raised to his, and they looked at each other carefully, watching for signs of... something. Peter stepped in and took her hand.
Nothing.
He looked at his arm, and raised it to show it to her. He knew her mark was on the back of her shoulder. Neither mark seemed to be having any kind of reaction. He looked back to her face, and her eyes were shiny with tears.
"Oh, Em, please don't cry," he said, surprised to discover that his own vision was blurring as well. He pulled her into his arms and hugged her tightly, his hands finding familiar spots in her hair and around her waist.
They stood there together for several minutes, grieving what wasn't meant to be for them. He pulled back to look at her face again, then leaned in to kiss her, slowly, gently. When she pulled back, it was to smile at him sadly.
"Well, it was worth a try."
"It was worth all the tries," he responded, trying to smile back.
"But, Pete, I'm so happy for you. I don't know if I could stand finding my soulmate someday and being happy with them, and worrying about you, wondering if you'd ever be happy, too. I'm so glad that you have a soulmate too. Two of them, actually! I wish one was me. But if it's not, it's someone even better for you. And that helps me be okay with it."
"When can I grow up and be wise like you, Em?" Peter sighed. She kissed him on the cheek, then ducked into the nearby bathroom, and got some paper towels for each of them to clean up their faces a little. They took a few deep breaths, then bravely walked hand-in-hand into the cafeteria. Ned looked up in relief as they entered. Neither had thought to clue him in, and he'd obviously been wondering where in the world they were. They had a little explaining to do, and Peter hoped he could contain his emotions for the rest of the afternoon.
Tony
"Tony, what's going on with you today?" asked Pepper.
"What do you mean? I'm just being normal."
"You very much are not." she said from where she was trying to work at the kitchen table on something. "You're pacing around, and getting all up in my business, and reorganizing the kitchen, which I don't actually appreciate, by the way. And our bond is just pulling at me, so don't try to tell me you're fine."
"I thought you liked me getting all up in your business," Tony teased, deflecting.
"Not at 11 in the morning, when I'm trying to work," she argued. Then more gently, "Come here."
He pretended not to hear her, but after a minute he nonchalantly approached the table.
"Sit."
He did, and she reached over to brush her fingers gently through the hair at his temples and at the nape of his neck, then let her hand trace down to just below his collarbone, where his soul mark sat. As she made firm contact with it, he visibly relaxed into the chair, and sighed.
"What's troubling you, sweetheart?" Pepper asked, obviously concerned, and keeping the soul mark contact. She could see it visibly calming his system from its state of unrest.
"I don't know." She just looked at him. "Well, I do, but it's silly."
"Okay."
"It's… when FRI woke me this morning, it was Peter. He developed another soul mark."
"A second one?" Her eyes were wide. "Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because, apparently, I have feelings about it all. And I was trying to not have them."
"What kinds of feelings?"
"It was crazy enough when I knew he had a platonic soulmate. Now he has a romantic, too, and I'm just so happy for him, but…"
She studied his face carefully. "You worried you're going to be displaced, Tony?"
He huffed out a breath, then sighed, leaning into her touch. "I was already struggling, knowing he's going to be leaving for school next year. What if he meets a soulmate, or even both of them, soon? Between May, and school, and all the attention even one new soulmate bond requires, there's just no way he'll still have time to spend over here, too."
"Honey?"
"Yeah?"
She waited until he actually looked up to meet her gaze. "You're doing the thing where you're pre-sad about things that haven't even happened yet. Yes, Peter's going to be busier. There are going to be new people in his life. We're not going to see him as much. It's that time of life for him."
Tony stared down at his shoes. "I told you it's silly. I just can't shake it though."
"You, me, and your therapist all know you have abandonment issues," she smiled gently at him, "and rightfully so. But Tony, that kid loves you. He's going to be busy, but he's not going to forget about you. Who did he reach out to in the middle of the night?"
"Me," he said reluctantly.
"And who was there for him?"
"Me. Thanks to FRIDAY."
"Thanks to you programming FRIDAY to make sure you were available," she corrected. "You're not going to be replaced."
She leaned forward and pressed a kiss to his cheek, then to his lips. "Now. I want you to stop moping and worrying, and go down to your lab and make something useless."
He bristled. "Everything I make is useful," he protested.
She raised an eyebrow. "Everything?"
He smiled back sheepishly. "Well, most everything."
"Love you Tony. You're going to be fine. And so is Peter. And you'll be seeing him in a few hours. Oh, but don't forget about your meeting at 2:30."
"I would never."