MAYbe this will work out

On Thursday, Peter was brimming with nervous energy.

Tony was going to meet May today.

The school day naturally dragged on because he was waiting for something to happen later, but finally the last bell rang and he went to the black car parked at the curb. He got in the front seat knowing Tony was driving today instead of Happy.

"Afternoon, kid. You ready to take on your aunt?"

"Hah." He made a face. "Are you?"

Tony let out a breath of a laugh. "I'm a confident person, but even I'm not feeling too great about this one."

"She'll come around."

He shrugged and pulled out of the school parking lot. "Hope you're right."

Walking up to his apartment with Tony Stark next to him was definitely one of the weirdest things Peter had ever done. He unlocked the door with his spare key and pushed inside, May coming out of the kitchen to meet them as they walked in.

"Hey." She smiled at Peter, then turned to Tony. "Mr. Stark, hi."

"Hi, Ms. Parker. Call me Tony. It's good to finally meet you."

"You too. And it's May. Sounds like we're going to be in touch a lot in the future."

The man nodded. "That's the hope."

"Well, let's all sit down, yeah?" May invited. They went over to the couches and Peter debated siting next to May, not wanting it to seem like he was siding with Tony against her. But then he decided showing a unified front with man was a better way to convince May they were a team in this.

"So...you want to kidnap my nephew every weekend?"

Tony pressed his hands together. "You don't waste time, huh?" He cleared his throat. "But yes. I want to have Peter over for the weekends so we can spend more time together."

May looked dubious at best. "And is Avengers Tower teenager-friendly?"

"I'm not worried about Peter getting into trouble, if that's what you're asking. And I'll always be with him in the lab, so it'll be safe."

"But will he have things to do, there? I know he obviously can't go out on the streets with you, but he can't just be trapped in the tower like Rapunzel every weekend."

"I think we'll find plenty to do. And I've already told the kid he's welcome to go to Ted's house—"

"Ned," Peter corrected.

"—If he wants to. Happy or I will drive him and pick him up."

"That's very generous of you. But Peter does have homework on the weekends he needs to get done too."

"Oh, he will. I'm not worried about him."

May narrowed her eyes. "Were you ever a teenager, Tony?"

The man fought back an eye roll. "Peter's a much better kid than I was, and he cares about his grades. If he doesn't do his work, the consequence naturally follows. I don't think I'll need to get involved much."

Peter appreciated the defense. A smile pushed its way across his face.

"And what about rules?" May pressed. "Boundaries, curfew?"

"Well, what's his curfew now?"

"10:30. Bedtime is 11:00."

Tony shrugged. "So it'll be the same at the tower."

May looked like she was waiting for more.

"Are there any other rules you have I should know about?" Tony played it safe.

She looked at Peter. "Besides no drugs or alcohol, no."

Tony winced at his own public history with alcohol. "He won't even have access to alcohol. Friday will lock it up."

"Come on, I've never tried to drink in my life," Peter defended.

"I'm just making sure Tony knows what's acceptable."

Peter's eyebrows knit. "May, he would never do that."

"I wouldn't think so, but I'm covering all my bases."

Peter exchanged a glance with his dad, and the man shot him a reassuring look. "It's okay. She's allowed to be skeptical; everybody knows I don't have the cleanest history." Peter had honestly forgotten that the man had lived such a cavalier life. He'd already started to see him less like the Tony Stark the world knew and more as his dad.

"When will you have Peter home by on Sunday nights?" May changed the subject.

"9:00?" he asked to clear it as okay.

"That works for me," she agreed.

They lapsed into quiet. Now that the more logistical details were ironed out, Peter knew what came next. He saw the look May gave Tony.

"Pete, can I have a moment alone with Tony?"

He met her eyes and then his dad's. "Sure." He stood and flashed Tony a wary look before he disappeared down the hall. He didn't quite make it to his room, though, hovering in the hallway to listen to the adults' conversation.

May's voice was low when she spoke again. "I'm going to be up-front with you, Tony. If you intend to use Peter for publicity, or plan on ditching him whenever you don't feel like being a father anymore—" Peter's heart leapt at the accusation.

"I would never do that to him, May." Tony's voice was serious.

He knew May would have grilled him more, but she seemed stopped by something. Probably the sincerity behind his words. "He's lost two fathers already, and I don't think he could bear to lose another one," she warned, and Peter felt emotion spring to his eyes.

When the man spoke again, his voice was quiet. "He won't lose me."

"You're an Avenger," she pointed out hopelessly. "And what if someone figures out your connection and tries to hurt Peter? Or uses him for ransom? Doesn't that kind of thing happen to rich people's kids all the time?"

"We're going to do our best to make sure no one even finds out about him. If anyone does suspect anything, the go-to is that he's my intern—which is true. But I swear, I'll protect him. With my life, if I have to."

Peter's stomach clenched. He could hear the woman let out a sigh. "I know you care about him, Tony."

"I love him, May."

Peter's chest went fuzzy. "Why?" May shot back. The question surprised Peter, and it seemed Tony too, because he didn't answer right away. Why would a billionaire with no previous interest in kids or family love the son he'd just found out he had?

"Because I couldn't not love him if I tried," he said simply, and Peter felt heat rise to his cheeks. "And I know I've been gone from his life for fifteen years, but I'm going to be here for him from now on because that's what he deserves."

Peter swore he could hear his own heartbeat.

"Okay," May whispered. "But everything that happens to him goes through me first; are we clear?"

"Of course."

"Then…congratulations, Tony. It's a boy," May joked.

"Thank you, May."

Peter heard the couch shift, and he darted backward into his room, pulling out his phone as he crashed onto his bed.

Tony walked in a second later, knowing look on his face. "You listened to all that, didn't you?"

Peter stuttered. "Uh…maybe?" He breathed a laugh.

"It's okay." Tony came over to sit next to him on his bed. "I want you to know that I meant everything I said."

"I know," Peter replied, stomach filled with nerves.

"We passed the scary aunt test, kid. We're good now." Peter let out a relieved breath, and Tony reached his arms around Peter, drawing him into a hug.

Peter held him back, mind still turning over what he had said.

'I love him, May.'