Tony Stark
Peter rushed down to the lap to see Tony Stark working on two different things. A new Iron Man suit, and Peter’s own Iron Spider suit.
“Sir, you have a new arrival.” J.A.R.V.I.S. announces.
“Who is it?“
“Penny Parker, sir.”
“Oh. Well, let her in!”
The door to the lab swings open, and Peter steps inside, trying to get a closer look at what Tony is working on, trying to stay out of the inventor’s (and DUM-E’s) way.
“Do you mind taking a break, Mr. Stark? I just…want to tell you something. It’s pretty important.”
“Oh, right, yeah of course Penn. Just give me a moment to finish this last thing up…J.A.R.V.I.S., pause the music please.”
The music stops, something Peter hadn’t even noticed. Tony finished drilling and puts his tools down.
“What’s up Penn?”
“Uh, it’s kinda an important…private…thing.”
“Do you want me to tell J.A.R.V.I.S not to listen? If it’s private I can do that…”
“N-No it’s okay…I’m just..trying to…find the words, is all.”
“Oh. Okay. Take your time.”
“Ms. Parker’s heart rate is increasing. I suspect this to be the beginning of an anxiety or panic attack.” The AI interrupted, noticing something Tony took too long to notice, in his opinion, that Peter was close to hyperventilating and was nervous as fuck.
“Penn? Hey, I’m right here, okay? I’m right here. Nothing is going to go wrong and you are safe , kid. Penn, breathe. Just, look at me, match my breathing.”
Peter looks at Tony, still trying to avoid his eyes, but he tries to calm down by watching Tony and just listening to him. He would have laughed if he wasn’t panicking so bad, since Tony cares so much about him…he acts like a dad.
When Peter calms down he finally looks Tony in the eyes, at least for a moment. He can see how much he was affected, how worried he is.
“I…I’m okay, Mr. Stark.”
“This must be something big if you panicked while trying to tell me…would writing it down make it better? So you don’t have to speak?”
Peter nods.
Tony places one of his engineering notebooks, as well as a pencil, in Peter’s hands, the notebook turned to a new page.
After a few moments, in perfect cursive, there is a message written on the paper.
I’m trans, Mr. Stark.
Peter doesn’t speak, too scared to, Tony thinks, handing the notebook to the inventor.
“You’re trans…” Tony mutters. “Have I been calling you the wrong name…and referring to you the wrong way…all this time?”
Peter nods.
“Oh…fuck kid I’m so sorry.”
“You didn’t know, Mr. Stark. It’s okay.”
“I understand that, but I probably made you feel horrible.” Tony takes a deep breath, bending down so he’s now eye-level with the Spiderling. “What name would you want me to call you? And pronouns?”
“P-Peter…and uh…he/him, please?”
“Of course, Pete. Always. You’re a brave kid.”
“Me? Brave? No…”
“Coming out in any aspect, God, especially as transgender, is hard and stressful as fuck…I would know…” Tony muttered the last part. Peter heard, but didn’t say anything yet. “Hey J.A.R.?”
“Yes, sir?”
“Penn goes by Peter now. Please change that in your system. And refer to him as Mr. Parker or Peter from now on, please.”
“I will edit that in my files.”
“J.A.R., please enact…um…f-fuck I forgot the name…please enact whichever protocol I created for you to not look over the lab, please. I want to talk to Pete in private. Complete privacy please.”
Peter made note of how erratic (?) Tony sounded, the older of the two most definitely being nervous over whatever he was hiding. Or not hiding. Whatever he wants to tell him.
“Got it, sir. Let me know when I may return to my regular programming.”
“Got it, J.A.R..”
“Mr. Stark?”
Tony sighed. Slightly frozen, most definitely nervous.
“What I’m going to tell you is something not many people know. It’s not exactly public knowledge. Rhodey, Cap, Pepper know. The only ones who do.”
“Mr. Stark, you seem to be panicking.” Peter replies, slightly sounding like the AI.
“I’m fine, Pete. Not the first time I’ve done this.”
“Are you sure Mr. Stark? If you’re nervous you can do what I did, write it out…you know it’s easier…”
“I did that with Pep. Middle of a panic attack and I had to do it. Before any interview, so double the panic.”
Tony was deflecting. And panicking.
“Mr. Stark, everything is fine. I’m not going to say anything rude and no matter what I’m going to support you.”
“You sound like Rhodey, now, kid. In a good way.” Tony says, stumbling over his words. “I-…fuck I can’t say it.”
“Nerves…I get it. Uh, here…write it. The basics. No need to tell me everything.” Peter, close to equally frantic, says as he hands the same notebook Tony had handed him earlier.
I’m trans too.
“Woah, that’s really cool, Mr. Stark! But uh, have I been calling you the wrong name this whole time?”
“No, uh, I’m a trans guy. You haven’t been calling me the wrong name. Only Rhodey knows what my deadname is…since we grew up together. No one else in the compound knows.”
“I will not breathe a word to them. It’s your thing to tell, not mine. And you don’t need to share your deadname, not an obligation.”
“Thanks for that, Pete. And yeah, I don’t wanna share that. But I will say I’ve known since I was five years old that I was trans. My own parents weren’t supportive, but I had Rhodey and Jarvis.”
“You have J.A.R.V.I.S.? The AI? Back then?”
“I took our lovely AI’s name from a real person, someone my dad was close to. He was the first person I ever told. When I was five.”
“Wow, oh…but uh…about your parents…I’m sorry, Mr. Stark.”
“You can call me Tony, you know? And it’s okay, Pete. It stung but it’s okay.”
“G-Good. Um…this may be a weird question but, do you have any binders?”
“Do you need one? I haven’t worn one in years since I got top surgery, but I still have some in various sizes…ever since Clint came out I decided to keep a few if anyone needed.”
“Clint gave me one of his…he uh…bought me a new one too…but, y-yeah I may need one more.”
“I’ll give you one. I have too many anyways. Does…does May know?”
“Yeah…she does. May, MJ, Ned…Clint…Mr. Strange…Natasha…and Mr. Bucky all know I’m trans.”
“That’s good of you. And you don’t need to hide anything from your aunt.”
“She calls me her favorite nephew.”
“Aren’t you her only nephew?”
“Yes but the sentiment is there, Mr. Stark.”
“Pete, you can call me Tony, y’know?”
“I know.”
“This is a weird question, but do you want the other Avengers to know? And I am going to work on compression tech for your suit because binders while exercising, or patrolling, or fighting, is going to damage your lungs and ribs. I learnt that the hard way.”
“I got stabbed the other day while patrolling…so I did learn the hard way. Clint already gave me the lecture. But uh…thank you Mr. Stark.”
“Of course. And wait… you got stabbed?! ”
“Yes?” Peter squeaks.
“Are you okay, kid? Let me see the wound.”
Full dad mode , Peter thinks.
“I sutured it and bandaged it myself. I’m okay.”
“You…fuck kid that’s painful…how did you not pass out?”
“No clue.”
“Pete. Seriously, please let me look at the wound. I trust you, I just want to make sure you won’t get an infection.”
“Mr. Stark, I’m not wearing a binder…”
“Kid, as long as you have something on, please. I really don’t want to push you or anything…I’m just nervous.”
Peter just lifts his shirt up on the side of the wound, revealing a bandage.
“It looks pretty nasty. But seriously, I wouldn’t ask if you didn’t say you did this yourself. Again…I trust you. I just want to be sure you’re okay.”
God this is awkward , Peter thinks before revealing the stitched-up wound.
“You popped a stitch. Well, more like three. God, kid, please be careful.”
“Does this mean you have to stitch it up again?”
“Yes. But it will be quick. And I’m going to make sure it’s painless for you. And you did perfect, other than the popped stitches.”
“Don’t you have like, fast-healing tech or something?”
“Aren’t you the Spider-kid with fast healing?”
“Yes…but it takes time…works better when sleeping.”
“You have a point. And, sorry for this being awkward, Pete. I really didn’t want it to be.”
“It was bound to be awkward given the place of the wound.” Peter replies with a sleepy laugh.
“Fair. Would you rather have Banner or Strange stitch this up or me? I’m not as good as either but I have a steady hand.”
“We’re here, you can do it. And I’m pretty pain-resistant.”
“Just because you’ve been stabbed-”
“And shot-…”
“What?! Ah…well…just because you’ve been stabbed…and shot…many times does not mean you’re pain-resistant, kid.”
“I stitched the wound without anything…I’m gonna live.”
“Well I’m not letting that happen. I’m not gonna knock you unconscious, just make that area kinda, numb, y’know?”
“I get it, Mr. Stark.” Peter mutters, fixing his shirt and the bandage, finding the first aid kit on top of a bench. He pulls out the needle and some suture thread. And antiseptic. “This is easy, kinda painful, but I can do it. Hand me the scissors, please.”
“Kid, I really don’t trust this…”
“I will be fine .”
“Peter. No. I will call one of the doctors. I’ll call the wizard…Hey J.A.R.V.I.S., dear?”
“Yes, sir?”
“Please tell Dr. Strange that he is needed down here.”
“Why not Dr. Banner, sir?”
“For Peter’s comfort.”
God, I can do this myself, Mr. Stark.
“Kid. Peter. I know you can do it all yourself but you have us. And I’m not gonna sit here and watch you put yourself in even more pain.”
“Fine, Mr. Stark.”
And within a moment Doctor Strange had portaled into the lab.
“Jesus, you two. The fuck happened?”
“Language.” Tony.
“What?” Peter.
“Peter you are bleeding through your shirt. Barton mentioned you got stabbed earlier and I kind of assumed this would happen.”
“That I’d pop a stitch?”
“Or three.”
Tony and his remarks.
“Yes. Because Barton also told me you swung back home well-knowing you had stitches in your side.”
“Peter!” Tony, concerned and surprised. In a bad way.
“I’m sorry…”
“It’s fine,” Stephen replied, walking a bit closer to the two. “I’m not mad, just a tad bit upset that you got yourself hurt. I can use some magic and heal that up quick, though it may be slightly painful.”
“That’s fine, Doctor Strange.”
It takes five minutes but the wound was fully healed just by the magic.
“No swinging home tonight, Peter.”
“He’s staying the night.” Tony replies. “He has no school tomorrow, plus I need some input on updates to his suit. I’m not going to have another bloody binder incident.”
“Okay. Stay safe and call me if either of you two get hurt. I’m going back to the Sanctum. And Peter, I’m proud of you for telling Tony.”
“Thanks Doctor Strange.”
“Any time. Have a good rest of your nights, and please sleep, you two insomniacs.”
“We’ll try.”
And with that, Stephen once more wishes a good night to the two, before opening a portal and returning to the Sanctum Sanctorum for the night.
“You feeling better, Pete?”
“Definitely. Now, let’s talk suits.”
Tony laughs getting J.A.R.V.I.S. back on the normal programming and settings for the lab, playing some music.
“Is this Iron Man from Black Sabbath?”
“You know your stuff. Now, suits. I can’t have you wearing a binder while patrolling or fighting so this tech will help. And it will lessen any damage to your body. I developed nanotech after I got too surgery so I never used it for myself, though I have implemented this technology into Barton’s suit as well. It works wonders. I'm going to add that and let you test it. Is that good with you?”
“Perfect, Mr. Stark!”
“Let’s get to it then, Pete.”