Not a mother, but an Aunt
"We never even talked about having kids, and now we have a 6 year old!" May wrung her hands together. The news of her brother and sister-in-law's death still fresh. Dealing with the loss of their family, on top of inhereting Peter - it was all starting to feel like a lot more than May Parker could handle. Guilt bore down on her though- somehow even heavier than the anxiety that had been crippling her for the last couple of days. If it weren't for Ben - Ben - who just lost his brother- she isn't sure she'd even be able to keep her head above water. Peter didn't deserve to have her constantly breaking down, and neither did her husband.
"May," His tone was gentle - careful. "Peter's spent more time with us in the last year already than he has with his parents. Our home is basically his home as it is. Will it really be all that different?"
This gave May pause.
He wasn't wrong.
She just hadn't thought of it that way.
It was true, Richard and Mary Parker spent most of their time away. The two of them were always working. It was one of the main reasons she and Ben were shocked when they one day came home from one of their business trips with a 3 year old kid. A kid was exceptionally bright but seemingly no memory of life before he was adopted. Which wouldn't have been surprising maybe for some three year olds - but for Peter, it did strike May as odd when he was so smart. They had taken a year off, taking the year to get to know their new son, or for him to familiarize himself with them.
But then it was back to business as usual, and Peter frequently stayed with his aunt and uncle. May never minded though - she adored Peter. She would do anything for him - even if that meant becoming his new full term guardian.
The poor boy had already lost so much, and he was only six. Ben, at one point in the past 48 hours had made a joke about him already having "Parker luck." It had been made to somehow lighten the mood - but May didn't find it funny.
"What if I'm not enough for him, Ben?" She whispered so quietly, she actually hoped that he didn't hear her.
But then warm arms were wrapped snugly around her, and she felt the dam she'd been desperately trying to hold in finally burst.
By the grace of whatever it was watching over them - and she found herself having very little of that faith left recently - she had managed to pull herself back together before Peter woke up from his nap.
"Uncle Ben... Aunt May... I don't know how to keep the bad dreams away..." Peter sniffed, immediately walking over to May, who didn't hesitate to scoop up her nephew, carding her fingers through his curls.
"I think Uncle Ben got you something today." It wasn't a solution to his problem - but she hoped it would serve as a distraction at least. She felt completely out of her depth, but she'd be damned if she didn't give it her all when it came to protecting Peter Parker from the world. Even if that meant sometimes just distracting him from the horrors the world sent their way.
"She's right. I did." He left the room, and came back a moment later with an Iron Man plushie that was nearly the size of Peter, and if the way his eyes lit up didn't just completely melt her heart. She wasn't Iron Man's biggest fan - or rather - Tony Stark's biggest fan. But Peter was two steps from being obsessed with the world's newest superhero. Peter was already trying to squirm out of May's hold, reaching with earnest for the giant Iron Man plush. She chuckled and sat him back down on the floor.
"How about you go show Iron Man your room, hun. Me and your uncle were thinking about ordering some pizza for dinner. How's that sound?"
"Sounds great! Thanks May! Thanks Ben!" Then without another word, Peter wrapped his arms around the Iron Man and tugged it off to his room. She could hear him talking a mile a minute to the toy as he ran off.
"I'm not sure that was a good idea. The kid is going to give himself an asthma attack if he doesn't slow down," May shook her head and slumped down into one of their dining chairs. Now that Peter was no longer in the room again, she could feel her earlier anxiety begin to rear it's ugly head.
"May - You're already amazing with Peter. We'll take on parenthood the same way we do everything else - together."
---
”May, he’s actually my son. DNA match and everything. I found out a few days before squidward showed up looking for the wizard and the world went to shit. He’s my son.”
“Excuse me?”
A thousand thoughts and memories had been swirling through May as she stared helplessly at her nephew for last couple of hours. There was he was, laying in front of her, but she couldn't for the life of her wrap her head around what she was seeing. The past twelve - twenty four, if she counted the hours before she disappeared for five years - felt like a nightmare. A nightmare that she couldn't wake herself from no matter how hard she tried.
She'd almost forgotten that she wasn't sitting there alone. Until Tony spoke up.
She was confused at first- then she felt anger swirl through her and she turned an accusing stare at the man sitting next to her. His eyes were red rimmed, and he looked paler than usual, and if hadn't been for his most recent admission, she would have taken pity on the man. The lost look on his face didn't seem to fit. It was incredibly un- Tony Stark like.
But having a kid, and then abandoning them? That seemed incredibly Tony Stark-like.
"Where the hell were you all his life then? If this is some sort of joke, it's not funny. His parents are dead, Tony. You know that."
Tony was silent for a full minute, and he had returned to looking at Peter or at the wall above him - May couldn't actually tell. His voice sounded strained when he finally answered.
"I think you're aware that Peter was adopted..." He started, pressing his lips together tightly, and there was something else in his expression May couldn't put her finger on. Guilt, perhaps? Good, she thought. He should feel guilty.
"I thought my son was dead. He was pronounced dead officially when they couldn't find his body anywhere..." His breath hitched, and he leaned forward, burying his face in his hands. May hated the way the sight made her twitch with pity. When he started speaking again, his voice was muffled from behind his hands. "For nearly thirteen years I thought my son was dead. And then.. I lost him all over again for five more years."