Chapter 2
When Wednesday morning arrives, Peter realises he’s going to have to tell Steve and Tony about MJ coming over that afternoon. He decides to broach the subject as he’s about to leave for school which will give him a good escape route when the inevitable teasing begins.
“Ooh, Petey-pie’s got a girlfriend.” Are the first words out of Tony’s mouth. “From the moment I laid eyes on you Pete I knew you would follow after me; brains, looks and killer game with the ladies.”
Steve barely looks up from the paper he’s reading. “Yeah, clearly your husband is proof of your ‘killer game with the ladies’.” Peter can’t help the snort that escapes him and Steve winks at him from across the table.
“In the time before you sweetums. You know there’s no other for me now.” Tony leans over to press a kiss to Steve’s cheek.
“Better not be.” He says accepting the kiss with a smile. “Ignore him Peter. I’m sure she’s a lovely girl and I’m looking forward to meeting her.”
“She-she’s not my girlfriend or anything. Just a friend… She’s the captain of the Decathlon team actually. That’s why she’s coming over, to practice.”
Tony’s eyes light up mischievously. “To practice… Uh huh, okay. Sure Pete, I used to do a lot of ‘practicing’ when I was your age as well.” Even Steve laughs light-heartedly at that one
“Okay, I’m leaving now.” His parents continue to laugh as Peter blushes furiously and scurries away to get in the elevator.
---
After school MJ meets Peter at his locker and they walk in a somewhat awkward silence with Harry in tow to get the train.
As they were leaving the school courtyard Ned had wiggled his eye brows and winked at Peter until he eventually disappeared out of sight. Peter has desperately tried to push all of the comments everyone has been making out of his mind but the closer he gets to being alone with MJ the more nervous he feels. Maybe this is a date?
Harry is being uncharacteristically quiet. He doesn’t even say goodbye when they get off the train, just lights a cigarette and walks off.
“Not the most social, is he?” MJ drawls as they watch Harry’s figure retreat from sight.
Peter can’t stop the laugh that leaves his mouth. MJ turns her piercing gaze on him. “Sorry, it’s just I wouldn’t really call you social either.”
The corners of MJ’s mouth turn up ever so slightly. “Touché Parker.”
They’re just about to turn down the street that the Tower stands on when Peter resolves to tell MJ what she’s about to walk into. “So, you know how I got adopted a few months ago?” MJ nods, her expression never giving anything away. “Well who adopted me might shock you.” At least Peter might get to see a different expression on the girl’s face when he tells her.
“It’s Tony Stark and Steve Rogers.” Instead Peter is the one with the shocked expression. “I sit at the same table as you at lunch every day, you and Ned are hardly discreet.”
Okay, that Peter can admit to. “Does anyone else know?” They’ve started walking again and are just approaching the Tower doors.
“No, I mean it’s not like anyone really pays any attention to you.”
“Ouch.” Peter turns to face MJ as they get into the elevator.
“Except for… me…” Their eyes meet for a second and then they both become very interested in the floor as the elevator speeds upwards.
Everything flows easily between them as soon as they start running Decathlon questions. Peter discovers a lot about MJ he didn’t know over the course of the next few hours; for example, on top of being exceptionally observant MJ is really funny. It’s a dark and dry humour built upon heavy on sarcasm and wit, it fits her perfectly.
She also knows pop culture references almost as well as Peter does, and his pop culture knowledge is something he takes a great deal of pride in so he considers the fact MJ could rival him very impressive indeed.
There is one inescapable thought that plagues Peter constantly over his time with MJ, she is so like Harry. They’re obviously different in many ways but he finds that he likes MJ for all of the same reasons he likes Harry.
Just before dinner Steve and Tony appear to introduce themselves and to invite MJ to stay, as they do with each one of Peter’s guests. The girl politely declines and states that she should really be getting home anyway.
Peter walks her back to the train station listening contentedly as MJ explains the newest true crime case she’s learning about from a podcast.
When they’re waiting on the platform MJ turns to him with a determined look in her eyes. “Peter, was this a date?”
There it is, the million-dollar question hanging in the air between them. The very question Peter can’t figure out the answer to.
He certainly couldn’t deny that the very definition of a date fits perfectly with what they had been doing all afternoon. He also can’t deny that he finds MJ very pretty, and he really does like her a lot.
Finally deciding just to take a chance Peter says, “Yeah, if that’s okay with you?”
MJ nods. “Wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t. So…”
“So…” Peter begins to panic slightly, what is he supposed to do now? What do people do at the end of a date they didn’t initially realise was a date? “Do you want to go on another date? Maybe we could do something a bit more fun than running Decathlon questions.”
MJ laughs and Peter decides he needs to make her do that more often; she looks so carefree and pretty when she laughs. “Sounds good. So… Saturday?”
“Yeah, Saturday.” Peter agrees just as the train pulls into the station.
The boy hasn’t ever seen MJ display any emotion remotely close to nervousness but he swears right now he can see a light blush across her cheeks. “Bye loser.”
Peter stays on the platform until the train has disappeared and then slowly makes his way back to the Tower. In his pocket he can feel his phone buzzing with questions from Ned about how it went with MJ, but he decides that can wait. Right now, he has two eagerly awaiting dads to deal with.
The pair are waiting for him smiling like the cat who got the cream. Bucky shoots him a sympathetic smile as Tony and Steve begin a barrage of questions.
“All I will say is I have a second date on Saturday and I will not be answering anymore questions until I’ve eaten.” His parents back off seeming satisfied enough with this response for now.
Bucky however does not seem satisfied and is watching Peter with a calculating look, as if he’s trying to crack some sort of code. Peter tries his best to ignore the other man’s gaze boring into the side of his head, chalking it up to nothing more than Bucky’s strange assassin tendencies.
---
They agree to meet just after lunch on Saturday at a coffee shop not too far from the Tower. Takeaway cups firmly in hand they begin walking with no real destination in mind until MJ asks if Peter would mind visiting a book shop with her. Of course, he agrees, and the curly haired girl leads him to a small shop crammed from floor to ceiling with every book imaginable.
It’s very quiet inside so they can’t do much talking but watching MJ wander amongst the books is a language in itself. The girl simply belongs here, Peter has never seen her more at ease.
“Is there even a book in here you haven’t read?” Peter whispers over her shoulder. “Every time I see you you’ve got a new book in your hands, surely you’ve read them all by now.” MJ just laughs slightly in response and then settles on her new book, pays at the counter and then they’re back out in the New York summer.
Eventually the pair make their way to the park where they sit on a bench and MJ tells Peter stories that cause him to practically double over in laughter. Being so observant and yet so quiet clearly has its perks as MJ seems to know just about every secret and sordid affair that goes on in their school.
“The end of year dance is coming up soon as well.”
“Oh, yeah I suppose it is.” Peter continues to sip his coffee, he had forgotten the dance was coming up. Last year during the dance Ned had stayed over at Peter’s watching horror movies all night. That would be fun to do again he thinks, and this year they could invite Harry to come along. “Are you going?”
“I might…” There’s a long pause. “If the right person asked me I probably would.” MJ is looking at him intently now.
Peter laughs uncomfortably. “Oh well, yeah. I, um, I hope that happens for you?” Peter is sure he imagines it but MJ seems to huff slightly before she stands up.
“I should really get home now. Thanks for the coffee, nerd.” She walks away without another word but from MJ’s attitude alone Peter is fairly certain he missed something.
---
“So, the date went well?” Tony asks that night as he puts dinner down on the table in front of his son.
“Yeah, MJ is cool.” Peter happily shoves a forkful of pasta into his mouth. “It got a bit weird at the end though, I think she was annoyed with me but I don’t know why.”
Steve inclines his head. “Well what happened at the end of the date?”
“We were talking about the dance next week and then she just kinda got up and left.”
Tony sighs, already sensing where this is going. “What exactly did she say about the dance kid?”
He shrugs. “She didn’t really say anything, just that she was only going to go if someone asked her.” There’s a smattering of laughter around the table and Peter looks up to see everyone trying to contain themselves. “What?”
“Ace,” Bucky is openly grinning and clearly finding the whole situation hilarious. “That was your cue.”
“My cue?” Peter asks, still not getting it. No one is attempting to hide their laughter now.
Steve takes pity on his son, reaching over to pat his back sympathetically. “She obviously wanted you to ask her to the dance Pete.”
Oh. Peter sees it now, that makes perfect sense. He groans into his pasta bowl. “I am such an idiot.”
Clint snorts. “Glad you said it.” Peter flicks a piece of pasta at the archer in annoyance.
“Okay, how do I fix it then?” There’s resounding silence from everyone who was more than happy to tease him a few minutes ago. “Oh, so you have nothing to say now? Convenient.”
A few people pipe up with suggestions eventually. Natasha thinks Peter should just tell MJ to be more direct in the future so that there are no more misunderstandings, but Peter can only see that discussion ending in an argument.
Clint suggests a number of methods including a flash mob, a barbershop quartet and sky writing. All ideas are shot down immediately by the rest of the group for being impractical. Peter personally doesn’t think he would have the confidence or bravado to follow through with any of those ideas anyway.
Tony is about as helpful as Peter thought he would be, suggesting that he stroll into school the next day and find another girl to ask so that it will make MJ jealous. “Gotta treat ‘em mean to keep ‘em keen Pete.” Natasha, Steve and Bucky all take turns hitting the billionaire for that one.
Steve comes up with admittedly the most romantic idea, but it’s really old fashioned which then descends into Bucky and Sam teasing him.
“He’s fifteen Stevie, and we live in the 21st century now in case you’ve forgotten. Ace’ll get the crap kicked out of him if he goes to school in a nice pair of slacks and a jacket and asks to meet the girl’s parents first.” There’s no malice behind Bucky’s words and Peter actually finds himself agreeing.
“MJ would probably be the one kicking me.” Peter mutters to himself. The girl can be truly terrifying at times.
“You can hardly make fun of him Buck, when you asked me on our first date-.” Sam stops short, his eyes wide as he realises what he has just said.
Steve and Tony both jump up from their seats to point accusing fingers at the pair. “WE KNEW IT!” They high-five and then Steve is pulling out his wallet and handing his husband $20.
Bucky stares at the pair in disbelief. “You bet on us?”
“We had a bet on who would slip up first.” Tony pockets the bill his eyes shining with childish glee. “Steve thought his and Barnes’ long-standing bromance would prevail and eventually you’d give in and tell him. I on the other hand bet on Wilson’s never-ending stupidity.”
Everything descends into further chaos from there, Peter’s problem all but forgotten. However, he is mildly relieved as he doesn’t think they were getting very far with the issue anyway.
Sam and Bucky explain that they’ve been dating for a few months now but they didn’t want to tell anyone because it was so new. Once his parents have finished gloating they tell the couple how happy they are for them.
Watching them all interact Peter realises he can always count on one thing; no matter how crazy his and his families lives are they all genuinely love and care about each other. It’s not been an easy road to get here but Peter can say confidently he feels safe and loved living here in the Tower with Steve and Tony, and of course his extended gaggle of family in the form of assassins, super soldiers, and gods.