Peter looked down at his phone. He knew he shouldn't be on it in class, but it was definitely justified. Plus, Ned wasn't here to harp on him about it. He glanced up at MJ, her smile meeting him from across the room where the teacher was droning on and on about...polynomials, he thinks? Whatever it is, he probably knows it already. Or, if he doesn't, all it takes is a quick Google search and she--no--he'll know. Peter checks to make sure that the teacher isn't looking, then goes back to his phone, where his Messaging app is open to MJ's number.
So, when are you going to tell him?
--Sent 1:29 pm
He scrunches his eyebrows together for a second, though it's mainly for show (he knows she's watching him, and anyway, the teacher won't notice), and types a quick reply.
Tell who what?
--Sent 1:31 pm
He looks back up at MJ, then down at his phone again as he sees her hand subtly move under the table to type.
You know who. And what
--Sent 1:31 pm
No I don't
--Sent 1:32 pm
Peter, you oblivious string bean
--Sent 1:33 pm
DUDE
--Sent 1:33 pm
What?
--Sent 1:33 pm
Peter could almost hear MJ smiling all innocent like she didn't know what he was frustrated about. Sure enough, when he glanced back up at her again, she was still smiling exactly like he had envisioned.
MJ please
--Sent 1:34 pm
Fine
--Sent 1:34 pm
Thamks
--Sent 1:34 pm
But only because you said "please"
--Sent 1:35 pm
Peter rolled his eyes.
I meant, when are you going to come out to Tony?
--Sent 1:35 pm
Peter's eyes went wide. He hadn't even considered that. Yeah, sure, he had gotten a binder and a packer and he had asked his friends to call him by he/him pronouns and he had told them that he prefers to be called Peter now. But s- he hadn't thought he would have to come out to Mr. Stark. Well, he did. But to be quite honest, he had been avoiding it at all costs, trying to think about something else instead whenever it came up.
I don't know
--Sent 1:37 pm
Peter closed his eyes and took a deep breath. That was certainly not what he wanted to think about in that moment.
You should do it this weekend
--Sent 1:38 pm
...She's kidding, right?
I mean, obviously, you should do it when you're ready. But this weekend is the perfect opportunity for you to do it. You'll be with him and it's right before Christmas, too
--Sent 1:38 pm
...
--Sent 1:38 pm
Ok
--Sent 1:38 pm
Peter felt anxiety rising in his stomach as the bell rang. He walked out the doors of Midtown High, giving "see you later"s and "have a good weekend"s to Ned, MJ, and a few classmates he passed by. He could taste metal by the time he was in the car with Happy, and his head was swirling as he stepped out of the elevator in the Tower. He was so distracted thinking of the best way to say it as he walked into the lab (which, according to Pepper, Tony had been in all day) that he didn't notice the sweat beginning to form on his forehead.
“Hey, kid, I was wondering when you were going to-” the familiar voice paused as Tony turned around. “You okay?”
“Y-yeah, I’m fine.” Peter laughed nervously, sharply, unconvincingly.
“You sure about that? You look kinda…” Tony gestured vaguely at him. “You know.”
“Yeah, I, um...well, actually, there’s something I need to tell you. Like, really need to tell you.”
Tony turned so that his body was fully facing Peter, putting on a face that clearly showed he was listening intently to what the anxious teen had to say. “Go on.”
“I-I’m not a girl.”
“...What?”
Peter repeated her- no, himself. “I’m not a girl.”
“O...kay.”
Silence.
Peter was getting more and more uncomfortable for each second that the pause stretched on.
“Okay...what?”
“Okay.”
Peter’s heart skipped a beat, or two, or possibly seven. “You mean like-”
“Kiddo, I’m not going to judge you or anything, okay? I’m just glad you told me.”
“You-you’re not angry?”
“Why would I be angry at you? You didn’t kill anyone.” This time, the silence was more amiable, soothing, friendly rather than tense. “...Did you?”
Peter groaned. “Of course not! Why would I do that?”
Tony was smiling along with Peter now. He shrugged, still holding a screwdriver. “Had to check.” His smile faded, and Peter’s anxiety levels spiked again.
Oh God. Oh God he’s mad at me isn’t he. I shouldn’t have told him, this was all a mistake, I should have just stayed at home.
Tony took a deep breath, then spoke again. “Is there anything…”
Here it comes. He’s going to tell me that it’s all in my head and he’s going to say how much he hates me and wishes he never even knew me and oh God-
“Do I need to change…”
...What?
“I guess what I’m trying to ask is, what should I call you?”
Peter’s brain stalled like a car engine in subzero temperatures and he struggled for words. “You- you mean like, my name?”
“Yeah.” Tony paused while Peter let out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding.
“I, uh...I’d like it if you could call me Peter instead of...you know.”
“Okay, Peter.” Tony pronounced the name carefully, as though trying it out, seeing how it felt to say.
Despite his best efforts to stay calm, Peter felt a hot tear roll down his cheek, followed by another, and before he knew it he found himself sobbing on the floor. Tony was out of his chair and over to him in no time, setting a hand on Peter’s shoulder.
“Hey, kiddo, what’s wrong?”
“I-I just-” Peter started hyperventilating. “I-I thought you would be mad at me, a-and that maybe you would…”
“You thought that I would what, kiddo?” Concern was evident in Tony’s voice, not to mention in the way he was looking at Peter.
“I-I thought you might hate me, and you wouldn’t want to be around me anymore, y-you know?” Peter sniffled, fully aware that he was ugly-crying and not caring. “I’m just...relieved, I guess.”
“Oh, Peter, kiddo.” Hearing Tony use his correct name sent Peter into another bout of sobbing fit for Noah’s ark. He pulled the brunet into a hug, running his fingers through his hair as he pulled him closer. “I would never do that, okay?”
Peter nodded as he choked out a small “okay.” And even though he knew being trans would make life that much harder for himself, for now, it was okay.