“Mom, did- nevermind, it’s a stupid question”
Pepper paused the early- morning reruns of Spongebob, (which Peter requested bashfully) on the t.v., and moved her head from atop her son's head to get a better look at him.
“There are no stupid questions, Pete. Especially from you. I know you're father would agree with me but…”
She peered over Peter's head and gestured to the loudly- snoring figure curled next to Peter's other side.
“He needs to learn how to sleep properly.”
Peter giggle at that, and then sheepishly looked down and began to play with the hem of Tony's borrowed (stolen) MIT sweatshirt.
He looked back up at her with those big puppy eyes and asked, “Did you really mean what you said a few weeks ago? That I was yours the moment I moved in with you and dad?”
She pulled him close to her again and kissed the top of his head. “Of course I did, sweetheart. Why would I lie about that?”
“I didn't think you were lying, I just wanted to clarify if you truly meant that. Because when I first moved in things were a little blurry besides dad getting me settled and welcoming me. I just kinda, I dunno, tuned out a bunch of things, I guess.”
“Understandable.”
“It’s just, I was just so devastated at the time. Did- did I ever tell you the full story of what went down?” He asked as he went back to playing with the sweater.
“No, because Tony told me the basics of what happened and I certainly didn't want you to feel worse if I asked. Are you okay to talk about it now?”
“I mean, I'm fine now. It still feels weird that this happened and kinda still hurts, but I'm honestly alright. And hey, this might help more anyways.”
“Alright, tell me as long as you're okay with it.”
Peter nodded and took a deep breath.
“It was a week after the- the reversal,” he started a bit shakily. He always got a bit tremendous when recalling the events of the war.
“I finally made it back to May's after recovering here.”
☆☆☆FLASHBACK BEGINS☆☆☆
“May?” Peter called as he entered the small apartment for the first time in what seemed like years.
“I'm back obviously! May?”
She stepped out of the small hallway that led the the bedrooms, arms crossed.
Peter didn't notice her agitation, though, though, for he was too focused on the fact that they were here and safe together.
“I missed you so much!” He exclaimed as he hurried to give her a hug.
As soon as he reached her, though, she ducked out of his direction. And made a face that read ‘what the hell are you doing?’
Peter frowned at her actions, confused, and asked, “May? What's wrong? If this is about not seeing you after I week I- I called and texted you a thousand times telling you where I was and that you should come visit-”
“What the hell were you thinking?” She asked coldly.
“W- what do you mean?” He asked nervously.
“You know damn well what I mean. Going to SPACE without my permission, not knowing where you were for so freaking long, because Stark wouldn't respond to me when I called.”
“He was lost in-”
“I don't want these bull shit excuses! You worried me sick! Don't you understand that?”
“May I do, really-”
“SHUT IT!” She snapped. Peter quickly shut his mouth. He had never seen her this angry, not even after she found out he was Spiderman.
“The whole Spiderman thing I could deal with, but this- this was too much. You are the most selfish person I know, and I have done nothing but raise you even when I could have sent you to an adoption agency long ago when I intended to.”
Peter gasped at that revelation. Did she really want to get rid of him that badly when her and his uncle had him.
“But you were an angel back then, when you were young and innocent, so me and Ben kept you. It was his convincing, actually, the saint. But he’s not here any more no thanks to you.”
That was a low blow, because she know how much the Ben situation got to Peter. And Peter knew she used that on purpose to get to him. Considering his vision was getting blurry from the tears about to pour out, he would say it was working.
“But now, you’re just a selfish liar that takes advantage of me. I won't stand for that anymore. Out. I want you out of this apartment.”
“W- what?!”
“You heard me. Don't make me repeat myself.”
“No, no no May please. This is a mistake just give me another chance!” He begged as he went up to her and grabbed her hands. She quickly shook him off, though, and gave him another funny look.
“Don’t touch me! You're lucky I'm not turning you in to Secretary Ross as a ‘donation’ to the government. You know how much money I could get from that? But I'm being generous by not turning you in.”
“May, you're making-”
“You think I'm hesitating? You have 10 minutes to pack up and leave or I'm really calling him.”
Peter's eyes bulged out of his head at her threat. He was terrified of being turned in, but the worst part about it was that he realized that May wasn't bluffing.
He looked at her as his tears finally let loose as he trudged to his room to gather his minimal belongings he could take.
***
When he walked out of his room with his three bags filled with his belongings, May had her arms crossed yet again.
“You have two minutes to get out.”
“May, please-”
“One minute and forty five seconds.”
“I have nowhere to go.”
“Go run back to Stark for all I care. Leave the key on the counter. You have one minute.”
Peter hurried across the apartment, looked back one last time at his aunt, and placed the key on the counter.
“Goodbye, May. I love you.”
Nothing.
He walked out of the apartment and shut the door softly. As soon as he did so, he fell to the ground and began to sob uncontrollably.
After Peter calmed down a bit, he picked up his phone with trembling hands and dialed the only number he thought could actually help.
“Hey, kiddo. Are you still feeling good?”
“Tony,” Peter breathed out.
“Pete, are you okay? Do you need help?” Tony asked worriedly as he heard the tremor in his protege’s voice.
“Actually, c- can you come p- pick me up from M-may's? I need a place to stay for now.” He asked feebly.
“Definitely, bud. I'm having Happy bring me right now so just stay where you are until we get there. We'll talk in the car, sound good?”
***
“Not that I'm complaining, but why do you need to crash here tonight with all your bags?” Tony asked nonchalantly after Peter entered the car.
“Well, uh, you see, May wasn't too pleased that I went to space without her permission, so she uh, she-” his voice cracked at the end as his sons returned.
Tony's heart shattered as he realized what had happened.
“Don't tell me she-”
“She kicked me out!” He interrupted with a gut wrenching sob.
Tony proceeded to pull Peter closer to him and whisper reassurances into his hair.
“Shhh, it’s alright, bud. You can stay with me and Pep for as long as you want and need. Is that alright?”
Peter nodded into his chest and responded, “It'll have to be.”
☆☆☆END FLASHBACK☆☆☆
“So, yeah. You know the rest.” He finished off with his voice cracking.
“Oh, sweetheart. I didn't know it was that bad. And that threat was just awful.” She said the last part with venom in her voice, remembering hearing about it previously.
“I- I know! I knew she was serious when- when she said that because she knew how much dad was trying to keep me away from him. I'm t- terrified! I can't go there!” He stuttered in fear.
Pepper cupped her hands around Peter's face and spoke softly, “Baby, listen to me carefully. As long as you're dad and I are breathing, we promise to do whatever it takes protect you from everything. Whether it's Ross or anything else.”
“I- I know,” he sniffled, “but- but even if I did the worst thing in the world-”
“Like what, freeing a penguin from the zoo?” Pepper joked with a smile, knowing full well he was incapable of doing anything worse than that.
Peter let out a chuckle and continued, “No- I mean yes, but I'm serious! Even if I lied to you, which I don't, but if I did, you wouldn't- you and dad would still keep me, right? You- you wouldn't kick me out?” He looked up at her expectantly with those great big brown orbs as they filled with tears.
Brokenhearted, Pepper took one of her hands off of his face and brushed it through his curls. She brought him in closer and placed a soft kiss on his forehead.
“We would never dream of doing that. You mean too much to us for us to kick you to the curb. May was out of her mind. I have no clue what she was thinking because you, sweetheart, are the most amazing thing to ever happen to us. No doubt. I love you so much. More than anything in this world.” She finished softly with a small, comforting smile.
Peter's tears finally fell free as he gave her a smile of his own in return. She quickly swept them away with the pad of her thumb and brought his head to her chest.
They stayed cuddled together contentedly for what seemed like years before Peter spoke up, “You have no idea how much that means to me, mom. I love you so much too. You and dad.”
“Nice to finally feel included.” They turned out of their position towards the gravelly voice of Tony. He looked at them firefly with a look of amusement on his face.
“How much of that did you hear?”
“Enough to know that you're mother is right, as per usual.”
“Damn straight.” Pepper muttered with a smirk.
“Now how much time do I have left before the meeting with Ro- Aw SHIT!” Tony exclaimed as he saw the time on his watch. He shot up from his spot and quickly pulled on the blazer he placed in the back of the couch.
“This is what happens when you don't get any sleep,” Pepper told him in an I- told- you- so manner. “Why do you care about time anyway? You're never worried about being late to a meeting? Also, you hate Ross.”
“Yeah, well this one's about clearing up the Accords and getting Spiderman’s name off his wanted list permanently. Just a way to help protect you like your mom said, bud.” Tony finished with a look at Peter of admiration. He placed a quick kiss on the top of his son's head and pecked Pepper's lips as he ran into the elevators with a “Bye and love you two!”
Pepper rolled her eyes jokingly and continued the show for them again, Peter becoming quickly engrossed in Spongebob's underwater shenaniganz as he laid his head on her shoulder again.
Pepper looked down at her beautiful son, and recalled the moment she had realized she loved him as her own. She had her own story of the May incident she needed to tell Peter. Later, though, when the cartoons are finished.
☆☆☆FLASHBACK DOS☆☆☆
Pepper’s heels’ usual ‘click clack' were muffled by the carpet underneath her as she marched angrily to May's apartment with a manilla envelope in her grasp.
She knocked on the door, waiting for the wretched woman to open it.
When she did, instead of the scowl she was expecting, she got a smile of delight from May.
“Pepper! What a lovely surpri-”
“What the hell is the matter with you? How dare you act all buddy- buddy with me when you kicked your own flesh and blood out of your household?” Pepper asked, furious.
May's smile then did turn into a scowl.
“Oh, is that what this is all about.”
“Yes that is why I'm here. I would appreciate it if I came inside for us to discuss it.” Pepper hissed out.
May rolled her eyes and opened the door, letting the angry woman though.
“Would you like anything?”
“Cut the pleasantries out. We're not friends. That ended when you kicked your nephew out of his home.”
“Oh PLEASE,” she started, “He had it coming. Lying to me all the time, sneaking out, doing things the government defines as illegal.”
“Oh my God the only person who thinks it's illegal is that ass hole Ross-”
“He should be considered lucky I didn't turn him in to Secretary Ross. I could have made so much money-”
“Don't you DARE speak about Peter that way!”
“Why do you care, huh? I'm surprised you actually kept him and didn't throw him in the streets. He's nothing but a nuisance.”
That was the straw that broke the Camel's back.
“That child is the most innocent, loving thing I know, and you are out of your damn mind for kicking him out!” Pepper shouted angrily.
“I made the right decision. I regret nothing.” She spotted venomously.
“Well I'm glad then. Because you won't have a problem signing off your rights as guardian and letting us adopt him,” she stated as smoothly as if she just DIDN'T yell at her.
May was dumbfounded for a few moments, then answered, “Why didn't his dad come and do this?” She remembered full well how many times Peter aggravated her by talking about Tony as if he hung the moon.
“Because he's busy working in the shop with his son, who's beginning to become happy again, no thanks to you. They're quite the duo.”
May glared at her, and asked, “What if I say no. Why should I agree to this, exactly?”
Well, here comes the boom again.
“Because you gave up your rights when you kicked him out. And we, unlike you, actually WANT him.”
“You can’t just-”
“Damn right I can! That bundle of happiness is the best thing to ever happen to us, and you're crazy if you think you're going to stop me from being able to adopt my son!” She bellowed.
Pepper's brain screeched to a halt, as did May's arguments. They both were shocked by the revelation. Pepper resized quickly that she had been thinking of him as her own for quite some time, just without realizing it.
Huh, the things you discover in the most unconventional situations.
She quickly composed herself, though not the same was said for May.
“You- you think of him as your-”
“You heard me. Now sign the damn papers so I can go home to meet my family.”
Family.
It felt right. It felt more- complete with Peter.
“Fine.” May growled out.
“Also, you're giving up all visitation rights, so if you even want to look at Peter again, which you probably don't agree our conversation, you're going to have to go through Iron man and wife.” He threatened.
May quickly took the pen lying on the table and signed her name in the appropriate spots.
She shoved the papers back in the folder and thrusted them into Pepper's arms.
“Happy?”
“Elated. The business is through, so I'm out of here.” Pepper retorted as she turned around and opened the door to the small apartment.
She was ready to go meet her newly associated family, but before she left, she turned around and truthfully expressed to May, “By the way, you just made the biggest mistake of your life.”
☆☆☆FLASHBACK DOS OVER☆☆☆
‘Yep,’ she thought as she looked down at her son laughing at the cartoon.
‘She doesn't know what she's missing. The biggest mistake of her life.’