Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Aunt May was going to kill him.

That was the primary thought running through Peter’s mind as he sat slumped against the damp stone wall.

When Mr. Stark had called him in on a mission with the Avengers on the first of August, his aunt told him it was cutting it too fine. His two-week presentation isolation was due to start on the third. A week before his seventeenth birthday.

It was something that everyone went through. An extremely important time in a young person's life.

During those two weeks (the seven days before and the seven days after their seventeenth birthday) they would present as either alpha, beta or omega. The process itself could be taxing, both physically and mentally. It would leave the individual weak and susceptible to suggestion which was why they would retire privately to be with their family during the process.

It was supposed to be a time where the teenager and their family would quarantine together in their home and not surface again until it was all over.

May had been worrying about it for the past couple of years. Since Ben had died, she was the only person that would be with Peter, which was a lot of pressure. It also didn’t help that she was a beta, so wasn’t as knowledgeable about alpha physiology as Ben was.

Both Peter’s dad and Uncle Ben had presented as alphas. In fact, all their male bloodline, as far back as they’d investigated when looking into their family history, had presented alpha.

It wasn’t unusual.

In about ninety-five percent of cases, males would present as either alpha or beta and females would present as either beta or omega. Of course, there was always the exceptions but those were very rare nowadays.

Female omegas had finally been welcomed into most workplaces and were on track to have equal rights within the next ten years or so. Unfortunately, the same couldn’t be said for female alphas or even worse, for male omegas.

Over the past month, May had been reading parenting books about raising alpha teenagers just to make sure she was ready. She had a ‘my first rut’ kit sitting in the cupboard ready to be handed over as soon as it was needed.

It was a time that was usually spent reinforcing bonds between parents and children. Given three of Peter’s parental figures had died during his short lifetime, she was understandably doing everything that she could think of to make sure it went off without a hitch.

She had spent the last week in July stockpiling food and drink to last them through the two weeks. With Peter’s increased metabolism, she had been worried they would run out and didn’t want to have to worry about leaving Peter alone during his transformation to make sure he was fed.

A checklist had been stuck to the fridge for a couple of weeks with the steps needed and the timeframe they would follow. So of course, an Avengers mission to check out yet another Hydra base on the first of August had not been on the agenda.

But what was Peter meant to do?

If Mr. Stark calls asking for Spider-Man’s help on a mission, he isn’t going to turn him down. Besides, it was supposed to be a quick in and out mission. Purely intelligence gathering. He’d be home the following day at the latest. That would be plenty of time to get back to the apartment before he started his quarantine with his aunt on the third. 

It had taken some slight begging on Peter’s part, but eventually May had reluctantly relented and let him go. With the promise he would be back in time.

That had been three days ago.

Turns out their intel had been wrong.

The base that was supposed to be abandoned was buzzing with activity. Taking the entire team was just them being overly cautious and wanting to get more practice in the field with Spider-Man joining them. But even with all hands-on deck, they were overpowered.

Mr. Stark covered the skies with Clint acting as an arrow firing sniper. Natasha and Peter snuck in to retrieve intel and fight when necessary, with Bucky and Steve taking out the brunt of the soldiers on the ground.

The revised plan had been drilled into them on the approach when the scanners picked up on the motion of soldiers. Everyone knew who was going to be where but given the sudden change in plans staying in communication with each other was going to be more important than ever. Any information they could gather and pass on would be essential.

Of course, due to the necessity of communication during the mission, it shouldn’t have come as a surprise when an EMP was set off which knocked out their comms. Cutting them off from the rest of the team.

Peter managed to hold his own against the highly trained soldiers for the first couple of minutes, but the hits were never-ending. He was quickly tiring from the constant movement. Unable to even stand still for a couple of seconds to catch his breath. Jumping from wall to ceiling to floor in random orders to evade attack.

Given it was about five against one, he thought he was doing okay. A couple of bruises and grazes from bullets, but no direct hits. He’d been ready to ask Natasha if she had a plan yet when he heard her let out a choked gasp from behind him.

Spinning round, he froze at the sight before him. Two of the soldiers had the superspy held tightly between them with a third man holding a gun to the back of her head. Others around them also had their guns aimed at her head. His eyes flitted around quickly, trying to think of any possible escapes that wouldn’t end in one of them dying but drew a blank.

They were outnumbered and the bad guys had won.

“Don’t try anything funny, unless you wanna see the inside of the bitches head,” smirked the man standing directly behind Natasha.

He could hear the men behind him shifting their aim to him as well. The slight widening of Natasha’s eyes the only confirmation he needed off their actions.

Closing his eyes and sending out a silent apology to May, Peter had raised his hands in defeat and allowed the men to manhandle him into a set of cuffs, supressing a wince when his mask was pulled from his face and shoved haphazardly into one of the men’s pockets. Following them as they led them down winding corridors and endless staircases, they eventually came to what could only be described as a dungeon.

A square room, about 12 feet by 12 feet. three walls made of stone and the fourth composed entirely of what appeared to be vibranium bars. Through the bars was the small door that led to the staircase they had been dragged down.

When the two of them had been guided into the room, he felt a shiver of fear at the sight before him. Clint was in the far corner, arms cuffed behind his back and attached the wall, watching them with concern as they were guided to their own wall chains. They obviously weren’t amateurs. Peter’s cuffs were attached to a set of thicker chains on the opposite side of the room to Clint and Natasha. He warily eyed the two other currently empty chains either side of him that he assumed were intended for the other supersoldiers.

His hopes that the rest of the team would come and rescue them all but diminished when Tony was guided into the room in a similar fashion, sans his suit. He was attached to chains beside Natasha and Clint.

Tony had quickly locked eyes with Peter. When the barred door had been closed behind the pair, his mentor had slid his foot out towards him, until they were just barely touching. Providing him with the only comfort he could offer.

A pair of guards had been stationed on the other side of the bars the entire time, watching the heroes. There was an unspoken rule amongst them not to speak while they were present. Except for Mr. Stark’s or Clint’s occasional snide remarks or questions that earned them glares.

The forced silence was also filled with concerned glances about the missing supersoldier duo who had still not made an appearance. A small part of Peter still held onto hope that it was a good sign, that it meant they were winning. But the more realistic side, acknowledged that if no one in the cell could make it out then the missing duo didn’t have much hope either.

It couldn’t have been more than another half hour before an unconscious Steve and Bucky were dragged into the cell and chained either side of him.

Once the soldiers were locked into place, the guards in the room left. The click of the lock echoing against the stone walls. A collective sigh was released, but Peter’s thoughts were too loud to let himself speak.

During that first day they’d remained mostly positive. It was an official mission, so people would notice when they didn’t return. Rhodey or Sam, who was visiting his sister, would launch a rescue mission and they’d be home by the following day. They’d kept conversation light and warily picked at the food and water that were given to them by their captors.

The next day the optimism wasn’t quite as pronounced.

They’d get there eventually. Given they had the good quinjet, it could take them longer to arrive. They’d be relying on the inferior jet. Peter knew excuses when he heard them. Could see the tension growing around their eyes as they assured him he’d be out of there and home before he knew it.

The minute they’d woken this morning the air had been thick with tension. They all knew what day it was. How important it was to Peter. He was supposed to be home with May. Supposed to be locking the doors for the next two weeks. But he was here instead. With no way of letting his aunt know.

“I’m sure it’ll be alright, kid,” Mr. Stark encouraged from his spot on the floor. “The seven days before hand are just a bit of overkill. We’ve still got time.”

“Yeah,” he breathed, his voice wavering. “Yeah, I know.”

“So, there’s no point in freaking out yet.” Mr. Stark shot him a knowing look.

They’d all spent some time that morning trying to stop him worrying about presenting. It's not something that’s supposed to be done in public. Around people who aren’t family. But it was looking more and more likely that that’s what would be happening.

“You know, I about gave my Ma a heart attack when I presented as an alpha,” Steve mused. “Everyone assumed I’d be a beta. I mean, I was a tiny build with more ailments than I had fingers and yet, I surprised everyone. Without it, I don’t think they would have chosen me for the serum.”

“True. The old man certainly wouldn’t have endorsed it without. He was a traditionalist through and through. He worked from his home office during my two weeks. If my birthday wasn’t publicly known, he probably wouldn’t have even bothered staying inside. He popped his head out each day to check if I’d presented yet but otherwise stayed out of the way.”

“Seriously?” Steve asked, his eyes widened in shock.

“Yeah,” Tony smirked. “Once he heard I was an alpha he breathed a sigh of relief before ignoring us for the rest of the time. Held a pretty press conference after however, with pictures and statements of how proud he was to have an alpha heir.”

“What would he have done if you were a beta?” Clint mused.

“Probably disowned me,” Mr. Stark scoffed. “Like I said, he was a traditionalist. Thought alpha males should be running the world, everyone else should just follow their commands blindly.”

“He’d have loved me,” Natasha smirked. She was a female alpha. Not very common but becoming more socially accepted.

Female alphas now had the right to work, and their human rights were almost at the same level as female omegas. They had more issues with accessing healthcare due to their intersex nature, but the attached stigmas were beginning to be addressed in the public eye – having one of the Avenger’s being one was definitely helping the cause.

“Oh, Lordy. He would have killed me if I presented omega. Like literally killed me.”

“I’m sure that’s not true,” Steve admonished.

“It probably is,” Peter whispered, his cheeks turning red when five sets of eyes landed on him. “Sorry, I obviously don’t know anything. I’ll just—”

“It’s okay, Pete. It is true, but how did you know?”

“I— um, I didn’t know about your dad, but MJs most recent cause has been fighting for male omegan rights. They have the same precedence as female alphas, but there are far fewer because almost half of them die. Either due to complications with the transition, suicide or murder by a family member in supposed ‘honour killings’. Your dad threatening to kill you isn’t out of the norm. You’d be unable to go to university or take over the company. I imagine he wouldn’t want the supposed shame of selling his son for sex.”

“They’re not sold for sex—”

“Then what are they sold for? Male omegas have the option to either be sold to a brothel or sold to the highest alpha bidder. The government will literally take away anyone who doesn’t comply with their ‘rules’, placing the omega into one of those places anyway and then imprisoning the family who tried to protect them.”

“It’s for their own protection, son.”

“For who’s protection? Did you know they have no more rights than a possession? They don’t have body autonomy. Their lives are ruled by their owners and in the United States alone, in the past five years, there have been at least two cases where an owner has bought an omega for the sole purpose of torturing them to the point of death. The police didn’t do anything because according to the law it's not illegal!”

Peter tended to keep himself distanced from a lot of these political issues, but male omegas were something he hadn’t been able to avoid.

He’d come to the realisation that he was bi, with a preference towards males a couple of years back but hadn’t opened up about it to anyone. Not May, not Ben, not even Ned. It was all but guaranteed that he’d present as an alpha which would come with its own list of problems.

Biologically speaking, omegas were the best pairing for an alpha since their bodies were designed to accommodate a knot. Betas could sometimes be stretched to take a knot, but it took hours of prep to prevent any tearing and wouldn’t be enjoyable for them. With the current attitudes towards male omega’s, he’d need to use one of the brothels that were dotted around the country. Something that he’s not sure he’d ever be able to do. It didn’t align with his morals.

Not that he had anything against sex work. But male omegas didn’t have a choice in the matter. They were sold into it like an object rather than a person volunteering.

“Kid’s right,” Clint nodded from his corner. “It’s absolutely ridiculous, but they’re not going to change the laws because its Senators and Governors that profit from the brothels. It's probably them using them each weekend.”

“Not all of them are treated badly,” Tony muttered.

“You have to think that since you worked your way through the male omegas in Malibu back in the day,” Natasha smirked.

He couldn’t stop the blush from spreading across his cheeks as he stared at his mentor across the cell. The man himself at least had the decency to look slightly ashamed. Over the years he’d been growing closer to Mr. Stark. He’d even go as far as to say they were now friends. As much as they chatted about anything and everything, Mr. Stark’s sex life had always been wordlessly kept off the table. Probably for good reason.

“I never did anything without permission – they all knew they could stay stop at any time and their pimps wouldn’t know anything about it. Trust me. No-one has ever left my bed unsatisfied.”

Peter couldn’t stop the embarrassed squeak from escaping his lips.

“Aw, you’re embarrassing the Spider-Kid,” Bucky teased.

“If you find that bad, how’re you going to cope when you hit MIT, kid?”

“I, um, I—” he sputtered. Blushing furiously under the number of smirks being directed his way. “I’ll be prepared for those. I just didn’t expect it... coming from you...” he trailed off.

“Coming from me? What? I’m too old for that sort of thing?”

“I never said that!” he defended. “I just, college kids you expect it from. But you’re…I’d just never heard that before. You’re you, y’know?”

“I’m going to choose to ignore that. You know when you’re starting yet?”

Thankful for the change in subject, he grinned bashfully.

“Nothing’s official yet since they need my designation on the paperwork, but they accept both betas and alphas so it’s just a formality at this point. I got the early acceptance so should be starting in January.”

“Wow, well done, Pete,” Steve awed from his side. “Bet May’s excited about that.”

“Yeah,” he blushed. Shrugging off the praise.

“Don’t be modest,” Tony interjected. “He’s the youngest yet to be accepted to the course and he has the highest marks. Hell, I’d employ him right now if he wasn’t so set on getting himself a degree first. Unfortunately, Pepper agrees with him. I can offer an official internship once he has his designation but no job until after he graduates.”

“Don’t sound so sad about it, Stark,” Clint taunted. “Someone might think you care.”

“Please, I just don’t want to lose him to the competition. Brain like Pete’s comes along once in a lifetime.”

Shifting for the umpteenth time in the past five minutes, he fought to remain calm. The others were all making a pointed effort not to look in his direction but that was just making it even more obvious that they were aware his transition was starting.

He’d been taught about what to expect in health class but that didn’t stop his nerves from taking over. When his temperature began to increase and the unbearable itch on his neck started, he was supposed to be curled up on the couch with May. Moving to his room when the tingling began elsewhere. Instead, he was currently shifting on the uncomfortable floor, trying to ease the suffocating heat bubbling under his suit and using his shoulder to itch his neck.

Their captors were due any minute for their daily food deposit. Earlier on, when Peter’s temperature began to increase and it became clear that he wasn’t going to be home before the transition, they had discussed the best way forward.

Peter already knew they’d seen his face, but they didn’t know his identity, which meant they didn’t know his age. They didn’t know what was happening.

They’d all acknowledged it may be difficult, but he was going to do everything in his power not to let on that he was presenting.

It was certainly easier said than done with the shakiness he could feel forming in his limbs and a tingling sensation starting in his groin. The shuffling of footsteps in the hall caught his attention. Shifting to lean more of his weight against the wall, he clenched his hands into fists before setting his face into what he hoped was a neutral expression.

“Show time,” he muttered under his breath. The others perking up at his announcement and preparing themselves for their captors' arrival.

Just like the previous days, the men didn’t talk as they unlocked the door. Two armed guards standing by the cell door while another three men placed plates in front of each prisoner. He breathed heavily through his nose trying to ignore the itching in his neck and the growing nausea swirling in his stomach.

A sudden piercing pain in his lower abdomen had him biting his tongue to prevent making a sound. He’d been taught and read about what to expect during an alpha presentation since he was a child. He knew it shouldn’t be like this. The itchiness on the right side of his neck where his mating gland would appear is correct, but everything else was wrong. He shouldn’t be feeling sick. Where he should be experiencing some light tingling and perhaps pressure around the base of his cock as his knot formed, he was instead having an intense tingling that was spreading from his lower abdomen round to the base of his spine.

If he were in any other circumstance his mind would have already formed the answer. As it was, about seventy percent of his focus was on remaining quiet and not giving any indication of his current state.

A quiet whimper escaped his lips when the door was finally locked behind the men once again.

“Chow time,” Clint exclaimed, pulling his own plate towards him.

The sight of his own plate caused bile to rise in his throat. Choosing to ignore the food, he curled himself back up against the wall, wrapping his arms as much as he could around his legs. The pain was slowly increasing between his legs, enough for him to bury his head in his knees to try and hold in his whimpers. The longer the others were oblivious the better.

“C’mon, kid. You need to eat,” Tony prodded from across the room.

“Yeah, it might not be the most appetising but with your metabolism you can’t just skip a meal.” Steve’s concerned voice came from his side.

“I— I can’t,” he whispered, breathing deeply and evenly to control the rolling in his stomach.

“I know it’s weird, trust me, and you deserve to have your family here instead of us, but you can’t just stop eating. It’ll be over soon,” Clint spoke softly, his paternal side coming out.

Choking on a sob, he shook his head, refusing to look up despite feeling five pairs of eyes on him.

“Pete? What's wrong?” Bucky asked, worry evident in his tone.

“I—” he paused to groan as an intense pain spiked through his centre. “I’m not an alpha.”

“Well, not yet, but—”

“No,” he whimpered. “I’m... I’m a...” he shifted to run his hands through his hair, a sob escaping his lips before he managed to whisper the truth. What he’d been trying to avoid thinking. What he still wished to be false. “I’m an omega.”

If the room hadn’t been silent, they wouldn’t have been able to hear his confession. As it was, he could hear the echoed shocks of breath as they each took in his words.

“Are you sure?” Tony asked, before cursing under his breath. “Of course, you’re sure. Stupid question. Shit.”

Curling into himself he tuned the others out as they all started talking over each other. Breathing heavily through his nose, he couldn’t hold in his groan when the pain spiked again. He didn’t think it was possible, but the pain just continued to build.

He’d been injured plenty of times as Spider-Man, so he wasn’t a stranger to pain, but this was unbearable. He’d rather be shot multiple times through his stomach than suffer through this.

This felt like he was being stabbed repeatedly while also burning at the stake. It was like his insides were… Oh, God… Like his insides were tearing themselves apart.

The thought barely had time to cross his mind before he was lunging forward onto his knees to dry heave. The force adding to the pain as he spat bile out onto the ground. Coughing and spluttering he could distantly hear the others moving around him. He’s pretty sure he could hear his name amongst the words, but he could only focus on the knowledge of what was happening.

His body was literally tearing a new hole into his body. He knew the biology of a male omega but until this moment, he hadn’t realised the full horror of what presenting would mean. While he was writhing in pain, his body was creating its omegan hole and the connected vagina. The pain was centred around his perineum because that’s where it was created. Fit between the balls and his asshole. One of the most sensitive parts of the body.

Crying out in pain, he pressed his forehead against the cold ground. Choking on a breath, his hands scratched at his chest trying to remove whatever was causing the pressure.

A steady, repeated poke at his side caused him to jump, his attention shifting to the toe of a shoe tapping him. Furrowing his brow, he trailed his eyes from the shoe, up the adjoining leg to Bucky’s concerned face. Blinking past his tears he focused his gaze on Bucky’s lips trying to make out the words.

“—eathe, Peter. C’mon kid, just breathe. Follow me. In…. and out…. That’s it. Again, In…. and out….”

He’s not sure how long he stared at the man trying to copy his exaggerated breaths but the tightness in his chest eventually eased. His breath would still catch when the pain spiked, but he was fighting to follow Bucky’s instructions.

Once his breathing was under control, he became aware of the near constant whimpering that was escaping from him. Raising to sit on his knees, he bit down on his knuckles to keep himself quiet.

“You back with us?”

Sucking a breath in through his nose, he followed the voice to face Tony. His mentor was staring at him with worried eyes. Unsure he could respond verbally without embarrassing himself even further, he nodded.

“Okay. We’ll work this out. You just need to stay calm. Keep breathing. Maybe try to sleep? That might help.”

He highly doubted that he’d be able to sleep while his body continued to tear itself apart, but he nodded, nonetheless. He could at least close his eyes and pretend the team he’d always looked up to wasn’t watching him go through the worst moments of his life.

Twisting as much as he could in the chains, he curled himself into a foetal position facing the wall, his hands wrapped tightly around the chains to have something to ground him. Biting his lip until he could taste blood, he closed his eyes and desperately willed himself to fall asleep. Rocking himself slowly back and forth in the vain hope that it would lessen the pain shooting through his body, he focused on breathing slowly and deeply.

Eventually he fell into a restless sleep, but even that didn’t allow him to escape the pain.

Chapter Text

Watching the kid writhe in pain, even in his sleep, was making his chest tighten with guilt.

He should never have asked Peter to join them on the mission. But Fury had suggested Spider-Man join and of course the others wanted him to be there. Tony knew it would be cutting it fine time wise, but he’d be lying if he said he didn’t want to spend some time with the boy before he’d be off the grid for two weeks. Even after they discovered their intel had been bogus, when doubts started creeping in, he’d refused to listen to reason. They’d need all the help they could get, and it’d be good practice for Spider-Man to fight with the team.

And Peter had sounded so happy to be asked that he didn’t want to disappoint.

If he could go back, he’d punch himself in the face for ever agreeing to bring the kid.

Everyone deserved to present in the privacy of their own home with their family around them. He certainly didn’t deserve to present as an omega while being held captive in a room full of people.

His first thought when he realised what was happening was simply how unfair it was that Peter wouldn’t be going to MIT. He deserved to be on that course more than anyone he’d ever known. As a male omega, he’d be prevented from even graduating high school. His outlook bleak, no matter what was decided.

His second thought was more of an urge.

Watching the kid – and that’s exactly what he was, a kid – shuffle in pain made him want to reach out and hold him. He needed comfort now more than ever, yet the most they could manage was Bucky poking him with a shoe.

Watching the boy suffer through a panic attack and being stuck helpless on the other side of the room was one of the worst forms of torture. And considering his time in Afghanistan that was really saying something.

It had been a tense ten minutes before Bucky had managed to capture his attention enough to get him breathing again. The fear and pain were evident in Peter’s eyes when he’d gazed at him. At a loss of what else to do, he’d encouraged him to sleep, his heart in his throat as he watched him rock to sleep.

“He’s out,” Steve whispered, his eyes scanning Peter’s restless form. Turning to face the rest of them, he sighed wearily dragging his cuffed hands over his face. “What’re we going to do?”

“We can’t let them find out,” Natasha said quietly. “I don’t know what they’d do if they found out he’s a male omega, and I don’t want to be around to find out. He won’t be able to hide it when they come back.”

“Oh, you mean we don’t need to just sit here? Why didn’t you say earlier,” Clint scoffed.

“We don’t need your snark. We have more incentive now.”

“I’d say,” Tony muttered. “If we can get out of these chains, the escape itself should be easy. Break through the cell door, unlock the top door, take out some guards and steal their guns before making it the hell out of dodge and running for the quinjet.”

“Right, and how do you suppose we get out of these chains?” Clint asked.

“Do I have to do all the thinking here? I’m looking for solutions, Barton.”

“I’m just saying, if we could get out of them, we would've already.”

“We’d be able to break your chains, but we don’t stand a chance against ours. We’ve tried already.” Bucky grumbled, rattling his chains for emphasis.

Peter cried out in his sleep, his form shifting as if trying to run away from the pain.

Squaring his jaw, he moved his attention to the chains adorning Steve’s and Bucky’s wrists. Unlike their own, the lock was left slightly exposed. It could be picked if a small enough device was used. Too fiddly for the supersoldiers sausage fingers, but it could be worked with.

“I bet if Natasha got close enough, she’d be able to crack through the lock on your cuffs.”

“I’m sure I could, Stark. But that still leaves the question of how I—“

“Argh,” Peter screamed in his sleep.

A metallic screeching accompanying the sound. Shifting onto his knees, Tony could see his face scrunched in pain. It wasn’t long before another blood curdling scream left the teens lips, pulling his arms down towards his lower stomach the metal chains groaning once again.

Swallowing past the lump in his throat, he forced his emotions onto the back burner and focused on the solution that was laying in front of them.

“I think we just found our solution.” At the confused looks of those around him, he nodded towards Peter. “He’s bending those chains without meaning to. If we get him to focus, he could probably get us out then we can cover the rest.”

“That might work. Although, I don’t think he’s in much position to be following requests right now.” Natasha shot him a meaningful look.

“Whatever you’re trying to communicate right now, it’d be quicker for all of us if you just say it.”

Rolling her eyes, she looked at Peter with what could’ve possibly been guilt, before levelling her stare back to him, giving him a sympathetic smile.

“I doubt we’ll be able to reason with him just now, so in the interest of time you’ll need to use your alpha voice.”

Grinding his jaw, he shifted his gaze to his hands.

It was taboo nowadays to use your alpha voice, especially in public. It was only supposed to be used by mated partners and even then, only in consensual situations. Omegas were subservient to orders administered through an alpha voice. Their biology making it almost impossible to ignore. Even more impossible to disobey.

The thought of forcing his protégé into doing something while he was already suffering so much made him feel sick. Any friendship that had developed between them would likely be destroyed if he used it.

“Please,” Peter screamed, dragging him from his thoughts. “Please make it stop.”

Dragging his hands over his face, he addressed the room at large, feeling defeated.

“Why my alpha voice? Cap and the Manchurian candidate are both closer.”

“Physically yes, but Peter’s closer to you. That emotional connection could make all the difference.” Natasha spoke softly, like she was trying not to spook him.

Dropping his head back to stare at the ceiling, he breathed deeply, squeezing his left wrist as he braced himself for what he was going to do. Lord, forgive me. Bracing himself, he shifted to lean as close to the boy as possible.

“Peter,” he spoke loudly, trying to wake him up first. “Peter… PETER!”

“Ah,” Peter bit back a scream, as his eyes opened. Heaving for breaths he glanced franticly around the room, reorientating himself.

“Peter!” Once the boy’s gaze landed on him, Tony took a deep breath before using the voice he hadn’t used since he was a young and dumb teenager. “Peter, I need you to break your chains.”

Something in his chest tightened, when Peter’s lower lip trembled before he shifted his attention to the chains around his wrist. His brows furrowing in confusion as he gripped them in his hands, pained whimpers continuing to pour from his lips as he obviously fought to control his screams that had managed to escape during his sleep.

The skin around the teen’s wrists looked red and raw. Pain that was likely nothing compared to what was happening to him internally.

“C’mon, Peter. Focus and break them apart. I know you can do it.”

Turning to face the wall, he watched as the muscles in the boy's arms and back tensed, letting out an agonised scream. The sound of metal bending only just audible over the young hero's cries. Ignoring the stinging sensation in his eyes at what he was putting the kid through, he muttered words of praise, unsure if they could even be heard over the increasing shouts of pain.

At this angle, he couldn’t see how much progress was being made, but both Cap and Bucky were keeping an eye on it and supplying a source of encouragement for him.

“Almost there, Spidey.” Bucky nodded to him. “Just a little bit further. C’mon.”

A loud metallic clink as the chains burst and scattered on the floor was shortly followed by Peter’s screams dying off into uncontrollable sobs.

Opening and closing his mouth, he couldn’t find the courage to ask the boy to continue. He knew they’d have to in order to get out, but he was in so much pain that Tony was loathe to add even more to it.

“Tony,” Natasha shouted over the noise in the room, the tone making it clear it wasn’t the first time she’d tried to get his attention. “We need to hurry.”

“Right,” he nodded. Feeling anything but ready, he used his years of practice in the spotlight to bury his worries and willed his voice to come out strong. “Peter, come over here and break Natasha, Clint and I’s chains.”

With a juddering cry, Peter turned and began crawling the distance between them. The tenseness of his movement making it clear how much every miniscule movement hurt. When he reached them, he took a juddering breath before reaching a shaking hand out to grasp the chains between his wrists. With a short cry of pain, he pulled and broke them in half before sobbing as he moved onto Natasha.

Relishing in the ability to move his hands freely once again, he gingerly stretched his shoulders, wincing as the muscles twinged after being locked in place for days.

With his orders followed he watched as Peter curls himself up in the corner beside where Clint has now been freed. Burying his head between his knees, Peter’s grunts and moans of pain echo around the room. Natasha is already working on freeing Cap’s wrists, so despite what his instincts are telling him, he moves to begin assisting Bucky.

The quicker they get out of here the better.

By the time Bucky’s chains clicked open and dropped to the floor, Natasha was helping Cap to his feet and Clint had made it past the cell door and up to the door at the top of the steps. By the looks of it the archer was listening to check for any company while he waited for the rest.

Standing back to give Bucky space to get up, he turned towards Peter who was still crying and groaning in the corner. Making his way towards the boy, he paused when Natasha grabbed his forearm. Glancing at the spy, she kept her gaze steadily over his right shoulder.

“Nat?” he queried when her silence dragged on.

“If we’re going to make it out of this, we’re going to need stealth on our side.”

“Right…”

He already knew this. They’d discussed it at length. They’d been overpowered once before and couldn’t make the same mistakes. This time they’d all stick together and need to rely on the element of surprise to give them an advantage. It was a tactical retreat.

Something in her jaw ticked, before she eventually met his eyes.

“He can’t make any noise, or he’ll give us away.”

“Natasha…”

“Just until we’re in the air,” she hurried to elaborate. “We’re not going to get another chance at this.”

Squeezing his arm – in support, apology, or encouragement, he didn’t know – she walked past him and to the stairs where the others were all congregating.

Hating himself already for it, he shuffled towards the kid in the corner and crouched down to his height. Placing what he hoped was a comforting hand on his shoulder, causing the boy’s head to jerk up, staring at him with pain-filled eyes.

“Hey, Pete. We’re going to get you out of here, okay?” He could see the cogs slowly turning as Peter processed what was being said. Eventually giving a jerky nod as he fought to contain his sobs. Clenching his free hand into a fist, he levelled his gaze, hoping to fill it with as much support as he could manage. “Listen, we need to leave now, but we only have one attempt to succeed. I’m so sorry, buddy, but… you can’t make a sound till we are in the air. Okay? I need you to be silent till we’ve taken off.”

Peter’s face crumpled as he choked back a sob. Tony winced when Peter resorted to biting down on his arm to stay silent. He could already see a thin trail of blood trickling past the boy's forearm, but he wasn’t making noise. Tears still streamed down his face, to the point Tony wasn’t convinced he could actually see, and his breathing sounded laboured, but the near constant whimpering had stopped.

Not wanting Peter to have to put up this front any longer than necessary, he stood up before helping him to his feet. Wrapping the arm not in his mouth around his shoulders, he took the majority of the kid’s weight and half walked, half dragged him towards the others. After practically carrying him up the stairs the group shared a tense nod, before Bucky burst the door open and they moved as one unit.

With an end goal in mind, he felt sorry for anyone who got in their way.

The taste of blood in his mouth was overwhelming as he sat hunched over on the hard bench. The pain pulsing through his body was excruciating. His natural instincts wanting him to scream and shout in an attempt to ease his suffering.

Instead, he had a separate ache in his stomach telling him to remain silent.

When Mr. Stark had used his alpha voice, it was like an electric shock had gone through his entire being. The order repeating in his head, over and over again, until the task was complete. When he even thought about disobeying, about taking a rest and letting the pain take over, the unfamiliar pain in his stomach increased, his head felt woozy, and he was filled with an unbearable fear of letting down the alpha.

It was only because of that order that he was still silent. Blood pooling in his mouth from where his teeth were digging through skin to contain his screams.

The actual escape was a haze of pain.

He was distantly aware of Mr. Stark’s arm around him, and that they were following behind the others who at some point had managed to accumulate a collection of guns between them, one being flung into his mentor’s other arm. At one-point, fresh air had flooded his senses and his knees had buckled at the extra stimulus. From there, things got blurrier. Another body appeared at his other side until he was practically being carried between two men as they stumbled their way through the woods. When they finally reached the quinjet, he all but collapsed onto the bench while the others fluttered around him, presumably getting ready to take off.

The plane shifting knocked him off balance, thumping his head against the wall. Feeling the plane floating, he turned desperate eyes to Mr. Stark, looking for permission to make a sound. It felt like there was a pressure growing in his chest, he wasn’t sure how much longer he could contain his noises. Tears had been streaming down his face the entire time, his arm soaked with both tears and blood.

Natasha shoved his mentor’s arm from where they were hovering around the cockpit prompting the man to turn to face him. His eyes widening in shock before approaching him, like he would a wounded animal.

The order preventing him from making sound made it impossible for him to even ask if he could make noise again. He just had to hope that Mr. Stark would know what he was trying to ask.

“Shit. Pete, you can make noise. As much noise as you need to. You did so well, buddy.”

Now he had permission, he sobbed as he extracted his teeth from his arm causing the pain to reignite. What had turned into a dull throb compared to everything else happening in his body, was now burning at the front of him mind. Dropping the injured arm onto his lap, he let out a strangled yell of pain. Yelping again when his arm was grabbed.

“Sorry, sorry. I just need to see what damage has been done.”

“Doesn’t…. ah, doesn’t matter,” he croaked between sobs.

“We don’t want to risk an infection, it’s another couple hours till we’ll reach the compound.” Tony lent back, reaching for the first aid kit that Steve was sliding across the floor. “I’m just going to clean and wrap it, okay? I’ll be as quick as I can.”

Not feeling he had much choice in the matter, he nodded shortly before resting back against the wall, pulling his knees up against his chest while leaving his arm in Mr. Starks hands.

He wondered why they were heading to the compound instead of the tower. It could be because of the full medical facility that would be handy after being held captive for days. Of course, it could also be to keep him away from others. He wasn’t sure of the exact process, but he knew it wouldn’t be long before he’d be handed over the government. Before he’d be sold on like a piece of meat to the highest bidder.

He jerked upright when a wad of disinfectant was rubbed against the open wound in his arm.

“Sorry,” Mr. Stark murmured, gaze focused on the bite mark. “I’m being as gentle as I can.”

Sniffing, he nodded before curling up again. He just wanted everything to stop. He wanted to be at home in his apartment, curled up on the couch watching movies with May by his side. Wrapped up together under the old blanket that May’s had since she was a teenager that was now more patchwork than original material.

He’d probably never have that again.

Would he get to see May when he got to the compound? Would she even want to see him?

Once his arm was bandaged, Mr. Stark moved to sit beside him.

“Do you want anything just now, Pete?”

Letting out a humourless laugh, he wiped his face with the back of his hands.

“For— For this not to be happening?”

“I wish I could help with that, but unfortunately, we need to deal with the cards we’ve been dealt. Any water just now?”

Shaking his head, his cheeks flushed in embarrassment when a high-pitched whine escaped his throat.

“S—sorry. It just hurts,” he whispered.

“Don’t be sorry. You’re being so brave, yes you are, don’t argue. I’m older, remember? So, I’m always right. Do you want to try and get some rest? It’s gonna be a while till we reach the compound. Cho and May will be there waiting for you.”

Sniffing to clear his nose, he blinked past his tears to study his mentors face for any sign of deceit.

“May’ll be there? She—ah, she still wants to see me?” He couldn’t prevent the waver in his voice.

Mr. Starks face dropped into one of sympathy, as he placed a gentle hand on his shoulder.

“Yeah, buddy. She’s missed you like crazy and can’t wait to see you. She’s been worried sick.”

“D—does she… know?”

“Clint passed on the essentials. Made sure everything should be ready for when we get back. Covered all our bases.”

Nodding his acknowledgement, he leant back against the wall closing his eyes. They were preparing for him getting back. Did that mean his new owners would be organised before they even land? Would he be landing to say his final goodbyes before being removed from them forever?

He knew it would be soon, but not this soon.

He wasn’t ready to say goodbye to everything he’d ever known.

Would they at least wait till he finished presenting? Or would he be removed while in this pain?

The rest of the flight had passed in a pained daze.

Mr. Stark had eventually retreated to the cockpit where the others had gathered. He’d tried not to listen in, but parts of the conversation still drifted to his attention. From what he had gathered they were discussing what was going to happen with him. About whether he’d even be Spider-Man anymore.

It didn’t take a genius to assume the answer would have to be no.

If he was sold, he’d want to do everything he could for them not to realise he was enhanced. Or at least not to learn of his alter ego. He shuddered to think what some people would do to have a go with a male omegan Spider-Man.

The minute they landed, Dr. Cho and her team had been waiting with a gurney to wheel him into a containment room in the medbay.

He’d only just gotten settled on the bed, a process that took longer than expected when he was constantly doubled over as the pain in his groin grew stronger and sharper, when May arrived in a flurry of tears and supportive words.

“Baby,” she whispered, wiping sweat from his brow as he writhed on the bed.

He was torn between wanting the comfort from his aunt and wanting to be alone so he could scream it out. May twitched with every one of his whimpers and groans. They were already in a bad situation; he didn’t want to make it worse.

Didn’t want her last memories of him to be like this.

He doubled over screaming when it felt like the Hulk was pounding on his balls. The pain igniting in his groin before spreading through his abdomen, nausea rising in his throat. He barely had time to move before he was throwing up the little water Dr. Cho had encouraged him to drink earlier. The bile burning his throat. Even when his stomach was empty, he continued to dry heave for several minutes before he was able to lie back down.

His watery eyes looking up from the puddle on the side of the bed to May who was curled up on the floor, a hand pressed protectively against her side.

“May?” he croaked.

“I’m fine,” she said, voice shaking with pain.

“What— what happened?”

“It’s nothing. Don’t worry about it.”

Wincing as she stood up, Dr. Cho and a couple of nurses entered the room looking conflicted. Watching him on the bed warily.

“Did I…?”

“You’re in pain right now, Peter,” Dr. Cho comforted him. “It’s understandable that you’re not entirely in control of your actions.”

He’d hit her. He’d hit aunt May and didn’t even realise he was doing it.

Squeezing the metal bedframe, he jumped, along with the rest of the room, when the rail snapped clean off in his hand. Frantically waving his hand until it fell to the floor.

“I—I’m not sure it’s safe for others to remain in the room with you just now. For you or others. You can’t control your strength and you shouldn’t have to focus on trying to control it while you’re in this state. We’ll still drop by and check on you routinely, but do you understand what I’m saying?”

“Helen, surely it’s not necess—”

“Yes,” he interrupted May, pulling his knees up to his chest in a vain attempt to ease the ever-present pain. He was a danger to be around. He couldn’t take the risk. “I’ll, um, see you later, May?”

Biting back a sob, his aunt nodded, before resting a hand gently on his ankle. Scared to come any closer.

“I’ll see you soon, baby. If you need me, you just tell FRIDAY and I’ll come running, okay?”

Nodding, he buried his head between his knees. Not wanting to watch as she left. She’d said she’d see him later, but for how long?

If the arrangements were set, would she even be allowed to?

Chapter Text

The tension in the common room was almost stifling by the time May’s sobs began to die down.

Tony couldn’t fault her for the display. Everything the kid had been working towards was useless now. The life they’d all imagined for him, gone. He was struggling with that knowledge, and the boy wasn’t even his own. He couldn’t imagine what May was going through. Trying to come to terms with everything his designation would entail was hard enough, but not even being allowed to be beside him in his time of need just seemed cruel. Happy had been required to escort May from medbay earlier, the woman’s tears inconsolable as she stood adamant that she should be in the room with her nephew regardless of the risk to her safety. Cho had said she was lucky to have only lightly bruised her ribs after the shove Peter had given her.

Searching for anything helpful to do, he’d had his lawyers send over everything they’d need to do — with the relevant timescales — and they’d need to get a move on if they were going to complete their tasks on time.

He watched as May pulled herself together and sat up straighter. Taking a shaky breath, she turned red-rimmed eyes towards him.

“What do we do now?”

He’d never heard her sound so lost, so broken. She was looking to him for answers, but he didn’t know if he had them. He was still struggling to wrap his mind around everything.

“I, um, I had my lawyers look into it and they’ve sent over a list of the next steps. Once Pete’s finished presenting, there’re some mandated tests he’ll need to undergo. The state can provide a doctor, or we can ask Cho to do them. Given his enhancements, I think Cho might be better, but it’s up to you and Peter.”

“I agree. Dr. Cho is one of the best and Peter already knows her. We’ll check with him, but that shouldn’t be a problem.”

“Exactly. What we should do now is report him as a male omega. The longer we wait the worse it’ll be. The list of those looking for omega companions is available online, so once you’ve registered him, we should start looking for a potential match.”

He paused at May’s distressed cry. Blinking back his own tears, he cleared his throat before continuing. They needed to think about this practically. No matter how uncomfortable, or wrong, it felt.

“Do you— Um, I’m not really sure how to ask this, but do you know if he’d have a preference? A type, perhaps? Obviously, we can ask once he’s ready, but you risk jail time if you haven’t confirmed your choice seven days after his presentation. Narrowing the list now, might be helpful later on.”

“I can’t believe this is happening to my baby. I don’t even know if he likes men like that,” she sobbed. “He’s only shown interest in a couple of girls at school before. He doesn’t deserve this. How is this fair?”

Swallowing around the lump in his throat, he sniffed before standing to pace. Ignoring the concerned looks he was receiving from the team.

“It’s not.”

His voice broke on the word, snapping his mouth shut he folded his arms. Turning from the group, he breathed heavily through his nose as he fought to control his emotions.

He couldn’t lose it right now.

Peter couldn’t afford for him to lose it.

“This sucks,” Clint said. “How is it legal to just sell a child to the highest bidder? He was supposed to be going to MIT, now he’s supposed to… that’s just all gone? Because of some biology?”

“Clint,” Natasha grabbed the archers arm trying to calm him down from where he was getting red in the face. “It’s not fair. Nobody said it was, and the Avengers can push for male omegan rights later the same way we’ve been doing for the female alphas, but right now, we need to follow the law or both May and Peter will be put into an even worse situation.”

Wearily running his fingers through his hair, he came to a pause behind the couch. Breathing deeply, he allowed himself to fall into his businessman persona. He just had to think of it like a negotiation. Find the most desirable outcome from a list of shit options.

“Okay, you’re right. Between us all we’ve got to be able to come to a solution. The kid needs us to think of something.”

It was the middle of the night before the pain finally stopped.

There’d been no sign of it easing off, he’d went from howling in pain while cupping himself as it felt like his balls were being ripped from his body to nothing. A slight tingling sensation that could almost be described as tickly before it completely faded. Feeling back to normal. Or a new normal.

It certainly wasn’t like before.

He could feel a gap in his body where there wasn’t supposed to be one. His balls tighter and slightly higher than they had been before. Despite his aching bladder, he couldn’t bring himself to go to the toilet in fear of what he’d see. Logically he knew he could only wait for so long, but he was scared that if he had shrunk then it would be the straw that broke the camel's back and there wouldn’t be any coming back from it.

Not that he was sure that was something he even wanted to do at this point.

There wasn’t exactly much left to come back from.

His life was as good as over.

He hadn’t picked up much from the past couple of hours but one thing he'd learned was that a decision hadn’t been made yet. Their arrangements weren’t as complete as he’d believed before. Apparently May still had about a week to decide before he’d be shipped off. He wasn’t sure if that meant he’d get to stay in the compound until then or not. He’d just have to wait and see.

He knew the two options were to be sold to one of the male omegan brothels or to some old, rich alpha.

Either way he’d have no body autonomy. Have no say in what he did or didn’t do. The main difference would be whether he’d be seen as a sex object by one person or multiple people a night.

Although even that wasn’t guaranteed. He’d heard of stories where alphas would buy an omega and then host big parties where his property would be shared around, letting everyone have a taste.

May might find it easier to choose if he could provide her with a narrowed down list. If he could suggest where he wanted to go, it might help her to feel less guilty. He knew his aunt enough to know she’d be struggling with this. She’d always been a liberal and the thought of this happening to her nephew must be heart-breaking. He could ease her burden by suggesting where he wanted to end up. Helping to make the decision for her. Make it easier to leave.

He didn’t want to leave her though.

He was supposed to go to MIT and then get a job and send money back to May to help with bills, allowing her to cut back her hours and spend some well-deserved time on herself. Would she able to do that without him there to help?

Perhaps the pay out from his sale would help her. Provide her a nest egg to fall back on.

She’d grown close to the rest of the team in recent years. Would they still look out for her with Peter out of the picture? Would Peter’s leaving result in May being excluded from the makeshift family they’d created over the years as well?

Trying to ignore all the unknowns he let himself fall asleep. He wasn’t sure how much longer he’d be able to sleep safely at night without the fear of an alpha making any unwanted advances on him.

He’d better make the most of it while he still could.

“And you don’t feel any light-headedness or double vision?”

Shaking his head, he watched as Dr. Cho ticked some more boxes on her checklist. Flipping to the back page before returning to look at him.

“Okay, that’s everything for just now. There are some state mandated tests we’ll need to get done later, but I’m still waiting for some of the paperwork to come through for those. I think in the meantime you can head over the common room if you want? I know the others have been asking after you and May would love to see you.”

“Right,” he nodded.

He certainly did not want to go to the common room. He didn’t want to see anyone. The reality of his new status – of what it would mean for him – was starting to sink in and with it, a heaviness was settling over him. His tongue felt like it was filled with lead and the thought of seeing people just made him irrationally angry.

Why did they get to present and then return to the lives they’d had before? Why did they get to train for whatever job they wanted? Why did they get to choose their own partner or lack thereof? Why did they get to make their own decisions over their body? Why them?

Why him?

What had he done wrong?

Deep down he knew it wasn’t their fault. He also knew it wasn’t anything in particular that he’d done. It was all down to biology. He was just one of the unlucky few. There were a couple thousand people like him around the world, it wasn’t like he’d been singled out.

Not that knowing he wasn’t alone made it any easier to process.

He didn’t know how much longer he’d be able to see the team. Knew that a goodbye was likely round the corner. The thought of never seeing May again was almost as painful as the transition itself. Knowing that he’d regret it if he wasted the time he had with her, and the rest of the team, he reluctantly nodded at Dr. Cho. Letting her assist him in getting out of the bed and passing him a pair of slippers. He’d already changed into a pair of sweats and a baggy t-shirt that he’d always kept in the compound for when he spent the night earlier.

The familiarity of the clothes helped somewhat, but he’d been trying to avoid mirrors as much as possible after giving himself a small panic attack that morning when he’d spotted his mating gland on the right-hand side of his neck. It’d been the first time he’d actually seen it and it made the whole situation all the more real.

Shuffling down the corridor, he could hear the team chatting in the common room. An episode of Friends playing in the background if the familiar rendition of ‘smelly cat’ was anything to go by.

“You’re telling me that you and Pepper have never…?”

“God, no,” Mr. Stark scoffed. “We’re friends. Believe it or not, some men can be friends with women without any additional attachments.”

“Yeah, right,” Clint snickered.

“Oh, so you and Natasha have been at it then?”

“No, but that’s different–“

“How is it different?”

“He has a point,” Bucky contributed. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen Stark actually flirting with Pepper.”

“Have you seen them together?”

“Have you?” Bucky countered.

“He’s right, Clint,” Natasha added. “It’s all smoke and mirrors with the two. You never noticed they only ramp it up when they’re in a situation where Tony doesn’t want to be hit on?”

“Exactly!” Mr. Stark announced triumphantly.

“But what about when–“

Clint cut off abruptly when he entered the room, the others following suite. His footsteps froze as he stood in indecision. His mere presence had caused the room to switch from a relaxed atmosphere to thick tension. He clearly wasn’t wanted here. Shifting his weight, he was preparing to leave when May rushed forward from her seat.

“Hi, baby,” she whispered into the side of his head as she pulled him into a hug.

Wrapping his arms around her, he bit his tongue to prevent himself from crying again. He’d spent more than enough time over the past couple of days in tears. He didn’t want their lasting memories of him to be pathetic. He could take care of himself.

“May,” his voice cracked on the word, but he just clung tighter to his aunt.

They stood together for a moment, before May pulled back, sniffing, and wiping at her eyes as she directed him over to one of the couches.

“C’mon, baby. Sit with me for a bit. We’re just watching TV.”

Nodding, he blindly followed and curled himself up in the corner of the couch, letting May wrap herself around him. The others still hadn’t said anything, but he could feel eyes following his every movement.

Turning his attention to the TV, he let himself be immersed in the familiar episode. If he could just ignore the tension in the room, he could almost pretend that everything was normal. The episode was almost over before any spoke.

“Are you feeling better, Peter?” Steve asked.

Wasn’t that a loaded question.

Feeling better about the situation? Not in the slightest. Accepted what’s happening? Hell no. Emotionally? No. Physically? His body felt foreign to him. In less pain? Mostly.

“Yeah, thanks.”

“I’m glad to hear it,” he smiled at him.

Shifting in his seat, he lent his head on May’s shoulders, curling up like he did when he was a kid.

“Tony?” May asked above his head. “Pass me over my blanket, will you?”

Furrowing his brow, he peaked out to see Mr. Stark rummaging through something behind the couch before popping back up, holding May’s ratty old blanket. Smiling softly, Tony gently lay the blanket over them before returning to his spot on the adjacent couch. Pulling the blanket up to his face, he breathed in the scent of home and felt himself relaxing into his aunt’s side.

As the next episode began, he allowed himself to forget about everything that was going to happen over the next week or so and instead just feel content in the here and now.

Chapter Text

Savouring his final bite of chicken, he placed his take-out container on the table beside the others. Feeling satisfied, Peter stretched back on the couch, rolling his tight shoulders.

“I needed that,” Clint sighed contently.

“Me, too,” Bucky groaned, grabbing an extra spring roll.

Rubbing his stomach, feeling full for the first time in almost a week, he smiled, “Me, three.”

Natasha chuckled as she lay back to rest her feet across Clint’s lap, flipping the remote in her hands as she scrolled for something to watch.

“I’m feeling a movie marathon, guys. Any suggestions?”

“Back to the future?” Clint suggested.

“Ugh, the science makes no sense,” Mr. Stark groaned.

“It’s sci-fi. It’s not supposed to make sense, Mr. Stark,” he chuckled, earning himself an eyeroll. “But what about Star Wars?”

“Oh, that ones on my list! It’s got my vote,” Steve smiled.

“Star Wars it is,” Natasha agreed. “But we’re watching them in chronological order. No arguing,” she stated before anyone even had the chance.

The opening text had only just begun to scroll across the screen when Dr. Cho arrived. Any calm that had descended over him, disappeared the moment he laid eyes on her. He’d almost forgotten. The easy-going atmosphere of the common room lulling him into a false sense of security. She smiled apologetically at the room at large before turning her attention to him.

“I’m sorry to interrupt, but could I borrow Peter for a couple of hours? We really need to get these tests done sooner rather than later. Is that okay?”

Nodding his ascent, he pressed his lips into a straight line as he stood from the couch, handing his end of the blanket back to May.

“Do you want anyone to come with you?”

“Oh, of course, I can come sit with you, baby,” May suggested as she stood.

He didn’t know exactly what the tests consisted of, but he knew they would be uncomfortable. Quite possibly invasive. It’d be bad enough having Dr. Cho there who was necessary for the process. He really didn’t want anyone else there as well. Especially May who wore her heart on her sleeve. He’d hurt her enough already.

Smiling softly at May, he shook his head.

“I’ll be okay. You stay and watch the movie.”

“It’s no bother. Besides I’ve seen this plenty of times before.”

Sighing in frustration, he ran a hand through his hair.

“I— I know, May. But I don’t want you there. I love you, but I don’t want you to see me like… I can’t…I—“ his voice cracked as he tried to explain his dilemma. The words just not coming.

The smile fell from his aunt's face, but she nodded. He hadn’t meant to upset her. He just kept messing things up.

“Of course. I understand. I’ll just, um, wait for you here then.”

“Thank you,” he whispered, pulling her in for a hug before turning to follow Dr. Cho out of the room, studiously avoiding the other’s gaze.

When they arrived in the medbay he’d been directed to the bathroom to change into a gown before being guided to take a seat on the examination table. He watched as the doctor rolled over a tray of instruments and a clipboard thick with papers.

“I finally received the full list of tests and I’m going to apologise in advance. I’ll try to make it as quick and painless as possible, but if you need me to stop at any point then please let me know. I figured we’d start with the generic physical, I’ll then cover all the questions, then we can do the internal exam and then finish with the… pictures.”

“Pictures?” he queried, voice wavering.

“Yes,” she ground out. The disapproval clear in her expression. “They require photographs for the official state records. There is a list of the poses and the state of undress to adhere to.”

“Undress?!” The panic lacing his voice.

He’d tried to prepare for the invasive physical. Knowing that Dr. Cho would likely see him naked. But taking photographs like that was so much worse. That meant they were intended to be viewed by other people. They’d be added to his file for anyone to see.

“I’m sorry, Peter.” She smiled sympathetically. “The photos are to be taken naked.”

He felt the colour drain from his face.

He was so thankful that May had agreed to stay in the common area, he didn’t have the energy to reassure her as well as cope with what was happening. His chest grew heavier as he tried to process this new reality he was facing. A world in which the government could demand nude photographs from him. Force medical professionals into being their accomplices.

“Do you need a moment?”

Rubbing at his eyes, he shook his head.

“No, it's fine. I just want it over and done with.”

“Okay. Remember what I said though. Any time you need a break just let me know.”

Almost an hour later, they’d finished the generic check-up and he’d answered questions on every aspect of his life, including his non-existent sex-life. He’d had to pause to ask for a glass of water, his throat had been so dry from all the talking.

Dr. Cho placed her papers down onto the tray and pulled round some leg stirrups on the table. The sight causing his chest to tighten, breath catching in the back of his throat.

“I just need you to slip your underwear off then hop on up. Legs in the stirrups and slide on down to the edge. I’ll give you some privacy to get sorted then I’ll come back in. There’s a sheet there you can use to lay over your lap for modesty. I’ll be back in a moment.”

“Th—thanks, Dr. Cho.”

Watching the door shut quietly behind her, he took a minute to breathe before following the instructions. Placing his folded boxers under the rest of his clothes sitting on a chair in the room, he sat himself on the table, draping the blanket over his lap with a sardonic laugh. The fact it was supposed to be help with modesty when Dr. Cho would be staring between his legs, right under the blanket, was laughable.

It could only offer the illusion of privacy.

Getting into position he winced when the cool air hit his newly exposed skin. Pushing the sheet further to cover himself, he let his head fall backwards as he counted slowly backwards from one hundred. His fight-or-flight instinct urging him to run, to avoid this at all costs, but he knew it would be futile. If it wasn’t Dr. Cho, then it’d be some other doctor he’d never met who wouldn’t care about small things like providing him with a sense of privacy or waiting for permission before carrying out the tests.

He’d made it to forty-two when Dr. Cho reappeared. He gave her a weak smile that felt more like a grimace, as she pulled on a pair of gloves.

“Do you want to know what I’m going to do?” she asked with a friendly professional air.

Considering he was trying not to think about it, and he hadn’t yet even looked down there since his transition, it was probably not a good idea. He didn’t want to experience it, so he certainly didn’t want to learn more than he needed to about the process. The additional knowledge would only drive him crazy with worry.

“No, it’s okay, thanks.”

He could tell she didn’t agree with his decision, but she nodded, nonetheless.

“Okay. You’ll feel some pressure and it might be uncomfortable, but there shouldn’t be any pain. It’s important you let me know if you feel any. It’s not the time to play hero.”

He nodded as she grabbed something from the table, and he winced when he heard a bottle squirting.

“Fair warning, this might be cold. Just try to relax and make sure you continue to breathe.”

He choked on a sob and gripped the table to prevent himself jumping away when an unfamiliar hand cupped his balls and then a cold, wet finger prodded just below them. Where he would expect the finger to have met solid skin, he whimpered when he felt it sink inside him instead, the pressure slowly increasing until Dr. Cho’s knuckles were pressing against the underside of his balls. Fighting the urge to move away from the foreign invader, he ground his teeth together.

Breathing heavily through his nose, he closed his eyes, trying to focus on anything other than the finger currently moving inside of him. Counting was no longer working, so he tried instead to alphabetise the periodic table by symbol. He’d made it all the way to Tungsten when Dr. Cho stood back to pull off her gloves, letting him know he could take his legs down.

“You can use the sheet to give yourself a wipe since there’s some lube leftover and a small bit of blood, but that’s all normal. Once you’re wiped, we can start the photos whenever you’re ready. We’ll use the wall over here since it’s a plain background. We need you standing upright from all angles. We’ll also need to do it twice as they want one set with you... flaccid and a second set while you have an erection.”

Her professionalism somehow didn’t make it sound quite so scary, despite his mortification at the knowledge of it. He could feel Dr. Cho watching him carefully as she walked towards the door, to give him some privacy to wipe.

“I’ll give you a moment to get sorted and I’m just going to grab some medication to help with the second set of photos if you’d like to take it. It might make it slightly easier. I’ll wait outside so just give me a shout when you’re ready.”

“Thanks,” he whispered.

Sitting up, he shuffled in discomfort at the cold, wetness between his legs. Sliding off the table, he wiped up the mess, blinking in confusion at the redness left behind on the sheet. Untying the gown, he took a moment to brace himself before dropping it onto the table.

He was lacking the courage to look between his legs, but he let his hand drift down over the hairless skin and slowly grasped his cock.

Everything felt more sensitive without hair.

That had been one of the more surprising parts of his transformation. Several of the changes had been anticipated but it wasn’t until he’d arrived back at the compound and took off his suit, seeing his pubes flutter around him and land on the floor that he realised one of the male omegas' traits were being hairless from the neck down.

It's never something he’d thought about before.

Besides the unfamiliar feeling of smooth skin, he let out a relieved breath when what he felt was the same size as he remembered. He’d taken to peeing sitting down in fear of what he’d discover, but if photos were going to be taken, he wanted to be prepared for what he might see.

Glancing down at his body, he was filled with a mixture of embarrassment and self-loathing. This was never how he imagined being seen naked for the first time. Sure, he’d fantasised plenty of times in the past, he was a teenager after all, but never like this.

He knew a lifeline when he saw one. It was the reason Dr. Cho was offering to wait outside till he was ready. Allowing him the time to prepare for what was being asked of him. But delaying it wouldn't prevent it from happening.

Gathering the strength he usually reserved for his excursions as Spider-Man, he called out to let Dr. Cho know he was ready and stood by the far wall, his hands covering as much as he could. She gave him a polite nod as she set up the camera on a tripod facing him, fiddling with a couple of settings before stepping back and giving him a sympathetic smile.

He’d been on the receiving end of a lot of those recently.

“I know it's embarrassing, but you’re doing so well, and we’re almost there and then you’ll be able to relax, okay? I’m going to need you to stand up straight, feet hip-width apart and arms down at your side. I promise it’s nothing I’ve not seen before and I’m not judging.”

Sucking in a deep breath, he moved his trembling limbs to the position he’d been asked to and stared straight-ahead, avoiding Dr. Cho’s gaze.

“Okay, perfect. Now turn to the right…. And the back… and to the left… Perfect, okay thank you. Now, you’ve got two options for the next part. I can give you an injection, directly into the base of the penis, which will give you an artificial erection which should last about ten minutes. I know that it sounds scary, but the other option is you take a tablet which will give you an erection that can last for up to four hours. Ejaculating within that time can often reduce the period, but it’s not been tested on male omegas and I’m not sure if your biology will let it leave your system early. The choice, however, is entirely up to you.”

He appreciated that she didn’t even entertain the idea that he’d be able to get it up without medical assistance. However, neither option offered sounded particularly good, but if he was wanting to get back to his room after this, without walking around the compound sporting a hard-on he really only had one option.

“I, um, I… the injection please?”

“Of course.”

He watched carefully as she pulled out a syringe and measured out the dosage required. Approaching him slowly, she hesitated in front of him.

“Are you okay with me doing it just now?”

“Will it hurt?” he whispered; eyes trained on the floor.

“A slight pinch as the needle goes in, but the actual medication shouldn’t hurt. We can take a break if you’d like?”

“No! Sorry, I just, if we stop, I’m not going to want to continue. It's not like I’ll be any more ready, so I’d rather just get it over with.”

“Okay. I’m going to have to touch you for this. Is that okay?”

Nodding his head, he squeezed his eyes shut flinching when cold hands gripped a hold of him.

“Sorry, should’ve warned you about the cold hands,” Dr. Cho apologised.

“No worries,” he groaned. “Not like anything could make this pleasant.”

“That’s true,” she chuckled. “Right, well that’s it done.”

“Really? I didn’t even feel it.”

“Ah, the bonus of using cold hands as a distraction.”

“I should’ve known,” he muttered. “You never forget anything.”

After disposing of the syringe, she returned to stand behind the camera. Shifting his weight, he glanced down to see himself at a half-chub already.

“It shouldn’t take too much longer.”

“Doesn’t look like it.” He stared down in wonder, cheeks blushing a deep red when he realised what he was doing. Sending a bashful smile at Dr. Cho he shrugged at her questioning look. “Sorry, it just, I wasn’t sure if it’d look the same or if it would’ve, y’know, shrunk or something.”

Her face morphed into one of understanding.

“No need to explain. I can imagine it’s a relief knowing that at least some things have stayed the same. Right, four more pictures then you’re done. Just the same again, please.”

After doing a full three-sixty, Dr. Cho thanked him and moved to stand in the corner to allow him to get dressed. Once fully clothed again, she turned to confirm all the paperwork had now been done and just needed May’s signature before they could send it off.

“May? Will she have to see the pictures? Wait! Does that mean she’s still my guardian? Or I suppose she'd be my—“

“Yes. May is still your guardian,” she interrupted. Not letting him finish his thought. Refusing to acknowledge that he now technically had an owner rather than a guardian. “No, she doesn't need to see the pictures. I’ll make sure she doesn’t. There are five days left before forms will be signed and custody will be passed over. I take it nobody thought to tell you earlier?”

“No,” he chuckled. “But then I didn’t ask either. I… Do you know if May’s already decided on anything?”

“I think you should ask her, but between us? No, she hasn’t. Last I heard, her plan is to wait and sign things on the day of the transfer of responsibilities. Different options were still being discussed when I enquired yesterday.”

“That’s… okay, thank you.”

“You should ask May and the others about it.”

“Yeah,” he responded absently. Itching the back of his hand, he shifted towards the door before remembering his manners. “Thank you, Dr. Cho. I know not everyone would be as nice about all of this as you were. I just want you to know that I really appreciate it. And not just for today, I never said it enough before, but thank you.”

“You don’t need to thank me. I’m just doing my job. And between you and me, you’ve always been my favourite Avenger. The only one with some damn manners,” she winked at him. “Now, run along. I’ve used up more than enough of your time, and it looks like the injection has worn off.”

Flushing red, he ducked his head at the reminder of everything she’d seen but was relieved to see that there was in fact no bulge left in his pants.

“Yeah, thanks, Dr. Cho.”

He made it halfway to the common room before realising that he wasn’t in the right headspace to see anyone. He didn’t want to waste the time he had left with May and the team, but he needed time to himself. The past couple of hours had reminded him that going forward he'd have no control over his life. There were going to be naked photos of himself attached to some government file out there. Something he’d been raised to believe was personal and private was now the property of the state.

His body will soon belong to someone else.

Changing direction, he took the long way round to his room, making sure not to bump into anyone during his travels. Once there, he locked the door and buried himself under the duvet before letting his eyes close.

He was awoken from his impromptu nap by FRIDAY announcing dinner was ready and requesting his presence in the communal kitchen. Muttering a confirmation, he dropped the duvet behind him and grabbed the oversized hoodie from the back of his chair before leaving the room. Flinging the hoodie over his head, he let the cuffs hang below his fingers and left the hood draping around his head. There was something bittersweet about wearing his mentor’s MIT hoodie, what with his future being ripped away from him, but the familiar feel and smell of the hoodie provided a comfort he was in desperate need off. Tony’s scent had always had a calming effect on him. Not that he’d admit it to anyone.

Keeping his eyes on the floor he tried to ignore how his mere presence was enough to halt the conversation in the room. Shuffling towards the table, he dropped into the seat May indicated for him.

“You cold, sweetie?” May asked as she sat down beside him, tugging gently at the hood.

Shrugging, he shifted away from the hand she was reaching towards his forehead.

“I’m just tired.”

It technically wasn’t a lie.

He was tired.  

He was tired of everything. If given the choice, he simply wanted to retreat to his bedroom and not leave it. He didn’t want to have to deal with people. He didn’t want to be out of bed. He didn’t want to eat.

He was probably more than just tired. Not wanting to be overdramatic but he was more than likely depressed. But knowing that didn’t make it any easier to deal with.

He could hear the concern in her voice as she assured him he could have an early night after dinner.

Natasha greeted him as she sat by his side, sliding a large bowl of pasta salad in front of him. Across the table were Clint, Steve and Bucky. Tony was heading the table with Rhodey sitting across from him.

The others began a stilted conversation about some sports championship. He heard snippets of talk of some form of cup, but his attention was kept on poking and prodding at his pasta. Despite not wanting to eat, he was acutely aware that he was hungry, and this was one of his favourites, he figured he should at least make an attempt to clear his plate. Eating slowly, he had made it through about a quarter of his bowl when someone said his name. Looking up, he made eye contact with Steve who was sitting across from him.

“We were just wondering how you got on this afternoon?”

Clenching his jaw, he moved his fork away from his mouth, probing at his food, as he mumbled, “It was okay.”

“Did you get everything you needed?”

Dropping his fork, he pushed back from the table. He’d been struggling with his appetite anyway but being reminded of what had happened only a couple of hours ago made it all but vanish. The food he’d already eaten was sitting heavy in his stomach. Nausea bubbling at his throat.

“Yeah, Dr. Cho got everything.” Turning to May, he all but begged, “May I be excused?”

She watched him with a look of turmoil, before slowly nodding.

“Of course, I’ll come see you later?”

Standing from the table, he gave her a fleeting hug before beelining for the hallway.

“I’m probably just gonna go to bed. I’ll see you in the morning. Night.”

Rushing from the room, he heard Steve’s confused voice filter down the corridor before he reached his room.

“What did I say wrong?”

Locking the door behind him, he didn’t even bother changing into pyjamas before crawling under his covers and crying himself to sleep.

The next morning, he woke with a purpose. Even though he didn’t have any say in what happened, he figured he could look at the possible options and then, he could suggest to May where he would prefer to end up. Make the decision easier on his aunt.

Grabbing his laptop from his desk in the corner, he returned to burrow under the covers to carry out his research. Drumming his fingers on the touchpad while he waited for the catalogue to load, his nerves were causing his stomach to roll.

Seven hours later and other than emerging to eat some breakfast and lunch at May’s request and to have a medium size panic attack in the bathroom, he’d spent the entire day burrowed under his covers reading through the hundreds of applications looking for a male omega.

He was slightly surprised to learn that those who were sold to brothels, don’t get biologically mated. Instead, they’re tattooed to show ownership. Apparently, the process of mating changes the omegas hormones meaning that it becomes impossible for the omega to cum without their mate. Something that would obviously have an impact on the working ability of an omega.

Looking at prices and the bonuses provided, he figured that having an actual owner would provide the most for May, but he can’t say that the thought of never having an independent orgasm again wasn’t distressing.

There weren’t exactly any good options, only slightly less worse ones.

All individuals, bar one, were looking for a male omega as a ‘companion’. The other one, a Dr. Otto Octavius, was looking for a ‘male omega specimen’. According to his small bio, he was a world-leading geneticist, and was hoping to study the biology of a male omega and the best way to make discoveries would be to have one to observe up close. The thought that someone could legitimately be sold into human experimentation was terrifying. That application had given him a chill that still hadn’t left.

The others all seemed to be more or less the same.

There were potential buyers all around the world, but he’d prefer an English-speaking country and to remain in America if it was possible. There were even a couple of buyers based in New York, Norman Osborn and Tiberius Stone, who were tempting. Both offers were around ten million dollars which would help May and give her the ability to take time for herself. He just wasn’t sure if remaining in New York, while being unable to go out and be Spider-Man, would be too hard. Would the familiar surroundings just remind him of all he’s lost, or would it be a source of comfort? A connection to his past even when he can no longer see his family or a heart-breaking reminder? 

In the end it all depended on what May decides. He’d at least narrowed it down slightly. He hoped he’d get a chance to bring it up with her later that evening. Put forward some of the less worse options.

Closing his laptop, he placed it on his desk before shuffling his way to the kitchen. He’d be slightly early for dinner, but he couldn’t stay in his room for much longer. After his deep-dive perhaps human interaction was exactly what he needed.

“…lawyers will have the paperwork here by six and then all it needs is your signature.”

“Okay. Thanks, Tony. I still need to talk to Peter about it, since I can’t sign his life away without him knowing what’s going to happen. I just… need more time.”

He froze his steps. He tried not to eavesdrop but that was definitely about him. May’d already made her decision and Mr. Stark had pulled together all the legal paperwork for it.

The decision had been made and he’d had no input.

May was going to send him away and Tony knew about it. The team had probably discussed it all behind his back. He knew he didn’t need to be involved in the decision-making process, legally it was entirely at May’s discretion where he went, but he’d assumed May would have wanted his opinion.

“I understand that, but don’t you think he should know sooner rather than later? If it's not something he wants, then you’ll need time to think of an alternative.”

“What alternative?” She barked. “There are no other options. This is barely an option, but the best of a bad situation. He’s just…”

“I know. Trust me, I know.”

“Guys,” Natasha interrupted. “Can we table this till after dinner? Stew’s gonna burn if we leave it for much longer.”

“Right, of course. FRI? Let the kid know dinner is read will ya?”

Shaking himself out of his trance, he trudged his way to the kitchen, the overheard conversation playing on repeat inside his head as he ate his stew.

His research had been for nothing. The paperwork was drawn up and he had no idea where he would be by the end of the week.

Chapter Text

The following day, May hovered whenever they shared a room, but she never brought up the conversation he’d overheard. She never told him what she’d decided on. Where he was going to be sent.

Instead, they continued on as they had before. Avoiding the issue whenever he was in the room. Pretending like nothing was happening.

Using his enhanced hearing he overheard another couple of conversations throughout the day which confirmed to him that everyone else knew of May’s decision.

It had started in the morning. Natasha, Clint and Tony were in the kitchen while he ducked into the communal bathroom.

“She might be right to wait. Have you seen the kid?” Clint asked quietly. “Looks like a leaf could blow him over. He seemed fine when we were watching TV, but since then he’s been off.”

“It’s a lot to process. He probably just needs time to adjust. I’m sure Cho’s tests weren’t exactly a walk in the park,” Tony sighed.

“You’re both idiots, you know that, right?” Natasha hissed, before continuing quieter. “You might not want to admit it, but we all know what those tests involve. My guess? Peter’s realising that any day now he’s going to be sold into what is effectively sexual slavery.”

“It’s not—“

“You can call it whatever you want, Tony. In the end, it’s the most accurate description. You know it, I know it and he knows it. You heard him before, right? He’s looked into this with his school friends and then to make matters worse, nobody is telling him what’s going to happen. For all he knows he’s off to Timbuktu in a few days. He’s not going to magically get better and cheer up, he’s mourning his life. And I don’t blame him.”

He missed whatever the response was as he found himself curled up on the floor fighting off a panic attack. Natasha hadn’t said anything he didn’t already know, or hadn’t already acknowledged, but he hadn’t heard it put so bluntly before.

Sexual slavery.

It wasn’t a wrong description. Even if the mere thought made him feel sick and his skin turn clammy.

By the time he’d pulled himself together and made it out to the kitchen, May, Steve and Bucky were there, but Mr. Stark was nowhere to be seen. Nobody had questioned his red-rimmed eyes given they were a near fixture the past couple of days.

The second conversation he’d overheard was after lunch. He’d retreated to his room slower than usual, pausing to admire the pictures in the hallway – stopping to smell the roses some might say - while he still could, and Steve and May had begun to talk while they washed up.

“How am I supposed to do this, Steve?” May whispered. “He’s my baby boy and I’m encouraging him to be…”

“You’re making the best of a bad situation. I don’t think there is any playbook for this type of thing. All things considered I think you’re handling this quite well.”

“But not well enough. I’ve not even told him yet; the paperwork is waiting to be signed. Paperwork that will change his entire life and I’ve not even told him about it.”

“Well, no. But there’s still time. We’re all here to support you, May.”

“I know and I really appreciate it. Who’d’ve ever thought that…”  

Unable to listen to anymore he’d run into his room, locking the door behind him.

Not wanting to overhear any more conversations, he waited till the last possible minute to arrive for dinner. Sitting in his usual seat, he picked at his food trying to ignore the oppressive atmosphere in the room. Clint, Natasha and Bucky were working hard to try and keep a conversation going, but he could tell they were struggling. Mr. Stark hadn’t said a single word and instead stared resolutely at his plate, Rhodey looked a strange mix between defeated and disappointed, Steve just seemed sad, and May was distressed.

“So, it’s not really my fault that it all went awry,” Clint defended.

Natasha snorted, “Sure. Of course, a one-hundred-and-ninety-pound man would be able to fit inside a stacked cardboard box. It was clearly a fool proof plan.”

Clint scowled, opening his mouth to respond with no doubt what would’ve been a witty response, when Peter just couldn’t take it anymore. Slamming his fork down, he turned to face May during the stunned silence following his outburst.

“Peter—“

“What’s going to happen to me?”

“That’s… a loaded question, maybe we should—“

“No. I’m sorry, May. But I’ve been waiting days for you to say something, and I can’t take it anymore. There are three days, three days, until I’m… Until I’ll be in someone else’s care. Please, just tell me what you’ve decided. At least if I know what to expect I can prepare for it.” His voice began to waver, and his eyes blurred with tears, but he couldn’t stop now that he’d finally started. “I’ve lost everything, my entire future, so please just give me this one thing. Let me know what’s happening.”

Wiping angrily at his tears, he felt guilty when he realised he’d caused his aunt to cry. With tears streaming silently down her face, she pulled him into a hug.

“I’m sorry, baby. I should have been open from the start. I’ll… why don’t we head through to the living room, and we can talk there?”

Nodding his head, he followed May over to the couch. He distantly heard chairs being pushed back from the table quickly and the shuffle of footsteps as they all promptly exited the room. Giving them some privacy for the conversation.

Sitting beside May, he shifted to give them some space. It’s not the sort of conversation he’d want to be touching his aunt for. He’d need distance to get through it. His body coiled tightly like a spring.

“I… I’m sorry I haven’t talked to you before now. I know it's not an excuse, but I just didn’t know how. It's important to know, that we have the paperwork drawn, but for what it's worth, I won’t sign it without your permission.”

“You have to though,” he mumbled. At her look, he continued. “You can be arrested if you don’t sign. I’m not going to risk that.”

“True. But if you’re not comfortable we can look for someone else. There might be other options. I don’t want you to feel pressured.”

“I’m not really sure about having options, but I’ll keep an open mind,” he relented. “Please just tell me where I’m going.”

“Okay,” May shifted on the couch, turning to face him while wringing her hands together. “We’ve – the Avengers and I – discussed the options, and the choices are bad at the best of times, even worse when we take into account your enhancements. We don’t know how any of those men would react if they discovered that you were Spider-Man, and I’m not sure how I’d cope if you were put into an even more dangerous situation because of it. So, as I said, we discussed it at length and think we found a solution. It’s not ideal, but… Tony has offered to put his hat in the ring.”

His breath stuttered in his chest hearing Tony’s name. He hadn’t even considered that as a possibility.

Sure, he liked Tony. He could safely say they were friends. They got on well in the lab together and had a similar sense of humour.

But this wasn’t an extension of friendship. Mating required a whole lot more. A completely different dynamic to anything they’d experienced before.

“I know it seems odd, but he’s the only one that would be accepted. There are legal stipulations that the alpha’s need to be spending their own wealth etc. If you were to go with Tony then he will be able to account for your enhancements, there’s a possibility that you could continue to be Spider-Man in the future, you’d remain in New York, and I could still come round to visit.”

He’d still be able to see May? That had seemed like a fever-dream mere minutes ago. Now it was a real possibility. But then he’d be owned by Mr. Stark. A self-confessed playboy. As much as he tried to avoid talk of his mentor's sexual exploits, he knew enough that the man wasn’t exactly known to be monogamous. Peter would be mated to him, but Mr. Stark would have no such commitment. He’d still be a free agent, able to sleep with, and date, whoever he liked while Peter would be bound to the man. Unable to even go for a walk without permission. He wasn’t sure he could be with someone in that sort of open relationship. Not that he had much choice. The same could be said for anyone who bought him. It would just be different belonging to someone he knew. Someone he was friends with.

Being owned and used by a stranger was awful, but receiving the same treatment from someone who you thought would always have your back? That was so much worse.

“I know it’s a lot to take in, so why don’t you take the night to think about it and we can discuss it some more in the morning?”

Nodding dazedly, he ran his fingers haphazardly through his hair.

“What’s— what’s Mr. Starks price? Like how does it compare to the others…?” he trailed off at May’s horrified look.

“Honey, you shouldn’t be worrying about that. We just want you to be somewhere you’ll feel safe.”

“Ha,” he barked slightly hysterically. “May, I love you. I’ll always love you, but nothing about this situation makes me feel safe. Even if I’m with someone I like, I’m never going to be safe again. My entire life will be at the whim of another person. There’s nothing they could do to me that would allow me police protection. Legally I’m no longer a person, I’m a possession. Nothing's going to make that better. If I’m going to think about the offer seriously, then I need to know what’s being offered. I’m not going to be able to graduate, get a good job then help you out later in life. If this is the only way I can help you financially, then I’m going to—“

He was cut off abruptly by May pulling him in for a hug, pressing his face into her shoulder. The top of his head felt damp from the tears falling from May’s face.

“I’m so sorry this is happening to you. It’s my job to protect you and I’m failing—“

“No, you’re not,” he mumbled into her shoulder.

“I am, baby. This entire situation is awful, and I’ve handled it even worse. I should've been open with you from the start, I should’ve seen how much you were struggling, but I didn’t. You don’t need to worry about me on top of everything else right now, Pete. No matter what happens, I promise I’ll be fine, it’s you I’m worried about.”

“I’m always going to worry about you,” he sighed. “It’s my job, May.”

“I guess we’ll just have to agree to disagree, mister.” She pressed a lingering kiss to his forehead, before muttering into his hair. “And for what it's worth, Tony’s offered over a hundred million dollars. By far the highest bid.”

“That’s… a lot,” he mumbled, slightly stunned by the cost.

“Yeah… I think he wanted to make sure all his bases were covered, and nobody could turn round and question the… transaction.”

That sounded like the man he knew. Going out of his way to cover all scenarios. It also explains why Mr. Stark had been acting so strangely since his overheard conversation yesterday with Natasha and Clint. He’d been confronted with the reality of what the sale actually entailed.

“Okay. Why don’t we head to bed. I think we could both use some shut eye.”

“Yeah...Probably a good idea.”

Peter barely slept that night.

Every time he closed his eyes a different scenario would play out in his mind.

By the time FRIDAY announced breakfast he’d considered near enough every aspect of the offer and had finally made up his mind.

The money was a big selling point. Almost ten times the highest bid in the online catalogue. That amount would really help May. She’d even be able to retire straight away if she so chose. She would finally have the time to care for herself, maybe go on a holiday, or two or three, and not have to worry about the time she’d be missing at work. He’d know that she’d be left in comfort.

The fact that Mr. Stark already knew about Spider-Man was another bonus. The man was more than aware of his enhanced metabolism, so he’d be provided with enough daily calories. Something that was certainly not guaranteed elsewhere. The gym and training facilities, both in the tower and at the compound, were fully equipped with his enhanced strength in mind so he’d be able to have proper workouts – if he was allowed.

As May said, there was also the possibility he could return to being Spider-Man. Although that one he wasn’t so sure about. In the past when he screwed up, Mr. Stark threatened to take Spider-Man away from him, but Peter always pushed back, and at times, snuck out in order to patrol. If he became mated to Mr. Stark, he wouldn’t be able to do that. If he was told no Spider-Man, then he’d be unable to be his alter ego. The man had already shown he was willing to use his alpha voice to get him to obey. It wasn’t a big leap to imagine it happening again.

The point that finalised his decision was the possibility that he’d still be able to see May. It would still be at Mr. Stark’s discretion, but it was more of a chance than he’d have with the others. He couldn’t dismiss that opportunity.

And if he was being honest, his small crush on the man helped. He’d had posters of Tony Stark on his wall since he was a young kid. Posters that had helped him to come to terms with the fact he was bi, even when he was unable to be truly honest with those around him.

Taking a deep breath, he stepped into the kitchen and walked straight to May who was standing by the counter.

“Morning, sweetie.” She brushed his hair out of his face, before dropping her palm to his cheek. “You look tired.”

“Thanks, May. Good morning to you, too.”

“Sorry,” she chuckled. “Rough night?”

“You can say that again. I, um… You can sign the paperwork.”

Her thumb froze from where it had been rubbing up and down his cheekbone.

“You’re sure?”

“Yeah.” He smiled sadly. “It’s for the best right?”

She nodded, her eyes glistening with tears as she agreed.

“Could I— Can I ask for something first though?”

“Anything, sweetie.”

“I… I know it unorthodox with everything happening, but would it be possible for me to see Ned and MJ beforehand? I just, I never got to say goodbye to them. And it’d be nice to see them once more while I’m still me, or at least, before I’m someone’s property. But I know that it’s a lot to ask and—“

“Of course. Not a problem. I’ll get Tony to arrange for transport, bring them up this afternoon if they can make it? I know Ned’s been asking after you the last couple of days. My phones been blowing up with notifications from him.”

Pulling her into a stifling hug, he muttered a string of thank you’s before together they turned to join the others at the table. Ignoring the curious glances from the others, he grabbed a couple of waffles for his plate before coating them in syrup and digging in. The thought of seeing his friends doing wonders for his appetite.

“Tony, I was wondering if I could borrow Happy for the afternoon?” May enquired, once breakfast began winding down.

“I don’t see why not. Any reason?”

“I’ve invited Ned and MJ over for the night. They’ll need a ride.”

May’s bold statement made him smile into his glass of orange juice. His aunt was one of only a handful of people on the planet who could order Tony Stark around like that. Automatically assuming her plan would happen. No question in her tone.

“Oh, of course,” Mr. Stark agreed, surprise lacing his voice. “That’ll be exciting.”

“You looking forward to it, Pete?” Clint asked.

“Yeah,” he grinned. For the first time in a while actually meaning it.

Chapter Text

The laughter floating down the hall was a sound he thought he might never hear again. Not that he’d blame the kid.

And God, there was that word again. Kid.                 

He’d been trying to stop using it. Especially this past week. But it was ingrained so deep he’s not sure he’d ever get past it.

It was one thing to say it to annoy the teenager, but the imagery wasn’t helping with his guilt concerning their current situation.

The team had discussed all viable options, going as far as carrying out their own questionably legal background checks on all candidates, but there were no placements where Peter might be treated with even a little dignity. They’d also lose Spider-Man permanently with any of those options.

Natasha had been the one to originally put Tony forward as a candidate. It made sense, she said. He obviously had the wealth available to him, he didn’t have any long-term partners and he already got along well with Peter. May’d been hesitant but had agreed it was the best of a bad bunch. At least if Tony was Peter’s alpha, the boy could continue to see his friends and family. It might be difficult getting into a new routine while following the rules of ownership, but they’d make it work. Somehow.

Over the past year, they’re friendship had continued to grow. Intellectually they were near equals. He wasn’t exaggerating when he said the teen had an intelligence to rival his own. They each could give as good as they got when it came to snark. Hell, he’d be willing to say that Peter Parker was one of only four people in his inner circle. Rhodey, Pepper, Happy and now Peter were the only four that he could really be honest with. The one’s who saw him at his worst. Who knew the reasons behind his quirks. Who’d coached him through panic attacks.

The ones who he’d do anything in his power to protect.

Originally, he’d been able to convince himself it was all for the best. He was doing it for Peter to give him a better life, but then the boy had fallen into a deep depression. Not that he could blame him given everything he was going through, but it put everyone else on edge. The team theorising over what was best, how to approach the subject etc. He’d never dealt with emotions very well and that certainly hadn’t changed.

He'd never felt more out of his depth.

Given it was Natasha’s idea, he’d been blindsided when she made the connection between what they were going to do and sexual slavery. It had set of an imagery in his head that he couldn’t shake. Locking himself in the lab for the rest of the day.

There were ways around most things, ways to bend the rules or play things up in public while remaining themselves in the privacy of their own home, but he’d still have to actually mate the boy. A bond that couldn’t be created without getting intimate. He’d felt guilty when he found himself thinking about Peter’s body like that. Comparing it to past men he’d been with and realising the boy fit his type perfectly. A thought that was made all the worse when he remembered the boy’s preference for girls.

It felt like only yesterday Peter had come running into his lab blushing and stuttering about asking his crush out to the school dance. Some hand holding and a slow dance later they’d broken it off, but he’d been so happy about it. So young and innocent.

Something that he’d only taint. Tony knew he wasn’t a good man. If he was, he wouldn’t have drawn up the paperwork to become the boy’s mate. He wouldn’t let himself corrupt Peter’s innocence. Wouldn’t let himself be part of the problem.

No matter how hard he tried to be a good man. A good person for Peter. Someone who would look out for his best interests. The truth would always be that he willingly bought the kid. As Natasha said, he could give it whatever name he wanted, in the end he was condoning sexual slavery.

Something he’d never wanted to a part of.

It didn’t matter that his intentions were pure. That he only wanted to do what was best for Peter.

He’d remained in the lab until Rhodey wouldn’t let him wallow for any longer. Emerging and trying his best to remain neutral around the others, to not let them see his inner turmoil.

He’d been happily surprised when May’d asked for Happy’s services to bring the kid’s friends around this afternoon, agreeing immediately. Having that to look forward to, Peter hadn’t only eaten his way through four waffles, but he’d also contributed to the conversation and even had a small smile on his face when he left the table.

By the time the teens arrived, Peter had been practically vibrating with excited energy. He couldn’t keep the smile off his face when he watched the three of them jump into a group hug right in front of the elevator, blocking Happy from exiting.

That was the carefree Peter they’d all been missing since before their mission had begun.

After the initial greeting, the three had traipsed through to Peter’s room, but not before May reminded them to keep the door open, causing her nephew to blush red and groan in embarrassment.

Apparently, May’d walked in on Peter in his underwear one too many times with his friends around for him to be trusted with a closed-door. She knew now it was because of Spider-Man, but she wasn’t going to remove her open-door policy because she had too much fun embarrassing him over his poor attempts at hiding his secret in the past.

The improvement in Peter’s mood had an impact on the rest of them. For the first time that week, they were hanging out in the living area, joking and laughing, like old times.

“Please tell me we’re eating soon,” Clint groaned from where he was leaning on Bucky on the couch.

“Why? You getting hungry?” Natasha laughed. “I suppose it has been about…. Thirty minutes since you last ate. Sounds about right.”

“No, I mean I could eat, but that’s not the problem” he grumped. “If I have to hear Bucky’s stomach singing the song of the whale for any longer, I’m gonna need to find a new cushion.”

“I’m not stopping you from moving,” Bucky muttered.

“I never said you were! I just—“

“Alrighty then.” He interrupted, not wanting their bickering to grow into an actual argument. He was enjoying the tranquil atmosphere. “I’m gonna order pizza. FRIDAY, did the terrible trio give you their orders?”

“Yes, boss.”

“Awesome. Order our usual, their order and a veg supreme for May. Thanks, baby girl.”

Forty minutes later, the pizzas arrived, and Tony helped Rhodey hand out the boxes in the kitchen while May went to fetch their guests. FRIDAY had ordered Peter his usual quantity of two large pizzas, but with his current appetite it was hit or miss whether he’d eat them both or not. Given his record over the past couple of days, they’d be lucky if he finished half of one.

Handing the two boxes to the super-kid, he gave what he hoped was a reassuring smile.

“Wasn’t sure how hungry you’d be, but if you can’t manage then we can always have leftovers. I’m sure you and your friends would appreciate a midnight snack. Not that you can’t have other food for a midnight snack, the fridge is full. Or you could order in. But you already knew that.” He was aware of three sets of eyes staring at him strangely as he rambled nervously. He was Tony Stark. He’s not supposed to get nervous. Especially because of a teenager. Even if it was a teenager who was being forced into mating with him to prevent being sent someplace worse. A future mate who just the previous week had been his mentee. A mentee half his age. Clearing his throat, he turned to pass the two remaining boxes to his friends. “Sorry. You guys can join us in the living room if you want. I think Clint was wanting to watch Top Gun, but you’re obviously free to go elsewhere if you’d prefer. Don’t need to hang out with us old folk if you don’t want to.”

The three exchanged a look before slowly nodding.

“Yeah, that sounds good. Thanks, Mr. Stark.”

The three of them settled themselves on the floor in front of the couch, Ned almost bursting with excitement as he whispered loudly enough for the rest of them hear.

“I can’t believe we’re gonna watch a movie with the Avengers.”

Hiding his own grin with a slice of pizza, he sat down before ordering FRIDAY to queue up the movie. The lights in the room dimmed slightly, to suit the cinema mode.

It was after midnight when he found himself sneaking into the kitchen with MJ and Ned.

May had popped in to say her goodnights about an hour ago, and FRIDAY had informed them that everyone else had retired to their rooms for the night. Not that they needed to be sneaking around in the first place. He knew they were allowed to get food. Mr. Stark had stumbled his way through telling them that earlier, but there was something about sneaking that added to the sleepover experience. Sliding along the wooden floors in their socks, having someone be lookout around corners before running for it.

It was just like old times.

Grabbing spoons, he sat at the counter while MJ pulled three cartons of ice-cream from the freezer. Sliding him a tub of chocolate fudge, he passed the spoons to Ned so he could eat his strawberry ice-cream and to MJ who was eating some mint choc-chip.

They ate in silence before MJ addressed the elephant in the room.

“So, are we going to talk about it?”

Looking down at his ice-cream guiltily, he swallowed.

“About what?”

He wasn’t stupid. He knew exactly what she wanted to talk about. They’d been diligently avoiding the topic all afternoon. After dinner he’d caught his friends sharing looks but he would make quick work of changing the topic whenever they moved to start a conversation.

After MJ had made her initial disapproval about the government and its processes known when they first arrived, they hadn’t returned to the topic. He’d wanted to avoid it for as long as possible. Maybe even forever if it was possible.

Looks like his time was up.

MJ sent him a deadpan stare before leaning forward, a hint of sympathy falling onto her features.

“About what you think of everything? Do you like Mr. Stark?”

“I, uh, I’m not really sure. I mean, of course I like Mr. Stark. He’s… he’s a friend.” He scratched the back of his neck, before using his spoon to carve patterns into the ice-cream. “It’s… a lot. I’ve, I guess, I’ve thought about it a lot and it’s the best option. It means I might not have to leave everything from my old life behind, but it’s going to be different, you know? And I still don’t know exactly what is going to change and what won’t. Apparently, the government will send a bunch of pamphlets and stuff once May submits the paperwork. Things I’m supposed to do and stuff.”

“It’s so immoral. I can’t believe the Avengers endorse this.”

“They don’t, MJ. I know it’s hard to believe, but they seem as uncomfortable with it as you are. It’s just… if they don’t do this, they can arrest May and take me anyway.”

“It’s true,” Ned commented. “Besides, it could be worse. At least Mr. Stark is hot.”

“Ned!” he whisper-yelled. Eyes widening as his gaze darted around the room, worried someone would overhear them.

“What? Don’t look so surprised. I’m your best friend, remember?”

“I don’t know what you mean…”

“He means that we know, loser.”

They know? What do they know?

“I—“

“Peter, we don’t mind. You like guys. Hell, you like Tony Stark.”

“I never said that!”

Cheeks flushing red, he ducked his head, determined to deny it. After pretending for so long denial had become his automatic response.

“No, you didn’t, but you might as well have. For like, the last six months, you get the same look on your face whenever he’s brought up that you did when you used to speak about Liz.”

“I don’t,” he protested.

“You do,” Ned smiled softly. “Even if it’s not serious, just some passing crush or something, it’s better than hating him. He’s not an objectionable candidate.”

“I suppose so…” Biting his lip, he eyed them both warily. He always thought they’d accept him, but you never really know until it happens. “So, you guys don’t mind that I’m…”

“Not in the slightest,” MJ assured him. Ned nodding frantically beside her. “As Ned said, we’ve known for ages. We figured you just needed time to tell us, but I guess now that ran out.”

“I guess it did,” he mumbled.

“So, what do you really think about it? Ignoring the whole forced mating side of it. Just focusing on you and Mr. Stark,” Ned urged.

“I… I don’t mind it, I guess. I’m just worried. Like you said, I can’t deny that he’s not, like, attractive or anything. And you might be right, that I do like him. But he’s not exactly known for sticking with a single partner, is he? And there’s nothing to stop him from having multiple partners. I just, I don’t mind the idea of us forming an actual relationship, where we’re equals and both have a say and stuff, but that’s not what’s happening. I’m not upset about it being Mr. Stark. I’m just, upset with the situation. You know?”

“Yeah,” MJ sighed. “I know.”

They finished their ice-cream in silence after that. Shifting to lighter topics once they’d snuck back into his room. Talking about their dreams for the future as they drifted off to sleep, all huddled together on his king bed. Ned fell asleep first, leaving him and MJ whispering quietly together.

“Promise me you won’t let him be alone?”

His eyes tracing the sleeping face of his best friend.

“Of course, I won’t. We’re the three amigos. And we always will be, even if we can’t see our third. I’ll make sure he gets through this. That we get through it.”

“Thanks, MJ,” he whispered, his voice thick with the threat of tears. “I also, I know it’s a lot to ask, but if I bring it up with Ned he’ll just start crying, then I’ll start crying, but, if it’s not too much to ask, could you keep an eye on May as well for me? I’m worried that she’ll be left alone and I—“

“We will. I promise. Even if we have to force our way in the door, we’ll have weekly dinners. We won’t forget about May,” she broke off as her voice cracked before her hands grabbed his, squeezing tightly. “And we won’t forget about you.”

Pulling her closer, he couldn’t contain his sob. His breath caught in his throat, when MJ shifted to pull him in for a tight hug. Her own ragged breathing eventually evening out as she drifted to sleep. He joined her shortly after.

At some point during the night, Ned had turned over and joined in their cuddle pile. He awoke warmer than he had been in a long time snuggled between his two best friends. The sun hadn’t even begun to rise outside his window, but he had no intention of going back to sleep. He had no idea when, or even if, he’d see his best friends again and he intended to make the most of it while he could. Shifting to wrap an arm around Ned, he was content to just lie between the two of them.

He could have been lying for hours or minutes, when Ned began to stir, rolling to press his face into Peter’s shoulder, he couldn’t contain his giggle when his friend's breath tickled the small hairs of his neck. His action waking MJ who shifted to glare sleepily at him before flopping back down curling into his side.

“Wha’ time’s it?” Ned groaned.

“Dunno,” he shrugged as much as he could with the two of them leaning against him. “Sun’s not up yet though.”

“Too early.”

“Go back to sleep then.”

“Can’t.”

“Why not?” he asked, exasperated.

Ned just sighed before sitting up, “Cause. We’re getting picked up this morning so we should make the most of it. And if I go back to sleep, I’ll be rushing to get ready.”

“He’s got a point,” MJ muttered into his arm.

“Well, what d’you wanna do?”

His stomach chose that exact moment to rumble.

“Make breakfast,” MJ decided. “Like we used to. Pancakes, bacon, eggs, syrup, cream, the whole shebang.”

“Yes,” Ned agreed, drawing the word out longer than required. “We’ve not done that in ages.”

“It does sound good. If we do it though, we should probably make enough for the others as well...” he said, conflicted.

On the one hand, he desperately wanted to agree. It used to be a once-a-month occurrence. The three of them sleeping over and making a fully loaded breakfast together, dancing in the kitchen and then hyping themselves up on sugar for the rest of the day. But on the other, this wasn’t his home. He’d be relying on the ingredients bought for the Avengers. The kitchen he’d barely looked at all week. He felt cheeky using it, but then if they made enough for everyone, it could double as them fulfilling a tradition as well as a thank you for the kindness he’d been shown the past week.

In the end his stomach made the decision for them.

After visiting the toilet, the three of them made their way to the kitchen, still dressed in their pyjamas. Given the early hour, it wasn’t surprising that they didn’t meet anybody there. Quickly getting to work, they divided to conquer the numerous cupboards and drawers, pulling out pans, bowls, utensils and ingredients and dumping them all on the centre island.

By the time the sun was rising in the sky, the table was set, the kitchen island was laid full of plates piled high with pancakes, bowls of chopped fruit, various condiments and plates with bacon. ABBA was playing from FRIDAYs speakers while he scrambled a massive pan full of eggs, Ned fried some more bacon and MJ washed the bowl the pancake batter had been in.

It felt good to be doing something so familiar, even if it was in new surroundings. As the music played, they continued singing and dancing along just like they were performing live.

As the song began to build to its close, both he and Ned jumped to the side at the same time, pointing to each other with one hand while using their respective spatulas as microphones with the other.

“You can dance, you can jive, Having the time of your life, Ooh.”

Jumping back from the hob, they dragged MJ to join them in a line posing.

“See that girl.”

They coordinated their headbanging to go in a clockwise circle in time with the beat, before posing to sing.

“Watch that scene.”

Swivelling their hips, their hands and kitchen utensils waved wildly in the air.

“Diggin’ the dancing queen.”

As the music continued, Peter spun around and froze, the spatula clattering to the ground catching his friends’ attention.

At some point during their impromptu performance, May and the Avenger’s had entered the kitchen and were standing watching them with huge grins on their faces.

“Oh my God,” he squeaked, stepping back in embarrassment.

“That was…” Mr. Stark started but faded out when he caught the mortification that must have been covering Peter’s face.

“I can’t believe you guys started without me,” May complained in faux annoyance, the smile audible in her voice as she stepped forward, spurring the rest of the team into moving again. “I can’t even remember the last time you all did this.”

“Yeah,” Ned replied excitedly. “I promise next time we’ll…”

His friend’s excitement dropping as he realised what he’d said. There’d most likely not be a next time. This was their last hurrah. The joyful mood between the three of them dissipating with that knowledge.

Taking a deep breath, he stepped back towards the hob, grabbing another spatula from the drying rack to finish the eggs.

“The eggs are almost ready,” he said over his shoulder, plastering a smile onto his face, ignoring the pitying looks being directed his way.

He refused to be sad during this breakfast. If it was going to be their last, he’d make damn sure it was a good one.

“The bacon!” Ned yelled as he ran for the pan, pulling it off the heat.

“Idiots,” MJ muttered under her breath.

“Can we help with anything?” Steve asked.

“You could put your muscles to good use and move the food to the table,” MJ snarked. “And you’re on dishes. We cooked, so it’s the rules.”

“Right,” Steve agreed. Even with his back turned, he could picture the stunned, hesitant smile on the captain’s face. “That’s perfectly reasonable. This all looks delicious.”

“Of course, it does. And it tastes even better,” Ned responded, sounding affronted. “We’ve been doing this since we were ten.”

Spooning the eggs into a bowl, he grinned.

“To be fair, those first couple years were touch and go whether they were edible or not. Half the time with enough syrup it was fine, the other half uncle Ben would run to the local deli for breakfast since we’d used up everything and had nothing safe to eat.”

“I forgot about that,” May laughed. Laying the rest of the food on the table, he sat between Ned and MJ and instantly began piling pancakes onto his plate. “Oh my God, do you remember the time we had to redecorate the kitchen?”

Dropping the spoon he was using to add eggs to his plate, he turned to glare at her.

“We agreed to never bring that up again.”

“Why did you have to redecorate?”

“No reason!” Both he and Ned shouted at the same time, locking eyes before bursting into laughter. The type of infectious laughter that set the whole table off.

They maintained the upbeat atmosphere for the rest of the morning. Once everyone had finished eating the trio excused themselves and after making sure his friends had everything packed, they left their bags by the front door and went for a walk around the gardens waiting for Happy to arrive.

Keeping the conversation light-hearted until the last possible moment, it wasn’t until they were standing beside Happy’s car, the man standing back by the front door chatting with Tony and Rhodey, did they get round to saying their goodbyes.

Like he’d predicted the night before, Ned started crying before he even started talking which then set Peter off. He only sobbed harder when he turned to see MJ with silent tears sliding down her cheeks.

“I— I don’t think I can do this,” Ned sobbed.

“You’ll be fine, Ned,” he reassured him, pulling him in for a hug. “Best friends forever, remember? Even if I’m not there. You’re just gonna need to do enough living for the both of us. You have the patents for the web bandages we were working on, right?”

“Yeah… but they’re yours. I can’t—“

“You can. You’re going to MIT, remember? You’re going to live the dream and with those patents, you’ll be set. College with no debt. Besides, I wouldn’t be able to use them. I want you to have them. I need you to have them.”

Nodding solemnly, Ned squeezed him before standing back to allow MJ to pull Peter in for a hug.

“I’m going to miss you, loser. Look after yourself and don’t take any shit from Tony. If you need me, you get in touch. If I don’t hear from you, then I’ll come and hunt you down. You get me?”

“Yeah,” he breathed. “I’ll, I’ll try.”

His breath caught as he saw Happy sliding into the driver seat, shooting him a sympathetic smile beforehand.

They were out of time.

Reaching out to pull Ned in for a group hug, he whispered, “I love you guys. So much.”

After reciprocating the sentiment, they slowly disentangled themselves, wiping at their eyes, he watched as MJ and Ned slowly climbed into the car.

With a final wave, the car pulled away and down the long driveway. When the car turned out of sight, the footsteps behind him hesitated before going inside. Instead of following, he stood watching the space the car had gone for a further thirty minutes before heading inside to find May.

He’d made the most of his finite time left with his friends, he had to do the same with May.

In less than twenty-four hours, May would no longer be his guardian. He could wait to wallow in misery then.

After locating May in the common area, they’d both retired to May’s room. The space that Tony had provided her was basically a mini apartment. There was a small kitchenette and a living area as well as the standard bedroom area and en-suite.

The rest of the day had been reserved for just the two of them.

Huddled under May’s blanket, they lay on the couch side-by-side. Old sit-coms running in the background as they talked about anything and everything.

Ever since uncle Ben had died, they were all each other had.

It was May who would hold him as he woke from nightmares or was weighed down with guilt over his father figures death. Knowing that she would no longer be there was hard. The realisation that he’d likely never be comforted by May after a nightmare again was enough to cling to her tighter. Would Tony support him when he woke in a fit of tears? Would he make him hot chocolate and watch crappy late-night TV when he couldn’t fall back asleep, too scared of what his mind would show him?

That was a problem to worry about later.

They’d ordered Thai for dinner which was delivered directly to their rooms. If he ignored the fact they were in the compound instead of their apartment – May’s apartment, it wasn’t his anymore – then it almost felt like old times.

It was late into the night before they transitioned from the couch to the bed. Curled up together, like they had when he had nightmares as a kid, they fell asleep side-by-side.

The next morning was more subdued than the previous one. Eating a simpler breakfast of cereal at May’s small kitchen table they could barely get through a conversation without tears pricking at their eyes.

A little after ten, FRIDAY announced that Happy was waiting to drive May back to Queens. Today was the day that Tony would take custody of Peter. He’d need to be mated within the week according to the law.

Hell, he might be mated by the end of the night.

Supressing a shudder at the thought, his insecurities and fears rearing their ugly head, he turned to hug May. Breathing in her familiar scent and committing it to memory.

Pulling back with a watery smile they made their way through the compound and out to Happy’s car. Nodding to the driver politely, May passed him her bags to put into the trunk before all but falling into Peter’s arms, tears streaming down her face as she held him.

“It’s going to be okay, May,” he whispered.

“Of course, it is.” She nodded, pressing a kiss to his cheek. “Tony’ll look after you. If he does anything to harm you, he’s got me to answer to.”

Chuckling wetly, he wiped his eyes with the back of his hands.

“And we both know he’s scared of you.”

“Exactly. Don’t be a stranger, okay? Take a couple of weeks to settle and get… accustomed to your new dynamic. But if you ever need me, you get in touch. If I need to fight the Iron Man armour in order to get to you, I will.”

Sniffing to unblock his nose, he chuckled at the imagery.

“I don’t doubt it,” he smirked. “Promise me, you’ll take care of yourself? I— I need you to be happy. Not just okay, but to… to thrive!”

“I will do. But you’ll see it for yourself. This isn’t goodbye, Peter. Just a farewell for now.”

He wanted to believe that. Wanted it to be the truth so much it hurt. But nothing in his life was promised right now. The only thing he knew for definite was that he’d be mated to Mr. Stark.

Nonetheless, he smiled in agreement with May.

Even if he didn’t believe it, she did. She needed to have that belief in order to get into the car.

“I know,” he murmured, tightening his hold on her for a moment before stepping back. “I’ll see you later, May. I larb you.”

“I larb you, too, baby.”

With blurry vision, he watched May disappear into the car, his eyes trailing the path it took down the drive before eventually turning out of sight.

Something in his stomach tightened as he prepared to turn around and head back into the compound. He’d be saying goodbye to his current life.

He supposed that had been the point of these last couple of days. Getting to properly say goodbye to his loved ones. Closure of sorts.

Something that not many in his position were fortunate enough to do. He should count himself lucky he’d gotten this much.

With his goodbyes now done, all that was left was to move on.

To start his new life with Tony.

Taking a deep breath, he turned around and walked back inside.

Chapter Text

With May back home and the Avenger’s relocated to the tower for the time being, the compounds living quarters were silent.

After waving goodbye to his aunt, he’d retreated to his room, surfacing briefly to have lunch with the team and to say goodbye before they left for the city. By the time dinner time had come around and passed, Tony was nowhere in sight, and he found himself flinging together a pot of macaroni cheese - one of the few meals he could make from scratch.

Plating the food, FRIDAY informed him that Tony was caught up with a project so just to start without him. Glancing at the large dinner table, he grabbed his bowl and made his way to the living room instead.

It was too big of a space for a single person. He missed the second-hand table from May’s kitchen. A table that had dents and scratches from them over the years. That fit two people comfortably and four at a squeeze. It was a table designed with family in mind. The Avenger’s table that could easily fit ten felt impersonal. Designed for function over form. It wasn’t inviting.

Sitting on the couch and tucking his legs under him, he asked FRIDAY to continue playing the Egyptian documentary he’d started watching the month before when he’d stayed the night.

He was about halfway through his bowl of pasta, learning about how they built the new Egyptian museum, when the elevator doors dinged open behind him.

“I’m so sorry, kid,” Mr. Stark apologised, grabbing his bowl and moving hesitantly to join him in the living room. “I’d missed a project deadline while we were being held and I hadn’t had a chance to finish it and I was finally in the zone. I hadn’t noticed the time till FRIDAY said you were serving dinner. I hadn’t even thought. You could’ve ordered something if you preferred. My casa et su casa and all that...”

“It’s fine. May’s always telling me I should cook more or try too anyway. But that could just be her way of getting out of it.”

“That sounds like something May would do.”

“Yeah,” he laughed. “She’s always looking for someone to save her from cooking.”

“If her walnut-date loaf was one of her specialties, then I’m not surprised.”

“Believe it or not, that was one of her better creations.”

“Your poor stomach,” he gasped in mock-horror.

“It’s not so bad,” he defended. “Or it wasn’t, I guess.” His happy mood dissipating once again at the reminder that everything had changed. “Don’t have to worry about it anymore.”

Tony’s face dropped as he poked at a piece of pasta. They sat in silence for a couple of minutes before Tony cleared his throat, placing his bowl on the coffee table.

“We should really talk about it, Pete. We can’t just keep ignoring the elephant in the room.”

Avoiding the man’s eyes, he put his own bowl down before pulling his knees up to his chest and wrapping his arms around them.

“What’s there to talk about?” he asked quietly, thumb picking at his nailbed absently.

“Well, I’ve been told that feelings should definitely be discussed, but there’s more practical matters as well. Logistics and such. Legalities.”

“Okay,” he nodded. They might as well talk about it. Questions had been circling his head since this option had first been broached with him, maybe he’d finally get some answers. “Skipping feelings just now then, what’s first?”

Tony eyed him hesitantly, before nodding to himself, seeming to come to a decision.

“Right, well, the lawyers have said we have until Monday to officially announce the mating. For that reason, they’ve organised a press conference Monday morning where we can do the announcement.”

The pasta in his stomach grew heavy as he absorbed that information. He knew word would get out eventually about their mating, but announcing it themselves on television? And so soon? He thought he had at least a week left.

“This Monday?”

It was already Thursday. It wasn’t that far away.

“Yeah. I realise I should’ve checked with you first, but they needed an answer, and the options were either a press conference or the government bastards would send out someone to observe the mating. I’m not a big fan of exhibitionism and I didn’t think you would want that either. I can always phone to change if you wanted to avoid the—”

“No!” he interrupted, louder than he’d intended. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to shout. I just... they’d seriously send someone to... watch?”

“From what I understand they require ‘evidence’ of the act. Lawyers reckon there'd probably be pictures and maybe some... samples if they showed up, but if you’re happy with, or okay with, I guess would be a more accurate description, the press conference then we don’t need to worry about it.”

“Yeah, that’s fine,” he muttered, head swimming with that information.

A press conference was one of the last things he wanted to do. He knew word would get out eventually that he had presented as an omega. That with Tony being, well, Tony Stark people would learn that he had a male omega. He just never expected to be forced into going on TV to let people know. Once they’d done so, everyone he knew would know what he’d become. Would know what an embarrassment he’d become.

But the alternative was so much worse.

How many teens in his position had been forced into not only giving away the last of their innocence to alpha’s they didn’t even know but were forced to do so in a room full of strangers, gawking and staring at them.

To have a vulnerable and intimate moment turned into some show.

“Okay. In that case, we’ll need to get you fitted for a suit. My tailor can come do a fitting in the morning if that’d be okay? He’s coming to check my measurements anyway.” At his nod of consent, Tony moved on. “Not really sure how to say this one, but we’ll obviously need to have done the actual mating before the press conference. I’ve been doing some reading, and the process can throw your hormones out of whack. It's recommended to give it a couple of days to settle before public appearances, so I’d thought we should maybe aim for tomorrow night then give it the weekend to settle, but if you’d rather wait then we can do that. Do you have a preference?”

“I…” He puffed out a breath as he thought about it seriously. His initial reaction was to wait, but he’d also come across a number of articles mentioning problems following the bite. If he was going to have to be in front of cameras, seen by thousands of people including his aunt and friends, then he wanted to be in the best shape possible. He didn’t want to be a slave to his hormones any more than necessary. “I think you’re right. Tomorrow is probably the most logical. Besides it needs to happen sometime, why delay it, y’know?” He shrugged nonchalantly, trying to lighten the mood. Pretend that his world wasn’t falling apart around him.

Tony nodded, shifting in his seat. Even without looking at him directly, he could feel the discomfort coming off of Tony in waves.

“Exactly. Now, I take it you know how the actual mating happens?”

Blushing bright red, he shrugged. Scratching at the back of his hand in an attempt to appear casual.

“I know the jist of it. By the end you need to have bitten my neck and, um, you need to… you know, kn—knot me,” he mumbled, the heat creeping all the way from his chest to the tips of his ears.

Clearing his throat, Tony nodded.

“Yup. That’s basically it. Now, I know that it's going to be hard for you, so I was thinking that if it would make it easier, we could look at bringing in a third person – a woman – and you can focus on her while we tick the boxes? I just, I know being with a guy can’t be easy for you and it already isn’t something you want—“

“I like guys, Mr. Stark,” he interrupted.

His chest feeling all fluttery at making the statement for the first time out loud. MJ and Ned had guessed the truth, so he hadn’t had to admit it. He’d simply had to agree with them. This felt different. Freeing. He felt lighter. Like he was breathing fully for the first time.

“I, um, I’m bi?”

“Really?” Tony asked, sceptically.

It wasn’t surprising the man didn’t believe him. Lying about that sort of thing is something that Peter might do to help ease Tony’s guilt. But that wasn’t the case this time. He just had to get Tony to understand.

“Yeah. I’ve just… never told anyone before. Was worried that if I presented the way everyone thought I would then I’d have problems down the line, but yeah. I’ve known for years.”

“Wow,” Tony sighed. “Well, thank you for trusting me with that knowledge and I have to admit, it’s selfish, but I’m extremely glad to hear that. The offer is still available if you’d rather have someone else there. It’s rather unfair on you to be stuck with an old guy like me.”

“You’re not old, Mr. Stark. I don’t need anyone else to join us or anything. I, I don’t really want anyone else to be there at all. Just keep it the two of us. And if I’m being honest, you’re quite hot. We get along, right? So it shouldn’t be that bad.”

“Not that bad, huh? God, I feel like an old perv for even thinking about this, but I think you’re right. If I hadn’t known you for a couple years already, you’d be my exact type. It just feels wrong when I’ve seen your Star Wars decorated room with bunkbeds. And please, call me Tony. With everything going on, I think we should really be there by now.”

His stomach doing a little flip from the man admitting he was interested in him. Obviously, he knew there had to be some form of attraction for him to have agreed to their mating in the first place. But hearing it stated so explicitly caused his heart to race despite his trepidation surrounding it.

“I’ll certainly try, but no promises,” he smirked.

“Okay. I think I’ve covered my big points, is there anything else you want to know?”

Biting his lip in indecision, he took a deep breath before biting the bullet with the most important question.

“I just, I want to know what’s going to change? Like in day-to-day stuff. Will I still have my room or am I supposed to move in with you? Obviously, there’s all those like, rules and stuff, for being in public, do they apply when we’re in private too? I’m just, I need to know what to expect, I guess.”

“All good questions, and if I’m being honest, I don’t have all the answers. I think we’ll both be learning and adapting as we go. But I’ll try my best to be open and honest with you while we navigate this new... dynamic. As for the rooming situation, you can keep your room, it’ll always be there if you want it. The same as my room will always be open if you decide you wanna join me. It’s entirely your decision. For the moment, I reckon we should just keep going as we usually do, minus Spider-Man. Not indefinitely, just for a little bit while everything settles. I don’t expect you to act any differently, and we’ll still be able to have lab time and workout in the gym, have movie nights. But we’ll need to be careful in public and make sure we don’t draw any unnecessary attention to ourselves. I’m currently working with my lawyers to pull together some documents to start challenging the position of male omegas in society, making amendments to the current laws to give you more rights, but that’ll take time. In the meantime, we’ll have to be seen to be following the rules. I can’t risk the suits trying to stop us before everything is sorted. For your safety as much as anything else. Does that all sound reasonable?”

“Yeah, it does.”

Not necessarily things he wanted to hear, but it was better than he’d expected. No mention of him having visitors, but that could be approached further down the line. As the man mentioned, it would be a learning curve for both of them. And the thought of being allowed back in the lab was more than he’d dared let himself imagine.

Yes, Tony would have complete control over him. Would be able to be with whoever he liked, keeping Peter as some side piece if he so wished. It was a topic he should probably broach with the man. Question if they would be exclusive or not. But he didn’t have the courage to ask. Too scared of what the answer might be.

Instead, he wanted to forget about everything for the rest of the night. If they’d be mating tomorrow, he wanted his final night to be relaxing.

“Great. So, what’re we watching?”

Grateful for the subject change, he grinned at Tony. Leaning back the man picked up his now cold macaroni, eyeing it warily before grabbing Peter’s bowl and moving to microwave them.

“I had been watching a documentary, but do you want to watch a movie instead?”

“Sure. You pick something. These should be reheated in just a minute.”

Turning his attention from Tony in the kitchen, he browsed the options before deciding to just settle for his comfort movie, and maybe, just a little, because he knew it would wind up the alpha.

Back to the Future.

The next morning, FRIDAY woke him an hour before the tailor was due.

After the movie the previous night he’d retired to his room for the night. As much as he’d have the room available to him in the future, he wasn’t sure when he’d next sleep in it. If he ever would again. Tony’s offer of it being his choice still felt surreal.

He was thankful he’d be left with his own space, but he also knew that he may find the separation difficult once they’d been mated. It was too early to know anything for certain.

He’d been pleasantly surprised when he arrived in the kitchen to find Tony making omelettes for them. Enjoying a leisurely meal, they’d found an easy conversation before going their separate ways to wash up before their fitting.

He’d sat in an old pair of joggers and a white t-shirt while Tony was measured. Marcus, Tony’s tailor, had set up in the middle of the living room. He’d placed a box in the centre for them to stand on while he moved around with a measuring tape. The older man had volunteered to go first to help ease Peter’s nerves. He hadn’t wanted to ask the man to do so, but he’d taken the initiative after picking up on his nervous tells. He didn’t know what a fitting involved and the thought of letting a stranger touch him wasn’t exactly appealing. But at least after watching Tony he knew what to expect.

His own fitting took longer than his mentors, but apparently that was to be expected given his mentors was a routine update whereas his was starting from scratch. After Marcus was happy with his findings he left in a flurry of activity, promising to deliver the suits himself Monday morning.

Finding themselves alone once again, he could feel the tension slowly growing.

He was in the same room as his future mate.

By the end of the day, they’d be mated.

He’d have the man’s teeth marks on his throat. Forever.

The man will have been inside of him.

Will have seen him naked.

Oh, God.

Peter wasn’t ready for this.

The act of mating itself was scary, but once it was done there was no going back. He was barely seventeen. He didn’t want to commit to the one person for the rest of his life. This was the age he was supposed to experiment and make mistakes.

Would he even recognise himself in a year’s time?

Would he still be him?

Clanking to his right drew his attention from his downward spiral. He furrowed his brow as he watched Tony work his way around the kitchen, looking to be on a mission. It was still a bit too early for lunch, even by his standards.

Wiping his sweaty hands on his thighs, he stood on shaky legs before hovering on the boundary into the kitchen.

“What’re you doing?”

Freezing like he’d been caught red-handed, Tony shot him a sheepish grin.

“I was going to cook us lunch. Make it a sort of... date. If you wanted?”

“Oh,” he blurted.

Oh?

That was what he came out with.

Tony Stark, the playboy, billionaire, philanthropist – his mentor, future mate – just technically, in a roundabout way, asked him on a date, and he said oh.

Tony put the pan he’d been holding down onto the island, growing more tense as his silence stretched on.

“We don’t have to. I just thought it might help us a bit. You know, help us see each other as partners as opposed to... whatever we are just now.”

“No, I get it. I think it’s a good idea. Of course,” he agreed, stumbling over his words. “Why lunch though? I thought it was always supposed to be dinner dates.”

“You shouldn’t believe everything you read or watch, kid— Pete! Pete, sorry. You’re not a kid. Bad habit. But nobody wants to go for a rumble in the sheets after stuffing themselves full with dinner. It’s a sure-fire way to feel not in the mood.”

Ignoring the reminder of their evening activities causing his face to glow bright red, he nodded.

“Right, of course.”

He kept forgetting that as much as this was entirely uncharted territory for him, Tony had done this before. Countless times.

He’d have been with people who knew what they were doing. Who were seductive. Confident. Sexy.

Everything that Peter wasn’t.

Almost as if he could see the worries floating around his head, Tony approached him, placing his hands gently on his shoulders.

“What’s going on in that big brain of yours?” he murmured. “I can see you overthinking.”

“It’s embarrassing,” he mumbled.

“It might well be, but I can assure you, keeping all those thoughts in your head will just make you feel worse. Besides, I’ve always been told openness in communication is one of the most important foundations for any good relationship.”

Tony searched his eyes for a moment before pulling him in for a hug. After a moment’s hesitation, he wrapped his arms around the man returning the embrace. With his face buried into the alpha’s chest he let out a shaky exhale before whispering his fears for the night ahead.

“I don’t know what I’m doing. Like tonight. I’ve never… I’ve never done anything like that and now everything’s different. The pamphlets and stuff I was given are all about rules to follow and how to behave but nothing informative. And I tried the internet, but all the results were just… porn. So, I don’t know what to do and you’ve got so much experience, and so I’m worried that I’m going to disappoint you, or it’ll be bad and I—“

“Hey, hey, Peter,” Tony interrupted, his arms tightening around him. “Take a breath. First off, you could never disappoint me. A lot has been thrown at you the past week and you’re taking it all in your stride. I can’t even imagine how you must feel, but I’m here to help with whatever I can, okay? Tonight’s all about you, and I’m happy to take the lead if that’s what you want. Or we can talk it all out, explain everything that’s going to happen and then you can call all the shots. We can do both or you can decide nearer to the time. Either way, you say stop we stop. Yes, it needs to be done, but we can work at your pace.”

Clutching onto Tony’s t-shirt, he took a deep breath blinking back his tears. The thought of letting Tony take the lead was a reassuring one. He knew the man would never lead him wrong. He felt like he should learn more of what was going to happen but knowing what to expect wouldn’t change it. It would just give him more to stress about beforehand. He had a rough idea anyway. He didn’t want to imagine everything in HD. 

“Could you take the lead later?” he whispered, voice thick with the threat of tears.

“Of course.” Tony promised. “Is there anything else I can help with just now?”

“I—Are… Ugh,” he groaned, pressing his forehead into the alpha’s chest. “I know you said you wanted to have, like, lunch together and stuff. Does that mean that we’re like… a couple? Or is it just to make it less awkward later on?”

“You realise that we’re going to be mated by the end of the night, right? I’d say that makes us a couple.”

Rolling his eyes, he sniffed before shaking his head.

“That’s not what I meant… Am I—Am I your omega or your partner? Like will you have… others?”

“Oh,” Tony sounded genuinely shocked by the question. “You’re my partner. Or I hope you’ll be. I know it’s not the ideal circumstances, but I intend to make the most of it. You’re it for me Peter Parker. I’m not going to have anyone else on the side. I promise you that.”

Tony kissed the top of his head before pulling back to watch him. Wiping his eyes with the heel of his hand, he couldn’t help but smile at the man.

“Thanks, Tony.” He shifted his weight between his feet, scratching the back of his neck. “So, lunch date then?”

Stepping back, Tony nodded, moving to the fridge and pulling out ingredients.

“Yup,” he said, popping the p. “Should take about an hour to pull together.”

“Okay. I, I’m going to go change then.” He’d made it almost to the couch before he paused. “What do you wear for a lunch date? I’ve never been on one before.”

“Good question. I suppose it varies, but I was planning on jeans and a shirt. I was thinking that after lunch we could go for a walk in the grounds and maybe go for a boat ride on the lake?”

A smile bloomed on his face unprompted. He’d always wanted to go out on the lake. Whenever he stayed over, he’d go for a morning jog out through the woods and down by the lake before looping back round. He’d mentioned to Tony once in the lab while working about how nice of a spot it was. He wondered if Tony was suggesting it because he remembered their conversation or if it was just coincidence. From the knowing glint in the man’s eye, he guessed it was the former.

“That sounds amazing.” Walking backwards he pointed over his shoulder as he exited the room. “I’ll just go get changed then.”

“No bother. I’ll have FRIDAY give you a shout when it’s all ready?”

“Perfect,” he called back over his shoulder.

Chapter Text

Lunch was amazing.

Not that he should’ve expected anything less from Tony Stark, but the man wasn’t exactly known for his culinary skills. He’d heard horror stories from Pepper about failed creations from the man. Meals that would make even May cringe.

When he’d been called from his room, he’d been surprised to find the large, shared dining table that was usually used pushed to the side and in its place, a small, intimate table that had been set with a candle in the centre. It was the sort of thing he’d expect to see in a romance movie. The lighting, despite the afternoon sun shining through the windows, giving it an intimacy that was usually lacking in the large open plan space.

He was so enraptured taking in the details and the thought that must have gone into it, that he hadn’t noticed Tony approaching. It wasn’t until the plates were placed onto the table, he noticed his presence.

Just like himself, the man had changed into a pair of smart jeans and a shirt. The only difference being the deep maroon colour of the man’s shirt compared to Peter’s white one.

Over a plate of the best osso buco alla Milanese he’d ever had, he learned that Tony’s mother was Italian and that on her better days, she used to cook with Tony. He only knew a few dishes but the ones he did know, he could cook well. Part of the reason he didn’t cook regularly was because the process reminded him of his mother which could be painful. When Peter had asked why he’d put himself through it just for him, he’d responded by stating that his mother used to tell him that cooking for your partner was one of the most intimate ways to show you cared.

It was his way of showing that despite the circumstances, he really did care for Peter. He wanted their relationship to go well. He was willing to put in the effort required.

Once they finished their desserts – a creamy tiramisu followed by a bowl of ice-cream – they washed the dishes together before heading out for a walk towards the lake. His heart had been fluttering in his chest as they walked side-by-side. He could feel the heat radiating from Tony as they moved. The alpha remaining a constant presence by his side.

When he’d been getting ready earlier in the evening, he’d been worried that it would be awkward. That given their shared history, it would feel more like a father-son relationship. But he couldn’t have been more wrong.

Their blossoming friendship over the past year only aided their connection. Their new situation helped the conversation to flow into territories they’d previously avoided. Diving deeper than they’d dared before. They talked more openly about their families growing up, about Tony’s ex-lovers and Peter even brought up his previous crushes.

The kind of topics that had always felt too intimate to really discuss with a friend, but just came naturally when talking with a partner.

There was still an underlying tension between them. A hesitance between them. Both waiting for the other shoe to drop. Something that likely wouldn’t disappear anytime soon. But they did their best to work around it.

Arriving at the lake, he couldn’t contain his grin when he spotted the rowboat by the shore. He’d taken Tony’s hand when it was offered to help him sit down – despite them both being aware that Peter had the superior balancing skills – and grabbed an oar as Tony used the other to push them further into the water before hopping in and taking his seat beside him. Sitting side-by-side, his entire left-hand side was pressed against Tony’s. It was such a casual touch that it almost felt intimate. They’d never been this close before. Certainly not for any prolonged period of time.

After a moment of awkward shuffling to work out the best technique for rowing, they made their way to the centre of the lake. Their position in the boat was helpful for having the more embarrassing topics of conversation that they’d avoided so far. The constant contact between them was reassuring, but without turning they were unable to catch each other’s eyes which provided them a sort of shield.

While floating out on the lake, they discussed various possibilities for the evening. Peter somehow found the confidence to ask that they start slow and build up. He’d never even kissed a man before. He wanted to savour it. Try to enjoy the process. Something that Tony was vehemently behind.

They’d stayed out on the lake for a couple of hours before making their way back to the compound. Walking into the compound hand in hand, the butterflies in his stomach took off. Glancing down at their joint hands, he couldn’t stop himself from staring at Tony’s muscled forearms. Within the team, Tony was always overlooked in terms of muscle and strength, but he was solidly built from his years of hard work. Between his physical work in the lab and boxing with Happy, he’d been fit long before Iron Man came onto the scene. The addition of his superhero persona only adding to his toned physique.

Despite his nerves regarding their evening’s activities, he couldn’t deny he was looking forward to seeing more of Tony. He could only imagine what he looked like under his shirt. In his younger days, the billionaire had been known for doing the occasional topless photoshoot, including a memorable underwear shoot for Calvin Klein, but that had all stopped after Afghanistan.

Not that he’d ever looked for those photos online to check or anything.

Once back inside, they grabbed snacks and drinks from the kitchen before settling onto the couch together to watch some movies. Munching on some crisps, he let himself lean into Tony’s body, the man’s arm resting around his shoulders while they worked their way through the popcorn and crisps.

The food was finished by the time the credits for Dirty Dancing started rolling. Standing to stretch, he took the empty bowls into the kitchen and took a quick bathroom break before returning to the couch. Tony had Burlesque queued up and ready to go. He watched as Tony shifted on the couch, relaxing back into it, and unbuttoning the top few buttons of his shirt. A light speckling of chest hair appearing in the gap.

“You okay Pete?”

“Yeah,” he breathed, lowering himself slowly beside the man.

Taking a deep breath, he curled into Tony, wrapping an arm around the man’s waist, and letting his head rest against his chest. He could hear the man’s heart beating as Tony’s arm wrapped around his back, hand resting on his hip.

They remained still for a moment before Tony gestured for the movie to start. As the music began, they both relaxed into the others hold. His attention was equally split between following along with the movie and continuing to breath steadily.

It was Tony’s idea to spend the afternoon watching movies. He believed that it might help them get used to touching one another. They could curl up like he often did with his friends and his aunt. He couldn’t help but think he was right.

The choice of movies had been deliberate. Peter had adamantly refused to watch porn. He didn’t want to see anything explicit. He’d rather watch something romantic with a sexy undertone. Or what he thought was sexy anyway. Hence, Dirty Dancing and Burlesque.

By the time Ali had a job in the club, one of Peter’s hands was resting on Tony’s thigh. The placement the most daring he’d tried. His fingers clenched the man’s muscled leg gently due to nerves, but he didn’t know what else to do. Should he rub the man’s thigh? Dare to go higher? He couldn’t fully relax his arm. If he let it fall freely, his fingers would fall in between the man’s legs. That would probably be too forward. Right?  

He’d probably been awkwardly holding the man’s leg for too long now, hadn’t he?

“How you doing, Pete?” Tony whispered.

He had noticed. Damn it. He was making a fool of himself, and they hadn’t even started anything yet.

“Okay, I think,” he breathed, turning to face him. “Um, I think I’m ready to go a bit further, I’m just… not sure how.”

“Okay. Well, why don’t we start with some kissing. You said you’d like to try that?”

Nodding his head, he sat up straighter before looking to Tony for directions. Patting his lap invitingly, Peter bit his lip nervously before taking a deep breath and moving.

Straddling Tony’s lap, he let his arms wrap around the alpha’s shoulders as he settled his weight. Tony’s hands automatically went to his hips to steady him. Sitting this close, he could feel the older man’s breath ghosting over his lips. His eyes drawn to the other’s mouth as he licked his dry lips. An unfamiliar heat settling under his skin as he leant forward until they were almost touching. Close enough that he was sure the older man could feel the heat radiating from his skin. Tony paused, asking permission with his eyes before going any further. Swallowing loudly, he nodded before finally pressing himself forward. His eyes automatically closing as he felt Tony’s lips brush his own.

The man’s lips were dryer than Liz’s had been. Her’s had been sticky with lip gloss, whereas Tony’s felt smooth. Tony let him start the kiss, but quickly took the lead. Not pushing like he was worried he would, but guiding him to turning his head, to lean into him. He opened his mouth when the alpha’s tongue licked at his lips looking for access.

Shifting his grip, he moved to stroke the back of Tony’s neck as they deepened the kiss. He tried copying the alpha’s actions by letting his own tongue explore the man’s mouth in a similar way to what the alpha had been doing to him. It felt a little odd, but the moan it pulled from the alpha was intoxicating. He couldn’t contain his whimper when Tony gently sucked on his bottom lip, nibbling the sensitive flesh. His hips moved of their own volitation, rocking against the alpha underneath him. Tony gripped his hips tighter after his first aborted thrust. Growling deep in his throat.

“Go on, Pete,” he groaned, moving from his lips to suck gently along his throat.

The alpha’s hands encouraging him to continue moving his hips. Moaning at the spark of arousal, he dragged Tony’s mouth back up to his. Their breathing laboured as their clothed erections rubbed against each other. With uncoordinated hands, he fumbled with Tony’s shirt buttons, slowly working his way down before the alpha let go to shrug his shirt off. Peter’s hands instantly falling to Tony’s chest and exploring the scarred muscle.

As his hands traced down the man’s chest to stroke the soft skin of his stomach, the alpha was distracted by getting Peter’s own shirt off him. Pausing for a moment in his exploration he let his shirt drop to the floor before pulling himself closer to Tony. Breath catching in his throat at the feel of skin on skin, the man sucked gently on his tongue causing his cock to twitch painfully against his zipper.

Whining at the sensation, he pulled back to fumble with his jeans, panting into Tony’s neck.

“You need a hand, baby?”

“Uh-huh,” he nodded, letting the man help him out of his jeans.

Sitting back down, he ground his hips against the man beneath him, shivering at the growing heat in his gut. He’d never felt this good before. Even without direct contact on his dick, it felt better than his hand. Something about knowing his pleasure was being aided by another person. Feeling the man’s heat below him. Feeling the man’s own erection pressing against his own. All of it adding together to create a warmth he’d never felt before.

His hips stuttered causing him to whine, high and pathetic at the loss of friction. Tony took sympathy on him using his grip on his hips to guide his thrusts, occasionally pressing up against him. The additional pressure causing his breath to hitch.

“’m, ‘m gonna…” he panted into the man’s shoulder.

His grip tightening around his neck as he felt his pleasure growing. Edging ever closer to the precipice.

“You gonna cum, honey?” Tony growled, placing open mouthed kisses along his neck.

Shivering at the words, he nodded. He’d never heard Tony’s voice go that deep before. The sound doing something to his stomach.

“Please,” he whispered.

“Go on,” Tony encouraged. “Cum for me. Let me see you.”

Breath catching in his throat, his entire body tensed as his orgasm took him over. Crying out in pleasure, his hips continued moving for a couple of aborted thrusts before sagging boneless against the alpha, breathing heavily.

When he managed to gain control of his body again, he was aware of Tony stroking his back gently, whispering reassurances. Lifting his head, he squinted at Tony, before the embarrassment of what had just happened crashed down on him.

Cheeks flushing red, he looked away. He’d cum from a make-out session. The man was still wearing his jeans and his own boxers were sticky with his own release. God, he must think he was some ridiculous teenager stereotype.

“There you are, you did so well, Pete. Are you okay?”

“Yeah,” he breathed, ignoring the waver in his voice. “Sorry.”

“Why’re you sorry?”

“I didn’t mean to… we’ve not even…”

“Hey, no worries. It was hot. You have no idea how good it feels to see you like that. To know I was helping with that pleasure. Besides, you’re still young.” His hands dropped to cup his ass. Gently squeezing and kneading the sensitive flesh. “That provides an advantage. You have more than one round in you?”

His cock was already twitching in its confines once more. In place of an answer, he rocked his hips against the man’s erection that must have been getting painful at this point and leant in for another kiss. Letting his tongue once more explore the man’s mouth, pressing it gently against the others tongue. Sucking gently, before moving to bite the man’s bottom lip.

The alpha groaned as he pulled back from the kiss.

“D’you think you’re ready to move this to the bedroom?”

Ignoring the way his heart started racing at the prospect, he swallowed his fear and nodded. Yelping when Tony stood up, hands gripping under his ass, he wrapped his arms and legs around the man like a koala.

He’d tried to prepare himself for what was coming. Had spent a couple of hours searching online for experiences of first times and the mating process. There were a couple of videos he’d found online, but they were terrifying. The fact that someone would choose to record a person during such a vulnerable act was horrible, but from what he saw the boys were all in pain and scared as well. He expected the bite to hurt, but there was a lot of blood and pain involved in the penetration itself.

The soft sheets of the bed under his back dragged him back to the present. He hadn’t realised he’d zoned out during the journey. His hands automatically reached for Tony when he stepped away from the bed, the man smirking when he caught sight of the action.

“Sorry, Pete. Was just grabbing some supplies.” He threw a bottle onto the bed before moving to lie on his side beside him, his fingers tracing over Peter’s chest. “Are you okay to continue or do you need a break?”

Fidgeting under the intense gaze, he let his eyes roam across the man’s body. He was scared of what was going to happen, but then that wouldn’t change. He’d be as well getting it over with sooner rather than later. That seemed to be his mindset around a lot of what had happened recently. Before he had a chance to respond however, Tony’s hand was cupping his cheek and wiping away tears he hadn’t even realised were falling.

“Hey, hey,” he cooed. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” he whispered. “’m fine.”

“It’s not nothing and you’re not fine,” he corrected gently. “And that’s okay. I know this a lot but talking might help.”

“I’m just… I’m just scared.”  

“Of becoming mated?”

He shrugged. He’d mostly come to grips with the fact it was going to happen. He wasn’t scared of the fact he’d be spending the rest of his life with Tony. Wasn’t necessarily on board with the decision, but he accepted it was the best option he had.

“Is there a specific part you’re worried about or is it more the whole thing in general?”

“I’m worried about how much it’ll hurt,” he admitted quietly, gaze fixed on the ceiling.

“The bite?”

Biting his lip, he shook his head. He was prepared for that one. It was the other one he was worried about.

“The…” he swallowed trying to wet his dry throat. “The sex,” he whispered.

Understanding bloomed across Tony’s face before he pulled the younger man against his chest.

“I can’t promise it won’t be uncomfortable, but I promise I’m not going to hurt you. If it hurts, you need to tell me, and I’ll slow down.”

“But—“

“Do you trust me?”

“Yes,” he answered with no hesitation.

That had never been in question. He maybe didn’t like their situation, but he still trusted him. Even without being forced to, he would trust Tony with his life.

“Then I promise you, the sex won’t hurt.”

“Okay,” he breathed.

Taking a moment to get his breathing back under control, he leant up for a hug before letting his lips trace the man’s jaw. Using his mouth, he explored the alphas neck and chest before making his way back up to his mouth. Once their lips reconnected, Tony rolled them, so Peter was on his back underneath him.

He wasn’t sure if it was minutes or hours later when they paused, both panting for breath and hard. Alongside the cold, stickiness from his previous release he was aware of a new wetness between his legs in his boxers. Squeezing his legs together against the odd sensation, he let his hands wander down between their bodies before hesitating at the waistband of Tony’s jeans.

“You want me to take them off?” Tony asked, eyes analysing him.

Biting his lip, he nodded. Shaking fingers undoing the man’s button before pausing to check in with him. After getting permission, he cautiously pushed the denim down being careful of the man’s hard cock straining against his boxers. Once his jeans were mid-thigh, Tony knelt up to kick them the rest of the way off before resuming his position.

The alpha’s boxers didn’t leave much to the imagination. He could see the outline of the man’s cock pressing against the thin fabric. He was thicker than he’d expected him to be and almost seven inches if he had to guess. At this angle, he could also see the curve of Tony’s ass. His hands clenching at his sides from where he wanted to squeeze the soft globes.

Licking his lips, he let himself meet Tony’s gaze before slipping his own boxers off, leaving himself bare for the man. He couldn’t miss the hitch in the man’s breath or the way his eyes grew darker in hunger. His hands hovering almost reverently above Peter’s frame.

“Can I touch you, Pete?”

“Mmhmm.”

“God, you smell amazing.”

Tony returned to his place at his side before allowing his hands to explore Peter’s body.

He moaned when one of his mentor’s strong hands loosely gripped around his cock, the other moving to fondle his balls.

“That feel good?”

“Uh-huh,” he moaned. “So good.”

The hand on his balls dropped down until it was pressing against his omegan hole. He could feel the unfamiliar wetness around it causing the man’s finger to slide through his flaps before gently pressing against him. He sucked in a breath of surprise when one of the man’s fingers disappeared inside of him. Unlike when Dr. Cho had done the same thing, this was a welcomed move. His body eager for the breach. Clenching around the finger he shifted his hips looking for more, the hand around his cock continuing its leisurely pace. A second finger soon joined the first one, leaving him feeling full but not in pain.

Tony slowly started pumping his fingers in and out of his hole. An embarrassing squelching sound echoing in the quiet room.

“How’s that feel?”

“Good,” he moaned. “More?”

“You sure? There’s no rush.”

Nodding emphatically, Tony chuckled before inserting a third finger. He definitely felt the stretch that time, but the man took it slowly, giving him time to adjust before moving his fingers. Twisting his neck, he managed to press open-mouthed kisses along the alpha’s neck while his hand moved to rub against the man’s cock. There was wet patch on his underwear from the pre-cum around the head. He let his fingertips circle it for a moment before dragging them down and cupping the heavy balls.

He'd couldn’t have been familiarising himself with the man’s cock for more than five minutes when a fourth finger was added causing him to moan into the man’s chest.

Pressing down onto the fingers, he let his hand wrap around the man’s hard length for a moment before pulling back to remove Tony’s underwear, Tony shifting his hips to aid in his endeavour. He licked his lips as the man’s cock hung heavy against the bedding. The tip was flushed a dark pink and glistening with pre-cum.

“T—Tony?”

“Yeah, Pete?”

“Want you inside me,” he whispered bashfully.

He didn’t need enhanced hearing to notice the hitch in the alpha’s breath at his request. Or the way Tony moved a hand to squeeze the bottom of his cock to prevent himself from cumming.

“You sure you’re ready?”

“Yeah, please.”

“Okay. Lie back for me, baby.”

Removing his fingers, he helped Peter get settled before reaching for the lube and applying a generous helping to his cock. Furrowing his brow, he watched confusedly. He thought because it was going in his hole, he wouldn’t need lube given it was already wet. Extremely so if the sound effects were to be believed. At Tony’s concerned look, he voiced his question.

“It’s just a precaution,” Tony answered. “Yes, it’s self-lubricating, but a little extra won’t hurt. Especially when it’s your first time. Remember, I don’t want to hurt you. My knot will probably be uncomfortable, but I don’t want you to be in pain.”

“Okay. I’m ready.”

Not necessarily for the mating. That was a lifetimes commitment that would probably take him years to have decided on if given the chance, but after having the man’s thick fingers inside of him he was feeling empty. In desperate need of something to fill him.

“Okay. Just relax and breathe for me.”

He could feel the tip of the man’s cock rubbing against his balls for a moment before the blunt head pressed against his hole. The tip slowly disappearing inside him as the alpha continued to press forward slowly. There was a little resistance after the initial breach, but it wasn’t painful, just a feeling of tightness. Once the alpha was fully sheathed, he leant forward to press a gentle kiss against Peter’s lips giving him a moment to adjust to the unfamiliar sensation.

Eventually the sensation of having a death grip over the man’s cock eased and he felt the walls of his hole loosening, allowing for more freedom in movement. Shifting his hips to experiment with the new feeling, he couldn’t contain his moan of pleasure. The alpha’s cock was rubbing his insides while the man’s stomach was rubbing against his own cock.

“You ready for me to move?”

“Please,” he begged. “Please, move.”

With a final kiss to his lips, Tony held himself on top of Peter, his arms bracketing his head and slowly pulled back until he was almost slipping out before pushing back in. He continued his slow thrusts for a few moments before beginning to increase his pace.

By the time the alpha had settled on a steady pace, he was panting, and whimpers were escaping his lips with every thrust. His fingers scrabbling for purchase in the small hairs at the top of Tony’s neck. His cock was being rubbed between their bodies with every movement.

This was nothing like he’d imagined. This wasn’t scary or painful. It was euphoric. It was the most intense pleasure he’d ever experienced. His earlier orgasm was nothing compared to this. The feel of the alpha’s – his alpha’s – thick cock filling him up, the constant pressure on his cock, the heat of the other man’s body surrounding him. He felt like he was floating. Tony was the only thing tethering him to reality. Keeping him safe and protected.

The pleasure was coiling in his abdomen. His breath catching in his throat as his muscles tensed.

“Tony,” he whined, pulling the man down for a kiss. “To—ny.”

“You close, Pete?” Tony groaned, his breath hot on the side of his face.

“Yeah,” he whispered. “So close. Please. Need more.”

“More?”

He nodded desperately. Begging with his eyes. He couldn’t put it into words, didn’t even know what he was asking for, he just knew his body needed something extra. He was riding the edge and he needed something to push him over.

Tony groaned above him, one of his hands moving to caress the side of his face. Turning to rest some of his weight into the man’s hand, he watched as Tony’s eyes screwed shut in pleasure.

“I’m gonna cum, Pete,” he moaned. “You ready for my knot?”

Unintentionally squeezing around the man’s cock in anticipation, he nodded.

“Please.”

Tony’s thrusts began to grow erratic at the same time he felt the man’s knot begin to grow. The stretching feeling returned, sharper this time. He winced the final time the alpha’s growing knot was pushed into him, locking into place. Tony continued moving with shallow thrusts, but the knot prevented him from pulling out. He was simply rutting into Peter. The increased pressure was verging on painful, but the pleasure was helping drown it out.

He moaned when he felt the alpha begin to spill inside him. An unfamiliar warmth spreading through him. Still riding the edge, he cried out when Tony shifted to circle a hand around his cock, stroking him to his own orgasm while the alpha pressed gentle kisses along his neck, approaching his mating gland. Despite knowing what was coming, he was still taking by surprise when the alpha bit down as he started cumming. His shout of pleasure turning into one of pain. His body at war over what it was feeling. The smell of blood mixing with the scent of their arousal. The feeling of the alpha’s knot filling him being ignored in favour of the man’s teeth sunk deep in his neck.

Once his orgasm induced haze began to fade, Tony retracted his teeth from his neck causing him to cry out. The pain reigniting.

“I’m sorry,” Tony whispered, sounding apologetic.

He whined as the alpha lent down to lick and kiss at his sore and inflamed mating gland. His fingers moving to wipe away the tears still running down his cheeks.

“I’m sorry. Once my knot’s gone down, we’ll get your neck cleaned up properly. Shouldn’t be too much longer. Other than the pain in your neck, are you okay?”

“Yeah,” he whispered.

His voice shaking from a mix of pain and the slowly retreating pleasure.

“The sex didn’t hurt?”

“No,” he chuckled wetly. “You were right. The knot wasn’t exactly fun, but it wasn’t painful. Maybe a little sore, but not too bad.”

“I’m glad to hear it.”

Blinking heavily, he tried to hide a yawn unsuccessfully, before shifting as much as the knot still locked inside him would allow. His body growing heavier by the minute. Likely a side effect of the mating.

“’m really sleepy,” he mumbled, willing himself to relax into the bed despite the painful pulse in the side of his neck.

“Why don’t you rest then? I can get you cleaned up after.”

That sounded like an offer he couldn’t refuse.

“Okay.”

Turning his head to press a kiss to the alpha’s hand, he let his eyes close. His breaths growing deeper before evening out as sleep took him over, feeling comforted by his alpha’s presence surrounding him.

Chapter Text

The rest of the weekend passed by in a, for lack of a better term, sex-fuelled haze.

It turns out that knowing what to expect was nothing compared to actually living it. No matter how much he’d tried to prepare mentally, he was completely blindsided with the reality of it.

The hormonal changes triggered by the bite caused him to feel pain when he wasn’t in physical contact with his alpha.

After the initial mating, he’d awoken, whimpering, with a sharp stabbing pain in his abdomen as Tony had left the bed to get them some towels to clean up with. The details were blurry, but he remembered the look of concern on the alpha’s face as he’d begged for his touch, to be filled, anything to end the pain. His aching muscles had begun to relax the minute his mate’s hands had touched his skin, his worries fading into the background when the alpha pressed inside him. Once they’d finished and Tony’s knot had once again deflated, the alpha had gathered him in his arms and together they’d went to the kitchen were Tony fed him, eating small bites before they returned to the bedroom for another round.

The rest of the weekend had followed a similarly embarrassing pattern.

His mind was still trying its best to block the memory of Tony holding him in the bathroom, aiming for him while he peed still impaled on the alpha’s knot.

As the weekend progressed, the time between their sex sessions and the distance Peter could stand to be from Tony had been slowly increasing.

By Sunday night, Peter was able to sit on the opposite side of the couch from Tony for almost half an hour before the pain became too much, but at that point, a hug from his alpha was enough to ease his suffering and help reset the pain.

Their circumstances hadn’t allowed them much time to discuss their new dynamic. There was a lingering, unaddressed tension between the pair that neither wanted to bring up. Peter wouldn’t be the first to mention it since he was still confused as to what his new role was. His hormones were still not settled meaning he wasn’t fully in control of his body yet and given all the rules he was expected to follow now, he was scared to do something wrong. His brain and body at war over what was expected of him.

One of the side effects of the mating was that there was now a quiet niggle in the back of his mind urging him to please his alpha. Telling him that if he upset his alpha that he’d fail, and it felt like the world would end.

Given he knew that Tony wouldn’t want to talk about emotions or insecurities, he resigned himself to continuing to ignore the questions circling his mind.

Something that he supposed, if looking for a bright side, was made easier by the fact that Marcus was currently giving him a once over in the suit he was about to walk into the press conference wearing. He’d never been in a tighter pair of dress trousers in his life. Apparently, it was the height of omegan fashion. To highlight his features. The deep burgundy colour would complement Tony’s darker suit that had burgundy accents. His black shirt was almost sheer under the light, the outline of his nipples clearly visible, causing him to pull at the edges of his jacket in a futile attempt to cover them. The collar of the shirt and jacket were both altered to leave his mating gland fully accessible. The red, inflamed teeth marks standing out against the pale skin of his neck.

He was still staring at his reflection in the mirror when Pepper arrived, going over everything that would happen. He and Tony would walk out together, Tony taking the lead, and Peter was expected to stand silently by his side while Tony did all the talking. The PR team reckoned the announcement could increase their stock prices as long as they came across as a happy couple, so he was to ensure he kept smiling.

It sounded easy enough.

But like most things recently, the reality was something different.

The reporters' voices and camera flashes assaulted his heightened senses the minute he stepped out onto the stage. His hands unconsciously scrabbling for a hold of Tony’s arms. Pausing before they reached the podium, Tony turned, giving him a quick once over before sliding his signature glasses off his own face and onto Peter’s.

“Sorry, Pete,” he murmured under his breath, making sure no one would be able to overhear them. “I forgot to take your senses into account. Glasses should help with the lights, and they’ll shut up once we start which should help with the noise. If it gets too much, just let me know. And if you can, try to keep smiling? Pep’s already given me enough grief about all this. If the press takes a negative angle, I’ll never hear the end of it.”

Breathing slightly easier with the flashes dimmed, he nodded.

He just needed to smile and get through this to keep his alpha happy. Digging his fingernails into his palm, he forced his lips to turn upwards. Once his features resembled as close to a smile as he could manage, he nodded again to show he was ready.

Tony opened his mouth like he was going to add something before changing his mind. Patting him on the shoulder, he placed a hand on Peter’s lower back to guide him to his side at the podium. Like promised, once Tony cleared his throat to begin, the reporters quietened down. His senses were still overwhelmed so he allowed his attention to focus in on his alpha’s heartbeat. The slightly unsteady rhythm easy to tune into and providing him with a sense of comfort.

He was distantly aware of Tony announcing their mating. The man pulling him into his side for a half hug, just happening to turn him slightly so that his mating bite was on full display for the cameras. Released with a reminder to smile, he returned to his original position and forced his lips into an imitation of a smile once again as Tony continued to speak, talking through the future of SI and upcoming projects, about how Peter will be there to join him at future engagements.

The crowd of reporters erupted with questions at the end of the man’s speech. Wincing at the sudden onslaught, he happily curled into Tony’s shoulder at the elder’s invitation while the man answered. Pressing one ear against the man’s chest he let his other ear be covered by his bicep. It wasn’t until he was being guided off the stage that the embarrassment of his actions caught up with him.

He’d acted like a child.

He’d acted like some scared little kid in front of a room full of reporters. Reporters with cameras. Cameras that were broadcasting around the country.

His omegan status was already enough of an embarrassment to May. How could he go and make it worse for her?

“Well done, kid,” Tony whispered into his forehead. “You did so well. The team are up in the common room if you want to join them? I figured we could go hang out for a while, maybe use it as a distraction.”

Shrugging in his hold, he kept his eyes trained on the stairs as they walked towards the living quarters. The faint sounds from the team already floating towards him.

He didn’t want to spend time around the team. Being honest, he didn’t want to spend time with anybody. Other than Tony. And he figured that was only due to his hormones. He still couldn't be far from the man without pain.

Ideally, he’d want to spend his time, alone, in his room. Giving himself a proper chance to come to terms with everything that’s happened. It still felt like some weird fever dream. That he’d wake up and have the official paperwork through from MIT confirming his place in the advanced placement programme. Talk about his future with May over a plate of burnt toast at their second-hand kitchen table.

But deep down, he knew the truth.

The Avengers were relaxing around the room. Steve was in the armchair across from Bucky who was lounging on one of the couches. Natasha was spread out in the loveseat, her legs thrown over the armrest, while Clint was perched on the back of it. Rhodey was standing behind an empty couch, looking tense, while Pepper was hanging closer to the kitchen, talking seriously into her earpiece but giving them a quick wave as they entered the space.

Wishing that he’d found the confidence to ask about changing his outfit before joining the team, he hesitantly sat on the couch beside Tony. The others calling out greetings, but his attention was stuck on the TV in front of him. He was met with his own face. The news had a picture of the conference in the background with two news anchors discussing what had happened. The sound was muted, but their facial expressions alone were enough for him to understand that they approved of their mating.

He wondered if May had seen it yet. Had Ned and MJ? What about his decathlon team?

He couldn’t stop thinking back to how pathetic he’d acted. They hadn’t even made it to the podium before he was grabbing hold of Tony in his scared state. Throughout the conference he’d clung to the man’s side, and he’d literally hid against the man at the end.

He wanted to be mortified, and he was, but he also couldn’t help wondering if that was just his life now. It wasn’t like male omega’s had any public standing anyway. They were literally seen as sex objects, sold for their bodies. It’s what had happened to him, regardless of any good intentions. Would people expect him to be the pathetic boy who couldn’t do anything by himself now? Was he simply meeting their expectations?

A nudge to his shoulder drew him out of his spiralling thoughts. Tony was watching him with concern.

“You okay, Pete? You zoned out on us there.”

“Sorry,” he grimaced at being caught. “I, just…”

“It’s fine,” Tony assured him. “Steve was just asking how you were doing.”

“Right, s—sorry, Steve,” he stuttered. “I’m okay.”

Sliding off the man’s sunglasses he hesitantly handed them back to Tony ignoring the questioning look he received in return. Tugging his suit jacket as closed as it would go and pulling his knees up to the chest, he leant back into the couch. The others seemed to share a fleeting look before continuing their conversation. Clint’s son’s birthday was coming up soon and they were planning a surprise party. Something that was apparently made more difficult by the fact they lived in the middle of nowhere.

Trying not to disappoint his alpha again, he tried to follow the conversation, but he still found himself zoning out every so often and pinching himself discretely to tune back in. He could feel Tony’s watchful eye on him and plastered a smile on his face.

He didn’t want the man to worry.

Peter’s not been himself. Not that Tony had expected anything less.

Their weekend had been hectic and tiring, and then when everything was finally starting to settle, they were dragged out for a stupid press conference. He couldn’t give two shits what the media thought about their relationship. The only opinion he worried about was Peter’s. And maybe May’s. May was a force to be reckoned with.

He could have slapped himself when he’d forgotten about the kid’s enhanced senses. His sunglasses had been a staple since he was a teenager to help with the forcefulness of reporters, providing him with a defensive barrier. He hadn’t even thought about providing that same protection for Peter until it had been too late. He’d seen the tightening around the younger man’s eyes. He was in pain. But it’d been too late to back out.

He’d done his best to keep the boy grounded during the conference, giving him his glasses to help filter the input, but he’s not sure how much it helped. The minute he’d opened the floor for questions, Peter had jerked as if in pain before Tony was doing everything he could to hide him from the room while also completing his obligations.

As soon as possible he’d left the stage, pulling Peter with him before making their way to the common area.

He’d noticed that as the weekend had progressed and Peter had longer periods of clarity, the boy had seemed uncomfortable around him. The team had been in touch asking to come over after the conference. Stating it would give them some time to hang out and to show the kid that nothing had to change between them. Thinking having some more company around would be beneficial, he’d jumped on it. Sending a quinjet so they’d arrive just before the press conference began. So that they’d be ready for them after.

He thought it would help. That it would be good for Peter.

But something was wrong.

The others continued talking, trying to keep things normal, but his gaze kept flitting back to the omega by his side. He kept zoning out, his eyes taking on a thousand-yard stare before seeming to jump back into himself.

Rhodey cleared his throat behind him, gaining his attention. The man indicated his head towards the hallway before slowly walking that way, his braces whirring slightly with every step. He really needed to work on their update soon, the sound shouldn’t be audible to his ears. Knowing that he wouldn’t be able to get out of a conversation with his best friend, he stood slowly. Groaning as muscles he forgot he even had twinged with the movement. A weekend long sex-marathon may have been something he did frequently in his younger years, but he was getting too old for it now. He was too out of practice.

His movement caused Peter to start uncurling as if to follow, but he would be willing to bet that Rhodey wanted to talk about Peter specifically. Not something he should have to hear.

“Why don’t you stay here? I’m just off to chat to platypus, anyway. You’d be bored brainless.”

Peter furrowed his brow, he could see the questions in the boy’s eyes, but he hesitantly nodded, sitting back, and hugging his knees.

“Besides, the others came to see you. I don’t want to be accused of hogging the boy wonder,” he smirked. A small smile flashing on the boy’s face before settling back into a neutral expression.

Leaving the room, he avoided the judgemental glare coming from Natasha. She was always on his case about something, but it’d have to wait till after he spoke to Rhodey. He could only deal with one pissed off person at a time.

He found Rhodey waiting in the library, standing in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows. The tension was visible in the man’s shoulders as he approached. He knew he wasn’t the most thrilled about the decision he’d made regarding Peter, but he thought that he’d have come to terms with it by now. Hell, they’d hugged it out before they all left the compound the previous week.

Still, he’d have to be blind to have not noticed the disapproving looks Rhodey had been sending him for the past hour. The only smile he’d seen on the man’s face had been directed at Peter. Not that he could fault him for that.

“If you were looking for a room with a view, you could’ve asked, Honeybear.”

“Tones.”

“Personally, I prefer the view out of the east facing windows. Better lighting, less foot traffic—“

“Cut the crap, Tones!”

“Someone’s sounding serious.”

Rhodey spun as fast as his braces would allow him, barely suppressed rage shining in his eyes. It had been a while since Tony had seen him like this. It was an almost weekly occurrence back at MIT. He’d find himself at one party or another, barely remembering his own name and then suddenly there would be Rhodey, dragging him back to their dorm to sleep it off before chewing him out the next morning. The last time he’d seen him this serious had been after he discovered the palladium poisoning he’d tried his hardest to keep a secret.

“Do not joke about this. That kid’s life is literally in your hands and you’re just—“

“I know that. You think I don’t? It terrifies me, but it was the best choice.”

He ran his fingers through his hair, before turning from his best friend. Breathing heavily through his nose as he fought the urge to scream at him. Did Rhodey not realise he was fully aware of the trust Peter was being forced into giving him? The responsibility it put on him?

“You paraded him out in front of those cameras! Thousands were watching it, if not more. Don’t tell me that was what’s best for the kid.”

Spinning on his heel, he glared at Rhodey.

“It’s sure as hell a lot better than having a room full of stuffy officials watching him being mated for the first time!”

“What?” he asked, shocked.

“The systems more corrupt than I thought. I thought once we were mated, I could give him a normal life, but there are roadblocks everywhere. So much legal jargon and, shit, I know I’ve never been one for following the rules but like you said, the kid’s life is in my hands. I can’t risk doing anything that could get him removed from my care. I just... I've got my best lawyers looking into it, but even they think it could take years for any changes to come into force.” Shoulders sagging in defeat, he sunk down into the two-seater sofa by the window. Looking up helplessly at his best friend, he shrugged. “So, what am I supposed to do?”

Rhodey puffed out a breath, before moving to sit beside him, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees.

“You know you could’ve talked to me. I’m supposed to be your best friend, man. If I can’t help you with this sort of stuff, then what am I here for?”

“To be fair, I've not had much free time the last couple of days” he chuckled. “Besides, you know now.”

“True. So, what’re your lawyers working on? Maybe there’s still things we can do while we wait for the legal stuff to go through.”

“Maybe,” he sighed.

Taking a deep breath, he gave Rhodey the rundown of everything his legal team were currently wading through. How they were fighting to find loopholes in current laws while also looking to add in amendments to make male omegas legal persons in their own right. How he wanted Peter, and everyone else like him, to have access to a proper education and be allowed to work. About how he legally needs to have a chaperone for Peter if he ever wants to leave their home without him. That if he goes out on a mission, he’ll need to have Happy or someone stay with Peter, as he is required to be accompanied by an alpha or is at risk of the state stepping in to “help".

He’d just begun explaining his concerns around arranging visits with May and Peter’s friends when Natasha came barrelling into the room, grabbing hold of the doorframe as she slid to a stop.

“Stark,” she said, a hint of worry lining her voice. “Something’s wrong with Peter.”

He barely had time to glance at the clock above the door before he was sprinting down the corridor. He’d only intended to be gone for fifteen minutes at most, but it’d been nearly forty-five. The omega had struggled with the distance yesterday when they were in the same room and for a third of the time he’d been gone. He should’ve known better than to risk it. Especially with company.

Although why the boy wouldn’t have come to find him, he wasn’t sure.

Skidding into the common area, his eyes were immediately drawn to the omega curled up on the couch with tears streaming down his face. The boy was backing away from Cap and Clint who were bent down in front of the boy obviously trying to offer assistance while Bucky stood further back, concern etched into his posture. Pained whimpers falling from the boy’s lips as he rocked back and forth.

Pushing the others out of the way, he gently picked Peter up and placed him on his lap as he sat on the couch. One hand rubbing circles along his arm while the other squeezed reassuringly at the back of his neck. Letting his chin rest on top of the boy’s head, he could feel some of the tension escaping his tightly wound body.

“I’m so sorry, Pete,” he whispered, choosing to ignore the others in the room who were still staring questioningly at them. “I didn’t mean to be away for so long. You should’ve come get me or told FRIDAY. I didn't want you to be in pain.”

He didn’t receive any verbal response. Instead, the boy just pressed his face closer into his neck, his breath tickling the fine hairs at the top of his chest.

He felt like the worst alpha in the world. It hadn’t even been seventy-two hours and he’d already majorly messed up.

The kid’s scrabbling hands moving to grab at his chest and shoulder drew him out of his downward spiral before it could really begin. Pressing a kiss into the boy’s curls, he focused on controlling his breathing. He couldn’t afford to lose it right now. His omega was relying on him. He could wallow in self-pity later.

It wasn’t until Peter’s breathing had settled into a slow and steady rhythm that he remembered they weren’t alone in the room. Natasha and Rhodey had joined the others gathered around them on the couch. Shifting to ensure Peter’s face was hidden, he raised an eyebrow in question at them. He knew they’d never been the greatest with personal boundaries, but he would’ve thought they’d’ve had the decency to at least give them some space.

“Should we call Dr. Cho?” Clint asked, his eyes not moving from where Peter was curled against his chest.

“No,” he replied quietly. His hands tightening reflexively around his omega. “He doesn’t need a doctor right now.”

“What was that?” Natasha demanded.

“Its... The bond takes a while to settle. Any distance can be... painful. I hadn’t meant to be gone for so long. Peter’s hormones are still trying to find their new normal.”

Pressing his face into his alpha’s chest, he breathed easier as the pain in his stomach finally eased. He was thankful for the protective hand keeping him from view, as he could feel the eyes of the team on him. His cheeks blushing furiously as Mr. Stark explained what had happened.

He hadn’t meant to make such a spectacle of himself.

When Tony had originally left telling him to stay where he was, he’d assumed the man would only be gone for a couple of minutes. But after five minutes had passed and there had been no sign of his return – and the pain had begun to make itself known– the doubts started to creep in. But the pain hadn’t been bad, similar to pressing on a healing bruise in his stomach, so he hadn’t worried too much. Tony would be back soon.

By the time he’d been away for fifteen minutes, he was blinking tears from his eyes as he wrapped his arms around his stomach trying to ease the ever-growing pain spreading throughout his abdomen. It had developed to feeling like he was being kicked – hard – repeatedly in the stomach.

He wondered if it was some sort of test. Mr. Stark wanting to know if he would be able to follow orders. He’d read that a lot of alphas used the pain induced from bonding as punishments, some doing it simply for entertainment. Not that he thought Tony would do this without a reason. Maybe it was because he’d embarrassed the man during the press conference. Instead of standing proudly by his alpha’s side smiling, he’d been pathetic – curling into and hiding behind the man.

No wonder the man had left him to suffer.

After another five minutes, tears had started to slide down his cheeks and he lifted one of his arms to rest against his knees allowing him to bite down on his knuckles to contain any sounds. The others hadn’t noticed his distress yet. Too invested in trying to maintain a light-hearted conversation.

He absently wondered if they’d been informed of his punishment beforehand.

He barely lasted another ten minutes before he was rocking back and forth trying in vain to ease the pain. On top of the unending pain in his abdomen, his insides felt like they were literally being run through a grinder and torn apart. His logical mind argued with his instincts. Part of him was desperate to leave the room, to go find his alpha, knowing that his alpha’s touch would act like a soothing balm. The other part, the part that was winning, wouldn’t allow him to go against his alpha’s orders. It was almost worse than when the man had used his alpha voice when they’d been held captive. Now, rather than feeling forced into following orders, he felt compelled to please his alpha. Doing whatever it takes to do so, including staying put like he’d been told despite the pain it was causing him.

The conversation in the room had become stilted. He was distantly aware of the team giving him surreptitious glances, but he simply didn’t have the brain capacity to pay attention.

By the time Tony had been out of the room for forty minutes, he was openly whimpering, and the others had started to surround him. Their voices overlapping each other. In his state of distress, none of it made sense. He screamed and flinched away whenever anyone tried to touch him. Cowering back against the couch, unable to contain his sounds of distress, the others finally took the message and stopped trying to approach.

The pain in his abdomen was making it hard to breathe. Gasping, shallow breaths rattling through his chest. The inferno in his stomach had finally reached its peak, but there was no escape from it. The only thing he really knew was that he wanted his alpha. Only his alpha could help him.

But he wasn’t allowed to go to him.

He’s not sure how long he’d remained there before Tony appeared.

One minute he’d been in unbearable pain, the next the man’s mere touch was soothing the inferno as he was lifted into the man’s lap.

The sudden change had left his mind hazy. His thoughts still muddled as he gripped at the man’s shirt, pulling himself as close as possible as the aching in his stomach receded once again to nothing more than an old bruise.

Once his mind finally began to clear, he was able to tune into Tony explaining what had happened, sparking questions from Steve and Clint. Embarrassed that he’d made such a fool of himself, he pressed his face harder into Tony’s chest, inhaling the man’s scent.

The one positive was that it didn’t sound like his alpha was angry with him. He hadn’t said it was a punishment. Although he hadn’t said it was an accident either.

Eventually the conversation was directed away from Peter himself and switched to training plans for the week ahead. Allowing himself to relax now that he was no longer in pain, the familiar voices forming a pleasant background noise, he almost missed the now familiar tingling beginning in his groin.

Despite his hormones mostly settling, he knew it was unlikely for the side-effects of the mating to have stopped altogether. The pain caused by their separation proof enough of that. Squeezing his thighs together, he tried to ignore the wetness he could feel forming around his hole. Shifting his hips, he could feel the slick rubbing into his balls and dripping between his cheeks.

His head was physically raised by Tony’s deep inhale before the alpha’s grip tightened around him. Cheeks flushing red, he realised the alpha could most likely smell his arousal. Glancing up at the man with worried eyes, he hoped the man could read his mind. If he stayed in the room for too long, then the others might smell it as well. But he couldn’t leave by himself, the bond too unstable after their recent extended separation.

He could have melted with relief when Tony gave him a small reassuring smile, before clearing his throat and standing, Peter still wrapped securely in his arms.

“This has been lovely, guys, but we’re out. Help yourself to food or whatever, we’ll probably be ordering some Chinese later. Just let FRIDAY know your order,” he called over his shoulder as he started leaving the common area, making their way to Tony’s private quarters. “See ya.”

Without even waiting for a response, Tony continued down the hall, a series of responses echoing from the Avenger’s before they reached their private quarters and the soundproof doors shut behind them.

“’m sorry,” he mumbled, feeling guilty for dragging Tony away from the group.

“You’ve nothing to be sorry for, Pete,” Tony assured him, pressing a kiss to his forehead as he gently placed him down on the bed, only stepping back enough to give himself space to remove his shoes and belt before moving to lay on top of him. “Don’t know what it says about me, but I’d much rather be in here, taking care of you, than out there with them.”

Blushing at the heated look being directed his way, he allowed his hands to fumble their way to Tony’s shirt, slowly pulling it up and over the alpha’s head. Despite the frequency at which they’ve been having sex over the past couple of days, he was yet to find his confidence in the bedroom. Tony had been nothing but supportive, but he still felt out of his depth, unsure exactly where he stood. Unsure and uncomfortable in his new body.

Thankfully Tony understood and never pushed him. Allowed him to have control wherever possible, but never pressuring him into making decisions.

Hesitantly pulling the man down, he leant up for a kiss. Welcoming the man’s tongue as soon as it was offered.

He whined when Tony pulled back some time later, breathing heavy as he pressed butterfly kisses along his jaw.

“How’d you want me?”

“Like this?” he whispered, biting his lip. His hands moving to grip at the man’s shoulders, pulling him further down. “So you can stay close?”

“Of course,” the man smiled.

His hands moving to rid them of their remaining clothes, before returning to lie between Peter’s spread legs. The man’s hard length rubbing against his own, as he was once more pulled in for a kiss.

Chapter Text

Later that night, after showering to rid himself of the sweat and other bodily fluids that had built up over their afternoon, Peter found himself sitting at the dining table beside Tony eating Chinese takeout straight from the containers alongside the rest of the Avengers. Despite his reservations, it hadn’t been an awkward reunion after their sudden departure earlier. It probably helped that everyone was used to Tony’s antics by now. They’d also probably been informed of his current state, not something he wanted shared, but it had proved to be helpful.

As everyone was chatting, Tony would periodically shift to press his leg against his. The contact a reassuring pressure and helping to calm his nerves about the pain restarting due to their separation. Dr. Cho would probably tell him it was an unhealthy reaction to what had happened earlier, but then Dr. Cho had never been put in his position. He’d take whatever reassurances he could get.

“I’m just saying, nobody ever expects people to run up the stairs when you’re making an escape. Works almost every time,” Clint said, gesticulating wildly with his chopsticks.

“And then what happens when you get trapped on a roof with nowhere to go?” Bucky questioned, stabbing a piece of beef with a fork. “It’s not like you’ve got wings like Sam.”

“He has a point,” Natasha agreed.

“There’s always a way. There’re more ways to get off a roof than relying on a tacky wingsuit.”

“Hey!” Sam defended. He’d flown in earlier that afternoon. His sister was expecting him back out by morning to help with their family’s boat, but he’d wanted to make an appearance. To see how Peter was doing.  Not that anyone came out and stated his reason explicitly. But he heard their side conversations when they thought he was out of ear shot. “Don’t hate on the suit just cause you’re jealous.”

“I’m just saying,” Clint scoffed.

“So, give us an example then?” Natasha goaded. “How’d you get off the roof in the heat of battle?”

“Um…” Clint chewed on a piece of broccoli as he thought of an answer.

“You could use a grappling arrow?” Peter offered, reaching for his second container of sweet and sour chicken. “Slide to another building and get down from there? Even if they had the original building surrounded it’s unlikely the protection would extend to the surrounding structures.”

It wasn’t till the table fell into silence that he realised it was the first time he’d contributed unprompted to a conversation since everything had happened. He’d just got so caught up in the conversation that he forgot about his new status. Only temporarily. But still, he shouldn’t be letting himself get so comfortable. A male omega was supposed to be seen and not heard.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean, I, I just—sorry, I’ll shut up—“

“Don’t apologise. You just took me by surprise. Grappling arrow is definitely the way to go.” Clint wiggled in his seat until Peter would make eye contact with him before sending him a smile, Tony’s arm squeezing his shoulder. “In fact, I used that as an escape route in Italy. There I was stuck on the roof of some building, the bad guys right on my heels, I could hear them on the stairs. I ziplined to the next building, ran down the street and managed to walk right past them as I wondered into the bakery a couple doors down.”

“You went to a bakery while trying to escape?” Steve asked incredulously.

“Well, yeah. Running’s hard work. I’d been in the vents for hours waiting before they showed up. The safe house was still another couple of hours from the city centre, so damn right I went to the bakery first. I was hungry, Cap. Don’t look at me like that!”

Clint’s tale seemed to spark similar stories from both Natasha and Bucky. Daring missions that had mid-fight food breaks.

After his initial outburst, he paid extra attention to making sure he remained quiet. Tony hadn’t seemed mad at him for speaking, but it was clear that nobody had known how to react. He didn’t want to push things. Didn’t want to risk getting on the alpha’s bad side. His instincts urging him to be quiet and compliant.

There were higher expectations of a mated omega.

Once everyone had ate their fill, he helped Steve to pile all the leftovers into the fridge and loaded the cutlery into the dishwasher. While they’d been tidying up, Natasha, Bucky, Clint, Sam and Rhodey had moved to gather around the couches in the living area again to continue their conversations and Tony had remained hovering at the edge of the kitchen. After putting the dishwasher on, he went to follow Steve over to the couches but was stopped by Tony’s hand on his arm.

Wandering back into the kitchen, the couple sat at the breakfast bar with their backs to the others. Tony’s face was serious as he clasped Peter’s hands in his own on the countertop. It was a look that before this week, he hadn’t been used to seeing on his mentor’s face. But the responsibility of being someone’s alpha had obviously had an impact on his usually easy-going nature.

“I owe you an apology, Pete. I knew that this was going to be hard on you, but it wasn’t until dinner there that it really dawned on me just how much of your life you’re now questioning. Despite Rhodey and Pepper spending years telling me otherwise, I sometimes forget that not everyone knows what’s going on in my mind. I assume that people just know. But I don’t want you to feel like you have to be on edge or censor yourself around me or the team or anyone else in our home. I want you to be comfortable here. For us to be, as much as possible, just a regular couple. I want to hear you rambling about whatever new game is coming out or some new show you watched or the latest discovery you’ve read about. If it's something that’s important to you, I want to know. Like I’ve said before, things might be different when we go outside. In public, we need to be careful to make sure we don’t make a spectacle of ourselves and bring any unwanted attention to us. But in these walls? You can be whoever you want to be. I don’t have any expectations of you.” He felt a smile tugging at the corners of his lips at Tony’s reassurances. It was everything he’d hoped to hear but feared to hope. “Does that all make sense to you?”

“Yeah,” he nodded, squeezing the man’s hands. “I, I really appreciate it, Tony. And I’m really thankful, it’s just hard, y’know? Like there’s all these stereotypes that I’ve grown up being force-fed, then there was everything that I read about once it happened and then, as if all that wasn’t bad enough, now my stupid… my stupid hormones or instincts or whatever you wanna call them keep urging me to, like, submit or whatever. It’s like my body wants to please you, if that makes sense? Like earlier, you said to ‘stay there’ so I couldn’t move. I was in so much pain, but my brain just wouldn’t let me stand up to come get you. I had to follow your order even if it wasn’t given in an alpha voice. I—“ his voice cracked, causing him to pause and swallow around a lump in his throat.

“I hadn’t realised that. Thank you for telling me. I’ll try to be more mindful of that in the future. I don’t know if it’ll help, but my number one want, or order if it helps, is for your health and wellbeing to always come first. If something I’ve asked you to do causes you pain, then you should ignore it and tell me. You’re always going to be my top priority. I hope to never force you into anything against your will. I promise to always listen to your voice. And I’ll never be able to apologise enough for earlier, but just know that I am extremely sorry, and I’ll do whatever it takes to prove it to you.”

“I know,” he breathed. “That does help, thanks. I guess it’s like you said at the start, right? It’s a learning curve for both of us. At least we’re talking it out.”

“Exactly. Apparently, being open and talking about feelings and shit is actually good for you! It’s a sign of a healthy relationship. Something that I really hope we can say we have one day. I know I wouldn’t be your first choice, but I really hope that I can make you happy. That you’ll maybe even one day grow to like our relationship.”

“Y’know, its maybe not in the way I’m supposed to at this moment in time, but I do love you, Tony. I mean, I wouldn’t say I’m at the stage that, under different circumstances, I’d choose to commit to you for the rest of my life, but it’s a start?”

Tony’s cheeks were dusted pink as an embarrassed smirk lit up his face.

“Yeah,” he grinned. “Yeah, it’s definitely a start. And for what it’s worth, I love you, too, Pete.”

There was something relaxing about watching the waves ripple across the lake.

It wasn’t the first time Peter had found himself out here over the past couple of weeks, but it’d be the last for a while. It was also the first time he’d been here alone since presenting.

Usually, he’d walk out with either Tony or a couple of the Avengers. They’d fallen into a sort of routine. He’d wake mid-morning, usually curled up against Tony. The man himself didn’t sleep much, but he’d happily sit in bed working from his tablet until Peter was ready to get up. He’d had a couple of nightmares since their mating, but Tony had been there each time he woke in a flurry of panic and tears. Providing a calming presence to help him calm down and then holding him close until he felt safe enough to sleep again, muttering whatever thoughts came into his mind to help distract him.

After a shower, they’d get dressed and have breakfast before heading down to the lab to tinker until either FRIDAY or one of the Avengers would call them for lunch. Most days they ate by themselves, but depending on the team’s training schedule, they’d stop by for a noisier affair.

The afternoons had been kept for wandering about outdoors. Growing up in the city, he wasn’t used to having so much green space right on the doorstep. At this point, he was pretty sure he knew the woods surrounding the compound almost as well as he knew the streets of Queens. They’d explored more of the lake by boat and even went swimming once. Well, Peter went swimming. Tony had sat on the grassy banks in his swimming trunks shouting out encouragement and waiting with a big, fluffy towel to wrap him up in once he eventually crawled out of the water, pruney and dripping.

After dinner, they’d relax on the couch watching movies before things would inevitably get heated between them and they’d retreat to the bedroom for the evening. Spending a couple of hours making love before they’d eventually fall asleep, wrapped in each other’s arms, warm and satiated.

During the weeks since the press conference, Peter had grown more confident in his new role. They’d started to be more adventurous in the bedroom. Trying different positions, introducing some light bondage and toys, and Peter had ridden Tony the previous night for the first time. There was something exhilarating about knowing that he was the one in control of his alphas pleasure. Something they would definitely explore more of in the future.

If he didn’t think too much about the public’s opinion of him right now, he could easily say he’d enjoyed his time at the compound. He was living in a perfect bubble. He’d face-timed with May, Ned and MJ a couple of days ago which helped him feel connected to those he loved. He laughed and joked with the Avenger’s whenever he saw them. He’d grown closer to Tony. He had the freedom to roam the grounds as he pleased.

Life in his bubble was perfect.

But he couldn’t live in that bubble.

He was getting ready to leave it.

He knew it was coming, but that didn’t mean he was ready for it be over.

He’d grown used to the freedom that life at the compound brought. But Tony needed to return to work and as much as he’d like to, he couldn’t do that from here. He needed to be in the city.

After lunch Tony had excused himself, citing he needed to make sure everything was packed before they returned to the tower later that evening. Peter had packed earlier that morning, only managing to fill a single backpack. He had a full wardrobe at both the tower and the compound, so he hadn’t needed to pack any clothes. Not wanting to waste his remaining time at the compound, he’d wandered down to the lake by himself.

He knew that once they returned to the tower, he’d not be able to leave without supervision. A male omega couldn’t be out in public without an accompanying alpha. It also didn’t help that everyone now knew his face. He wouldn’t be able to just walk down the street with Tony or Happy, people would stare. They’d judge him for something he had no control over.

He could enjoy the calmness of nature while he was here though.

Once they returned to the city, he had no idea how long it would be before they returned. Tony was a busy man. Getting this amount of time away from work in the first place had been a near miracle. It wouldn’t have been possible without Pepper picking up a lot of extra work. Something he knew Tony felt guilty about.

The rumbling of his stomach reminded him of the nearness of their departure. Tony was arranging for pizza to be delivered to the penthouse on their arrival. Wanting to ensure they had time to settle into the tower before he resumed work in the morning.

Allowing himself an extra five minutes, he eventually turned to head back to the compound. Delaying their departure wouldn’t do anything, other than making himself even more hungry.

Besides, it wouldn’t be so bad.

He missed the city.

As much as he enjoyed nature, he was used to the noisy city beneath him. It’d be a new routine but the sooner he started the better.

Chapter Text

Panting against the bathroom wall, he pressed his forehead into the cool tiles while his hand dropped from his aching cock to clench into a fist by his side. The hot water continuing to pound against his back.

After Tony had left for work earlier that morning, he’d fallen back asleep until he’d been woken by the mid-morning sun shining into their bedroom in the tower, his morning wood making itself known before he’d even opened his eyes. Acting on instinct, he’d grabbed a pair of clean underwear on his way to the bathroom before hopping in the shower, fully intending to take care of his situation. He couldn’t have been at it for more than five minutes, riding the edge after only a couple of thrusts, before he remembered it wouldn’t work. His mind reminding him why he wasn’t able to push himself over.

He physically couldn’t finish without Tony’s touch.

The man had assured him when they arrived the previous night, and then again, this morning, that if Peter needed him then all he had to do was ask FRIDAY and he’d come as soon as he was able. He’s just not sure being horny was a good enough excuse to interrupt the man’s busy day. He’d overheard conversations with Pepper over the past couple of weeks and he knew that Tony had a lot to catch up on. He’d already pushed his time off longer than the board had wanted him to.

Taking a deep breath, he tried to will his erection away. Following all the advice and tricks he remembered working when he was younger, and puberty had first hit.

Finishing his shower, he intentionally ignored his cock and made extra care to make sure he’d washed all his slick away from between his legs before exiting. Getting dressed, he ate a late breakfast before grabbing his laptop and settling onto the couch. Hopefully he’d be able to keep himself distracted. Encouraging his arousal would only make the wait for his alpha’s return worse.

He was halfway down a rabbit hole into a conspiracy theory about how Tony Stark was actually Howard Stark who’d de-aged himself in order to continue his search for Steve Rogers when the elevator doors dinged open. Expecting to see Tony nipping in quickly during his lunch break, he furrowed his brow curiously when Happy exited.

“Hey, kid,” Happy greeted, setting a carrier bag on the kitchen island.

“Hey, Happy. Is everything okay?”

“Yeah. Everything’s fine. Boss got caught up in meetings and so he sent me up to make sure you ate and weren’t spending the entire day by yourself.”

“Oh.”

He was disappointed that he wouldn’t be seeing Tony till later that night given he’d grown used to seeing the man regularly throughout the day, but it was nice that he was still being thought about. That even when Tony was busy with work, he was still taking the time to make sure Peter was okay. Even if it meant he was using a middleman.

Besides, he liked Happy.

“Well, hope you’re hungry. I got us some sandwiches from Delmar’s.”

“Really?” His excitement taking over as he dropped his laptop onto the couch and moved to sit at the island with Happy. “I’ve not had one in ages.”

His last visit to Delmar’s must’ve been about a week before they’d been kidnapped. He and May had planned to have one on the day their isolation was lifted. It was supposed to be a celebration of his coming of age.

This wasn’t exactly a celebration, but he certainly wouldn't be turning it down.

“I figured. The man damn near interrogated me the minute I stepped in the door,” Happy griped, grabbing a sandwich before passing the bag to Peter. “I told him that you’re adjusting and that you’d pop by once you were ready. Hope that’s okay?”

“Yeah,” he breathed.

The thought of walking into Delmar’s again felt like a dream. He’d never be able to pop in before patrol again. If he were to go now, he’d need to have a chaperone, an alpha who’d be in control of him.

Taking a bite of his sandwich he couldn't contain his moan of delight. It’d been far too long. Nothing could beat it.

“Y’know, these really aren’t that bad.”

“Not that bad? Happy, this is heaven between two slices of bread.”

“I don’t think you’re qualified to make that judgement. Your aunt’s cooking probably ruined your tastebuds.”

Chewing slowly, he glared at Happy before sticking out his tongue once he’d swallowed.

“Real mature, Pete,” Happy chuckled. “Although, that reminds me,” he reached into his jacket pocket and tossed a bag of gummy worms onto the table. “Delmar told me to give you those. His treat.”

“Awesome,” he whispered.

Hand hovering almost reverently over the gummy worms, the corner of his mouth lifted before dropping again. Before he’d even had a chance to open the sweets, Happy was grabbing them back.

“Finish both your sandwiches before you eat the sugar.”

“You’re no fun, Happy,” he pouted. Reaching for the remaining sandwich regardless.

“This is what I get for getting you food. Nothing but insults.” His laugh had escaped before he could stop it, causing Happy to grin. “Shut up and eat, kid.”

Half an hour later, Peter was seeing Happy off as he had to return to work. With the elevator doors closed, the silence in the penthouse suddenly felt loud. He hadn’t realised how much he’d been missing the company earlier in the day. Too distracted with deterring his ill-timed boner.

With a sigh, he fell back onto the couch asking FRIDAY to put on the TV. A familiar laugh track filling the living area. Grabbing his laptop once more, he decided to look up something productive this time round. Tony had been looking after him so far, but after a long day at work it’d be nice to have a meal ready for him. Ben used to do it for May when he got off early, and it never failed to put a smile on his aunt's face. The kitchen was already fully stocked, so all he’d need to do was decide on what to make.

After checking with FRIDAY what time Tony would be done, he set to work making dinner. Not wanting to try anything too adventurous he played it safe by choosing a simple lasagne recipe. He had vague memories of making one once with his uncle Ben, so he figured it would be okay.

By six o’clock the lasagne was in the oven, and he’d added some garlic butter to a focaccia he’d found in the cupboard that he’d grill just before serving. Placing some glasses on the table, he moved to sit at the kitchen island, his fingers drumming mindlessly on the countertop. Tony had let him know, via FRIDAY, that he would be heading up soon. His meetings had finally come to an end, and he was just grabbing his things from his office.

Giving the table a final once over, he picked up his phone to lazily scroll through while he waited.  

After being separated all day there was a thrumming under his skin begging for the touch of his alpha. The anticipation growing with the knowledge he wouldn’t have to wait much longer.

Grabbing his jacket and the pile of paper’s he’d promised Pepper he’d read over before tomorrow; he breathed a sigh of relief to finally be done for the day. It was the longest he’d been away from Peter since their mating.

He’d made it as far as the elevator when his phone started ringing. Groaning, he cursed when he saw it was his lawyers. Knowing they wouldn’t call without a good reason, he reluctantly answered, signalling for FRIDAY to hold the elevator.

After a short conversation, and a choice few curse words, he asked FRIDAY to let Peter know he’d be back later and to just have dinner without him before asking Happy to meet him at the car. He was going to need a lift across town to meet with his lawyers.

To keep SI separate from his efforts in amending the male omegan rights, the lawyers had suggested it would be safer to keep their own offices as a base of operations. Unfortunately, that meant that any meetings needed to be held on the other side of Manhattan.

“Everything alright, Boss?” Happy questioned, opening the door for him.

“Yeah, Hap. Just some preliminary stuff I need to sign off on before they can go much further. Shouldn’t take too long.”

He could see the disapproval blooming in his bodyguard’s eyes, but the man didn’t say anything. Instead, nodding politely and moving into the driver’s seat.

Traffic at this hour wasn’t great. The car spending more time stationary than it did actually moving, but they eventually made it to the law offices. William was waiting for him in the foyer, and they quickly made their way into an elevator and up to the man’s office.

He’d had William on retainer for years. A lawyer who specialised in amending laws and searching for legal loopholes. It had come in handy early on in his career, when he wanted some wiggle room regarding his weapons and then he came into a whole new level of importance after he made his Iron Man debut. Having someone in his corner ensuring there were no legal loopholes that would allow his suits to be seized by the government had been immensely helpful. As such, he’d always kept the man on reserve. Not preventing him from taking other clients but making sure that if he was needed that he’d make himself available. As a result, the man, and his team, had been working tirelessly since they’d learned about Peter’s presentation in order to start making meaningful changes that would improve not only Peter’s life but the lives of all male omegas. The Avengers had been working towards improving conditions for female alphas for years, Natasha proving to be a good figure head for spearheading changes.

Now was their chance to help the most marginalised group in society. He’s just embarrassed it took them so long to realise what was happening right under their noses.

“Thanks for coming down at such short notice, Mr. Stark.” William gestured for him to take a seat as he grabbed a manilla folder from his desk drawer. “Like I said on the phone, shouldn’t take too long, but I’ll need your approval before moving forward.”

“Not a problem. I’ll just be glad when things start changing.”

“Well, I’m glad to report that we are starting to make some headway, but I need you to bear in mind that it's all baby steps. A small change at a time.” Shuffling some papers, William clasped his hands on the table before continuing. “The current Acts surrounding the rights of male omegas are contradictory and vague. They’re very badly written, but we’re going to use that to our advantage. At the moment, they are classified as objects but then a number of the laws surrounding their care make mention of the fact that they are indeed living beings. Due to this, I’ve started drafting a case for them to be reclassified as pets—”

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” he interrupted, rage flaring under his skin.

The man was supposed to be helping Peter, not turning him into some dog. Female alphas hadn’t been classified as animals. Their rights had been added to directly improve their circumstances.

“Mr. Stark, please calm down. I told you it's all about baby steps. Once male omegas are recognised as pets – domesticated pets – it'll be much easier to then make further amendments to their rights. Trust me, it's not something I’d take lightly, but even just by classifying them as pets, they’d automatically have a lot more protection than they currently have. There’d be the animal cruelty laws and a legal responsibility towards the owners to look out for their health and wellbeing. After that hurdle is met, then we can look at moving forward for equal human rights, but that can’t be done until we take this step. I’ve taken a note of the initial steps required here for you to have a look over, but as soon as we get your approval, we can begin to move forward.”

Pinching the bridge of his nose, he took a steadying breath before returning his attention to William. In all the years he’d known the man, his lawyer had never led him wrong. He knew that if William said this was the best option, then it really was.

It didn’t make him feel any better about signing off on Peter being recognised as nothing more than some stray animal, but if it was necessary for reaching their end goal then he’d just have to live with the guilt. Peter would understand it was for the greater good. He hoped.

“You’re sure this is the best way to go about it?”

“Yes, Mr. Stark. I assure you; we explored all alternative avenues before coming to this decision. It’s not something we’re taking lightly.”

Nodding in resignation, he sniffed before giving his decision.

“Alright. Do what you need to do.”

“Thank you,” the lawyer responded before passing him the required documents to sign. “You know, we also found some other information that may be useful.” Quirking a brow in intrigue, the lawyer was quick to continue. “I know that with current laws Peter is unable to attend MIT like he’d hoped, but, assuming the university was agreeable, there’s nothing stopping them from sending the coursework to yourself for you to pass on to Peter. If you kept a record of everything it's possible that if... sorry, that when we get the laws changed, you’d simply be able to submit the course work he’d already completed in order to gain his degree. It’s not ideal, but it might help maintain his spirit? I’ve not had any direct interaction with the boy, but I understand his mind is one in a generation. It’d be a shame to see it go to waste while we wait for the frivolous legalities to go through. Who knows how long it’ll take.”

“That’s, wow, thanks, Will. I definitely owe you one.”

“No problem. Now, that’s all I had on the agenda, is there anything else I can do for you while you’re here?”

“No. That’ll be all for now. Keep me updated with the proceedings.”

“I will do. Have a good evening, Mr. Stark.”

“You, too.”

Settling into the back of the car, he asked Happy to stop by the hole-in-the-wall pizza parlour that Peter liked, to grab some dinner before returning to the tower. Even if Peter’d already eaten, the boy would likely still be hungry for a late evening snack. If he wasn’t a billionaire, he’d worry he’d be eaten out of house and home.

Bidding Happy a goodnight, he tapped his foot impatiently, pizza boxes in hand, while the elevator ascended to the penthouse. It had been almost three hours since he’d told Peter he’d be back. First day back at work and he was already strolling home late. It was the exact reason none of his relationships had worked out in the past. The difference being this time round that Peter didn’t have the option to leave if he grew tired of Tony’s antics. He’d wanted to be better for the boy. It’d been a long time since he’d felt like this about someone.

He didn’t want to ruin it.

“Hey, Pete,” he called as he entered the penthouse, beelining straight for the kitchen. “I’m sorry I’m late back, had a last-minute meeting with my lawyer. I grabbed some pizza from that place that you like.”

Setting the pizza on the counter, he looked around in confusion when he got no response. Moving to grab a bottle of water from the fridge, he froze when he caught sight of the tupperware container filled with what looked like lasagne sitting on the shelf. Closing the door, he spotted pots and pans sitting on the drying rack that certainly hadn’t been there that morning.

Had the kid made dinner? Was that why Peter had been confirming his work schedule earlier in the day?

Feeling like an even worse alpha, he dropped the bottle onto the table and searched the penthouse for his mate.

Slowly opening the bedroom door, he was relieved so see Peter curled up under the covers. Sitting on the edge of the bed, he let his hand rest on Peter’s shoulder being careful not to the wake him.

“I’m sorry, Pete,” he whispered to the sleeping boy. “I promise I’m gonna try to do better.”

Sighing to himself, he leant forward to press a kiss to the boy’s forehead before moving to get himself ready for bed. His appetite having all but disappeared after realising the extent of his earlier failure.

He’d really let Peter down by missing dinner.

Sliding under the covers, he couldn’t stop a smile taking over his face when Peter automatically reached out for him in his sleep. Holding the boy close to his chest, he eventually fell asleep with Peter’s curls tickling his chin.

Promising himself he wouldn’t make the same mistake twice.

Warmth.

Warmth was the first thing that Peter noticed when he started to stir in the morning. It was something he’d become relatively used to recently but was in stark contrast to when he went to bed the previous night.

Tony hadn’t been home. He’d left and not even told Peter directly. He’d simply asked his AI to pass on a message. No explanation. Just told to have dinner by himself since he’d be late.

He wanted to be angry. He wanted to be outraged that the man didn’t think about his needs. Didn’t even think to give him an explanation before disappearing for hours. But all he could feel was disappointment. Embarrassment.

Of course, Tony Stark wouldn’t want to come home to him at the end of the day.

He’d initially planned to stay up. Wanting to spend time with his alpha, but after two hours of waiting, and being informed that Tony wasn’t reachable unless it was an emergency, he’d retired to the bedroom. He’d attempted to sleep in his old bed, partly out of spite and partly out of hurt, but he couldn’t settle in the room. Despite his anger towards his alpha, he still craved his scent. To feel close to the man. Dragging his feet through to Tony’s bedroom — their bedroom — he’d wrapped himself up like a caterpillar under the duvet before finally relaxing. Eventually falling into a restless sleep.

Pressing his face into Tony’s chest, he couldn’t halt the movement of his hips. If the growing pressure in his crotch and the wetness of his boxers was anything to go by, he’d been humping the man’s leg for a while already in his sleep.

Tony’s groan had him stilling instantly.

He shouldn’t have been doing that. The man was going to think he was an embarrassment. Acting like a damn teenager, dry humping his partner in their sleep. He was disgusting.

A hand on his hips prevented him from pulling away.

“Don’t stop, Pete,” he murmured.

With the man’s encouragement, he let his hips move once again. Albeit more hesitantly than before. His throbbing cock pressing against Tony’s thigh and rubbing against the wet cotton of his underwear.

“I’m sorry for missing dinner last night. I won’t do it again.”

Blinking past the confusion of the sudden change of topic, he shook his head. Tony’s hands continuing to encourage the movement of his hips.

“Don’t make promises you can’t keep,” he panted into the man’s shoulder. He appreciated the apology, but he knew it would happen again. It was a part of the man’s job. He couldn’t run a company without late nights. Besides, he knew Tony. Knew that at some point he’d inevitably get caught up in a project and forget about his other responsibilities. “Just...call me yourself next time? I missed your voice.”

“Of course, baby. I promise I’ll try to do better.”

“Ugh,” he moaned, his boxers beginning to squelch with each movement.

“Let me make you feel good?” Tony whispered, his breath tickling the side of his face.

Nodding wordlessly, he let Tony guide him onto his back before gently peeling his underwear off. Goosebumps erupted over his skin as Tony’s lips traced a path from his lips, down his neck and across his chest. Butterfly kisses dotting his skin until the man’s goatee was tickling his stomach, his cock twitching in anticipation.

“’m not gonna last,” he gasped. His balls already feeling tight and heavy after his denial yesterday.

“Mmm, that’s not a problem.”

The words ghosting over his cock momentarily before the alpha’s tongue licked a strip along his length.

“Ah,” he breathed, hips chasing after Tony’s tongue.

“That’s it,” he whispered. “Let me hear you.”

A moan was dragged from his lips when Tony’s mouth enveloped him. The tight, wet heat feeling like silk on his heated skin. The years of practice were noticeable whenever Tony used his mouth. His tongue doing things he didn’t even think were possible.

One hand fisted in Tony's hair when the man traced a finger around his hole. His cock still trapped in the heavenly heat. His body was tense, muscles shaking as he rode the edge when Tony finally inserted a couple of fingers inside. Rubbing his smooth walls while he sucked with renewed vigour, his cock head breaching the man’s throat.

“Please. Ugh, Tony. ‘m gonna.... Ah, I’m gonna—”

That was all the warning he could give before he was shooting down Tony's throat. The man continuing to suck and finger him through the aftershocks until he began to moan in oversensitivity.

Pulling back gently, the alpha wiped his fingers on his thigh before stretching up for a kiss. Leaning into the kiss, he panted into the man’s mouth. The buzz from his orgasm still floating through his system.

“That was good,” he slurred.

“I’m glad you thought so.” Pulling back from the kiss, Tony pressed a shorter kiss to his lips before standing up from the bed. “I hate to love you and leave you, but I really need to shower if I’m gonna make my meetings on time.”

“S’okay. Go shower. I’ll get some breakfast.”

“I don't know what I did to deserve you. There’s some pizza on the counter if you want.”

Accepting the towel that Tony handed him, he wiped the excess juices from between his legs.

“I could say the same. Now go. I’ll reheat some pizza so you can eat before leaving.”

Tony grinned as he turned to head into the en-suite.

“Love you.”

The door was shut before Peter had a chance to respond.

Feeling confused, he grabbed a clean pair of boxers before making his way to the kitchen. He’d have plenty of time during the day to worry about his feelings over everything that had happened over the past twenty-four hours.

For now, he just wanted some pizza.

Chapter Text

The month following Tony’s return to work had been an adjustment.

For both of them.

He knew that Tony wasn’t used to having someone living with him in his private quarters. That he was used to being a free agent. Coming and going as he pleased. But after that first night back at work, he’d been making the extra effort to check in with Peter regularly throughout the day – even if it was just a short text – and had made it home in time for dinner most nights. On the odd occasion he’d had late night meetings, he’d phoned to let Peter know ahead of time explaining where he’d be.

Peter’s adjustments to Tony’s return to work were piled on top of the ever-growing list of changes he was already making.

Trying to avoid the boredom he’d suffered on that first day, he’d started spending a few hours each day in Tony’s personal lab that was only accessible through the penthouse. Due to the privacy it offered, he didn’t need to worry about having supervision as it was classed as an extension of their home. In there he was able to tinker to his heart's content and even work on some projects for SI when possible.

He continued to explore new recipes and most days prepared dinner for Tony’s return. Happy had become a regular lunch guest which had quickly become a highlight of his day. Any doubts he’d previously had about the man not liking him had vanished. The head of security just kept his emotions well-hidden. Through their daily chats, Happy did his best to keep him up to date with the happenings of the outside world. The things that weren’t important enough to be picked up by the news, but that had an impact on people’s lives. From the traffic lights glitching during morning rush hour to the hotdog vendor retiring and handing over the reigns to his granddaughter. He’d never taken Happy to be a gossip before, but he’d been wrong. If something was going on, Happy knew about it.

May had visited for an afternoon catch up a couple of times on her days off, but it was different now. Before it had always been relaxed and carefree between them. Now there was an unaddressed tension. A distance that no amount of physical contact could remove. Something that neither of them wanted to acknowledge. Ned and MJ had continued to have dinner with May each week which had been reassuring. Relieved to know she hadn’t been abandoned in his absence. She’d even mentioned having regular catch ups with Happy. A soft smile lighting her face when she talked about the man. Something he didn’t want to think about too much.

He messaged Ned and MJ almost daily but hadn’t invited them over. He couldn’t face seeing them yet. He wasn’t ready and he didn’t think they were either. Ned hadn’t even told him when he’d gotten into the MIT early placement summer programme. It was May who’d told him the previous week. He’d sent Ned a congratulatory text and after chatting with Tony had also sent him a chocolate explosion box. Ned had sent back a thanks but didn’t seem willing to provide any further details about his success.

After that conversation, Tony had mentioned that he could get the MIT course content sent to the tower. That he’d effectively be able to do all the work related to the degree just be unable to get any of the credit. Tony made an off-hand comment about that possibly changing in the future, but he’d had too much on his mind to ponder that any further.

He was torn.

On the one hand, it was the closest to MIT he was going to get. He’d dreamed about it for years. Knowing he wouldn’t be able to actually attend, this was the next best thing. It would help keep his mind sharp. Help satisfy his curiosity for knowledge. Something that he’d greatly appreciate.

On the other, it was like dangling the golden carrot over his head. It was a reminder of what he’d never have. Even if he completed all the work, he’d never get a degree. Never get a job where he could put it to good use. Yes, Tony was letting him work on some of his R&D projects, but that wasn’t recognised under his name. Anything he did had to be reviewed before the man could submit it. It was a hobby at best.

He’d mentioned to Tony that he was undecided whether to proceed or not with the offer, as generous as it had been. He was under no illusions that MIT would send all of the course work for free. He couldn’t even imagine the cost it would be for Tony, especially considering nothing would actually come from it. Tony had seemed confused with his decision, or lack thereof, but had left it alone. Promising that the minute Peter decided it was what he wanted he’d get everything sorted.

Perhaps the most noticeable difference in Peter’s new life, was the lack of Spider-Man.

Tony had promised that he could get back out eventually, but he didn’t want it to happen too soon. They were working on updates to the suit that would hide his scent and help filter out alpha scents as well as allowing Karen to somehow cancel out any alpha voices. He could still workout in the gym, but he was being kept out of all the training scenarios and sparring matches – despite his protests.

Dr. Cho and Tony had both raised concerns about his biology causing issues in the field. Neither were comfortable with him returning to proper training until he’d settled into a heat cycle. Despite male omegas being infertile, they still went through regular heats which would put him out of action for up to a week at a time. He hadn’t had his first one yet so they didn’t know how it would affect him. Or what his symptoms would be. It was apparently common for heats to hit unexpectedly with little to no warning. Especially the first one as the body didn’t know what signs to look out for.

That was part of the reason he hadn’t spent much time out of the penthouse. The fact he couldn’t leave without a chaperone or being stared at by a large proportion of the public was another.

He’d went for a walk with Tony in central park a couple of weekends ago. They’d intended to walk out to the model boat pond before grabbing some ice-cream but cut their trip short when Peter couldn’t relax. Growing up as a nobody from Queens, he wasn’t used to the attention. Almost every person they passed either stared at him in disgust or in lust. Alphas would stand openly ogling him while he tried to focus his attention on Tony. His spider-sense being a nuisance as it picked up on every stare. Feeling their eyes follow him as he moved. His ears picking up on their snide remarks. The anxiety caused by the experience lead to him staving off a panic attack on the drive back to the tower.

After that disaster of a trip, they’d tried a more private excursion.

Having dinner at a fancy restaurant that had a private room for them to eat in. It was the sort of venue where everyone was well-known, so nobody stared. It still wasn’t comfortable, but it had been better than the park. The waitress had seemed unsure to start with but after Tony addressed Peter directly like he normally would while ordering, she had relaxed, and it had almost been like dining out before.

But those had been the only occasions during the past month that he’d left the tower.

It was one of the main reasons he was so reluctant to finish getting dressed.

Try as he might, Tony hadn’t been able to get out of attending the annual SI fundraising gala. And unfortunately, that meant Peter was expected to attend as his plus one.

In her defence, Pepper had at least looked relatively apologetic when she’d informed Peter of the plan. She had arranged for Marcus to return to fit them for some new suits for the event. Promising that they only needed to make an appearance. Only a few hours then they could leave.

It was with that thought in his mind that he finally got dressed.

Twirling in front of the mirror, he smirked at Tony’s whistle of admiration when he walked in the room.

“Looking good, Pete,” he growled.

“You don’t think it's too small?” he questioned, twisting to look at his ass.

The burgundy material stretched tight across the perky flesh, tight enough that he couldn’t wear his usual underwear without them bunching under the fabric. Instead, Tony had bought him some silk briefs. Not his preference but at least they didn’t show through the material. The shirt wasn’t much better. It was cut so tight that the top four buttons had to remain undone to allow him movement of his arms.

Despite the uncomfortableness of the outfit, he couldn’t deny the fact that he looked good in it. Hot even.

That didn’t make him any more comfortable with the thought of being seen in public wearing it.

“Not at all. It’s perfect.” His breath hitching when Tony’s hands traced down his sides, his lips pressing against his jaw. “Don’t know how I’m gonna get any socialising done when you’re there with me. Looking like that. Don’t wanna take my hands off you.”

“We could always just skip it?” a hopeful lilt sneaking into the question.

“Don’t tempt me,” Tony groaned.

“Tony,” Pepper chided, gliding into the room. Her floor length gown fluttering behind her as she fastened an earring. “You’re not missing this. The investors are expecting to see you. I’m sorry, but you’ll just have to suck it up.”

He chuckled at Tony’s exaggerated groan.

“It’s fine. Just a few hours, right? Then we can leave.”

Turning to press a kiss to Tony’s lips, he let his hands settle around the alpha's hips.

“When did you become so reasonable?” Tony pouted.

“May always said I have an old soul. Maybe I’m just more mature than you. I suppose it wouldn’t be too hard,” he teased.

“I can see that.”

“You boys almost ready? Happy is downstairs.”

“Yeah, we’ll be down in a minute. You go ahead, Pep.”

“I’m serious, Tony.”

“As am I. Just give us a minute.”

“I promise we’ll be down soon, Pepper,” he agreed, smiling at the woman.

After a final withering glare at Tony, she smiled at Peter and left the room. Once they were alone, a seriousness fell upon the room. As much as they teased each other in the safety of their home, neither was oblivious to the expectations of them when they were out in public. It had been the subject of many a dinner conversation these past couple of weeks.

“You okay?” Tony asked, any hint of previous mirth gone from his voice.

Sighing, he nodded.

“Right. Please try to remember that how I behave in public, or anything that I say regarding you, doesn’t reflect my actual feelings about you. I love you for your mind and personality. Your body is just a nice bonus.”

Huffing a laugh, he nodded again.

“I know. We’ve been over this.”

“We have, but I just wanted to remind you. You remember the rules while we’re out?”

Rolling his eyes, he indulged the alpha by dutifully repeating what they’d already talked about. Multiple times.

“I won’t talk without being directly addressed. No wandering off, I need to be within your reach at all times. Stay smiling, and no arguing with you. Just be the ideal, subdued, submissive, air-headed omega that everybody thinks I am.”

“Hey,” Tony breathed, using his fingers under his chin to force him into making eye-contact. “Not everyone thinks that way. I certainly don’t. And anyone who does isn’t worth our time. I know it sucks, but it won’t be like this forever. I just... we can’t risk rocking the boat too much. If it gets too much for you, let me know. I’ll make up some excuse and get us out of there.”

“Okay,” he whispered, pressing his face into the man’s shoulder. Sucking in a grounding breath, he stepped back before fixing his suit jacket. “We should hurry up before Pepper sends Happy after us.”

“Probably. I’m willing to take the heat if you need a couple of extra minutes though.”

Smiling, he shook his head.

“Thanks, but it's okay. I’d rather just get it over with.”

“Fair enough. Well, in that case—” Tony turned before offering his arm to Peter, grinning like the cat who got the cream when he took it, leading them out of the room arm-in-arm, “—If you’d just follow me.”

Peter couldn’t remember the last time he’d been around this many people.

Tony’s arm has remained a grounding presence around his waist since they’d exited the car. The touch a silent reassurance. The best the man could provide while keeping up appearances and socialising with the guests. As nice as the gesture was, it wasn’t enough to make him immune to the stares.

Happy had dropped the three of them off in front of the building, allowing them to make a dramatic entrance through the throngs of reporters. Tony on one side and Pepper on the other, the pair offering the little protection they could against the medias interest. It hadn’t taken long once they’d made it inside for Pepper to be swept away, doing her own schmoozing for SI, leaving Tony and Peter to make their own way through the crowd.

He’d lost track of the number of people Tony had talked to already this evening, and they hadn’t even been there an hour yet. He suspected that it was due to FRIDAY in the alpha’s glasses that he’d managed to remember every person's name they’d met before speaking with them. If not, then Tony was a lot better at this side of the business than he ever admitted.

In some ways, the gala was easier than he had expected. He was guided around the room with Tony, taking the drinks the alpha offered him and smiling when he was introduced to the guests. He offered the occasional hello when he was greeted directly, but the majority of people had simply given him a cursory glance before returning their focus to Mr. Stark.

He knew being ignored shouldn’t be a good thing, but it was better than the alternative.

Being invisible was better than standing beside someone undressing him with their eyes. Who made no effort to hide their obvious leering. The way they’d shift ever so slightly, in order to stare at his ass. Would drop suggestive comments into their conversation, yet never actually address him themselves.

Each time, he’d grip his glass slightly tighter, breathing deeply to control his strength. He couldn’t make a scene by smashing a glass. His eyes would remain downcast, and he’d grit his teeth to stop from saying something he’d regret. Tony noticed the comments and lingering glances as well, or perhaps he was just picking up on Peter’s discomfort. Either way, whenever it happened, Tony’s hold around him would grow tighter. He’d be pulled closer into his side and Peter would happily follow. Tony would take a moment before moving on to the next guest to press a tender kiss onto his forehead, whispering words of encouragement into his ear before straightening up and putting on his blinding smile to continue with the whole charade.

Most of the businessmen and politicians had omega’s hanging off their arms. Whether they were wives, girlfriends, or paid-for companions he wouldn’t judge. Not that it stopped them from judging him. He hadn’t met any omega’s since he’d presented and the first couple he came across, he’d made an effort to smile in their direction. Just because he couldn’t talk freely, didn’t mean he couldn’t still try to be friendly. But his efforts were shot down in flames.

He felt like he was back in high school being judged by the popular girls. The omegas would turn their noses up at him, faces scrunching in disgust that he’d dared to even look at them. His advanced hearing proved to be a hinderance as well when he could hear them bitching about him by the bar. Mocking him.

He was pulled from his eavesdropping as Tony guided him away from the group they’d been standing with for the past five minutes, possibly longer.

“We’re almost halfway through,” Tony murmured into his curls. “You’re doing so well. Do you want anything else to drink? I think the canapes should start circulating soon.”

“Um, I could actually do with a toilet break, if you didn’t mind?” he asked shyly. The multiple drinks he’d been handed throughout the night making themselves known by his bladder.

“Oh, right,” Tony replied flustered. “I hadn’t even thought. Not a problem.”

The toilets were in sight when they were intercepted by a senator and his groupies. He could feel Tony’s reluctance to engage, but he also knew how influential they were. Excusing themselves wasn’t really an option.

Instead, Tony greeted them kindly while making a gesture for Happy to approach who appeared within minutes from where he’d been keeping an eye on the room at large. He blushed under their scrutiny as he heard Tony asking Happy to escort him to the toilet and back. It had been a whispered conversation, but there was no way the group they were standing with wouldn’t know what was happening.

“We’ll be back soon, Boss.”

With an apologetic push from Tony, he transferred himself from Tony’s arms to standing under Happy’s, keeping his head bowed low.

“Sorry for this Happy,” he muttered once they were away from the crowd. “I know you didn’t want to be stuck on babysitting duty.”

“Don’t apologise, Pete. It’s not your fault. Besides, your company isn’t that bad.”

They fell silent as they entered the washroom. Both doing a sweep of the other occupants before Happy guided him to the lone stall in the corner. He looked at Happy questioningly, the older man gesturing for him to enter.

“It’ll be safer. I’ll stand guard.”

“R—right,” he stuttered, eyeing the other occupants who were delaying washing hands to watch him. Swallowing thickly, he nodded before shutting the cubicle door behind him.

He hadn’t even considered there being an issue in the toilet, but of course it made sense. If there were men, and some women, openly ogling him while he stood beside his alpha, of course he’d have issues trying to use a urinal. He shivered at the thought of being watched. Of the fact there were alphas outside the stall right now who’d delayed finishing up for the off-chance they’d see him with his trousers down – literally speaking.

After finishing up, he turned to exit the stall and huffed at the sight of Happy’s heels standing outside. The only way he could be closer was if the man had entered the stall with him. Unlocking the door, Happy moved to the side to escort him over to the sinks. He would’ve been flattered by the lengths the man was willing to go to in order to protect him if it wasn’t so humiliating. The head of security was forming a physical barrier between him and any of the other guests, staring them down until they either looked away or left the toilets all together.

Binning his paper towels, he gazed at himself in the mirror.

He barely recognised himself. His cheeks were still flushed red from the embarrassment of the situation. His suit was hugging his body in a way he’d never choose for himself. His curls were sitting on just the right side of tamed instead of his usual unruly. His mating gland was displayed boldly on the side of his neck. But his eyes were lacking their usual brightness. May had always said he had expressive eyes but looking at them now, they just seemed dull. He hadn’t thought they were that bad earlier. Maybe the night was just getting to him.

Tired of being paraded around like a prize-winning show dog.

“You ready to head back out?” Happy prompted when he’d stood staring for too long.

Shaking himself out of it, he turned to smile at the head of security before following him out the door. Taking extra care to steer clear of the alpha’s milling around the urinals.

It didn’t take them long to find Tony. He hadn’t moved from his previous spot, now deep in conversation with the senator. Tony’s outstretched hand was the only sign that he’d noticed their arrival. Their conversation not so much as pausing as Peter was once again pulled against his side. With a small nod, Happy was dismissed to keep guard once again from the corner of the room.

“I know it's not your usual scene, but the offers always open if you decide to give it a try. I can’t imagine there’s a long list of politicians who could say they made allegiances with Tony Stark.”

“Hah,” Tony chuckled. “I can assure you, there are currently none. But thank you Senator. I’ll keep it in mind.”

“And of course, the offer is extended to any... entertainment you may wish to bring with you.”

The tightening of Tony’s fingers became borderline painful as the alpha struggled to maintain a neutral outward appearance.

“Unfortunately, greed is one of my greatest sins,” he smirked.  “I don’t share.” His voice leaving no room for argument.

“You don’t have to share to let others watch,” one of the senator's assistants said. Lust darkening his eyes.

“True. But why should anyone else get to see what’s mine? If I didn’t have my morals, he’d never leave the bedroom.”

Shifting his weight, Peter tried to ignore that implication. He knew Tony was playing the part. Keeping up a charade to prevent the authorities stepping in. That didn’t stop his cheeks from flaming red. There must’ve been other ways to navigate conversation other than bringing up their sex life.

Not all male omegan owners shared. Yes, it might be the quicker way to shut down that trail of conversation, but it felt unnecessary. Embarrassing.

“What a lucky man you are, Mr. Stark.”

“Some would certainly say I’m fortuitous.”

“It’s more than that. What were the chances that the stunning boy you decided to mentor would turn into the beautiful omega hanging off your arm? That's more than luck. Some may even call it divine intervention.”

“Well, what can I do? Someone up there must be looking out for me.”

“Must be. Have you met Mr. Stone yet this evening?”

“Can’t say I have. I didn’t realise they’d invited the vultures.”

“I’m not surprised you didn’t see him. He snuck out early to make use of his companion,” one of the aides snickered.

“Oh, yes. I’d have thought he’d be.... Oh, there he is. Ty!”

Glancing in the direction of the returning greeting, he froze at the sight.

Tiberius Stone.

One of the men who were actively looking for a male omega of their own. A man who was known for his public displays and sadistic tendencies. The man who ran one of the nation's largest media outlets.

Tiberius Stone who was walking towards them with a half-dressed boy trailing behind him. The boy couldn’t have been more than twenty. A tight-fitting pair of silk trousers being the his only clothing, other than the collar around his neck – hiding or protecting his mating gland, however you wanted to look at it – and a tattoo above it identifying himself as a member of the New York male omega pack.

“You finally decided to grace us then, Ty,” Tony greeted, shifting to block Peter from view.

“We don’t all have a slut at our beck and call. Means we need to make the most of it when the opportunity arises.”

“Shame. You would’ve thought you could afford a night of pleasure as well as a night at an event. But I suppose you have to make do on a budget.”

Peter’s shoulders hitched with the effort to supress his giggle at the look of indignation sparking across Ty’s face. Pressing his face into Tony’s shoulder to hide the reaction, he hoped he’d just come across as shy instead.

“I can assure you, money is not the issue, Stark.”

“Sure,” Tony responded, a smirk gracing his lips. If Peter didn’t know his alpha’s mannerisms so well, then he wouldn’t see the concerned glances he was shooting the other omega. He was hiding it well behind his trademarked cocky façade. “So, who’s this then?”

“Oh, this’s Chris. An absolute expert in his field.”

Ty licked his lips as he stroked a hand down Chris’ chest. The action drawing attention to an odd shape under the omega’s trousers. Something bulky. Something like a... Oh my God. Feeling his cheeks burning under the intensity of his blush, he quickly diverted his eyes, casting an apologetic look at the other omega who was looking back at him in curiosity.

“Ah, I see your boy has spotted Chris’ cage. From his reaction I take it you’ve not tried one yet?” Tony shook his head curtly, while Peter just wished he could melt into the floor. “I’d highly recommend them. Keeps them focused on your pleasure since they no longer have the distraction of a useless cock. Although I suppose being mated, you don’t need a physical barrier to prevent him getting greedy. His pleasure literally sits in your hands.”

Keeping his eyes focused on the floor, he could hear Tony’s heart racing. Whether in anger or arousal he didn’t know. He knew it was something that got a lot of people going, but it wasn’t his thing. His cock was the only part of his anatomy that he was still comfortable with. It was still the same as before. If Tony took that away from him, locked it up, he’s not sure how he’d feel.

And they’d talked about the downside of the mating before. Tony had agreed it wasn’t ideal but that it was a biological side-effect. Not something they were able to undo. He’d said he felt bad about not realising it would happen beforehand. That he felt guilty that Peter now relied solely on Tony for orgasms. Did he actually enjoy that fact? Get off on the idea that he alone was the source of any of Peter’s pleasure?

“True. But without his cock I’d be as well just picking up a girl which would be a hell of a lot less work.”

“That may be, but girl’s can be a handful. You don’t want your boy getting selfish.”

“Trust me. With a cocklet like his that’s not going to be an issue.”

The senator and his group laughed while Ty gave a smirk. Peter’s cheeks flaming red as a lump formed in his throat. He hoped Tony was just saying that to try and change the subject, move on from the uncomfortable conversation, but he couldn’t help worrying if that was really what Tony thought. Was it something he thought about regularly? He knew he wasn’t as big as Tony, but he always thought he was at least average sized.

Was Peter too focused on his own pleasure? Every time they had sex Peter was the one who finished first. In fact, most times he’d cum several times before Tony did. The older alpha only tending to cum once in an evening. Was he being selfish? Should it be the other way around?

“You always surprise me.”

“You know me. Need to keep people on their toes.”

The tension between the two could be cut with a knife. They held eye contact until Ty turned away to chat with the senator, talking about a scandal that was hitting one of their competitors. Peter’s eyes remaining on Chris who was still watching him in intrigue. Almost like he was trying to solve a puzzle.

“Sorry to interrupt, Tony, but there’s someone I’d like you to meet,” Pepper interjected, appearing out of nowhere while indicating a group of businessmen standing behind her.

“Right, of course. If you’ll excuse me, gentlemen.”

Tony slowly relaxed the further they walked away from the previous group. He heard his alpha whispering a quiet thanks to Pepper before they were introduced to a group of potential SI investors.

There were no notable conversations for the rest of the evening. He spent the remaining couple of hours standing by Tony’s side, eating and drinking whatever ended up in his hands.

He’d mostly managed to convince himself that Tony hadn’t meant what he said earlier, but he simply couldn’t stop the conversation from replaying over and over in his head. Couldn’t get Chris out of his mind. The omega being the first one that night to look at him with something other than disgust, indifference, or lust. Couldn’t stop thinking about how without Spider-Man, he’d likely be in a similar position to Chris right now. If he’d never met Tony, then he wouldn’t have been saved from that fate.

His feet were aching from standing around and his stomach was growling with hunger by the time they made it back to Happy’s car. Pepper opting to remain till the bitter end while they dipped early. The minute the door shut behind him he felt his bones melting into the seat.

“I’m so glad that’s over,” Tony groaned, loosening his tie. “How’re you doing?”

“Okay,” he sighed. “Hungry. Tired.”

“Well, I can solve one of those right now. Hap, make a stop by Burger King, will ya? We could do with some burgers.”

“No problem, Boss.”

“Thanks, Tony.”

“Don’t need to thank me. Are you— Are you okay? I know that some of those fuckers crossed the line, especially that scumbag Ty. I don’t, I… You know that’s not how I see you, right? I know I said things I shouldn’t have.”

“It’s fine,” he dismissed, staring out the window.

He knew Tony didn’t mean them. He did. Knew it was just an act. Mostly.

“It doesn’t seem fine.”

“It was what we expected, right?”

“Doesn’t mean that it didn’t hurt you. You don’t have to pretend with me, Pete.”

“What do you want me to say?”

“I don’t know. Maybe the truth?” Tony snapped, sounding frustrated.

He flinched at the hidden demand in the man’s words. He’d annoyed his alpha. Tony ran his hands through his gelled hair causing it to point in all directions.

Why did Tony get to be annoyed? He was the one that said all the hurtful things. Why should he now be allowed to make Peter feel even worse for not wanting to talk about it?

“What? Is it going to help for me to tell you that I hated it? That it was demeaning to be paraded around like some sort of prize? Like the freaking pet you’re trying to make me? That my skin crawled every time someone looked at me like nothing more than a piece of meat? That when— when Tiberius Stone paraded Chris around like that, that the only thing I could think of other than disgust was relief that it wasn’t me. Do you know how fucked up that is? That I saw some guy not much older than me paraded around like that and my first instinct wasn’t to help, but to hide? To be thinking that if I’d ended up anywhere else it could’ve been me. That it still could be if you change your mind. You pretend we’re equals, but we both know you hold all the cards. That in those moments, I can’t help but wonder when you’re going to change your mind and parade me about like that. When I wonder if what you say in public is maybe what you’re really feeling. That maybe the façade you put on is when we’re alone. Is that what you want me to say? Did that make you happy?”

“Pete—“ Tony whispered, his voice cracking in anguish, eyes widened in shock.

Before he could say anything else, Happy was interrupting them, arm frozen mid-air holding a bag full of burgers and fries as he caught on to the tension in the air.

“I— Sorry if I’m interrupting.”

“It’s fine. Thanks, Happy.”

He smiled at the man, wiping a hand over his tear-stained cheeks before accepting the bag of food.

With an unsure smile of his own, Happy raised the partition once again. They remained in silence until the car started moving.

He could feel Tony watching him warily from his seat. Hear his heart racing as he absorbed everything that Peter had said. All the stupid things he’d said. It hadn’t been intentional. Those were the thoughts he wasn’t meant to share. Tony wasn’t supposed to know how broken he was on the inside. The alpha shouldn’t have to worry that he might lose it in public. His alpha shouldn’t know that he doubts his intentions. A good omega should follow blindly, regardless of their own concerns.

“Pete, I’m so—“

“Do you want the plain cheeseburger or the one with bacon?” he interrupted, digging through the bag of burgers. Breathing deeply as he pointedly ignored the waver in his voice.

“What? That’s not important right now.”

“Maybe not for you. But I’m hungry, so I’m going to eat. You can have the bacon one.”

“Pete. C’mon, look at me. Please?”

“Can we just not, right now? I know you’re not like that. I swear, I do. It’s just, nights like this are everything I’ve feared since I felt those first pains of presenting. They bring all my insecurities to the surface. All the dark thoughts around the direction the lawyers are taking. I know it’s for the best. I do. I’m just tired and hangry. Can we just eat and go home and curl up on the couch watching some stupid late night TV show till we fall asleep? I’ll be fine in the morning. I promise.” He looked at Tony through tear blurred vision to see the man was sporting his own teary eyes. “Please?”

The silence stretched on between them after his begging. He could see the indecision flickering in Tony’s eyes as he eventually came to a decision.

“Yeah,” Tony sighed in resignation. “Yeah, okay. We’ll do that. I love you, Pete.”

Huffing a sigh, he nodded while unwrapping a burger.

“I love you, too,” he whispered. The response coming automatically despite how numb and empty he felt.

Chapter Text

Peter didn’t want to talk about what he’d said in the car.

It wasn’t from lack of trying on Tony’s part. He’d been trying to talk it out with the boy. Tried to gain a better understanding of what Peter was going through. Something that he’d never fully comprehend. Try as he might, learning something was not the same as living it. But he wanted to do whatever he could to help him.

Unfortunately, every attempt to continue the train of thought Peter had started in the car three nights ago was derailed by the boy himself. Either by changing the subject, leaving the room, or simply shutting down. It was the most open Peter had been about the struggles he was facing in his new role. Something that no matter how much it hurt Tony to hear, he was grateful that Peter felt he could share with him. Yet Peter seemed to content to act like it had never happened.

Tony was toeing the line very carefully between not pushing the subject and therefore not forcing the kid into even more things that he didn’t want, and wanting to be attentive and to make sure he was taking care of all aspects of the kid’s health, including his mental state which was obviously suffering.

Despite Peter’s insistence in ignoring their conversation, they’d had a good weekend otherwise.

Their time was split between the lab, the bedroom, the couch and, surprisingly, the gym. Peter had spent a lot of time on the treadmills or lifting weights since they’d returned to the tower. Wanting to mix it up a bit they sparred together for the first-time. As well as being a good workout, it had also turned out to be an interesting form of foreplay. The two of them tumbling around on the floor – stripped to their shorts due to the heat, their skin slick with sweat – each round would inevitably end with the victor straddling the other, leaning down for a heated kiss before they’d reluctantly separate, panting, and move into position for another round. By the time they’d finished and made it to the showers, they could hardly keep their hands off each other.

He knew Peter was missing Spider-Man. It wasn’t surprising. He’s not sure he could cope if asked to give up Iron Man. Even if he knew it was only temporarily. A part of him wanted to just let the kid get back to it. His suit was almost finished. A couple of updates left to make in the coming week but then it would be able to hide Peter’s scent, continuing to give the impression he’s a beta. But he knew how dangerous it could be. Peter’s safety was the one thing he’d never gamble with. And until they knew the signs of his oncoming heat, he couldn’t go out. Plain and simple. He’s seen more experienced omegas been reduced to a quivering mess in the space of minutes with little to no warning in the past when their heat hit.

Helen had voiced her own concerns to Tony. Entirely from a medical perspective she felt the boy would need more time to adjust. The transition will have changed more biologically than simply his sex organs. Things might have changed that he hasn’t even realised yet. That he might need to learn new ways to adapt to.

After agreeing with her points, he’d made sure she talked it over with Peter herself, hoping that if he heard it from the doctor, he might be more understanding of the situation, but it hadn’t seemed to make a difference.

Peter had always been a hard-headed hero. Not surprising, given it’s a trait required for their profession, but he felt awful being the bad guy. Forcing the kid to take a step back from what he’s good at. From what he loved. Especially when he’d already lost so much.

He knew the temporary loss of Spider-Man would also be having a negative impact on the kid’s mental health. That on top of everything he mentioned Friday night had him extra concerned. Given Peter had said he wasn’t yet ready for therapy, and clearly wasn’t going to talk to him about it, he’d figured he’d try something a little more drastic.

Hence why, over dinner, he’d broached the subject of inviting Ned to the tower the following day. It wasn’t the first time he’d suggested it, but it was the most he’d pushed the subject. Having answers for all of Peter’s reservations. Technically, the teen should be at school, but he’d already cleared that with the boy’s parents. They would be happy to call him in sick for the day to allow him to see Peter. Happy would be available to pick him up and drop him off. The older alpha’s presence during Ned’s arrival and exit would help prevent any questions being asked about his visit, not that anyone would once they were inside their home.

Peter hadn’t been thrilled by the idea.

For whatever reason he’d been avoiding Ned since they’d mated. To a certain extent he understood. He’s not sure how he’d cope if he had to watch Rhodey do everything he’d wanted to do while he was forced to stand back never making any progress, but he knew the boy needed his best friend. He could see it in the spark of light in his eyes when he saw a trailer for a new Star Wars show. When he thought of a new web formula and automatically grabbed his phone to call his guy in the chair before dropping it with a haunted look in his eyes. After a bit of encouragement and a long video call with May, Peter had hesitantly agreed.

He just hoped it would help.

“Can you pass me a 4 by 2 brick please?”

Grabbing the Lego brick from the pile beside his knee he passed it over the makings of the Avenger Tower before returning to his current section.

Ned had arrived half an hour ago and the initial awkwardness had still not dissipated. It was ridiculous. This was his best friend. They told each other everything. Yet, here he was. Sitting mere feet away from the boy and feeling like they were separated by oceans.

Clicking his brick into place, he settled his hands on his lap before turning to face Ned.

“Why is this so weird?”

Ned laughed, before putting his own bricks down. “I don’t know.”

“D’you... do you wanna go get something to eat? I’m pretty sure there are some mini pizzas in the freezer.”

“Yeah. Yeah, I could eat.”

Standing on shaky legs, he reached out to give Ned a hand up from his bedroom floor – his old bedroom that at some point over the past month had turned into his Lego room – before leading the way to the kitchen. They hovered awkwardly around each other while Peter got the pizzas heated and Ned grabbed plates. Once ready, they sat at the breakfast bar. An empty chair between them.

It was silent other than the sounds of their chewing. Eventually, the silence got the better of them and he cracked.

“I’m sorry I’ve not been in touch as much as I should’ve been. I’ve been a pretty crappy friend recently.”

“What?” Ned asked incredulously. “Dude, I’m the one who messed up. You’re going through so much, and I should be helping you. I just don’t know what to do. How to help when so much is going on. I... Listen, I know you don’t like it, but Mr. Stark called me. He, uh, he’s worried about you. And I am too. We all are.”

“I’m—”

“And don’t say you’re fine!” Ned shot him an exasperated look, before taking a deep breath and recollecting himself. “It’s okay to be struggling. Hell, I’d be more worried if you weren’t. But you can’t just shut everyone out. I know you, Peter. You did the same thing after Ben, but it doesn’t work. You’re not going to start recovering till you start opening up.”

“This is different.”

“How’s it different? Seriously. Why don’t you think it’ll work?”

“Because I’ve not lost anyone. There isn’t a recovery from this. Talking helps when someone dies, but this...”

“Is you mourning the life you expected to have,” Ned said gently. “Even if you don’t want to admit it, it’s the same thing. I can’t even imagine how scary it is trying to adapt to a new normal when you’re not even in control of what happens. Honestly, my head hurts when I try to think about it.”

“I'm lucky though. I’ve got Tony, not some creep out of that horrendous catalogue...”

“True. But it’s still not in your control. Like, I know you like him. Like really like him. We both know you’ve crushed on him since middle school. That doesn’t negate the fact that he has full control over you. Even if he’s good to you, that's gotta be scary. You didn’t choose to give him that power. It was taken from you.”

Trust Ned to say it how it is.

To skip right through all of his bullshit straight to what he’s been trying to avoid. He’d done the same thing after Ben had died. Once he’d gotten home from the police station that evening, he’d shut down. Refusing to talk. Eating the bare minimum to keep May happy. It hadn’t been until Ned had invited himself over, holding him and talking to him, that he’d finally broken. Clinging to his best friend as he'd finally begun to mourn.

“But he’s a good guy,” he whispered. Shrugging like that should be the answer to everything. Because that was the whole point. A fact he simply couldn’t ignore. Tony was a good guy. He was so good to him. He shouldn’t be feeling like this about the man he loved. “I know he’s trying. He’s got his lawyers trying to help and everything – even if their approach sucks. He makes me happy. Like, I feel like the room lights up when he’s there. He makes me smile when I’m in a funk and he makes me laugh when it feels impossible. Yet, he’s so sweet and will just hold me when I’m sad, or after a busy day he’ll go out of his way to get me ice-cream or something silly just to show he cares.” He stared at Ned with watery eyes, begging his best friend to understand. “So why am I still scared? How am I supposed to tell him that despite all that, there’s a voice in my head screaming that he’s gonna turn. That I’ll be nothing more than some... than some sex doll or whatever it is people think I already am.”

Hastily wiping his tears from his cheeks, he huffed a humourless laugh when Ned pulled him in for a hug, stretching across the empty seat between them.

“Starting with what you told me probably wouldn’t go amiss. Being scared of the power he holds over you is entirely reasonable. I don’t think that means you’re insulting his character or anything. I’m pretty sure he’d understand.”

“Maybe,” he mumbled into Ned’s shoulder.

“And for what it's worth. He definitely doesn’t look at you like... that. If he did, he wouldn’t have been blowing up my phone looking for ideas on how to help you. He even tried MJ, but she told him to man up and just ask you himself.”

“Ha,” he chuckled. “I can imagine.”

“I’m not the best for giving advice, and I don’t know what you’re going through or really what to say, but I know you, dude. You can talk to me whenever, you know that, right? Even if it’s just to get it off your chest. It’s not good to bottle it all up. And you need to talk to Mr. Stark.”

“Yeah, of course, man. But—”

“Uh-uh. No buts. I’m here for you. I’d drop everything for you. I’m your guy in the chair, remember?”

“I could never forget.”

“Good. So you know that I’m right. Now, do you have any chips? The pizza was good but, man, I am hungry.”

“Top right cupboard. Help yourself.”

“Cheese and onion?” Ned offered, holding a bag out to him.

At his nod he launched the bag across the breakfast bar before turning to grab himself a bag of salted chips.

“So, what’s been going on at school? There’s a decathlon meet coming up, right? I’m sure May mentioned that.”

“Yeah! We made it to the semi-finals, even with Flash answering all three of his questions wrong... You should’ve seen his face when Mr. Harrington told him off on the bus back for jumping in on questions before knowing the answer.”

“Sounds about right. Wish I could have seen it.”

“Well, the next competition is actually in Brooklyn. I’d been wanting to ask, and I completely understand if you say no, but would you maybe... want to come?”

“I’m not sure... I’d need Tony to come with me and I’m not sure how busy he’ll be with work. And I’m not a big fan of crowded places at the moment.”

“I get that. But maybe just think about it? The offers always there if you want it. It’s next Thursday. I know the team would want to see you.”

“I’ll think about it. Thanks.”

Later that evening, after Ned left, Peter was waiting for the water to boil so he could put in the pasta that would be accompanying their chicken parmigiana. Knowing how much lighter he now felt after spending the day with his best friend, he couldn’t understand what had held him back so much in the first place.

Yes, he’s changed. His life now had a different trajectory to the one he’d always imagined, but Ned didn’t care about that. Ned wasn’t friends with him because of his career prospects or anything trivial like that. He was his best friend because they just got each other. A connection he’d been sorely missing since his mating. Yes, they’d stayed in touch through texts, but they hadn’t been able to clear the air between them until they’d met face-to-face.

If he’d followed Tony’s advice from the start, he could’ve gotten past his initial slump a lot quicker. But then maybe things happen for a reason. He hadn’t been ready before today to admit a lot of his concerns out loud.

After talking to Ned, he knew he’d have to bring up at least some of those topics with Tony himself. Preferably, sooner rather than later. No matter how much he’d rather just bury his head in the sand.

By the time the pasta went in the pan, he only had about five minutes left till Tony would make his way home. As nervous as he was to talk to the man – Ned had spent the better part of an hour psyching him up for the inevitable conversation – he couldn’t deny he’d been missing him all day.  

“Hey, Pete,” Tony shouted from the elevator as he made his way to his home office to drop off his briefcase. “I’ll be through in a sec.”

Shouting a greeting in response, he turned to set the table. Smiling when Tony appeared behind him, wrapping his arms around his waist, and pressing a tender kiss to the side of his neck. Finding himself melting into the embrace, he wiggled until he was facing the alpha, leaning up on his toes to press a kiss to his lips. The now familiar taste of coffee greeting his tongue the minute it seeked entrance into the alpha’s mouth.

He felt his insides twitch when Tony’s hands gripped his hips tighter in response, pulling his body flush with the alpha’s.

“Mmm,” he moaned, pulling back regretfully. “To be continued,” he smirked, giving the alpha a quick peck before turning to the hob. Not wanting the pasta to turn mushy, he grabbed a serving spoon before turning off the oven and grabbing the oven gloves while Tony brought over the plates.

“It smells delicious, Pete.”

“Thank you. I just hope it tastes okay. It’s been a while since I’ve done my own breading.”

“I’m sure it will. Besides, no matter what, it’ll be better than any attempt I could make.”

“You say that, but it’s not exactly hard. It’s just messy.”

Other than Tony complimenting the meal after his first bite, the two didn’t say much as they ate. Content to simply enjoy each other’s company.

As Peter was finishing his second helping, Tony recounted him with the highlights of his day. One of R&Ds longest serving staff members had received a promotion so they would now be reporting directly to Tony, so the man had spent most of his day in the R&D labs, chatting with the staff. Something he didn’t manage to do very often with his usually packed schedule.

He’d also submitted the plans to the new self-sustaining tablet that Peter had helped design. The board had eaten it up and he suspected that production could start as early as the following month.

“That’d be amazing. Do you know what price it would sell for? Like given it won’t need to be charged, it would be amazing for low-income households since they won’t need to pay for electricity, but then if the initial cost is too high, they wouldn’t be able to afford it in the first place.”

“Not yet. Once R&D has created some prototypes and we decide on the most efficient method, we can work out the minimum viable cost for production. But I promise I’ll keep it as low as we can.”

“I know you will. Sorry, I’m not trying to say you wouldn’t. I was just thinking out loud.”

“You’ve nothing to apologise for.” Tony smiled as he cleared their dishes from the table, placing them in the dishwasher before returning to the table to stand behind Peter, his hands gently massaging his shoulders. “So, did you have a good day? You and Ned get on okay?”

“Yeah,” he sighed, tension he hadn’t realised he’d been carrying slipping from his body under the skilled hands of his alpha. “It was good. Thank you for the suggestion. I, um, was really needing it. I’d missed him.”

“I’m glad. Sometimes all you need is your best friend. I’m here whenever you need me, but I know that I can be the cause of some, or a lot, of your problems. If you can’t talk to me, then you need to talk to someone else. You shouldn’t lock us all out, kiddo.”

“I know. I do. But knowing and doing are two different things, y’know? Like… like I know that you wouldn’t hurt me, that you’re nothing like Ty, but that doesn’t stop the fears around the fact that you could.” He paused, placing a hand on top of Tony’s before continuing. “And it’s not a reflection on you. I swear, you’re doing everything right. We’re in an impossible situation, but I know you’re doing everything you can. Hell, you’re doing more than I thought possible and you’re still fighting for more. It’s just, there are some things that I’m always going to be worried about, but I don’t want you feeling guilty because of that, if you can help it.”

“I… I’ll try,” Tony murmured, pressing a kiss into his hair. “Thanks for telling me. If there’s ever anything I can do to help you, then please let me know.”

“I will.”

“Okay.” Tony squeezed his shoulders once more before stepping back. “Do you want anything else to eat?”

“I think I’m okay just now.” Biting his lip, he stood from his chair and cocked his head coyly. “We could always continue what we started before dinner?”

Tony’s eyes instantly darkened in lust as his gaze dragged up and down Peter’s form. Eyes searching his questioningly before smirking.

“I was thinking you’d never ask,” he growled.

Huffing a laugh, he moved forward wrapping his arms around Tony before letting his hands trail down to squeeze the man’s ass. He couldn’t help the way his cock twitched in his jeans at the feel of the toned muscle under his fingers.

“You like that, Pete?” Tony moaned. “Like squeezing my ass?”

“Mmhmm,” he whimpered.

“Your cock certainly seems to be interested.”

He moaned when Tony palmed him through his jeans. His underwear growing wet with a mixture of slick and pre-cum.

“Y’know, if it was something you were interested in, you could always have a go at fucking me for a change.”

“Really?” he asked sceptically, trying to think through his lustful haze. It’s not something he expected Tony to suggest. Not something that many alphas would accept.

“Of course. You could shove your perfect cock up my ass. Keep going until you fill me up.”

“Oh, God,” he whimpered, his cock rubbing embarrassingly against Tony’s crotch at the image.

When he was younger, whenever he fantasised about sex, it was always with him on top doing the fucking. When he’d presented, he just assumed it would never happen. Most people believed a male omega’s cock was obsolete and useless.

The thought of actually getting to use it. Of getting to feel that sort of pleasure. It was enough to leave him feeling light-headed with desire.

“We don’t have to. It was just an option if you were interested.”

“Please,” he panted, pulling the alpha’s mouth down to clash with his own.

“Please? You want to try it?”

Nodding almost frantically, his hands gripped the alpha’s thighs before lifting him up, causing Tony to yelp and wrap his arms and legs around Peter in surprise, before making his way to their bedroom.

“A little warning next time, Pete? I’m not as young as I once was.”

“Right. Sorry.”

Dropping the alpha onto the bed, he rid them both of their clothes before shifting to lay on top of the man.

The urgency had left him once they were pressed against each other in their bed. Lazily kissing, they rubbed their cocks together. Peter’s copious amount of pre-cum helping to ease their glide. The sounds of wet mouths and quiet moaning slowly filled the room before Peter leant up on his elbows, looking down at a dishevelled Tony.

“How do I…?” he trailed off. Unsure of what exactly he was asking.

He had a rough idea of what was required, but he’d never put any of it into practice before. Anal was one of the few things they hadn’t explored yet together. It was on the list, but they hadn’t gotten around to it. This certainly wasn’t how he’d imagined it going, not that he was complaining.

“Top drawer on my side,” Tony indicated with his head. “Grab the lube. Do you want me to do the prep?”

Passing the bottle over, he sat back on his heels as Tony shifted to grab a pillow and placed it under his hips.

“Would you mind?” he asked hesitantly.

“Not at all. It’s been a while though, so bear with me.”

A groan slipped from his lips as Tony circled a lubed finger around his asshole. The pink furled skin winking at him, his hands clenched against his thighs as the man’s digit slowly disappeared inside himself. Over the past couple of months, he’d grown exceptionally well acquainted with those fingers. Knowing exactly how good they could feel. That didn’t mean that he was prepared for Tony’s moan of pleasure.

The alpha’s eyes were closed in ecstasy as he slowly added a second finger. The digits slowly pumping in and out of him, despite the awkward angle. The hand not playing with his ass was loosely stroking his cock. The sight causing Peter’s own hole to clench around the emptiness.

After what felt like a lifetime, but what could only have been about five minutes, Tony had worked himself up to three fingers and indicated for Peter to come forward. Wiping his hands on the sheets, he grabbed the bottle of lube before squirting some into his hands to warm it up before gliding his hand along Peter’s cock.

Once he was sufficiently slick, Tony leant back and spread his legs even further to allow Peter access. The sight causing him to moan.

“You’re sure about this?” he checked.

“Definitely,” Tony breathed. “C’mon, Pete. Fill me up.”

Inhaling shakily, he lined himself up before slowly pressing forward. Feeling the coiled ring of muscle give way with little resistance as he continued forward until his hips were pressing against Tony’s ass, keeping an eye on his alpha’s face the entire time for any sign of pain or discomfort, of which there were none.

“Is—Is that okay?” he panted.

Fighting to keep control of his himself and not thrust erratically like his cock was begging him to do. Even when Tony sucked him off and he felt his cock buried in the man’s throat, he hadn’t felt this type of all-encompassing heat. The man’s insides squeezing him perfectly. Like he was shaped just to take his cock.

“Perfect, sweetheart. Just, uh, just give me a sec to acclimatise. You feel so good.”

After a couple of moments to adjust Tony gave him the go ahead and Peter tentatively pulled his hips back, relishing in the way Tony’s ass kept trying to suck him back in before pressing forward again. He continued with a couple of slow thrusts before slowly beginning to increase the pace. Trying to remember the ways Tony eased him into this sort of thing and attempting to copy the moves.

He couldn’t have been going for more than a couple of minutes when he felt himself tiring and nearing the edge. How Tony could pound him for up to twenty minutes at a time he had no idea. Using the back of his hand to wipe the sweat from his brow, he leant down to press kisses along Tony’s jaw.

“’m so close, alpha.”

“Are you now?” Tony smirked, his hands moving to grip at his ass, encouraging his movements. “You gonna fill me up omega? Leave your cum dripping from my ass?”

An animalistic growl escaped his throat as his thrusts grew more erratic. One hand moving to grip Tony’s waist to prevent the alpha from being pushed too far up the bed with the force.

“C’mon. Cum for me, Pete,” Tony whispered into his ear.

He was so close, but there something stopping him from falling over the edge. The realisation must have shown on his face as the thought had barely entered his mind when Tony’s fingers started to wander from where they rested on the swell of his ass. The moment one of his fingers breached his sopping hole, he came with a grunt. His hips continuing to thrust lazily through his orgasm before he eventually came to rest, pressing kisses back along Tony’s jaw until he met his lips.

Pulling away gingerly, he winced as his over sensitive cock was pulled from Tony’s gripping insides. Licking his lips as he watched his seed slowly dribble out the man’s hole and down his crack.

“So good for me, omega,” Tony cooed, a hand running through Peter’s hair.

Still panting, he stared longingly at the alpha’s hard cock resting against his stomach.

“You never finished,” Peter pouted. “Was it… did you not enjoy it?”

“Oh, trust me. I very much enjoyed myself. It’s just that I’m older kid. I can’t cum as quickly as I used to. Especially without direct stimulation.”

“Oh…” Biting his lip, his hole twitched again as he continued to look at the alpha.

His cock was feeling sensitive but the rest of him would certainly be open for another round. Watching his alpha’s face carefully, he shuffled up the man’s body before grabbing his cock and pressing the head against his dripping hole. A deep, guttural, moan escaping his lips as he lowered himself down onto the alpha. He’d never get used to the feeling of being filled so completely.

“Ah,” Tony growled. “You sure, Pete? I don’t want you being sore.”

Despite the words he could see the desperation in the older man’s eyes. The dark lust taking over his features as he fought to maintain his composure.

“Please, alpha,” he whimpered, turning his head to bare his mating gland in a sign of submission. “You let me feel good. Let me do the same for you.”

“Since you asked so sweetly,” Tony smirked. “But don’t you want alpha to do the work now? You must be so tired.”

Nodding bashfully, he let the man flip them until Tony was laying on top of him, and Peter was panting in time with Tony’s thrusts.

As much as he’d enjoyed being inside the older man, he couldn’t deny how much better this felt. How right it felt to have his alpha buried deep inside of him. The man’s cock rubbing his insides just right. Igniting a flame of pleasure that rubbing his cock just couldn’t emulate.

Not to say they wouldn’t try it again. In fact, Peter already planned on asking. He just thinks that making sure he got fucked like this after would seal the deal. Wrapping his legs around the man’s hips, he cried out in pleasure when it shifted the angle.

Tony made it look so effortless. Able to keep up a constant stream of words of praise and statements that made him blush all over while continuing to pound into him. One hand holding him up while the other trailed over his body, tweaking his nipples or rubbing along his waist.

By the time Tony’s knot began to inflate Peter’s eyes had gone hazy with pleasure. His second orgasm sitting just under the surface. He knew from experience that once the man’s knot fully popped that he’d likely be pushed over the edge.

Pulling the man down on top of him, he kissed his alpha with the same urgency as a drowning man would breathe air. Teeth clashing together and panting openly into each other’s mouths, he cried out as his orgasm was ripped from him as Tony’s knot expanded, the familiar heat filling his insides.

The hand that had been gripping Tony’s shoulder slowly traced a path down the man’s back and over his ass where he couldn’t contain a groan when he felt his own seed spilling down the man’s thighs.

“We should do this again,” he mumbled against Tony’s lips.

“No arguments here,” Tony agreed. “Maybe not tonight though. I think we both need a bath and bed.”

“Yeah,” he sighed, pulling Tony down until he was laying fully on top of him. The alpha’s heat warming him better than any blanket ever could as they waited for his knot to deflate. “But cuddle with me for a little longer first?”

“Always.”

Chapter Text

“The Department of Transportation of a city has concluded that the mean number of accidents per day is ten. What is the mean number of accidents an example of?”

Ned hit the buzzer a split second before his opponent, even from this distance, Peter could see the nervousness in his face. The way his fingers twitched as he waited for the commentator to call on his team.

“Midtown high.”

Ned inhaled shakily, before leaning into the microphone.

“Statistical inference.”

Subtly bumping fists with Tony, he grinned when they announced it as correct. Meaning that Midtown had gotten through to the finals. Ned had answered the winning question.

Standing with half of the auditorium, he whooped and cheered as his former teammates celebrated on stage. Tony joining in beside him, while Happy stood stiffly on his other side, slowly clapping his hands. Pretending not to be invested in the match even though he wasn’t fooling anyone.

Happy’s presence had been one of Tony’s conditions for coming along today. He’d been more than happy for Peter to attend and more than willing to join but given it would be a public space – and the last outing to the gala hadn’t exactly been great – he’d preferred if Happy were to join them and that they keep Peter between them. Purely as a safety precaution. Not seeing the harm in the man accompanying them, he’d readily agreed.

This outing had already been better than the gala.

Given the less formal occasion, he was feeling more comfortable in jeans, a science pun t-shirt and an oversized hoodie which was a world away from the too tight suit. Tony had also suggested that he talk freely to him and Happy, as well as Ned and any other friends he wanted to talk to later, which made it more bearable. He still had to stay close to his alpha, but as long as he was between the two men, they weren’t worried about maintaining constant contact.

Tony was willing to deal with any flack sent their way due to his relaxed approach this time. Not that he expected there to be any.

During the competition, he and Tony had been whispering the answers to each other and more often than not beating the kids on stage to the answer. During the intermission, Happy had rolled his eyes at their antics, but couldn’t suppress his smile quickly enough to really sell his agitation.

They’d gotten a couple of odd looks from others in the audience, but for the most part, they’d went relatively undetected. It probably helped that nobody would really expect to see Tony Stark at an academic decathlon competition. Especially when he’d barely been seen in public during the past couple of months.

After their victory, the teams slowly started to trickle down from the stage. Choosing instead to congregate at the free space in front of it while parents and well-wishers shared their congratulations or commiserations on their way out.

Once the initial rush of people had exited, leaving just under half the audience in the auditorium, Tony stood glancing around at those remaining. Happy standing an ever-present vigil by his side.

“Right. You wanna go congratulate the team? Did you check with Ned if he was free after?”

“Yeah. Messaged him this morning. His mum’s taking his little sister to dance class after so he’s happy to come with us, if that’s still okay?”

“Course. We could even stop for food if you wanted?”

“I’ll, um, maybe wait and see?”

He’d been fine sitting in the audience for a competition when everyone’s eyes were on the stage. He wasn’t sure how it would be talking to a group of people. He didn’t want to make any promises of going out after just to have to back out because he was too scared. He was already pushing his comfort zone by being here. It would be easier to leave the decision till nearer the time when he had all the facts.

“Course.”

Wiping his sweaty hands on his jeans, he puffed out a breath before walking beside Tony as they made their way towards the team. MJ came into view first. Her curly hair towering over the others, with Mr. Harrington talking animatedly beside her. Following the teacher’s hand movements, he saw Cindy and Abe standing beside Flash. Ned was standing just behind them; half of his attention on the teacher, the other half scanning the auditorium anxiously. He felt the minute Ned’s eyes caught sight of him approaching. Even if he hadn’t, the almost comic widening of his eyes and the way he turned, practically pushing Flash aside in order to run to him, would’ve given it away.

“Peter!” he yelled, pulling him in for a hug before leaning back for their signature handshake.

“Ned,” he responded, equally excited. “You were amazing up there!”

Ned blushed under the praise, “I mean it was a team effort. And you know we would’ve had it in the bag a lot earlier if you’d…”

Shaking his head, he shrugged off Ned’s comment, trying to ignore the curious stares from his former teammates. He also tried to ignore the line of thought Ned had been about to follow. He didn’t want to think about how things could’ve been different. He’d been getting better at simply accepting the cards he’d been dealt. Living in the moment.

“It might’ve been a team effort, but you got the winning point!” he exclaimed.

“Thanks,” Ned shrugged. “I’m so glad you made it.”

“I wouldn’t miss it.”

Shifting his feet, he smiled at MJ when she appeared beside Ned.

“Hey, loser.”

“Hey. Congrats on the win.”

“Thanks. It wouldn’t have been so close if Flash had just stuck to his own topic, but we got there in the end.”

Chuckling, he nodded in understanding. It felt normal like this. Their usual banter after one of these competitions. He’d even almost begun to forget that Tony and Happy were flanking him on either side. Their constant presence something he’d slowly grown used to.

“Stark,” MJ greeted.

Until someone reminded him of it.

“Michelle,” Tony responded, a smirk gracing his lips.

“You finally decided to leave that tower of yours then?”

“Well, I heard there was a competition that we just couldn’t miss,” Tony answered coyly. “Besides, I was starting to even give myself Mother Gothel vibes.”

“Tony,” he grumbled, giving the man’s shoulder a push, which had him laughing.

“Sorry. I’m not supposed to joke like that in public in case people start to believe it.”

Rolling his eyes, he turned to his friends.

“Ignore him. He thinks he’s funny.”

MJ opened her mouth to no doubt give some form of retort when she was interrupted by Mr. Harrington and the rest of the team finally giving in to their curiosity and approaching.

“Peter.”

“Hi, Mr. Harrington. Well done on the win. You guys did great up there.”

“Thank you. I think we’re finally getting used to the new dynamics.” He nodded, as Mr. Harrington fiddled with his glasses. “I, well, we really miss you being on the team. It’s just not the same without you.”

“Thanks,” he responded bashfully.

Fighting his instincts to reach back and hold Tony’s hand. He could talk to his old teacher by himself. He didn’t need his alpha for support.

“You know, I know it would be unorthodox, but if you ever have some spare time, we’d love to see you at practice. You could be an honorary member. Help with training drills and such.”

Scratching the back of his neck, he shrugged awkwardly. He wouldn’t be able to go without Tony or Happy accompanying him. He’s not even sure he’d legally be allowed into the school. If he was being honest, he still didn’t fully understand everything he was allowed and not allowed to do. Tony had suggested a meeting with William, his lawyer, at some point in the coming weeks to iron out exactly what they could do together. Something that he should probably do sooner rather than later.

“Thanks. I’ll… um, think about it,” he mumbled, eyes darting to Tony.

Mr. Harringtons eyes widened in realisation, before ducking his head in embarrassment. Probably becoming aware of the fact he wouldn’t be able to attend by himself. That leaving school wasn’t the only change Peter was faced with.

“Of course, sorry. Was just a thought. I just want you to know that you’d always be welcome. Regardless of whatever else is going on,” he assured. Smiling at Peter before turning his attention to Tony. “Mr. Stark, it’s an honour to meet you.”

“You, too. I’ve heard good things,” Tony smiled, shaking Mr. Harrington’s hand.

His old teacher looked like he was going to burst as he started asking Tony questions about the Iron Man armour. Just as excited as the young boys Tony often told him about after missions. He couldn’t contain his smile at Tony’s frazzled look as he started slowly answering the questions.

“Hey, Peter.”

Cindy dragged his attention from the pair’s interaction. Turning instead to face his former team. Five sets of eyes watching him as he smiled nervously.

“Hey. Um, well done for your win.”

“Thanks,” Abe answered.

The awkwardness growing between the group as the seconds ticked by without anyone saying anything. He turned to stare imploringly at Ned, but all he got was a lost shrug in response. Neither boy knowing what to say.

What was there to really say anyway? Just a couple of months ago it was expected he’d be with them up on the stage. Helping his team to victory. Now he was thankful he’d been allowed to watch from the audience alongside his alpha chaperones.

“So, you really did have a Stark internship?” Flash asked hesitantly.

“Uh, yeah,” he muttered.

“Huh,” Flash huffed, looking embarrassed. “Guess I shouldn’t have doubted you.”

“It’s fine,” he shrugged. “It did seem pretty unbelievable.”

“How’ve you been?” Cindy asked, concern lacing her voice. “We hadn’t heard anything from you, and Ned and MJ weren’t much help.”

“Yeah. I’ve been fine. New normal and all that, y’know?”

“Not really. But I get it. Lots of changes, I guess. I can’t imagine what it’s like to live with Tony Stark. I mean... it’s more than just living with him, isn’t it?”

“Anyway,” he cleared his throat. Not wanting to reflect on how much he’s had to adapt to. Definitely not wanting to go anywhere near his relationship with Tony. His sex life was not something he wanted to bring up with his former classmates. “How’ve you guys been? What’ve I missed?”

The question launched them into a dramatic retelling of the highlights of what he’d missed so far that year. New teachers, new students, who was dating who and who’d presented differently than expected. Although they all got quiet after that last one, shooting him pitying glances.

During the lull in conversation, Tony and Mr. Harrington re-joined them. The former moving to wrap a hand around his waist out of habit.

“How’re you guys getting on?”

“We’re okay,” Peter responded, smiling at Tony. “You about ready to go?”

“Whenever you are. No rush if you want to stay for a bit longer.”

Glancing around he noticed the other team, as well as the stragglers from the audience, had noticed their presence and had begun to stare making him more self-conscious. Paying attention to his surroundings he could hear the whispered conversations about them. Some thinking Tony brought him along out of pity. Others thinking it was some form of reward for his good behaviour.

“I think it’s about time for us to go. Um, could MJ come with us?”

“Sure. Plenty of space in the car.”

“Thanks, Tony.” Giving his alpha a side hug, he turned his attention back to his friends who’d broken off into smaller conversations. “Hey, MJ? Ned and I were gonna grab some food and have a movie night, d’you wanna join us?”

“Sure. Just let me grab my stuff,” she agreed. Turning to the rest of the team, she waved in their general direction. “See the rest of you losers tomorrow.”

“I’ll see you guys later.”

“Bye, Peter.”

“Don’t be a stranger.”

“Maybe text us some time?”

“See ya, Peter.”

Waving to his former team, he turned and started making his way out to the car. Tony kept an arm around his waist, a precaution against the busy streets as much as for comfort, while Ned joined his other side with MJ beside Ned. Happy had switched to stand slightly behind them, keeping guard.

Settling into the back of the car, he sat between Ned and MJ while Tony sat in the front beside Happy.

“What’re you guys thinking for food?”

“Can we stop by Delmar’s and grab some sandwiches? If that’s okay with you guys,” Peter asked.

MJ nodded, while Ned responded. “Of course, that sounds good.”

“Awesome. You heard them, Hap. To Delmar’s we go.”   

Smiling at the familiar bell, he stepped in behind Ned and inhaled the familiar scent of baked breads.

Over the years he’d tried different sandwich shops, but Delmar’s was home. It was what he grew up with and he knew he’d never find another he preferred over this. Grabbing a couple of bags of gummy worms on his way to the counter, he paused to stroke Murphy who was laying across the display as always.

Mr. Delmar had shouted from the back he’d be through in a sec when they’d entered.

He wondered if the man would still want to see him. Happy had mentioned being interrogated the first time he’d returned here after his presentation, but that had been a while ago.

“Sorry for the hold up,” Mr. Delmar said, walking in hidden behind a pile of boxes. “Delivery boy was supposed to bring these inside but, no. That would be too much work.”

Dropping the boxes behind the counter, he grabbed an order pad before turning.

“Right, what can I get–“ he broke off after catching Peter’s smile. The man freezing like he’d seen a ghost.

“Hi, Mr. Delmar,” he greeted, waving awkwardly when the man continued to stare.

“Peter!” he exclaimed. “It took you long enough. I was thinking I was going to have to break into that fancy tower to check you were okay.”

“I told you he was fine,” Happy grumped.

Delmar raised an eyebrow at him before huffing. Pointing at Happy accusingly.

“Like I was going to take your word for it. You’re on his payroll,” he nodded towards Tony who was standing off to the side.

“That–“

“He’s got a point, Hap,” Tony agreed, raising his hands in a ‘what can you do’ gesture. “I’m sorry for keeping him away for so long, Mr. Delmar.”

“Humph,” he sighed, before turning to start on Peter’s usual sandwich. “Two number five’s, extra pickles, squished flat coming up. What else can I get for you guys?”

After giving him their order, Tony paid before stepping back beside Ned and MJ who were standing with Happy to let him and Mr. Delmar catch up. His Spanish had grown rusty over his months of disuse. Mr. Delmar shaking his head fondly when he misinterpreted the man or responded in broken mismatched sentences.  

Piling the sandwiches into a carrier bag, Delmar caught his eyes and turned serious.

“He’s being good to you?”

There wasn’t any doubting who he was talking about. His tone suggesting if there were problems, he’d be helping him out. He couldn’t contain his grin over the protectiveness of the man.

“Yeah, he is.” He smiled. “He’s better than I could’ve imagined. He would’ve let me come here weeks ago if I’d asked. I just, don’t like to be in public much at the moment. I’m sorry it took me so long to come see you.”

“Don’t be sorry. Just don’t let it be so long next time. I worry.” Sniffing, he handed the bag to Peter. “And let me know if he ever changes. I may not look like much, but I’m not gonna sit by and watch my favourite customer be treated badly if I can help it.”

“I will do,” he grinned. “See you later, Mr. Delmar. Bye Murph!”

“Bye Peter. Say hello to your aunt for me.”

Giving the disgruntled cat a final pet, he turned to leave with his friends. His hand automatically seeking Tony’s before they exited the bodega.

Chapter Text

It’d been almost two and a half months since he’d mated with Tony.

Despite that length of time, he was yet to experience a heat. Dr. Cho assured him that it wasn’t unusual. That from the little research that had been done around the subject, it appeared to be relatively common for male omega’s to only have heats three or four times a year. As such, it could be another month before he experienced one.

After the success of his excursion to the Decathlon competition, he’d been getting out and about more regularly with Tony. Whether it was just going out for dinner, catching a movie at the cinema, or simply going for a walk, they were trying to go out a couple of times a week. Sticking to quieter areas with less foot traffic seemed to be working so far. Once Peter grew comfortable with the attention on a smaller scale, they would slowly begin to work their way back up to busier events.

He was still adjusting to their new dynamic. Tony was trying his best, but it was a hard line to toe. Balancing between following the socially accepted ‘rules’ enough that they wouldn’t be questioned while also retaining Peter’s individuality and allowing him to be his own person with his own opinions. Their conversation with William had helped. Ensuring they didn’t do anything that would cause them further problems. There were still moments that Tony would call for advice before making plans.

It was difficult, but they were managing.

Peter’s main grievance now was the block on Spider-Man. Despite the extended time, Tony was still adamant that he shouldn’t patrol, or even begin to properly train again, until he’d experienced his first heat.

It was the one thing that the alpha wouldn’t budge on.

He’d tried.

Tony insisted it was a safety issue. That he wouldn’t risk Peter getting injured due to his impatience.

The topic had been the centre of many tense dinner conversations over the past couple of weeks, and Peter had quietly resigned himself to his fate. Although he’s sure the man knew he wasn’t happy about it. Even after coming to the realisation that he’d be unable to change the alpha’s mind, it hadn’t stopped him from continuing to push the subject. Trying to get the alpha to understand things from his perspective.

It was after one such conversation that they found themselves returning to the penthouse to be confronted by the Avenger’s lounging around their living space. It wasn’t the first time they’d visited, but it was the first time they’d appeared unannounced. Definitely the first time they’d waited for their arrival.

“Hey, guys,” Tony greeted questioningly. “To what do we owe the pleasure?”

“We got a lead,” Natasha said, cutting straight to the chase.

“A lead?” he asked, looking questioningly between Tony and the rest of the team.

Noticing the way Tony clenched his jaw at Nat’s words. Whatever the lead was for, Tony already knew about it. Had they been working on a case behind his back? He wasn’t always involved in Avenger’s level missions, but he wasn’t usually kept in the dark.

“On the kidnappers. Took us long enough, but we finally caught a trail and think we’ve got a location,” Clint explained.

Why wouldn’t Tony have told him they were looking for them? Given all his free time nowadays, he could’ve helped with the search.

“We’re not sure how long they’ll be there for. The base could’ve already been abandoned.” Steve had taken on his captain’s voice as he paced the length of the couch. “The quicker we move out the better. There’s been noted activity within the past twelve hours. We’ll hopefully capture them this time.”

“We just need a plan first,” Bucky said. “Then, we’ll head out tonight. Hopefully the element of surprise will help us.”

“Right. Why don’t you guys go down to the conference room and I’ll come meet you in five minutes?” Tony asked, glancing pointedly in Peter’s direction.

The team all nodded before walking towards the elevator.

“Night, Peter,” Natasha whispered.

“What?” he asked, confused. The pitying looks of the team being the last thing he saw before the elevator doors closed. Spinning to face Tony he plead his case, confusion filling his features. “I can help! I can—“

“No,” Tony growled. “We agreed no Spider-Man. I’m not going to change my mind, especially over a dangerous mission like this.”

“If it's that dangerous then you need all hands-on deck. I could be back-up.”

“Peter, I said no. I won’t be able to concentrate if I know you could get hurt.”

“I can take care of myself—“

“Peter, I said no!”

Wincing at the force of the alpha’s words, he dropped soundlessly to his knees, head bowed in submission before he’d even fully processed what had been said. He’d forgotten how powerful an alpha’s voice could be. He’d thought going against his mates wishes felt impossible, but that was nothing compared to this.

It felt like invisible chains were holding him against the ground. His voice all but gone. Throat going dry in fear. His chest tightening.

A voice in his head still screaming that he was needed to help. If they were going up against the same people that had managed to hold the Avenger’s captive already, then they needed all the help they could get. Yet a louder voice told him he couldn’t. He couldn’t risk going against his alpha. Even the mere thought of putting on his webshooters causing physical pain to ignite throughout his entire body.

“Shit!”

He whimpered at the devastation in his alpha’s voice. He’d upset him. Done something wrong. He hadn’t even said anything that time.

Dropping his head further, he turned his head to expose his mating gland. Becoming as small and submissive as possible.

“I’m sorry, Pete. I didn’t… I hadn’t meant to use that voice.”

Blinking past the tears in his eyes, he watched as his alpha’s feet slowly approached him. Too scared to raise his head. He’d already disobeyed his alpha by arguing, he couldn’t do anything to further disappoint him. He had to be good.

His mind feeling hazy as he tried to appease his alpha.

“Boss,” FRIDAY announced. “The team are waiting for you. Mr. Rogers states that it’s time critical.”

“I… I’m sorry, but I need to go,” Mr. Stark breathed, his feet shifting in front of him. “Happy’s going to be here any minute and Rhodey will be here within the hour. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

Nodding morosely, he whimpered when Mr. Stark used his hand to raise his head, forcing him to look the alpha in the eye. He winced waiting for his punishment. Tensing his muscles to prevent himself from jerking away. He’d deserve whatever his alpha gave him.

“I’m not mad at you, honey. I’m just… I’m scared. Okay? I need you to be safe.” Mr. Stark pulled him closer to kiss his forehead, wiping away his tears with his thumb. “I love you, Pete.”

“Love you, too, alpha,” he whispered back automatically.

“I’ll be back before you know it, I promise. I’ll have FRIDAY with me, so if you need me, you can just call, okay?”

Nodding again, he watched as Mr. Stark’s eyes flickered with indecision and something that almost looked like regret before he pressed a chaste kiss against his lips and turned towards the waiting elevator doors.

Sometime later, Happy found him in the same spot. Kneeling in the entranceway, head bowed, tears still slowly leaking from his eyes.

By the time Rhodey arrived, Happy had convinced him to move from the floor to the couch. His tears drying at some point during the transition.

“Hey, guys,” Rhodey greeted.

“Hi, Rhodes. Traffic not too bad?”

“Nah. Pretty quiet, actually. Have you guys heard from Tones?”

Happy tensed beside him, watching him carefully for his reaction. He knows he scared Happy earlier. Hell, he scared himself.

Tony’s words were still echoing around his mind. The forcefulness of the no. The authority behind the order still making his skin tingle almost an hour later. Tony had been a sensitive topic the entire time. The first time Happy mentioned his name had sent him into another fit of tears and apologies. Ever since Happy had avoided it at all costs.

“Not since he went downstairs,” he answered Rhodey, sending a reassuring smile to Happy.

“Any idea what it's about? It’s been a while since he sent me a 911 message.”

“They, um, they think they found the people who took us. The Hydra guys? They’re planning a raid.”

Rhodey froze. Crossing his arms, he could see the gears turning before his lips turned down into a frown.

“Right. So, we’re...“

“On babysitting duty,” he mumbled.

“You know that’s not what it is,” Happy soothed. “We’re just keeping you company.”

“Because I am unable to look after myself apparently. Hence, babysitting.”

“Well, whatever you wanna call it, you’re stuck with us kid.”

“Yay,” he cheered sarcastically, earning himself a pillow to the face from Happy.

“Don’t make me separate you two,” Rhodey chided playfully. “How about a movie?”

“Sure. Not like I’ve got anything else to do.”

Rolling his eyes in exasperation, Rhodey started scrolling through Netflix for something to watch while he settled himself in the armchair.

Rhodey had finally chosen some run of the mill action movie when FRIDAY interrupted with a call from Tony. At his nod, she connected the call over the speakers.

“Hi Pete,” Tony greeted softly. “How’re you doing?”

“I’m fine,” he dismissed, not wanting to get into it over the phone. “What’s happening?”

“We’re on the quinjet now. Shouldn’t be in the air for more than half an hour, but I can’t tell you more than that.”

“Right,” he huffed.

“I’m sorry, Pete. For this and for earlier. I didn’t mean—“

“It’s fine,” he rushed to interrupt. Avoiding the questioning looks coming from both Rhodey and Happy. They obviously knew something had happened between them, but he wasn’t going to be the one to tell them. “How long do you think you’ll be?”

“Hopefully not too long. I reckon we’ll be back in time for breakfast. The spy twins have done their recon. We know what to expect.”

“Just… be safe. Please.”

“I will do. I’ll be home before you know it. How’re Haps and Rhodes? You keeping them inline?”

He laughed as Rhodey and Happy squawked in indignation.

“Oops. FRI maybe some warning I’m on speaker next time? What if I’d said something inappropriate?”

“Unfortunately, it wouldn’t be something we’ve not heard, or seen, before,” Rhodey laughed.

“True, true. Anyway, I’m getting daggers from Captain Spangles. Apparently, we’re supposed to be strategizing.” Tony moaned. “I’ll see you guys in the morning. Love you.”

The call had disconnected before he had a chance to respond. Wrapping his arms around his waist, he tried to ignore the worry churning in his gut. He trusted Tony. Trusted that the team knew what they were doing.

That didn’t prevent him remembering how they’d been overpowered last time. It was made even worse because he wouldn’t be there to help this time. There was nothing he could do from here. Just wait for Tony to make contact again once he was finished.

“You okay, kid?” Happy asked, concern etched on his face.

Swallowing around the lump in his throat, he nodded.

“Yeah,” he breathed. Clearing his throat before continuing. “Yeah. Will we start the movie?”

“Sure. FRI, you heard the boy.”

Flinging an arm over his head, he groaned as the morning light started filtering into the bedroom.

He’d spent the past eight hours tossing and turning in bed. His fears about Tony preventing him from falling asleep. The bed feeling emptier than usual. Unable to maintain any heat despite wrapping himself up like a burrito in the duvet. The guilt over the way they’d left things gnawing at him.

After the movie had finished, they’d started watching some baking show where the teams fought to bake different desserts. Eventually, the two men had started hinting towards him getting some sleep. He’d refused at first but admitted defeat after catching their concerned glances. They were probably already worried enough about their best friend being away on a dangerous mission. He didn’t want to add needlessly to that. The least he could do was pretend to get some sleep.

If he was lucky, he’d managed to get an hours shut eye all night.

However, if the sun was now up, Tony would be back soon.

Grumbling as he stood, he stretched out his tired muscles, his shoulders popping with the movement before grabbing a pair of sweats and Tony’s MIT hoodie. Once dressed, he traipsed through to the kitchen to get started on a round of pancakes. The team would probably be hungry by the time they returned.

“Any updates, FRI?”

“Nothing yet, Peter.”

Ignoring his initial alarm at the response, he busied himself with preparing the food. Rhodey joined him as the bacon was placed in the frying pan.

“Morning, Pete.”

“Morning Rhodey. You sleep well?”

“About as well as you, from the looks of those bags.”

Ducking his head, he shifted to grab a spatula.

“Pancakes?” Happy asked, stumbling into the kitchen.

“Yeah. I figured they’d be hungry, but FRIDAY hasn’t heard anything from them yet.”

“I’m sure they’re just held up. You know how thorough Cap likes to be,” Rhodey assured him. “Tones’ll be in touch when he can.”

“Yeah,” he sighed. “Well, I hope you guys are hungry in the meantime.”

“Right, who wants pizza?”

Shrugging his shoulders, he hugged the pillow closer to his chest. Happy was sitting up straight as a rod in the armchair across from him, his fingers drumming relentlessly on the coffee table beside him. If he hadn’t been so tightly wound, he’d probably have thrown the pillow at Happy a while ago in annoyance. His fingers not even tapping to a steady rhythm.

Tony had called them twenty-three hours ago.

It’d almost been an entire day since they’d heard from the team. The last contact FRIDAY could tell them about had been forty-five minutes after Tony’s call. She didn’t have a record of anything after that point and now any communications went unanswered.

He tried not to let it get to him.

Tried to follow Rhodey’s lead about believing there was a reasonable explanation. But as the hours ticked by it was proving to be more difficult.

Despite Rhodey’s efforts, Peter could tell it was getting to the man. Where he’d seemed mildly annoyed this morning, there was now a deep concern etching into his mannerisms. Worry lining his eyes every time he checked the clock.

Rhodey sighed when he received no answer. Instead taking the lead and asking FRIDAY to order their usual.

“We should’ve heard something by now,” Peter muttered. “Even if they were delayed Tony would have been in touch to let us know. To let me know.”

“We don’t know anything yet,” Rhodey started.

“Oh, bullshit,” Happy cursed. “We both know something’s wrong. Denying it won’t help anyone.”

“What do you suggest we do instead then, Happy?”

“Anything! They charged headfirst into a Hydra base. The same people who managed to capture them last time. What’s to stop them doing that again?”

“He’s right, Rhodey. You know he is. They need our help.”

Rhodey shifted his weight between his feet.

“We can look into it, but I’m pretty sure Tony would tell me to keep you the hell out of it.”

“C’mon, Rhodey! You know I can help. I’m the only one out of all three of us who’s even dealt with these people before.”

“He’s not wrong. Tony won’t be happy, but I imagine if he’s being held captive, he won’t be happy anyway,” Happy defended him.

“Even so, I know Cho has concerns,” Rhodey countered.

“Please, Rhodey,” he begged, not even caring how pathetic he sounded. “I just wanna help. Trust me, nobody is more motivated to get them back than I am.”

“We all want them back, kiddo.”

“You want your friends back, but I need my alpha.”

“Pete,” Happy sighed.

Turning to face the Colonel, he knelt on the couch, clasping his hands, as he literally begged the man to let him join them.

“I know it sounds ridiculous and stereotypical and pathetic, but it's true. So please let me help with the rescue. Please, Rhodey. I need him and I can help bring him home. Please don’t bench me for this. Please.”

Sighing, the Colonel dragged a hand over his face before eventually nodding.

“Alright. You can help,” he relented. “Geez, Tones is going to kill me.”

“Thank you!” he exclaimed. “So, what’s the plan?”

Chapter Text

Their plan, as it turned out, wasn’t much of a plan at all.

More of a rough guide.

A list of outcomes they’d like to accomplish without clearly defined steps on how to complete them.

They used FRIDAY to get the last known coordinates of the team and after investigating the area, using a mixture of google maps and SI’s satellites, they decided on the best location to land their plane. They read through all the information the team had gathered prior to their original mission as well as the current one and could safely assume that it wasn’t as abandoned as they’d expected it to be. Or hadn’t been during their arrival. They must have caught them before they’d packed up and moved out.

Peter debriefed Rhodey and Happy with as much information as he could remember before they decided they were ready to go. Any noteworthy firepower or fighting styles.

All the while Peter ignored the uncomfortable buzz settling deep beneath his skin. A side-effect of ignoring his alpha’s orders and getting himself involved.

Tony had given Peter full access to the Iron Legion after they were mated so that he’d have extra protection should he ever need it. Peter had scoffed claiming he’d never require the extra fire power – he was Spider-Man – but he was thankful for it now. They needed as much back up as possible.

Happy was going to stay with the plane. They’d keep in contact through comms, but it meant he’d be available for a quick exit should it be needed. Given he had the least combat training between the three of them, it was the most practical. A quick exit may be essential.

Rhodey and Peter would investigate the base, staying together to reduce the risk of anything happening, while the Iron Legion was used as additional bodies. The suits would be able to search the base themselves while some could be kept watching their six as they advanced throughout the base.

After that, they didn’t know what to expect.

The plan was to get to the team and get them out. Home in time for lunch.

They had no way of knowing if the team were even being held at the base or if they’d been taken to a secondary location. Assuming they were still alive. But Peter tried not to think about that outcome. He couldn’t even entertain it as a possibility. His heart aching with the simple suggestion. The fleeting thought leaving him breathless.

This was the longest he’d been without his alpha and his heart was aching for the man. He hadn’t lied to Rhodey when he said he needed his alpha. If he let himself think on it for too long, tears would prick at his eyes and his throat would tighten. He desperately wanted to feel the hold of the older man. To be held in his strong arms. To hear him whisper that everything would be okay.

His body thrumming for his alpha’s approval. Something he’d never be able to get if they didn’t find him first.

They didn’t know how many unfriendlies they were likely to encounter. Natasha had suggested in her notes that they were packing to move bases, but he didn’t know if they’d leave behind guards after the Avengers’ had intervened.

If they had moved, then they’d just have to cross their fingers that they slipped up and left them a trail to follow. Otherwise, he didn’t know what they’d do.

They didn’t even really know what they’d do once they got inside. Would they be fighting or rescuing? Best to play it as a stealth or brawn mission?

Despite all the ambiguity around their mission, they somehow made it work.

Stalking down a creepy corridor, he and Rhodey followed FRIDAY’s directions. Once they’d entered the building, the AI had informed them of a room showing heat signatures matching those of the team. Not finding much opposition, they’d readily followed the highlighted path. The Legion keeping guard behind them as they progressed.

“Should be just through that door,” Rhodey said, indicating the reinforced door at the end of the corridor.

Coming to a stop he analysed the door looking for a weak spot that would allow them access. There were no electronic locks that would allow him to hack in and given there were multiple mechanical locks it’d be quicker to break in that trying to put his questionable lock picking skills to use. The only downside of the brawn approach would be the sound that may attract more attention. Especially give the base was already suspiciously quiet. Any sounds they did make echoed down corridors. The noise would travel.

Tracing the hinges on the door, he waited for Rhodey’s nod of approval before pulling the weak points in the door. The droning metallic groan caused him to wince, but he continued to pull until the hinges popped off. With Rhodey’s help they disposed of the door, leaving it leaning against a wall and breathed a sigh of relief at seeing the team who were eyeing them suspiciously after their sudden entrance.

His breath caught in his throat at the sight of his alpha. Tony was chained to the wall and other than a trail of dried blood down the side of his face, he appeared unharmed. His suit, however, was nowhere in sight.

“Alpha,” he whimpered.

The man’s eyes instantly locked onto him, widening as soon as recognition hit.

“Peter?” Tony asked incredulously. “What’re you doing here?”

“He’s here to help. Argue later,” Rhodey interrupted, stepping forward to start removing the chains from the team.

Looking around he noticed that all of the teams’ gear had been stripped. Leaving them in their clothes. All five of them chained to the walls. Other than the bruises and scrapes expected from a fight, they didn’t seem to be harmed. They all just looked haggard. Tired and worn out.

“Oh, trust me. I’m going to rip you a new one once we’re out of here, Rhodes.”

A sharp pain in the back of his neck had him spinning around facing the doors. His spider-sense screaming danger but not yet being able to identify it.

“Pete?”

“Something’s coming,” he whispered. “I— I don’t know what. Something bad.”

He couldn’t hear anyone coming outside. No echoing footsteps or additional heartbeats. Rhodey was talking behind him. The words not making their way to his brain. The pain in the back of his neck racked up a notch causing him to tense as he frantically scanned for the danger.

A second too late he noticed the small metal dome attached to the ceiling.

“Get down!” he yelled, automatically lunging to protect Tony, just as the dome erupted. A powerful blast of energy forcing them into the ground.

Blinking in confusion, he pushed himself up on shaking arms, looking down into Tony’s widened eyes. It hadn’t exploded like he’d expected. The room itself didn’t appear to be damaged. It had felt more like an invisible wall pushing them over. A powerful force knocking the wind right out of him.

“What was that?” Steve asked, rubbing the back of his head where it had collided with the wall.

“I’m not sure,” Natasha said. “Some form of concussive blast?”

“Don’t think so guys,” Rhodey answered, still leaning against the wall where he’d landed after the blast.

“What do ya think it was then, Honeybear?”

“An EMP. My suits dead.”

“Shit,” Clint cursed.

“Can you pull the emergency release for the suit?”

“Even if I could my braces are shorted as well. I’m dead in the water.”

“We can’t stay here. I’m surprised they’re not here yet.”

“I think it was motion activated,” Peter added absentmindedly. “I’m also not sure they’re still here. I think I’d’ve been able to hear them if they were.”

“Probably shouldn’t test that theory though,” Tony said solemnly. “They could come back just as easily.”

Standing up, he offered Tony a hand to get to his feet before turning to the rest of the team. Bucky and Steve were the only two still chained to the wall. Rhodey having already broken the others out before the blast had gone off.

Leaving Tony to check on Rhodey, he moved to grip the chains attached to Bucky’s wrist, and bracing a leg against the wall for leverage, pulled with all his might. The familiar sound of metal groaning brought back memories he’d fought hard to forget. The strength required to break reinforced chains not something he tended to use. The action bringing a new meaning to the term muscle memory. Phantom pains littered his abdomen as he was reminded of the last time he’d done this. Dread filling his veins as he relived his transformation. Blinking past the tears threatening to spill at the sudden onslaught of memories, he tightened his grip on the chains and continued to pull. The reinforced metal slow to break.

A grunt escaped his lips when Bucky’s chains finally snapped. Only taking a moment to recover and breathe, he moved to Steve and began the process again. His muscles shaking with exertion. Once Steve was freed the team gathered around Rhodey discussing next steps.

“I don’t think there is anybody coming. I can’t hear them.”

“Okay, so retreat to the quinjet?”

“Probably our best bet.”

Steve and Bucky were both swaying slightly on their feet. Going more than twenty-four hours without food would do that to an enhanced metabolism. However, it also meant that they wouldn’t be able to carry Rhodey out. It looked like they’d be struggling to keep walking as it was. The pair leaning against the wall for support.

He should’ve thought of this outcome. There were rations on the jet, standard procedure, but he should’ve brought some in with him. The effects were most obvious in the supersoldiers, but he could see the weariness clinging to the rest of the team.

Unfortunately, it was too late for him to fix that particular problem now.

He’d just need to get them to the jet. Dr. Cho would be able to help them more when they got back.

“I’ve got Rhodey,” he said, smiling at the emotionless mask of the War Machine armour.

“Thanks, kid.”

“You sure, Pete?” Tony asked.

“Yeah. C’mon. We gotta go.”

“Right. After you, Spider-Man,” Tony smirked.

Taking a deep breath, he braced himself before hauling Rhodey over his shoulder. The suit was heavy and bulky, but he managed to balance it in a fireman’s lift. Rhodey grunted at the movement. Being shook around inside the metal casing when he’s unable to brace himself couldn’t be comfortable.

“Sorry,” he apologised. “I’ll be as gentle as I can.”

He didn’t get a response, but he didn’t require one. Leading them out the way they came in, the team followed behind Peter. Not meeting anyone on their way out they made quick progress. He was sweating heavily by the time they arrived at the teams abandoned quinjet. A couple of the Iron Legion suits standing sentry along the tree line.

“Our plane is about five minutes west from here. Happy’s keeping guard.”

“Happy’s here?”

“Yeah. So’s the Iron Legion. Although any that aren’t here have probably been shut offline by the blast. Maybe get SHIELD in here to clear up?”

“I’m already on it,” Natasha said, phone pressed against her ear. “They’ll be out here within the hour.”

Placing Rhodey down carefully onto the bench, he helped the Colonel out of the suit. Tony appearing behind him with a wheelchair and aiding his best friend into it.

Pulling his mask off his head, he took a deep shaky breath trying to cool himself down. Wiping sweat from his forehead, he wrung his mask between his fingers. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d felt so warm.

The stress from being separated from Tony, his fears over disappointing his alpha by going against his orders and then carrying Rhodey in his suit must have been too much.

“Oh, shit,” Tony blurted, turning to face him from where he was fussing over Rhodey.

“What’s wrong?” he panted.

“We’ve got to go. Shit.”

“What?”

“Pete. Honey. You’re going into heat.”

“No. I can’t— I’d know if I—“

“Trust me. I can smell it. Fuck. We gotta go. You said Happy’s five minutes away?”

Nodding clumsily, he wafted a hand in the vague direction of the plane.

“Okay.” Clapping his hands, Tony grabbed his upper arm before starting to drag him off the quinjet. “Get home safe guys. I’ll get FRIDAY to update you.”

Looking back at the team in confusion, he tripped over his feet as Tony continued to rush them through the woods. Using more concentration than should’ve been necessary to keep his legs moving, he found himself staring at Tony. His eyes inadvertently checking out his body. Eyes being drawn to any bare skin he could see.

Maybe Tony was right. Maybe he was going into heat. He’d never felt like this before. His body burning in need for his alpha’s touch.

Tony’s grip on his arm felt right. His only complaint was that his suit was in the way. His suit that was feeling tighter and tighter by the minute. Almost without realising, he’d moved Tony’s strong fingers from his arm to his mouth. Licking over the digits causing Tony to curse and quicken his step.

“Please, alpha,” he whimpered.

Sucking on one of the man’s fingers, he moaned in delight before his legs stumbled, dragging him to the ground. His eyes fluttered shut when Tony’s strong arms wrapped around him. His legs automatically shifting to straddle the alpha’s hips while Tony’s hands resituated themselves under his ass. The position putting them crotch to crotch. His hips thrusting, unconsciously seeking pleasure.

Even with Peter being entirely unhelpful in the endeavour, Tony finally made it to the clearing. Happy lowering the steps as soon as they were in sight.

“What happened?” Happy shouted. “The comms just shut off. Are you guys okay?”

“Talk later,” Tony panted, rushing up the stairs. “Do me a favour, Hap? Go into the cockpit and stay there till told otherwise. Just get us home as quick as you can.”

He whimpered again, sucking lazily at Tony’s neck. Tongue tracing a line along the salty skin.

“Oh,” Happy exclaimed. “Yup. Got it, Boss.”

“Thanks.”

He was thankful for Tony’s extravagance when decorating his private jet when he was laid down on a soft sofa. The material wide enough to hold them both comfortably. The arousal between his legs was growing. His hands pawing relentlessly against his suit trying remove it. Crying out when he couldn’t get it to work.

He was too hot.

Was wearing too many layers.

He needed his alpha.

“Shh, baby,” Tony cooed. Hands moving to disengage the suit before slowly starting to peel it off. “I’ve got you. Just relax.”

Chapter Text

The flight home was a blur.

He remembers the sounds of squelching and feelings of ecstasy. Of moaning wantonly and not even being embarrassed about the fact there was only a thin wall separating them from Happy. The man – his friend – most likely hearing everything.

His only concern had been getting Tony as close and as deep inside of him as possible. Despite his multiple orgasms the need had barely been abated. It was a flame that wouldn’t be fanned. He’d barely finished twitching from one orgasm when he was already working himself up for another. Whining whenever Tony pulled back for breath. Pulling the alpha back towards his mouth, his chest, his cock – wherever he’d been teasing at the time.

By the time they’d arrived back at the tower, he was temporarily sated.

Tony’s knot buried deep inside him and his stomach sticky with his own release. He’d barely been phased by Tony walking them like that into the elevator. Seeing their naked, sweaty bodies in the large mirrors as they descended from the roof to the penthouse.

Even the worry of being interrupted by someone while they moved through the building naked wasn’t enough to distract from his relentless desire.

They’d only just made it to the bedroom when he began shifting on his alpha’s knot. Searching for more. His body burning with need. Searching for more.

Tony winced at the movement, too much stimulus when his knot was already inflated, rubbing his back gently to try and calm him down. Tony’s breathing was laboured as he lay them down, a flash of pain in the man’s eyes before it was hidden.

Any guilt he had about pushing the alpha for more disappeared when a sharp pain shot through his groin. Slick pooling between his legs and dripping out past the alpha’s knot. This wasn’t just arousal. This was desperation. His body needed this. He was literally burning for it.

“Please, alpha,” he panted. “I need more.”

“Okay. Okay. I’ll give you more. Just stay still for me, baby.”

He moaned loudly when Tony’s hand wrapped tightly around his cock. Pleasure shooting through him from his head to his toes. He lost himself in a haze of euphoria. Knowing nothing other than his alpha’s hands on him. The feel of his mouth on his neck. Of his cock still buried inside his hole.

He must’ve blacked out at some point after his following orgasm as the next thing he knew, he had a knotted plug snuggled deep inside of him, his head resting on Tony’s thigh. They’d never used the toy before. Tony had suggested it early on, saying it was known to help during heats. Especially given Tony was an older alpha. He had been concerned he wouldn’t be able to keep up with Peter’s demand.

Shifting at the foreign sensation, he whined at the sensitivity in his cock as it rubbed against the damp sheets below him. Tony shushed him gently while encouraging him to sit up. The new position adding pressure onto the plug, forcing it in deeper, but at least giving his cock a rest. Swivelling his hips, he clenched around the solid knot. It was a similar size to Tony’s but lacked the warmth of his partner's cock. Not unpleasant but not as good as the real thing.

Something cold and hard was pressed against his lips, jolting him backwards. Forehead furrowing in confusion.

“C’mon, Pete. Open up for me.”

Unsure why but not wanting to disobey his alpha, he separated his lips and blinked in surprise when something wet entered his mouth. Water. That first sip ignited his thirst. Something he hadn’t realised he’d needed. Leaning forward he gulped for more before Tony pulled the glass away.

“Slowly,” he murmured.

Nodding dopily, he gladly sipped the remaining water in the glass before nibbling on an energy bar Tony encouraged him to eat. He only managed to finish half before the burning need in his groin grew to be too much for him. Whines falling from his lips as he rubbed himself against the covers once again. Pawing at his alpha until he took mercy and helped him onto his back and let his hands and mouth roam over his body. Eyes rolling back to the back of his head when Tony sucked him down. The tip of his cock disappearing into the man’s throat. Resting his hands in his alpha’s hair, he moaned at the sensation. Hips thrusting forward in pleasure as he chased yet another orgasm. Desperate pleas falling from his lips.

Everything after that was a blur.

Sex. Orgasms. Snacking. More orgasms. Napping. Sex.

Rinse and repeat.

Some unknown period of time later, he awoke lying in a sticky mess on the bed. Tony gently patting his side. His entire body ached with exertion. His dick felt raw, the little air moving in the room enough to give it a slight burn. The plug was snuggled deep in his hole. The sensation that had been comforting and soothing before now uncomfortable and sore.

The entire room smelt of sex. Sweat and other bodily fluids causing his nose to scrunch in displeasure.

“You awake, honey?”

“Mmm,” he moaned. Licking his dry lips. “Wha’ times’it?”

“Almost noon,” he hummed. “How’re you feeling?”

“Sore.”

“Sounds like your heat might finally be over,” Tony mused. “Do you think you could join me for a bath?”

“Yeah.”

With Tony’s help he sat up and scooted to the edge of the bed, the pressure from the plug causing him to wince. Of course, Tony being the observant alpha that he was noticed right away.

“You want the plug out?”

Nodding morosely, he flopped back onto the bed with Tony's guidance and allowed the alpha to manipulate his legs to reach the base of the plug. He whimpered when the plug started moving. It felt like it was tearing his insides apart. Like he’d melded with the toy during his sleep.

His copious slick supply having dried up when his heat began to ease off. Leaving his entrance tacky with the drying fluids.

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry,” Tony soothed.

Pressing soft kisses to the inside of his thighs Tony slowly removed it. Whispering reassurances whenever he whimpered.

The toy eventually popped out with a squelch. The tips of his ears burning with embarrassment at the sound.

“There we go. C’mon, time for a nice bath.”

Wanting to get rid of the stickiness, he took Tony’s hand and heaved himself to his feet. A river of cum and slick spilling down his thighs as he became vertical. The plug having trapped the liquid inside of him throughout his heat. It having only been removed for Tony to fill him up and replaced soon after.

“I’m really gonna need that bath,” he joked.

“Yeah, you are,” Tony smirked. “I’ll grab you some food and drink as well while we wash. I’ll order a proper lunch for after but given you didn’t eat as much as I hoped you would the past couple of days, I think you could do with some calories as soon as possible.”

“How long was it?”

“It’s been five days.”

“What? I could’ve sworn the rescue was yesterday.”

“That’s what a heat does to you.”

“That’s insane...”

“Yup. Now, c’mon. We’re both overdue a good wash.”

“Are you okay?”

“Me?” Tony questioned.

Of all the things he’d expected Peter to say once he finally finished eating, that had not been one of them.

The past five days had been hard on the both of them.

If he’d thought he struggled to keep up with Peter during their initial mating, he’d severely underestimated the impact having an enhanced biology would have on a heat. He was lucky if the boy was lucid for half an hour between rounds. The plane ride alone had left him sore and tender. The throes of heat causing the boy to momentarily forget his strength. Gripping his length till he half expected it to be torn off inside the omega.

The toll of being held with no access to food or water having already had a negative impact on his body, the energetic omega had pushed him to his limits. His entire body aching before the first day had even ended.

He'd been extremely thankful for his foresight in stocking a variety of toys to aid the omega’s heat. Even with Viagra to help him along, he still found himself struggling to keep up with the demand. Not that he’d do anything differently. Either this time or in the future. His omega needed him. And if he was being honest, his inner alpha loved taking care of him.

It’s just that he’s not as young as he once was. His age was starting to show. Something he wasn’t yet ready to admit.

Now, finally cleaned and fed, he half-expected the boy to immediately suggest a nap. Part of him hoping that he would just to give him an excuse to sleep. Asking how he was doing came from entirely left field.

“Yeah,” Peter answered like it was obvious. Like Tony was being stupid for questioning it.

“I’m fine, Pete,” he said slowly. “Tired. But I think we’ll both sleep well tonight.”

“I’m sure. But like, you were held captive. You were bleeding. Did you get checked out by medical? Have you been eating properly?”

Chuckling at the sudden influx of questions from the boy, he smiled reassuringly when he came to a stop, a blush spreading across his rounded cheeks.

“I’m okay. I didn’t, but I’m fine. FRIDAY would’ve yelled at me if I was in danger.”

Peter’s mouth opened and closed a couple times like he was arguing with himself over saying something.

“Spit it out, kid. What’s going on in that genius brain of yours?”

“I, um, I was wondering if I could convince you to go get checked out? Just for peace of mind, you know? I was really worried about you.”

“Would it make you feel better if I did?”

Peter nodded shyly, his fingers fidgeting in nervousness.

“Okay, then. One trip to the medbay coming up. FRI, is Cho about?”

“Yes, Boss. Shall I alert her of your intentions?”

“Please. Let her know we’ll be down in five.”

“Thanks, Tony.”

“Don’t mention it. Now, c’mon. I’ve got a doctor to see. And if you’re comfortable with it, it might be worth asking Cho to have a look at you as well. Just to check everything went okay.”

“I suppose so…”

“You don’t have to,” he reassured, seeing the reluctance in Peter’s face. “I just worry about your health as well. It was a big change for your body, and you didn’t take in as much nutrients as I’d hoped. It’d just give me some peace of mind.”

With the reassurance that it was entirely Peter’s decision, they made their way down to the medbay. He wasn’t surprised to see Cho waiting for them. She’d relayed a number of messages during the first couple days of Peter’s heat asking him to take it easy. The rest of the team had been given a clean bill of health after a couple of days but had required to be on a nutrition drip for a couple of hours beforehand.

“Tony,” Cho greeted, walking out to meet them. “I’m glad you finally decided to visit.”

“Well, my schedules been pretty packed,” he dismissed, taking attention away from Peter’s growing blush.

He’d tried to explain to him earlier that heats were completely natural. That nobody was going to judge him for anything that happened. Not that he let the others see anything, but it hadn’t helped. Perhaps in time he’d grow to be less embarrassed by his body’s natural functions. In the meantime, all he could do was provide support wherever possible. Aid him by taking attention away from mentions of his heat.

“Of course. Well, let’s get started then. I’ll just take some bloods, a couple scans and take a look at your general stats.”

“Right, Doc,” he smirked, hopping up onto the bed and ignoring Peter’s eyeroll at his antics.

Peter stood anxiously by his side the entire time. No doubt feeling guilty about the fact he hadn’t been checked over when he first arrived back. Not that it was in anyway Peter’s fault.

Of course, he could also be nervous due to the way they’d left things before the botched mission. The look on Peter’s face when he’d let his alpha voice slip out had haunted him while he was chained in that damn room. He’d been terrified that it would be the last memory Peter would have of him. It had never been his intention to use that voice again. He truly wanted Peter to be a free person. Not bound to follow rules.

He'd promised Peter to always listen to his voice. Promised not to force him into things he wasn’t comfortable with. His early return to being Spider-Man hadn’t been something he was willing to change his mind about, but he hadn’t intended to get his point across in such a crude way. He’d only wanted to protect him.

He’d planned on apologising as soon as they were settled in the quinjet. Desperate to clear the air between them. The unexpected arrival of Peter’s heat meant they still hadn’t talked about it. Though he knew it was inevitable.

Once he received his clean bill of health, minus the usual woes and an order to eat and drink plenty over the next couple of days to make up for lost calories, he hopped off the bed and left the floor open to Peter. As much as he wanted to force the omega to be examined, he knew it would be counterproductive. Either way he planned on asking Bruce for some advice in creating some high calorie drinks and energy bars. Peter had barely managed to get through three small bars a day during the height of his heat. With his metabolism he desperately required more, but unless he started forcibly feeding him it wasn’t going to happen.

“Um, Dr. Cho?” Peter asked when Helen turned to grab her clipboard.

“Yes, Peter?” She smiled politely, giving the young omega her full attention.

“I— Could…Would you be able to give me a quick check up?” He shifted, rubbing at the back of his neck. “You know. Since I’ve had my…” Clearing his throat, Peter left his heat unmentioned.

Helen blinked in surprise before nodding sympathetically.

“Of course.”

Giving Peter’s hand a gentle squeeze, he stood by his side while Helen worked through her list of questions. Peter leaning into his side in embarrassment when the more intimate questions came up. Thankfully, Helen didn’t find him to be malnourished. She agreed that he’d need to make sure he was eating properly over the next couple of days and that finding a way to get more nutrients into him during future heats would be beneficial, but as a one off, there wouldn’t be any lasting effects.

“Now, last thing and it’s entirely up to you. I’d like to give you a quick internal exam. Check that nothings been damaged, and everything has recovered as it should. But I understand if that’s too much.”

Peter turned to him questioningly, looking for advice.

“It’s up to you, Pete. It might be helpful and offer some reassurance. But Cho’s right, if it's too much just let us know.”

“Can Tony stay?”

“Of course, he can. Whatever makes you more comfortable.”

“Okay,” Peter breathed.

Smiling reassuringly, he moved to stand by the head of the table while Peter got himself sorted and made sure to keep his eyes on Peter’s face rather than trying to get a glimpse of anything beneath the sheet. Not that it wasn’t anything he’d already seen before – especially over the last five days – he just didn’t want to give the boy any additional reasons to feel nervous. His focus solely on reassuring his omega. Distracting him whenever required throughout the procedure. Trying to prevent that look of discomfort from twisting the teens features.

In less than five minutes Helen was done and Peter was quickly getting himself dressed after getting a clean bill of health.

“Thank you, boys. I’m glad to see you both taking the initiative and getting yourselves checked out. Now, go enjoy the rest of your day.” She opened the door and was halfway out before turning back to them. “And take it easy. Trust me, you could both do with the rest.”

Smirking at the blush that was once again spreading across Peter’s cheeks, he couldn’t stop himself from pressing a kiss onto the flushed skin.

Chapter Text

Coming out of the elevator he came to an abrupt halt at the sight before him.

“You know, I was really hoping this wouldn’t become a regular thing,” Tony drawled, eyeing the Avenger’s who’d decided, once again, to congregate in his private living quarters.

It wasn’t like the team didn’t have their own individual floors. They weren’t exactly cooped up like hens. Yet, they still felt the need to invade his and Peter’s personal space.

Peter snorted behind him, while the rest of the team rolled their eyes.

“Cold, Stark. Real cold,” Clint teased. “You’d almost think you didn’t want us here.”

“Really? Only almost? I’ll try harder next time.”

“Oh, please. You’re not fooling anyone,” Natasha smirked.

Rolling his eyes, he leant against the bookshelf indicating with his hands for them to explain their presence. He didn’t really mind them visiting, but he’d been hoping for a quiet afternoon curled up on the couch with Peter. Following the doctors' orders for a change. Maybe finally clearing the air between them.

“SHIELD caught up with the Hydra branch we’d dealt with and made the arrests a couple days ago. They still need our report in order to finish up the paperwork, so we need to debrief,” Cap explained, ever the military man. “We thought it best to get it done as soon as possible. Rhodey should be at the conference room soon. Happy was away to pick him up from the airfield.”

“And you couldn’t have just asked FRIDAY for me to meet you in the conference room?”

“Nah,” Clint smirked. “This way’s more fun.”

“Whatever,” he muttered, standing up. “Down we go then.”

Following the team to the elevator, he saw Peter hesitate to follow. His body poised to move but his arms crossed tightly while his brow furrowed. He couldn’t say he was surprised. After the last time this happened, it's understandable that Peter wouldn’t feel comfortable asking to join them.

Despite his own reservations, he knew that Peter deserved to be in the debriefing room. They wouldn’t have gotten out without him. He knows it and so did the rest of the team. Peter might be the only one doubting how instrumental he had been in the whole thing.

Pausing at the doors, he turned to beckon the boy forward.

“You coming?”

He chuckled at the way that one question caused the kids whole demeaner to change. His eye lit up and his arms fell to his sides, bouncing lightly on his toes. Nodding hectically, he lurched forward joining the rest of the team in the elevator. A grin not leaving his face as they began their descent to the conference room.

The debriefing was as boring as always.

Fury’s obvious annoyance at his laid-back demeanour being one of the only reasons he remained in the room. Tilted back in his chair with his ankles crossed and resting on the table. He didn’t really want, nor need, to recap how tremendously they’d failed. How they’d been outsmarted not once, but twice by these Hydra goons.

They’d arrived, been overpowered – again – and then chained in that cell. They had no interactions with their captors after that. Left to rot. Had simply sat stuck in that cell for over twenty-four hours before Peter and Rhodey came to their rescue.

The rescue that Rhodey was currently recounting. Maybe he should be paying attention. It did refer to Peter after all.

“... admitted something was wrong so decided to plan a rescue mission.”

“And you just decided to take an omega who hadn’t been cleared for duty with you into the field?” Fury interrupted, raising his eyebrow when Tony growled in warning.

“He made a good argument for coming,” Rhodey defended, smiling at Peter who’d ducked his head in embarrassment. “And in case you’d forgotten, we wouldn’t have gotten out without him. That omega saved your entire team.”

“He could have compromised the whole mission!” Fury slammed the table to emphasise his point.

“Say one more word,” Tony growled, “against Peter Parker and I will end you. I don’t care how many spies you’ve got protecting you.”

“Letting your hormones run riot, Stark? I didn’t think you had it in you,” Fury chuckled.

His chair bounced off the ground due to the force with which he leapt to his feet.

“I swear to—”

“Tony!” Peter yelled, eyes pleading when he turned to face him.

His omega silently begging him to calm down. To not lose his temper. Pinching his nose, he grabbed his seat before sitting down. Trying to project an aura of calm through the rage boiling his blood.

“Sorry,” he said, forcing a calmness into his voice. “I’m just not going to accept anyone disrespecting one of us.”

Fury raised his hands in surrender, before nodding at Rhodey to continue his debrief.

He can’t say he was surprised to hear how instrumental Peter’s knowledge had been when it came to preparing for their infiltration. He suspected that Rhodey may’ve been laying it on slightly thicker than necessary just to watch Fury twitch, but either way it was clear how helpful Peter had been.

Despite Tony himself trying to prevent his involvement.

‘What if?’ was not a game he liked to play, but he couldn’t help considering how different the outcome could’ve been if they’d brought Peter with them from the start. If he’d only listened to his omega. If he’d not let his primal desire to protect take over.

“...Once I got my bearings again after the blast, I realised it had short-circuited my suit and braces, and so that left Peter to break Steve and Bucky’s reinforced chains and then carry me out while leading the others to the quinjet.”

“Where he then went into heat?”

“I don’t see how that’s relevant, sir,” Rhodey ground out between clenched teeth.

“It prevented Stark from getting signed off from medical upon return. That needs to be noted.”

“Fury—” Tony growled.

He’d had enough of the man undermining Peter just because of his designation. Tony had already made that mistake once and he wouldn’t be making it again. He certainly wouldn’t be letting others make it. But Peter interrupted before he could get any further than the man’s name.

“It's fine,” Peter piped up. Hands clasped and gaze fixed firmly on the table. “You wanna mention I went into heat, at the end of the mission, in the report, then go ahead. It’s a fact. But it didn’t prevent me from doing my job. And— and you should put that in your report as well.”

Biting his tongue to prevent himself from adding anything additional when Peter had already worded it so eloquently, he watched as Fury appraised him. He felt like he could burst with pride at Peter standing up for himself. Something only a little while ago he’d worried he’d never do again.

“Well said, Parker.” Standing from his chair, Fury looked at everyone gathered around the table. “Unless anyone has anything they want to add, I think we’re done here.”

“Good riddance,” he muttered under his breath, earning a slap from Peter.

“You don’t always have to antagonise him.”

“True. But it's more fun when I do.”

Rolling his eyes, Peter moved to follow the rest of the team out of the door.

“Hey, Peter?”

The boy turned to face him with a furrowed brow, he took a deep breath stealing himself for the conversation. He didn’t want to put it off for any longer. He owed it to Peter to address his failures.  

“I was hoping we could have a chat before heading back upstairs if you didn’t mind?”

“Sure,” he said slowly, walking back over to sit down across the table from him.

“I, uh, I wanted to apologise for what I did before I left. I’d promised myself, and you, that I wouldn’t put you in that position and yet, I broke it because I was scared. I know it’s not an excuse, but I just wanted you to know how sorry I am for it.”

He watched the emotions flash across Peter’s face. The boy watching him carefully as he spoke with utter sincerity. He’d do whatever it took to get Peter to forgive him. If he could forgive him. Lord knows, he’d messed up more than once during their relationship already. Peter sighed a quiet breath before responding.

“It's fi—” Peter cut off abruptly, clenching his hands into fists before looking him in the eye. “You know what? No, it's not fine. It sucked. It's bad enough being grounded from Spider-Man when everything is going to shit and you guys clearly needed help, but then you went and used your alpha voice?

“You’re always telling me that you understand how I feel about having no control and being worried that I’ll have the little control I have left taken away, but that it’s something that wouldn’t happen. That you’d never let it happen. And it did. You used that voice, and my body was submitting before my mind even knew what had happened. To stop me voicing my opinion, you took away my voice. I couldn’t have argued if I wanted to! Do you have any idea what that feels like? That’s not just choosing to submit. There’s no... no safe word, or whatever, if it's too much. I was distraught when you left. Pretty sure I traumatised Happy when he arrived and saw me kneeling brokenly on the floor. I hadn’t moved an inch after you left. I was so scared I was going to be punished. The only thought in my head telling me that I’d disappointed you. That I had to do better so I could please you. That I had to be better.” Peter’s voice cracked as he paused to breathe, wiping at the corner of his eyes with the heel of his palm.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered, heart breaking at the defeat and anger lacing Peter’s voice. He’d more than fucked up. It was so much worse than he’d let himself believe.

“You can say that all you like, but I need you to show me. I— I get crap from everyone else because of what I am now. Please, don’t make me hear it from you as well. I’ve had a heat; I’ll resume training and get back out patrolling soon. That’s what you said before. Please, please, don’t try to stop me. Fury will do enough of that for the both of you.”

“I’m not going to try and stop you. You already had my word. It should be safer now. Your body should be able to give you a warning beforehand. I just, I wanted you to be safe.” He leant forward, begging the omega to understand. “I know it's not something I can just say. But I promise, I will spend every day of the rest of my life making it up to you. And I might not always do well enough. I might mess up. Hell, I’d put money on it that I will. But I need you to hold me accountable. Pull me up on my bullshit. I just need you to give me a chance. I want to make you happy. Please. I understand if you don’t want to. You have every right to send me away, but if you have it in you to even consider forgiving me, then please give me that chance. I love you so much, Peter.”

He held his breath as Peter rose from the table and walked round to stand beside him. His steps slow and deliberate. Eventually he came to a pause, his hands resting gently on his shoulders. Tilting his head back, he looked into his mate’s eyes. Drinking in the sight of his omega. Something he’d never tire off.

This would be their make-or-break moment. The rest of their lives was in Peter’s hands. Whatever he decided now would have a lasting impact on their relationship – or lack thereof, if that was what Peter chose. No matter how much it hurt him, he’d accept his fate.

His heart thumping in his chest as he waited for the gavel to drop.

“I’ll always give you a chance. You’re my mate, Tony. That’s for life. I love you. I just... I need you to... give me free will. I know you already try, and have gone above and beyond other alphas, but I need you to try just a little harder.” Pressing a kiss against his forehead, Peter pulled back with a cheeky smirk. “And don’t worry, I’ll let you know when you’re being stupid.”

Chapter Text

“What time do you call this?” Tony chided as he crawled in the window.

Dropping to the floor sheepishly, he pulled his mask from his face. Running a hand over his head in a vain attempt at taming his curls. He hated mask hair. But hated the thought of cutting his hair any shorter even more, so it was a feature he’d just have to cope with.

“It’s only five…ish,” he muttered, raising his hands in a placating gesture. “I mean, it wasn’t even my fault. I webbed up the mugger with plenty of time to spare and then I was going to head back for the night, but then this lady started screaming? And her dog had gotten loose when she’d fallen and twisted her ankle. And I couldn’t just leave her there, y’know? By the time I got her dog back and had helped her back to her apartment – which was up five flights of stairs by the way – I was only like ten minutes late. But then—“

“Take a breath there, Pete. I’m just pulling your leg,” Tony smirked, wrapping an arm around his shoulders and guiding him towards the kitchen. His mouth watering at the spread of breakfast foods littering the table. “Sit and eat. You’ll need to refuel before our busy day.”

Today was the day they’d been waiting for.

The fruits of Tony’s labour with the lawyers had been a long time coming. Half the country holding their breath in anticipation of the outcome.

For the past year he’d been legally defined as a pet. Entirely demoralising yet strides better than the object he’d been classed as for the three years prior to that. He’d been prepared for another three years’ worth of waiting for more progress to be made, but the lawyers hadn’t been lying when they said it would be easier to progress once he was recognised as an animal. They’d simply needed a foot in the door.

Given it was the day the amendments were being put into effect, Tony had planned a press conference to put the full weight of SI behind the changes. Not wanting anyone to even question his support. Since they were due to go on air live at ten, he had aimed to be back from his patrol by three at the latest to allow him time to get some sleep beforehand.

Unfortunately, he got caught up with a lost dog, a bike thief and a lost drunk on his way back to the tower, meaning it was now almost half five. Marcus was due with their new suits at seven, so he’d maybe manage a quick power nap, but he’d more than likely be running on fumes throughout the day.

And food.

Tony had gone all out this morning. Bowls of fresh fruit, pastries from the bakery down the street that he loved, bacon, eggs, and fresh chocolate chip pancakes. From the dirty pots and pans in the sink, he’d be willing to bet they were Tony’s homemade pancakes. It had taken some time, but his alpha had learned to be more proficient in the kitchen over the past couple of years. Going out of his way to look after Peter when he could. Cooking together during lazy weekends. The number of dishes in Tony’s repertoire slowly increasing each year.

Moaning in delight, he dug in, chatting about the days plans with Tony while they ate. After eating he went for a quick nap before Tony woke him an hour later to shower while Tony tried on his suit. The rest of the morning rushed by. Once dressed, they were ushered down to one of the conference rooms. Going over the finer details of the amendments and what to expect during the press conference.

An hour before they were due to go live, May arrived flanked by MJ, Ned and Happy. Tony had flown his friends out from Massachusetts so they could be here. Today was going to be a celebration. After the press conference they would all be travelling together up to the compound where there’d be a big party with the Avengers.

The team had been busy setting up the day before but were keeping the details a secret. They wanted it to be a surprise despite already telling him about it. He appreciated it though. It was a massive win for him, but to see how excited the others were about his newfound rights, he knew he was where he belonged. The team had been there to support him every step of his journey.

Over the years he’d grown used to being in a room full of reporters. Between paparazzi when they were out in public, the press at the fancy galas and the occasional press conference, he now knew how to handle them. It also helped that after the first one he’d done with Tony, the alpha always made sure the reporters were considerate and didn’t use flash photography. And he’d gotten his own pair of signature sunglasses for when the lights were just too much.

His suits had also changed since that first press conference. The style slowly transitioning from male omega chic to regular, stylish suits. The trousers becoming slim fit as opposed to skin-tight and the shirts no longer sheer, the chest now loose enough to allow him to fasten all the buttons if he wished, although he still usually kept the top two or three buttons open as he’d grown to like the look.

And he knew Tony appreciated the view.

There was something addictive about being able to cause his alpha’s heartrate to rise simply by walking in the room. Knowing that he alone was able to have that effect on the man. Even when he was ignored by the vast majority of people it made him feel like the most powerful person in the room.

Standing beside Tony on the podium, he couldn’t keep the smile from his face. It still didn’t feel real.

“Today is a day that will live in the history books. Today is the day, that at least in the eyes of the law, our primary sex no longer has an impact on our secondary sex. Male omegas and female omegas are finally equals. This was the last hurdle after the Avenger’s success in campaigning for female alphas two years’ back. It was a long time coming, but I can’t emphasise enough how well deserved this win is. I’m just sorry that it took so long.

“That’s not to say there’s not still a long way to go. I’ve spoken to the president directly about setting up a special taskforce who, over the coming weeks and months, will investigate every male omega and their current living conditions to decide the best move forward. They are now their own person and so any existing ownership arrangements will become null and void. Some may choose to stay in their current arrangements whereas others may wish to seek help and support to relocate to new horizons. I can proudly announce that Stark Industries will be offering assistance wherever possible. Including sponsoring any male omegas who wish to study for their G.E.Ds and any further education they so desire. SI will also be proud employers of male omegas if that is something anyone aspires towards.

“Peter and I have dreamed about this day for years,” Tony paused to smile at him, gently pulling him closer to his side with pride shining in his eyes. “I can now safely say that we’ve been working towards it since before we were even mated. Trying to amend all the inhumane rules and regulations that were enforced upon this brilliant, intelligent man simply because of his secondary designation. Something that has happened to hundreds of teens across our country. We’ll never be able to change the past, and it might take a while for it to really sink in, but I just wanted to take the opportunity to celebrate with you all today. To say to any male omegas out there that you’re not alone. We are standing with you.

“That’s almost all from me, but before I finish up, do you have anything to add Pete?”

Blinking in surprise, he grinned at the realisation that he could speak freely on live TV. In the four years he’d been doing this, he’d never had the opportunity to talk to the reporters directly. He’d only ever whispered the occasional comment into Tony’s ear.

Nodding at Tony, he stepped forward behind the podium. Tony moving to stand in a mirror of his previous position.

“Hi,” he started, his shaky inhale being picked up by the sensitive mic. “I’m Peter, but I suppose you all already knew that. I can’t really add anything to what Tony has already said other than to just echo his sentiment. Yesterday I wouldn’t have been allowed to speak right now. And not because of Tony. Tony,” he turned to face the man, squeezing his hand. Breathing deeply to get his emotions under control, he refused to cry on live television. He could do this. “Tony has been amazing. From day one, he’s done everything he could to allow me to remain me. Between letting me take MIT classes online just so I could continue learning, trusting me in his lab to help with designs for SI and making sure that I never felt forced into any decisions, he’s given me a life I know few, if any, men in my position can say they’ve been offered. I will be eternally grateful to Tony for the love he’s shown me. And I can’t wait to see what our future holds together.”

Stepping back from the podium, he turned to hug Tony, pulling the alpha in for a kiss. Ignoring the excited murmuring of the reporters when Tony instantly deepened the kiss. Pulling away panting, he grinned at Tony as the man slid past him promising he was almost done.

“Four years ago, I didn’t know just how much Peter was going to change my life. Yes, I knew we’d mate, and I’d hoped we’d create a meaningful relationship together, but I hadn’t expected to fall so completely in love with the man standing beside me today. Peter has made me complete in a way I didn’t know was possible. I’m not normally one for public displays of emotion, but I am known for my dramatic flair, so I figured I’d take my chances. I’d have done this years ago if I’d been allowed, but as it stands this was as soon as I could manage.”

Turning to face Peter, he watched as Tony dropped to his knee. Eyes widening, his hands moved to cover his mouth as he fought the shock and primal urge to squeal.

Of course, marriage had crossed his mind when he heard the law was finally being updated. Despite them being mated, he’d no longer be forced to remain with the man. It would be nice to have something else to show their commitment. But he figured it would be somewhere far down the line. That’s if it was something that Tony even wanted. He’d never seemed like the type to want to be chained to a husband. They’d mated through necessity. Marriage would be a choice.

“Peter Benjamin Parker, love of my life. I could list a thousand reasons why I’ll never be good enough for you, but knowing you, you’d argue every point,” he chuckled. “So instead, I’m going to skip to the chase. Will you marry me?”

Voice lost in a wave of emotion; he nodded frantically before flinging himself forward into Tony’s arms. Ignoring the ring box that was being outstretched towards him. Tucking his face into Tony’s neck, he felt happy tears streaming down his face. So much for not crying on television.

“I’ll take that as a, yes?”

“Yes,” he whispered. “Yes. A thousand times, yes.”

A soft chuckle was Tony’s only response. When he eventually pulled back, Tony pulled out a beautiful diamond ring. The metal banding etched with a spiderweb design and the diamond in the middle shaped like the arc reactor. Placing it delicately on his ring finger, he admired it before they turned to grin at the cameras pointed their way.

The reporters had gone crazy. Shouting for their attention. Asking for exclusive comments. Questions. Many, many questions.

Ignoring them, he turned back to Tony, his fiancé, and leant in for another kiss.

After, they’d leave the stage and celebrate with their family. Peter would discover that the Avenger’s had been planning an engagement party all along. Not a ‘congratulations you’re legally a person’ party that he’d been told about. He’d get to tell Tony how much he meant to him. How thankful he was for everything he’d done.

They’d discuss Peter giving Tony a matching set of bite marks on the alpha’s mating gland so they could be truly and completely mated. Something that had fallen out of fashion centuries ago, due to the commitment it promised. Most alphas not wanting to be tied to ‘lowly’ omegas. Not wanting their orgasms to be dependent on another being.

After, between wedding planning and lab time they’d help ensure that male omegas were being given a voice. That it truly was their decision over where they ended up now that they were free.

He’d visit Ned and MJ at MIT and whoop and cheer the loudest when they made their way across the stage during their graduation.

He’d get his own cap and gown when they recognised the work he’d done over the years. Tears in his eyes as he accepted the diploma, the entire audience upstanding as he raised it high. May being the first to greet him once he made it off the stage, holding him closer than she had before. Whispering about how proud Ben would’ve been.

But that was later.

For now, he was content with this. Being held in his fiancés arms and tasting the morning coffee from his lips.

Chapter Text

“Mr. Stark’s latest announcement has caused quite the media frenzy. Honestly, phones’ve been ringing non-stop since yesterday.”

“I don’t remember making a public announcement.”

“Uh,” Chris groaned. “You know the staff all have a bet on when you’ll finally stop using that joke?”

Peter laughed, absentmindedly tracing the wedding band on his finger.

“I’ll stop confusing Mr. Stark’s when it's no longer funny,” he smirked. “Which’ll be never.”

“Course not.” Chris rolled his eyes. “But my point still stands Tony Stark’s announcement, referring to you, has left half the office sounding like a call centre. PR are being hounded.”

“I’d love to say I’m surprised but I’m not. A couple of years ago, we weren’t even allowed in the workplace. Now I’m running R&D alongside Tony, with you as my right-hand man. Yes, people are adapting, better than I thought they might, but there’s still a lot of backlash. Being told a male omega is the heir to one of the world's largest companies was likely to rile some people and confuse others. We were prepared for this response.”

“I guess. Y’know there are still mornings where I wake up and pinch myself,” Chris admitted, placing his files onto Peter’s desk. “Like, how did this become my life? It just seems so unreal. Living in a brothel for years to suddenly be living in my own apartment and working for Stark Industries. It’s just so surreal. Feels like only yesterday I was seeing you for the first time and being so confused. I’d never seen an omega your age before look so relaxed around their alpha. Especially during those first couple of months, everyone I knew was terrified. Whereas you were different. I mean, I get it now, but at the time I just couldn’t work it out.”

He smiled softly at the older omega. It wasn’t the first time they’d talked about their original meeting.

After his honeymoon, and he’d gotten his degree from MIT, he’d started working alongside Tony in R&D and quickly worked his way up the ranks. His work alone proving it wasn’t favouritism. When he became head of the department, Tony had suggested that he’d need to hire an assistant, his own equivalent of Pepper Potts. After agreeing he’d poured over the applications before finding one from Chris Phillips. After reading his application, he’d used FRIDAY to find a picture after the resume had sparked a niggle in the back of his mind, and his breath had caught in his throat when he’d laid eyes on the man. Chris Phillips was the same Chris he’d met all those years before at the first gala he’d attended. The one who’d been rented by Tiberius Stone for the evening.

He hadn’t had to read any more applications after that. He knew exactly who he wanted to be working by his side.

They’d quickly hit it off. Despite having completely different experiences after presenting, there were still similarities that they could both understand more than anyone else in their lives. They could discuss the annoyance of heats. How impractical it was to have to take an entire week off work several times a year. How, even now when things had changed, they’d be jeered at on the streets. Wolf-whistled by alphas. That there were times they’d be scared to go out alone in fear of someone trying to press their advantage.

It was getting better, but the issues certainly hadn’t disappeared. The perpetrators had just found sneakier ways of going about it.

“I’m glad you’re here,” he said. “It sucks it took so long, but you’re here now. I think we can just finish up for the day, don’t you? It’s a Friday, don’t want to keep you any longer than necessary. Do you have any weekend plans?”

“Yeah, actually.” Chris perked up. “My parents are flying in for a visit.”

“Really? That’s amazing!”

Chris’ parents had struggled with his initial presentation. His dad had been raised a hard-core conservative and had completely disowned him. Making no effort to contact his son after he’d been sold on.

Chris’ mum was different. She’d tried to maintain contact, but circumstances had prevented it. The minute the law had been changed, she’d tried to contact Chris. Writing letters and eventually getting his number so they could chat on the phone. They’d moved to Florida about five years ago and it had taken time for his dad to come around, but they’d been talking over the phone for months now.

The fact they were coming to see him in person was amazing. He couldn’t imagine what Chris was feeling.

“Yeah. I mean, we’ve video called and stuff, but this’ll be the first in person meeting since I presented. It’s… surreal.”

“I’m so happy for you,” he grinned, moving to hug his friend.

“Thanks, man.”

Walking Chris to the elevators he bid him a good weekend, before making his way to the penthouse. Tony wasn’t expected back until later so after changing out of his suit and into something more comfortable, he set about making dinner.

He was just putting the garlic bread into the oven when Tony arrived home. Grinning when Tony’s arms snaked around his waist, pressing kisses up his neck and along his jaw.

“Smells amazing, Pete.”

“The food or me?” he teased.

“Both. Definitely both.” His hands tracing down his sides until his hands gripped his hips, pulling him back until his ass was pressed against the alpha’s swelling cock.

“Mmm,” he moaned, leaning back. “Y’know, I could turn down the heat and we’d have an extra…. Half hour until it was ready? If you had other plans.”

“I’ve always got plans to do nefarious things with my husband, Mr. Stark,” Tony murmured, sucking on his neck.

Shivering at the sensation, he adjusted the temperature in the oven before turning in Tony’s embrace.

“Well then, why don’t you show me, Mr. Stark.”

Hopping into Tony’s arms, he wrapped his legs around Tony’s waist leaning down for a kiss while Tony took them to the bedroom. He still wanted Tony as much as he did years ago when everything was still new and fresh. The difference being that now they knew each other’s bodies inside and out. Knew which buttons to press to get the other going, how to tease their partner. He could tell by the subtle hitch in breath whenever Tony got close, and Tony could tell by the way he tensed his thighs.

A familiarity that was just as intimate, if not more so, than the acts themselves.

Landing on the bed, he shimmied out of his clothes while Tony did the same before crawling on top of him. Kissing him deeply, they eventually pulled back panting. The alpha’s hands tracing down his stomach towards his cock.

“As much as I love a good tease, I don’t want to burn dinner. So, c’mon, Casanova. Hurry it along.”

“So pushy,” Tony smirked, but complied.

A hand disappeared between his legs to check he was ready before he thrust in quickly. The breath being pushed out of him by the force, pleasure coursing through him.

After an initial tease, Tony picked up the pace and fifteen minutes later they were both sated and in the process of getting redressed. Tony complaining about the Board meeting he’d been dragged to by Pepper earlier in the day.

Chuckling as he pulled on a t-shirt, he smiled at his alpha who was currently sniffing a shirt off the floor to decide whether it was clean or not.

“Who said romance is dead,” he mused, smiling cheekily at the man.

“Oh, be quiet,” Tony grumped, rolling his eyes. “We adapt. You love me, anyway.”

“Yeah, I love you, Tony.”

Tony smiled softly before pressing a chaste kiss to his lips.

“And I love you more, Peter.”

Pressing another kiss to the man’s lips, he reluctantly pulled back before heading out the door.

“Where’re you going?” Tony complained.

“I told you; I don’t want dinner to burn.”

Straightening his tie for the tenth time in five minutes, he made eye contact with Tony standing behind him in the mirror. A nervous smile taking over his face.

“You sure you want to do this?” Tony asked.

“Yeah,” he breathed. Spinning round to smile at his alpha before moving to stand beside Ned. It was the right thing to do. “There’s been enough speculation already. It’s about time the heir of SI announced a new product anyway and I can’t think of a better one than this.”

Smirking, Tony shook his head before walking towards the door. He knew fine well that wasn’t the question Tony had been asking, but it was the one he was going to answer. He wasn’t going to let his nerves get the better of him now.

He’d kept a low profile since Tony’s announcement three months ago. The press had been hounding them for more information, for an announcement, for anything from the omegan heir.

Today was finally the day.

Rumours had been circulating for a couple of weeks now about the new aerosol bandages that had been invented by SI’s newest engineer – a feat given engineers don’t normally invent biological things – Ned Leeds, freshly graduated from MIT and snatched right up by SI. Given the pressure they’d been under for a public appearance, Peter had decided to hold a press conference. Give him the opportunity to boast about his best friend and his accomplishments.

“The reporters are ready whenever you are,” Chris announced as he walked in from the room. “Happy’s finished his perimeter sweep and everyone is now wearing their badges. I’m not sure they’re gonna know what hit them though after your announcement. I still struggle with it, and I’ve known for months.”

“You get used to it,” Ned mused. “Eventually.”

Chuckling at his friends’ words he took a deep breath, grinned at Chris and Ned before leading them out into the conference room. Tony stayed in the wings beside Happy and Chris, while Ned walked by his side to stand with him at the podium.

Clearing his throat, he glanced around the room, smiling at the numerous cameras and faces directed towards him.

“Thank you for coming today,” he greeted the room at large. “I know there have been rumours circulating for a while now, so I thought I’d use my first public appearance as the heir to Stark Industries to confirm those rumours. Ned Leeds, who graduated from MIT earlier this year, recently started in our research and development labs. Not only is he an excellent addition to our staff, but he also brought with him his very own patent for medical bandages that can be used in the field. Not only will these help first responders and our troops across the sea, but they will also be available to buy from your local pharmacy. We want to help as many people as possible. Production is still in the early stages, but we hope for them to be ready for release by the new financial year.”

Stepping back from the podium, he let Ned take over as he explained the finer details of the bandages. Explaining how they worked and the benefits to using them over traditional bandages. Pepper had spent some time over the past week coaching Ned on what to say, how to address the reporters. It was all paying off. Ned had never presented himself better. Exuding a confidence he never knew existed.

Once Ned was done, he clapped along with the rest of the room before resuming his position behind the podium for any questions.

Raising his hands to silence the hubbub of voices, he gained control of the room once again before pointing to Ashley in the front row – one of his favourite reporters from the New York Times. From the start she’d fully supported male omegan rights. Always allowed him the time of day and openly writing about the past failures of the state.

“Thank you, Mr. Stark,” she said with a smirk, knowing that he still found the moniker odd when referring to himself. “This all sounds amazing, but we know that you and Ned were friends in high school. What do you say to the speculation that the idea behind the bandages was actually a joint effort?”

Glancing at Ned, he waited for his nod of approval before responding.

They’d prepared for this question. Coming up with an answer they were both comfortable with. Peter had been willing to outright deny the accusation, but Ned had wanted to share the credit. Feeling guilty that it was borne from Peter’s work. Without his web formula it never would have worked. But after a lot of back and forth, they’d finally come to a compromise.

“It’s true that Ned and I have been friends for a long time. And yes, Ned and I discussed the bandages at school. We brainstormed ideas, but bottom-line is that the bandages are Ned’s brainchild. Ned deserves the credit for this.”

The questions that followed were to be expected. The standard product launch questions that appeared every quarter. What were the expected profit margins, the release schedules, which production methods would be used. The type of questions he’d been primed for by the PR team. It wasn’t until Christine Everhart stood up that he grinned to Tony who was standing in the wings. She always liked to throw curveballs. Something he was looking forward to during this announcement.

Especially given the rumours that had started flying this past week.

“What do you say to the rumours that Spider-Man is going to sue for copyright infringement of his signature webs? Are you concerned about being able to handle such a scandal? Is this the sort of situation were having an alpha to help run the company would prove to be an advantage?”

“Well, first of all, that rumour is untrue. Spider-Man certainly won’t be suing Stark Industries, or Ned or I, for any form of infringement. If we ever do face such scandals, then we will deal with them like we always have. SI has a strong team of lawyers, an amazing PR department and will always have a strong leadership. My omegan status holds no bearing on my ability to run this company as we have already proven and will continue to do so in the years to come—”

“How can you be so sure? The limited research available so far shows a number of similarities between your bandages and Spider-Man’s webbing. I find it hard to believe he’s not going to want some retribution for that.”

“Trust me we don’t have to worry about that,” he smirked.

Turning to catch Tony’s eye off-stage, the alpha grinned at him before shooting him a thumbs up. They’d discussed it at length for a couple of months now. He knew it would happen at some point or another and he’d decided he wanted to take control of the delivery. To follow in his alpha’s footsteps.

Too many choices in his life had already been made for him. Leaving him at the whim of others. For this, he was going to be the one to call the shots.

Taking a deep breath, he grinned once more at Tony before doing the same with Chris and then Ned, eventually turning to address the reporters again. The room having erupted with more questions at his vague answer. Raising a hand for silence, he leant forward against the podium and smirked towards the cameras.

“The truth is,” he admitted. “I am Spider-Man.”