Chapter Text
It had been a sunny day when Tony and Pepper told Peter they wanted to adopt him.
Peter had found out two weeks prior when May accidentally let it slip that they were going to ask him if he wanted them to adopt him.
Peter had almost fainted.
Although, even after begging and even bribing May with all his snacks, she wouldn’t tell him when they were planning on asking him. Forgoing asking why’s and how’s. I’ve already told you too much! She had said, laughing.
After that Peter had conceded and went to bed. He had laid on his side for the better part of an hour wondering if Tony and Pepper had really wanted him, if he really was worth being adopted by Tony Stark™ and Pepper Potts™.
He had thought about the possibility of May lying but quickly dismissed that idea from his head. He knew she wouldn’t have lied about something that important. At least important to him.
He had thought about when (or if, his mind unhelpfully supplied) Pepper and Tony would pop the question, the thought occupying his head till he fell asleep.
That’s why, two weeks later, when Peter had almost forgotten (almost!) about what May had told him, Tony suggested dinner at Peter and May’s apartment (could he really call it his and May’s apartment if he spends most of his week at the Tower?) Peter had thought nothing of it.
When Pepper had entered in a beautiful Navy-blue blazer looking slightly disheveled, different to her normally composed look and Tony followed her in an expensive maroon suit (instead of his usual t-shirt and jeans), forgoing the tie, holding a manilla folder and having a calm mask over his face, contrasting Pepper. Peter had thought nothing of it.
As soon as they finished the pizza’s they had ordered (they knew better by now than to trust May’s cooking) Tony had looked nervous, which was a look he had never seen on the man. Worried maybe, but never nervous. Pepper had held his hand and smiled warmly. Maybe that had been a signal but Tony had then pulled out a piece of paper from his folder and set on the table. Bold letters at the top read “certificate of adoption”
That was when Peter had thought, holy shit.
From the look on his face, they had known what the answer was. He had cried as they told him that they were already theirs and all they needed to do was make it official.
Within minutes he could see Tony’s face get a little red and even his eyes got a little glassy with tears but he didn’t cry, although when he hugged Peter after he signed the paper, he could hear his mentor (dad? Was it okay to call him that?) inhale shakily. Not long after Pepper joined the hug. Peter had seen from the corner of his eye May, smiling bittersweetly.
The papers were finalized within a month. Something he hadn’t known was possible. He guessed Tony had something to do with it. Or Pepper. He knew how terrifying she could be in her work mode.
During the month wait May had told him that Pepper and Tony went to foster care training for 4 months to prepare to adopt him. Which had honestly surprised him that no one had let it slip during those 4 months.
Peter, though, had immediately told Ned and MJ over lunch the next day at school after May had accidentally told him. Their responses were,
“Oh My God! Iron Man and Pepper Potts are going to be your parents!! Does that mean you’re going to be an Avenger!!? Are you going to get an Iron Man suit!!???”
“So, if I marry you, I’ll be in-laws with Pepper Potts? Nice…… It was a joke, forget I said that.”
When MJ had said that first part, Peter felt like his face was on fire. Their table had fallen into an awkward silence before she added the last part and Ned continued on with his fanboying.
Peter had had feelings for MJ ever since sophomore year. He hadn’t known if confessing to her was the right move. She had never showed interest except for that time in decathlon practice when she mentioned that he quit marching band and robotics lab, before saying that she was just observant.
He had spent nights thinking about his interactions with MJ and her responses. Wondering if she really liked him or if it was his imagination. So, he had decided to ask the only two other women in his life. May and Pepper.
…Who were both unhelpful, telling him to “go with what his heart says”
If he had started doing that, he would have had to start blaming himself instead of his Parker luck. Eugh.
Against his better judgement he had brought it up with Tony, post-adoption papers. After endless teasing from the older man, Tony finally said something useful.
“Aren’t you and her applying for MIT?” just- “
“And Ned.”
“Yes, yes, and Ted, whatever. Anyways. Why don’t you tell her how you feel if you both get accepted?” he had continued.
“That way you’ll be able to see her often and if one of you doesn’t get accepted just don’t tell her and stay friends. it’s easier than a long-distance relationship”
Wait… that’s.
Actually a good idea.
Huh.
And so, as the trio had met up in the bakery MJ worked at to check each of their letters excitedly, Peter had been anticipating the letter for a whole other reason. Of course, he was still nervous to see if he got accepted or not because this was his future, but he still wanted to tell her how he felt.
A small part of him had wanted one of them to be rejected just so that they’d stay friends, or to chicken out at the last minute if they were both accepted.
He had had no doubt Ned would get in. Peter knew how smart his best friend was and knew he had his family to fall back on if he wasn’t accepted. They were a well-off family after all. Peter had never felt jealous of Ned for having a relatively rich family. Maybe a little envious in 4th grade when he was over at Ned’s house and saw that he had basically endless juice pops in his freezer.
Now, Peter wasn’t a devout believer, but he had been praying very hard in his mind as they were opening those letters. There had been a few moments of silence before they looked up and recognized each other’s faces of barely-contained-excitement and erupted into loud cheering (on Peter and Ned’s side of course) they couldn’t believe it; they were going to MIT! Together!
“Dude!”
“Dude!!!”
as Ned went to celebrate in in MJ’s face (“Come on! Can you pretend like this isn’t literally the best day of your life!??” “…I can’t”) Peter had been left to disassociate a little.
Does this mean he was going to actually tell MJ how he felt? He knew he was going to do it if they both got accepted, but he didn’t think at all how he’d do it. Is he going to do it now? In this almost empty bakery with Ned there? What if she said no? Oh god what if she says no.
it's safe to say Peter had been overthinking.
A moment later he had heard his name being called and looked up to see MJ looking at him, amused. Probably from Ned’s screams of celebration
“Why are you so deep in thought, Peter?”
“it’s- um- it’s nothing, MJ. I was just uh. Thinking.”
“About what? We just got accepted into MIT. You’re not freaking out enough. Is there something you want to tell me, Peter?”
“……What?”
“…I’m kidding. Come on, I’ll get you both unauthentic pain au chocolats”
She had not been, in fact, kidding.
A few days after the three of them opened their letter together in that little bakery, Tony (is it dad now?) had decided that they should have a little celebration party at the tower for Peter. Who had insisted it be small, much to Tony’s disappointment.
The small guest list was consisted of May, Pepper, Tony, Mr. Rhodes, Happy, (who didn’t want to come but Pepper convinced him somehow?) Ned, and MJ.
Ned had obviously freaked out the second he got of that elevator and into the penthouse. Peter had seen him basically having an out of body experience when Tony shook his hand
“Ted keeds, right? I’ve heard a lot about you.”
“Ohmygodtonyironmanstarkknowsmynameheknowsaboutme”
“You know that’s not his name!”
MJ had been maybe chill about it. He says maybe because she totally fangirled when she saw Pepper. She had been stuttering mess (her words not his) when Pepper told her she knew her name. although she quickly regained her cool and started asking questions about being a woman in a male field and her effect on work environments that Peter had honestly lost track of.
Peter had gone to talk with a grumbling happy a bit before seeing May talking with Mr. Rhodes.
Now, normally Peter would have started scanning Mr. Rhodes to see if he was good enough as a prospective partner for May. But. May had already been dating a volunteer she met at FEAST. He even saw them flirt a few times. It was gross. She had invited him over at their apartment a couple times. but, the first time, he hadn’t been home. So, when he entered their apartment to see May making out like a teenager with an unknown guy, he definitely did not scream. Totally.
Daniel, was very calm about it. He had stood up, introduced himself, shook hands with Peter, and apologized that Peter saw the two of them like that and that it wouldn’t happen again.
Which had definitely earned him brownie points. Like, a lot.
Anyways. Halfway through their little party-slash-gathering, Tony discreetly put something in Peter’s pocket. Which had made him look at his mentor-more-like-dad-now in confusion.
Tony had put his arm around Peter’s shoulder and whispered in his ear.
“Tickets. For Hamilton. In two days. Take the lady out”
“Don’t be a pussy.”
He had winked before leaving to “prevent Rhodey from drinking the good wine without me”
Peter had stared at the place where the older man had been before slowly pulling out the tickets halfway out his pocket to take a peek to confirm.
Confirmed.
His eyes couldn’t help but drift to where MJ was sitting, listening more than talking to May and Pepper.
He had felt his body moving, walking to the place where the three ladies sat. he had mustered every single ounce of courage in his body before asking her to talk with him alone
“Hey, uh, MJ?”
“That’s my name.”
“Yeah, so, uh, could I talk. To you.”
“You could”
“Alone.”
“…Okay”
He had taken her to a hallway away from curious eyes and stood there awkwardly with her for a few moments before stumbling over his words. Which resulted in things going a lot faster than he had expected
“So, uh. I- um. Theres-…um. do you want to- “
“Go out with you? Yes.”
“…”
“that’s… what you were going to say. Right?...I know. Ned let it slip.”
“……what?”
“Come on, idiot, how many times do I have to make Ned cancel from our hangouts for you to realize. Keep up, Parker”
“Okay.”
“That is what you were going to say...right? cause if It isn’t I’m going to hang up Ned by his- “
“Do you want to go see Hamilton with me?”
“Hamilton.”
“Yeah. It’s, um. A musical. It’s about this-”
“I know what Hamilton is, parker. Are you asking me out on a date?”
“If it’s okay with you.”
“Okay.”
“Okay?”
“I’m not saying it again, loser.”
Peter had grinned uncontrollably when they went back. MJ had been just a bit quieter. He knew it was a good sign. Everybody could tell the pair had finally done something about their emotional constipation.
The night had ended with a bang. Quite literally. As Peter had dared Tony to rewire the microwave into a mini fridge. Which ended up with a drunken Tony accidentally turning it into a mini bomb instead.
As peter now sat in the living room. thinking about the events of the last two months leading up to now. His adoption, his and his friend’s acceptance into their dream college, May at peace with ben’s memory and finding a nice guy to settle down with, him and MJ actually dating now.
Peter felt fulfilled. Spider-Man’s goal, Of course, isn’t fulfilled as long as there’s crime in New York City. But Peter Parker? Peter Parker felt complete.
He sent Ned and May off with promises of a movie marathon and late-night reruns of golden girls.
Mr. Rhodey and Happy had already left a little over 20 minutes ago, each citing their own reasons for leaving. Though, he suspected Happy just wanted to leave.
Peter looked around the room, not a single person left except for him and MJ.
Pepper had ushered Tony away a few moments ago, he could see why now.
“Just us now huh?”
“Yeah, Pepper and Tony just left… Not that I don’t enjoy us being alone!” he scrambled to correct himself. Damn it, Peter.
She just smiled at him. Which made Peter blush. He really liked seeing her smile.
“Hey, it’s going to be a double date with Betty and Ned.”
“To see Hamiliton? I mean, I guess I could get two more tickets-“ He doubted he could get tickets two days before it. but maybe he’d ask Tony to make a few calls.
“that’s alright. I.. already have some tickets.”
“You.. you have tickets.” …ooooh. “MJ, were you planning on asking me out to Hamilton?”
“…Ned only told me that you’d tell me how you felt not that you’d ask me out on a date. Much less Hamilton- Stop.”
Peter was smiling widely, he could also MJ with a faint redness on her cheeks, mirroring his own.
“I’m leaving.” She announced before entering the elevator. Just before the doors closed, Peter saw a glimpse of her smiling. Yes!!
He quietly fist-pumped the air in celebration. He could already see himself tomorrow emptying out his closet in frustration trying to find something to wear that not a t-shirt and jeans. He assumes Pepper will come to his rescue and pull something out from the part of Tony’s closet that he never wears.
He walked through the living room, aiming to go to the kitchen to grab some leftovers before going to find Pepper and Tony. He assumed they were bickering over something again.
He was almost outside the living room before he glimpsed something from the corner of his eye. A lamp. It’s always been there. He knows instinctively that it’s always been there even though nobody ever mentioned it or came near it. But, why does it look like that? It was still in 3D but... just.. wrong. Peter felt sucked in. unable to stop staring at this known but unfamiliar lamp. He felt like he could stand there, staring at this lamp forev-
“PETER!”
He felt his face being moved involuntarily. He focused at what was in front of him and saw a concerned Tony looking at him.
…?
“Pete, are you alright?”
“Huh? Uh, yeah. I’m fine.”
“You zoned out and weren’t listening to me.” Tony added.
“Tony. I’m fine.”
He still looked kind of concerned. Which was weird, he hadn’t known Tony to be a helicopter parent.
“Okay kid. Let’s just go to the kitchen. I’ll get you some pizza to stare at instead.”
What was Peter staring at, again? He couldn’t remember. Must not have been important he supposed. He just let himself be dragged by Tony into the kitchen.