Tw - Homophobia, depressive episode, mentions of relapse and alcohol. These will all be indicated with trigger warnings with a summary at the end.
It was finally happening, the moment they had been working towards. It was time for the opening of the first shelters run by the Pepper Potts Foundation. Pepper already knew the entire schedule by heart. The press event was starting in just under ten minutes, where they would give the complete details about the shelters and the foundation itself.
After that, the shelters would be opened and everyone was able to walk in and take a look around. Pepper would be busy answering press questions first, but after that, she would visit all the shelters and talk with the people there to get their first thoughts and meet some of the people the foundation would be helping. She was really looking forward to that.
Finally, the shelters would be cleared out and only those who would be staying the night would remain. The staff would have a sit together with the residents and inform them of where they could find any relevant supplies. Whether that was a binder, toothpaste, or a phone to call friends to say they were safe.
But something that Pepper was also looking forward to was a small surprise she had for the people that she invited off the streets to stay at Stark Towers. After talking with the people that they were sharing a room with, and looking at the current occupancy percentage of the tower, she realized that there was no need to send them towards one of the shelters. They could stay at the tower, as long as they didn't cause any trouble. If they wanted, they could even earn some money with small jobs around the tower.
According to Pepper's reasoning, today was going to be a good day.
---
Official Stark Industries @StarkIndustries
It is with great pride that we are able to announce the official opening of the Pepper Potts Foundation first shelters. Everyone who needs it or who would like to know more about it is welcome to just walk in.
+-+ TW - Homophobia +-+
Closeted Gay @speedwalker
Alright people, here it goes. With the new shelters as my safety net, I am risking everything. I am going to come out to my parents. Wish me luck, I'll keep you updated.
| Closeted Gay @speedwalker
I just sent them a message telling them to meet me in the living room, as I needed to share something with them. I am shaking. But on the other hand, I have already lost my friends, my parents are just an added bonus. Not like I could count on them for support anyway.
|| Closeted Gay @speedwalker
I guess it's a good thing the shelters are there and I packed my go-bag. More later.
||| Closeted Gay @speedwalker
I have arrived at a shelter safely. Basically, I sat them down and told them I am gay. My mother immediately just started bawling her eyes out. My father didn't even say a word, just pointed at the door. I knew enough.
|||| Closeted Gay @speedwalker
It wasn't honestly that surprising. They always said that no child of them would be gay. If they were they wouldn't be part of the family anymore, simple as that. No roof, no money, no nothing would be provided by them anymore.
||||| Homeless Gay @speedwalker
I guess that's all for today. Surprise, it was also time for a username change
Captain America @CapAmerica
I am absolutely horrified, livid and disgusted because of the things I have just heard. The Pepper Potts Foundation is meant to make sure kids don't need to sleep on the street because of who they love. It is doing exactly that. But I have just heard that because of it, 22 kids already have left their households, willingly or unwillingly.
| Captain America @CapAmerica
How can we call ourselves the country of freedom, when the day help starts being offered, children need to leave their house simply for who they love. That isn't something that should matter but it apparently does or we wouldn't be here.
|| Captain America @CapAmerica
I am glad these children are able to go to a safe environment now. But that safe environment should have been home. Whether your child loves guys, girls, both, neither, or someone else, that doesn't mean they shouldn't be able to live at home.
||| Captain America @CapAmerica
Those 22 kids are just the children who left today. This is not yet counting the children that were already on the streets, as we are still doing our best to get them inside, whether because they don't know about the shelters yet or because they are afraid.
|||| Captain America @CapAmerica
I truly wonder how people can call it the land of freedom when being yourself can result in getting the spirit sucked out of you. So my message to all of you: Do better.
+-+ TW end +-+
---
A week was just enough for Peter to get slightly comfortable. Not completely comfortable, but comfortable enough that he could let his guard down slightly and allow himself to rest. Which is probably why they came back for him after a week. Peter knew this was only a temporary placement, but it didn't feel like a week had even passed and he already had to go to a different place, perhaps a different neighborhood. At least this placement was supposed to be more permanent.
Peter realized when he was packing his stuff that he was going to have to say goodbye to Nico. Over the past few days, he had been talking a bit more to them, but unfortunately, that made saying goodbye that much more difficult. At least he knows where they worked and could stay in touch. He just didn't like that he would have to leave them alone again, not knowing how far away he would go. But that might be worrying over nothing. For now, he just has to tell them he is no longer going to be living in the building.
Stepping towards the door he raised his hand to knock but hesitated. Now he was even overthinking knocking. But he couldn't see a doorbell. It also came to mind that Nico didn't live alone and someone else might open the door. That's why he ended up sending Nico a text saying he was outside the apartment and if they had time for a talk.
A few minutes later Nico stepped outside with a slightly worried frown on his face. "What's up Pete?" They asked.
Peter took a deep breath before he responded. "Remember when I told you I was in foster care? This was only a temporary placement. A placement for a week and...."
"That week is over." Nico finished the sentence. "Do you know where you are going next?" They asked but Peter shook his head. "Well can you promise you will tell me and let me know you are safe and stuff?"
"Yeah of course! Though I don't know what the new house will be like. Maybe they limit access to my phone. I don't know. But regardless I will find a way to communicate with you." Peter replied and Nico nodded solemnly. They knew foster care could be a great deal for some, but from what they had heard about Peter's life, the odds weren't in his favor.
There were basically three possible outcomes. Either Peter ends up with a great and loving family, the one he deserves and the goal of foster care, or he might get bounced around a lot due to not being in the right placement, or he could get stuck in a placement that isn't right for him for whatever reason. Nico sure hoped it was the first one.
As they were talking, Peter's social worker came up the stairs. "Hey Peter, are you packed and ready?" She asked with a big smile on her face. Peter nodded. "Alrighty then. Let's go pick up your stuff and thank the family for giving you a place to stay." Peter nodded again before moving towards Nico and hugging them tightly. Then he let go and followed the woman up the stairs.
---
Peter didn't know what to expect from his new placement. Turns out he moved a few blocks over, closer to the border of Manhattan. And he knew that the place he would be staying at wouldn't be a complete dump because foster care does check the homes to make sure it's a safe environment for the children. Both of those things were relieving thoughts for Peter.
None of the positive and negative scenarios going through his mind were the reality though. The household he was placed in was chaotic, to say the least. The house was run by a lovely couple who had room and money for, well apparently for about 10 children, Peter included. They sure did make use of their resources. It was kind of admirable. But it didn't take away from the fact that it was chaotic and overwhelming.
Once they had done the tour of the house and family, the social worker left and Peter was... well not alone. But he had no more protective barrier, no easy way out. This was a somewhat permanent placement. He couldn't exactly back down because it was a bit loud. So instead, he went into the semi-secludedness of the bathroom. He also actually needed to pee due to the anxiety. So while he was on the toilet, he decided to text Nico. "I'm safe. Nice but large family living a few blocks from your apartment in the direction of Manhattan. Overwhelmed but safe." His thumb was slightly shaking from the anxiety, but he calmed down slightly when Nico replied with a thumbs-up emoji followed by a hugging gif.
Now this home seemed like a loving family, but it had one slight problem. It was too busy. Both for his sensitive senses but also because it would make things much more difficult for him as Spider-man. That's why Peter was now sitting on the bed, with the beginnings of a sensory overload, contemplating what he should do.
---
+-+ TW - Depression episode, mentions of relapse, alcohol+-+
Tony really didn't know what caused it. Sometimes it was a memory or a sentence reminding him of his dad, or his time in the cave. Sometimes things happened and he focused all his emotions inwards. Other times, like this one, there was no cause. He was just, simply put, depressed.
He had just lost the motivation to abide by everyone's expectations. Why should he? Why couldn't he just curl up in a corner, drink until his mind finally numbed enough to go to sleep, and just not do anything for a month? A year! It sounded like just what he needed. A long time of just doing whatever he had motivation for. No motivation? Just go back to sleep. It sounded ideal, a break from all these emotions that he had been told to ignore all his life.
As he was rummaging through his workplace, trying to find a bottle that had been overlooked when they were clearing out the tower from alcohol after his previous relapse, another stream of thoughts started to become more present in his mind. A stream that tried to rationalize with him, said he had a company, people who relied on him and that he was a prominent figure. People would miss him, and he wouldn't even be able to hide out a week, let alone a month or a year. Therefore, it wouldn't achieve what he wanted and it would only feed into the idea people had of him. It would make people worry and that meant more supervision and more expectations. The exact opposite of what he wanted to achieve.
Both lines of thought were in a constant battle about whether a moment of peace or keeping his sobriety and maintaining his image was the most worth it in the long run. It created more thoughts that Tony wanted to numb so he started to search with greater intensity. This is when FRIDAY decided to speak up. "Is there something you are looking for, sir?"
Not wanting to be stopped, Tony grumbled an "It's nothing." as a response to the AI.
The AI was designed to help Tony in any shape and form, however, and this included recognizing when Tony was in danger of relapsing or something similar. "You are looking awfully hard for this nothing. Is there by any chance a protocol you would like me to enact?" It responded and Tony slouched down the cabinet he just looked in.
Dragging his hand over his face, he surrendered to the nagging feeling that he needed to ask for help before he spiraled further. "You got me. Activate 'Pirate shanties won't help with this' protocol." Then he decided the rest of his time was best spent counting the tiles on the ceiling like he had done time and time again before.
Pepper was just working on going through the mountain of documents that needed signing when she was alerted about the protocol being enacted. She immediately hurried towards the workshop where the message indicated Tony was and was glad to see that Happy Hogan was also hurrying over after being alerted.
A sigh of relief came out of Pepper's mouth when she didn't see any alcohol. She was worried they might have missed some and it was much harder to help Tony if he was being tempted by alcohol than when his brain was simply convincing him he needed it.
She approached him, reaching out to give a hug and proceeding when he gave a small nod to allow it. She just sat down next to him and held him until he decided to speak.
In the meantime, Happy went to schedule another session with a psychologist for Tony. Pepper and he had both noticed that Tony was on the verge of imploding. He really hoped this intern would help with that but while they weren't here yet, they just needed to help Tony to the best of their ability which in this case meant hugs, listening, and having a professional deal with the aftermath.
+-+ TW end +-+
Basically, @speedwalker get's kicked out for being gay and captain America goes on a rant about how children's sexuality and gender shouldn't matter to parents.
Tony isn't doing too swell, Friday notices and a protocol gets activated that makes it so Pepper and Happy come to support him.