Peter noticed that May had new glasses. They looked better than the previous ones. Better quality. They weren't quite bad about the money, but it wasn't a lot of excess expenses either. And May bought him new shoes last week. Quite expensive new shoes, though he convinced her he didn't need them. So he found it somewhat strange that May would buy new glasses.
"I like your new glasses," he praised them as they sat on the couch one afternoon. She read and he waited for Happy to come to pick him up.
"Oh, thanks, dear," she said, but she didn't look away from the book.
"May? Are we okay?" he asked, and she looked at him in confusion as she put the book on the table.
"What are you talking about?"
"I mean if we're fine with the money. It's just that you bought me those shoes and now wearing new glasses that aren't a cheap thing either. Maybe I could find a job," he suggested, and May laughed.
"You don't have to worry about that, Pete. I counted on the new glasses, so it won't affect our finances," she said with a smile.
"But what about the shoes? I still don't feel good about it. They were unnecessarily expensive," he murmured.
"They were, so I hope they last long, but you don't have to feel bad about them, I paid them out of your mother's money," she explained.
"Oh, okay," he said, and May waited for him to fully understand what she said. "Wait, what?"
"You heard me," she said simply.
"That's it? You can't say something like that and then don't go on! What do you mean by my mother's money?" he blurted.
"The money she sends me every month. I don't use it very often unless it's really necessary. I also saved you at college. You can go to any school you want."
"Yo-u know h-er?" he asked shakily.
"Of course, she's one of my close friends."
"You never spoke of her," he said, misunderstood.
"She didn't want it. She thinks you hate her."
"And now she wants?"
"No, but I've decided that after fifteen years, this ridiculous situation must end," she said, almost angrily.
"I don't understand."
"Do you want to know about your mother?"
"I think I do."
"Great. I know we never talked about her, so I don't know what you think of her. She thinks you hate her for giving you away, but you have to know it was the hardest thing she ever did in her life. I don't want you to hate her, but I can't control your feelings, so I'll tell you the whole story, and then you decide, okay?"
"Okay."
"Her name is Virginia, but I haven't heard anyone call her that in my life. Actually, only her parents. I'm a little older and sometimes I went to watch her when we were kids."
"So what do people call her?" he asked curiously. He had to say that he didn't like the name Virginia so much. Who the hell has such an old name today?
"Yeah, I won't tell you. Believe me, her real name will be of great help in the future as much as if I told you what people call her."
"In the future?"
"If you decided to find her. However, we became friends. We didn't see each other very often during college, but our friendship didn't change that. I met Ben and we moved in after school. She wasn't so lucky. She completed college longer than I did, given that she was younger. When she came to me that she was pregnant, I was engaged to Ben. We had a stable job and the apartment, she had nothing. It was shortly after school. She didn't know what to do. Your father was terrible. When she told him, he sent her to hell. He wanted to build a career and I don't think he even loved her. I talked to Ben about this and finally convinced him that we would take over you. It was supposed to be temporary, but then it got out of control. Virginia found a very good job and when you were five she wanted to take you to her. During those five years, she occasionally visited you, but it was too hard for her to leave you, so it wasn't so common. We had a big fight the day she came. Something happened to Ben. I love you, Pete, but I was so happy for her when she came to take you to her that she finally made a home for you. You could finally be together. Ben had a different opinion. I've never seen him like that before. He refused. He told her that when she left you with us, she couldn't change her mind and take you away. That you are our son, not hers. We were never your parents, Peter. You have to understand that. Uncle and aunt, but never parents. I don't know what he was up to. We would still be your aunt and uncle, we would still see you. Then, she never came again. Ben scarred on our relationship, but thank God it didn't hurt my friendship with her. She started sending me money. When Ben died, she didn't try to come that she wanted you back. I know she wanted to, but she didn't have the heart to take you from me when I lost Ben, and I'll be grateful for that. But now she thinks it's too late, and I think it's time for you to get back to your mom. I keep seeing her and telling her everything about you. She's very proud of you, you know?"
"Why would Ben do that?" he asked, confused, with tears in his eyes.
"I really don't know, sweetie, I'm sorry."
"Is it okay to be mad at him right now?"
"Yes. I loved him, but I never forgave him that. He had no right to do that."
Peter wanted to say something, but the phone's ring cut him off.
"This is Happy, I have to go. Will you tell me who my mom is?"
"No, but you know her. You'll figure it out," she said with a smile and kissed his hair before returning to her book and Peter left.
"Mr. Stark? Where are we going?" Peter asked as they left the lab.
"Eat, and before you say you're not hungry, I'll tell you that I've been listening to your belly for the last twenty minutes to say otherwise," he said annoyed.
"Oh, okay. But I can go just home, you know?"
"Or, we can eat and then continue working."
"Yeah, that sounds better."
"I invited the kid if you don't mind, Pepper," Tony said as they reached the kitchen where Pepper was preparing dinner.
"No problem," she said, still turning her back to them as she finished the salad.
Peter began to panic. He hasn't met Pepper Potts in person yet, and now is he supposed to have dinner with her right at her home? That sounded like a lot of opportunities to embarrass himself. He began to prepare what he should say, but it all disappeared when Miss Potts finally turned to them, with the bowl in her hand, which immediately ended on the ground when her eyes saw Peter.
"Well, I don't have to eat vegetables anyway," Mr. Stark joked believing it was just an accident, but when his fiancée was still looking at Peter now, with tears in his eyes, he realized something was wrong.
"Is everything okay?" Peter asked nervously, his eyes wandering all over the room. It made him rude to stare at Miss Potts when she was obviously upset about something. Coincidentally, his eyes landed on papers on the table, Miss Potts probably worked before going to cook. There was nothing extra on the papers, so he moved on. There was a bag on the chair and the badge was looking from it. There was a picture of Miss Potts, but Peter was more interested in the name.
Virginia Potts.
He looked at Miss Potts again, then back at the badge. That couldn't be it, could it?
Her name is Virginia, but I haven't heard anyone call her that in my life.
"I should probably go," he blurted, and before anyone could say something he was gone. Tony watched him until he disappeared into the elevator, then turned his attention back to Pepper.
"Pepper, honey, what's going on?" he asked gently, leading her to the nearest chair where he sat her.
"That was Peter," she sniffed as if to explain everything.
"Yeah, but what's going on?"
"I never told you, but before I started working at Stark Industries, I had a baby, my sweet baby boy," she muttered between sobs.
"What? You have a kid?" he asked in shock.
"I had. I gave him away. I gave him to May."
"Wait a minute. Did you give him to May? Like May Parker? Peter is your son?"
"Yes, Peter is my beloved son. May never tells me he is a Spider-man."
"Pepper, if Peter is your son, I'll help you get him back," Tony said, and Pepper got up from her chair with panic in her eyes.
"NO! Listen to me Tony, you're not going to do anything about it, do you understand me? Peter is good with May, and I want it to stay that way," she murmured.
"But he's your son! You can have him back."
"This chance is long gone. It's for fifteen years. I don't want him to know. He is Parker."
"Do you miss him?" he asked gently, bringing more tears in her eyes.
"Every second of every day," she replied, and Tony closed her in his hug.
"Now you can see him, it won't be weird if you come across here," he suggested.
"I can't. It's too hard."
"I could talk to him."
"I said no. At least once in your life, listen to me, Tony. Please."
And Tony did so once in his life.
Peter had been avoiding the Tower for a while. He told Tony he had too many Decathlon training. In fact, of course, he was trying to absorb the whole mom thing. He thought about it most of his time and finally came to a conclusion. Now he just had to implement his plan, so it was time to let May know he already knew who his mom was.
"Pepper sounds much better than Virginia, don't you think?" he asked suddenly at dinner once.
"Much better," May agreed with a smile.
"So I was wondering if I could stay home tomorrow?"
May, knowing what day tomorrow was, exceptionally agreed.
Peter knocked on the door and after a muffled 'enter' came from the other side of the door, he entered the office.
"Oh, Peter, what are you doing here?" Pepper asked, looking up from the papers.
"I brought you something," he replied, placing a small present on the table.
"That's nice, but why? And shouldn't you be at school?" she asked, confused. Peter saw that she was upset but tried not to show it.
"I should, but my aunt has exceptionally allowed me to stay home today because of what day is today," he explained.
"What day is today?"
"Just open it, please."
Pepper hesitated but eventually decided to unwrap the gift. When she did, she saw a framed picture of Peter and Tony. It was taken as an excuse for his false internship. She still didn't understand what it was. She turned the frame and found a message on the back.
You had to take care of Iron Man and we both know it's not easy. After all, it's Mr. Stark. But now it's my turn. You're a wonderful woman and I admire you. You are the CEO of Stark Industries and Tony Stark's fiancée, but for me, you are mostly my mom.
Beautiful Mother's Day, with love Peter.
"I want to go home, mom," Peter said as Pepper dropped the picture on the table and looked at him with tears in her eyes. He could feel his eyes getting wet too.
"Do you?" she sobbed and stood up.
"Of course," he said with a smile, and then found himself in her hug.
"I love you so much, Petey, you have to know that."
"I know, mom, I love you too."
***
I was horrified to find out there is just a few stories with one of my favorite ship. So next time you can look forward to oneshot about Bruce and Nat!💚