Current mood:	content
Entry tags:	!gamewide plot (generic), marvel: may parker (mcu), marvel: pepper potts-stark (mcu), marvel: peter parker (mcu), ~!game plot: move in day

THREAD: May/Peter/Pepper/NCP!Morgan

May had been in the alternate version of her world for six long months. She was grateful to get out of the shelter, but she wasn’t happy without her kid. However, her whole mood shifted when the check in staff told her Peter was scheduled to move in with her. Her kid was somewhere! She needed to get to him. She tossed her one luggage piece in her new apartment and stalked the main entrance.

“Peter! Peter, baby!” Tears spilled down her cheeks as she ran toward her nephew.

Peter had enjoyed his newfound independence for maybe a week. But it didn't take long for him to get more than a little anxious. It was hard enough without May but none of his friends were around and he was still very much grieving and dealing with the surprises his world had thrown him. Toss him into a whole new place that was his home but not?

He literally ran to the new apartment they'd assigned him, knowing May was up there somewhere. It was the first comfort he'd had in a long time. He didn't even speak, which was new for him. He just dropped his bag on the floor and flew into his aunt's waiting arms.

“Oh, honey.” She held him close and rubbed his back. “I love you so much. I’m so sorry I couldn’t get to you. I tried searching, but no one could tell me anything and it has been months and thank God you are here.” She kissed his cheek and stepped back to get a good look at him. “You need food,” she announced.

"Maaaay," he groaned, but his smile gave him away. "You don't have to feed me every five minutes. It was rough but I'm fine! They did feed us, you know." She did know, didn't she? What if she'd been somewhere where they hadn't?

“I don’t care,” she insisted. “You look thinner than you usually do. I can’t have you wasting away, especially with your superhero gig.” She gestured toward the kitchen. “They stocked it so I can make us a nice lunch and you can tell me about where you’ve been. I was so worried, Pete. I thought…” She bit back what she thought. It didn’t matter anymore. She and Peter were together again. “So we’re five years in the future, but we can deal with that. Together.”

"We are?" He eyed her closely. The last few months had been weird. Not really being able to look for anyone he knew, feeling sort of trapped. Taking in the yo-yoing of time and now dimension jumping. He pulled himself up on to one of the kitchen stools and watched his aunt carefully. There was a lot he didn't want her to know if she didn't already know it. "What's the last thing you remember from home?"

“Well, I don’t want to be a spoiler if you don’t know something!” May said as she gathered ingredients to make an omelette. She sighed. “Do you know about that awful man, Beck?” She turned on the stove and sprayed the pan with vegetable oil. “I remember his face on the news and what he said about you.” She regarded Peter carefully, watching for signs of distress.

Okay. Okay, good. She already knew and that meant he didn't have to tell her. Because that was not something he wanted to live again. "That uh… The news report. That's the last thing I remember before everything went all blurry." And then he'd woken up in some strange new world. But not that strange, which almost made it worse. He hesitated, then he blurted, "you know I didn't do it, right? What he said I did?"

May paused mid-cracking an egg. She quickly tossed it to the side and turned to cup Peter’s chin. “I know you are a good person, Peter Parker. What really happened?”

Peter had really missed that grounding voice. She always helped when the anxiety got bad. "He was manipulating everyone. He had all these drones that could display images, they had everyone thinking he was saving us from attacks but they were all him. He could make you see things, these illusions. And he was good, May, he was really good. He knew how to get into my head." The image of Tony Stark's dead body was still very fresh in his far too young mind.

Taking a deep breath to attempt to calm his racing pulse, he focused. "He did die. That part is true. But I guess he was able to do one last trick and framed me in the process. But now everyone knows. And everyone thinks I'm a killer, not even just Spider-Man but me."

Maybe it was good they were in the new world. Peter wouldn’t have to deal with that aftermath. Still, she could see how upset he was and who could blame him? Peter was a sweet kid who would never deliberately harm a fly. “Everyone is wrong,” she said firmly. “Anyone who knows you...see what you do every day to help people…” She pressed a kiss to his forehead. “They know the truth, baby. I promise.”

He bit his lower lip, shrugging. "Maybe Mr. Stark was right. Maybe I should have gone public all along." That would have been safer, in the end. Now he looked like he'd just been hiding for a reason. Well, he had. But the reason was that he was a teenager trying to help people and still go to high school, not because he was some kind of murderer.

“Don’t do that, don’t second-guess yourself, honey. You can’t undo the past and you had a reason to hide your identity. New York is lucky to have Spider-Man." She was peeved that the residents who benefited from Peter’s sacrifices turned on him, but she tried to hide it. She returned to the frying pan and finished cracking the eggs before setting them to simmer. After a few minutes, she added cheese and folded over the fluffy egg. “Come on, eat, Pete.” She handed him the plate.

Peter released a slow sigh. Usually May's words calmed him and they were helping, it just might take a while before he came to terms with all of that. But a little smile crossed his face. "That used to make me giggle. When I was little. Cause it rhymes."

May laughed. She was happy to see that tiny smile. “I remember. You were such a cute little thing.” She started cleaning up while he ate and was about to suggest they check out the closest thrift store so they could find things for his room when the bell rang. “Who could that be? Peter, finish eating. I will be right back.”

She peered through the keyhole before opening the door and was shocked at what she saw. She hurriedly pulled the door open and grinned as little Morgan Stark flung herself around her legs.

“Aunt May!” The little girl cried.

May bent down to scoop the child up into a big hug. After she rose with the child in her arms, she leaned over and kissed Pepper’s cheek. “You two are a sight for sore eyes.” She glanced over her shoulder and called out, “Pete, we have company!”

“We couldn’t wait to see you,” Pepper admitted as she ran a hand through Morgan’s hair. It had been a long few weeks in the shelter, especially after everything they went through in their own world. “I’m sorry if we’re imposing.”

Peter heard the voices in the other room and despite only being half finished with his omelette, he hopped down and rushed into the room. He composed himself enough to try and look like the young adult he almost was. "Hi, Mrs. S. Hi, sprout!" It had definitely been an adjustment coming back after losing Tony to find he'd had a little girl. And gotten married, but that Peter had expected to happen eventually. But Morgan had been a pleasant surprise and even though the Starks didn't really live super close by or anything, Peter still tried to keep in touch with the kid he looked at like a little sister when he could.

"I'm really glad you two are here, too."

Morgan squirmed out of May’s arms the minute Peter appeared. “Peter!” She ran over and threw herself at the teen, which made both Pepper and May grin.

May rested a hand on Pepper’s arm and used the distraction to whisper, “You are more than welcome. I’ve been alone for six months. I missed you all.”

Pepper patted May’s hand and shot her a grateful look. The other woman had been a source of comfort after Tony’s death, which touched Pepper deeply.

“Morgan, sweetie, you need to share Peter with Mommy for a minute.” She walked over to the pair and leaned in to hug them both.

Morgan may have been small but she was enough to nearly knock Peter off balance and he laughed as he scooped her up for a hug. “Mmm, I missed you,” he declared, squeezing her tight. And then Pepper was there, too, and he just happened to have two arms so he could hug her without letting Morgan go and that was nice, too. This place might be weird but at least he had family. And a bigger one than he was used to. “Where are you guys staying?”

Pepper kissed his cheek and stepped back. “Right next door. Morgan was so excited when I told her I saw your names on the list.” She was just relieved May and Peter knew her and Morgan. It would have been a very disappointing day otherwise.

“Mommy, can me and Peter play?” Morgan asked.

Pepper hesitated. “I don’t know, sweetie. Aunt May and Peter are probably busy.”

“Nonsense,” May scolded. Morgan had her wrapped around her little finger. “The kids can have fun together and we’ll catch up over coffee.” She didn’t say it, but Pepper looked less put together than she normally did. She could probably use a break for a little bit.

“Um, of course Morgan and Peter can play,” he teased. Pepper kind of looked like she could use the hand. It wasn’t easy running a business and being a single mom. And grieving. She wore it well, but Peter knew. He’d been little, but he’d already seen it in May. Pepper was bound to be feeling it. “We’ll play a rousing game of...chess?” he teased, poking Morgan in the tummy.

Morgan giggled and pushed his hand away. “No! Tea party! Mommy is gonna buy me toys, but for now we hafta make believe!”

“Yes, that is a good girl,” Pepper praised. Morgan really had been a trouper in the shelter the last few weeks. Pepper had managed to get a few toys, but the government didn’t give them the big check until they were ready to move. “In fact, if May wants to come along, we can get coffee while we’re out.”

May gave Peter a look that clearly said she thought it was a good idea. “Pete, you are in charge. Don’t burn the place down.” She reached over to push some hair out of Morgan’s face. “I know you’ll be good for Peter, baby.”

“The best!” Morgan said happily.

“You burn the cookies one time,” Peter replied with a roll of his eyes. He set Morgan down and nodded at the moms of the grouping. “If you ladies will excuse us, I’m having the best pretend tea party of all time with a very fancy hostess.”

Instinctively, he reached out and hugged May one more time. Logically he knew she’d be home in a couple of hours. And he knew she needed some time with a friend. But that didn’t make up for the months they’d been separated and the fact that for a few months now he’d been afraid he’d never see her again.