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Ned sighed as the other half of their group walked away.
He knew they were right. This would be the best time to do it. He needed to get it over with. Fuck, why did it have to be so scary though?
When he looked up Peter was walking toward him. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. It was now or never.
Ned stood up, "You ready to go upstairs?"
Peter nodded, "Yeah we should watch a movie or something," he said, grabbing his towel and drying himself off.
The walk to their hotel room was the longest fucking walk of Ned's life.
He kept trying to work up the courage to tell Peter he liked him, but he just couldn't do it. Confused by his tense silence, Peter kept looking over at him and trying to pull him into random conversations to calm him down from whatever was bothering him.
It didn't work.
When they finally walked inside the room, Ned closed the door behind him and leaned back against it, taking a deep breath.
"Uh, are you-"
"Peter I like you."
Peter gaped at him, unsure what to say.
Plowing on, Ned continued, "I've liked you for ages and I really just can't keep holding it in like this, every time you go out as Spiderman I die a little inside because what if you get hurt and every time you do something cute my heart just melts and I think I'm in love with you!"
Peter stood there, still saying nothing, just looking at Ned with a stupid look on his face, and Ned could see when it shifted to guilt.
"Ned-"
"No. I know you like me back. You can't lie to me Peter, I've been your best friend since kindergarten, I know when you're lying. I also know when you like someone. This isn't one sided, I know it isn't," said Ned sharply, already hurt by the rejection that hadn't even happened yet.
Peter took a step back, sighing, "Ned, I can't- it's not- I don't know what to say. Fuck."
Ned looked up at him with misty eyes, "Say that you like me back. Say that you love me."
"I- I do Ned," he admitted, shaking his head, "But it's not that simple."
"What the fuck do you mean? We like eachother. That's that," exclaimed Ned, surprised and confused and hurt and excited all at once.
Peter swallowed, sitting down on the corner of his bed, "Uh, I'm not out Ned. No one knows that I'm bi except May. And you now I guess."
"Well-well why should that matter?"
"I love Mr. Stark and Pepper and the others. It would just feel like I was lying to them. I can't do that to them," he explained sorrowfully.
Ned tried to protest, "Peter you shouldn't feel obligated to tell them. It's your life! Your choice!"
Peter shook his head, "This is just how I want to do things Ned. Can you accept that please? I promise as soon as I find a way to tell them then we can have this conversation again. But I just can't do this right now."
Ned deflated, upset, but understanding, "Yeah Peter, it's fine, if this is what will make you the most comfortable than this is what we'll do."
Peter looked up at him, sniffling softly, "Thanks Ned. I really appreciate this," he said, giving Ned's hand a quick squeeze, making both of them long for more.
"Um, should- we should watch that movie now."
The rest of the evening was painfully awkward. Peter and Ned sat across the room from eachother on their separate beds, occasionally stealing glances at the other.
Peter felt awful. Coming out to his family was important to him, but it was obvious that he had hurt Ned and he felt so bad. He'd never wanted to hurt Ned, ever.
Ned felt equally awful. He wanted to be with Peter, of course, but he shouldn't have tried to pressure him into dating him without coming out first, since obviously that was what would make him most comfortable.
They both went to bed early that night.
-
When Peter woke up Ned was still asleep in his bed, mumbling in his sleep and looking impossibly adorable. Hm. He should leave so he doesn't end up staying here watching his best friend sleep.
He quietly threw on some clothes and shoes, but lazily decided to leave his hair in its messy curls, and then made his way downstairs for breakfast.
Looking around quickly, he filled up a plate with an assortment of breakfast foods and then walked over to a table where he spotted his friends.
Mj was scrolling through her phone with her legs propped up on the table and an arm thrown over your shoulder. You appeared to be sleeping, cuddled up against her with your face in her neck.
Huh.
"Morning MJ," he greeted, sitting down across the table from her.
She glared at him, "Shut up loser, they’re sleeping."
Peter raised his eyebrows at her. She was being oddly protective and you guys were weirdly close. He didn't think he'd ever seen anyone even touch MJ without her telling them off.
"Yeah, uh, about that, what's going on here?" he asked, gesturing to the two of you.
MJ's tough exterior cracked as she looked down at you, pulling you impossibly closer to her, "I'm surprised you even noticed to be honest, you know with how fucking oblivious you are."
"Hey!" he exclaimed, offended even though he knew it was true.
You shifted against MJ, startled awake by Peter's stupidly loud exclamation.
"Nice going dipshit," said MJ, glaring at him once more.
Rubbing your eyes, you blushed as you noticed that you'd fallen asleep on MJ.
"Sorry Emmy, I didn't mean to fall asleep on you," you said sheepishly.
"Ok, what the fuck? Emmy?" questioned Peter, absolutely gobsmacked.
MJ blushed and kicked him in the arm with her foot that still rested on the table, muttering, "Shut the fuck up Parker."
"Morning Peter," you greeted, taking a sip of your previously abandoned orange juice.
Peter just stared at you, glancing back and forth between you and MJ with a questioning look.
Blushing, you explained, "Uh, MJ and I are kind of dating now."
"Kind of?" she teases you, grinning down at you with a subtle blush of her own.
"Not kind of. Definitely dating now," you corrected, flustered and red and fiddling with MJ's fingers as you held her hand.
Peter aww'd at you guys, making a stupid face and holding his hands to his heart.
MJ glared at him, "I will murder you in your sleep."
Grinning, you kissed her on the cheek and then turned to question Peter, "So what happened between you and Ned last night? We were sure he was going to tell you he liked you."
Peter deflated, slumping against the table and murmuring into his arm, "He did. I told him I couldn't date him."
"What the fuck Parker? We didn't go through all of that work trying to get you guys together only for you to just reject him," MJ exclaimed, glaring at him again.
Peter looked at her and incredulously asked, "You guys have been trying to get us together?"
"Yes! And it's your fault we failed? Fuck you Peter!" you said, leaning forward to steal an apple slice off of his plate.
"Yeah! Fuck you Peter!" MJ echoed, admiring you and grinning.
Peter groaned, "I couldn't help it! I want to tell Mr. Stark and everybody that I'm bi first. Otherwise it just feels like I'm keeping a huge secret from them."
"Yeah, cause that's something you never do, spider guy," commented MJ, now pulling out her sketchbook to sketch something, presumably Peter's distress.
Peter glared at her, "Keep it down MJ! And you know this is different! I just need to figure out a way to tell them and then it's all good!"
"Yeah except you've rejected Ned and crushed all his hopes and dreams," you tease, laughing.
Peter, though, was not amused. He looked absolutely heart broken.
"Uh, I was joking!" you said, frantically trying to cheer him up, "I'm sure he understands!"
Peter just groaned, slumping back down onto the table.
You glanced at MJ, and she must have seen the panic in your eyes because she said, "Hey it's alright. We'll help you."
"You will?" he whimpered pathetically.
Holding back a giggle you replied, "Yeah Peter, we'll help you."
-
The small group spent the rest of that morning brainstorming, even after Ned joined. It was slightly awkward at first, but they quickly fell back into their usual pattern and were able to come up with a few good ideas before they had to leave for the tournament.
The final agreed upon plan was to bake a cake. MJ thought it was lame, but Peter said he wanted to do something real and heartfelt and memorable, and he was the one coming out, so ultimately, it was his choice.
Deciding to waste no time, the team scheduled to all meet at the tower the day after they got back from their trip to bake the cake (partly because they were excited, and partly because it was killing them inside to see Ned's sad, longing looks towards Peter).
Peter talked Ms. Potts into getting Mr. Stark away for a meeting all morning, so the whole floor was empty save for those four.
"Alright team, time to get to work!" you exclaimed, ushering MJ and Ned into the kitchen with all of the bags you guys had brought.
"Wait a second, what is all this?" asked Peter, who had been sitting on top of the counter when you all walked in.
"Uh supplies to bake and decorate a cake? We're not gonna do some boring ass cake, it's gonna be good," you replied, pulling out sprinkles and different colors of icing from your bag.
Peter grinned, nodding his thanks to you and pulling out bowls and pans to use.
"Do you have a recipe loser?" asked MJ, rummaging through the fridge for snacks as if it were her own.
"Yep! I brought May's!" exclaimed Peter cheerfully.
The other three in the room shared a look.
Sighing, Ned stepped forward to break the news, "Peter, maybe we shouldn't-"
Peter bursts out laughing, "I wasn't serious! Oh my god!"
The rest of the cake making process went fairly smoothly. Well, except for when Ned accidentally dropped his phone in the cake batter. Or when MJ knocked a bowl full of sprinkles over and they spilled all over the floor. But other than that? Very smoothly.
The cake was glorious. It was large and circular with stripes of pink, purple, and blue frosting across it, and on the top, in white icing, beautifully written (courtesy of MJ) were the words 'im kinda gay'.
It was perfect.
And then the elevator opened while Peter was carrying the cake to the table. And it startled him enough to drop it. Face down on the floor. Their beautiful cake was now colorful mush with no meaning.
They all stared at it.
"So. I can see you baked today," said Tony, walking into the kitchen to see the absolute disaster zone it was. There was flour all over the counters, sprinkles on the floor, and for some reason the remains of an egg slowly dripping down the wall.
"You all better clean this up," he said, grabbing some blueberries from the fridge and then walking back to the elevator.
The kids all groaned.
-
Their next attempt was slightly more thought out. Slightly.
They bought a large rainbow flag and safety pinned it to the shoulders of the Spiderman suit.
It worked surprisingly well. He went about the city doing his regular vigilante business, beating up bad guys, getting cats out of trees, the works.
Peter happily swung around downtown, doing flips and waving to the cheering people, while the other three were on a group phone call with him, quizzing eachother for decathlon.
"Do you think this'll work better?" he asked at one point.
"Well as long as you don't smash to the floor in a rainbow heap, then it's already a step up," said MJ.
Laughing, you added, "I'm sure it'll work Peter. There's no way he won't see this. There are already pictures all over the internet."
And he did. That was confirmed over a quick text to Peter two hours later that said:
It was really great of you to proudly show your support kid. I'm sure you made a lot of people very happy. You're a great ally.
-
"Ok what are we going to do?" Peter complained the next day after telling his friends about the text, "This has gotten way too complicated."
MJ groaned, "Why can't you just tell him?"
Peter shot her a look.
"That was a stupid question babe," you said laughing, "Peter's too awkward and anxious to order his own food at a restaurant, there's no way he could say it outright!"
Peter glared at you, but Ned and MJ laughed, knowing it was true.
"Ok what if you got him something that says 'I support bisexuals' or something?" suggested Ned.
"Hey that's a good idea actually! We could probably find a t-shirt for like ten bucks on amazon," you said, grinning at Ned.
"Alright that's on you Peter," said MJ standing up and pulling you up with her, "We're gonna go make out now."
You giggled, following her out with a quick wave to the boys.
-
The shirt came a few days later.
It was simple. Black with a bi flag and 'bi rights!' written across it.
Peter was already meant to go to the tower that day, so he stuffed it in his backpack and invited his friends for moral support.
When they got there, Mr. Stark was in the kitchen grabbing snacks for them.
"Hey Pete. Hey Pete's friends," he said in greeting, not even looking up from the apple he was slicing.
"Hey Mr. Stark," you all chorused creepily in unison.
MJ shoved Peter forward.
He looked back at you with wide eyes. You smiled and nodded reassuringly.
"So uh, I got you something," he said, faux-casually, his voice three octaves higher than it's normal pitch.
Mr. Stark looked up, "Yeah? What is it?"
Peter frantically threw the shirt at him, accidentally hitting him in the face with it.
You snorted and brought your hand up to muffle your laugh.
Pulling the shirt away from his face, Mr. Stark held it up to read it.
"Oh cool," he said stupidly, "bi rights!"
Peter nervously nodded, "Uh, yeah. Do you- do you like it?"
"Yeah! Gotta be supportive of the lgbtq+ community," Tony said.
"Oh for Christ's sake," groaned MJ, "Peters bi."
Peter squeaked, face flushing red.
Tony looked up, surprised, "You are?"
"Uh yep! Yeah!" said Peter, shuffling his feet and stuffing his hands into his pockets.
"Oh," said Tony, "OH! That's why you wore a flag as Spiderman. And the cake?"
"Dude you're so fucking oblivious," commented MJ, stealing the apple slices that he had just cut.
You and Ned laughed, Peter still too anxious to say anything else.
"Hm. Guess I am," Tony admitted, "So are you dating anyone?"
"He is now!" you exclaimed, shoving Ned into Peter.
They both blushed and quickly backed up.
"Oh, great! I always did like you, Ted," said Tony, going back to cutting apples.
The kids all grinned.
"Now kiss!" you demanded, pushing them together once more.
They both flushed as red as a tomato, but complied, giving eachother a quick kiss despite being in front of everyone.
"Finally," said MJ, "I cannot believe I wasted so much time getting you two together."
"Hey!"