𝐕𝐈𝐋𝐋𝐀𝐆𝐄 . [peter parker]¹ ✓

iii.

𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵: 1,002

t h e a v e n g e r s

the worst day for colin was the day the battle of new york came upon them. his father refused to let him near the fight as usual and instead, he sent him to a friend of pepper's.

and of course, he went to his mother figure, complaining. natasha didn't budge. she wanted him to be safe, even if it meant him being away from them.

reluctantly, he agreed.

pepper had met the small family at the stark expo when he was nine, and they were quick to agree with watching over the young lucia-stark.

so there colin was, in a small apartment in queens, with people he's never met before until now. they have a kid his age, so it's not so bad... right?

that was the day colin met peter parker. even at a young age, the kid was a bundle of anxiety and smarts. the two quickly bonded over their shared love of star wars and science.

may and ben looked at the two kids with warm smiles, as they turned to look at each other with knowing looks. they knew what their future would hold.

"wait... isn't your name elizabeth though?" peter had asked when the two had migrated to his small room.

"biologically and legally? yes. but i prefer colin." he choked up, not knowing how to tell peter he was transgender. he knew peter would probably accept him, but he also didn't want to lose his only other friend.

"i'm transgender. i was born in the wrong body, a female body. but i identify with that of a male." peter only gawked in response, trying to understand. quickly, he nodded and smiled at colin.

"i get it! don't worry, i'll always accept you!"

it wasn't long before the chaos began. luckily, the apartment wasn't in danger of being bombarded by the chitarui but it was being covered over all news stations that were able to report.

on the phone with michael, crying in peter's arms, may and ben watching on with the pain in their eyes, colin never wanted to see his father dive headfirst into danger, knowing what he would leave behind.

their relationship wasn't the greatest, but tony tried, and that's what mattered to colin. he was even planning on finally coming out to his dad.

so when tony came and picked up colin from the parker residence, he never let go of his son. he ran a hand through his son's short hair while the other rubbed the crying teens back. tony would never admit to it, but even he had shed a tear.

it wasn't long before everyone had gone back to the stark tower.

there he did it.

colin and tony had gone to colin's room after reuniting, avoiding the avengers for the night. that would be an introduction for tomorrow after things calmed down.

"dad?" colin called to his dad who sat on the end of the kids' bed. after his dad let out a hum, he continued, "i don't want to be a girl." tony snapped his head towards his son, confusion swimming in his eyes.

clarifying, colin quickly spoke, "what i mean is that i don't want to be female anymore. i knew for a while and didn't know how to tell you. we already didn't have the best relationship when you were kidnapped and it went downhill from there. i was scared i'd lose you for good knowing that your daughter wasn't normal. that they were a freak. but i can't mentally nor physically handle it anymore. i want to be a boy. i want to be known as colin anthony lucia-stark, not the girl who died years ago. i'm sorry."

by the end of his rant, colin was full-on sobbing as tony could only stare in shock. he was processing his son's words and honestly didn't know how to respond. however, he did know.

"hey, c'mere," tony said softly, colin immediately collapsing in his father's arms. "it doesn't matter what's between your legs or who you decide to date, you are my kid, no matter what. talk to me, i'll help you, you know that. i don't know much about people who want to transition, but i'll learn. for you. i can start helping you with a changed gender marker and changed name, but you'll have to help me with the rest."

it was safe to say that colin has never felt safer and happier than he was at that moment.

of course, not every happy moment in his life seems to last.

meeting the avengers didn't go so horribly, the majority were shocked, but not surprised about his existence. but, the warmth in colin's heart when his dad had introduced him as colin lucia-stark, his son, was extraordinary.

to his surprise, when his dad called him to the lab to meet with him and bruce banner to take measurements, his happiness did not last long.

he was grateful that his father wanted to get him a binder and stayed up during ungodly hours of the morning to research but, he wasn't happy with bruce knowing.

at least, he wasn't too thrilled that he wasn't the person to tell bruce. that his father was. of course, he can't be so mad at tony. he didn't know and he doesn't fully understand yet.

but, he learns when his son storms out of the lab and locks himself in his room, telling j.a.r.v.i.s to not let anyone in.

when colin confronted his dad, he didn't know what to expect or what to say, everything just... came out.

"you can't go around telling people i'm trans. it's just not your story to tell. people get killed for being like me, so it's a vulnerable thing to share with someone."

tony's heart had broken for his son. he never meant to hurt him or go against him. so from then on, he promised to be better and do better, if not for him, then for his son.