Peter VS the Homosapiens

Chapter Ten

Peter walks into school a week later. Word has gotten out about him and he couldn't be more relieved, yet so annoyed with his decision.
"Hey Penis!"
Peter groans and turns to see Flash and his posse circling their prey like a lion pack. Except less powerful. "Flash don't think I won't punch you again."
Flash scoffs, "Really? You think you can punch all of us in the face? Good luck with that." Flash grabs the front of Peter's shirt. Peter resists, How am I supposed to get away without exposing myself?? Peter thinks. Fuck it.
"Listen here Flash. I don't give a single fuck as to what you think of me I can be whoever I want to be. So, back off." Peter glowers and Flash let's go of his shirt and it looks like he's about to heed Peter's instructions when-
Bang! Flash kicks Peter in the gut. Hard. Even Peter's spidey-sense didn't pick it up. Peter doubles over and grips the wall.
"That's what you get faggot." Peter recoils from the word.
Flash hits him again, kicking his leg out from underneath him, and Peter tumbles. Flash's goons surround Peter and his spidey senses are over powering everything around him. He's suffocating in his superpower.
Get a grip Peter.
"Fuck.. you." Peter mumbles as he gets up.
"What'd you just say?" Flash glares.
"I said: Fuck you!" Peter yells. He turns and runs out of school. He can't take this anymore. He thought it would be better once he gets his one hundred pound secret off his shoulder. But it's not. It's relieving that he doesn't have the secret anymore, but Peter cannot take the bullying.
Peter stops when he gets to the gas station across the school, he leans against the back wall and his fingers fumble around for his phone.
"Fucking..." Peter doesn't want to cry. He's too tough for that but the name Flash called him was something his friends shielded him from: faggot. Penis is a fag! Peter lets a tear slip down his cheek. It lands on his phone and he angrily wipes it off. When wiping it off he accidentally clicks on Tony's contact and sets off the blue call button.
"No, shit-" Peter tries to end the call but his fingers don't register because of the wetness of his tears. Tony picks up in a matter of seconds.
"Hey kid what's up?"
Peter can hear Tony tinkering on the other side of the call. "Hey, hey! Don't you do that- Dummy, watch out you're gonna spill my coffe!" It's muffled but Peter smiles at the way Tony speaks to his bots. He treats them like real people. If only people would treat him like that. "Sorry Pete. You there?"
"Y-yeah I'm here." Peter winces at his own voice coming out of his mouth. It sounds raspy and tear-stained. He can hear Tony instantly stop working and his voice becomes less playful.
"Peter?"
Peter sniffs.
"Peter what's wrong? Aren't you in school?"
"Well yeah b-but no..." Peter begins to cry again, Stop you're weak! Just stop. Peter shakes his head and presses the palms of his hands into his aching eyes to stop the water flow. "I'm-I'm outside a gas station."
"A gas station what?!" Tony gathered his gear, Peter can hear the thunk of the Iron Man suit as it gathers around Tony.
"M-Mr. Stark there's this guy he-" Peter sighs. He isn't going to tattle that's so uncool. He isn't five!
"What Peter? Tell me his name." Tony is in full dad mode and once he's there: he won't be out until the problem is solved.
Peter hesitates.
"C'mon Pete. Did I assemble my suit for nothing?" He teases.
"Okay um... well there's this g-guy... his name is Flash- well there's more people than him... The-res bullying... and-and stuff because of.. who I am...."
"Thank you for telling me Peter.. that was really brave of you." Peter can hear the pride in Tony's voice and he smiles. "Listen I'm coming to get you- and then me and Capsicle are gonna pay the school a little visit..."

Peter hugs himself as he is escorted into the building by the two most respected and popular Avengers. The vice principal frowns as she sees Peter there in the midsts of them.
"I am so sorry Mr. Stark and Mr. Rogers. Is Mr. Parker bothering you? Don't worry he'll get the correct punishment for leaving the school with out permission and-"
"That won't be necessary." Tony smiles his press-smile. The fake smile he uses when the cameras are flashing and he's talking to people he doesn't know or like. The principal looks shocked, "Oh well then why..." She ends with a questioning glare towards Peter.
"I would like to make a speech." Tony demands.
"Oh well of course. We always have time for Iron Man. When can we schedule you for that?"
"Right now." He deadpans.
The vice president glances at Captain Rogers stone-cold face. He lifts a single eyebrow and she instantly nods, "Yes of course we can do that!"
She announces into the inner com that all teachers, staff and students will report to the gym immediately.

In a few minutes, a stage and microphone is set up and Peter is sitting along his classmates. He hears cheering as Tony and Steve enter the room and he smiles and waves at them. To Peter's surprise, they see him and wave back. Tony begins his speech saying he doesn't want this to be long but he needs to get a simple and valid point across. Bullying will not be tolerated and neither will homophobia. Tony says he cannot control it. But that people should realize that they need to be decent human beings etc etc. He goes on taking questions and closing with a simple statement- granted Tony is a smart man, but he had literally three minutes to prepare this speech- saying, "Members of the LGBTQ+ community are. still. people. They don't deserve to be treated the way they are. If the reason you discriminate against gays is that it's a sin, well then you might as well discriminate against yourself because everyone makes mistakes and everyone lies and thinks bad things about people every day. There's no reason to separate the LGBTQ+." Tony smiles, his eyes skimming the crowd looking for a particular brown haired kid. Peter smiles and his mentor, feeling overwhelmed with gratitude.
The speech ends, Tony walks out, with Steve following close behind, throwing his signature piece sign into the air.
Peter gets out his phone and turns it on, the screen glows and opens to the recently-used contact of Mr. Stark.
Hey Mr. Stark. Thanks for everything.
Peter smiles waiting for a reply. He felt the change of electricity in the air that day. Peter knows Tony changed some things. Of course he cannot physically control anyone, sadly. But he's always wanted to make a difference and that's impacted Peter in ways Tony couldn't even imagine.
No prob kid :) Stay gay✌🏼
Peter laughs at the response and pockets his phone, he sees Mj and Ned in the crowd and jogs up to them.
"Hey have you seen Si-" Peter feels someone hug him from behind. He turns to see the blue-eyed boy he's loved for so long in front of him. Peter smiles and kisses Simon there. Right there in the middle of the hallway in Midtown School of Science and Technology where everyone can see. And Simon doesn't pull away.
You know why? Because neither of them are ashamed as to who they are. They still love each other and that's all that matters.
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THE END