Peter Parker Swings Out of the Closet

4: Secrets are Spilled

(Peter's POV)
I'm laying in my bed in my pajamas, my eyelids feel heavy and it takes a bit of effort for me to open them. I try sitting up but I'm too weak. I notice Tony asleep in a chair next to me and give a soft smile before realizing that I have no clue how the hell I got here or where my binder is or who changed my clothes. That means they know I'm trans. Who knows? What if they hate me? I start getting anxious and suddenly I can't breathe, I'm fading away, I'm suffocating. 

There's several loud beeps and JARVIS says "Mr.Parkers vitals are unstable."

The noise makes me flinch and Tony jolts up and rushes to my side.
"Kid? Kid?! Just breathe peter, breathe."

I'm choking. Breathing is so hard. I can't speak.

I hear Tony saying "Breathe with me kid. In...and out... in...out." I do as he says. "good, keep breathing peter. JARVIS call Bruce." 

"Right away sir."

I'm much calmer now and can feebly croak out a question. "W-what happened?" 

At this, Tony gives me a sympathetic look.

"Why don't we wait for Bruce and Nat to come so they can explain it better."

We wait a few moments, and then Bruce walks in with Nat close behind. "Hey peter, how are you feeling?" 

"Uh I'm okay, I just want to know what happened." I mumble. Bruce sighs and sits down as he starts explaining.

"The other night, you left the movie in a rush and when you didn't come back, Nat went to check on you. You wouldn't open the door and when she got into your room, you... y-"

"You were on your bathroom floor bleeding and unconscious. I called Bruce up and we got you cleaned up and addressed your... wounds." Nat interrupts. "Pete, why? Why would you do something like this to yourself?" she whispers. 

"I- I'm not sure I understand." I say, confused.

Tony jumps in and quietly says, "Kid, you were cutting yourself. Your thighs were a mess and so was your hand from gripping the blade so tight. You would have bled out and died if Nat hadn't found you. Why did you do this?" He breaks down crying as I realize what this means. I dissolve into panic again.

"oh fuck oh fuck oh fuck" I mumble as I lose control. Dr.banner injects me with something clear and I almost instantly calm down.

Tony is whispering with Nat in the corner and they leave my room with a glance at me. It's silent for a few moments before Bruce says, "Peter. There's another thing... Nat and I changed your clothes and we... well, we know you're transgender. You weren't wearing a binder when Nat found you, but your ribs are seriously bruised from over use."

"Does Tony know?" I ask, trying to stay calm.

"Yes. We had to tell him." He says softly.

At this I start crying. "I-I'm being k-kicked out, aren't I?" I sob, getting snot all over my pillow.

"What? No! Peter, none of us think any differently of you! You're still Peter and you're still part of our family." Bruce says, saying the last part shyly. 

"W-what? I thought for s-sure Mr.Stark would hate me after he found out." I say in between sniffles. "Why did he leave then?"

"He went to go talk to your aunt May about what happened." Explains Bruce.

At that, I jolt up and try to get out of bed but I'm too weak and collapse on the floor. 

"No! Aunt May can't know about this!" I scream as Dr. Banner helps me back into bed.
"She'll freak out!" 

"Peter you need to relax, it's too late. We already told her yesterday but Tony is just going to update her." 

"Wait... yesterday? How long have I been out?"

Nat walks back in with Tony as I ask and she replies "It's been two days. You had some serious blood loss from your cuts, and you're extremely malnourished, which didn't help." 

Tony interrupts and says, "Kid, you have all of us worried. We're gonna get you some help, all we want is for you to be okay." 

"Sorry Tony, I didn't mean for it to go this far, especially not so soon. It won't happen again, I promise."

"I know it won't. Because we confiscated all your razor blades and JARVIS will constantly be monitoring you." Toy says with a sad look in his eye. "You also can't wear that binder for a while, at least until your ribs heal. And you need to eat." 

"That's not fair!" I start to protest, but Tony glares at me and I instantly stop. 

"Kid, do you seriously expect us to let you do this to yourself? We've only known you for a little while, but we care. You're practically starving yourself, purposely hurting yourself, and not being responsible. Now that we know you're anorexic and depressed, we're not letting you out of our sight. Because. We. Care." 

"I'm not depressed! I just... get really anxious and I lose control and the only way I can bring myself back is to cut." I mumble.

Tony gives me a look of pity and then lectures me on how I shouldn't keep secrets, I need to be more safe when I'm binding, and that if I ever need anything at all I'm supposed to come to him. I zone out a bit, but am brought back to attention when he says, "You're living here full time for a while so that we can keep your treatment consistent." 

"Really? That's great!" I exclaim, but then I realize that means I won't be able to do anything fun because they're all so worried. Tony starts going over my treatment plans and rules but I start dozing off before he can finish.

A/N: ok sorry it's all emotional and messy right now but this part was necessary to show how much Tony cares for Peter.