My take on why Caleb doesn’t trust Astrid and Eadwulf

Why does Caleb not trust Astrid even though she helped the M9 multiple times by now and let them leave? Well, Liam has always kept good track of what happened in previous episodes of the campaign and I believe Caleb was drawing information from all his previous encounters with Astrid and Eadwulf, so here is just some highlights on what they know about them so far. This is another long post. Again, all quotes are not exact and straight from my memory. This is just my biased personal interpretations so take it as you will.

To illustrate my points, I recommend that you watch the Narrative Telephone episode Widogast’s Web of Words. It described the three of them this way:

1. Eadwulf as the boy whose mind was eaten, and he had “no mind of his own”.

2. Astrid as the girl whose eye was cut out, and she “never saw true again”.

3. Caleb as the boy whose heart was swallowed he “never knew love again”.

1. Eadwulf: From all the interactions we have seen with Eadwulf in it, he always appeared to defer to Astrid/Trent and this very much reminded me of the “no mind of his own” aspect. He “looks to Astrid” for what to do for multiple situations, and is clearly pretty content to be a follower. Otherwise, Eadwulf didn’t get to interact with Caleb a lot in general so to Caleb he must still be kind of an enigma. Whenever Eadwulf did answer Caleb’s questions he seemed like he was pretty content in his role as a Volstrucker as well and was pretty nonchalant about his job (basically talking about it like a summer job and very casually) without showing any hesitancy about what he does/carrying out his missions. His apparent association with the Raven Queen fascinates me and I don’t think Caleb knows what to make of that either. So far from what we’ve seen, Eadwulf clearly still cares about Caleb but also has lost some capacity to think for himself due to the trauma and abuse he suffered. This may also be why Eadwulf could be harder to reach than Astrid in a sense. So far, he has not given any indicator that he doesn’t believe in Trent’s system.

2. Astrid: “never saw true again” gave me the impression of her being “blind” to what is actually right and the true nature of Trent’s system, and given the evidence so far Caleb is right to think she is still buying into Trent’s ideology. When Caleb went to Astrid’s house to talk with her, she apologized and Caleb made a very high insight check. Astrid was “genuinely mournful for his pain” but there is also something “hardened” in her that was more like a “I’m sorry that you have suffered, as many people have, life is suffering and sometimes it is necessary”. Clearly, she on some level believe that what they are doing as Volstruckers to be the right thing. She said she felt guilty about her actions sometimes, but did believe that they were making a necessary sacrifice to protect the rest of the empire. Caleb even remarked that “he blinded you”. Basically, Astrid thought that Trent’s system and ideology is a necessary evil that is ultimately good for the empire because the Volstrucker does hard things so civilians can be safe. However, there is doubt in her, especially since Caleb continued to try to reach her. She made a remark at the dinner episode, something like “what we did was for the greater good... right?” and she sounded uncertain. I do think changing her mind would be easier and she may have started to see the flaw in Trent’s system already. As of right now though, Astrid seems to be already training other Volstruckers (I could be wrong, but she mentioned “tutelage”) and Caleb/Liam’s comment about her buying into the system is clearly not mistaken based on what we have seen from her so far. 

She is also ambitious in a sense that she wants to replace Trent, and she keeps reminding Caleb of that (”race you to the top”, “he is just an old man...”, “it could be an opportunity if you struck first”). She sees Caleb as an opportunity (I think Matt confirmed something about it or about her ambition when the Traveler was analyzing Astrid but can’t quite remember). She clearly doesn’t like Trent, and wants Trent gone, but it doesn’t mean she doesn’t believe in Trent’s system (all evidence suggests she does still buy into it). She also likely wants to use Caleb to further her own goals, and like Fjord said “not in an evil way” but that Caleb defying Trent would be very beneficial/convenient for her own goals. She clearly still cares about Caleb a lot and is happy to see him again, and like I said, this doesn’t mean she is trustworthy. Caleb’s concern is mostly what Astrid would do if she does replace Trent and he is right to assume things wouldn’t change much given Astrid’s belief in the system right now (her mindset of “Volstruckers are necessary and they do the dirty work so the empire can thrive”). Her helping M9 doesn’t really cancel out her ideology, it just shows that she genuinely cares for Caleb. Furthermore, so far Caleb’s presence is good for her goals. We don’t really know what she would do if Caleb appears more a threat than a benefit to her ambitions one day. 

So far, Caleb is the first one to break away from Volstruckers and I do think that gives Astrid hope that Trent can be taken down, but she could very well want to keep the program around if she ever gets in charge after Trent. She is very much dangerous, ambitious, conflicted and fascinating. Her caring for Caleb is clearly not all of her character, she has her own plots and I love her for it (thanks Liam for developing this character) and I love how Matt portrays her.

3. Caleb: another reason why Caleb may not trust his “old friends” is that his heart has very much been broken. “He never knew love again” is an apt description. This is more just interpretation from my part, but I think Caleb has partially lost his ability to trust others and he doesn’t trust anyone outside the M9, his immediate found family and their extended families (it took him a LONG time to trust them as well). Honestly? He is for the most part right to not trust people so far (exhibit A: Essek reveal) and all his paranoia from early episodes have come true, so I would not be surprised that this one does as well. [I wanted to use Yussa as a counter argument for trusting people then I remembered they trusted him with the knowledge of Aeor and he proceeded to yeet himself into the astral sea in 48 hours (the poor man).] 

So yeah, reason 3 is that Caleb is just not a very trusting individual in general. He has expressed that he loved Astrid and Eadwulf, but that feeling has of course faded after more than a decade of not seeing them. He does still care for the both of them, but he does not - and should not - trust them to want to reform the Volstrucker system and change the Empire the way that Caleb wants it changed. 

Now there is clearly still hope that Eadwulf and Astrid can change their mind, especially if Caleb keeps reaching out. Astrid has already shown some hesitancy and reconsideration. They also both helped the M9. I do believe that it is possible for them to eventually see Trent’s system as it is, and they have the capacity to change for the better. Right now though? Yeah, they are still pretty much buying into Trent’s system as far as I can tell. Helping M9, caring for Caleb and wanting Trent dead are separate issues and have nothing to do with what they believe in ideology-wise. I really hope that Caleb does make it back and gets to try reaching out to them again after the whole city thing is dealt with. I am very excited to see where both of these characters will go. They are very complex and fun to think about.

Steve Jinks and Casual LGBTQ+ Representation

Strap in kids, this is gonna be a long one.

Now, before I begin, I’m going to say that if anyone has differing opinions or things to add, I would absolutely love to have a conversation! I’ll admit, I haven’t seen the show in probably 5-6 years, so there is a great likelihood I am misremembering, misinterpreting, or misportraying things (as well as not saying things exactly how I intend to). I’m also not saying that Warehouse 13 did a perfect job with this character or his representation, or with LGBTQ+ representation as a whole—if you’ve been part of the fandom at all, you know that we have all agreed to ignore the cannon pairing of Myka/Pete in favor of the much superior and character compliant duo of Bering and Wells (who even Joanne Kelly has admitted to playing up and reading as a romantic interest). That being said, I’ve been thinking a lot about LGBTQ+ representation in media, and particularly the importance of including both characters whose sexuality/ gender identity play a large role in their identity/development, as well as characters who are just casually representative.

Okay, so if you don’t know, this is Steve Jinks from Warehouse 13:

He is gay and, I think, a great example of casual gay representation in media.

It is never hidden that he is gay but also never made into a big deal. First, his coming out scene isn’t a big revelation or profession. It happens pretty early on when he starts working with Claudia and she thinks he’s hitting on her and is trying to turn him down when he abruptly corrects her rambling with “I’m not hitting on you, I’m gay!” Her reaction to this is mostly embarrassment at her rambling and a (yes, mildly stereotypical) comment about never having had a gay friend before (but, again, mostly a product of her embarrassment and continuation of earlier anxious rambling). She is extremely accepting and casual about it and it doesn’t become a big deal. Steve’s declaration might have been a bit forceful and annoyed, as if he didn’t want to reveal it, but I think that that mostly stems from his professionalism. He doesn’t reveal his sexuality until it’s mislabeled because he doesn’t think it’s anyone’s business, particularly at work. On the whole, however, he is comfortable and confident in his identity.

Next, his character. When thinking about Steve’s character, the fact that he is gay is pretty far down on the list of things that first come to mind. The first things you probably think about is the fact that he’s a human lie detector, ATF agent turned Warehouse agent, his friendship with Claudia, the fact that he’s Buddhist—which plays a very large role in his morals and defining moment with the Warehouse—, struggling with the loss of his sister and the way that impacted his career decisions, along with his need to both protect Claudia—as he sees his sister in her—and his need to be protected by her, as well as the sacrifices he made for the Warehouse. He is a layered character who has development, relationships, and storylines completely apart from his sexuality.

He is a competent, intelligent, and highly trained character who isn’t just used as a token, but as a productive member of the team. He may be a part of the so called “B team,” or “second A team” as Claudia corrected, and not have the same importance as the more central characters, but he isn’t just used to further the development of others or as a token gay character. He could have just been written off as Claudia’s “gay best friend,” but instead he has his own developmental story lines (such as the metronome storyline and his relationship with his mom) and adds another layer to the team that is centered on his skills and personality, not just his sexuality (even if his friendship with Claudia is a central part of his character’s role).

He is not a stereotypical gay character, but also he doesn’t shy away from some “stereotypical” behaviors as if they are bad. I think sometimes show creators run into trouble in portraying LGBTQ+ characters on that they either rely completely on stereotypes, or try to create a completely non-stereotypical character, but do it in a way that implies that stereotypical behavior is inherently bad. On the whole, Steve is a very non-stereotypical gay man. At the same time, however—similar to Raymond Holt from B99—he will still sometimes use “stereotypical” phrases or actions. It’s never in a mocking way, but rather another facet of his personality and fits in casually with his more non-stereotypical attributes. It is a way for him to be both a non-stereotypical gay man, but also not implicitly imply that stereotypical verbiage or actions are “bad.”

Along that same vein, while Steve’s sexuality in no way makes up the majority of his character arc, it’s not a forgotten part of him. Like I said earlier, it’s not hidden. He’ll make jokes or references—like when he tells Sally that even if he wasn’t gay, she would turn him off of women or the running joke about people asking him if he watches Revenge—and there are plot points that revolve around his sexuality to some degree. For example, when they end up working with his ex, we learn more about his relationships and the two of them have a discussion that many couples or people can relate to, regardless of sexuality, when he says “if I can’t make it work with you, then I don’t know if I can make it work with anyone.” We get to see a little bit of his romantic past, his approach to relationships, and understand another layer of his character. It’s a portrayal of a(n ex) gay couple who faced very real challenges that aren’t overly construed (like the problems of many gay couples in media are) and discuss it in a healthy manner, even if it doesn’t result in a reconciliatory ending. In addition, tying back to my earlier comments about “stereotypical” behavior, in the episode where Steve’s personality gets split, we see his professional side and his party side. His professional side reflects the serious and organized attributes that we frequently see of him, while his party side calls back to his more flamboyant characteristics, as well as his days in a frat. These two sides, while very different, however, are both very fitting and not of him. Neither is out of character as they are both just extremes of his personality. We might not see him this flamboyant often, however we also don’t see him this serious that often. Instead, each aspect of his personality works together to create one whole person, and you can see that here. They are in disagreement with each other, not because Steve thinks poorly of more “stereotypically gay” behavior, but because his professional side is annoyed with the nonchalance of the other side, and the other side considers the more serious side a buzzkill. Now, this could be interpreted as implying that you can’t be both flamboyant and professional, but I would disagree. Steve doesn’t become less gay in his professional side, but instead all aspects of his personality are more tightly reigned in. His “party” side also isn’t less competent. He is still a highly skilled agent (he literally profiles someone in twenty seconds flat), he is just letting himself relax more away from his typical straight-laced demeanor.

All in all, I think he’s just a really good example of a casually gay character.

The majority of his development and characterization does not relate to his sexuality and doesn’t rely on stereotypes, but his sexuality is also not forgotten.

Also his relationship with Claudia is my ultimate broTP.

About Assassination Classroom Characters - Nakamura Rio

The only character who could give Okajima a run for his money. 

Having looked over her character sheet, it seems like one of her biggest character traits is ‘torturing Nagisa’. 

In all seriousness, Nakamura is daring and devilish. Incredibly dirty minded, she makes some super sleazy jokes. Often at the expense of others.

As a person, she’s very apathetic and nonchalant in her general attitude. 

It’s interesting considering a lot of the female characters in ass class either aspire to or embrace a stereotypical femininity. Although I wouldn’t necessarily call her a ‘tom boy’, I do think Nakamura is one of the ones who rejects that. She doesn’t care about being proper or ladylike. 

Perhaps that comes a lot from her admiration of US/British culture. 

Out of everyone, Nakamura has the best conversational English. Beyond just studying what she has to for exams, she can practically use the language in both casual and formal settings. 

Along with her ambition of being an ambassador, she has really great negotiation skills. 

 Although she teases people, she is mostly portrayed as friendly and outgoing. 

We can see, too, (although she,,, goes back it right after) that she does know to apologise for pushing Nagisa too far. She has some decent morals and empathy when it really comes down to it, at least. 

It’s hard to really say who her main friendship group is. She seems to drift between people, without really settling on super close friends. But that makes sense for her, someone who’s bored quite easily. 

She even says, she really hates boring men. I can imagine keeping up with her would actually be kind of challenging. 

She does romantically like Nagisa (even though she selflessly lets that go in favour of Kayano) which says to me she takes him to be one of the interesting ones. 

According to the character book... she actually kind of ships karmagisa and I support her fully (it literally says she likes to watch them frolic together, no joke) 

Aside from all of that, though, she and Nagisa have a really nice friendship. As a result, I can see her also being kind of close with Sugino and Kayano. 

Her and Okajima together is a dangerous mix. 

Apparently she reads Fuwa’s manga over her shoulders sometimes. They get into discussions over them, but often have differing opinions about character. Maybe even an implication of ship wars? 

She’s really into American music. 

A big part of her is her natural smarts. She’s not just smart, she was one of those gifted children who had media attention. The pressures and attention kind of got to her, however. On top of that, she really wanted to relate to her friends who complained about hard work. Unfortunately, her apathetic nature kind of caused her to slip so her grades genuinely got too low. At least she gets over it, though.

She gets along with Hara surprisingly well. They can keep up with each other, and find they have a lot of things in common. Given the way she addresses Hara, it seems like she’s one of the girls Nakamura’s closest with. 

Lowkey imagining the chaos of Nakamura, Hara, Fuwa, and Kayano sitting together at lunch. 

She’s also been known to hang out with Kurahashi. 

She can be serious when it really comes down to hard decisions. 

The relationship with Karma is a little confusing. They’re not really seen together for most of the series, though she’s definitely not ‘intimidated’ by him, and they’re kind of known to be a bit of a devilish duo. Considering Karma literally has her as his second in command, however, there really does seem to be some trust and respect there. It seems to me that they’ve definitely hung out some behind the scenes. 

In summary, Nakamura’s certainly interesting. I definitely think she could benefit from a bit of focus, and end up doing great things. She’s one of the few characters who went through a genuinely good and complete narrative development arc, at the very least, even if it was mostly in the background. 

MASTERLIST

Maki Katsuragi: The Autism Theory

Maki Katsuragi could be on the autism spectrum. Here’s why! TW: Abuse mentions/references, mental disorders/disabilities in-depth, child abuse, psychological aspects, and childhood conditioning. 

I think the common conception of mentally ill/disabled people not being confident in nature or never being able to fit into a setting isn’t entirely accurate for everyone or a good way to sum up such a wide variety of people. 

Let’s go into maki’s personality. His most noticeable quality: he’s confident. He’s confident enough to shape the environment he enters if he wishes. He’s confident enough to make people bend or even change their entire perspective on things. 

Did you notice everyone had false misconceptions about him? Everyone was surprised when he said certain things, like they weren’t expected of someone “with his personality”. For example, what he told Itsuki after he hit the boy with the racket, what he said when Tsubasa held the racket, what he told Yuu after confronting them, what he said to Touma after the matches, etc.  There are so many examples of people misconstruing Maki. People thinking he’s not as smart or as considerate as he actually is.

Why? I think it’s because he comes off a certain way. He seems too confident; too formal; too anti-social; too whatever. Everyone has misconceptions of everyone else, but these are things I heavily related to: the ways everyone saw Maki. 

To add personal experiences-- in the environment I was raised in, I had to be confident. I had to learn how to confront opposition with a calm war face. I had to learn how to speak; how to stand; how to stare into people’s eyes despite being uncomfortable with it; how to seem like I did things with little thought to them, despite the fact that I overthought constantly. This made many people think I was an airhead, or just generally not as smart as others.  I’ve had many people be really surprised that I was insecure, that I had issues, that I was smart & analytical. it’s happened to most people I met. These same misconceptions are bred when people see Maki, just because he’s confident and makes talking/moving/doing anything look easy. While we can see he’s smart as the audience, the other characters cannot, and this is important to remember.

Living while mentally disabled in a situation where you have an assigned job (like mediator & provider, which are Maki’s jobs) and huge responsibilities (both household chores/jobs and/or emotional support, which are also Maki’s jobs) is different from living while ill in a situation where your responsibilities are limited (like Touma’s).  There are many reasons why Touma’s issues seem more relatable and noticeable to the audience than Maki’s, and it has to do with the familial and outside dynamics they experienced throughout their life, as well as personality and disorder conflicts.

By personality and disorder conflicts, I mean that Maki and Touma have a lot of differences, both in upbringing, personality, and in the disorders I believe they have. Maki contrasts from Touma’s Autistic relatability most likely because he seems to have both ADHD and Autism, in my opinion. It’s a combination that can leave you a lot more jumbled and harder to relate to than just having Autism or ADHD alone, like I headcanon that Touma only has Autism.

Circling back to Maki’s personality. He seems to have a case of Chronic Chillness, outside of his obvious impatience issue, which I think is an indicator of his trueness as a person. In that respect, I mean that his impatience may be an indicator that he’s not as nonchalant as he seems. This is a huge part of my own mentally ill experience, so I felt the need to mention it.  It doesn’t mean I never look anxious or that I’m never anxious; It’s that no one sees it or suspects it. Sometimes I even convince myself. I have lax shoulders, I make lazed movements, I speak confidently & a lot of the time with slang or curses. Maki exhibits these qualities as well, aside from the cursing. However, I become starchly formal with people I don’t plan on befriending or becoming close with - esp in a professional setting (I.E. how Maki acted with the teacher and meeting the team, as I’ve concluded his original belief was that he wouldn’t attempt to attach himself to the team emotionally at first) - and I add formality to most newer people unless it’s a casual setting and I want them to feel comfortable/welcome. 

I create environments where either respect is expected or people feel obligated to bend in their hatred, whether it be out of insecurity, fear, or genuine appreciation. Maki does speak confidently and calmly, and he does all that I listed, in my opinion.  Let’s talk about the symptoms and symptom portrayals.  ♡ First up on the list: Intensive focusing/ Hyperfocusing/Interest in specific topics alone, with a habit of losing interest or not showing interest in other things. This is one of the most talked-about symptoms in processing and learning disorders from my experience.  One could say Maki is the definition of this symptom. He shows little interest in school, clubs, or any other subject besides astronomy. Specifically, as of most episodes, his book given to him by Ryouma, which he seems to continuously read despite it being a small book. We can assume he may be reading it over and over again.  The only club he now focuses on is soft tennis. That began from a place of obligation, not genuine interest. He seemed to have felt morally obligated to join after receiving a promise to money and a racket. However, we can assume he’s more emotionally invested in this team now, after rekindling his friendship with Touma and meeting the club members.  His focus on the club is obvious. He allows it to be a part of his daily life, and seems to even spend his off-time putting together schedules for their play, as seen in the episode where Rintarou and Touma speak privately. He also speaks of soft tennis during breaks within the school or dinner at his own apartment, as seen in the episodes where Yuu, Kanako, and Touma visit.  ♡ Moving on to the second symptom. Tics, like repeated motions, phrases, or movements. These movements or phrases can vary in frequency and noticeability. It can be shown subtly or as a common and known action that this person does every day. Maki Katsuragi seems to have a catchphrase - saying “I see.” or “naru-ho-do”, but since this isn’t your typical anime and the characters are portrayed as a lot more realistic than troupes, we can assume this could be a sign of a tic. He also tends to make strange movements while thinking, which is a sign that he’s trying to process what he’s about to say or what he’s thinking of.  This scene, in particular, stood out to me. While thinking, Maki idly swung his hand in circles. This is something I do personally as well. I tend to circle my hands while thinking to either enunciate my words or figure out a way to explain what I’m about to say, as well as try to process things I’ve heard. 

♡ On to the third symptom, which is - in my opinion - a very important one. Trouble showing or expressing certain emotions well or clearly. This can range from ways of speech, to expressions, to body language, and so forth. This can be both subtle or severe, depending on the case. Maki seems to be the type that wears smiles on his sleeve in good situations, but... let me ask you a question. Did anyone see the ending coming? I can’t say that I did, but I can tell you that I don’t think it’s unrealistic for it to happen. What I noticed about Maki is that he’s not the best at showcasing emotions outside the scope of positive or neutral, which is a huge indicator of many things. Two of them are some of the main issues in his life. Physical and mental abuse (from his father), and an overly cheerful and somewhat neglectful parental figure whose nature most likely makes him feel obligated to keep up a facade and not vent his frustrations (like his mother). In truth, many of the scenes where Maki was happy in recent episodes could’ve been motivators for him to pick up the knife. The looming threat of his father never went away, and when you’re in a happy situation, while there’s a threat still lurking, it can leave you to wonder when all these good things will be taken away. His mother possibly being hurt or even kidnapped are huge solidifiers for his resolve. I’ll be addressing this motivation-driven argument further in another post. Moving on now! Maki shows very few expressions. One of his most common being a blank face that looks a touch angry. It doesn’t mean he is angry; I think the intention behind his facial expressions is that he has trouble showing a relaxed neutral expression as well as having what many would call a “resting bitch face”. Most of his expressions range from constant neutral, curious, scared, happy, or the occasional mad. His voice tone is also key here. He often speaks around the same keys. His voice is quiet and calm, with the occasional hint of playfulness. However, it rarely rises or falls drastically, unless in a serious situation. Even then, Maki still doesn’t sound very different from his usual tone.  He also moves very directly and with purpose. It’s rare for him to show hesitation or anxiety, which may be a product of Autism, ADHD, and/or living with his father, where any sign of fear, sadness, or anger could cost him. ♡  Here’s a fourth symptom. Not remembering information, especially information not regarding hyperfixations or general interests. This is common in many illnesses but is hugely prevalent in both Autism and ADHD.  This is shown especially in the scene where he meets Kanako Mitsue for the second time canonly. He didn’t even remember her face, name, or room despite just meeting her yesterday. This is a huge indicator of a memory problem regarding information his brain considers “not important”, as he seems to remember most things about his interests and chores clearly. 

This is getting increasingly long, so I think I may be ending it here! This is a subject I could go on and on for, but I think I made some good and valid points here! It took me a long time to finish this, as my motivation is lacking.  Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed it! 

Tempio Di Pietro Chapter 1: Tensione

A Jar Of Dirt Spin-Off Peter x Tony (x MJ)

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Hi everyone! Thank you so much for reading this! This is a short spin-off series to Jar Of Dirt. You can read this as a standalone but there might be hints missing. We definitely recommend you to read Jar Of Dirt first! x Lien & Kim  

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Chapter 1: Tensione

Peter takes another bite from the chocolate-chip cookie and smiles happily. Yesterday was so much fun. He’d never baked cookies with Tony before, well, Tony had never, in his entire life, baked cookies before. He was adorable, white patches of flour staining his Black Sabbath hoodie while looking into the oven every thirty seconds to see if they were ready. Tony in the kitchen will always be a heartwarming sight for Peter.

Peter grins when he hears the ping of the elevator, doors sliding open. Good. Tony’s done early today.  “Daddy, I missed you today!” Peter turns around, feeling the blood drain from his face when he sees MJ standing in the elevator. A smug smile playing on her lips. “Oh wow, now that’s a warm welcome!”  “Oh! MJ! I… I didn’t- It’s not what it sounds-” Peter stammers but MJ interrupts his weak excuse with a chuckle and a small wave. “Sure thing, Pete.” Peter’s cheeks are burning at his mistake. God. He knows MJ has her subs call her daddy and now he called her daddy- fuck, fuck, fuck. The girl snorts at his awkwardness and walks over to him. “Dude, it’s no big deal. Kinda figured Tony would get off on being called that. C’mere, missed you.” Peter lets MJ pull him into a tight hug, her soft and warm embrace soothing his embarrassment. Yeah, the timing was unfortunate, but he knows she doesn’t judge him.

“Speaking of your daddy, where is he?” She saunters over to the kitchen, moving around ever so swiftly. Peter loves how she doesn’t mind that this is Tony Stark’s penthouse. Most people are afraid to touch anything. MJ made this her second home the first time she set foot in here. Peter had been afraid Tony would think her to be a little too confident, but no, he adores MJ. Loves the endless discussions he can have with her, without her ever holding back her opinion. Loves the dark, sarcastic jokes. Loves how good of a friend she is for Peter, helping him crawl out of his shell after the MIT incident. “Oh, he’s uh, in the lab,” Peter stammers. Working on our Stark Industries sex toy because I broke it last night. MJ cocks an eyebrow at him, sipping on her water. She just knows there’s more to the story and she’s using her silence to spur him on, wanting to know every little detail. Peter just grins, shaking his head and waving her off. 

“Believe me, you don’t even want to know this story.” Somehow, discussing his sex life with the girl had become so casual over time. He’s no longer too flushed talking about it. Yet, telling her that Tony made him his own personalized sex toy might be… Too much. “Try me?” She refills her glass and walks over to the couch, slumping down against the backrest and kicking off her sneakers. Peter groans as he follows her to the touch, sitting down next to her. She pats her own legs, inviting him to pop his feet in her lap as he always does. There’s no way she’d let the topic slide now. One day, he asked her why she was so curious about his sex life. She’d been honest, admitting she liked seeing him enjoy himself after… Well, Beck. Plus, she giggled, she liked having inside knowledge on the sexual preferences of the richest man in the world.

“I uh, broke our sex toy last night? It’s… Stark Tech and Tony’s fixing it now.” “Peter Benjamin Parker, are you telling me Tony made you a sex toy?” She shakes her head in disbelief, grinning widely. “What does it do?” “Oh, you know, it changes shapes. It’s either a plug, a dildo, a vibrator…” Peter grins, wiggling his eyebrows. If he’s going to tell the story he’d better own it. “Anything Tony wants it to be.” “Kinky.” “Definitely. This one time he-” Peter shuts up the second the elevator pings. This time, it actually is Tony who comes walking in with, of course, the black cube in his hands. Peter grins at him sheepishly and the man looks between him and MJ, greeting her with a little nod. “Well, now you two are making me wonder what I interrupted?” “Oh, it’s n-nothing, honestly!” Peter rushes out at the same time as MJ’s nonchalant, “-talking about your sex life, why?” Tony laughs at Peter’s mortified face. “Didn’t know you were that much of a tattletale?” Tony smirks and cocks an eyebrow. “Oh,” MJ chuckles. “He really is.” “Yeah? What’d the boy tell you about me?” Tony puts the sex toy on the countertop and heads for the chair opposite them, a curious sparkle in his eyes as he waits for MJ to continue. Peter flushes. Oh, God. He knows that face. He quickly chips in before the conversation gets out of hand. “Really, Mr. Stark-” he mentally curses at himself for the slip up of his name. “-it’s nothing. I just-” He can’t even finish his sentence as MJ puts her hand on his ankle and interrupts him.  “Oh, just the usual stuff. The other time he told me how you guys like to have sneaky sex at parties - though, I don’t quite believe the ‘sneaky’ part.” She leans back against the couch, completely in her element. “But also how he calls you daddy and breaks sex toys.” “Toy. Singular.” “Now we’re talking.”

Tony eyes Peter quickly, checking up on him. Peter knows his face is flushed, part embarrassment, part… something else. Tony’s lips curl up when he sees exactly what’s going on and the man shifts in his seat to get more comfortable - ready to take this conversation to the next level. Peter gets off on embarrassment, on being portrayed as a needy little boy. Even more so when publicly. He’s a little afraid they’re crossing a line here, but they’re all seemingly very into the direction of this conversation. “Well, if we’re talking anyways,” Tony starts. “Why don’t you tell her how you broke the toy?” “Oh God,” Peter stutters, eyes widening as he stares at his boyfriend. He knew Tony was going to push further but he hadn’t expected this. He swallows, glancing sideways at MJ. The girl grins. 

“Please, do tell, Pete.” Peter takes a shaky breath, mentally cursing at the slight tingling in his groin.  “I… Was uhm-...” He looks at Tony once more. The man nods in encouragement. “I was sucking on it, and uh, Tony slammed into my G-, uh, prostate, and I just accidentally bit down too hard. Y’know, Spidey strength,” he stammers. MJ looks rather impressed.  “Sucking on a toy, uh? Now that’s one I should try with my subbies next time. You got any more good ideas, Tony?” Peter shifts and tries to pull his legs up, but MJ’s thumb brushes past the skin of his exposed ankle so gently it has him shiver. He decides it can’t hurt being so close to her just a little longer. “Depends,” Tony replies slyly. “What kind of Domme are you? Gentle? Rough? Mean?" “Hmmm, Gentle Femdom big time. I like giving my subs physical pleasure while degrading the fuck outta them at every chance I get.”

“Oh, in that case, you ever tried making them wear a plug, or any toy for that matter, and go shopping?” Tony grins. Peter blushes as he remembers the time he and Tony did exactly that and he actually moans at the memory. “Seems you liked that, Peter?” MJ whispers softly. Peter’s breath hitches and he’s not sure what to answer. So he simply nods, shifting in an attempt to cover his half-hard cock. MJ smirks and bites her lip. “I’ve never actually worn one up my ass, so I don’t really know what it’s like.” Oh, no. “What’s it like, Pete?” “It’s, ehm…” Peter presses his lips on top of each other and looks at Tony. The mischievous glimmer in the man’s eyes already says enough, but he nods for good measure. “Feels good,” Peter breathes out. “Makes you feel so full and- and it moves.” He swallows and stares at his half-eaten cookie on the table, not daring to look either other participants of this conversation in the eye. “With every step you take.” MJ nods with an approving look on her face.

“Sounds nice. Anything to add?” Peter’s mouth is dry. There are a hundred more things he could add. A hundred more things he could say, but this… This feels so weird. Terribly wrong but… So right. “Sometimes da- Tony makes it buzz.” “Oooh,” MJ sing songs. “That must hit you in all the good places, right?” Peter hates how casual MJ is. Hates Tony’s intense stare. But he loves it. He loves it so much. Peter nods, maybe a little too frantically and he sucks in a breath. “Speak, honeybunch,” Tony orders and Peter automatically nods again. “Yeah- yeah, feels amazing. I couldn’t walk at some point, -was too much.”

MJ smiles and suddenly changes the subject. “Honeybunch!” She exclaims. “I almost forgot about that. I wonder what else you call him, Tones.” “Oh, you know, the usual. Sweetness… Sweet thing, baby, good boy... “ Tony shows Peter an endearing smile and is obviously pretending all those words don’t go straight to Peter’s cock. “All the things to make him soft and pliant.” “That means there’s more.” MJ grins. “Oh…” Tony’s expression grows darker and Peter shudders at the sight. “Definitely.” He pauses for dramatic effect and Peter squeezes his eyes shut, anticipating the rush of arousal that will shoot through him soon. “When things get a little rougher on the bed he’s my slut.” Peter’s dick twitches and he licks his lips. “My sweet, little cockslut.” Peter lets his head fall back over the armrest and can’t contain himself anymore. His breathing has turned to soft whimpers and MJ’s constant rubbing of her thumb over his calf is doing things to him he would never dare to admit. But they’re all seeing it. There’s no denying that Peter is a horny mess on the couch and he jolts upright when he feels MJ lean over his legs that are still resting on her lap.

He relaxes slightly when he notices she reaches for something on the table, but his pleasure contorted face turns into a pout when he realizes what MJ is going for. His cookie. She comes back up to sit comfortably again and maintains eye contact with Peter as she asserts her dominance by taking a bite of his half-eaten cookie. “Oh,” she says quietly after swallowing. “This was yours, wasn’t it, sweetness?” she grins and leans forward to hand it to Peter. He doesn’t even raise his hands anymore, he just leans in and opens his mouth, wrapping his lips around the cookie as he closes his eyes. He moans softly as the sweet treat melts on his tongue, but then he realizes what’s happening and his eyes fly open. He pulls back, cookie still in his mouth and MJ cocks an eyebrow at him. She rubs the fingers of her hand together to get rid of the crumbles and then looks at the tips before locking gazes with Peter again. She slowly brings her hand up and wraps her lips around her index finger, then her thumb and then her middle finger. “Tastes good,” she says softly. Peter swallows his cookie and gasps for air. His cock is achingly hard right now and it’s extremely visible in his sweats.

It’s quiet for a second. All three people in the room are weighed down by the sexual tension in the air. It’s only when Peter manages to move to wipe his fingers on his shirt that MJ suddenly pats her hand on his legs and pushes him off her to stand up. “Alright, losers-” she says with a grin. “I’m off.” She walks past Peter’s face, putting in a little more effort to sway her hips and Peter goes pale when he smells it. When he smells her. MJ is so turned on that Peter can smell her. Fuck. Peter jolts when her hand suddenly rests on top of his curls and he looks up at her with big eyes. She smiles down at him and then sneaks a glance at Tony. “I’ll leave you two to it.” She tugs at his hair slightly before making her way to the elevator and Peter can’t stop staring at her. At the shape of her body, the lines of her curves. Her ass. When she steps into the elevator she twirls with an evil grin on her face. Her mouth is half-opened and her head is slightly angled up when she seductively moans. 

“Go be a good boy for daddy.”

The second the elevator doors close, Peter’s head whips around to stare at Tony wide-eyed. The man simply cocks an eyebrow and nods at his crotch. “You heard her.” Peter looks at Tony’s hard cock pressing through the fabric of his dark jeans and his mouth salivates at the sight. The boy slowly pushes himself off the couch. He’s too focussed on Tony to realize he could have stood up to walk. Instead, he crawls. His own hardness grazing past his loose sweats. Tony can’t help but smirk as he pushes his jeans down his butt and Peter nearly drools when his daddy casually cups his shaft through his underwear. Peter slowly moves up, curling his fingers around the hem of Tony’s pants aiming to pull them off completely. Once they’re discarded, he shifts to sit between Tony’s legs on the floor. He looks up at Tony, who leans forward to take Peter’s face in both his hands. “D-daddy,” Peter whimpers. His eyes flutter and his nostrils flare when he breathes in Tony’s cologne. “Oh, sweetness. You look so pretty when you’re all hot and bothered.” Peter shuts his eyes, relishing in the sensation of Tony’s warm hands covering his cheeks. Peter lets himself be guided as Tony pulls him closer to his crotch. The man’s hands move back on Peter’s head, tugging at his hair. Peter moans and hips buck against the chair.

“Go on then,” Tony whispers with a smile. Peter doesn’t wait. Now that daddy has given permission he’s going to go all in. He opens his mouth wide and licks one long stripe over Tony’s dick through the fabric of his underwear. “Oh, that’s right, right there, boy-” Tony is so hard. Peter can barely believe that Tony got turned on watching Peter get… Dominated. By MJ. The younger man growls and teethes at the hem of Tony’s underwear. “O-off,” he moans. “Need you-” “Oh, sweetness,” Tony coos, complying with his sub’s wishes. “So eager to please.” Peter nods, squeezing his eyes shut as he laps at the skin of Tony’s now exposed cock. The older man gasps when Peter suddenly takes the man’s shaft in his mouth, without warning. He scoffs a laugh. “Very eager, aren’t you?” All Peter can do is moan. He brings up his hands to help jerk Tony off while his tongue swirls around the head. He hollows his cheeks and sucks ever so gently. Tony’s muscles relax as his eyes roll back and he sinks into the cushions of the armchair. “Oh, Peter, you feel so good on me, o-oh.” “Love you,” Peter whispers before he wraps his lips around Tony again and the man can’t help but smile. “I love you too, caro mio-”

It’s not long before Tony sits up straight to tug at Peter’s head a bit more aggressively, urging the boy off his cock. “Undress yourself for me, Petey, I want to take you to the bedroom.” Peter gasps at the word but frowns slightly at the implications. “But- your back-” “Uh-uh, don’t you dare ruin the moment, kid. I know how much you weigh, I deadlift half of that every week. Off with those clothes. Want you to sit down on top of me, want to fill you up.” Peter grins while he undresses. “Daddy’s overselling himself,” he says cheekily and Tony huffs. “Thought MJ told you to be a good boy for me, Pete.” Peter halts his movements, shirt half over his head and he realizes Tony could literally see his cock throb at the sentence. When he finishes taking off his shirt he’s met with Tony’s shit-eating grin. The man knows exactly what he’s doing to Peter and honestly… Peter loves every second of it. Tony is still lazily stroking his cock while staring at Peter’s. The boy climbs on top of his daddy and angles himself so Tony can push in. Peter jolts when Tony suddenly grabs his cock to halt him from sitting down.

“Shouldn’t I open you up first, baby boy?” Peter smiles and leans down to press a kiss on the corner of Tony’s mouth. He then licks across the man’s lips and pulls back slightly, only to whisper: “Fingered myself after lunch, so I’d be ready for you.” “Lunch was a while back.” “Need you, daddy, please.” Tony pushes his face towards Peter to bring him in for a hungry kiss. They moan into each other’s mouths as Tony’s hands crawl up to Peter’s hips, only to lower him slowly. Too slowly for Peter’s taste. He’d rather slam down immediately. Feel his daddy fill him up so well- hit him right where he wants him to. “Easy, boy…” Tony mumbles against Peter’s chin before pushing his tongue back into the boy’s mouth, tasting the cookie Peter and MJ ate earlier.

Peter gasps when the tip of Tony’s cock probes his entrance. “That’s it, sweetness,” Tony whispers. “Let me in…” Peter’s body shakes as he lets Tony guide himself further and further down on his cock. He’s doing everything he can to unclench as fast as possible and when Tony bottoms out they come together in an embrace. They stay seated like that for a while, not moving, just taking in each other’s presence, feeling the stretch. Tony’s face is pressed flush against Peter’s chest and after a little bit, he starts pressing soft kisses on Peter’s skin, causing goosebumps to spread over the younger man’s body. Peter desperately holds onto Tony and presses his lips on top of Tony’s head. “Bedroom?” he asks quietly, causing Tony to chuckle. “Needy little thing,” the man sighs, taking Peter’s nipple in his mouth and swirling his tongue around it. Peter clenches his jaw, stifling a moan. Tony looks up at Peter, his irises dark with lust, pupils blown wide and he grins. “Let’s go.”

Peter yelps surprised when Tony swiftly stands up, hands on the boy’s ass. Peter’s response, not just audible but also physical has Tony chuckle. “You’re getting a little sticky, Pete.” Peter slowly wraps his legs around Tony’s waist. The movement of Tony’s cock in his body causes him to groan softly. “Don’t want you to drop me,” he scoffs with a soft laugh. Tony squeezes Peter’s butt. “You’re a mean spider, Pete.” Tony starts walking towards the bathroom with Peter’s chest still flush against his face. “Self-preservation, daddy.” Tony arches his back slightly so he can pull back and look Peter in the eye with raised eyebrows. “Do you want to come?” Peter immediately scrambles to hold onto Tony regularly and he ceases his sticking. “That’s what I thought.”

Soon enough Tony manages to carry the boy to the bedroom. Peter smiles up at him as the man gently lowers him onto the soft sheets, hovering over him, kissing him passionately. Tony’s being so gentle with him it makes his heart flutter in his chest. “Daddy…” he whispers, grabbing onto the man’s shoulders, trying to pull him in even closer. He wants to feel Tony everywhere. The weight pressing down on him, the man’s hands exploring his tingling body, wants to hear Tony’s voice whisper sweet praise in his ears. “You want me to fuck you, amore?” Tony whispers against his lips and Peter nods breathlessly, clenching around Tony’s cock inside him. “Please, please move,” he whispers and gasps. His eyes widen when Tony rolls his hips into him, the drag inside him sparking pleasure throughout his entire body.  “Like that?” “More, daddy, please, please.” Peter knows he’s a wreck in the very best sense of the word. He’s floating already, his mind easy and calm and fuck, he feels so loved. Tony complies with his wish, picking up speed, rutting into his sweet little submissive with a grin on his face and lowering his lips towards Peter’s ear.

“Did MJ turn you on, sweetness?” Peter jolts at the sudden embarrassment and he lets out a high-pitched moan. Oh, God. Tony’s doing it again, isn’t he? He’s going to whisper the sweetest filth into his ear, stirring up fantasies in his mind. Just as he did with Bucky all these months ago. Peter loves it. Loves him. He nods frantically. "You want to fuck her, don't you? Feel your hard cock slide into her slick, dripping pussy- suck at her tits until they’re sore. Make her feel so good, just cause you want to do that for her. Oh, Peter, how I would love to see who could come more often in a row. Think you can beat a seasoned domme like her? I'd like to see you try.” Peter whimpers at the thought. He wants it. Badly.

"You want to bury your face between her slick thighs? Smell her scent again? ‘Cause I saw it hit you, honeybunch. You liked it didn't you?" “S-Smelled so good, she was horny, daddy, I-” Tony growls into his ears, sneaking his hand between their bodies to jerk Peter off. Hard and fast. Peter cries out when the little sparks just build and build and build. He wants to come so bad. Wants his daddy to fill him. Fill him up like the sweet slut he is. God. He really is. Tony sucks on the skin just below Peter’s ear, harshly, marking him up, claiming him - yet, teasing him with another sweet fantasy.

“Know what it sounds like, fucking a girl, Pete? I do- oh, I do, sweetness. The sound,” Tony gasps, losing himself in the rhythm of slamming into his boy. “It’s disgustingly filthy. The wetter, the better. You can hear it in the back of your head, can you? Can you hear her moaning your name, order you to come?” “Y-Yes, yes, yes,” Peter chokes out, he can hear it; MJ’s soft voice, demandingly sweet.  “And you would come for her, Peter, because she told you so. You’d fill her up- mix your cum.” Tony’s voice is breathy and shaky and rough and Peter doesn’t know how to handle the pleasure coursing through him. It’s too much. He’s so close. So close. “T-tell me more, daddy, please.” Peter’s clawing on Tony’s back, fingers digging into the strong muscles he finds there. Tony moans as Peter’s nails press into his skin. His free hand moves up to tug on the boy’s soft curls. “Oh baby, she’d force that sweet little mouth of yours back down on her pussy- make you eat her out. But this time you can taste your own cum too. You’d like that, fuck Pete, you’d like tasting yourself inside her. Like making her cum over and over again until her legs are trembling all around you.” “F-Fuck, daddy, yes, yes!” Peter gasps, panting, pushing his head back into his pillow harshly when Tony flicks his thumb over the tip. Again, and again, and again, and- “Go on then, sweetness, be a slut for her. Come for her.” 

Peter cries out when Tony’s words tip him over the edge. His hips buck into the man’s grip wildly, white hot spurts sticking between their bodies. He’s trembling all over. Tony’s low grunts are hot against his neck. “Good boy, fuck, Peter baby, you- Oh yes.” Tony’s voice trails off and a loud, disgustingly filthy groan escapes his throat. Peter feels Tony’s balls against his ass as the man buries himself deep inside of him, filling him up. Peter just takes it all, relishing in the short pants leaving the man’s mouth and feeling Tony’s rapid heartbeat as he collapses on top of him. Peter lets out a shaky breath, wrapping his arms around Tony’s neck and holding him close while the man rides out his orgasm. “Peter…” “Daddy, that was- fuck.” “S-so hot.” Peter nods, pressing a gentle kiss on top of Tony’s hair. He can’t help the amazed chuckle falling from his lips. He never thought they’d do something like this again. And fuck- he’d loved it.  “I love you, Tony,” Peter breathes softly. Tony lets out a satisfied noise and buries his face in the crook of the boy’s neck.  “I love you too, baby. Blanket?” “Blanket,” Peter replies with a happy smile, tugging on the sheets and wrapping the both of them into the soft, warm fabric. They hold each other until they doze off.

-

Tony growls and slams his laptop shut. He can’t see another e-mail, another article, another stupid fucking document, even if his life depended on it. Peter’s head shoots up from the other side of the desk, looking up from his Electrodynamics textbook alarmed. “You okay?” Tony doesn’t answer right away, doesn’t want to snap at his boy - which fuck - he would if he would open his mouth now. He takes a deep breath, holding it for a couple of seconds before letting the air escape his tight chest. He sniffs, his foot tapping on the floor restlessly. This is getting out of hand. He loves his job, doesn’t usually have a problem with the neverending pile of stuff he has to go through. However, lately he hasn’t been able to handle it very well. He’s so stressed. So burned out. So on edge that Bruce had already carefully suggested maybe he should take a couple of days off. But how could he? There were deadlines and meetings and surely he couldn’t just cancel those because his brain couldn’t keep up with it. “No,” his croaks, eyes gazing at the floor. “-I don’t think I am.”

Peter carefully closes his book and walks over to his boyfriend, hugging him from behind. Tony sighs into the embrace, hands reaching up to hold Peter’s wrists, pressing him closer.  “Tell me what’s going on, Tony.” Tony sniffs, waving at the work in front of them. “I just… Can’t deal with this shit right now.” He bites his lips realizing how inadequate that sounds. It’s just work. The same old things he’s been doing for years already. “I’m just being stupid, Pete, don’t mind me. It’ll be fine.” Peter shakes his head gently.  “You’re not stupid.” He sighs, kisses the top of the man’s hair. Tony melts into the touch.  “I am, though. It’s easy stuff, just some editing and basic meetings.” “Tony, stop it. Just because it’s ‘easy stuff’ doesn’t mean it’s easy. You’ve been working so much the past weeks, if your brain needs a little break, take one.” Tony huffs. Peter makes it sound so simple. The man shakes his head. “Peter, I ju-” “Alright, that’s it. We’re leaving this office for the rest of today and don’t you dare protest against it.” Peter pulls Tony’s chair backward to create space between him and the desk. “Wha-” “Hush. Just come with me.” Peter doesn’t give Tony the time to even try and tell him off, grabbing his hand, helping him to stand up. Peter guides both of them outside the office and locks the door, stuffing the key inside his pocket. “I have a meeting with the chemistry team this afternoon, Pete.” “Fri? Please notify the chemistry team the meeting’s canceled.” Tony stares at Peter in astonishment.  “You did not just do that.” “Oh, I sure did. Any other meetings I should know about?” Tony feels his face flush. He feels so called out and a weird part of his brain likes it. He simply shakes his head. “Good.”

Soon, Tony finds himself seated on the couch with a blanket wrapped around his shoulders and Peter half-asleep against his side, his head resting on Tony’s shoulder. Peter had taken good care of him; made him a grilled cheese sandwich and made sure Tony didn’t check his work emails as he ate. He’s so glad Peter cut through him. Forced him to put his work down. Maybe he did need this after all. Needed Peter to be strict. He looks down at the bunch of curls and smiles, pressing a gentle kiss on top of it. He hums their Italian tune - ‘Ti Amo by Umberto Tozzi -, the lyrics echoing in his head. 

Dammi il tuo vino leggero, che hai fatto quando non c'ero, e le lenzuola di lino. Dammi il sonno di un bambino.

He freezes when it suddenly hits him. Give me your light wine you made while I was away, and the linen sheets give me the sleep of a child. The lyrics take him right back to the spa. How he knelt in front of Peter, how he made him feel good; fed him the grapes, massaged the warm oil into his God’s body. He needs that again. Craves the submission. Peter’s gentle but demanding touch. He needs to give up control.

He needs to give up control.

“Peter?” His voice is shakier than he’d like it to be. Peter shifts, mumbling a soft “Yes?” as his eyes flutter open.  “I- would… Would you be my Cupido today?” Peter whips his head up, to stare at Tony. Tony’s throat feels so dry, his heart thumping in his chest as he waits for Peter to answer. He knows Peter loved their little roleplay, but he has no clue if he’d want to do it again. “Did you just ask what I think you asked me?” “Well, yes? But only if you want to, of course.” “I- I can try, but I don't know if I can?” Peter replies slowly, sitting up straight. “I’m not a natural dominant like you, Tony.” Peter stares at the look that flashes across the man’s eyes and he smiles. “But I can’t say no to a sweet servant like you, why don’t you get down on your knees?” Peter whispers. He’s not sure how this will turn out. He doesn’t feel anything near the God he’d been in Italy. The environment of the penthouse just feels… off. Tony fucked him nearly everywhere in this place; domming him. He does want to try it though. Tony carefully puts the blanket away, kneeling in front of Peter. “My lord,” he whispers. “-you have taken such good care of me today.”

Peter looks at Tony, smiling. He carefully reaches out for the man’s face, dragging the tip of his finger across Tony’s bottom lip. The man’s eyes flutter shut at the gentle touch. Tony looks beautiful like this. Peter wants to dom him. Wants to take him apart. He just… Can’t. Not here. He pulls his hand back. “Tony, I-I’m sorry. Yellow.” The man’s eyes open wide and he scrambles up quickly, sitting down next to Peter again. Peter swallows, biting his lips. “Don’t get me wrong, I want to do this with you, Tony. It’s just…” Peter waves at their surroundings. “In here, it doesn’t feel right. I’m just Peter. Peter’s not a dom.” Tony shakes his head, taking Peter’s hands in his. “It’s okay. I… Guess it feels off for me too.” Peter groans. He doesn’t want to disappoint the man. Tony barely asks for something as specific as this and now it seems like it’s not working out. Peter feels bad about it. If only they were at the spa. The lush greenery surrounding them. The luxurious marble baths. Peter feels his body tingle at the thought, a hint of Cupido shining through. What if…

“F.R.I.D.A.Y.?” “Yes, Peter?” The boy can’t help but grin at the confused expression on Tony’s face. “Can you please book the Italian Spa for two this weekend. Friday till Monday.” Peter leans back on the couch, actually feeling in his element right now. Tony shakes his head.  “I can’t-” “And cancel all of Tony’s appointments.” “I have canceled the appointments, are we taking this from your account, Peter?" F.R.I.D.A.Y. asks. Peter intently stares at Tony and Tony stares back. They both know Peter can’t afford this. They both know how much Tony likes it when Peter shamelessly spends the billionaire’s money. So Peter grins when he licks his lips and answers. “Tony’s.”

Peter squeals startled when Tony attacks him with a hot kiss. His warm, soft lips sweet on his own. “Fuck, Pete- Telling me straight-faced you can’t dom me in the tower and yet you pull shit like that?” “Daddy-” Peter whimpers, melting in the man’s demanding embrace. Tony’s lips graze past his cheekbones, up to his ear while leaving featherlight kisses. Occasionally giving a gentle suck on the sensitive skin. Peter loves it. Relishes in it. “Kid, you’re gonna be the death of me.” Read More: Chapter 2 (yet to be posted) Masterpost

Softie

This is a bit rubbish but it’s for the anon who requested a fic of Z comforting Tom after the football match. 

Also, as some of you may or may not know I am being sponsored by loads of generous donors to from Vienna to Budapest for a charity called First Story. I will be completing this venture very soon so my uploads and interactions may be very limited over the next few weeks! 

Masterlist - Plot: Zendaya watches the World Cup with Tom and his family and friends. 

Softie (One-Shot)

The night started off like any other when their friends and family united. There was a plentiful stock of beer, a soft flow of music infiltrating the room and smiles that could light up London till the new year. But, once commentators started speaking and the all mighty English national anthem was sung, everybody quietened down. It was like somebody had pressed a mute switch; the house silencing almost  with an air of comedy. 

Zendaya and Tom found themselves on a couch together, Z’s body pressed tightly up against him as he buzzed with an excitement that the whole country was feeling. With an arm draped across her shoulders and his face inches away from hers, Zendaya could feel Tom’s excitement radiate and she found herself getting engaged with the soccer game that she usually possessed no interest in.  Despite not knowing anything about the technical terms, she rested her head against her boyfriend’s chest and watched intently like everybody else in the room. 

And as England scored within the first five minutes of the match, Zendaya found herself being thrown out of Tom’s hold. Him, Harry, Sam, Tuwaine and the rest of the British lads jumped out of their seats in an uproar that could rally that at any Trump protest. They were screaming and embracing and Zendaya couldn’t help but chuckle at their overt patriotism. It was infectious and she found herself joining in; her logic instructing her that she had an affiliation with the country now that her boyfriend was British. 

But as the game slowed down a little, Zendaya found herself zoning in and out. She was still getting used to the time difference between L.A. and London and her head would lull downwards as sleep took over her. She was always in that in between phase, never really asleep but not one hundred percent awake and that meant that every little sound had her eyes flying open. The boys would scream at the TV and she’d jump up, somebody would call for a beer and she’s sneak an eye open. And gradually, the interruptions grew more frequent.  As the yells grew louder and louder, Zendaya forced herself out of her restfulness to join back in with the English festivities. 

“Oh for fuck’s sake!” As Z peeled her eyes open, she was met with Tom kneeling on the floor in front of her; Harry and Sam on either side of him. It was an amusing sight but from the look of pure fright on their faces, Zendaya knew now was no time to laugh.  “Come on, come on-” As she took in the sight of the scores in the top left hand corner of the screen, Zendaya realised why the Holland brother’s were so intently attached to their television screen. It was extra time and England were down by one with just minutes left on the clock. 

“We can do this.” Sam spoke with a nonchalance that nobody really had much faith in as the timer in the corner slowly drew to a close with Croatia in the lead. It was like watching the countdown to the New Year but in an alternate universe; everyone was sad about it. The numbers ticked unbearably slowly and the room’s previously buzzing atmosphere dropped to that of great mourning. 

“I saw it coming.” Tuwaine was the first to speak after England’s tragic lost and his version of ‘I told you so’ was met by an influx of protests and cushions to the face; everyone’s wounds still too fresh. “Hey, don’t hate the messenger!” 

“Ass.” Tom muttered jokingly as he got up off the floor with an empty beer bottle in his hand. He silently began to pick up the mess that had accumulated throughout the game and Zendaya instantly noticed his sullen mood. Despite his mocking tone with Tuwaine, Zendaya could see the frown lines in his forehead and she wordlessly followed him into kitchen. Even though she saw the match as just a game, she knew it meant more than that to Tom. Him and his family religiously followed the sport and had been doing so since they were children. 

“Hey.” As Tom set his bottles onto the counter top, Zendaya put a hand to his shoulder. “It’s okay-”

“I’m fine.” Tom shrugged her off casually and busied himself with fussing over dirty napkins and cutlery. Deep down, he expected her to ridicule him for taking the football so seriously. Zendaya was just like Paddy and Haz sometimes; she’d tease him whenever she got the opportunity. Sometimes there would be a snide remark about his height or his inability to talk about her without grinning like a Cheshire cat and now that he was genuinely upset about England’s lose, he wasn’t in any particular mood to entertain her witty (and sometimes ruthless) banter. “I’m fine.” 

“Tom,” Zendaya adjusted herself between the central island and where Tom was stood, immediately halting his movement. Even with their close proximity, Tom’s gaze refused to meet Zendaya’s and she knew he was taking this harder than he tried to portray to her. “Will you look at me-”

“Z, come on I’m just trying to tidy up-” 

“It’s okay for you to be upset, you know?” With a speedy movement of his chin, Zendaya forced his face upwards, their nose brushing as a consequence. She pecked his surprised lips tenderly, both of her hands cupping either side of his face. “You don’t have to lie with me, loser.” 

In that moment, with her hair all natural and a cheeky smile on her face, Zendaya and her Marvel Comic Universe character, Michelle Jones, were one in the same. And Tom couldn’t stop the small smile that ghosted across his features. Michelle was a misunderstood character who had such a depth to her that, on the surface, many people misunderstood and in a way, Zendaya was the exact same. Behind her celebrity facade, her Dad jokes and her devastatingly beautiful looks, she was a softie. He had expected her to make fun of him and yet here she was, trying to comfort him. She was a loyal, kind, humble person and her desire to make Tom feel better after the football was an example of the kind of person that she was - the kind of person that Tom was proud to call his girlfriend. 

“I love you, you know that, right?” Tom kissed her this time, his previously tense frame melting under her touch. Whether or not the football was coming home, he knew he’d be coming home to Zendaya and in his mind, that was all that mattered. 

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