A Cosmic Rendition: Chapter 19

“You sound like a fan,” Gwen chuckled as she gazed at Adrian who smiled gently and nodded.

“When someone gives you justice and turns your life around, does it not make sense?” He asked rhetorically, his face gaining a reminiscent look as he gazed in the distance.

Try as he might, he could not push the memory of that night when he had put his trustworthy suit to action for the first time and exacted his revenge on that cheating scum. However, he could also not deny the feelings that had enveloped him since then, or what he had indulged in thereafter.

The feeling of euphoria that erupted within him when he put Bestman down and took back what was his, the power he felt coursing through his very being upon seeing his pathetic state, and the sheer desire to feel it again had motivated him to try his hand at more heists, and to say that things had gone swimmingly in the adventures that followed was an understatement.

Four heists so far and a collection worth over two million rested securely in the vault he had set up in a location known only to him.

It had started as revenge but had now morphed into passion. Adrian loved his time as the Vulture and he did not think he would be stopping anytime soon.

“Well, I guess,” Gwen chuckled. “Here’s hoping this hero of yours continues to serve justice to those who deserve it.”

“Oh I have no doubt about it,” Adrian smirked.

The Chitauri technology he had borrowed had been the final piece of the puzzle he seemed to have needed to get his Vulture wings working to the best of their abilities. It put him a class above anyone he might ever face here in Queens, perhaps even that Spiderman if he ever came back here. The last he had heard of the guy, he had been having fun over in the city with that Spiderwoman of his and for their sake, he hoped they would remain over there. Queens was his for the taking now.

“Especially to that eagle wannabe,” Liz intoned with a disgusted curl of her lips, and Adrian’s smirk vanished instantly, being replaced with a small frown. He grunted as he pushed himself to his feet and wordlessly walked over toward the bathroom.

“Eagle wannabe? First we had a spider, and now an eagle?” Peter asked with a chuckle, exchanging an amused glance with his girlfriend.

“Oh come on, Pete. Spiderman helped people, no matter what that idiot editor you told us about thinks,” Liz replied. “This eagle one though… he’s crazy. Totally loopy, I tell you.”

“Again, who’s this eagle fellow?”

“No clue,” Liz shrugged. “Started showing up a few weeks ago in a wingsuit, if you can believe it, doing robberies and taunting the local police. The cocky idiot seems to be enjoying himself a little too much from the looks of things.”

“Robberies? What kind?” Peter asked, keeping his tone casual and humorous.

“Wait a minute, I saw an article in the News app this morning,” Liz replied as she pulled out her phone and started scrolling. “Aha! Here it is! VULTURE FLIES THE COOP! MENACE STEALS HIGH-TECH FROM SALVAGE YARD! It’s like bad guys hold auditions every other week in this city.”

“What did he steal? Sounds serious.”

“Well…” Liz muttered. “A whole truckload of cutting-edge tech from some salvage yard in Queens. Cops are saying it might be weapons-grade stuff."

Gwen, leaning against Peter, snorted, “Weapons dealer with wings? Sounds like a villain straight out of a comic book.”

"Don't joke," Liz said, a hint of worry in her voice. "This guy seems serious, even if he acts like a moron. The article says he's been pulling these high-tech heists for weeks now, always in Queens."

Both Peter and Gwen felt a prickle of unease.

"They have any leads on him?" Gwen asked, taking a sip of coffee.

Liz shook her head, not taking her eyes off the screen. "Just grainy security footage. Some old guy in a weird flight suit. That's it."

"An old guy?" Peter echoed, surprised. "You'd think a wannabe villain would want to, you know, look the part. Make himself seem cool and all that shit."

Liz shrugged. "Maybe he's got a thing for vintage flight suits? Or maybe he's just good at blending in."

"Well," Gwen said, a determined glint in her eyes, "if the cops can't handle it, maybe we should see if Adrian’s new hero can take care of this… vintage villain."

Liz's brows furrowed. "I hope they do… This Vulture guy is looking dangerous… I just have this feeling that…"

Gwen, with a mischievous grin, held up a hand silencing her. "Or maybe the good ol’ Spiderman will come over to kick this eagle wannabe’s ass. He showed up here in Queens first, remember? He might bring his lovely Spiderwoman with him again as well. Keeping an eye out for a fellow New Yorker. Right, Peter?"

Peter smirked at his girlfriend as they silently communicated their intentions here. If this Vulture guy was seriously looking so dangerous, perhaps they did need to get involved. They were in the area for a little while anyway. Might as well make use of the opportunity to get rid of another pest from Queens, just like they’d done several times previously.

XXXXX

May Parker cast her gaze around her modest apartment with a critical eye, making sure everything was sorted nicely. The little living room was tidy, the cushions on the couch plumped up. She reached out and straightened a framed photo on the end table. It was of her and Ben on their wedding day, smiling radiantly. A pang of sadness hit her as she thought of her late husband.

Without Ben, the old apartment used to feel unbearably empty at times. She missed his gentle teasing, the way he could make her laugh until her sides ached. Most of all, she missed having her partner, her best friend by her side. The loneliness was like a constant, smothering weight on her chest some days.

It had been years since his death and after finally having decided to move on from him, she had first said goodbye to their old apartment. She had gotten a nice price for it and had not thought twice about her decision. This new apartment was slightly on the outskirts but still easily accessible to every convenience or the subway. It was a cheaper neighborhood but prices would soon be soaring high. She had indeed gotten a very nice deal here.

May shook off the melancholy feeling and headed into the kitchen, wiping down the counters one last time with a damp cloth as she pulled out the utensils she would need to make dinner. She took great pride in keeping an orderly, spotless home, even if it was just her living there.

At 43 years old, she felt younger than her age thanks to her naturally youthful spirit and outlook. Additionally, given the looks she got from the opposite sex whenever she went out, she could confidently say that her workouts did wonders for her.

Alas, the quiet nights, lingering over meals eaten alone across the small kitchen table surrounded by empty chairs, an empty bed that was too large for one and the other end too cold - little moments like those made her feel so terribly alone some days, reminding her of how much time had passed since her husband was alive and her nephew had left.

Her nephew Peter was pretty much the only family May had left in the world. He was the son of her husband Ben's brother Richard and his wife Mary, who had tragically perished in a car crash when Peter was just a sweet little boy just out of infancy. May and Ben hadn't hesitated to take Peter in and raise him as their own child. Caring for Peter, watching him grow and nurturing him, had been the greatest joy of their lives and they had never felt the need or want to have a child of their own.

Now Peter was in his twenties and pretty much all grown up into a fine young man, albeit still finding his way in the world like most at that age. Having him and his girlfriend Gwen over for visits was one of the few bright spots May had to look forward to these days. She worried about him constantly, as all mothers do, fretting over whether he was eating properly, staying warm enough, and simply being safe out there in the big city. But she was so deeply proud of the caring, brilliant, brave young man he had become. His girlfriend Gwen seemed like a lovely, kind-hearted girl too from the handful of times they had met and she had no doubt that the two would be married and start their family in no time.

May heard a knock at the door and hurried over, her face breaking into a wide smile as she pushed aside her lingering loneliness for the moment. It was time to fuss over her nephew, if only for a little while. His visits were a bright reminder of how full and joyful her life had once been in the cozy home she had shared with Ben and Peter. For today at least, his presence would be enough to fill the gaping hole of loneliness in her heart.

She was a bit curious though. Peter had told her that they would spend the evening at Liv’s and arrive in time for dinner. For them to come over so soon made her wonder if there had been any change of plans.

Smoothing her hands over her casual black slacks and scarlet red blouse, she hurried over and pulled open the door.

The sight before her left May completely stunned, for it was not Peter and Gwen waiting for her to open the door.

There on her doorstep stood people she had known what felt like a lifetime ago. Tony Stark and Pepper Potts, both looking as alluringly attractive as she remembered in their stylish yet laidback clothing. Tony wore an expensive blazer over a Black Sabbath t-shirt, while Pepper had on tight jeans and a silk burgundy blouse that complemented her long, fiery locks perfectly. May's mouth went dry as vivid memories of that wild, passion-filled night over 20 years ago came rushing back.

"Hey there, May. You're looking damn good for your age," Tony gave her that trademark billion-dollar smirk, his warm brown eyes twinkling with mischief behind his stylish glasses. At 44, the years hadn't diminished his roguish charm and good looks one bit.

"T-Tony... Pepper..." May managed to stammer out, suddenly very self-conscious about her simple, fuss-free appearance compared to her old friends' timeless beauty. Her cheeks flushed as she remembered just how intimately she had known both of them in their youth.

‘Old friends? They are old friends, right?’ she thought to herself.

"What's the matter, May? You look like you've seen a ghost!" Pepper replied warmly, giving May's arm an affectionate squeeze. The brilliant CEO's sparkling green eyes and dimpled smile made her look just like the bombshell 20-something May remembered meeting all those years ago.

‘Not just meeting…’ she could not help but think to herself, the memory of what she and the prim-and-proper redhead in front of her had gotten up to in that bedroom resurfacing in her mind. It felt as if every emotion from that night had come rushing back to her mind with a vengeance and May felt at a loss for how to react.

"We were looking up something and somehow came across you. Pepper here suggested it and I thought, why not pay a visit to an old... friend?" Tony's emphasis on the last word sent a jolt of desire spiraling through May's core. She had been trying so hard to move on from the life she'd once lived, but Tony had a way of awakening her long-suppressed inner wild child.

She vividly remembered that incredible night of unbridled passion like it was yesterday. May had been young and rich and gloriously single, a reformed party girl who had recently gone through a rough breakup and who was rediscovering her love of uninhibited fun. She attended a charity event where she drank too much and ended up going home with Tony Stark and his longtime girlfriend at the time, Pepper Potts. What followed was a night of mind-blowing group pleasure unlike anything strait-laced May had ever experienced in her life. The next morning, they had all gone their separate ways, a little embarrassed but with no regrets.

In the 20 years since, May had married her beloved husband Ben, who was the most caring, supportive man she had ever known. They raised Peter together after his parents died tragically. But Ben had passed away far too young, leaving May alone to pick up the pieces of her shattered life these years since.

And now, after that lifetime of sobriety and playing by the rules, here were Tony and Pepper on her doorstep, seemingly not having aged a day since that night of debauchery. They were dangling a tantalizing glimpse of her passionate, carefree younger self that she had locked away so long ago right in front of her.

A warmth she hadn't felt in years bloomed in May's chest as she drank in the sight of them. God, she had been so lonely, so empty since losing Ben. Having these reminders of her wild youth appear out of the blue just maybe could be the jolt of life she needed now at 43. May was a young woman, after all, with needs society frowned on but she could no longer deny.

"Well, don't just stand there gawking at me, you two. Please, come in," she finally said, opening the door wider with that sly, mischievous smile playing across her lips that they would remember all too well. "We have... so much to catch up on."

Tony and Pepper stepped through the doorway into May's modestly decorated living room, letting the door swing shut behind them with a soft click. An anticipatory tension immediately hung heavy in the air, charged with lingering heat from their past encounter and the delicious curiosity of what might unfold now.

"Your place is nice, May. Simple but really homey," Pepper remarked, her piercing green eyes drinking in the cozy furnishings and family photos. "I like what you've done with it."

"Thanks, I... try to keep things tidy," May replied, feeling uncharacteristically flustered under their blatantly appreciative gazes. She tucked an errant strand of lustrous brown hair behind her ear in a nervous gesture. "So, how have you two been? It really has been ages since... well, you know."

"Can't complain. Business is booming as always," Tony said with a nonchalant shrug, taking off his blazer and draping it over the arm of the white couch. "Although I have to admit, something was definitely missing..."

His dark eyes slowly raked over May's body, taking in her simple yet flattering outfit — black slacks that hugged her hips and a deep red blouse that highlighted her ample curves. She felt her skin grow warm under his boldly appraising look, knowing he was picturing how she had looked over two decades ago.

Pepper stepped up beside him, slipping one arm possessively around Tony's trim waist as she gazed at May with open desire burning in those emerald eyes.

"We took a long, hard look at our lives recently and realized we were lacking a certain... spark. An insatiable itch that needed scratching, if you catch my drift," the brilliant redhead purred in that sultrily husky voice of hers.

May caught herself following the elegant line of Pepper's neck down to where the open vee of her blouse hinted at the tantalizing swell of her breasts. Her mouth went dry as she realized this clearly wasn't just a casual social call between old friends. The heated looks, Pepper's unsubtle innuendo, it all pointed to only one very thrilling possibility after all this time and it seemed they were not looking to waste any time. There had not even been a proper greeting yet, nor had she treated them in the customary way one treated guests. Things had simply started… getting heated within minutes of their arrival, and it somehow fueled her excitement.

Years of boring and monotonous life had suddenly taken a solid swerve and her heart started pounding harder as desire, that familiar magnetic pull she had struggled to repress for so long, began coursing through her veins once again. May had tried so hard to be the picture of propriety and live a quiet, vanilla life after her wild youth. It was what was needed of her at the time, with her duty being raising a child she had come to love as her own. Alas, she was only human and Tony and Pepper's presence was like a siren's call, awakening the long-suppressed urges of her inner wild child.

"You know... I think I just might have something that could scratch that itch. If you're both feeling brave enough to try… again," she heard herself replying in a low, husky tone she barely recognized as her own.

“You’re still the same brilliant woman we met all those years ago,” Pepper smirked.

“You two aren’t any different either,” May replied breathily. “Wait a moment for me here, will you? You two look like you could use a drink. It’d also break the ice… among other things.”

May headed to the small kitchenette and retrieved an expensive bottle of whisky she'd been saving for a special occasion. This certainly qualified. With trembling, excited hands, she poured three generous glasses of the amber liquid, neat.

Returning to the living room, May handed a glass each to Tony and Pepper. Their fingers brushed lightly during the exchange, sending electric tingles down her spine. She held up her own glass with a coy smile.

"To old friends... And rediscovering what we've been missing."

They clinked glasses and all three took slow sips, allowing the pleasantly smoky whisky to burn a path of warmth down to their cores. May could already feel the alcohol loosening her joints and lowering her inhibitions even further.

Moving on pure instinct and liquid courage, May closed the distance between them until she was mere inches away, near enough to smell the warm, musky scent of Tony's expensive cologne and the crisp citrusy fragrance of Pepper's shampoo. She could practically feel the sizzling waves of white-hot chemistry coming off both of their bodies.

She first met Pepper's blazing green eyes and then Tony's dark, hungry gaze, and May felt the last threads of her inhibitions melting away like thin ice under a blistering sun. She had been denying herself for far too damn long, too worried about keeping up appearances and shouldering responsibilities.

But to hell with all that. May Parker was still living and breathing and had hungers of her own, ones she was finally ready to indulge in after playing the good wife, the good aunt, and the good widow for too many years. It was time to finally live a little.

Setting her glass aside on the end table, May stepped up close to her smoldering guests. She dragged her fingertips lightly down Tony's chiseled jawline and then traced along Pepper's defined collarbone, drawing matching shudders from both of her guests.

"Much better," she purred in a low, seductive rasp.

With boldness that was so much in character of the May from twenty odd years before, the brunette reached out to slowly unbutton Pepper's silk burgundy blouse as Tony watched with rapt fascination. When her delicate shirt fell open, revealing the lacy maroon demi-cup bra and creamy expanses of soft skin, May allowed her gaze to linger for a heated moment before returning her focus to Pepper's slightly parted lips.

"So... where were we?" she murmured huskily, before pulling the breathtaking redhead into a searing kiss she had been waiting over twenty years to taste again.

Pepper surged forward into the kiss, their bodies melting together as one as decades of pent-up longing poured out between them.

His initial instincts were to stay put and feast on the show the two women were putting for him but he could not hold back, not after all these years. Tony moved over and took his position behind May, pressing his front flush against her back.

Pepper's hands roamed freely over May's curves while Tony pressed heated kisses along her exposed neck and shoulder. She gasped at the dual sensations, feeling unbearably aroused and alive for the first time in forever.

The full glass of neat whisky had ignited a slow-burning blaze within May that was quickly raging out of control. She barely registered the trail of discarded clothing leading to her bedroom — Pepper's blouse, Tony's t-shirt, her own slacks puddled carelessly on the floor. All thoughts of shame or propriety had fled, banished by the tantalizing expanse of sweat-slicked flesh pressed tightly against her from both sides.

Somehow they made it onto her bed in a frenzied, delicious tangle of writhing limbs and mouths hungrily seeking the taste of the other wherever they could find it. May moaned throatily, the gravelly sound torn from her very core as Tony's rough, calloused hands kneaded the lace cupping her heavy breasts while Pepper blazed a path of scorching, open-mouthed kisses down her neck and chest.

"Oh fuck... you two feel so damn amazing," she rasped out between panting breaths, already feeling delirious with pleasure. "You’ve got no idea how long I've dreamed of this… It’s been so long..."

Pepper captured May's lips in a searing, whisky-tinged kiss that seared right through her. The brunette's expert tongue stroked sensuously against her own, coaxing forth whimpers of pure want as Pepper thoroughly plundered her mouth.

Meanwhile, Tony had deftly unhooked May's lovely black lace bra and peeled it away, finally exposing her full, flushed breasts to his hungry gaze. He wasted no time burying his face between the soft mounds, licking and sucking at her rapidly stiffening nipples until she was squirming shamelessly against him, desperate for more exquisite friction.

"So responsive," he rumbled in that gravelly tone that made her insides quiver. "God, I've missed this gorgeous body of yours, May..."

Pepper trailed her perfectly manicured crimson nails down May's torso with feather-light touches, hooking her thumbs into the waistband of May's black lace panties. With one deft tug, she stripped away her last shred of clothing, leaving her completely nude and flushed with arousal between her ravenous former lovers.

"My turn to unwrap my new toy," Pepper purred in that low, sultry tone.

Moving with the lithe grace of a dancer, she quickly dispensed with Tony's belt and zipper, pushing the restrictive fabric aside. Soon he was as gloriously naked as they were, his thick impressive length already standing upright and flushed, straining for attention. May whimpered hungrily at the sight, unconsciously licking her lips as vivid flashes of that unbelievable night so long ago rushed through her mind's eye.

This was really happening again. And this time, May was finally going to get every salaciously wicked thing she had been craving on the most primal level for over two decades now.

With her heart pounding thunderously in her ears, May pushed a surprised Pepper back against the pillows, straddling those endlessly long legs and grinding her own copious wetness against the smooth, flexing muscles of Pepper's thighs. Their mouths collided in an explosive, open-mouthed kiss as May's fingers deftly unhooked and threw the redhead’s crimson lace bra away and immediately found the lace edge of her crimson thong. She pulled it off impatiently and threw it away as well, baring her glistening sex to the shockingly cool air.

"I need this..." she moaned shamelessly against Pepper's swollen lips, the mingling scents of their aroused bodies hanging thick and musky in the air. "Both of you... all over again... Please, fuck..."

She gasped in blissful relief as Tony's rough, calloused hands grasped her hips in a punishingly tight grip, pulling her up and positioning the engorged head of his rigid cock at her achingly empty entrance from behind. Both women moaned out loud as their sensitive, engorged nubs stroked each other. Pepper reached between their bodies to stroke her slick, throbbing folds teasingly with dexterous fingers and May nearly came undone right then and there.

Tony rubbed the thick, bulbous head of his prick against her slick, hot entrance and with one forceful thrust, he filled her utterly to the hilt, stretching her tight velvet walls deliciously wide around his impressive length. May cried out shamelessly from the overwhelming fullness, throwing her head back as she was finally, blissfully impaled by her former lover. Her other lover quickly pulled her in a searing kiss and May reciprocated wholeheartedly, their tongues rolling around lewdly as they caressed each other intimately.

The fevered, half-remembered dreams she had shamefully harbored for over twenty years were now indescribable reality once more, and this time, there would be no walking from the breathtaking pleasure when it finally, inevitably reached its peak.

XXXXX

May lay utterly sated between Tony and Pepper's spent bodies, trying to catch her ragged breath as waves of blissful afterglow washed over her in warm pulses. She felt deliciously sore in all the most exquisite places, the pulses being physical reminders of the wild, uninhibited passion they had just shared after remaining apart for far too long.

"God... that was even better than I remembered from our last time," she murmured, her voice emerging in a low, spent rasp. May made no move to draw the tangled bed sheet up over her glistening, naked form, any self-consciousness dissipating in the aftermath of their newly re-established intimacy.

Pepper rolled onto her side, draping one toned arm possessively across May's midsection and stroking her thumb in lazy circles against the swell of her hip.

"Mmm, you can definitely say that again. I could easily get used to keeping you around as our permanent plaything," the redhead purred, that mischievous gleam dancing in her green eyes.

May shivered involuntarily at the blatant insinuation, heat prickling along her skin, but she didn't protest. After pining for this incredible release for over two decades, she was hardly ready for it to be over so soon. Not when it felt so indescribably good to have these two forces of nature overwhelming her senses again.

Tony placed a series of tender, scratchy kisses along May's sweat-slicked shoulder and neck as he kept his arm draped over both the women, resting flush against the brunette’s sweat-slicked back and making her eyelids flutter closed briefly.

"As tempting as that sinful idea is, Pepper, we've got a multi-billion dollar international company to keep running, remember?" he murmured against May’s salty skin. "As much as I'd selfishly love to retire early and make May here our full-time distraction… but I’m sure we can arrange for more… satisfying sessions whenever any of us want."

May and Pepper grinned at each other as they shared another soft kiss. They both could get behind the idea.

They lay in comfortable, satiated silence for a few languid moments, letting their harsh breaths even out and the glorious haze settle. Finally, Tony cleared his throat, the sound oddly loud in the quiet bedroom.

"So listen, May... I actually have a bit of a confession to make about how we came across you and decided to visit after all this time," he began, propping himself up on one toned forearm.

She felt her brow furrow slightly as she glanced over her shoulder at the billionaire's ruggedly handsome face. Tony's expression was unreadable behind those expensive glasses he seemed to always be wearing.

"Oh? Do tell, I'm listening," she replied, curiosity piqued.

"Well, you see, I've taken ...a particular interest in your nephew, Peter Parker, over the past few months. The kid is an absolute genius, if you can believe it. Skills and abilities light years beyond his age. He's got it all."

May felt an immense swelling of pride and joy bloom in her chest at Tony's praise of her beloved boy. Of course her brilliant, wonderful Peter had managed to catch the great Tony Stark's attention through his incredible talents and mind. Just thinking about his achievements brought a doting smile to her lips.

"He really is an amazing kid," she said simply, swiping away a rogue tear before it could fall. "I raised him after his parents, my husband's brother and his wife, passed away unexpectedly in a car crash. It wasn't always easy doing it alone, but Peter was worth every second of the struggle. He's my entire world."

Tony nodded slowly, his expression one of understanding and what May thought might be reluctant awe.

"I can only imagine how difficult that must have been, being a mother essentially to a child who lost his parents at such a young age," he said gruffly. "Anyway, when I was... looking into bright young recruits for my research program recently, Peter's name came up over and over again. I figured any relative of his was maybe someone I should make an effort to keep closer ties with."

She noted how Tony seemed to hesitate slightly on the details, as if there was more to the story he wasn't comfortable sharing — potentially serious, classified information. But May decided against prying for now. She trusted Tony had his reasons, just as she wholeheartedly placed her trust in Peter and the good man she had raised him to be.

"Well, you don't have to convince me about how special and capable my Peter is," she chuckled, the sound tinged with only the slightest tremor of lingering melancholy over her orphaned nephew's tragic circumstances.

Wrapping her arms securely around Pepper's nude waist, May sighed contentedly, soaking in the warmth radiating from their entwined bodies and the feeling of being so deliciously spent.

"I don't know what you've got planned where Peter's concerned, Tony. But if you tell me he's destined for great things, important work that could really make a difference... then I have absolutely no doubt you're right."

“I gathered as much from what little I’ve come to know about him,” Tony chuckled. “He’s a gifted young man. Him and his girlfriend both.”

“Oh? You know Gwen as well?”

“Team leader as Oscorp. Even if they’re sort of rivals in the tech industry, I can appreciate capable brains,” Tony replied. “She’s been shortlisted as well.”

Before May could reply, she was interrupted by the doorbell as it rang. She shot up, out of Pepper’s embrace as she gazed at the clock. Her eyes widened when she saw the time.

“Holy shit, it’s that late already!?” She exclaimed and shot out of the bed, quickly grabbing her clothes. She started getting redressed frantically and urged them to follow suit.

“What’s got you in such a hurry?” Tony asked with a chuckle as he leisurely put his clothes on. May hurried out and rushed back in within seconds, her arms full of clothes that she dumped on the bed.

“Peter and Gwen are here,” she hissed.

“Oh,” Tony said dumbly. “I guess it’d be awkward to explain why you’ve got the two of us here, naked in your bedroom?”

“I guess you could say that,” a voice remarked dryly from outside the closed door, effectively shutting him up. Tony’s eyes widened as he gazed at both May and Pepper, the former who looked resigned while the latter merely shook her head in exasperation.

“Well, cat’s out of the bag now, I guess,” Tony replied just as May put the final bits of her clothes on and hurriedly exited the room, shutting the door behind her.

The brunette turned toward her nephew and his girlfriend who were staring at her with their lips pursed.

“W-We can explain,” she stammered, glancing behind herself at the closed door before she took Peter’s hand and pulled him with her to the living room. Gwen followed steadily behind them and took her seat beside her boyfriend who was made to sit down on the couch by his aunt.

Releasing a deep breath, May walked over and took her seat as well, regarding the young couple with hesitant eyes.

“I’m sure you’ve got a lot of questions right now,” she began.

“Oh? What gave you the idea?” Peter asked sarcastically, earning himself a sharp poke on the waist from his girlfriend. “Ow!”

May sighed as she gazed at her nephew who was rubbing the spot on his waist and was about to speak up again when the door to her bedroom opened and Tony walked toward them without a care in the world with Pepper following behind him with an exasperated look on her face.

“Alright, Parker? Why don’t we discuss this over dinner? Come on, my treat.”

Peter barely heard anything though. His eyes were affixed on Pepper who stood beside Tony, her eyes trained firmly on May. Beside him, Gwen was the same. The couple gazed at the two newcomers with their mouths hung open and their eyes disbelievingly wide. They did not fail to notice how all their clothes were askew, with creases all over, and how disheveled they all looked.

“Parker?” Tony pressed again, jolting both Peter and Gwen out of their gobsmacked staring sessions. The two youngsters jerked, their wide eyes coming to fix on Tony who smiled. “Dinner? My treat. Let’s go.”

Tony led the way, leaving Pepper to being May with her. The latter gazed at her nephew nervously as he sat on the couch with his girlfriend, his expression one of sheer disbelief.

XXXXX

It was almost an hour later that found the group seated in a private room of one of the finest restaurants in Queens. Peter and Gwen were still clad in their casuals while the others had had a change in attire. En route, Tony had made a pitstop, gone in with Pepper and May while the young couple waited, and the threesome emerged from the store after a few minutes, clad in new suits and dresses.

They patiently explained to Peter and Gwen about the past they shared and how today came about, and all Peter could do was sigh at the end of it all. Gwen laid a supportive hand on his arm as she gave May an awkward smile.

"So let me get this straight," Peter finally managed. "You two are together..." he gestured between Tony and Pepper, "And my aunt May... you all..."

"Were very close friends who enjoyed each other's company immensely? Yes," Pepper supplied with a perfectly arched eyebrow.

May's cheeks flushed scarlet as she avoided making eye contact with her nephew or his girlfriend. She twisted her hands anxiously in her lap.

"Listen, Peter, I know this seems crazy, but you have to understand, it was a long time ago when I was young and... well, exploring my sexuality more openly," she tried to explain. "Before I met your uncle, before any of you were even born!"

Tony draped an arm casually around Pepper's shoulders. "No need to feel awkward, kid. What we have is something most people wouldn't understand. An epic level of friendship and trust."

"And clearly an epic lack of inhibitions," Gwen muttered before she could stop herself. Pepper stifled a laugh behind her hand.

Peter blew out a long breath, raking a hand through his hair as he processed everything. Finally, he let out a sigh and cracked a small smile. "Okay... sure, I mean, you're all adults, Consenting adults, and I'm not here to judge how you have fun."

May's cheeks flushed, but she managed an abashed shrug. Gwen tried and failed to stifle a laugh behind her hand.

"I know it's... unconventional to say the least," May admitted. "But you two have to understand, Tony, Pepper and I go way back to a more free-spirited time in my youth."

Pepper looped an arm casually around Tony's waist. "We always did have a rather epic level of friendship, as I'm sure you can tell."

"Among other things," Tony added with a roguish wink at May that made her blush deepen.

Peter considered them for a long moment before his expression softened. "Listen, Aunt May... After everything you've been through with losing Uncle Ben, I'm just glad you have people in your life who can make you happy again. Really truly happy."

He reached out and took his aunt’s hand, giving it a soft, affectionate squeeze. "You deserve that more than anyone after all the sacrifices you made raising me. So if special friends like Mr. Stark and Miss Potts are what it takes..." Peter shrugged, leaving the rest unsaid.

May blinked back sudden tears, overwhelmed by her nephew's loving understanding and maturity. "Oh Peter... Thank you, sweetheart. That means everything to me."

Gwen looped her arm through Peter's with a warm smile. "We're just happy if you're happy, Mrs. Parker. Although I do believe you should give us a little more warning before we... walk in on anything too personal!"

The whole group broke into laughter at that, the lingering tension dissolving. Tony threw an arm around each of the women sitting on either side of him, pulling them close.

“Now that we’re done with the chatter, let’s start eating now, shall we? I don’t know about you guys, but I’m freaking starving right now.”

“No wonder,” Gwen blurted out before she could stop herself once again. Tony chuckled as he gazed at her while everyone else snorted.

To be continued…