Archive of Our Own

Peter would never forget the color of the waiting room walls on his twelfth birthday.

A sickly green, the kind of green that was wrongly meant to soothe bratty children. The room was filled with bright colored paintings and plastic toys in the corner, things he wouldn't have been interested in even if he had been feeling good. It smelt like a mixture of baby powder and some kind of laundry detergent, stagnant and sweet in the air.

The amalgamation of scents and colors only served to make Peter's head ache worse. His stomach roiled in pain as if he was on the worlds longest rollercoaster.

He remembered clutching his palms onto his forehead, begging silently for relief from the horrible feeling that sunk deep into his bones. He had only wanted to go to sleep, he had a field trip the next day and he'd been so excited because it lined up perfectly with his birthday. They were going to a museum up-state, one he'd never been to and he'd get to celebrate with May when he got home. He was so excited that he hadn't been able to sleep and then....then it all started.

God, he'd probably never be able to forget every single horrible detail of that night.

Peter remembered his twelfth birthday with startling clarity because it had been the worst birthday of his entire life, thus far. Which was saying a lot.

He could even recall how kind his doctor had been, an unexpected pleasant presence surrounding....his circumstances. His doctor had really tried his best to soften the blow but....it was a blow nonetheless.

"He's not...." The doctors polite nature and disposition hadn't been able to mask the odd tone of his voice, like he had been reading someone's death certificate. Only Peter hadn't been on his death bed.

"Peter isn't like the other kids."

He had told May that, with no small grimace of sympathy.

Peter isn't like the other kids.

Peter is different.

Peter is a freak.

It didn't matter how nice the man was or what he said after that, it was like waiting on something you already inherently knew. Even though there was no possible way for Peter or May to....know this. They never could have even fathomed that he wouldn't present like his peers, that his life would only get more messy and complicated.

One in a million children were born with split cell traits. It was so rare that they didn't even have support groups for it, much less any research into the phenomenon. May had spent years looking, much to Peter's growing annoyance and....people didn't really like to talk about it. So, Peter didn't really want to talk about it either. What good would talking do them?

He had spent the first twelve years of his life thinking he would present Omega. It wasn't a startling idea. There was truly nothing about Peter that rang Alpha. His body was always small and slender, his temperament calm and level, his actions soft and kind and...

None of it even mattered.

Because when all the other kids began presenting, Peter got sick. He woke on his twelfth birthday, vomiting violently, his body on fire in the worst way. His fever raged and his limbs shook with suppressed pain. May had taken him to an emergency room immediately, her worry only making his anxiety worse.

They had looked at him with sympathy and no small amount of alarm and as young as he was, he could remember thinking, "This is it. This is why I don't fit in."

He had known there was something wrong and he was sure May had known too.

Because Peter wasn't an Omega. He wasn't an Alpha either. He wasn't even a Beta.

Peter's cells had been spliced at birth, creating a morbid hybrid between Beta and Omega.

A freak of nature. A rare breed.

"It's unlikely that Peter will ever experience a heat in the....normal way," The doctor had said uncomfortably. "He'll experience a lot of pain and irregularity. He doesn't have the same reproductive cells that an Omega would have but he does have enough to have a negative affect on his hormones."

He had known what the man had meant.

For all intents in purposes, Peter thought like an Omega. Looked like an Omega. But he'd never actually be one. He'd never have children.

At the time, he had been so angry and vindictive that he thought okay, fine. He didn't want to have kids, who actually wanted kids? He had all of his life ahead of him and had too many plans to be held back by children. It's hard to look into the future at an age so young.

But things change as you age.

As he grew older, the burn weighed on his mind heavily.

What use was he? If he couldn't have kids? What use was he, to an Alpha? He had spent his teenage years hoping that maybe he would meet a nice Beta who wouldn't care that he was maybe a bit softer than his peers. It wasn't uncommon for Betas to date Omegas and Alphas, afterall.

But there was something about him, something caused by the mutation that...made Peter completely undesirable. He wasn't scentless like a Beta, as they had always assumed he would be. But he also didn't carry the pleasant, sweet scent of an Omega.

A boy in school had once told Peter that he smelt like burnt sugar, like a ruined carnival treat. It's why the other kids stayed so far away from him. His only friend throughout school had been Ned, who had such bad allergies that he had to be on scent blockers. He couldn't smell Peter, so it never bothered him. Ned had been his one saving grace through the hellish landscape of his formative years.

They had tried everything, different colognes meant for scent-blocking, pills, any medicine they could get their hands on to stop the up-turned noses of those around him. None of their methods worked. Peter was just stuck smelling like a sweetened house fire, as absurd as the idea sounded.

May always quietly (or not so quietly) hoped that he would find a sweet Beta who would treat him well. But Peter knew they would rather go for one of their own as soon as they figured out his secret.

And besides, Peter didn't want to be with a Beta. Not that he hadn't met several wonderful Betas but....He wanted an Alpha. He knew this, deep down in the darkest pits of his mind.

Every piece of him wanted an Alpha who would understand him and protect him and care for him in a way that no one else could. But he couldn't have that.

He couldn't even have a heat, as useless as he was. His "heats" weren't at all like his peers. No, he had never....he'd never gotten wet, even. Even acknowledging this fact was both embarrassing and shameful for him. He didn't like ruminating on his lack of genetic normality.

But his heats.....they were often awful.

He would typically spend a week or more, writhing in horrific pain as his insides tried to rearrange impossibly. Trying valiantly to mimic reproductive organs that Peter did not possess. They couldn't. Peter was useless.

He'd accepted it a long time ago, when he'd once caught May cover her nose after one of his week long stints hiding in his room during a heat. His scent had clearly become worse over time and the lack of showering certainly hadn't helped. She would never say anything mean to him, Peter knew that. But having lost her mate only made her more susceptible to his smell and....he knew he was disgusting. He knew it and he had confirmation that one of the most important people in his life knew it too.

He just had to accept it. But acceptance is hard.

He had always wished he could relate to the other Omegas at school. They were treated badly, sexism working its way into all aspects of their lives. But Peter could only relate to the leers thrown his way. He might have looked like an Omega from afar but everyone knew something was different about him, something was wrong.

So, life had been hell for Peter since his twelfth birthday. He had struggled and struggled and...

He never found anything to rid himself of this horrible burden.

Until he went to college, that is.

--

Peter's drug of choice had a street name. It was simply called O.

Omegafixalin. A pill form drug crafted on the backstreets of New York that would probably get you about 20 years in prison for selling, maybe only a five year stint for using. That was if they didn't send you to court ordered rehab before that.

Peter wasn't addicted to it. No, he'd been using for three years now but he felt no real chemical dependence on the drug. A mental dependence, sure. But that wasn't actual addiction, at least in his mind.

It certainly made his life a lot easier, though. To him, it was worth the risk.

He needed his fix to be able to get through the day, his job practically called for it.

O did what no other medicine or blocker could do for Peter. It controlled his heats, kept his scent at bay....The only thing it didn't do was mimic Omega biology. To the outside world, he smelt like a sweet Omega who was already mated. The dealers never asked why he wanted the mating scent mimic, probably assuming he just wanted Alphas to leave him alone.

Which was true. But not out of choice. Peter had experienced enough pain and bullying in school for not being like everyone else, he couldn't sacrifice his career for it too. It wasn't fair and he wouldn't have it, not anymore.

He'd had to up his dosage over the last six months and it wasn't cheap. But at least he had a good internship, a paid one this time. He'd been working as one of Tony Stark's many lab assistants.

He'd only gotten the job because he'd managed to hack his medical records and change his second gender to Omega. It was highly illegal and if anyone found out, he'd be thrown away in a second. But he had to do it, he had no other choice. They'd never have hired him if they knew, they had been one of the first big corporations to officially hire Omegas over a decade ago but...that didn't mean anything for people like him. Medical anomalies, as they liked to call them. He wasn't worth the risk to such a big company.

Still, the matter of money made Peter's life just a little bit harder.

Not to mention, the drug wasn't without its many symptoms. Irrational emotions, like sadness and anger. Tender joints (including sometimes swelling in the scent gland and nipples, which Peter really didn't want to talk about), at times vomiting and general shakiness, dizziness.

Peter often felt his symptoms when....he didn't like to call it withdrawal. It wasn't. He didn't need to keep taking O, he just had to. For the sake of his job, for the sake of his barely normal life. He'd already accepted the fact that he'd never be able to date, not really. Hell, he'd probably die a virgin. But what did it matter? He was an oddity and not even the kind that could be fetishized, not that that was a good thing but....Peter sometimes dreamed about being wanted, being craved.

No, he just wasn't meant for that life.

—

The first time Mr. Stark says something weird to him, he's late to work.

Peter had spent the night before desperately trying to find a dose of O. His usual dealer had high tailed out of town, under warrant for arrest, and Peter didn't know who else to go to. He'd had to make several awkward calls and one trip to a seedy nightclub in downtown and...he hadn't liked it. He'd had enough of his pills that his scent wasn't an issue but he knew he was starting to smell just a tiny bit.

Thankfully he had found the suspicious looking guy that he'd been recommended and managed to get his usual dose. He just had to hope the guy wasn't a cop but....Peter usually knew when they were. It wasn't that common of an occurrence because scent mimicking street drugs were unfortunately (or fortunately for Peter) on the rise and harder to keep track of. They weren't able to catch all the dealers and users. In Peter's own mind, the rewards far outweighed the risks.

He'd taken his regular amount early Monday morning (it'd taken ages to find the fucker) and he'd had to hope that it would work on such short notice. Usually you needed a few hours for the chemicals to sink in, change your scent enough but...it'd have to do. He couldn't miss another day of work.

No one on the subway had looked sideways at him, no upturned noses. No glares. So he'd assumed things were fine.

Until Mr. Stark showed up.

He wasn't on rotation with Peter's group of interns this week, so he hadn't expected to even see his boss around the tower.

Peter was so shocked to see him up sidle up beside him, Dr. Banner trailing along behind him and talking to the other interns, that Peter had promptly dropped the research files he'd been holding. Mr. Stark just had that kind of effect. Retired or not, he was still Iron Man.

His papers spread across the floor and Peter's hands shook as he dropped to his knees, frantically trying to gather up his mess.

"Uh- hi, Mr. Stark, sir! Sorry about that, you just surprised me!" His voice came out chirpy and high pitched enough that he felt himself wince in embarrassment.

"Here, let me-" The older man said but Peter wasn't listening.

Stark dropped down beside him, a startling gesture on its own, and helped him gather up the remaining papers that littered the floor of his work station.

"Oh, you don't have to-" Peter tried to stop him but Stark waved a hand dismissively.

"It's no problem, shouldn't have snuck up on you like-" Mr. Stark broke off abruptly as he stuck papers out to Peter. His eyes were intensely focused on Peter's neck and the younger man felt his defenses rise, paranoia setting in. "-like that. Parker, what's going on with your gland?"

Peter's face went bright red. Oh god, he wasn't having an allergic reaction, was he? And Stark so casually mentioning his gland only furthered his discomfort. It wasn't something people liked to talk about in public, such an intimate feature of mating.

"Um....what? Nothing," Peter laughed awkwardly, shuffling his papers and getting ready to stand up. A hand clamping down against his neck made him stop. A shiver wracked through his body at the point of contact, shaking him to his core. Peter felt like his skin was being licked by flames, his face surely bright red. What was happening? Another side effect he didn't know about?

Mr. Stark stroked his thumb over the gland, barely swollen under the skin where his neck and shoulder met. Peter knew he should have worn a shirt that covered it better but....he couldn't focus. Not with....with that weird feeling. His eyes felt suddenly heavy and he was glad they were crouched behind his desk.

"Looks pretty swollen, red as hell. You in a fight with your Alpha or somethin'?"

Peter gulped as the older man stared at him, expression blank. He knew he was treading unknown territory. Stark didn't sound accusatory but.....he didn't sound stupid either. There were always different reasons for gland swelling or irritation and....stress could be one of them.

"I'm....yea, we got into it. Last night. Um....he was just....I got home late, you know," He expected Stark to drop it then, maybe for him to look falsely sympathetic.

He didn't expect the older mans eyes to narrow in on his own, inscrutable and shrewd as he handed over the last of Peter's papers.

"You should use a stark pad, less paper trail that way." He said, standing up and offering a hand to Peter. The younger man was temporarily thrown off by the change of subject.

"Oh...I uh, they're expensive," Peter winced at his confession, laying his folder down on the counter and suddenly wishing he hadn't. He wiped his sweaty palms on his thighs, a move that didn't go unnoticed by Mr. Stark. "So I just figured I would...uh....save money where I can. Student debt and...all that."

His face was burning and he wished the floor would swallow him whole. Stark only stared at him with the same narrowed eyes, expression contemplative and cool.

"Alright," He said dismissively. "I'll have one sent to you by tomorrow, free of charge. We're living in a new age, Parker. I'd rather my interns not lose all our information on paper."

Peter was nodding along dumbly, unable to speak at the power the Alpha emanated. No one even looked over at them, probably too nervous to meet Stark's eye. Peter was barely surviving it as it were.

"That's....okay, thank you. Sir. Thank you, Mr. Stark, sir." Oh wow, Peter meet ground. Ground meet Peter. He needed to learn how to shut up.

Stark nodded and went to turn away but stopped at the last second, glancing at Peter's neck once again.

"You should have that looked at, Parker. Or cover it up before anyone gets....suspicious."

With that, he walked away and left Peter a nervous wreck, staring after him listlessly.

—

Peter couldn't be sure that Mr. Stark knew anything about his....true nature. No, he surely couldn't know because Peter couldn't be scented as anything other than a mated Omega. It didn't matter how shrewd Stark was, how much of a genius he might be. Even he wasn't capable of reading Peter's mind.

Thank god he couldn't because Peter had been having a hell of a time since their little encounter.

For the first time in his 22 years of life, Peter Parker was completely thrown off course.

He had felt something when Stark had touched his gland. Something he had never felt, never been able to feel. It had felt like a sickening bolt of lightning, like the downward swoop of a rollercoaster. Peter couldn't get it off his mind and....he was afraid, to say the least. What if this was another symptom he wasn't aware of? He'd gotten so used to his usual pattern, his every day life, that he hadn't expected to be thrown off course.

And it made no sense at all. It was almost....almost like what people described. Their inner Omega, singing out at the sight of their mate but....no, that was completely idiotic. For one, Peter wasn't an Omega. He was nothing. He was the void of gender. And two....Tony Stark was so far out of his league. The man was in a league of his own and.....yeah, Peter wasn't under any illusions. It would be fine. He was just imagining things.

And anyway, he couldn't let any of this get in the way of his life. He was too busy to be distracted. He'd finally gotten his dosage of O and maybe he wouldn't be able to eat much for the next two weeks but at least he could get to work on time and not have to use any of his ever important sick days.

He really did love his job. They liked to sheoard all the interns around to different departments every few passing weeks, so as to keep the place in heavy rotation.

For that reason, Peter didn't always get to work with Mr. Stark all that often. But he was working with him this week, creating a poly-skin hybrid that might be used in the medical field to aid burn victims and the like. It was something that Peter felt immensely passionate about, a little bit of his Omega nature coming to the surface at any hint of caring for others.

Maybe in another life he would have become a nurse or a doctor or...

It wasn't a good idea to dwell on those ideas, though. And besides, if he didn't leave soon he'd be late for work.

--

Peter was no longer excited to be working in Mr. Stark's lab. Mainly because before, Peter could fly under the radar and not be noticed. Just a squirrely little nerdy kid, dedicated to his job and not keen to step on too many toes. That was before Stark had become suspicious of him.

It had only a few days for Peter to realize his boss was watching him. And rather closely too. Peter tried to push it to the side, maybe he was just worried about the frazzled state Peter so often presented himself in. Or maybe he didn't want any legal issues to deal with and Peter was starting to look like a threat to the company.

Either way, Peter wasn't stupid. He was pretty intelligent actually, despite his astounding lack of common sense. So he knew that Stark knew that something was up with him.

Peter would have preferred no confrontation about the matter but.....he so rarely gets why he wants.

When Peter arrived at Stark Tower, things were going smoothly. He felt much better after a few days of renewed O and his brain wasn't as foggy anymore. His joints still hurt a little bit and the fire in his belly hadn't completely faded but given a few days (and a few more doses) he'd be perfectly fine again. Or well, as close as could ever get to fine.

He'd gotten to work early, managed to even get a coffee on his way. A much needed expense due to the absolute lack of sleep he had lost to research last night and the night before. And probably the night before that.

No one looked at him twice, he was just like any other intern in the building. So, he knew and trusted that his dose had worked and sighed in relief.

Until he finally arrived in the research lab, that is.

Mr. Stark was seated right next to....next to Peter's usual work station. Which was a little odd as it was much smaller than the usual one he used in this room. It didn't have nearly as much space for him to work with. Odd.

But Peter had brushed off his paranoid thoughts, soldiering forward so as to not look as scared as he felt.

"Ah, Mr. Parker. Good to see you on time for once," Stark joked as Peter sat his bag down on the floor next to his stool, leaning down to retrieve the tablet he had gotten in the mail a few days previous. It really had been very helpful. Peter knew the man was joking by his tone of voice but it still made his palms sweat all the same.

He felt painfully self aware and nervous.

"Haha," He winced at the awkward intonation, earning a smirk as the older man turned his full attention to him. Holo plans floated around above his work station, schematics that Peter would have been way more interested in if he didn't have the full attention of the scientist himself. His heart beat off kilter and...okay, wow. That was different. Well, not entirely but...it definitely wasn't the same shit-myself-out-of-fear feelings he usually felt around his superiors.

"Um, Thanks so much for, for the tablet," He squeaked out, once again trying to contain the wince of regret as he tried to avoid eye contact with his boss. God, why did he have to be so disarming with his attention? "It's been really helpful."

Stark smiled then, a wide tilt of his lips that had Peter's eyes flitting away again.

"You're welcome, every employee of mine needs one. Makes everyone's job a little bit easier." He said kindly. "Now, I've got something to show you."

Peter rushed to sit down, almost upending his stool in his hurry. He plainly ignored the snort Stark let out and turned toward the other man.

"You're too far away-" Stark said with a sigh, reaching a hand downward and tugging on the rungs until Peter's seat slid across the floor easily, leaving him to rest within inches from Mr. Stark.

He could....he could smell his cologne. He could feel the heat coming off the older mans skin, even through the sweater and labcoat he wore. Peter gulped down the feeling, his mind already settling into a deep panic because he'd never even really noticed these things about anybody else.

And then it hit him as Stark began to run his fingers through the air, switching and moving different tables of data and explaining them to him in a soft voice.

He could smell Mr. Stark.

Not his cologne. No. No, this wasn't an artificial scent. This was...this was an Alpha scent. Something deep and dark, like rich wood and smoke. Something like honey but not as sweet.

Peter's mouth watered and he gulped back the feeling, embarrassed at the sudden onslaught. But...but that couldn't be right. No, he was imagining it. Peter had never really been able to scent an Alpha. Sure, he'd smelt them before in a vague sort of way but it had never seemed nice....or...or appealing, in the way that Mr. Stark smelt. This wasn't normal. He'd never experienced anything like this.

Peter's heart and belly clenched painfully, a pitiful whine leaving his throat before he could stop it. He just- he had to-

"-And that's why-" Mr. Stark stopped mid-sentence, halting so suddenly that his mouth hung agape. He stared at Peter and oh no, Peter could almost count his fucking eyelashes from this far away. Surely this wasn't professional, being this close to his boss in this public of a setting?

"Peter, are you okay?" He almost whined again at the concerned emphasis the older man used. Not to mention he'd used his first name. Which...Peter hadn't even known his boss knew his first name. "You don't look so good, kid."

He felt oddly sweaty and nervous and oh god, he should probably just say something. The silence was stretching on for far too long.

"I'm uh...yeah, I'm fine. Sorry, probably didn't get enough sleep," The lie slipped from his mouth quickly, rehearsed and overused as it was. Stark's eyes narrowed the tiniest bit. His dark pupils roamed over Peter's face, tracing down his torso in a sweep that left the younger man feeling distinctly hot around the collar.

His eyes rested on Peter's gland, hidden by the high neck of his shirt.

"Another fight with your Alpha?" He asked, soft enough to keep any wandering ears from hearing him. But the way he asked the question was...odd. Like he was....surely he wasn't goading Peter. He looked challenging. His eyes were oddly hard but his voice was still so gentle. Peter felt light headed and confused.

"Um, well-"

Before he could finish whatever excuse he could think up, Mr. Stark has reached over and pulled at his shirt collar. Peter clamped down on a gasp as the older man thumbed at the less swollen gland, the pad of his thumb brushing over the skin in a tender way that left Peter's knees feeling weak. God, why did that feel so-?

"No," Mr. Stark said lowly, already pulling away and replacing the collar to its original position. Peter felt more confusion break through his gaze as Stark stared at him with an unreadable expression. "Because you'd have to have an Alpha to have one to fight with, wouldn't you?"

Alarm bells rang inside Peter's brain, the blaring white noise blurring out all the other noises of people working in the lab.

No. No. How could he- why would he know? He couldn't know. No one knew. Peter was assured that his dosage was good and you couldn't smell him and- and-

"I don't...but, I do have- I have an Alpha..why would I....?" His voice came out like a wisp of air, his lungs constricting painfully as he stared wide eyed at the older man. "You can tell I- I have one, so-"

He was going to hyperventilate.

"Hey, hey," Mr. Stark's voice sounded close to him but Peter could hardly see past his panic. How could he let someone figure out his secret? Had he figured it out? Or was he just suspicious? "Pete, I need you to take a deep breathe. You're okay, it's alright. You're in the lab and it's fine."

He gasped for thin trails of air like a dying man. He was vaguely aware of his boss politely gesturing to other members of the team, probably keeping them from approaching him as he took him by the shoulder and steered him out of the lab.

Peter walked with legs so shaky, he felt he probably would have fallen had Mr. Stark not been such a strong presence at his back.

And God, Peter could still smell him.

He led the younger man into a small office. It looked mostly unused, clean and tidy with a small desk and some filing cabinets.

He stood awkwardly beside the desk, his palms sweating and heart racing as his breathing began to calm down. Now, a colder panic settled into his chest as Mr. Stark locked the office door and leaned against it, arms crossed.

"You wanna tell me what all that was about back there?" He asked, voice level and unreadable.

"I don't know- I dunno what you're talking about," His mouth was so dry and Mr. Stark looked so stern and serious, his eyebrows drawn down. Peter wasn't used to his boss looking at him that way. It made shake crawl hot through his belly.

"I think it'd be in your best interest if you stopped lying," Stark said. "If something's going on, you can tell me."

"It's not- I'm fine! I was telling the truth, I swear!" He tried to sound as honest as possible but his voice shook and dizziness was overriding his brain.

"Parker. Cut the bullshit. I'm not an idiot, I'm actually a genius," Peter gulped as the older man stared at him. "I noticed something was off about your gland and scent. I thought at first...maybe you were just getting too much attention from the Alphas around here but I've been noticing something....off about you lately. You've been erratic."

Peter tried to contain the flinch before it left his body. Off. Weird. Strange. Erratic. He felt so sick suddenly, the shameful feeling spreading into his throat and clogging it up.

Stark's eyes narrowed in on his face, tracing over his features as if he could possibly read his mind. Even the idea made Peter shudder.

Peter didn't know what to do. He needed- he needed to talk, he needed to beg for forgiveness. The jig was up and Mr. Stark knew his biggest secret and he couldn't afford to get fired, not from a job like this. There was no way Stark didn't know, not with the cold and collected way he gazed at Peter.

"Please don't fire me, Mr. Stark.. Please don't report me, I'll-I'll do anything! You're rich, right? So- so, you probably have...rich friends and I'm- I'm sure one of them might want like, a companion and I know- most people don't want...someone like me but maybe and- and I'll do it. I'd do it just please, please don't-"

"What? What are you even-? Stop," Mr. Stark cut off his anxious rambling with a stern voice. "Are you trying to prostitute yourself out for my silence? And not even to me but to...to one of my friends? Why are you even begging for forgiveness?"

Stark sounded genuinely confused and a little mad, the edge in his voice enough to make Peter gulp in fear. The Alpha tone that seeped through made the hairs on his arms stand on end, another reaction he'd never felt before.

"I....I don't know?" Peter asked, hands gripping his own hair wildly as he tried desperately to think of a way out of this situation. God, how could he be so stupid? "I just...I don't want....please, please don't report me. I don't wanna go to jail or...or rehab. They'll....they're not nice to....to people like me."

Tony's eyebrows furrowed, a look of sternness passing over his features. Peter had never seen the other man looked more flabbergasted. But surely-

"Jail? Rehab? People like you?" He asked quietly and god. No. He was going to make Peter say it. "What are you- What do you mean?"

Peter felt tears prick his eyes, his hands falling weakly to his sides and hanging there limply in defeat. Whatever. He could lose his job and ruin his career but he wasn't about to look Mr. Stark in the eye while he said it.

"You....please, don't make me say it. What? Did you...did you find my medicine?" Peter asked weakly. "Does anyone else know?"

"Know what, Peter?" He still sounded so confused and now Peter was confused and maybe he could get out of this. If Mr. Stark really didn't know, maybe- but no, slow recognition and understanding were registering in Stark's brown eyes.

Silence spread through the room, only broken by the wheezing sound of Peter trying to hold back tears.

"What are you taking?" Stark asked and Peter could feel the cold sound seep into his bones, chilling him to the core.

"It's not-"

"Answer me." He ground out. A tear trailed slowly down Peter's left cheek and he crossed his arms, clenching at his biceps with curled fingers. "What medicine are you taking and....what are you?"

"I'm...." Peter tried his best, his throat thick and clogged up. "An....inbetweener. A mix. A.....a freak of nature. Whatever you wanna call it. I take....um, I take O."

He couldn't look up. He didn't want to see disappointment on Mr. Stark's handsome, kind face. Not because of him.

"The street drug, you mean," His voice sounded rough and off kilter. He sounded oddly...angry. Peter tried not to whimper, despite the intense urge to do so as he listened to the Alpha growl at him. "How long have you been on it?"

He was thrown for a second, confused as to why Mr. Stark was asking.

"Um...three years, I think," He answered honestly, daring to look back at the older man and regretting his decision instantly. His face looked.....concentrated and controlled. Like he was on the precipice of shouting but was stopping himself for some reason. "On and off as I could....as I could afford it."

He wanted to wipe away the tear tracks that grazed his face but he also didn't want to call attention to them. He felt humiliated and tired.

"That's....Jesus christ, Parker. Do you know what that could do to your body?" His voice shook with barely concealed tension. Peter had never heard him sound so....out of control. So upset. He hated that it was because of him.

Peter rushed to assure him. "I'm fine, I promise I was keeping a close eye-"

"That's not the point!" Stark snapped, fully glaring even as Peter flinched back. Something in his tone was....it was so distinctively alpha that Peter felt a sudden urge to sink to the ground, bare his neck and beg for forgiveness. Which was....why was he even thinking that? He'd never...

"You can't just....O isn't safe, especially for three years in a row. Do you even know how lucky you are to be alive? How stupid it is to do something like that just so-"

"Just so I could live a normal life?"

More silence.

He watched as Mr. Stark deflated, the tension and anger leaving his body so quickly that Peter could witness it happening by the second.

He stared at him with renewed resolution, a tinge of pity lighting his handsome features. And....Peter really didn't want anyone's pity.

"I have to.....I have to take it, you have to understand that," Peter tried to keep the plea out of his voice but he felt stretched thin. "I wouldn't even have this job if I didn't...."

He trailed off, realizing he'd probably definitely said too much.

"How did you get this job exactly?" Stark asked with narrowed eyes. He didn't look angry now, mostly just curious. Peter still felt wary and over exposed. Dawning registered on Mr. Stark's face before Peter could uncomfortably answer his question. "You hacked it, didn't you? You changed your files."

Peter couldn't help but gape like a fish, ready to beg for even more forgiveness because.....was he just that easy to read? Or was Stark really that good?

"Uh....yes. But....I had to, otherwise they would never...." He left out the ending, figuring it spoke clearly enough.

"Right," Stark looked saddened now, not necessarily pitying but a little too close for Peter's comfort. "Inter community rules.....they're not fair."

You're telling me, he thought. He didn't bother saying it out loud. Stark cleared his throat awkwardly.

"Alright, well. I want to help you, obviously," Peter stared, dumbfounded as the mans demeanor changed into one of abrupt professionalism. "In exchange for a little....research. As it were, I've never really met anybody who was spliced, so I'd like to-"

"With all due respect," Peter bit out, fists clenching as his defenses rose. Of course. Stark wasn't merely being kind, no. He was a scientist first things first. "I'm not a science experiment."

Mr. Stark stopped talking and squinted at Peter.

"I wasn't implying that you are, Peter," He sounded honest and less excitable as he eyed the younger man. "Look. There are only so many spliced human beings out there. I have to imagine you have quite a different experience of....things"

Peter snorted as Stark continued.

"And not to mention, I reckon your dna has probably been warped by the amount of O you've taken in the past three years," Peter looked away uncomfortably at the suggestion. He didn't like to think about the possibilities. "These are things that.....no one has ever looked into, researched in any way. I'd like to do that. In exchange, maybe I can help you out."

"Help me out?" Peter echoed hollowly. Surely it couldn't be that easy. "How would we even....?"

"I could put you up in a secret part of Stark Tower. Very low key, you'd report to work there every day for....a few weeks. I think I'd need a few weeks."

Peter could feel himself nodding along numbly.

"But....but our research. That's why I'm here and-"

"And the research will be there when we get back to it," Stark reassured him. "Meanwhile, there's a whole slew of interns and Scientists who can briefly take our place."

Peter still felt.....suspicious, maybe? But he had no real reason to be, not with how open and honest Mr. Stark was being.

"One thing though and I don't think you'll like it very much," He watched with growing trepidation as the older man shuffled awkwardly. "I think you'll have to stay at quarters for a bit. If you're off O.....it won't be great for you to.....well, it'd be safer here."

Ah. Yeah, that part had slipped his mind. Of course he'd have to stop taking O. But then what about his apartment? What about talking to May and Ned? How would he be able to take care of any of his daily things if he was holed up at Stark Tower?

Would he have withdrawal symptoms?

"I'll keep your apartment paid for and cleaned, if you're worried about that. Use a cover story for your coworkers. You wouldn't be a prisoner here, either," Stark said, as if he could read the frantic look on Peter's worried face. "And.....look, Peter. I don't want to put you in an unsafe situation. I want to figure out a solution, something safer than O."

"Why?" Peter felt himself ask. Because.....yeah, why? Why would Stark want to spend so much of his time, trying to help Peter?

"Because I think you're a good kid," He said simply, shrugging. "And I don't want to see you die. Or worse."

Peter couldn't even wince at that, even he knew how true the words were.

—

Peter had felt.....trepidation as he packed earlier that morning, ready to take up a minor residence in Stark's quarters.

There was a smaller part of him that was excited to be so close to the older Alpha but....no, he wasn't about to focus on that part.

He still felt uncomfortable, knowing he was about to bare all to the scientist. But it was the only alternative that wouldn't get him put in a rehab facility. Stark hadn't exclusively said that's where he'd go if he didn't comply but....Peter had a feeling that's where he would end up.

It made his hackles rise a tiny bit but a smaller, stranger part of him was kind of....happy that someone was looking out for him. Peter tended to stray from emotion, therefore blocking himself from the people who were most important to him. For all May knew, for instance, Peter was fully healthy and happy and had a new hold on this whole...splicing thing.

He didn't want to worry her with the gory details of his life, so he kept them to himself.

Which, awkwardly enough, was what Mr. Stark was currently asking about.

"How does your Aunt feel about you taking street drugs?" He asked, an eyebrow quirked as Peter tried not to roll his eyes.

It was his first day in Stark Tower. He'd shown him his new room for the next few weeks (a beautiful, sprawling place with a huge bed and a view of the city below) and decided to do a quick questionnaire in the small kitchenette that connected to Peter's new quarters.

"I don't really see how that's scientific, sir," Peter snarked back, his previous fluttery feelings melting away at the invasive question.
"But if you must know....she doesn't know."

It shamed Peter to have to admit that but he was also mildly annoyed at the knowing look on Stark's face, so he continued on.

"Look, I know what I'm doing is wrong," He sighed, already feeling weary as Stark folded his hands politely on top of the kitchen table and listened. "But...what would you do, if you were like this?"

Silence spread throughout the kitchen, awkward as Stark kept staring at him. Fuck, Peter could hardly think straight with the scent invading his nostrils.

"Unfortunately, I'm not sure what 'like-this' entails, Peter. Widen my horizons a bit," He didn't sound unkind but he still made Peter so nervous. "What main issues have you been facing?"

Peter almost laughed at that. Yeah, people truly had no clue what splicing even was.

"My scent is.....it's pretty gross, honestly. You may want to get some surgical masks." He joked, trying to lighten the mood in the darkest way possible.

Stark frowned. "You smell fine to me." He said, confused. The word fine kind of stung a bit but it was better than disgusting.

"That's because the O hasn't worn off yet," Peter admitted, shrugging and looking away. "I normally smell like....burnt sugar. Like someone set candy out in the sun and it's somehow gone bad?"

He gulped uneasily, unwilling to look at Stark as he spoke.

"I don't...my heats aren't normal, either. They hurt really bad. They're....erratic and unpredictable. Sometimes they last a few days, sometimes weeks."

"But you do desire an Alpha when they happen?" Peter felt himself flush at the question, thankful his scent blockers were still working. It didn't matter that Mr. Stark has meant the question clinically....it still made Peter's hair stand on end.

"....well, yes," Peter spoke slowly, shifting in his chair. "But I don't....uh....things aren't the same.....down there." He grimaced at his words, risking a glance at the confused looking older man.

"You receive a small amount of penile pleasure? I thought that was fairly normal for Omegas, is it different when you're spliced?" Stark asked, ever the professional.

Peter went red, his face flaming up as he scrubbed his hands over his eyes.

"You could have said that in a less creepy way," He sniped softly, sighing as he gave in. "I mean....yeah, that part of me is Omega. I don't really masturbate? It doesn't do much for me, obviously. But also....I don't get wet?"

He phrased it like a question, too embarrassed to admit his own sexual dysfunction to the older man. He couldn't believe they were even talking about this.

".....You really never masturbate?" Stark sounded vaguely disturbed, eyebrows raised high when Peter looked at him shyly.

His eye twitched. Of course he would focus on that part.

"What's the point?" Peter asked, mortified enough that he couldn't stop talking if he wanted to. "I can't with....and I don't get...look, it just doesn't work out for me. I've tried. A lot, I might add and....it doesn't work, okay?"

He stammered and tried to not blush more but he felt so stupid and innocent, especially knowing Mr. Stark's past.

"Have you never heard of lube?" Stark asked crudely, like he was just opening Peter up to the world of sexual aids.

"Yes, I've heard of lube," Peter snapped, rolling his eyes. "That's....it doesn't work, I'm too....I'm too sensitive to touch down there, okay?"

Well, that got Stark to shut up quickly.

"....Oh," He said, squinting at Peter. "That's odd."

Peter squinted right back, face still red hot and silently seething at the awkward direction their conversation had taken.

"What's odd?" He asked, annoyance coloring his tone.

"Just....you would think the Beta part of you would take away any sensitivity, if you can't produce slick." Wow, he never wanted to hear Stark say the word slick again. "But the fact that you're extra sensitive suggests that maybe....maybe you just have a more intense reaction to typical Omega traits."

Peter frowned, forehead creasing as he thought about it. Maybe that was true, for some things. Peter did have intense pain during heats and was often over emotional....maybe he was right.

"How would you feel about doing some response therapy?" Stark asked, still calm despite the decidedly sexual turn to their conversation.

"What do you mean by response therapy?" Peter asked suspiciously. He had a feeling he already knew where the older man was going but...

"You totally don't have to if you don't want to," Stark said, putting up placating hands as if to ward Peter's nonexistent anger away. "I just think....a lot of it deals with your sexual traits, right? I think we need to have a better understanding of them. I can scan your DNA and genes all day but they'll only tell me so much."

He....had a point.

"You can't be in the room," He said, face stony as he crossed his arms. "If I do it, I wanna be alone. Okay?"

Stark nodded quickly, a little too innocent looking for Peter's taste.

"Obviously," He said kindly. "We'll hook you up to some screening devices and I'll leave you be. It's only an idea, after all. We can only implement it once your dosage wears off, anyway."

—

It took a few days for his dosage to fully wear off. Peter was well aware that it was fully gone because he had woke up early in the morning in severe pain, sweat pouring down his back.

Mr. Stark had given him a few days to "settle in" previously. He wasn't so sure he would ever be settled into such a nice place (especially knowing he was only a floor away from Stark's own penthouse) but he tried nonetheless. He'd spent the past two days updating May on his life (he lied and said he'd been specially chosen to help Stark with a specific project. It stung to lie to her so blatantly but she had been so excited and anyway, technically he had been chosen.) and talking to Ned. He'd even worked a little on the skin grafting project.

His boss kept the kitchen well stocked and had even told Peter that if he needed anything pre-made, he could just ask Friday for it.

He felt a little odd talking to an AI though, so he refrained.

Until this morning that is, when the cramping wouldn't let up even after an ungodly hot shower that almost made him pass out from dizziness.

He'd searched the cabinets in the kitchen for any sort of pain medication but had come up empty handed. It took him about five minutes of grueling, hand on knee pain to give in.

"Uh...Friday? Ms. Friday, ma'am?" He asked weakly, ever the polite boy his Aunt raised him to be.

"Hello, Peter. How can I help you?" An accented voice rang out through the room, stunning Peter for a second as he searched for some sort of speaker source. But of course he couldn't find one with his naked eyes, Mr. Stark was better than that.

"Um...well, I thought I'd see if there might be any...any ibuprofen? Maybe some Tylenol? Something along those lines," He leaned heavily into the table, his vision swimming slightly at the belated dizziness. He knew it wasn't his heat, it wouldn't hit so soon after going off O but....

That meant he was having withdrawal symptoms. He wasn't too stubborn to admit it when his muscles felt like they were being twisted this way and that.

"I can send you some medicine, yes," The AI said in a comforting voice. "Should I alert Mr. Stark?"

Peter's head whipped up, alert.

"No!" He gasped quickly. He wasn't ready for.....well, he wasn't ready to be wrong about the withdrawal. It wasn't as bad as he'd figured it'd be, only some slight symptoms that were probably worsened by the fact that his heat would be coming soon. He really wasn't looking forward to that, especially being stuck in Stark Tower.

But he also wasn't really ready for Mr. Stark to smell him and....and what? What exactly would his boss do when he scented Peter for the first time?

He would be disgusted, just like everyone else. Just because Peter was immune to his own scent, it didn't meant that he wasn't well aware of it. He wasn't just paranoid, he had years of hard proof in the form of classmates and teachers and strangers on the street.

He just desperately wanted a little more time.

"That won't be necessary, Ms. Friday. I'm fine, just a little bit of pain and-"

"I'm sorry, Mr. Parker. It's in my protocol to inform Mr. Stark if you're under any kind of distress."

Pete groaned loudly, settling heavily into his chair as his knees shook and he broke out into shivers. Of course it was in her protocol, why wouldn't it be?

"I'm not distressed!" He moaned, nearly banging his head on the table. He just wanted the pain to end, was that too much to ask? Why couldn't Stark just leave him be?

"Yeah, you sound cool as a cucumber, kid."

Oh god damn it.

Peter really did faceplant on the table as Mr. Stark's voice sounded throughout the kitchen, apparently already having been alerted by Friday.

"Look, I'm coming down. I've got a cold pack and some ibuprofen. Some muscle relaxers too, if you end up needing them."

"That's not- you don't have to do that-" He gritted out as he gripped the edge of the table, a terrible shiver wracking his body. A muscle relaxer sounded so good, so unbelievably good. But at what cost? His own embarrassment and humiliation?

"Clearly, the meds have worn off and you're not feeling-"

"I don't want you to smell me!" Peter snapped, unable to stop himself as he ridiculously felt his eyes tear up. When would he stop being so idiotically sensitive? Peter was highly aware he was being irrational, he knew he wouldn't be able to avoid his boss forever.

He was sure Mr. Stark had video surveillance in this room. He could probably see him moaning into the table like a small child, whining and carrying on and....part of him felt guilty for acting out but he really didn't want to do this. Not today, he didn't want to gross out or disappoint another person that seemed to actually care about him.

'That's not why it bothers you.' A traitorous part of Peter's brain whispered, a part he decided to ignore.

"Peter," Stark cut across him sternly, his voice affecting a low Alpha tone that made Peter squirm where he sat, despite the awful pain crawling up his spine. "I'm not going to be mean to you, no matter what you smell like. I'm coming down and that's final."

With that, the room went silent and Peter tried to calm his breathing. He was in too much pain to think clearly and his body shook with every exhale. He knew he was far too weak to move from his spot at the table but he took great care to at least lift his head, carefully rearranging the robe he wore (courtesy of the Stark guest bathroom) to fit more tightly around his body. He really should have put more clothing on but he could barely move, let alone think about wearing hot clothing.

In the blink of an eye a knock sounded on his door, a quick, "Coming in," spoken before the entryway slid open. Mr. Stark walked directly into the kitchen and....

Stopped in the doorway.

Peter looked at him with vaguely wet, weary eyes, ready for the look of unease that would surely pass his features.

But instead Mr. Stark walked slowly into the room, ever closer until he leaned directly over Peter, invading his space. It was hypnotic and silent, as if he couldn't stop himself.

The younger mans heart beat erratically, his palms sweating as the older man reached up and shifted the neckline of his robe.

Peter couldn't say anything, frozen and dizzy with.....he wasn't sure what he was feeling. The pain drifted to the back of his mind and Mr. Stark leaned in ever closer, pressing his nose into Peter's scent gland and inhaling deeply.

He could feel with intense detail, the rough scratch of the older mans unshaved facial hair rubbing against his tender skin. He could hear his own heartbeat, sluggish and loud in his ears. His nostrils filled with Mr. Stark's strong, encompassing scent until he felt lightheaded with it.

Peter gaped, open mouthed as his eyes rolled back, a guttural noise leaving him as hot air hit his sensitive gland, prickling his skin and making his hair stand on end.

And he promptly blacked out.

—

Peter came to with Stark kneeling beside him. He felt soft pillows surrounding him, presuming he had been placed on the long couch in the opposite room.

But...why was Peter laying on the couch...and why did Mr. Stark look so freaked out?

The younger man squinted, his brain groggy as he tried to piece his memories together. He had been in the kitchen....and Stark had come to bring him medicine....and....oh no.

Oh no. He had...he'd passed out, hadn't he? All Stark had done was scent him and Peter had actually full on passed out.

No.

No no no.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to pass out! Really, I was just dizzy and I don't know what-" Stark pushed back on Peter's shoulder as he set up, trying desperately to stand even as his body shook with tremors. He just wanted to make it better or apologize or something, anything to make himself look less like an idiot.

"Shhh, it's no big deal. Sit back down, okay?" Mr. Stark's voice was soft, gentle in a way that made Peter's face even redder. He reached behind him, grabbing a water that had been placed on the table and a pill, holding them out for Peter to take.

"I want you to take this muscle relaxer first. I think a nap might help you and you're definitely dehydrated, so drink up. I'll check your vitals later, make sure you start feeling better."

Peter dutifully obeyed, gulping the water down alarmingly fast after swallowing the pill. He would take any conversation distraction he could get.

He couldn't wait for the medicine to kick in and take care of the pain spreading through his body. It wasn't helping the fog his brain kept sinking into.

"You were only out for about five minutes but damn, that scared me kid..." Peter's thoughts interrupted Mr. Stark's tirade. As he was slowly starting to calm down, he realized something startling.

Stark was smelling him. He was actively smelling him and he wasn't gagging or trying to get away or...

The look of wonder and hope must have shone in his eyes because the older man stopped suddenly, staring at Peter with abundant confusion.

"What?" He asked and Peter couldn't help but stare at him, trying to decipher every look on his face to see if he was hiding anything.

"It's just....do I not smell bad to you?" He whispered it, hoping against hope. He'd never....he didn't want to disappoint himself. Not after so many let downs.

"Oh," Stark said, smiling gently to him with a shrug. "Not at all. You smell really nice, actually."

It must have been the pain of maybe the meds were working too quickly on his empty stomach but his eyes started to tear up and he couldn't help the sob he let out, relief sleeping through his system so quickly that it left him feeling even weaker. The noise that tore through his chest was frankly alarming in its intensity.

"What- oh, no. Pete, I meant you smell great!" Mr. Stark spoke hastily, hands hovering over Peter's shoulders awkwardly. "Like um....you smell like flowers. Like gardenias, maybe. Or....like fresh cut grass? I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to upset you. I promise you smell good."

Peter couldn't help but laugh hysterically as the older man clumsily pet as his hair, probably gross from the sheer amount he had sweated today already.

"It's not....I'm not upset," He said between hiccups. No one had ever said that about him, no one had ever....His cries renewed at Mr. Stark's description, so far from the mean words he'd grown used to over the years. "No ones ever....everyone thinks I smell disgusting. No one....thank you, sir."

Peter clambered out of his seat, falling clumsily into Stark's surprised arms as he older man kneeled in the floor. He wrapped his own arms around the scientists neck, not caring that this was bordering on inappropriate. Stark felt stiff, like he wasn't sure what to do. He slowly wrapped strong arms around the boys small back, warm and safe and....Peter just couldn't contain his feelings today.

He sobbed hard, melting into the older man as he stroked at his back and shh'd him soothingly.

"I can't....I can't imagine how they'd think that," Stark whispered, voice still somewhat stiff as Peter sagged into him. "Really, I'm not sure why you smell different to me but....you don't smell disgusting, Pete."

Peter tried to even out his breathing, slowly coming out of his happiness induced breakdown.

Peter nodded against his neck, his cries slowing down significantly and making way for a new form of embarrassment. Right. Practically sighting in your bosses lap, half naked. Not a good look.

Peter shifted backward, pulling his robe in close as he returned to his seat. He sniffed delicately and rubbed at his eyes.

Stark stared after him, still looking vaguely startled. Peter could feel the blush heating his already fevered cheeks.

A thought struck him.

"So does this mean that O really did alter my dna? Or is it only you? Do I just smell normal now?" He prattled off, excitement taking over his mind even as he started to feel sleepy.

"Whoa there, kid," Mr. Stark smiled widely at him, finally getting up from his perch beside the couch. He patted Peter on the head, fingers lingering in the strands for a millisecond longer than normal. "Let's wait til you're feeling better and we'll look into it, okay?"

Peter nodded, yawning into his fist as Mr. Stark stretched a hand out toward him.

"Let's get a nap in you, first things first."

—

By the next day, Peter was on a steady regimen of water and pain medication. He was still feeling a little bit under the weather but it was nothing he couldn't handle.

Still, the fact that he was getting paid just to lay around didn't sit well with him. So he goaded Mr. Stark into taking blood samples and looking into his personal records.

The older mans personal lab was like no other lab in the building, equipped with things that made the need in Peter want to squeal in excitement. Being that he had the best of everything, it didn't take long until he had the projections up and ready to examine.

"Hmm," Stark said for he fifth time since Peter had joined him. Peter sighed heavily, refraining from even asking because the scientist seemed to be off in his own world. "It looks like you're Omega genes are slightly more dominant than your Beta genes. I don't think there's been any change in your scent, however."

Peter tried to not let that get to him but he did feel a little let down. He had kind of hoped his scent had fully changed. But then...why was Mr. Stark scenting him different?

"It might just be a similarity in our characteristics," The man said, as if he had read straight from Peter's slowly dwindling thoughts. "That could be why it's not shocking or bad to me. There are probably other people out there who would scent you the way I did."

His words were meant to be reassuring but Peter's mood had already soured just a little bit. He tried to not let it show.

Stark wheeled his chair around, facing Peter abruptly.

"Have you ever tried scent blockers? Like regular, run of the mill ones?" Stark asked, probably already knowing the answer. Of course Peter had tried scent blockers.

He snorted softly, "I've tried just about everything. I couldn't find anything that worked until..."

"Until O," Stark said, eyes unnervingly calm. "Maybe we should....we could look at the components of O, see if there might be some redeemable ingredients in it that mimic scent, that kind of thing."

Peter nodded, albeit a bit sadly. It was just the same old thing, wasn't it?

"What?" The older man asked, trying to catch his eye. "It would be better for you, if we could find something that's less addictive, less harmful for the body."

"I know," Peter shrugged. Maybe he could blame his melancholy on the withdrawal still running through his body, as minor as it seemed to currently be. "I just.....there's never going to be an end to it, is there?"

Stark didn't respond and Peter stared at a monitor, watching the background fade in and out as it stalled.

"I always hope that eventually, it'll get better. Even when I don't have a reason to hope. But none of it really matters because I'm sure eventually we'll be able to block out my scent and mimic any trait we want but....We can't fix everything."

"What else is there to fix, Peter?" Mr. Stark asked kindly. "You're not broken."

The sentiment was nice but not completely true.

Peter laughed humorlessly, a soft sound that grated on his frayed nerves. He felt so weak. It had been a feel days and yet he already felt ready to give up.

"I can't have kids," He admitted, the words finally leaving him like a weight being lifted from his shoulders. "They told me that...when I was twelve and...it's just not possible...I don't have the...I don't have a womb. So."

He tried to gauge Stark's reaction but he only looked sympathetic. This time it didn't bother Peter as much.

"Plenty of people don't have kids," He said softly, trying not to break the tone of the room. "I don't have kids and I'm doing fine."

He was trying to joke, trying to lighten the mood but it only made Peter's heart hurt more.

"But I want kids," He confessed. It was hard to admit. He'd never told anyone about his deepest desire to have children, not even May. Not even Ned. "I want kids so badly and....I can feel the Omega in me wants.....wants an Alpha and it wants a kid and....I can't do that. I can't give it that and so it feels like this gaping hole, all the time. Because I know I can't and I wish I didn't know at all."

Stark had to look away, whether out of discomfort or something else, Peter wasn't sure.

"Maybe....maybe one day you can adopt or.....I'm not trying to tell you what to do, Pete. I just know that...holding onto that sadness, that yearning....it's only going to hurt you worse."

His sounded.....like he was speaking from the heart, some kind of truth unearthed in his words that left Peter feeling shaken. Where before he might have tried to argue with the other man, he just nodded along carefully until Stark awkwardly cleared his throat and turned his chair back toward the computer.

"You're right," Peter whispered, turning to examine the schematics more closely. "I don't like it but I know you are. I'm sorry if I've been difficult, Mr. Stark."

"You know you can call me Tony. I believe we talked about your genitals yesterday, I think we're there," He chuckled as Peter sighed in renewed annoyance, blushing to the tips of his ears. "And you aren't difficult at all, you're perfectly behaved."

It was meant to be a joke but....it did things to Peter. Things he wasn't used to.

He hated feeling out of sorts and didn't like how fast those words made his heart beat. He hadn't meant it like that, wasn't even aware of the mental breakdown Peter was having inside his own brain over it. He knew it was just....part of his Omega traits, yearning for approval but god, if they could just calm the hell down for one minute, that'd be nice. They'd spent years lying dormant and useless, why did they have to be so loud now?

"-we could do it tomorrow, if you want. No rush. I know it's gonna be a bit awkward but I've got some uh....material prepared for you and we can take all the time you need," Peter drifted back in, vaguely aware that Mr. Sta- Tony was talking to him, relaying some plan he had for the next day.

"Sorry, what?" Peter asked, confused by the uneasy vibe Tony was letting off.

Tony. Ugh. He'd never get used to that.

"Just uh, I was wondering if you wanted to try out the...practical research tomorrow," Oh yeah, that's just what his traitorous body needed. That reminder. Peter tried to keep his cool, despite his rising body temperature.

Thankfully he wasn't...scenting as anything. Not yet, at least. Hell, Peter wasn't even sure if he could scent that way.

"Yes, sure. Absolutely. I mean, I think I'll feel fine. I'm still having some withdrawal pains but it's not too bad because I wasn't taking it for a bit before....before I bought the last time," He hadn't meant to mention his illegal proclivities so easily but it had just slipped out in his hastiness.

Tony glared at him, clearly annoyed. Peter knew very well how he felt about him buying street drugs.

"Well, you won't be doing that anymore, will you?" Tony asked sternly and okay, yeah. Maybe Peter actually did need to exit the room soon or....or he didn't know what but it wouldn't be good.

He gulped, mouth suddenly dry.

"Nope," He said, popping the p with a jovial sound, trying his best to mask the breathy quality of his voice. "No....it was....bad idea. I'm feeling kinda....light headed. Could I go lay down for a bit?"

If Tony was surprised at his abrupt departure, he didn't show it. And Peter definitely didn't give him enough time to reply, hurriedly making his way to the door and out of the vicinity of the older mans scent. He felt surrounded in it, overwhelmed by his bosses presence.

Friday's voice unexpectedly greeted him as he entered the elevator.

"I sense that you're distressed, Peter. Would you like me to let Mr. Stark know?" Peter jumped in shock, holding a hand against his heart.

"No!" He said as quick as possible. "Please, override whatever...whatever protocol he has you under, oh my god. I do not need him to know that I'm distressed right now."

Distressed. Was that a good enough word for what was happening to him?

This had to be his lowest of lows. Peter never got horny. Okay, that wasn't true. But he was never horny about....other people. Certainly not any Alphas. That was unheard of for him.

And he definitely didn't get hard. Not usually anyway. What he and Tony had discussed was true. Omegas don't typically get a lot of pleasure from their....well, you know. And Peter was no different. Sure, he'd spent years trying different things. But he always had trouble....coming that way.

Even thinking about it was embarrassing. It was fine, he'd just push it away. To the back of his mind where it belonged because it's not like he could do anything about it anyway.

"I'm sure I could override it just this once," Friday replied, snapping Peter out of his lamenting daze. He squinted into a corner of the elevator. Could an AI sound snarky? Peter shrugged it off, just thankful that he hadn't been ratted out again.

"Thank you so much, Ms. Friday!" He exited the elevator quickly, rushing to his shower. Surely some cold water would take his temperature down and ease a few of his aches and pains. That usually helped him. Surely.

—
Peter sat alone in a rather....drab lab room. It was practically empty, bar the small clinical looking bed in the corner and several monitors with censors attached sitting to the left of said bed. There was also a small table with....well, 'instruments' on it. But Peter was trying to avoid looking in that direction.

He gulped, shifting in his robe as he took in the scene. Okay. This was fine, it would be okay. Today's objective was for Peter to.....to masturbate. He could do that. Or well, he could try. He was an adult and he could do this for the research, so that they might be able to find a way to help him.

He got sudden anxiety, thinking about how long he'd probably last. Would it take two minutes or an hour? Maybe two seconds? It had been so long since he'd actually gotten off that he wasn't quite sure.

Still, his embarrassment was definitely entirely too strong for this situation. Tony had told him if he felt uncomfortable even for a second, they would end the experiment and move onto more blood work. But no, Peter knew these statistics were necessary to figure out what....what was wrong with him. If O had actually changed anything about him.

Plus, they needed to test Tony's hypothesis. Which was.....unendingly humiliating, to say the least. Tony's theory was that since most of Peter's reactions veered more on the extreme side of Omega traits, chances were he probably could produce slick. It was just...finding the right stimulus.

And boy oh boy, Peter wasn't too excited for that part. But he knew he could call it off and part of him was curious too. Curious (but not too hopeful) to see if maybe Tony was right.

He wasn't about to get his hopes up though.

The older man entered through the door and quickly gestured for Peter to sit on the bed, reaching for the many circuits and attachments that sat next to them. He had a nervous air about him.

"If you want to stop at-"

"Anytime, I know," Peter sighed as Tony attached a sticky pad just below his left ear.
"I know I can stop, Tony. It's okay."

He pressed another onto his forehead, applying pressure to make sure it stuck fully.

Tony cleared his throat, reaching for another as he sat stiffly next to Peter on the small bed. He smelled so good that Peter tried to take a discreet inhale. He felt the slightest bit creepy in doing so.

Tony pushed the robe to the side, parting the middle to expose Peter's chest. He felt.....weird. He felt weird about Tony seeing his pale, gangly body but there was no stopping it as he applied two pads to the center of his chest and another right over his heart. The calluses of his fingers caught in Peter's skin, soft and delicate against the rough texture. The boy tried to hide the shiver that passed over his body.

"You have....some aids over on the side table," Tony said awkwardly and yeah, Peter had seen those. He almost wanted to chuckle at the other mans obvious discomfort. But then he saw the....toys just out of his line of sight and....well, he suddenly didn't want to laugh anymore. "You don't have to use them but um...here, let me hand you..."

He finished up with the censors and meandered over to the table, hovering with an air of trepidation. He looked so lost that Peter decided to take pity on him. When faced with a table of sex toys....he could understand why you might feel uncomfortable.

"I'll take the pink one," Peter said, almost giggling hysterically despite his own nerves. At least he wasn't alone in this. "Go big or go home."

He saw Tony gulp, figuring it was just discomfort at his bad joke. He could see why, the pink toy was....it was pretty long. At least 8 inches and had a mechanism that would mimic a knot if you squeezed. Which.

He had heard about them in passing:

Peter had never tried one before and well....like he said, go big or go home. It was now or never. It might be the only time he ever got to feel...something like that. It might be the closest he ever got to being with an Alpha.

Tony picked it up and quickly placed it on the bed, along with a bottle of lube that Peter steadfastly ignored. He wasn't a quitter, he didn't want to have to use it even if the thought was probably futile.

"Okay, obviously I won't be....I won't be watching, this room isn't monitored," He said for what felt like the hundredth time. "But I'll be over speaker if you need....if you get nervous or....so, yeah. There's a hologram tablet right there with plenty of...material. Just watch what you want. Or read. Or whatever."

Peter smiled at Tony then, unable to stop himself from smirking at the mans uncharacteristic stammering. They were definitely getting way too close, way too fast.

"Shut up," Tony snarked before exiting the room to a chuckling Peter.

And just like that, the room lapsed into silence. Peter wasn't laughing anymore.

He let out a quiet sound, his anxiety already getting the best of him as he shrugged out of his robe and placed it on the end of bed, careful of his censors.

Okay. He could do this. He laid down, wary of the cold sheets on the bed. He wasn't in much pain today, so he figured he'd be fine but....okay, no. He wasn't going to talk himself down.

He picked up the tablet and giggles a bit at the already open porn site, trying to decide what to do and where to go. What kind of porn did people even watch? It'd been so long since he went near it.

He clicked the first video he saw on the ABO site.

Two buff Alphas go at each other. What an apt description. Peter felt his eyes widen as he stared at the thumbnail, taken aback by the two big guys kissing lewdly.

Okaaaay. No, not that. That wasn't quite his thing.

Two beta lesbians- interesting but he definitely wasn't into women. He'd had that crisis years ago.

Omega Twink gets passed around by big Alphas.

It was stereotypical and probably offensive on so many levels but..

Peter bit his lip as he stared at the thumbnail. A cute boy with a tiny waist say atop a burly Alpha, his huge cock clearly disappearing inside the boy. He looked....wow, he looked so....big. Were Alphas cocks usually that big or was it just because it was porn? Peter had seen porn before but....not too much and...he just wasn't sure.

"Oh wow," Peter whispered aloud, immediately realizing how dumb he sounded. He hoped that Tony didn't have the coms constantly turned on. No, surely he wouldn't do that.

He clicked on the video, immediately assaulted by the visual of the pretty young boy, bouncing in a bigger mans lap as other big men surrounded him. His mouth hung open, moans pouring out so fast that Peter's mind felt a little overloaded.

He reached a hand down, petting over his own small cock. He was maybe two and a half inches long, about the average size for someone like him. Or well, that's what he liked to tell himself. He wasn't actually certain and.....it didn't really matter.

The boy in the video had a small dick too. That made Peter feel a little better for some reason. He felt himself grow hard as the men around the boy spewed praise and filth alike.

What would that be like? To be stretched out and so open? He could see slick dripping from the boys gaping hole and he felt envious of him. He looked cherished despite the debauchery of the video. Peter could see why, he was incredibly beautiful.

He stroked himself slowly, playing with his glans to try and see if that would help any. It felt good, more than okay but it definitely wasn't the best thing he'd ever felt.

"Such a pretty little Omega," One of the men moaned, bending him over the side of a couch. Peter tried harder, tugging a little faster at himself in his haste to get some precum worked up. He could probably reach for the lube, that would help the rough slide but....it felt like giving up, in a way.

Jesus, even his dick couldn't get wet. He knew he was turned on, could tell by how hot his body felt. He was hard as hell and yet....it still didn't feel right. He could just reach down and touch his hole but he knew he was dry and he knew that using lube wasn't going to......Peter let out a frustrated huff, letting go of himself and taking a calming breathe.

"So perfect..." The men moaned and suddenly Peter wasn't turned on anymore. He just felt sad and oddly numb. He wasn't this boy, he was too sensitive and not sensitive enough to be this boy. And now that he looked at this angle, even the Omegas dick was bigger than his. In any other circumstance, that would have maybe been funny but Peter mostly just felt defeated. Why did every part of him have to be so incompetent?

"Mr. Stark," He said meekly, pausing the ridiculous moans of the video. "I'm....this isn't working."

"What's wrong, Pete?" Came the concerned voice of his boss over the com. "Do you want to stop?"

Peter shifted at the concern in his voice. Fucking traitorous body.

"No...I just....I tried a video and it didn't...it just made me sad," He admitted, feeling completely ridiculous and stupid even as he said it out loud.

"Why did you feel sad?" Tony asked quietly.

Peter gulped, readying himself for some honesty. If he didn't want to stop, he needed to be honest. "I can't....I can't feel much and I'm scared to do anything else. The video...they just kept calling this Omega perfect and...it was good, at first. But then it wasn't."

He realized that explanation didn't make much sense but his eye roll got drowned out in Tony's soothing reply.

"Not being an Omega doesn't make you any less perfect, Peter," He squirmed where he lay, feeling himself go hard again, which....what the fuck, body? Why now? "And why are you so scared? I left you lube for a reason, you should use it."

Peter shivered at the subtle command in his voice.

"I don't want to accept defeat," He said, knowing he sounded silly. "I just...I want to test your hypothesis but I don't know how."

"Okay," Tony replied evenly. "I can work with that. Do you trust me, Pete?"

God yes.

"I do," He whispered, hoping the speaker would pick his voice up anyway.

"Close your eyes for me." For me. Peter clamped his eyes shut, his breathing already picking up as he steadfastly ignored the beating of his heart and sweating of his palms.

He let himself just be as a few seconds of silence passed.

"I want you to think about it," Mr. Stark said, voice low and gruff as a little of his Alpha command seeped through. "Think about being that boy in the video you watched. You said you think about Alphas a lot. Imagine an Alpha right now, spreading your legs apart."

He hadn't- he hadn't thought Tony would actually- Peter twitched on top of the covers.

His legs spread wide, almost of their own accord as he stretched out on the small bed. He felt cold air draft over him, causing a whimper to get stuck in his throat.

"Think of how he'd take care of you," Tony said. "I bet he'd do anything for a boy like you, wouldn't he?"

Peter shook his head even as his pulse thumped wildly. The faceless Alpha in mind was gathering features, some that looked a little too much like his boss. Peter shook his head, trying to clear it.

He made a noise, a negative one. No, they wouldn't want to do anything for someone like Peter.

"He would," Tony corrected, the tiniest bit of admonishment in his voice. Peter's toes curled into the sheets. "You'd be so obedient and good and he'd love that."

Peter's mouth hung open as he gulped for air, the room feeling too hot all of a sudden.

"Imagine the Alpha trailing his mouth down your throat, stopping at your gland. Licking at it."

Oh god. That was....that was a lot to think about. Almost too much for his mind to comprehend. How would a mouth feel, hot and wet, on his gland?

Peter writhed on the bed, hands fisting at the sheets as he imagined a phantom mouth moving down his body, taking him apart piece by piece.

"It'd feel good, wouldn't it?" Tony's voice was silky smooth, running over Peter like a caress. "Imagine him biting down on it, not too hard. Teasing you, teasing that he's claiming you."

Peter whimpered then, a small noise that was barely audible. What would it feel like to be claimed? Peter reached up and brushed his fingers against his gland but it didn't feel as good as when Mr. Stark did it. He didn't get the same shivers. He wished....

"He kisses every part of you. Your eyelids, your lips, your neck. Down to your little belly, dipping his tongue into your belly button," Peter arched, his tiny cock bobbing in the air as it stood, more erect than he'd seen it in years. And it'd only taken seconds of Tony talking for it to get there.

"Maybe he'd even take you into his mouth," Peter gasped then, arching his hips more as he tried to keep his hands from wandering. He'd never even thought about what a blowjob would feel like, the idea just seemed so foreign and dirty to him.

He felt like a live wire, so turned on by his bosses voice that....

He looked down at his cock and was shocked to see beads of precum, dripping in rivulets down his shaft. He grasped his erection in one hand, sobbing at the way it felt. He'd never....it'd never felt his good before, never in his life. His balls felt tight and tingled with pleasure, like he could come any minute. But somehow he knew that wasn't possible.

"How are you feeling, Pete?" Tony's voice asked softly over the com, obviously having heard the noise the boy let out. It wasn't exactly subtle or quiet. "Keep me updated."

Peter could barely think, let alone string together a sentence. That's what he would blame his next babbled words on.

"Sir....I'm....I'm getting wet, my....uh, my....thing is....oh god, Mr. Stark," He sounded pitiful to his own ears as he tried to keel his stroking in control, soft and slow. He couldn't call it a....cock. Not out loud, at least. It would be too much for him.

He'd never felt this amount of sensation. He wasn't even sure how it was possible. "It feels really good, it's never...."

"And what about your hole?" Peter moaned loudly, a lewd noise as Tony asked the question. He hadn't expected him to just....say it. Peter wasn't in the state of mind to feel embarrassed but it was a close one.

He reached down to check and.....

Sure enough, he....he couldn't believe it. He was wet. Peter let out a shocked sounding laugh as he easily slipped his pointer finger inside without much thought. It went in so seamlessly that Peter couldn't stop himself from arching upward, taking it to the hilt and letting out a distressed sounding mewl of pleasure.

He was so sensitive and so wet, his insides practically soaked.

"I'm....oh my god, there's so much of it," Peter whined, wiggling a second finger into his hole and curling them. It wasn't even hard to find his prostrate and press the tips of his fingers directly into it. "There's so much slick, I'm....I'm drenching the table. Oh god, I'm probably....making a mess. I'm so sorry, sir."

Trust Peter to be polite even while fingering himself.

Peter writhed on the table, his body convulsing as he stayed far away from his dick. He didn't want to come yet, this was far too good. He was so terrified he'd never experience this again.

"Don't be sorry, honey," Oh fuck, he couldn't take that. He couldn't take Mr. Stark calling him pet names. Peter made a mewling noise of pleasure, something so purely Omega that it shocked even him. "You sound like you're enjoying yourself. What exactly are you doing in there?"

He sounded....suspicious and growly and Peter could only curl his fingers harder, mouth panting openly as his legs spread further apart. The room reeked of slick, the air hot with arousal.

"I've got...two fingers inside. It feels....it's feels so good, so much better than before," He slurred out, his entire body convulsing as he rode another wave of pleasure.

"Good boy," Tony spoke over the com, low and deep like....like he was trying not to let his voice peek into Alpha territory. And....oh fuck, why would he say that? Peter would never be able to get that out of his fucking mind now. Just the thought of Mr. Stark calling him a good boy was lighting his blood on fire.

"Why don't you try the toy? I'm sure you're open enough by now and I want to see if you're....you're capable of taking it," He'd take it. If it was the last thing he did, he would take it and love it, if it kept making Tony sound like that. He'd do anything.

In the back of his mind, he realized that the purpose of this was supposed to be purely clinical but he couldn't bother himself to care. He was too out of his mind to give a shit anymore. He'd never felt this way. Pulling his fingers out was torture but....he had to try it, he had to know.

He picked the toy up, bypassing the bottle of lube completely before carefully placing the blunt head against his stretched out hole. He started to push, his body giving way so easily. It'd never been this easy but Peter had also never had anything this big inside of him. He'd never had the need.

"It's....so big, never done- done this," He whimpered out. His mind was too hazy to wonder if he actually heard a curse over the coms. "Oh god, oh my god. Sir, what if it's too big?"

His cock dripped messily onto his belly, a pool of precum trailing into his belly button. His pale skin shone with sweat and fluid, his thighs wet and hot as he pressed the toy in, inch by inch until it was fully seated.

He groaned loud, lifting his head to try and look between his legs. He was stunned at the sight and vaguely hoped all the sweat and fluid wouldn't dislodge any of the sensors. He felt dizzy at the sight of the long, pink toy buried between his legs.

His head thunked back as he groaned again. He felt overwhelmed in the best way possible.

"It's in," He whined, his voice so high pitched it would have been shocking had he not already been so out of his mind. "What do I...I dunno what to do, sir."

He moaned pitifully, grinding his hips down as his grip slipped around on the shaft of the toy. He was surprised he hadn't come yet but something was holding him off, keeping his balls throbbing painfully as he shook.

"Push it in and out, Pete. Get used to the stretch," Tony instructed. "Bet it feels big. You just had to chose the biggest one, didn't you?"

Peter let out a huff of a laugh, pressing the toy in tiny increments, getting used to the burn.

"I like a challenge," He gasped, hips moving in filthy circles as he moved the tiniest bit faster. He was dripping around the toy, the silicone covering getting wetter the more he pushed. "Is this...um, is this what an Alpha feels like?"

The question came out meek and breathy as he squirmed, aiming the toy upward and-

He groaned loudly again, his limbs trembling as the head of the toy cock pressed against his sensitive prostate.

"A real Alpha can be bigger," Tony said and Peter wildly wondered if he was talking about himself. Peter couldn't imagine being fuller than he was right now, his legs spread wide on the table as he pressed the entire toy into the deepest parts of him. How big was Tony's cock? How wide was his knot?

"Oh that's...that's kinda scary," Peter giggled, completely out of mind with pleasure. He felt absolutely no pain or cramps, just mind blowing pleasure. "What if it doesn't fit?"

He had to wait a few seconds longer for Tony to reply and the man sounded tense.

"The Alpha would make sure it fit," He said. "After all, you're probably perfectly...equipped for something bigger."

Peter laughed again, a high keening noise as he fucked the toy noisily into his body, faster and faster as wet noises filled the room. His wrist was starting to hurt but he never wanted the feeling to stop. He was too engrossed to think straight.

"Because I'm so wet?" He didn't need to ask but he was feeling over exposed and oddly sexy. A first for him. If he was going to risk anything, now would be the time. "It's like a river down there, I'm so open and loose."

He sounded breathy, probably a poor attempt at being seductive if he was honest. He just couldn't seem to stop himself.

More seconds passed where Tony still didn't reply but Peter didn't have it in his mind to worry. He was too far gone, heavily effected by his own pheromones.

"Are you close?" His boss asked after the long pause. Peter affirmed with a high pitched 'mmhm' incapable of getting anymore words out as his body flushed with ecstasy.

"Why don't you reach down, okay? Push on the button just at the end of the toy. That'll release the.....it'll release the knot," He sounded strained but maybe that just in Peter's head, maybe he just wanted Tony to sound effected by him. "Then you can come."

You can come.

Tony saying that was...it felt like a command.

"O-okay," He stuttered, pressing down on the button with a slippery hand as he settled the silicone toy as deep as could inside his hole. He felt the release give, a small snapping noise coming from the device.

If he were in his right mind, he'd be fascinated by how it worked. But he really wasn't worried about it at that very moment.

Instead he was screaming, his back arching upward in a curve as his shoulders pushed backward into the bed.

He was incoherently moaning, probably at an entirely too loud pitch. He felt so full, so much fuller than he'd ever felt in his life. He felt stretched to the limit, his poor prostate being battered by the toy pressing insistently against it with nowhere else to go.

Peter came, his body convulsing as his legs slipped over the covers, toes curling into the bed almost violently.

He didn't have to touch his cock, his orgasm being pulled purely from the stimulation alone. He felt wet and wrung out, his thighs dripping with release and fuck- he'd never come like this. It felt like it wouldn't end.

"Fuuuuuuuck, ohmygodtony-" He gasped, twisting his torso and nearly clamping his legs shut as he curled his soaking hands into his own hair, his eyes rolling back. He didn't care about the mess he was making, he only cared about the thrum of his body going out of control.

"Shit, are you still coming?" Tony cursed over the com, sounding oddly impressed.

Peter let out a weak giggle as his body sagged against the bed, his cock giving one last pulse. He was covered in slick and come and sweat.

"I think...I think it's over now," His voice sounded hoarse and dry. His bones felt like liquid and he was suddenly hyper aware of the way the toy still pressed against his over sensitive prostate.

He reached down, ready to pull it out but as he tugged at the shaft, he realized it wouldn't budge. The pulling caused the head of the toy to press into him and he whined thinly at the over stimulation, goosebumps popping up along his arms and legs.

"I don't...um, Tony. Sir, how do....how do I get it out?" He tried to keep his voice level but now that he was soft again, his body was shivering at the amount of unnecessary stimulation to his prostate. It was starting to hurt, especially due to the huge size of the toy. He truly was entirely too sensitive.

"Just press against the button again and pull slowly, it should come right out," Peter breathed through his nose, heeding the mans gentle instructions. But....it still wouldn't move. Peter couldn't tell if his hands were too slippery, so he wiped them on the bed and tried again.

He pulled valiantly, the knot lodged deep inside him causing an ache to spread through his abdomen.

It only caused the silicone to press harder against his walls, shifting slowly against the swollen insides. He hiccuped, his eyes wet and wide.

"It's, ah- oh no, it's not- I dunno what to do, it won't come out," Oh god, it was stuck. It was stuck and this was somehow worse than the whole assisted masturbation thing and...

Peter's senses seemed to have come back online, his panic increasing tenfold. He had just screamed himself to orgasm for the first time and he couldn't even be excited because his boss had heard it all.

Oh no. He'd heard it all and Peter had been thirsty and gross and why had he let himself get that far? He fumbled more with the toy but the tugging only hurt more, the mechanism of the knot stuck firmly inside of him. If it was a real Alpha knot it would not feel as bad, he knew that. But this was starting to become torture. He didn't know how much longer he could take being this full.

"Tony...please, can- I'm so sorry but I need help," He wanted to cry in humiliation, his afterglow fading so fast that his hands shook as he kept his legs spread. "It won't come out and- and I dunno-"

"Shh, Pete," Tony soothes as Peter gulped down air greedily, his body shaking as he tried to relax back into the bedsheets. This was....this was so much worse than he could have imagined. Who even got a fucking dildo stuck inside them?

"Is it alright if I come and help you? You can cover up with the sheet if you like," Peter felt ready to faint from the indignation of it all but he also knew there was no getting out of this humiliating situation.

"Y-yes, please. Thank you, I'm so sorry," Tony only hushed him as he continued to apologize.

He needed to practice deep breaths or he wouldn't make it through Tony seeing him....like this. He lamented his own luck once again, mind hazy in the aftermath of his orgasm.

And fuck, the room reeked. It probably smelt awful, if his desensitized nose could pick up the pheromone scent that covered the bed and sheets and- okay, right. He should cover himself.

Peter very carefully lifted a corner of the thin sheet, draping it over his lower half in an attempt to retain what was left of his dignity.

He surely would never get rid of the god awful blush covering his body in red splotches. That was here to stay.

"I'm coming in, Pete," Peter gave his confirmation, resigned to his fate. Tony was going to see him like this, spread eagle and covered in his own fluids.

Not to mention he'd have to...he'd have to touch him.

Peter wasn't sure how he was going to get through this and he just prayed that he wouldn't get hard. He wasn't even sure he could get hard again but Tony would definitely be the one to test his resolve.

Tony opened the door, more light from the bright hallway spilling into the room. Peter refused to open his eyes, so he could only pinpoint his location by the noise level in the room.

He heard shuffling as the man walked in, getting closer to his bed before standing at the foot of it.

"Alright," Tony sighed, sounding terse enough that Peter felt even worse, even more guilty for having enjoyed himself so much just a few minutes ago. What kind of fiend was he? "Let's....lets have a look."

Oh no. Why'd he have to say it like that?

Peter almost wanted to jam his fingers into his ears too and smelling Tony certainly wasn't helping. He smelt different, spicier than normal as Peter felt him lift the sheet up, pushing it delicately to his spread knees.

Peter exhaled shakily, sure he was on horrendous display. He wasn't very hairy down there but he was suddenly lamenting never having shaved anything. What if he grossed the older man out?

"I'm just gonna...." Tony trailed off awkwardly. Peter felt fingers then, warm fingers just barely brushing him as they tried to gently pull at the end of the dildo. Peter could instantly tell it wasn't going to work, just by the feel of his grasp. His grip wasn't good enough, Peter knew that from his own experience trying to pry the damn thing out two minutes ago.

He didn't dare open his eyes, too scared that Tony might look disgusted with him.

"Hmm, that's...okay, let me just-" Peter wasn't sure what the man was going to do but so far, he was keeping contact to a minimum so-

He felt two points of contact on each side of his hole and his eyes flew open.

He wished he wouldn't have looked.

Tony was staring intently between his legs, his bottom lip worried between his teeth. His getting hair was an absolute mess, like he'd ran his hands through it multiple times.

And....And both his thumbs rested on each side of Peter's swollen, stretched open hole. That was certainly a feeling he'd never forget.

He could feel his fingers warmth seeping into his skin as the older man applied pressure, stretching him open by pressing inward.

Don't get hard. Don't get hard.

That's all he could chant in his head, hoping against hope that his body would just listen.

Peter couldn't stop staring at the way Tony was just....examining him. Looking at everything he had to offer. He got a better grip on the toy then, pulling harder than before.

The action caused the blunt head and the stretch of the knot to press into the bundle of nerves inside him and with increasing embarrassment, Peter felt a blur of slick drip from inside his hole.

He gasped breathily, incapable of filtering himself as he grew harder. Oh fuck. No, this was the absolute worst thing that could possibly happen right now. He had to have noticed, even Peter could smell the newer slick permeating the air. He was going to die of embarrassment. Was that possible? Could people die from embarrassment?

Tony froze, clearing his throat before trying again, hands gentle and careful. The tip rocked upward and Peter's eyes nearly rolled back at the over-stimulation.

His dick was fully hard again, already absolutely dripping. He wanted to hide somewhere and had to resist the urge to just tell Tony to stop, this really wasn't helping.

"You weren't lying, you really did get soaked," Peter almost choked as he felt Tony swipe a thumb around his sensitive rim, testing out the fluidity of the substance like the scientist he was. That wasn't supposed to be hot, none of this was supposed to be hot. Peter felt like he was burning alive.

"Please shut up," Peter gasped, his words nearly running together. "You are not helping."

Tony only chuckled and oddly enough, the sound eased a little bit of Peter's anxiety. He just....they had to get through this. So he needed to remain as calm as possible.

Which was hard to do with an incredibly attractive Alpha prodding at your fucking genitals like you were an interesting science project. Peter wasn't even offended. He was just wildly horny.

"Okay, so...this is interesting," Peter bristled at being called 'interesting' while his ass was spread out on a fucking bed like he was being examined in a doctors office. "I think....you're uh....cavity is almost like an Alphas knot. In that, as the knot swells and become stuck until it can reduce in size, I think your rectal walls also swell and....grip. It must be some part of your genes because I've never seen anything like it."

"Please never say rectal again while you're examining my ass," Peter straight up moaned as Tony continued his prodding, ignoring his prattling until he realized- "Wait, then how do we get it out? Are we gonna have to wait around for it to go down?"

He sounded panicked even to himself and who could blame him? He already felt ready to pass out and his body still felt like a fucking livewire. He wasn't sure how much more stimulation he could take.

"No...." Tony trailed off thoughtfully. "I think I just....I need a better grip?"

He had a dubious look on his face that Peter absolutely did not like. It didn't flag his erection at all. Good to know.

With that, Tony pulled out a bracelet from his jacket pocket and snapped it onto his wrist and-

"Ohhh no," Peter protested, legs shuffling against the bedsheets as he scrambled upward like an idiot. The knot pressed into him, wracking his body with shivers as he shook his head valiantly. "You're not coming near my ass with a gauntlet."

"Peter," Tony said, both warning and soothing. "It's gonna be fine, I promise I'll be gentle. I would never hurt you."

Peter glared at the nano Iron hand. Who could blame him? The thing could kill people, why would he want it anywhere close to his genitals? But god damn it, what else were they supposed to do?

He had to give in if he wanted out of his situation.

"O-okay," He mumbled, resigned to his fate. He couldn't even feel embarrassed anymore. He just felt tired and horny and dirty. He sagged into the bed, pliant but wary. "Just.....like a bandaid."

Peter braced himself as Tony grimaced at his non-joke and solidly gripped the end of the dildo with cold, metal fingers. Peter's heart pulsed with new fear but somehow, he was still hard. Was there really nothing about Tony that wouldn't turn him on?

He held his own thighs, stretching them up to expose more of himself. It felt clinical and just on the edge of wrong but he had to do it for better access. He felt dizzy and..

Peter could smell that spicy, intoxicating scent again. What even was that....? Could scents change? He pushed the thought to the back of his mind as Tony warned him a final time and he tried to not accidentally clench down.

Tony pulled in one smooth motion and Peter screamed. His body convulsed wildly as the toy slipped from his body too quickly. His poor cock jumped valiantly and shot freely, come shooting up to his neck. White hot pleasure seeped into every limb, tightening and releasing his muscles in a wave that left him feeling weak and immediately drained.

It was frankly terrifying and he was sure he sounded possessed but holy fuck, he hadn't expected it to feel like that.

"Hnnnn," He hissed, his chest heaving wildly as he heard the toy land with a soft thunk onto the bed. "I'm....oh wow oh god. Tony. Oh my god."

He was slurring, his eyes drooping as his legs splayed wide open. He couldn't even care, barely even noticed how Tony was staring resolutely ahead, removing the iron gauntlet and placing it safely back into his pocket. There was literally no part of Peter that even felt self conscious in that present moment, a rarity in and of itself.

Tony sighed and cleared his throat, one after another. He twitched uneasily where he stood, like he was unsure what to do. Which. That made sense.

"Okay, well. That was conducive. I think I...I have a lot to look into, concerning your body and....traits and uh, I should probably take a sample. After you leave of course. I'll just....take it from....the bed."

Peter couldn't help but laugh weakly at the older mans fumbling speech. God, they were never gonna come back from this one. To be honest, he couldn't find it in him to care at the moment. He felt relieved and relaxed and so very sleepy.

"Let's...get you a towel," Tony said when Peter didn't even respond. He was too tired, having experienced two violent orgasms after not having any sexual contact for so long.

Tony shuffled back into the room quickly. Peter hadn't even been aware that he had left, he must have nodded off for a few seconds.

The older man handed him both a towel and a new robe, clearing his throat as he held them out, standing a few good feet from Peter.

Peter frowned and narrowed his eyes before grabbing the items.

"I'm not contagious, you know," He said, mock playfully. He was so tired so he wasn't as offended as he would normally be but....he definitely didn't like the alert way Tony was looking at him as he stood up on shaky legs and wiped at his thighs, not bothering to cover himself even now. Tony had already seen all of it, what would it matter?

"I....I know that," Peter watched Tony's Adam's apple bob as he swallowed. "I'm just....gonna leave you be. Let you go take a nice shower. You should take a nap, maybe we can go over the....research later."

Peter nodded, placing the towel back on the bed. Later he'd probably wince at the memory of seeing those bed sheets, absolutely soaked and ruined. But right then he didn't even care, he just wanted to sleep for hours.

"Mmk," He mumbled, already having forgotten his mild annoyance from a second ago. He shrugged the robe on and walked forward, wrapping Mr. Stark into a loose hug without much thought.

The man stood stiffly in his arms as Peter pressed his cheek into his warm chest, pecking him with a tiny kiss somewhere near his heart.

"Ima g'sleep now," He murmured as he walked away, leaving a stunned looking Tony in his wake.

—

As it turned out, Peter was totally not chill about what had happened the previous day.

You see, he'd been so orgasm blinded (and rightfully so) that he'd gone into a sort of haze. Which, come to think of it, he should probably mention to Tony. He had felt....almost drugged afterward. Like he was floating on air and ready to sleep for hours.

Was that normal? He did have two orgasms but it had just been so...different for him. His moods had gone up and down all day, something he wasn't entirely used to. Was that a normal thing people went through or should he be worried about it?

And now he was back to embarrassment, wallowing in self pity over the fact that he had definitely come onto Tony yesterday, in a roundabout way.

He just....he couldn't help it, the other man was driving him insane. Peter had gone through puberty, sure. But it hadn't been like this. This felt crazed and amazing and awful.

And Tony's scent had changed too, the spicy notes brand new to Peter's already accustomed nose. It was....nice. Nice wasn't a good enough word.

It was annoyingly alluring.

And anyway, he couldn't avoid Tony for long. Not when they had to talk about yesterday and the various things they had discovered about his body.

Peter was probably never going to recover from the absolute humiliation of getting a sex toy stuck inside of him.

Just knowing that his boss had seen....those parts of him. It was too much for him to even think about. He was mortified to put it lightly, especially given the fact that at the time, he'd been happy to come all over himself for a second time!

Two times!

Okay, maybe he was a little giddy over that part. Try having a low level sex drive for years and all of a sudden, you can have mind blowing orgasms. Yeah, most people would be pretty preoccupied with it.

He was a little bit worried though and as he sat in he lab once again, talking to Tony in depth, he realized he had good reason to be.

"I'm not really sure what triggered the response in you," Tony shook his head as he looked over his tablet. You. Peter wanted to just come out and say it but he knew better. It was YOU. You triggered it. "I thought maybe pornography would work because you're young and a little visual aid never hurts."

Clearly it hadn't helped at all.

"But maybe you just respond better to clear instruction," Well that actually was interesting. Peter perked up as Tony spoke. "I can't be sure but...I mean, obedience is sort of a common Omega trait, as problematic as it can get. And you seem to have it in spades, so it makes me wonder if it's also on the list of "Things Peter Feels More Intensely Than Others."

Peter sighed at the joke. He was right but still, how many more things could he possibly put on that list?

"So, do you think my response was triggered because of direct commands?" He wondered aloud. After all, an Alpha had definitely never commanded him before. "Doesn't that mean I'm doomed to a life of never being able to get off alone?"

He knew he sounded petulant but also, who could blame him? Finding out his hair trigger was directly connected to Tony was just short of annoying.

"Not necessarily," Tony frowned at him. "That implies you'll never find anybody. And also, porn still exits. Even really specific, special porn."

Peter looked away quickly. He didn't want porn. He knew whose command he wanted to hear and he also knew it was a moot point. And he wouldn't argue with Tony about his future relationships or lack thereof. Peter had been accustomed to a life of loneliness for a long time, he'd probably be okay. Maybe.

"On a scale from one to ten, what would you rank the intensity of your first orgasm?" Tony asked, scribbling mid air on a floating data sheet.

Peter snorted loudly, "That's real scientific of you," He joked, earning a playful glare in return. "Um....like a twenty."

It was Tony's turn to laugh. Before he realized Peter wasn't joking at all.

"Oh, you're serious," He said, clearing his throat. "You've really never experienced anything like that?"

"In all honesty, I very rarely....touch myself. It's too difficult for me, so yesterday was a nice relief," He winced. He hadn't meant to say that. "I'm sorry, that sounded so creepy. I just meant-"

"It's okay, kid." Tony was smiling at him, an amused glint in his eye. "That had to be intense for you. I know it was, I heard you."

Peter groaned in embarrassment, "Please don't remind me," Tony only laughed at his misfortune. Maybe that meant things would be less awkward, if Tony was taking the whole situation so well.

"As for your sample I took," Peter only winced a little this time. "You'll be happy to know it's no different than any other Omegan fluid. Makes sense. Betas can't produce any slick so why would that part of your traits mesh together?"

Peter hummed at the rhetorical question. He cleared his throat, figuring now was as good a time as any.

"Do...do Omegas usually get that loopy afterward?" He asked tentatively.

Tony pondered the thought, his brow wrinkling.

"I don't think any of the Omegas I've personally been with have ever reacted quite like that, no," Tony squinted, clearly thinking hard. "Can you describe how you felt?"

Peter tried very hard to contain the growl that was building inside his throat. It was so shocking, it threw him off guard for a second. All he could hear inside his own head was "Omegas I've personally been with" and the Omega part of Peter really didn't like that.

Which. Wasn't good. He tried his best to ignore it, hurriedly answering Tony's question.

"I was...really dizzy? And tired. But not like, normal tired. I felt kinda out of my own realm of existence. Which I know sounds....that sounds so dumb but I just remember feeling like I was floating," He explained, getting lost in his own words. He'd have to worry about the growling urge later. "It was nice, actually. I didn't feel worried about anything."

"You worry a lot, don't you?" Tony asked with no trace of humor to be found. Peter shrugged, giving him a weak smile as the older man glanced at him shortly before looking back at his work.

"You shouldn't. You're a smart, talented kid. You've got a lot to offer. You should relax more."

Peter could feel his cheeks reddening at the praise. Sure, he didn't really believe any of it but it was nice to hear nonetheless.

"We'll look into it, I'll go back over all the data I wrote down yesterday on your chart and see if you had any chemical spikes and whatnot." He assured Peter quietly and the boy smiled back at him, pleased that he had had the courage to tell Tony about his weird out of body moment yesterday.

A comfortable silence settled over them, calming Peter's frayed nerves. Today wasn't going as badly as he had thought it would. How does one even deal with their boss/mentor talking them into orgasm? Because Peter had been ready to walk to the gallows this morning but now....it wasn't so bad. Tony was making it a lot less uncomfortable than Peter thought he'd make it. He really appreciated that and it struck him for the first time, the benefit of being around someone older and much more mature than his peers.

Not to say that Mr. Stark was a shining example of maturity (especially given his past indiscretions) but he had really turned over a new leaf after retiring a few years previous. Peter remembered seeing all the twitter trends, the day Tony announced his departure as Iron Man. He made it clear that he would only ever don the suit again if it was strictly necessary to the world at large. Peter wondered if he had felt guilt for doing that, turning in the towel. But he couldn't blame him. He was older now and years of stress probably kept him from living a normal life.

Peter had no idea what happened between his boss and Pepper Potts but he knew they rarely saw each other anymore. And Tony didn't look too lonely or crestfallen. Maybe he was just really good at hiding it.

Despite having retired as Iron Man, Mr. Stark was still inventing and creating. He had made enormous strides in the medical and scientific fields just over the last five years. It was one of the many reasons Peter had wanted to work at Stark Tower so badly. There so much innovation and talent, all in one massive building. He absolutely loved it.

"I have a question to ask you but I don't think you're going to like it," Tony's voice interrupted his thoughts, giving him pause as the man cautiously turned toward him. Peter looked at him warily. "So....I think it would be good if we had someone come in and medically examine you."

Peter squinted in confusion. Would they be doing a routine check up or....?

It dawned on Peter then and he immediately felt himself panic, eyes widening.

"You mean...um, like my...parts?" Sue him for not being able to say it, he just wasn't used to having to talk about these things. And besides, he's had doctors all over him for years, poking and prodding at him.

It's just been so long that he's not really used to it anymore and the idea of having a stranger come in and....examine the most private parts of him was vaguely terrifying.

"Yes," Tony said slowly, eyeing him cautiously. "It would be someone that I choose, a professional of course and if you don't like them-"

"Why can't you do it?"

It slipped from his mouth without his permission but honestly, he didn't really want to take it back. Peter felt a rare surge of confidence, peddled on by his unease at the idea of a stranger examining him.

"I....I don't think that's such a good idea," Tony said. Peter gulped, already feeling crestfallen and nervous.

"But...you're completely qualified, at least enough to know your way around," Maybe not the best way to word it but okay. "And you've already seen everything."

Sound reasoning. Peter cringed as Tony looked at him shrewdly. He just wanted....he just wanted Tony to do it because he felt distinctly uncomfortable at the idea of literally anyone else getting that close to him.

"And also....I'm not.....I don't really want anyone else to know. About me," He looked away. "Or for a stranger to be....looking at those parts of me. It bothers me."

He tried to look as pleading as he possibly could. Which wasn't that hard, really. He genuinely felt such a great surge of anxiety at just the thought alone. It must have shone on his face because he could see Tony's resolve crunching before his eyes.

".....Okay," Tony sighed, giving in. "But you have to let me know if I make you uncomfortable or if I do anything you don't like."

Peter nodded a bit too enthusiastically, fully relieved that he had evaded a full on crisis.

"I mean it, Peter," Tony said sternly, Gracie thin with direct eye contact that left Peter feeling mildly discomfited.

"I know," He said, voice abashed and quiet. He wasn't sure why a sick, ashamed feeling was curly in his belly just at that one look of disapproval. Tony didn't even look upset, so why did Peter feel like he'd disappointed him somehow? "Thank you so much. I just....I don't know how I'd deal with anyone else touching me like that."

For a split second, Peter swore Tonys eyes shone bright red. But....no, that couldn't be right. That would mean....no, Peter was just tired as a little stressed out.

Tony's face relaxed, a small smile gracing his features.

"That's fine," He assured Peter kindly. "I'll make sure you're as comfortable as possible."

Somehow, Peter figured that wasn't entirely realistic.

—

"It's going great, May," Peter smiled as Nay chattered off questions to him at full speed.

What are you up to? Have you been sleeping? Do you eat enough to eat? How's the super secret project going?

"Are you happy?" She asked finally, her worried tone only worsening the longer hey talked.

"Of course I am," Peter said. And he really was. Being here with Mr. Stark so far had been terrifying and disorienting. But he was also weirdly happy around the older man. He just has a comforting presence about him that Peter couldn't help but enjoy.

He wasn't fooling himself though. He probably wasn't fooling May either. It was pretty clear to anyone within shooting range that Peter was into Tony. He had a crush. A big crush. A really embarrassingly obvious one at that.

And he couldn't do anything about it. He wasn't about to come onto Tony, despite how he had acted in the lab bed a few days prior. He'd just lost control and desperately wanted something he couldn't have. Peter was under no illusions, it could and would never happen.
And he wouldn't let himself slip like that again.

Didn't stop him from thinking about it all the time though.

Still, he hoped that the examination would be awkward enough that he wouldn't slip up and act like an idiot again.

"Are you sure you can't tell me what you've been working on?" May joked light heartedly. Peter could tell she was just trying to make conversation and he appreciated it.

But he also felt wildly guilty that he was lying to her about something so important. But telling the truth meant admitting he had been buying and using O for three years straight. He didn't want to drop hat truth bomb on May just yet, no matter how much he detested lying to her.

"You'll be the first to know if we get any leeway," He assured her. He wasn't lying either. If they did find a way to keep him off O but also control his heats and scent, he would definitely rush to May to share in the good news. "I promise."

They finished up their conversation and said their goodbyes, leaving Peter feeling both uneasy and greatly relieved just to hear his Aunts voice again.

He really hoped all of this worked out. He couldn't go back on O and he didn't know what he would do if.....if everything was just for nothing.

—

"I think we can induce your heat," Tony said as he took a bite of his salad. He sat across from Peter, the lowlight over the table casting his face in a warm glow.

"That's.....how would we even do that? Why?" Peter felt flabbergasted, momentarily distracted from his dinner. His dinner that Tony had bought him at this very fancy restaurant. That Tony had brought him to and it definitely was not a date.

That little fact wasn't doing anything to calm Peter's pulse.

"Well, I think if we expose you to Alpha pheromones, we might be able to kickstart it early. It might help us be able to regulate exactly what's happening with your body that's causing so much pain beyond the regular scope."

It made sense. Peter still didn't like it though.

"I....but....how would we even deal with that? Where would we get Alpha pheromones? Surely you don't just have test tubes of pheromones laying around?" Peter meant it as a joke but Tony shifted slightly in his chair, looking away.

"You do?" He asked, unsure why he was so surprised with the fact.

"I sort of....acquired them last week, once I knew we would be doing his," He explained, coughing distractedly. "It's mine. The pheromones are mine."

Peter gaped at the older man, momentarily speechless. Mr. Stark talking him to orgasm was one thing. Touching him was another but....exposing him to pheromones that had the chance of causing Peter to go near feral (they had no clue what he'd be like during a normal heat after three years on O) that was just.....a really bad idea.

"Aren't you scared I'll attach myself to the scent?" He didn't want to ask, didn't want to even approach the subject but he had to know.

"I don't think you will," Tony said and Peter almost snorted. As if he wasn't already half way obsessed with the man. "I think...your Omega will smell a scent that it craves but I also know that your Omega will probably not want to attach to an....older Alpha. That's not usually how it works. Your inner traits are looking for a good mate and my age puts me further down the list."

Peter almost rolled his eyes at his reasoning.

"You have a six pack," He said tonelessly. "I think my Omega won't give a flying fuck what age you are."

Tony sighed then, "If you don't want to do it, that's fine. I just think it'll be helpful. Maybe I can get someone else's pheromones. One of the guys on the team-"

Peter stopped the growl before it could emit from his throat, letting out a choked noise instead in his haste.

"That's um...no, that's fine," He coughed again, sipping on his water to try and calm down. Jesus, why was he acting like he had any claim over Tony? Why couldn't he stop acting crazy? "Your idea was better. You know how I feel about strangers."

Tony squinted at him, obviously perturbed by the sudden change of heart.

"O.....Kay," Keep your cool Peter. Don't act weird. "Then I guess it's all set. We'll just have to wait until after your examination and then we can start the process. I know there's gotta be something there to look into."

Peter didn't know whether to be relieved that Tony seemed to be taking a very clinical, professional stance with this. Or mildly offended that he was completely unbothered by everything happening around them, whilst Peter was going through literal hell.

His hormones had come out of the wood work after years of laying dormant and he isn't even sure how to handle feeling so horny all the time. He knew he was just attaching to Tony because he was the closest Alpha that Peter could get his hands on. And he was attractive. And deceptively kind. And a literal genius.

Yeah, his crush wasn't going anywhere but that didn't mean Peter actually had to acknowledge. It was just so different now, so much more intense than when he was a kid, staring at his Iron Man posters and hoping he'd meet the man himself some day. Now.....he knew Tony and he had lived up to every little fantasy 14 year old Peter could have possibly dreamed up.

Well, not every fantasy. No, sadly Peter would never actually...

It didn't matter.

The research mattered and after it was done, things would go back to normal.

—

"Does that feel okay?"

Peter tried hard to not let a guttural moan, hoping against hope that his body would obey him. Just this once.

He had to get through this without getting wet or getting hard or....literally anything that he would have to hang his head in shame for.

The thing is, that's kind of hard when your hot boss has his pointer finger buried deep inside your ass.

It should have been awkward and uncomfortable. Really, it was. But there's nothing stopping Peter's traitorous body from fully enjoying this moment. Latex gloves and all.

The gloves should make it feel more clinical and detached but if anything, they're only making it worse because if Tony is a scientist and has a PHD, that technically makes him a doctor. And the idea of Doctor Stark fingering him on an examination table (the fact that it's actually a bed somehow makes this way worse) is almost too much for his little brain to handle.

Or his dick.

Who knew Peter had a medical kink?

"It's....uh, yep. Good," He sighed, thighs shaking the tiniest bit. He was at least glad that he was bent over the bed this time, his bright red face hidden in the sheets. At least he didn't have to clench eyes shut to get to get away from Tony's piercing gaze.

The robe he wore was hitched upward, falling over his lower back. He felt....over exposed. It did nothing to quail the ache in his groin.

Tony twisted his finger, the latex scrunching noisily in the silent room. He pressed upward, the tip pushing into Peter's prostate.

He willed himself to shut down completely. He would be fine, he could get through this. It wasn't a big deal, he was-

Oh fuck. He pushed again, testing Peter's walls before humming lowly.

"Interesting," Came the low voice from behind him. Of course Tony was focused on the science aspect of his body, meanwhile Peter was going to lose his fucking mind. "It feels like....the structure of your prostate is a bit different, I think. I don't think it's a bad thing though."

"Mh-hm," Peter hummed tersely as he continued to assault his poor prostate. Peter cursed his sensitivity and the fact that Tony didn't even seem to fully realize what he was doing to him.

He just continued talking, obviously engrossed in some sort of hypothesis about why Peter's prostate might be different than a normal male Omegas, when Peter felt it start to happen.

He was already rock hard against the bed spread but at least that was hidden from plain view. No this was far worse. He was about to leak.

He could....he could feel it about to happen. Which was odd because even that first time, he hadn't even been aware of it until he was already soaked. But sure enough, he could feel heat pooling in his groin and in his lower back. A feverish feeling took over his body.

"Ahh- I'm- oh no, I'm-I'm soosorry," He whimpered as slick gushed from his hole, cool and thick as he tried to clench down. But the clenching only served to press the finger inside more intensely into his walls.

He felt tension gather in the air as his eyelids fluttered, his heart thumping along sluggishly. He prayed that Tony would just...not mention it. That was an option, right? Pretending Peter wasn't wildly turned on?

"That's...that's fine," Tony said, voice sounding tense. Peter smelt that same spicy scent, permeating his nose until he couldn't smell anything but Tony and his own arousal. "You're doing good. It's good for....it's okay."

It didn't sound like it was okay. Peter nearly sobbed as Tony's finger moved minutely inside of him and another wave went through him. He felt more slick drip downward, just trailing the inside of his open thighs. Why did he have to feel so much? Why now?

"Tony..." He whispered, unsure of why he needed to speak, why he felt such a blinding need to insert a plea into the mans name. It consumed him and he couldn't help himself.

It happened in a split second and Peter gasped wildly as Tony pulled his finger out and pushed two back in, forcefully fingering him. The wet noises echoed loudly in Peter's dizzy head, the fast pace almost causing him to buck off of the bed in surprise.

"Fuuuuuuuuuck," He groaned, muffled by the bed underneath him. His fingers gripped at the sheets as he lifted up onto his tiptoes, further parting his thighs and lifting his ass higher into the air, practically presenting himself to his boss. "Oh god....fuck, keeep-keep doing that."

"Shh, shhh," Tony soothed, his fingers moving at an alarming pace that had Peter practically drooling into the bedsheets. He'd gone from zero to one hundred and Peter wasn't handling it well. "Just.....god dammit, Peter."

Tony sounded reverent and put-out all at once, like this was somehow an inevitable thing that he knew was going to happen. A small part of Peter felt bad, guilty that he was using the older man. A bigger part of him didn't give a shit.

He pressed a warm hand onto Peter's lower back, arching his spine further until he could feel a distinct ache in his bones. He didn't care, all he cared about was trying to desperately rut his hips into the bed and back onto Tony's hand.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry," He sobbed, the words warbled and rough sounding as he tried to apologize for the absolute mayhem he was causing. He'd never been so frenzied in his life.

"Don't be sorry," Tony said, strict and stern in a way that made Peter's toes curl. "It's....just. Stay still. Just let me...just stay."

Peter groaned, thighs shaking from the intensity as Tony's fingers twisted inside him. He didn't sound mad at Peter, just disappointed. Maybe in the situation itself and really, once again, Peter should feel ashamed but somehow that tilt to the older mans voice only made him harder.

"Didn't mean to- I just, oh fuck," He whined, thighs spreading even further apart, legs scrabbling like he could possibly take any more of Tony's fingers inside of him.

"I told you to not move," Tony growled, a hint of an Alpha command coloring his tone. He pushed the entirety of his forearm onto Peter's lower back, pinning him in place. Peter panted into the bed, his eyes wet and wide open as the other man assaulted his prostate. He wanted to come so badly, felt the ache deep within his bones as he hands clenched sporadically above his head.

But he knew he wouldn't be able to come yet.

'Not until your Alpha tells you to.' A voice inside his head echoed back. Peter almost cried at the thought, a startled noise leaving his chest. He wasn't.....no....Tony wasn't...his...

"I didn't....I didn't want this to happen," Tony cursed from behind him and just like that, the fingers were gone and so was Tony. Peter let out a pitiful whimper, cold seeping into his chest and belly.

He didn't have to be sad for too long.

Peter heard a noise behind him, a thunking noise as something hit the floor. Hands touched the inside of his thighs, hands that were free of latex.

"I didn't want- god dammit, Peter," Tony said quietly, voice sharp and resigned. Peter was confused, why did his voice sound so low? What was he doing with his hands? Where were his gloves?

He almost turned around until-

Tony dove in, parting Peter's cheeks with deft hands and panting open mouthed over his soaked hole.

Peter almost shouted at the feeling, the scrape of facial hair against his sensitive skin. The way Tony's hands gripped the meat of his thighs and held him open as he devoured him, licking deeper into him like he was a starving man.

"What- oh, oh my- Tony,what are you-" He slurred as he was licked open, the ravenous movements of Tony's lips and teeth and tongue taking him apart slowly. His dick throbbed against the bed, dripping and ruining the sheets once again.

Peter tried to gain leverage, tried to undulate back into Tony's face because holy shit, Tony Stark was eating him out. Tony Stark was on his knees, eating him out. He was probably drenching his face in slick. Peter felt dizzy with arousal, his body thrumming for more.

The hands on his thighs moved to his ass, gripping hard enough to bruise as he pressed Peter's hips roughly into the edge of the bed.

"I told you not to fucking move," Tony cursed, panting openly against Peter's skin. He sounded deranged and out of sorts and his scent only made Peter whine more. He wiggled his hips valiantly, trying to get that mouth back on him.

What he got instead was two fingers pressed back inside of him and a sharp bite on his left ass cheek.

Peter hissed at the sting, his back arching into it. He wanted more...he needed....

"I'm sorry...I c-can't-" He wept, his mind too clouded to get a full sentence out.

Tony curled his fingers, fucking him rough and fast as he sucked a mark into his flesh.

"I know that. You having a listening problem," Tony said, that same disappointed tone coming back. But this time, Peter actually did feel distressed. He wasn't....he hadn't meant to....

"I'm sorry!" He wept, still moving restlessly even as he apologized. "Please don't....don't hate me. I'm good, I'll be good, I'm so- so sorry."

The fingers inside him paused for a second before returning to a gentle, slower pace.

"Sshhh, you're good," Tony whispered, kissing softly at the bite he had left. "It's okay, sweetheart, take a deep breath. You're doing so good."

Peter's mind swam, a warm feeling floating up through his toes and into his chest, chasing away the achey cold feeling from before.

"I...I am?" He hiccuped, his eyes swimming with tears. His vision was blurry so he chose to close them, focusing on the feeling of Tony's fingers inside of him and the way he throbbed insistently against the bed. He tried to calm his breathing down, tried to let go of the frantic sensation drowning out his senses. He'd stooped moving, sighing open mouthed against the sheets. Tony would take care of him. He was a good Alpha and he would take care of him.

"Of course you are," Tony cooed, something so magnanimous about his tone that Peter whined louder until Tony hushed him a second time. He stopped his hand, letting his finger tips rest directly on Peter's swollen gland, just petting at it in small circles. "Look at how good you're being."

More slick dripped down his thighs, coating them indecently.

"God, you really do get wet....smell so good..." Tony punctuated his point by tonguing at Peter's rim around where his fingers stretched him. "Thought I could resist..."

"I gotta...I gotta come," Peter groaned, voice thin as he tried his hardest to not disobey and thrust back into Tony's slow moving fingers and wandering mouth. "Please, can I p-please come?"

He'd probably weep if Tony said no, he didn't know how much longer he could stand the constant pressure in his groin. Or in his ass, building and building until he was sure he would blow.

But the lack of permission was stopping him. Almost like he wouldn't be able to if Tony didn't.

"You can come whenever you want," Tony said with a harder curl of his fingers, the wet noise sounding unerringly loud to Peter's ears.

But it wasn't....no, it didn't sound right and Peter was trying so hard. He was right there, right at the edge.

He wasn't aware of how loud he was whining until Tony was hushing him, pulling his fingers out to the tips and pushing in a third. Peter's body clenched up like it was trying its hardest to reach that peak but it still wouldn't happen.

He felt frustrated tears burst into his eyes and that was when he realized.

"Tony, it's...you gotta- you gotta use a command," He whimpered loudly, his body thrumming with heat as he felt tears escape and run down his hot cheeks. "Please, m-make me come."

Tony only paused for a few seconds but it felt like hours to Peter, as on edge as he was.

"Come for me," He said, a low growl emanating from his chest. That was the ticket.

Peter shoved back onto him, pressing his hips into the onslaught of the three fingers, fucking him noisily as he reached his orgasm. It was pulled from him, almost painful in its sheer intensity as he emptied across the bed and felt slick gush down onto Tony's hand.

He made incoherent noises, tiny whimpers of relief and torture mixed all into one.

"Thank you thank you thank you," He chanted as his body sagged into the bed. He couldn't open his eyes, already know his vision would be blurry. Which was disconcerting. Would his vision be like that every time he got off?

Would he even be able to get off without Tony now that he'd gotten a taste of being with him?

Peter pushed the thought away. Or maybe his Omega did. For whatever reason, he was sinking into the familiar sense of nothingness again. Even as Tony extracted his fingers and stood up being him. He could hear the snap removal of his gloves and the noise of him throwing them into the bin.

He walked back behind Peter who had given no effort into moving whatsoever. He could just sleep like this, it would be fine. His eyes rolled closed to do just that when felt the older mans bare hands wrap around his waist and pull him into a standing position.

Peter swayed into the mans hold, like a puppet with no strings, but Tony just wrapped his arms further around his small waist. Peter let out a sigh, a happy noise as he enjoyed the embrace. He wasn't even embarrassed that he was probably getting slick all over Tony's pants.

"Let's get you into some clean clothes," Tony said, not letting go of Peter as he settled the robe back onto his body, hands gentle and careful. Peter only pressed further into him, letting his head lull on his bosses shoulder. "Maybe get you a shower, if you can stand-"

Peter wasn't fully listening. He had become distracted because while he leaned into Tony, he could definitely feel a hard line poking right above his ass. He licked his lips, mind fuzzy but still shocked that Tony was apparently hard.

"Y'wan me t' blow you?" He slurred out. Now that he'd said it, he couldn't stop thinking about it. About turning around and dropping to his knees. He was pretty useless right now, maybe Tony could just hold his head and fuck his mouth. He'd let him, he'd let him do just about anything-

"I don't think that's a good idea, Pete." Tony interrupted his lewd thoughts and Peter frowned, belatedly realizing that the man in question couldn't see him.

He turned around even as Tony's arms dropped from around his waist.

"Why not?" He asked, the words loose in his mouth. "M'make it good. Promise."

Tony smiled then, a soft quirk to his mouth as he kept his hands to himself.

"I know you would, baby," Tony said gently. Baby. Peter felt heat in his chest, a blooming warmth that touched his fingertips. "But I also know you're out of it and....now isn't the best time."

Peter frowned but nodded, he could hear the stern Alpha undertone to Tony's words and he knew better than to disobey.

"Later," He said, eyes drooping heavily. Tony only chuckled at him, clearly amused by his loopy behavior.

He couldn't really remember what came next, just that he woke up in his temporary bedroom, drooling into his bedsheets.

Apparently he had showered at some point but he could only vaguely remember standing under the spray as Tony washed his hair from a safe, clothed distance outside the tub.

Which was....well, it left Peter feeling a little bit disappointed. Considering the fact that Tony had literally....he'd done.....

And now Peter was laying alone in his room, with no note or anything. He tried his hardest to remember what had happened after the inevitable fog from his orgasm.

He only got snippets of gentle words and kind hands and....maybe Tony was fine. Maybe he wasn't freaking out over what they had done.

Maybe.

Peter reached for his phone, carefully placed on his side table, and looked at the time. 9 pm. He'd managed to sleep the entire day away. It was worrying, definitely, and something he needed to bring up to Tony. Why was he so disorientated after he came? Why did he seem so weakened by it?

He wasn't sure. But it didn't shock him that once he'd finally found a positive side to his traits, another negative side-effect had managed to creep it's way in. What use was he if he could have sex like an Omega but remained completely useless afterward?

Peter sighed before dragging himself out of bed, noting the pajamas Tony had clearly helped him into. The lapse in memory was definitely worrying too. But again, Peter wasn't too shocked. He was used to being let down by his genetics.

Not to mention being let down by every other aspect of his life. He used the bathroom, purposely taking his time. He didn't exactly want to confront Tony after what they had done. You'd think he'd be ecstatic that the older man had.....done what he'd done to Peter. But he was also a pessimist and he fully realized that Tony was an unbonded Alpha. One who didn't hate the smell of Peter at all. They had been stupid to think Peter's scent wouldn't bother him.

And Peter knew that it was only circumstantial, what had happened. Right place, right time. Pheromones do crazy things to people and while Peter would have assumed Tony would be on top of dealing with his own reactions (as the man himself had assured he was many times before) he vaguely recalled Tony saying he couldn't resist Peter.

Which he was distinctly trying to not dwell on, thank you very much.

The last thing he needed was for his Omega to become emotionally attached to Tony. It might sound completely impossible, considering he'd only be here for a very short time. But in reality, bond attachment was usually fairly simple and uncomplicated. Sometimes people even formed preliminary bonds without meaning to.

A lot of the time they would form one sided. And that was exactly what Peter was trying to avoid.

So, yeah. He wasn't excited to see Tony for once. Not after how he'd made him feel. But he knew they'd have to address it and furthermore address Peter's intense reactions. They were becoming concerning to him.

Peter went out to search for Tony, unsure if the other man would be in his own room or the lab. He tried the room first, figuring he'd just get it out of the way but to his surprise, Friday informed him that Tony was in fact working in his quarters.

The door opened of its volition and Peter was greeted with the site of Tony's back as he sat at a desk on the far end of the room.

Peter peeked around at his room as he cautiously walked in, taking in the lack of personal belongings and the clean smell of the air.

"Hey Pete," Tony said softly before turning around. He looked.....well, he didn't look as upset as Peter thought he might have. "Did you sleep well?"

He gestured for Peter to sit on the edge of his mattress. They sat a safe distance from each other and eat Peter felt like he was four inches from the older man, just out of his reach but close enough to smell his sharp scent.

"I'm....I'm sorry," Peter gulped out, feeling his unease rise to the surface as Tony looked him in the eye. He didn't look remotely upset but Peter felt odd. Off kilter.

"Don't be," Tony said simply, eyebrows furrowing. "That wasn't your fault, Peter. It was mine."

It was Peter's turn to frown, wiping his sweaty palms against his pajama pants.

"How? We were both...and then...and we assumed it'd be okay," Peter's chest hurt, like his heart was thumping too hard. "I was the one who wouldn't let you bring a professional in. That was....that was stupid of me."

Now Tony looked disapproving. A hot feeling of shame squirmed inside Peter's belly.

"There's nothing stupid about you," He said with a steely look to his gaze. "How do you feel? Are you okay?"

He sounded so worried that Peter was taken aback.

"I....yeah, I'm fine. Slept pretty good. My neck hurts-" Peter rambled a tiny bit before Tony interrupted him.

"No, I meant....are you okay with what we did?" Tony looked distressed, his eyes hinting that maybe he was feeling guilty about what had happened. "Because I need to know if I took things too far, Peter."

"No," He replied assuredly, completely thrown by the idea that Tony thought he'd overstepped. They'd both overstepped and just because Peter had been loopy, it didn't mean it hadn't been 100% consensual. Maybe Tony couldn't see it that way but Peter definitely did. "I'm....it was....it was nice. I've never...well you know, no ones ever touched me like that."

Peter watched as Tony clenched his eyes shut for just a second and he swore he saw another flash of red, the tiniest hint of it before....no, as his eyes opened again, it was completely gone.

Peter was imagining things again and he desperately needed to stop before his heart took it too far.

"I know," Tony said, gravel roughening his voice and making Peter's hair stand on end. "And that's why it's important that we don't let it happen again."

Peter's heart didn't shatter and he didn't show any outward reaction. He wasn't shocked. Like he'd said before.....he knew it was never going to happen and he knew better than to get his hopes up.

He felt numb, like a block of ice was settling over his chest.

"I'm very sorry," Tony apologized and Peter wished he'd keep his voice a little more formal so he wouldn't have to hear the strings of guilt and regret in his tone. "I know that I messed up and I shouldn't have but..."

"But hormones exist and you're only a man," Peter said, proud of how level and mature he sounded. "I get it, Mr. Stark. It's....it's fine, I know how it is."

He didn't. Not really, not until recently but....he was under no illusions. Tony liking the smell and look of him did not suddenly make him a real Omega. He wasn't an ideal mate and he never would be.

"That's....thank you," Tony said, looking vaguely confused. "I think we'll wait until tomorrow to talk about our....results. You should get more sleep, you still look tired."

Peter plastered a smile on his face, plastic and wide. He was fine, it wasn't like he'd never felt this way before.

"I will," He said, ever the polite boy, before wishing Tony a good night and returning to his room.

He didn't cry when he got back, he didn't cry as he gathered his clothes up, readying himself to take a second shower just to get rid of the renewed stress in his bones.

He only let the tears slip when he stood under the heavy pounding of the shower head, where he knew no one could hear him and Friday wouldn't report him as "distressed" to Mr. Stark.

—

The next morning, Peter was a new man.

Scratch that. He definitely wasn't. But he was coping and part of coping included making himself impervious to Mr. Starks many varying side glances. He could tell his boss wanted to ask if he was okay but Peter was trying off a vibe.

A "Please don't bring up that you ate me out and then ditched me" vibe, if you will. Peter wasn't mad at Tony though. Not really. How could he be? Like he said before, he wasn't exactly a prime candidate for a mate.

Peter couldn't really blame him.

They were discussing the previous days....events. Which was sort of complicated because they were both avoiding talking about what had actually happened. Tony had helped Peter get off. He'd fingered him and buried his face in....

Peter was trying really hard to not think about it, given that if he did start pondering it for too long, he was liable to get hard and slick.

And if either of those things happened, surely Tony would be able to scent him and that was just the last thing Peter wanted. He just wanted to ignore things because that's all he could do to deal with...all of this. He didn't even want to think about emotional repercussions.

"I think you definitely have different characteristics that make you more prone to commands," Tony said, not looking Peter in the eye as they sat uncomfortably far apart in the lab. "But I'm more than a little worried about how you feel afterwards."

Peter shifted in his seat.

"Do you think maybe it's my 'too much' gene?" The joke fell flat but he was sure Tony knew what he meant. "This time was a lot worse and I think it's because...."

Because you were touching me. You were commanding me, getting me off. It was you.

Fuck, if there ever were a time when Peter would want to pick up excessive drinking, it would be now. He couldn't deal with the tumbling of his emotions constantly, alongside his sudden libido spike.

"Because an Alpha was directly involved," The emotionless inflection Tony used only made Peter flinch a little bit. He wasn't just any Alpha. Peter was becoming more aware of that fact every day. He wished he wasn't.

"I think being so near an unmated Alpha has awoken more of your Omega traits that were previously stagnant. It makes sense, you said you've never done anything....like that. So, of course you'd feel a bit more than usual."

Peter wanted to tell him it wasn't just a bit. It was a lot. It was all consuming.

"I couldn't remember much afterward," He said instead of spewing the truth. "I um....it's kind of like when you drink too much and black out. It felt like that."

Tony nodded contemplatively.

"After reviewing your DNA strands again, I think it's safe to say that O wasn't the cause of your excessive traits," Peter's heart sank the tiniest bit. "Or for the pain. I think that's mostly your own genetics. But I also think that maybe the O has caused the....after effects. They seem to be correlated with the side effects of the drug that you have on the regular. But you took it for long enough now that they only pop up during withdrawal or when you feel your Omegan instincts the strongest, I.e. during sexual intercourse."

Peter nodded along, overwhelmed by the information. So the O wasn't the cause of his sudden onslaught of hormones but was probably the cause of his constant tiredness after orgasm.

"So....does it....will it ever go away?" He asked meekly. Sue him, he wasn't a big fan of just blacking our constantly after he came. Especially after years of not even being able to touch himself.

Tony's eyebrows furrowed. Not a good sign.

"I think maybe with time it'll lessen," He said. Peter let out a silent sigh of relief. Maybe was better than nothing and anyway, it was better than the pain. "Now, as for your scent. That's trickier. It remains the same as before. I think....I think the only way to know anything more about your scent is to see how much it changes during a heat. In the meantime, I can gather samples and let somebody else review, no disclosure. I'm not a...good judge."

Peter grimaced, knowing Tony couldn't see him with his chair turned to the side.

Of course he wasn't a good judge, he was the only person Peter had ever met that didn't gag at his smell. Funny how the only person who thought he smelled good also wanted nothing to do with him.

Peter chided himself internally. That wasn't fair. Tony wasn't responsible for his feelings. They'd only been working together for a short time and Peter was just a desperate fan boy, trying to cling to the first Alpha who didn't completely detest him.

"You okay, Pete?" Please don't call me that, he thought as Tony turned toward him.

"I'm....yeah, I'm fine," He lies, shrugging a little helplessly. "What if....what if we never find anything?"

He sounded meek even to his own ears.

"What am I supposed to do then? Do I...do I just go through life, unwanted by everybody around me? Or do I go back on O?"

Tony's face hardened at the mention of the drug.

"Absolutely not," He said grimly. "I'll find a way. I promise I will."

Peter's eyes stung as he broke eye contact.

"Why are you being so nice to me?" He whispered back. He knew the answer. Tony was just nice. He was a good man and a good Alpha and someday, a very lucky Omega would get to be mated to him and...

Peter felt sick.

Tony ignored his question as his eyes grew more intense. He looked sad and contemplative all at once.

"We should check on those pheromones, see if they're cultured enough to use soon," He said quietly, clearly avoiding the question.

Once again, Peter didn't blame him.

—

The next few days don't go too well. Peter wasn't feeling great, to say the least. He couldn't put a finger on what exactly was happening to him but he felt lethargic, tired deep into his bones.

And he felt sad. Sadder than he'd been in years and that was saying something. Peter was prone to depressive episodes, sure. But....nothing this bad.

He stood in the shower for 30 minutes earlier that morning, letting the water run too hot over his skin while he stared listlessly at the wall ahead of him. He hadn't gotten out until his skin was bright red and tender, a huge mistake on his part.

It had gone away later (and with the help of some expensive lotion Tony stocked the bathroom with) but Peter still felt bad about it. Like his inner Omega was upset with him for being so....useless.

He felt useless. More and more lately. He just wanted to feel better again but he knew 'better' consisted of copious amounts of O. Tony was right, he wouldn't survive past 30 if he kept using. Not to mention the risk of getting tampered with drugs.

Still, he just wanted some amount of normalcy back from all of this. He couldn't stop thinking about Tony and lamenting over how he had touched him, how he was the only person to ever connect and care for Peter in such a strong, compelling way. Peter knew it was mostly hormones and desire for research but....that didn't stop the inner most parts of him from wishing that it was more.

Which was crazy. They barely knew each other. And yet, the more time Peter spent around the older man, the more his Omega became attached. Peter didn't want to admit to the bond e could feel lopsidedly forming between them. It would hurt him too much to admit to it.

Plus, Tony had been avoiding him. Or well, maybe he wasn't actually avoiding him. He was 'busy'. He'd had several meetings this past week, not bothering to explain any of his details in depth to Peter.

And Peter wasn't even sure why that hurt him as much as it did. He wasn't privy to any personal info about Tony, they weren't close enough for that. And yet, Peter felt a connection to the man that he'd never felt in his life. He didn't like it.

So he didn't bring it up to Tony, always one to avoid confrontation and conflict. He just moped around the house, using his Stark pad to conduct research about the skin project. He ate his meals alone and felt Tony's absence like a gaping hole in his chest.

He really didn't have to question it. He knew exactly why he'd become attached to Tony so quickly. And he wasn't ready to deal with it.

He just hoped he could hide it from Tony for as long as possible.

—

"You sound sad," Aunt Mays voice said through his phone speaker as Peter tinkered a bottle of solution, his hands preoccupied with lab equipment. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"I'm fine," Peter cursed the sad tone of his voice. "I'm just....little bit home sick. Miss my apartment. Miss you."

"You can come see me anytime," May said and Peter caught himself before he mentioned that actually, he really couldn't do that. He was off O for the unforeseeable future and that meant he wasn't really allowed outside, not unless he wanted to rat out his biggest secret and maybe lose his job.

Tony probably wouldn't let him lose his job. But still.

"I know," He replied instead, feeling uneasy. Not for the first time either. Peter hated lying but he'd been doing it for so long now that it almost second nature. "Maybe in a few weeks I'll come down and see you. We can have a movie night and everything."

"And you'll tell me who's got you in such a tizzy?" Peter froze, almost dropping the tube he was holding. How could she possibly know? "I'm not blind, Peter. You sound heartbroken and upset, I could tell just from our calls that it's getting worse."

Peter shrugged before remembering she couldn't see him. Oh well. It's not like she could figure out who exactly was causing his heartache.

Was that what this was? Heartache? Peter shook his head, focusing back on their conversation.

"I can handle it," He said with a little more strength. It sounded convincing enough. "I'll talk to you about it soon, promise. I'm just....struggling with everything right now and I'm stressed and I'm sorry I haven't been talking to you as much."

"Hey hey," May rushed to stifle his rambling. "Don't worry about that, I'm fine. I just want less sad Peter, more happy Peter."

He giggled a little, feeling the tiniest bit of weight leave his chest now that his Aunt was far lass suspicious of him.

They said their goodbyes and Peter went back to his work. Alone and sequestered in a Tower with no company, like some kind of fairytale.

Only Peter didn't have a prince, did he?

—
By the time Tony arrived back at tower, Peter had already just about solved his gap in the skin mapping research. He'd done everything he could think of to pass the time and with everyday that the other man avoided him. The ache in his chest grew exponentially.

He felt sick every day now, weak like he wasn't getting enough to eat. But he was keeping food down and trying his hardest to get enough sleep.

Something inside him was wrong, he could just tell.

He only felt marginally happy that Tony seemed to look just as tired as him when he finally arrived home.

They say together in Peter's kitchenette, both not drinking the cups of coffee in front of them. The air felt tense and weird, full of electricity that lay stagnant and unwanted.

Apparently Tony had already conducted his scenting experiment whilst he was away.

"I took several test samples with an anonymous group of people, to see if they scented you any different. Decided a bigger group would be more accurate," Tony said with no inflection. Peter knew he was doing it on purpose, he didn't want to upset Peter. Whether that was because he didn't want to deal with a hysterical fit from the boy or because he cared...Peter wasn't certain.

That was a lie. Tony wasn't cruel. Peter was just being bitter. He was feeling off lately, like he couldn't quite keep his loneliness at bay. Despite being in near proximity to Tony, he felt indescribably lonely.

"I was right," Tony said, no trace of bragging to be found. He looked apologetic then, like he didn't want to relay this news to Peter. "They all came back with the same results, your scent hasn't changed since being off O."

Peter sat frozen, incapable of speech. He had known this would be the most likely outcome, so why did it hurt so much to hear it out loud? Tony had said practically the exact same thing just last week and yet, Peter felt oddly numb and sick all at once. His fingers were cold and tingling, his entire body felt unreal.

"But I did only test a small subgroup," Tony hurried to assure him. "It's perfectly likely that there are more people out there who will scent you different. I just have to get more subjects and we can-"

"No," Peter said tonelessly. "I don't wanna do that."

Tony looked shocked but also not as surprised as Peter would have thought. Was he just that predictable? That the older man knew he'd give up quickly?

"What does it matter if one in every hundred people don't think I smell like shit?" He hadn't meant to curse but he couldn't stop himself. "Do I just fish around until one of those people actually want me? Then what? Do I wait and see if they're okay with me being a freak of nature?"

Tony looked taken aback and Peter had to swallow down the hysterical bubble of laughter that threatened to rise up.

"Pete-" Tony tried to talk but the pity in his tone had Peter's claws coming out instantly.

"No!" He snapped, suddenly angrier than he'd been in a long time. He was fed up with it all. Fed up with pretending to not be attracted to Tony and fed up with Tony pretending he wasn't attracted to him.

"This isn't fair," He said, eyes pleading with Tony. "I didn't ask to be like this and....and I don't want to.."

Tony opened his mouth but Peter let out a frustrated noise before he could get a word in edgewise. He couldn't sit here and pretend anymore.

"I don't- I don't want to look for more people and you know why," Peter couldn't take it back, now that it was out in the open. "You know why and I get it, I get why you don't want to....it's fine, we hardly know each other and I'm...I'm..."

"Peter. That's not why and you know it," Tony tried to reason, voice level.

"Then what's the reason? Because you're age isn't a good enough reason. It isn't," Peter's breathing was stuttering as he tried to force his sentences out, his hands shaking as he gripped the arms of his chair. "Am I not attractive enough? Is it because of the splicing? Do you want kids? What is it about me that you don't want?"

Tony looked stricken and Peter couldn't blame him, he'd just unleashed a full slew of craziness on the older man, completely out of nowhere. Peter felt near tears with how upset he was and even he realized he was being irrational in his anger and indignation.

"I'm never gonna be good enough for anybody-" He ranted, unable to stop himself.

"Peter-"

"-waiting my whole life, wanting and wanting and never getting anything in return-"

"Peter. You have-"

"I just want to be happy and I'm never-"

"Peter!" Tony snapped so urgently that Peter reared back at the Alpha command. He ducked his shoulders, like he could make himself smaller. Tony had never addressed him that way.

"Peter. Your eyes are red." Tony said, voice thin and eyes wide.

Peter didn't think. He just ran.

—

In reality, he could only sequester himself inside his room because where else did he have to go?

He was too much of a coward to leave the tower. He knew it wouldn't take long before people started to notice his smell and he'd have to go past his coworkers and security and....

Peter couldn't handle that right now.

He couldn't handle much of anything, as he sat with his back against his bedroom door, eyes wet with unshed tears.

Tony hadn't come after him. Somehow that stung even more.

Peter understood now, why he had been feeling so bad lately. He had assumed before that maybe he was forming a bond with Tony and that would have been fine. Painful but fine. A one sided bond wasn't a good thing but it could be reversed and fixed and this....

Imprinting was hard to fix.

Omegas could spend years, imprinted on the wrong person and stay unmated. It was like fate saying 'you belong with this specific person' and then another persons genetics going 'actually, no you don't.'

And the worst part was Peter had no clue how he'd be affected because he wasn't even a fucking Omega. Would this kill him? Would it hurt him much more if he was imprinted on Tony and unmated, all because he had the great disgrace of being born different?

A few years slipped down his cheeks. He hadn't wanted this and he wasn't sure how it all happened so quickly, like he had drowned himself in Tony.

He wasn't in love with the older man. No, that sort of thing came with time. This was genetics, an inevitable occurrence that he couldn't change.

Peter could see it though. He could seeing growing to love Tony and having the man claim him and...

None of it mattered. None of this even mattered because Tony knew. He knew and now Peter had no clue how to deal with the fall out.

He tired to think back, tried to discern whether or not Tony had shown any signs of a full imprinting toward him. He remembers flashes of red eyes but Peter was certain that those had been flukes, a magic trick made up by his own delusional brain.

And what was he supposed to do about being off O now? Surely they wouldn't go ahead with the pheromones. Peter wasn't in the right state of mind, still so foggy and weak. The longer he spent away from Tony, the worse it got.

He wondered how long it would take for the feeling to go away forever. Just the idea left an families ache inside his chest.

Peter decided to stop feeling sorry for himself on the floor when there was a perfectly good bed right there.

He locked the door and ducked under the covers, letting himself cry as much as he wanted. Friday didn't report him at all.

—

Peter was woken by a knock on his door that just kept going and going. It sounded frenzied and fast and for a split second, Peter panicked.

What if something had happened to Aunt May or Ned? Would someone come to tell him? No....they'd probably use the phone.

What about...Tony? It hit Peter then. It was definitely Tony.

He thanked his lucky stars that he'd remembered to lock the door before he'd passed out.

"What the....?" He mumbled, stumbling out of bed and rubbing his eyes hastily. A quick check of his phone said it was only 6 pm.

"It would seem Mr. Stark is trying to get ahold of you," That woke Peter up pretty quickly, the knocking not ceasing in the slightest. "You cannot year him because these walls are soundproof. Would you like me to connect you to the hallway feed?"

Peter frowned, still half asleep. Of course the rooms were soundproof.

"Uh...yeah, sure." He said, walking cautiously to the bedroom door.

"-look, I'm worried about you and I think we need to talk about this. You're kind of scaring me, kid. I'm way out of my element here and I-"

Peter flinched a little at the distressed tone of his voice, he could tell Tony was upset and worried about him.

"He's only been outside for the past ten minutes," Friday explained as the feed cut out. "But he's been pretty distressed all day, taking to the lab to distract himself."

Peter felt guilt sink heavy in his gut. But also....he really didn't want to do this. He knew rejection lay beyond his door and he didn't want to face it. He was too much of a coward to deal with his problems. Hell, if he could just jump out the window and run away he would.

Alas, he's on the top floor and he's not indestructible, so. That's out.

Plus, the ache in chest was only getting worse the more upset Tony got and now that Peter knew why, he was even less inclined to see the other man. But he knows he has to be an adult.

Peter took a deep breath and grasped the doorknob with clammy, shaking fingers.

He opened the door to a stricken looking Tony. His hair was a mess atop his head, like he'd tugged at it repeatedly. His eyes looked tired and worn. He looked so distraught that Peter felt a momentary wave of illness wash over him.

"I'm....I'm so sorry," Tony began, much to Peter's displeasure. He didn't want to do this, he couldn't take Tony apologizing when this was Peter's fault. Peter's fault for not being normal, for allowing his Omega to attach so solidly to Tony in such a short amount of time.

"I...we don't have to do this," Peter mumbled, still standing awkwardly in front of his door. "I get it...I know, um- we don't have to-"

Tony shook his head rapidly, a quiet desperation taking over his features.

"No," He spoke quickly. "No. Peter, what do you think is going on here?"

Peter furrowed his brows. Why would he ask that? He tried to not be offended. He didn't want to relay any of this, he was already hurt enough.

"I know you're not.....you didn't imprint on me. I'm sorry I did. I didn't....I promise I didn't mean to," He said weakly, his limbs shaking minutely.

Tony's eyes flooded with grief and very suddenly, Peter was being kissed.

The older man had both hands gripping the sides of his face, angling his head so that he could kick into his lips.

Peter mewled, his body taking over before he could stop it, and threw his arms around Tony's neck. He tugged him in tight, reveling in the scrape of his beard and the calluses on his hands.

Tony pulled back and-

His eyes were bright red, shining down at Peter with an unbearably tender look.

Peter could have fainted then. He was....he hadn't imagined any of it...Tony really was...

Oh god. It explained so much.

Peter felt a wide grin stretch his, taking over his features like a storm. He wrapped his arms tighter around Tony as the man lifted him into the air, wrapped in a hug so secure Peter's bones surely creaked.

"I'm- I'm so sorry," Tony said as his hands stroked down Peter's shaking back. "I thought I was the only one and I didn't want to say anything because I was terrified you'd think I was some creepy old man."

Peter chuckled at that, the sound too wet to be a real laugh. He couldn't stop the intensity of his feelings, a tsunami tide of relief flowing over him.

"You're not a creepy old man," He said into Tony's neck. He never wanted to leave, not now that he knew. "What are.....what are we gonna do? Now that we know?"

He hesitated to ask, still so scared of being rejected. He hid against Tony until the older man reluctantly pulled back, keeping warm hands wrapped around Peter's small waist. He kept eye contact with Peter and thankfully, he was still smiling. It was small and soft but it crinkled the lines next to his eyes and Peter felt entranced in his stare.

"Now," He said simply. "We figure out how to help you. And then I want to take you on a date. And then maybe a dozen more dates."

Peter's eyes watered and he felt just a little bit ridiculous, so effected by Tony's words. But he'd never thought he'd be here. Or that someone like Tony Stark would imprint on him. He was one step away from blubbering all over the man.

"That's....that sounds good," He whispered. "That sounds really good."

—

They both decided it was probably in their best interests (more like Tony said he wanted to take things slow) for them to sleep in separate rooms for the night.

It was mostly (obviously) Tony's idea and Peter went along with it, despite the part of him that wanted desperately to cling to his future mate.

Future mate.

Peter almost squealed into his pillow. He just couldn't believe this was happening to him. A cruel part of his mind was just waiting for him to wake up, for it all to be a dream.

Like he'd said before, bonding was a fairly common thing in their society and sometimes, a bond could start to form lopsided and...that really hurt people. But imprinting was something entirely different.

A lot of pairs never imprinted on each other. It was something of a genetic rarity. People could be perfectly happy without imprinting but there was something so strong about it, a connection like no other. Even when you weren't fully mated.

Just the thought sent Peter ablaze. He was imprinted to a healthy Alpha who could take care of him and give him what he wanted. And eventually Tony would bite him and claim him and...

Peter's body tingled. He thought about what the other man had said to him earlier today. How hard he had tried to reassure him.

"I've spent years with different people, Peter. This has never once happened to me. I don't care that you can't have kids. I just want you."

I just want you. I just want you.

It didn't feel real at all and Peter would always harbor that guilt ridden part of him that just wanted to give his mate a baby. But that was fine, that was okay. He couldn't have kids and Tony didn't care, how amazing was that?

He would get over it eventually. Or maybe he wouldn't. That was life. And anyway, Peter had no reason to be sad about it right now. He would be entering a courtship with Tony and he'd never felt more thrilled or excited.

He'd have someone finally. And not just 'someone' but a kind, caring, intelligent Alpha. Peter had truly gotten lucky for once in his life.

He started to realize that maybe he should calm down, when his body temperature began to spike.

He was just lying in bed, too wound up to really get to sleep, and Friday had informed him that his temperature was escalating worrying.

"Would you like me to contact Mr. Stark?" She asked politely. Peter's eyebrows furrowed, unsure whether or not he should be worried. The mention of Tony made his skin tingle.

He felt a tug in his abdomen, sharp and unrelenting. It was like a fishhook was digging into his skin, attempting to pull him from the confines of his bed.

He needed Tony. He needed Tony. Peter sat frantically up in bed, pushing the covers away from his burning body.

He needed Tony right now.

He had a vague idea of what might be happening. He was kind of shocked it hadn't happened sooner.

"Uh.." He gulped, throat entirely too dry. "Yes, please. Thank you, Ms. Friday."

It took about ten seconds for Tony's voice to pop up over the com in his room and Peter felt the I jest but of relief even as his head began to ache.

"Hey, Pete. What's up? Do you need something?" Tony's voice soothed him like a balm whilst simultaneously making his blood thrum with....need.

He paused. He knew this feeling, he just wasn't used to it being directed at another human being instead of a faceless entity.

"I'm....sir, I'm not feeling so good," He admitted, panting slightly as he gazed down as his now hard cock, pushing against the confines of his pajama shorts. "I think....oh god, I think my heat got jumpstarted."

Tony cursed over the com and Peter whined loudly, incapable of thinking too far beyond: Hard. Wet. Tony.

"Please..." He whimpered pitifully. "Please, I need you...please..."

"Peter," He sounded hesitant which was not what Peter wanted to hear. "Pete....I don't think....I think we should wait it out."

His eyes shot open, distressed and worried.

"Wh-what? No. No, I can't just wait it out," He choked. "Not while you're...not while I know you're a few rooms away."

He writhed in place, desperation taking over.

"This isn't an ideal first time," Tony tried to reason but Peter wasn't having it. He would have rolled his eyes if he could have. "I really wanted to wait and take things slow, for your sake. I don't want to pressure you-"

"I don't care. The only pressure I'm feeling right now is in my dick, oh my god," Peter snapped, arching back into the bed and grasping at his cock through the thin, already wet material of his pants. He could feel how soaked he was in the back.

He couldn't take the thought of having to go through this heat alone.

He decided to bring out the big guns.

"Get in here and fuck me."

He injected enough plea into his voice, enough of his Omega instincts and nature kicking up that Peter could hear Tony swear.

It took about fifteen seconds for Tony to enter his room without knocking, eyes wide and searching.

Peter panted as his hips twisted, he hurt so bad. He wasn't sure how he could manage to be in pain and horny as hell all at once but he was. He trotted against his hand, wanting nothing more than for Tony to just snap out of it and come into the damn room.

The older man growled, not bother to shut the door as he lunged toward the bed. Peter mewled and spread his legs far apart, hating how trapped he felt in his layers of clothing.

Tony kneed onto the bed, right between Peter's splayed legs. He pressed his palms into Peter's thighs, stretching them out until both the boys muscles and face began to burn.

"God, look at you," Tony whispered reverently, like he couldn't believe his eyes. He cupped Peter's cock through the material and brushed over the tip, petting at the wet material. "You smell so good. I can't believe it- you smell- oh my god."

He looked out his mind, his pupils blown so wide that he looked drugged. Peter wanted to say something but all that came out was a low mewling noise. This felt different than a regular heat, like it was triggered by Tony's very presence and their imprinting on one another.

It didn't hurt as much. Instead, he just yearned to be full. He'd never wanted anything more, he was sure of it.

"Please..." He whimpered, already scrambling to pull his shirt off. Tony bustled into action, freeing himself of his own clothing before dragging the pajamas off of Peter's long legs and throwing them in the vague direction of the floor.

He didn't hesitate to lean down and capture Peter's mouth in a kiss, licking his teeth with a fervor he hadn't quite shown before. This felt primal, as Peter wrapped his thighs around the older mans waist and rutted up into him. His small cock brushed against Tony's much bigger erection. Peter couldn't resist wrapping his hand around it, absolutely marveling at the sheer girth of his shaft.

Tony sighed into his mouth, a breathy noise exhaled into him as he thrust forward into Peter's hand.

"You're so....oh wow, you're so big," He mumbled as Tony kissed down his neck, movements rushed. But Peter couldn't care less, his body thrummed with renewed pleasure.

Tony chuckled against him, grinding down until Peter bit at his shoulder with sharp little teeth.

"Thanks, baby." He said with no small amount of humor. "I like yours too."

Peter squirmed as the older man reached down to toy with his cock. He felt a small amount of humiliation at how big Tony's hand felt as he played with the head and brushed his fingers softly against Peter's balls.

But it didn't make him feel bad. It just made him hotter for some reason. He could feel slick drenching his thighs, his body only getting hotter.

"Love your tiny little cock," Tony said, his thumb brushing the small head. Peter bucked up into his hand as Tony settled back into his knees, still toying with Peter.

He felt desperation creep into his voice as he begged Tony to do more.

"Love that you're uncircumcised, look how wet you get," For the first time, Peter saw something so possessive in Tony that his hole clenched around nothing and he mewled loudly, undulating into the other mans hand.

"Please just....please, fuck me," He panted. His body felt sore and done for already but he needed to come so badly. His balls throbbed like he could explode any second.

Tony licked his lips, "Let's make sure you're wet enough."

Peter jolted as fingers prodded at his entrance, three pressing in all at once. It was a testament to how prepared Peter's body was that the intrusion didn't even hurt.

It made him ache for more though.

His hands flew down to grip Tony's wrist, trying valiantly to direct his thrusting. Peter's hula wouldn't stop moving as he tried so hard to reach that spot-

"Hands. Off." Tony growled, low and all Alpha. Peter almost came, letting his hands rest next to his head, as much as it hurt him to let Tony continue his slower pace.

"You're dripping onto my hand," Tony said, glancing down at Peter's stretched hole with apt attention. He couldn't even feel embarrassed anymore, as focused as he was on convincing Tony to just fuck him already.

"Tony," He said, eyes brimming with unshed tears. Tony looked at him, lustful and fiery. "Please, please do it."

Tony nodded, all traces of teasing gone as he positioned himself between Peter's legs, leaning down to peck him softly on the mouth. Chaste and simple as he pressed his cockhead to Peter's fluttering hole.

He pushed in one inch before pulling back out and repeating his slow procedure.

Peter squirmed desperately, as if he could draw Tony's dick fully into him. But he obediently kept his hands where they rested next to his head. He wanted to be good for Tony, prove he was a good mate.

"So good," Tony panted, as if he could read Peter's mind. He pushed in more and Peter tried to clench down. "God...the way you swallow me up...."

Peter whined harder but kept his hands down.

Finally, Tony pushes the last inch in and rested there for a second. He leaned forward and kissed Peter until he couldn't stop gasping for air, like he wanted to consume every part of the young boy.

He thrust sharply into him, startling Peter. He groaned loud, hands finally drifting up to wrap themselves into Tony's thick hair.

He laid into him, every ounce the sex god he'd been deemed by the media. Hips pressing indecently into Peter's own as a wild slapping noise filled the room, the filthy wetness creating a cacophony of sounds that Peter would surely blush at in remembrance later.

"You're so..." Tony tried to say, mouth open against Peter's neck as he pushed into him. Peter expected him to talk about how wet he was, his right he was. "You're so fucking beautiful."

Peter choked up, the tears in his eyes spilling over as he took all the other man had to give him. He felt stretched to the limit, like his aching hole couldn't take anymore. Tony was so much bigger than that damn dildo. He was longer and thicker and he reached so far into Peter, he could feel him pulsing inside of him.

"....Alpha, my Alpha," Peter whimpered quietly, unable to say it louder. He didn't want to scare Tony but he also couldn't help himself. His heart felt as full as his ass, as funny as that sounded. He was fully consumed, hyper focused on the way his body clutched at Tony. Like he belonged inside of him.

Tony growled and thrust harder, faster. He'd heard Peter's words, his title, and he couldn't contain his raw lust.

The pace was so fast that Peter began to see stars as his sensitive prostate was nudged at on every push, Tony's angle perfect and precise.

"My sweet, sweet Peter," Tony murmured, soft despite how he was taking Peter. "My Omega."

Being called an Omega for the first time in his life caused Peter to reach his breaking point, his legs clenching around Tony's waist as he came almost violently.

He moaned loudly with his head tossed back, his curls tangling against the bedsheets.

He came until his vision blurred and he wept as he realized his cock was definitely still hard, even while covered in copious amounts of come, and Tony was still going at it.

He'd slowed his pace considerably, raising up to his knees and gripping Peter's hips to angle even closer into his sweet spot.

"But you're much more than that, aren't you?" He asked, breathing heavy. He looked like a vision, manipulating Peter's body how he wanted it. His huge cock just barely visible, shining wet with slick as pushed himself slowly in and out of Peter's swollen hole.

"You're not just an Omega or a Beta," Peter gasped then, overwhelmed. "You're so much better. Your body....your beautiful, smart mind."

Peter's eyes attempted to roll back, the praise and stimulation almost too much for him to take.

"Th-Thank you," He stuttered weakly, wanting badly to touch Tony again. He grasped at broad shoulders with his clammy hands, gazing up into pretty brown eyes.

"No need to thank me, honey," Tony's eyes were so intense that Peter wanted to look away but he couldn't. There was just something so....honest in them. Peter felt like he'd known the older man forever, like this wasn't really their first time together. He knew his body so well. Peter was going to come again any minute now and he really wanted Tony to come with him.

He also wanted....

"Claim me," He said without thinking. The words slipped quickly from his lips and he almost regretted them but.... not with the way Tony's eyes grew even darker.

"Peter," He already sounded disapproving and Peter really didn't like that. "That's a little far right now, don't you think?"

Peter shook his head fast, whining at the hard thrust he received in retaliation.

"It- it won't matter, we're already imprinted," He begged. "We'll have time later. I want this. Please just....don't deny me this..."

Tony must have seen something in his eyes because he sighed then, slowing his hips down to lean into Peter's neck, his lips brushing over his gland with tender care. His skin tingled where those lips pressed against him, his heart pounding out of rhythm.

"Are you sure?" He asked, stopping completely to allow Peter to think straighter. As if he could think at all with Tony inside of him.

"Yes, Alpha," Peter said, injecting his full Omega plea into the words.

That did it, igniting something inside Tony as he pressed forward and latched sharp teeth into his gland. He bit down hard, the sting of it painful in a way that had Peter's body arching odd the bed, only held down by Tony's heavier body:

He pinned his arms down as he wiggles, overwhelmed by the sensation flowing through his very being. Peter let out a litany of thanks and curse words, freely fallen from bitten lips.

He slurred our gratitude as Tony licked at he wound, little drops of blood surely sticking to his tongue. Sealing him to Peter in the most intimate way possible.

And Peter could feel it too. He could feel Tony inside his essence, just as he could feel himself solidly above him and inside his ass.

He was relentless after the bite, overtaken by the pure animalistic need to claim and own Peter. Just as Peter now owned him.

He fucked him roughly, too consumed by raw need to calm down. He felt huge, stretching into Peter's abused hole until the boys eye were rolling back in pleasure and pain.

Peter scratches at his back, fingernails trailing marks down the firm flesh until he drew blood. He thrashed beneath him, moaning until he felt hoarse from the exertion.

"That's right," Tony panted, voice thin and done for. "Come on me, come around me- mine, my boy, my-"

Peter's body tensed up, his mind going blissfully blank as he came. Tony pushed one final time, just the edge of hit knot popping into Peter until he lodged himself inside, deep and unrelenting.

Both of their orgasms lasted for what seemed like forever. Tony pumped him full of come, none of it seeping out from how deeply he was embedded inside the boy. The pressure was too much for Peter and he kept leaking slick and his own release, his small cock twitching repeatedly as he shook.

"Nghhh- fuck, T-t-toooony," He stuttered, tears dripping from his eyes as the older man rested their foreheads together. Peter struggled to keep looking at him, his eyelids fluttering shut as the energy drained effectively from his body.

Tony pressed his lips to Peter's, kissing him thoroughly as they caught their breath and came down from the inevitable high. Peter sighed as they separated, the pain and desperation beginning to ease inside of him.

"Probably....probably gonna be here for a while," Tony joked, moving so that he was settled into his back, taking a boneless Peter with him to rest against his chest.

"Feel like a....like a monkey," Peter said with a giggle, completely out of it. He felt so good, so full of Tony. So protected and cared for.

Tony ruffles his curls, petting at any part of him that he could reach. Peter vaguely knew how long it took for a knot to go down, so he didn't even feel bad about shutting his eyes.

It'd only be for a moment.

—

He woke to feeling of a wet mouth surrounding his dick, the suction pulling him right out of his nice dream.

"Mm-wha-is'that...?" He mumbled sleepily, moaning as the suction increased. Sure enough, Tony rewards between his outstretched legs, licking and sucking at Peter's cock like he was starving.

Peter's head thunked back into the pillow and he became intimately aware of the ache inside him, begging to be filled once again. It was much stronger now, so much more potent than before Tony bit him. The mating mark stung still, sore in just the right way.

Tony pulled of his cock and smiled up at him.

"You were wiggling around in your sleep," He explained. Peter had the common decency to blush. "Kept saying my name. And this...." He culled Peter's hard little cock in one calm, balls and all.

"....this was so hard, I couldn't resist. Wanted to taste you."

Peter groaned, laced with exasperation.

"You can't just say things like that," He said a little hysterically.

Tony grinned, petting at him delicately.

"Like what?" He had a glint in his eyes that Peter loved and hated. "Like....you taste so sweet. All of you. You look so gorgeous, all spread out for me to touch and play with."

Peter whined petulantly, trying to reach out to Tony. The older only laughed and let himself be pulled into to rest between Peter's thighs.

He kissed the tip of Peter's nose, sweet and tender. Peter felt hot all over, a mixture of arousal and fond embarrassment.

"You don't- ah, you don't have to say all those things," He muttered. Tony trailed his mouth downward, licking and biting at the smooth, pale skin of his neck.

"I want to," Tony chuckled again. "They're all true, anyway. Every single one of them."

Peter moaned then, pulling him into another rough kiss. They'd probably be here for days and although Peter knew he'd be exhausted afterward, he couldn't help but be excited.

They had so much more time together, he couldn't wait to start.

—

The first thing Tony notices after Peter's heat (thankfully shortened by their mating, down to only five days!) is that his scent has changed.

He tells Peter immediately, to which the boy isn't certain if he should feel worried or elated.

Tony told him he smelled like....sandalwood now. Just a bit of spice underneath his usual feminine scent.

"Because of the mating?" He asked between bites of cereal. He was absolutely starving, having not eaten much for the past few days.

"Scents change for a lot of reasons but mating is definitely one of the biggest ones," Tony assures him, leaning in to peck him on his forehead. Peter blushes and his his face, staring resolutely at the table. Not that his heat was over, he was way more prone to being his usual shy self.

"I do wonder if maybe your scent has changed for other people," Peter's head flashed up, almost giving him whiplash. Did it change him that much? Did the mating mark really take away the one trait he hated the most?

His heat had certainly been less painful but he just assumed that was because there was an apt Alpha there to help him out and ease the burden.

"I could always retest it, get a new group of people so that I don't have any cross-"

"Or we could just go out," Peter cut in, feeling oddly brave even as Tony leveled him with a cautious glance. He knew how sensitive Peter was about the whole scent issue.

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Tony asked not unkindly. He looked genuinely concerned. It made Peter blush just a little more, having that intense gaze leveled onto him.

"I....no, I'm not sure. But....I'm tired of being scared and worried about it and....I have a good feeling. I think," He was lying through his teeth but was also desperate to know whether or not anything had changed. He'd still never be able to get pregnant but at least he would be more normal.

"Peter..." Tony looked sad and it made Peter's heart ache. "I just want you to know...if it hasn't changed. It's okay. You're still you, you're not a freak, okay? You're sweet and kind and beautiful and I don't like watching you tear yourself down because of something you can't help."

Peter gulped back the suddenly burgeoning urge to cry. He felt so grateful, like his entire body was brimming with warmth at his mates words.

His mate. His. God, Peter couldn't believe he belonged to Tony. It'd only taken days and he felt completely taken and devoted. Aunt May would think he was going absolutely insane.

"Thank you," He whispered, a small smile gracing his features. "I needed that. But I still want to....I can't spend forever being afraid."

Tony nodded, expression serious.

"Okay, we can go today."

—

Sneaking out of the tower was remarkably easy considering Tony literally owned it.

The elevator ride down only made Peter more nervous, his heart thundering away in his chest. His body still felt weak from the days spent in bed and he was sure he looked debauched. He just hoped that wouldn't run into any of their coworkers. Tony assured him that was unlikely to happen.

The elevator dinged and they stepped into a side room, just to the left of the lobby. A more secretive exit through the back that Tony liked to use when he wasn't just extravagantly exiting in his private jet.

The whole "my mate is super fucking rich"
thing really did make Peter dizzy.

Or maybe that was his penultimate fate.

Tony took his hand in his own as they walked through the exit, passing through a back alley (maybe it was much too bougie to be called an alley) until they walked out into the bustling New York streetline.

Tony had worn a hat and sunglasses, trying to remain incognito. Peter had laughed when he put them on but now he could see the importance. It meant less distractions and no mob of people trying to meet Tony Stark.

As they stepped onto the sidewalk, Peter held his breath. He gripped Tony's hand as people passed them by hurriedly.

No one was lookin at him. No one was staring at him.

Tony pulled at his hand and began to walk down the street. Peter could barely hear above the rushing in his ears, his blood pumping too fast.

They passed by an elderly women walking her dog and she smiled at Peter, a kind smile with a nod.

He felt faint.

No glare, no suspicious staring.

Peter's body felt weak, his limbs felt like they were floating as they walked for a good five minutes, Tony remaining silent but understanding by his side.

A man bumped into him and said excuse me, a rarity for New York but....

No one was staring at him. Not one single person was focused on him, hyper aware of his stench.

Tears stung his eyes and he was sure he was gripping Tony too tightly. The city lights twinkled in his eyes as the sun began to dim and Peter let some of the tears fall.

He never thought....he couldn't believe...

They turned onto a street with a busy bar and Peter took his opportunity to pull at Tony's wrist, entering through the front door and dragging the older man after him. It was busy enough that no one even noticed Tony's questions following him.

"What are you..?" Tony asked worriedly as Peter rushed them to the bathroom, pushing an empty stall open and pulling Tony in after him.

He was crying fully now. His face was wet but a wide smile stretched over his teeth and he gasped, laughing loudly as he wrapped Tony in a tight hug. Tony wrapped strong arms around him, squeezing lightly.

"I'm...I'm so- thank you so much," Peter wept. "I didn't think....no one even looked t-twice at me. Do you....do you know what that's like?"

He laughed again, his joy absolutely over flowing.

"I know, baby," Tony soothed, kissing the very top of his head. "You don't have to thank me. It's all you."

Peter shook his head, brushing his hands over his wet eyes. He felt so overwhelmed, completely grateful and thankful to Tony. His mate.

Peter dropped to his knees, ignoring Tony's sharp gasp of surprise. He reached for his belt, tugging his pants open with shaking hands.

Tony halted him with a hand in his hair.

"What are you doing?" He asked confusedly. "You don't- you don't have to do that to...to thank me, darling. I promise."

Peter smiled again, reaching his hand into Tony's briefs to pull his half hard cock out. He shrugged playfully, so happy he could burst.

"I want to," He said, leaning in to kiss the tip, licking at the bead of precum already forming as Tony fully hardened. "I want to so bad. Please, can I?"

Maybe he was being a bit cruel, using his Omega plea but it was worth it to watch his mate shudder and give in.

Peter took him down as deep as he could go, which was admittedly not very deep. He wrapped both hands around him. His fingers looked tiny against the thick shaft.

He took test care to carefully lick around his mouthful, not even caring how sloppy he was getting. Peter could feel himself slicking up and he realized that was probably going to make for an awkward walk home.

Home. With Tony. His actual, real life Alpha. Peter belonged to him now.

Peter groaned around his mouthful, preening into the hand Tony was carding through his curly locks.

"So pretty," Toby murmured, brushing a thumb over his stretched bottom lip. "Just wanna...stay inside you forever."

Peter wanted to nod his assent but his mouth was too full, so he whimpered instead. His poor cock felt cramped into his sweats, tucked away beneath the band of his sweats.

He pulled back to lick at the bulbous head, tonguing his way into the slit. Tony hissed at the feeling, his hands fisting in Peter's hair until the boy whined even louder, loving the burning feeling that pooled in his gut at the rough attention.

Tony abruptly pulled him off his cock, tugging his hair until Peter sagged backward onto his knees, his hands coming down to rest on his thighs. He panted openly, pleading with Tony to let him have more.

"I wanna- I gotta be inside you," Tony said, feverish with need as he dragged Peter back up and flipped their positions so fast it made the younger mans head spin.

He pressed him solidly into the wall and Peter couldn't even be grossed out that they were doing this in a club bathroom.

Tony didn't even pause, he ripped Peter's boxers and sweats down, just below his ass.

Peter felt the tip of his cock press to his hole and he moaned loudly, not bothering to keep his voice down as he could only hear music pumping through the door.

"Nghhh- T-Tony, oh god-" He squirmed until Tony planted on hand on the back of his neck and another on his hip, curving them outward so he could thrust into him with ease.

Soft noises punched out of Peter, still overly loud among the wet slap of Tony in his hole.

"So fucking- so good, so wet," He loved how much Tony loved how wet he got, he didn't even have to feel ashamed over it. He man went wild over it, over how easy it was to just slip right into Peter when he was turned on enough. "Gonna fill you up again, make you wetter."

Peter grunted, eyes fluttering at just the thought. He wanted to keep Tony's come inside him all the time. He knew it wasn't realistic but the idea made him feel deliciously dirty and owned.

"Yours," He said without prompt. "I'm- I'm yours, do what you w-want with me."

That was exactly the perfect thing to say because Tony ground forward, so deep inside that Peter's rim burned from the stretch, still so sore from their marathon heat fucking.

Tony clamped his teeth down on Peter's shoulder, startling a shout out of the boy as he fisted his dick and came inside Peter's leaking ass. Peter shot off two seconds later, his muscles tending up considerably until Tony let out a final twitch, hips grinding into him roughly.

"F-fuck," Peter cursed, sagging into the wall. He felt considerably better than before the mating, every time he'd had an orgasm since. He was still lethargic and tired but he wasn't out of his mind anymore. Tony found out that the mating had helped calm the overactive Omega parts of him just a bit.

Well, maybe not the slick part. That was all Tony's fault.

He pulled out gingerly and Peter felt come and slick drip down his thighs, wincing at the cold feeling of it on his skin.

"Good thing you wore black," Tony teased as he pulled up the sweatpants and underwear, tugging Peter's body around to face him.

Peter wrinkled his nose until Tony kissed him, soft and assuring.

"I'm so proud of you," Tony said as he pulled away, gathering Peter's weakened body into a tight hug. "I'm so happy for you."

"I am too," Peter quietly admitted. "Let's get home."

If Tony noticed the slip, he didn't mention it. Peter wasn't bothered, they could talk about it later.