Coming Out As Queer to Your Avenger Parent
Characters: Natasha Romanoff, Steve Rogers, Tony Stark, Clint (and Linda) Barton, Thor, Bruce Banner, Wanda Maximoff, Maria Hill
Pairings: Clint Barton x Linda Barton, implied Maria Hill x Natasha Romanoff (Maria’s only)
Content warnings: coming out, mentions of homophobia
A/N: no pronouns used for Reader. Reader’s sexuality is either not specified or “queer”
You’re not entirely sure how your mom will react to your sexuality
Sometimes Natasha asks if you’re seeing anyone, but you never really answer
She’s never given any indication that she’s homophobic, and she generally seems to support the LGBTQ+ community, but you’re unsure how she’ll feel about her kid being a part of said community
You want to tell your mom, but you have a hard time saying the words, so instead you write her a note
You give it to her as she’s leaving for a mission
It’s a no-contact mission, and waiting for her to return is the longest three days of your life
Natasha reads your letter and tears up
She feels guilty that you were too scared to tell her in person
When she returns she finds you sitting on the edge of your bed, backpack next to you
You had the backpack packed with essentials in case she kicked you out
Natasha immediately gives you a big hug
“I love you so much, baby, no matter what. And I’m so proud of you for coming out to me.”
You hug her back, unable to speak
“I’m so sorry I made you feel like you couldn’t tell me. I wish I could’ve made you feel safe enough to share this with me.”
“Thanks, Mom,” tears prick at your eyes as you hold onto each other. “Я тебя люблю.”
“Я тоже тебя люблю. Always.”
Steve was born in the early 20th century and was the poster boy for the US military during WWII, so you’re not entirely convinced he’ll be okay with you being queer
But you did make him watch Buffy with you when you were younger, and he never seemed put off by Tara and Willow’s relationship
That’s one of the main ways you bond with your dad: watching classic shows and movies with him so he understands pop culture references
You also watch modern media together so his references are less dated
This is how you start gauging how accepting he might be of your sexuality: showing him queer modern media
He doesn’t like Glee, but he says he finds the show itself bad (you can’t really argue with him on that one)
He’s also not the biggest fan of Queer Eye, but you learn he doesn’t care for reality TV in general
Your dad does vibe with Wynonna Earp, to your great surprise
Maybe it shouldn’t be a surprise, given the military’s reputation for drinking and cursing
What really surprises you is how invested he is in Waverly and Nicole’s relationship
Never in a million years would you have expected Captain America to be an avid WayHaught shipper
But it gives you hope that your dad might be okay with your sexuality
“Hey dad,” you rub your palms on your pajama pants when you’re sitting on the couch with him watching Star Wars, “you know how you like Waverly and Nicole?”
“Sure, their characters are great. They also have great chemistry and they seem to really love each other.” He’s only half paying attention, eyes still focused on the screen
You take a deep breath. “What would you say if I told you I was like them?”
Your dad pauses the movie and turns to look at you. “I mean, I think you are like them. You’re kind, brave, and you’re not afraid to stand up for yourself. Those are all admirable traits.”
“No, I mean, what if I told you I was queer. What would you say?”
Steve looks straight into your eyes. “I would say that I love you no matter what, and that nothing will ever change that. I would tell you that the only thing I care about when it comes to your dating life is if your partner treats you well. If you’re happy, I’m happy.”
You wrap your arms around him and he pulls you into a bone-crushing hug, rubbing circles on your back.
Tony Stark’s exploits were well-reported in the tabloids in the 80s and 90s.
Being curious, you dug into the archives and read about dozens of affairs with women and men alike
You approach him about it. Sure, 99% of what’s reported in tabloids is false, but there’s probably some truth to most of it
Tony keeps working his latest project. “Hey, squirt. What’s up?”
“The stuff in the tabloids, about you having sex with all those people?”
He puts his forceps down. “What about that stuff?”
“Is it true?” You try to hide your nervousness
He shrugs. “Some of it. Why do you ask?”
You take a deep breath. “What about the stories of you sleeping with men?”
“Mm, I haven’t read all of them. At least a couple are probably true.” Tony gives you an odd look. “Does that bother you?”
“No!” You shake your head. “No, not at all.”
“Okay…” your dad knows you too well. There’s something you’re hiding.
“So does that make you bisexual?”
“Hm, I guess it does. What’s with the sudden interest in my sex life?”
Chewing on your lip, you refuse to look him in the eye. “I just wanted to know if those stories were true.”
“Because I wanted to know if you’d be okay if I was queer.”
Tony wipes his hands on a towel and puts them on your shoulders, looking into your eyes. “Of course I’m okay with it, kid. You’re queer, I’m queer, it’s one more thing we have in common.”
“Are you sure? I know it’s a lot.”
“Of course I’m sure, squirt. You’re my kid, and I love you always. It’s as simple as that. Now hand me those nanochips.”
As the oldest Barton sibling, you feel a certain amount of responsibility for your siblings
And even though your parents have always told you that they’ll love you no matter what and that you can talk to them about anything, you tend not to talk to them about big things in your life because you don’t want to take up too much of their time
Besides, your sexuality isn’t relevant to them anyway
Until you start dating someone
Suddenly it’s a little more pertinent to your life, and theirs by extension
One night, when your dad is home, you sit them down after your siblings have gone to bed
“Mom, dad,” you take a deep breath and look at them from across the room, “there’s something I need to tell you. I’ve been thinking about it for a while now, but I didn’t know how to say it.”
They look at you, unflinching, and it scares you a little. They’re both former SHIELD agents, and neither of them has an easy time turning off their poker face
“Sweetheart,” your mom smiles, “we know.”
“We’ve known since you were a little kid,” Clint is being too nonchalant about this.
“Oh. Why didn’t either of you say anything?”
Your mom speaks up, “we knew you would say something to us when you were ready.”
“We love you, sweetheart,” your parents wrap you in a hug
“And now you can introduce us to your partner!”
Your face goes pale, and your mom lightly slaps your dad on the shoulder
“Clint, we were going to wait to bring that up,” she admonishes him.
“You know about that too?”
Your mom gives you a sympathetic smile. “We’re former spies, sweetheart. We should probably set some ground rules. And have the sex talk again. We only really covered the basics the first time.”
“Moooom,” you groan and flop onto the couch. At least they’re supportive.
Maybe even a little too supportive, for your taste.
On Asgard, it’s completely normal to love whoever you want, including more than one person
Thor has always used “they” when talking about your future partner(s)
But living on Earth has made you a little wary about the topic
So it’s an easy conversation to have with your dad, in theory, but you still worry. You bring it up during dinner one night
“Dad, I’m gay. I think. Definitely queer, though.”
“Excellent!” He claps a hand on your back, “personally, I’m partial to dating women.”
Thor is honestly a little surprised you even brought this up. He knows people on earth can be weird about sexuality, but he assumed you wouldn’t feel the need to say anything.
“Thank you for, what is the term? Leaving the cupboard?”
“I think you mean coming out of the closet, dad.”
“Right, yes. Well, thank you. I love you very much. Now, what kind of person are you looking to court? I’m sure I could arrange something.”
You have always found it easier to connect with your dad on an intellectual level
Not to say that Bruce isn’t a loving and caring father
But you both find it easier to discuss your emotions in logical terms
You don’t really know how to come out to him, but you think your sexuality is something he should know about you
The perfect opportunity arises when you watch a penguin documentary together
“What do you think about homosexual behavior in animals?” You stare straight ahead at the screen, as the narrator describes how male penguins have been known to mate with each other
Bruce doesn’t miss a beat when he replies, “I think it isn’t nearly well-studied enough, but clearly present in many species and a natural part of diversity within a population.”
“And in humans?” You shift on the couch, still staring intently at the TV
“I mean, we’re just animals with sophisticated tools.”
You sit silently for a while, working up the courage to say the next thing. “What if I display some homosexual behavior?”
This gets your dad to turn and face you. “There is absolutely nothing wrong if you do. You are my child, I love you, and I wouldn’t want to change any part of you.”
You finally look at him and see the earnest expression on his face. “Are you sure?”
“Completely,” he nods and puts a hand on your shoulder.
“Thanks dad,” you pull him into a hug
Bruce stiffens for a millisecond, but immediately hugs you back fiercely. “Of course. I wouldn’t have you any other way.”
Wanda emigrated from a conservative country, is a former HYDRA volunteer, and has only ever been in extremely heterosexual relationships
These facts give you pause when thinking about coming out to her
She also knows what it’s like to be othered just for who you are, seems generally supportive of social freedoms, and has always encouraged you to be your authentic self
Still, the fear outweighs any other thoughts you have on the subject
Wanda notices you actively shielding your mind from her
She never pries, but usually an occasional stray thought filters through
You also pull away from her emotionally, which worries her
She knows you’re a good kid, but she’s afraid that someone is hurting you, or that you’re hurting yourself
“анђео, can I talk to you?”
You immediately tense up at the seriousness in her voice
“I’m worried about you. What’s going on, злато моja?”
“Im fine, Mom,” you insist.
“I know you’re hiding something from me, анђео.”
“Mama, I’m fine. I promise.”
“Honey, is it kids at school? Is someone bothering you?”
You know it’s bad when your mom starts using English pet names for you, but you don’t know how to make her stop prying
“I know something’s bothering you, sweetheart.”
“Will you please just leave me alone?!” You finally shout, releasing some of your thoughts and feelings through your powers as you lose control
“Oh honey,” tears start to slide down Wanda’s face as all of your fear and anxiety comes crashing down on her. She reaches out for you, but you flinch, scared from your outburst
“I’m sorry, мамица. I didn’t mean to—I’m sorry. I’m sorry.”
“Анђео, don’t apologize. I will always love you. Always. Nothing could ever change that, certainly not who you fall in love with. I could never be upset with you for who you are.”
Your mom is former military and the former head of a government agency, neither of which had a great track record on LGBTQ+ rights
But she had raised you to treat everyone with respect, and you’re 99% sure she’s a lesbian
Maria doesn’t talk about her dating history with you, but you know some things about her past
It doesn’t make much sense to you that she’d been dishonorably discharged from the military only to immediately be accepted into SHIELD
(Okay, so maybe you had read her file without her knowing, so what?)
Also she definitely has some kind of weird tension with your Aunty Nat
So maybe you’re reading into things, but you’re fairly sure your mom is a lesbian, and hopeful that means she will be supportive of you
You casually come out to her - in a way that you can brush off if necessary - when she asks you how school is going one day
It’s honestly half because you want to come out to her and half because you want to know if she’s gay
“Mm, school’s good. There’s someone in a few of my classes I really like. We did a group project together, and we just clicked. Do you know how rare it is to find someone who will actually contribute to group projects?”
Your mom raises her eyebrows at your rambling and smirks, “so do you like this person in a friendly way? Or in a like like way?”
You flush. Of all the responses you were expecting from your straight-laced mom, this wasn’t one of them. “Like like. As more than a friend.”
“Well, do you think your feelings are reciprocated?”
“I don’t know. There’s a lot of unnecessary physical contact and compliments, but some people are just like that, you know?”
“Mm, I do.” Your mom looks at you more intently, “and is there a reason you’re being intentionally vague about your crush’s gender?”
You had known she would notice, but her gaze still makes you nervous. “Because I wasn’t sure how you’d react if I wasn’t straight.”
“Honey, come here.” Maria wraps you in a big hug. “I love you so much. It is one-hundred percent okay if you aren’t straight.”
You sigh in relief, hugging her tight.
“And just for the record, it sounds like your crush like likes you back,” she says the last part with a song-song voice.
“Mom!” You’re never telling your mom about your crushes again.
“Hey,” Maria kisses the top of your head, “I’m proud of you for coming out to me, kid.”
“Really. I know how much courage that takes.”
“Know in a “I can sympathize with your situation” way, or know in a “I’ve been there before” way?”
She laughs. “Both. What?” She asks when your eyes go wide.
“Does that mean you and Aunty Nat…”
Maria pretends she didn’t hear you. “So, are you going to ask out your friend?”
“Don’t change the subject!”
