Natasha has been pestering Peter to join her at the gym she attends during the off-season. He knows it’s a smart idea—he can’t go through motions in his small apartment forever and hope to stay on top shape—so he joins her after rehearsal one day. It was a dark gym with poor lighting in the corners, but a friendly atmosphere, so he continues to go even when Nat doesn’t.
He eventually sees Tony, the gyms top contender in their boxing ring. He’s smart, quick on his feet, and with ruggish good looks. He spots Peter too, the man, who can be no more a boy, and the way he focuses as he lifts and runs and trains alongside Natasha. It’s a fatal attraction and one that comes to a head as they two leave the gym late at night, both not speaking, but feeling the tension between them. Tony was holding a wet cloth to his jaw, a bruise forming from a match that ended poorly, and Peter dragging his dance bag along after him, dirty pointe shoes and hose and sweatpants falling out.
“Do you want to come over?” Peter blurts out and Tony looks up brow raised.
“Come over. For dinner? You don’t have to,” he says and flushes.
Tony looks him over and smirks.
“I think I will. You cooking?” He asks and peter breathes a sigh of relief. It was al going to work out fine.