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Tony grew up with his mom and dad who weren’t soulmates. Howard was a raging prick, and Maria would often make Tony promise that he’d only settle for his soulmate. It wouldn’t have been such a problem, but Tony never got his soulmark. Most people are already born with theirs; If they aren’t born with a soulmark, then it usually appears in the first few years of life. Statistics show that if someone hasn’t had their soulmark show up in the first 10 years of life, then the chances of them ever getting one drastically decrease.

Tony gets older, and his soulmark never appears. All his peers get one. Though, his mother comforts him, her kindness feels hollow when he can see the disappointment clear as day in her eyes.

And Tony grows to resent soulmates. Grows to resent the whole system that revolves around soulmates. He becomes hypersexual, fucks with people and forgets them the next day. The universe didn’t want to give him a soulmate? Fine, he didn’t need one.

He got older, his mom died with sadness in her eyes. Sad that she never got to see her son live up to his potential. Tony pretended to care less than he did. Because he cared so much.

Everything got duller after his parents died. His drinking habit became a full blown addiction, his hypersexuality only became more intense. Everything to avoid the sharp pain of never being enough.

But Tony remembers when it happened, a warm night in August. He was partying, clubbing - had been all day, going on all night. He was wasted on some cheap liquor in some seedy club full of seedier people.

Despite everything from that night being a hazy, neon blur, he remembers vividly the warmth that wrapped around his wrist. When he examined it, it was a mark. The tattoo-esque mark his mother had anticipated for years. A soulmark.

He had a soulmate.

It was August 10th, 2001 when his soulmate was born. And he was 31 years old, in some club drunk on something surrounded by a group of hedonistic assholes just as lowly as himself. And he truly had no idea what to do from there. 

So he lied. He covered it. He wore long sleeved blazers, and strategically placed watches. He was careful to ensure no one saw the mark that proved he wasn’t unlovable. 

-

Meanwhile, in Queens.

Peter is born on August 10, 2001 happy and healthy. He’s set to have a good life with loving parents and a stable household, when the plane crash happens. He’s far too young to understand the true gravity of it.

He lives with his Aunt and Uncle from then on. Soulmates, love at first sight. Ben and May, who were so perfect for each other that it made the insurmountable grief just a little easier to handle.

Peter had been lucky enough to be born with a soulmark. He had known love from the moment he was born. And was eager to share his heart with a soulmate. He had heard of people born without soulmarks, people who never got a soulmate. Or, perhaps worse in a way, people who did have a soulmate, but never crossed paths with them.

Though, rare, Peter was petrified he’d be so unfortunate. And his fear ramped up in intensity when his beloved Uncle passed suddenly and tragically. 

One moment, Ben and May were in the kitchen; They were singing along to some lame love song. The next, Ben was gone. 

May and Peter handle it the best they can. But, when Peter stares at his soulmark he feels nothing but fear anymore. What is the point in having a soulmate. Someone given to you by the universe, only to have them ripped away as suddenly?

He wears sweaters that cover his soulmark, bracelets that hide it from view. He feels nothing but fear when he looks at it. A soulmate is just another person for Peter to lose.

-

It truly is a stroke of fate that they meet. A poor, charity case from Queens, and an eccentric billionaire with a wild streak. There aren’t many circumstances where people like them can meet.

Peter is working for Oscorp. His title is something fancy, but he’s basically a glorified assistant. 

There had been an excitement in the air amongst the workers, but Peter hadn’t cared enough to ask why.

It’s when he bumps headfirst into Tony Stark, does he realize what the hell everyone was so hype about.

Tony is more mellowed out, and helps Peter up. He grabs Peter’s wrist, because Peter is as wobbly as a newborn fawn. When Tony looks, he sees the briefest glimpse of Peter’s wrist, of the mark on it.

He stares at it, it is identical to his own. Which would mean they’re soulmates.

Tony feels his heart beat out of his chest. Peter gently pulls away from Tony and mutters out a quick, bashful apology.