Chapter Text
The elegant Thompson's car stopped in front of the school gates shortly before the first bell rang. Harley slowly unbuckled his seatbelt, looking out the window at the stream of students entering through the gates. Everything looked exactly normal.
But nothing was normal.
He could feel Flash beside him without even looking directly at him. They had spent the entire ride in silence, and Harley wished he had gone home the night before, he could have simply texted Tony saying he changed his mind but he would've felt stupid if he did that.
The last thing he could think about was classes, all that kept coming back was the too-fast memory of Flash leaning in on the couch and the almost irritated way he'd pretended nothing happened right after.
Harley still didn't know what to think about that. He hadn't asked for any of it, and yet Flash was the one who seemed regretful.
Flash unlocked the door and got out of the car first, shutting it harder than necessary.
Harley muttered a "Thanks" to the driver and got out right after, adjusting a borrowed backpack on his shoulder.
They walked side by side toward the school entrance in the same tense silence. Flash ran a hand through his hair while keeping his eyes straight ahead, like he was focusing too much on the path.
Harley watched him turn back into the usual Flash, except for the fact he hadn't made a single stupid comment, not one joke. Nothing.
It wasn't until they were almost at the main entrance that Flash finally spoke without looking at him "You're quiet today.”
Harley turned toward him with a slight grimace “So are you."
Flash shrugged “I'm always quiet in the morning.”
Harley frowned slightly. That was a lie. Flash normally started the day talking nonstop.
He didn't argue anyway “Okay.”
Their group was already near the lockers when they got there.
"Finally" Brad said, leaning there like he'd been waiting for hours "I thought you'd sleep until second period."
Flash opened his locker naturally. "Almost happened" he answered with a short smile.
Allan pushed himself off the locker and looked over his shoulder, taking the lollipop out of his mouth when he noticed Harley standing behind them. "Hey."
"Hey."
"You gonna stand there? Come over here." He said, making Brad and Rick look too.
Flash tilted his head for a brief second, casting a quick glance toward Allan before turning back to the locker.
Maybe he didn't want Harley following him around for the rest of the day. Maybe he needed time to think about yesterday. Maybe he'd go back to normal after this.
Harley walked over anyway, trying to act normal. He stopped beside the group, tapping a booklet against his leg while watching Flash finish organizing his books in the locker.
He shut it with a dry click and turned naturally toward the others.
“Dude, did you see Harry Collins today?” Allan said “What the hell is he wearing?”
Brad laughed “I didn't know where to look, there was so much information happening there.”
“I saw it. It was like a walking festival” Rick said, shaking his head in disbelief
Flash let out a breath through his nose “What a beautiful sight this morning.”
Harley watched silently, shifting his weight from one leg to the other “Is it really that bad?” he asked, looking between Flash and the others.
“It’s terrible, Keener" Rick emphasized the word “If I get a picture I'll show you.”
He only had time to force a small laugh before the bell rang, filling the hallway with the sound of sneakers scraping against the smooth floor. Allan tossed the lollipop stick onto the floor like a cigarette butt and started walking ahead with Brad and Rick talking about some new video game.
Flash followed them for a few steps before stopping and looking back, his eyes passing quickly over Harley before tilting his head slightly toward the hallway "You coming?"
Harley took an extra second before moving. He was trying to find some kind of answer in Flash's face, but like always he was kind of hard to read.
Flash waited just long enough to make sure he'd follow, then started walking again, catching up to the group in a few quick steps. The guys made room for him almost immediately, his spot.
....
“What did you think of the new guy?” Ned asked, genuinely curious. A few days home sick had left him pretty lost on the updates.
Peter cracked a piece of candy between his teeth while looking down at his sneakers "Which guy?"
“That blond one who's friends with Flash. Harley, I think” Ned said
“I don't know.” Peter grabbed the book he needed and shut his locker “I barely talked to him.”
“Yeah, but I mean, if he hangs out with Flash he can't be that different, right?”
Fair argument. Peter shrugged. What was he supposed to say?
A loud laugh that sounded almost like a shout came from the corner of the hallway. As obnoxious as always, Flash and his little gang were passing by on the way to first class. Thankfully they wouldn't share this one.
Peter didn't look when they passed.
"Look, there he is" Ned whispered in his ear forcing him to look up.
Harley's blue eyes met his almost instantly. Harley mouthed a "hi."
Peter answered with a flat smile. That was new.
Harley's gaze shifted an inch to the side.
Peter turned just in time to see Ned raising his hand, waving back with way too friendly of a smile. “Hi!” Ned said excitedly.
Peter blinked, about to say something, but gave up.
Harley had already looked away again and followed behind Flash's little gang.
“Wow, he seemed nice" Ned said, watching the group as they walked away.
Peter let out a short breath through his nose and smiled.
“So...” Ned started, leaning against the locker next to him “Did you patrol yesterday?”
“I did...” He nodded once, lightly drumming on the locker metal.
“And?” Ned tilted his head with an excited smile “Anything interesting?”
Peter gave a short laugh “Not this time. Just a guy trying to steal a bike.”
“Kind of boring.” Ned wrinkled his nose “I mean, good that that was the worst crime of the night, but...”
“And he tripped by himself trying to run” Peter finished with a shrug “Didn't even need to do anything.”
Ned made a small sympathetic sound, leaning in more “I'm almost getting the police frequency tuned in. We're gonna figure out where the real action is.”
...
Mr. Sprouts hadn't arrived yet when they entered the classroom.
“I heard he's having an affair with the secretary” Flash said from his seat, right behind Harley “Christine... I think that's it, Christine.”
Harley didn't turn around. He stayed facing forward, listening while Flash talked almost to himself, like he was thinking out loud. The others answered every now and then, a random comment or a quiet laugh.
Brad sat next to Harley, one row over. Every once in a while he leaned back, resting his arm on the chair, stretching way more than looked comfortable.
Harley looked out of the corner of his eye, that chair looked like it could break at any second. For a moment he considered saying something, but just turned back around.
A short freckled boy walked through the aisle between desks, moving a little too fast considering the teacher hadn't even arrived yet.
Harley looked up on reflex and accidentally made direct eye contact with an annoyed expression. The boy immediately looked away, like he'd done something wrong.
Oh- It wasn't meant for him but apparently offended him anyway.
Mr. Sprout was starting to get seriously late. If he'd already arrived, what happened next wouldn't have happened. Or maybe it would've happened anyway.
A dull thud echoed right beside him. Harley looked in time to see Brad's foot stretched casually into the aisle and the poor freckled kid sprawled on the floor.
An explosion of laughter echoed around as the boy slowly got up, completely embarrassed.
The loudest laugh came from Brad, fist pressed against his mouth like that hid anything.
“What is-” Harley frowned “Why did you do that?”
Brad raised his eyebrows and made the most fake innocent expression Harley had ever seen, gesturing openly toward where the kid was going at the back of the room “He tripped by himself, dude. You saw.”
“You thought that was funny?” He couldn't hide the tone
“Oh come on.” Brad tilted his head, still with half a smile stuck in the corner of his mouth “It was just a joke. He's fine.”
Behind him someone muttered a “damn dude” like they'd just finished laughing at something hilarious.
Harley didn't need to turn around to recognize Flash's voice.
When he looked, Flash was leaning back in his chair, arms crossed, watching the scene with the expression of someone watching a sitcom from the front row.
Harley held the stare a second too long. That was ridiculous.
Flash didn't look away, like there wasn't any reason to.
Brad pulled one side of his mouth up, glancing quickly at Flash as if sharing a joke.
“Just because you woke up grumpy today” Brad said quietly, leaning forward “doesn't mean everyone else has to.”
Flash slowly uncrossed his arms and let the smile fade, his eyes passing between both of them. “You're acting like he shoved the guy down the stairs” he told Harley, keeping his voice calm and unhurried “It was just a trip.”
Flash gave the smallest nod, like ending the conversation “Just a trip.” A quiet breath escaped his nose as he glanced sideways at Brad “You don't help either, uh”
The kid had already settled in the back pretending nothing happened.
Flash tilted his head slightly, following him with his eyes “If you're gonna fall, at least fall properly” he commented casually.
Brad smiled and looked away.
Harley pulled his mouth into an almost grimace that disappeared too fast for anyone to comment.
It wasn't funny. It was cruel and it bothered him.
He turned forward again and adjusted his notebook on the desk, running a finger over the edge repeatedly.
The door opened and Mr. Sprout walked in carrying a stack of papers against his chest, clearly late, eyes scanning the room like measuring the damage before even reaching the desk “Good morning, sunshines”
Someone muttered a “We were already leaving” loud enough to be heard.
A few short laughs followed and died quickly when he dropped the papers onto the desk with a soft slap. Mr. Sprout didn't comment on being late. Instead he went straight to the board, apparently beginning what would be a very long text.
Harley took a few deep breaths. Didn't help. The sound of Sprout's chalk scratching quickly across the board wasn't helping either.
He frowned when he felt his chair move with a small shove at the base, like someone had bumped it by accident.
Harley ignored it.
It happened again, stronger this time.
He sighed loudly, shaking his head without turning around.
Another little kick before it stopped.
The chair behind him creaked as Flash leaned over his desk, his face close to Harley's ear. “You really gonna act like this because of Brad?” he whispered.
Harley didn't answer. He scratched his eyebrow with one finger without turning.
Flash didn't move away “Are you mad at me?” he asked calmly.
Harley hesitated, suddenly feeling his mouth go dry.
“No...” he answered quietly. Why does Flash always choose the worst moments?
He turned slightly over his shoulder.
Flash was still leaning over, watching him carefully with his eyebrows slightly raised. That look held him for a moment. It looked more like last night's Flash.
Flash bit the corner of his mouth, almost looking nervous. “I don't know how you're seeing me after yesterday” he said quietly, like choosing his words halfway through “I just didn't want this to get weird.”
“No...” Harley softened a little, shaking his head “I'm just... trying to understand.”
Flash looked at Harley's face a little longer “I don't want this to change anything between us.”
Someone cleared their throat at the front “Mr. Keener, Mr. Thompson, am I interrupting something important?”
Some laughs.
Flash didn't move away, only turning his eyes to the teacher and letting an easy smile appear “Nothing that can't wait, Sprout.”
More laughs.
Only then did he lean back and cross his arms, throwing Harley a quick look before returning attention to the teacher.
Harley slowly turned forward again. The board was already full of writing now, he grabbed a pen to start taking notes.
A light shove at the base of the chair made him pause.
Harley let out a short breath and pressed his foot into the floor to stop the movement.
Another shove.
Shorter this time.
He tilted his head slightly like he was ignoring it, but the corner of his mouth threatened to pull up, almost invisible.
....
“You missed a lot in chemistry” Ned was saying, walking beside Peter “I texted you-"
“-I saw” Peter answered, adjusting his backpack “I just didn't understand half of what you wrote.”
“It was important” Ned insisted “Like potentially explosive important.”
Peter laughed quietly “Now I'm worried.”
"You're gonna have problems when grades close.”
“Ned” Peter called with a serious look “I got this, relax.”
They turned the hallway. A “Hey” followed by a sharp whistle came.
Peter lowered his face and took a deep breath.
Ned looked “Oh” he murmured.
Flash's group was coming the other way, Brad in front with an arm over Rick's shoulder.
His eyes landed on Ned first “Well look who decided to show up" he said, slowing down just enough to block their way.
Ned froze half a step “I was sick” he said trying to sound casual.
“Oh, makes sense.” Brad nodded too slowly “We thought you had... disappeared for good.”
Rick laughed.
Ned adjusted his backpack strap for no reason “Well, I'm back.”
Brad's eyes dropped slightly “Must've been... something you ate.”
Rick actually laughed this time. Sometimes they seemed to travel in packs just for this.
Ned didn't answer. Peter stepped forward slightly “There's nobody else around for you to bother?” he asked firmly.
Brad looked at him like he'd forgotten he existed “I wasn't talking to you.”
Peter held the annoyed stare.
Behind them someone said “Come on, big guy, we're just messing around. It's a joke.”
Flash stepped forward from behind the group, he stopped beside Brad but didn't look at him. His eyes went straight to Peter.
“Why are you so nosy, Parker?” he asked, almost curious.
“I'm just standing here. You're the one talking to me.” Peter shrugged calmly.
Flash let out a short breath through his nose. His eyes moved over Peter for a second “This short stack's got attitude" he said over his shoulder.
Some laughs.
Peter didn't look away. But for a second his attention slipped further back.
He exchanged a quick look with Harley, he was the only one not laughing. His brow was slightly furrowed, attention fixed on Flash.
Flash was still staring. And there was something in the way he held eye contact, like he expected the other person to back down first.
Peter didn't. He put his hands in his hoodie pockets and looked at him back. Not annoyed. Not intimidated.
The corner of Flash's mouth dropped almost imperceptibly. He tilted his head slightly, studying Peter's face for another second, as if he'd missed some reaction along the way.
Then a smaller smile returned to his face “Keep acting like that and you'll see where it gets you.”
Rick's smile lasted one more second before disappearing. Allan shifted his weight from one leg to the other.
Brad let out a short laugh, looking from one to the other from where he stood a little behind Flash “Relax, Parker. You take everything personally.”
Flash's gaze didn't move a single inch.
And then Harley moved first. He walked past the group without hurry, barely avoiding Rick's shoulder. His eyes brushed Peter's briefly.
When he got close to Flash, Harley slowed his pace slightly and turned his face toward him.
Flash looked back. The corner of his mouth was still raised, but it didn't reach his eyes this time. His gaze stayed on Harley's for a second longer, as if he were waiting for something.
Then he took half a step to the side.
Harley passed between them and kept walking as if none of that had been anything.
“I'm heading out already.” His jaw slightly tense “You guys coming or not?”