Chapter Text
Sometimes during the week, Harley and Peter were allowed to go to a small park close to their middle school once classes were over instead of going straight home.
Happy would drop them off there, and wait as usual inside of the car near the play area to keep an eye out for them.
Usually, the twins rarely left their home except when it was necessary. They just didn't like it. The only exception was the park. At least for a time. Harley had grown weary of it as he entered his teenage years; like other kids around his age, he preferred to be glued on his phone and lock himself in his room. But Peter still enjoyed the hours spent playing basketball with a few familiar neighborhood kids. If it wasn't basketball, then he would have his brother push him on the swing like when they were little. There were things that never changed.
"Come on, man! You're cheating!" A 14-year-old kid grumbled, glaring at Harley.
"I don't know what you're talking about. Play better, and maybe you'll see your team win."
Actually, Harley was cheating. Not for himself, though.
He made sure to trip his opponents in the middle of the game by 'clumsiness', to maximize the chances that Peter could get the ball and have some fun too. Unfortunately, it was a task that turned out to be more complicated than expected.
Peter was an omega. The only one here.
All the other players were alphas. Brutes taller than him, who never think twice about pushing through obstacles in their path to show the best of themselves. They were just a bunch of brainless idiots, obsessed with the prospect of showing off their emerging muscle.
"Harley! Harley! I'm-I'm here! I'm open!" Peter called out, waving widely over his head.
Harley glanced at his brother as he dribbled the ball around, aware of the opposing team's three alphas approaching to parry his throw. Two of them were taller than him. The percentage of a potential victory was not in his favor, though he didn't have the attention to admit defeat. It wasn't part of him. And, more than anything, he wanted to impress Peter and make him happy.
Blinded by adrenaline and other brain-spinning hormones, the opposing alphas understood the blonde's feint only too late, which gave Harley the opportunity to made a pass to his brother.
Peter nimbly caught the ball with a vivid shout - the next instant he was running for the enemy team's side, ready to attempt his first basket of the afternoon.
He missed.
Harley felt his heart twitch painfully and sink as he witnessed the disappointment visible on his twin's face. He couldn't care less about the score. But their teammates did not share the same opinion.
At first Harley tensed at the tsks and frustrated sighs. Tingling tickled the back of his neck. He knew that, this time, this anger was directed at Peter, and his whole being could not tolerate seeing him be the prey to such toxic hostility. His need to protect was kicking, eager to gain the upper hand on him. However, Harley did his best to listen to his reason rather than the alpha that lay dormant in him. He had to think it over and not create scenes, or problems. He was civilized. Not an animal.
"Damn omegas..."
"Why is he here, anyway?"
Harley closed his eyes. He couldn't afford to take those whispers and sentence crumbs to heart. They were just frustrated fools. Peter was okay. He was just disappointed. Nothing irreversible. Everything was fine.
"Fuck, why are we the ones with this useless shrimp on our team?"
Someone else - from their team again - added. "He should have stayed home. Fucking runt."
Harley walked toward his brother, fists clenched, jaw tensed. He was pale with rage. The anger was stifling. But he had to make sure that Peter didn't let himself be affected by these words.
And then, more cruel whispers.
"I hate omegas. They all are so dumb, and weak. This one's a slut for sure, I can tell..."
Then, Harley saw it. He saw his twin's teary, ashamed eyes. He had heard it all. Of course. These words were meant to be heard. They had been doomed to hurt. Why did alphas have to be so vicious? Harley was not unfamiliar with those violent urges that roared daily somewhere inside him, deep in his chest, but until then he had never been disrespectful to an omega. To anyone. That's not the way he had been educated, and a gender should never justify actions. These alphas had no right to judge Peter for a mistake.
Something snapped in him. A red veil misted his vision.
"What the fuck did you just say...?"
A few glances turned in his direction. Against all odds, most came from members of their own teams - the same ones who were condescending to Peter.
His twin was the only one who realized the meaning of the intonation in his voice. He froze. "Harley..."
It was all happening so fast. It was as if a tunnel narrowed his vision to focus only on his targets. The world around was becoming silent - even his brother. Harley was engulfed in fury to the point of feeling his limbs shake. It was the first red flag. Perhaps there was still time to end this matter before it escalated, a small voice of wisdom whispered internally. But the alpha in him was louder. Deafening.
"What's wrong, Stark, huh?" One of the alphas - the taller one - grew bolder. He made a few strides towards the blonde, bulging his chest.
The air around them grew heavier significantly. The teenagers were gathering, thrilled. Some as spectators, and others, those who were unable to resist the call of testosterone and adrenaline, intending to participate. Neither of them seemed to be on Harley's side, except the Omega whom he defended the honor.
"You apologize. Now." The older twin commanded in a low voice.
"Oh? To the omega? Hell, no! I'd rather die."
"This is something that can be worked out."
Peter pulled his brother's sleeve, carefully lowering his head so as not to attract more attention from the other alphas around. He wished he could disappear right now. Peter hated this situation, and he hated seeing Harley in such a state even more. He could tell that something bad was about to happen. Keeping his mouth shut was the solution. To be discreet. Small. Submitted.
"Harls… let's go home." He murmured shrinkingly, his eyes fixed on a small stone in the sand.
Harley ignored him, still busy having a deaf talk with the alphas who intervened one by one to impose their stature. So Peter pulled his brother's arm more insistently.
"Back off!" Harley scolded sharply, pushing him far behind - enough to make him fall on his butt.
Clear message.
He remained down, compliant. He understood that for the moment his brother was also his alpha, and that if he was manhandling him openly then it was also a way for Harley of showing his strength to others, of proving that he was able to be a protector. Every alpha had the right to pick on their omega. It was a privilege.
Thus, if one of those teenagers wanted to venture to hurt Peter - or pick him as a potential mate if they were old enough for that, like the oldest in the troop, the one in front of Harley who would eyeball him every now and then - they were going to have to go through his twin for that. It was so. This was what was happening. And Peter was feeling quite frustrated about it. If only Harley had listened to him, then maybe they could have left this place without incident. But now that his brother had sparked interest and violence among these alphas, a fight was to be feared. A fight involved a price; whether it's the satisfaction of seeing an alpha defeated and subdued, or earn an omega. If they could get rid of Harley then they would feel the need to make his omega suffer the same fate, much like a signature.
"He doesn't belong here," a boy growled, gesturing to Peter with a nod of his chin. "His place is at home. Preferably in a kitchen. Look at him. All sweaty, and shivering only because he had run for, what, three minutes? You've exhausted him. You are a bad alpha!"
Harley knew this fucker couldn't care less. It was hypocritical and contradictory with their behavior. They were just trying to hurt him in his role as alpha. Harley felt his lips draw back until he could let his white teeth show.
"You're scaring him. That's why. Apologize, and we leave right away."
A few chuckles. The semicircle of alphas was getting smaller around them; Peter kept his head stubbornly down, as Harley nervously glared around. They were being cornered. It was bad. But he wouldn't let anyone touch Peter.
"Why did you bring that damn gnome here?!"
"I-"
"I can comfort him for you, if you want." Another voice teased.
"No-"
"Can I pet him?"
Laughs.
"Back off!"
"Harley, I'm scared…" a whisper behind him; sad and afraid.
"Hey, look at these two pussies. Let's teach them a good lesson, right, guys?"
Harley caught the sound of knuckles being cracked. And that was it. He snapped.
He threw himself into the crowd with a bestial cry. Peter gasped in shock, only then looking up to observe the gruesome scene in front of him.
They were all on his brother.
It was gory. Tufts of hair flew all directions in the airs, along with pieces of clothing. It wasn't more than a few seconds before the distinct scent of blood could be smelled - heavy and foul to the young omega staring helplessly. The punches were raining. Claws. Bites. Roars piercing and hoarse. And so, so, so many strong territorial pheromones. Peter started to scream when he saw teeth rolling on the floor, barely visible through the cloud of dust that rose up just where the alphas were fighting fiercely. He didn't know who those belonged to - and he wasn't sure he wanted to know. But one thing for sure: Peter wanted to go home.
"Peter! Harley!" Someone called, far behind.
Peter was too stupefied by this turn of events to analyze what occurred next: Happy rushed to them as soon as he realized what was happening. In just a few instants, everything had gotten out of hand.
Why…?
The arrival of the new alpha was enough to cause an instant interruption in the fight. A wave of uncertainty hit most of the young teens at the sight of Happy - they knew they didn't match up against an adult. Moreover, they were not blinded enough by their hormones to not recognize Happy Hogan, bodyguard of the famous Iron Man. So they stepped back in unison, lowering their heads, even though the man didn't give a fuck about their submission. He pushed them out of his way to join Harley, still battling two alphas a little more daring and reckless than the others.
And, kids or not, Happy removed them out of the equation in his own way.
The first distanced himself after a first uppercut. However, the second let go of Harley only to provoke the bodyguard directly. He opened his arms wide in obvious invitation, giving the man a bloody smile as if he was invincible and being cocky would save him from crushing defeat.
Once again, Happy easily took control of the situation; it only took him a few parries and arm-locks to knock the alpha down.
"Fucking incredible." The man gritted his teeth, frustrated at the dirt stuck to the pants of his suit. His grip on the alpha's arm tightened. "Now, you little shit. You go home. And I don't want to see your ugly face here anymore. And if I ever see you again - and, believe me, I never forget a face - then even your mother will never be able to recognize you once I'm done with you. Capiche?"
The pheromones that Happy was producing were suffocating for all the alphas around. All shifted uncomfortably, eyes low. Even the teenager who had tried to cross swords with him seconds earlier couldn't compete with his aura. It was a simple hierarchy. There was a winner, and there were losers. Happy did not give the young alpha his freedom until a nod of acquiescence had been manifested, after which the park was emptied in record time, except for the bodyguard and the two twins.
"Are you alright?" The man hurried to his boss's sons.
Harley had crawled over to Peter who was still sitting in the sand. His forehead was pressed against his little brother's stomach, as the omega's quivering hands mechanically stroked his head, his fingers tangled in the golden strands in what appeared to be an attempt to calm him down. Both gave off pheromones of distress, and both tried to reassure each other with the closeness.
"Is he-is he good? He looks alive. Harley?" Happy poked the blonde's legs with the nose of his shoe, just enough to receive a growl. He sighed in relief. "Ooh, great. You scared me here, you brats."
The man crouched down next to the duo, respectful of the wordless exchange that was taking place between the two brothers. He intervened eventually though, when noticing the amount of blood staining the older boy's face.
"I think this is a call for sutures, Harley. Again." A new grunt answered him. "Yeah, yeah. I know. But you should have gotten back to the car as soon as things took a dangerous turn. You two."
"No. He was saying shit about Peter."
It was ridiculous to try to reason with an alpha who had entered a compulsive and intensive mode of protection. Happy knew better than to continue to waste his time on this subject. So after having shooed Peter up - not minding the grumpy huff he obtained from the young alpha - he gently took Harley into his arms, making sure not to inflict more pain on him than he already had received. However, seeing the grimaces that tensed the kid's features, he guessed that some bones were probably broken. Hopefully, he hadn't fractured his nose.
Again.
.
"God, I can't believe it…"
"Aouch-Ooow…!"
"Yeah! That's what you get when you act like a dumb, brainless alpha."
"Easyyyy, ow! I'm a sentient and emotional living being, don't treat me like thi-ooow!"
Peter from the kitchen island watched his father disinfect and clean the cuts on his brother's face. Happy had cooked him an omelet to distract him while Tony took care of Harley, but it wasn't working out well. He couldn't do otherwise than look out into the living room, where his twin was lying on the sofa, taking the onslaught of alcohol-soaked cotton pads. And although it was common knowledge that alphas cope with pain better than omegas, Peter couldn't help but wince at his overwhelming empathy, wishing he could take Harley's pain.
Every hiss of pain reminded him that it was his fault his twin was hurt. If he hadn't been there, if he had been better at the game, then none of that would have happened. Harley defended him from a horrible fate, agreeing to spill his own blood in the process when he hadn't been the one directly threatened.
"Look at this..." he heard their father sigh in exasperation. "C'mon, let's get Cho to patch you up properly, now that we can see your face with all that blood cleaned off."
They could indeed see more clearly the bruises decorating the teenager's face, the most prominent of them over his left eye. Also noticeably there was a whole pile of gashes, some of which definitely required sutures, such as the one that crossed his right brow bone, or the one that ran along his left cheekbone. Miraculously, the nose was straight. Nicked superficially on the bridge, but straight. Tony was inwardly relieved to find that his son was not permanently disfigured, even though he only showed irritation towards him.
Violence was not the solution.
Hypocritical of him to say so, the engineer could only concede it, but he sincerely meant it for his children. To see them suffering was nameless torture.
Even if, deep down, a dark part of him was reassured and content to know that Harley had protected their omega. If anything were to happen to him, then Tony knew that Harley would be able to assist his brother. It was a weight off his shoulders.
As Tony was helping his son up, Peter took advantage of this moment to escape Happy's vigilance and get off his stool; he dashed over to the duo, and wrapped his arms around his twin.
"Careful," Harley rebuked bitterly as he felt a searing pain run through his ribs. Right now, he didn't want Peter near him. His presence reminded him in front of their father and Happy that he had been beaten up. He hated this feeling of helplessness.
"Don't be mad." The younger one lamented.
"Pete, I think it would be nice if you could go do your homework in your room." Tony prompted gently, putting his hand on his son's shoulder in an attempt to detach him from the blonde.
"Don't be mad."
"Clear off, pipsqueak." Harley pushed Peter out of his way with a scornful frown on his face.
"Harley. Don't be rude." The billionaire retorted, then glanced at Happy in silent demand for the bodyguard to look after Peter.
Harley left first, without giving his brother time to catch up with him. Tony followed. And Peter started to sob as the elevator doors closed, leaving only him and Happy in the penthouse.
"They hate me."
"No, they don't."
Peter looked so miserable that even Happy felt his heart twist. The man guided the omega into his bedroom with one hand behind his back. "Forget your homework. Rest first."
"I didn't want bad things to happen… I just wanted to play."
"The other way around would have surprised me from you, kid. You couldn't hurt a fly even if you wanted to."
"Because I'm too weak." Peter concluded sadly.
"Because you're too good." Happy corrected with a friendly nudge. Peter smiled behind the tears.
"Well, because of that Harley is injured. It's my fault."
"You cannot control the decisions and actions of others, Peter. These kids decided to show their muscles to boast, you can't draw any conclusions from that."
"I don't know, Hap'… I'll try to be better next time."
Life was too hard on those poor omegas, Happy thought in dismay. They were expected to take all the accusations in the world without flinching, for the simple reason that an alpha could proclaim them guilty. Happy knew there was no point in trying to get that idea out of Peter's head - it was as effective as pissing in the wind. He hoped that his family's time and love could help him realize his own worth.
.