Work Text:
Peter Parker has a problem.
Well, maybe not a problem.
Peter Parker has a crush.
And his crush is in a relationship.
That’s a problem.
So, yeah. If he’s following a logical train of thought, then he does indeed have a problem.
He looks across the room, where Harley talks on the phone with a bright smile on his face. That smile always makes Peter’s stomach flip. It makes his heart race and his cheeks flush, in such an obvious way that’s it’s a wonder Harley hasn’t figured it out yet. Harley’s smart, after all, or he wouldn’t be at MIT with Peter. So how does he not know? Try as Peter might, he's not been exactly subtle.
It starts like this:
“Underoos!” Tony claps his hands together once. “I pulled some strings so you have the perfect roommate.”
Peter makes a face. “How did you manage that?”
“Well, I have a friend I met awhile back,” Tony explains. “His name is Harley. We’ve kept in touch over the years, I took care of his education and his family staying comfortable, things like that. He’s at MIT, and he’s a junior this year, but you get to room with him. This way, you have a built-in friend that I don’t have to do an extensive background check on, and someone I trust with your little secret. Also, he’s been going there for a year so he can show you around and help you out.”
“He’s been there a year? But he’s a junior?”
“He’s genius level, like you. Should graduate by the end of next summer.”
Peter pauses in loading his suitcases. “Wait. You said something about background checks. Is that something you’re going to do to everyone I meet?”
“Of course not,” Tony says, eyes shifting. “Just with the person you lived with and anyone routinely within a hundred yards of you. Anyways, you’ll get to meet him and it’ll be great.”
So, Peter meets him.
And Harley Keener is like sunshine. Peter contemplates whether or not he’s actually Apollo, chariot-ing the sun across the earth. He’s got the golden curly locks, the sharp jaw, and the strong shoulders. Peter is actually one hundred percent sure that there’s a marble statue in the MET that was modeled after the other boy.
Peter might be a little in love.
)-(
Harley doesn’t just look like sunshine with his tanned skin and shining eyes. No, he is sunshine, because he’s the kindest person Peter has ever met. He’s patient with Peter’s questions, shares his snacks, makes sure Peter eats meals (and always saves him a sandwich on nights he doesn’t). He picks up litter and gives homeless people change, calls his mother dutifully, and holds study groups for everyone. He never lets his sassy demeanor come across as more powerful than his caring nature.
Peter doesn’t know how to express his appreciation.
“Maybe you can try returning the favor,” Aunt May suggests one night when they’re chatting. “Bake him some cookies or something.”
“You think that will work?” Peter asks.
“Yeah,” she says. “That’s what Ben taught me in college. I was so busy taking care of everyone else, I never bothered to take care of myself. Make sure someone is taking care of Harley.”
“Right,” Peter nods. “Yeah, that makes sense.”
“I’ll send you your mom’s recipe. It’ll be great.”
Except, it wasn’t.
)-(
Harley sits with Peter on the back of the firetruck, a small smile on his face.
“I appreciate the thought, sweetheart,” Harley says sweetly. “But burning down the dorm to make me cookies…”
“Please, can we never talk about this again?” Peter pleads. “Please.”
“Of course,” Harley puts an arm around his shoulder. “But you’re buying pizza.”
Peter’s head rests on his shoulder. “Deal.”
)-(
Things are going well, Peter believes.
After nearly having the dorm kitchen burn down because Peter tried to make cookies, he and Harley start spending more time together. They often go out for pizza, study together, and spend Friday nights watching movies. Slowly, Peter learns more about Harley’s life in Rose Hill, about his closeness with his mom and sister, about the love of Saturday morning cartoons and how it bonds people.
The problem?
Harley seems…dimmer around Peter. That light that he always carries isn’t as bright when its just the two of them. Harley’s movements become slower, less energetic, and he stops checking up so much on Peter. It’s as if the other boy’s affections lower as their time together increases. Yet, he still initiates the contact. He plops into Peter’s bed with his laptop to watch old Scooby-Doo cartoons, drags Peter to parties, and crashes his study sessions.
Peter is confused, but also growing from the boundaries of “Please be my friend” to “I think I kinda-sorta want to make out with you.” He truthfully doesn’t know Harley’s sexuality, and is unwilling to ask for fear of making the rest of the year uncomfortable, and for losing his first friend at MIT.
Well, built-in friend, but still.
As Peter is rolling these things through his mind, Harley jerks beside him so that the laptop nearly falls off the bed. “Shit, sorry, Petey! Abby’s finally back in the country, I gotta—Hello? Well if it isn’t my favorite lady this side of the Atlantic.”
Peter’s stomach twists. Harley’s face is lit up. He can’t stop a smile, his eyes are crinkling from his excitement, and he slides from the bed to cross the room as he listens to the girl on the phone talk.
Abby.
His nose wrinkles, and he rolls over to curl around the laptop. Peter feels a familiar creeping sensation of jealousy, mixed with guilt. He has no reason to be jealous. There is no monopoly on Harley’s time or affections, and Peter knows that. It’s just…
He’s Harley.
Harley, who is enamored with some girl named Abby.
And so, this is Peter’s predicament. He’s crushing on Harley, who has a girlfriend.
And she’s coming for family weekend.
Harley and Peter are cleaning their dorm. Harley walks around with fidgety hands, smoothing his bed covers for the sixth time.
“Hey, Harls,” Peter says. “You okay?”
“It’s just…” Harley takes a deep breath. “I haven’t seen Abby in months. After she graduated last year, she and her best friend went backpacking across Europe. I’ve missed her like crazy, and I want today to go really well.”
“I get it,” he says. “I haven't seen—
A knock comes at the door. Harley looks down at his watch. “My mom wouldn’t be here yet.”
“Must be me, then,” Peter rolls his shoulders.
When he opens the door, Peter is surprised to see everyone he’s ever known standing in the hallway.
Okay, so not everyone he’s ever known, but every parental figure he currently has. Tony and May are front and center, Rhodey and Pepper just behind him. All four are wearing “MIT Parent” t-shirts (even though Tony’s is under a most-likely million-dollar suit). May and Pepper beam at the sight of him and smother him in a tight hug of motherly affection.
“Wow, guys,” Peter laughs, accepting the hug. “This is kind of unexpected.”
“It’s our first family weekend for you,” Rhodey grins. “Did you really think we were gonna miss embarrassing the hell out of you?”
“We wouldn’t miss it for the world,” May winks. She looks over Peter’s shoulder. “Oh! This must be Harley!”
“Hello,” Harley waves, stepping forward. “It’s nice to meet you, ma’am, Peter and Tony have told me all about you.”
“The same to you,” she says sweetly. “Are you going to be joining us for a tour of the campus? I’d love to get to know you a little better, since I didn’t meet you on move-in.”
“I would love to, but I’ve actually got to wait for Mom and Abby,” Harley says. “Maybe we could all meet up for lunch, though?”
“Of course,” Pepper tells him. “When did Abby get back?”
“Oh!” May raises a hand. “Really quick, sorry...who is Abby?”
“His sister.”
“His girlfriend.”
Tony and Peter share matching looks of incredulity at their simultaneous answers.
“You thought Abby was his girlfriend?” Tony frowns. “Pete, what happened to your genius brain?”
Peter shakes his head in confusion. “He was always so happy talking about her, and he talked about his sister, he talked about Abby, but he never said anything about a sister named Abby!”
“Peter,” Harley blushes. “Peter, I’m gay. Even if Abby wasn’t my sister, there’s no girlfriend.”
Peter feels his face color. “Oh.”
“Wait, is that why you were acting so weird the past couple weeks?” Harley asks.
“I mean…I don’t know, maybe?”
Harley’s eyes do the crinkle thing.
“And what about you, you’ve been acting weird!”
“I have not.”
“You’re not acting the same when you’re around me,” Peter shoots back. “You smile less, and you don’t talk as much, and you don’t seem as happy.”
The smile drops a little from Harley’s face, and he steps closer. “Peter, it’s not because I’m not as happy. It’s because I’m relaxed. I like being around you because I don’t feel like I have to be ‘on’ all the time. You take care of me, and its nice not to have to always be doing it for everyone else. I got so used to it growing up, that when I met you and I could just…be, it was so nice. I’m sorry if that confused you, but Peter, I like you.”
“Oh,” Peter says softly. “Oh, I see.”
Tony shakes his head. “This is the brain I’m paying for?”
Rhodey and May smack his arm. Pepper rolls her eyes and takes her husband’s hand. “Come on, honey. Peter’s going to show us his experiments.”
“Yeah,” Rhodey snorts. “Harley, you totally sure you don’t wanna join us?”
Harley doesn’t take his eyes off Peter. “I guess Mom and Abby can meet us somewhere else on campus.”
“Awesome,” May pats Peter’s shoulder. “Are you two going to keep awkwardly staring at each other, or do you wanna…get this show on the road?”
Embarrassed, Peter turns towards the door. “Um, do you-do you wanna…?”
“Yeah, sweetheart,” Harley chuckles. “I do.”