Chapter Text
"Did I ever tell you I didn't want to go to war?"
Bucky and Peter have been spending a significant amount of time together since Harley moved into the tower with Tony and the rest. Loki had returned to Asgard some time ago as well, but Peter hadn't minded as long as Loki kept his promises of visiting the young hero.
"No, Sir." Peter responds, opening a bottle of water. "How'd you end up over there?"
"Drafted. I didn't want to go fight, that's why I did my best to keep Steve outta it. Little bastard is stubborn as a mule."
"I don't think he's little." Peter chuckled. "He's taller than you are."
Bucky shuffles around for a minute and pulls out his wallet. He unfolds it and takes out a small piece of worn paper then hands it to Peter. It's an old grainy picture of Bucky and Steve. Both dressed in casual suits, laughing. "My sister took that not long after we graduated high school." Bucky towered over Steve. Steve, though his face remained the same, his body was much thinner. The clothes he wore hung off of him, scuffed shoes.
Peter smiled at it, because though Steve looked different, he looked happy talking to his best friend.
"So where's that boy of yours? Shouldn't he be keeping you company more than your ol uncle?"
"Robby? He's... around I suppose. We hang out but I don't want him around Harley."
Bucky nods, understanding the dislike. Bucky thinks it's a jealousy thing, that Peter is just used to being the only kid around here.
"Afraid Harley is going to steal him away?" Bucky asks, raising a brow.
"No." Peter's answer is definite.
Bucky nods. "Welp, I've got to go talk to Steve about a thing. You okay by yourself? Or should I call someone else to hang out with ya?"
"I'm alright, thank you though." Peter gives Bucky a half smile and with that the man leaves.
Peter turns on his TV and pulls out a textbook. The amount of back work he owes at school has him almost drowning on top of regular assignments.
Tony had Harley enrolled in the same school as Peter, something the teen originally thought was a great idea. Until Harley met Flash. Flash friended the new boy and that was when school got worse. Flash rarely beat Peter up anymore, but the verbal abuse is constant between he and Harley.
Peter has not said a word to Tony. There is no way he would believe him, would there? Peter shakes his head, refocusing on his work.
***
The bell rings loudly for lunch and Peter's head snaps up from his school desk. Bags hang under the boy's eyes and he can barely keep himself up. He missed breakfast because he thought that getting his essay finished was more important.
'at least I'm caught up now'
Peter grabs his coat from his locker and nods at Ned and MJ. They both follow him out the doors and down to their favorite sandwich shop. Robby is already waiting, as usual. He links hands with Peter and they all grab their food to go. Robby has his arm around Peter, munching on small bites of his boyfriend's sandwich when Harley sees them from his spot in history. He sees them share the sandwich and rolls his eyes.
'what a chump'
Peter is unaware of Harley's judgmental eyes. Too focused on having fun with his friends. Ned and Peter ramble to each other about upcoming movies that they're excited to see while MJ reads and Robby listens to the two boys.
"We should get back inside. The bell is going to ring soon." Ned says. Peter deflates slightly. Something that only Robby catches.
"I'll see you guys inside in a minute." Peter says as the others make their way to the school.
"What's going on? I thought you liked school?" Robby asks.
Peter let's his eyes focus on Robby's chin. "I do! It's just...Flash has been especially mean since Harley moved here. He's always got a comment about how I don't deserve my dad's help or something about how I dress. Then Harley joins in on it and that makes it all the worse because I already have to live with him and he doesn't like me at all. Regular bully stuff I guess. Maybe I should just tough it out and ask Dad to moves schools or-"
Robby presses his lips to Peter's forehead to shush him. Peter leans into it and shuts his eyes. "You deserve this school, you worked hard to get here on a scholarship. Don't let some bully downgrade you because of jealousy. If he lays a hand on you, I'll just come beat him up." Robby says the last bit as a matter of fact. "As for Harley? Just ignore it. He's probably just trying to get a rise out of you. Maybe you should tell Tony-"
"No one likes a tattle tale." Peter says.
Robby opens his mouth to protest, but the bell rings. Peter stands a little straighter and steals a kiss before dashing into the school. He weaves quickly through the students to put his jacket in his locker. He dashes around the corner a little too fast, tripping on an outstretched foot in the process. His cheek hits the floor and he hears the taunting voice of Flash.
"A boyfriend, Parker? You're just full of surprises. Get up." Flash commands.
Peter stands only for Flash to shove him. Peter let's himself step back at the force. "I have to get to class." Peter tells Flash, taking the higher road by stepping around him and walking down the hall. Flash reaches and grabs Peter's backpack, yanking him back. Peter feels his senses tingle and he dodges the punch aimed at him. He holds up his hands in surrender, but Flash grabs him again, shoving the smaller teen against a wall.
Peter shakes as everything starts to spin. He can't focus, Flash is breathing in his face, when lights are so bright around him, and he can't catch his breath.
"You're worthless. You know that don't you?" Flash whispers in his ear. "You hear me, Fag?"
Peter is in his room. His back is on his mattress and he can feel himself sinking into it. He can also feel the sharp healing pains in his hands and ribs.
"Friday?" His voice echoes in the room.
"Yes Peter?"
"Why am I home?"
"You had a break down at school. You've been sent home to relax."
"Where's Dad?"
"Tony is in the lab." Peter sits up, allowing himself to feel the aches.
"Why am I in pain?"
"You have fractured ribs and wounds on your hands." Friday informs.
Did he and Flash fight? Peter carefully makes his way out and heads to the elevator. "Hey, Penis." Harley says after opening his room door.
Peter looks at him. "You doing okay?"
Peter stares for a second, trying to find any hint of insincerity. Harley's eyes gleem for a moment and Peter huffs. "Where's your boyfriend?" He calls after the boy. Peter keeps on his way, stepping into the elevator.
"Take me to Bucky and Steve's floor please." The elevator moves and Peter leans against the wall. 'shouldda grabbed a soda.'
"THAT IS NOT A WORD!" Peter hears as the elevator comes to a stop. "TAKE THAT OFF THE BOARD!"
Peter giggles as Clint and Steve argue. Bucky looks up from his phone as Peter walks in. "Oh hey, Pete." He says over the bickering. "Care to help us out? Steve put a word on the board that Clint doesn't know."
"Sure!" Peter smiled. "What is it?"
"Quantum." Steve says. "I've heard Bruce say it before, so it has to be a word."
"It's gibberish-"
"No, Clint he's right." Peter says " it's a discrete quantity of energy proportional in magnitude to the frequency of the radiation it represents. So like-"
"I don't need to know examples, dictionary boy." Clint teases. "Bet you read it for fun-"
"Just because I know physics terms does NOT mean I read the dictionary!" Peter defends. He walks over to their fridge and opens it up, grabbing a soda for himself and Bucky.
He takes a seat next to the soldier where he can see the board.
"So, I hear there was another incident at school-".Clint starts
"Is that what we're calling them?" Peter groans. "I have problems in school so often that they're incidents?"
"Yes," Clint says without a second thought and continues. "Did you kick Flash's ass?"
"I..don't think so? I can't remember." Peter shrugs. "I think I blacked out or something."
Bucky furrows his brow but doesn't say anything. "Did Harley get sent home too?" He asks. Peter shrugs.
"He's in his room so I'd assume so."
They continue their game, Peter and Bucky switching between exchanging memes and watching.
"I'm going to go down and see what Tony's up to." Peter announces after a little bit.
"So you just came to get a soda and criticize my intellect?" Clint teases
Peter smiled a little, "If you could keep up with the rest of us I wouldn't have to criticize."
"You little shit!"
Peter makes it to the elevator just in time to hear Clint get up.
"Take me to Tony's lab please." Peter says to Friday.
Tony's hair is a mess and he's got grease all over. He's been working on and off in upgrades for both he and Peter's suits. Peter walks in and grabs one of his little projects he's been working on for fun. Just a robot from scratch, one capable of opening cans and bottles. The coding was easy, it's just the matter of building and perfecting.
"Hey, kiddie. How're you doing?"
"Little sore, but I'm okay." Lies. All lies.
"Want to tell me what happened?"
"Flash was being a jerk." Peter shrugs. "Shoved me around after he saw me with Robby."
"And you broke his nose?"
Peter stops working. "I what?"
Tony looks over. "You broke the kids nose Pete. It's justified, homophobic people piss me off and he had no right-"
"I broke Flash's nose?" Peter's hands ball up. Sure, he's hit Flash before, it was a common occurrence in the last story. But he was aware that he was doing it last time.
"Yeah, you broke it. And as much as I'd like to high five you for it, you can't be doing stuff like that. Not when you're as strong as Cap."
"I know, I'm sorry." Peter says. "In my defense, I don't remember hitting him."
"My point still stands." Tony crosses his arms, looking at the boy.
"Yes, Dad. No more fights in school if I can help it."
"Off school grounds." He ruffles Peter's curls. Peter laughs and rolls his eyes. They both turn back to their individual projects. Peter feels right at home in Tony's lab. All the scrap metal he wants, any tool he may need is within reach and he knows that he can ask for help at any time with little judgement.
The lab door opens and Peter feels himself deflate a little. "Hey, Old man." Harley chirps. He snacks Peter on the back a little too hard. "Parker."
Tony looks up. "What'd you say?"
"I called Peter, Parker." Harley explains in foe innocence. "That's what they call him at school." Tony eyes him for a second but continues working. Harley, like Peter, is very smart and technologically inclined. Not as much as Peter, but that's not what bothered Harley.
Harley moved in months ago after being thrown out of his mother's house. He was having a lot of trouble with his step father and apparently beat the guy up. At least, that's what Harley told Tony.(Peter still isn't sure he believes him.) But what bothers Harley is that Peter has everything a boy could imagine and more, but he acts like that doesn't matter. Harley also can't wrap his head around Peter and Tony's relationship as father and son. Where did this kid come from? Is he Tony's actual son?
***
It's late and Peter finds himself again in a mess of tangled sheets. He doesn't remember the dream much other than seeing May. Peter fights the covers off of himself and goes out to the kitchen. There's no one around, not even Bucky lurking in the living room. Peter grabs a glass of water and drinks it over the sink.
"Do you ever sleep?" Peter jumps, turning to Harley. "Or do you just stomp around all hours of the night?"
"Sorry." Peter says softly. "I'll be more quiet."
"You'd better be." Harley responds. "Or Flash wont be your only concern."
Peter stands a little straighter. "What do you mean?"
"Means if you keep waking me up or pissing me off that I'll beat your ass."
"I'm not afraid of you. And if you think that you can bully me in my own house-"
"But it's not your house. It's a tower and it's owned by Tony. Do you even know who's paying for all this?"
"Yes, Harley. I'm well aware." Peter rolls his eyes. "The point is, I don't give a shit what you have to say or that you're going to beat me up." On the surface, Peter is strong and cool. He's pretending that he could care less, but in reality he was afraid to hurt Harley. He doesn't want Harley to try to fight him because it would result in Peter getting beat up to avoid hurting anyone.
"Does Tony know about your little boyfriend?" Harley asks.
"Yes, and he supports our relationship. Not that it's your business at all."
Harley glares at Peter. "You're a little prick, aintcha?"
Peter looks away and drinks the rest of his water. He goes to pass Harley and is shoved. Peter keeps walking. And that's how it starts.
Harley's little pushes and trips at home. Then shoving Peter to the ground at school and stepping on his books. Flash is quick to join in, avenging his broken nose. Peter takes it all on his own.
Peter doesn't know what else to do, he doesn't want Harley to be thrown out because that will weigh heavily on his conscience. Whether Peter likes it or not, the boy needs a home. And Tony has taken a liking to having Harley around.
Maybe.. he's the problem?