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Peter was in love with his best friend. He was in love with his roommate. They both happened to be the same guy. That guy was the same guy who happened to be asking him to be his fake date to a gala.
“You want me to pretend to be your date for this dance because your friend wants to hook you up with some guy she knows,” Peter repeated.
“Please Parker!” Harley said. Peter sighed. One night of repressing his feelings for this gorgeous boy would have to work. He could pretend he wasn’t wanting to kiss those lips of pushed his friend against the wall. Peter Parker had self-control somehow.
“Fine, I’ll go, but you are paying for the night,” Peter said.
“Done,” Harley said. “Thank you, Parker. I owe you big time.” Peter nodded as Harley went to make a phone call. Peter was epically screwed now. He decided to call Ned to get everything out.
“Repeat this,” Ned said.
“Harley asked me to be his fake date for this gala,” Peter said.
“The same one MJ was telling you about. The one she said she was going to hook you up with a friend. The one you weren’t going to,” Ned reminded him.
“I’m going now with Harley,” Peter said.
“Harley won’t bite. He will probably make the night interesting and maybe he will realize that you are the best boy and ask you out on a date,” Ned said.
“Or he will find out about my crush and ask me out as a joke and then break my heart,” Peter said. Ned sighed.
“Peter don’t you think you are overexaggerating,” Ned said. Peter sighed.
“I just don’t want to lose him,” Peter said.
“If he asks you out it will be because he loves you for you and not because he wants to prank his best friend,” Ned said. Peter still did not agree with his friend but he said he did as he ended the phone call with Ned and prepared himself for the week ahead knowing it could end with him losing his best friend.
~
The gala was beautiful. The ballroom was bright as it was lit up with bright lights. It was very professional even though it was a beautiful place. Harley kept Peter close as they entered. Peter pretended that this was a real date and that he was with Harley. The boy he had a crush on. The one he was in love with. Pepper was surprised to see them enter together but she said nothing as she had a daughter to keep track of. Morgan was a handful now that she was in her teens. MJ found them and had a smirk on her face.
“If I knew you two were going together I wouldn’t have mentioned setting either of you up,” MJ said. Harley looked at Peter.
“MJ and I went to high school together.” is all that Peter said as the trio talked. Peter laid his head against Harley’s shoulder which the other boy seemed fine with.
“How did you two met?” MJ asked. Harley looked at Peter.
“We live together actually,” Peter said. “We were roommates at MIT.”
“I didn’t know,” MJ said. Pepper came over and smiled at the two boys.
“Well, it is a nice surprise to see my favorite two boys,” Pepper said as she gave a hug to both boys. She looked at the two boys a little curiously. “When did you two start dating?”
“Harley asked me out,” Peter said.
“It is very new. Probably why you didn’t know,” Harley said. Peter nodded as Harley’s arm pulled him closer. Peter felt the blush rise as Harley held him close. They made their rounds after Pepper and MJ. Eventually, Harley dragged him on the dance floor saying MJ would expect it. Peter was thinking about grabbing a drink at this point because he could not keep pretending. It hurt him. Harley couldn’t take his eyes off the smaller boy as he went to kiss him multiple times just to remind himself that they were not a couple. Harley held on to the boy as much as he could that night not wanting it to end. Sadly it had to end as they rode back to their place. Peter was the first one in grabbing a drink.
“Want anything?” Peter asked.
“I think I’m good,” Harley tells him. “Tonight was fun.”
“I guess,” Peter said. Peter wondered if Harley had picked up on his crush and was going to bring it up as he poured his drink. Harley came over and grabbed another glass before he grabbed the bottle from Peter.
“I think we should do something like this again,” Harley said, hoping Peter would catch on to what he was saying. Peter didn’t.
“We will have tons of galas to go to with knowing Ms. Potts,” Peter said. Harley sighed as he looked at his best friend who was avoiding him.
“I meant to go on a date, Parker,” Harley said. Peter froze as he said those words. He thought about what Ned said but Ned didn’t understand the situation.
“I think that would be a bad decision,” Peter said. “It was just a fake date, Keener, we don’t have to make it seems as if we are dating.” Harley felt like a dagger was stabbed into his side.
“I’m turning in early,” Harley said, not wanting to be around Peter.
“Okay,” is all that Peter could muster out of his mouth as he watched Harley leave into his room. Peter felt the tears as he went into his room. It felt like a break-up. Peter would just have to avoid his friend until his feelings were gone. Harley wasn’t in better shape as he started working on his project instead of face the truth that the boy he loved turned him away.
~
Pepper entered Harley and Peter’s lab to find Harley working on a project the next day. She looked at the boy seeing him upset but determined.
“What happened?” Pepper said. Harley looked up.
“The guy I like told me he wasn't interested in dating,” Harley said. Pepper looked at him confused. “Peter and I went out on a fake date last night to get MJ off my back. I realized that I love him and he turned me down when I asked him out.” Pepper looked for the other boy.
“Did Peter come in today?” She asked.
“No,” Harley said. “Didn’t see him this morning. I haven’t heard from him either.”
“Give it a few days and then maybe talk to him. Maybe its a misunderstanding. He wouldn’t take his eyes off of you all night,” Pepper said leaving the boy. Next time she saw Harley it was a week later. He was in the lab again. She hadn’t seen Peter and was going to ask him when she saw him looking at his phone annoyed. He finally threw the phone across the room as it broke into a few pieces.
“You okay?” Pepper asked. Harley looked up.
“I think Peter is avoiding me. He hasn’t been to our place when I am there. He is out late as Spider-Man. I never know if he is home or not. He won’t respond to my text either,” Harley said speaking quickly. Pepper could see the worry.
“I was about to ask you about him,” Pepper said. “Maybe I can call May to see if she knows, but I need you to do something for me.” Harley nodded. “Go home and rest.” Harley sighed but he left for the day. Pepper went back to her office and called May. When she found out Peter had been hiding there, she asked to talk to the young man. Peter answered. His voice held so much emotion as if he had been crying.
“I was just check in on you. You haven’t been to the lab the past few days,” Pepper said.
“I just haven’t felt myself,” Peter said.
“Harley said you hadn’t been home. Sounds like you are avoiding him,” Pepper said. Peter sighed.
“I can’t be around him or I might kiss him. Being able to have a glimpse of what I could have has destroyed me. I’m trying to get over him but until then I have to avoid him,” Peter said. Morgan entered asking her mom for a birthday party. Pepper had an idea.
“How about you come to Morgan’s party this weekend?” Pepper said.
“Will Harley be there?” Peter asked.
“No,” Pepper said. Peter agreed as Pepper called Harley only to remember the boy broke his phone. She sent him an e-mail saying that Peter would not be at the party. Harley agreed as Pepper looked at her daughter.
“Do you want to help me set up Peter and Harley?” She asked. Morgan nodded as her mother explained her plan.
~
Harley arrived at the party and found Morgan getting her a new lego set since the girl had taken up building them because of Peter. Morgan thanked him and asked him to find her mother who was in the kitchen. Peter had come in a few minutes later and found Morgan. He had got Morgan a lego set for them to work on. Morgan smiled and asked him to find her mother who was in the kitchen. Harley had been talking to Pepper when Peter entered seeing them. Harley caught his eyes look confused before he realizes this was a setup. Peter braved it as he nodded to Pepper.
“Peter! What a surprise?” Pepper said.
“You invited me,” Peter said.
“I must have. I better check on the guest,” Pepper said as she left the two boys who were now standing awkwardly.
“I’m sorry,” Harley eventually said. Peter looked at him surprised.
“I’m the one who has been avoiding you,” Peter said.
“I shouldn’t have told you how I felt though,” Harley said. Peter looked at him confused.
“You asked me out to keep up fake dating,” Peter said.
“I asked you out because I like you, Parker,” Harley said. “I realized at the gala that I like you close to me in my arms. I almost kissed you so many times that night.”
“Why didn’t you?” Peter asked.
“What?” Harley asked confused.
“Why didn’t you kiss me?” Peter asked.
“You would have been okay with me kissing you?” Harley asked.
“I would have been okay if you kissed me,” Peter said. “I have been avoiding you because I knew if I saw you that I would kiss you, Keener, because even before the gala I had a crush on you.” Harley felt his heartbeat quicken.
“Then why haven’t you kissed me?” Harley said. Peter felt his heart beating and could hear Harley’s. Before he knew it there was no space between them as Peter kissed Harley and pulled him close. Harley pulled away.
“So for the record, we are dating?” Harley clarified. Peter just grinned as he pulled the boy back into a kiss.