Archive of Our Own

Harley glanced at the clock and then back at the little Alpha sitting on his knee, finger painting a picture of a red and blue flower. “Benny, did your daddy say that he was gonna be late?”

“Nope!” the pup chirped, then looked up at him with a furrowed brow. “But he did say we were gonna get ice cream with Peepaw Tony after school, so I really don’t want him to be any later or else it’ll be too late, and daddy won’t let me get two scoops, only one- cause he says it’ll ruin my appetite if I eat two scoops past six cause after six comes seven and seven is dinner time!”

“Seven is dinner time?” Harley asked, fondness creeping into his voice. Benny was probably the pup in his class that was most prone to rambling, and every time he did the Omega’s heart melted slightly. It made him wanna call his mom and ask her how she didn’t spontaneously combust when he and Abbie were younger and chattered on and on for hours. “Do you get ice cream after dinner too?”

Benny shook his head, eyes wide. “No! That’s not ice cream time cause I get to hy-hyper, but my dad will let me have some fruits and whipped cream. I love strawberries a lot- like so so much- but my favorite are peaches! Daddy’s favorites are blackberries but I think blackberries are yucky, Mr. Harley, they’ve just got so many seeds! I think they’d be a lot less yucky if they were just the sweet parts.”

“You’re completely right Benny, blackberries are yucky with the seeds.” Harley tapped his chin in a thinking motion. “But I bet you like raspberries.”

“I love raspberries so much!”

“And what's the difference between raspberries and blackberries?” 

“Raspberries are better, duh!”

Harley fought back a laugh at the matter-of-fact way that Benny told him that, his heart soaring from just how soft and sweet this kid was. When he had first met Benjamin Parker, he’d been a little wary of the young Alpha. The kid was quiet and impulsive and didn’t really like any of the other kids- but Harley recognized and knew the signs of an abused kid. He’d cornered Peter Parker, the kid’s father about it, and the Alpha had broken down that his wife had been…not the nicest person and he swore up and down that he got them both out the second that he realized she was hurting Benny too. 

Maybe it was the kindred spirit in him, but ever since that day he had taken a special liking to the Alpha-only household- despite what his colleagues might think, it was not just because he was a single Omega looking to grab an Alpha- and had spent several afternoons with both Benny and Peter talking to them and learning about their lives and their stories. It was probably one of the only reasons that he was so calm when Peter showed up to pick Benny late. He knew the Alpha absolutely would not leave his son alone at school without a good reason. 

“Well, maybe soon your dad will be here and-”

His mama always told him that if you speak of the devil and he shall appear- appear he did. Peter Parker’s cheeks were flushed like he had sprinted here from the other side of the world, his hair windblown and swept back from running his hands threw it, and despite the chilly October weather, he was in just a casual t-shirt and jeans, leaving the dark lines of tattoo ink covering his arm exposed. Harley swallowed. 

The Alpha smiled gratefully. “Hey, buddy,” he said softly. His cheeks got more pink. “Hey, Mr. Keener.”

“You can call me Harley, Mr. Parker,” Harley teased, shifting so Benny was in his arms more than his lap, and standing. “I”ve told you that before.”

“Well, I’ve told you to call me Peter before.” Peter flushed brightly, and made grabby hands for his son. “You see that, Benny? Mr. Harley’s absolutely so mean to me, always teasing and making fun of me.”

Benny giggled, crawling all over his father like he thought he was Spider-Man from Queens. “Daddy! Daddy! I told Mr. Harley about ice cream, and dinner, and desert, and he agrees with me that blackberries are yucky and that means that I’m right and you’re wrong because Mr. Harley is smarter than everyone and he agrees with me !” 

“Does he now?” Peter said playfully, those soft brown eyes locking onto Harley’s. A small smile- smirk, really- rose on his lips, and Harley fought down a blush. He just raised an eyebrow up at the Alpha. “Well, I think Harley is absolutely wrong no matter how he tries to play it. But I accept that you two don’t like it.”

“I believe the exact term was that we both hate it,” he teased back, voice fond. “You’re the only one here that likes it.”

“Oh, yeah?” 

“Mhmm.” 

“Well I think-”

“Daddy,” Benny whined, tugging at his dad’s hand. “Daddy, Peepaw said to stop you when you get like this.” 

They both paused, eyes falling to Benny. Peter frowned. “Like what, Benny?”

“You can’t just flirt with Mr. Harley!” Benny exclaimed. “Because Peepaw says you should never ever flirt with an Omega without making sure they like you too!”

Peter choked. 

Harley choked. 

They stared at Benny for a split second before looking at each other. Peter’s face was redder than a fire hydrant and Harley was absolutely sure that his face was no better at all. Peter gaped like a fish. “He- He didn’t mean that- I’m not-”

“It's alright,” Harley stuttered out, to match Peter’s own stumbling over words. “I- I don’t mind.”

Peter’s eyes lit up. “The uh- the flirting or-”

Harley nodded once, face feeling extremely hot. 

“See! Now Peepaw owes me seven dollars.” Benny just grinned and then frowned sharply. “Wait no. No. Wait- Mr. Harley?”

“Yeah, buddy?” Keeping the laughter from his voice was hard now, especially when he felt so light and bubbly at the revelation that Peter Parker had been flirting with him. 

Benny took a big deep breath, then smiled. “Will you go to dinner with my daddy?”

“Did-” Peter coughed, grin wide too. “Baby, you can’t ask Mr. Harley out for me!” 

“Well you weren’t gonna, daddy! Peepaw says all the time that you always chicken!”

“Benny!” the older Alpha yelped, clearly joking with his son. “You should never ever ever listen to your peepaw at all! He schemes and he- he-”

“He said you weren’t gonna ask Mr. Harley out!”

Pure fondness and love welled into Harley’s chest, and for a split second he thought he was going to burst from just how domestic the scene in front of him was. Instead of waiting for the Alphas to stop bickering, he gently stepped forward, placing one hand on Peter’s arm and the next on Benny’s back. “I’d love to go to dinner with you, Peter.”

“Yeah?” Peter asked breathlessly, all playfulness gone.

“Yeah.”

Benny laughed happily.