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Peter hadn't known that a single comment on a Tumblr post could lead to this. Could lead to such a close and real relationship. He hadn't known but he is so grateful that it did.
He knew that people would say it was just young love, that it wouldn't last and that he and Harley didn't know what they were talking about when they said 'forever'. But they did know. They felt it with every message, every video, every call.
It was a connection that had happened almost instantly. They started talking on Tumblr after Peter had roasted someone who was spouting very distasteful views in the replies on a post where the OP said they had finally come out to their family and they were happy because they were accepted and supported. Said post turned out to have been posted by the one and only Harley Keener. Harley sent Peter a message, thanking him for jumping in to defend him even though they didn't know each other.
Peter answered with "Nobody should be put down and hated for who they are. I was just doing what I hope someone would do for me."
After that they started speaking once in a while, interacting on posts, tagging each other in games and asks as they got to know each other more and became closer.
Eventually they started talking on Discord instead of tumblr messaging. The change of platform seeming to boost their relationship a bit more with them now talking everyday. They shared parts of their lives, sending each other pictures and memes. They both favoured spamming each other with wholesome posts that they would find sometimes.
Harley sent Peter a selfie, saying that he wanted Peter to know what he looked like so that he had a face to connect the person to.
Peter loved that Harley trusted him enough to show him who he was and he said as much. But he also said that he wasn't ready to do the same.
Harley's answer was what made Peter realise that he had a crush on a boy that lived hundreds of miles across the country.
Harley had said, "That's okay, city boy. You don't have to do anything that you aren't comfortable or ready for. Oh! Ya wanna see my latest potato gun Mark?"
The text was so Harley that Peter couldn't help but smile. There was a seriousness to it from Harley recognizing and respecting Peter's boundaries before Harley diverted to something lighter.
It was a trust and openness that Peter only shared with a few people and it meant the world that he could have it with Harley as well.
---
When Peter eventually did feel comfortable to show himself to Harley, he decided that the best way to do it was a video call. They had called before but never video and he wanted to actually see Harley as face to face as they could get living so far apart.
What Petet didn't expect from the call was Harley's reaction. The other teen had blanked when he saw Peter, mumbling that he was cute before a flush spread across his cheeks when he realised that he had said it out loud.
"S-sorry." Harley had stuttered nervously. It was so endearing and unlike Harley but it made Peter happy to realise that maybe he wasn't the only one crushing on someone who lived more than ten hours away.
Peter opened his mouth to say that it was okay but he was cut off before he could by Harley speaking again.
The blue eyed boy fidgeted slightly, not quite looking at Peter. "Peter, I really like you. Like, like you. And I really don't wanna ruin us or make things weird but I didn't wanna hide it either. Seeing you just made me want to say it more and I'm really sorry if I made you uncomfortable or anything."
Peter had gasped at him, a slow, shy smile spreading across his face. "You… you like me too? I was so worried that I was the one who would mess things up but we actually both like each other!" Pete had murmured shyly but excitedly and Harley's face had lit up.
"Yeah, I like you! You're just… you're Peter and you make me feel happy and that I can be me."
"You make me happy too." Peter smiled back. It was entirely too sappy and felt like it was from a movie scene but it was a moment that was theirs.
It was Harley's turn to get shy now. "Do you- would you maybe wanna try and be together?" He asked before rushing to speak again. "I know it'll be weird and hard at times but if you want to, I'd really like to try."
"Yes," Peter had beamed. "I'd love to try!"
And so they did.
It was strange to Peter how little actually changed between them. They still talked like they did, they still interacted and did things as together as they could online but they just felt closer somehow. They didn't change, they just became more in a way they didn't know how to explain.
Harley and Peter just both wished they could actually see each other in person. The calls and messages were amazing but they wanted nothing more than to finally be able to just hug each other and do things together.
It would be a surprise to them both that that wish would come true a lot sooner than later.
---
Harley was excited. He hadn't seen Tony in years, not since just before the Accords happened, but the man had surprised him and told him that he had called Harley's mom and spoken to her about Harley coming up to New York for the summer after school finished.
Not only was he excited to see Tony again, he was excited about Peter. Peter who lived in Queens, in New York. Peter who he could finally meet for the first time in person.
He couldn't wait.
---
Tony had it all planned out. He was going to fly Harley out on one of his jets and Happy was going to pick him up and bring him over to the tower.
He would show the kid his room that had been made up when Tony had made Peter's for him. They would eat dinner before they could disappear to the lab and tinker until Peter would join them after his evening patrol so that Tony could introduce them.
Although neither Peter or Harley knew that the other would be there that night. They knew of each other in passing, of course, but Tony hadn't told Peter that Harley was flying up (and neither had Harley, who wanted to surprise his boyfriend).
So you could imagine Tony's surprise when Peter walked down to the lab and all but froze when he spotted the other teen.
"Harley?!" Peter had yelped, surprise written across his face, at the same time that Harley did.
"Peter?! What are you doin' here?"
"What am I doing here? What are you doing here? You're supposed to be in Rose Hill."
"Yeah and you're supposed to be in Queens where I was going to surprise you later but now it's ruined." Harley pouted.
Before either of them could carry on with their back and forth, Tony broke out of his shock and spoke up. "Wait, you two know each other?"
They turned to him, speaking in sync. "Yes. He's my boyfriend."
"So lemme get this straight," Tony said, ignoring Peter's mumbled I'm not. "You, Mr. Potato Head Keener, are in a relationship with my kid and didn't tell me?" Tony felt his protective side surge to life. It wasn't like Harley was a bad guy, not at all, but he was still dating Tony's kid and no matter how much he liked him, Tony still worried.
Harley smiled sheepishly at him. "In my defence I didn't know that he was the Peter that you always speak about."
"Me neither." Peter piped up. "I only realised that he was the potato gun dude from the Mandarin thing now when you called him the nickname." He turned to Harley. "Okay, I don't know how I didn't connect that last part, you speak about potato guns way too much."
Tony could only watch in slightly disturbed horror as Harley looked at Peter with what could only be heart eyes personified. "Yeah, you're pretty oblivious though, Darlin'."
"Whoa whoa whoa, can we get back to the part where you're dating my kid?" Tony felt like his brain was about to short circuit. Maybe he should have gone to sleep when Pepper actually told him too.
Harley looked at Tony, softening when he saw the obvious bewilderment and slight hardness in the man's eyes. "I won't hurt him. I can't promise that I won't accidentally or inadvertently hurt him but it will never ever be intentional. I never want to hurt anyone that I love, least of all Peter." Harley said firmly, a fire and determination in his eyes.
It gave Tony pause because he'd seen the same look in Pepper's eyes. They're so young but they already found their one.
It scared Tony but he was also grateful that they had found who they found. The both of them could and would definitely be good for each other, he couldn't deny it.
Realising he had been quiet a bit too long, Tony answered Harley. "I know, Harley, I just worry. I don't want either of you to be hurt in this."
Peter suddenly surged forward, pulling Harley with him so that he could hug his dad and boyfriend at the same time. "We know, Mr. Stark. Thank you for caring."
"Ditto." Harley murmured from where he was tangled with Peter and Tony.
"Always. I love you too, you know that right?"
"Yeah, we do."
Tony stood, content to hug the two boys he had come to care for much more than he had ever thought he could. Eventually they drew away from the hug and Tony looked at them.
"Now that that bombshell has dropped, you wanna get to tinkering?" He asked them and laughed when a chorus of Yes's rang out.
Peter dragged Harley to his workbench, immediately going into a mile a minute explanation about one of his projects laying on the workspace. Harley would chime in occasionally with a question or suggestion but otherwise he listened intently to Peter.
The heart eyes still firmly in place.
Tony rubbed a hand over his face. This wasn't the weirdest thing to happen to him but it was definitely up there.
Well at least I don't have to worry about them getting along, Tony thought to himself.