Chapter Text
“I’m sorry.” doesn’t seem to cut it.
It feels empty, hollow, a shallow excuse, something Peter says that proves he doesn’t really understand the disappointment Gwen feels when her application for funding was turned down by Oscorp.
It was an empty platitude that Peter gave to absolve himself of the guilt.
Still.
“I’m sorry.” Peter tells her, putting his hand on her elbow, and trying to look sincere.
He didn’t examine why he didn’t feel sincere.
Gwen sighed.
She looked tired.
“I want to say it’s ok, but man. This just sucks. I’m really at a loss here.” Gwen picked at her fingernails.
She sighed again, adjusting herself so she could speak to Peter face to face.
“I know it’s super stupid to be so upset about something that’s not even supposed to get put in action until next year but fuck! I’m going to have to try and apply again next year, and by then I’ll already be back from England and have to wait another like six months to finally have everything hammered out. It just sucks. So bad.”
Peter nodded sympathetically.
“For what it’s worth, I think your current work on cloning is amazing. And the research you’ve done on the modern world challenging biogenesis is outstanding.” Peter assured her.
Gwen grinned weakly.
It didn’t do much for the clear disappointment on her face
“I wish Oscorp felt the same. I just feel so powerless, knowing there’s nothing I can do.”
The guilt was back, knocking Peter in the chest.
The guilt and the knowledge that there was something Peter could do, he just hasn’t done it.
Gwen shook herself out of her misery.
“Let’s not talk about shitty circumstances anymore. Or at least, my shitty circumstances. How’s the homophobia scandal going with Jameson?” Gwen asked.
Peter grimaced.
“Might have gone smoother if he wasn’t such an old man about everything.” Peter admitted.
Gwen laughed and Peter’s phone buzzed.
He looked at her for permission and took out his phone when she gestured for him to go ahead.
Get brunch with me, the text said.
Peter swallowed another dose of guilt when he saw the sender.
He messaged back quickly.
He put his phone in his pocket.
Sometimes fate had to really clock you in the head with the way out.
“Anyways,” Gwen said once his phone was put away. “I’m going to need an exact description of the noise Jameson made when he was told TMZ was stalking the Bugle.”
The ethics of Peter’s decision to get brunch with Harry were shaky.
Peter tried to rationalize it, recalling how sad Gwen's face was at the news that she didn’t get the funding, or that Harry was his roommate and getting brunch with your roommate is hardly a breach of ethics.
No matter how Peter spun it, however, he knew he shouldn’t have given Harry the Manila folder with Gwen’s proposal in it.
Harry poured over the pages.
Peter watched him.
Peter knew better than to give Harry the file, but that didn’t stop the hope form in his heart.
Harry's mouth downturned just a tick and looked back up at Peter.
“It’s well written. Boring as fuck, but well written.” Harry remarked.
Peter frowned. “So? What does that mean? You’ll give her the money?”
Harry raised a manicured eyebrow at Peter before glancing back down at the proposal.
“The research is very rudimentary. I can see why it got rejected.” Harry commented.
“Gee thanks, Har.”
“There is like no chance that they’re going to find anything that we can profit off of.” Harry continued.
Peter spluttered.
“Is that all that you care about?! The profit?” Peter accused, his voice going high and squeaky as he pointed a finger at Harry.
Harry took a sip of the coffee that was more like a dessert than a real drink. He shrugged.
“A little bit, yeah.” Harry replied.
Peter groaned and dropped his head to the table.
The hope quickly died when it hit Peter how stupid this idea had been.
Peter betrayed Gwen’s trust and compromised his own integrity and for what?
So he could play the part of the hero?
Peter banged his head against the table.
Maybe if he hit it hard enough, he would finally learn to keep his nose out of other people’s business.
Harry sighed.
Peter could hear him set down the file.
Harry carded his fingers through Peter's short hair the same absentminded way he did when they watched a movie together on the couch.
“If it’s that important to you, I’ll figure something out. Maybe I can work out a way to send a check through my personal account in the name of the company or whatever.” Harry said.
Peter lifted his head up. “You’d do that?” Peter breathed.
Harry shrugged. “It might be fraud, but yeah. I have money to spend. I don’t really care if your girlfriend flops.”
Peter’s smile was blinding. The words “fraud” and “flop” went in one ear and out the other at the news.
“Harry- oh my god- I don’t even know how to thank you!” Peter gushed. Peter put his hands on Harry’s shoulders to pull him into a hug, but hesitated at the last second. He left them there, squeezing his friend.
“This is incredible, I’m so happy I could kiss you!” Peter exclaimed.
Harry’s flitted from Peter’s eyes and down and back again. He shrugged.
“Bet.” Harry replied.
Harry leaned over and planted his lips on Peter.
His lips were soft and warm and almost nostalgic, despite the fact Peter was very sure he had not locked lips with Harry before.
Peter’s bottom lip was cupped by Harry’s as a parting gesture, and then Harry’s lips vanished.
He settled back into his seat and immediately resumed clicking away at his phone, as though he did not just kiss Peter.
Peter’s hands stayed where Harry’s shoulders had been moments before.
That's Harry for you.
Always a surprise.
Peter was too busy staring in disbelief at his friends' antics to notice the camera flash.
The sound of Peter’s phone ringing snapped Harry out of what he called ‘airplane mode’.
Brain empty, all static, no noise.
He looked and listened.
The phone was ringing with the bold word JAMESON flashing across the screen.
Harry could hear Peter banging around in the kitchen.
The phone went to voicemail.
And began to ring again.
Now Harry was curious.
“Peter, you don’t care if I get that, right?” Harry asked.
“WHAT?” Peter hollered back.
“Sounds good.” Harry replied.
Harry answered.
“PARKER!” J. Jonah Jameson barked through the phone. “I should not have to find out you are swapping spit with a BILLIONAIRE from Nick Katzenberg! He got a picture of you two together today! Do you have any idea how big of a story this is! I didn’t even know you were gay! Do you know much hot water I’m in with the gays? This sort of betrayal will not be tolerated in my offices, Parker!” The man ranted.
Harry could practically hear the man's face turn red.
“Parker! Are you even there?” Jameson growled.
“No, this is Harry.” Harry drawled, reclining in his seat.
Silence radiates from the other line.
Harry wondered how hard the little hamster wheel in Jameson’s head was spinning trying to piece everything together.
“Peter, your work life is calling!” Harry called.
Jameson hung up.
“HUH?” Peter yelled back.
Harry phone back, careful to make it look exactly as it did before he picked it up.
He couldn’t wipe the self-satisfied smirk off his face if he tried.
“Never mind!” Harry replied.
Peter’s required presence at the press conference to address the homophobia allegations baffled Peter deeply.
The fact that Peter needed to stand next to Jameson while he spoke made even less sense.
When Peter asked, Jonah had curtly told him that he knew why he was there.
The mystery built with Peter’s bafflement until the grand finale: When Jameson got to the middle of his speech.
“The Daily Bugle has supported the gay rights movement in and out of our writing.” Jameson said, reading off his notes. “I personally have a long history of supporting the LGBT community. One of my most trusted staff members, photographer Peter Parker, is here today to support me and my address to the public. He is in a committed and loving relationship with a man.”
This was news to Peter.
Peter leaned forward and tried to keep the confusion off his face.
“I am?” Peter asked, quiet enough that the mic wouldn’t pick him up.
Jameson leaned a bit towards him and mumbled. “Yes. With Harry.”
Shock radiated through Peter’s core.
“With Harry.” Peter echoed disbelievingly.
Jameson eyed him with annoyance, as if Peter should know exactly what he meant by that insane answer.
He wanted to ask Jameson if he was drunk but knew he could kiss his job goodbye if he did.
Peter’s grace period was over, and Jameson looked back into the cameras.
“I am not homophobic.” Jameson declared. “The Bugle will be printing an exclusive on the romance between my photographer, Peter Parker, and the CEO of Oscorp, Harry Osborn. Thank you all for your time.”
It was like a spell was broken.
Everyone in the crowd directed their attention to Peter, cameras flashing, questions being shouted, his name being repeated over and over in an attempt to get his attention.
Peter couldn’t stop staring at Jameson ludicrously.
What the hell?
The internet is divided.
There is no one homogeneous response to J. Jonah Jameson’s shocking press conference.
There are those who are happy to see queer people in powerful and public spaces and celebrate the layers of Harry Osborn.
There are those who say he’s still a billionaire and he should be guillotined
There is a lot of talk about how J. Jonah Jameson outing them CLEARLY proves the homophobia allegations correct.
And more talk on how there was no proof that he’s homophobic in the first place.
People accusing Peter and Harry of faking and the Harry Osborn Apologist who claim they knew the whole time.
To add to the chaos The Daily Bugle published a very vague article with the picture of the happy couple kissing.
The article was unavoidable on Twitter for weeks and #parksborn trended for a day.
Newly minted Peter Parker Stans have been hard at work finding pictures of him to add flower crowns to.
Harry retweeting memes about him being fruity to his official twitter instead of his secret spam one has not helped in the slightest.
Blissfully, Peter remained unaware of all of it, since he doesn’t have any social media.
“What the fuck?” Gwen hissed.
Peter winced at the murderous look on her face.
Peter could feel the daggers of her stare even over FaceTime.
“Since when are you and fucking Harry dating Peter? Are you fucking kidding me? You couldn’t have the decency to text me first to warn me!” Gwen cried.
Peter cradled the phone.
“Gwen, it’s not like that at all! I don’t know what’s happening but it’s all a HUGE miscommunication! I swear to you!” Peter pleaded.
Harry, from behind Peter, put his arm around Peter’s neck and planted a kiss on his jaw.
Peter swiftly shoved him off and scowled, nearly dropping the phone in his haste.
Harry laughed himself all the way over to the kitchen.
“ASSHOLE!” Peter spat at his retreating back.
It was clear from Gwen’s face that she didn’t find it funny either.
“Well.” Gwen said icily. “I wouldn’t want to get in between you two.”
“Gwen, stop,” Peter begged. “He’s just being an asshole. None of this is real, I’m not dating Harry!”
“That’s not what it looks like Peter!” Gwen said. She sighs. Her shoulders are tense and up, the way they get when she’s frustrated. “You should have… You should have just told me.”
“Gwen!” Peter pleaded.
Too late.
Gwen disappeared from his screen as she hung up the call.
“You should block her.” Harry pipes up from the doorway, a bag of open kale chips in his hand.
Peter threw his phone down and sent a withering glare at Harry.
“Are you completely out of your fucking mind!” Peter snapped.
Harry popped a chip in his mouth.
“I’m so serious. Ghost all the annoying bitches. I have a bottle of whiskey. Let’s play a drinking game called ``take a shot every time something has blown up in your face in the last six months``.”
Peter gave Harry his blandest look.
“That is called alcoholism, Harry.” Peter replied dryly.
“I do it all the time.” Harry continued as if Peter hadn’t spoken. “And I’m a billionaire now Peter.”
Peter raised an eyebrow and looked Harry up and down in his best impression of his Aunt May when he got into trouble at school.
“You’re a billionaire because your father is dead.” Peter corrected.
“And that means we both get a shot!” Harry said.
He threw the kale chips to Peter and made his way to where the whiskey was stored. “Pick a shitty movie!” Harry called.
Peter sighed, and relinquished any idea of resolving things tonight.
At least he could always count on Harry for a good distraction.
Peter woke up to the TV still playing Shark Tale.
Peter groaned at the headache and squinted in the soft light of early morning.
Harry laid beneath him, with Peter’s head on his chest and an arm slung around him.
The last thing Peter remembers is noticing how drunk he was, Harry sprawling out on the couch, giving in to the sirens call that was joining him, and Harry telling Peter he loved him to the “I’m a wiener!” scene.
Typical boys' night in.
Peter fumbles for the remote and turns off the movie, instead switching to regular TV.
Of course, the news is on.
Of course, The Rhino is wreaking havoc.
And of course, Peter is willing to sacrifice his ability to sleep in during a hangover to save the city.
Peter untangles himself from Harry and leaves, but not before setting out water and Advil and texting his friend that he has to work.
“Parker, get in here!” Jameson barked through the office.
Peter groaned.
He has just managed to sit down.
The Rhino had really put him through the wringer.
Thankfully, most of the bruising would remain on his ribs instead of somewhere less discrete.
Peter dragged himself into Jameson’s office and immediately wished he hadn’t.
Before he had time to wonder why Eddie Brock and his camera equipment were there, Jameson had firmly placed Peter next to him, shook his hand, and had the picture snapped.
Peter flinched at the bright light.
Jameson quickly dropped his hand.
“That’s all, Parker. Get back to work.” Jameson ordered.
Peter blinked the spots away.
Eddie shot him a sympathetic look and took his equipment out of the office.
Instead of following orders and getting out of there, like he should have, Peter approached Jameson’s desk.
“What was that?” Peter asked.
Jameson didn’t look up from his clunky old school computer.
“Proof I am ‘hip’ with the gays. Don’t you have pictures to be developing? If you didn’t get pictures of The Rhino this morning you can see yourself out.”
Peter rolled his shoulders and tried to shake off his irritation.
“You can’t just use me for good press, sir. And even if you did, people won’t care if they already think you’re homophobic. The general public also knows what a token is.” Peter said tightly.
Jameson grunted.
Peter’s eyebrow twitched.
“And how did you even get the picture of me and Harry? And why would you publish it without asking?” Peter pressed.
Jameson finally looked up. He regarded Peter as if he was an annoying fruit fly who wouldn’t buzz off.
Peter stood his ground.
“Look, Parker, don’t take this so personal. Nick Katzenberg was there. He took the picture, thought it was something, and submitted it. He was right. The CEO of Oscorp being a fairy is news. People are eating it up.” Jameson replied, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
Peter couldn’t stop his scowl.
“Sir, I don’t see how this isn’t personal. You made a front-page story on a non-existent relationship between me and my best friend. It doesn’t get more personal than that.”
Jameson rolled his eyes and turned his attention back to the computer.
“It doesn’t matter if it is real or not Parker. What matters is that we have the photo of you two flamers macking in public.” Jameson retorted.
Peter stared him down.
“Maybe you are homophobic.” Peter said.
He turned and left the office.
He could hear Jameson stop typing but didn’t stop to hear his reply.
The first thing Peter noticed is that every one of his coworkers were diligently pretending like they didn’t just watch the exchange in Jameson’s office.
They all had been staring at him and quickly snapped their heads in any direction but once he had fully left Jameson’s office.
Peter shut the door behind him.
Robbie Robinson, master of subterfuge, was staring at the ceiling.
“You all are aware I am not dating Harry Osborn, right?” Peter asked, killing the elephant in the room.
Betty Brant stopped pretending to be looking under her desk for something.
“You don’t have to hide it from us.” Betty informed him with her trademark no nonsense. “I don’t care that you’re gay Peter. It's fine.”
Peter squeezed his eyes shut and fought back the headache.
He walked into the main work area and rubbed his temples.
“I’m not even gay. I’m bi.” Peter corrected.
“Love is love.” Ben Urich added and stopped typing at his blank laptop to give Peter a thumbs up.
Peter’s glance back at him was withering.
“Ok, I’m leaving. I can’t do this with you.” Peter stated.
Ben wilted.
Robbie put a hand on Peter’s shoulder.
“Peter? Can I Have a word with you?” Robbie asked.
Peter sighed but followed Robbie to the side of the room, where they could speak privately.
“Peter, I have always tried to look out for you here.” Robbie began.
Peter’s shoulders sank and he nodded. “Yeah, I know Robbie.” He said wearily.
“You’re a very talented photographer and a hard worker, even if your punctuality- anyways. The point I wanted to make is that you’ve been due for a raise for a while. This might be your ticket to getting it.”
Peter’s brow furrowed. “What do you mean Robbie?”
Robbie glanced around before leaning in.
“Peter, I’d take advantage of this while you can. I can see you getting the raise you’ve been wanting if you leverage this right.” Robbie told him in a hushed voice.
”You know how Jameson is, he’s offensive to every group he speaks to. This time he’s just managed to land himself in hot water over it. He doesn’t have the vernacular to get himself out of it. He still doesn’t even know he can’t call the homeless population ‘hobo’s’. Let Jonah have this, make you into the good guy, and get your raise. Then any misinformation that there is, correct it then.” Robbie advised.
Peter digested the information.
“But that’s dishonest.” Peter replied. “Harry and I aren’t together.”
Robbie waved his hand.
“Peter, you are a man who’s attracted to other men. You are living with Harry Osborn. You did kiss him. These are not untruths. Plenty of publications are going to jump to call you friends. Let Jonah have this and then let it die out.” Robbie said. “Ask for the raise.”
Peter worked his jaw and considered.
It would be nice to get paid enough to live.
Robbie also had a point. He wouldn’t technically be lying about anything. It’s not like he said he and Harry were together. Nobody had to know Peter was stuck in “Broken up but not really” hell with Gwen.
But was the cost worth it? Could Peter walk around knowing that people thought he was something he wasn’t?
A thought struck him like lightning.
Isn’t that what he did by being Spider-Man?
Peter shut down that train of thought quickly.
To Robbie, he said, “I’ll think about it.”
Robbie clasped his shoulder and walked off in the direction of Jameson's office.
No doubt to make a vain attempt to explain why what he said to Peter was offensive.
Peter bolted out of the building before anyone else could say something.
He had a lot to consider.