Archive of Our Own

“You know what the worst part of all this is?” Peter mutters with some weariness but delight. Right now, he's sitting and leaning against the trunk of an old tree, while Harry rests his head between Peter's legs. “I'm not even worried that we missed school.” He starts stroking his boyfriend's hair and they smile at each other.

“Okay, you need to get away from me.” Harry teases. “I'm starting to think our teachers are right, I'm a bad influence.”

“Oh come on, you say that like I'm way too innocent.” Harry tilts his head slightly, it's all he needs to know what his boyfriend truly thinks. “Besides, it's not like you're completely a cool guy, you're also a nerd.”

“But I’m a slightly cooler nerd than you.” Harry teases him and then grabs his hand. “You know I'm only joking, right?” Peter is slightly short of breath, butterflies appear in his stomach, his lips tingle.

It's not the first time it's happened to him, since almost two months ago he started to feel these symptoms. The first time he thought he was about to get a cold, the second time, that he would have a new power, the third time he realized that the cause of this was always Harry. Now that he has lost count of the number of times he has had these symptoms, he knows it's love.

“I know, but that doesn't stop me from being offended.” He says, instead of the words he feels in his throat. He's sure if he let those three little words slip out he could ruin everything.

“I'm sorry, I really am.” There is honesty in Harry's voice and face. “You're handsome and the coolest guy in the world.”

“Why do I feel like you're making fun of me?”

“Who, me?” Harry uses the most sarcastic tone he's ever heard him use. “Let's change the subject, what does May think we're doing?”

“She thinks we're at MJ's house finishing the science project.”

“The one we finished last week?”

“Yeah, that one.” He keeps running his hands gently over his boyfriend's hair, the urge to tell him he loves him starting to subside, just a little. “I also asked MJ to cover for us.”

“How much is it going to cost you?”

“Free math tutoring for the rest of the year.”

“Tutoring? MJ is nerdier than you, I would have asked to have my homework done.”

“It's nice to find someone who wants to learn too.”

“Nerd.”

They are silent for a few seconds. It's unbelievable, but he feels the urge build a little after this interaction, even if he was making fun of him.

He looks up at the sky, it's about to get dark. He wonders how he has been able to hold back these words for so long. On so many occasions, after so many days together, so many evenings, after so many times that...

“Aren't you going to ask me what I told my father?”

“Did you lie to him? I thought he would have a busy day of meetings today.”

“That's right, but what fun would it be without a little lie?”

“Okay, Osborn, what does your father think we're doing?”

“We're at the chess club.”

“Harry, there is no chess club anymore, not since someone stole all the chess boards from the school.”

“Still don't know who did it?” Peter shakes his head. “Well, Dad doesn't know that anyway.”

They laugh and fall silent again.

It's as if time stands still. Peter can feel peace, tranquility... love. All coming together in this moment, with his fingers untangling his boyfriend's hair.

He takes a deep breath, it's been a difficult month for both of them.

Peter was too busy being Spider-Man, first it was Rhino, then Electro, finally Mysterio. Even with Yuri's help it was all too difficult.

Harry for his part had to attend several Oscorp meetings. Some with workers, others with unbearable millionaires who do not know what to do with their money and want to spend it on the first thing they come across.

They had the idea on Monday of that week. They hadn't been able to see each other for more than three minutes for four days and neither of them could remember the last time they kissed. So, while eating lunch, they planned to skip school.

Early that day, the two met at a cafeteria away from school and places May or Norman might frequent. They had hot cakes for breakfast, laughed a lot, the nice waitress didn't ask them awkward questions or tell them they should be at school.

Then they wandered around town, as if they were tourists, walked and walked and talked and laughed. At lunchtime they decided to go to the park they always visited when they were kids, the one near May's house. They ate hot dogs and sat under the shade of the tree. They haven't moved since.

“What's on your mind, Peanut?”

“I still don't approve of that nickname.” He warns him, but his boyfriend just laughs.

“Oh come on, it's perfect for you.” Harry grins gently. “What's on your mind?” He repeats, softly. “You seem kind of absent.”

“I'm thinking about you.” Peter replies with honesty. “About how it was a good idea to skip school, about how cute you look now...” And how much I love you.

“Now I feel bad, I was thinking it would be nice to buy pizza for dinner.” Peter can't help but laugh. He leans over to give him a little kiss on the lips. “Sometimes it amazes me how romantic you can be. I like you.”

“And I like you.” Harry laughs. It's clear that this is the way things should be, that they've only been dating for six months and that no matter how many years they've been friends, romantic relationships should take a different, slower pace, right?

“I dislike you, if I'm really honest.” Harry replies sarcastically. “Seriously, I like you too.”

He sighs, wanting to keep his mind off his feelings for a while.

“Do you want to do something?”

“Like what?”

“I don't know, I was hoping you'd come up with something.”

“We could make out behind that bush.”

“Or we could go to your place instead.”

“Parker!” Harry feigns surprise. “You're such a horny boy.”

“You suggested the idea of making out!” He tries to defend himself, the blush already on his face.

“I know.”Harry says nonchalantly. “But I don't know what time Dad will be home. I don't think we'll have time to do it... all.”

“Then we'll have to settle for playing some game.”

“A sport? I don't want to move, nugget.”

“I didn't approve of that nickname either.” He laughs. “But I was thinking of something quieter, something to keep us here.”

“Like what?”

“Twenty questions?”

“After playing it five times today, I think it's kind of boring.” Harry straightens up slowly. He arranges his hair and puts on his blue cap. Then he leans back against the log next to Peter. “We could ask each other questions.”

“Like truth or dare?”

“I was thinking more like truth or truth.” Harry looks around, the park is pretty empty for a Friday. “I mean, just ask each other questions. About anything.”

“Oh, okay, sounds like fun.” Peter pulls their bodies a little closer together, takes Harry by the hand. “Do you think we should make some rules or something?”

“I don't think they're necessary.”

“All right, then start.”

“Me? Why me?”

“It was your idea, Osborn.”

“But the youngest should start, Parker.”

“You're only two months older.”

“You're still the youngest.”

“Then let the best-looking one should start.” Peter smiles and gives him a little shove on the shoulder. “It's your turn, then.”

“Are you out of your mind? Either you need to buy other mirrors or those glasses need a check-up, Parker, the best looking one is you.” Harry shoves him back, he doesn't seem to be lying or trying to get out of the situation.

“Of course I'm not.” He moves his face closer to his boyfriend's, looks at his eyes, his nose, then his lips. They are so close together that he could almost kiss him, but he does not. “If I were, I wouldn't have even considered going out with you.”

“Hey, that was mean.” But still his boyfriend lets out a little laugh.

“That's how cute I think you are, to turn me into a horrible, vicious being.” Peter fakes a ghoulish voice, trying to sound like a monster.

“More like you're cute and clueless.” Harry kisses him on the cheek. “That's why I like you.”

“Okay, then I'll use that against you.” He smiles, tries to make a cute, tender face. “You start Harry, please.”

“Ugh, I hate that it worked.” They both laugh again, maybe it's absurd and MJ has told them they are so cute and romantic that sometimes it gets tiring and a little bit gross, but he doesn't care. “Okay, I'll start.”Harry sounds a little frustrated but rests his head on Peter's shoulder and it calms him down.

Neither says anything for about two minutes, they look around, there are kids playing on the swings in front of them, others playing ball, a couple walking their dogs, it's an almost quiet night.

“Okay.” Harry lifts his head and intertwines his fingers with Peter's. “Would you rather vacation at the beach or in the woods?”

“Mmm, tough question.” He hopes Harry knows he's joking. “But, I need to know more details first.” Harry moves slightly away from Peter and the tree, so they can see each other better. “The vacation in the woods, is it camping or in a cabin?”

“Cabin.” Harry meditates a bit, shakes his head in a little circle. “And on the beach you'd stay in a nice hotel but you have to spend most of it on the beach or in town, not indoors in air conditioning.”

“That makes it easy, the forest it is. - Harry tilts his head a little.”

“Justify your answer.” His boyfriend smiles at him.

“Well, you know I hate sand.” Harry nods, no need for Peter to have to talk about Sandman. “But I also like nature, the trees, the sound of animals, mainly birds. And I think it would be nice to be the two of us sitting in front of a campfire, making s'mores, looking at the stars, kissing, hanging out like we do now.”

“It would be nice.” Harry looks at him sweetly. “It could be our first vacation together.”

“I like that plan.”

“It's your turn, Nugget.” He tries to protest, but Harry speaks up. “And before you try, you can't ask anything vacation, beach or forest related.”

“I, oh, um.” He says, then opens his mouth and closes it, not finding something coherent to argue. “I wasn't going to ask you anything like that.”

“You're lying, your ears are red.” He starts to feel all hot all over his face. - So, it's your turn.

He tries to think fast, mainly to prove to Harry that he was wrong and did have a prepared question. After thirty seconds it is almost obvious that his boyfriend was right. A man with a hot dog cart passes by and finally an idea crosses her mind.

“Would you rather never have to sleep or never have to eat again?”

“Let's see, let's take it one at a time.” Harry crosses his arms and puts on a serious face. “I can't sleep or eat because I have some kind of rare disease or because my body suddenly doesn't need it?”

“The latter, so that it's something nice.”

“Good to know, I thought I couldn't eat because my mouth was sewn shut with threads or something sick.”

“Sometimes the thoughts you have scare me.” They both laugh quietly. “But just to be more clear, whatever you choose is for pleasure, you don't have that need to eat or sleep and you're not tired or your body doesn't ask for rest or food. There is no downside to choosing that.”

“The decision is easy like that, never sleep.”

“Really?”

“Why do you sound so surprised?” Harry adjusts his beanie better and then scratches his cheek with his thumb. “Don't get me wrong, I love sleeping, but there's too much rich food in the world. If I don't sleep, I have more time to eat.”

“But if you don't sleep, we won't share naps or sleep together anymore.”

“I'd have you in my arms sleeping and so I'd take care of you.”Harry smiles at him, for some time now he has made a few mentions of wanting to protect Peter, to take care of him, to make sure nothing happens to him. He assumes it's because of the Spider-Man thing but he's not quite sure.

“Ok, you win, it's the best option.”

“I thought these were questions to get to know each other better, not to see which is the best option.” Harry scoffs a little. “But, now it's my turn. Suppose I invited you to go to karaoke tomorrow, what song would you choose to sing?”

“I feel like this is a trap to take me to karaoke tomorrow.”

“Of course not, Peanut.” Harry gives him a mischievous grin, not sure if it's because of the nickname or because he really plans to take him to sing some day soon. “Come on, just pick a song.”

“You know I'm a bad singer.” He warns her and tries to think of something quick but his mind seems to have forgotten all the songs he knows. “I think I'd ask you to choose, so we'd both be happy.”

“Oh, please, Pete, the point is to get to know each other better, plus you're not even answering the question.”

“Okay, sorry.” He feels nervous, he's not quite sure why. Darkness has already taken over the whole park. “I know, I'd choose Take on me. And it would sound horrible because it's a hard song but you love it.”

“You're the sweetest boyfriend in the world.” Harry reaches over and kisses him on the cheek, touches his arm, looks at him sweetly. “What time is it?”

“Late.” Peter answers and they chuckle. “Late enough that May might start to worry and your father wants to send all the Oscorp agents to look for you.”

“But I don't want to leave yet.” Harry tells him with something like sadness, Peter gives him a little kiss on the lips and when he finishes, he rests his head on his boyfriend's shoulder.

“Neither do I.” He affirms him and sighs.

“Is it weird to say that even though we've spent the whole day together I still don't want to leave your side?”

“Why do I feel like that was an insult?”

“It sounded so much cuter in my head, I swear.” They laugh, Peter turns away from Harry and looks at him in this new combination of darkness and moonlight.

“I still get what you mean. I can't get enough of being with you.”

“Should we leave? Not that I want to but...”

“Just for a little while longer, okay?”

“You don't have to try to convince me.” Harry laughs. “Wanna go to the swings?”

“Okay, let's go.” Harry is the first to stand up, offers Peter a hand and he accepts it.

They walk slowly without letting go of each other's hands. They only have to walk a straight line to the two swings that now look a bit sad and desolate.

None of them talk much, since they are boyfriends it has been very difficult for them to say goodbye, they always drag out the final moment as long as possible. Harry smiles at him and the butterflies in his stomach go crazy.

Right now he would like to be lying in Harry's bed, kissing each other to exhaustion and enjoy the calmness that the closeness of being with Harry brings him, his smell, his smile, his happiness.

Two helicopters speed past, the sound of police and ambulance patrols accompanying them. He worries a lot. Yuri promised him that everything would be under control, that he could take a day off but what if...

“Do you need to leave? I won't get mad.” Harry tells him as he sits on the swing, not letting go of Peter's hand.

“No, no. We promised it would be a day for both of us.”

“Peter, I know that face, you're worried and the city...”

“Look, we'll do this. I'll send a message to my contact at the police and if she tells me they need help I'll be on my way, okay?”

“Okay, send that message.” Peter pulls out his cell phone and also sits on the swing, which is too cold. Yuri's response is almost immediate which scares him. But she tells him that everything is fine and that she will see him tomorrow.

“My services are not required.”

“Those services.” Harry smiles at him and takes him by the hand again. “Boyfriend services are being mandated now.”

“And will they cost extra? It's evening hours.”

“They're always free for you.”

“You mean you charge for those services with other guys, Parker?”

“Oh, Harold.”

“Don't ever call me that ever again in our lives.” He says it in an almost angry tone, but a little smile gives it away.

“You love it and you know it.” Peter feels like standing up and kissing him until they both forget their names. “Besides, you call me Peanut.”

“But it's cute.”

“What about Nugget?”

“You know I love nuggets, they're almost as tasty as you are.”

“Okay, you win this argument.” Peter smiles and folds his arms, the wind makes the swings sway gently. “But I wouldn't charge anyone else, nor would I give my boyfriend services to another boy or girl. I only have eyes for you, I hope you know that.”

“Ugh, sometimes I hate that you turn my jokes into cute things, you make me feel things.” They chuckle, reassurance and love wash over Peter and even though he's still terrified to confess his feelings, he knows he can enjoy these moments with Harry. “I think it's your turn, isn't it? For the next question.”

“Oh, yeah, I don't remember but I can start.” Look up at the sky, the stars are starting to show a little more, then look at the tree where they were sitting a few minutes ago, it looks much bigger from here. “Let's start with more serious questions, do you have any guilty pleasure you haven't told me about?”

“You, of course.” Harry lets out a laugh, then puts a hand on his arm, apologizing with his eyes. “I'm sorry, I'm really sorry, you know I adore you. In fact you're the most handsome and cute boyfriend I've ever had.”

“I'm the only boyfriend you've ever had.”

“And the only one I need.” Peter tries to keep up an angry gesture, but he can't, he starts grinning like an idiot. Harry, that bastard, gives him a loving look and Peter can't resist his green eyes looking at him like that. “But seriously, let me think about it.”

“You could admit that you love it when I call you Harold.”

“Never.” Harry laughs, he knows he's right even though Harry will never admit it. “Mmm.”

“If the question is too hard I can change it.”

“Fuck you, Parker.” They laugh, then Harry is silent for a few seconds, he seems to ponder his question too much, which scares Peter. “Promise me you won't make fun.”

“Okay.” He thought about answering something in the form of a joke, but noticing the seriousness in his boyfriend he decided not to.

“Promise me, you have to say it.”

“I promise I won't make fun of whatever you tell me.”

“If you do, I swear I'll never kiss you again, I mean it.” Harry holds on to the swing chains tightly and looks down at the ground.

“Should I be scared?” Harry doesn't say anything. “I don't think it's that bad. You know I like everything about you, even when you listen to a single song for hours or it's the only one you hum, it's cute and sweet.” Harry looks up and gives him a rather discreet smile. Peter can't help but remember that situation has happened many times, last week he patrolled the city with Careless Whisperer hanging over his head.

“It's not that.” A blush appears on Harry's cheeks. “Remember when you told me that you're... you know.” He means Spider-Man, Peter told him three days after they got together.

“I remember that.”

“Well, you know I got really excited and worried too but that's another story entirely.” Harry talks fast, he's really nervous. “Well, the point is that the next day after you told me, Scorpius was destroying a bank and you had to leave early and I was worried and while I was walking back home I saw a stand and they had a lot of stuff and...” Harry sighs. “I bought a plush toy.”

“A Spider-Man one?”

“Yeah.”

“That doesn't sound so bad, I mean it would be great if I could collect royalties but...”

“That's not the embarrassing part.” Harry interrupts him and it's at that moment that his face gets redder and also that Peter realizes that in the last six months he hasn't once seen that plushie. “I have hidden that plush in a backpack under my bed and every night I take it out to sleep cuddled up with it.”

“Harry!” He tries not to laugh, but his nerves and excitement are bigger than his control. “You must really like me if you do that.”

“You promised, Peter!” Harry groans. “Ugh, come to think of it that's more of a secret than a guilty pleasure and I shouldn't have told you this.”

“Oh come on, it's super cute.” He can't stop smiling. “You like me.”

“You already know that.” Harry laughs too. “Don't you think it's weird?”

“Of course not... Hazelnut?” It's the first nickname he tries to tell Harry, by the surprised and affectionate face his boyfriend makes, he liked it. “It's nice to know I'm not the only cheesy one in the relationship.”

“But that's not cheesy, that's kind of pathetic.”

“Pathetic? You see it as embarrassing, I see it as my boyfriend wanting to sleep cuddled up to me every night so badly that he bought a plushie to replace me.”

“It sounds much worse that way.”Harry lets go of the chains and bends over, puts his hands in his hair.

“If there were Harry Osborn plushies I'd buy them all.” He thinks about confessing to him that he has a private collection, also under his bed, of all the magazines and newspapers he's been in.

“I'll tell Dad that would be a good business idea.” Harry straightens up again, looks at him still chagrined but they start laughing together.

“I'm sorry I teased you a little bit.”

“Don't be sorry, I would have done the same.” Harry smiles. “But I won't kiss you until we say goodbye, just to make you suffer.”

“That's fair.”

“Well, let me think of a good question to make you suffer.” Harry looks him straight in the eye, as if trying to find a weakness. “What was it that made you realize you liked me?”

“Oh man.” Harry smiles, proud of his question. “I don't know.” Peter takes off his glasses, looks for any smudges and wipes them with his sleeve. “I always thought you were cute. Always. But I also thought it was a normal thing that all boys think of their best friend. That was my first mistake. And I always liked you, I like making you laugh, spending time with you, indulging your whims and your crazy ideas.”

“That's really nice. But it doesn't answer my question.”

“That's what I'm getting at.” He says in a slightly angrier tone. “Do you remember the art job, the drawing job from a year and a half ago?”

“The drawing one?”

“Yeah, that one.”

“Sure, you drew me, I drew you. You're pretty good.”

“Thanks, but do you remember when we started the project? We were at your house and my drawing didn't come out and you got bored and then...”

“I took off my shirt and pretended to take off my pants so you could draw me naked.”

“I wanted you to do it. Take off your pants, I mean.”

“Is that why you were so red?”

“I didn't blush, not at all.” Peter's body betrays him, he feels the blood on his face again. “Well, that's where I figured it out, okay?”

“Damn, you're telling me I could kiss you from a year and a half ago? Now I feel sad. We lost a lot of time.”

“Well, when you put it like that...” Peter smiles. “It's probably against the rules but when did you realize you liked me?”

“First day of school, you tripped in front of me and when I tried to hold you we both fell.”

“Harry, that was the day we met.”

“I know.” Harry gives her a look that makes it very difficult for her to contain her desire to tell him that she loves him. “It was love at first sight, or I literally fell for you, whatever.”

“So the day of the art project you were trying to seduce me?”

“I can't answer that, it's not your turn to ask anymore.” They laugh again, this day has been much weirder than I expected, but weird in the best possible way. “So tell me, would you rather be able to time travel or read people's minds?”

“Both sound like pretty bad ideas, to be honest.”

“You're taking this too seriously, Pete, it's a game.”

“I'm sorry, I'm sorry. But, I need to know would the time travel be how I want it as many times as I want or will it be something more like Life is Strange with time limits and stuff?”

“Well, I guess...”

“Oh! And, can I read people's minds whenever I want or would it be like a thousand voices in my head at once?” Harry smiles big.

“Of time travel, as many times as you want, any time in history, no restrictions. And to be fair to the power to read minds, you can control it too.”

“Oh, I was hoping you'd give one a negative.”

“Why?”

“Because you're Harry.” Peter grins at him. “Anyway, I can't decide between the possibility of being able to read your mind. Know what you're thinking, help you when you're sad, know if you really like me.”

“You don't need to read my mind to know that. In here.” Harry taps his forehead three times with his index finger. “It's the Peter Parker show 24/7.”

“In my case it's the Harry Osborn show. And you usually don't wear pants.” To his surprise, his boyfriend blushes just a little. “But, I think it sounds better to travel back in time, so I could go back to all our important moments. The day we met, those evenings at your house, the day you asked me out on a date and almost threw up outside school. That first date, our first kiss, our first time. I could live it all over again.”

“Hey, but wouldn't that create a timeline problem? You'd create hundreds of worlds, what would you do with the Peter in that universe, eliminate him, or watch us live those things from afar?”

“Look who's taking it too seriously now.” Harry ducks his head, looking annoyed with himself. “But you're the one who asked the question, you set the rules.”

“Every new trip you have to kill the Peter of the universe you created.”

“Uh, dark.” Harry smiles at him, suddenly understands he's doing exactly what he asked, putting a negative spin on one of the options. “Then I'll read your mind, get to know you better and I might know what to do when you're mad at me.”

“I don't want to sound corny, but you don't need to read my mind. You know me well.”

“Cheesy or not, I love hearing that.”

Before either can say anything, Harry's phone starts ringing loud and clear, military curfew to wake up, that means it's his dad.

“Wait, sorry.” Harry gets to his feet quickly, takes a few steps away from him. He doesn't hear what he says and though he feels like standing up to take his hand, he doesn't.

Norman Osborn is a good man, at least with Peter, but with Harry he can sometimes be a bit stubborn and distant.

Peter looks around, there are fewer and fewer people, though it's not that late, the sky looks beautiful.

He looks at Harry's back, he wonders what they are talking about, if it will be something tense. He wonders if it would really be so bad to tell him that he loves him.

Maybe, it's just his teenage fear. Maybe Harry feels exactly the same way he does. Or maybe it's his fear of scaring him, of them moving away, ruining everything and being left alone.

He knows Harry would never do that to him, but the idea that it could happen...

Harry turns and walks back to the swing, his expression hard to read.

“Is everything all right?”

“Define all right.” Harry says, his tone serious. “Yes, all in order. Dad wanted to know how we did at the chess club.” The atmosphere relaxes, they share a little knowing chuckle. “I told another little lie, then told him we came to the park, he says hello by the way.”

“Oh, thanks, I guess.” Peter frowns, trying to decipher his boyfriend's gestures, but all he knows is that he's trying to hide something. “What did you talk about? The call lasted quite a while.”

“Dad's going away for the weekend, again.” Harry sighs, Peter knows he's trying to act tough and pretend he doesn't care, but he knows he does. “Then I'll be alone until next Wednesday.”

“Oh, alone? Or alone with me?”

“You know, it doesn't matter that we were friends before, I never thought you'd be this horny.”

“Oh come on, you act like you didn't think so.” Peter defends himself and Harry ends up bursting out laughing.

“You're right, I admit it.” Harry reads smiles, flirtatiously. “I actually asked Dad permission for you to stay with me.”

“Perfect, I'll call May and...”

“Not so fast, he said no.” That really surprises him. “He told me he can't leave two unsupervised teenagers alone with their hormones raging.”

“Oh come on.” Peter complains. “He knows you can't get me pregnant, right?” This time, Harry laughs so hard he almost falls off the swing.

“He should know better.” Harry tries to say calmly, but traces of his laughter remain. “Though the universe knows we've tried, hard.”

“Hey, do you think May has talked to your father?”

“I don't think so.” Harry folds his arms. “In fact it seems to me he doesn't know that you and I already have fun like that. Sometimes he makes comments to me about abstinence or waiting for the perfect moment. I don't know, maybe he doesn't want to realize that I've grown up, I don't like to think about it.”

“It's awkward, remember the talk May gave us when she found us in my room?”

“Ugh, don't even remind me.” Harry shakes his head. “At least we had some clothes on.”

“Harry, we only had our boxers on and I was kissing your neck.”

“Oh that's right, I think my brain completely changed that memory.”

“Hey wait, we got sidetracked in the conversation, are you staying alone for the weekend? I know you hate that, I can tell May you're staying with us, if you want.”

“It's funny you should say that actually, I said that to Dad. He said it was okay with him if May agrees, you know, so there's an adult to supervise us.”

“You know you don't need an invitation but I'll let May know.” He sends a quick message to her aunt, realizes he has three messages from MJ with homework due for the day, he'll get back to her tomorrow, if he remembers. May replies instantly. “She says okay, she'll order pizza for dinner and bake an apple pie, but not to forget to keep the door open at all times. And clothes on.”

They laugh, it's inevitable for both of them to blush again. Harry avoids his gaze, but seems happy, reaches out and takes his boyfriend's hand. He looks around, trying to calm down, trying to enjoy this moment, remembering that, to tell the truth, this has been one of the best days of his life.

His phone vibrates again, he lets go of Harry and looks at the message, it's his aunt again.

“May says she's not home yet, but she'll be there soon. Which gives us time for one last question.”

“Whose turn is it?”

“I don't know, but I know that face, you already have a question.” He gently reaches over to give him a kiss on the cheek. “So you get the honors.”

“Okay, Pete, what would you like your life to be like in ten years?”

“Ten years? That's an eternity away.”

“Probably.” Harry agrees. “But we're almost sixteen and I didn't even realize how fast the time went by.”

“We'll be twenty-five.” He's surprised at how weird his voice sounds, it's the first time he's thought of this. They usually don't talk about the future much, not since Ben and Emily died.

“You know, I'll change the question a bit.” Harry smiles. “I hope it makes it easier for you to answer. Imagine it's today, exactly today but ten years from now, what do you think it would be like?”

“That sounds harder.” Peter doesn't know if he's joking, but decides he'll let his heart do the talking. “Well, I imagine I work at a research center. Doing something to help people, I don't know creating prosthetics, or creating devices to make other people's lives easier, you know? I want to make the world a better place.”

“For the record, you're already doing that. But go on.”

“Well, I live in a beautiful apartment with a beautiful view of the city, with you, of course.”

“Are we roommates?” Harry teases.

“Oh yeah, the kind that kiss and sleep in the same bed. We lived for a while in a small apartment, one that your father hated but we could afford with our jobs. Until after three years and being forced to move, we accepted the apartment your dad bought for us when he knew we'd be living together.”

“This sounds pretty realistic, I'm not even kidding.”

“I hope that's a good thing.” Harry nods. “So, to recap, we've been living there for two years, I work at a research center, and you're a famous actor on Broadway and occasionally on TV series.”

“Hey, why am I not a scientist or something? I'm also smart and I also love science.”

“I know.” Peter tells him, calmly. “But I believe it's not your dream, not really. You love to sing and you do it very well. I think everyone should be able to hear you.”

Harry seems speechless, takes him by the hand and smiles at him. They both know this could be complicated in reality. Norman wants Harry to be responsible for Oscorp or his own company as soon as possible.

“So, we both take the day off to be together and be the perfect boyfriends that...”

“Wait.” Harry interrupts him and lets go of his hand, looking offended. “We're just boyfriends? After ten years? Are you crazy?”

“Well, I...”

“Do you really think I'd be able to resist you marrying me for that long? I wanted to do it when we were dating for a month. Trust me, I'm gonna want to renew vows twice a month.”

“You're crazy.” But he says it with all the love in the world.

“For you, Pete. Crazy for you.” They both laugh and Harry takes him by the hand again. His body fills with happiness, it's as if the butterflies in his stomach fly away and give way to colorful flowers opening up and letting all the love invade his insides.

He takes a deep breath. Maybe Harry still doesn't love him, but the nice words he says to him, give him no reason to think that if Peter confesses this big thing to him he will reject him.

He smiles.

“Just out of curiosity and before we go on to that day ten years from now, how would you ask me to marry you?”

“Funny you should ask, it's all planned out.”

“Is it really?”

“Seriously, second year of college, we finished winter exams and we're exhausted from existing. It's snowing and I'll invite you to dinner at a secret place. Then I'll sing you a secret song and tell you a secret speech I'm still working on and ask you to be my husband.”

“That sounds very secret.”

“I can't give you all the details, I have to keep some mysticism to really surprise you.”

“What surprises me is that you really have it all planned out.”

“I wasn't kidding earlier, dad had to stop me from buying a ring, really. That's why I bought you...” Harry closes his eyes, he just realized he spoke out of turn. “Do you want to know? It's your Christmas present.”

“Harry, you didn't have to buy me anything.”

“I know, but Dad offered. His fortune has to be worth something.”

“Ugh my brain tells me it doesn't want to know, but I really want to know.”

“I'll just tell you it's a necklace with a charm.”

“Oh, that calms me down and lets me surprise myself at Christmas.”

“See? Secrets work.”

“God, you sound just like your father.”

“You've never offended me this badly before.” They laugh again, they should probably leave soon. But he needed to know this.

It makes the decision simple, he's going to tell him he loves him.

But he wants to do it in a really nice way. Maybe he can ask May to teach him how to cook some things, invite Harry to this very park for lunch, spend another day together, kiss him to exhaustion and then confess everything to him.

He has to do it soon, of course, he won't resist many more days like this.

Though he thinks about that little formula Harry just told him, maybe he can tell him that he loves him, without telling him that he loves him.

“Hey, we have to go.” Harry stands up and gives him a little tug to get up. Peter grabs his other hand to stop his boyfriend from walking.

“Wait, I'm not done answering my question yet. It'll be the last thing and we'll go.”

“Okay, I'm listening.”

“Well, ten years from now.” Peter takes Harry's beanie off and tucks it into the pocket of his own jacket, then starts stroking his boyfriend's hair, a little to reassure himself, but mostly because he loves doing it. “It will be a sunny, cloudless day, none of us will be working, of course, and I'll wake you up with a kiss. We'll stay like that in bed for a few minutes and then we'll get ready and go to breakfast at any coffee shop of your choice. We'll walk around the city, you'll remind me every moment to use sunscreen, we'll go to the stores, you'll buy me an ice cream...”

Harry laughs and looks down slightly, he looks like he wants to kiss him but holds back. Instead, he puts his hands on Peter's waist, allowing him to concentrate his hands fully on Harry's hair.

“Of course as we walk around there are paparazzi taking pictures of us and your fans interrupting for autographs. Then we decided to come here, have fun on the swings, ask each other questions, eat hot dogs, somehow recreate this day but better and without having to lie to half the world.”

“That would be better.”

“Then you would take me to one of your fancy restaurants or maybe the secret restaurant where you proposed to me and obviously I said yes. We'll have dinner, drink wine or whatever it is that people drink in restaurants and I'll tell you that you are the most handsome man in the world, that I can't believe I was able make the most amazing, caring, intelligent guy in the universe fall in love with me.” He feels an inexplicable reassurance, he hopes that these words are enough for Harry to understand what he feels, that they serve as a way to introduce the word love gently.

“Wow Pete, I...” Harry holds him tight around the waist and Peter thinks he forgot to mention that he wants to kiss him leaving the restaurant, that they'll walk home, that they'll make love the moment they're in their room, that everything would be more perfect than it is now. But Harry kisses him passionately.

Peter closes his eyes, ruffles his boyfriend's hair, caresses his face, tries to keep up with Harry's rhythm with his lips, feels magic coursing through his whole body. He will never get enough of feeling like this.

Harry for his part kisses him and kisses him, moves his hands up and down his back, holds him tight, kisses him like he's never kissed him before.

“Wow, that was a great kiss.” Peter is out of breath, but lets out a nervous laugh. He's thankful there are practically no people around him.

Harry is silent, he's blushing, though he doesn't know if it's from the kiss or something else. He leaves one hand on his back, puts the other on his cheek, caresses him gently, looks at his lips.

“I love you, Pete.”

“Oh, no way!” He says in a shout that separates the embrace. Harry looks at him, hurt. “No, no, no.” He grabs Harry's hands again but he doesn't hold him back. “I can explain, I didn't mean to react like that.”

“Peter...”

“I love you. “ Harry looks at him, unsure. Peter laughs, loudly. “Oh god, I can actually say it, I love you, I love you, I love you.”Harry looks confused but a little calmer. “Harry, I love you.”

“Okay, I think I need that explanation.” Peter kisses him sweetly.

“Let's be clear, I love you. Don't doubt it.” He says holding his face. “I realized a while ago that I love you. I've been dying to tell you, but I was so terrified that you would hate me or think it's too soon or that you would want to give us some time or that...” Harry shuts him up with a kiss, soft and sweet.

“You're such a dork.”His boyfriend laughs, closes his eyes, brings their foreheads together. Then hugs him tight, kisses him lightly on the neck. He separates their bodies to look into his eyes, still holding him. “I just told you a moment ago that I wanted to propose to you after we've been dating for a month, it's more than obvious that I love you, Pete.”

“In my defense, not more than a year and six months ago I thought wanting to kiss you for hours meant I wanted us to be just best friends.” Harry laughs, tousles Peter's hair, kisses him again. “I love you, I really do.”

“And I love you.” Harry puts a hand on his cheek. “But you owe me a date to karaoke for scaring me like that.”

“Let's be honest, even if I didn't owe you anything I'd go.” Peter puts his hat on his boyfriend's head again, gives him a kiss on the cheek and takes him by the hand. “It's time to go, before May gets worried.”

“Wait.” Harry stops him, he has a serious face. “I have an important question for you first.”

“What is it?” His heart is racing, he knows he shouldn't worry, he already told Harry that he loves him, Harry told him that he loves him, nothing bad should happen, should it?

“But you have to pay close attention to me, okay?” Peter nods, passes some saliva, feels his hands start to sweat, his breathing to quicken. “All right, I'll say it fast.” Harry takes a deep breath and lets the air out of his mouth. “This is going to be hard.”

“Tell me already!”

“Okay, I'm sorry.” Harry takes another deep breath. “But what if it's raining in ten years? What would be the plan?”

Peter tries to comprehend what he just heard for five seconds or so, and Harry starts laughing loudly. He can't help but do the same. The worry that was starting to take over his body leaves him instantly.

Then he nudges his boyfriend's shoulder, both of them still laughing.

“Is this your revenge for earlier?”

“I swear it's not.” He doesn't know whether to believe him. “But I saw the opportunity and took it.”

“I hate you so much right now.”

“Oh come on, you said you love me.” Harry holds him around the waist, he could get used to being like this forever. “I'm sorry, I didn't think you were going to worry so much.”

“I can't even get mad at you.”

“But the question was serious.”

“Oh, was it?”

“You know I love rainy days.”

“Oh.” Peter takes him by the hand again, looks at his boyfriend's green eyes that again have that addictive sweetness they always convey to him. “Well, if it's raining, I'll wake you up with a kiss, you'll tell me we shouldn't kiss because your breath stinks but you really can't stand mine.”

Harry laughs, takes off his beanie and that distracts Peter for a few seconds.

“Then we'll shower, brush our teeth, make out for hours naked in bed. I'll tell you I love you a hundred times and you'll do the same.”

“I'll say that I love me?”

“Shut up Harold, don't ruin the moment.” He warns his boyfriend who first grimaces and then smiles. “Then we'll get hungry of course and go to the cafeteria just down the street from our building, both of us in our pajamas.”

“Are you crazy!? I would never go out in my pajamas now that I'm not famous, much less if I'm a Broadway and TV actor.”

“First, yes you are famous, second, okay, I'll go in my pajamas for our breakfast and come back so we can eat together in bed.” Peter says in a monotonous, almost bored tone, faked of course, to annoy his boyfriend. “Then we'd move to the couch, play music, make out on the couch too, talk tirelessly, ask each other more silly questions like would you rather lose an arm or a leg, you'd ask that one of course.” Harry laughs. “Or if a zombie bit a vampire, what do you think would happen?”

“You would ask that one and oh my god I want to talk about that now.”

“You'll have to wait ten years.” Peter scoffs and smiles, totally smitten. “We'd order pizza for lunch, burgers for dinner. We'd be in our apartment all day. At night, before bed we'd go out on the balcony to enjoy the rain, we'd remember things, be excited about the future, I don't know, I think everything would be perfect.”

“It already is.” Harry kisses him on the cheek, then hugs him again.

They stay like that for a few seconds that feel like a good eternity. Peter knows they should leave, but he doesn't want this to end yet. He'd like to extend this moment as long as possible.

“I don't want to be a killjoy, but we should go.” Harry says in his ear.

“Okay.” He gives him a little kiss on the lips and the two of them walk calmly holding hands. They leave the park and head to May's house, it won't take them more than ten minutes to get there.

“So.” Harry says when they are halfway there. “About that zombie biting the vampire, what do you think would happen?”

“Oh don't get me started, I have so many theories.”

They debate the hundreds of possibilities on the way back, while making out on the couch waiting for May to arrive and during dinner when May joins the debate as well.

They take turns showering at May's request and as they promise her they will be good she lets them close the bedroom door.

Harry hugs his body as if he doesn't want them to ever be separated and he enjoys having him by his side.

They tell each other they love each other and share a little kiss.

Hopefully it will be raining in ten years, Peter thinks to himself before falling asleep.