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Assistant: Title: The Echoes of These Long Years
        Author: WhoopsKrisFound_A_Keyboard undefined 
        Chapter: 25/28 
        Summary: After Tony Stark and Pepper Potts' children- Peter, Morgan, and Harley, are kidnapped, only Morgan and Harley return. Peter is lost for eight years, gaining trauma and being told his parents didn’t want him. When Peter is finally found, he's scarred, scared of abandonment, and struggles to adjust to life with his biological parents. Haunted by the past, he’s terrified of losing them too, especially since his other parental figures are dead. On top of that, Peter has to keep his secret identity as Spider-Man from his family and the Avengers, which becomes tricky living with super-spies. Balancing trauma, family, and his superhero life, Peter has to rebuild trust, learning to heal from the years of neglect and fear that still control him. I'm basically going to cram all the good tropes into one long fic. Enjoy!
            
            Just a wholeee lot of Christmas family fluff, Baby Morgan being adorable, and Peter being a little rambling monster
        Contents: Chapter 25: If I Couldn't Do it Then, I Shouldn't Now
    

    

        
          
          
            Harley was already slumped at the table, staring blearily at his food like it had personally wronged him.Peter snickered as he sat down. “You good there, bud?”Harley grumbled something that nobody could translate and stabbed at his eggs.Tony smirked, dropping into his own seat with his coffee. “Don’t take it personally. Harley doesn’t have a personality before nine a.m.”“Mmfh.” Harley mumbled through a mouthful of bacon.
          
        

      
        
          Hey everyone! First off, sorry for the wait, I was busy making this chapter just right (aka overthinking every detail). Told y'all I was gonna take my time on these from now on. But I’m super excited for you all to read it! Hope you enjoy, and as always, let me know what you think! Let me know if you want to continue these being from Peter's perspective, or switch around some more. Honestly, I feel like this is just a bunch of fluff, Peter and Harley being absolutly adorable. This chapter is all fluff+a tab bit of angst. Hope you like it! <3
            
            (See the end of the chapter for  more notes.)
            
      
  

  
  
    
    The next morning, Peter woke up to the soft voices outside his room. His family was in the kitchen, he heard Morgan’s giggles and his parents planning their day. The house was certainly awake.Today was Saturday, the day that they were going to the Parker’s apartment.He stared at the ceiling, the blankets pulled up to his chin. He wanted to see the apartment, to get it over with, but the thought of clearing of having to clear out the place he thought of as home for a little under six years, just made him sad. This was real. May and Ben are gone, and he’d never see them again. And it’s your fault.A knock at the door made him jump. “Peter?” Tony’s voice called from the other side of his door. “Can I come in?”Peter hesitated before sighing. “Yep, you’re good.”The door cracked open, and Tony stepped inside, his usual smirk replaced with a serious searching gaze. He sat on the edge of the bed, resting a hand on Peter’s shoulder.“You don’t have to do this, y’know.”Peter swallowed. “Yes I do.”Tony nodded, watching him carefully. “You don’t have to do it alone at least.”Peter looked away. “I know.”A moment of silence. Then Tony pulled him into a hug, one hand running through his curls.He shut his eyes and melted into it. This was exactly what he needed.“I got you, kid.” Tony said quietly. “We all do.”Peter took a deep breath. “Thanks dad.”  -After breakfast, they got in the car, and Peter tried not to overthink.Pepper reached back from the front seat, squeezing his hand.Morgan was curled up against his side, her tiny arms wrapped around his left. It was a little uncomfortable because she had to lean over her booster seat, but it was sweet that she was trying to comfort him.  “You okay, Petey?”Peter smiled a little. “Yeah, Mo. I’m good.”She looked up at him with her big brown eyes that patched his and Tony’s. “You sure?”Peter hesitated. He pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “Yeah. I’m sure.”Morgan smiled and hugged him even tighter.Harley, sitting on his other side, raised an eyebrow. “Wow. Didn’t think you were the affectionate type, Pete.”Peter shot him a look. “Shut up.”Harley smirked, flicking Peter’s elbow. “There he is.”Peter huffed a small laugh.  -When they got to the apartment building, Peter hesitated outside the door that lead to May and Ben’s apartment. Tony stood beside him, everyone else behind them.Peter took a deep breath and unlocked it before stepped inside.It smelled the same. For whatever reason, he hadn’t expected that.The same faint scent of old books and May’s vanilla scented candles, mixed with the oldness of the apartment itself.Morgan clung to his hand as they walked in, her voice quiet. “It’s nice.”Peter felt like he was about to start crying. “Yeah. It is.”Harley nudged him. “You good?”Peter nodded.Tony placed a hand on his back, guiding him forward so that everyone else could get around him. “Take your time, kid.”  -They moved through the apartment slowly. Peter showed them the kitchen, the living room, cracking jokes to keep the mood light, and to keep himself from curling into a ball and crying.Then they got to his bedroom, making Peter hesitate in the doorway.It was like he had never left. The bed was still messy, blankets half-falling off the side. His old books for school were stacked on the desk, the walls still had posters of space and science, things that had always fascinated Peter, even when he was young.And on the shelf, his old stuffed animal. A floppy, well-loved, a little gross, brown dog.He swallowed and reached for the stuffed animal. The fabric was soft and familiar. Ben had gotten it for him for his ninth birthday.Tony stepped beside him, glancing at the toy. “What’s his name?”Peter huffed a laugh. “Benny.”Pepper smiled. “Uncle Ben?”Peter nodded, his grip tightening on the toy.Before he could say anything else, Morgan suddenly wrapped her arms around his waist, pressing her face against his side.Peter blinked, surprised.Then Pepper hugged him from the other side, and then Tony, wrapping his arms around both of them.Peter barely had time to breathe before Harley joined in just loving the group hug.“You guys are suffocating me.” Peter mumbled, voice thick, though he loved it.“Shut up and take the love.” Tony muttered.Peter let out a wet laugh and wrapped his arms around his mom, who was the only one he could reach because she had hugged him so that he was a T-rex with the tiny arms. He closed his eyes, letting himself be surrounded by his family.  -They spent the next few hours looking through old things, photo albums, school papers, drawings. Oh- and packing, that too.At some point, Peter sat on the floor with Morgan in his lap, flipping through a book of old pictures.“That’s you?” Morgan asked, pointing at a photo of him and May, covered in cake frosting from May’s birthday. At that point, he had gotten pretty comfortable with the Parker’s, so when May had smudged some on his nose, he smudged some on her cheek, and it had turned into a full blown cake fight.Peter groaned. “Unfortunately.”Harley snorted. “Awe, a beautiful moment of you proving that cake belongs everywhere except your mouth.”Peter threw a pillow at him.Pepper smiled teasingly “I’ve never tried that form of skincare! Cake mask, so refreshing… and sticky..” Her face scrunching with disgust at the thought.Peter groaned, burying his face in his hands. “This is the worst day of my life.”Tony ruffled his hair. “You love us.”Peter sighed dramatically. “Yeah. I do.”Tony squeezed his shoulder. “You sure you’re okay?”Peter hesitated before nodding. “Yeah. I’m fine.”It hurt, but it wasn’t the same, aching, empty kind of hurt he had been carrying for years.It was different now, and the difference was that he wasn’t alone.  -After Peter gives his family the rest of the tour and they all share some teasing and comfort, as well as questions about what things mean or why they are where they are.He heads back to his old bedroom, taking his time packing up things that meant a lot to him. His Legos, figures that Ned had given him over the past year, some of his tools, and extra Spider-Man supplies he had stashed away. It’s tricky to get to the Spider-Man stuff with everyone hovering, but he does end up getting it.He also finds old photos, trinkets, and a few pieces of clothing that still fit.When he’s done, he hesitates at the door to May and Ben’s room. For a few moments, he just stands there, unsure if he should even go in. Tony notices and gently puts a hand on his shoulder, giving him a reassuring squeeze but not pushing him.Peter finally steps inside. The room is exactly how they left it. There was still the lingering scent of a lavender candle, and the way the bed is still neatly made, like they were just about to come back.They never would. He would never see them again, and it was his fault. No matter what Harley said, he still blamed himself for May and Ben’s deaths. He could have prevented it.Slowly, he walks through, running his fingers on one hand over the smooth wood of their dresser, looking for small keepsakes. He carefully picks up May’s favorite hat, the one he made for her their first Christmas together, holding it tightly It still smelled like her shampoo. He finds Ben’s old watch, the one Peter used to play with when he was little, pretending he was a secret agent. He takes a framed photo of the three of them at Coney Island, back when he was just around ten, sitting on Ben’s shoulders, laughing as May held onto them both.At some point, his breath starts to grow uneven, and he doesn’t realize he’s crying until Pepper steps inside and wraps her arms around him. She doesn’t say anything, just holds him as he lets the tears stream down his face.He eventually pulls himself together, wipes his eyes, and gathers the things he wants to take. When he walks out, Tony just ruffles his hair lightly with a small smile, asking if he was ready to go.  -By the time they left, the sky was starting to turn pink as the sun set.As they got in the car, Harley stretched. “So. Ice cream?”Peter raised an eyebrow. “Seriously?”Tony sighed. “I already know the answer, don’t I?”Morgan gasped. “ICE CREEAMM!”Peter snorted. “Guess we’re getting ice cream.”Tony glanced at Peter in the rearview mirror. “You feeling alright, kid?”With a small smile, he nodded. “Yeah. I am.”Tony grinned. “Told you so.”Peter groaned. “You always have to say that, don’t you?”“Absolutely.”Pepper kissed the top of Peter’s head. “We’re proud of you, Peter.”Peter ducked his head, ears burning. “Thanks mom.”Harley smiles at him with this weird sappy look, and then leans his head on Peter’s shoulder for the drive to go get ice cream.  -When they got back to the Tower after getting ice cream and dinner at some restaurant in Queens, Peter carried his boxes into his room, carefully setting them down beside his bed. The space was sleek, modern, and way bigger than the room he’d had before. It was nice. It was safe. But it wasn’t home. At least, not yet.Peter took a deep breath and crouched down, opening the first box. The first thing he pulled out was a small stack of framed photos, the glass cool against his fingers. The one on top was his favorite. It was a picture of him and May at a park on a picnic blanket when he was nine. She had her arms around him, laughing, while he tried (and failed) to eat an entire hot dog in one bite. It was stupid, but it was perfect.He found a place for it on the wall next to his desk. Then, one by one, he set out the rest. A picture of Ben with his arm slung around May, both of them smiling at the camera. One of him, Ned, and MJ piled together in a goofy selfie, their decathlon medals still hanging around their necks. He even had an old polaroid from when he was about eleven, sitting between May and Ben, while May made bunny ears behind him.Then came the smaller things, his tiny collection of action figures, which he lined up on a floating shelf near his desk. Most of them were Star Wars, though he had a couple of Iron Man ones too. (If Tony ever found out, he’d never let him live it down.)Next were the Legos. Peter carefully set up the Death Star first, placing it exactly how he remembered from his old shelf at the apartment. It made him smile, remembering all the nights he and Ned had spent putting it together. He could almost hear Ned’s voice going on and on about Star Wars lore while MJ sat on his bed, pretending not to care while secretly enjoying their enthusiasm. He couldn’t wait to see them. He still needed to apologize to Ned.He ran his fingers over the model, feeling the familiar ridges of the bricks.His clothes were easy to unpack, most of them were shoved into drawers without much thought. The things that really mattered, though—his tools, his extra web fluid, a few notebooks filled with doodles and ideas, those got a special spot in his desk.He had his new Spider-Man stash, he would shove his suit and other gear into an old backpack, and then shove it into the vent, far enough up the wall that nobody could reach it without a ladder. (Except him, because he was sticky.)And then, at the bottom of the last box, he found May’s hat.It was soft and well-worn, the fabric still faintly smelling like her. He held it for a moment, his chest tightening, before placing it on the shelf next to one of his Lego sets.Finally, he turned to the last few things he’d taken from May and Ben’s room.Ben’s old watch, the color faded and a small crack on the glass from years of wear. Peter placed it on his desk, running his fingers over the chipped glass before stepping back.May’s all-time favorite book, creased and ripped in places from how may times she read it. He hesitated before tucking it onto the bookshelf near the door. Maybe he’d read it.And finally, a small ceramic figurine of a cat May had kept on her nightstand for as long as he could remember. It had been something he always associated with her room, tiny but it was always there. He didn’t even know why it was so special to her. He set it next to the hat, making sure it wouldn’t tip over.When he finally stepped back and looked around, something in him felt warm having things that were familiar to him laying around his room.It wasn’t the same as the apartment. It never would be. But now, this room didn’t feel so empty. It felt like his.A knock at the door made him turn, though he had hear them approaching, he hadn’t known if they were going to go past his door or not. Clearly not."Hey, kid?" His dad’s voice came through, quiet. "You still up?"Peter rolled his eyes but smiled. "Yeah, come in."The door opened, and Tony stepped inside, eyes flicking over the room. He took in the pictures, the Legos, the scarf on the chair. His gaze lingered on the old baseball cap, but he didn’t say anything.Peter sat cross-legged on the floor beside a half-unpacked box, running his fingers over the cardboard distractedly.Tony lowered himself down beside him with a quiet grunt. "You good?"Peter nodded slowly. "Yeah. I think so."Tony tilted his head. "That wasn’t exactly a confident answer."Peter huffed a small laugh. "No, I mean it. I just…" He glanced around again, at all the little pieces of his past that had settled into the room. "It’s weird. But it helps."Tony’s expression softened. "Well that’s good."Tony reached over, nudging the brim of Ben’s cap. "This his?"Peter nodded. "Yeah. He used to wear it all the time."Tony nodded, expression unreadable. "He seems like he was a good guy."Peter swallowed, suddenly feeling like he was about to start crying. "He was."A beat of silence. Then, Tony glanced over at him. "You know, it’s okay to take your time with this stuff. Making a place feel like home isn’t something you have to do overnight."Peter nodded. He knew that.Tony ruffled his hair before standing up, stretching. "Alright, kid. You want food? I was thinking of ordering something, those sandwiches at the ice cream place weren’t exactly filling.”Peter snorted, pushing himself up. "Yeah, yeah, I’ll come eat." Peter never turned down some food. It was his metabolism speaking.As they left the room, he took one last glance around. It still wasn’t quite home, but it was getting there.  - After dinner, Peter stretched out on the couch, feeling comfortably full from the Thai takeout. The Tower still didn’t quite feel like home, but having everyone around, laughing, teasing, just being a family, was helping.He had decided to go hang out in his room, today had been super emotional and kind of a lot for Peter. He kind of just wanted to be on his own for a little bit.His room was still filled with a few half-unpacked boxes, but he wasn’t in a rush to deal with them. He’d done enough packing and unpacking for today.He pulled out a book and settled onto his bed, laying down for the first time that day. He and Harley started back at school tomorrow, and he was actually super excited about something normal. A schedule, Friends, Homework.He was halfway through a chapter when there was an obnoxious knock on his door. Before he could answer, Harley’s head popped in.“Yo, are you busy?”Peter raised an eyebrow. “You already opened my door, so I’m assuming you don’t actually care about the answer.”Harley grinned unapologetically. “Wanna play video games?”Peter didn’t hesitate before closing his book and hopping off the bed. “Oh yeah.”Harley led the way across the hall to his room, tossing Peter a controller as soon as they stepped inside. “Let’s see if you still suck. Last time was disappointing.”Peter caught the controller easily, rolling his eyes. “Oh, you’re on.”They sat on these puffy camping bags that trapped air in them, they were the shape of bean bags. The games were quickly getting competitive. The usual teasing started up almost immediately, Harley calling Peter’s tactics weak, Peter reminding Harley who had actual enhanced senses.At a break between rounds, Harley stretched before standing up. “I’m grabbing a drink. You want one?”“Dr Pepper please, thanks.”Harley nodded. “Knew you were gonna say that. Be right back, don’t you dare start without me.”Peter leaned back against the bag, twirling the controller in his hands as he waited. His eyes scanned around the room, seeing some little details he hadn’t really noticed before.Harley returned a minute later, two sodas in hand. He cracked his open, plopping down on the bed beside Peter, only for the can to fizz over immediately.“Shoot!” Harley scrambled, trying to keep the sticky soda from dripping onto his controller. “Uh- Peter, can you grab some tissues? They’re in my nightstand drawer.”Peter nodded, setting his own controller down as he got up. He pulled the drawer open, eyes immediately landing on the tissue box inside.And then he saw what was next to it, and it make him gasp quietly,Right next to the tissues, half-buried beneath a couple of random papers, was a tiny green dinosaur keychain.Peter’s fingers hovered over it for a second before carefully picking it up. He turned it over in his palm, barely breathing.He knew this keychain. It used to be his. He had given it to Harley the night that they had gotten separated.He had been six, and it had been his favorite little toy for some reason. One of those cheap stuffed ones, green with a yellow belly and a small splotch of pink sewn in that was supposed to be blush. It was well loved and dirty from being clutched in his hands all the time when he was little. Just a few minutes before they were separated, not to see each other again for eight years, Peter had pressed it into his brother’s palm, saying, “Here, you can have him until I come back.”He hadn’t thought about it in years. He hadn’t let himself. He didn’t want to get attached to the idea of a family he could never have. But apparently, he could have that family, and it was better than he imagined.Harley had kept it. All this time.“Hey, what’s taking so long?”Peter turned, still holding the keychain as Harley looked over.The second he saw what was in Peter’s hand, Harley froze.  The playfulness faded from his face, replaced by something softer, sadder.Peter looked at his brother. “Is this-?”There was a pause before Harley nodded. “Yeah.”Peter looked down at the tiny dinosaur in his hand. “You… you kept it?”Harley exhaled, rubbing the back of his neck. “Yeah, I- uh, I dunno. I guess I just… never wanted to let go of it. It reminded me of you.”“I used to hold onto it whenever I missed you.” Harley admitted. “Which was, y’know, a lot.”Peter sat still, feeling guilty.Harley had missed him. All these years, Peter had thought his family had just… moved on. But they hadn’t. They had looked for him.They had never stopped missing him.He clenched his teeth together, trying to keep his emotions in check. “I’m sorry.”Harley frowned. “What?”“I’m sorry,” Peter repeated, voice all up and down. “For all of it. For not knowing you were looking for me. For-” His voice cracked before he tried again. “For hurting you.”Harley shook his head, stepping closer. “Peter you didn’t-”Peter looked up at him, eyes burning. “I love you dude.”Harley’s expression softened. Peter had never said it first before.Peter wrapped his brother in a hug. Not the playful, roughhousing kind, but a real, I’ve-got-you kind.Harley didn’t hesitate before hugging him back. Peter was the one initiating contact. He had only done that one other time.Harley squeezed the back of his hoodie, voice muffled in the hood of Peter’s said hoodie. “I love you too, man.”They stayed like that for a few seconds, just holding onto each other.Eventually, Peter pulled back. Harley cleared his throat, trying to shake off how emotional that just got. “Well, uh, That got deep fast.”Peter huffed a quiet laugh, wiping at his eyes. “Yeah.”Harley glanced at the forgotten game on the screen. “Kinda don’t feel like playing anymore.”“Me neither.”Harley flopped onto his bed, stretching out. Peter hesitated for a second before sitting down on the end. They just sat there talking about random stupid things before they ended up falling asleep.At some point, their voices grew quieter, more tired, conversation started growing further apart, until it was quiet. Eventually, they both drifted off.Peter ended up curled at the edge of the bed, half on top of the blanket. Harley was sprawled out on his pillows, snoring quietly.  - Tony knocked on Peter’s door, waiting for some kind of response. When none came, he knocked again, a little louder this time. Still nothing.Frowning, he pushed the door open. The room was empty. The bed was still neatly made, looking completely untouched since the day before. Tony’s stomach dropped.He quickly checked the connecting bathroom, but it was empty too.Great. Had Peter snuck out again? He’d just started trusting that the kid wasn’t going to pull that kind of thing.Tony ran a hand over his face, exhaling through his nose. Okay. Think.If Peter wasn’t in his own room, there was one other place he might be.Tony turned on his heel and made his way down the hall to Harley’s room. He knocked once before pushing the door open. As soon as he saw him, he immediately felt his shoulders relax. Peter was there.He was sprawled across the edge of Harley’s bed, tangled in the blanket, one leg dangerously close to slipping off the mattress. Harley, meanwhile, was sleeping at the opposite end, his head buried in a pile of at least three pillows, arms thrown out in every direction.Tony huffed out a quiet breath, shaking his head.Walking over, he gave Harley’s shoulder a small shake first. “Rise and shine, kid.”Harley groaned, attempting to burrow deeper into his pillows.Tony rolled his eyes before nudging Peter next. “Pete, you too. C’mon, up and at ‘em.”Peter mumbled something incoherent before blinking up at him, eyes squinted from sleep.Tony smirked. “Mornin’ sleepy head.”Peter groaned, stretching slightly before freezing as he realized just how close he was to falling off the bed. He quickly scrambled upright, shooting a halfhearted glare at Harley, who still looked about two seconds from falling asleep again.Tony clapped his hands together. “Alright, you two get ready for school. I’m making breakfast, so hurry it up before I eat it all myself.”Peter yawned, rubbing his eyes. “Yeah, yeah.”Tony gave him a small pat on the head as he turned toward the door.Shaking his head fondly, Tony headed for the kitchen, leaving them to wake up properly.  -By the time Peter finished getting ready, he was much more awake. He ran a hand through his still damp hair as he walked into the kitchen, where the smell of bacon and eggs filled the air.Tony was standing at the stove, flipping the last few strips of bacon onto a plate. “There you are.” he said, giving Peter a quick grin. “Thought you were gonna sleep through breakfast.”Peter rolled his eyes, grabbing a plate. “Not a chance. I smelled the bacon.”“Smart kid.”Harley was already slumped at the table, staring blearily at his food like it had personally wronged him.Peter snickered as he sat down. “You good there, bud?”Harley grumbled something that nobody could translate and stabbed at his eggs.Tony smirked, dropping into his own seat with his coffee. “Don’t take it personally. Harley doesn’t have a personality before nine a.m.”“Mmfh.” Harley mumbled through a mouthful of bacon.Conversation flowed easily between bites of food. Tony asked Peter about his classes, what teachers he had this semester, and Peter told him in between bites of toast. He told him about Mr. Harrington, who was always losing things (whether that may be a pen, or a student…), and how Coach Flemming ran gym class like it was basic training. That earned a laugh from Tony, and a huff from Harley.Harley, for his part, remained half-asleep, only making grumbling sounds every now and then when Tony or Peter said something to him.Peter smirked as he reached for another piece of bacon. “You sure he’s actually awake? He looks like he’s sleep eating.”Harley shot him a sleepy glare. “I hate you.”Tony just sipped his coffee. “Yeah, yeah, eat your eggs.”A few minutes later, Tony’s phone buzzed on the counter. He picked it up, read the text, and sighed. “Alright, Happy’s here. You’d better go before he gets grumpy.”Peter shoved the last bite of toast in his mouth and grabbed his bag, giving Tony a quick hug before heading to the elevator. He didn’t notice, but it made Tony smile. Peter had never been the one to initiate physical contact with him before.Harley trailed behind him, still half-asleep.When they reached the garage, Happy was leaning against the side of a sleek, black car, arms crossed. He barely looked up as he grumbled, “Morning.” before immediately opening the back door for them and shutting the divider as soon as they got in.Peter huffed a quiet laugh as he leaned back against the seat. He didn’t know why, but Happy’s grumpiness was kinda funny. The way he just grumbled out his greetings and immediately shut himself off from them, like a grumpy chauffeur in some over the top spy movie.Smiling to himself, Peter rested his head against the cool window.  -As the car pulled up to the school, Peter felt his excitement dissolve into a knot of anxiety. The building, which had once been a familiar place, now felt threatening. So many things could happen.Harley, on the other hand, was perfectly fine, confident as always. Peter wished he could have that level of confidence. But unalike Harley, he had been taught all his life that it was better to be quiet, to be seen, not heard, and he had never really gotten any comfort for anxiety, choosing to hide it from May and Ben.Harley on the other hand, was practically bouncing in his seat. "Dude, you ready for this? We’re gonna make a grand reappearance and blow everyone's minds."Peter forced a small smile. "Yeah, sure."Even Happy, who was typically gruff and impatient in the mornings, turned around from the driver's seat and gave Peter a look. "You'll do good, kid. Don’t stress yourself out."Peter huffed out a small laugh. "Wow, Happy, giving me a pep talk? I must look really bad."Happy grumbled something under his breath and hit the button to unlock the car door. "Get out of here. Learn things. Try not to cause trouble. Shoo."Peter stepped out of the car, the cool morning air was not helping with the nerves creeping up his spine. Harley put a hand on his shoulder as they walked towards the school. "C'mon, it's just school. And you've got me. You’ll be fine."Peter nodded even though he wasn’t sure he actually believed it.The moment they stepped inside, they blended in with the crowd. Harley led the way to their lockers, which, unsurprisingly, were right next to each other."Gee, I wonder who arranged that?" Peter muttered, glancing at Harley, who only grinned.Peter rolled his eyes but couldn't hide the small smile that tugged at his lips. He started pulling books from his locker, listening to Harley ramble about how he was going to blow everyone's minds in physics class.Before he could say anything else, his senses prickled with the familiar tingle of incoming danger. Peter turned on instinct, expecting to dodge a shove from Flash, only to be tackled by two familiar figures instead."PETER!"Arms wrapped around him tightly, knocking the air out of him. For a second, Peter froze, his brain catching up to the fact that it was Ned and MJ clinging to him, not some threat he had to dodge. Then he finally moved, hugging them back just as tightly.Over Ned’s shoulder, he spotted Harley watching with an amused smile."Dude, you’re okay!" Ned pulled back, his eyes wide with relief. "Man, I was so scared! I mean, you disappeared, and then we find out you’re a Stark?!” He whisper yelled the last part, before adding in a frustrated tone, “And you were homeless? Bro, why didn’t you tell us? We would’ve helped!"Peter swallowed guiltily. "I’m sorry. I didn’t know you guys knew. I didn’t even know my family was looking for me."Ned shook his head. "Dude, I would never have given you up if I didn’t know they were actually your family, and that they were looking for you. You know that, right?"Peter hugged Ned again. "Yeah. I know."As soon as he let go, MJ punched him hard in the shoulder. "Never- NEVER- do that again.""Ow!" Peter yelped, dramatically rubbing his arm. "What was that for?!""You scared us so bad, dude!" MJ snapped. "You go missing for almost a week, then we find out you’re a freaking Stark?!” She lowered he voice at the last part, just like Ned had. “And you were living on the streets? What the actual hell, Peter? Why didn’t you come to us? We’re your friends, you’re supposed to trust us!"Peter winced but couldn’t help but smile at her concern. "Aw, I care about you too, MJ."She punched him again. "You’re still a loser."Harley snorted. "Okay, I like her."Both Ned and MJ’s attention turned to Harley.“You transferred here? Thought you went to some fancy rich people school.” MJ said with a raised eyebrow, apparently not bothering with any pleasantries.Harley rubbed his neck with a small smile. “Yeah, that wasn’t really my thing. I just wanted to find some genuine friends, and spend more time with Peter.”MJ didn’t respond, just nodded, apparently accepting that response.The bell rang, and they all started heading to their classes. Peter and Harley quickly realized they had every single class together.They exchanged a look."Dad." they both muttered at the same time, before laughing."Guess you're stuck with me now." Harley said, nudging Peter’s shoulder.Peter rolled his eyes but couldn't hide the small, genuine smile that crept onto his face.Yeah. Maybe he didn’t hate that idea.  -Lunch at Midtown had always been chaos. If Peter, Ned, and MJ wanted to keep their usual booth in the back corner of the cafeteria, only two of them could leave to get food at a time, or someone else would swoop in and steal their spot. That was just how things worked.“So, me and MJ first?” Harley asked, already sliding out of the booth.“Yeah, sure.” Peter said, stretching out in his seat next to Ned. He was actually enjoying the day so far. Seeing his friends again had been awesome, and Harley was fitting in with them like he’d always been there. It almost felt normal.Peter leaned against the booth’s cushioned back, fiddling with a napkin while Ned scrolled on his phone. They were talking about some new Star Wars stuff when Peter felt an all-too-familiar tingle crawling up his spine.Before he even turned his head, he knew that it was Flash.“Hey, Parker!” Flash’s voice dripped with sarcastic sweetness as he walked up to the table, hands in his pockets like he owned the place. “Wow. Thought you got expelled.”Peter exhaled loudly through his nose. “Nope. Still here.”Flash’s smirk widened. “Really? Huh. That’s weird. ‘Cause, y’know, one day you’re here, the next, poof! Gone. Thought maybe the school finally realized what a waste of space you are.”Peter kept his eyes on the table, unwilling to give Flash the reaction he was looking for.“Or- wait!” Flash said, tapping his chin in dramatic thought. “Oh, did you run away? That’s what people are saying.”Peter tensed.Flash grinned, leaning in. “I mean, makes sense. Your aunt and uncle were killed by some mugger in a dirty alleyway, and suddenly you disappear? Was life just too hard, Parker?”Ned shifted beside him. “Hey, back off, Flash.”Flash sighed dramatically, as if Ned was interrupting their ‘conversation’. “Oh, c’mon Leeds. I’m just trying to have a chat with him.” He turned back to Peter, eyes gleaming with cruel amusement. “So, where’d you go? Sleeping on park benches? Begging for food? Bet that was pathetic.”Peter clenched his fists under the table but said nothing.Flash frowned at his lack of reaction. He wanted a show. And when he didn’t get one, he decided to escalate the situation.“Y’know, if you needed money so bad, you should’ve just asked. I mean, not from me, I don’t give handouts, but I’m sure someone would’ve taken pity on you. Maybe.”Peter clenched his teeth together, his face heating up. He could feel eyes on them now. People were starting to listen. He was incredibly embarrassed.Flash, seeing his opportunity, smirked wider. “Actually, I’m surprised you came back at all. If I were you, I would’ve stayed gone.”That did it.Ned jumped to his feet. “Shut up, Flash!”Flash barely glanced at him. “Mind your own business, Leeds.”Then, before Peter could react, Flash grabbed his arm and yanked him out of the booth, sending him sprawling onto the cafeteria floor.A wave of laughter and whispers rippled through the students around them. Only some though. Others watched with concern or pity on their faces, but nobody stood up for him.Peter blinked, kind of shocked. He hadn’t expected Flash to pick up where they left off so soon.Flash stood over him, quietly laughing. “Wow. The little orphan, so smart with all those accomplishments, and yet you still hit the ground like a loser. I suppose that proves that academic accomplishments don’t matter.” Flash teased, with a fake pouty lip. He honestly looked like a three-year-old who was about to throw a tantrum.Peter felt his face burn, he felt absolutely humiliated. He lifted an arm instinctively to block whatever Flash was planning next, because once Peter was on the ground, Flash would usually get a few hits in. Peter sure wasn’t going to do anything about it. He wasn’t going to risk his identity over Flash.“What the hell?”Peter barely had time to see what was happening before Flash was being yanked backward by the shoulders. The smug expression on his face disappeared instantly as he turned and found himself staring at Harley Stark.Harley’s glare could’ve melted steel. Peter would hate to be on the opposite end of that look. It was honestly terrifying.“What makes you think you can talk to people like that?” Harley demanded, his voice sharp and very angry.Flash’s mouth opened and closed like a fish.Harley Stark.Defending Peter Parker.This was not part of Flash’s calculations.“I- uh- he- I-” He just gave up and shut his mouth.Before Flash could try and defend himself like he always did (and peter would always let him), MJ appeared behind Harley, her expression just as, if not more terrifying than Harley’s. She didn’t hesitate before punching Flash right in the lip.A few people around them who had been watching, gasped.Flash stumbled back, wiping his sleeve over his lip. “What the- Jones, you are so going to regret that-”MJ shook out her fist like she was barely impressed with his pain level. “Oh, shut up. You deserved that.”The tension broke when a teacher rushed over. “What is going on here?!”Peter scrambled to his feet, shaking his head quickly. “Nothing.”The teacher narrowed her eyes. “Mr. Parker, you were just on the ground-”“It’s nothing.” Peter repeated, cutting off whatever Harley was about to say. “I just tripped.”Harley turned to him sharply. “Peter-”“It’s fine.” Peter said, his voice firm, his face screaming shut-up-or-else.The teacher sighed. “Fine. Thompson, other side of the cafeteria. Now.”Flash, still freaked out that he had been caught, pressed his sleeve to his bleeding lip again and speed walked away, glaring at Peter over his shoulder. Great. This definitely wasn’t going to be the end of it.Peter sighed and slid back into the booth. Ned followed immediately, while Harley and MJ sat across from them.Peter put a hand over his eyebrow, hiding his face from everyone else at the table. His elbow on top of said table. He was mortified. He felt heat crawl up his neck, knowing people were still staring. Could the ground just open up and swallow him? Please?Harley, however, was absolutely not having it. “Why did you lie?”Peter exhaled, voice warning. “Drop it.”“No. You should’ve told the teacher what really happened!”“Yeah, and what would that do?” Peter shot back. “Make it worse?”Harley’s face scrunched up. He clearly didn’t understand. “Maybe it would stop him from pulling that cr@p again.”Peter shook his head. “No, it won’t.”Harley raised his eyebrows ready to argue. “Peter-“Peter slammed his fork onto his tray. “Just stop, Harley! Things like this have happened to me my whole life. Just because you show up doesn’t change anything. If you could just drop it, I would appreciate it.” Peter snapped.Silence.Harley stared at him, his expression more frustrated and knowing than hurt, but it was there.Peter sighed through his nose and quietly got up from the table. “I forgot something in my last class. I’m gonna go get it.”No one stopped him.  -The car ride home was silent at first.Harley sat with his arms crossed, staring out the window, his teeth clenched together. Peter, on the other hand, was slouched low in his seat, his hood pulled up like he was trying to disappear into it. There was a lot of tension.Harley wouldn't say they were arguing, exactly. It wasn't like that. It was just that he had seen something today that made his blood boil, something he knew was wrong, and he wanted- no, needed to put a stop to it.But Peter thought it was somehow fine, and honestly, that made Harley even angrier.It wasn’t fine. It was so far from fine that it made him want to storm back into that school and deck Flash all over again (Thank you for that by the way, MJ).When they had climbed into the car, Happy had barely looked up from his phone, simply muttering, “Hey, kids.” before rolling up the partition. Which was fine. Harley wasn’t in the mood for company right now.The silence stretched on for a while, the only sounds coming from the hum of the engine and the occasional honk from traffic. Harley drummed his fingers against his knee, trying to organize his thoughts, trying to pick the right words, ones that Peter wouldn’t just brush off or shut down.Eventually, he took a deep breath and turned his head slightly toward Peter.“Why are you letting that happen to you?” he asked, his voice quieter than he expected.Peter didn’t even look at him.Harley clenched his jaw and tried again. “Why don’t you defend yourself?”Still nothing.Harley exhaled sharply, forcing himself to stay calm, to keep his voice even. “Peter, you have the means to. So why?”Peter sighed and finally turned his head, though his gaze remained fixed out the window. “Harley, just drop it.”“No,” Harley said defiantly. “I won’t. Because that? What I saw back there? That wasn’t okay.”Peter let out a laugh, and it didn’t even seem to be fake. Like he actually thought it was funny that Harley would be concerned about something like this. “It’s not a big deal.”“Not a big deal?” Harley repeated, skeptically. His voice raised slightly before he evened it out again, taking a deep breath. “Peter, that guy pulled you onto the floor in front of the whole cafeteria! He was going to hit you if I hadn’t pulled him off! That is a big deal!”Peter slouched in his seat. “I’ve had worse.”“That doesn’t make it okay! That literally just makes this worse.” Harley snapped. He wouldn’t just let this slide.Peter rubbed a hand over his face before finally meeting Harley’s eyes.Peter sighed. “If I couldn’t stop them before,” he said, voice quiet but heavy, “what right do I have to stop them now?”Harley blinked, thrown off by his words for a second, before replying, “What?”Peter shrugged, his hands resting stopped twisting together a sat limply in his lap. “Taking a hit is easier than pretending I have the right to fight back.”Harley’s breath caught in his throat. What? Would he ever know what Peter had really been through?Peter was still talking, still staring at the window. “Besides, I can take it.” he said simply. “I heal quick. Other people don’t.”Harley’s stomach twisted again.Peter turned back to him then, face unreadable. “I’m not going to brush Flash off onto someone else.”Harley frowned. “What?”“I have a responsibility.” Peter said, voice more certain now. “And I’m not going to use what was given to me to protect people, to hurt someone else who didn’t do anything wrong.”Harley reeled back like he’d been slapped. What!?“Didn’t do anything-” He cut himself off, trying to put together words to tell his brother how stupid he is being. “Peter, are you serious? Of course he did something wrong! He’s bullying you! What part of that is okay?”Peter flinched slightly but shook his head. “It’s not that simple. He’s a kid, like us. He doesn’t deserve his life destroyed over teasing.”“Yes, it is that simple!” Harley exploded, unable to contain his frustration. “Yeah, he’s a kid like us, but do you see us going around throwing people on the floor? He’s treating you like cr@p for no reason, and you’re just letting him! Why? Because you think you deserve it?”Peter didn’t answer. And that silence was the loudest confirmation Harley had ever heard.Anger swirled around him. Anger at Flash, anger at the school, anger at the world for letting Peter believe something so wrong. Harley swallowed, forcing himself to lower his voice.“How would you feel if I was getting bullied and didn’t do anything about it?”Peter’s head snapped back to look at him again. “That’s different.”Harley narrowed his eyes. “How?”Peter faltered, mouth opening and closing before he finally muttered, “Because you wouldn’t just take it. Besides, you aren’t like me.”Harley knew what he meant, but it still made him sad that those last words were said with disgust. Harley scoffed. “You’re right. I wouldn’t. And you shouldn’t either.”Peter exhaled sharply, frustration creeping into his own voice. “Harley, you don’t get it. If I fight back, it’s just gonna make things worse.”Harley shook his head. “No. It’s gonna make him realize he can’t treat you like that.”Peter pressed his lips into a thin line, clearly done with the conversation. “Just drop it, Harley.”“No.”Peter tilted his head up, irritated. “Harley-”“I won’t drop it.” Harley cut in, firm. “Not until you promise me you won’t let that keep happening.”Peter groaned, dragging a hand through his hair. “Why do you care so much?”Harley just looked at him sadly. “Because you’re my brother.”Peter blinked, clearly caught off guard. Harley didn’t let up. “And because I know you. I know you’d do anything to protect other people, but you won’t even lift a finger to protect yourself.” He shook his head. “That’s not okay, Pete.”Peter exhaled slowly, his shoulders dropping. He looked down at his hands, silent for a moment.Harley let the silence sit, hoping that his words were sinking in.Finally, Peter sighed. “Fine. I won’t let Flash keep treating me like that.”Harley sat up a little straighter, cautiously hopeful. “Yeah?”Peter gave him a pointed look. “If you don’t tell anyone. Especially not dad.”Harley hesitated. He really didn’t like that condition. But the alternative was Peter continuing to just take it without ever standing up for himself. And that was worse.“…Fine.” Harley said reluctantly. “Deal.”Peter let out a small, laugh. “You’re annoying.”Harley smirked. “You love me.”Peter rolled his eyes but didn’t deny it. He was glad to have Harley.
  
  

    
      
        
        
          Alright, can we take a moment to appreciate all the amazing comments and support I’ve been getting? Seriously, you guys are the best. Huge thank you's to Cloud_99 for their kind words and constructive criticism (keeping me humble, love that) and to Bb for their incredible art and support! You’re both absolute gems. And honestly, waking up to everyone's comments is just as exciting for me as a new update is for you. Mutual hype, love that lol.Also, can we all agree that Nala deserves more screen time? Because I keep telling myself to include her more, and yet… here we are. I’ll fix that. Eventually.Now, thoughts on Ned and Peter finally fixing things? The guilt those two have been carrying, heartbreaking, but nessicary lol. But honestly, I don’t blame Ned at all. The guy was just following orders and looking out for his bestie. And MJ, wow, that was a lot of emotion from you. Proud of you queen.As for Harley… yeah, I think we’re gonna be seeing more of his “Why are you not using your powers to protect yourself?!” frustration. Can’t say I blame him. Oh, and the big reveal? It’s coming. Soon. Probably in the next couple of chapters. But before that, do we want more Avengers fluff? Some one-on-one bonding time? Let me know what you think!Drop your opinions, chapter suggestions, trope requests-whatever you got, in the comments before I wrap this up! As always, kind comments and kudos are greatly appreciated. Thanks for reading! Have a lovely day/night! <3'
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