It's a Spider Family. {Sequel to 'It's a Spider Thing'.}

{4} wrong and different are not the same

"CAN'T BELIEVE I'M DATING AN IDIOT."

The absurd comment made Peter scoff instinctively as he settled down onto the couch with Harley planting himself directly beside the teen. "Really? I knew." There was a squeak of offence before a pillow was thrown to his face- Peter caught it on impulse and placed it behind his head with a smug grin plastered across his face.

Harley scowled at his quick reflexes and muttered, "I am so going to smother you in your sleep."

Peter frowned at the faux threat, "You know I am literally stronger than you. Right?" He pointed out, his lips tugged upwards around the words, much to Harley's dismay. He let out a large huff of breath in response before he dramatically draped himself across Peter's torso, effectively pinning the teen to the couch for the foreseeable future. Amused, Peter chuckled and watched him switch to a schematic program on the tablet in his hands while Harley sighed for a second time.

"Babe, flower, cherub- the love of my life-" Peter made a face of disgust at the ridiculous terms of endearments and a noise of protest. "I know all your tickle spots so politely shut up and let me plan your demise in peace."

He pouted and grumbled out, "I hate you. And those nicknames are awful."

"I know. It's great." Harley snickered, forcefully tucking his socked feet under Peter's thigh.

He tugged relentlessly on his arm until Peter was laughing in his ear and finally acquiesced and wrapped it around him- Harley let out a contented hum of approval. As they both settled down, Harley taking over half of the couch whilst Peter let his legs hang off the edge, he felt the hair on his arms stand on end- a silent alert that they were no longer alone.

Instinctively, he turned to face the open doorway to see Wanda walking through it where she offered a rare smile as she entered. Peter noted that she looked tired, but a little less so than his last visit.

The first night after the battle of Sokovia jumped involuntarily to the forefront of his mind; Peter could still recall how wrecked the team had been- but the memory of how destroyed the girl in the red leather jacket was made his breath stutter. Wanda had been deadly silent and held up by Clint and Steve when they'd returned, looking battered and bruised from the confrontation with Ultron.

Her eyes had met Peter's and a silent, unnoticed understanding had passed between the two of them.

Peter knew what it was like to lose- she could feel it surrounding him; the danger, the anguish. It plagued the air around him like thick smoke. Because he knew what it was like to lose total control and become the person you feared you might have been all along when there was nothing- no one- holding you back. Peter had seen it in her eyes- the fear of what she had done and the aching chasm of grief that threatened to pull Wanda down and down until she hit the bottom.

Except Peter knew that she would never hit the bottom because there wasn't one to hit.

Then it had taken weeks for Pietro's death to settle in. For Wanda to realise that life went on even if you lost the one person that you thought you could never live without; she just learnt that it was never the same again. It took a few more for her to understand that the physical feeling that she was missing something- like a hand or a limb- was because Pietro was no longer standing beside her or ever present in the back of her mind, because she found all of herself there every time she checked.

He was the only thing missing. The only thing that was gone.

"Hey Wands." Harley announced, noticing the teen too.

Wanda smiled at the nickname and offered a small, unsure wave- the two were close considering that they were both the youngest occupants of the tower. "I didn't know you were visiting." Wanda commented, directing the statement to Peter who shrugged haphazardly, jostling Harley as he did so.