Our Dad's an Ir⎊n Dad || Marvel

[two]

"Hi, Mr. Delmar!" Peter says happily as he jogs over to the front counter, grabbing a couple of bags of sour gummy worms. Harley is a few cautious steps behind him but he can tell that it's more out of nervousness than fear.

"Hey, Mr. Parker, you want your usual?"

"Yes, please and could you add—"

"Pickles? And squish it flat?" Mr. Delmar laughs at Peter's small smile and nod. "We got you, kid. No worries. How's your aunt?"

"She's fine."

"And who is this?" Mr. Delmar says, turning his head slightly to face Harley who is taller than Peter but still seems to want to shrink and hide behind him.

"Oh!" says Peter, brightening up more. "This is my brother, Harley. Harley Keener."

"Tu hermano?" Delmar says thoughtfully, then he shrugs. "Nice to meet you, Harley. What can I get you?"

"Same as Pete, I guess," Harley says looking up at the board while rubbing the back of his neck. His accent feels thicker in the midst of all these New Yorkers. He scrunches up his nose and shakes his head. "No pickles."

"Oh! And we were wondering if you still had those spots open for after school help?" Peter says with a hopeful smile.

Mr. Delmar looks them both up and down as if appraising their skills without even having to see their skills, then nods decisively.

"Yeah, still need a couple of sandwich delivery runners. You boys up for it? It's not too hard."

"Whatever you need, sir," Harley says with a nod of his own. Mr. Delmar looks him over again before a smile raises the corner of his lips. He grabs the sandwiches and slides the bags across the counter. Peter goes to grab for cash out of his pocket but the man shakes his head.

"It's on the house."

"You're sure?" Peter looks sad to not be able to give back to a shop that's fighting it's way back because of him.

"Yeah, use it to have a good weekend. You both start Monday."

"Really?" Peter says excited. "Thanks so much Mr. Delmar!" And he still stuffs the ten dollars in the tip jar with a wicked grin. Harley snorts a laugh as Peter jogs back to the door

"Thank you, sir." Harley says quietly turning to face the man properly.

"Welcome to New York, Mr. Keener. Now go get Parker before he breaks my window again!" Delmar says, raising his voice for Peter to hear the end of it.

"I was 7 and it was an accident! I didn't know a bike could do that much damage."

"It was nice to meet you, Mr. Delmar." Harley says before going over to where Peter is pouting and dragging him from the building.

When they're a bit down the block Peter lets out a puff of air.

"I wish he wouldn't do that."

"Do what?"

"I think he figured out I'm Spiderman," Peter says, but that doesn't seem to be the part that has him bummed out. "Ever since I saved him from the fire, he won't let me pay for anything. But it's my fault his shop got destroyed in the first place."

"You want Dad to make an anonymous donation?"

"You think he would do that for me? It's just— I know it's not like super important or anything and I mean—" He stops talking when he notices Harley has stopped walking next to him and is standing on the sidewalk gaping at him. "What?"