"Stop it! Give them back!" Peter laughed, reaching for his web shooters.
"No can do, Darlin'. You can't go on patrol until you admit you cheated at Mario Kart." Harley held them high over his head, and with Peter being so much shorter, it worked.
"I didn't cheat! You just weren't ready when I unpaused it, which is your own fault."
"I wasn't even in the room! That's not fair."
Peter huffed and with astonishing speed, climbed up the wall and jumped down from above, grabbing the web shooters out of his hand.
"That's not fair, either!" Harley complained, chasing him to get them back. Peter's phone rang, but he ignored it. It could wait.
"You being taller isn't fair, I'm just using my resources," Peter laughed, climbing onto the ceiling.
"You know what..." Harley mumbled, going into the kitchen for a moment before returning with the newest version of his potato gun. "Who cares about fair?"
He started shooting potatoes at him from across the room. Peter crawled away and it was fun until Harley almost knocked him off the roof and Steve told them to knock it off.
Laughing, Peter gave in as he dropped back down to the ground. "Fine, I'm not going. But I didn't cheat either."
The phone rang a second time and Peter picked it up, sighing when he saw the caller ID. "I'll be back." Better to deal with it now. He left to go to his room.
Dread built up listening to the phone ring. He didn't want to talk to Nico at all right now, much less about what had happened last time they were together and all their problems.
Taking a breath, he pushed all other thoughts away as he sat and answered. Spider-Man didn't run away from his problems, even if that was all he wanted to do.
"Hello?"
"Hey, baby. I wanted to say I'm sorry about what happened, really. I was just really mad about you blowing me off and I know I should've controlled my temper better."
Peter fell back on his bed, laying to stare at the ceiling. "Yeah," he agreed, trying not to sound bitter.
"It's just really hard for me without my parents around and stuff, I just struggle with it sometimes."
Peter took a deep breath. "I know, Nico. That doesn't make it any better though."
"Could I make it up to you with a movie? And I can buy it all and we can go to dinner and my place after if you want?" He sounded genuine, but so had he before.
"I... I don't know. We've been fighting a lot recently and I don't like to be around you when you get like that. It scares me, Nico, and it hurts."
"I'm sorry, Peter. You know I love you, really, I never want to hurt you. You just make me so angry sometimes. If you'd just listen to me it would help."
"I know," Peter sighed. That was true enough, wasn't it? He always had a problem doing what he was told. "Even if you're right, it doesn't change it though. You promised it wouldn't happen again. You... you promised."
Nico sighed on the other end, followed by a short pause before he answered, the warmth in his voice starting to retreat. "I'm sorry. Another chance is all I'm asking for, babe. If you just help me, it'll be fine, okay?"
"I don't know, Nico. It feels like you're not even trying to be better. I don't like fighting with you and that's all we ever do."
Another short pause, this one more tense. "Are you serious, Peter? I'm trying to reach out and do something nice for you. I've apologized over and over, and you're saying I'm the problem? Can you just stop for a minute and just think about how hard this is for me?"
Peter rolled over, shutting his eyes. "Look, I already have plans tonight to hang out at the tower." He knew talking to Nico would be hard, but this felt like walking through a foot of mud, each foot getting heavier and draggin farther behind.
He heard Nico groan over the phone. "Don't tell me, with Harley?"
"No, actually." They had planned to play video games later, but Nico didn't need to know that. Peter couldn't be bothered to start that argument right now; not with the thinly concealed annoyance lying just under his voice.
"Good. I don't like you hanging out with him. I swear, Peter, I don't ask that much of you, really. This is what I mean; as my boyfriend, you could at least try to help me out and just get rid of him."
Peter huffed and rolled over. "I told you I'm not hanging out with him. I have to go," he finally said, hanging up the phone without another word.
He rolled out of bed and stood up, stretching to go find Harley. What Nico didn't know wouldn't kill him.
That didn't make hanging out with Harley much better. After his friend's confrontation about him liking Harley—which, for the record, he did not—Peter felt awkward about it. He was fairly certain that it was one-sided though.
But also, while he may not agree with Nico, he still felt weird about doing exactly what Nico asked him not to do. It all confused him so much. Nico had hurt him but Peter loved him. Loved him so much. Really, telling him not to hang out with Harley wasn't even that big of an ask. It was reasonable when he thought about it. If his friends thought that he liked Harley, it was probably fair.
Still, as guilty as the thought made him, he couldn't help but think that Nico seemed controlling sometimes. Even if it made him guilty to think of his boyfriend that way, it was what he felt and he couldn't change it.
Peter couldn't imagine not having him, though. Sure, they fought more than their fair share, but there were too many good times to just throw it all away. And if Nico was sorry and said he was trying, how could Peter blame him, even if it hurt?
Maybe he wasn't as good at hiding it as he thought, though. "You alright, Peter? You seem a 'lil lost there."
"Yup," he said, flashing a smile at Harley. "All good."
Harley looked at him long enough that Peter broke eye contact and shifted. "No, seriously."
They were alone in the lab. Tony had left to visit the compound for the night and it was unlikely anyone else would come down. It had been fairly quiet up until this point, but not at all bad.
Harley moved to face Peter, who was sitting on the desk. Peter considered not telling him, really. It would do no good telling him, there was no reason to. But it was so hard to lie to him, with his unrelenting stare and confident posture. There was no convincing lie he could spin with Harley watching him.
"Nico, uh..." he took a breath, looking up at Harley. "He doesn't want me to hang out with you. Well, he hasn't for a while, but..." he trailed off, leaving it unsaid that he'd brought it up again.
Harley just nodded as though he'd expected it. "Why? Does he have a good reason?"
"I mean... I guess? I dunno, I think he's wrong but—"
"No buts. If you don't agree, it's probably not a good reason. It's not fair, like I told you before. He can't tell you who you're allowed to hang out with."
Peter sighed, avoiding his gaze. "It's not like that. He's just..." he faltered, trying to think of what to say, before just grumbling, "It's fine."
Harley stared at him for a moment, before leaning up against the wall across from where he sat, crossing his arms. "I wanna talk to you about Nico." Peter started to protest, but Harley got there first. "I told you we weren't done talking about this. You can't just leave it like that."
Huffing, Peter figured he wasn't getting out of it, so he gave in. "Fine. What is it?"
"Peter..." he looked down, brushing a hand through his hair. He looked conflicted for a moment before huffing and meeting his eyes again. "I'm not gonna beat around the bush here. He seems like a bad guy to me. And I know he doesn't treat you right."
Peter wasn't typically quick to anger, but something about what he said made him bristle. "That's not true. He's usually really sweet. We just argue sometimes and I called you at a bad time yesterday."
"That's not just a bad time, Peter. Y'all aren't supposed to be arguing that much, anyway, and not nearly so bad."
"It's not that bad. You're making it out to be worse than it is. And honestly, Harley, it isn't really any of your business." Peter stood up to leave, but Harley quickly stepped in front of him.
Harley frowned, eyebrows pinching. "I know. But we're friends, at least and I don't want you staying with some asshole."
"He's not just some asshole," he said defensively.
"Really? 'Cause he seems like one to me. From what I know he's self-centered, arrogant, and plain mean. I mean, really, there's no excuse for him laying a hand on you."
"You just want me to break up with him because you don't like him, none of you do! It's stupid and he loves me."
"I'm sorry to be the one to tell you, but no he doesn't," Harley told him harshly. "You know why, because that's not how you treat someone you love. I mean, come on Peter, how can you not see it?"
Peter felt a flash of hurt, but it was quickly overtaken by anger. "Stop saying that! He doesn't treat me badly and who's the one insulting me right now anyway?" he huffed, storming out.
He headed down to the training room. Natasha and Bucky were down there, but something in his expression—or the way he almost immediately started pummeling a punching bag—must've told them not to talk to him. No doubt he'd hear from Natasha about it sooner or later, though.
What right did Harley have to doubt Nico? What right did he have to question his relationship? He hardly knew anything about Nico or their relationship. Nico didn't treat him badly, they just argued sometimes. That's all it was. Nico loved him and it would stay that way, whether Harley liked it or not.
––🕷––
"I know, May. I just... I didn't realize how much it sucked before."
"I'm sorry, Pete. Maybe I can help if you tell me what you two were arguing about?" May suggested.
Peter hesitated. He really did want May's advice on what to do with Harley. Before, when they didn't get along, it wasn't at all like it is now. The last few days have sucked without talking to Harley.
Well, Harley had tried to talk to him a couple of times. Peter was still hurt though, and after he'd ignored him, Harley stopped trying.
But he didn't want to tell May about the argument. Then, he'd have to explain everything that'd been going on with Nico and it seemed like too much for now. "It's complicated. He was just worried about me but what he said hurt."
"I know, and that's okay. But if you don't want to argue with him anymore, then you can always confront him about it and see what he thinks."
Peter had a feeling though that talking to him about it would just lead to the same fight. He sighed. "I'll think about it. Thanks, May."
"Of course, sweetheart. I have to go, my shift starts soon, but call me if you need anything, okay? And keep me updated."
"Yeah, I will. Bye, love you, May."
"Bye, be safe! Love you!"
Sighing, he stood up. It was almost noon, he was supposed to meet Nico soon, so he got ready and left.
Nico had apologized again and they'd hung out since, which went well. That didn't mean Peter wasn't apprehensive about it. He seemed to be in a good mood though when Peter had texted him.
He quickly got ready, telling Tony he was leaving, and left, starting the walk to the food place. It wasn't too far, just a couple miles away on the corner, a cute little cafe.
Nico still wouldn't be there for another ten minutes, so he got a drink and sat down outside to wait.
"Peter!" a voice called, getting his attention. He turned, but stopped in shock. Rather than seeing Nico waiting for him, it was Harley, walking up. Barley was supposed to be at the tower though, not here. Definitely not now.
"Hey, I wanted to apologize for fighting with you the other day. Whether I was right or not doesn't matter, I just—"
"How'd you know I was here?" Peter quickly cut him off, glancing around anxious.
Harley's eyebrows furrowed. "Tony said you were coming here. Look, what I mean is that I just went the wrong way about saying everything. I was too harsh and it really wasn't—"
"That's great, Harley. Thank you, but you have to go now," Peter rushed out, standing up.
"What, why?" Confusion took over his face. "If you don't want to forgive me yet, you don't have to, I just felt bad about it."
Peter glanced at his phone. Nico would be here any minute and while they weren't doing anything wrong, it wasn't a good look for him to see Peter with Harley.
"No, I do forgive you. We can talk about it later though, you have to go now."
"Peter, why? You're not making any sense."
"Because—" and before he could finish, Nico pulled up and parked. Peter groaned while Nico got out.
"Peter, what the hell is this?" Nico asked him, walking over. "I thought you said you didn't hang out with him anymore?"
"I know, Nico," Peter sighed, turning to look at him. "I'm not—this isn't what it looks like, okay? Let's just go and I can explain."
"No, this is bullshit. You've been, what, hiding this from me or something? And have the audacity to be with him right before I pick you up? Jesus, Peter," he snapped.
Then, Harley spoke up, a hardness Peter hadn't heard in his voice before. "You should go."
"Oh, you think I should go? I wanna know what the fuck you were doing with my boyfriend?" Nico growled, stepping up to him.
Quickly, Peter got in between them, putting a hand on Nico's chest. "Stop, both of you." He looked over at Harley. "We're leaving. Go home, I'll talk to you later."
With that, Peter grabbed Nico's arm and dragged him to the car, getting in on the other side.
"Why the hell were you with him?" Nico said once they were finally driving. Peter looked back in the rearview mirror to see Harley still standing there, watching the car drive away.
"I wasn't, I was just—"
"The hell, you weren't! Do you think I'm blind? You were right there with him even knowing I was about to get you and I don't like him!"
"It wasn't like that, Nico!" he told him, frustrated. "All it was is that I got there early and—"
"You know," he continued as though he couldn't even hear Peter. "That's literally the only thing I've asked you to do is not hang out with him."
"I'm trying to tell you, I wasn't! He followed me there! I didn't know he was going to!"
"And why'd he follow you?"
It was to apologize, but if he told Nico that then he would know that they've still been hanging out. He must have hesitated a second too long because Nico started again. "All you do is lie to me, Peter! And what was that about talking to him later?"
The drive was short, Nico only lived a few miles from the cafe. Soon enough, they were pulling up to his house to walk in. There was a pit in his stomach at it.
"Nico," he groaned, trying not to let frustration creep into his voice. "I live with him, I can't really avoid talking to him."
"You used to do it just fine! You used to hate each other, so what changed?" he yelled, throwing out his arms.
"You made me not talk to him, you made him hate me! And we live together, so it was never going to last forever!"
"So it's my fault again, isn't it?"
"Maybe it is, this time, Nico! Maybe you're the one overreacting!" Nico pushed him, but he didn't stop. "It's not a big deal and you're making it one! Maybe, you could just trust me once in a while!"
"Shut up! Do you know how hard you make it to trust you?" he bellowed.
It was all a blur of yelling and arguing and fighting and pain and Peter might've tried to defend himself, but there wasn't much he could do without hurting Nico. It was a red, hazy blur until Nico yelled at him to get out and he listened.
His nose and mouth were bleeding and he could feel bruises forming. His head felt hot and was spinning and every breath he took hurt.
After a few minutes, he sat down in an alley. He might've blacked out for a moment or two, which should've scared him but it didn't. At least his head wasn't spinning so much, even if it felt too hot.
He got up, ribs aching, and walked over to a gas station a couple blocks away. He tried to keep his head down, considering the dried blood and bruising. When he got to the bathroom and looked up, he saw his face was all red and bloody.
Cleaning up a little, it didn't look like there was any real damage to his nose or teeth. There was only a shallow cut on his cheek amongst the red spots, soon to turn bruises. It didn't look too bad though, as long as no one looked for too long.
His head was pounding when he finally got back to the tower. Somehow, he got lucky enough that no one saw him before he got to his room and collapsed on his bed. He groaned at the pain in his ribs and rolled over to his back instead.
It wasn't long before Tony was knocking on his door. "Hey, kid, I didn't see you come in. You wanna come down to the lab for a bit?"
"I, uh, not today Tony. I had a late patrol last night, I'm tired. And I have a headache."
"You want me to get you water or anything?"
"No, I'm good. Thanks."
He heard Tony walk away. Vaguely, he could hear Natasha talk to Tony too and might've heard his name come up, but it wasn't long before sleep took him and he didn't hear another word.