Alrighty here's the next part! I already have part five written, but I'm going to wait until tomorrow to publish it. I hope you all like this. If not...*shrugs* oh well.

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*Three weeks Later*

  Peter adjusts his backpack on his shoulder as he walks through the halls. Harley had wandered off when they first walked into school to find Flash. Peter shudders at the thought. He didn’t want to take this friendship from Harley, so Peter had tried to stay away from the both of them. At least when they were together.

Harley had no idea Flash was Peter’s bully.

Flash had no idea Harley was Peter’s brother. 

And Peter wanted to keep it that way. Harley had questioned Peter to death every time Peter showed up with a black eye or a busted lip, but Peter never spoke up. As much as Peter disliked Flash, Harley seemed to think he was cool and Peter didn’t want to ruin that. Today was one of those days, and Harley was talking non-stop about his friend and what a great person he was. 

“So Flash is throwing a Party Saturday…” Harley spoke up. They were all at the table eating dinner. Most of the team was on a mission, so Tonight it was Tony, Pepper, Peter, and Harley. 

“What about it?” Pepper asks.

“Well he invited me, and I was wondering if I could go.” Peter just sat there in silence. Of course Peter hadn’t been invited, not that he minded. It meant he could spend more time in the lab with his dad.

The only problem was, Peter never saw Harley anymore. He usually had plans afterschool and had canceled more lab sessions then Peter would’ve liked. 

“Wait, this Saturday?” Peter asks when he realizes.

“Yeah this Saturday.” Harley replies, completely indifferent. 

“You promised we’d finish building my replica of R2D2 for the science fair this Saturday.” Peter quietly reminds him, both hope and sadness in his voice. Either Harley had forgotten or had decided to cancel the plans.

“I know.” Harley replies hesitantly. So he hadn’t forgotten. “But I was thinking we could push that to next Saturday.” Peter doesn’t reply immediately. He considers reminding Harley that the Science fair is on Monday, and that he was counting on Harley’s help to get it done in time. 

“I guess that’s fine…” Peter finally responds, trying to keep any emotion from his voice. He turns to Pepper.

“Mom, can I be excused?”

Pepper looks at Peter’s plate, which had barely been touched. Pepper, Natasha, and Tony all knew something was wrong. They’d noticed it over the past three weeks, but had decided that Peter would tell them when he was ready.

“Yeah go ahead Peter.” Pepper replies. He mumbles a quiet thank you before standing to his feet and retreating to the lab. The rest of the family sits in awkward silence until the other teen speaks up.

“So about the party…” Harley mentions again.

“You can’t go.” Tony says, not hesitating. 

“What?! Why not?!” 

“You promised Peter you’d help him with his project.” Pepper replies, an authoratative tone in her voice. 

“But-”

“A promise is a promise Harley.” Tony adds. “Tell your friend you can’t go. And go apologize to Peter for trying to cancel the plans.”

Harley let’s out an aggravated sigh before getting up from the table and following his little brother down to lab. When he gets there he sees Peter tinkering with his science project. 

“Hey Pete.” Harley says, shoving his hands in his pockets. 

“Hey.” Peter replies, not looking up from what he’s doing. 

“I’m not going to the Party.” Peter finally looks up, hope in his eyes.

“Really? Why?”

“I was talking to Mom and Dad. I shouldn’t have backed out of my promise, and I wanted to say that I’m sorry.” Peter’s smile is the brightest Harley has seen in weeks, and it makes him smile too.

His smile grows when Peter jumps up and runs over, hugging his older brother. Things seemed great, but neither knew things were about to go into a downward spiral. 

----

*At school the next day*

    Peter was walking through the halls of Midtown, looking for his older brother. As far as Peter knew, Flash was absent today. If he was here, than Peter had magically managed to avoid him. Peter’s about to turn the corner and into the lunch room when he hears it. His enhanced hearing picks up the entire conversation.

“What do you mean you can’t come on Saturday?” Flash’s voice asks.

“I mean, my parents won’t let me go. I have to stay home with my kid brother.” That voice is one Peter instantly recognized, and the annoyance in it is enough to make Peter’s chest hurt.

“Just sneak out. They’ll never know. Besides, why would you want to spend your Saturday with him?”

“Apparently we are supposed to be working on his science project.” 

“Lame. He sounds like a serious Loser. He’s weighing you down.” Peter halfway expects Harley to stand up for him. To say something like ‘Don’t talk about him that way’. But that’s not what happens. Harley’s next words are enough to break Peter’s heart.

“You’re right. Every time I tell him I’ve made plans he looks at me like I’m the worst brother in the world.”

“Wow. That’s just pathetic.” Flash says with a laugh. Peter doesn’t stick around for the rest of the conversation. Instead he turns on his heel and leaves, walking straight down the hallway and through the front doors. Peter’s not one for skipping class, knowing that his Dad would seriously disapprove. But today Peter didn’t care. 

Peter runs out onto the street and into the nearest alley way before changing into his Spiderman suit. Moments later he’s on the roof of some apartment building, his legs dangling off the edge as he thinks about what Harley said. 

Harley sees him as Dead weight?

Is Peter really holding him back? 

When Harley had said he would work in the lab with him, Peter thought it was because he genuinely wanted too. But he was wrong. Just then KAREN speaks up.

“Incoming call from Uncle Happy.”

“Go ahead and answer it Karen.” Suddenly Happy’s voice is there instead of Karen's.

“Hey Peter.”

“Hey uncle Happy.”

“You’re not in school. Care to tell me why?”

“Wasn’t feeling up to it I guess. A rough day.” Peter pauses. “Does Dad know I skipped?”

“No. He’s in a meeting and I figured I might as well check up on you. You feeling okay?”

“Yeah. I’ll be fine. I might patrol for the rest of the day though. I feel like being alone right now if that’s okay.”

“Yeah that’s fine. I’ll see you later Pete.”

“Happy wait.”

“Yeah?”

“Don’t tell Dad.”

“You know he’s going to find out anyway.” Peter sighs.

“I know.”

Later that evening Peter swings home and comes through the window to his room. When he turns on the lights he sees Tony sitting on the bed, a worried look on his face. 

“Hey Dad.” Peter says quietly.

“What were you thinking? First you skip school and then you stay who knows where all day.”

“You knew where I was. You always know where I am.”

“That’s not the point!” Tony stands to his feet. “We were worried sick! You didn’t even call! Do you have any idea what time it is??” 

Peter had guessed it was around 8:00, but when he looked at his alarm clock, it read 11:30 pm. Oh Fluff was he in trouble.

“I’m sorry-”

“You’re grounded. No patrol for a week.” Tony says, making Peter’s already horrible day worse. “Get changed and than bring me your suit.” Tony leaves the room, leaving Peter alone and upset. 

Peter’s sentence is carried out, and there’s no patrol for a week. It seemed like the longest week ever, but eventually Saturday rolls around. Peter had been avoiding Harley, after what he had heard. But today was when they would be working on the project. 

Peter’s waiting in the lab when Harley comes down the steps.

“Hey Peter! You ready to get started?” Harley asks, excitement in his voice. Or, fake excitement. Peter doesn’t miss the hint of annoyance. Harley’s words from days before echo in Peter’s mind, and this is what dictates his response.

“You can go to the party Harley.” Peter says quietly. So quietly that Harley almost misses it.

“What?”

“Go ahead and go to your party. I’ll tell Dad that I sent you out for parts or something.” Peter says, an emotion in his voice. Anger maybe…?

“Whoa. Jealous much?” Harley asks. That’s what it was. Jealousy. Peter was hurt, and he was jealous. But more importantly, he was heartbroken. 

“I’m not jealous. I just don’t want to hold you back. I can tell you’d rather be there, so go ahead.” Peter never makes eye contact. He just focuses on the project. Harley stands there in shocked silence for a moment. 

“Hold me back?” Harley asks. 

“Yeah. I don’t want to weigh you down.” Suddenly it clicks in Harley’s mind. 

“How much did you hear?” Harley asks. Suddenly he’s the quiet one.

“Enough.” Now Peter’s angry. This goes beyond jealousy, beyond hurt, beyond disappointment. 

“Oh come on Peter. You can’t be angry with me over one little conversation-”

Peter slams the screwdriver he was using down on the table before standing. 

“Actually, yes I can. Do you know how much that hurt? Hearing my own brother say things like that?”

“You’re just jealous!” Harley fires back.

“I’m not jealous!” Peter yells.

“Yes you are! You’re jealous because I actually have friends! I have people that invite me places and want to talk to me!” Peter steps back as if he’s been hit.

He knows that Harley’s words are in anger. Not only with Peter but with himself. He knows Harley doesn’t mean it. But at the moment, he’s too hurt to care. 

Peter steps up to Harley before shoving him backward. Not enough to hurt him or make him fall, just enough to try and get his point across. However, this does nothing but make the older boy more angry than before.

Harley shoves him back, only with a little more force than Peter did, causing Peter to stumble backward a bit. Things escalate, and soon the two are in a shoving match, yelling accusations at one another. 

Suddenly Harley shoves Peter a bit too hard, knocking Peter into the table and to the ground. The force sends Peter’s project over the edge. All his hard work falls and hits the concrete floor, breaking into dozens of little pieces. Peter looks up and just for a moment he doesn’t see his brother. He sees Flash.

 The teen sees looks up at his older brother, who is standing with a guily look on his face. Peter stands to his feet, quickly turning to Harley. 

“You are unbelievable.” Peter says, shaking his head.

“Peter listen, I'm sorry-”

“Are you kidding? You think saying sorry is enough? You didn’t stand up for me Harley. You didn’t defend me when Flash said those things! YOU LET YOUR BEST FRIEND USE YOUR LITTLE BROTHER AS A PUNCHING BAG!!” Peter screams that last sentence, tired of holding it back. 

Peter can feel the tears streaming down his face, but he doesn’t bother to wipe them away. He just lets them fall as he turns to leave, only now realizing they have an audience. Pepper and Tony stand in the doorway, looking at the two boys and the mess they’ve made. Peter doesn’t say anything to either of them as he runs to his room, both his project and his heart broken

***********

So there it is! I hope you like it, as angsty as it may be. Part 5 coming tomorrow!

I larb you all 3000,

Nat