Harry Osborn, son of the Norman Osborn. He was to take over Oscorp. He's a genius and everything anyone could possibly expect and want. Charming and charismatic, stunning and well-spoken. He's endearing beyond words. It's hard for anyone to not be drawn into him so Ajax found herself a little surprised he actually found himself sitting beside her and asking her to get a coffee. There were plenty of other girls at the school who actually knew his face but he picked Ajax.

"Well, I've gotta head out, some last minute break projects need my attention. But I'll see you around." Harry gives a side smile to Ajax.

"Yeah, I'll be around." Ajax smiles back as Harry gets up, a soft pep in his step.

Ajax's smile dropped when she looked in front of her to see Peter looking over his shoulder, a scowl etched on his face. She rolled her eyes as she gathered her things. Ajax hoped that nearly a month would get Peter to shake her but that apparently was not in her cards. He's a spider not a parasite. He's supposed to be easier to shake.

"Peter?" Gwen says, pulling Peter's attention back.

"Huh? Sorry." Peter shakes his head as he licks his lips. "W-what were you saying?" He tries to shake his annoyance as he puts on an innocent facade.

Gwen looks to Ned who just shrugs. "She's over you." Gwen says coldly.

"What?" Peter's eyes bulge by Gwen's blunt comment.

"She's over you. She tells me things."

"T-that's not it." Peter shakes his head as Ajax starts to walk in front of his table to exit the cafeteria. "I-I don't...I don't like her. It's nothing. I gotta go. I'll be back." Peter says in a quick breath as he grabs his bag and follows Ajax.

Ajax was only getting up to shake Peter. Her class was closer to the cafeteria than her locker was but she couldn't stand Peter's glare, not when they had the following class together and he'd probably be holding the same one all class period. She knew he was eavesdropping. All she wanted to do was get out of the cafeteria and away from him, away so he wouldn't ruin her nice mood that was brought on by Harry. But, that wasn't going to happen. She could hear Peter's footsteps and feel him behind her.  

"Can I help you, Parker?" Ajax asks as she feels Peter coming up closer behind her.

"You can't go with him." Peter says.

Ajax turns around quickly, glaring at Peter. "Pretty sure I can. But that's none of your business." Ajax looks around the empty hallway, making sure no one could hear her. "Keep your super senses to yourself."

"I-I can't help it." Peter says through gritted teeth.

"Find a way." Ajax rolls her eyes and turning back around, starting her way down the hall again.

"You can't, please." Peter pleads as he trails behind her.

"Why?" Ajax asks, not stopping.

"Because." Peter whisper-yells.

"That's not a reason. We aren't friends. You don't control me."

"AJ." Peter says as he moves to the side of her. "You have to listen to me."

"Nope. I don't listen to anyone." Ajax squints one eye as she scrunches her face.

Peter looks up to the ceiling as if asking for help from a higher power. "You don't know-"

"Fucking hell." Ajax groans as she grabs Peter by the collar of his shirt and shoves him against the wall. "I don't know what he's capable of, right? That's what you were gonna say?"

"Uh, y-yeah." Peter nods. "But, there's more." Peter says quietly as his eyes are drawn to a wandering student. Peter smiles at them and Ajax releases him.

"Trust me, I know what I'm doing." Ajax says once the student is out of ear-shot.

"You don't." Peter shakes his head, still trying to figure out how you knew what he was going to say.

"Why doesn't anyone have any confidence that I actually know what the hell is ever going on?"

Peter bites the inside of his cheek, wanting to fight back against Ajax. He didn't realize he was still hurt by everything. It didn't directly affect him but there was something with the murders that he couldn't quite shake and the fact she used them to distance him from her. It was painful. The second Peter got too close, she used it against him. It's her ammo. It fucking hurt and he was still angry.

"Y-you're selfish. That, that's why." Peter shrugs.

Ajax gives him a sinister smile. "There's a backbone." Sarcasm laced her words. "Yeah, I am. I'm looking out for myself as usual. So, why don't you go back to Gwen and Ned and look out for them."

Peter's brows furrow, his bones aching with hints of fear. Her smile was a bit creepy and didn't quite fit the mood. Had he called her selfish before, she would have snapped. Ajax would have exploded and went for his jugular but, she agreed. There was something going on in her head and it involved Harry. Peter wasn't sure if he was more afraid for her or what was to come. Regardless, he knew no good come from the two of them even spending one afternoon together.

"I'll, uh, I'll tell him you're living with Mr. Stark."

"So?" Ajax crosses her arms.

Peter shakes his head in confusion. "You...you don't want people knowing...?"

"Yeah, I didn't." Ajax shrugs. "But, uh, if I remember correctly, Norman Osborn is dead. So Harry gets the whole dead parent thing. Harry is probably taking over Oscorp. If anyone is gonna get living with Tony, it's him. So, in a way, it's a good thing. Plus, I'm stuck living with him so it's kind of only a matter of time before everyone finds out anyway."

Peter scours his brain for any leverage he can but that's the thing about Ajax. If she doesn't want you to know something, she won't let you have any idea. She won't let anyone get any leverage. That's her job. She stays a minimum of three steps ahead of everyone at all times. It's her rule. Whatever Peter is gonna pull to try and convince her to stay away from Harry, she has a counter-argument ready to fire.

"You don't even know him and you're just gonna let him in." Peter's voice starts to rise and fill with betrayal. "I tried all the time and you always brushed me off. I tried to help and you...you screwed me. But, you're okay with Harry?"

"As you said, selfish." Ajax's face holds no emotion with her words. Ajax notices Gwen at the end of the hall. "Gwen's waiting for you."

Peter looks to her and his cheeks tint a shade of pink. "If-if you're gonna hang out with him or whatever, maybe you shouldn't be around Gwen."

The corner of Ajax's mouth tugs into a smile, one Peter hasn't seen before. "She likes you and you like her. Get me out of your head and do something about it."

"What?" Peter's head snaps back to Ajax.

"I'll stay away, for the sake of Gwen, not you. But, for the record, it's coffee." Ajax nods at Peter before looking to Gwen and sending her a kind smile. "Watch yourself, Parker." Ajax whispers as she makes her way away from Peter.

Peter watches Ajax walk away and he doesn't know what to do or how to feel. He's exhausted. Ajax is exhausting even when they're not talking. But, Peter knows way more about the Osborn's than he's willing to admit and quite possibly the only person Peter could actually talk to about it, would be Ajax and now she's going out for coffee with Harry.

The thing with the Osborn's and Peter was that, like Ajax and her destruction, Peter didn't like to talk about it. It's a dark time and it was terrifying and people died. That's how it went and Peter kicks himself every single day for it. Every day he looks at Gwen and he sees her dad in her and he kicks himself. Harry is another reminder and he's no good. It's in the way he speaks, the way he holds himself, the way the hairs on Peter's arms stick up when he's around. The Osborn's are no good and Ajax is putting herself right in the crossfire.

Could Peter tell Ajax everything that happened with Norman? Absolutely but he knows Ajax well enough to know she's stubborn and won't listen to him. She will still go with Harry over the weekend and she will continue to say she can handle herself. At the end of the day, it's coffee and Peter isn't Ajax's protector. He's Gwen's.

"Is everything okay?" Gwen asks when Peter walks back to her.

"Y-yeah." Peter nods, giving Gwen a fake smile while his hands start to grow clammy.

"She seems pretty mad at you." Gwen teases as the bell goes off.

"It's nothing." Peter shakes his head and his heart skips a beat.

"Okay." Gwen nods, accepting his answer with a soft smile. A safe smile. "We still on after school?" Gwen asks as they reach the lunch table so Gwen could get her things, Ned packing up his things.

"Of course." Ned smile wide.

"Yeah." Peter says. "Yeah, of course."

"Don't be late, Peter." Gwen teases as she finishes putting her things in her bag and heading off with a crowd of students.

"Hey, uh, you don't know if Gwen..." Peter leans to Ned as they start walking. "Ya know...?"

Ned watches Peter's flustered state for a few seconds until he grasps what Peter was trying to ask. "Yeah, dude. Pretty sure everyone in school can see that. Good to know you've caught on, finally." Peter's eyes fall distant and Ned can't help but notice. "Why?"

"Ajax...she told me." Peter bites his lip.

"Well, you're not subtle either, man. Dude, if Ajax is out of the picture, why don't you go with it now? She's the one picking you up after all this shit." Ned tries to reason.

"Yeah." Peter responds.

Peter gains and uncontrollable smile with Ned's confirmation. Before Ajax came into the picture, it was always Gwen. But, it was the whole she's his best friend and he doesn't want to ruin everything and then everything with her dad. It was messy but now, now everything is messy even when it's not supposed to be. Ajax is back out of the picture and she's playing with fire, literally and figuratively. Maybe, it's best for Peter to feel out the water for Gwen. It's his best bet at keeping her safe, at least in Peter's mind. Spend more time with her, that's more time he'll be there if something goes wrong.

It was something with the way Ajax told him to watch himself. There was venom in her words and he had to be on guard with his friends and himself. But, Ajax was closest to Gwen so he needed to be closer to her. He didn't trust her to not follow where he was sure Harry was headed.

So, after school, it was time for Peter to meet up outside with Ned and Gwen. The three of them walk to Peter's house, ready to study for their finals they'd be taking on Friday. Peter felt more nervous around Gwen, like he had before her dad and before Ajax. It was like this crush was completely reignited and a bit of him felt a little guilty for it. He does still have feelings for Ajax and there's danger lurking but Gwen is the sun and she's calm and happy. No deep and dark and twisty secrets.

  And she makes him so fucking happy without hurting him first.  

Gwen laughs and Peter starts finding it easier to push the thought of Ajax away, the thought of Harry away. Everything. He's letting himself fall into Gwen. He's letting himself fall even though his bones are screaming at him, screaming that it's a disaster waiting to happen. But, Peter never was a very good listener.

  Maybe that's why it's not supposed to be him and Gwen.