request by Starwars_Rules12 (Wattpad)
Disclaimer: I don't own Marvel.
3rd Person P.O.V.
"I have a feeling you're gonna like the surprise I have planned!" Harley exclaimed, watching Peter tie up the laces on his winter boots. The brunette was struggling to reach his feet, with all the layers he had on. "God, you look like a marshmallow. Let me help." The blond kneeled down to tie Peter's laces, while the smaller boy sighed.
"I can't thermoregulate, shut up," he pouted.
"I know darlin', I'm just messing with you," Harley chuckled, standing up. "All set. Ready to go?" He offered a hand, helping the smaller boy to his feet.
"Thanks," he mumbled. They walked down the street, Harley leading Peter to a nearly deserted lake, frozen over with a layer of thick ice. The pair had decided to spend a week up at one of Tony's houses, in the middle of buttfuck nowhere, New York. It was peaceful, however, and with the snow and ice the trees surrounding the property dangled perfect icicles.
"Why are we here? I don't think swimming is the best idea this time of year, Harls," Peter laughed.
"Nope... we're going ice skating!" Peter frowned.
"Uhhh, just one problem... we don't have ice skates." The southern boy held up a finger, grinning as he left to dig in the snow under a large tree. He pulled out two pairs of ice skates, hockey style. "What the fuck?"
"Surprise! I hid these out here when we first got here. Remember when you took a nap? I went out walking, found this place and figured maybe we should try ice skating," Harley explained. Peter was still dumbfounded, staring with confusion.
"Do you even know how to ice skate?" The brunette questioned. Harley shrugged.
"Well, sorta... I've been a couple times, it's not super hard to figure out." He sat down on a snowy log, switching his snow boots for the skates. "Can you skate?"
"I've been skating too, it's just, ah," the smaller boy frowned. "I'm not very good." Harley smiled, patting the space next to him on the log.
"Well, I can help you. C'mon, I can help tie your laces up," he offered. Peter smiled, brushing the snow off the log before sitting down. Harley switched his boots for skates, lacing them up nicely. "Alright, ready?" The blond helped Peter up, balancing on the blades of his skates.
"Woah!" the smaller boy wobbled, holding Harley's hands for support. "Harls... you sure about this?"
"I'm sure darlin', it'll be easier after you get used to balancing, okay? Plus I'll be here with you the whole time. You can do it, I promise," he encouraged. The southern boy led Peter out onto the ice, holding him up. "Just swipe your feet from side to side, like this." He let go of Peter, skating in a small loop before hearing the thump of his boyfriend hitting the ice.
"Ow..." Peter mumbled, accepting Harley's hand as he was pulled back to his feet.
"C'mon, I can hold you, but you have to skate, okay?"
"Fine." Harley stood beside the brunette, an arm wrapped around his back and the other arm held out in front of Peter cautiously. They glided across the ice together, the smaller boy getting the hang of it. Harley stopped, letting him go on his own.
"Oh my god, Harls!" Peter screeched, skating alone.
"You're doing great, darlin', all by yourself." The blond skated alongside Peter, both boys grinning.
"Yeah... I am!" He laughed, grabbing Harley's hand as they skated together. After almost 20 minutes, Harley let go of Peter's hand, skating back to land.
"I'm gonna take a quick break, my ankles hurt. Will you be okay on your own for a few minutes?"
"Yeah, I think so," Peter shrugged, skating slowly in a circle. His skate caught on a bump in the ice, taking him down roughly. Harley stood up from his spot on the log, frowning.
"You okay?" He called.
"Yeah-" Peter moved to sit up, freezing in place when he heard a cracking noise. "Harley!" His breathing sped up, panic setting in.
"What is it?" The blond started to walk toward the ice, stopping when Peter let out a yell of protest.
"Harley... the ice..." The southern boy's expression turned to one of dread.
"Shit, don't move... what do I do?!" He exclaimed, scared for his boyfriend. Peter was on the verge of a panic attack, hearing the ice shift underneath him. He screamed, the ice collapsing. "PETER!" Harley saw the brunette fall under the ice, running towards him against his better judgment. Luckily, Peter hadn't sunk down too far, and there wasn't much of a current. Harley reached down into the freezing water, grabbing Peter's arm and pulling him up to the surface.
"No, no..." He scooped up the shivering, barely conscious boy, walking carefully across the ice and making a run for it when they hit land. It was lucky Harley had changed back to his snow boots, and he was able to carry Peter back to the cabin.
"Darlin', hey, please wake up for me, c'mon!" The blond was close to tears, hurriedly taking off Peter's soaked clothes and wrapping him in a bunch of fuzzy blankets. Harley took off some of his own clothes, damp from carrying Peter. He grabbed his phone, Googling what to do.
"Hold on, darlin'..." The southern boy ran upstairs to the bathtub, running a warm bath. He had to make sure it wasn't too hot, so he wouldn't cause any more problems. With the water running, Harley ran back downstairs, picking Peter up in his bundle of blankets and carrying him upstairs to the bathroom. The blankets were dropped to the floor, the unconscious boy gently placed in the warm water.
Not knowing what else he could do, Harley left to turn up the heat in the cabin, hoping it might make a difference. The water was still running, filling up the tub to cover more of Peter's body. Once it was at his collarbone, Harley turned it off, taking small handfuls of water and pouring them through the brunette's hair.
"Please wake up..." He whispered, voice breaking from tears. Peter wasn't in the lake for too long- only about 45 seconds- but it was a lot for the small boy to handle, especially since he couldn't thermoregulate. Harley sat by the tub, holding Peter's hand under the water.
After half an hour passed, Harley started to get more worried. He drained the tub, getting Peter out and drying him off quickly. He threw his warmest sweatshirt and comfy sweatpants on the smaller boy, bringing him to bed to cuddle. Harley hoped maybe his body heat could help, piling on blankets over them. The blond quickly found himself sweating, but didn't dare leave Peter's side. Instead, he cuddled in closer, trying to distribute his body heat to the smaller boy.
Tears slipped from his eyes, soft sobs racking his body. Harley was so scared, scared Peter would never wake up, scared he was going to have some permanent problem, scared that this was all his fault. He loved Peter more than anything, he was the boy he was planning on marrying someday. Harley cried into Peter's hair, damp with bathwater and now his tears.
"...Harls...?" A rough, scratchy voice spoke up. Harley sniffed, wiping his tears away.
"Peter?" The smaller boy moved slowly, turning to face his boyfriend.
"Why are you crying?" The brunette questioned, frowning. A shiver ran down his spine, cuddling in closer.
"You're okay?" Harley wondered, eyes wide. He let out a shaky laugh, hugging Peter tightly. "I thought you were going to die," he murmured, a few more tears slipping from his eyes.
"I'm not- I'm alive?" Peter stated, shivering. "I'm cold." The southern boy let out a cry, nodding.
"I know darlin', I know." He got up out of bed, going to run another bath, a little warmer this time. He carried an exhausted Peter back to the tub, taking off his cozy clothes and getting him back in warm water.
"Ohhh..." Peter sighed, closing his eyes contently. Harley frowned, slapping the brunette's cheek gently.
"No, no, stay awake. I'm gonna take your temperature, I'm sure there's a thermometer somewhere..." He pulled one from a drawer, nodding. "Open up, and keep it under your tongue," Harley instructed. When it beeped, he took it back and read the numbers.
"Am I sick?" Peter wondered, concerning Harley even further.
"No, darlin', you fell through the ice, remember?" The smaller boy frowned, confused.
"I did?"
"You did. And your temperature is still really low, 96.1°F." Peter turned to look at the wall, frowning.
"Oh..." They sat in silence for a while, Peter in the water and Harley keeping a watchful eye on him. After 15 minutes of silence, the brunette finally looked back at Harley, eyes cast downward.
"Are you mad at me?" He questioned. Harley looked up with a frown.
"Why would I be mad at you?" Peter kept avoiding eye contact, fidgeting with his hands.
"Cause I ruined our vacation..."
"Hey. You didn't ruin anything." The brunette looked up, eyebrows furrowed. "The only thing I wanted was to spend time with you. Even if we just sit together in silence, I'm still happy just to be with you," Harley explained. "Well, I'd prefer you to be awake and not half-dead in my arms, but uh- I think that point has passed." Peter grinned, making grabby hands. Harley laughed, getting up to connect their lips.
"I love you," Peter murmured.
"I love you too, darlin'."