The best day of Harley Keener's college life wasn't when he finally perfected the Iron Lad suit to maneuver smoothly, allowing him to tiptoe silently with a hundred pounds of metal around him.
It wasn't during the lockdown when Peter put in his retainer and his cheeks puffed out, and it wasn't that night, when he took full advantage of how adorable he looked.
It wasn't near the end of lockdown, when they discovered that the song Something Stupid reminded them of each other.
It wasn't a few months later, when Peter, drunk and tired, told him that it would be the song they should play at their wedding.
It wasn't even the next morning, when he didn't take it back.
It was after they went back to college in person, after they had settled into classes, after they had figured out that they distracted each other too much and sat on opposite sides of the rooms, after they mapped the best routes to their classes so they could see each other as often as possible, because obviously they were that couple.
It was in class, Harley with a Spiderman mask and Peter with an Iron Lad one, when the professor pulled his mask down to cough for the third time.
When Harley, done with this shit, muttered low, "God, just fuck yourself, if you want to die so bad go for it, but don't bring us down with you," so quiet even he couldn't hear it, and he knew no one could see his mouth moving. When Peter, on the other side of the room, snorted. And turned around to look at him.
Well. Tomorrow, the games would begin.
'*'*'*'
Harley had planned to spout random passages from books they'd both read, mimic Tony, and he'd memorized a good chunk of dad jokes he found funny that night, but all those thoughts left his mind when he woke up to Peter leaving their apartment for a class they had together.
Harley threw his arm over his eyes after he left, silently grumbling that Peter didn't have to go so early when what he'd seen actually hit him.
Peter. Leaving the apartment. A red sweatshirt. Block letters on the back. His last name.
His last name.
Had Harley ever gotten up so quickly?
'*'*'*'
He speed-walked out of the apartment about half an hour later and barely remembered driving to campus. He ran in fifteen minutes before class, trying to look inconspicuous as he stared at Peter from across the room, laughing and joking with his friends. Peter, in Harley's Rose Hill Swim sweatshirt with KEENER emblazoned on the back.
Harley's plans fell out of the window faster than he could catch his breath. Peter turned to him, cheeks raising under his mask, and Harley could see the devil-sly smile in his mind. Two can play at that game. Peter could be a little shit, but Harley could match him too.
Change of plans.
'*'*'*'
Less than ten minutes after the professor had begun the lecture, Harley decided he couldn't wait any longer. He tilted his head towards Peter ever so slightly and waited until Peter stopped typing his notes.
"You look so beautiful in my clothes." Harley whispered. Peter stiffened slightly, ran a hand through his hair, and went back to typing.
Harley waited.
The next time Peter paused, "Scratch that." He stilled. "You look gorgeous all the time." Peter turned towards Harley ever so slowly and froze. He shook his head and pulled at his ear, then returned to his notes.
Pause. "I guess it's because you look like something I should own." This time Peter turned around completely and his eyes latched onto Harley's. A red blush crept up his face and Harley grinned. How long would it take until the red of his face matched the red of Harley's sweater? "Mine. With my last name on your clothes like the whole world should know." Peter whipped back to face forward again, typing at his notes, though Harley could tell from here that he wasn't typing anything comprehensive.
Pause. "Personally, I think the whole world should know. You'd feel me with you even when I'm not there and who would even come close?" At this point, it was a struggle for Harley to keep his voice low. It felt odd to speak so quietly and still see Peter reacting to him and he certainly wasn't learning anything the professor was saying.
Peter didn't go back to typing. His hands were frozen arcs over the keyboard and his chest moved with deliberate breaths. "Wow, darlin'. Didn't know I had such an effect on you." He twitched. Harley couldn't help himself anymore and broke.
"I love you. I love you. I love you."
'*'*'*'
By the time they both got back home, Harley was almost vibrating to see Peter alone. He had only just tossed his bag down when his back hit the wall. Peter's eyes were dark as sin and looking into his own.
"Did you really think you could get away with the stunt you pulled this morning?" Harley surged forward and pressed his lips to Peter's, feeling him fall pliant against him.
Pulling away, he laughed breathlessly, leaning his forehead onto Peter's. "Lost your fire so quickly?" Peter hummed by way of reply.
"Killed me, not being able to say it back all day."
"Say what, darlin'?" Harley whispered into the space between them.
"I love you too."