Introduction
Ned and Harley were both yelling at each other. Ned knew he shouldn't have went with Harley the second he asked, but he didn't know how to say no.
Harley, still high off his ass, shoved Ned backwards. Ned, not to be deterred, shoved Harley back harder.
He panicked when Harley fell off the slope they were standing on and landed right on a truck. Harley groaned and slumped, unconscious, the rain soaking his limp form.
Ned scrambled away, looking terrified. He just killed his best friend. Nay, he just killed Harley Stark!
Not knowing what else to do, he turned around and ran.
The next day, when the Starks put out a missing boy's report, Ned tearfully explained what happened. Tony had smiled at him gently, assuring him that it was not his fault.
That night would still haunt Ned years into the future.
So it was reasonable for Ned to be suspicious when Harley came back. He knew him best, after his family, after all.
And never, not once, had Harley been that nice.
oOo
"So let me get this straight," Peter asked the weird guy who approached him. "You want me to pretend to be some rich guy's kid? Are you nuts?"
"Listen," Harry said. "You don't need to stay there for long. Think about it. They're loaded, you stick around for a couple days. . ."
"Grab some of their shit and beat it," Peter finished, sharing a smirk with his friend.
"We'll be set for life, man," Harry crowed.
"Why me?" Peter asked.
Harry shrugged. "The guy that came to me asked for you specifically. No idea why."
"Oh well, guess I'm the one who gets to live the high life," Peter said smugly.
"Don't get a big head," Harry grumbled. "We'll both be living the high life when you get out of there, Petey."
"I'm not Peter anymore." Peter grinned. "I'm Harley Stark now."
"I'll go let my guy know we got this," Harry said, patting Peter's shoulder and walking away.
Peter relaxed, putting his hands behind his head, anticipation rolling in his gut.
He had no idea what he was getting himself into.
oOo
"Mr. Stark, I've got news for you," a voice said on the other end of Tony's phone. "They found your son!"
"What?" Tony breathed, sounding like he hardly dared to believe it.
"He'll be there by tomorrow. I sent him over to you the minute I knew it was him."
"I have to tell Pepper!"
"Yeah, yeah," the guy laughed. "Have a good day, Mr. Stark."
He hung up, completely unaware that the boy he gave a train ticket to was not the boy he was looking for.
oOo
"Hey, Harr, what if they ask me for details? What do I say then?" Peter asked as he fidgeted with the rich sweater he was forced into. Harry and Peter both bought rich clothes from the guy Harry got the job, and Peter was sitting at the Subway station.
"Best part of this thing," Harry informed. "Kid was a junkie."
"No way!" Peter exclaimed. Now Peter was starting to get suspicious. This was a little too in his favor.
"Yep," Harry said, clearly not sharing his concerns. "So just blame it on crack."
"Fair enough," Peter muttered, getting on the train.
"Knock 'em dead, Pete!" Harley yelled.
Peter laughed and waved, shrugging off his concerns. Don't look a gift horse in the mouth, he supposed.
Peter would soon find out that it was far from a gift horse.