Chapter 3
The next few weeks passed in relative peace for Peter. The day after the field trip announcement Flash had overheard the trio of Peter, Ned and MJ discussing that Peter was in fact not going. So the majority of Flash’s insults from that moment on revolved around this fact. Nobody, including Peter, payed any attention to Flash’s accusations though. Honestly people were more interested in Flash’s apparent obsession with Peter and anything the other boy was or wasn’t doing. Unfortunately for Peter, his super hearing meant that he heard people, who though that they were out of hearing range, discussing whether Flash just wanted to fuck Peter or not.
Apart from the regulars of school he had stopped a slew of robberies while on patrol. He had talked down a jumper, a teenage girl (and to be honest that experience had rattled him more than the teen would like to admit). Peter had then taken the girl to a late night diner, where over coffee, he had walked through her problems with her. Layla, as he learned her name was, had ended up in tears, but had a smile on her face by the time the two left the diner. Peter then walked her home and left her his phone number – in case she ever needed to talk again. When he told his family of this encounter, he had been wrapped in hugs and they whispered soft ‘well done’s that only he could hear. He had also saved an old ladies cat who had tried to climb the side of an apartment building and as a consequence gotten stuck.
The weekend before the field trip that was not to be, Harley arrived in all his swanky southern glory. Peter had driven to the airport to pick up his boyfriend and the two of them picked up right where they had left off. That meant impromptu make out sessions in Peter’s lab, cuddles on the couch during movie night and Peter ending patrols at regular times so as to fall asleep in Harley’s arms. Peter’s appreciation for FRIDAY grew even stronger when she had locked to door to the bedroom so as to prevent his dad walking in on Peter riding Harley on the very first night. The other adults in the tower just rolled their eyes when they found the teens making out in random places. The kids squealed in disgust at the public displays of affection, only for Harley to lecture them on that fact that they wouldn’t feel that way when they found a significant other of their own. This Lila and Morgan denied vehemently but made Cooper blush from the tips of his ears. Harley had also taken to dropping off and pick up Peter from school to have quick catch ups with both Ned and MJ.
So on the day that Peter would have otherwise been on the field trip, the teen wakes up late, head resting on Harley’s outstretched arm, a warm and contented feeling thrumming in his chest. Peter checked the clock sitting on the bedside table, 9:30. The teen extracted himself from the bed, Harley groaning a little at the loss of Peter from his arms. Peter knew with his whole being that his boyfriend was not a morning person, but he felt the need to get up and get moving. On his way to the kitchen Peter pulled a worn sweater over his head to ward off the slight chill of the air. When the teen reached the kitchen first order of business was to fix coffee. Nat was sitting at the bench sipping on her own coffee, with the TV in the background had the food network on indicating that the rest of the kids were at school.
Peter, now with his own coffee, sat down next to Nat giving the former spy a nod. The two sat there listening to the TV for awhile before Nat spoke up.
“How about a training day? Surely you can spare a little time for your old Aunt Nat rather than holed up with your boy.”
That made Peter’s ears turn pink. “I’m sure Harley wouldn’t mind having the lab to himself for the day,” the teen replied after recollecting himself. Nat was smirking at him.
“You know he is always welcome to join us. I wouldn’t mind giving him some self-defence moves to practice.”
“After the last time you tried to teach him ‘self-defence’ I’m not sure he’d be keen to take up that offer, Harley complained about sore muscles for the next week.”
That made Nat’s smirk broaden into a smile, “The offer still stands.”
They sat there finishing their coffee. Peter knew that Nat’s offer to teach Harley came from a place of genuine care and concern. The former spy had quickly become attached to all the kids that visited or lived at the Tower, though if asked she would deny it. Nat, now finished with her coffee, put her mug in the dish washer, moving towards the elevator.
“The public room. Ten minutes.”
Peter nodded in acknowledgement, downing the rest of his own coffee. He headed back to his room to change into sweats that were comfortable enough to train in. As he pottered around, Harley groaned from the bed, “Peteeee, what are you doing? It’s to early.”
“Nothing, I’m going to train with Nat for awhile. You can join if you want,” the smile obvious in his voice. Harley just groaned again and flipped Peter the bird. This only served to force a bark of laughter out of the teen. Now dressed, he leaned over the bed to place a quick kiss on his boyfriend’s messy bedhead and left Harley to his sleep. Peter passed back through the living room on his way to the elevator. Tony was now standing in the kitchen, hovering over the coffee machine, waiting while a new pot was brewing. Peter watched as his dad as he waited for the elevator. The older man was obviously tired, not having noticed Peter wandering through the room. He did wish Tony would sleep more often, but Peter was well aware of how easy it was to get fixated on a project and feel the need to work it until it was done.
The elevator arrived and he politely asked FRIDAY to take him to the public training room, floor 73. The elevator arrives and when Peter steps out Nat is already stretching on the sparing mats. The public training room was Peter’s favourite. It took up the space of three floors with a ridiculously high ceiling. One of the walls was taken up by an advanced rock-climbing wall. The ceiling itself was covered in an obstacle course Peter had helped Tony design, and was made to help him train as Spider-Man. (The fact that it was designed for someone with sticky hands didn’t stop others using it, but that was mainly Clint. Peter had had to install web shooters into FRIDAYs systems to catch the archer when he inevitably fell off). The two walls that flanked the rock wall were floor to ceiling, re-enforced windows. The far wall held the elevators and the viewing box where tours or UN officials could watch the team train. The floor held a boxing ring, sparing mats, various exercise machines and gymnasium equipment including a beam, double bar and trampoline.
Peter takes to the mats and begins his stretching routine. When both Nat and Peter finished stretching five minutes later, they moved to face each other. The two began to move through a routine that they had choreographed earlier that month.
A punch to the shoulder.
Block.
Three quick punches to the abdomen.
Duck.
Leg sweep.
Roll backwards.
Two steps to the right.
Block.
Elbow to the face.
Back kick.
They continued until the routine came to an end. Now sufficiently warmed up they began to free spar, pulling punches because although Peter would be fine, his strength could seriously injure Nat if they weren’t careful. The two traded blows at lightening speed, sweat beading on both of their brows. Faintly Peter registered the ding of the main elevators, a tour group must have arrived to watch.
When he managed to pin Nat, he waited for her to tap out before moving off. He looked up to view the tour group that had arrived earlier during their sparring match.
Peter’s jaw dropped as he took in the sight of his AcaDec team and Mr. Harrington standing on the other side of the glass viewing box, looking just as shocked as he felt.