Anger
The following day was even colder than the past few. It was the kind of bone chilling temperature that the body simply couldn’t recover from. The very minimal amount of sleep Harry had experienced since Friday didn’t help him. All Harry wanted was to be warm but he hadn't felt warm for days.
Why does the funeral have to be outside?
It was Sunday
The funeral ceremony was packed, there were more people than Harry had ever expected could attend any funeral let alone Pete’s. Then again, this was also supposedly Spiderman’s funeral.
So many of these people being deceived .
Harry stood in the back, shivering and steaming at the same time. A few of his former Horizon classmates gave lengthy and emotional eulogies, as did Max and Peter’s aunt May. Part of Harry knew he should listen but he was to occupied with being angry.
He almost didn’t notice the end of the ceremony, he was so trapped in his own mind. But seeing Aunt May walk by in the procession was the stone to break the glass, freeing him.
Regardless of Spiderman’s lies, Pete’s still gone.
I should probably go to the wake.
* * *
He arrived at the familiar house in Queens and reluctantly knocked at the door. Aunt May answered
“Harry…” She began, sounding pleasantly surprised but still distraught. “I didn’t see you at the funeral.”
“Sorry, I got there a bit late and had to stand in the back.” He lied. “Oscorp’s still pretty far from Central Park.”
“Come in.” Said Aunt May slowly gesturing for him to do so. He followed.
As he walked through the front hallway of the Parker residence he noticed the pictures on the wall. There seemed to be a picture of Peter at every point in his life. Baby pictures, little Peter opening a chemistry set on Christmas morning, 8th grade graduation, a shot of Peter and Harry before the dance at Horizon, and many photos commemorating his other accomplishments and awards from the rest of his time there. Some pictures depicted events and things that Harry didn’t even know about. He began to feel out of touch. A familiar question came to mind.
What would have happened if I had stayed at Horizon?
He tried not to think too hard about it.
When he arrived in the living room the somber feeling of the entire room hit him like a freight train, at least he recognized everyone there. Anya and Gwen sat on the couch, they were holding hands, Anya’s thumb slowly rubbing Gwen's in an attempt to comfort her. Miles was in the corner of the room, he looked just about as drained as Harry, like he had been beating himself up for a long time. Max was offering quiet condolences to Aunt May in the kitchen.
“Hey.” Harry whispered.
He knew he probably shouldn't have said anything, there was nothing to say, but the thick silence was eating him alive. They all turned to look at him, something in Miles’ eyes made him feel unwelcome. He sat down on the couch next to Gwen and she immediately flung her arms around him.
“I’m sorry Harry.” She sobbed into his shoulder.
“Don’t be.” He whispered back. “It’s not like there’s anything you could have done to prevent it.”
At that Miles’ hands clenched and his head jolted to the side in a very visible tremor.
“Harry?” Anya asked over Gwen’s shoulder.
“Hm?” Harry responded, tiredly. He didn’t expect that her question would send this sad and respectful event on an absolute turn for the worst.
“You were Peter’s closest friend, did he ever tell you he was Spiderman?”
Harry’s breath hitched and he began to swell with rage. “He wasn’t.”
“What?” Gwen questioned.
“He wasn’t Spiderman, he couldn't have been.”
“But-” Anya began.
“Think about it! Knowing Spiderman he probably used Pete as a puppet to fake his own death and run off somewhere!”
“You really are your father's son…” Miles said, stepping towards the couch.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“You Osborns would rather come up with conspiracy theories than acknowledge Spidey as a hero.”
“He’s not a hero, Miles, he killed my best friend!”
“He was your best friend!”
“He would tell me!”
“He has every reason not to tell you.”
“Well if you knew him so well why didn’t he tell you ?!”
“He did!”
“And why would he do that?!”
The exchange had gotten quicker and louder and angrier with every phrase.
Miles had to scream “Cause I’m Kid Arachnid!”
That shut Harry up.
“Miles…” Anya said, horrified at hearing him yell.
“He told me it was just a bank robbery, that it was just a couple of goons and that he take on his own, that my senior project was more important.” Miles was crying now, sobbing in fact. Like this is the first time he had broken down about it, that everything he had held in was uncontrollable spilling out of him. “He was wrong , and I was wrong to believe him.”
They sat in silence for a moment until a new upset voice broke it.
“Boys.” It was Aunt May, she looked horrified. “I’m going to have to ask you to leave.”
* * *
Harry didn't want to drive all the way home. He was too distracted by the puzzle he was piecing together.
Everything was so obvious in hindsight. The way he’d talk about spiderman, how he’d disappear right before a fight, all the vocal inflections and corny jokes Spiderman made that were so unmistakably Pete .
He felt stupid.
He felt crazy .
How could he not of known.
He somehow made it back to Oscorp safely and parked his car in the parking garage. As he traveled up the elevator again he felt more dead inside than he had ever felt in his lifetime.
All harry wanted was sleep. Once he got to his room he immediately crashed, not even bothering to brush his teeth or undress himself, he lay on top of the sheets in his black suit and tie, unconscious and stiff.