|•| Black & Blue |•|

<|• Six •|>

When Peter arrived at Joe's he wasn't expecting to see Miles, Gwen, and Anna sitting with Harry in the back. 

And when Harry saw Peter walk inside he knew that this probably wasn't going to end well but it had to happen. Just by the look on Peter's face, he could tell there was something wrong with his best friend. And he absolutely hated it. 

Peter took his seat and Harry handed him his regular green drink that they'd always get when they came. He took a sip of it and he instantly regretted it. Brain freeze. Harry couldn't help but let out a small giggle at his best friend. It was starting to feel like old times. 

Setting his drink down Peter asks innocently, hoping that if he seemed okay they wouldn't ask, "So what do you guys want to talk about?"

"Peter, we're all worried about you." Gwen states as she moves to the edge of her seat. 

Peter's eyes fixated on her and he says, "Why would you be worried? I'm okay, guys."

Harry moves closer to Peter and says with a pleading look in his eyes, "Please, Pete. I'm your best friend. I know I haven't been there for you but I'm trying right here and right now. I know you better most people and I know you're lying. So please, just tell us what's going on."

Peter was shocked at this point. He didn't know what to do. Should he tell them that he's gay and that he's in love with Harry? "No, they won't accept you. Harry won't be your friend anymore, they'll leave you and you'll have no one." 

There it was again. 

The voice that plagued his mind. His own demons that played on his own insecurities and made him feel less than a person. 

His breathing began to pick up and the room seemed to close in on its self. His hands felt numb and heavy. Getting up from his seat, the world began to move and spin like a cyclone. Racing towards the alleyway exit, Peter slams through the door in one quick motion. He felt like his whole world was on fire and was about to burn down, right in front of him, and there was nothing he could do. 

Harry noticed the sign and recognizing them, he follows Peter outside and so does the rest of his friends. They find Peter hyperventilating up against a wall, trembling and shaking. Moving towards his best friend, Harry grabs Peters' hand and pulls the boy into a hug and makes it as tight as comfortably possible. Whispering into Peter's ear he says, "It's okay, Peter. I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere." 

Peter, just like he did when he was younger, buried his eyes into Harry's shoulder and kept mumbling 'I'm sorry' over and over again. When everything calms down the two stay hugging and Harry asks, "Now what's wrong? What got you all worked up to throw yourself into an anxiety attack?"

Pulling away from Harry, Peter takes a few steps back. He begins to rub his jacket sleeve causing him a small amount of pain. Harry didn't want Peter to move, he wanted the boy to stay where it was warm. The instant he moved, coldness started to seep in and he hated it. "You guys might view me differently..."

"Peter you're our friend. Nothing could make us view you differently." Anna says trying to help Peter feel more comfortable in telling them his secret. 

Miles trying to add some comedy to the situation says, "I mean the only way we would view you differently if you were some kind of serial killer-.." Gwen hits his shoulder causing him to spit out, "which you're not so it's okay!" 

"I..uh..I.." Peter starts to say but the words get caught in his throat. Pushing through the fear he just yells it out with his eyes closed, scared to see their reaction, "I'M GAY!"

He feels a hand on his shoulder and he flinches a little, "Pete, please open your eyes."

Doing as he is instructed, he sees all his friends gathered around him. Without any notice, they all pull him in for a group and they all say they're own versions of how they don't care that he likes boys and that they accepted him no matter what. Hugging his friends back it seemed like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders and felt like he could actually breathe. 

The acceptance of his friends was putting him on the long road to recovery. "Thanks, guys it means a lot."

"We're truly sorry we haven't there for you lately. We've been horrible friends." Gwen says while everyone else just nods in agreement. 

After hanging out for a while things started to seem like they were getting back to normal. When everyone went there separate ways, Harry started to wonder what this meant for him. Yes, his best friend was gay but where did this leave him with the feelings he had. The feelings he didn't quite yet understand. When Harry got back to Oscorp his confusion just worsened. He wondered what his dad would think. But at that moment he the young Osborn boy didn't really care. One thought kept rearing its head back into the front of his consciousness. Peter liked guys.

So maybe..just maybe...he had a chance. 

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Edited. 

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