If I Could Say I Love You

Tenth Chapter

Trigger Warning

Harley snuck back into his room at about midnight. He had stayed with Peter a lot longer than he should have, just standing there together. Harley wasn't sure how he was feeling after that encounter with whoever that was, but he knew he felt a lot better after hugging Peter, even if Harley only hugged Peter to stop him from attacking that man again.

"Where have you been, Mister Stark?" A voice asked making Harley jump in surprise. Harley turned to see how red head aunt sitting in his desk chair. Natasha raised an eyebrow as she crossed her arms, expecting answers.

"Yeah, you just had to be the first one to figure it out," Harley sighed, turning on the light. "Okay, just let me tell the whole story before you talk. A few days ago, I think, I was wandering around the tower, when I say the cutest boy ever. And I developed a crush on him. But I wanted him to like me for me, and so when we met, I told him my middle name was my last name. He doesn't know I'm a Stark, so I've been sneaking out to met him at the coffee shop across the street to work on a project. Sometimes we'll go somewhere else though..."

"Do you know how irresponsible that is?" Natasha said once she knew Harley was done for the moment. She stood up, looking at Harley, trying to figure out if he was hurt. But all Natasha saw was that look in his eyes, she now knew was love.

"Do you know how hard it is to make friends when your a Stark? People want to be my enemy or just want me for what I can do for them. But Peter, he's different. He's as smart as me or Dad, he is kind and funny, and he genuinely wants to be my friend," Harley said knowing what Natasha's point was. If he got hurt or kidnapped, his family wouldn't know where he was.

"What's the boy's full name?" Natasha asked, a small smile coming on her lips as she heard how Harley described "Peter", the boy he was in love with. Natasha turned to Harley's holographic computer, the light blue keys glowing on his desk as she tapped a button.

"Peter Benjamin Parker. I actually haven't looked him up, though maybe I should have. But Aunt Nat, my computer will bring up SHIELD files, police files, military, and other confidential information that Peter may not want me to know," Harley said watching as his aunt tapped the name into the computer, the search engine spouting out different files.

Natasha flipped through them, mildly caring about a few. He really was a smart kid, and was around Harley's age. But a confidential police file caught Natasha's attention. She quickly read it, a gasp coming from her lips as she turned back to Harley.

"What did Peter tell you about his adoption?" Natasha asked quietly, having the police file be hidden from Harley's line of sight.

"He just said that he didn't like it, and that it was a toxic relationship. Peter said that he wanted to tell me, but he couldn't without breaking down," Harley said quietly, confused on what gave Natasha that reaction.

Natasha pulled up the file, motioning for Harley to read the file. Harley did finding out that a Steven "Skip" Westcott adopted a five year old Peter Benjamin Parker after his guardians, his aunt and uncle, we're shot. Steven abused, raped, and withheld food, water, and education from Peter until a little after his fifteen birthday, when the police found out. The police couldn't find proof on the matter, allowing Skip to go free, but he lost custody of Peter who went into the system.

And Peter was still fifteen.

"I think I'm gonna be sick," Harley said clutching his stomach, recognizing the photo of Skip as that man from the party. And if Peter wasn't the r to save him... "Should I talk to him about it?"

"I think you should tell him that you know. And you should tell him who you are, because you want him to fall in love with the real you. And like it or not, a Stark is who you really are," Natasha said pulling Harley into a hug.

"Aunt Nat,  please don't tell anyone yet. I think I should be the one to do that, and I need to see how Peter will react first," Harley asked, looking up at his aunt with pleading eyes.

"I promise, but only if you tell them soon," Natasha said with a smile, running a hand through his hair before she left. Harley sat down his chair, running a hand through his hair again as he sighed. What was he supposed to do?

It was only fair that Peter learned his secret, especially after Harley learned two of the most important secrets of Peter, his past and his powers. But Harley didn't know how to do that. He'd just have to, Harley realized. He couldn't plan this ahead of time, just to be in the moment.

Harley sighed closing his eyes as the events of that day played over and over. Though the end had permanently traumatized him, the beginning was amazing. He enjoyed his time with Peter, and hoped that when he did tell Peter his own past, and what he knew, Peter would still want to be friends and hang out.

But what if Peter didn't want to? Harley knew he would feel the heartbreak, Harley knew that he would be cooped up in his room for days, his family would wonder why, and then he would have to tell them.

But Harley didn't want to think about that, instead imagining dancing by the fire with Peter again. The memories lulling him into sweet dreams.