Props for the Proposal

For Jesse, for spidey-sensing it when I felt sad and helping me feel better. This was a little fic I got while working and it was a lot of fun to write!

1)

The first time someone noticed something fishy was going on, it was during a get-together party at the Oscorp tower. It wasn't a big fancy party or even a mildly crazy shindig. The group was small enough that they don't need to go to the theater room but large enough to fill the couches.

It was a miracle that as many people made it as it was. Apart from Harry running Oscorp, Peter jumping between being a part-time college professor and Spider-Man, MJ's job and education, and the busy lives they've all found themselves in, get-togethers like this were few and far between.

MJ, as punctual as ever, was the first to arrive. She was talking on the phone with her editor and boss when Harry opened the door. She smiled at him as she entered, pulling the phone away to mouth "I'll be off in a second," as Carnage peered out of her jacket and curled around her wrist like a curious red snake.

Harry tried not to recoil. It's been a while since he's had a panic attack from seeing a symbiote, but he still has to repress a cold shudder when it's blank white eyes level at him. Even years later, he still had nightmares that he was Venom and Anti-Venom. The symbiotes wouldn't hurt him now, and he knew that, but it was hard being in the same room with them sometimes anyway.

The next to arrive was Flash, Luke, and Ava. And after them, Sam, Miles, and Ben. The only people who'd managed to make it that night.

They all settled on the couch as Harry set out the snacks he'd prepared for the evening. (Or had the kitchen prepare, anyway. He wanted to do it personally, but frankly, he was a little busy running a company, and no that wasn't just an excuse he made just because he didn't know the first thing about cooking.)

"Where's Pete?" Sam is the first to ask as he flipped through the movies picked for the evening and read the descriptions, looking for something good.

"He's going to be running a little late," Harry said, putting a platter of meat, cheese, and crackers on the coffee table, "Called in and said his class went a little overtime."

"Only Peter can make a science class fun enough to go overtime," Flash rolled his eyes, picking in the chips.

"Yeah, and I figured he'd probably swing on his way here, and you know how he gets when he's in costume. He's going to be stopping to help every person he comes across."

"Sounds about right," MJ laughed, finally getting off the phone and tucking it into her jacket, "But if he's going to be late, we're starting without him."

Luke snorted, leaning to the side of the couch and pulling the case of beer he'd stashed there up. Most of them couldn't get drunk, but that didn't stop them from enjoying a little buzz once in a while. "You know he's going to be late. How long have you two been dating? I thought your deadlines would've rub off on him by now."

Harry laughed, "Believe me, it's a lost cause. Peter couldn't be on time to save his life."

A rumble of agreement.

"Well, before we get this started, I need to use the bathroom," Miles announced, getting up. He put down the beer can he was jokingly pretending to intend to drink. There was no way any of them were actually going to allow underage drinking.

"Oh, the guest bathroom is going through some maintenance, you're going to have to use mine," Harry said and gestured over his shoulder for him to follow. He led Miles to his and Peter's room and pointed out the bathroom. But just before leaving, Miles stopped, his eyes landing on a stack of papers on the nightstand.