I Will Be There At Your Side (peter parker x harley keener)

Chapter 9: Absence Makes the Heart Beat Quicker

alternative title: peter loses his shit™

i vaguely remember writing this in a rush so the writing might feel wordy and redundant or extremely inexplicably vague with no in-between

Pop quiz!

Was Peter ready to have what was left of his entire world taken from him by some second-rate villains in matching purple jumpsuits because he was being too careless about his identity?

The answer? No! Of course, not! In fact, he wasn't ready for this at all! He wants to cry!

The skylights are open when he gets to the labs, and when he drops inside, the place is empty. A Rubik's cube is scattered on the ground, something Harley would only leave alone for a second before hastily picking it up and putting it back.

And then he's out into the city again, not even noticing he's left until he's a ways away, out where the silence isn't suffocating and that Rubik's cube isn't on the ground because there's no way.

There's no fucking way.

It takes him a second to realise he doesn't know where he's going, and he stops in an empty alleyway to collect his thoughts. Upon finding breathing hard to do through the mask, he rips off the mask to feel some semblance of wind that pushes through the tall city structures of New York in weak gusts. His back drags against the rough brick wall until he's sitting with his knees pulled to his chest and rests his forehead on his arms.

He's not doing this again, no, especially not in some dirty alley between a two-dollar pizza shop and an electronics store in his Spider-Man suit with his mask off, curled up into a ball.

He's going to breathe, and he's going to find out where Harley is, and they're going to be fine.

There's no way he's losing Harley. He can't. Not after everything.

He can't spiral right now, either. He stands up, pulling his mask back on and taking a deep breath.

There has to be something. A sign, a clue, a trail of breadcrumbs, a yellow brick road, whatever. Harley should have his phone on him, right? No, his watch, unless he took it off randomly. He does that sometimes, especially when he's writing or typing. His phone, then.

"FRIDAY?" he speaks, adjusting to the feel of the mask quickly as her indicator flashes on in the corner of his view as he scales up the wall.

"Yes, Peter?"

"Can you track Harley's phone?"

"Tracking."

He sits down on the edge of the roof of the electronics store, focusing on his breathing and trying not to break down and cry because he can't right now. He can cry all he wants after he knows Harley's safe. Just. Until then.

"I found Harley's phone," FRIDAY says simply, pulling up the coordinates for him to see. Some abandoned warehouse (villainy classic) up north, 14 miles away from where he was currently.

Peter stands up, nodding to himself. "Right. I'm doing this. I'm going to find him, and he's going to be alright."

"Yes, you are, sir."

"Yes, I am."

"Go rescue the love of your life."

He blinks.

"Wait, what?"

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