connection - parkner week 2019

day four: first kiss

when tony had introduced peter and harley to each other, he thought that he'd prepared himself for all the possibilities. of course, tony had wanted them to be friends, but if they hated each other, tony could work with that. he'd just make sure that he never had them working for long periods of time in the lab together. and if they both wanted to be in the lab, he'd make sure their stations were on opposite sides. tony didn't really want fights in the lab. but he hadn't prepared himself for the amount of sexual tension that filled the room as soon as the two were within a few meters of each other. it was almost unbearable, and let's just say that tony started to take breaks a lot more frequently.

at first, pepper was surprised that tony had left the lab himself, rather than kick peter and / or harley out. tony had just told pepper that he 'wanted them to sort it out, i can't deal with it anymore'. pepper had just laughed at her husband's distress, because of course pepper had seen this coming from a mile away. what else would happen if you introduced two good-looking teenagers to each other? however, once the tension was becomming noticeable during meals and movie nights, pepper could see where tony was coming from. she was surprised neither of them had snapped and just said something, but a part of her was happy that tony was taking breaks more often.

"why don't you just make them have separate lab times?" rhodey suggested, after tony had finished complaining about it. "then you wouldn't have to deal with it. although, that doesn't solve the whole 'family time' problem." and obviously, tony took rhodey's advice, because at this point, tony would do anything to get his lab back from two hormonal, pining teenagers. but that didn't really go to plan. because peter would always 'conveniently' come up with a new idea to add to his suit or webshooters when it was harley's lab time with tony. or harley would decide that he wanted to lounge around in the lab when it was peter's lab time. and tony would have to go and take a break.

however, one day when tony had left the boys to their own devices, harley couldn't take it anymore. peter was sitting in his chair, head leaned back, and a look of frustration on his face. harley noticed that peter's eyes were closed, meaning that peter wouldn't see if harley were to quickly walk the width of the lab, give the former a quick kiss on the cheek, and then walk back to other side of the room, all within the time it took peter to realise and open his eyes.

you see, harley had worked out that peter's spider-sense (or 'peter-tingle', as many of the avengers had now dubbed it) didn't really work in the tower. once, harley had tried to make peter jump by creeping up behind him and suddenly putting his hands on peter's shoulders. to be honest, he had expected it not to work. but peter had ended up jumping three feet in the air, looking completely startled (almost looking like a lost puppy in harley's eyes). harley had laughed, and after a few seconds, so had peter. that was one of the times when tony didn't feel like he had to leave the lab.

so knowing that piece of information, harley decided that going ahead with the plan to give peter a cheek-peck. he wasn't stupid, and even he could feel the tension between the two of them, and he knew that peter could feel it too. and even if harley had got it all wrong, it was only a kiss on the cheek in the end, and the aftermath wouldn't be too awkward. but harley hoped that he hadn't got it wrong, and the result of what he was about to do would be good. as in, the only reason that tony would need to leave the room now would be because there was too much pda. or they were being too flirty or cheesy for tony to handle. but harley didn't get his hopes up too high.

harley quickly walked across the room, ending up on the left side of peter. he hesitated for a second, before realising that if he was there for too long, peter would definitely notice him and having to explain why he was over there - instead of being at his own desk - would be more awkward than actually doing it. so harley went ahead with it. he kissed peter's cheek very lightly - barely noticeable to the latter, but still enough to make his eyes shoot open - and harley darted back over to his work space, acting as if nothing had happened.

by the time that peter had registered exactly what had made him jump so suddenly, harley had already picked up a screwdriver and back working on the improvements to bucky's arm that tony was supposed to be doing with him. harley could see that peter was blushing out of the corner of his eye, but he didn't acknowledge it - he was waiting for peter to say something. however, peter never got the chance to open his mouth before tony walked back into the room.

"right, i'm back. how are you doing?" tony hadn't looked up from whatever notes he was reading yet, but when he did a few moments later (due to a lack of response from the boys), he didn't want to know what had happened while he was gone. all he saw was a blushing peter, looking at harley incredulously, and harley was just smirking while working on bucky's arm. "nevermind, i am suddenly not back." and with that, tony let the lab once again.

"you- did you just-?" peter started, still looking at harley with a look of disbelief.

"i did. you don't have a problem with that, do you, darlin'?" although harley sounded almost cocky within his reply, he still had to make sure that peter was okay with him just deciding to do that. peter's cheeks went a little redder as soon as harley said the nickname, and it took him a moment to reply.

"no- no problem at all." peter smiled, not managing to maintain eye contact with harley.

"that's good to hear." harley decided that he'd made the first move, so peter could make the second. and of course, just as peter was going to say something more, tony came back in.

"apparently, i've been annoying pepper too much, so she said i've gotta deal with you two being..." tony waved his hand vaguely in the teenagers' direction. "gay or whatever. let me just get some earplugs and get to the other side of the lab, and you can carry on." and tony did just that. both peter and harley followed tony with their eyes, until he had started to work on some improvements for his jets.

"honestly, why didn't you do that sooner?" peter asked, once tony had completely stopped paying attention to the teenagers in his lab.

"shouldn't i be asking you the same question?" harley quipped, a smirk still present on his face. peter just sighed.

"you're the more confident one."

"it's not as if it wasn't completely obvious that i've wanted to kiss you since the minute i saw you."

"you did?"

"you couldn't tell?"

"no. i'm completely oblivious."

"you can't tell me you didn't know that i like you. you had to have worked that one out."

"yeah, i'm not that oblivious."

"hm. wanna be my boyfriend?"

"sure."

the two boys smiled at each other, their cheeks slightly pink after that conversation. peter stood up, wrapping his arms around harley. harley pulled peter further into the hug, and lightly kissed his forehead. peter then looked up at harley, before glancing his eyes down at the older boy's lips.

and harley took the hint, attaching his lips to peter's. of course, the kiss was awkward and clumsy - neither of them had ever kissed anyone before - but to the two of them, it was a perfect moment.

then they heard a small gasp from across the room, and they remembered where they were.

"oh fuck, my eyes."

harley and peter looked at each other before dissolving into laughter.

~~~~~

a/n - i know this is considerably shorter than the other three, but i've been trying to think of more things to add all day and no luck. so yeah, short and sweet?? idk.