It Only Takes a Second

- XV -

"Alright kid, I'll leave you to it. If you need anything, I'll be right here," Tony told Peter with one last squeeze on his shoulder. Peter took one last deep breath, before ducking into the room.

*

"Hey Harry," Peter murmured softly, holding on to the door until it shut as quietly as possible. "How are you doing?"

His voice was shaky as he took another deep breath and stepped towards Harry. The raven-haired boy lying in the bed looked up at the soft, non-threatening voice, and gave Peter a look of sadness and slight panic.

"Peter, I'm so so-" he began, his mind filling in the gaps from the night before. Blood spilling on the tile. Dropping to the cool floor, enjoying the pleasant numbness. Peter crying and Tony calling his name. The pain and white of the hospital.

"Hey, it's okay. Don't get upset please, or else Mister Stark is going to make me leave. I just needed to see you," Peter hushed, taking the seat next to Harry's bed.

"I'm really sorry," Harry whispered, tears building in his eyes. He had hoped that maybe he and Peter could be friends, and was excited to have met someone his age in New York, but he just had to go and fuck everything up. Again. This was probably the reason Ron and Hermione quit talking to him, and everyone in the wizarding world only used him in order to fulfill the prophecy.

Now that he had, they were done with him. Especially since so many lives had been claimed in the process.

"It's not your fault Harry," Peter soothed, tentatively reaching out and placing a light hand on Harry's bicep to comfort him.

"I didn't mean for you to find me like that, I just-"

"Meant for us to find you dead?" Peter snapped, but instantly softened his tone as he noticed Harry flinch away from him. He sighed, shaking his head.

"I'm sorry. I'm just... I'm really glad I found you when I did. I'm really glad you're still here, with us. So is Mister Stark, and the rest of the team. They haven't left the waiting room since you've been here. Please don't be sorry for what you did; I know you regret it deep down, even if you still feel like this was the right choice."

Peter paused for a moment, searching for answers in Harry's eyes.

"You don't think this was the right choice, do you?" He asked, finding the pain and regret deep in Harry's expression. A silent head shake gave Peter the answer he had been expecting.

"Hey, it's alright," Peter gave Harry's shoulder a light squeeze as tears began to spill down his face. Harry tried to hide them from Peter, but the superhero's quick reflexes and enhanced senses had already caught them.

"Can I hug you?" Peter asked, knowing that if he just lunged towards Harry, he would frighten him more. And that was the last thing he wanted to do at the moment- or ever, for that matter.

"Pl-please," Harry choked, his voice barely audible. But it was all that Peter needed before he was carefully wrapping his arms around Harry's midsection, burying his face in Harry's shoulder in attempt to stifle his own tears.

Both boys lost track of how long they sat there, tangled in each other's tight embrace. Neither would admit it, but the hug did both of them the same amount of good. Peter was able to hear and feel Harry's heart steadily thumping, reassuring him once more that his new friend was going to be alright.

Harry was able to smell Peter's cologne and could feel his gentle, yet firm embrace around his midsection, reassuring him that he was still there. He was still alive.

A soft knock at the door is what finally ended the hug. Peter carefully let go of Harry, and sat back down in the chair, right as Tony's face appeared.