Chapter Text
Harley had just stepped off the stage, buzzing, blood pulsing in his ear. That hadn’t been a complete disaster. If he was to say so himself, Harley thought he had made Tony proud out there. A part of him ached, how badly hadn’t he wanted for Tony to be in the audience? To smile up at him, only to later come with some sniding remark in his very own brand of showing pride.
Harley was about to call out for Peter when Pepper blocked his path. Her face was pinched in worry and all the pride that had been buzzing in his chest dropped to his stomach like a leaden weight.
“We gotta go to the hospital” she said.
“What’s happened?” Harley glanced over her shoulder, further backstage he saw Peter, pale-faced and slumped against Ned. His face twisting up in obvious pain.
Harley moved on pure instinct, Pepper’s words quickly becoming background noise to his growing panic. His feet broke into a half-sprint, and though Peter was just an arm length away it felt like a canyon had split open between them. The fear that he wasn’t fast enough resurfaced with a vengeance. The same fear that haunted his memories and nightmares.
Peter reached back with a shaking hand and once Harley’s fingers slid around it, something akin to a soothing balm spread up his arm. He wrapped his other arm under Peter’s shoulder, leaning in to take his full weight.
“Peter? What’s happening?”
“Baby” Peter grunted out, breathing hard, chest heaving. “In a… hurry”
“It’s coming? You’re in labor?”
Peter was on the verge of nodding when another contraction came and he cried out in pain. Harley felt his heart seizing up with a conflict between nervous expectation and fear. He brushed his fingers through Peter’s fringe, kissing his temple as he tried to calm his scent into something comforting.
Pepper was at their side, and Harley turned to her with urgency.
“This can’t be right, what’s going on?”
“He’s contractions are coming too close” she told him, before she turned to Peter, a gentle hand at his cheek to be sure she had his full attention. “The ambulance is here, we need to go now”
Peter nodded and they began walking towards the back of the building. When Peter’s legs wobbled beneath him, Harley hefted him up into his arms. He wasn’t nearly as strong as Peter, but what kind of alpha would he be if he didn’t even try to carry his husband when he was in pain.
Seeing the ambulance had Harley faltering in his step, memories of Peter bleeding out on a stretcher resurfaced. Only Ned’s hand between his shoulder blades pushed him forward.
Peter was conscious this time, he was in labor and needed help but it would all be alright. Anything else wasn’t an option.
He handed Peter over and climbed in beside him, while Pepper rattled off all the necessary information to the paramedics. Never before had Harley been this grateful for her level headed efficiency. It left him all the time and energy to focus on Peter.
Peter had grasped his hand in a death-grip, and though he knew Peter was trying his best to hold back, his strength was overwhelming. But Harley didn’t give a shit if Peter broke his hand, not now.
“Breathe” Harley urged. “Just breathe”
“Oh shoot, here I was trying to photosynthesize” Peter gritted out as another contraction took over, and fair enough Harley had walked straight into that one. As Peter cried out in pain, Harley was shoved to the side by one of the paramedics who had jumped into the back with them. Peter still held on to Harley’s hand though, the grip was agonizing, and Harley could already feel the bones splinter. He knew he wouldn’t walk out of this ambulance without a broken hand but it was a sacrifice he’d gladly make if it meant he was able to comfort Peter. Reassure him that Harley wasn’t going anywhere, he’d stay right here, by Peter’s side for as long as Peter would have him.
The ambulance started to roll, as the paramedic, an omega woman with an experienced hand, asked Peter’s consent to undress him. With some help from Harley they managed to get off his sweatpants. The paramedic checked how far gone he was, while Harley wiped tears from Peter’s cheeks.
“It’s gonna be alright” he promised, reassuring himself as much as Peter.
Peter glanced up at him, eyes glassy, mouth set in an uncharacteristic snarl. “I swear if you don’t shut up…”
He didn’t get further than that before yet another contraction hit. The paramedic glanced up at them with a determined set to her brow.
“We can’t wait any longer, we need to start it now”
“What?” Harley stammered. “Start what?”
“The baby doesn’t wanna wait anymore” she simply answered and once more pushed Harley aside, this time to place a mask over Peter’s face.
By the time they reached the hospital, Harley and Peter had become fathers to a screaming little alpha girl.
Peter was mesmerized by their baby. She was perfect. Her scrunched up little face, those tiny, tiny fingers. Peter held her swaddled little body on his arm, pressed against his chest and he just couldn’t tear his eyes away from her.
Harley, who was seated on the edge of the mattress, leant up against his side, stroked a gentle finger down her cheek. It made her tiny little face scrunch up even further. She was adorable
They turned to each other, and smiled. Harley leant forward to kiss his forehead and stayed like that for a moment.
While the nurses had done check-ups on the baby, someone had taken mercy on Harley and brought him down to do an x-ray on his hand. They had set the bones right and bandaged it up, before sending him back to Peter and their daughter. Both of whom he was anxious to return to.
Peter tilted his head back slightly to catch Harley’s lips.
“I’m sorry for breaking your hand”
Harley smiled stupidly back at him, too enamoured for someone who’s partner had just accidentally broken their bones. “It was worth it”
“She’s amazing, isn’t she?” Peter said, unable not to glance back down at her.
“Yeah”
Harley was just as lost on her as Peter was.
They were given another moment to enjoy their little girl in peace and quiet, blissfully happy. Then there was a soft knock on the door, before aunt May peered in at them. Her curious expression immediately softened into a loving smile.
“Oh, look at you” she murmured as she stepped into the room, cautiously moving towards the bed, well-aware that Peter’s hormones might have made his protective instincts go a little wacko. But May wasn’t a threat, so Peter beckoned her forward.
As soon as she caught sight of the little baby in Peter’s arms, tears were rolling down her cheeks..
“Isn’t she just precious?” May reached a tentative finger forward to brush over her tiny little head. With glassy eyes she smiled up at Peter. “I remember when you were this tiny and look at you now”
Peter smiled back at her, but he could feel the burning sensation grow behind his eyes as they watered. Harley tightened his arm around his back, while May cupped his cheek to brush away a lone tear.
“I’m gonna go full mum on you now” she warned. “But I’m so proud of you, Peter. So, so proud.”
If she had intended to stop Peter’s tears, she failed horribly. Peter hiccuped on a sob, clasping his own hand over May’s. All the tension, exhaustion and mixed emotions finally caught up to him. He handed their daughter over to Harley, who took her gently into his own embrace, so Peter could wrap his arms around May. She held him tightly, as tightly as she ever had.
In the meantime, Harley had moved over to the window, and once Peter had calmed down he glanced up at him. He was cradling their daughter so gently, as if he thought she was porcelain and he was terrified of hurting her. Peter could see him pointing out the window, murmuring so quietly that Peter could only hear him due to his enhanced hearing.
“See this city, sweetheart? It’s a crazy cement jungle really and people all drive like they’ve stolen their cars. It’s busy and overwhelming and insane. But still it’s not all that bad, you know how I know that?” Harley asked her in a whisper before turning back to look out the window. “Because of your dad. He loves this place so much he has sworn to protect it. He’s amazing like that. Your dad has the biggest heart in New York City. He will always love you and keep you safe” Harley leant forward to kiss her forehead. “And I might not be as strong or as brave as your dad but I’ll love you just as much. Never doubt that. I will always be here for you. Always”
Peter found himself smiling softly, his heart growing in his chest. All the love he felt for the both of them expanded to the point he wasn’t sure his body could contain it.
May leaned in with a knowing smile. “You got yourself a good one”
Peter nodded, thinking back to Harley’s fears of becoming like his own father and how he had overcome it. “I did”
He gave Harley another moment alone with their daughter, before he called him back over to the bed, not able to wait any longer to have his family back in his arms.
May had dragged a chair up to sit beside them. “So, have you thought of a name yet?”
Peter turned to Harley, who stared right back. This had somehow slipped their mind. Harley had been so stressed over the Stark Expo and Peter had just assumed that he’d just know once he held her in his arms. They glanced back at May sheepishly.
“Antonia” Peter said at the same time that Harley said: “Benjamina”
Peter whipped his head around to stare at Harley. “That’s not even a name”
“It is, I googled it” Harley protested, making a lump of fondness form in Peter’s throat. Harley had wanted to name her after Uncle Ben, a man he had never even met, just because he knew how important Ben had been to Peter.
“If we have a son” Peter managed to choke out. “We’ll name him Ben”
“Yes” Harley agreed almost instantly. Then he cracked a smile. “Just not yet”
Peter laughed, nodding. “Not yet”
May smiled fondly at them. “Antonia is nice”
“Toni” Peter murmured kissing Antonia’s forehead. It only felt fitting to name her after the man who was the main reason Peter and Harley had ever even met.
When they got home from the hospital, baby and carseat in tow, someone had decided to throw them a surprise party. Peter bet all his money on Pepper. He hadn’t allowed her to throw him a baby-shower and he suspected this was her revenge.
May was there, as was Pepper and Morgan, MJ and Ned, Harley’s mother and sister, Happy and even Maria Hill.
Macey came up to wrap her arms tightly around her son. Harley held her back just as tightly before she let go to hug Peter. Her warm embrace engulfed him, and if Peter had ever worried (he had, he always worries) whether she found him good enough for her son, he had his answer here. She leaned back to brace his hands between her hands in a manner he suspected was very southern. “Thank you, Peter”
“I did contribute some, you know” Harley huffed. “It takes two to tango and all that”
Macey swatted at him. “Don’t be crude. Let me meet my granddaughter”
Peter chuckled and picked up the carseat he’d placed on the floor when Macey had first approached them. Little Antonia was sleeping soundly, and Macey was more than content to just aww over her.
Everyone else seemed just as eager to meet their daughter so Peter and Harley moved over to the seating area. Abby quickly came over to lean in beside Harley and Macey to glance down at the baby.
“I always thought your children would be ugly” she told Harley who just scuffed and shook his head. “She’s kinda cute actually”
“Of course she’s cute” Harley huffed, and noticing Antonia was stirring he picked her up in his arms and went around to introduce her to everyone. Ned and MJ both had their phones out taking a whole battery of pictures each as they were gushing over her. Peter laughed in amusement, knowing that his friends wouldn’t publish any photos, they just wanted to immortalize her cuteness.
Pepper had tears in her eyes when they told them that they had named their daughter after Tony, and she came over later to hug and thank the both of them. Morgan was just fascinated, never really having seen a baby this close up before and she had an endless stream of questions about babies and childrearing that Peter with some mild horror realized he had no answers to. They really were young, him and Harley, weren’t they? Peter was twenty now and Harley would turn twenty-three in a couple of months. That was no age, so he was very grateful for the experienced women they had in their lives, who were more than willing to help them. After Harley had introduced Antonia to a teary-eyed Happy and a softly smiling Maria Hill, he came back to curl up against Peter’s side. Handing Antonia over into Peter’s waiting arms.
“Look at that” he murmured right next to Peter’s ear. “We created that”
Peter grinned up at him, probably looking half-mad in love, but Harley just wrapped his arm around Peter and hooked his chin over Peter’s shoulder.
Pepper had fixed both lunch and cake, and Peter dug into it with gusto. His body had recovered fully from the birth, making his metabolism as good as ever.
He looked around at the room, eternally grateful for these amazing people. After a while his gaze landed on MJ, who was discreetly looking back at him. She gave him a soft smile, looking genuinely happy for him so he smiled back at her with a short nod.
Suddenly Hill rose to her feet, clinking a knife against her glass. “So, I just wanted to congratulate you on your beautiful daughter and how happy I am to see that everything has worked out so well.” She smiled almost mischievously. “You know, I take no small credit for having brought this union into existence.”
Peter smiled and blushed, remembering how difficult he had been and how cold he had been at the start. Harley just laughed, and Peter watched him in awe, drinking in his sunlight. Eternally grateful for Harley’s patience.
Over half a year later Peter and Harley had decided to move out of Stark Tower. For all its technological advantage and how easy it was to let F.R.I.D.A.Y monitor Antonia, they had mutually decided this wasn’t the kind of place they wanted to raise their kid. They wanted her to have as normal a childhood as they could give her. If it wasn’t for the fact that their whole lives were so intricately tied to New York, Peter might have contemplated moving to Rose Hill or something. When he had broached that subject, late one night when Harley had just come back to bed after having lulled Antonia to sleep for the second time in a few hours, Harley had turned to him, an edge of sleep-deprivation in his voice.
“No, we want to give her opportunities, choices. There’s nothing for her in Rose Hill”
Peter reached out to touch his cheek, letting his finger trail the full line of Harley’s jaw.
“Tony found you in Rose Hill”
“And I’m glad he did or I’d already been in and out of juvie for high-jacking cars in a mad attempt to escape” Harley scooted forward, wrapping one arm around Peter’s middle, drawing him in until there wasn’t a breath of air between them. “I’m happy to stay in New York. I found you here and I’m intending to build a life with you here”
Peter pressed a kiss to the corner of Harley’s lips. “I kinda miss Queens”
“Yeah? Well, then it’s settled”
They bought a nice apartment in Queens, and by the firm instructions (demand really) of Hill they installed a security system that was probably more expensive than the apartment and furniture together, but they never saw a bill for it so they couldn’t be sure. Peter had been reluctant about it, but since he had gone back to being Spiderman and people knew that Spiderman was Peter Parker-Keener, he supposed it was for the best. The safety of his daughter was his first priority now.
They had invited Ned and MJ over for an apartment tour and to spend some more time with Antonia. Peter watched with a soft smile as MJ held a gurgling Antonia in her arms, MJ’s dark hair couldn’t contrast more with Antonia’s dark golden. Peter would be a hypocrite if he didn’t admit that he had thought of this once or twice while they were still dating, what it would be like to maybe one day have children with MJ. While he thought they’d probably make a fine job of it, something violent seized his chest at the thought of not having Antonia. He listened for Harley humming away in the kitchen as he prepared a light lunch. It was reassuring.
Then he realized, Harley was out of earshot and definitely out of sight, that meant he could tell Ned and MJ about something that had been on his mind since yesterday.
“Something weird happened last night” he started, lowering his voice just a bit.
“If you found Harley rubbing one out in the bathroom again, I don’t wanna know” MJ said.
“Eh, no” Peter stammered. “Maybe it’s just best if I show you.”
He reached out to grab Antonia from MJ’s arms and walked over to the closest wall, lifting her up against it, making sure her hands lay flat against the wall paper before he let go. He still kept his hands hovering about her of course, but it was enough for Ned and MJ to see that she actually clung to the wall just like Peter could.
They both stared in shock, before Ned took a deep breath and very loudly announced: “That is the coolest thing I’ve ever seen!”
At which point Harley stuck his head out from the kitchen. “Peter Benjamin Parker-Keener! That is our daughter, not a Spiderman-prototype!”
Yeah, Harley hadn’t really appreciated it when Peter had spent most of last night trying to see what surfaces their daughter stuck to. Peter quickly swept Antonia up in arms and moved back to the couch where his friends were seated. Harley came over after him.
“We think she’s inherited some of my mutation” Peter said, sitting down and bouncing Antonia in his lap. “I mean, kids are sticky but not this sticky.”
Harley, who was hovering over them, rolled his eyes. “We have an appointment with Dr. Cho next Tuesday.”
MJ was still staring in bewilderment between them, but Ned who sat closest to Peter reached over to poke Antonia’s nose. “You were already my favorite person, but you just became that much more amazing”
“The amazing Spidergirl” Peter joked.
Harley shook his head. “No child of mine is climbing the walls until they understand the concept of gravity”
“Your kid’s gonna be a genius, she’ll get it before the age of three” MJ quipped, bringing a startled laugh out of them. Even Harley quirked his lips in amusement. Peter settled Antonia against him so he got one hand free to reach up and grasp Harley’s. “It’s gonna be alright, we’ll figure this one out together”
“I know” Harley said, leaning down to brush a kiss against Peter’s hair.
They went to Rose Hill to visit Harley’s family. Harley hadn’t been back since he first came to New York except for Christmas, and even if they weren’t ever going to move here, Peter was still curious about the place. Rose Hill was, as Harley had pointed out multiple times on the plane, small. In fact the town was so small that Peter couldn’t even imagine a town to be this small and still be called a town. But then on the other hand, he had grown up in one of the world’s biggest cities, so maybe he was biased.
It was the kind of small town were everybody knew everybody, so when Harley Keener, misfit extraordinaire, brought home an omega and a baby it quickly became news. So when Harley took him sightseeing people were kind of unabashedly staring after them, but at this point it wasn’t like they weren’t used to it.
Macey had promised to babysit so Peter and Harley could have a date night. Peter had asked for the whole rural high-school treatment at which Harley had rolled his eyes, but he had gone out in the garage to breathe back life into his old pick-up. They drove to the diner in the middle of town and ordered burgers and fries which were drizzling in fat. To it they drank disgustingly sweet milkshakes.
“So cowboy, how many omegas have you brought here?” Peter asked, grinning teasingly.
“Considering how cool I was, alarmingly few” Harley quipped back.
Beneath the table their legs were fully entangled, Peter’s ankles hitched around Harley’s. He felt giddy and lovestruck in a frankly ridiculous way.
“You were cool in high school? Somehow I doubt that”
Harley threw a fry at him. “Like you, you mean? At least I went and married Spiderman, what can you say for yourself?”
“I guess chief engineer at Stark Industries doesn’t have the same ring to it. You’re right, you win. Your husband is way cooler than mine”
Harley was grinning, a melodious laugh stealing away from his lips. “You’re a little shit when you want to be”
“I know, the news says I’m a menace”
“My menace” Harley said, reaching out grabb Peter’s hand, his thumb brushing over Peter’s skin in small circular motions. “If you’re done, I kinda wanna go home and show my husband how much I appreciate him”
Peter felt himself blush, but nodded quickly. Their steps were eager as they made it out to the pick-up.
While they had stayed in the guest room in the big house, they now snuck out into the garage where Harley had once had his workshop and bedroom. The bed was still there, off in the corner behind a curtain that Harley had used to screen off the sleeping area from his workshop. The sheet that had covered the bed was dusty and Harley coughed badly as he pulled it off.
Peter was suddenly nervous. It wasn’t like they had done this an awful lot of times, especially not when neither of them were influenced by their hormones. Last time had been Harley’s rut a month back, and wow, babies truly were devastating to intimacy.
Harley sat down on the edge of the bed, still fully clothed, spreading his thighs so Peter could step between them. Peter carded his fingers through Harley’s hair as Harley wrapped his arms around him. They just stood like that for a moment.
Eventually, Peter went down to kiss him. It was slow but had a simmering heat pulse low in his stomach. He eased himself down to straddle Harley and Harley pulled him flush against himself by the hips.
“I bought rubber” he murmured between kisses.
Peter leaned back confused. “I’m not in heat”
“I know but still, don’t want any accidental babies, do we?”
“I don’t know, I kinda like the last one”
Harley smiled, and leaned forward to nibble at Peter’s ears, sending shivers through his whole body. “Yeah, I love her, but I also love sleep”
“Fair point” Peter agreed, finding quickly that the ability to hold conversations was rapidly escaping him.
Peter Parker was still Spiderman. The world still knew about it, but maybe it wasn’t such a big issue after all. Had he had his uncle’s knack for creating quotable mottos, Peter might have said something along the lines of: by losing something, you gain the opportunity to find something new . And in a long chain of events, losing his secret identity had given him Harley.