Coming Home

It had taken months for the two men to come to trust the other like they once had, to find happiness in their friendship, and to find security in the other. Becoming friendly wasn't difficult, although both men were hesitant and tense around the other, and their laughs and jokes strained. It seemed as if it only grew worse when one of them donned their red and blue suit and went to save New York city time and time again throughout the night. It left the other worried, anxious, and angry. Angry that his friend would still go out and save the people of tasks that the New York police department, fire department, and any other department for that matter could take care of. So he created a system in which the police had instant access to his friend if they were fighting something that was out of their depth. It helped. His friend wasn't as tired. He would smile more, and he would be able to sleep throughout the night more times than not.

It still didn't resolve the fear of his friend coming home safe and sound though. He didn't mind when the male in question came back a bit bruised and battered because at least he came home. And that's why it made him angry. If his friend didn't come home, it wouldn't be home. He didn't just feel like he was friends with the other, no, he felt as if they were more. Lingering looks, over-protectiveness of the other, and soft and sweet touches when the time was right for them.

The blue eyed male watched as his brown eyed friend left, hating how his feelings were unrequited.

It wasn't long before some sense was smacked into Peter when the Osborne butler cornered him and made it very clear what the "young Master Osborne's feelings were for him" and proceeded to threaten him about "if you hurt him, I will…" talk. He was surprised he wasn't really shocked, and thanked the butler nicely and wandered off to find his blue-eyed friend. He found him in the library, curled up on the nice, fancy couch using his leather jacket as a pillow.

The sight was endearing, and with a boost of confidence, Peter trailed over to the male and sat down on the edge of the cushion to look at his peaceful friend. An expression he had been seeing more and more, and was thankful for. Whatever demons Harry had put to rest, it had been helping his health tremendously. He gently touched the pale, healthy cheek, carefully grazing his knuckles over it.

"Harry, wake up," he called to him softly.

It didn't take long to rise the other from his depths of sleep, even if it did take a bit of coaxing.

Harry blinked his eyes open, and looked at his friend with confusion at their close proximity. Peter chuckled in response, his hands in his lap, despite wanting to trace over the pale and perfect skin.

"Pete?" He asked.

"Hey buddy. I think we should talk," he replied gently.

"We are," his friend commented sarcastically.

Pete nudged the others shoulder playfully, "Alright smart ass, shut it. I mean, we need to have a serious conversation talk."

"Oh," Harry said, the color in his face paling just a bit.

"Nothing's wrong, but let's get you some tea, yeah?" Peter said, standing up.

"No, tea can wait. Just tell me…rip the band-aid off," Harry urged, almost pleading with his friend to just tell him what all of this was about.

Peter hesitated, before nodding in his agreement, and sat back down in his previous position. "Harry, do you like me?"

Harry look confused, "Yeah, I mean, I let you live with me, and we've become friends again."

"Harry, do you like me more than just friends?" He clarified patiently.

His friend looked cornered, and Peter could only imaging what his friend was thinking. "It's okay to tell me the truth. Either answer."

"You say that now," Harry warned.

"Come on Harry, we're friends, you can trust me." He said, but he had a pretty decent idea what the answer would be with his blue eyed friends trepidation to answer.

Harry sat up and ran his fingers through his hair. Peter turned to face him, and if both boys noticed how close they were sitting, and that there thighs were touching, they didn't mention it.

"Alright, I guess, lately, I've had more than just friendly feelings for you," Harry sighed, rubbing his hands over his face.

Peter smiled, "That's okay, I have too."

Harry turned to look at him, trying to analyze the other's honesty by his expression. The boy seemed to like what he saw, and a small, boyish smile spread on his face, "Really?"

"Really, really. We can see what this leads to, and try to take things slow though." Peter said, expressing how unsure he was about being in another relationship with a male.

"Okay Pete," Harry smiled.

Peter stood up, and dropped a quick kiss to Harry's forehead, "I'll go and get your tea for you."

Harry watched him walk away with a dopey expression.

After a month of experimenting what their feelings were for the other, both boys were becoming unhinged with how they were keeping to small and brief touches. Peter finally snapped when they were sitting in the living room watching a movie. He grabbed the remote and paused it.

"Alright, enough of this, this 'going super extra really slow' shit, I like you, you like me, why are we making this more difficult than need be?" Peter exclaimed.

Harry looked at him with a wide smile. "You said slow, Pete."

Peter rolled his eyes, "Well enough of that. It's annoying." He leaned into the other and cupped his friends chin gently, carefully and lightly kissing the other. The kiss exchanged was just lips on lips, experiencing the others soft and warm lips for the first time. Peter pulled away, smiling at the small whine of protest Harry let escape.

"Much better," he whispered. Peter moved to sit closer to Harry, and the other boy made sure there was hardly any distance between them when he sat on his lap, resting his head in the others neck as he sleepily gazed at the television once Peter pressed 'play'.

Once the movie was done, Peter easily lifted Harry into his arms and headed to the young Osborne's room. He set him on the bed, and pulled off his shoes. After having a silent debate with himself, he pulled his own shoes off and slipped under the covers with his friend. The others instinctive need for warmth had him roll over and curl into Peter's side. Peter kissed the males head and drifted off to sleep shortly after.

He woke up later on in the night to the familiar static coming from the device he carried at all times when the police ever needed him because they couldn't handle what was confronting them. He instantly shed his clothes and slipped on the mask, before pressing a gentle kiss to Harry's cheek. Peter was out the window, but he heard the soft mumble, "Come back home to me, Pete."

Hours later, Peter did come home, a bit more banged up than usual, but still in one piece. He painfully removed the suit, and walked into Harry's shower, stepping under the hot water and cleansing him of the night and calming his sore muscles. He wrapped a towel around his waist and made his way back out to the room. Peter could see Harry watching him from where he was curled up on the bed.

He changed into a pair of boxers unashamedly and walked back over to his sleepy friend. Harry moved his head to look up at him, and gave him a sweet, sleepy grin. Peter smiled, his insides instantly turning into goo. He crawled under the covers to cuddle up to the other male, and after a soft exchange of lips pressing together, he murmured into his friends ear, "I'll always come home, my love." Harry turned wide eyes to him, and Peter stroked the males cheek comfortingly. "You're my home, wherever you are, I'll be. I love you, okay?" He said softly.

Harry nodded, "I love you too, Pete."

And with another kiss, both boys fell asleep from exhaustion: one from kicking another mutants butt and the other worrying about the safety of the other. Back in each other's arms, they could both sleep peacefully.