It has been a few weeks since Harry and Peter have been in the same space together, and Peter is highly depressed without being near his husband, and Aunt May has done everything to get him out of his slump, but she doesn't know what else to do.
"Peter?" Aunt May says one warm day when she spots him on a chair, crying as he's clutching a teddy bear that Harry gave him when they were still boyfriends.
He doesn't respond.
"Sweetheart?" She says lifting his chin.
He looks at her with watery eyes.
"Did you have breakfast?"
He doesn't respond.
"What if we did something together, just the two of us?"
He nods through his tears.
"Good. It's time that we do something good for ourselves, even if it's for a little while!" Aunt May exclaims.
A few nights later after their conversation, Peter and May go out.
"You know aunt May, I don't mind paying that fifteen dollar cover charge at the Flaming Saddles Saloon."
"Of course you don't." Aunt May says. "But since you're feeling down, I thought that I might pay this time around since I invited you out. Besides, I have always wanted to visit a gay club."
Peter sighs.
Aunt May is currently watching Peter dance with a patron to I Will Survive playing in the background.
'Was this a good idea?'She wonders. 'I mean, I'm having a good time seeing how people are free to be comfortable with themselves, but Peter is just...depressed. I hope he can find a friend here to help him cope with everything that is going on.'
"Peter, I'm so flattered that I ran into you tonight." John says as the two walk to their booth.
"Yeah." Peter says to the man that he cheated on Harry with years ago.
"I mean, the last time I saw you, we had the time of our lives." John says as he sits down. "Ton and tons of strong coke, cheap whiskey and all. What happened to you?"
"Well, I had to get my shit together." Peter responds.
"And how do I know that's not just another line from the Peter Parker? I mean, you said the same thing years ago when you were dating that one guy."
"Lines? I have no lines!" Peter says.
"That was what you said just before you kissed me then let me fuck the living daylights out of you."
"I know." Peter says.
John takes the fry that Peter was holding, and throws it behind him.
"John-"
John places a kiss on Peter's lips.
Peter kisses back.
"Damn! That was nice, Pete." Peter hears John say.
"It sure was, Harry."
John leans back, angered.
"What?" Peter asks.
"You just called me Harry." John says angrily.
"Oh, no!" A horrified Peter says. He didn't catch what he's said until he realizes what he's done.
He pulls back away from John, feeling very sick.
"I gotta go." Peter says.
"Peter!"
Peter doesn't look back at all. He moves through the crowd until he find his aunt.
"Aunt May, we have to go." He says, looking terrified.
"What's wrong?"
"Let's-please? Can we just go?"
"Alright. Let's go."
"So let me get this straight: You met John- the man you cheated on Harry with- danced with him, kissed him, and yet you managed to call him Harry?!" Aunt May states angrily as they are making their way back to her house.
Peter doesn't respond at all.
"You have a huge problem here. You've always done stupid things, even when Harry has been everything and more to you. The way I see it, your problem is that you say one thing about loving Harry, yet your actions are the opposite in showing that you love him. I think that the problem is very clear to me, and it's that you never loved him and that you don't want to be married to him at all."
"No, no." Peter tells her. "The problem is, no matter how many times I've cheated on him or hurt him, I love him so much. I love sharing this life with him, this world, everything. I just can't believe that I still end up thinking about Harry, even if I've really fucked up. He was my everything and he just...I hate myself."
"So why'd you cheat on Harry in the first place? Do you regret getting married at all or what?"
"I don't know." Peter says.
They continue to walk.
"No, that isn't true." He confesses a few minutes later. "I mean, I made a mistake. I made a huge one, but I thought we could work this out like last time, go to therapy or something, especially since we have kids."
Aunt May sighs.
"You know, whenever I saw Harry, I wanted to hug him, hold him, kiss him. Even after everything that has happened, I still have a desire to do all those things, but I couldn't remain faithful to our vows." He finished, wiping the tears that fell from his eyes.
"Hey, Wade, you think this ride is safe? I mean, what if my hair gets caught in the rotor?" Harry asked as he gestured to the central engine.
"Harry, your hair is safe, considering that it's not too long and gelled up." Wade says as he put his arm around Harry. "But your lips… they're in danger."
Wade puckers his lips and leans in.
"AHH! AHH!"
Peter sits up, eyes snapping open.
"It's a dream. It's only a dream." Peter says.
He starts crying after he's completely calmed down. He makes his way to the bathroom in the little apartment that he and Harry never gave up in Manhattan.
'It was only a dream.'He thinks to himself after he's finished vomiting into the toilet. 'But why did it feel so real?'
"So Harry and the kids are going to California for a few days." Aunt May tells him.
Peter nods his head.
As she is about to walk away, he stands up.
"What if we go after them?"
"What?" A confused May says.
"I really want to win Harry back."
"Are you sure that's a good idea?" She asks him carefully.
"What are you implying, aunt May? That this isn't a good idea?"
"I just-"
"I don't care what you think, aunt May. I'm going to do what I want."
"That's what got you in trouble, remember?"
"So what? That's the love of my life, and I am going to try." He snapped. "Just because uncle Ben is dead, that doesn't mean that I have to be a miserable old person like you, you old, withered bag! See, unlike you, at least Ihave a man who's actually alive and well, you old bitch!"
"Fine." She says. "Do what you want, but don't come crying to me when all those attempts fail and you want me to feel sorry for you." She says as she leaves his apartment.
"Flash, I'm going to California."
"Are you shitting me, Parker?"
"Nope. I just found out that Harry and the kids are going to California." Peter told him. "Now, according to my resources-"
"Felicia."
"They are going to spend a day at Disneyland, the Aquarium, Six Flags, Universal Studios, Santa Monica beach, Knotts Berry Farm-"
"Get to the point, Peter. You're killing me here." Flash deadpans.
"Sorry. I was actually going to say that I am going to win my man back. Would you be willing to go with Wade and I to California to make that happen?"
"I'll go. Under one condition. You're buying my ticket."
"That's no problem." Peter says.
"California, here we come." Flash says cheers.
Three days later, the three men are just past the gates of Disneyland.
"We're here! "The Happiest Place on Earth."Flash says as they are in the theme park.
"Yeah? Then why am I so miserable?"
"Because you cheated on the love of your life with me." Wade says.
"Bad move, Wilson. Bad move." Flash says.
"So I know that this was my idea and all, but why are we here again?" Peter asks them
"Well, you gotta do what you came here to do. Find Harry and tell him you still love him." Flash says.
"I know. I mean, he's the most wonderful thing that ever happened to me. How can I not have him in my life?" Peter asks.
"Peter, there's tens of thousands of people. Y'know? I mean, we got this much chance of finding him!" Flash states.
"We better get started. It could take days." Wade says.
"Correction: Finding Harry will take days." Peter corrects him.
"Wade, we've been standing in this line for over half an hour. Now, Harry and the kids better be on this ride." Peter says.
Wade turns and looks at Peter.
"Who said anything about a ride?" Wade says as the guy in front of him gives him a churro.
Flash, who is annoyed, actually takes a churro himself.
"Churro, Pete?" Wade asks.
"Are you fucking kidding me, Wilson?" Peter asks, half-irritated and half-impatient at the moment. "Let's go!"
"Let's go back to the hotel." Flash suggests.
"Why?" Wade pouts. "The churros are extremely good."
"Because Peter failed on his first attempt at winning Harry back." Flash says.
"Oh, that? It wasn't that bad." Wade counters.
"Really? Because I'm pretty sure that a strangers kid shouldn't pee on someone while waiting in line to get on the ride at Space Mountain." Peter says miserably.
The three men went to the Aquarium of the Pacific, where Harry is sitting with his children, admiring the creatures of the deep.
"Daddy, what's that?" Normie asks five minutes into their peace and quiet.
"What's what, little man?" Harry asks.
"That!" Normie asks as Harry looks closely at the figure approaching the window.
It's Peter in a wet suit appears in the aquarium tank, holding a sign reading "I will chase you forever."
"Let's get out of here, kiddos." Harry tells his kids as he's trying to stay happy.
"But daddy-"
"No buts, Emily. Let's go."
"Let's just go home, Pete." Flash says.
Peter leaves the bar once those words come out of Flash's mouth.
"But-"
"Wade, we've followed Harry and their kids all over the place. It's obvious that he's not forgiving Peter anytime soon, and he looks happier than I've ever seen before." Flash says.
"Man, I am so sorry." Wade says.
"For what?" Flash asks, gearing up to challenge him.
"For everything. I just…..man, had I not been interested in finding out how Peter was in bed, this wouldn't have happened."
"So what were you expecting?" Flash asks him.
"I was expecting them to make up at Disneyland, with some fireworks going off in the back with you and I cheering them on."
"Well, keep dreaming. I'm ready to go back to New York because I cannot stand to see Peter suffering any longer."
"You have a point. Man, I hate myself for ruining their relationship."
"You should be. I mean, you're a great friend, but that was just….low." Flash says.
Peter comes back to the bar.
"I'm not giving up." Peter tells them.
Flash only sighs as Wade nods his head.
"So, what are you going to do now?" Flash asks Peter a few weeks later.
"I don't know. I really don't know." Peter tells him. "I really don't know."
On Valentine's Day, Harry had flowers and chocolates delivered to his door. He threw the flowers away and gave the chocolate to Felicia.
"Damn, what secret admirer are you blowing off?" Felicia asked with a smile as she was about to put a piece of candy into little Benny's mouth.
"Peter." Harry answered. Felicia pulled her hand away from little Benny's mouth and threw the chocolate right onto the table.
"We don't want his filthy chocolate," she said cooing to the baby. "Permission to throw away?"
"By all means."
Apparently throwing them in the trash can wasn't good enough for Felicia, and she made a fire in the pit outside to burn the candies. Harry was so lucky to have a friend that cared about him so much.
"Are you going to tell me about your Valentine's Day?" Aunt May asks asked when she called Peter later that night, probably for that sole purpose.
"So Harry told you." Peter sighed.
"He told me what you did." Aunt May confirms.
"I should have known." He says. "So…?"
"So what?"
"Did he say anything about the flowers and the candy?"
"No. He told me that he threw the flowers away."
"He kept the candy!" Peter exclaimed happily.
"No he didn't, Peter." She tells him. "Felicia threw it away then proceeded to burn the trash can."
"Oh." A depressed Peter says.
"I know you're hurt, honey, but are you going to wallow in depression for something you did or are you going to man up an move on?"
"But I love him, aunt May." Peter cried.
"Then if you love him, let him go." Aunt May advised. "Everything will be back to normal one day, after you've adjusted to being an ex-husband.
"Normal?" Peter snorts. "Y'know, I've just been dumped by someone that I've spent so much time with because of my mistakes. I have to live my entire life with that guilt. I don't have a heart anymore. I've lost my life." Peter says miserably.
Aunt May thinks that she should feel sorry for him, but she doesn't .
After all, she did warn him that she wasn't going to feel sorry for him, especially after that remark about her life after Uncle Ben's death?
'Serves you right.' She thinks to herself.
It was late at night, probably around midnight when Harry woke up from the hard, incessant taps on his door.
"God! Who the fuck has the nerve to wake me up?!" He huffs angrily as he makes his way to door. He looks through the peep hole.
"This motherfucker can't take a fucking hint." He grumbles as he opens the door for his estranged husband.
Peter's cheeky grin greeted him from the other side, and Harry had to blink several times to make sure he wasn't dreaming.
"What the fuck are you doing here, Peter?
"Hey, Har!" He half-whispered and half-shouted, waving an arm eagerly. Peter was wearing a backwards black shirt, and a pair of gray slacks, with a guitar strapped to his back.
"What the fuck are you doing here, you dumb fuck?!" Harry snaps impatiently.
"I wanted to surprise you." Peter's grin widened.
"Pe-"
"I want to earn you back." Peter says.
"The ship has sailed. I am not coming back to you."
"I don't accept that."
"What?" Harry eyed the guitar on Peter's back, shivering when the cool night breeze brushed through his thin pajamas.
"Are you fucking kidding me?! I'm going back inside." He says, trying to close the door in Peter's face, but Peter sticks out a foot forcing the door to stay open.
"No, wait!" Peter swung the guitar to his front, gripping it securely in his hands.
"What are you doing?" He says.
Peter didn't answer him, and instead started strumming the guitar and, much to Harry's disbelief and embarrassment, singing.
Peter Parker was serenading him with Jason Mraz's I'm Yours.
"So, what do you think?" Peter asks him, hopeful that this would work.
Luckily, there was a bucket with water by the small little end table by the door, used earlier from putting his kids, Felicia's and his umbrella in it.
Harry opens the door.
He throws the water at Peter.
Peter is completely shocked, and drenched.
"Goodbye, Peter." He says as he slams the door in Peter's face.
"Hey, dear." Aunt May greets as Harry enters his home.
"Hey, aunt May."
"You got another letter from Peter." She tells him as she gives him the letter as she's rocking little Benny to sleep.
He puts it in the shredder.
"Did he get the letter?" Peter asks his aunt as she answers her phone.
"Yup."
"And?"
"Bye-bye, letter."
"Did he at least read it?" He asks desperately.
"Nope. He put it in the shredder the second I gave it to him."
Peter sighs heavily.
"I told you that this wouldn't work. You really screwed up big time."
It's Saturday morning and there's knocking at the door.
"Em, can you watch your brothers for me while I open the door, sweetheart?"
"Yes, daddy." The ten year old says.
Harry opens the door, and it's a messenger.
"Are you Harry Osborn?"
"Yes." Harry responds slowly.
"Well, I have a message for you!"
"And that is...?" Harry asks.
The messenger does a rendition of Mariah Carey's We Belong Together.
"Daddy, Benny needs to be changed." Normie says as he runs up to his father.
"I'll be there in a moment." Harry tells his little boy.
"Ok." He says, running off.
"So, here you go." The messenger says as he hands Harry a small box. "It's from a Peter Parker."
"I know. I don't-"
"By the look on your face, I know that you aren't a fan of it. So what do you want to do with it?"
"Can you keep it? I mean, I'm re-gifting it, but-"
"Just sign for it, and I will keep it."
"Thank you." Harry says.
"Daddy!" Emily yells.
"I'm coming sweetie!" Harry yells as he is signing for the box. "Sorry about that."
"Thanks for the gift." The messenger says.
"Anytime."
"Are you sure that a dinner date is a good idea?" Aunt May asks. "Because I don't think that it's the best idea ever."
"I think that it's a great idea." Peter replies as he leaves her house.
"What a stubborn man." She sighs.
"Aunt May, Peter wants me to have dinner with me. He says that we have to talk."
"Well, what does your heart tell you?"
"My heart is saying to meet him up and serve him the divorce papers my dad had prepared for me, by the lawyers."
"Serve him, sweetheart." Aunt May tells him. "I won't get mad."
Flash glanced at Peter's table and saw him sitting alone, looking nervous. He was fiddling with the half empty glass of water in front of him, gnawing at his lower lip while the flowers were in front of him. Flash wanted to go and talk to him, but he couldn't. He couldn't tell Peter that Harry wasn't coming because he's a complete wreck who's still hurt by Peter's actions.
"Hey, Pete." Flash greets about twenty minutes later.
"Flash? What are you doing here?"
"I work here remember?"
"Right." Peter says, completely embarrassed.
"Are you ready to order?"
"Not yet. I'm waiting for Harry."
"I'll come back when you're ready to order?" Flash awkwardly asks.
"Please?" Peter asks, hopeful.
"Alright." Flash says as he walks away.
The waiter returned to his duties with a forced smile and continued on with his shift for a good three hours. As his shift was ending, along with the closing of the restaurant, he saw Peter get up with a look of utter rejection and walk out of the restaurant with the flowers in tow.
"Oh man." Flash says to himself as he hears Peter wails from outside the restaurant.
Flash never knew that Peter could be so miserable.
"I never knew that you could be so miserable." Flash tells him the next day after the Parkers' night out.
"Well, neither did I." Peter replies gloomily.