the light on the horizon was brighter yesterday

Happy nodded his head, “I’m on it, boss.” He spoke as he drove through the streets of Queens, he did remember hearing about a small diner from some people he had briefly spoken to a few weeks back. They were tourists and had asked him for directions, he over heard them as they carried on walking that they had just been to Queens and found the best diner. So, he headed in the direction that he believed it was in, he hoped he was taking Tony somewhere good.

Happy drove for another ten minutes before he parked his car, “Here we go, boss. Apparently, this place has the best food,” He spoke as he climbed out of the car and held the door open for Mr. Stark, the diner looked busy, but most people seemed to be getting takeaway food instead of sitting inside.

The building was small, but Happy could tell just by looking at the place that it was going to have that nice welcoming feeling as soon as he stepped inside. He locked the car once Tony had climbed out, he moved forward and opened the door to the diner for his boss and allowed him inside first.

---

Peter sat there at the table with his mouth open, right now he didn’t care what he looked like. His eyes stayed on Phoebe as Flash hurried away from their table, “That was brutal. But amazing,” He smiled at her as he had given up on standing up to himself with Flash, he stopped caring and wanted to stop wasting his time on someone who was constantly trying to put him down.

He could believe what just happened, but at the same time he hadn’t seen Phoebe like that before. It did make him like her even more than he already did, though. Signing, he heard the bell ring for the lunch break to end. He shoved the rest of his lunch into his mouth as he stood up from the table, he carried his lunch tray over to bin and left it there to be cleaned.

All he had to do was make it through the next few classes and then school was done for another day, usually he would be thinking about getting his Spiderman suit on straight away. But, not anymore. Now he wanted to spend time with Phoebe, he knew he was falling for her, but he wasn’t ready to admit that to anyone just yet.

@ sugarplum.
"Well it's better to be brutal then sug..." Phoebe cut herself off, "Who am I kidding that guy was a douche and deserved it," she laughed getting to her feet and walking over to empty her lunch tray. She walked out of the cafeteria her eyes scanning across Flash who glared at her, she simply smiled wider and grabbed Peter's hand again flaunting it in front of the male. Once they were out of eye sight she let go hesitantly and instantly regretted the loss of touch. However she had a class she had to get to.

"Alright I will see you two nerds later," she said smiling widely before heading toward her next class, her hand was still tingling from the contact she had with Peter. All through her next few lessons that was all she could think about. The bell rang and she packed her back quickly and raced out to meet Peter and Ned at the school gates before the three of them walked to the bus stop together.

---

Tony ordered both he and Happy a meal before taking a seat, he wished time went a little quicker he needed to see Peter. Every few minutes he was checking his watch finally the time ticked over and he knew it was a reasonable time to turn up on May's doorstep.

"Right Happy." he said getting to his feet and straightening his suit, "Ready to go. I have a date with a beautiful lady," he wasn't lying May was a rather attractive woman but he was certain that Happy knew where they were going. The two men exited the diner and got into the vehicle. This was going to be interesting.

Finally Happy pulled up out the front of the apartment, stepping out he hurried up the front steps and hit the bell for the apartment.

"Hello?" May's voice came through the intercom.

"Yes, Hello May, Tony Stark here, I was wondering is Peter home?" he waited.

"Not yet but shouldn't be too far away, I'll buzz you in," with that the door buzzed and he walked inside and made his way to the apartment. Out the front he reached out and knocked on the door.

Peter didn’t know what to do or think when Phoebe’s hand found his, it was obvious that it was because Flash was watching them with a sour expression on his face. He didn’t say anything as she let his hand go or when she headed off to class, he stood there in the hallway watching Phoebe walk away. It felt nice holding her hand, it felt so nice and he wanted nothing to go after her and tell her that. Tell her how he felt about her, tell her that he was Spiderman. Yet, all he did was watch her walk away like he always did.

Peter could hardly concentrate during class, not that he had been focusing on his studies since he started protecting Queens after school and through the night. But right now, all he could think of was Phoebe. Thankfully he managed to stay out of trouble long enough for the bell to ring, he grabbed his backpack and rushed out of the school with Ned beside him. Finding Phoebe waiting for them, they then headed to the bus stop just down the street.

“Hey,” He greeted MJ with a smile when his eyes landed on her standing at the bus stop waiting for them, he honestly didn’t know much about her, but she was a nice person which is what Peter needed in his life.

“Hey… ready to kick their ass at bowling?” MJ lifted her head out of the book that she had been reading, her dark eyes moving to Phoebe as she knew they would be the winning team.

---

May was confused when she heard Tony’s voice come through the intercom, yet she buzzed him up anyway. If he needed to speak with Peter, it must have been important for him to come all the way to Queens. However, when she heard the knock on the apartment door, she still checked herself in the mirror before opening the front door.

All her attention was on raising Peter, but she was still a single woman and wanted to look her best when attractive men were around. Not that Stark was attractive, he wasn’t. Opening the door, May looked at Tony dressed in his expensive suit.

“Peter didn’t tell me that you were coming over,” She stated as she stepped aside to allow him into her apartment, “Can I get you a drink or something to eat?” She may not trust Tony, but she was still going to make him comfortable inside her home.

@ sugarplum.
Phoebe looked at MJ a toothy grin spreading across her face.

"Of course I am! We are going to be amazing!" she laughed. She turned and looked at Peter and Ned. They were both smiling widely.

"Hey think we should do one of those if we win... they have to do something for us and if they win we do something for them..." MJ asked shrugging her shoulder. Phoebe didn't even have to think for long before she had her answer.

"Sure why not... now to decide their punishment," the brunette thought over possible ideas but was drawing a blank.

"If we win Peter and Phoebe go to Homecoming together and if we lose, both of us do both of your homework for a month."

"All the more reason to win," MJ stated nodding her head putting her book back in her bag before shouldering it and the four of them headed toward the closest bowling alley. The four of them walked along together MJ and Ned in front while Peter and Pheobe lagged behind.

"So..." Phoebe began not entirely sure where she was going with the conversation, "How was class?" she wanted to face palm herself for how stupid the question sounded coming out of her mouth.

---

May answered the door and Tony couldn't help but notice how pretty she looked, natural and barely wearing any make up, a real natural beauty. The first time he met May he had noticed that, sure he had Pepper but she was different.

"Peter doesn't know I am coming," he said entering the apartment, "A drink would be wonderful."

---

Steve was waiting for Tony to call he was becoming very uneasy he wanted to know what was going on, he needed to make sure that Peter's identity stayed hidden. He waited anxiously for Tony to reply. This was going to take a while he was certain, it was later afternoon and the male decided to go for a walk, perhaps he would run into Faye again.

Peter stood there silently with Ned, all he could do was simply watch the girls talk. Then before he knew what was going on, they had worked out what would happen to the team who won. Glancing over at Ned, he saw the same expression on his face that was sure to match the look on Peter’s face. How did they always get themselves into situations like this? Where they don’t have a say in anything. Though he would much rather not go to Homecoming with Phoebe, he would only embarrass himself and he’d step on her toes if they danced and he would be a nervous rambling mess.

He certainly did not want her to see him like that. Looking at Phoebe, he walked beside her as MJ and Ned led the way towards the closest bowling alley. “Class was alright, glad it’s over though.” He couldn’t tell her that every class he didn’t have with her seemed to drag on for what felt like hours, no way was he ever going to admit that to her. She’d laugh in his face… probably not, but he just didn’t want to make things awkward between them.

“I’ve been thinking… but maybe we could go grocery shopping this weekend and I could help you cook the dinner party. Sort of like a family dinner, I guess or a welcome to our apartment dinner.” He suggested knowing May would agree with his idea, it would have been a nicer if Phoebe didn’t have to cook. But as his and May’s cooking abilities were limited, it would be safer if he helped Phoebe with the cooking instead.

---

“Oh… well I can call him if you need to see him. He’s probably just hanging out with his friends,” May told him as she shut the door to her apartment, she headed towards the kitchen, so she could get Tony a drink. “We have Phoebe staying with us now, she’s a close family friend though she’s more like family. Peter and Ned will be showing her around Queens,” She wasn’t sure why she felt the need to explain what Peter was doing or that Phoebe was living with them, the words kind of just came out.

“I have water, beer, wine or soda. What would you like?” She asked stealing a glance over to where Tony was, secretly keeping an eye on where he was. “Please make yourself comfy,” She urged him as she honestly didn’t know when Peter would be home.

---

Faye had finished work for the day, packing her handbag and leaving her desk neat for the next morning. She grabbed her phone and pulled the hair tie from her locks, letting her hair down as she started walking through the large building. She wanted to make sure she had plenty of time to get home to her apartment, have dinner and get ready before Steve showed up for their movie date. She had to also find something to wear, she wanted to be casual but still cute. This had always been easier when Phoebe was there to help her.

Heading towards the subway, Faye stopped walking when her eyes landed on a familiar face. Turning her body, she decided to go over and at least say hi to him again, “Hey. Is everything alright?” She asked Steve as he looked to be waiting on something, she hoped he wasn’t there to cancel their date. She would understand if he was though, he was a busy man after all.