The group had started using the group chat again over the weekend. Tate had insisted on it. While they hadn't told Ned and Peter about the sleepover, it was mostly because they were helping Tate get over his rejection. Having Ned and Peter there would have made it worse. Most of the boys were still angry at Peter for upsetting Tate. But Tate told them that it was something between him and Peter and that it would be unfair for all of them to take it out on Ned too, despite the other boy being Peter's best friend.

So, with a bit of grumbling the group began using the group chat again. Mostly Charley texting about the latest ridiculous superhero gossip and Jason sending funny photos he had found on the internet. Ned replying quickly enough that it made Tate feel a little bad for excluding him, even though it was him who helped Peter hack his suit. MJ was apart of the chat too but she mostly sent them political news and anything weird and interesting. She didn't text as often as the others but her icon showed that she read the texts. Charley and Callum posted a photo of them kissing at cony island on the Saturday, announcing a successful date and their new relationship status. The only text Peter sent all weekend was to congratulate them. Other than that, there was silence from the boy.

The internet silence did not make Tate any less nervous when he entered school the next Monday, despite the words of assurance Pepper had given. Charley and Callum met him at the doors. The pair wrapped up in the other like they were one person. Whispering and exchanging sweet kisses, so completely wrapped up in their own world that they didn't notice Tate until he smacked Callum's backpack with his skateboard. It wasn't a hard hit but still Callum yelped and glared at him. Charley sniggering with his arms still around the other boy's waist.

"Tate!" Callum scowled at him. "Ouch".

Tate rolled his eyes. "It didn't hurt you big baby". Then he grinned widely with absolute joy and pride. "Guess who's now allowed back on a skateboard?"

Both Callum and Charley looked between Tate's face and the skateboard in his hands before they both began cheering. Charley reaching over to ruffled Tate's hair while Callum threw his arms around his best friend in a hug. "We have to go to the skatepark after school today", Charley declared. His own skateboard attached to his back pack as always.

"But we have to go back to mine so I can pick my board up first", Callum pointed out, finally extracting himself from Tate. He turned to shout at the two people walking over. Jason and Mj talking as they looked up. "He was a skater boy!"

"She said 'see you later boy!" a third voice called and Abe came bouncing round the gates. He threw himself onto Jason's back and the bigger boy caught him with barely a stumble. Abe pulled himself up and Jason pulled him into a piggy back position as they hurried over. Tate laughed at the sight and waved his skateboard at them on triumph.

"My therapist said that I can skate again if I take it easy".

"That's great!" Jason beamed. He dropped Abe as he joined them and turned his attention to Tate, pulling him into a bearhug for a second.

"So you lot are going to be back to attempting bone breaking tricks on a wooden board with only four small wheels to keep you going?" Mj asked with a teasing smile as she joined the circle.

"Yep", Abe nodded happily. "I have only broken both my arms. Not too bad".

"Should you be proud of that?"

"Probably not", Charley replied cheekily.

"Excuse me, how many bones have you broken Charley?"

"Three. A rib. Right wrist and left leg", Callum answered for him. "And one of those was landing wrong on a kick flip". Everyone began laughing at the memory while Charley pouted at his boyfriend. Callum kissed him on the cheek and his smile was back.

"We're going skating tonight right?" Tate asked eagerly.

Jason and Abe nodded. "I'm free", Jason volunteered. He turned to Mj. "Want to come?"

"Sure", She shrugged. "I don't have much better to do. No protests on this week".

"Hi Ned", Abe's voice was cheerful but it took on a slight tone on the second greeting. "Hi Peter". Tate elbowed him and the dark skin boy scowled at him. "What?"

"Don't be mean to them. It's fine. I'm over it".

"No you're not", Callum interjected, their voices dropping into used whispers as Peter and Ned approached.

Tate sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "I will get there. But don't be mean to them about it. It's between me and Peter".

"But he made you cry!" Abe protested, voice raising in volume enough for it to be heard by the two boys. Tate flushed and glanced over at them in embarrassment. Abe seemed to realise what he had done and Jason clamped a hand over this mouth.

"Um, hi guys", Peter greeted with a small smile. He looked over them but his expression grew somewhat hesitant and almost guilty as he met Tate's gaze. Beside him, Ned just looked painfully awkward.

"Hi Peter", Callum nodded. He took a deep breath and glared at him. "You're our friend but we have known Tate longer than you. So consider this your only warning".

"Yes", Jason nodded. "One and only warning. Don't treat him like that again".

"Oh my god", Tate buried his face in his hands, cheeks painfully red. "Shut up. Shhh". He hissed at them and when they didn't stop glaring, poked them all harshly. "Stop it. You guys are ridiculous".

"You're our little brother", Jason huffed as he rubbed the spoke where Tate had jabbed him. "Let us fight those who make you cry".

"No", Tate wagged his fingers at them like he was telling off a pack of puppies. "I would do the same for all of you but please, stop being over protective! Jason! I am literally a whole month older than you. Now stop making a scene!" He punctuated his last sentence with several more well placed pokes. Jason, Charley, Callum and Abe all squirming back to avoid them.

"Tate! Stop it", Callum shrieked. "Charley! Jason! Grab him!"

"Get off", Tate snapped as Charley picked him up and helped sling him over Jason's shoulder in a fireman carry. He kicked his legs but it only caused the group to laugh. He huffed and placed his elbows into Jason's back to rest his chin as he pouted up at them.

"As we were saying", Charley continued, turning back to Ned and Peter. Ned had been sniggering at the scene and Peter was hiding a smile. Both expressions faded as Charley narrow his eyes at them. "Peter, You're cool and we don't understand half of what is going on between you and Tate. Don't give me that face Baby Stark. We know that there's something weird that the two of you are keeping from the rest of us. Stark internship shit probably. Either way, no matter what Tate did, please apologise to him Peter and we can all go back to being buddies".

Peter stiffened and his guilty expression grew worse at the mention of the 'Stark internship'. He was so easy to read Tate honestly wondered how he kept Spiderman a secret. The boy was a terrible liar. When Charley had finished speaking, Peter glanced at the upside down pouting Tate and then hurriedly looked a this feet. "You're all right. I was a dick and it was unfair of me. I should not have spoken to you like that. I'm really sorry Tate. I should not have hurt you". His eyes were big and beseeching.

Tate knew that he couldn't hold a grudge. He wasn't that sort of person. He sighed and dropped his head. "Jason. put me down now!" Jason crouched and helped him regain his footing. For a second as the blood stopped flowing to his head, he swayed but Callum and Mj made sure that he didn't fall over. When the dizziness had faded, he turned back to Peter and ran a hand through his hair. "I forgive you. Just, please don't talk to me like that again. It hurt". The honesty in Tate's words seemed to make Peter's face become even guiltier.

"I won't. I was being such a dick".

"You were but we all have those moments. Come on", Tate waved at them. "Lets go inside. the bell is about to ring. Peter, Ned, want to come skating with us later?"

"Yes!" Ned cheered as the group began walking together through the school. "I've never been on a skateboard before. Is it hard?"

As Abe and Charley began to explain the sport of skateboarding to Ned, Tate looked back and caught Peter's eyes. The brown haired boy looked unharmed and it eased any worry about the ferry incident from his chest. Peter smiled slightly and it made Tate's stomach flutter traitorously. His crush seemingly only getting worse despite the rejection. He smiled gently back, hoping that it wouldn't hurt for much longer.

unedited

so Peter and Tate have made up. yay.
also, another moodboard of Tate's friends up there. the boys. the Tate protection squad.