𝐒𝐖𝐈𝐅𝐓 (X-Men ~ Peter Maximoff)

Forgive, Not Forget

Staying over at the Maximoff house had been slightly strange for Jennifer, and what was even stranger was how she had been accepted in with open arms by the adult of the house. Like any sensible adult Laura had been sceptical about letting Jennifer stay overnight, but it didn't take much of an explanation from the two teens for her to understand the weight of the situation and allow the girl to stay as long as she needed to, as well as try to make her as comfy as possible.

Peter hadn't told his mother why they had fallen out, and he hadn't recounted everything Jennifer had told him either, protecting her from the clutches of his mother that would inevitably end up pitying the girl, which was certainly something she didn't want. But Laura knew the basic facts and that was evidently all she needed.

As a result of being shielded from the truth and itty gritty details, Maisie was over the moon to have Jennifer live with them for a while. Why Maisie loved Jennifer so much was a mystery to the entire household, but they were certainly glad that she had a good role model. In spite of all her joy though, the young Maximoff had been mildly disappointed to find out that Jennifer would not be staying in her room for the sleepover that she craved so much, but rather her older brothers messy section of the house.

The couch downstairs was no king sized bed with feather pillows, but its worn and faded cushions were a definite upgrade from Jennifer's' hammock that used to threaten to drop her whenever she turned around. Peter had managed to find some blankets in the hall cupboard that she could use, hers still sitting packed up in boxes in the warehouse. It had been weird to stay over in a house that a mere week ago she swore she would never go near again, and it was even weirder to feel at home there.

Of course, Jennifer insisted that if she was staying there she would pay her expenses, which Laura immediately turned down, reminding the girl that she had to save her money. Somewhat unhappy with that response, Jennifer made it her duty to help out wherever she could, whether that be by washing the dishes, hanging out the washing, tiding up, helping with the shopping or even running Maisie to friends houses every so often – all for which made Laura incredibly grateful.

Still, there was an awkward tension between the two teens, especially now as they sat across from one another in their usual red booth that was located in the back corner of the diner. They sat there like they always had, eating a collection of unhealthy foods that were bound to give them heart issues whilst pretending the world around them didn't exist.

To an outsider it looked like there never had been an argument, like the duo hadn't spent the nights prior to their reconciliation wide awake, wondering if their words and actions had been worth the sacrifice and pain, wondering if they would ever see each other again. They were doing a great job at hiding it, but it was becoming increasingly difficult to pretend that everything had been amended and that they could go back to normal.

Peter's heart ached when he thought about how it had been Jennifer's plan all along to leave Maryland, to leave him. Her situation wasn't her fault, not really, and he couldn't blame her for wanting to home, but he simply couldn't get over how she had rushed her plan with no sense of direction just to get away from him, or how easy it had been for her to turn around and run. In fairness, Jennifer had only done that as a result of his actions, of his moment of rage and confusion, but it hurt to know that if he had hesitated to apologize for even a mere day the girl he had fallen for so quickly would be lost to him, never to be seen again.

On the other side of the metal table, Jennifer felt nothing but guilt for her actions. Peter had betrayed her, yes, but it was ultimately her undoing. She had sowed the seeds, offered the water and let the fruit of lies grow, and it was only natural for someone to take a bite and become aware of the harsh truth, like a modern day retelling of Adam and Eve. Still, she hadn't deserved to be discovered in that way, to be pegged as dishonest just because she was scared of telling people her story. Her heart had been smashed that day, and even now the pieces were reassembled, their was no glue to hold them together.