Forever

chapter thirteen

He'd debated it for the last ten minutes, standing out in the hallway, but finally, he knocked on the door. After a few seconds of shuffling, with the sounds of crashing and subsequent cursing to follow, Harley opened the door.

"Hey, what's up?"

Taking a deep breath, Peter looked up at him. "I think I'm gonna break up with Nico."

Harley had been encouraging him the past few days to end things with Nico since Peter had told him everything. At first, Peter had been hesitant, but he was finally starting to see everything wrong Nico had done because of Harley.

Almost instantly, a smile grew on his face and he was grinning. His eyes were bright. "Really? That's great, Peter."

Peter couldn't help but smile back at him; it was contagious with Harley. "Thanks. I was hoping you could drive me?"

"'Course, Darlin'. Let me get my stuff and we'll go."

The drive was quiet. Peter's eyes were glued to the window, hands constantly fidgeting while he thought about what on earth he was supposed to say. It went by much too quickly and soon enough, Harley was pulling up to his house.

"Do you want me to go in with you?" he asked, eyes flitting down to Peter's hands, who couldn't stay still.

"No. No, I think it's better if just I go," he breathed, looking over at his house.

"Alright, well, I'll be right out here then if you need."

"Okay." He nodded, looking at Harley again and getting out. "It shouldn't take too long."

Taking another breath, he walked up to the door and knocked. God, where had the time gone? He was just at home a few minutes ago, it felt like. He needed more time. The sight of the house already made a pit form in his stomach; knowing what he was here to do only made it worse.

"Peter? Hey, babe, what're you doing here?" he asked, smiling, opening the door more so that Peter could go in.

While Nico had apologized, Peter never actually made up with him. That didn't stop Nico from continuing to text him like nothing was wrong.

Hesitantly, he stepped in and turned to Nico, frowning. "Look, Nico..." he sighed, watching his face fall. Thinking out his next words carefully, he said, "I don't think our relationship is working out anymore."

His face morphed into one of confusion and disbelief. "What are you talking about?"

"I think we should break up."

"Our relationship is working out fine. Or I'm trying to make it work, at least. If you actually tried too, it could. Are you really going to end things because of one stupid fight?"

"Maybe that's all it was to you, but not to me, Nico. It was more than that. You really hurt me." He wrapped his arms around himself, standing while Nico leaned on the door.

"Well whose fault was it that we even had that fight?" he spat incredulously. Then, a new light came into his eyes, a new thought. "Oh, don't tell me this is Harley's idea? He's been turning you against me, hasn't he?"

"No, it's not about him. I don't like how you treat me or– or how I feel around you anymore."

"What're you even talking about, Peter? I only ever treat you how you deserve. When you never listen to me or do what I ask, there's only so much I can do," he accused.