"I was, at first. Especially after I read the article. But... after a while, I don't know, I just... I stopped feeling

angry. I'm just... I'm heartbroken."

"I know."

"What you did hurt me," Peter tells him. "A lot."

Eli doesn't know how to respond to hearing the words. Of course he knew he'd hurt Peter, but to hear him say it out loud... it's different.

"I know, Peter. And I wish... God, I wish that I could say I would take it back. Because I regret so much of what happened,

and I regret lying to you. But if I hadn't taken Michael's stupid idea and done what he told me to, then... then I never

would've given you that second chance. And I know that sounds fucked up, because it is. And it sounds selfish as hell, and

it's because I'm being completely selfish right now." Eli takes a shaky breath. "I regret hurting you, I regret the article,

both of them, and I regret lying to you for so long. But I don't regret getting to spend that time with you. Those weeks that

we were together... they were the best time of my life, Peter. And no part of those feelings was a lie."

"They were good for me too," Peter tells him. "I wasn't lying either, when I said that I'd fallen in love with you too."

Eli can't stop himself from smiling, no matter how pained he feels.

"I didn't know what to do with those feelings at first, because I thought that you didn't feel the same way. And I was...

I was afraid. Of letting you go. What our relationship would turn into."

Eli wishes that he could feel relief at the words; he wishes that he could feel like things are fixed, that everything is magical now. But he can't help but expect the ball to drop at any moment.

"And then you made the decision easy," Peter says.

There it is , Eli thinks.

"I wish you hadn't, but... what happened happened, I guess."

"Yeah, it did."

More silence stretches between them both; people walk past Eli, obviously annoyed with where he's chosen to stand as they

make their way down the platform.

"I..." Eli starts. "I love you, Peter. And I wish that I'd been brave enough to know that sooner. Just like how I wish

I'd been brave enough to leave Vent . I never should've agreed to write that article, even if I told myself it was never going to come out."

More silence.

"I've missed you," Eli admits to him. "I've missed eating dinner with you, having to explain my jokes because you don't get

them. I've missed... I've missed hearing you mutter to yourself in Korean when you get frustrated, and I've missed hearing

your laugh. I've missed how you're the only person I know under the age of fifty who likes jazz, and how you haven't seen

any movies except for the Sam Raimi Spider-Man , and I've missed how you dress like a frat bro."

Eli swallows, the corners of his eyes burning.

"I miss how you smell, and I've missed the rough scrape of your hands against mine. And I've... I miss you, Peter."

No past tense here.

There's a pause, one that stretches on long enough to hold the entire universe. Eli stands there; hoping, praying that Peter heard him. And yet, at the same time, he hopes that Peter didn't. Because he doesn't want this to not work, he

wants—no, he needs Peter to understand him. But he also knows that he can't control how Peter feels.

"I miss you too, Eli."

The words feel like they're holding the world together.

"And I wish I didn't. I wish that I could be angry with you. But I'm not, and I've been wondering what that means because

I know I should be mad at you." Peter pauses. "Because what you did was shitty, what you did sucked. But I..."

Eli gives him the space to form his own words.

"I think the most important thing you taught me was that love never makes any sense at all."

"No, it never really does."

"And I know I love you," Peter tells him. "I like the person you helped me become."

"Is there any chance you'd be willing to see me?" Eli asks. "Even if it's just for a few minutes. I'd like to apologize to you in person.

You don't have to say yes; please don't if you don't want to." Eli tries to stress this, though his focus on the words starts

to sound like pressure to his own ears, so he stops talking.

It's Peter's turn to make the decisions. It's Peter's turn to take control of his own life, to make the choice to see Eli

again.

And he has to be okay with whatever that choice ends up being.

"I wish I could, I'm busy with work tonight. Thanksgiving is only an American holiday."

"That's okay." Eli isn't sure where they'd even go. Tons of businesses no longer partake in celebrating or decorating for

Thanksgiving, but most still take the opportunity to close up shop for Thursday at least.

"How about tomorrow? Is that okay?" Peter asks.

"Yeah, yes!" Eli says before he realizes that he sounds too eager. "I mean, yeah. I'd like that a lot."

"Okay... I'll see you tomorrow. Mission Rise Coffee okay?"

"Perfect." Eli stops himself from smiling. Because this isn't an acceptance of his apology, this isn't a second chance. But

it is something.

What that something is, he doesn't really know. But it's more than he had before.