Peter Parker Imagines

94. All These Years - Part Five

a/n: this is the last part! hope you guys enjoyed this series, it was kind of interesting to see all the predictions you guys had made in the first part and how many of them were kinda accurate ;)

warnings: language, more arguing, more angst, you know the drill by now

reminder: requests are closed!

The rest of the winter break went more smoothly, but also still tense. You spent most of it with your family, only visiting Ned, Betty, and MJ once more before they headed back to college just before the new year. Peter and you did not talk at all, much less hang out, for the entirety of the time after the party.

It was awful, because you missed him, but you also knew you didn't want to talk about anything he had brought up that night. You knew that as soon as you tried to talk to him, he would demand that topic be what you discussed.

Coincidentally, you and Peter attended the same Columbia New Year's party every year. These parties had brought a lot of mutual friends and funny stories, as well as embarrassing ones - you had gotten pretty shit-faced at these events more than any others, as had Peter.

It was a little awkward after the fiasco with the holiday party. You really needed a night out, and many of your classmates were going to this party, too. Peter hadn't contacted you at all, and you assumed he was still going too, but you decided to arrive with your classmates rather than grow a pair and try to text him.

It was nearly midnight when you had reached your limit. You didn't like drinking much, but the idea of seeing Peter there somewhere made you drink even more than you normally would. None of your classmates were concerned with keeping an eye on you, and you found yourself in one of the bedrooms with the window open, trying to sober up before you had to go home.

"Whatcha doing in here?" Peter's voice almost made you jump as he came up next to where you were leaning against the open windowsill. "I've been looking everywhere for you."

"Got a little too drunk, needed to chill out somewhere," you forced a chuckle, because it was true. Your vision only stopped swimming a few minutes ago, after you snuck away to one of the bedrooms and cracked a window open for some fresh air. You definitely hadn't sobered up yet, which is why you were still there.

And also why you didn't run as soon as Peter came in and announced he'd been looking for you, like you surely would have if you were in the right head space.

"Care if I join?" Peter asked, his voice also slurring a little bit, and you guessed he probably needed a second to chill out too.

"'Course not," you patted the ledge of the windowsill next to you. "I'm just waiting for the fireworks to begin."

This frat had a pretty nice view of the city, though not super high up, of course. But you were sure you'd still be able to hear the fireworks and cheering and know when the new year began.

Peter didn't say anything else as he settled next to you, also staring out through the window. It was a clear night again, the moon the only thing giving light aside from the glow of the city. It wasn't as quiet or peaceful as it was that night at Ned's, but the alcohol in your system was telling you it was no different. This also felt like the calm before the storm.

You stared at the side of his face, wondering if you should bring it up. You definitely didn't want to, but your thoughts weren't making any sense, and right now you were full of liquid courage - so maybe you should.

Unlike the holiday party, your brain wasn't telling you to look away, so you didn't. Which meant when he finally looked down, he caught you staring at him - but he didn't look away either. His unfocused eyes met yours, his eyebrows scrunching together like he was going to ask a question - or maybe he was just drunk.