A/N: hiiii

how is everyone doing? :)

i still haven't gotten any decent sleep since last time so there's that. i have a couple tests next week so hopefully i won't fail those again. also i forgot what a keyboard was called so i called it a typer. i regret nothing.

imma be honest i don't even remember what i wrote in this chapter lol but i think it's fluffy so enjoy!

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"Ada...there's something I need to tell you."

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"And then I just left because they were both acting so weird," Adelaide told Vivian later that day when she came to visit.

Vivian had managed to sneak a bag of potato chips past Pepper (the doctors had strictly ordered no junk food for her but Adelaide couldn't resist) and they were both munching on those on her bed as Adelaide told Vivian about the incident from this morning. Vivian frowned, reaching into the bag for more chips.

"That is weird," she said, "Do you think they're hiding something?"

"Could be," she shrugged, "But maybe it really is nothing. I mean, they aren't exactly normal to begin with, right?"

"Very true," Vivian said thoughtfully.

"Anyway, guess what?" Adelaide grinned. Vivian raised her eyebrows in question.

"What?" she said.

"I'm getting discharged tomorrow!" she said and Vivian's face lit up with a huge smile.

"Adelaide, that's awesome!" she laughed, "Oh, I bet you're excited."

"You have no idea," she groaned, letting her head fall back onto the pillow, "I am so sick of this hospital smell and these plain walls. I honestly think my apartment was better than this."

"No offense, but your apartment was..."

"A garbage dump?" Adelaide offered. Vivian winced.

"I was going to say messy, but that works too," she nodded, reaching into the bag, "Are you going to go back to live there again after they discharge you?"

Adelaide shrugged, shoving move chips in her mouth for some time to answer the question. She thought about it as she chewed.

"If Tony wants me to stay with him at the compound, I will. But if not...I guess I kind of have to," she said. Vivian frowned.

"What do you mean if Tony wants you to stay with him? You don't think he wants you at the compound?"

"I...honestly don't know," she sighed, dusting the salt off of her hands, "I mean, I know things are okay with us again, but what if there's something that still not okay? Then I move in to the compound and things mess up again and...and I have to leave again."

Vivian didn't say anything for a while. And then she wiped her hands on her jeans and turned on the bed to face her.

"Adelaide...a blind man can see how much Tony loves you," she said carefully, "He has slept on the floor of every night that you've been here. He'll live with you in that awful apartment if it means he gets to stay with you. I mean, no offense. The apartment really sucks."

"None taken," Adelaide mumbled, "...You really think he'll want me to live at the compound?"

Even after knowing the truth about what I had done, she thought to herself.

"Only one way to know," Vivian said.

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"I thought the doctor ordered no junk food?" Peter asked as Adelaide magically pulled out a bag of potato chips from thin air.

She grinned at him.

"You forget that I can literally bend light, Bugboy," she said, offering him some chips. Peter smiled, shaking his head. Nevertheless, he reached into the bag for some chips. He settled into his chair and Adelaide placed the bag between them so it was easily accessible for both of them.

Jeopardy started playing as soon as the commercial break ended and they both attentively watched the show, any side conversations falling silent. As the show played on, Adelaide couldn't help but notice that Peter was being quieter than usual, which put her at unease. She decided to not say anything about it. If something was really bothering him, he would tell her...right? She tried to focus on the tv instead of her thoughts.

"It's probably a 1,000 pounds," she mumbled. Peter frowned.

"No it's 2,594 pounds. It's over a ton," he argued.

"What is...2,594 pounds?" the contestant answered.

There was a pause.

"That is correct. The world's largest cupcake is 2,594 pounds."

"Damn," Adelaide mumbled, "How the hell did you know that off the top of your head?"

Peter shrugged, "I...uh, saw it on tv somewhere."

Adelaide gave him a strange look and then shook her head, deciding it would be better if she didn't ask. After the cupcake question, the commercials started playing. And they were out of chips. So then there was no option but to talk to fill the silence. But Peter didn't. Instead, he stared at his shoes, looking as if he was in a deep thought about something. Adelaide could tell something was worrying him from the small crease that had appeared between his brows. In truth, it worried her that something was worrying him. Things were going so well, she was terrified of something rocking her finally steady boat once again.

"Hey...so we're okay, right?" Adelaide asked quietly.

Peter looked up at her, his lips parting. He nearly opened his mouth to answer and then sighed, sending Adelaide into an internal storm of worry.

She had been right. Something definitely was bothering him. It was bothering him a lot.

"Pete..." she started softly and Peter clenched his jaw tightly at the nickname, "Is it because of something I said?"

Peter looked into her anxious blue eyes, trying to find a rope in his mind to hold onto so he wouldn't get swept away in them again. His heart was beating nervously in his ribcage. He knew Happy had told him to wait until she was discharged, but...this was just too big. His hands began sweating.

I have to tell her.

If she said no, it would probably break his heart, but he didn't care. He had to get it off of his chest. She had to know.

He turned himself in his chair so he was facing her. Looking into her eyes, he took a deep breath.

"Ada...there's something I need to tell you," he whispered. And he whispered it so quietly that Adelaide almost didn't hear him. Her heart began to beat strangely out of anxiety. She almost didn't want to know what he was about to say if it was going to cause her tranquillity to be disturbed.

"What?" she heard herself whisper.

Peter swallowed.

"Ada...I, um...I—"

"Medicine time!" Tony announced as he let himself into the room.

Both teenagers jumped in their seats. They had been so concentrated on each other that they had nearly forgotten where they were to begin with. Tony put down the pill bottles on the bedside table.

Adelaide turned to look at Peter again, slightly confused and very worried. Peter just sighed.

"I'll see you later, Ada," he said quietly and left before she could stop him. The sound of the door closing behind him left her heart thundering wildly with worry in her chest.

Now Peter wouldn't be the only one staying up late at night, with thoughts consumed by someone two rooms away.

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A/N: what? you think i would make it that easy for you guys? c'mon, i thought we all loved angst :))

okay so lil announcement rq: i only have one more prewritten chapter left and not only do i have writers block, i also don't have any time at all. like, none. sooo maybe after i publish the chapter next week...i might have to go on a hiatus? I KNOW IT SUCKS AND I REALLY DONT WANT TO BUT I JUST DONT HAVE THE TIME ANYMORE 😭😭😭😭 all the really fun stuff was going to start after chapter 110, but i am literally TEARING MYSELF IN HALF trying to get all my work done on time and im still falling behind somehow. i mean, i thought i would know how to manage college since ive already done two years but apparently i dont so you guys are gonna have to stick with me through this one :,) but i promise it won't be a very long hiatus and if i get the time, ill try my very best to write yall a new chapter whenever i can.

sorry, i know i hate it when my favorite authors take a hiatus, but i just really need to focus on college right now :((

question: how do you think peter might tell ada the truth? 😏