The Debt of Guilt [BxB]

42: before

October
1989

A few days after Jenifer had given birth, Peter and Danny were stood outside her old childhood home, the sky above them darkened by clouds, rain pouring down and tangling into their windswept hair.

"Hey." Peter grabbed Danny's wrist before he could knock on the door, "I never asked you about your audition."

Danny lowered his fist, "It was alright, I think."

"When do you hear?"

"Soon." He replied dismissively, "I'm trying not to think about it too much."

Peter nodded in understanding, "Well, hey, listen, if you don't get it there will plenty more opportunities." He offered him a hopeful smile, "You're a great actor."

Danny grinned, squeezing Peter's shoulder affectionately, "Thanks, Pete."

Peter turned back to the door, raising his fist and knocking twice, "Let's get this over with."

The door swung open a few moments later, revealing a man with scruffy grey stubble and big round glasses. His eyes flicked between the pair cautiously, "What do you two want?" He grunted.

"We're here to collect some of Jen's things." Peter said politely.

He scoffed, "Whatever Jenifer needs she can come and collect herself."

"C'mon." Danny resisted the urge to roll his eyes, "We're just gonna grab some of her clothes and leave. It will only take a minute."

The man didn't move, "I'm not having you two in my house." He grumbled in disgust, "I never liked the pair of you - always lurking around Jenifer, getting her into all sorts of trouble-"

"Sir, please-" Peter protested.

"I want you off my property." He ordered sharply.

"We're not leaving." Danny argued, standing his ground, "So either let us in or we'll let ourselves in, alright?"

The man hesitated for a moment, considering Danny's threat. Eventually he sighed heavily and opened the door a little wider, "You have five minutes." He barked, "And then I want you gone. Whatever you don't take is getting thrown out. And you can tell that whore that-"

"Okay." Peter interrupted him, his fingers instinctively wrapping around Danny's wrist, attempting to keep him grounded. Just laying his eyes on Jenifer's stepdad stirred all sorts of emotions in him; anger, pain, betrayal. He ached for his friend, and wondered if Danny felt what he was feeling. He guessed that he probably was.

When they reached Jenifer's bedroom, her stepdad lurked in the doorway, watching them pile her clothes into bags. His eyes were cold and haunting. It sent a chill down Peter's spine and he had to focus on the task in front of him, rather than the anger that boiled in his chest. He thought about all the awful things that had happened in this room; how many times this man had crept in, how many times Jenifer had struggled beneath his weight, or given in because she was too tired to fight back. It made his skin crawl and his head go foggy.

He glanced up when he noticed Danny's hand on his shoulder, "Pete." He murmured, brows knitted together in concern, "You okay?"