A/N: So here's prompt #3: Ending. I chose Nate and Dana for this one because in my other fics I always talking about the two of them having a mutual break up, and I thought…why not actually write that break up. So here it is. Enjoy!
Mutual
By angellwings
end·ing
–noun
1.
a bringing or coming to an end; termination; close
Was it terrible of him to say that he saw this coming? Things had been different for months now. He couldn't put his finger on why or how, but things had definitely changed. He still respected Dana and cared about her, but there was no heat. No passion. Only companionship.
So he wasn't surprised when Dana turned to him with a very serious expression on her face.
"We need to talk."
He nodded and agreed. "We do."
"I don't know how to say this, Nate. I mean I love you, but I just don't love you. Oh gosh, that sounded a lot better in my head—I mean, you're a great guy, and I don't regret what we had, but—"
"You're not in love with me," He interrupted her.
She nodded and he could see concern for him in her eyes. "Do you hate me?"
He shook his head. "I don't hate you, Dana. I feel the same way. You're a friend, a close friend, but I can't say I feel anything more than that for you anymore."
"You too?" Dana asked. He nodded again. "What happened to us?"
He sighed. "I don't know. Things just…changed."
"Don't take this the wrong way, and if you say yes I won't be mad, I promise, but…is there someone else?" Dana asked curiously.
He smiled softly at her and shook her head. "No. You?"
She shook her head too. "No. This is weird."
He chuckled. "Why?"
"I've never dated a guy and had it end like this before. It's just…weird. There's no anger, no resentment, no awkwardness. This is the oddest break up ever."
He nodded and laughed lightly. "It will probably be the only one of its kind."
She leaned back on the couch and looked at him. "So, we're good? You'd tell me if we weren't right?"
He nodded. "I'd tell you."
"Had you ever loved anyone before me?" Dana asked slowly and seriously.
Nate put aside his guitar and turned to face her. "No. You were the first. You?"
"No," she said with a small grin. "Never really met a guy worth the emotion before."
He chuckled. "I understand. I'm honored I was worth it for a little while."
"You're still worth it. I just…don't feel it. I almost wish I did."
Nate's brow furrowed. "Why?"
"I don't know, I—I'm scared. What if I never find somebody else to love? Or, even worse, what if no one else loves me?" She asked him as she tugged her sleeves down over her hands.
He reached out and pulled her to him. "Someone else will love you, Dana. You're amazing. That won't be a problem. I truly believe that out there somewhere we've all got that perfect person waiting on us. We just haven't found ours yet."
"You better be right, Nate Grey. I'm counting on it."
"I'm counting on it too," He told her with a small smile.
"Do you think any one will believe us when we say this was mutual?" Dana asked.
Nate shook his head. "No. They'll expect us to be awkward and angry. And they'll think we'll want to avoid each other."
Dana laughed. "Can't you just see Mitchie wanting to throw a party and then freaking out cause she's not sure if we could take it? I can. It's pretty funny."
Nate quirked a brow at Dana. "It would be mean of us to use this for our own entertainment."
"It would," she agreed.
"But we're going to anyway, right?" He asked.
"Of course!"
"You know, I think I'm gonna like being friends with you Dana. I really do."