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[He's dealt with some pretty bad shit before, but nothing like the kind of stuff Poison had gone through. It pisses him off that there's nothing he can really do about it. There's nobody he can fight and nothing he can fix, and he's kind of shit at advice when it comes to things he, y'know, knows nothing about.]

I mean, even so, I wish I could have been there with you.

[The vines thing wasn't even the worst of it. At least the vines thing didn't kill her. Or the starvation. Or that one escaped virus that slowly liquefied people's insides.

She squeezes her eyes shut for a moment, pushing the threatening push of memories that she doesn't want. It makes her shudder subtly.]

You're very sweet. [Poison says then, looking at him with another of those small smiles.] What do you think you would have done, if you were there too?

[Like yeah she's smiling at him, but everything else about her body language has him concerned. He scoots himself closer, leaning against the bed next to Poison's legs and takes a moment to think her question over.]

Well... I guess I can't say for sure, y'know? I can't sit here and just say for certain that I could have found and stopped whoever was hurting you. I don't know how I would have been able to fix anything, or to... to make anything better. But I would have tried, and-- and at the very least, like, yeah. I could have been there for you. Could have been good for morale, who knows. I've been told that my optimism is contagious, but also really annoying.

[He's really hoping the joking isn't super inappropriate.]

[She thinks over what he says. It's... nice. It's really nice. And while she did have people at the time that she could lean on, she couldn't say it wouldn't have been good to have Peter there too.

Poison shifts forwards, moves off the bed and slides onto the floor next to him. She draws her knees up slightly, and leans her shoulder against his arm.]

It isn't annoying.

But is it contagious?

[Okay, two things. One, Peter is relieved that his joking hadn't resulted in awkwardness or her being offended. Awesome, good, that's good. She seems to me okay with it and this is good.

Second, now they're both sitting on the floor next to each other in his room and hmmm this was unexpected whaT IS HE SUPPOSED TO DO NOW??? Is he supposed to just sit there? Is he supposed to put an arm around her shoulders? Is that too forward? It's way to forward. Might make things awkward, and they were already teetering on the edge of awkward if only because Peter is like 80% awkward at all times. So he settles for gently nudging her arm with his elbow playfully.

There. Not awkward. Nailed it.]

I was kind of joking, but um. Thanks. I don't really hear that a lot.

[It can be pretty hard to stay optimistic when you're dealing with all this bullshit, but he tries. Tries to spread it around. It doesn't always work.]

[Her nose scrunches slightly when she smiles.]

Maybe a little contagious. [Maybe, a little. It's hard to stay pessimistic when someone around you is looking so fiercely at the bright side that they might go blind from it.

She glances down at her arm when he nudges her, then back up at his face. Then, she nudges him very gently back. Not awkward at all, there you go, Pete.]

Have you ever wanted to give up? I mean... really give up.

[He can't help but give her a dopey grin, but it doesn't last very long after she asks that question. That shit got deep, man, that shit got real deep.

He doesn't reply right away. It's the kind of thing he needs to stop and think about, maybe do a quick self analysis. He usually keeps himself busy trying to look out for everyone else, so when he has to stop like this and really think about his whole deal, it kind of throws off his groove. So he pauses, his gaze shifting from Poison to the wall while he figures his shit out.]

I don't... I don't know that I'd say I've ever wanted to? I mean, I've definitely thought about it. I think I've felt like it would be way easier if I could give up, but I've never felt like I could. Like... like giving up just isn't an option for me. And I don't... I don't know, I guess. It's just, uh, there are so many people here that I can help. That I have to help, and if I give up on myself, I'm giving up on them too. Maybe... maybe this isn't good for me? But I feel like if it wasn't for all of you, I probably would have given up by now.

So uh, I guess the answer to that is "kind of"?

[He's less concerned about his own well being than he is with everyone else's, and it's 100% the only thing keeping him going these days. This isn't really something he's talked about with anyone else, so he isn't sure how to approach it. Hence the rambling, good job Pete.]

... Sorry, that was a weird question to ask you.

[Yet, somehow, that answer was exactly what she expected to hear. Peter's the kind of person who wants to help, and who wants to help everyone, and who can find a purpose in that.

He'd make a terrible Hierophant.]

But I understand. I really do.

[She rests her head back against the side of the bed, and sighs.]

I spent a lot of my life by myself. I suppose that was a choice. No one really liked me, anyway. Having people rely on me was... strange.

I like you.

[There it is, he just blurts that out before his brain even realizes what his mouth is doing. Which is not abnormal for Peter, that's like his constant state of being and he's just learned to accept that ridiculous part of himself. In this case though, he's wishing he'd rolled with something a little less blunt, like "I can't believe nobody liked you whaaaaaaat" or something. Too late now, though.

Shit, was he being quiet for too long? Shit, it was getting awkward again DAMMIT PETER

Okay, okay, he's got this. He's just gonna quickly bring the conversation back to an earlier point and pretend this thing didn't happen.]

But uh, it- it's fine. That's not even close to the weirdest question I've ever gotten. My best friend back home asked me if I laid eggs once, and he like, actually meant it.

[She doesn't reply, at first. Not because the sentiment is unexpected (she assumes he likes her, at least a little), but because he actually said it out loud. It gives him time enough to move on to a rushing backstep, though at least it's something that makes her laugh.]

Oh, no, really? [Spirits, she doesn't want to think too hard about spiders, or anything about spiders, but the idea of it! She laughs again, quieter, then she turns her face to him and pulls her blanket in a little tighter around her frame.]

I like you too, Peter.

[He really shouldn't worry so much.]

[That could have gone WAY WORSE. I mean he made himself a little homesick and he misses his BFF Ned like crazy, but it'll be fine. He'll just ignore this problem too.

But anyway, she's laughing, things aren't too awkward, this is good. Peter can let himself relax. Which he does. For a second, but then she's all "I like you too" and he's like "oh GOD WHAT NOW". It's fine, she just means as a friend, you can like your friends. They're just friends and this is friend-level liking. Totally normal. Stop grinning like that Peter, Jesus.

...Okay the grinning won't stop so maybe another subject shift is in order. Like the way she pull the blanket around herself a little tighter. THAT WORKS.]

Are you getting cold? We don't have to keep sitting on the floor.

Hm? No, not really.

[That's a lie, and one followed up almost immediately by her getting up off the floor and pulling the blanket up around her shoulders. That grin on his face sticks in her mind even when she isn't looking at him, and she grins at the floor, tucking her hair up behind one of her ears.

Just friend-liking. Sure. Why not. That's definitely why she feels so light on her feet.]

Do we have anything to make a hot drink with?

[Right it's just FRIEND-LIKING nothing to panic about.

Well Peter's butt was starting to get cold. He hops up after Poison and stretches a little before heading for the door.]

I... huh. Maybe some tea? Can't tell you how fresh it is, I found it in this little shop upstairs.

That sounds nice.

[She observes Peter for a moment, then follows him out of his room. A lot of what they can find here seems to be 'out of date', but when that's something you've never been brought up to worry about, it matters a hell of a lot less.]

I'll be able to tell you. More or less.

[By looking at it. Smelling it. It's probably fine.]

Was it sealed?

Yeah, it was sealed. I mean, it's just dried leaves, right? So worst case scenario, it's just stale, we're not gonna get sick from something like that.

[I mean he'd probably try to drink it even if he thought it could make him sick, because science. Or just teenager. Either way.

Once they're in the kitchen, Peter opens up the cabinet and digs out an unopened little box of teabags, and passes it over to Poison.]

[He's probably right, and Poison isn't getting to sleep one way or another, so she follows him into the kitchen and leans on the counter while he finds the tea. She fiddles with one of the bags when she gets it out of the box, and holds it up with some measure of scrutiny.]

This is unnatural. [She says, quite pointedly, before dropping it into a cup.]

Why does everything have to be in a bag or a box?

[He chuckles, but not in a judgmental sort of way. Chatting with someone from somewhere so different from where he's from is always interesting.]

Convenience, preservation. Where I'm from, people don't often have access to fresh food, like in cities or other places that aren't close to farms and stuff. A lot of stuff gets packaged before it's shipped out.

[Logically, with her prior experience, she knows this... yet it's still very hard to imagine living somewhere with so many people that you can't simply get the food you need 'for now' and not have to worry about wasting it.

(She was introduced to the concept of tinned food in The Box, but never really took to it.)]

Have you never really had to gather food for yourself? Pick it, cook it, learn which things aren't going to give you a stomach ache?

Nope, I've never had to do any of that stuff. I mean, obviously I learned not to eat like, spoiled food? But no, I've never had to go out and pick my own food or like, catch my own fish or anything like that. There was really nowhere to grow food in the area I lived. Man, I wish I could show you-

[He just freaking stops abruptly and his eyes light up like he's just realized the most important thing ever,] Oh, wait! I can show you! Wait here, I'll be right back!

[BRB, Peter pops back into his room, returning a minute or so later with his old phone from home. It's a miracle that this thing isn't smashed into tiny pieces by now, but shhh. After flipping through his photos for a moment, he flips his phone around to show her THIS ONE.]

Just uh, ignore me there, but that's where I'm from. Not really anywhere to like, grow food.

Edited 2019-08-08 23:57 (UTC)

[She thinks it's a pity, but there's still something attractive about not really having to try to find your food. Yet, she'd not change how she grew up for anything. Not in that way of things, anyway.

Poison has heard of cities. She's heard the described in nebulous terms that she's tried to apply to her own experience - Shieldtown being the biggest she'd ever set foot in - but her experience is nothing compared to what she sees in the photograph. Her eyes grow wide.]

Where's the ground?

[Naturally, her first question.]

You're so high up.

The ground's a few hundred feet below me. Swinging between buildings was literally the fastest way to get around in New York, so I was always climbin' around on 'em.

[He smiles fondly, flipping through a couple more photos. GOD he's homesick, he wants to go climb around on buildings SO BAD.]

[She peers at the photographs while he flicks through them, her entire expression lighting up.]

That's amazing. And you're never scared you might fall?

[He might be watching her face more than he's looking at his photos, honestly. He knows that expression, he totally saw it before back when they first met, when he'd tried to cheer her up by doing a sick flip. Shit, how long ago was that? Couldn't have been more than just a few months, but shit, Hadriel already felt like a lifetime ago. Time is weird.

Aw beans maybe he should like actually pay attention to like, now, and answer her question.]

Hm? Oh, no. I mean, not anymore. I used to be terrified of heights, but then I got these powers and had to climb a few skyscrapers to help people. After a while, I just got used to it. Hell, I miss it now. The view from the top of some of those buildings was amazing, especially at night when everything was lit up.

Amazing.

[She murmurs, trying to imagine it, looking at the photograph with open curiosity.]

The marsh, where I grew up? I didn't realise until I left it that it was in the bottom of a hole in the ground. I'd never even been at the same level as everyone else.

[He doesn't have any weird pics in there that he's worried about people seeing, so he just flips absently through a couple more neat pictures for her]

Wow, really? I mean, never mind all this being teleported around stuff, just leaving home must have been a huge thing for you. What did you think of it?

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