[open, multiple threads wanted] offer up a song i was made to play

[lovethissuit]

[As a note, this is all happening before this thread, which only promises to be horrible.]

Soon as it's light enough to see, Peter heads out, wrapped up nice and warm. After rummaging through the smithy a bit, he'd managed to find a good axe - slightly rusty, but still usable - so he heads over to one of the cabins damaged beyond repair (or at

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[itchafes]

Neal isn't asleep. He hears Peter leave and follows, cat-quiet and at a distance - but not so far away that he doesn't hear every word the man says. He stays hidden just around the corner of the nearest cabin, his back against it, looking up at a sky full of unfamiliar stars while he listens to his partner talk to a picture of his wife and Neal's own friend - all the worries he won't unload on Neal himself.

He can't think of anything to say to make it better. There's really no way that he can. Instead he straightens, clears his throat, and calls out in a voice that makes it sound like he's looking for someone - "Peter?"

[lovethissuit]

Inhaling sharply - not a sniffle, all right, not by a long shot, and besides it's winter, a guy's allowed to have a runny nose in the middle of winter, isn't he - Peter snaps his head up and straightens himself out. Cowboy up: it's become a kind of night-constant mantra these days.

"Yeah, I'm here." Sticking his hands (and the wallet) back into his pockets, he schools his face back to normal as he walks back towards the cabin. "What are you even still doing up at this hour?"

...Says the guy who snuck out at fuck-in-the-morning o'clock in the first place. Bravo, Peter.

[itchafes]

Neal opens his mouth to reply, drags in a breath and makes with the innocent face. "Woke up. You weren't there. I just thought I'd make sure you were, you know."

He shrugs. He can feel it's unconvincing. This is Peter. But part of him isn't trying to be convincing, really - part of him is trying to broadcast I heard. Your move.

[lovethissuit]

The light's just enough for Peter to make out the faux halo, and the reflexive eyeroll can't be helped. He shrugs right back at Neal. "Couldn't sleep. Figure I'd just take a quick walk instead of tossing and turning and waking you up with it. Sorry." It's enough of the truth to count, as far as he's concerned.

The unspoken signal piggybacked onto the actual broadcast isn't so much missed as outright ignored. Peter has no idea what you could possibly be silently not-hinting at, Neal, now how about we all just walk on over back to the cabin and we can sleep and/or pretend to sleep until morning like we normally do, hm?

[itchafes]

"...Peter." Fine. If the agent is going to be stubborn, Neal will be stubborn too. He searches for something else to say, something to make it all better. A promise, a nice lie. He can't think of one. "Does she do that? When you're not there?"

[lovethissuit]

"Does who do what."

Peter has not yet begun to stubborn, Neal. He will go down with this ship if it comes down to it, waiting on some conversational Serapis to come along for him to latch on to.

[itchafes]

"Does El talk to your picture when you're away," he says, in that not-quite-exasperated tone that's usually Peter's to use on him. Quieter, he says, "I didn't know you did."

It's not really a surprise - it's fitting, really - but it gives Neal's heart a little extra twist when he thinks about how hard this must be for Peter to deal with. "We're getting back. She knows it."

[lovethissuit]

...Damn it. You know, Neal, it makes it really hard for Peter to pretend he has no idea what you're talking about when you go and spell it out like that.

There's a huff of annoyance as for a split second, he debates keeping up the ignorant act. But he knows Neal's got the bit in his teeth now, and he just rounds on the younger man. "I wouldn't know, as I'm not there to see it, and I don't go and ask her about it when I get back. You know why? 'Cause it's private. You get what that word means? Private?" He glares at Neal a second longer before turning and steps away before he'll go and say or do something he'll regret. Pinching the bridge of his nose, he focuses on just. Breathing. That'll help. Breathing and not socking Caffrey for being a stubborn, nosy prat.

[itchafes]

He stops, letting Peter get distance and drawing away from the older man. He can't help but feel like the longer they stay here, the angrier Peter gets. Not that he can blame him, exactly, but...

"Okay," he says, quiet, not really looking at Peter. "Okay, sorry, forget I said anything."

Suddenly taking a private walk around the compound seems like a great idea.

[lovethissuit]

Peter sighs and scrubs his face. He's not angry - not at Neal anyway, not really. Neal's just gone and pokes a very sore subject with a very sharp stick, and Peter's temper is so far frayed he's practically selling it off in spools.

"Look, I--" He visibly deflates, shoulders slumping and arm dropping to his side. "...I'm sorry, all right. You know I didn't-" Breaking off, he chews the inside of his cheek for a minute. His voice is suddenly quiet and tired. It's too damn late (or early, who can tell what time it really is) for this, and he can't right now. "Can we just go back inside, get back to sleep, and pretend this didn't happen?"

Not that he's gotten a full, decent night's sleep since they got here.

[itchafes]

"You go ahead. I think I'm going to stay out here for a little while."

He starts for one of the stairways up to the top of the wall, figuring if he's going to be cold and upset, he might at least enjoy the view and the fresh air for a little while. Not like he can exactly miss the fresh air when there's so much of it, but that's a whole different issue.

[lovethissuit]

"Neal..." Peter silently berates himself for flubbing it. Again. Not that he's really been doing any better since - I don't know - ever. "Neal, come on. I said I was sorry."