N&R by dreamer_believe
Title: N & R
Rating: PG-13
Pairing/Characters: Peter, Ivy, Mention of Jason.
Summary: This was inspired by Michael Arden’s song “N & R,” I know/am pretty sure Zoe has heard it, but I don’t know how many of you have. If you want to just message me and I’ll send you the song. It’s really cute and MA wrote it about this guy he met randomly on the subway. :)
Author's Note: I am sick, so this may suck. Seriously my vision is all foggy and feverishly glazed over. Ugh. Sorry. Just let me know if this is bad, okay, or (if possible) good.
Disclaimer: Blah. Blah. Blah. Don’t own it. Blah. Blah. Blah
Part I: Work
Peter hated work. He hated it. But it was better than going home to an empty apartment, and so he would work-despite his dislike for it-until everyone else had left. He would work until eight, nine, sometimes even ten o’clock at night, only to quit and find that nothing had really been completed. And it was only when exhaustion had crept up him that Peter knew it was time to leave.
As Peter exited the building he saw all the familiar sites. Local bars were roaring with commotion. Taxi cabs ran by honking their horns. There was the homeless man begging for money with a sign that said “Yes, I’m going to spend it on alcohol, but if you were me, you would too,” a sign that most people laughed at. Peter knew what it meant, after loosing the one thing that he loved he had turned into a social alcoholic. At least, it started out that way. There was always the glass of champagne at one of Ivy’s art galleries, a beer with friends, or a bit of rum to sooth him to sleep-then it progressed-he found himself closing down bars long after his friends had left, after all, they had spouses and children to run home to. And what did that leave him with? Booze and a brick wall to stare at.
“Hello” the man greeted Peter as he had done for the past three years, “It’s a fine night is it not?” he asked as Peter slipped a five dollar bill into the Styrofoam cup.
“Sure” Peter shrugged and began to walk away. Contrary to what he was feeling it was a beautiful night. There was a harvest moon that gave the city a wonderful glow and the usually hidden stars shone bright through the buildings. “Good-night.” Peter cut the elderly man off before he could speak another word.
Part II: Phone Call
As Peter continued walking towards the subway, or has he liked to think of it “his one way ticket to Jack and Coke” his phone began vibrating in his pocket. Slowly he pulled his phone out to see that ‘Ivy Cell’ was calling him.
“Hello” he answered flipping open the phone.
“Hey-Peter-it’s Ivy. I just called to check on you, and I wanted to make sure everything was, you know, going okay for you” she sounded worried, a voice that Peter found easily recognizable in girls, especially in Ivy.
“This call wouldn’t have anything to do with the date…would it?”
“The date? Oh yes, today is…well. Alright. Yes. Yes, it does. I just want to make sure that you’re doing fine and that we won’t have a repeat of last year.” Last year. Peter cringed of the memory. Sex with five different men. Consuming a majority of alcohol at the bar. The special brownies. The police station. The stomach pump. And then there was also the guilt that followed that night. He cringed again. There was nothing about that night that he wanted to repeat.
“Not to worry. I’m getting to the train; send John and Anthony my love. Bye” He quickly hung up the phone and then promptly kicked himself. All she was doing was trying to help.
Part III: Subway
Nothing disgusted Peter more than the train. In fact, when he had first moved to the city he opted to spend a twenty dollar cab fair rather than a two dollar subway fee. There was something just so revolting about subways-the smell, the atmosphere, the people. But after seeing that it was a two thousand dollar a month habit, he soon came to his senses and realized it was a necessity.
Peter walked down the long corridor until he reached platform A. Regardless of the fact that it was nearing eleven o’clock at night Peter found that the station was unusually full.
Watching people was the one thing that he liked about the subway stations, and because of that he found himself unable to resist the urge to do it. Peter found that everyone had there little quarks, and little habits. Once he saw a man that would jump three times after every subway passed by. Or there was the woman who was herding ten kids into one subway car. Sometimes there was a tall muscular body builder that would eat strawberry ice-cream with sprinkles.
Today there was only one person that caught his eyes, a tall and slender man who was sitting across from him on platform B. His hair was a sandy blonde and he was wearing a white collard shirt with black slacks. There was a skip on Peter’s heart; the figure on the other side looked identical to
“Jason” Peter spoke almost silently, and then he began to yell “Jason! Jason! JASON!” as the train pulled up he yelled across “Don’t get on. Jason, don’t get on”
He sprinted up the stairs, across the bridge and down the stairs that led to station B. There was no one. All of the people that had been previously waiting had boarded the train and left. Across Peter could see an array of people giving him glances.
Sitting down on the bench Peter saw scribbled into the plastic ‘J + P = 4EVER’
Part IV: Home
Slowly Peter unlocked his door and meandered inside. He kicked off his shoes, grabbed a bottle of red wine and sat down on his leather sofa. He picked up a picture Ivy had given him a couple of years ago. It was Jason and Peter with their arms wrapped around each other at what had been their senior prom. Their eyes looked happy and youthful, much different from Peter’s current jaded ones. Jason had his signature smile on-the one that every girl (and Peter) went crazy for. At the time it was taken no one knew the secret love that grew between the two boys. No one could see the love and passion they hid underneath their straight facades.
“Happy Anniversary Babe” Peter said toasting the air, “I will love you forever too”