The Way of Things, Chapter 39
Mickey had called them back for a phone call from Jacques, apparently convinced it was urgent. The news ultimately hadn’t been that earth-shattering, although Peter appreciated that he was one of the people expected to be present to hear it. If nothing else, it had provided a nice middle-of-the-day update for the team in Kendal.
The man they’d taken ( Read more... )
The man they’d taken ( Read more... )
Or to return to their favorite spot of last night?
If they were surprised to see him arrive with a date, they hid it well;
Aww, that just makes me want to hug him.
“Is that tie part of your secret stash of clothes with colour?” she finally asked, a smile curving the corners of her mouth.
He smiled in return. “It is. It routinely gets mocked by the other ties, you know, for being so bright.”
Lol!
She licked her lips slowly as she set it down, and he felt his body immediately react.
She was going to think this was all about sex if he couldn’t get his hormones under control.
Down boy.
How did you come up with Peter's backstory? No wonder he's emotionally traumatized half the time, poor thing.
Her question was simple, but he found himself breathless. He never talked about his family, with anyone. Most people he knew had no idea about his family; they probably assumed he’d sprung from under a rock.
She cares enough to want to know, and it's almost sad that he's so shocked she would want to know.
“Don’t be daft.” Her voice was sharp, but quickly grew soft. “I asked because it’s part of you, Peter, and I wanted to know. I...I had no idea. I’m sorry.”
She likes you, wants to know you. She's not going to be frightened off by that.
“Not what you’d expect of your garden variety copper, I’d warrant.”
“No-but I never thought you were garden variety,” she replied honestly.
Yay!
The penny dropped. “Rose.” He pitched his voice low, willing her to look at him. She did, with effort. “Me asking you to stay with me isn’t the same as asking you to have sex.”
Could he be any more perfect?
The thought, when it came, was blinding: he loved her. Really and truly. Not just a passing fancy, not just lust. Love.
Fantastic.
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Isn't subtext grand?!
How did you come up with Peter's backstory? No wonder he's emotionally traumatized half the time, poor thing.
Heh, funny you should ask. I hadn't really given it too much thought when I started this story; it wasn't until P_C and others asked, chapters and chapters ago, that I started to wonder. Many theories and ideas were suggested, some light, some dark; in the end, I went with what my gut said. Peter's life wasn't perfect, but neither was it something from Oliver Twist. His mom died young--I was always sure of that--but he still had a positive female role model, at least for a bit (the gran, who taught him to tie his bowtie). His dad was a man who felt things deeply, and withrdrew into himself as a result--think The Secret Garden, I suppose, if you're looking for a handy reference point--and just kind of let Peter and his (as yet unnamed) brother do what they would. It had to be enough to explain what he did in Blackpool--that is, to make it about more than just sex. Ultimately, his intelligence is what got him out of there, and I could see him wanting desperately to find a happy life somewhere; to have a wife to dote on, who would ultimately give him kids to smother in love...and when that didn't pan out, he kind of just....gave up. The thing is, he's still capable of loving someone, and of being loved in return. He just needs to be reminded of it; part one is done, with his realization. Part 2 will be an ongoing project for Rose, for at least a little bit.
It's not sunshine and ponies, but I didn't see Peter as coming from a sunshine and ponies kind of place. Neither, though, is it as dark as it could easily have been. chicklet73 has proposed, at some point, doing a "variations on Peter's childhood" ficlet theme. Clearly, I'm still thinking about it ;)
it's almost sad that he's so shocked she would want to know.
The poor man is like a toy, tossed aside in the corner and ignored for a few years. He just needs to be reminded of his worth; Rose is more than able to do that. *sniff* Poor Peter. On the plus side, I think I'm done with the whole bury-Peter-in-pathos section now ;)
She likes you, wants to know you. She's not going to be frightened off by that.
Exactly.These two are pretty much in it for the long haul now, even if Peter's the only one who's finally acknowledged how he feels.
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*hears the word "kids" and ears perk up*
Babiez? Little Carlisle/Tyler babiez?
*Looks hopeful*
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Ah, you do realize that they've not yet pledged their undying love to each other, right? ;)
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Most definitely.
Re: the back story, I would love to see Peter intereact with Rose's brother in a way that relates to the things his gran did with him. I think it would help him climb out of the pathos as well.
Part 2 will be an ongoing project for Rose, for at least a little bit.
Part 2? You mean Carlisle!confidence?
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Hmmm...I do have Peter interacting with John in a ficlet, but that does create some interesting opporutnities, fic-wise.
Part 2? You mean Carlisle!confidence?
I don't know that it's confidence, so much as security. But yep, that's what I was going for.
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If I've not said before (amongst my other depressing analogies), Peter does at times remind me of the old Pixar short Tin Toy.
I have to say this background, while sad, is certainly not nearly as unpleasant as some of what we'd all batted around in earlier chapters, particularly not the teenage years (although he did gloss over those rather handily).
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there are things he definitely skipped--but they're not nearly as dark/grim as they could have been.
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