[For Peter]

[lionelthayer]

Unsurprisingly, the day's started out late for Lionel. Every single morning after he promises himself he'll never drink again, but he still finds himself fighting back a headache and needing a shower to even start to feel vaguely human again. It'd been a nice celebration, though, even if it was just him and Jack hanging out. Better than being alone

Comments

[aminorkey]

Peter is lying on his bed, his stomach pressed to the hard mattress and he's been fiddling with a pencil, distractedly tapping it against his lips in a largo tempo as he hums Albinoni softly under his breath. Every day is better and better, brings him closer to composing again.

Perhaps soon, he'll be his old self. Perhaps he can shed the shadow that Tom has draped over him.

[lionelthayer]

When Peter doesn't answer, Lionel pushes the door open a little more, and isn't all that surprised to find Peter humming away in his own little world. Lionel doesn't want to disturb him, so he doesn't - he just leans against the door frame for a bit, admiring the view.

[aminorkey]

He's not utterly blind, though, and he can tell when the light's changed in the room and, rolling onto his side, he gives Lionel a slow and bemused look. "Is this the aforementioned socializing piece to the puzzle?" he wonders.

[lionelthayer]

"You can call it that," Lionel grins, and pushes himself away from the door and into the room. Socializing would mean actually going upstairs and talking over lunch - not staying right here, which is what, after seeing Peter sprawled out like he is, Lionel's deciding he'd like to do better.

[aminorkey]

Peter gives a low groan, back cracking as he maneuvers and sits up slowly. "Hold on a moment. Give an old man a second," he laughs, clearly good-natured because he's young as anyone. Younger than most and he's happy to age, now. It means he gets to keep on living. "Your eyes, however, are spectacular, Lionel."

There's a beat before he continues wryly. "Spectacularly bloodshot, that is. You look as though you've had one too many shots of something."

[lionelthayer]

Lionel groans and rolls his eyes, one hand coming up to rub at his face. "Don't remind me. It was more half a bottle of something," he admits. But at least he's up on his own two feet, which he couldn't say earlier in the morning.

[aminorkey]

He's on his feet now, offering Lionel a curious look as he slides on a pair of slippers. "What was the occasion?" Although, Italians had that funny custom of just drinking, no matter the hour or day.

[lionelthayer]

"My birthday," Lionel says with a small, pleased smile. "I missed it entirely last year, because of the weird time thing."

[aminorkey]

"It seems everyone is getting older," Peter says, but smiles right back at Lionel. "Happy birthday," he wishes, full of genuine care. "If I'd known, I'd have found a gift of a sort."

[lionelthayer]

Lionel leans back against the door frame again, and his smile grows a little playful. "What sort of a gift?"

[aminorkey]

"You had to ask," Peter says with a soft laugh. "Oh, how about a composed theme for you?" he says, because that's in his line of abilities. "Lionel's Theme and Recapitulation?"

[lionelthayer]

Lionel tilts his head, interested in that despite the fact that he can't imagine anything of the sort just for him. "What would it sound like?"

[aminorkey]

"Well, a recapitulation is a repetition of the exposition, which..." he says, with a bright smile at speaking of things he likes, "is the theme that comes before the first theme and is built on. Yours would be...pianissimo, and use the complex harmonies of the romantic era."

[lionelthayer]

Lionel smiles to himself, aware that Peter's probably used to being charming, but it works on him despite himself. "I think I might like it when you put it that way," he says.

[aminorkey]

"Of course, you see? You'd have to have given me warning. I'm no Mozart," he concedes, in a low, self-deprecating tone. "I can hardly compose off the top of my head and be a legend for it."

[lionelthayer]

"Well, I guess you have an entire year now," Lionel teases. Is that warning enough?" Considering the nature of the island he's not even sure Peter will be here in a year, but it's a nice hope to have.