MCA #8, then outside, Saturday early evening
Nathan was starting to get used to Fandom. Plus in some ways it was hard for him to realize Peter had grown up at all. So when a weetiny version of his brother came knocking at Nathan's door the spinning of Nathan's mental wheels wasn't about Peter being a little kid as much as it was Peter being a kid right now.
"Nathan, Nathan, Nathan!" Peter said, launching himself into a bear hug that, thanks to the height difference, was around Nathan's knees. "I woke up and I couldn't find Yvette but there was cartoons and cereal and lots and lots of friends and then I found you!"
Oh good. Not only was Peter a little kid, but he'd somehow gotten his hands on sugar. Deciding he was going to handle one problem at a time - such as please God let this not be a new version of Peter's powers and Christ, Yvette was how many nannies ago? - Nathan gave Peter a one armed hug, then motioned him towards the dining room table. "How about you have a seat and I'll make you a grilled cheese and you can tell me all about it. Okay, Petey?"
"Okay!" Peter took advantage of the hug to kiss Nathan on the cheek, then went to go sit at the table.
Later - much later- Nathan was able to reconstruct what happened. He'd gone into the kitchen to help Peter get some protien in his system. Then, maybe because Nathan was out of practice or had forgotten how fast Peter could be, he turned his back on Peter for just a second. Which turned out to be long enough for Peter to forego the table in favor of the balcony. Nathan found out about that when Peter called out, from the railing, "Nathan, look! I can be tall like you!" and then stumbled and vanished from sight.
At which point it was pure instinct which had Nathan flying, literally, out the doors, over the railing, and down at jetspeed to catch Peter in his arms.
He landed on the ground outside of the apartment building, holding Peter as tightly as he could, and said, "Don't you ever scare me like that again."
Peter, for his part, hugged Nathan back and giggled. "That was fun! Let's do it again!"
[oh so very open, oh so very broadcastable, oh so very welcome for anyone to see]
"Nathan, Nathan, Nathan!" Peter said, launching himself into a bear hug that, thanks to the height difference, was around Nathan's knees. "I woke up and I couldn't find Yvette but there was cartoons and cereal and lots and lots of friends and then I found you!"
Oh good. Not only was Peter a little kid, but he'd somehow gotten his hands on sugar. Deciding he was going to handle one problem at a time - such as please God let this not be a new version of Peter's powers and Christ, Yvette was how many nannies ago? - Nathan gave Peter a one armed hug, then motioned him towards the dining room table. "How about you have a seat and I'll make you a grilled cheese and you can tell me all about it. Okay, Petey?"
"Okay!" Peter took advantage of the hug to kiss Nathan on the cheek, then went to go sit at the table.
Later - much later- Nathan was able to reconstruct what happened. He'd gone into the kitchen to help Peter get some protien in his system. Then, maybe because Nathan was out of practice or had forgotten how fast Peter could be, he turned his back on Peter for just a second. Which turned out to be long enough for Peter to forego the table in favor of the balcony. Nathan found out about that when Peter called out, from the railing, "Nathan, look! I can be tall like you!" and then stumbled and vanished from sight.
At which point it was pure instinct which had Nathan flying, literally, out the doors, over the railing, and down at jetspeed to catch Peter in his arms.
He landed on the ground outside of the apartment building, holding Peter as tightly as he could, and said, "Don't you ever scare me like that again."
Peter, for his part, hugged Nathan back and giggled. "That was fun! Let's do it again!"
[oh so very open, oh so very broadcastable, oh so very welcome for anyone to see]