She was dutifully on time, sitting beside Sally right before Illyana approached the microphone. Her head was bowed, and she was uncharacteristically somber throughout.
Like some in the room, she didn't know Piotr. She would never understand how important he'd been, how he had impacted the lives of her friends that she loved so much.
But it was important to be there. She didn't like wakes. She didn't like funerals. She hated sadness and grief was unbearable.
Tabitha is not a dour girl. In the short time Illyana has known her, she has been able to think of her only in terms of bright things. Happy things. The Sun.
She smiles at her after all the talking has finished.
Doug is the school's wordsmith. It's his power. He should always know exactly the right thing to say. But today, of all days, he says nothing. He looks at pictures, moves among Peter's friends and hears snatches of whispered conversation. He's attended far too many funerals in his young life, and he's always left with the nagging suspicion that he should be the one in the casket.
So he ends up standing alone, staring out the window, and wondering.
John hasn't a clue what to say. In some ways, he doesn't think he should even be there. But in others... nothing would've kept him away.
The obvious is that he's there for Jean-Paul; to support his boyfriend during this hard time. (That's also the part the makes him a little bit uncomfortable - attending the wake for his boyfriend's boyfriend. Huh.) John knows there's guilt and pain and a whole other mix of feelings when it comes to their situation, but he knows that being there to support Jean-Paul is something he needs to do. And so he does.
He's there for Illyana, too. Despite her yelling at him, her 'crush' on him, and his frustration with her round about way of speaking - they are friends, and this was her brother. He feels badly for the girl as well - there's a level of guilt there that will never go away. He hopes this will help her
( ... )
Theresa's sitting towards the front. She considered Peter a friend, a good one. She wants to be close one last time.
Peter had a good life. A life worth celebrating. He was caring, honest, and selfless. He put the safety and care of others before himself. He was brave and loyal. But it's so hard to celebrate a life that short. You're constantly left wondering, what else could he have done if given the opportunity? Who else would he have touched? Theresa knew the answer would have been lots. Peter would have given his all to anyone who asked. He was such a special, incredible person. And while it is easy to dwell, to wonder what could have been, it is more important to focus on what has been. What he did do. And that was a whole lot.
She could say all of that. Take it out of her head and put it into the microphone, amplify it. But it's hard to talk, to get up there and share when the only two to do so, so far, have been his sister and his lover. So she sits back, thinks of some fond memories, and waits for the courage to come.
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She was dutifully on time, sitting beside Sally right before Illyana approached the microphone. Her head was bowed, and she was uncharacteristically somber throughout.
Like some in the room, she didn't know Piotr. She would never understand how important he'd been, how he had impacted the lives of her friends that she loved so much.
But it was important to be there. She didn't like wakes. She didn't like funerals. She hated sadness and grief was unbearable.
But she was there.
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She smiles at her after all the talking has finished.
"Thank you for coming. You did not have to."
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She takes Illyana's hand, and squeezes it once. No lolcat speech, no twirls, no silly crazy Tabby-ness.
"But you're my friend. I'd be nowhere else."
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When she withdraws, she smiles again. "Have you had any food?"
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So he ends up standing alone, staring out the window, and wondering.
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The obvious is that he's there for Jean-Paul; to support his boyfriend during this hard time. (That's also the part the makes him a little bit uncomfortable - attending the wake for his boyfriend's boyfriend. Huh.) John knows there's guilt and pain and a whole other mix of feelings when it comes to their situation, but he knows that being there to support Jean-Paul is something he needs to do. And so he does.
He's there for Illyana, too. Despite her yelling at him, her 'crush' on him, and his frustration with her round about way of speaking - they are friends, and this was her brother. He feels badly for the girl as well - there's a level of guilt there that will never go away. He hopes this will help her ( ... )
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"He'd be happy you came," she says, and turns away.
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"Yes," she says. "He respected you, John Allerdyce. He - like I - knew what you really were."
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Peter had a good life. A life worth celebrating. He was caring, honest, and selfless. He put the safety and care of others before himself. He was brave and loyal. But it's so hard to celebrate a life that short. You're constantly left wondering, what else could he have done if given the opportunity? Who else would he have touched? Theresa knew the answer would have been lots. Peter would have given his all to anyone who asked. He was such a special, incredible person. And while it is easy to dwell, to wonder what could have been, it is more important to focus on what has been. What he did do. And that was a whole lot.
She could say all of that. Take it out of her head and put it into the microphone, amplify it. But it's hard to talk, to get up there and share when the only two to do so, so far, have been his sister and his lover. So she sits back, thinks of some fond memories, and waits for the courage to come.
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