Starring:
Summary: As promised, Elena meets Peter for dinner after the school day. He tells her that Dark Future is Dark. Elena shows him that Gray Present can be Awesome.
Date It Happened: September 4th, 2009
State Of Transition
Random Steak Place Somewhere in New York + Peter Petrelli's Apartment
Five o'clock. Peter Petrelli was right where he was supposed to be. Phone calls have been made, people have been spoken to, and he's taken the time to comb his hair— though not to change. The two of them caught a cab, road to a location that he found, and find a corner table where they can face each other in the back of the restraunt. It's a greasy breakfast dinner-steakhouse type location, with a few 'endless' plates on the menu. Endless soup dinner, endless shrimp plates… and big burgers and steaks and rib meals. Obviously not a lot on the menu that caters to his particular tastes. It won't be a surprise when he orders certain salads and soups.
Honestly— he's not that hungry— he picked this location for her, anyway. He likes watching her eat— and he can handle not having much to choose from due to his lifestyle.
"Are you sure I shouldn't go apologize to your professor for you? I— didn't mean for anything like that to happen." The kaboom. He's said this before on the trip over, but that's just because of who he is.
—-
He reaps what he sows.
Elena's got plenty on the table. There's shrimp, there's salad, there's soup. Though luckily for him considering the occasion, she's trying not to look like a total pig in front of him. Her future self might not have cared, but this Elena certainly does. Not to mention the fact that….well. She was a little nervous, and that tended to dampen her appetite some. The only reason why she's forced to order as much as she has is the fact that ever since the hour he kidnapped her from her chemistry lab, she hasn't felt the urge to eat, and so didn't, and her monster metabolism was ready to eat through her body.
She picks up a skewer of sauteed shrimp, and nibble-faces absently on the end. At least she doesn't talk while she eats, after the first few swallows she shakes her head. "I'm ashamed to say in the typical grand tradition of spoiled teenaged brats everywhere, I called Papa in a bit of a panic earlier because I don't know how much damage I caused," she tells Peter a little sheepishly. "He says he'll have Rosalind take care of it. His secretary, I think. He's getting used to his new role slowly, but surely." It was hard to come to grips being the eldest daughter of Evolution Software's Chairman of the Board. "I mean, NYU is insured up the wazoo, but I'd rather there be some sort of personal touch to the problem's solution than just leaving the University to fend for itself."
She sighs, lowering the skewer. "Either way, it's gonna be dealt with. Besides, you have other things to worry about."
—-
"Yeah— getting a redo on history doesn't happen every day," Peter says, eating a fork full of salad before he finally decides to just put it down. Once this starts— he won't want to eat anymore. He waited as long as he could, but he's not sure how much longer she'll let him. Or how much time they have to fix everything. Honestly he knows he shouldn't be spending time on dates when he has the lives of millions on his shoulders— but this is one of those many things that he wanted to fix. Just as he tried to tell her in the future— some things are important enough to make a little time for.
"I guess I should start at the beginning," he says softly, looking across the table, resting his elbows on the edge. Anyone who happened to be close enough to listen in would probably think they're talking about the next great disaster flick. Maybe that untitled secret project that looked like Godzilla that was first promo'd at Transformers. He starts slow.
The first thing he has to explain would be the first thing he saw when he got there. Parts of the city were in ruins, just like in his painting. Tornadoes, and a war between Evolved and humans. Evolved. That's what they're called. The Evolved won. Many people died in the war, and in the tornadoes. He hesitates a moment. Monty was killed, as were Juanita and Luis— dozens of others, he's sure. The death of her siblings brought her back to the city— but not in time to save them. Monty's death… broke Nathan. Another personality stepped forward to take the reins. Logan. It's Logan who became President of the United States, and declared Evolved to be the superior race. Logan who put normal people into detention camps.
He's careful to tell the tale of Logan first— because he doesn't want her to hate his brother for what happened.
There were people who fought against the status quo— A woman named Daphne, who controlled the Bronx Zoo— he'd met her once, and already called her. She's a good person— she can help. Cass had Bat Country, where she lived with Lachlan and their daughter Abby. And Jack had the Saints— which Elena was apart of. Along with Trina, Prime — who a moment later he remembers to call Jaden — Eric, Gene, Alyssa McAlister, and Candy Cane… He spent most of his time in the future with the Saints.
—-
"Yeah," Elena says, pushing the remains of her food away and folds her arms on the table. And then she listens - Monty dies. So do her two younger siblings, which of course makes her look a little ashen across the table. But the same, determined expression returns after the lax. It wasn't going to happen, so she continues listening in. She nods when she hears Lachlan and Cass having a baby… "I don't know if you called them yet," she says. "But Cass and Lachlan are engaged." One bright spot, hopefully, to add in the midst of the dark vortex of suck. When he mentions his brother becoming the president of the United States….as a split personality, she furrows her brows. "…that's…sort of what's happening with Niki Sanders, right?" She catches on.
When she hears about the Saints, she nods. "It would make sense, those are the people I'd want in my crew. Though I'm surprised about Alyssa McAlister….I've only met her once, really. I know she knows Trina, she works with her at the Den. And Candy….Jaden's mom? Really?" She contemplates it, and takes a quiet sip of her iced tea.
She absently runs her finger up and down the moisture sheen on her cold glass. "According to Papa, while you were gone…." she begins. "Dezi had a vision. She went into Bat Country to talk to Cass about it. She said….if we stop the storms, we stop it all. Papa started looking. He heard about an incident with….a cyclone a couple of months back. He's having a certain someone look through traffic cam footage." And honestly, Peter knows Elena knows only one person capable of such technological mastery. "Meanwhile, he rounded me and Eric up to do some footwork. We pounded the pavement one afternoon, bribed a couple of local kids. Something weird was happening then. The wind just started, and there was this girl. With dark hair, and apparently very unusual eyes. Around her late teens. There was someone else there trying to break up a fight. Blonde. But I don't know much on her. It's flimsy but if the traffic cam footage turns up anything…"
Hey, she's trying to help in her own way.
—-
Right, just like Niki Sanders. Her father was the one who discovered this— the Saints had kidnapped the President, and used her father to get information— and found Logan and Nathan— and brought Nathan out. For a time. That's not an easy topic to go into. Not at all. It isn't happy. He's not sure how much it will help things.
"I know who it was, the girl," Peter says, saving her some of that trouble, at least. "We met her— I even absorbed her ability— we've met her before then, too…" That's when he explains their meeting with Evelyn Tash— how he has her phone number, address— and he wants to go visit her, but he wants Gene to be there for it. Who he knows had been asked to look at the traffic cameras— he even made a comment about how this information, what he's bringing from the future, will keep him from risking another felony for a Gomez. There's a pause— he adds that Gene'd met her before— which is another reason he wants him involved— less likely to scare her.
Her ability is unstable in the future— something— he doesn't know what— will make them disappear— and then they'll go out of control when they come back. That's what causes the storm. A storm everyone will blame on Sylar.
Sylar.
That makes him pause, take a drink from his lemonade, and sit there a moment. "There were some happier moments— good things— but… A lot of people were severly injured— dead— before I got there— while I was there… I— My painting still came true." He winces. "We knew it would happen at a rally, but someone kidnapped Abby— tried to hold her for ransom— and they intentionally… I was only a few feet behind her and…" His hands move, pressing against his forehead, eyes closed. Deep breath.
"Desiree… the government took her to have visions, I guess— locked her away. A week ago… you, Eric, Ramon and Portia went to rescue her and…" He doesn't even need to say it. From the look on his face, they could have all died— And the truth isn't much better. "You freed her, but she didn't survive." Their freeing her killed her.
—-
Her lips press into a line, Elena glancing down at her iced tea. She's stopped drinking the moment he got into it. Her father, the hero. Elena expected that of him, she knew that Ramon approached Nathan a while back to discuss something, possibly their wives' connection to the same project that produced her and the rest of her siblings. He would've considered Nathan to be a friend, of course he would help him. "He's helping with Niki now," she says. "…I think that's how he might have helped. He recognized the problem…" Is that future happening now? Things seem to be falling to place. And when Peter identifies the tornado-starter, she blinks at him. "…Gene knows her?" she wonders.
Yeah, she needs to visit him sometime soon anyway. She's still trying to figure out how to tell him he's terminal. She knows she can't delay it but it's not easy to tell a friend that he's dying.
Her expression tightens then, but she at least knows in two years, if they can't stop this, Gene would still be alive. She has to hold out hope that Cass and she find a way. The thoughts are conscious - they may drift into Peter's telepathy accidentally even as she looks out the window with that look on her face.
She doesn't address it however. "So Sylar managed to grab the same ability which is why people blamed him?" she reiterates. And then, about Cass. She nods, and of course her jaw looks a little tight when he tells her this. "Well, that makes sense, doesn't it? That it would come true because we couldn't prevent the one thing that could've stopped everything if we listened to what Dezi says," she murmurs. And then, the last. They forced her to have visions. She closes her eyes.
She sighs, and toys with her fork. She isn't hungry anymore. "When I was working with Desiree….trying to figure out how her powers are triggered," she begins. "We were coming with bunk. It seemed so random until I realized that they were." She looks up to meet his eyes. "If she forced it, she wouldn't find anything, but if she happened to glance at something, it kicks in. The trick with her isn't focus, but -un-focus. So I started using things that got her mind to do that. Magic Eye books work particularly well, because you have to see beyond the pattern and it's not something you can force. And when I first tested the theory I….remembered what you said about Isaac Mendez. I used my skills on her. She managed to see something then. That's how I know she can be forced into seeing the future, but I stopped. I couldn't do that to her….my powers….what I can do to someone can make them dependent. I have to find another way." She closes her eyes, frustration etching on her delicate features. "But it's so hard. Hers is the hardest one I've had to study…"
—-
"The girl who you saw in Times Square— with Agent Salonga. She was her younger sister— killed by Sylar back in May." More information, something he can't prevent, but— they know now. It wasn't that girl.
Reaching across the table, he takes her hand. "Elena— we can stop this. Stop the storm, stop everything, right? And we know who it is— we'll find a way to stop it." A way that doesn't involve killing an innocent girl. He's the only one allowed to tell people to shoot him to save the world. Peter's not about to do the same to a girl who didn't do anything wrong, as far as he's concerned. …Though if it were him, he'd probably tell them to shoot him in the head. That's just who he is. For the moment, he keeps a hold of her hand. He almost has to for what he needs to tell her.
Cass… Desiree… Monty… Juanita… Luis… So many gone. And there's one more he has to tell her about. Even if he's hesitating. He can't look in her eyes, so he keeps his eyes on her hand, on their hands joined together.
"I was dead in the future."
There. It's said. He couldn't come face to face with himself, because he was dead. "Sylar killed me. Didn't just kill me… took my place— my identity. Spent almost two years pretending to be me. We'd grown apart after you went to MIT, so you didn't— I don't think you even saw him. Most everyone… didn't trust him, or like him— or… but you all still thought it was me. You thought I'd killed him— and just… changed." There's a pause. He still can't meet her eyes yet. "Jack and your father helped Nathan get control, he resigned from office… and then Sylar killed him." There's a hint of hesitation. He's leaving something out— something he doesn't want to admit to. What could be worse than Sylar killing his brother? He'd cried over this already— cried for hours. He doesn't need to cry anymore— but he does need to hold onto her while he explained.
—-
"….." Elena doesn't say anything for a while, not even when he takes her hand and cradles it against his callused hand - more callused now than she remembers. Her eyes wander to their joined fingers, and then she looks over at the window. The skies look a little dark, she could see drops of rain starting to trickle down from the sky. The fall showers were approaching. "….it's all being set up now, I think," she says in a quiet, contemplative voice. "Cass and Lachlan engaged here, two years later they have a daughter. Papa is helping Niki, and it helped him with this…Logan…person. Dezi being forced to see visions, probably in the same ways I'm doing now, with what I figured out. Stepping stones to what you saw while you were there, it's happening now."
And then he dies. Her eyes swivel back to him, her lips parting but no words coming out. He's dead? He died in the future? They grew apart and….he died. She had been in another state when he died. THAT was one thing, hopefully, that's changed, tossing a wrench in the woodwork of the puzzle pieces that were starting to form. And she came back for her siblings, but it had been too late. Which meant that no matter what happened, she can't leave.
"…I see…" she says softly, falling quiet afterwards. And then, the hesitation. She's still trying to come to grips with what she heard. Sylar took his identity and killed Nathan. Jack was a witness. Peter had been dead and gone for two years prior. She didn't even think he -could- be killed, it was just a theory of hers as to how…
She looks at him finally, and she curls her fingers over his a little more securely. "…what is it?" she asks, searching his face. She knows he's keeping something back. A month, close to two, with no word and she could still pick up his moods.
—-
"Things have already changed," Peter says, shaking his head a little. There'd been ground work, foundations— but that doesn't mean they'll come true. "Your tattoo's different— you're still here." That's two things, small things, but they're different. And maybe small differences, a few things at a time, are all they really need. He keeps his hand around hers, until the waitress comes around. He asks for a to go box, and the ticket, she goes to get it. Neither of them are eating anymore—
"I haven't called Cass or Lachlan, yet— I wanted to talk to them in person— go and see them together. I have something I need to show them. Lachlan— Future Lachlan— gave me a letter— and a picture." Meddling with the future, but these are things that people held important, and he wants to honor their wishes if he can.
Only when the check arrives does he let go of her hand, refusing her attempts to pay by just handing his card to the waitress herself. No pause there. He's paying. End of story. Sure he hasn't had a pay check in a month, but what's the worse that could happen, right?
"There's a lot that happened— and I— I'm not letting this happen. I promised… that I'd fix it." A promise he made to her.
—-
She searches his face, and Elena nods. "Yeah…" she says, but those observant eyes are still on his face when he lets go of her hand and turns to the waitress to pay the bill. There was something else. She didn't know what it was, but she could sense it. She isn't a mindreader, and even if she had the ability, she won't be so immoral so as to pluck it out of his head. When he deals with the waitress, Elena retracts her hand, using it to support her chin up instead as she watches the pitter-patter of moisture from the outside. Did she bring an umbrella? She had a small one stashed in her book bag unless she left it at his place. He knows she spent the last couple of nights before there, but only so she could clean out his fridge before it decided to produce lost civilizstions on top of spoiled cheese, and to let the renovators in.
She nods when he tells her he wants to see Cass and Lachlan in person. At this rate, he did need to see them, especially if Cass died leaving her child motherless in the future. Once the to go boxes are packed, she stows them in her bag - she had room anyway, and pulls out the umbrella. She hands that to him. "I should grab my stuff out of your place," she tells him, standing up. Her hoodie she unties, pulling it on and glancing outside at the dismal weather. She slings her backpack on her shoulder.
When he says he wasn't going to let his happen, that he was going to stop this, she nods, and looks over at him. A faint smile quirks upwards on her mouth. "We'll help." Not just her, but Cass, Lachlan, Gene… they had information to go on now. "Not alone, remember? Besides, this sort of thing kind of calls for all hands on deck."
—-
Meeting certain people in person is rather required after the experiences he went through. Calling them isn't quite enough— though with a couple, Peter needed to make the phone calls first. So many left to talk to— and so little time to do it in. And he can't quite admit to her that he's running on almost no sleep for a month— only a few nights have led to decent sleep, and those were rare in retrospect. With the bill paid, the credit card and wallet returned to his pocket, he leads the way towards the door, carrying the left overs for her. She might hunger later. When they reach the outside, there's drizzle— all of a sudden— an umbrella opens up and is held above her. He definitely did not have an umbrella— and she might recognize it as the more compact of the many that would be located in his umbrella rack back home. She teased him over it, but it was still there.
"I know you'll do whatever you can. Wasn't alone while I was there, either." He'd had help— the Saints, the Zoo— but at the same time… he'd been told to rely on himself. Certain things he'll have to handle on his own.
"My place. Haven't perfected teleport yet, so we'll have to do things the old fashioned way." And this is when he starts trying to hail a cab.
—-
She was about to pull the hood of her hoodie upwards - that was what they were there for, after all. But the rain doesn't reach her head when the shadow of an umbrella is held over her. Elena looks up at the sudden canopy, and then over at him. "….you're getting pretty good at that," she remarks. Jack's power DOES come in handy. And then she surreptitiously looks around. Did anyone see that? Then again most of the people are inside the restaurant.
The rain's only getting worse. Lightning splits the sky in a bright flash of light, and thunder rolls across the horizon. She exhales a breath. "Now that most of the college kids are back, hailing a cab's close to impossible," she grumps towards Peter, and she lifts a hand to try and hail one. "It was bad enough before, but…"
So she waits there, and she sighs. "Yeah, your place. I need to grab my duffel bag." She looks over at him. "Your balcony's fixed, by the way. The landlord finally decided to call the mansion about getting your place repaired, said he couldn't get ahold of you for close to a month. I just posed as your cousin to let them in. Helped that I had a spare key with me to cement the ruse."
He mentioned having help there, and there's a relieved expression on her face. "Good," she murmurs. "I won't doubt that when you say it's bad, it's bad. Helps to have backup. It couldn't have been easy to acquire though if…what you said is true about everyone thinking you were a jerk."
—-
Mmm. "There weren't any cabs in New York in the future," Peter admits, looking out at all the yellow cars that drive by. It's hard to believe how much he walked and flew in the future. And ran. And used her abilities— and other people's abilities. He really started to abuse things. Where are they, exactly? After a moment, he takes her hand and starts to pull her along. It isn't really walking distance, but there is a subway not too far from here— that would get them most of the way at least. Since she seems to be skeptical of their ability to get a cab in the first place.
"Thanks for that— I hadn't lost control like that in a while… I was so frustrated that you actually left that…" He shakes his head, pulling her along and holding the umbrella both. It favors her. He'll put it down once they reach the undeground, but until then, he's protecting her from the rain as much as he can. Her and her books. "They were all good help— I didn't even really know any of them, except you, Cass and Jack— so it was a little weird, but… Jack believed me when I told him I was from the past— you did too, after you got over the initial shock…" And then they all helped him. And can she just imagine, he went around and told everyone that he was from the past? Because he did.
"You could have posed as my girlfriend, you know…" Cousin works too, if it gets the job done, but girlfriend would've been a lot closer to the truth… He's not being very subtle about this anymore, is he?
—-
"I'm not surprised," Elena says. "If you were right about ninety or so percent of America's free population as entirely Evolved at the time, there were probably more efficient ways to get around than cabs." She looks over at him. "Should've given you enough practice though….I think that's why your body feels differently. More…I can't describe it." She pauses. "….I mean internally," she adds quickly. "But we've had that discussion before, you just needed time to adapt and matur. And you needed practice. If you got a lot of it in the month you were there…"
She looks around. "Besides it probably helped that you could be so free with it. You didn't have to hide what you were. Not like right now where not a lot of people know people like us are lurking around." She glances at him when he takes her hand, tugging her towards the subway. It's a bit of a walk, but thank goodness she was wearing sneakers. She follows after him, water splashing around every step. She was grateful for cooler days, but did it have to rain so much?
She can't help but be somewhat huffy at what he says about the balcony. "Well you threw me out of your apartment," she points out. "It's still your apartment. As angry as I was, I wasn't about to be rude." In essence, Ramon had been right. Water continues to pour from the sky, and she takes a step closer so he doesn't have to keep most of the umbrella on her and get himself wet on top of everything. And when he points that out, she gives him a look. "I wouldn't have been comfortable lying to that extent," she tells him, glancing over her shoulder. "We didn't exactly part in the best of terms." But no, he's not being subtle at all.
—-
"That— and— well— with less people in the city, it was easier for them to own and use cars," Peter says, glancing back towards the street for a moment. All those people walking around? Make them disappear. All those cars? Gone. It was a very different world, that's for sure. Difficult to get used to. His body feels different internally? And externally, he's sure— but he doesn't comment on that part, at least. "I learned a lot— but we'll see if it does any good."
Being free with it definitely helped, though he still spent much of the time hiding from people— wanted terrorist, and all. "I used my abilities a lot— yeah— it probably helped. Think I'm getting better at them." Stronger— more controlled— and less likely to fall over into a coma. Though that did happen once, now that he thinks about it. That'd been a pretty rough day, though…
"I didn't— throw you out of my apartment," he says with a wince. "Or that wasn't what I meant even then…" Wasn't what he said, either. They were talking about something totally different than his apartment. They were arguing, and she'd said something about a decision she made when he wasn't in her life— he knows, because he played it over and over for weeks in his head. Which really didn't help with using her ability at all.
He's already apologized for being an idiot, and he meant it, but… "Are we… on better terms now?"
—-
"…..no cars? Really?" Elena says, looking around. That would've been a little wiggy. New York was a city notorious for its traffic. It was why they had a reliable public transit system in the first place. But that was a little startling. She tries to picture it. "…New York sounds like a ghost town in 2009…" she murmurs absently.
Of course he argues it, and she slides her free hand in her pocket as they go. But when he asks his last question, she looks over at him, a little surprised. Better terms? "….I'm walking with you, aren't I?" she remarks, a little confused. He's got his hand locked on hers, even. She didn't know what would make it clearer than that. If they weren't on better terms now, she wouldn't be here at all. But then it might dawn on her later that he hasn't exactly listened to the message she left on his phone.
It doesn't take too long for them to get on the subway, though the ride has been mostly quiet. He was exhausted, and so was she. She had a long day, and it had been chockful of excitement to boot. Not to mention the information relayed earlier during dinner had been pretty heavy. Luis and Juanita were warm in their beds in their new country home upstate. She couldn't imagine replacing them with gravestones any time soon.
Peter's place was a bit of a walk, conversation was little, save for a few more questions from her about what he found. By the time they reach his apartment, she's gravitated back towards the tornado girl. "So her name's Evelyn Tash? And you said Gene knows her, right? I wonder if they've met yet…." She stops by his door, letting go of his hand so he could unlock it and let them both inside…and once he does, she wanders in, walking towards her duffel bag and digging around it.
—-
She's walking with him. And holding his hand. Peter actually draws attention to that by raising her hand up higher and pressing his lips against her knuckles. Other than that— they don't really have much that needs to be said. That happened almost a lifetime ago to him— and he's just glad it didn't take two years to fix it. More questions happen, though inevitably. There's a few things he intends to keep to himself, but he tells her about Cass' capture— the plan that the government was trying to do— engineering Evolved out of normal humans.
About her rescue, with the help of Mr. Winters. Which inevitably leads to the confession that the man had connections with the Company in 2007. The Company, who seemed to be non-existant in the future as far as he could tell. He promises a peek at files that he got from her future self soon. That should explain everything she learned from Cass and Mr. Winters.
Unlocking the door, he puts a few things down, umbrella is dropped back into the umbrella holder, and answers. "Yeah— Evelyn Tash. I'm not sure Gene knows her already— but I wouldn't be surprised. We know her, Elena. We saw her at Sinai, the night that I showed up to take you to dinner and we ended up having to turn it into breakfast. The morning that I realized that I felt more for you than just friendsship…" So now she knows when it happened for him. Even while he was still dating Elle— Which isn't something he's proud of.
"She actually showed up at the bookstore one day while I was working, too. I recognized her— ten hours in a room with a handful of people is difficult to forget."
There's one thing out of place in the apartment that hadn't been there when he left. He stopped in just briefly to drop it off— he hadn't even seen the balcony. It's a teenage mutant ninja turtles backpack. On the counter. From the future. But she's already heading towards her duffel bag. "Elena— you…" This isn't appropriate. Not in the least. "You don't have to take your things and leave." He's avoided all mentions of her taking her things and heading off so far— but here she is— getting her things together as soon as they're in the door.
—-
Cass's capture and rescue etches a tense expression on her face - but she was glad she and her crew in the future did something about that. The descriptions as to what they were doing to normal humans makes her a little sick. It reminded her of the Nuremberg Trials, in her Bioethics course this semester. But she does listen to him intently, and each word out of his mouth painted 2009 with darker and darker colors. There was more. More information. She's quite impressed actually that he collected so much.
Benjamin was Company? Elena gapes at him from where she's crouched by her duffel bag. "….since when? But…I thought…wait, I don't get it." Her hand lifts to rub the side of her face. "After his kidnapping he told me that all he wanted was a normal life and take care of Rose and get on with it. I….why would he change his mind like that? They let him go, Peter. Why would they drag him back in again? There had to have been a reason…"
When he remarks that they know her, or have seen Evelyn, Elena wracks her brain, trying to remember. She can vaguely make out a face, but this had been so long ago…back in April. It was September now. "….oh my god. That's…" Destiny? Fate? Oh come on, just how many coincidences had to happen? "But you know where to find her now, right?" She wonders if Evelyn still had ahold of her powers. Peter mentioned they disappear, only for them to come back and be unstable. What happened? Has it already happened?
She stares at him at the sudden confession, and she glances down at her bag when he blurts out she doesn't have to leave. "I didn't know whether you wanted to be left alone tonight. You just got back, you're exhausted. Besides, I wasn't intending to." She pulls out a paper-wrapped package from the duffel bag, and walks over to him. "I was going to leave this here for you. I brought….everyone….something back from my trip." She hands it to him, and gives him a small, but tentative smile. "Welcome home."
—-
"The Company has ways of making you join them— especially if you have people to protect," Peter says, defending the man, because… honestly… he knows what it was like. He'd almost signed up with them in an attempt to protect those people he cared about. It's likely that his daughter would be a motivating factor— though the files that were given to him will explain that better than he could. "Bat Country may already be infiltrated— but I don't know what we can do about that." There's so much that seems almost… unimportant now. The Company wasn't what caused all these problems, as far as he can tell.
It's a pretty big coincidence. There's been so many of them these days— and he's leaving out the fact that Gene of the Future apparently went on a date with her— but that's something he can meddle in later. Or just let take it's natural fated course.
And then she's not leaving? She was just… "Oh." He's rather surprised that she's handing him something in a paper wrapped package. So surprised that he doesn't even open it at first. "…I— Sorry. I wasn't expecting…" He looks down at it, then actually moves aside and puts it down on the coffee table without opening it. What? He moves towards the closet, reaching up to one of the higher areas, pulling down a shipping box he hadn't even opened yet. He'd intended to put it in a different box, wrap it up— and at least remove the sales slip— but he'll just try to grab it when she gets it open before she can see it. "I bought you something too— for when you came back." Over a month ago, now— he ordered it the night of the first voice message— and it arrived a few days later. He'd stuffed it up there to get it out of the way, but…
He holds it out to her. She might need to get a knife from the kitchen to get it opened, but…
NOW he can open the paper wrapped package. And while he does he adds, "I don't want— to be alone tonight. I can— go visit my brother or something instead if you…" Don't want to stay with him again… But it shouldn't be hard to guess where his preferences are. Even if his brother is really important to him.
—-
"Let Cass know," Elena says simply. "It's her place. And…she has a right to know if she's being spied on." That reminds her actually. "…I…wanted to ask you about your voice messages actually. But that can wait until later once you're all…" She waves a hand to the side vaguely. "Settled in. I know how tired you are." She would've said more, but he was…leaving the room. What? Where was he going? She furrows her brows as he heads off somewhere, only to return with a…
She's handed her own box. "…..were you going to try bribing me to forgive you?" she says. She can't help but tease him. She isn't used to getting so much from one person, and her fingers curl on the surface. Her eyes lower onto the box. "Truth be told I didn't…really hang onto it that tightly. My anger. I don't know. It comes and goes quickly. It always has. I thought about how…that entire conversation could've turned out differently but…" She falls silent, and she shrugs. "…well. It's not like it's going to be dragged on for too long, right?" She turns, wandering over to the kitchen so she could find something to open it with and proceeds to do just that.
When he cuts off the paper wrapping, the flat rectangular shape would be revealed, canvas stretched out. It wasn't too big of a painting, it was actually just 8 1/2 by 11, on a self-mounting canvas that didn't need any framing. The dreamy looking watercolor stares him back in the face of a waterfront in the sunset, with a cityscape in the backdrop as well as a few docks, some fishing boats.
"The artist had been painting on the waterfront, when we were at Barcelona. He had this little stall set up, there's a few of them around for local artists when I went. I thought…" She hesitates, and she almost looks a little timid, glancing to the side a bit. "….since…you couldn't come with me I thought I'd bring a piece of what I saw back for you."
—-
"I'll tell her— I just don't know what we're going to be able to do about it." Once they know, they know— they'll find some way to infiltrate it again and again. Maybe if they at least know who the infiltrator is they can control what information they get their hands on. That sort of thing… The Company won't stop. Not until they're forced to. Peter's learning that.
Bribe her a little? There's a wince at the accusation, though it might be slightly true in the general sense. Even if… "I just wanted to be able to tell you— without messing it up." He'd messed up what he said already— and somehow expressing things with his gift just… seemed to work better in his head. "And I really didn't want you to leave." That's the message that he really wanted to send. Better to do it without words— since he messed up on saying that the first time.
Considering how many paintings and pictures he has on his walls in his apartment? Good choice. As soon as he sees it, he's even thinking of where he could hang it later— there's some wallspace left, but a lot of it is covered. Pushing that curl of hair out of the way as she explains her reasoning, he smiles, "Thanks— I actually… did see part of it— just once. Took about four hours of trying before I finally did— I got an ability to see people— find them— no matter where they are. I tested it out on you." Because he really, really wanted to see her. That little girl— another thing he definitely needs to fix, but he's keeping that to himself, at least. "You looked really pretty— happy." It made him feel better knowing that he hadn't ruined her entire trip.
As she starts to get the box open, he moves to hover, so that he can grab the packing slip at least. Which he does. As soon as it's opened. No need for her to know he spent almost two hundred dollars on it.
It… would be a music box, and probably predicted— and— not very subtle. Even before he left for the future he'd decided to tell her, somehow— and the music box being heart shaped? Probably a good start. It's also got a slight red-black feel to it. And the song that plays, when wound… would be You Are My Sunshine.
—-
If he was going about what she thought he meant….he did it just fine earlier at the coffeeshop. Elena wasn't the kind of girl who insisted on big gestures, but when she finds another music box in the carton, she smiles, absently tracing the shape of it with her fingers. "You know you never really have to get me anything every time you mess up or….you know. I mean I love them, every single one you've given me. I guess I'm just not used to getting so much from one person." Thankfully for him, she doesn't see the packing slip. She would've been shocked. "I don't even want to think about just how much money you've spent on all of them." She inclines her head at him. "They can't be all that inexpensive, not with the way they're engraved."
When he mentions that he'd seen her, she blinks at him. "Actually that was one of the messages I wanted to ask you about." She inclines her head at him. "I met someone once, with that power. Well, twice really. She could find anyone anywhere. She needs a picture when she does it. When Papa got in a bit of trouble a few months ago…I accidentally found out she had a gift like that. I'm not supposed to tell anyone, for some reason she was really adamant about it." She furrows her brows at Peter. "…did we meet the same person?" What. What. This was getting a little too weird.
She opens up the lid of the box, and at what it plays, she can't help but laugh, lifting a hand to rub absently on her cheek. It was cute, of course, Peter could be so adorable when he wanted to be. But she does look over at him, her expression softening. "….you could've just told me, you know?" she mentions softly. "You didn't seem to have….any problems saying it in the coffeehouse earlier."
—-
Crumble, crumble goes the packing slip. Dropped into a trashcan. Peter won't be needing to send it back, after all. "I know— I'd been planning to buy one for you soon anyway— back to school, welcome back— that sort of thing, but…" His eyes lower, the mention of the cost of them— it's a shame he couldn't bring back the one he got for free— but he'd wanted to give something to the other Elena, too. That one would probably cost a few thousand dollars— he's pretty sure. The size of the box, the quality of the note— even with all the dents and scratches, it'd still be worth something.
But that's okay, he knows who wins the Super Bowl next year. And who wins the Stanley Cup. And that Nathan liked the new Indiana Jones.
"Probably is the same person, yeah— I didn't need a picture because… I already know you. I'm just not really any good at it yet." It might be difficult for him to find someone anywhere near as well as she can. In fact, probably impossible right now. Took four hours just to get a second or two of sight of her smile.
When she calls him on his coffeehouse confession, he looks sheepish again, smiling a little lopsidedly. "I bought it before I went to the future— things were… different." And he'd said it to her so many times it almost seemed a reflex. But he isn't sure he's ready to share that part yet— how he loved her future-self. "It's easier to say now." In fact, it's almost difficult to avoid saying it. "Sorry— I know this must be difficult for you. Disappearing for a month and then…" Blindsided with things he'd wanted to be able to say for months and hadn't felt he had the right to.
—-
"I know but…" Elena laughs and rubs the back of her neck. "I guess it's….I don't know. This is new. Papa couldn't really afford to spoil me too much when I was a kid, so no one ever really has. So every time….I don't know how to react. I can get used to it of course but…." She glances down at the music box again and smiles ruefully. "Whenever I get my new place I guess I'll have to figure out how to display these, huh?" Jadinne could probably help her with that.
He had wanted to see her. "Well, if you told Cass about it, she'll probably try and train you with that too. Maybe it'll be easier if you started training with that with someone's face that you know really well. I mean…you're not gonna have a picture handy all the time." She lifts a hand, absently tugging on a lock of hair that's escaped the twist her hair was arranged in.
When he apologizes for it, she chews on her bottom lip and lets her eyes fall on the music box. "I started thinking maybe the future was that bad enough that you figured you needed to get it out before it was too late. But I feel a little better knowing you always intended to. It's just that things got in the way." She looks up at him, meeting his eyes. "It's not really difficult. Just…a little surprising. It's..not every day a girl's best friend says something like that. I mean, it happens in movies a lot but I didn't think it'd happen to me."
She pushes off the counter, walking towards him until they're standing toe-to-toe. "Besides…." She bites on her bottom lip, color flushing over her cheeks. "…you know in the long run, whatever you felt or didn't feel for me. When you were gone, I…I just wanted you back here, you know? It could've happened so many different ways. I was actually afraid we'd never talk again, but big-picture wise….I found if it came to that, I…didn't care so long as you were okay."
"…..okay, maybe I cared a little," she reiterates. "But when it comes down to it… I…" She fumbles. FUMBLES. Because that's what she does when things get serious. "…remember? Too important to lose."
—-
"You'll probably get used to it— now that your father can afford to spoil you if he wants to," Peter says, rubbing his arm in his old style of fidgitting, watching her as she gives him advice and fumbles. The fumbling happens to be pretty adorable, really— almost as adorable as watching her devour breakfast— but that'd been a different Elena. Getting used to certain things won't be easy. The world had changed so much that he's not sure what's going on where anymore— but he knows he can stand on his own if he has to. Which he does sometimes.
"I have a couple new abilities to tell her about, actually— so we'll see how that works out." There's so many that he picked up in the future— some haven't even manifested yet, he bets. With most of the population Evolved— he's surprised he wasn't blowing up every time he walked by someone.
And then— she confesses how he's turned her life into a movie of sorts— and then she's right in front of him, telling him she just wanted him back— just wanted him okay. Something about that softens his expression considerably. She said something that touched him, apparently. Which shouldn't make it any surprise when his hand reaches up to touch her cheek, thumb brushing over the beauty mark that he'd found so cute— probably no surprise even when he leans down and closes his eyes, bumping her nose, before continuing into a kiss. Gentle— soft— but not just friends. Too important to lose.
After a moment, he breaks contact, to press his forehead against her own, hand settling on her neck. "Too important to who?"
—-
"I don't think I ever will," Elena says doubtfully. "But I'll certainly try. I wouldn't be surprised if I woke up tomorrow with my father growling at me about freeloading off your brother or Cass and that he just went ahead and got me a condominium downtown." From being so poor to being suddenly affluent, she's still trying to adjust in the change of status. That would be a weird conversation, should it ever happen, but she wouldn't put it past her father these days. All he wanted to do ever in his life was to provide for his family. Now that he had money he'll do it as much as he wants.
She sees his expression soften, his hand was warm and a little rough on her cheek - she didn't mind it really. Something about the texture was comforting. It wasn't surprising that he kisses her either, her head angled up a bit due to his touch as lips meet again for…. she didn't know how many times today. Couldn't remember. When he pulls away again, she closes her eyes when his forehead rests on hers.
"Your family, your friends. New York. Centuries of human evolution, take your pick," she quips softly…if he opened his eyes enough he'd find a flash of an impish grin on her mouth. "Oh, and me too. Sometimes. Occasionally." She's teasing him, by the tone in her voice - but it's a dead giveaway that she's nervous. Honest, but nervous. But she does lean in further, to bury her face where his neck meets his shoulder. Her arms twine loosely around his waist.
She falls quiet then, closing her eyes. He was warm - comforting in such cold weather. And he smelled like rainwater.
—-
"Then we'll have to get you your own place before then," Peter says softly, not wanting to control where she'll live so much as wanting her to have the option to live on her own without her father's money stepping in and doing things for her. Sure, his family always had money when he was growing up, and his family — mother especially — still gave him assistance when he needed it, but he liked having his own place— and he pays most of the bills. With her current job, she can affoard a decent place of her own— better than anything around here— though he'd certainly prefer having her close.
Anyway… after the kiss breaks, and she starts to answer his question, he does lift away enough to look at her. There's a mock accusing glance when it takes her so long to tease him about being important to her too. "Oh— just occassionally. I see." He teases, arms moving around her to pull her in close as she stays against him. "Well, the rest of the time I guess everything else will have to be enough…" The entire evolutionary track of humanity— that sort of thing. But right now… he really does want her to hold him at importance.
There's a few moments of silence, breaths that raise his chest against her— and then he asks, offically, "Will you stay the night here? Just— to sleep. Don't think I'll be able to sleep by myself tonight…" It isn't appropriate, but… there it is. He's asked it. Finally. "I'd like you to stay tonight."
—-
"Yeah I know, I'd start to feel bad, even if Heidi does like the company at the mansion," Elena says. "She kept telling me before about feeling outnumbered." She pulls her head away a bit, smoothing out the front of his shirt in an absent fashion. She had always been an independent creature, or at the very least she tries to be. And it's not like it'd be right to stay at Peter's place all the time, though she honestly did just stay there for a night or two so the renovators could come in and fix the place.
"Yeah. Just occasionally," she says, the impish grin curling upwards on her mouth - so broad he'd see the dimple on her left cheek. Her nose brushes against his and she inclines her head towards him. She shifts her arms to move around his neck when he pulls her closer, it seemed like a natural gesture for him, and how she moves in seemed the same. It felt as if they've always been like this when they actually haven't. They've kept things carefully platonic for seven months, no matter what he or she felt.
When he asks her, she lifts her head to look at him. Fingers come up to brush the curl on his forehead away gently…though it flops back onto it stubbornly. "Would it help you sleep?" She would stay, of course - but she's cheating, silently probing with the question to see if nightmares had been plaguing again.
—-
"I bet Heidi's enjoyed it," Peter says with a smile, leaning his cheek against her hair for a long moment, and staying right where he is. They can't stay this way forever. He's tired, exhausted— his body has been ran ragged the last few weeks— and even if it can keep up with it, even if he's adjusted, he could really use a good night's sleep. Which may or may not happen. So much to do— so little time. Part of him that knows the whole world is counting on him is tempted to let go of her and go visit a few people instead, but… luckily she has her arms around him too.
Though they'd known each other for some time now, and kept things from getting beyond friendship for almost all of it— that got thrown out the window a little a while ago. Even before he left, technically. They'd had a date— even if she didn't know that's what he meant for it to be. "It would help me sleep, yeah." Now he's just being a baby. He hasn't slept since he came back to this timeline— and he doesn't know if the nightmares will keep up— he just doesn't want to sleep alone.
"I mean you don't… have to— I can understand if you'd rather not since— well I did just ask you out." She's getting that part, he hopes. "You do know that I was trying to ask you out now, right?" She got that picture. Even if it had technically been almost all business at their dinner.
—-
"She seemed so, one extra pair of eyes to watch Simon and Monty," Elena murmurs, feeling the weight of his cheek against her hair and closing her eyes. He had always been a comforting presence to her, and despite things…changing…before her eyes, that really hasn't changed. Her fingertips rub up and down his back gently, taking a deep inhale of the scent of rainwater clinging to his shirt. As much as she hated to admit it, part of her wants to go to bed, and her body had no desire to go anywhere. The day had been exhausting, a little dark and a little urgent. Bright spots here and there, as always.
"Okay…" she murmurs. Not like she was going to say no with the way he was acting, or what he had just been through. Considering how dark the future was going to become if they didn't stop this, she wondered how he could talk about it with that quiet sort of determination she just saw. Peter always struck her as someone a little fragile. At the dinner, he talked with a purpose, despite what he saw. He's changed, and not just in the way he wielded his powers, or how he looked - something's shifted.
"Mmhm….truth be told I thought even if we did make up we'd just wind up the way we were before," she says. "…it's just that you wouldn't let it." The last is a tease, pulling back a bit to look him in the eye. "You did kidnap me from class and kissed the breath out of me right after, Mr. Petrelli. I'm dense, but I'm not that dense. I just….wasn't expecting that you'd still….I mean, the fight had been pretty bad. For all I know you might've thought it would be better to stay friends." She hesitates. "In all honesty I think…that's what kept me from wising up to what you were trying to do really. I just….I was extremely paranoid about wrecking our friendship. What we had then….have…it's a good thing. I understood you, you understood me. I didn't know whether…doing this was….a good idea. In the end, things turn out a different way regardless."
She takes a step back, slowly sliding away from the circle his arms made and glances down at herself. "…I should change, though. If you want me to sleep over," she says with a laugh.
—-
It had been a long day— emotional rollercoaster. And for him— it's been a long month and a half. At least that's over now, or he hopes it is. Peter grins lopsided as she admits to certain things— how she thought things might turn out. He won't apologize for kidnapping her, or kissing the breath out of her— but he did apologize for making her blow up her lab. That's different, though.
"Yeah— I know how you feel when you say that… I didn't want to wreck what we had, either— I was going to wait longer— let things settle for the both of us…" After he broke up with Elle, after… well… maybe allow her a chance to grow a little longer— she is young, even if she's more mature than most women her age (or even older). "What we have— means a lot to me. I didn't want to lose it." That's why he panicked. That's why the fight happened. "But even before that— we were already becoming more." More than friends. Even if they'd both tried to keep that restrained.
She starts to pull away, mentions changing. He pauses, then nods, moving towards his bedroom and— he's about to find clothes for her, but then he remembers she'd already stayed here a few nights. This is when he pauses and turns to face her again, "I— guess you already have something to wear." But if she doesn't, he has clothes! They haven't been worn for a month and a half, but— he has clothes.
"I— you can use the bathroom. I'll change too, but…" There's one thing he needs to know, before they can lay down and sleep— and they will just sleep, maybe hold each other a little, but just sleep… "Are you okay with it? Going out?"
—-
Hey, he's grinning. In fact Elena hasn't seen him this happy or remotely at peace with anything in a long while. She couldn't help but smile back, even as she steps around so she could reach for her duffel bag again, yanking out a pair of pajamas. They look like soft cotton, with cartoon penguins lining the outer sides of each leg. She slings this over her shoulder, and digs out a short-sleeved shirt to sleep in, and manages to pull out a shrunken NYU t-shirt. The shirt and the pajamas clashed, but she didn't care, she was just going to bed and she didn't need to impress anyone.
"You think so, huh?" She looks over at him and gives him a small smile. "Maybe. If it turned out another way it would be difficult to tell. But if this has been a while coming…" She pauses. "Well. Other people saw it. Jack did. Cass. Hell, even -Lachlan- saw it and I'm pretty sure I didn't tell him. Eric knew, too, so…" She rubs her face. "Though you're lucky you've only been gone a month. Do you know how many proposals I got while I was in Spain? I mean, serious wedding proposals once it came out that I was American and I knew Spanish. You men are opportunists." She winks at him then, and turns around so she could move to the bathroom.
She stops before she could get there, though, at the last inquiry. She turns around, leaning her shoulder against the doorframe. "If I'm okay with…going on dates with you?" She wanted clarification, since she was so dense and he tended to be nervous when communicating what he wants from her. She looks over at him, and she gives him a small smile. "I'm going to be a scientist, Peter. I can't give you a definite conclusion unless I try it out, yeah?" Her smile turns impish, almost teasing.
Oh hoh. She's cheating again.
He might not let her get away with it, but she turns around to shut the bathroom door. It doesn't take her long to change, but once she's out, she's dressed for sleep, setting her clothes neatly on the side as she moves for the bed, flopping on it and pulling a pillow towards her so she could hug it to her while she waits for him.
—-
"Proposals? Seriously?" Peter asks, looking a little shocked at this— especially since he's pretty sure she's not lying. Not entirely. Random proposals in Spain. Here he's picturing her stepping out of a restraunt and the waiter chasing after her wanting her hand in marriage. Honestly it's not too difficult to see. But he's glad she turned them down, at the very least… "Good thing I didn't decide to stay another month to see the revolution…" he shakes his head, murmuring. He might have been tempted, too. But he didn't. And then she doesn't even answer his question, and treats it like a science experiment…
Oh that IS cheating.
Sure, he could force the door open, he could even try to walk through it now, but instead he walks over to pull a pair of loose shorts out of a dresser drawer, so that he can change as well. He's nice enough to wait til she's out of the bathroom so he can go in as well. When she plops down on his bed and hugs a pillow, he moves around to step into the bathroom, then seems to change his mind. He walks back and leans in to kiss her again, this time on the tip of her nose. "Since you're treating me as a science experiment, that just means I'll use trial and error to find your ticklish spots tonight." If she's going to cheat— he will too. He learned from the best.
With that, he disappears into the bathroom and changes. Now's the time to flee to avoid punishment—
And when he steps out he must have decided to test another theory, because he's literally only wearing those shorts. Just that. Nothing else. The rest of his clothes are discarded into the clothing hamper.
—-
Yes. Seriously. America was the land of opportunity. And she wasn't that bad to look at. Eric had to glower over a couple of them, but he was in no position to talk - he had given her a confession of sorts as well. So did Jaden. In fact the only one who hadn't in their party was Gene, who seemed pretty closed off about that stuff anyway. "Seriously," Elena calls before shutting the door to the bathroom and coming out the way she does. She looks rather pleased with herself. But she does sit up eventually from her flopped position, cradling the pillow against her legs and her arms. Her head tips up to blink at him when he approaches, and smiles briefly when he kisses the tip of her nose.
And she didn't answer his question because he didn't answer hers! Did he mean if she was okay with going on dates, or her dating him? There was a difference! How would she know, she's never done this before. But at what he says, her eyes widen. Horror etches in her features. "Wh…wh…WHAT?" she cries, just when the door closes. TICKLISH SPOTS? WHAT? That wasn't even fair! That dark secret should NEVER COME OUT. EVER.
And when he emerges shirtless from the bathroom, something flies at him from seemingly out of nowhere. Yes, it's the pillow, and yes, she just ambushed him with it. She grabs another one, and gets in a position to throw it. "Oh no. You're not getting that dark secret out of me today!" she says with a laugh.
—-
Oof— pillow to the face.
Peter blinks, catches the pillow in his hands. Then notices her threat to start throwing. Hey— hey— his room is decorated! There's statues of African warrior gods, and mirrors and— pictures on the wall. But you know what? He's smiling. A genuine smile. A pretty wide one, actually. This is one of the many reasons he loves her. Even when the world was ending— even when everything looked bad— her future self could still get a smile out of him. And so soon after getting back? She's done the same again. And he loves her for it.
He could easily end this pillow fight even before it begins, but instead… he daringly steps forward and makes a tickle gesture with one hand. He's threatening her! And then there comes the pillow she practically handed him, swinging at her leg. A light hit, playful more than anything else— but there it is. It's a game.
It's fun. It's making him want to laugh. And it's definitely a nice change from watching everyone he cared about die— or nearly die.
PILLOW FIGHT
ELENA VS PETER.
ROUND ONE.
BEGIN.
—-
Instead of glowering at her like any other normal man would do in his position, he's smiling. Widely. Elena can only blink at him….what does that mean? Is he intending to retaliate? Is he going to cheat? "….what?" she asks, warily. But when he steps forward to actually WIGGLE HIS FINGERS at her in a threatening manner, she backs away. It's a cry and a laugh all at once. "Are you SERIOUS? No! I don't think so! Back! Back!" She tries warding him with her own hands, until he swiftly uses his own pillow to whack her on the legs. Pillows don't hurt, but the hit makes her shriek a little bit, and she can't help but laugh. What's worse is that she can't keep tossing pillows at him. Because then she'll run out of ammunition…
Oh hell, why not?
Another pillow flings at him, and another, and another. It was like watching a spastic monkey try to defend itself on his bed. Sure, he can always bat a few back with the pillow he's holding, but if she got near him, it was doom for her. DOOM. But when she runs out of pillows, she's scrambling for the other end of the bed. She's still laughing all the while. Hell she even falls off it a bit to try and get away from him. Why? Because the LIVING ROOM has more pillows. She has to get to them.
This is, of course, followed by a dramatic: "YOU'LL NEVER TAKE ME ALIVE!"
….well he probably will. Eventually. Otherwise it'd be wrong and pretty gross. But it seemed the right thing to say at the time.
—-
Oh, he could retaliate easily. The most that Peter does do, though, is keep the pillows from hitting his dresser of the walls, batting them to the floor with his pillow. The one she gave him. And then she makes for the rest of the apartment, where there's even MORE things that can be easily knocked down. She's adorable. And he laughs before moving to follow after her, pillow brandished in hand. He doesn't throw it, but he is trying to catch up to her, reaching to grab her arm and pull her away from the pillows on the couch. He's got far more breakable things in this room— and he'd hate to have his brother's old birthday present of a ship in a bottle to be among the casualties.
Using his pillow, he tries to wrap it around her, so he can pull her back against his bare chest and hold her there. He's going to capture her as alive as possible, and he's going to smile doing this.
"I'm going to find out eventually, you know— tickling is bound to occur!" They've kissed so many times today he's surprised she hasn't busted out laughing if she's as ticklish as she's pretending to be.
Turning around, until she's facing the bed, he lets her go now. Freeing her from captivity. There's plenty of pillows on the floor. "Too much breakable in there," he adds, tossing his pillow at her, and thus disarming himself. Now she has the advantage— and he reaches to close the double doors leading to his bedroom. Turning his back to her! Brave man. Brave indeed.
—-
Oh god. He was following. Before Elena can reach the living room, to scurry out of it like a squirrel, he snatches her up, and a surprised mixture of a cry and laughter escapes her mouth. He was stronger than her, and he outweighed her by 45 pounds or so and when he drags her back into the bedroom, she even makes a comical and dramatic "Nnnnnooooooooooooooooooooooooo— !" exclamation before the doors leading out to his bedroom close and seal her to her fate. He has to let go of her though, so he could do this.
But his back is turned. Brave man. Maybe the gentlemanly attitude was making him go easy on her because he could easily end this if he cheated, but once he turns around, a pillow launches right onto his rear end. This is followed quickly by a shot on the shoulders, and one at the back of the legs.
Jeez. She's got pretty good aim.
"Only if you're lucky!" she challenges, brandishing another pillow. "And I'm not about to make it easy!" Her skin is flushed on the cheeks, her eyes bright with mirth, and she's only holding it together so much before she bursts out laughing freely again. She's not exactly hiding the fact that she's ticklish, and perhaps terribly so - but the trick was probably how she was tickled as opposed to where, hence why he hasn't been able to trigger laughter while kissing. Which was probably a good thing, he might think she was laughing at him.
But she's laughing anyway, for completely different reasons.
—-
Does she realize she just gave him ammo? Once the doors are closed— they even have a latch that he pulls across to keep them that way, Peter bends down and picks two of the pillows that she threw at him. He'll just risk breaking something in here. Most of the stuff he wants to display is in the living area anyway. One pillow is tossed, wide, it'll bounce onto the bed behind her. He did that on purpose, though, because the second one is aimed where he thinks she'll dodge to avoid the first one. He learned a little in the future, and faking hits is always a good plan.
"Now you're trapped, sunshine," he reminds her, reaching down to snatch up the third that she tossed at his back side, this one he keeps for a shield, so that he can approach her.
"You could at least tell me where your tattoo ended up since it's not on your shoulder like the other you." She's still wearing enough that it could be many places and still be hidden. But he does give her a look over— one that might deserve a pillow to the face.
—-
When he tosses the pillow, he's right. Elena scurries over to the other side and is promptly nailed by the pillow against the shoulder and neck. She goes down on the mattress, and she can't help but laugh still, gasping a little bit. She looks up at him, surprise in her eyes - and she actually looks a little impressed at the fake-out. "Since when did you become a cheater?" she asks, blowing a lock of hair that's tangled from around her face. But she can't help the snickers, the laughter. She's been a happy creature by nature all her life, even if this year's injected more seriousness in her life than she preferred.
She doesn't respond when he tells her she's trapped. When he brings up her tattoo, and his eyes roam down trying to figure out where it might be, she finds one of the pillows launched at her and wings it at him, laughing. "I told you, it's nowhere visible if I'm fully clothed. You're just going to have to guess. Luckily you haven't met anyone with X-Ray vision yet. Otherwise I'll never trust you with anything."
Well, that's not really true. She knows Peter, he'd never abuse his powers like that. But she can't help but tease him. He's a GUY. And guys have needs. AT LEAST THAT'S WHAT LACHLAN SAYS.
She looks up at him, sprawled on the mattress. Searching his face from where she's lying, she quirks a small smile. "You really wanna know?" she asks, quirking a brow. He reaps what he sows. Glancing down at her fingers, she can't help but smile a little bit. There's color on her cheeks - and there's a timid tinge to the expression.
It couldn't hurt to let him know where it is at least. It's not as BLATANT as Nadia's anyway.
Her pinky finger hooks down on one side of her pajamas, somewhat to the side and along the front. She tugs the fabric down just a bit. Over the inner right hip he'll find the top of the rose, etched in crimson, and the upper part of the black, tribal design that slashes across it. It pulls down low enough that he could see the navel piercing she's still got as well.
But then she removes her finger, the fabric snapping back up as she rolls on her stomach and looks over her shoulder at him. Dark hair tumbles down her back. "And that's all you're getting tonight," she says with a laugh.
—-
That— okay— never tell her brother or father about that ever, please. They'd probably kill him. She's showing it to him while sprawled on his bed— that's enough that he almost turns a little flushed. Peter's definitely needing to catch his breath, but at least he doesn't have to hide behind the pillow. He's not quite as bad as Lachlan made him out to be. Needs and desires to not equal must have right now. Which for his sake (and mental stability if her father found out) is not what it equals for him.
"It's still a rose, at least," he admits, tossing his final pillow at her on the bed, before he moves over to sit on the edge. Most of their pillows are on the floor, but he doesn't bother to collect them right away. He's still smiling.
"I already have invisibility— that's most teenage boy's dreams. And I've never used it to spy on anyone in a really compromising position." Like in the shower. Somehow he doubts the man he's got the ability from was so polite in his usage of it. He could picture Claude spying on people in their bedrooms, in their showers… He's just that kind of guy.
"But you never did answer my question, really…" He doesn't understand that she needed clarification. "Are you okay with going out on dates with me?" This has been pretty close to one.
—-
It would take a while to perhaps figure out if she was ready for that, but his reaction causes her to redden a little bit. Elena tended to underestimate her effect on other people. Peter was no exception, but considering he's not exactly hiding the look on his face….all she could do is cough, really, but give him a small, embarassed little smile. But now he knows! He just won't be seeing all of it any time soon.
The pillow lands on her head, and she can't help but laugh, pulling it off her and watching him as he drops on the edge of the bed next to her. She's still on her stomach, but Elena seems to like cuddling at pillows when she's sitting or sprawled on something. If she had a plushie she'd probably do the same, but she gathers up the pillow in her arms, and squishes it until she's comfortable. She inclines her head at him as the cushion depresses near her. "It is. I didn't want anything too abstract," she tells him, lifting her head up a bit from its makeshift cushion.
When he asks her again, she rolls on her side so she could sit up. She's sitting sideways from him. While he's sitting on the edge, she's facing him more directly. Her legs are folded, the pillow cradled in between her legs and arms. But she needed it. She didn't know if he was just asking her out, or asking her to be his girlfriend - and contrary to old fashioned belief, those don't always go hand in hand. She leans in then, brushing her lips against his cheek. "I am," she says simply. "Hell, we went on one today, didn't we?"
—-
"It probably looks really good— had a good tattoo artist," Peter says, looking over at her quietly, trying not to leer or anything that might be inappropriate while she's cuddling a big pillow on his bed. It looks sweet— but he doesn't seem too surprised by her lounging habits. She did spend the night here once before, right? Did they go on one today? Yes they did. Their first offical date. He bends down, to grab two of the pillows on the floor, laying one down for him to lay on when he situates himself— and the other plops right on her face. Plop.
It probably won't stay there long, but maybe enough for him to lay down on the bed and turn towards her, so they can face each other. Keeping her from stealing said pillow entirely, he grabs it, and puts it between them, letting his arm drape across it. They probably won't end up sleeping with two pillows between them, but at least they could start that way.
"I'm glad I'm back. And I'm glad you're not engaged to some guy who speaks Spanish, either." Things might have been difficult for him if she had gotten engaged in Spain! But he did miss her— even if she was right there with him most the time. In the form of a Future Ghost.
Does that mean they're technically dating now? Probably… Except… "So…" he reaches to claim her hand, hugged around the pillow as it is. "How many trials before you can make a scientific conclusion…?" Since she turned him into a science experiment…
—-
She can't help but laugh against the pillow plopped on her face. She rolls on her back, pulling it off her and cuddling it - until he takes it back while he sprawls out on his own bed. Elena turns on her side so she could face him, one arm bending by the elbow to prop up her head so she could look at him from a higher angle. A leg bends by the knee, and she drapes her free arm over the curve of her hip. She did spend the night there once, she woke up with his arm draped over her, as if to ensure she wasn't getting away any time soon. He was sneaky like that.
She lifts her hand to flick the curling lock of hair perched on his forehead, watching it drop back down stubbornly. Fingers brush on the sheets after. "I'm glad you're back too," she affirms with a small smile. "And I've only been on three dates my entire life, you think I'm ready for an engagement in a foreign country?" She's never had a boyfriend. Hell she didn't even go to her prom.
She doesn't know what this means, but wasn't dating a social experiment anyway? Go out and have fun with other people to figure out the most ideal combinations of characteristics in a life mate? That was how it started anyway, right? Her hand is taken, and her fingers thread into his. Her chin drops, resting on the pillow between them as she looks him right in the eyes. This close, he could see the golden shards fragmenting her irises. And…sadly enough when he puts it in those terms, she gets what he's saying. "I don't know," she murmurs. "I've never done this before. You've got a lot of things going for you though." Her smile turns impish. "You're handsome. You're sweet. You're considerate. You're also an amazing kisser….and you're insane over me." She's STILL teasing him, judging by the look on her face. She can't help it. She leans in, pressing her lips delicately on his. The touch is almost shy. "I think it'll just happen though," she murmurs on his mouth. "There's really no specific formula for this is there?"
—-
Three dates is actually more than his last girlfriend had been on— but Peter definitely does not bring that up. Especially since they ended up having to have a first date twice… Part of him is curious, though— does this count as one of the three dates? How about when she cooked for him? Probably not that time, but this one… sure. It's very likely that his arm will end up drapped around her again before they're asleep long, but… he doesn't seem to bother to move the pillows out of the way yet. Her father would probably approve of the barriers.
"No— there's really not a specific formula. Everybody's just winging it." Taking things as they happen. Pretending that they're any good at it. Look at Lachlan and Cass. From what little he knows of their courtship, they practically tripped and fell on each other and that's the only thing that brought them together— but so much kept them from falling apart again.
"What time do you need to be up?" he suddenly asks, glancing behind him towards the alarm clock. He can probably set it without moving, and he will, once she tells him what time she needs to be up. He'll try to beat her— so that he can cook her something— assuming there's anything in the fridge, but if not— "Can I treat you to breakfast?" He has to go check in with Enlightenment Books. Talk to Cass and Lachlan, see if he still has a job— warn them about everything. But nothing will stop him from watching her eat, if she'll allow it.
—-
Ah. The Three Date Theory. Most men swear by it. Though that was more due for other activities and not anything long lasting or maybe even permanent. Even Elena's heard of it. But she does smile after the goodnight kiss is bestowed on his mouth, rolling on her back and looking up at the ceiling. Was she really here? Then again, he asked. He couldn't sleep very well. And when he's like this, she doesn't have the heart to refuse him. Her eyes watch the ceiling for a while, an arm wrapped around a pillow and squishing it to her.
"Oh good. I like winging. Winging's fun," she says, inclining her head towards where he's facing her, smiling a little bit. She sets the pillow aside, so she can pull the blankets over both of them. Pillow fights are fun, but someone's ready for bed.
"Um….I usually get up around seven thirty or so, give myself time to eat breakfast and get ready. Why?" And when he tells her, she turns her head to look at him and smile. "Sure." Her smile turns into an impish grin. "But I promise you don't have to walk me to school."
—-
Well— Peter's idea of when it's time to take that step is very different from most men's. That's neither here nor there, though. It's not going to happen tonight. That's for sure. Because he's too tired— there's pillows between them— and her father would murder him. And that's after her brother did the job a couple times. And— it's just not the right timing, either.
With the alarm set, he sits up from the bed enough to hover over her long enough to return the kiss good night, and then move to get fully under the covers, so that they can both sleep. There may be a strong intention to stay awake until she falls asleep first, but tired is overtaking him, so— he'll just have to live with the fact that she said yes to breakfast.
"Walk you to school if I want," he notes, though, moving to get closer, getting rid of one of the pillows between them. There's a good possibility he's already going to put an arm around her, to insure she doesn't get away. Or just to hold onto her. Either reasoning works. Good night. He meant to say it— but he made to mistake of closing his eyes after he settled in. It takes a few moments— and by the time his brain triggers the rest of him… it's barely a mumble.
—-
And she'd hit him. Elena was already awkward about it as it is, she needs time to catch her breath. He might be reminded of another woman in his life who he had to slow down for, someone who's been long dead - but not forgotten in any way. As his shadow falls over her, he'd find that her eyes are already closed, though they flicker open again when his face leans in, feeling his mouth on hers and she closes them once he kisses her. "Mmmhmmmmmmm," she murmurs softly, when he says something about walking her to school. "I'll make you chase me." To school. But she's just being a brat. She can't help the sleepy smile on her face.
Not like she isn't difficult enough to keep up with as it is.
She looks over at him as he tosses the pillow to the side. She reaches out, and yoinks the remaining pillow away from the middle so she could shift closer, and curl up against him. It was raining. Storming. She could hear thunder and see lightning flash on occasion through the darkened room. He was warm, and he smelled like the rain outside. And she drapes an arm over him this time.
She was never a passive creature. "Goodnight," she mumbles back softly.