Shenanigans!

[phaselocknroll]

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[phaselocknroll]

[ She doesn't return his smile, and her tone remains matter-of-fact. She's decided that it might be best to distance herself, to not get so attached. ]

You've been struck by lightning. I'd advise you to take it easy for the next day or two yet.

[nostalgiabomb]

[ His reply is automatic: ] I'm fine.

[ He frowns again -- and this time he doesn't hide it. She seems-- aloof. Distant.

And why shouldn't she be? Last night, she had shown him kindness, and he threw it back in her face -- and now, suddenly, he finds that he can't keep her gaze anymore.

Ah, yes, the ground is truly fascinating.

He breathes in slowly, ignores the soreness in his chest, and counts to three; the morning air is crisp and cool against his skin. Soothing, in a way.

He's run out of anything to say, so he tries for a rephrase: ] I feel better, now.

[phaselocknroll]

That's good to hear.

If you die on me, I don't get my payment, after all. [ She should not have said that, but it comes out anyway, bitter and cold and sharp. It's so very petty of her, but she wonders if that even bothers him at all. And if it does, she wonders if it hurts, if it cuts through him in the same way his indifference cut through her.

She regrets it instantly, and turns away. ]

[nostalgiabomb]

[ Forget the lightning -- the blow Maya deals hurts more than anything he's ever experienced.

The slightly pleasant expression he had forced in their brief exchange crumples away, leaving something raw and broken and hurt, and he sags against the den's mouth. And he knew it, knew she was trying to be kind with him last night, that she felt pity for him, because he was in pain and she probably wanted to prevent his mewling like a child. Of course she didn't really care. He was stupid to have hoped.

And now that he was better he knew, somehow, that the anger would rear its head, would make her realize that he was holding her back.

She was a goddamn Siren, powerful and dangerous, who had anchored herself to a useless idiot with a shitty sense of self-preservation.

He swallows and nods, knowing she won't see it with her back to him as it is. ]

... Right. Yeah. Your-- your payment. [ He can't help how thick and bitter his voice sounds, can't think of anything else to say, so he simply turns back around and uses his other arm to brace himself against the wall as he limps his way back inside. ]

[phaselocknroll]

[ The tone of his voice hurts her all over again in a different way. She clenches her fists, closing her eyes for a brief moment. Deep breath, and then, ]

Peter, wait. Please.

[nostalgiabomb]

[ He stops at her command and stamps down on that little flicker of hope.

Dangerous, he thinks. Leads men to their doom.

He's not sure what he's referring to this time.

Peter resolutely does not turn to face her, opting instead to lean against the stone; a sharp edge digs into his shoulder, and he uses the feel of it to ground himself.

He doesn't want her pity. He doesn't want to hear her empty assurances. He's sick of feeling like she's coddling him, being kind and-- and friendly out of some weird sort of servitude, and before, he ate it up, because he wanted so badly to have a friend for once in his fucking life. Stupid. Sentimental.

He bows his head. He can't stand to hear anymore empty words, so he speaks before she can. ]

I could terminate the contract. If that's what you want.

[phaselocknroll]

[ She's already moving, walking towards him, but his words stop her cold. Not for the first time, she feels the bottom dropping out of her world. ]

... What do you want?

[nostalgiabomb]

[ He shakes his head and resolutely does not look at her, because he really fucking likes her, he realizes, and if he looks at her, then whatever decision he tries to make in the next few seconds won't be the logical one. ]

... I don't know.

[ But when has he ever been logical, anyway? And he's sore and exhausted and a whole mess of other things, and sleeping didn't help anything, didn't help at all with getting his head on straight and made things even more muddled.

And he laughs, then, and it's more like a noise, empty and tired and mirthless, because how ridiculous is he being? Stupid. Sentimental. Weak. Burden. Childish. ]

Fuck. I don't know.

[phaselocknroll]

[ She had braced herself for the inevitable, for the "go away and never come back", but him not knowing is somehow even worse.

Goddammit Maya, say something. ]

What I said back there, I didn't mean it. I just--

I thought we were friends.

[nostalgiabomb]

Are we?

[ He means for it to sound doubtful, accusatory, but he can't help it, can't help how stupidly hopeful he sounds, and gods above, he thinks it'd be nice if they let him have this one little win, just this once. ]

[phaselocknroll]

[ There are a whole lot of emotions in those two little words, and suddenly she's wondering if this whole situation isn't as black and white as she thought it to be. Have they each misinterpreted the other?

She moves, then, trying to get into his line of sight. ]

Maybe this started out as just a contract, but not anymore. With you, I don't feel lonely, I don't feel like a servant just going through the motions. You've set me free in more ways than one, and I-- I don't want to lose this.

I need you.

[nostalgiabomb]

[ Something in him cracks at her words, relief warring with nervousness at odds with happiness combating his annoyance at himself for being such an idiot.

He likes Maya.

He really, really, really fucking likes her.

... Oh.

And suddenly he's lost control of his muscles, and he's surging forward, and he doesn't know what he's doing until he has a hand at the nape of her neck and his lips meet hers. ]

[phaselocknroll]

[ There is a moment where she doesn't do anything aside from stand frozen and wide-eyed with surprise.

Despite her lack of knowledge about humans and their customs, she is well-aware of what this means, and it's a dangerous line for a Siren to walk. And she might care about the danger if something warm and wonderful wasn't singing through her veins, right alongside relief and sheer joy.

The moment passes, and she threads her fingers through his hair and kisses him back. ]

[nostalgiabomb]

[ Thoughts like "complicated" and "dangerous" don't really occur to him at that moment--

(Actually, that's a lie. The millisecond directly after he kisses her, he has this thought: She's going to immolate me.)

--because this feels strangely right, and good, and oh thank goodness, she's kissing back and I'm not on fire.

It's a shame he's still recovering, though, because his legs suddenly buckle beneath him; the hand at her neck slips down to grip her shoulder as his other flies out to catch himself on the cave's wall.

For a few breathless moments, he just stares at the floor and he thinks, Fuck, what did I do? ]

[phaselocknroll]

[ She's right there, arm around his waist to steady him. ]

... You really should be resting.

[nostalgiabomb]

[ He nods slowly, trying to ignore the way his cheeks are burning and the feeling of mortification growing in his gut. Convalescence seems like a good enough topic change from him making a fool of himself just then. Still, he's stubborn and doesn't let her take his weight when they move; he just keeps his hand hesitantly on her shoulder as he walks.

He also adamantly does not look at her. Or speak. Clearly it's because he's so focused on putting one foot in front of the other. ]

[phaselocknroll]

Peter?

[ it's hard to miss the way he avoids looking at her, and she frowns. ]

Are you all right?

[nostalgiabomb]

[ He swallows, and he starts to nod. ] Yeah, I'm...

[ But he trails off, and after thinking for a moment, he shakes his head and risks a sideways glance at her. ]

What I did just then. Bad idea, right?

[phaselocknroll]

[ She should say yes. She should end this- whatever it is- before it begins.

It's in both of their best interests that she does.

Funny how when she tells herself that, she never quite believes it. ]

I... I wouldn't have let you kiss me if I didn't want you to.

[nostalgiabomb]

[ He smiles a little. ]

I definitely believe that. You could probably get me on breach of contract at me and light me on fire.

[phaselocknroll]

[ She clears her throat ]

At this point, we're both in breach of contract.

[nostalgiabomb]

... Are we? What'd you do?

[phaselocknroll]

I kissed you back.

More than that, I wanted to.

[nostalgiabomb]

[ He starts nodding again, mostly for his own benefit than her own, and then he takes a deep, rallying breath. ]

So where does that leave us?

[phaselocknroll]

That is the question, isn't it?

We could probably let this one incident slide and proceed as normal. Or we could... not.