[he rolls off the mattress without stepping over isaac like he usually does, and if he's gone longer than it would actually take to go get a towel to mop up, well. he has to sleep next to isaac, and he'd like to actually be able to sleep.]
[That's sort of what he'd been afraid of, but Isaac doesn't say anything, just focuses all of his attention on trying to rearrange the blankets to look somewhat livable before laying back down with a huff.
Pointedly, he grabs at where he left his gameboy and starts his game up again and doesn't think about it. Even when his little character is just walking around in circles doing absolutely nothing, he doesn't think about it. It's too much to consider right now, not when everything is still heated from the moon.]
[peter is, at least, courteous as one can be about it, his hands smelling strongly of soap and not much else when he reappears with a towel and cleans up the water, and he steps over isaac and settles back into bed like everything's normal. he's a seventeen-year-old boy, but he's not that kind of jerk.]
[Isaac is thankful for that much at least, and he settles a little further into bed when Peter comes in. He also acts like nothing happened, and makes a grunt of acknowledgement when Peter asks him the question.]
The farming one. I forgot to feed my cows yesterday so two of them got sick.
Poor cows. Do you give them medicine or something?
[peter never got into that game. the idea of pretend animals suffering because he was too busy or forgetful to play a game seems a touch too guilt-inducing for him. he cranes his neck to look over at isaac's screen, but he doesn't move closer like he normally would. peter doesn't know why isaac rejected him, but he did, so now it's back to being passive, to letting the other werewolf set the boundaries, to making things isaac's choice.
he's just about as zen about it as it's possible for a teenager to be, no hidden anger and pretty minimal frustration.]
I have to sell like, an entire crop of carrots to afford it.
[Which sucks and Isaac is rolling his eyes at the notion, but he's still harvesting carrots, and tilting the gameboy down so Peter can see what he's doing. He leans forward too so he can have a good view of the screen, an action that sort of rests their foreheads together, maybe. Isaac feels bad, but he doesn't know how to bring it up, and he's desperately trying to make this situation not awkward. Harvesting video game carrots is pretty easy and boring though, so he sighs.]
But my chickens laid eggs this morning so I can sell those and still turn enough of a profit to expand my farm a little.
[when isaac's forehead touches his, peter seems to relax, tension going out of his neck and shoulders, and he moves over enough that isaac doesn't have to hold the gameboy in a terribly awkward fashion so that they can both see the screen.]
Don't chickens lay eggs every morning? Or am I being too logical here? What're you going to add?
[maybe it's weird, but peter seems interested in isaac's video game farm, not just making small talk to fill awkward silence.]
[He's glad that Peter seems to have relaxed somewhat- he can't really feel any hostility or even any sort of upset coming from Peter, which is a surprise in itself and he finds that he's thankful for it.]
Every other morning. And I don't know.
[Isaac is far more invested in this video game than he cares to admit. Peter knows this.]
I could get some pigs, but they're really expensive to upkeep- but they give you a lot of money back in a few days when you sell the bacon. A sheepdog would protect my sheep against the wolves though.
[peter is, in general, pretty good at not being awkward about things most people would find awkward, and he finds the current scenario vastly less uncomfortable than some other options.]
You've got some lazy chickens. Or maybe not, it's been awhile since I lived anywhere with hens.
[he makes a little hmm sound.]
I'd say sheepdog, but which is better in the long run?
[peter values protection over profit, which is another reason he would probably be bad at this game.]
It just depends. Pigs are high cost-high reward because you sell them to the meat market when they're fully grown and you get a ton of cash. Sheep are a pretty dependable income 'cause they always grow wool if they're not dying.
[Isaac considers it a little more, before directing his character off to the kennel, browsing over the puppies there.]
You're right though. I should probably protect my farm a bit more before I expand it.
[He peeks up at Peter and gives him a little grin, buying the puppy without a second thought. When the name selection pops up afterward, Isaac grins before naming it PETER, and then there's a little dog following his sprite around.]
[while this is happening, peter's smile slowly widens into a grin, and then he laughs when he sees the little peter dog following the little isaac sprite. it's not exactly inaccurate, after all.]
You're cute. I should've picked one that looked more like me. But that one was the cutest.
[He smiles and the conversation tapers off there. Isaac walks the puppy around the town for awhile to buy dog food and a kennel before taking it back to his farm and placing the kennel he bought. The silence sort of stretches on, and he doesn't even think to turn up the volume to make up for it- instead, leading his character around aimlessly before even his thumb lets up off of the button and he just sits there, not doing anything for a moment.
The way their foreheads are pressed together ensures that Isaac's expression is mostly hidden, and his eyes lower from the illuminated screen of the gameboy, suddenly caught up in his thoughts.
Peter wants him. It's not like he hasn't made that clear enough, and Isaac isn't disinterested in the other werewolf either. They share a bed, share most of their days together, share the full moons, and twice now have shared heated kisses. It's not like he hasn't thought about it before, and the fact that neither of them seem to want to bring it up, the fact that Isaac keeps pulling away just makes his teasing all the more cruel when it's obvious that Peter would touch him in a heartbeat.
He wets his lips slightly, mouth suddenly dry as he considers how kind Peter has been, how noninvasive and considerate. They've both gone through a lot lately- he appreciates the space he's been given to work everything out.
Still.]
-sorry. [He finally murmurs, still not moving his character on the screen.] About earlier.
[it's not a lie. he draws a breath like he's about to speak, then pauses for a moment to think what it is he actually wants to say before he does.]
I mean, I'm confused, I guess. But you kinda started this train, and if you want to steer it, that's fine. I'm already on board, but I like traveling, y'know? Wherever I end up is where I get comfortable.
[Isaac nods slowly, saving his game and shutting his gameboy off. He's not typically good at talking things through- generally, he'd prefer to just sort of skirt around it and poke fun at it until it's just another thing, but so much has happened with regard to Peter that he doesn't really know where he'd begin.]
I was... pretty upset when I kissed you. The first time, I mean.
[He shrugs.]
I didn't think about what I was doing. Everything it was complicating. I mean, I- I don't regret it, but it wasn't exactly a rational decision.
Yeah, I know. Instinct's a funny thing, what you do when you stop thinking.
[there's nothing in his voice that sounds critical. peter spent several months on the moon in a state where instinct came first and thought after, and he's not exactly unused to the feeling from when he's a wolf. it's also not exactly far from how he lives a lot of his life.]
What does it complicate?
[a pause]
I bet that sounds like a weird question. But...
[he points one of his index fingers at the other, mimes them passing each other instead of touching. he feels like he's missing something big.]
[The question sort of confuses him, and Isaac watches Peter's hands before pulling back a little so he can look at him properly. The action makes their toes brush again and he tugs his feet away slightly.]
How wouldn't it complicate things? [He sighs, looking down toward his hands, tangling them in the bedsheets.]
We live together. We spend- basically every waking moment together. Full moons, food, sleep. It ends badly and I need a new place to live. It ends well, and I wind up relying on you for everything. Not just my best friend, my full moon accomplice, my video game partner and supplier, but- also that.
[With that being said, he just gives a halfhearted shrug.] And I'm not going to even start on what it means with me trying to negotiate being in two separate packs.
[peter tilts his head, and it's his turn to look a little confused.]
Ends? I'm not...you realize that I'm not angling for a boyfriend-y kind of thing, right? Or even an exclusive thing, unless that matters to you. Romance and labels and weird social obligations...I'm really not boyfriend material. I don't want you to think I'm trying to keep you bottled up here or anything. You'll be spending lots of time with Scott, right? Your real pack and all, and I'd think that would help him understand...whatever. Moons are gonna change...a lot of things are changing, and that's okay. You have people besides me, and that's okay too. Good, even.
[he lets out a little breath, the ones that sound amused but aren't quite comfortable, shakes his head.]
But shit, you think I don't rely on you? Not just because I can't fight for shit. Half the time I go out and after a few hours I'm ready to come home, because...you make my head quiet. Like playing guitar or walking in the woods. I've never known anyone but Lynda who made my head quiet.
[he hesitates for a moment, chews his lip for a moment before letting it slide from between his teeth. the idea that scott can dictate who isaac does or doesn't have sex with leaves him deeply uncomfortable, but he's really not sure he wants to go there, not after the last time.]
[Real pack. That notion sort of wrenches something in Isaac's gut, and he looks up toward Peter with a frown, unable to really interject because Peter keeps talking and Isaac can't reply without first trying to work through all of his words. It's, frankly, a lot to process. Peter doesn't want a boyfriend, doesn't want to control him, welcomes him to spend time with Scott, relies on him-
It's a lot to take in, and Isaac thinks that Peter's been waiting to have this talk for a long time.]
Well- for what it's worth, when I'm around you, I don't want to hurt people. Much, anyway. Anymore. Sort of.
[Which is about as close to 'getting his head quiet' as it really gets.]
If I had a better friend, don't you think I'd be living with them? [Not, of course, that Allison and Erica and Tempest and all of the others aren't great. But Scott is his alpha, Allison is more or less off limits- and has been weirdly distant anyway- Erica is... new and complicated. Who else would he be with?]
[the truth is that yes, peter's been considering where exactly it is that he's standing since he woke up cramped and sore and tangled up in isaac and blankets on the couch, although whether he anticipated ever having it is something else. isaac's words make him drop his head and almost chuckle, and he nudges isaac's hand with the knuckle of his index finger.]
You do know how to compliment a guy. What was that frown for?
[he looks away for a second, because he hadn't thought about it, hadn't really intended to undermine the importance of the fact that isaac could've just bailed, and he didn't, that he's struggling to stay.]
Sorry. That's not how I meant it. Original, I guess.
[But he's starting to smile again, and Isaac tucks the gameboy under his pillow, before lifting up to rest himself on his elbow. He doesn't want to talk about Scott now or try to compare the packs- not when he could be raking his gaze down Peter's rumpled pajamas and lingering rather pointedly.]
...I guess I shouldn't be surprised that there isn't a catch with a guy like you. No romance, no obligation or monogamy- you just want what you want, and you'll be happier with it in simple packages. Am I wrong?
[the eyerake makes him go still for a moment, and then he grins, rolls onto his side, facing isaac.]
Seems like you've got me figured out. Catches, locks, traps...really not my thing from either side.
[god only knows that their lives are tangled up so thoroughly anyway that naming it something or playing at romance seems extraordinarily pointless and kind of silly, even if peter was any good at that kind of thing.]
I just want what I want.
[he looks down the line of isaac's body, gaze slow]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
freezerburned) wrote2012-08-21 10:00 pm
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[he rolls off the mattress without stepping over isaac like he usually does, and if he's gone longer than it would actually take to go get a towel to mop up, well. he has to sleep next to isaac, and he'd like to actually be able to sleep.]
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Pointedly, he grabs at where he left his gameboy and starts his game up again and doesn't think about it. Even when his little character is just walking around in circles doing absolutely nothing, he doesn't think about it. It's too much to consider right now, not when everything is still heated from the moon.]
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What're you playing?
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The farming one. I forgot to feed my cows yesterday so two of them got sick.
[Taking care of virtual pets is super hard :(]
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[peter never got into that game. the idea of pretend animals suffering because he was too busy or forgetful to play a game seems a touch too guilt-inducing for him. he cranes his neck to look over at isaac's screen, but he doesn't move closer like he normally would. peter doesn't know why isaac rejected him, but he did, so now it's back to being passive, to letting the other werewolf set the boundaries, to making things isaac's choice.
he's just about as zen about it as it's possible for a teenager to be, no hidden anger and pretty minimal frustration.]
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[Which sucks and Isaac is rolling his eyes at the notion, but he's still harvesting carrots, and tilting the gameboy down so Peter can see what he's doing. He leans forward too so he can have a good view of the screen, an action that sort of rests their foreheads together, maybe. Isaac feels bad, but he doesn't know how to bring it up, and he's desperately trying to make this situation not awkward. Harvesting video game carrots is pretty easy and boring though, so he sighs.]
But my chickens laid eggs this morning so I can sell those and still turn enough of a profit to expand my farm a little.
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[when isaac's forehead touches his, peter seems to relax, tension going out of his neck and shoulders, and he moves over enough that isaac doesn't have to hold the gameboy in a terribly awkward fashion so that they can both see the screen.]
Don't chickens lay eggs every morning? Or am I being too logical here? What're you going to add?
[maybe it's weird, but peter seems interested in isaac's video game farm, not just making small talk to fill awkward silence.]
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Every other morning. And I don't know.
[Isaac is far more invested in this video game than he cares to admit. Peter knows this.]
I could get some pigs, but they're really expensive to upkeep- but they give you a lot of money back in a few days when you sell the bacon. A sheepdog would protect my sheep against the wolves though.
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You've got some lazy chickens. Or maybe not, it's been awhile since I lived anywhere with hens.
[he makes a little hmm sound.]
I'd say sheepdog, but which is better in the long run?
[peter values protection over profit, which is another reason he would probably be bad at this game.]
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It just depends. Pigs are high cost-high reward because you sell them to the meat market when they're fully grown and you get a ton of cash. Sheep are a pretty dependable income 'cause they always grow wool if they're not dying.
[Isaac considers it a little more, before directing his character off to the kennel, browsing over the puppies there.]
You're right though. I should probably protect my farm a bit more before I expand it.
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Not actually that good at business-y money stuff.
[which is a pretty natural side effect of not having much of it and not really caring. he points at one of the puppies on the screen.]
That one's cute.
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[He peeks up at Peter and gives him a little grin, buying the puppy without a second thought. When the name selection pops up afterward, Isaac grins before naming it PETER, and then there's a little dog following his sprite around.]
It is cute.
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You're cute. I should've picked one that looked more like me. But that one was the cutest.
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[He smiles and the conversation tapers off there. Isaac walks the puppy around the town for awhile to buy dog food and a kennel before taking it back to his farm and placing the kennel he bought. The silence sort of stretches on, and he doesn't even think to turn up the volume to make up for it- instead, leading his character around aimlessly before even his thumb lets up off of the button and he just sits there, not doing anything for a moment.
The way their foreheads are pressed together ensures that Isaac's expression is mostly hidden, and his eyes lower from the illuminated screen of the gameboy, suddenly caught up in his thoughts.
Peter wants him. It's not like he hasn't made that clear enough, and Isaac isn't disinterested in the other werewolf either. They share a bed, share most of their days together, share the full moons, and twice now have shared heated kisses. It's not like he hasn't thought about it before, and the fact that neither of them seem to want to bring it up, the fact that Isaac keeps pulling away just makes his teasing all the more cruel when it's obvious that Peter would touch him in a heartbeat.
He wets his lips slightly, mouth suddenly dry as he considers how kind Peter has been, how noninvasive and considerate. They've both gone through a lot lately- he appreciates the space he's been given to work everything out.
Still.]
-sorry. [He finally murmurs, still not moving his character on the screen.] About earlier.
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[it's not a lie. he draws a breath like he's about to speak, then pauses for a moment to think what it is he actually wants to say before he does.]
I mean, I'm confused, I guess. But you kinda started this train, and if you want to steer it, that's fine. I'm already on board, but I like traveling, y'know? Wherever I end up is where I get comfortable.
[he gestures at the apartment around them.]
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I was... pretty upset when I kissed you. The first time, I mean.
[He shrugs.]
I didn't think about what I was doing. Everything it was complicating. I mean, I- I don't regret it, but it wasn't exactly a rational decision.
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[there's nothing in his voice that sounds critical. peter spent several months on the moon in a state where instinct came first and thought after, and he's not exactly unused to the feeling from when he's a wolf. it's also not exactly far from how he lives a lot of his life.]
What does it complicate?
[a pause]
I bet that sounds like a weird question. But...
[he points one of his index fingers at the other, mimes them passing each other instead of touching. he feels like he's missing something big.]
action
How wouldn't it complicate things? [He sighs, looking down toward his hands, tangling them in the bedsheets.]
We live together. We spend- basically every waking moment together. Full moons, food, sleep. It ends badly and I need a new place to live. It ends well, and I wind up relying on you for everything. Not just my best friend, my full moon accomplice, my video game partner and supplier, but- also that.
[With that being said, he just gives a halfhearted shrug.] And I'm not going to even start on what it means with me trying to negotiate being in two separate packs.
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Ends? I'm not...you realize that I'm not angling for a boyfriend-y kind of thing, right? Or even an exclusive thing, unless that matters to you. Romance and labels and weird social obligations...I'm really not boyfriend material. I don't want you to think I'm trying to keep you bottled up here or anything. You'll be spending lots of time with Scott, right? Your real pack and all, and I'd think that would help him understand...whatever. Moons are gonna change...a lot of things are changing, and that's okay. You have people besides me, and that's okay too. Good, even.
[he lets out a little breath, the ones that sound amused but aren't quite comfortable, shakes his head.]
But shit, you think I don't rely on you? Not just because I can't fight for shit. Half the time I go out and after a few hours I'm ready to come home, because...you make my head quiet. Like playing guitar or walking in the woods. I've never known anyone but Lynda who made my head quiet.
[he hesitates for a moment, chews his lip for a moment before letting it slide from between his teeth. the idea that scott can dictate who isaac does or doesn't have sex with leaves him deeply uncomfortable, but he's really not sure he wants to go there, not after the last time.]
...best friend?
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It's a lot to take in, and Isaac thinks that Peter's been waiting to have this talk for a long time.]
Well- for what it's worth, when I'm around you, I don't want to hurt people. Much, anyway. Anymore. Sort of.
[Which is about as close to 'getting his head quiet' as it really gets.]
If I had a better friend, don't you think I'd be living with them? [Not, of course, that Allison and Erica and Tempest and all of the others aren't great. But Scott is his alpha, Allison is more or less off limits- and has been weirdly distant anyway- Erica is... new and complicated. Who else would he be with?]
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You do know how to compliment a guy. What was that frown for?
[because he'd caught it, but not the source.]
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It's not- 'real' pack. It's just... home. This is real too, you know.
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[he looks away for a second, because he hadn't thought about it, hadn't really intended to undermine the importance of the fact that isaac could've just bailed, and he didn't, that he's struggling to stay.]
Sorry. That's not how I meant it. Original, I guess.
I know it's real, or you wouldn't be here.
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[But he's starting to smile again, and Isaac tucks the gameboy under his pillow, before lifting up to rest himself on his elbow. He doesn't want to talk about Scott now or try to compare the packs- not when he could be raking his gaze down Peter's rumpled pajamas and lingering rather pointedly.]
...I guess I shouldn't be surprised that there isn't a catch with a guy like you. No romance, no obligation or monogamy- you just want what you want, and you'll be happier with it in simple packages. Am I wrong?
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Seems like you've got me figured out. Catches, locks, traps...really not my thing from either side.
[god only knows that their lives are tangled up so thoroughly anyway that naming it something or playing at romance seems extraordinarily pointless and kind of silly, even if peter was any good at that kind of thing.]
I just want what I want.
[he looks down the line of isaac's body, gaze slow]
Pretty. Simple.
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