Be Careful What You Ask For (Closed to Peter)

[st_hotflashes]

Liz walked numbly through the Inn after having spoken with Emma. It was as if her body were on autopilot as her mind couldn't really focus or process anything directly. What it all meant, how she felt, if she was around to see it happen - these questions were like vague fog in her mind that she couldn't quite grasp.

She thought, ever so briefly, that she might find herself in front of Kitty or Piotr's door, but it was Peter's door she came to a stop at. Liz swayed a little as she stood there, staring blankly at the door. She did that for a good five minutes before she was able to will herself to lift her hand and knock. It was a quiet two rap knock.

When the door opened, when she lay eyes on Peter, the numbness seemed to ebb a little. She stared at him silently, then slowly her face began to twist and contort as anguish spread through her features. She didn't move an inch except for her face. Everything suddenly felt intense and Liz stood there, stiff, and started to cry unabashedly. Cried with every fiber of her being.

Comments

[st_arkintern]

"Thanks," Peter says. He smiles down at his juice and then finishes it off.

Peter sets the glass back down on the table with an audible sound, then looks back at Liz. Even with the bedhead (and now the maskhead) she still looks beautiful this morning.

"Do you have work this morning?" he asks. "I don't have class for another couple of hours."

[st_hotflashes]

She shook her head. "I have the dinner shift tonight." There we're only really three times servinf was useful at the inn and it was breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Any other time the restaurant and the cafe were often ghost towns.


"Did you, um. Did you want to hang out before classes?"

[st_arkintern]

"Yeah, I mean," Peter says, the perfect paragon of awkwardness. "If you want to."

Peter stands up and looks down at Liz. "I should go shower and brush my teeth," he says. "You gonna be okay if I leave for a bit?"

[st_hotflashes]

She felt a rush of subtle panic run through her. "Um, yeah." Liz paused, then stood up too, an arm crossing over her abdomen to hold onto the wrist of her other arm. "I mean, I can go, too, and give you some time to get ready for class." Or space, but she didn't say that. Maybe she was overstaying her welcome.

[st_arkintern]

"It's fine if you want to stay here," Peter says. "I just didn't want it to be awkward for you."

It had been a little awkward for him, mostly because he had a hard time not thinking about Liz in the shower the whole time he was sitting on his bed, waiting for her to come out.

[st_hotflashes]

"Why would it be awkward?" Liz wasn't sure, but she figured it must be because Peter felt awkward. "I'll just head back to my room." She offered a little smile.

[st_arkintern]

"Okay."

Peter leans down to give Liz a kiss. "I'll see you after work?"

[st_hotflashes]

She nodded, kissing him back when his lips made contact with hers.

"Yeah, after work sounds good."

[st_arkintern]

"Okay."

Peter smiles, standing awkwardly in front of Liz for maybe a moment too long.

"Uh, I'm gonna go shower," he says.

And then he quickly rummages through his drawers for clothes and heads for the bathroom.

Liz seemed like she was okay now. Peter really hoped she was.

[st_hotflashes]

When Peter disappeared into the bathroom, Liz changed out of his clothes and into her old ones, folding them neatly before depositing them into the hamper even though it might not have made much sense. It just felt weird to throw his clothes there.

Then she left, definitely happier than she had been the day before.