Pietro and Victor backdated to Thursday 25/04/2013

[om_anole]

Victor does his best to cheer up a mopey Pietro.



Though Pietro rarely held still for long, he'd been lying there with his face in his pillow for a good fifteen minutes now, at least, listening to the Smiths and being semi-annoyed by Morrissey's off-key whining.

The whole thing still had him unsettled. When he'd tracked Eames down yesterday, dude had been a wreck. Pietro had fixed his neck, but he still couldn't convince Eames that any of this was his--Pietro's--fault, which seemed like a failure on epic levels. Eames was feeling  insecure, and Pietro was feeling guilty, and they hadn't really come up with an alternative problem-solving solution between them yet, now that sex was off the table.

Meanwhile, in actual problems, Arthur was down the hall, still angry and betrayed. And there was nothing Pietro could do about any of it right now. And it was annoying. And and and.

Victor came out of the bathroom in a towel and as he crossed the room informed his friend. "I was considering drowning myself in there, what's up with the soundtrack for suicide?"

"Ohmigod," Pietro said, muffled by the pillow before he turned his head to the side and glance at Vic. "It's not NIN, it's just the Smiths. Though now you mention it that might explain why I was apparently trying to suffocate myself."

For a moment Victor stared at him before deciding "OK, I'm gonna put some pants on then we're gonna have a talk." This was getting ridiculous so he had to try to say something right? "About, well, whatever you wanna talk about. Deal?"

Pietro just sighed and said, "Deal."

Who knew? Maybe Victor would be helpful. Or maybe Victor would make him angry. Either way it'd be better than feeling this... blah. "Though I still say pants are overrated."

"I know, I've already heard the gospel according to Pietro often enough." Victor teased as he hastily dressed, he was soon in an old and very worn pairing of jeans and looking for a t-shirt. He grabbed a random one since what did it matter with Pietro right? He wouldn't judge for something being old or childish. At least not too much.

Meanwhile, Pietro was cursing Johnny Marr for the intro to "Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now" playing on his heartstrings. Asshole.

 He pushed himself over on to his back with an uff sound and just sprawled, taking up way more of his bed than necessary, even with his fast-approaching-six-foot and not-so-horribly-skinny-anymore frame.

"Mind if I join you?" Victor asked as he approached his friend's bed already trying to figure out how to ask what had been going on lately.

Pietro retracted his wildly splayed limbs a bit and scooted over, then patted the bed beside him. "Though, be warned, getting into bed with me can damage your life."

Okay, that was melodramatic. But whatever. He hated not being able to do anything.

"Pretty sure this'll be the least damaging bed experience I've had in a while." The younger boy assured him as he sat down. "Wanna talk?"

Pietro raised his eyebrows. "Damaging bed experience. Do you want to talk?"

"You go first then." Victor insisted "Then we'll see."

Furrowing his brow, Pietro said, "Long as it's nothing serious."

"Nope, general teenage boy shit. Nothing bad, promise."

That still sounded vaguely ominous, but Pietro was willing to let it go for the moment. He gestured for Victor to lie down beside him, scooting closer to the wall and tucking his hands behind his head. "Obviously what I am about to tell you doesn't leave this room, okay? I know it wouldn't, but since it's not just about me, I gotta say it."

Victor settled down like it hadn't been months since they did the 'share a bed and share your feelings' type talk thing. "Of course, cross my heart." And ok that sounded childish but at least he meant it.

But Pietro took it perfectly seriously. He looked up at the ceiling, gave one last huge sigh, and said, "So. I don't know if you are aware of this at all, but Eames and Arthur are a thing. And for a long time, I mean a long time, I had a feeling it was going to happen. I'm talking, since Halloween--maybe before, and definitely before Eames ever realized. 

"I've been tripping over myself trying to make sure I don't get in the way, you know? Like, when I see them together, unless it's at a party or something, I walk the other direction. When Eames asks me who he should do something with, I say Arthur. You know what I mean? I love Eames to death, and I know him, and I know what he wants. I want him to have it."

"Ok," Victor nodded, leaving at that. It was obvious that wasn't the whole problem so he was doing his best to wait for the full story before he reacted too much.

Pietro took a deep breath. It was weird, starting from the beginning and trying to go through it like this. (Wanda had already known most of it when he'd relayed the latest developments to her--and she, of course, had to bear the brunt of his really guilty mood.) He was half dread, half genuine interest to see what the fucking pattern was, after all. "But, you know. In the meantime, we were screwing around. And I knew it'd come to an end, but I kinda got used to it." A sigh. "I don't know if you noticed, but it's kinda, like, how I validate my existence, these days. Or something. I don't even care about the sex. It was just nice. To feel. That." 

Wanted. Appreciated. Loved. It was dumb. Pietro knew he was all of those things, and to Eames more than almost anyone. But after all that stuff had come spilling out of him over a bottle with Shinobi, fuck, man, it was painfully obvious.

"Yeah, I noticed." Victor said in soft, understanding tones as he nodded a little. And he did totally get it.  "So, I don't need to be a telepath to know that either Eames has decided he's a one man guy or something even worse happened with Arthur finding out about you and Eames?" Because with that story plus the way Pietro was acting? It had to be bad, right?

Pietro scrubbed his hands over his face. "Yeah. Both. After he and Arthur first hooked up, like a few months ago, Eames just stopped stopped messing around with anyone but me. They weren't an official thing. But... We both kind of knew Arthur would be pissed if he found out about us, anyhow. Technically it wasn't his business. But Arthur's supposed to be my friend. Was my friend.

"I don't know. We were being selfish for our own different reasons." Looking back, Pietro thought Eames had been as much afraid of rejection by Arthur as he had been unwilling to let Pietro go just for the sake of keeping him. Fifty-fifty seemed likely, and it wasn't like Pietro's own ego wasn't fifty percent of his own selfishness, here. So hey. Even.

"I'm sorry." Because Victor really was sorry to see and hear his friend like this. Ok, so Pietro had known the situation he was getting into but that didn't mean the pain was any less, Victor knew all about that thanks to the mess with Tommy. "I know I can't really help much but I'm here if you need anything, K?"

"Thanks." Pietro laughed, but it was that quiet 'I'm losing my mind' laugh. "But that's not even what's wrong--that's how fucking absurd this whole thing is. That's old news. That was like, a month ago."

"Ok, so what's wrong?" That explained Pietro's behaviour lately he supposed though.

"We stopped screwing around about a month ago. Just before Remy's birthday, actually." Hence Pietro having The Awesomeness aka The Ragin Cajun (god help them all) to himself in the backseat. "Which was a little bit depressing for me, but you know. I was just being a selfish bitch, you know how I get. I didn't want Eames to know; I know he loves me.

"But then the other night, we were just napping. You know, how we do, all cuddled up. And Arthur walked in. And... did not appreciate the scene."

"He flipped?" Arthur was a seriously quiet guy, Victor could totally see him as one of those guys who just exploded. "Was it bad?"

"He, um, Arthur-flipped, I guess?" Pietro let his arms fall to his sides and closed his eyes. Ugh, god, at the time he'd been kind of annoyed, just because of the stuff dude had been saying, but almost immediately after, he'd just felt bad. "He was quiet about it, but mean. I mean full on saying shit just to hurt Eames. I didn't even know he could get that upset. Nothing was going on, but he started asking questions, and Eames told the truth, and the whole thing came out... fuuuuuck."

Vic nodded again, he felt sorry for all parties involved really. It sounded like there were no winners in the situation at all. "Did he say anything to you?” Because Pietro was his main concern right now, not Eames.

"Nah. Just a few dirty looks, which I gave right back. I wasn't his priority." Pietro opened his eyes and rolled over on his side to face Victor, pulling his knees up a little. "Honestly, he should've hit me. I kind of wish he would."

Pietro realized how bad it sounded, but he didn't know how else to explain it. Anyhow, he couldn't even let Arthur do it; Eames had made it very clear that if there was physical retribution, he would be pissed at Arthur. Like hell Pietro was going to let them fight over him. More. Again. Whatever.

Maybe he could punch him somewhere it wouldn't leave an obvious mark?

"Because you want to be punished or because it's easier to handle bruises than emotional pain?" Victor asked as gently he could. Just trying to understand where his friend was at right now. 

Pietro pointed at him, eyes lighting up. "Yes. Well, more that first thing. I wouldn't say I'm in pain. Just guilt. I was never really in pain--I mean, I didn't even honestly mind about me and Eames stopping--all that. I'd do the same, if she asked me. He knows I would."

Vic didn't need to ask who 'she' was and made no deal out of it either, he'd figured out Pietro's feeling for Laura were serious ages ago. 

"Yeah, that really sucks. I'm sorry, really truly sorry, I don't know what else to say. Want a hug?" 

"Eh. It's my fault." Pietro scooted nearer and put his head on Vic's shoulder--which was kind of hilarious since he was like half a foot taller, not to mention a lot wider, but whatever. He sighed. "Anyhow, I'm sure I won't feel guilty for nearly as long as should."

Victor just wrapped his arms around the older buy and hugged him as tight ad he could. 

He felt bad, he'd been jealous for so long of Pietro's apparent luck with guys and his seemingly not caring attitude. Now he saw Pietro did care, he cared plenty. Just differently.

 "If you want, I'll tell you all about my recent bed dramas and you can laugh yourself sick over my stupidity?" He offered after a while. 

"Please do," came the muffled reply from somewhere against Victor's shoulder.

"Ok, first off promise this doesn't leave the room? I mean, this does involve someone else and although there's been no swearing of secrecy I think it might've been implied or whatever."

Pietro chuckled and pulled away from Vic a little so he could prop himself up on one elbow. This was clearly going to be interesting, so he needed to watch. "I will take it to the grave. I'll even forgo telling Wanda, if you want."

Didn't sound like the kind of thing she'd want to know, anyhow.

"Ok, first thing is really embarrassing for me. Um...you know Vance was really upset the other day? Well ever since then we've been hanging out loads and stuff and the other day, uh...we were hanging out. You remember Sunday when I made the m&m cookies?" Of course Pietro got some of the extras, he usually got to reap the benefits of Victor's baking.

Pietro just arched an eyebrow. "Uh-huh." Okay, this was definitely going to be interesting.

"Well, we were hanging out listening to those CDs Curtis dropped off and while chatting he called me his best friend, which is cool, then a bit later when I said he was one of mine too he got kinda excited and jumped me. That somehow turned into a wrestling match and he won, totally cheated with his powers but anyway, he um basically had me pinned to his bed..." He trailed off already a little embarrassed, partly because of Pietro's expression. And he hadn't even gotten to the bad bit yet!

It took every ounce of self-control Pietro had not to bust out laughing and ask if this story was really appropriate for his virgin ears. Luckily, his repressed mood had the effect of making his mouth easier to control, so he managed, somehow, to just grin and wait expectantly. "Go onnnnn..."

Vic could already see Pietro was perking up and that was the whole point, right? Use his own embarrassment to cheer up one of his best friends. Plus Pietro had opened up to him so it only seemed fair. 

"He, ugh, he had me pinned and was using his TK to, like, tickle me and stuff." Victor explained somewhat shyly. "So, yeah, that meant like wriggling and stuff and he was straddling me still and, well, I think you can see the direction this is going in?"

How extraordinary, Pietro thought, that he and Victor should have parallel (if completely different  experiences in the same week). Though he was sure Vic's had less to do with the waxing moon and more to do with hormones. Anyhow, he'd never say anything about that. Remus would die, poor dude.

Shit. Full moon tonight, too. Hopefully Remus was all set up and not--

Pietro shook that line of thought out of his head and mustered a grin for the conversation at hand, though. "All the awkward friend erections?"

Victor nodded before hiding his face half in pillows, half in Pietro's shoulder. 

Pietro ran his hand over Vic's carapacey head-toppy thing and chuckled quietly. "Hey remember that first time I said the phrase 'erections happen' and you almost melted into a puddle? Look at you now!"

Victor turned his head a little so he could speak clearly though didn't raise it from it's new position. "Which reminds me, my mom thinks you older boys are a bad influence " He laughed just a little and then continued "so when I realised I was getting you know, I said uncle and gotta away fast so Vance doesn't know...The second story is worse though."

"I am a terrible influence, your mother is right," Pietro said, letting his head fall back to his own pillow. "If it gets worse, I definitely have to hear."

"And to think I defended you!" The smiled before he slowly starting. "So like I said we've been hanging out loads, like in and out of each others rooms and stuff. We kinda got lapse with knocking..."

Pietro was already laughing. Yes, quietly, but still. Oh god, this felt good. Not to mention it was basically his favorite ship, currently.

"So yeah, I walked in on him..." He trailed off looking for the best way to phrase it "Um, 'enjoying' porn. Please don't tell him you know though, he was so embarrassed." As Victor had been, his cheeks were burning from just the memory in fact.

"Ohmigod." Pietro put his hands over his face, but couldn't stop giggling. Honestly, he couldn't picture it; Vance wasn't all that much younger, but he just seemed it. And it was still hilarious. "I mean, really, it's a wonder it doesn't happen every day around here, if you think about it. Living on top of each other like this. But... ha!"

"He kept apologising to me like he'd done something wrong and everything was super awkward."

Couldn't. Stop. Laughing. Oh god, it felt good, though. "Poor Vance! He would think that was bad. God help him if he ever checked my Chrome history."

"He'd probably like it...but also combust with embarrassment." Victor said, pleased to see his friend laughing again even though it was kind of at his expense.

"C'mon, though, you didn't do anything wrong," Pietro said, patting Victor's shoulder. "In a few months this will be a hilarious happy memory that you can share over your next pizza. Remember that time you caught me jerking off to--Wait was it something like super kinky?"

"Um...guess it depends on standards, I'm thinking mine are different to yours, right?" Victor pointed out with a half smile.

"Yeah, assuredly so, man." Pietro was all sugarkink and he knew it--even moreso when it came to porn than reality--but yeah. Vic's head would explode if he only knew. "But was it kinky to you? Like, for added embarrassment? Cuz that could be an increased waiting period for the awkward to wear off, if so."


"Maybe, I'm not sure I...it wasn't what I would have expected. Not that I'd thought about what Vance might like but, you know. It was a surprise." Victor didn't want to say what it was specifically though because that was personal to Vance and he had been so embarrassed when Victor had acknowledged the content. He wasn't going to tell anyone else. No way.

"I'm thinking body glove and giant purple dildos at this point," Pietro mused. More specifically the episode of Archer with the Italian Prime Minister, but hey. "But since I can't really imagine Vance having sex at all ever, it's not having the traumatizing effect you'd expect."

"Your mind is a scary place." Victor informed the older boy before agreeing "Me either, most the time I forget he's not younger than me. Seriously."

"Well. I mean. It wouldn't be weird if you imagined it. A little bit," Pietro said innocently, already holding up his hands as if he expected incoming blows.

Victor didn't attack, rather he eyed Pietro suspiciously. Whenever he was trying to sound innocent, it usually meant he was being anything but "Why'd you say that?" 

"Because you guys are of both appropriate age and commensurate experience for that kind of interest." Pietro cocked an eyebrow. "Which means if you thought it, it wouldn't be weird, whereas if I thought about it it'd just be creepy and inappropriate."

"But he's my friend, that does make it inappropriate." Victor countered 

"It's inappropriate if you act on it without being sure he's interested," Pietro reasoned. "It's not inappropriate just to be like, 'Oh yeah Vance could get it'. I mean, like, it'd be inappropriate for me to hit on Barbara, for example, because she's never shown more than friendly interest in me. But I still think she could get it. She's hot, she's appropriately aged, she's awesome. NBD."

"Things are already awkward enough without adding to it, I want the situation to get better not worse!" Victor rolled his eyes, "I wasn't going to ever tell anyone but, at least, it made you laugh."

Pietro let it go and chuckled again. "It really did." Then he met Victor's gaze and his smile became a little more genuine. He meant a lot of things when he said, "Thanks."

"What are friends for, right?" Victor beamed back before hugging the other boy extra tight and joked "How we function out there I have no idea!" 

"Barely, is the answer. We barely function." And he hugged back.