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Pretty sure you mean merman, Peter.

[he's so glad he's still on the other side of the door so Otto can't see him grin. Doc Ock the merman, it's just... too spot on. he clears his throat, then adds:]

I'm coming in, then.

[he does, peering at the curious sight before him. his heart warms, chasing away a little of the worry]

Look at us... what a motley bunch.

[Otto would've corrected Peter if he hadn't been beaten to it. He appreciates Norman stepping in for him, though. When the door opens, he lifts his head and peers Norman's way with tired eyes, before laying back down.]

... Monsterley bunch, actually. [Ha HA! Hah... God he's exhausted.]

Okay, Merman, got it. [Peter gives a little snort at the correction and pun, which is made odd by the new facial structure.

The teenager doesn't move very far from his comfortable spot against Otto. More of the blanket slips down revealing the fact Peter had not been exaggerating with the word rat. Everything had changed drastically in a day.]

Kinda surprised I'm not a spider, given- y'know. But I guess pooka is fine too.

[Otto's pun makes him chuckle, even as he's crossing the room quickly, concerned]

You both look utterly exhausted. Otto, why the hell did I let you talk me into going to the lab? I should've been here, for both of you ...

[he sinks onto the bed next to Otto and reaches over him to put a hand on the blanketed lump that seems to be Peter]

[Otto barely moves when Norman sits down next to him. He just exhales sharply through his nose.]

I appreciate the sentiment, but it wouldn't have made much of a difference, would it? We'd still be utterly exhausted.

I mean, I like changed in an alleyway. So, even if you were here it would've been the same? [Peter offers from under the blanket. Ever the helpful one here.

There is a pause as Peter gathers up some more energy to heft up some of the blanket and drop it onto Norman as well. An unspoken, almost demanding invitation laid before the man.]

An alleyway? Oh - Peter!

[he makes a soft, pleased sound as the blanket lands on his lap with a soft 'paf'. lifting it up, he toes off his shoes and wriggles underneath beside Otto, lying on his stomach in the growing pile of commisseration]

That must've been absolutely terrifying.

[under the blankets, now, he stretches his arm over Otto's back to once again assume the position of Comfort The Peter. hope you don't mind, old friend. this is now a group hug of some sort]

But we're here now. It - it's going to be okay. We might look different, we might all be in a lot of pain and under a lot of stress, but ... I promise you. The three of us? We're a team. Nothing's going to change that.

[Why would he mind? Join the pile of weakened, tragic castmates, Norman. Otto will barely stir at any of this.]

Right... Of course. So long as we all look out for one another, things will work out.

I'm okay now, I had some help, so it worked out. I'm just glad we're all okay as we can be here.

[It is also not the worst thing thats happened to him in an alleyway, but he doesn't really voice the thought as it disappears quickly enough.

With Norman and Otto settled down, Peter shifts to curl into the hold.

Its more instinctual than thought based as he starts grinding his teeth, the sound is a little hard to miss this close up.]

"As okay as we can be" - what a loaded thing. But you're right, of course you're right. We'll adapt. All three've us have done it before, after all, haven't w--

[he stops abruptly, looking up over Otto's shoulder]

Oh my God, what's that noise? Is someone changing again? Sounds like ... like ... bones.

[That sound is... absolutely disturbing. And it's coming from right next to Otto, too. He rolls his head sideways to peer towards the source of it all. Nothing seems out of the ordinary, apart from that horrible noise.]

Peter? Are you alright?

I- yeah? [With the questioning the teenager stops the involuntary response entirely. The bruxing ceases for the moment as he starts to focus a little more.

He blinks a bit. He's too tired to realize he's the source of the noise.] I'm good. Tired I guess? Why?

I think -

[like most of his realizations, this one comes in a flash with a mental picture clear as day: his first group of lab rats at Colombia after a day of hard cognitive testing, curled up in the corner of the cage. they'd been given their reward, and a couple of them, once they'd finished eating, had begun to grind their teeth.]

Oh my God.

[his eyes light up, and he snaps his fingers repeatedly, trying to remember the proper term]

It's because you're a rat, Peter, you're - you're - oh, the hell is the word. Otto! Cognitive Research 207, with Richards, did you ever take that? He called it something specific, some funny-sounding thing ...

[Cognitive research 207... God, that was a long time ago. Otto can almost hear his brain grind as he tries to dig up those old memories. Richards said something about the rats? Something to do with that sound?

... Right. Rats. The thing that they do.]

Uhhh... Boxing? Brocksing...? [He's too tired for this.]

Brocksing...? [Peter echoes the phrase a little uncertainly. He just rolls a little more into Otto and as much of Norman as he can find. At this point, Peter likely can't get any closer, but by god, he has to try.

He has no idea why he needs to be close to both of them, but Peter is not exactly present enough to worry about it.]

We'll figure out the funny sound thing later.

Yeah, something like that.

[Norman waves a hand lazily in the air, then drops his arm over them both. it's a stretch over Otto's broad back, but he manages to be able to reach Peter's head and thread his fingers through his hair, the way he used to comfort Harry when he was sick.]

S'arright, Peter. You rest.

[That sure is a lot of pressure on Otto's side now that a teenager-sized rat boy is curled up against him like that. He doesn't mind, though. It's comfortable, as is Norman's arm over his back. It's nice. He's already starting to nod off as well. Good night, unconventional little family!]

We'll google it later. [Peter mumbles with no real forethought at the fact he can't google anything here. His eyes droop shut at the feeling of fingers in his hair.

He yawns, stretching big before settling down again. It doesn't take very long for Peter to start making that sound again.

Being warm, comfortable close to people he cares about does the job of knocking him out.]

Google it...?

[the search engine has only just gained a foothold in his time, so Norman's a little surprised to hear it being used as a verb all its own. but Peter is already bruxing again, and Otto has gone silent beside him. the sudden rush of warmth that fills his heart is almost too much to hold.

Norman's glad that neither of them are awake to see him blink back the tears as he gives Peter's curls a few last gentle strokes. They feel so much like Harry's - one more reason Peter is like a second son to him, now. He lays his head down against Otto's back, and is reminded just how pleasant it is to lie close to another warm body after years of cool satin sheets on empty beds. How reassuring, to not be alone.]

Love you both.

[he whispers it like a secret to the silent room, like a prayer, and closes his eyes. the sound of their counterpoint breathing soon lulls him off to sleep after them.]

Edited (html be my bitch dang you) 2022-06-20 15:17 (UTC)

IC Inbox | Ryslig

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cue the bruxing

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cw: animal experimentation mention in emotes

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