IC Inbox | Ryslig

[sciencesquid]

WELCOME TO YOUR PRIVATE CHANNEL, OCTAVIUS. FOR SECURE COMMUNICATION, USE 015.03.020.15 *** OCTAVIUS has joined 015.03.020.15 <OCTAVIUS> You've reached Dr. Otto Octavius. Please leave a message.

Comments

[heyunderoos]

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?

cw: animal experimentation mention in emotes

[certaininequities]

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 ...

[sciencesquid]

[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.]

[heyunderoos]

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.

[certaininequities]

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.

[sciencesquid]

[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!]

[heyunderoos]

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.]

[certaininequities]

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.]