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[Otto presses his lips together in a thin, tight line. Norman's situation is another one of those things that really complicates an already uncomfortable situation. Why did he have to change so severely? Why into something like that? When Peter moves closer, he shuffles himself back onto the bed a bit further so that he can stretch out his sore legs.]

That's fine. Laying here is not a bad option at all. [His hand softly pats the blanket bundle in the place where he estimates Peter's shoulder to be.]

[Peter is in no hurry to move off the bed, just accepting the pats with a tired kind of exhale. His whiskers wiggling seems to slow down for the moment as he closes his eyes. The more of his head that appears from the blankets reveals the teenager does indeed have very large floppy rat ears as well.

A pat feels nice. Then again Peter feels weirdly starved for any interaction at this point, he isn't sure why. Normally, he'd be too stressed by this kind of situation to want anyone to be close to him.]

Tomorrow, I'll... see if I can still walk okay. Right now, I dunno, not super important.

[He peeks up at Otto, a little imploringly.] Are you... gonna stay for a while?

[Oh no, those big ol' sad rat eyes... No matter how odd the situation is, it's still a bit like looking at a whimpering puppy. And the pleading isn't even necessary; Otto had no intention of leaving. He manages a weak smile.]

Of course, dear boy. I'll be right here.

[The reassurance and weak smile is enough to make Peter's whiskers wiggle a little again as he tries to move closer. It's a struggle, but he's gotta pull himself along.

He has no idea why he feels so inclined to be close, the new instinct just there right now. Otto can expect the teenager to lean into him once he's dragged himself close enough to make it happen.

He exhales in open relief.]

[Otto's eyes had just slipped shut, but when Peter leans into him, he opens them again to peer down at the bundle of blankets. It's nice to know he can help the boy feel more at ease, however small the gesture is. It's the least he can do. And in a way, it soothes him as well. His hand finds Peter's shoulder through the layers of fabric again, giving it a soft squeeze.]

[Peter hums his appreciation in turn at the squeeze.

He manages to settle comfortably against Otto, moving to vaguely drape blankets over him as well. The man is going to be pulled into a loose limbed kind of cuddle.

Some small part of Peter feels a little self-conscious about initiating what is essentially cuddling with someone who isn't Aunt May or Ben, but a bigger part of him (And new fun pooka instincts) wants to be close to someone he trusts.]

[Well. This feel a little weird. Otto's been hugged by Peter before- out in the middle of a public street, even. There's something more heartfelt about this, though. It's less out of need and more because Peter can. Otto hadn't thought it would ever turn out this way, but he's not going to fight it. Peter clearly needs more support in his life than he's been getting and as for Otto himself... Perhaps he needs it too.

Releasing a deep breath, he lies down flat on his back. The top of his head balances on the other edge of the mattress, but hey, at least he managed to stretch out without falling off the bed. He could probably fall asleep like this within minutes.]

[Peter releases a slow sleepy kind of yawn as he gets comfortable. His tail swishes lazily across the bedspread as he curls into Otto.

His self-consciousness fades as the combination of the warmth of the blankets and close proximity of someone he trusts helps ease him further. Peter is just as likely to fall asleep at this rate.

Unless something were to interrupt.

But whose to say on that front, not these creatures.]

[Norman had been doing everything he could to keep his mind off things, but two very horrible thoughts kept plaguing him: namely, that Peter and Otto respectively still needed to change, and would soon. would need him. when Otto failed to come back to their room, he dragged himself out of bed, not bothering to put on his jacket, and plodded shirtless toward Peter's door. he was so concerned that he was on the verge of pushing it open outright, but then remembered the importance of a teenage boy's privacy and knocked a quick tattoo]

Peter?! You alright in there?

[Otto had just started to succumb to his exhaustion, slumber taking hold and drawing him into the depths when the knock snaps him back into awareness. He hears the familiar voice, his face scrunches up lightly. Right... Norman. He should get up. He doesn't want to, though.

He'll just wait for Peter to respond instead.]

[The voice calling out is enough to startle Peter from a light doze. The teenager winces a little as he sits up slightly. He wants to sit up, but he's also comfortable and burrowed under blankets with Otto.]

Uh- yeah! I'm alright! I'm just a rat now! Otto is like a mermaid and stuff.

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.]

IC Inbox | Ryslig

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[Action] hits ya with the big ole rat eyes

[Action] CHILD PLEASE

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[Action] one last one before we get the goblin

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cue the bruxing

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cw: animal experimentation mention in emotes

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