Ghosts That Linger

PETER

Peter was... burnt out. It was the simplest way to explain how he felt. Nothing good had come his way in a while, at least that’s how it felt, and his training session with Edrei had been the cherry on top of everything. Not only did he feel useless and weak, but whatever she’d done, whatever magic she’d used had dredged up demons that he’d been perfectly happy suppressing.

It was early evening when he left the manor, intent on finding somewhere to be alone. He noticed, after some walking, that he was headed towards Adams home. Being alone with Adam sounded nice. It made sense if he didn’t think about it too much. He was lucky to find Adam at home, apparently catching him just before he’d been going out for the night, and with some wordless convincing Pet managed to get him to follow. Maybe it was something in his eyes, or the way he’d clung to Adams hand after he’d taken a hold of it. Peter didn’t know, he was just happy to have the other man there.

There was no plan to his path, no sense of purpose behind his steps. Pet meandered through the settlement until civilisation was replaced with scrubby brush and farmers fields, and then struggling fields and the barriers scar. The edge of the gouge in the ground seemed as good a place as any to stop, never mind the fact that this place had looked the closest to the area around Sainen, a fact Adam might pick up on if he was observant.

With a deep sigh, Pet lifted his hand, taking Adams along with it, and played with the fingers on both of their hands. There was something chewing at his throat, but if he didn’t think about the words for it, it would be unintelligible, and after the march he’d forced him on, Pet felt he owed Adam something better than that.

”Thank you. F-for following.” It was easiest to start with, and didn’t keep them locked in silence until Pet figures out what he wanted to say.

Distance, distance keeps you safe
And I don't wanna scare you away

You're laughing cause it's funny
How you're fooling everybody but me