Questions and Concerns

Adam

---

Probably unsurprisingly, Peter was immediately defensive. No one wanted to admit they'd been drawn in, Adam guessed. But it was so obvious to him just what this 'family' was, and it was also obvious how vulnerable to this sort of manipulation Peter was. Someone who had been hurt, who was shy and quiet, needed love desperately...

If they had been looking for a more perfect target, they couldn't have found one.

"Ok, hey. Make up your own mind. Just...think about what I said, yeah? I'm just telling you what I think, and you can take that away and consider it." Pushing and pushing would likely only shove Peter away. "And...yeah, I am the wrong crowd, but I'm a fun crowd. I'm not gonna make you a Pikely right away. That's an honour you gotta work for." He nodded.

In a bid to change the topic, he looked up to the sky and asked: "Did I ever tell ya about my old man, Cyril Pikely?"

men, they say a lot of foolish things
And in the end the only words
I can find to believe in are mine

’Think about what I said.’ If he were in a better mood, Peter would have snorted. Adams words weren’t going to leave him any time soon. No, they’d be in his head for a while, popping up at the most inconvenient times. Relief washed over him as Adam gently steered away from the topic.

Peter felt the other mans gaze slip off of him, and turned to face Adam as he spoke. ”You’re old... *oh*!” It wasn’t a phrase he’d heard often, but Peter managed to stop his mouth just as he actually placed what it meant. ”No. I um... I haven’t heard anything about other... other Pikely’s.” There was still a tremble in his voice, making the words somehow more awkward than how Peter sounded normally. ”Was he... important?”

PETER

They don't know you like I do
The little secrets that you keep
I'm gonna haunt your dreams at night
You'll have to hide those kitchen knives

Adam

---

Adam laughed as Peter told him he hadn't heard of any other Pikelys. "No shit." He took a long drink before beginning to tell the tale of his father, though admittedly a very edited, nice version of it. A version where the heroes spoke and acted like heroes and the bad parts were either short or taken out. Even his fathers death was honourable and useful, not the meaningless tragedy it had been.

He didn't stay long after that -- the story had taken the spirits from him and Peter had to go consider his weird...cult...thing. He jumped off the wall, Coffee following and grasping to his shoulders, and said goodbye.

As he left, he had no idea just how bad Peter's 'family' was going to get.

(end)

men, they say a lot of foolish things
And in the end the only words
I can find to believe in are mine