The Threat (Johan, Peter, Wolfgang)

[and-in-between.livejournal.com]

Peter saw a lot of things in his life that other people didn't see. He saw demons and angels and werewolves. He saw illusions and evil priests and things even he wasn't sure if he believed. But one thing he thought he would never see, was his cousin Johan, speaking to his Uncle Wolfgang. He hadn't even known Wolfgang was in London. But as he passed a small cafe across from the park, he happened to glance in and there they were. It was like happening to catch a glimpse of the devil and God playing chess...

Peter hadn't realised he had frozen on the footpath, but Wolfgang happened to look up and see him. He didn't look all too happy, but his expression wasn't distasteful either. Sure Peter, the only son of his older brother Klaus, was a failure. He hadn't even been able to survive a life in the church, and that was something Wolfgang considered a cop out to begin with. But at least he hadn't married someone of the same sex, like his terrible excuse for a Kempf sister, Elizabeth. And Johan himself.

Johan saw Peter at the same time, and his reaction was much warmer than Wolfgang's was. He waved and rose from the table to bid Peter come join them. Peter did so, as it was rude not to, but he approached the table as one might approach the gallows. "Hello." He said lamely, when he reached it. Wolfgang made him feel like a tiny insect, distasteful and unwanted.

"Peter." Wolfgang inclined his head, and then he turned to Johan and spoke in German. "I'll take my leave of you, Bertolt. But rest assured, the boy will offer you no further threat."

Johan nodded and he gave Wolfgang a civil smile. "Thank you, Wolfgang. Your reassurance is much appreciated."

Wolfgang rose and he nodded to Peter again. "I trust you are well, Peter."

"Oh! I'm. Huh?" Peter stumbled and by the time he could have actually formulated a response, Wolfgang had given him an amused and pitying expression and continued on his way. "Dammit!" Peter hissed as he sat down opposite his cousin. "I can face a centuries old angel, but not fucking Wolfgang Kempf."

Johan chuckled and he pushed an untouched breakfast roll towards Peter, as he knew well Peter's proclivity towards not eating when he was otherwise occupied. "Wolfgang does possess a certain air about him. And he does like to feed people to his lions."

"Jesus." Peter hissed. "What were you talking about?" What sort of business could Johan possibly have had with the head of a mob family. Sure he was the head of their family, but Johan had been excluded from them years ago when he had made it clear he detested the lot of them.

"He was reassuring me that the little upstart who had my boy shot at wouldn't do it again." Johan said, talking a calming sip of coffee. "Aleric Drescher?"

"Ah yes. He's Verena's brother, right? I remember them from my wedding. He seemed annoyed by everything and she...well I think she was talking to my potted plants..."

"That would be about right." Johan laughed. "Aleric's been trusted with an important assignment and it's given him a big head. When Alastair threatened that, he tried to have him killed."

"I remember." Peter whispered. There was nothing Peter feared more than losing a child. He still wasn't over losing one of his twins before they had even been born. He loved Lauren unconditionally, but the loss of her sibling had been a huge blow to him. To everyone in the family. He couldn't possibly imagine losing a child like Alastair. He was a wonderful young man. Twenty one years old and one of the most thoughtful people you could ever hope to come across. And even though he was Werner's son, he now called Johan 'Dad' too, just because he knew it would make Johan happy.

"Wolfgang was apologising for the inconvienence." Johan sighed.

"The incon- Of all the nerve!" Peter growled.

"He is the head of a family that deals in organised crime." Johan shrugged. "I was surprised he made the effort at all."

"Why did he make the effort?" Peter asked, as he had been too. Often when you kicked someone out of the family, you didn't go out of your way to apologise for anything.

"He's afraid of me." Johan said simply, taking another sip of coffee.

"Er..." Peter looked terribly confused. Afraid of Johan? Johan was wonderful, what could he possibly do to make Wolfgang afraid of him. "Why?"

"Because my very existence threatens his position." Johan leaned forward, his eyes twinkling. "I was raised to take over the family business. I was supposed to be where he is now. And while I never had the taste of it, his current position was a fluke of circumstance. You really think the youngest son of a drunk was supposed to take over as the head of the family? Even if his last name is Kempf he wasn't supposed to be there. I was. And he's terrified that if everything I love is taken away from me, I'll get it in my head to come back home and take over. My mother has already made it clear she'd let me back in. That's why she calls me home every year to beg me to reconsider. And Aunt Helsa's chomping at the bit to have me back too." Johan had it in him to lead. He had it in him to be ruthless when he needed to be. Wolfgang saw that. What he didn't see was that Johan found it all quite distasteful.

"I...didn't know that." Peter admitted quietly. Though he hadn't known anything about his family's business at all until about a year ago. Klaus had done a very good job of keeping it secret, even from his children. Even from his wife.

Johan shrugged. "And it's against his principles to have me whacked when I haven't done anything." Very few people like Wolfgang actually had 'morals' or anything resembling them. That was what set Wolfgang apart. It was why, grudgingly, Johan respected him just a little...

"Whacked? For fuck's sake, I swear I was adopted." Peter mumbled.

"I can assure you, you were not." Johan winked. "Klaus wasn't the type to go for charity. You and I were just gifted with the ability for compassion. Which is something most of the family lacks. Wolfgang doesn't understand I could never do what he does. All I am to him is a threat, which is why he treats me with something like respect. Though he referred to Werner as my 'mistake'. If he's a mistake, he's the best mistake I've ever made." Johan said, his face willed with fondness.

"Hear hear. Uncle Wolfgang wasn't fond of my marrying Aly either, though he didn't call her a mistake. He did call her a 'Spanish halfbreed' because her father is English and her mother is Spanish. As if I am not a German 'halfbreed'. And he asked why they insisted on speaking in Spanish while in England. Even though he asked me that in German." Peter sighed. "And I think he referred to Emma as something far more insulting than a 'mistake' but he always was keen to hate Liz. It's alright, she hates him right back."

"Hell, I wouldn't go up against your sister!" Johan laughed then. "She's terrifying!"

"Oh believe me." Peter grinned. "I know it well. Feel like coming back to my house and being surrounded by family who loves you?"

Johan reached out and he took Peter's hand. "That, Peter, sounds like it would be the perfect way to spend an afternoon. I'd be obliged."