darker_london | This is why they are soul-mates (Peter, Thomas)

As much as he loved his wife and his family and every single one of his friends, sometimes the only person in the world who Peter could stand to be around was Thomas. It wasn't a matter of not loving anyone as much as he loved his best friend. It was simply that Thomas knew Peter inside and out. The man had been beside him through everything. Peter didn't have to be anyone for Thomas. He didn't have to act the hero. He could just be Peter.

At Thomas' house, Peter let himself in using his key, and he went upstairs without hanging around the living room. He found Thomas coming out of his son James' room, and Thomas didn't look surprised to find his best friend in the hallway for even a moment. Thomas was incredibly good at just knowing when Peter would show up and need him. It was a knowledge which had been shaped over almost two decades.

"James and Katya are asleep," Thomas said, taking Peter's hand so he could lead the other man into his bedroom. It was safer to talk in there so they didn't risk waking up the children.

Peter sat down on Thomas' bed and once he was down, he realised he didn't know where to start if Thomas asked him how he was. Deirdre was a part of Peter's soul, at least figuratively, and her family had just been shattered. To protect them, she had had to kill five other people. Now she was missing. Peter couldn't define how much that hurt. Peter had been through terrible and traumatic things, but this was among the worst. And without a word, Thomas knew. He didn't ask.

"No luck finding her," Thomas said, though that wasn't a question either. "Spectre is out looking with Samson."

The idea of Spectre working with his father was strange enough, but Peter didn't comment on it. "No luck. That bastard Kalevi woke up today," Peter said. Peter had gone to Paris to rescue Deirdre when the demon Kalevi had held her captive. The demon had returned and killed two of Deirdre's siblings, but now he was in Peter's hospital and he wouldn't hurt anyone ever again. "He recognised me."

"He would," Thomas nodded. "You staged a rescue and burned his building down. Of course he did. Did he say anything?"

"He just smiled a lot," Peter hissed. "Smug bastard. So I punched him. It hurt my hand."

Thomas arched his eyebrows and he reached out to pat Peter's shoulder. "You punched a demon. In your hospital?"

"He deserved it."

"Oh no arguments here!" Thomas agreed loudly. "You're just...kind of wacky. Is this the first down time you've taken since it all happened?" Peter didn't even bother saying anything, he just nodded. He was too tired. "Alright, Peter. I'm going to go get you something to eat. Something easy, like soup. And talky tea, because I know how you go apeshit over the stuff. And then you're going to take a nap here before you go out anywhere else. You'll be useless unless you rest a little bit."

This was why he had come to Thomas. No one else could get him to stop. Thomas could, because he judged the situation perfectly and he always knew exactly what Peter needed. "Alright, Thomas. You can put me to bed like your kids."

"Not exactly like them," Thomas informed him. "I am going to cuddle up to you, and I fully intend to cop a feel under the covers. Just so you're prepared."

Peter's smile was thin and short-lived, but he managed one. "Just like every time you put me to bed then."

"Exactly," Thomas said with a nod. "Scootch up!" Thomas stood and he patted Peter's thigh to get him to move up towards the head of the bed. Once there, Thomas pulled the covers over Peter and he leaned down to kiss the man's forehead. "I love you, Peter. We'll find her, alright?"

"She had to kill five people, Thomas. That's never going to be okay..."

Thomas glanced out the window and he said nothing. Peter had never killed anyone before; not in a fight. Thomas had. "She's not alone, Peter. When we find her, she won't be without people who understand. Now hush, this isn't resting."

"Yes, sir! Give me another kiss!"

Thomas chuckled and he did just that. "And if you're a good boy and you eat all your soup, I might even let you cop a feel back!"

"Oh boy, really?" Peter said, feigning extreme excitement. It wasn't as if he hadn't done that very thing more times than he could count. "Make me chicken noodle!"

"As if I would give you anything else," Thomas said, heading for the door. "Be back soon, Peter. If you need me, just yell out, okay?"

Peter nodded and he watched as Thomas disappeared. Sometimes he spent so long taking care of other people that he forgot how nice it was to be taken care of instead. Today, just for a few hours, he would let Thomas do just that. It was one of the things the man was best at, after all. Under the covers, Peter curled up and he did his best to try to sleep. Thomas was right, he was no good to Deirdre if he didn't rest.

Sleep came to him before Thomas even returned.