darker_london | Help is always here (Peter, Thomas) (Reply)

Phone calls at two thirty in the morning were not unknown to Peter Kemp. They were rarely good news, however, and usually they involved someone needing to be saved from some kind of supernatural calamity. When Peter sleepily answered his phone, he did not expect his best friend to sound cheerful as he said, "Peter!"

Peter blinked and he moved out of the bedroom he shared with his currently sleeping wife. "Thomas? It's early?"

"Were you actually sleeping?" Thomas asked, sounding shocked. And that was probably fair enough. Peter did struggle with insomnia, but tonight he had actually been asleep.

"For once."

"Oh, Peter, I'm sorry!"

"It's alright," Peter assured his friend in his calming manner. He headed down the stairs, stepping on a stray Lego someone had left behind. "Ow! Shit!" He knew he should have turned the lights on.

"Peter?"

"It's okay, my sons just shed Legos like the dogs shed fur," Peter hissed, willing the pain in his instep to go away. He found the stray Lego and then he continued on to his living room. He tossed the Lego into the toy bin and then he flopped onto the sofa. "Is everything alright, Thomas? I sort of expected a demon attack when the phone rang."

"Your life isn't like other people's," Thomas said quietly.

"Says the man who has died twice," Peter pointed out.

"...touché. Peter, I'm worried about Spectre. I'm sorry to call so late, but I just...I need you to calm me down."

Peter would never begrudge anyone needed his help, least of all Thomas. He didn't mind being woken up for worry, even if it wasn't as action-packed as a demon attack. "Is Adrian alright?"

There was a pause and then, "he's worried about his tour. He is afraid the Templar will come after him and so he's been practising his illusions in the attic. Which I guess would be a really handy defence; just being able to make the Templar think they are suddenly somewhere else until the entire band can get away."

Peter yawned, and he put his hand over the phone for a moment so Thomas wouldn't hear. "Adrian probably could manage that level of vision as well, but it takes years-"

"We know," Thomas interrupted. "He's been practising every day and he says he got quite good, but Peter...I went up there today and there was a wolf in the corner. A fake wolf, but it looked and sounded real. And Spectre said he couldn't make it go away."

The idea of an angel losing control of their illusions was terrifying. Peter had never heard of it before, but that didn't mean it wasn't possible. And for someone as talented at is as Spectre... It was dangerous. "How is he now, Thomas?"

"He's upstairs. I'm making him some food and then I am forcing him to rest all day tomorrow. But he's scared, Peter. And I have no fucking clue what to do for him. That wolf...it was terrifying. And the kids-"

Mentioning children was a surefire way to grab Peter's attention. He loved his kids more than anything, even if they did leave Legos on the stairs. And he loved Thomas and Spectre's kids too. "I've never heard of something like this before. I'll go speak to Rolf immediately and try to figure out a way to help if it happens again, Thomas. And we'll work out something for Adrian's tours as well."

Thomas breathed a sigh of relief. "Thanks, Peter."

"In the meantime, is anyone hurt?"

"No, we're all okay. Just a little shaken."

"Do you want someone to watch the house tonight?" Peter offered.

Thomas laughed. "You're like a mastermind sometimes, Peter. We don't need someone to watch the house, but thank you. All I need is a way to help my husband."

"We'll figure it out, Thomas," Peter promised him. "And I am not a mastermind."

"Professor X?"

"I could be Charles Xavier," Peter said with a sleepy grin.

"You are pretty fucking posh. Does that make me Magneto? I don't want to be Magneto."

"You can be Wolverine," Peter suggested. "You look good in leather."

"Why, Peter Kemp! Hitting on me at two in the morning!"

"Eh, it's a way to pass the time," Peter said with a smile as he rose from the sofa. "Go feed your husband, Wolverine."

"Go talk to your pet angel, Charles. And I'll send a present to your office in the morning."

"Will it be you?" Peter said hopefully.

"You know what, Peter? It just might be."

Peter grinned and he hung up so he could find his shoes. He was worried about Adrian, and he really wasn't pleased he had to ask Rolf for advice again, but talking to Thomas tended to put a smile on his face no matter what the topic was. And with the promise of seeing Thomas in a few hours, Peter got to work.