darker_london | Oh Dearest Me, Part 1 (Peter, Gabriel)

Peter was sitting on the kitchen bench, eating an apple and debating reading more of his mother's correspondence when his Uncle Gabriel entered the kitchen. Peter squeaked and jumped off the bench as if he was afraid Gabriel would punish him for his misbehaviour even though this house was no longer Gabriel's home, but Peter's. Gabriel was so much like Peter's father sometimes, that his very presence was enough to scare the shit out of Peter. Today, however, he needn't have worried. Gabriel didn't even notice. "Peter." He said shortly, his voice perturbed.

Peter's face changed from one of fear to one of worry. "Uncle Gabriel...what's wrong?" He decided against asking how the man had gotten in...

"It's your Aunt Jane!" Gabriel said, frantically. "She says there's no reason we should stay together anymore. Peter, she knows about Klaus." Gabriel's eyes searched Peter's for understanding. "I told her about Klaus."

The subject of Klaus was not the easiest subject for Peter to think about. His father had not been Peter's favourite person. He did, however, know that he had been Gabriel's. Growing up, Peter had thought that Gabriel had simply been extremely fond of his brother-in-law. But now he knew that wasn't the case. He knew Klaus and Gabriel had been together even before Margaret had died and Peter's mother had lost the final strands of her sanity. And now his Aunt Jane knew too. "Aunt Jane wants a divorce?"

"She doesn't know what she's saying!" Gabriel hissed. "I told her about Klaus months ago and she said she always knew! This was when...when Kat was-"

"I understand, Gabriel. Please continue." Peter set his apple down, but he stayed where he was, even if standing up was making him feel a little dizzy.

"We've hardly spoken since then. Since August. And we sure as hell haven't-" Gabriel sighed. "It was so long ago. Klaus has been dead for over twenty years. And if she knew, why is she so angry with me now? She had six months to say she was angry, Peter! Why now?"

"Perhaps she was waiting for you to say something, Gabriel?" Peter suggested. He wondered if Gabriel knew anything about human emotions. Sure, he knew about disappointment, greed and lust and probably not in that order. But Peter worried that love was beyond him. "Did you tell her she was all that mattered now?"

Gabriel raised his eyebrows. "How's that?"

"Oh dear God, I do have my work cut out for me, don't I? Gabriel, she's probably been waiting for you to tell her you love her. You...do love her, don't you?"

Gabriel looked like he was considering that, which Peter actually took as a good sign, rather than having him just bark a trademark 'yes' to a question he didn't really understand. "I did. I believe I still could, but not if she's going to be a goddamn ice queen! I try to touch her and she screams at me. Peter. It's been six months."

Peter didn't want to think about his aunt and uncle doing the deed or...not as the case seemed to be. But he did know a little something about celibacy. In that it wasn't easy. And his had been voluntary. Gabriel's wasn't. "Love is about more than just...touch, Gabriel."

"Oh, don't pull your priestly counselling bullshite on me, Peter!" Gabriel hissed.

"I'm not. I'm serious. Aunt Jane doesn't need you to prove you want her. She probably knows that. What she needs you to prove, is that you love her. You can want random people you pass on the street, but it doesn't mean you want to spend the rest of your life with them. It's that part that matters to Aunt Jane. And she's given you six months to figure it out. That's pretty impressive if you ask me."

"Why didn't she just say something!?" Gabriel mumbled.

"Because, alas, that's not how women work." Peter patted Gabriel on the shoulder. "Honestly if you say, 'tell me you love me' even if the person does comply, does it mean as much then as it would if the person offered such information of their own free will? Jane doesn't want to hear you repeat meaningless words. She wants you to prove it."

"How do you know all this?" Gabriel said, narrowing his eyes. He had come to Peter for advice, sure, but in the end, Gabriel had twenty-five years on Peter and he should be the one dishing out the advice.

"Gabriel, do you honestly think you're the only one to ever have this problem? I worked as a priest for seven years and the things people came to me with were almost always the same. Marital problems, sexuality problems, drug and alcohol problems and violence problems. I've seen it before. And you're either going to listen to me or not, but all I can do is tell you what I've seen."

"What about your own missus?"

Peter chuckled and he blushed slightly, as he always did when he thought about Aly. "I'm incredibly blessed to be with a woman who tells me exactly what she thinks whenever she thinks it. She's also the most compassionate and loving woman I know. Gabriel, Jane is compassionate and loving too. You need to go let her know you love that about her. And Gabriel...not just so you can get your end in, okay?"

Gabriel sighed and he shook his head. "I think I've given up hope."

"I'm sure it's not that dire. Buy her some flowers, Casanova. Cook her dinner...er...do you cook?"

"I have people." Gabriel looked at Peter as if he were daft.

"Right. Have...people..cook her a romantic dinner. And talk to her. Talk about Kat. Children are a wonderful ice-breaker and Kat's doing really well. Share pride in how far she's come. Gabriel, that girl is nothing short of extraordinary and you should both consider yourselves lucky to know her."

Gabriel nodded slowly. "I do."

"Good. Start with that. And get out, I have my own family to look after."

"Will do, Peter. Oh, and don't sit on the kitchen bench, it's bad for the tiles." Gabriel left Peter standing there and Peter just stared after him, dumbstruck. And then, because he could, he hefted himself back up onto the kitchen bench and crossed his arms in protest.