Aftermath (Razvan, Peter, Aly, Svetlana, Thomas, Tasha, OPEN)

[your-razvan.livejournal.com]

When Razvan stuck his head into Peter's room, he found the man sitting in his hospital bed looking mutinous. Razvan took one step into the room and he cocked his head to the side. "Hi there, Chief. Problems?"

Peter glanced over at Razvan, and his expression faded somewhat. "Razvan. It would appear I owe you a great deal of gratitude."

Razvan scoffed, immediately uncomfortable with Peter giving him any sort of gratitude, especially 'a great deal' of it. "What would a guy have to do to grind those big words right out of you, hmm? I hear cutting your head off doesn't work. And I tried stabbing you on more than one occasion, and now I'm wishing I hadn't brought attention to that..."

Peter raised his eyebrows and then the corners of his lips lifted a little, which was as close as he could get to laughing right now. "You babbled. It was cute." Peter was beyond being bothered by Razvan and his stab-happy past.

"Oh, bollocks to you," Razvan hissed, and he was surprised when Peter looked slightly pleased. "Okay..." Razvan held up a hand. "I'm sorry, Chief, you'll have to explain what's happening right now. I'm not used to your Care Bear like ways. Are we...enjoying each other?"

Peter snorted. "I think that boat's done been sailed, Razvan. And I think you know that too. But that wasn't why I...it's just nice. To not be treated like I'm a, an abomination sent to destroy the world or two, going to fall apart any second."

"You just said a and two."

"Yes. See! You pointing that our proves you aren't worried about me falling apart. Thank you."

"Whatever," Razvan waved his hand around. "It's good to see you and now that that's over with, can I get you anything?"

Peter shook his head. "No. Svetlana is coming soon with Rasputina. It's her birthday. Aly's getting me something to eat, and I was already given three breakfasts by a very worked up Thomas, who insists I look like I'm going the way of the...well...Thomas."

"Oooh, off-colour humour at the expense of your friends. Nice. I'll leave you alone then, I just wanted to say hello."

"Razvan. Thank you."

"We talked about this!" Razvan hissed. "No! No thanking! Caoilfhionn made me wear a tea bonnet!"

Peter actually chuckled then, though in the end it turned into a cough and a miserable look. Still, he said, "brilliant."

Razvan didn't leave, instead taking several steps into the room. "Hey...Peter? What happened?" He had been there when Peter was taken and it had all happened so fast Razvan hadn't had a second to feel fear before waking up to find Peter and Gavin gone. "Did they hurt you?" Thomas was right in saying Peter looked terribly thin, but it wasn't that that was worrying Razvan. Peter seemed...off. As much as he was trying to cover it up, or possibly it was that he wasn't aware of it himself. He seemed wrong. It was to be expected, but Razvan wasn't used to this kind of thing. He used to be the one who kept people in basements, not the one who saw them deal with the aftermath of torture.

Peter chewed on the inside of his cheek for a moment and then he looked up at Razvan. "I...I don't want to talk about it."

"Peter, you're mister Talky-Sharey-Feelings-Huggy-Mc-Care Bear. Come on. You can tell me-"

"Why, because you want tips for your next hostage?" Peter shouted at him, completely out of nowhere.

Razvan blinked and he felt something in the pit of his stomach. It took him several seconds before he realised with surprise, that it was hurt. Peter had hurt him. Razvan cared enough about Peter's opinion, that this hurt him. "I...I w- I'm sorry..." Razvan started to head towards the door when Peter hung his head.

"No, I'm sorry. I...see, I told you I didn't want to be treated like I would break."

"I don't remember asking you about a breakage plan, Peter," Razvan sighed. He had used Peter's real name. That was strange. All of this was strange. "I was just-"

"I know. I'm sorry."

"Whatever," Razvan repeated again. "It's good to have you back. I'll just..." And with that, Razvan left Peter alone. He didn't go far, however. For some reason, he hung around the door just in case he was needed.

Comments

[demon-svetlana.livejournal.com]

When Tasha arrived at the hospital, she was arm-in-arm with Svetlana. Tasha's health was improving every day, but getting out of the house was still a bit of a drag. She didn't have to lean on Svetlana, but it made things easier. Svetlana had Rasputina in her other arm, and still didn't appear at all physically taxed.

"Crazy Uncle Razvan," Svetlana said with a grin when she saw her cousin. She didn't hate him any more; like the others, she liked to have a bit of a laugh at his expense. She gave him a playful punch on the arm as she passed - nothing that would hurt a fellow demon - and entered Peter's room with Tasha.

Tasha immediately broke away from Svetlana to climb onto the bed with Peter. Both of them were too thin, and made quite a macabre-looking couple. "Check us out with the concentration camp chic, Dad."

[father-peter.livejournal.com]

Peter gave Tasha a slightly pained look, but he still wrapped his arms around her. He hadn't seen her in three weeks and before that it had been over a year since he had seen the real her. Hugs were necessary. "My Tasha," he breathed against her neck. Then he looked up at Svetlana and he smiled lightly. "How's the birthday girl?"

[demon-svetlana.livejournal.com]

"I swear she got bigger just for the occasion," Svetlana said with a smile, and hefted her girl a little higher. "Want to hold her, Daddy?"

Tasha snuggled up against Peter, her head on his chest, but left room for him to hold Rasputina too if he wanted to.

[father-peter.livejournal.com]

Peter held his arms out and was rewarded by Rasputina doing the same. Peter smiled, because his kids could always manage to make him smile no matter what. "There's my girl!"

"Daddeeee," Rasputina wiggled a little in Peter's arms, but he held her against him with his free arm.

"Oh, I missed you. My little princess. My little two-year-old princess. Stop growing now, you hear me! Daddy says no more growing." Then he looked back up at Svetlana. "I didn't get her a present," he said, his voice lamenting as Rasputina grabbed hold of his wild hair.

[demon-svetlana.livejournal.com]

"Are you kidding?" Svetlana sat down on the bed next to Peter and his daughters, and her fingers joined Rasputina's in his hair. "You are her present. The best one there could be." A grin stole across her features. "Though I have no doubt you're going to shower her with gifts once you're out of here, anyway."

[father-peter.livejournal.com]

Peter kissed Rasputina's little face and she giggled. "Oh you bet I am. You hear that, tiny? Lots of presents." Peter pulled her close and he sighed. "I was so afraid I'd miss it. I missed Deirdre's birthday. And she only turns two once, you know?"

Svetlana's hands were in his hair and he had spent a long time with no one touching him. He loved her. He was just going to cross his legs, not call attention to what was happening there, and hope no one noticed.

[demon-svetlana.livejournal.com]

Thankfully for Peter, Svetlana didn't notice his downstairs response to her touch. She was much too focused on watching his interactions with their daughter, and she'd also shagged Ryn recently, so didn't have the desperation for it that Peter did. "I know," she said softly. "And you're here for it. I'm sure Deirdre will forgive you. Though she may expect a very epic phone call sometime soon..."

Tasha, however, did notice. Her eyebrows raised slightly from where she lay against her dad, but she didn't draw attention to it. It was weird, but she did flick her eyes over to see if he was doing what she thought he was doing. It was.

On some level, it was vaguely satisfying to Tasha. That was a detail she doubted Magnus would have thought to include.

[father-peter.livejournal.com]

Peter managed to get his body somewhat in check before turning back to Svetlana. "Oh, she'll get one. Probably several. I alwee-" Peter laughed as Rasputina grabbed his lip, rendering speaking impossible. Or at least, difficult.

And that was when Johan walked in. "Peter! My goodness. Is someone getting you something to eat, you look dreadful."

"Sanks," Peter mumbled from behind his immobilised lip.

[demon-svetlana.livejournal.com]

"I can, if you like," Svetlana quickly offered. "I wouldn't want to send Johan straight back out again." She gave him a smile, in greeting and in thanks for the reminder that Peter might want something to eat.

[suave-thomas.livejournal.com]

"No, it's okay!" Peter said quickly when Rasputina had releasedhis lip. He didn't want Svetlana to go. "Aly left to find something a while ago. And Thomas already fed me. I'm alright, really. And look, I have a birthday girl!" Peter showed his daughter off to his cousin. "She's two!"

"She's beautiful," Johan said, moving to kiss the tiny girl. "Hi, Sweetie!"

"Poo!" Rasputina yelled, and Peter laughed. It was short-lived, but it had occurred and that was pretty impressive.

"Did some little tiny princess say poo?" Thomas said, sticking his head around the corner.

"She's a clever girl," Peter nodded.

"Too true! Peter, Daniel's on his way." For everyone else's benefit, Thomas explained, "Daniel was the Templar who was apparently a decoy working for Saul...? Rolf gave him a once over and he can see the hospital and everything. He says he wants to explain everything to you, but I don't even know what he means by that..."

Peter visibly sobered, and he nodded. "I know what he means. Thank you."

[empress-tasha.livejournal.com]

Well, this was going to be interesting. Tasha sat up and crossed her legs on the bed, not wanting to be in such a weak position as lying down in the presence of this Templar... even if he was a traitor to the Holy Order's cause.

"He's hot, in a grizzled kind of way," Svetlana observed. "He's good at stubble."

[thwartedly.livejournal.com]

Thomas had to agree, though he kept it to himself. If this man had, in any way, hurt his Peter, he was going to strangle him.

"Oooh, I do like a man with stubble! Especially a hot one!" Johan grinned. "I can't wait to...Dedrich!" Johan jumped out of the chair he had just been sitting in, his jaw nearly unhinging itself to fall open.

"Bertolt?" Daniel looked lost and confused. He glanced at Peter then, lying in the bed surrounded by women. Lucky bastard. He understood now. Peter and Bertolt knew each other. Of course they would. Black sheep would flock together. "Hi..."

"What...what..." Johan glanced at the rest of the inhabitants in the room who were staring at him and then he pointed at Daniel. "That's...he's my brother. Dedrich."

"It's...I go by Daniel." He swallowed and then tried to give his older brother a smile but it wasn't easy.

[demon-svetlana.livejournal.com]

"Oh... wow." Svetlana looked from Johan to Daniel, and felt she was starting to see the resemblance, even if Daniel had lived a much different life to Johan. "Well... I know a little bit about awkward family reunions anyway. My family are all mad."

"I'm Tasha." She lifted her hand in a wave. "I'm adopted."

[father-peter.livejournal.com]

Daniel sort of gave a half-hearted wave in Tasha's direction. He hadn't exactly been around people for five years and he didn't know who she had been adopted by. "I've come around to thinking my family are pretty mad too..." Daniel admitted to Svetlana.

Johan beamed then, despite not having seen his brother in years. "According to mother, you've been heading up some family business in Italy..."

"No." Daniel shook his head and then he leaned against the wall. "I mean I was. But I suppose the Templar didn't like some of the less legitimate businesses I was running. Prostitution and gambling. You know."

Peter was watching Daniel with shaded eyes. Was this really his Templar saviour? His cousin?!

"They decided to show me the error of my ways. All I really saw was the error of theirs."

[empress-tasha.livejournal.com]

"Fair enough," Tasha said with a nod. "Not that prostitution and gambling are necessarily the best trades to get back into..." She waved it away as possibly a tactless matter to pursue at this point. "How did you end up working for them?"

[thwartedly.livejournal.com]

"I'm not saying they were the best way to be spending my life, but I wasn't torturing people. I was approached by Saul who asked me if they bought my repentance. I said yes and... I didn't really join them as much as I joined Saul and did what he told me to do. I didn't know then that they were going to decide to make me the guardian of some...underground fucking fortress. The Guardian of the Gate has to be locked down there too."

Peter had turned white by this point. "For how long?"

"Five years," Daniel answered, looking at his hands.

[empress-tasha.livejournal.com]

"Jesus," Tasha murmured. "I'm so sorry." She knew a little something about being locked away from extended periods of time... though for her, it had only been one year. "What did you do down there? It sounds like you lost contact with Saul?"

[thwartedly.livejournal.com]

"Saul thought I had been found out and killed," Daniel admitted. As for what I did down there...nothing. I did nothing. I think the one good thing that came out of it was that I never had to pretend to take part in any of their 'purifications'. I thought I was going to live out the rest of my life there reading books. I haven't seen the sun in five years. Probably why I look like a ghost. And then they brought Peter in. I knew you were my cousin, Peter. I couldn't tell you. And I had to see what they did to him..."

Peter shuddered, but he said nothing.

[empress-tasha.livejournal.com]

Tasha shuddered as well, but she knew not to ask until Peter was ready. "I suppose that's some small favour, not having to be a part of the purifications." She rose from the bed then, and approached the man. "You seem so together, considering what you've been through. I'm no stranger to it. It wasn't the Templar, and it was one year, not five, but... well. You can see it on me. I want you to know that I understand... something."

[father-peter.livejournal.com]

Daniel watched her quietly and then he gave a semi-silent nod. "I'm not together. I just spent five hours looking out the window because I haven't seen anything like it in five years. I also haven't really spoken to anyone. Thank you. And I'm sorry you had to be somewhere for a year..."

"Daniel, this is my daughter, Tasha," Peter finally introduced them. "He...the uhm...Dragonetti didn't want to feed me. Didn't think I needed it. The only reason I had anything to eat at all was because Daniel brought it to me."

Thomas hissed something under his breath, but Johan was looking up at his little brother in something like awe.

[empress-tasha.livejournal.com]

"Daniel..." Tasha looked at the man with new eyes, gratitude and admiration showing in them. Her lips quirked into a little smile. "I'd hug you, but I don't know how okay you would be with that..."

Svetlana, meanwhile, wrapped her arms around Peter, leaning her head close to his. "Goddammit. I want to rip his entrails out for what he's done to you."

[thwartedly.livejournal.com]

Daniel looked incredibly uncomfortable and he sort of shook his head and backed away one step. "Heh...the...sentiment is appreciated."

Peter turned his head and then he sighed. "I'm not even angry yet. I'm just..." Peter never finished the sentence. HIs wife walked in to find him cuddled up to the other woman he was in love with, and it was a very good thing he was married to Aly, and not someone who would have flipped out at him.

"Peter, I'm sorry I took so long. I wanted to make you something instead of...oh. Hello, everyone. Wow, it's a crowd..."

Daniel took one look at Aly and he flushed a bright red. He had seen her before for all of thirty seconds before being blindfolded. She was beautiful. In fact, he rather thought she was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. And she was married to his cousin...

Aly carried her bag of food over to Peter's bed side. "Scootch, both of you," she said to Peter and Svetlana. "I made you paella, Peter."

Peter made a small lusty sound in the back of his throat, completely unbidden, and his stomach growled loudly in anticipation of his favourite food. Thomas took a moment to chuckle before turning back to Daniel. "How did you manage to...sneak around?"

"You saw how unguarded the place is," Daniel explained, his eyes on Aly. "I was the guard. I was charged with his 'care' so to speak. I just...happened to think that meant something different than they did."

[empress-tasha.livejournal.com]

Tasha, not the least bit offended by Daniel's reticence, returned to Peter's bed. It was pretty crowded now, but there was no one there she had any problem cuddling up to. "Well, you know the Templar. They have their own very special ways of interpreting words."

[father-peter.livejournal.com]

"They're morons," Daniel hissed, now that he had the freedom to say such things.

"Hear hear," Thomas agreed.

Peter, for his part, held his plastic container of food out to his oldest daughter, while Rasputina played with his hair from Svetlana's grip. "Do you want some, Tasha?"

[empress-tasha.livejournal.com]

Tasha's first instinct was to refuse, seeing as Peter needed it more than she did, but as she opened her mouth, she reconsidered. It wasn't nothing that Peter was offering. This was a big thing. He wanted to help, to feed her, even at the expense of his own food. Something told Tasha it would be better for Peter in the long run to let him do that.

So, with a smile, she said, "Thank you," and took a small piece of paella. Aly knew how to cook for a hungry man, anyway. "I love you, Dad."

[father-peter.livejournal.com]

Peter smiled at her and he reached out to touch her arm. "I love you too." He commenced digging in himself then.

Daniel turned to Thomas and Johan and he looked slightly uncomfortable. He wasn't used to families like this. He had just seen a man who had suffered starvation offering his food to someone else. It was strange to him.

Peter decided he wasn't fond of silence, because there had been too much, and he spoke up even around his food. "Oh god, I forgot it could taste so good..."

[empress-tasha.livejournal.com]

Tasha gave Peter a naughty grin. "As the actress said to the bishop."

Svetlana raised her eyebrows. "That actress seriously has low standards."

[father-peter.livejournal.com]

Peter laughed so suddenly, he almost choked on his paella. "No nooooo!"

Aly grinned and tapped Tasha's hand. "She does," Aly agreed with Svetlana. "Go for a Cardinal, come on!"

Peter mock-glared at them. "I'm having you both sold tomorrow, you realise," he said simply. This was good. No interrogations over what he had been through. Just enjoying his reunion with his family in such a way that meant he could pretend he had never been gone.

That was surely healthy somehow...