3rd Floor Common Room, Friday Afternoon

[lockestheway]

The problem about getting through your epic moment of revelation was that the time afterwards seemed a little... well, too slow. Peter was pretty good at dealing with the nitty-gritty dealings of day-to-day political life, don't get him wrong. He just missed the adrenaline rush.

Which somehow - through intensely convoluted logic that made perfect sense to Peter - meant that this was a perfect time to curl up on the common room sofa with a bucket of popcorn and a three-hour Bismarck biopic-slash-documentary (the producers hadn't been entirely sure which direction to fall in).

Now this was the life.

Sort of.

Maybe he should go back to his room and check his email.

[[ open ]]

Comments

[theslashfairy.livejournal.com]

"Oh my god, so this is a real live common room!" Astrid squeed from the doorway. Well, it was a room. It wasn't alive. "It doesn't smell like I thought."

[lockestheway]

"That's the popcorn," Peter said, popping some into his mouth. He wasn't paying attention enough to notice that she was a new girl - and to be honest, even if he was paying attention, he might not have realized.

[theslashfairy.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, but Kate always said this common room was the best of all of them, so I was expecting something amazing," Astrid explained, gesturing wildly with her hands. "And - oh my god, you're Peter! Locke. Whoever. Hi!"
 
She bit her lip for a second, then burst into giggles as though she couldn't restrain herself.
 
"Fandom High is, like, my favorite TV show, and you're at least one of my top ten antagonists."

[lockestheway]

Peter tried to parse that, but had to give up halfway through because it sounded insane.

"Excuse me?" he said. "Your top ten what?"

[theslashfairy.livejournal.com]

"You know, like, the kind of morally-grey types," Astrid explained. "There aren't a whole lot of real antagonists these days, which I.M.H.O. isn't the best thing for writing a coherent season, but you're definitely, like, greyer than the norm. Like Natalie. Or Topher."

She paused. "You're way hotter than Topher."

[lockestheway]

"I'd like to think so," Peter said.

He reached into his pocket for his phone. "This is what happens if I don't keep up with radio," he muttered to himself. "What've we got now?"

[theslashfairy.livejournal.com]

Astrid bounced a little bit, watching him on his phone for a moment.
 
Then -- "You know, if you want my advice, you should dress a little more antagonisty," she suggested. "Suits are boring."

[lockestheway]

"I don't want your advice," Peter started. Okay, he started off with about half that sentence, but then he... stopped.

His suit jacket had suddenly vanished, his tie was nowhere to be found, and most importantly--

"...what happened to my pants?"

[theslashfairy.livejournal.com]

"That's such a Peter thing to say," Astrid began, and then -- well.
 
Pantslessness.
 
That little surprise only deterred her for a moment as she peered at him curiously. Then she continued nattering on, "I mean, I just think leather would hug your ass more nicely. And it conveys more clearly that you're complex and tortured."

[lockestheway]

Peter would have argued with all of the above, but, well. Leather pants. Complex. Tortured!

He curled up on the sofa in his new leather pants and glared at her boredly. "Why are you still talking?"

[theslashfairy.livejournal.com]

"That's much better, see?" Astrid lectured him. "The clothes help you get into character more. I mean, not that you're not a great actor, 'cause you totally are. But the pants help."
 
She preened, like she was awaiting a 'thank you.' She might be waiting a while.

[lockestheway]

"I thought I just told you to shut up," Peter said. "You're not worthy of my attention."

He tilted his head imperiously.

[theslashfairy.livejournal.com]

Astrid's cheeks tinged. "Just like in the fanfic with Ben," she breathed. Then she composed herself enough to exclaim, "Okay, bye!"

Honestly, Fandom should thank her. Leather pants and sexy rudeness were hot.

[whenshewasnice]

This was not Natalie's common room, no. But it was Peter's, and that was good enough. She was only dropping by for a glass of water, anyway. And as she was delightfully immune to the current weirdness, she was also still oblivious to it.

So far.

"Hey," she gave her greeting, wandering towards the kitchen area.

[lockestheway]

Peter had acquired his leather pants by now. He'd sprawled across the couch in a leisurely way.

He ignored her.

[whenshewasnice]

"Rude," Natalie noted without heat, grabbing a glass. She hadn't looked that closely when she'd come in, and she didn't glance at him now.

Give her a sec. She'd get there.

[lockestheway]

"No, rude is subjecting us to that outfit," Peter said lightly, lazily pressing buttons on the remote.

[whenshewasnice]

Okay, she'd actually turn for that.

"... Switching up the insults now, are we?"

[lockestheway]

Peter rolled his eyes expressively and tossed his legs over the edge of the couch.

[whenshewasnice]

"... Are you wearing leather pants?"

Stop spilling ellipses everywhere, Natalie.

"Oh, God, it's another island thing. I bet."

[lockestheway]

"Who are you talking to?" Peter asked, throwing her another lazy glance. "Because it sure as hell can't be to me."

[whenshewasnice]

"Oh, it is you," Natalie drawled, getting her water, finally. "Or the person who'll feel embarrassed once this blows over. One of you."

[lockestheway]

Peter swung his feet onto the floor and got up. "Oh, honey," he said. "You still think you're worth my time, do you?"

[whenshewasnice]

Natalie rolled her eyes and waved a hand dismissively. "You just honey'd me," she said. "There was no need for me to listen beyond that."

[lockestheway]

Peter stepped in closer anyway, because that was like, tense. "Back off, Natalie. You don't understand anything."

... That made sense. Somewhere.

[whenshewasnice]

Natalie for one looked terribly impressed.

Oh, wait, no. Unimpressed.

"Nice use of emphasis for a silly statement."

[lockestheway]

Peter shook his head.

There was a moment of (completely incongruous) emotion on his face, but it was gone in a flash.

"Clear out," he said, stalking back to the couch. "I don't have the energy for this."

[whenshewasnice]

"Uh huh, aye aye, captain," Natalie drawled before drinking the last of her water in a big gulp. She'd be gone in a moment. "Talk to you about the important stuff once you're done being crazy."

[arsenicmauls]

Gert entered the room and eyed its (admittedly very attractive) occupant from the doorway.

"Should I be on the lookout for a biker gang?"

[lockestheway]

"Please," Peter said, rolling his eyes. "Do I look that stupid?"

[arsenicmauls]

"I was thinking it had to be either 'biker gang' or 'amateur sadist,'" Gert said. Because really. The pants. "No?"

[lockestheway]

"Are you trying to be funny?" Peter demanded. "Because it's not working for you."

[arsenicmauls]

"It's actually working for me just fine," she assured him. "If you're disappointed, that's your problem."

[lockestheway]

Peter just snorted derisively. "Whatever."

[arsenicmauls]

She eyed him for a minute, hostility warring with... well, attraction, okay. Shut up.

"What is the deal with the pants, then?"

[lockestheway]

"They're pants," Peter said, sighing up at the ceiling. "That's the deal."

[arsenicmauls]

"They're an interesting fashion choice," she noted. Redundantly.

[lockestheway]

"Thanks," Peter said, bored. He glanced briefly at her. "Feel free to keep looking."