myresponsibility | 026 | VIDEO & SPAM

[Although there is a tiny bit of shaky cam going on, Peter has messed around with this thing enough before to know what to do with it (more or less, anyway) so the camera settles on his face pretty quickly.

He looks puzzled and maybe a little concerned, but not really afraid. Not yet, anyway.]

How come there are so many grown ups now? Did the other kids get to go home? How come I didn't?

[Open Spam]

[It's weird, to see how some people are still here but so much older than he remembers them being a few days ago. There are a lot of new people too, and he regards them with some amount of caution because he knows better than to talk to strangers here, especially because he knows people get hurt even if there's magic on board to fix them.

He sort of wants to find the doctor who used magic and ask him how he fixed James yesterday, but he can't seem to find him anywhere.

So he tries to mostly stay out of people's way, and not ask too many annoying questions or make faces when he hears them swear. He doesn't care if people think he's a big kid - he's five, and he knows he's not supposed to use those words, but he can still try not to make people like Chris annoyed when he looks at them funny for saying it.

Peter can be found in the dining hall quietly getting food like the weirdly self sufficient little freak that he is, examining the televisions in the common rooms, cautiously bouncing a basketball in the gym, and basically anywhere a five year old can get on the Barge without getting into too much horrible trouble.

Hopefully.]

[Spam for Bond]

[There's a good chance someone might not even realize there's anything different about the common room on the sixth floor after Chris and Bond are long gone from the hallway. Everything looks more or less the same, nothing's out of place, nothing's really been added to it. It's just a common room on the Barge.

Except there is currently a small child tucked behind the television set in as tight a ball as he possibly can, trembling and sniffling with his face pressed against his knees. It's a quiet noise, but someone who's paying attention will be able to hear it.

Not that Peter particularly wants anyone to, and he's desperately trying to contain it because he doesn't want anyone else to find him, to be grabbed and dragged and shaken and told he's going to die.

The fun of being here has totally worn off.]

[ooc: responses will come from

theitsybitsyspider!]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

No. [But he smiles, like Bond is being silly.] I didn't go anywhere!

[And the camera feed gets a little shaky again as he runs over to the door and pulls it open, peering out into the hallway.] Where are you?

Coming down the stairs now.

[And a second later he's in the hall way, pocketing his communicator when he sees Peter. He even smiles, though he doesn't go so far as to wave.]

Hello there.

Hi! [And he's taking a moment to look up and appreciate the fact that you've grown like, two whole feet since he saw him last. Which was yesterday, as far as he remembers.]

You got really tall! How come you're different?

I was affected by a flood. [Shit tiny peter, do you know what a flood is. 8(]

It made me younger. The...magic, here. [It sounds so stupid, but he manages only to pinch the corners of his mouth instead of pulling a face.]

[He nods and considers this for a moment, biting his lip.]

Is that why most of the people are grown up now? [He's not... especially troubled by the idea that most of the people here might have been kids yesterday, and now they're not. But.] Why aren't I grown up?

Another - more magic.

But you're going to be very tall. [Dryly:] Taller than me, even. [You bastard.]

No way, [He laughs, like he seriously thinks James is just kidding.]

You're also not as grumpy, now. Sorry.

[He smiles wryly, bends down to pick Peter up and settle him on his shoulder.] It's the truth. You're this tall. [Well not quite, but.]

I was very grumpy, then. [Angry. He was angry.]

[Peter laughs again and settles comfortably from his new perch. His dad used to carry him like this when they'd gone to the zoo and he'd been too tired to walk all the way back to the car. He's not tired now, but it's still fun to be so high up off the ground.

He nods solemnly even though James won't be able to see it. He obviously hadn't minded the grumpiness - he'd followed him around anyway and checked up on him after he'd gotten hurt.]

It's okay. I miss my mom and dad, too.

[He hates this flood.

Patting Peter's shins, where he's rested his hand to keep the boy in balance, James nods.] But I imagine your aunt and uncle are all right.

[Screw you, Peter loves this flood. Mostly.]

I think so. You should meet them. They're very nice.

I'm sure we'd get along very well. Better than I did with my aunt, I'd bet.

Why don't you get along with yours?

She wasn't very good with children. But I didn't make it very easy for her.

[He's quiet for a moment, thinks about how best to answer. It's hard to imagine living with someone who doesn't know what to do with him, or what he likes and doesn't like. He's definitely met adults who aren't good with kids before, and the idea of living with one forever is genuinely sad.]

I'm sorry.

That's all right. [He pats Peter's knee, starts down the hall for his room. He's fairly certain he can at least make a grilled cheese. Kids like that, don't they?]

I went to a boarding school. Do you know what that is?

[He will eat whatever, although he might appreciate you not attempting a meatloaf if that's cool with you.]

Like in Harry Potter? [It's his only real exposure to the concept at age five. u__u]

[How do you even make a meatloaf

why would you make a meatloaf

just go out to an expensive restaurant and get prime rib, okay petey]

Yes, actually. [Without the magic and shit but.] There are a few like that in the United Kingdoms.

[Look, all he's saying is don't come over and meet his aunt and uncle on meatloaf night.

Trust him on this.]

Was it nice? [He knows you don't do magic, but he's still curious.]

[He will never eat a meatloaf in his life 8(]

Sometimes. It got better as I got older.

How come? Did you make friends?

[This is important to him, his one friend he doesn't get to see that much anymore. B(]

Yes. [Sort of.] I went out for the track team as well. Things became much easier.

Oh. [He's happy to hear that, really, but kids have a way of blurting out things that are only vaguely related to the matter at hand, so.]

I'm not so good at sports.

That's all right. [Bond lets him twist the conversation: it's not like he has any idea how to speak to children, not really.]

Maybe you will be, one day. I've a feeling you might.

Why? Does tall-me not talk about it?

[IS HE SECRETLY A STAR PLAYER FOR THE METS, TELL HIM DAMMIT.]

... Do I find out why my parents had to go?

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