InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "You need a shower!"

Fabian Prewett (weeprewett) wrote in waddiwasi,
@ 2009-10-04 21:51:00

Entry tags:

character: fabian prewett, character: peter pettigrew

WHO: Peter and Fabian
WHAT: A (likely awkward) talk
WHEN: Sunday afternoon
WHERE: The Leaky Cauldron
RATING: Uncomfortable
STATUS: Complete

Fabian wasn't sure this was such a good idea. He and Peter had mostly been avoiding each other since Peter's unsettling note in Fabian's journal. It hadn't been hard; neither was a terribly outgoing person to begin with, and neither had really spent much time with the other before the incident.

Still, there were Order meetings, and patrols, and other obligations, and eventually Fabian had decided that any elephants in the room would be too much to deal with under other circumstances. Peter was hardly the only Order member Fabian didn't always get along with, but with the others the issues were clear and it was easy enough to work together if they had to. With Peter, there was just awkwardness and silence.

So he'd asked to talk to him. He had no idea what he was going to say, but even asking, Fabian realized, was a big step. The Leaky Cauldron was a neutral enough place, and lunchtime was busy. He wasn't sure if he'd made the right choice on that call, but it was too late to change that now.

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mouseyjudas
2009-10-05 04:23 pm UTC (link)

Peter didn't want to meet with Fabian. He didn't even want to talk to the guy and had been avoiding interaction in every situation up to this point. The thing of it was that he knew they'd have to talk and when he found his journal again in time to see that one entry, he couldn't let it go. Maybe Fabian finally believed what he knew.

The important part was to know if he was going to be walking into a fight or just an awkwardly civil conversation. Though he expected the latter, Fabian had been spending time with Sirius. He wouldn't know unless he scoped things out first. Another rat wandering around the Leaky Cauldron wouldn't make a big stink and his fur did help him blend into the woodwork - so to speak.

After getting there early and ducking behind a corner to change unnoticed, Wormtail waited for Fabian to arrive. He figured it wouldn't be hard following someone to the bathroom so he could change back once he saw Fabian's demeanour.

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weeprewett
2009-10-05 11:28 pm UTC (link)

Fabian took a seat at one of the booths, and ordered a cup of tea and waited to meet Peter. This is a bad idea, he thought for the dozenth time. He didn't like confrontations and he didn't like conflicts; he did his best to avoid them whenever possible. It was unusual for him to confront this head-on, but it needed to happen.

Within moments his tea was there, and he sat slowly dipping the bag in and out, not yet drinking it. He sighed. Maybe Peter wouldn't come, and then he wouldn't have to worry about it. For today, at least.

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mouseyjudas
2009-10-06 01:11 am UTC (link)

Peter watched Fabian order tea and decided he looked like he wasn't about to start a fight. What bloke in his right mind would order tea before a fight, honestly? If anything he only looked discontent and that was enough for Peter.

After scurrying along the wall and into the bathroom, Wormtail waited for the other person to leave before changing back. He washed his hands and rubbed them a few times before leaving the washroom and heading directly for Fabian. He cleared his throat and looked around a bit as he sat across the booth from Fabian, then ordered what he was drinking. "So...? I'm here. You wanted to talk..."

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	weeprewett 2009-10-06 01:16 am UTC (link)
	Fabian looked up when Peter joined him, but didn't rise or really greet him. He shifted in his seat uncomfortably as Peter began to speak. "Look, I mean, I guess you probably know what this is about..." he trailed off, not meeting the other man's eye. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	mouseyjudas 2009-10-06 01:39 am UTC (link)
	"This is about you not believing me." Peter took a sip of the tea and made a face as he decided to let the bag steep longer. "What, you believe I know what I was talking about now?" He didn't look at Fabian either and was fixated on the table. There was an interesting groove in the wood he could make deeper if he nudged it with his nail... (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

weeprewett
2009-10-06 01:54 am UTC (link)

"I just..." Fabian trailed off. He hadn't disbelieved Peter, really; he just hadn't been ready to talk about it. Or able to. He'd just been so caught off guard that lying was easier. "There's this elephant in the room with us and ...

"Alright, really, I just didn't want to talk about it. I never thought you didn't know what you were talking about. I just didn't want to admit it."

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mouseyjudas
2009-10-06 03:37 am UTC (link)

"So admit it." Again Peter wasn't looking at him, and now he was nudging the groove with his nail. His expression was disgust that the groove was there but he was making it deeper - even though he was merely focusing his emotions on the table instead of Fabian. Somehow that was easier. His voice took on a dark quality as he lowered it. "You know I know about you and Sirius."

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	weeprewett 2009-10-06 03:44 am UTC (link)
	Peter's determination and tone worried Fabian. He felt his pulse pick up, though, refused to change his expression. He slowly closed and re-opened his eyes before speaking, looking up to try and meet Peter's eye should it be offered. He spoke in low, even tones. "I know you know about me and Sirius." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	mouseyjudas 2009-10-06 06:13 am UTC (link)
	Peter glanced up when he admitted it, but looked back at the table almost immediately. "So now what?" He shrugged and wondered about the next move himself. The tea became the new topic of attention as he brought the cup to his lips and drank. He didn't like the idea, but he didn't know what to do about it. It didn't seem right to say, don't do it anymore. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

weeprewett
2009-10-06 11:30 am UTC (link)

Fabian frowned. He wasn't sure now what, actually. That was about all he'd had to say, really. "I don't know," he admitted. "I just thought I should actually say it."

He'd hoped that, after it was said, the awkwardness would lighten a bit, but it didn't seem to be. In fact, if anything it was more uncomfortable. Peter still didn't look at him, and his tone hadn't really changed. This had been a bad idea, Fabian decided. It hadn't changed a thing.

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mouseyjudas
2009-10-06 05:56 pm UTC (link)

"I sure as hell hope you're not looking for my approval or anything." It was the most he could muster of an opinion on how he really felt and his fingernail sharply dug at the groove.

Peter didn't know what to say or what to think. He hadn't told anyone - not even Remus or James, and they were his best friends. He still didn't know what he was doing there talking to Fabian about it without a plan of some sort, but then he wasn't one for planning much.

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weeprewett
2009-10-06 10:33 pm UTC (link)

Fabian cast his eyes downward sharply. Approval was something he'd wanted. He'd not told anyone else about him and Sirius--not even Gideon--and approval was something he'd certainly wanted before risking telling anyone. Of course, Peter had sort of forced the situation by bringing anything up--at least, Fabian tried to tell himself that was the case.

Really, he realized now, Peter was a test. How would others react? So far, the test was going really badly. "I...guess not," he intoned slowly. "I just thought you deserved the truth, when I didn't offer it right away."

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	mouseyjudas 2009-10-07 03:15 am UTC (link)
	"I knew the truth when I saw it." Peter shook his head and finished his tea. Lunchtime or not, it was time for a pint and that's what he ordered. He wasn't going to tell Fabian when he saw because that would mean telling him he was an illegal animagus. That definitely wasn't happening. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	weeprewett 2009-10-07 03:29 am UTC (link)
	"Look," Fabian said, a hint of crossness in his voice, "It's an olive branch. I'm trying to admit I made a mistake not being honest right away, and trying to move forward. All right?" Now he was looking back at Peter, who still didn't seem to match his gaze. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

mouseyjudas
2009-10-07 04:18 pm UTC (link)

Peter waited for his pint to arrive before bothering to respond. He took a drink then looked at Fabian. "So what is your next move forward?" His look was practically defiant as though expecting Fabian to say that he was going to take Sirius away from him. Peter already felt like they weren't as close as they used to be and yes, part of him blamed Fabian. "Trying to be my best mate or something?"

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	weeprewett 2009-10-08 02:44 am UTC (link)
	"Apparently not." Fabian scowled. "Look, I mean, I get that you're good friends with Sirius, and you have been for a long time. I don't think it'd be a terrible thing if you and I at least tried to get along. For his sake, if nothing else." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	mouseyjudas 2009-10-08 02:32 pm UTC (link)
	"Best friends," Peter hissed as he glared. "You don't know anything about him!" He clutched his pint, knuckles whitening as he restrained himself from getting too loud or standing up. "I've known him since first year when we were sorted and we've been through a lot more than you..." Peter stopped himself there or he would have let out secrets and he knew it. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

weeprewett
2009-10-08 10:46 pm UTC (link)

Fabian was startled by Peter's near outburst. He glanced around the place, but no one else seemed to have noticed anything. Good. He watched Peter closely, trying to figure out what prompted that reaction. "Are you always like this when your friends start seeing somebody?" he asked, accusing. "Hell, when James and Lily got married you must've been a mess. Just because they add somebody else to their life doesn't mean they're cutting you out. Damn."

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mouseyjudas
2009-10-09 02:16 am UTC (link)

Peter slammed down the pint. "Watch yourself, Prewett. James and Lily are perfect for each other and you still don't know what you're talking about!"

He wanted to hit him or hex him or throw the pint at him, but he wasn't going to create a scene. Instead he snorted and drank his pint as quickly as he could in the hopes that it would help calm him down or something. It took him a bit but he finally drained the glass and stood up; the beer hadn't kicked in yet. Peter threw some money on the table and glared at Fabian. "Damn you for thinking you're anything special! I can't wait to see when he realises you're just a passing fad." With that bit of venom, he turned to leave.

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weeprewett
2009-10-09 03:15 am UTC (link)

Fabian was very near cursing at--or just plain cursing--Peter, but he restrained himself. He let Peter leave without another word to him. Nothing he could say now would help anything, and though it took great restraint he knew if he did anything stupid now it would just make it worse.

Besides, Peter's words had cut. He'd not let on to the other man that he'd touched a nerve, but he had. It had been four months with Sirius, now, but Fabian still worried from time to time that Sirius would get bored and move on. The thought had come up less frequently as the weeks went on, but Peter's statement made it resurface in a big way.

He wanted to go home. He wanted to pet his dog and forget this whole, stupid thing.

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