InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "The Ginger Beer Trick."

Peter Petrelli (thegoodbrother) wrote in colligo_threads,
@ 2009-08-10 18:35:00

Entry tags:

!closed, chris halliwell, peter petrelli

WHO: Peter Petrelli and Chris Halliwell.
WHAT: The Petrelli family really needs to stop having genderswapped mornings after. It gets worse from there.
WHEN: Morning when everything goes back to normal.
WHERE: Peter's room.
RATING: TBD.
STATUS: In progress.

Last night had been great. The all-important Third Date with Chris. Things had progressed as one might expect, and they had ended up in bed together. Of course, that was when things had gone back to normal. Peter woke up with a headache, not sure where it came from. For a second, he was confused, then it all hit him again. For a few weeks he had been different. He'd been from a reality where Claire had been raised by Nathan...where Gabriel was his brother. A reality where he'd been...happy. Where he hadn't felt so overwhelmed by everything and hadn't had the issues with his brother or the confidence issues he had here. A reality where he had...

Oh damn it. He turned and, sure enough, Chris was asleep in his bed. Naked. Chris, his very male whitelighter. Well, this was definitely going to make things awkward. He turned back over with a groan and covered his head with his pillow.

"I hate my life."

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thegoodbrother
2009-08-11 03:41 am UTC (link)

"You kind of are," Peter said, resisting the urge to roll his eyes. "But then...your default setting seems to be uptight and freaking out." What? It was true. He'd never seen this Chris relax and just calm down about things. The girl version, at least, had known how to have fun. Which was probably why the brain damaged version of him had liked her. "Look...them having sex doesn't make you any less heterosexual...or whatever." Damn it. He wasn't a therapist. Someone else would be better at this than he was. He brought his hand up to the side of his head. This whole situation was just giving him a headache. "I'm just saying...you don't need to freak out and this doesn't need to affect us at all...I mean...it's not like I'm going to quit being your charge because of one horribly awkward moment brought on by a foray into alternate realities."

"Good," Peter said. "You should probably go put on something first." Of course, Chris said basically the same thing at the same time. "Yeah. I'll meet you in the kitchen." Because he was at least getting cereal for this conversation. He watched Chris orb out of the room, wondering why the other man had taken the time to steal one of his shirts if he was just going to orb to his room for clothes anyway. He shook his head, deciding not to try and contemplate rational logic when it came to Chris.

Not that Chris wearing his shirt was a bad thing...not that it was a good thing either. He groaned in frustration, deciding that maybe he'd gone crazy. Because he was now thinking about how Chris hadn't looked bad naked...and coming to the rather disturbing realization that most of the things he'd liked about female Chris were traits male Chris possessed. And that was quite enough of that train of thought. Because good qualities aside, Chris was an uptight jerk. And he should really just go get some cereal before he contemplated this any more. He went into the kitchen, pouring a bowl of Frosted Flakes and adding milk, sitting on the counter and eating them. There. That was better.

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notunreasonable
2009-08-11 04:03 am UTC (link)

"If I need someone to tell me when I'm freaking out, you'll be the last person I ask." Where did Peter get off? He didn't know him. Yeah, sure, maybe he tended to be a little uptight. All in good reasons. Most of his adult life involved fighting his brother, loosing the woman he loved, and dealing with sisters that wouldn't listen and tended to do things their own way, screwing the consequences. Sure he'd come from the same genetic pool as they did and had those same tendencies, but that didn't mean he liked to but head with those tendencies when things needed to get done. Just because he obviously didn't like Peter and hadn't wanted the responsibility of him as a charge, or anyone as a charge for that matter, didn't mean he was uptight. It just meant he was tired of being needed and being responsible, and that he just wanted a break. Oh, and that he was cautious.

As Peter continued to talk, Chris gave him a look that clearly said to shut up he wasn't helping matters in making Chris not think that Peter was a complete and utter moron. "I know it doesn't." And he did. He wasn't the one who had sex with any version of Peter. Chris wondered where along there aquaintance did Peter believe that something not making Peter change his mind about being his charge was a good thing. Just because female him had been fine with it, didn'tt mean that he was. For someone who seemed to be able to seperate the meaning of the sex between their versions, he was having difficulties seperating everything else. However, for some reason, Chris just didn'tt comment on it.

Finding a pants and a shirt, Chris removed Peter's and walked into the kitchen with it folded. "Here." Was all he said, before placing on the counter closest to Peter. He gave Peter a pointed look and didn't say anything. Oh, Chris could be a slob like the best of them, when he had to be. However, this version of him had been raised by Piper Halliwell for fourteen years and he'd been her whitelighter for a year as an adult. No where was sitting on the counter alright in his mind, "The chairs are over there." Chris said, sardonically. Even turning slightly to gesture towards said chairs before turning back to grab himself a bowl. "Use them."

Pouring himself some cereal, Chris walked over to said chairs and sat. He wouldn't have had a problem of leaning against the counter. But hey. There was a point to make. As he sat, taking a bite, they were in silence and Chris watched Peter for a moment. His mind flitting towards starting with a neutral topic, despite himself, he was sort of concerned about Peter's headache. Was it an after affect? Nevertheless, he went the direct approach. Which he was wont to do when he felt he was being pressed. "So?" He asked, a strange mixture of hostility and nonchalance that only Christopher Perry Halliwell could pull of with style. "What did you want to talk about?" In Chris' mind Peter had said what needed to be said. It was their alter-selves and not the who'd had sex. So long as Peter didn't start feeling what his alter self had, Chris-despite what was thought of him-could handle not freaking out.

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thegoodbrother
2009-08-11 05:04 am UTC (link)

"Because you're oh so complex and hard to read," Peter said, incredibly frustrated with the younger man. Sometimes, it was really hard to believe that Chris was four years younger than him. The man really didn't know how to let go of things. And, coming from Peter, that was saying a lot. He'd been through just as much shit as Chris had, but he hadn't let it turn him into an utter dick with no personality. No, that was Nathan's response to life. Okay, that wasn't entirely fair, but his brother had been a real jerk lately.

"Good," he said, and he knew it probably sounded like an inane response, but he really didn't care. What was he supposed to say to that. Good for you, knowing things? No, that would definitely be condescending...and probably something Chris would say, to be honest. What bothered him wasn't the sex, it was the way his alternate self and Chris's had somehow managed a friendship, where he and his own Chris could barely manage civility. Not that Chris was his. Okay, enough of that train of thought. His brain was seriously being weird today.

He ignored Chris, mainly because Chris wasn't his mother, and continued eating his cereal, telekenetically tossing his shirt into his room. And, okay, maybe he'd done it with a little more force than necessary, but he was annoyed with his roommate and his head was killing him. When had he thought this was a good idea? Oh right...it had been when his roommate had been really decidedly creepy. He missed those days. "I can see the chairs," he said. "Again, quit being so damn uptight. You aren't my mother and you don't need to act like it." He looked over at Chris, fighting the urge to toss an apple from the fruit bowl at his head, because that would be really immature. "Have you ever actually acted your age? I mean, you're what...four...five years younger than me? I mean, you can't be older than twenty-three."

"I did want to talk about what happened during...whatever was going on," he said, "but I'm beginning to think that's not the best idea." Considering you're being more of dick than usual...which has to be a real achievement. Oh shit. He'd just said that, hadn't he? He'd meant to just think it, but he had actually said it. Shit. He blamed the headache.

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notunreasonable
2009-08-11 06:04 am UTC (link)

Chris didn't respond to Peter's words. He could fall into an argument easily enough yet he just wasn't in the mood for it. And he was concerned for the other man. An argument would exacerbate Peter's headache.

So went about doing his business as he had planned to, ignoring the parting shot of good.

Chris wasn't the only one good at ignoring and he watched, with a slight glare as Peter continued to eat cereal while sitting on the counter. Why had he agreed to let Peter become his roommate? He didn't even remember anymore. He should have just left him suffer with his former roommate and save himself all of this trouble. They were going to have to set some ground rules. Not sitting on the counter was one of them. Chris was fine with respecting whatever rules Peter would set, especially if it meant not having to always clash with the other male. Or not deal with him more than he had to. Chris supposed that he should try to make more of a friendly effort. In fact he had been considering it before the change happened. And their alternate selves had gotten along ... too well. But they had. With a sigh, Chris considered it, as he took more cereal into the spoon. Consideration was cut short because Peter just had to open his mouth. Though irritation was once again the main emotion, there was a bit of shock there too. He had never really considered Peter's age. Thinking the charge to be the same age, mainly because Chris actually hadn't wanted to be insulting and assigning Peter an age younger because of tha naivity that he wore like cologne and was stamped on his forehead. "I'm twenty-three." Chris almost bit out but reminded himself, that he was going to try. He could and would try.

"You know what?" Chris had just sat there for a moment and stared at Peter. So maybe he was being a dick? But he'd warned Peter but the other man had insisted. Insisted that he be his whitelighter. Insisted they become roommates. Hell, his other self had insisted that they go on second date! "No one asked you to put up with me. If I bother you that much than find yourself another roommate. You're the one wanted all of this. I didn't ask for any of it. I don't need more responsiblities." Which wasn't exactly true, yeah he was tired but Chris thrived when he was protecting someone, having something to do. He was just taking out all his frustrations of the universe out on Peter and while it wasn't fair, he wasn't ready to accept that. His could hold a grudge like no one's business and misplaced emotions were transferring that grudge. Standing up, barely finishing his cereal he slammed the bowl onto the counter. "You're just a job, a responsiblity. I don't need to relax or prove that I can have fun around you." He had been going to say those words earlier, but had stopped himself. Finding the too cruel but he was just irritated at Peter's nitpicking at his character. Now and always. He'd freaked out. Maybe. Fine. So he was uptight? What did it matter? Did he have to make having such a personality trait was a character assassination? The wouldn't become better if he smiled more, or relaxed more. Maybe he didn't know how or he wasn't comfortable enough to want to. Or didn't trust that this wouldn't change on him too. That he wouldn't lose this. Paige, Billie, ... hell, even Kathy and ... Peter. But God, of course not. He was horrible and he was a dick, and Peter kept whining about it. So Chris snapped and gave him what he wanted.

And felt like an ass about it.

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thegoodbrother
2009-08-11 07:11 am UTC (link)

"Twenty-seven," Peter replied as he finished his cereal and began to wash up. He didn't know why he was even bothering. Chris was completely impossible. He actually missed the female version because she could go a whole hour without making people want to punch her. This version could barely go five minutes. On a good day. He knew people thought he was younger than that, but he didn't much care. He'd been through enough in his life that he didn't bother being serious all the time. He needed time to decompress or it would all be too much. If Chris couldn't understand that, it wasn't his problem. Of course, that didn't stop him from flinching almost imperceptibly as Chris spoke again. "I asked for it! You're the one who brought up the whole whitelighter and charge bullshit, which I have a hard time believing...because the idea of you giving a shit about another person is laughable at best. You're a complete bastard who doesn't care about anyone but yourself. If I'm just a job, then you can quit. Because I don't need you." He wouldn't admit that Chris's words had hurt. He brought his hand up to his head again, trying to will away the splitting headache that had been building, and leaned against the counter. "You can just go fuck yourself."

He walked off, and if he was a little unsteady on his feet, he didn't notice. He just needed to get the hell out of there before he said something he regretted. And maybe go see Claire or Adam about whatever was wrong with his head. As he opened the door and stepped out of the apartment, he was suddenly overwhelmed. Suddenly the familiarity of the pain he'd been feeling clicked into place. Apparently he hadn't entirely gone back to normal. His power had been reset. And now he was in the middle of a floor with several Specials, one of whom was Gabriel, and more abilities than he should take in at once. It felt like he was suffocating for a moment and he grabbed onto the doorframe, going pale and holding his head with his other hand, to keep from collapsing. Electricity crackled along his skin and the thoughts of people in the building were suddenly overwhelming, as powers that his body was familiar with came more easily than ones he'd never encountered. Finally, he collapsed to the floor, unconscious and not breathing.

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