"Yeah. Dunno his story, 'cause that's not the kind of shit we talk about, but he's the youngest of us. Always figured he got ditched for being born freaky, until the boss or Mystique found him." It was a common enough scenario for the more obvious mutants.
His heart leaps oddly in his chest, and his cheeks color despite everything.
"Nah. We were... the guys doing the dirty work. Cannon fodder. That was the whole point of having us around, as far as those assholes were concerned. The other guys were too desperate to say no - not when it meant they were out on the streets."
He lets his fingers brush Harry's hand, before pulling away again, uncertain. "You couldn't have done anything."
"You wouldn't have been my canon fodder," Harry says gently. "I've seen young men like you in that state. Not with your powers, nobody's got that back home. But boys who'd do whatever they were told just to keep off the streets, or the cells, or the fucking river. No matter how ugly. Because they were different - whatever form that took. It weren't right to them and it ain't right on you."
"You ain't a disappointment to me," Harry murmurs. "And no worthwhile friend of yours should be taking this as a chance to shake their heads and tut about how they thought better of you. You made a mistake, and it's eating at you. That's punishment enough."
"Most of my friends should know better. Not the first time I've done this kind of thing. Probably won't be the last." Because things keep coming around that drag him right back into these scenarios.
"Gotta admit, I don't really get you, Harry. Kind of okay with that, though. Thanks."
"This place has a thing about punishing people for doing what they have to to survive, huh."
He knows by now that there's probably more to the story, but he doesn't need to hear it. Even most of the wardens have done terrible things. And the ones that haven't tend to be annoyingly optimistic.
Pietro lets him pour the alcohol gratefully. "No shit. I don't really care if I'm here, I guess. But I mean, you've got people like Shiro-" Shiro. His stomach flips the moment he realizes he has no idea where she is.
He needs to call her. Soon. The idea that she might've been injured in all this...
...when he's done here. As soon as he's done here. He shifts in his seat a little. "Sorry, man. That has to sting, and I don't mean the gunshot."
Even Pietro, as skilled at denial as he is, can't keep ignoring the growing something between them. He ducks his head, more out of embarrassment than an attempt to avoid Harry's hand.
"I... wouldn't blame you, man. If you were. Relationship stuff always seems more complicated than it's worth." But he's not as dismissive of the whole idea as he used to be.
"It is. It's a fucking mess, Pietro, always is," he says, easily. "Even when it's going good, it's a mess. Trick is to find someone who's worth the mess. Who makes it so however scared you are of being hurt, or messed about, even when it's happened a hundred times before - you'll still be work 'em. Because they're worth the chance."
He says it, every word, watching Pietro intently. Barely blinking.
Pietro already has so much whirling around in his head right now. He's shaky from adrenaline, queasy with guilt, and it's making the alcohol hit harder than usual. He should evade, brush it off, play dumb. Because as soon as they cross that line, there's no going back to this comfortable... whatever it is they have.
He downs his glass in one go, not quite looking at Harry.
"So, uh. Me, huh." The question is out before he can stop it. Even though he suspects he knows the answer.
"Kind of already answered the question there, huh." He rubs his arm, not looking upset exactly. Overwhelmed is a better word for it.
"Guess I'm not surprised." And he isn't, oddly. Even if he hasn't admitted it out loud to himself, even if he hasn't let himself dwell on it, the evidence all lines up. "I just didn't- most people here still treat me like a kid." But Harry never has.
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timeasmymeasure
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Date: 2016-01-29 03:25 pm (UTC)Todd's just a dumb kid. They all are.
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Date: 2016-01-29 03:33 pm (UTC)This is loud in Harry's mind, but he doesn't say it.
"He like you? Mutant?"
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Date: 2016-01-29 03:41 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-01-29 11:10 pm (UTC)"Yeah?"
He touches Pietro's hair lightly, brushing back a few stray strands.
"Could've taken better care of you both, couldn't they. If I had someone like you to look out for, you wouldn't have ended up in this shithole."
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Date: 2016-01-30 07:43 pm (UTC)"Nah. We were... the guys doing the dirty work. Cannon fodder. That was the whole point of having us around, as far as those assholes were concerned. The other guys were too desperate to say no - not when it meant they were out on the streets."
He lets his fingers brush Harry's hand, before pulling away again, uncertain. "You couldn't have done anything."
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Date: 2016-01-30 07:54 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-01-30 08:35 pm (UTC)And that's the rub, really. It's his father running the show, and there's no one he wants validation from more in the world. Maybe all the worlds.
"Shit, man. You don't want to hear this crap."
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Date: 2016-01-30 08:37 pm (UTC)Harry wraps an arm around his shoulders, gives a companionable squeeze.
"You ain't got nobody else to talk to right now, do you?"
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Date: 2016-01-31 09:05 pm (UTC)At least Harry isn't lecturing. But he misses Anya, more than he has since she first went into the coma.
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Date: 2016-01-31 09:13 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-01-31 10:14 pm (UTC)"Gotta admit, I don't really get you, Harry. Kind of okay with that, though. Thanks."
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Date: 2016-01-31 10:24 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-02-01 06:56 pm (UTC)Happened more here, lately. Until they figure this most recent disaster out.
"How'd you wind up here, anyway?"
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Date: 2016-02-01 07:03 pm (UTC)"You asking me how I died?"
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Date: 2016-02-02 07:40 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-02-02 08:02 am (UTC)Harry shrugs, nonchalant.
"I worked in a shady business with some shady people, I'm afraid. Only way to make it in business, the time and place I'm from."
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Date: 2016-02-02 11:04 am (UTC)He knows by now that there's probably more to the story, but he doesn't need to hear it. Even most of the wardens have done terrible things. And the ones that haven't tend to be annoyingly optimistic.
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Date: 2016-02-02 11:09 am (UTC)"This place has a thing about punishing everyone," Harry mutters.
He drains his glass and offers Pietro a top-up.
"...I was shot, incidentally. Not because of the job - my boyfriend. Took exception that I caught him playing away."
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Date: 2016-02-04 07:18 pm (UTC)He needs to call her. Soon. The idea that she might've been injured in all this...
...when he's done here. As soon as he's done here. He shifts in his seat a little. "Sorry, man. That has to sting, and I don't mean the gunshot."
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Date: 2016-02-04 07:50 pm (UTC)Harry scoffs lightly at the non-pun.
"It's alright. It did, but...well, nothing to be done about it now, is there. Thought I'd be done with all that by the time I got here, but...."
He stares at Pietro for a moment and then trails off, sweeps a hand over his hair.
"Mm. Never mind, eh."
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Date: 2016-02-05 04:52 pm (UTC)"I... wouldn't blame you, man. If you were. Relationship stuff always seems more complicated than it's worth." But he's not as dismissive of the whole idea as he used to be.
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Date: 2016-02-05 05:22 pm (UTC)He says it, every word, watching Pietro intently. Barely blinking.
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Date: 2016-02-05 06:43 pm (UTC)He downs his glass in one go, not quite looking at Harry.
"So, uh. Me, huh." The question is out before he can stop it. Even though he suspects he knows the answer.
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Date: 2016-02-05 06:53 pm (UTC)"Could tell a little fib, if you don't want to hear it."
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Date: 2016-02-05 09:18 pm (UTC)"Guess I'm not surprised." And he isn't, oddly. Even if he hasn't admitted it out loud to himself, even if he hasn't let himself dwell on it, the evidence all lines up. "I just didn't- most people here still treat me like a kid." But Harry never has.
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