hadriel | [text]

Yeah, well. Better the two of you together than either of you alone, okay? God. And I don't fight without teeth and claws, so there's that.

[peter has the audacity to scoff.]

You being blond isn't a secret.

[but he quickly sobers.]

People can't find out about what I am. It's...most people have heard of werewolves, and what they've heard is wrong because pop culture is dumb, but that's not going to stop them from trying to fuck me up. Werewolves are monsters, and monsters are for killing.

Still.

(He gives Peter another look. Because honestly.)

No, it isn't.

(And so does Newt. He pays close attention to everything Peter tells him and then he reaches out and slides his hand across the table until the side of his finger is touching the side of Peter's. Then he lightly curves his hand over the back of Peter before giving a soft squeeze.)

Peter, I'd never do anything that would endanger your life.

(He promises him sincerely, seriously, and then slides his hand away from Peter's, withdrawing it across the table. He leans back into his chair and crosses his arms over his chest.)

I understand, you know? I am technically a monster- or will become one- and I wouldn't let anyone see you that way. I don't want you hurt.

[peter doesn't expect newt to reach out and touch him. he doesn't expect a promise, doesn't expect any of it. he doesn't know what to do with it, either, this weird kindness that comes after having to state something that has always been obvious.

sometimes, peter just doesn't know what to do with newt in general.]

You aren't a monster. You have a disease. Maybe it will make you act like a monster, but you, the person that is Newt, will never be a monster. That'll always be some sick shit fucking with your brain. I've seen monsters. There's a difference.

(Yeah well, similarly enough Newt rarely knows how to handle Peter so then it's a mutual perplexity.

He smiles a little bit at Peter, his eyes darkening for just a moment before he shakes his head. He grabs one of the cookies and dunks it into the milk, holding it there.)

It doesn't matter about me.... All I'm saying is you're definitely not a monster. And I'll keep you safe.

(Because talking about his disease wasn't the point, hadn't been the point, but Peter's words stick with him regardless. His eyes are a bit far-off but he's sincere as ever with Peter.)

I'm definitely calling you Pup in private though.

[he doesn't want to talk about it. not about his lycanthropy or newt's disease, their mutual monsterhood or their mutual confusion over how to deal with the other. it's too much thinking, too serious, too real in a way that they don't have to be real yet. so he dunks the other half of his cookie in his milk with a put-upon sigh, skipping over the first part in favor of the second.]

Fine, fine. But if you slip in public I'm going to call you kittentits forever. You will never hear your name pass my lips again.

(Newt doesn't mind but he doesn't want to talk about his disease and if Peter doesn't want to talk about being a werewolf then he supposes that's that. As for how to deal with the other- Newt mostly just steadily ignores that on a subconscious level.

He bites into his cookie and grins around his cookie.)

You can call me kitten if you want.

(He winks at Peter even, grin turning into a smirk and he doesn't really know where it comes from but it felt pretty rock solid to do.)

I already don't hear my name from your lips.

You really shouldn't tempt me like that, blondie. I've owned a lot of cats in my time and you definitely are one.

[and then newt goes and makes it dirty, but peter only gets the very beginnings of a blush in before he thankfully changes the subject, sorta.]

Wow, I just said it. Way to pay attention, kitten.

I've never met a cat before so I honestly wouldn't know.

(He folds his arms up over the table and drops his head down against his arm, reaching his hand over for another cookie.)

Yeah, see, that's not how you start. Say it with me. N-E-W-T. Newt.

Take my word for it. Total cat.

[peter squints and tilts his head toward newt.]

What was that? N-E-W-T-Kitten? Sounded like you said kitten to me. Yep, I've definitely got it now.

All right then, Pup. Dog and cat we are then.

(He snickers a bit and then sits himself back up. Despite what Peter just said, Newt is still grinning.)

Wrong animal, darling.

(The name pops out and he looks a bit surprised at himself but then is instantly smiling again something vicious.)

Darling. My darling, sweet roommate.

Gross.

[peter pushes newt back two fingertips to the middle of the forehead.]

If you're going to start with darling and sweet you can't finish with roommate, honeybunch.

Gross.

(He laughs, bright and loud when Peter suddenly pushes Newt back. He smacks at his hand.)

Then what do I finish with it, baby?

(His head gets dropped down into his palm and he preens.)

Biscuit? Sunshine? Pet?

[smacking at peter's hand just results in more attempts at forehead poking.]

None of the above. Inappropriate pet names for a roommate, all of them, pumpkin.

(Which results in more smacking away of the hand. Except this time he grabs at Peter's hand to shove it away.)

Says you of all people. King of pet names.

That just means I know how to properly classify them, kitten. 'Baby' is not a nickname for anybody whose pants you aren't trying to get into. In the sexy way, not in the 'my pants are all dirty so I'll borrow Peter's and walk around with my ankles hanging out' way.

(For a solid minute, like a literal actual solid minute, Newt just kind of gapes at Peter. Then it seems like realization dawns on him because slowly but surely, his face begins to go bright, bright red and oh- Oh.

It was a whammy of embarrassment and realization and everything in between. If Peter had been a girl it'd be so much more obvious but- Right.)

Boys can have sex with boys.

(Except he sort of more or less asks it than just states it, looking at Peter completely bewildered. It's evident he knows what sex is but okay yeah. What. Why is this conversation happening.

Another sort of realization seems to crawl over him and he snaps his mouth shut, frowning deeply up at the ceiling.)

Oh my God.

[newt's fish impression just leaves peter looking quizzical, until he finally speaks.]

Yes, they can.

[it's equal parts confused and wary, because what the hell, newt. what the hell. peter had just assumed that this was established knowledge, given that he'd been play-flirting his little blond head off for weeks now.]

Wait. Wait, did you not know that? Oh my god, blondie.

Oh my God, shut up!

(He's equal parts mortified and angry and kicks Peter underneath the trouble for his troubles.)

I've never- would you fuck off?

(He snarks a bit before sinking back into his seat and slumping a little.)

It's never come up? Okay? All the boys at the Glade talked about were girls if it had to do with that. I didn't- just. Shut up. It's not my fault.

Ow.

[peter scowls and rubs his shin under the table. why is this even happening. what is his life. he sighs and rubs his hands over his face.]

Yeah, it's not your fault. Plenty of people who don't end up in a weirdo maze don't figure it out either.

But I think you need a couple minutes to figure that shit out.

[which means that he's grabbing another two cookies and his glass of milk, and fucking off toward the bedroom to leave newt some space to think.]

Hey, what the hell- I didn't mean actually fuck off!

(He calls after him because Peter what the heck. You're supposed to teach him things. He has no clue why he's so pissed off but it pissed him off. That Peter just ditched.)

Whatever.

[newt says he didn't actually mean for him to fuck off and peter stops just outside the doorway, out of his view. he pauses there for a long moment, and then sighs. what the fuck, life, what the fuck.

peter turns around and leans against the doorway, cookies and milk in hand.]

Then what did you mean? Because most people want a minute or ten alone to think after they realize something like that.

(Newt frowns at him and he's still a little pissed off but it ebbs away a bit at the sight of Peter.)

Why do they need a minute to think? I just didn't know. Don't ditch me just because I'm surprised by something. It makes me feel like a bigger idiot for not knowing something that I should have already known, okay?

(That was more than half his embarrassment, actually. That and yanno, the actual realization part didn't help any either.)

Because...they just do, okay? It's not something that's so easy for everyone to accept, because a lot of people grow up thinking it's weird or whatever. They need to just...rethink who they are, I guess.

[this hits just a wee bit close to home, perhaps. he's slow to come back to the table, but he does, slouching into a chair and dunking one of his cookies.]

I guess you don't really have that problem, since you never had to think about it in the first place.

(Newt's frowning because he really doesn't get it. To some degree, Newt isn't much better than a child. He's forgotten any preconceived notions about others he might've been raised with. He's still blushing a little but it's clear that it's fading away more than just being there. He leans forward and drops his chin into his palm, looking thoughtful.)

Why's it weird?

(Because he really can't wrap his mind around that.)

I mean it surprised me but it makes sense. I'm sure girls can be with girls then too.

(He doesn't say anything on that matter. It wasn't completely true. He was still a teenage boy so of course he had thought about it. His eyes drift down to the table and he doesn't reply.)

Do you think it's weird?

Anybody can be with anybody. Hell, three or four or a whole bunch of people can have sex at the same time. It happens. But...religion and shit. [he waves a hand in a way that encompasses a lot of things, most of which probably won't make much sense to newt.] Society likes to pretend that everything is about making babies, when it's...not. So a hell of a lot of people grow up thinking that boys being with girls is the only option.

[he's silent for a moment.]

My cousin is a hooker, sometimes, so two girls, fine. but I grew up being told that two guys was gross. I don't think it's weird or gross anymore.

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