newyorknative | Yes I want you, and that’s the way it is

"Mmmm... You make some good points," Fiyero concedes playfully, pressing a couple kisses against Peter's neck anyway. He's only mostly behaving. Though it's not very easy when Peter licks his fingers like that. Definitely more on the sensual side...

"Alright. I just have to do one more thing first," he decides with a sigh. He unwraps his arms from around Peter, leaning to the side, as he gently but decisively grabs Peter's arm, lifting it so Fiyero can sneak under it. Peter seemed to rather enjoy being manhandled, so Fiyero's still pretty confident as he guides Peter to twist towards him, similarly to what Fiyero had done in the bathtub.

All so he can take a minute or two (or three) to kiss Peter. Well, make out with him, is probably a more accurate term. His hands aren't wandering, but it's still passionate and more than a little breath-taking for them both. Really taking the 'giving them something to look forward to' thing to heart.

“Yes, well,” Peter hums playfully, wriggling in Fiyero’s grip - not to get away, but just because it feels nice, having Fiyero’s lips on him like that. “Mm, I’ve been known to have one or two…”

Peter doesn’t resist the manhandling, twisting at the waist towards Fiyero, then even further when Fiyero pulls him in, mimicking the tub. It might even be a good barometer for later, the way Peter’s legs haven’t moved, still criss-cross, and showing no issue with the new position, even with the way he’s pretzeled. He smiles and kisses Fiyero back, hands abandoning the laptop to run wild through Fiyero’s hair, curling into it firmly. Fiyero is a very good kisser, and Peter will happily take any opportunity afforded to him to makeout with his boyfriend.

It’s really not helping his chub though, or the little flips his stomach seems to be doing when Fiyero’s hands settle on him. He’s not groping, not wandering - but they’re warm, possessive, tender in their possessiveness… and really, nothing sets Peter off more.

“Photos. Cash.” Peter reminds them both, once he’s sufficiently breathless. Trying to think through the dizzying attraction he feels for Fiyero, body and soul. “Making out on the subway on the way back.”

The last part is a quip, though they’re both no doubt aware that Fiyero could get Peter to agree to quite a lot if he turned on the full force of his charm.

Peter really is remarkably flexible, possibly in ways humans really shouldn't be - or at least almost. Not to the point of being off-putting, but like a gymnast. Not what you'd expect upon seeing him. It does provide a lot of options to explore, that's for sure.

At least Fiyero has some kissing experience that he can put to good use. It's an activity he enjoys even disconnected from sex. And they're getting better and better at it, as they adjust to each other, learning each other. Peter tastes sweet and faintly like blueberries, and Fiyero hums happily into the kiss.

Fiyero smiles as Peter manages to pull back, possibly due to their need for air. Fiyero feels a little flush too, though coming twice this morning means it probably would take a bit more for him to get a chub. At this point, he definitely could, if they wanted to. And, well, they might want to, but there is also other things that needs to be done, as Peter points out.

"Sounds like a plan," Fiyero answers softly, reaching up to run his fingers through Peter's hair and his hand settles against Peter's jaw - leaning in for a soft little kiss. His fingertips slide down Peter's throat, his chest, his abs - just for a moment, before he breaks the kiss. It's both reluctant and a little pleased at the teasing. He unwraps himself from Peter, leaning back and giving him a gentle shoo. Peter's sort of got him trapped against the pillows, after all - well, not that Fiyero couldn't climb out, but it's better to chase Peter out first.

Peter is a lot of things people wouldn't expect just from looking at him, but as he's come to find out... so is Fiyero. Maybe that's part of why they get along so well, once they realized both of them were capable of looking beyond the facade to the reality beneath. As both of them come to realize that they won't be judged for what lies below, that they're worthy as they are...

It's a process, but when has anything worth fighting for been easy?

Peter feels like a teenager again, giddy, tingling all over from the kiss. Fiyero just makes him buzz, like he's activated every cell of Peter's body. Maybe he has. Or maybe Peter's endorphins are just that intense, even without the compounding nature of Fiyero's powers - and maybe his system just isn't fully equipped to handle the overload, after spending so long flooded with abject, lifeless misery.

Regardless, Peter makes a soft sound as Fiyero touches him, lingering just because he can. Peter bites his lip after the last kiss, resisting the urge to swoop in for one more. Just one more - they'll be here all day. Peter unfurls himself, turning around to face Fiyero as he backs up off the bed. He takes Fiyero's hands in his, threading their fingers and helping Fiyero to stand, providing a gentle but steady tug, leverage with which to rise. Not that he needs it, but... so what if Peter wants to linger, too?

The morning ablutions continue, an interwoven harmony making itself known. Now that they've connected on a deeper level, some of the awkwardness is just... gone. Maintaining a personal bubble when they're living in a shoebox apartment was contributing to that, but that's hardly a problem now - when Peter has to lean over Fiyero to grab a clean button-down, or when Fiyero's hands snake up behind him to steal one last pancake as Peter tosses the remainder in a ziplock bag for later, pressing the blueberry goodness up to his mouth, demanding Peter take a bite. They share it at Peter's insistence, of course, until Peter winds up pinning Fiyero against the counter, chasing the sweetness of blueberry from his lips.

They print the photos on Peter's printer, tucked away on a lower shelf at the desk, and tuck them away in a folder for Jonah. Peter unearths an old leather briefcase to slide the folder into, R.P. embroidered just above the closure. Peter takes his webshooters and the first aid kit as well, but leaves the rest - the one place he really never wants to bring the suit is the Bugle, if he can avoid it. Peter's possibly more dressed up than he was for May's dinner; but generally, he's found, putting on an air of professionalism with Jonah gets him an iota more respect. Like... barely, but still. Enough to make it worth the shot. His final touch is his glasses, polished on a corner of shirt and settled on the bridge of his nose, fully completing the nerd-chic look.

It's not far to the Bugle, though it does require a quick metro ride for a few stops. The morning is starting to shift into gear as the city gets busier, the sun crawling up towards her zenith. Peter claims Fiyero's hand, keeping them linked together as they move through the growing crowds, subtly scanning for danger. It seems their unwanted shadow is content to leave them well enough alone during the daytime (unless it was a ruse? Or they really didn't know where Fiyero went during the day?), but being careful never hurt.

"This shouldn't take long," Peter promises, rocking into Fiyero's chest as the metro car jolted and shuddered, squealing down the track towards 23rd street. It's not packed enough that it necessitates the proximity... but who are they kidding, they just like to be close to one another. "Jonah can be a bit... just ignore him. I'll leave you with Betty while I deal with him, she's great. Shit, we should bring her a coffee - "

They do stop to grab a coffee in the cafe across the street from the peculiarly wedge-shaped building the Bugle resides in, Peter ordering it to Betty's preferences, clearly a practiced trick. Well, if she minded the bribes, she hasn't said anything - and she keeps tossing Peter assignments, so it's working.

Speaking of which - the elevator door finally opens on the top floor of the building, to an open concept office, save the big glass room that was supposed to be a conference room, but had been repurposed into Jonah's office. Reporters with deadlines are scattered throughout the room at their desks, working on their materials - and Betty is stationed just in front of Jonah's door, phone cord twisted between her fingers as she finishes up a call. Her blunt bob is curled at the ends today, and her face lights up when she sees Peter - specifically the coffee he's carrying, hand deftly untwisting from the phone cord to make a grabby hands motion at the cup.

"No, he can do Tuesday. You know, the day that comes after Monday?" Betty takes a deep pull of the coffee, gaze flitting curiously to Fiyero, eyes sharp. "This isn't a negotiation, Tim, it's Tuesday or we're out. Uh huh. Uh huh. You do that. It'll still be Tuesday when you call me again in five minutes."

Fiyero might well be using his powers to make Peter feel good. He has no idea if it works that way, if he can influence emotions or simply encourage actions. They haven't had a lot of testing. But if it's motivated by Fiyero's strong emotions to impose his will - yeah, Fiyero being so delighted about being with Peter, maybe it's literally infectious.

Or maybe they're simply just so excited about each other naturally. That does seem likely. If Fiyero was imposing his will subconsciously, Peter would probably be easier seduce. But really, he's glad he isn't. Fiyero doesn't want to make Peter do anything he doesn't want to - at least not without both being aware it's happening. It's not like he's shy about weaponising the big begging eyes, after all. It's all about transparency, really. The sort of things that has Peter laugh and call him a menace.

By some miracle, they do manage to mostly focus. Fiyero shaves and does his hair, gets dressed in the same thing he wore last night - he wasn't wearing it very long, after all, and he has a limited wardrobe. Peter prints the photos, they navigate around each other as they get ready, stealing moments of intimacy here and there - like they just can't get enough.

Fiyero does keep an eye out while they're out and about... but he's starting to feel less stressed. So far he's only been attacked in broad daylight once. They've been coming at him sneaky, after that. And if Peter's there, now Fiyero knows more or less his full power, there's zero way they're grabbing him.

"I can come in along with you," Fiyero argues while they're on the train, one arm looped around Peter's waist. "I helped, after all."

He's curiously paying attention once they make it to the building, Fiyero always interested in how things work in this works. Betty gives him a look, and Fiyero simply gives her a grin and a flirty head nod, but doesn't introduce himself. (Would it be a bad idea to make himself known to a newspaper? Maybe.)

And then suddenly Peter is being yoinked into an office, and Fiyero simply... follows. Even if he can see through, he'd still prefer not to get separated, and, well, he did want to see this guy Peter works for and is unable to talk very well of.

It quickly becomes evident why even Peter doesn't have that many nice things to say about him. Fiyero finds himself rapidly getting angrier at how Peter is treated, barely stopping himself from stepping in front and shouting the guy down, mostly because that's probably not a good business strategy. However... Yeah, he's definitely willing Jonah to be nicer to Peter, and pay him fair and what he's actually worth. It's not entirely intentional - but he feels like he suddenly realises he's doing it. Partly just from the chance in Jonah's demeanor.

“If you want to…” Peter says, slightly dubious on whether or not it’s a good idea. With Jonah, it was hard to tell what could backfire; the man was mercurial and boisterous, often leaving Peter scrambling. But he always bought something, which was just about all Peter could ask for.

Betty hangs up the phone with relish, smirking as she takes a pull of the coffee - she seems to be pretty sure she’ll get what she wants out of ‘Tim’. She nods towards the door, where Jonah is pacing just behind the glass - which has some impressive noise cancellation, judging by how red his face is as he yells into his own phone. “He’s in a mood.”

“Do not pass Go, don’t collect $100 kind of mood, or lunatic spender mood?” Peter asks, watching as Betty turns her gaze to Fiyero, obviously assessing his charming smile.

“Can’t it be both?” And then, of course, Jonah spots Peter through the window and they’re off to the races. “Good luck!”

“PARKER!” The first impression of Jonah out the door is loud, snappish; the Editor-in-Chief barely gives them any time to react as he swings open the door to his office, grabs Peter’s arm, and drags him inside. He doesn’t seem to care as Fiyero floats in after them, solely focused on what he wants, which, as per usual: “Finally! Where the hell have you been? Where are my pictures of Spiderman?”

“Here, sir.” Peter quickly pulls out the folder, passing it to Jonah for inspection. The man flips through them, discarding the ones he doesn’t like by quite literally tossing them onto the floor. Peter scrambles to pick them up, collecting them in one hand and pushing up his glasses with the other.

“Crap, crap, crap - what are you bringing me, here? I can’t run these, I need a headline, Parker!” Despite the unimpressed way Jonah’s talking about the photos, he’s still kept a good ten out of twenty in the folder. “I’ll give you $400 for the lot.”

“That’s $40 a photo, that’s less than half of what they’re worth.” Peter argues, following him as Jonah returns to his desk. He’s used to this song and dance, the way Jonah lowballs and pretends he doesn’t care at all whether he gets the photos, to pressure a sale.

“Keep talking and I’ll make it $30. You take forever on the assignment and half of them are blurry.” Jonah tosses the folder down on his desk and leans back, eyeing Peter speculatively. He knows how badly Peter needs the money, too, which is never a good place to be when negotiating. “$500.”

Peter huffs, picking up the folder sticking the previously discarded photos back inside. “They’re one of a kind photos of Spiderman in action. A little motion blur is normal for a subject moving that fast. $900.”

“If you were a better photographer, he’d be in focus. $600, for the amateur garbage.”

“You’ve been paying me for years, I think this qualifies as professional. $800.”

And so on, and so forth. Peter doesn’t think he’ll get much better than $750, which is still great for a round with Jonah - he’s used to the careless insults, too, casual and unbothered from Jonah. Still, Peter thinks the photos are worth much more, especially when you consider that no one else can seem to get a clean angle on Spiderman.

It seems Jonah feels the same, because when Fiyero’s compulsion hits him -

“You know what, you are a professional, Parker. One of the best freelancers I’ve got in this office.” The change is so sudden all Peter can do is blink in surprise, staring as Jonah pulls the checkbook out of his desk to start scribbling on it. “I want all of them, market value. Plus a little extra, to keep you coming back.”

Utterly thrown, Peter accepts the check automatically, startling a little when he sees the number. Jonah’s even smiling, and not his snake oil smile but an actual, nice smile. Peter hardly knows what to do, speechless for a moment.

“Uh - thanks. Thank you, sir. Yes, I’ll - uh, I’ll let you know when I have more.” Holding the check like it might actually be a bomb, Peter quickly about faces and darts out of the room, pulling Fiyero with him. Betty is waiting, eyes widening when Peter hands her the check.

“What the hell did you say to him? Is this real?” She holds it up to the light as a joke, as if to check if it’s a counterfeit. $6,000, more than Peter’s ever made in one go. Easily $250 a photo at top rate, plus a little extra, as Jonah promised.

“Just write it down in the book before he changes his mind,” Peter says nervously, glancing back into Jonah’s office. His whole attitude has shifted, and he’s scattered Peter’s folder on the desk, sifting eagerly through the photos. What on earth…

Fiyero doesn't really understand money. Even when you get past the whole thing of currency being different here, and not knowing what cost differences would be in this world, Fiyero simply never really had to worry about money, nor is he particularly versed in math.

So he's mostly going off Peter's tone when it comes to arguing what the pictures are worth. Just by seeing Peter argue his case like this, it's clear he's absolutely not getting what he's worth.

And the insults, well, they just make Fiyero angry on basic sort of level, having his boyfriend disparaged like that. He also takes it personally to some extent - he helped with those! And Peter said they were great!

With emotions like that, it shouldn't be surprising that it activated his powers, but it's still startling. Even at least partially aware of what was happening - or at least suspecting it - he looks as surprised as Peter does. He doesn't quite know what to do with himself, but no one's paying him any attention until Peter drags him out of the office.

Fiyero can't help but feel a little queasy. He's honestly not sure if it's a physical reaction or the guilt, or trauma about the origin of these abilities, but-- alright, he's a little lightheaded too...

He lets Peter and Betty handle the paperwork or whatever they're doing, while Fiyero steps aside to just lean against a wall and close his eyes for a second. Taking some deep breaths and steadying himself.

It becomes evident to Peter what exactly happened a moment later, when Fiyero steps aside to the wall, looking a little peaky. Betty dutifully takes out the balance book to write his slip and organize the paperwork, glancing up between them while Peter frowns, mind turning over the encounter with Jonah and how exactly Fiyero could have influenced him. He's never experienced an ill effect before when using his powers, right? Or was he simply hiding it, before?

"Who's the hot piece of ass?" Betty whispers, drawing Peter's attention back to her before he can go over to Fiyero. He blushes immediately, spurring on a soft ooooh from Betty. She slides him across the contract to sign off on the rights to his photos, and Peter ducks his head, scribbling his messy signature on each of the indicated lines.

"His name is Fiyero. He's my - we're - " Peter fusses with his glasses, which just makes Betty's grin grow wider. "He's my um. Boyfriend. I think, I mean I haven't - haven't asked yet. But we're - I mean he's very - he's my boyfriend."

"Fiyero. He even has a hot name." Betty titters, hiding her mouth behind her hand and eyeing Fiyero even more openly, with his eyes closed. "So you do have some game somewhere, huh Pete? You must, pulling like that."

"You'd have to ask him," Peter mutters, flipping through the form to sign it even faster. Betty smiles and slides the check into an envelope for him, taking the form back and writing up a slip for him, as well. Peter takes it with grateful fingers, tucking it into his briefcase and glancing back at Fiyero with obvious concern. "Excuse me, one second."

Betty nods, watching curiously as Peter sidesteps over to Fiyero's place on the wall. He reaches out, gently taking Fiyero's hands to warn him of his presence, blinking up at him. Peter's voice is soft as he speaks to him, thumb rubbing a gentle circle into the back of Fiyero's hand. "'yero? Are you alright?"

Fiyero's head and stomach settles quickly, whatever the reason for his reaction at least temporary. Maybe he just had a bit of a mini panic attack?? He's really not sure.

But he stands there a bit longer than he needs anyway, grounding himself as he listens to the soft sound of Peter's voice, not quite able or trying to hear what he's saying, but reassured by his presence.

And then his presence is suddenly a lot closer, and Fiyero blinks his eyes open. He smiles reassuringly at the question, and it's not particularly forced - it's still very easy to smile at Peter. "Yeah, I'm fine," he answers, squeezing Peter's hands, and it's not really a lie - he thinks he's okay now. "We done here?" he asks, glancing in Betty's direction.

Whatever he wants to say about what just happened, they clearly shouldn't talk about it here, right? Better to save it at least until they're out the door.

Fiyero's smile is just as dazzling as ever, but Peter's concern isn't deterred. He squeezes Fiyero's hands back, a nonverbal reassurance. He knows Fiyero must have been responsible for Jonah's sudden fair-heartedness, but that... was not a normal reaction.

Even so, Peter's lips turn up in a gentle smile at the corners, and he nods, looking back towards Betty. She smiles and waves, looking almost gleeful - Peter has no doubt he'll be the hot subject of office gossip as soon as they depart. She doesn't mean it in a mean-spirited way, of course; Peter's been the recipient of many a hot dish sesh to know that for Betty, it's just in the job description.

"Come back real soon, okay?" Betty winks at the pair of them, turning back to her desk when the phone starts ringing. Peter relinquishes one of Fiyero's hands to collect his briefcase from the floor, beating a hasty retreat towards the elevator.

"Are you really okay?" Peter asks, as soon as the elevator doors shut. Muffled, and probably loud enough for Fiyero to hear too, Peter can hear Betty already starting in - Parker's got a HOT FOREIGN BOYFRIEND - but that's the least of their concerns. His hand comes up to Fiyero's cheek as the elevator begins the 22-floor descent. "That was you, wasn't it?"

It's either a good indication that Fiyero is alright now, or that he's really very good at smiling and flirting no matter what - probably a mix of both - that Fiyero manages to give Betty a bit of a wink in return on his way out.

Still, he's glad for the hasty exit. "Yeah, I'm okay," Fiyero answers softly, relaxing a little once they're temporarily in private. It's his instinct to cover up and not dig deep in his discomfort... but he's been fairly honest with Peter about his feelings, good or bad, and... Well, it's different when it's connected to his powers. Sort of feels like it's important to be more honest about it.

"Yeah, I think so," Fiyero answers quietly, a little anxious about it. But he's glad Peter picked up on it - or maybe not, if that means it was that obvious. But he was going to bring it up to Peter no matter what once they had a moment alone, so it's probably better that Peter actually noticed it happening, right?

Peter’s just glad he’s figured out by now to keep an eye out for how Fiyero’s really feeling. Fiyero really can hide most things behind his charm, but Peter is learning more and more how to read him - and is eminently grateful for the moments when Fiyero actively chooses to let Peter in on how he’s feeling. Like now, as Fiyero accepts his comfort, allowing himself to look perturbed.

It wasn’t terribly obvious - to anyone else (well, anyone who didn’t know Jonah), it would look like he’d just had a change of heart. To anyone who did know him, they’d probably assume he finally lost his marbles. Peter smiles softly, leaning in to press a gentle kiss to Fiyero’s cheek, chaste and light. “It was either you, or a sudden personality transplant. You didn’t have to do that, baby. But… thank you.”

“This is more than he’s ever given me,” Peter glances down at the briefcase, and the check that feels like it’s burning a hole through the bag. “At least now I know what he really thinks my photos are worth, wow.”

If Fiyero was still using his charm on Peter - the practiced charm, not the 'friendly teasing and sweetness' charm - then it might have been more difficult to tell the difference. Now, Fiyero is using that brand of charm, it could mean he's hiding something. Sometimes, of course, Peter already knows what Fiyero's hiding - he's in on the secret. Whether that be him being worried or annoyed about something, or simply his true personality being gilded with a bit of flair.

It's... a little scary, actually. That Peter knows him so well, so quick, that he's still learning more and more. It's why Fiyero ran the opposite direction for a while. Now, the joy and comfort of being with Peter far outweigh the worries and unfamiliar anxiety of having someone truly know him.

Fiyero returns the smile though, leaning into the soft kiss. It may not feel very deserved - well, if the kiss was a reward, rather what it probably actually is: a comfort and reassurance. But at least it led to Peter getting paid well, and from the sounds of it, that Jonah guy should've been doing it a long time ago, so it's only fair.

"...Technically those were my photos," Fiyero teases playfully Still talking quite softly, his hands settling at Peter's waist as the elevator zooms down the many, many floors.

Now that Peter knows the real Fiyero, he’s reasonably confident that the fake one would feel fake. That he’d be able to tell the difference… probably. There’s only one way to find out, but luckily their policy of honesty has been working out okay since they implemented it. Peter can’t deny it’s scary, sometimes - there’s so much they both still have yet to discover about each other - but it’s easier knowing there’s a hand to hold through it all.

“Hmm… so you’re saying you want a cut?” Peter’s smile brightens with playfulness, glad that Fiyero seems alright. He’s still eyeing him, and Peter will still be watching… but maybe Fiyero will tell him in his own time, what exactly he was feeling. Peter doesn’t want to push too hard, either. He pretends to contemplate their deal as the elevator stops to let a few people on. Peter shuffles them into the corner, hand sliding down to Fiyero’s neck instead, palm settling over his pulse. “You are capitalizing on my established professional brand so… how’s 20%?”

“He was very generous,” Peter beams, and he can’t help but be a little excited. So this is what it feels like to not be worried about next month’s rent! With the TA checks coming in and now this, they were set, at least for the next month. Rent, food, new clothes for Fiyero, webbing ingredients and the reinforced posts - they had to be a little economical, sure, but they wouldn’t have to pick and choose what was most important, and sacrifice the others.

"Well, you're still my faithful treasurer, so I'll leave the math to you," Fiyero answers, voice softening further as other people step on the elevator. At least Peter can hear him almost no matter what - Peter is the one who needs to speak a bit louder to be heard.

Fiyero really just trusts Peter to take care of money things. He's the one who knows what things cost. Perhaps he can just give Fiyero an allowance to spend however he wishes? Peter has explained percent to him, that hundred meant all, so fifty was half. Then going on about how the word came from cent meaning one hundredth, which is why the coins were called that, and Fiyero just let him talk. Anyway, he's pretty sure thay twenty hundredths of six thousand would be... a lot. But really, Fiyero didn't do much, in the scheme of things. He's not arguing for being given loads. Peter is already paying for room and board. It's just nice to actually help out.

"I didn't do it on purpose, by the way," he adds after a moment, very quietly. Peter thanking him, saying he didn't have to do that - well, no, of course he didn't. But try and stop him? Fiyero certainly couldn't. Though maybe the first step is realising it's happening in the first place.

Peter smiles at him, eyes crinkling in the corners; yes, of course he’ll take care of Fiyero. Even when he has very little, he’ll share it with Fiyero. He has, from the very moment they met. Sometimes that’s how Spiderman saved the day - buying a well-placed bagel.

Regardless, it’s well established that Fiyero is welcome to everything. Peter will make sure they don’t starve and have enough to function, budgeting, and whatever remains… he’s sure they’ll find a use for it. Frankly, Fiyero did a lot - he took the pictures and influenced Jonah, whether he meant to or not. Peter just had to swing by and say cheese.

But the quiet revelation that Fiyero didn’t mean to do it does stop Peter short, gaze cutting up to Fiyero’s. A few people get off at another floor, and they keep going down, down, down.

“It just… happened?” Peter ventures, squeezing Fiyero’s hand. The elevator finally makes it to the bottom, people filtering out, dispersing into the lobby. Peter shifts the briefcase in one hand and lets them spill out, off to the side of the elevator. “What were you thinking about?”

"Sort of," Fiyero answers, speaking quietly. Not that anyone would have any idea what they're actually talking about at this point, but some of it still might sound weird. That, and... well, it just feels private. It's obviously a pretty sensitive subject for him, for a wide variety of reasons.

"I guess it was sort of.. accidentally on purpose," Fiyero elaborates, with an amused huff. The more it happens, and he shares with Peter to help them both make sense of it, the more it does seem to make sense. "I was just getting really annoyed at him, and wanted him to treat you better. I wasn't trying to make it happen, I just... noticed when it did."

It wasn't just Jonah's reaction though. He did feel something, but he wasn't really paying attention to it at that point, so he's not sure he could describe it very well. Nor figure out how much was annoyance - probably his heart rate going up a little, and some tension - and how much was... just, the power working. Like a slight shiver or something, a tingly sensation - he doesn't quite remember, because then he also got lightheaded.

And, well, the queasiness he's not sure was because of it happening, or because he was upset it was happening. For however deserved it may have been, and how good it is for Peter, it didn't feel great. There's things happening to him that he can't control or anticipate, things that are a result of very bad people doing very bad things to him without his knowledge or consent. It makes sense he doesn't feel comfortable with it, but he also doesn't know if that's all there was to it...

Things are weird all the time in New York; it seems to be the natural order of things. Peter doesn’t seem worried about anyone eavesdropping, or what they’d get if they do - each person in this elevator is a stranger, with their own story they’re following. But it is a sensitive subject, and Peter listens with concern as Fiyero expounds once they’re not packed in the metal box any longer.

He’s glad they can talk about this now - it makes his next question easier, as Peter leans in, voice lowering to accommodate Fiyero’s hesitation. “And… the other night. At the club, when you… what were you thinking about then?”

It was the most Fiyero had wielded his power, and intentionally so, too. Well, sort of - maybe not at first, but definitely when they gave chase. Moments of heightened emotion seemed to activate it, but what about more subtle expressions of will?

“Maybe you need to practice,” Peter suggests sympathetically, running a soothing hand down Fiyero’s side. “When I first - when what happened happened, it took a while to get my senses under control.”

Learning to pull it back had been a process. Even now, he still sometimes had issues; fewer and further between, but he would never been fully free of it. That… might very well be the case here, too. Nothing indicated that what was done to Fiyero could be reversed… if it was power granted by what he’d been given, or innate potential tapped into. There was still so much they didn’t know.

Fiyero considers Peter's question, then smiles wryly. "Same sort of thing, only.. more urgent," he answers, shrugging with one shoulder and giving Peter's hand a squeeze. He had felt aggressively defensive and protective of Peter - and then it had sort of kick-started a secondary objective, of getting those guys. "And on behalf of both of us, I suppose."

It was a lot angrier, obviously. Fiyero had been furious, because he'd been scared, and it was built from a lot of pent up anger. He had vengeance on his mind, a little - more than he'd like to admit, probably. But mostly he just wanted them to leave him alone.

It was sort of what he had experienced when he'd fled to the roof, too. He was upset and wanted to be left alone, to not be hurt anymore. It was different, but the same. Like he lashes out, either when he feels threatened, or when he feels protective...

"I suppose so... It's not.. I don't like it very much though," Fiyero admits quietly. Probably not a surprise - it's born from anger and hurt and strong emotions, at least as far as he knows. Even the times it's been from lust, well... Then it was generally making him force his will in ways he doesn't want to.

Well at least they know what it’s triggered by? In part, anyway. And it wasn’t like Fiyero would be able to avoid strong emotion for the rest of time, so there really only was one option. Fiyero would likely feel protective or threatened again - clearly, if today was any indication, if Jonah registered as enough of an annoyance to trigger something. Besides, if forcing Peter into something is one of his main fears, then Fiyero needs to practice control. It’s the only way to develop any, even if that’s frightening, and unfair.

Peter smiles sadly, squeezing Fiyero’s hand tightly. “I’m sorry, ‘yero. It’s not fair to you, and I wish you didn’t have to go through this.”

“If you practice… you still won’t like it. But it’ll be less scary. You’ll know that you can control it.” Peter looks up at Fiyero for a long moment before he admits: “I shattered the door at May’s, my first week. I was angry, and I slammed it shut and the glass just - broke.”

He could end it there, but the honest truth is sadder. Fiyero might need to hear it, though, so Peter presses on, even as his gaze lowers to their interlocked hands. “My uncle was killed that night. And May - I was so angry, I was so full of grief, I didn’t dare touch her. I didn’t want to risk hurting her.”

“I know you don’t like it,” Peter finally looks back up at Fiyero, almost imploring. “But until you learn how to control it, it will control you. And you deserve better than that, baby. You deserve not to have to live in fear.”

Peter lifts Fiyero’s hand to kiss the back of it, before cradling it against his chest, just over the beating of his heart. “And I’ll help you. You’re not alone in this.”

Fiyero is starting to realize he can't avoid it. And, well, he doesn't have much basis for comparison, but... could it be getting stronger? He wasn't feeling that intensely in Jonah's office. Unlike other times - where he was very openly upset or angry - he doesn't think he was showing much outward evidence of his emotions beyond perhaps an annoyed expression. Yet it changed Jonah's behaviour so drastically. Then again, it was focused on one person, rather than making a whole crowd react to his nudges, in the bar, or Peter's many neighbours...

But it's less than a week since they did things to him, and they've been intentionally avoiding people a lot of that time, sneaking around. There's still a lot they don't know. Another reason to be trying to practice it. As pleasant as it is to hide out with Peter, Fiyero would rather not become a hermit. And it's not just Peter he's afraid of influencing in a bad way.

Fiyero squeezes Peter's hand back, his comfort being both warming and also a little uncomfortable. Fiyero still isn't used to someone being so understanding of his struggles. The words he's saying still sound so foreign to his ears. When has anyone ever told him something isn't fair - without adding "so deal with it" at the end?

It's almost less uncomfortable hearing Peter talk about his own experiences - almost. It's heartbreaking every time, hearing him talk about his past struggles, the context of him losing people. If Fiyero's power could do anything to change the past, he probably would have anytime he saw Peter's face or heard his voice whenever he talks about his grief. But no matter how sad it is, at least Fiyero's subconscious doesn't have the instinct to send a 'cheer up' compulsion... As it is, the only thing he can really do is listen, and stroke his thumb across the back of Peter's hand as he looks down at their hands.

He can identify with it though... It's not the same, obviously, in his situation it was a lot more trivial - but Fiyero also withdrew from Peter out of fear of hurting him. He understands the fear.

And even if he didn't see Peter's point, he doesn't think he could deny him, when he looks at Fiyero like that. Telling him how much he deserves, making Fiyero's heart hurt. It's obvious on Fiyero's face how both meaningful and difficult it is to hear these things - he's not even thinking about hiding it right now. He's probably making people ignore them subconsciously - but they've also stepped off to the side, out of he way of people walking around and using the elevators, so perhaps it's just New Yorkers' natural inclination to mind their own business.

Fiyero finally looks down when Peter promises to help him, saying he's not alone. It's one of those sentiments that hurt because of how unfamiliar they are, yet how much he craves it.

He takes a moment before answering, nodding in acknowledgement. Taking a deep breath. "Well, there's a problem with you helping me control it," Fiyero answers softly, lifting his gaze to give Peter a small smile. "See, when I'm with you, there's not really much I want to change."

It's unbearably sappy. But it's also completely sincere. It's probably the closest thing to 'I love you' that Fiyero has ever said, in a way...

Peter would hope that the power isn't getting stronger so much as Fiyero is slowly unlocking his potential. Doing what he did at the club the other night was the biggest influence Fiyero's ever had over such a large group of people - and his radius has been steadily increasing. From influencing just Peter to the neighbors on their hall, to a packed subway car, all the way up to an entire club full of people. If Fiyero's powers are like a muscle, he's been strength training, learning how to release more and more power - if not control it, fully. The next step would be to hone that finer control, to allow him to more intentionally direct his powers. Without that, maybe it's not so unusual that an errant desire resulted in Fiyero nudging Jonah into such abnormal behavior.

Or it could be the drugs they gave him, the tests, the experimentation. Without knowing all the variables, how are they supposed to solve this problem? And the only way they'll learn all the variables is by break in or by testing it themselves... unpleasant though it may be.

Fiyero looks melancholy, perhaps slightly discomforted by Peter's honesty - but the hold Fiyero has on his hand, the gentle circles of his thumb - tell everything Peter needs to know, before he even opens his mouth. That he accepts Peter's intentions, at the bare minimum; that maybe Peter is saying things Fiyero wasn't sure he wanted to hear until after Peter said them. And then, of course, Fiyero has to hit him with the kind of intensely cheesy, sentimental line that makes him a little weak at the knees, proverbially speaking. Peter's concerned expression melts immediately - cow-eyed brown takes its' place, and Peter squeezes Fiyero's hand again, trying and failing to suppress his awed answering smile.

"Yeah, you know... I think you're right." Peter holds Fiyero's clear, blue gaze for a significant moment - maybe Fiyero is putting off a Do Not Disturb vibe, or maybe they've all resigned themselves to ignoring the mushy couple in the corner. "Seems pretty perfect to me."

...Aside from the people hunting them, and the nonconsensual experimentation, and a few other things that go without saying. Peter catches Fiyero's jacket between his fingers and tugs him closer, his smile dimming back to something soft and reassuring. They hang for a beat, the charged look passing between them once again, before Peter ducks his head, feeling ridiculously pink. "Come on."

Peter lets his hand slide down to wrap around Fiyero's waist, the position encouraging Fiyero to wrap his arm around Peter's shoulders. Peter bumps his hip against Fiyero's playfully, staying tucked against his side as he points them towards the exit. It's not far to some of the thrift shops they can hit on the way back home, and courtesy of Fiyero's powers, they can afford a modest gently-used wardrobe. Then they can form a plan, work together to figure out how to handle Fiyero's powers. It's frightening and uncomfortable, but at least Peter will be there to hold Fiyero's hand, the let him know he has at least one person in his corner.

"I wonder if..." Peter almost can't seem to stop himself as they walk, thinking on the occurrence, thumb casually hooked in Fiyero's beltloop. Peter tilts his head, regarding Fiyero as a gust of wind kicks up from a subway line below, ruffling his bangs. "...I wonder if it's not strong emotion that triggers it. But like... a clear one? An actionable objective. But then sometimes it's like... an overflow."

Peter averts his eyes again for a moment before they inevitably flit back, unable to keep them away for too long. "Like you're feeling so much you can't contain it anymore."

It makes Fiyero feel good inside, the way Peter just seems to melt at his words. When it's not Fiyero's normal weaponised charm, but a little piece of honesty, and that that's what has such an immediate effect on Peter... There's also the constant urge to make Peter smile, to wipe away those worries, to help him think of happier things.

They've suddenly got a lot less worries about money for a while, so it seems good to focus on happier things. Fiyero soaks up Peter's attentive eye contact - the way the whole world seems to sort of fade away for a moment. Just the two of them, not saying anything more, not even kissing, just sort of... lingering in the shared sentiment.

It's almost a shame to let it go, but if they had stood around here staring at each other much longer, Fiyero probably would have started kissing him, and that might not have been ideal for the building for a newspaper where Peter works.

Fiyero smiles as he fits in next to Peter, arms wrapped around each other, falling into step as they walk leisurely, Fiyero letting Peter lead. He's still sort of thinking about his powers and that Peter is right in that he needs to figure out how to control them somehow, so it's not too much of a surprise when Peter continues talking about it after a little while.

"I don't know," he answers thoughtfully. "I mean.. it has to be when I want something to change. Right? Although, if I were making people just continue as they are, I'm not sure how I would even notice."

At least not so far. Up in Jonah's office is maybe the first time he was aware of it as it happened. In the bar, it was obvious, and maybe part of him knew he was doing it - it wasn't a surprise, after all, that everyone did exactly as he wanted. But he was far too busy being angry and having a clear goal, that he didn't really question it.

Peter definitely has a pep in his step as they walk, just by virtue of being next to Fiyero. The nice things Fiyero says to him are just a bonus, words that Peter holds close to his chest, warmed from the inside out. Call it the honeymoon period if you will, but don't they deserve that, at least a little? Finding someone who makes them happy, who thinks the world of them?

"I don't think so. Not all the time, I mean." Peter hums thoughtfully, turning it over in his mind. It can be difficult to separate from his own heightened emotions, but he's pretty sure there have been a few times where Fiyero has influenced him. Not with a particular goal in mind, but just because Peter could feel him. But... how to explain that without freaking Fiyero out?

"It's two separate things," Peter explains slowly, turning them down another street, weaving them towards Midtown. "When you want something to change, or you want to intercede or... something like that. The hallway, with the neighbors. The crowd at the club. But then other times, it's like... I can feel you?"

"You weren't controlling me," He's quick to reassure, glancing up at Fiyero's expression. "But I could feel you. How happy you were. It didn't - it wasn't like it made me happy when I wasn't, because I was, but more like... it compounded how I was already feeling?"

"I don't think that had a goal. I think you were just... feeling so much, it was like the water in your cup spilled over." Peter diverts them to a storefront, shouldering open the door and pulling Fiyero with him. Cramped rows of clothes greet them, one other shopper in the back - but otherwise empty, surprisingly. What? Peter might know a few secret city gems; it's not like there was any writing on the window indicating what this store was. "Either way, there's only one way to figure it out, and that's practice. Lucky for us, I volunteer as tribute."

Fiyero looks up as Peter shares his thoughts, and... if definitely feels like he's choosing his words carefully. Whether that's because he's not sure himself, or.. What seems more likely: that he's worried about how Fiyero will take it. Trying to discuss it gently.

It does work though, Fiyero not freaking out this time, and Peter is quick to reassure. However, it is a surprise, what Peter describes. It sounds like the difference between control and communication, almost.

Although it does sound a little like influence, still. Compounding... At least it was happiness spilling over? Peter already has so much empathy, he feels awful when Fiyero feels sad anyway. He would probably feel devastated if Fiyero's panic or sadness spilled over, as Peter phrases it. Then again, maybe that has happened and Peter just doesn't want to point it out.

It's such a complex thing to be thinking about, Fiyero is being pulled along on autopilot. It takes him a second to realise Peter has pulled him into a clothing store. It's an abrupt adjustment, part of him definitely wants to break off to search for new outfits, while the other part of him is still stuck in the conversation. And it isn't a light subject suited for multitasking.

"And you're sure that's.. not just you?" he asks curiously, unwrapping himself a little from Peter. "You know, how you sense when people need help?"

There's just unfortunately no one else to ask about this sort of thing. How would they know whether if affects Peter differently than it does other people, giving his own abilities to sense things?

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