Monday 8th October. Prison Cell

[therealpm]

*Peter stares out of the window at the thoroughly dismal weather, unable to concentrate on the briefing in front of him.  It's a new one, so it probably contains something of value if leaked to the press via one of his erstwhile colleagues, aka Tinkerbell, aka Alastair.  He should at least search for something to give Chuka, but he really can't be bothered.

He shivers.  Despite much prodding from Fiona, he's barely had anything except tea and some toast since Friday.  It probably isn't helping his concentration, but he just doesn't feel like eating.

He catches sight of the phone out of the corner of his eye and considers ringing the stupid wonderful heartless man, just to see if he can make him feel as bad as Peter does, but resists.  It probably wouldn't work.  George already thinks he's a monster, Peter doesn't want him thinking he's pathetic as well.  He shoves the phone under some papers so it's out of sight and tries to get back to work.*

Comments

Re: 6 pm

[bamfbercow.livejournal.com]

*John sips at his own wine, attempting to come up with a topic of conversation but since he doesn't know what's bothering Peter, he isn't sure any topic he chooses will be safe. Instead, he continues to sit silently, sipping the wine.*

Re: 6 pm

[therealpm.livejournal.com]

*Peter's probably halfway through his second glass (he can't be sure because John's enchanted the bottle to top his glass up automatically and he wasn't looking). John's looking sheepishly into his own cup, and Peter belatedly notes that he probably ought to show some sort of appreciation for the gift.*

It is very good wine.

Re: 6 pm

[bamfbercow.livejournal.com]

I'm glad you approve; I didn't think a bottle of Blossom Hill would cut it this time, for some reason.

Don't expect this caliber of wine from me from now on, though.

Re: 6 pm

[therealpm.livejournal.com]

'This time'? Why, what are we celebrating?

Re: 6 pm

[bamfbercow.livejournal.com]

We're celebrating you finally having a meal, of course!

Re: 6 pm

[therealpm.livejournal.com]

....couldn't you have brought cake, and killed two birds with one stone?

Re: 6 pm

[bamfbercow.livejournal.com]

I think there's some chocolate gateaux left in the fridge if you'd care for a slice?

Re: 6 pm

[therealpm.livejournal.com]

*Peter sips his wine, closing his eyes in pleasure at the taste.*

Not at present.

Re: 6 pm

[bamfbercow.livejournal.com]

Well, do be sure to let me know if and when that changes, Peter.

*John goes back to sipping his wine in silence.*

Re: 6 pm

[therealpm.livejournal.com]

*Peter looks across at the other man.*

Why are you here, anyway. I've eaten my dinner like a good boy. Haven't you got constituents to soothe and so forth?

Re: 6 pm

[bamfbercow.livejournal.com]

Would you rather I go and let you consume three bottles of the most expensive wine I could find at short notice by yourself?

If so, then by all means I will let you drink yourself into a stupor, the alcohol simply exacerbating your melancholy. Or I could stay and try and help you forget - if only for a short while - about whatever it is that's got you into this state in the first place.

The choice, as ever, Peter, is entirely yours.

Re: 6 pm

[therealpm.livejournal.com]

*It is very good wine, and given his non-human metabolism, drinking far too much of it probably won't do any lasting damage, and he has to admit that blacking out completely is not an entirely unattractive option by this point. He snorts.*

You are doing so well at the latter. The utter silence is terribly distracting.

Re: 6 pm

[bamfbercow.livejournal.com]

You see, Peter, the issue is that I have no idea in the slightest what caused you to be in this mood in the first place, and, as such, I have no idea in the slightest which conversational topics would make things worse rather than better.

I would attempt to converse about the quality of the wine as a starter, but, as I'm sure you're more than aware by now, my palate may as well be non-existent for all the use it is in conversations of that kind.

Re: 6 pm

[therealpm.livejournal.com]

*Peter scowls.*

I'm not 'in a mood'.

*He sips his wine and wonders how best to procede. Attributing it to news of his victims' welfare had been moderately sucessful with Fiona and Alastair. He shrugs.*

It's just... I have injured two people.

*He turns to face John, jaw tight.*

And there is very little I can do to help them recover.

Re: 6 pm

[bamfbercow.livejournal.com]

*John holds his hands in the air, very nearly spilling the wine*

Peter, I do not want to know what is bothering you.

Well, no, that's not entirely correct, I'm sure there is a part of me that does wish to know, but from the amount of time we've been friends known each other, it is safe to say that knowing what is going on in your head normally results in far more trouble and hassle and law breaking than I can handle with anything approaching competency.

Besides which, I've never known you want to talk about something when it's bothering you. Whenever something has caused you similar distress in the past, you merely come round and drink as much of my alcohol as you can stand, hence why there are currently three bottles of the finest wine Parliament has to offer sitting on your desk.

If the incident on your first night in your second form is the issue, then I will do my best to avoid mentioning it or anything that could easily be related back to it. If there's something else - either additionally or instead of - that has brought this on, then feel free to steer the conversation away from those particular topics.

*John sips at his wine.*

So, the weather...

Re: 6 pm

[therealpm.livejournal.com]

'Law breaking'? I've never broken the law. That you know of.

...and the weather is awful. Even I am aware of that.

Re: 6 pm

[bamfbercow.livejournal.com]

Of course, Peter, of course - I'm sure the head keeping guard of the biscuits is perfectly legal...

It has not been awful! Or, rather, it could certainly have been a lot worse given the time of the year.

Re: 6 pm

[therealpm.livejournal.com]

*Peter almost sniggers.*

Oh, that. You know my interest in potion, rather than spell, based transfiguration. Live matter is terribly difficult to work with, but inert, or even dead-but-once-living matter is surprisingly simple, once one gets the release rate correct. It's merely a transformed calf's (finding something in the correct mass range to reduce the compensation curve is rather difficult) head which I've never had the time to spend transforming back. Macabre, perhaps, but hardly illegal and an entirely necessary bit of research given the delicacy of the brain.

Re: 6 pm

[bamfbercow.livejournal.com]

Even if that is true, there are other ways you've broken the law before.

The Machine for example...

Re: 6 pm

[therealpm.livejournal.com]

*Peter simply looks sulky.*

The Machine has never been ruled against in court and I have complied with every one of your demands on that matter.

Re: 6 pm

[bamfbercow.livejournal.com]

*John once again holds his hands in the air*

Clearly I have touched a nerve again. I do apologize.

*He sips at his drink*

It's not very long until Christmas now, is it...?

Re: 6 pm

[therealpm.livejournal.com]

*His glass might have been topped up again, he's not quite sure. He takes a small sip. It is near Christmas. Ordinarily he'd be starting the shopping by now- compiling lists of potential gifts for each of the children at the Bercow and Osborne households...

Well... at least there won't be so many to buy for this year.

Or the next.

He stares into his glass, replying to Bercow only with a slight nod.*

Re: 6 pm

[bamfbercow.livejournal.com]

*The alcohol is apparently starting to take effect and Peter cannot fully hide the look of sadness that passes across his face. John hastily changes topic again.*

Sally's quitting Twitter tonight.

Re: 6 pm

[therealpm.livejournal.com]

Oh, why?

*Possible reasons flash through Peter's mind and he adds in a far more panicked tone than intended:*

She isn't... is she planning to stand for a seat?

Re: 6 pm

[bamfbercow.livejournal.com]

I haven't got the foggiest. Something about "trolls" but I told her the UK hasn't had an infestation in nearly a century. She did not seem to agree with me, for some reason.

If she were planning to stand for a seat, I don't see why she'd delete her account - don't most MPs use it to talk to their constituents?