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

[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?

Re: 6 pm

[therealpm.livejournal.com]

*Peter shrugs, he'd have to ask Campbell. Grating as it was to admit it, the man knew far more about that tweeting thing than Peter did. He considers asking after John's children, but the man had been strangely resistant to enquiries of late and besides, talking of families is sure to merely set him off again. However bad things have been before, he's never cried in front of John and he doesn't intend to start now.

He takes another sip.*

Returning to an earlier topic....

*He glances over at John, the other man is listening. He picks his words carefully.*

...if the relatives were to agree... ...would it be possible to let The Machine run diagnostics on the two...

*He sees John about to interject and speaks more quickly.*

The information obtained could suggest a cure, or at least some means to alleviate their current condition!

Re: 6 pm

[bamfbercow.livejournal.com]

Peter...

*John pinches the bridge of his nose*

The relatives are not going to agree. I understand that you want to help, I do, but there is nothing you can do right now. Nothing except let the doctors and medical professionals do their jobs.

I thought you didn't want to talk about this, anyway?

Re: 6 pm

[therealpm.livejournal.com]

*He drops his chin onto one hand and stares into his wine.*

They might.

Re: 6 pm

[bamfbercow.livejournal.com]

*John sips his wine and changes the topic of conversation*

The children have been asking after you recently. Freddie helped his friend get onto student council and thought you'd care to hear the whole story at some point.

Re: 6 pm

[therealpm.livejournal.com]

I... yes...

*He focuses very hard on his glass of wine and tries to avoid acknowledging the fact that a man with whom he has been feuding on and off for three years now is more willing to let Peter into his home and stay in his company than one with whom Peter had been a relationship for four. It is a stark comparison and in attempting to prevent any sign of it from reaching his features, Peter almost forgets how to breathe. He takes a shakey sip from his glass.*

Re: 6 pm

[bamfbercow.livejournal.com]

*That was clearly the wrong thing to say John thinks frantically. What do I talk about now?!*

*John takes a large gulp of his wine (his glass is instantly refilled by the floating bottle) and casts around for something else to say... something to get Peter back to his old self... Attacking the Tories, perhaps?*

Preparing the lines of attack for what's bound to come out of Tory conference at all?

Re: 6 pm

[therealpm.livejournal.com]

No.

*Keep your eyes open, don't blink. DON'T blink. If you blink they don't dry out. Keep them OPEN and you won't cry. You're not going to cry. You've had worse. Breathe deep. Breathe IN. Now out. Good. No crying. NO CRYING.

It takes a few moments, and when it does his voice comes out thick, but it doesn't crack.*

No... I'm not planning to.

Re: 6 pm

[bamfbercow.livejournal.com]

*Ok, so Tories are off the conversation topics that it is safe to discuss he thinks. What else is there?!*

*Mind blank and panicking, John casts around for something - anything - to take Peter's mind off whatever it is.*

Would you care to watch a film? Maybe some music? I'm sure Sally's got some ABBA CD's somewhere...

Re: 6 pm

[therealpm.livejournal.com]

Yes... something... film.

*His eyes are a little unwilling to fucus, though whether that's the wine (are they on the second bottle already?) or his efforts to avoid tears, he's not sure.*

Re: 6 pm

[bamfbercow.livejournal.com]

*John summons the DVD player and a few DVDs from upstairs. He hands the stack of DVDs to Peter*

Pick one of those. There are a few others about the house, but I don't think Trainspotting is really appropriate at the moment...

*After a few tries, he just about manages to get everything set up.*

Which one have you decided on, then?

Re: 6 pm

[therealpm.livejournal.com]

*Peter frowns as he tries to read the labels. He doesn't recognise most of these. The ones for children he rejects out of hand. The Deal, likewise.

Eventually he whittles it down to the only one that wasn't either for children, an unwelcome reminder of certain aspects of his career, completely incomprehensible or part of a series he'd never watched.*

Here.

*He passes the case over.*