A Night in West Egg

[professorlionface]

WHO: EVERYBODY OF ALL AGES
WHERE: The Xavier Institute
WHEN: The night of June 16th, all night!
WARNINGS: Who can really tell anymore? Probable language. Possible violence. Copious dancing.
SUMMARY: PROM PROM PROM PROM PROM PROM PROM
FORMAT: OPEN

The guests into an auditorium transformed. Through the magic of papier mache, the room has been decked out like a speakeasy, the refreshments laid out on a very makeshift bar that will not stock alcohol as long as they can prevent it. The whole room is cast with a cool blue light, and a jazz band's been hired to take the stage for an hour before leaving the rest of the evening to the DJ.

It was time to get this party started.

quick-links!
DANCE FLOOR
REFRESHMENTS
SIDELINES
OUTSIDE

Comments

argh notifs :(

[incywincyhero]

But the hat is old -- I thought that was the whole point of this party! [He pops the pie into his mouth, then waggles his fork.] Sorry, bad joke.

wow why are they so rude

[professorlionface]

[He smiles broadly with a chuckle.]

Oh no, I walked right into that one, as though I'd left it hanging over my head. [He straightens his hat.]

let's say he told him!

[incywincyhero]

[Peter laughs obediently enough, but his mood's shifted. He looks down at his plate, making a few desultory pokes with his fork but not taking another bite.]

Listen, uh ... change of subject. I really appreciate you not being weird about -- you know. [He glances around to check if anyone's listening.] What we talked about the other day.

okay!

[professorlionface]

[He's feeling a little fuzzy, trying to recall just what Peter is talking about. It's embarrassing that he's drawing a blank, especially since it was barely more than a week ago! He'll play along to save face, of course, patting a hand on his shoulder.]

Peter, you're my friend! Not to mention that I have a wide experience with the weird. Nothing you tell me will be more than I can take.

[incywincyhero]

[He shrugs underneath Hank's hand, though not enough to dislodge it.] Kind of a bombshell to drop on someone after two years -- or more than ten -- of knowing them, though.

[professorlionface]

[Ten years? That doesn't make any sense at all! How big a thing could it possibly be that he's forgetting? If he was embarrassed before, well, it's far worse now.

The kind of "there is no way I can actually say I forgot" kind of forgetting.] Yes, well...you know, these days do happen from time to time. You can't be expected to disclose everything about yourself to a person when you're not comfortable.

[incywincyhero]

[Now the little voice in Peter's head says, Now wait just one second, here... Hank's always been pretty easy-going, but this level of equanimity seems a mite off.] I thought you'd be at least a little bit upset, even if you understood where I was coming from. I mean, I led you around by the nose for months on end, that's gotta grate on you a little.

[professorlionface]

[Oh my god, how serious was this revelation? How in the world could he forget it? Just what was Peter hiding from him?]

A little, sure, I mean how couldn't it? But I...I wouldn't want it to stand in the way of our friendship...?

[He definitely sounds less certain now.]

[incywincyhero]

[And yet it's that very uncertainty which reassures Peter, putting him back in the familiar territory of post-confession awkwardness.]

Believe me, you have no idea how much I appreciate that. I mean, it's been -- we've always gotten along pretty well, I think, but it's been good getting to know you better here, Hank.

[professorlionface]

[Nothing about that last sentence even makes sense. He's really not sure whether eschewing decorum would be better at this point. Maybe he should excuse himself, try to bring it up later. He doesn't know, but trying to keep up the act is getting harder by the second!]

I'd like to say the same for you as well, Peter. [It comes out strained, as he now isn't sure how well he has gotten to know him.]

[incywincyhero]

[Maybe Hank isn't taking this as well as Peter had thought.] Ah ... if you'd rather not talk about it, that's okay. Some people've reacted that way before -- I get it, really, I do.

[professorlionface]

[Peter's giving him an out. By all means he should take it, but for some reason he doesn't. Instead, he visibly cringes.]

Under perhaps different reasoning, however.

[incywincyhero]

Pretty much the same, I think. Unless there's something I'm not getting here?

[professorlionface]

Only that I...don't know.

[incywincyhero]

You ... don't know whether you want to talk about it or not? [What is going on.]

[professorlionface]

Well, I just...you see, it's that I...

I genuinely have no recollection of this revelation you're referring to.

[incywincyhero]

... Oh.

[Oh. Uh-oh.]

[professorlionface]

I...I really do apologize, but, well... I'm trying to compare this with what I recall of our conversation and...

[incywincyhero]

Yeah, I -- got that, thanks.

[If Peter sounds a little snappy, it's because he's honestly unsure whether he should be relieved, annoyed, or disappointed. Surely it's better for Hank not to remember? But after Peter laid himself bare like that...]

[professorlionface]

[Of course, now that he's aware that he's forgotten, it gets so much more awkward.

He shrinks and cringes a little at Peter's response, as if dealt a more direct blow. Something is wrong with his brain. Again. This is all his fault, maybe they'd let him out of the hospital too soon?]

...S-sorry...

[incywincyhero]

Whoa, take it easy, Hank! It's okay, you didn't do anything wrong.

[Peter reaches to clasp Hank's arm, stifling his grimace down to a more neutral expression before the other man takes it the wrong way. He just brainwashed his friend and now Hank is blaming himself. And two seconds ago he was feeling relieved? You're a real piece of work, Parker.]

[professorlionface]

[He massages his temples, as if that would somehow encourage this whole thing to fix itself.]

Well, it was obviously something of no small importance, and for me to just forget like this...

It isn't like me.

[incywincyhero]

Nah, it's not you. You know how I blather on -- you probably got distracted by something and I didn't even notice.

[This is the worst lie ever. But even if Peter wanted to re-reveal his secret identity, and explain the psychic blindspot -- and, to his shame, he's not sure that he does -- now is not the time and place.]

[professorlionface]

[Wow, he would feel so guilty if that were what happened.]

If it were something so important, I would hope I'd be paying attention...

[incywincyhero]

[This just keeps getting worse and worse...]

Honestly, Hank, it's not a big deal.