I'm from New York. [ is his first response to all of that, punctuated by a huff of laugh. new york's weird: he loves it, it's home, but it's still a pretty idiosyncratic place.
uh, but hold up a second. ]
Wait, monsters from another plane of existence trying to take over your minds. [ somewhere between him just repeating what she'd said to make sure that was what she'd said, and a question; a beat. ] No wonder you've just taken a week to yourself. I think I'd be taking a year.
βI think there's probably a saying somewhere in there about people and hiding from uncomfortable truths, but it might just be a little too on the nose for me to want to commit to saying it.
[ new york? oh so he's basically living her dream. it's fine. it's fine. she can be cool about that. she's not even going to comment on it! ]
I don't usually hide from things like that, though. Part of me knows I had to lay low for a little while, give my brain a chance to process- everything, but there's another part of me that kind of hates every minute I'm not out there trying to figure out what's going on in this town. What's really going on.
But- That's why you worked for a newspaper, no? To make sure people knew the truth?
Okay, but you can't do that second bit if you don't do that first bit. Trust me.
[ is what he says first; the second part of what she says, about working for a newspaper to make sure people knew the truth? well, kind of. it's not as cut and dry as all of that. originally, he'd just wanted to earn a little bit of money to help aunt may. ]
Yeah, but not everyone wants to know the truth, is what I meant. Sometimes people aren't ready to hear it, no matter how much you think they need to hear it. Until they're ready to listen, you can yell it from the rooftops all day everyday, and they'll still find a way to turn 'the sky is blue' into 'the sky is pink.' The status quo isn't an easy thing to break, Nancy. [ a breath of a pause. ] But that doesn't mean you stop trying.
[ it's not a passive response, despite how short it is. it's obvious that holds some weight with her - never stop trying. she makes a little sound though, a hn of a sigh, because maybe thinking about how people would rather be blind to the truth than accept it and grow from it will always be a tough topic for her. ]
So- How did you meet El? I hope she didn't share too much about living with Steve and I - she can be pretty blunt, sometimes.
After the ferry sank, [ he actually manages to say this without sounding irritated for perhaps the first time all month ], she was sat at the bonfire.
[ "I wanted to make sure she was okay and she wasn't alone", essentially, but he doesn't say that. ]
Uh, you know you saying that makes it sound like there's something she should be sharing about living with you and Steve, right? [ uttered with a hint of amusement because NANCY DO U KNOW HOW THAT SOUNDS? ] But no: we talked a little about books, and studying, and how friends don't lie. She mentioned Mike, as well. That's your brother, right?
Oh. [ suddenly, as if something's just occurred to him. ] I used to teach. [ beat. ] If she ever mentions going to the library to study, that's with me. It seemed like she could do with something close to normal, and I know I could do with a distraction or two.
--Huh? Oh. No. I mean, no, no way, it's not like that. Steve and I are just friends. [ wow it's been a long time since she's had to make that clarification ] I just meant that there's stuff about us and our lives back home that would probably make us sound crazy. [ a beat ] Then again I just told you about monsters, but maybe not.
[ p r o f e s s o r p e t e r. she'll take that out. ]
Oh, yeah? That's actually pretty brilliant. Why didn't I think of that? I'm sure she'll love that.
Do you remember that part of our conversation where I mentioned aliens and superheroes? And that's not even touching on the fact that we're in what's either a pocket dimension or just a whole other dimension entirely, where we're either already dead, just plain missing from our homes, and we've spent the better part of a week and a half hallucinating.
If you're crazy, I'm crazy. Given the alternative, I'm not sure that's the worst option, honestly.
[ pause. is this the part where he brings up the 'don't mention science thing'? ] I don't know if I'd go that far, and... [ beat; cough. ] My speciality is science. [ there's a weight to the word, as if he's not sure if he needs to elaborate. ]
Oh. True. [ she huffs ] Is it bad that I can't decide if being dead is worse than being missing? When people go missing in my town, it generally means they're stuck somewhere awful. ... Kind of like this place.
It's okay. It- It might actually be a good thing. A way for her to see that science isn't always what she's experienced. That it's not - [ evil ] That it can used to help people.
That's a lot to take on, though. There are definitely certain things you would have to avoid talking about. Which I can try to narrow down, but I can't predict how she might react to any given topic. Are you sure you're up for it?
[ wait, let's start that again: of course she doesn't know why he became a teacher.
of every job that he's had, it had arguably been the most fulfilling. working at the bugle had been like working at home: jonah, betty, robbie β all of them were family, it was a place where he felt comfortable. a place where he'd grown up from awkward, hot-headed teenage freelancer, into less-awkward, slightly less hot-headed salaried employee, who wanted to get married and settle down andβ
well, it hadn't quite worked out, and he was still working on it, but.
it had been eye-opening to go back to midtown, to see kids without opportunities, without anyone wanting, really wanting, to stop and give them a hand. he doesn't think he made a difference for all of them, he doesn't expect he even made a difference for most of them, but if he'd managed it for some of themβ. ]
It definitely wasn't the pay. [ beat. ] Look, I know, everyone that becomes a teacher says they do it because they want to make a difference, and I don't think you always can, not in the way that you'd like. But there are a lot of kids out there that just need a helping hand and if you give up on them just because it's a little difficult, what does that say? That they're not worth it?
[ she listens, because of course she does, even if there's a part of her that wants to insist, a no, you don't understand. but she also knows what it's like to be underestimated, so.
maybe he can handle himself with a girl who can throw cars with her mind ]
Alright. If you're sure. Although I still want to discuss a few things with you about it first. Maybe in person, actually. I should really get out of the house.
[ yeah, mhm, that's definitely something she can peel herself off the couch for. eleven, too, and making sure she feels ..well, she knows she can't make her feel completely safe here, but as safe as she can, all things considered. ]
Alright, Mr. Parker. When would be a good time for you, for this self-appointed guardian/teacher conference?
I had been planning on taking an afternoon to quietly reflect on the series of poor life choices that led to me being here, but Iβm sure I can squeeze you in before that.
[ this is nancy squinting at the empty cereal bowl on the coffee table in front of her, trying to remember if it's from earlier this morning, or uh, lat night. hm. ]
Um, yeah. Yes. I could go for some lunch. That's definitely a thing I should do.
[ she too is obviously questioning her life choices ]
[ definitely a thing I should do earns a short laugh, then: ]
This'd be a bit more impressive if there was somewhere other than the Invincible, but if you've got another idea, I'm all ears. Otherwise, I can meet you in thirty?
[ peter actually manages to be more-or-less on time: it's one of the benefits to living in the invincible, albeit one only made possible by the fact that, for once, he was actually there whilst speaking to nancy. at the thirty minute mark, he orders two mugs of cocoa β truth be told, he's never actually checked to see if the invincible serves it, so it's hit-and-miss as to what they'll actually end up with, butβ ]
I've had some pretty informal parent-slash-guardian/teacher meetings in my time, but I think hot cocoa and lunch tops the list. [ is what he says in lieu of a greeting as nancy approaches. it's accompanied by a quick, darting smile, then: ] Hey. [ he eyes her in the short pause that follows, searching her face to see if he can work out if she's really okay, after everything. the last event (since that was what they were calling it, apparently) had seemed to take its toll on everyone, and frankly, he can't blame her for spending the last week holed up somewhere a little more familiar.
(βugh.) a flicker of hesitation, thenβ ] Listen, Nancy, I think I get your concerns. [ beat. ] I know Eleven's got some β unusual abilities.
[ nancy is, of course, precisely on time. she steps into the pub as peter's putting in their order, so she can not-greet him just as casually.
it still feels ridiculous, carrying a lantern around with her the same as she carries her bag, but. everybody's got one, so. yeah. it's fine. she'll get used to the extra weight eventually, but for now it's probably obvious she's very Aware of it, her hand moving to brace where it hangs from her bag strap as she approaches him. otherwise she seems pretty... fine? fine is a good word. ]
Hi.
[ and the look she gives him - when she notices he's doing the "quick once over" move she's perfected herself over the last few years - says just that. i'm fine.
of course, then he says that and her brows jump up a bit. oh? ]
Oh. [ okay. she can roll with that. she's wondering just how many people know about what el can do now, but that's here nor there. there's really no reason she needs to keep it a secret here, probably. maybe? hm. she'll figure it out later. she's not worried about peter knowing, at least, because he certainly hasn't given her a reason to believe he doesn't have eleven's best interests at heart, so. ] Well... Do you know how? Or why? Because those two things are more important than what, exactly, she can do. For this situation, at least.
[ not that she's going to divulge every bit of eleven's history right now, but there are some key points, sure ]
omg so i was convinced i replied to this WHAT THE FUCK I'M SORRY
No, [ peter admits. ] I can guess at some of it, given her reaction to me mentioning scientists... [ he adds, a slight sigh punctuating the reply. ] I don't know if it's something she was born able to do, but my guess is that her abilities were discovered pretty early on, right? So β held in a facility, maybe government-sanctioned, maybe not.
[ the difference hardly matters, really, not now. it's the end result: a child traumatised by events beyond her control in her past. he pauses and spreads his hands out against the table; the cynical side of him says that regardless of whether it was sanctioned or not, the aim would have been to weaponise her β or work towards it. that was always the way, wasn't it? or simply keep her locked up, just to try to figure out why she's the way she is. ]
She mentioned experiments, soβ. [ he lifts a hand and waves it vaguely. ] Either they were the wrong crowd, or a few someones want to figure out the extent of what she can do and how, either to use her or to replicate the ability in other people. [ a breath of a pause. ] For what it's worth, I can only imagine what she's been through, and ... I'm sorry. If I'd known, I'd never have brought it up.
[ nance stays quiet as he goes through the impression he got from whatever conversations he's had with eleven, listening close because if there's something not quite right, she'll have to correct it. for el's sake, for sure, and... kind of peter's, too. ]
You're close, across the board. I don't think they ever wanted to replicate it, but they definitely wanted to use her, and her powers, for their own gain. I think her powers started with her mother, but she's not... well. So it's not like we can ask her.
But I do know that she was taken as a baby, and that she basically grew up in that lab.
[ she chews her lip, not wanting to delve too much deeper just yet ]
No dissecting, and I would avoid using the word "experiment" altogether. I think- she might like to learn math, but just the basics. She's really very clever, but it might still take her some time to learn certain things. I mean, science is a tricky subject, but I know she likes to learn about how things work. [ a beat ] Has she used her powers around you before?
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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uh, but hold up a second. ]
Wait, monsters from another plane of existence trying to take over your minds. [ somewhere between him just repeating what she'd said to make sure that was what she'd said, and a question; a beat. ] No wonder you've just taken a week to yourself. I think I'd be taking a year.
βI think there's probably a saying somewhere in there about people and hiding from uncomfortable truths, but it might just be a little too on the nose for me to want to commit to saying it.
no subject
[ new york? oh so he's basically living her dream. it's fine. it's fine. she can be cool about that. she's not even going to comment on it! ]
I don't usually hide from things like that, though. Part of me knows I had to lay low for a little while, give my brain a chance to process- everything, but there's another part of me that kind of hates every minute I'm not out there trying to figure out what's going on in this town. What's really going on.
But- That's why you worked for a newspaper, no? To make sure people knew the truth?
no subject
[ is what he says first; the second part of what she says, about working for a newspaper to make sure people knew the truth? well, kind of. it's not as cut and dry as all of that. originally, he'd just wanted to earn a little bit of money to help aunt may. ]
Yeah, but not everyone wants to know the truth, is what I meant. Sometimes people aren't ready to hear it, no matter how much you think they need to hear it. Until they're ready to listen, you can yell it from the rooftops all day everyday, and they'll still find a way to turn 'the sky is blue' into 'the sky is pink.' The status quo isn't an easy thing to break, Nancy. [ a breath of a pause. ] But that doesn't mean you stop trying.
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[ it's not a passive response, despite how short it is. it's obvious that holds some weight with her - never stop trying. she makes a little sound though, a hn of a sigh, because maybe thinking about how people would rather be blind to the truth than accept it and grow from it will always be a tough topic for her. ]
So- How did you meet El? I hope she didn't share too much about living with Steve and I - she can be pretty blunt, sometimes.
1/2
[ "I wanted to make sure she was okay and she wasn't alone", essentially, but he doesn't say that. ]
Uh, you know you saying that makes it sound like there's something she should be sharing about living with you and Steve, right? [ uttered with a hint of amusement because NANCY DO U KNOW HOW THAT SOUNDS? ] But no: we talked a little about books, and studying, and how friends don't lie. She mentioned Mike, as well. That's your brother, right?
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[ also ice cream. ]
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[ p r o f e s s o r p e t e r. she'll take that out. ]
Oh, yeah? That's actually pretty brilliant. Why didn't I think of that? I'm sure she'll love that.
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If you're crazy, I'm crazy. Given the alternative, I'm not sure that's the worst option, honestly.
[ pause. is this the part where he brings up the 'don't mention science thing'? ] I don't know if I'd go that far, and... [ beat; cough. ] My speciality is science. [ there's a weight to the word, as if he's not sure if he needs to elaborate. ]
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[ she pauses then, chews her lip ]
Does she know that?
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[ nancy might be able to hear the wince that accompanies that admission. to say it'd not gone how peter had expected was an understatement. ]
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It's okay. It- It might actually be a good thing. A way for her to see that science isn't always what she's experienced. That it's not - [ evil ] That it can used to help people.
That's a lot to take on, though. There are definitely certain things you would have to avoid talking about. Which I can try to narrow down, but I can't predict how she might react to any given topic. Are you sure you're up for it?
1/2
lmao 2/3
of every job that he's had, it had arguably been the most fulfilling. working at the bugle had been like working at home: jonah, betty, robbie β all of them were family, it was a place where he felt comfortable. a place where he'd grown up from awkward, hot-headed teenage freelancer, into less-awkward, slightly less hot-headed salaried employee, who wanted to get married and settle down andβ
well, it hadn't quite worked out, and he was still working on it, but.
it had been eye-opening to go back to midtown, to see kids without opportunities, without anyone wanting, really wanting, to stop and give them a hand. he doesn't think he made a difference for all of them, he doesn't expect he even made a difference for most of them, but if he'd managed it for some of themβ. ]
It definitely wasn't the pay. [ beat. ] Look, I know, everyone that becomes a teacher says they do it because they want to make a difference, and I don't think you always can, not in the way that you'd like. But there are a lot of kids out there that just need a helping hand and if you give up on them just because it's a little difficult, what does that say? That they're not worth it?
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It'll be fine. [ beat. ] Besides, she's got you as well, right? And Steve. [ MYSTERIOUS STEVE. ]
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maybe he can handle himself with a girl who can throw cars with her mind ]
Alright. If you're sure. Although I still want to discuss a few things with you about it first. Maybe in person, actually. I should really get out of the house.
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Yes, Miss. [ punctuated by a short laugh. ] βI could really go for hot cocoa.
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[ yeah, mhm, that's definitely something she can peel herself off the couch for. eleven, too, and making sure she feels ..well, she knows she can't make her feel completely safe here, but as safe as she can, all things considered. ]
Alright, Mr. Parker. When would be a good time for you, for this self-appointed guardian/teacher conference?
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βHave you had lunch?
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Um, yeah. Yes. I could go for some lunch. That's definitely a thing I should do.
[ she too is obviously questioning her life choices ]
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This'd be a bit more impressive if there was somewhere other than the Invincible, but if you've got another idea, I'm all ears. Otherwise, I can meet you in thirty?
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I've had some pretty informal parent-slash-guardian/teacher meetings in my time, but I think hot cocoa and lunch tops the list. [ is what he says in lieu of a greeting as nancy approaches. it's accompanied by a quick, darting smile, then: ] Hey. [ he eyes her in the short pause that follows, searching her face to see if he can work out if she's really okay, after everything. the last event (since that was what they were calling it, apparently) had seemed to take its toll on everyone, and frankly, he can't blame her for spending the last week holed up somewhere a little more familiar.
(βugh.) a flicker of hesitation, thenβ ] Listen, Nancy, I think I get your concerns. [ beat. ] I know Eleven's got some β unusual abilities.
[ might as well dive straight in there, right? ]
no subject
[ nancy is, of course, precisely on time. she steps into the pub as peter's putting in their order, so she can not-greet him just as casually.
it still feels ridiculous, carrying a lantern around with her the same as she carries her bag, but. everybody's got one, so. yeah. it's fine. she'll get used to the extra weight eventually, but for now it's probably obvious she's very Aware of it, her hand moving to brace where it hangs from her bag strap as she approaches him. otherwise she seems pretty... fine? fine is a good word. ]
Hi.
[ and the look she gives him - when she notices he's doing the "quick once over" move she's perfected herself over the last few years - says just that. i'm fine.
of course, then he says that and her brows jump up a bit. oh? ]
Oh. [ okay. she can roll with that. she's wondering just how many people know about what el can do now, but that's here nor there. there's really no reason she needs to keep it a secret here, probably. maybe? hm. she'll figure it out later. she's not worried about peter knowing, at least, because he certainly hasn't given her a reason to believe he doesn't have eleven's best interests at heart, so. ] Well... Do you know how? Or why? Because those two things are more important than what, exactly, she can do. For this situation, at least.
[ not that she's going to divulge every bit of eleven's history right now, but there are some key points, sure ]
omg so i was convinced i replied to this WHAT THE FUCK I'M SORRY
[ the difference hardly matters, really, not now. it's the end result: a child traumatised by events beyond her control in her past. he pauses and spreads his hands out against the table; the cynical side of him says that regardless of whether it was sanctioned or not, the aim would have been to weaponise her β or work towards it. that was always the way, wasn't it? or simply keep her locked up, just to try to figure out why she's the way she is. ]
She mentioned experiments, soβ. [ he lifts a hand and waves it vaguely. ] Either they were the wrong crowd, or a few someones want to figure out the extent of what she can do and how, either to use her or to replicate the ability in other people. [ a breath of a pause. ] For what it's worth, I can only imagine what she's been through, and ... I'm sorry. If I'd known, I'd never have brought it up.
NOT forgiven!!1
You're close, across the board. I don't think they ever wanted to replicate it, but they definitely wanted to use her, and her powers, for their own gain. I think her powers started with her mother, but she's not... well. So it's not like we can ask her.
But I do know that she was taken as a baby, and that she basically grew up in that lab.
[ she chews her lip, not wanting to delve too much deeper just yet ]
No dissecting, and I would avoid using the word "experiment" altogether. I think- she might like to learn math, but just the basics. She's really very clever, but it might still take her some time to learn certain things. I mean, science is a tricky subject, but I know she likes to learn about how things work. [ a beat ] Has she used her powers around you before?