I would break the laws of gravity

[hypoxic]

Who: Leo Fitz and OPEN (log is for all, some closed starters in comments)
Where: Checkerboard Hills
When: August 9th, just past midnight
Rating: PG+
Summary: Man returns to Wonderland after two months at home under heavy stress. Man throws toddler-level tantrum in public space. As adults are wont to do.
The Story:

[Apparently, the stories are true. When one leaves Wonderland, one is thrust back home without memory. There's nothing to prevent the mistakes he should know to avoid, no way to apply the emotional developments he's earned. It's just the harsh progression of time, doing what time wishes. And there's no way to stop it from bringing them back before they're ready to come back.

When Fitz arrives, it's facedown into a patch of eternally-manicured grass. The memories hit all at once, but they're not memories he wants. He doesn't need to know about a ridiculous fantasy dimension holding people hostage. He was kind of in the middle of something a little life-or-death...!

It's too much to hold, and far more than he can process. Instead of wandering back to the mansion and settling back into his personal space, he stays where he is, pulling himself up to his hands and knees and tearing at the grass in open distress, shouting out at nothing and everything all at once.]

Not now! There's no time for this!

[Some people hit pillows. Right now, he's technically landscaping. And he's definitely not tearing up. That's probably all the dirt he's dislodging.]

Comments

[saved]

It's good you don't have to rebuild up from the bottom alone. Are you glad to be back to working? ( The pretzels are probably grateful too, but it's good to see Fitz getting back into what he's so good at doing even if he also forgets to do other stuff usually while working so intensely. He glances at the equations, opens his mouth and closes it again as if he was going to say one thing but then it got lost along the way. ) Looks like you dove right back in.

[hypoxic]

[The question is confusing for him. He squints.]

What do you mean? I haven't stopped since I've been here.

[Give him another minute, and:]

Oh, you meant before. That was a momentary lapse. There'll be time for regrets once we're all safely home.

[saved]

( Peter stares completely- completely floored for a half second.

It's funny maybe. The things that seem so huge to Peter that end up not being any big deal at all. Maybe it's because he's still technically a teenager. Maybe it's because he cares too much and pushes too hard. He can't do that anymore. Not when it only makes things worse, and it happens every time. )

Right. Just a momentary thing.

( His voice is hoarse, but he clears his throat. )

It's just good to see you working again and feeling better, but uh- I should let you get back to it.

( He gestures vaguely towards Fitz's equations and the food. )

[hypoxic]

[It's only then that Fitz gives Peter a longer look. There's more to it than that, obviously. Is there something that Fitz has forgotten still? There doesn't seem to be much of a precedent for Wonderland memories not returning completely, but is there more to it perhaps?

Or maybe Peter just needs to talk and doesn't know how to ask for someone to listen.]

I can probably stand for a break. Seems like there's something on your mind.

[saved]

( Peter opens his mouth and then closes it again. He's the one who- It feels stupid if no one but Peter remembers it. He shoves his hands into his own pockets and then shrugs. )

We just didn't have a good last conversation.

( His shoulders tighten. )

I don't want to make shit worse. ...Again.

[hypoxic]

Peter, I've had a lot of bad conversations. Everyone does.

[He'll close the physical distance between them, reaching out to place his hand over Peter's wrist.]

Friends are cross with each other sometimes. I'm fairly sure I'm cross with Jemma over something she hasn't even done yet. We've been cross with each other before. That doesn't make us less friends.

[saved]

( Peter looks down at Fitz's hand over his wrist, and then he lifts his gaze again to meet his. His chest aches slightly to think Fitz still thinks of him as a friend. )

I know. It just- It felt a lot bigger and different that time. That's why I've kept... my distance.

( Maybe because of everything else Peter had swallowed down, building up this pressure until he snapped. Maybe because he tried to open up so much. Maybe because he was so aggressively pushing how much Fitz meant to him on him. Maybe because tensions were already so high, and it exploded, and it reminded him of the many times Peter has- has had very good intentions which resulted in explosions. ...sometimes very literal explosions.

He finally smiles though. It's quiet, small but genuine. )

I'm glad I was wrong.

[hypoxic]

A lot of things were feeling too big for us at that time. That might have been some of the problem. But a friendship is stronger than just saying things that I don't like to hear. It takes a lot more than that.

You are important to me, Peter. And I'm sorry if I've not told you so enough before now.

[saved]

( peter's mouth parts in surprise at the words. his head ducks. it's hard to describe how much it means that fitz is- is giving him those words. he lifts a hand to grip his arm tightly, before he- he hugs him quick. he hopes his gratefulness reflects in his expression as he pulls back. his arms drop back down. )

You're important to me too, and it's good- it's good to see you again. ( there's a pause and then finally admittance of his own: ) I was really worried too.

[hypoxic]

[ the hug is a surprise, and Fitz's response is delayed as a result. But just before Peter pulls away,he'll return the hug, squeezing tightly. ]

I. ...thank you, Peter.

[ he clutches Peter tighter, giving out the hug he seems to need. ]

[saved]

( The hug is a surprise to Peter too. It's not like- Well, it's not easy for him, but he can tell Fitz is trying and giving him a hug back, and it means a lot. )

Yeah. Hey, I'll have to visit you all in the new lab sometime.

Check it out. Bring food. ( Like he usually does- like he usually did before everything. )

[hypoxic]

[ one thing that dramatically marked Fitz's time away was the emergence of a support system. He received a lot of hugs from friends while he was away. It provides more comfort than he thought it might. ]

We'd like that. I think you'll get along well with Cisco. He's fond of movies.

[saved]

( Peter smiles softly. Of course, he's met Cisco and checked in on him a few times now since Fitz asked him to. )

Yeah, I like him. He's pretty cool. Anyway, thanks for- ( He gestures vaguely from himself to Fitz, but mostly he means recognizing that he wasn't doing okay and asking about it cause that means a lot. And stuff. Words are hard. )

[hypoxic]

-- You don't have to.

[ Fitz interrupts the attempted show of gratitude. It'll be easier for both of them if they establish that it's not necessary and that the message was received. ]

But. You too.

[ it's been kind of Peter to consider his feelings. ]