#hunt!peter

Bang Bang, My Ritual Shot Me Down

They could feel it.

Peter didn't have to leave the room, nor check the map or a porthole. They were close to the ship that haunted Elias' waking and sleeping mind. In a few hours at most, they would reach it. Neither had said anything about it the night before as Elias shook apart under the feeling of Peter and the axe.

Elias was quiet next to him and Peter didn't dare look at him. He could feel him waiting, air thick as if he hadn't spent the past few weeks beating back the blood lust. Feeding him as best he could do, trying to keep him focused on what was most important to them. Peter blinked, staring at the ceiling as blood dried on him while the older avatar's young body drank it in.

In the quiet he wondered if it would work, if Elias would really look for him in a blood covered world. He wondered if this one would work. If perhaps the older man had learned something, found some secret that would make this ritual different from the last failed Stranger attempt only a few decades ago. Peter supposed it was rather simple compared to Jonah's first ritual, but perhaps that was better. He was sure that Conrad and the Vast folk would do nothing to interfere, and being so far out at sea would keep the Eye and other avatars away. However, unlike the Stranger's ritual, which had been thwarted by whoever was the Archivist at the time, Jonah's original ritual had failed all on its own.

"I'll be leaving today."

Of course Elias broke the quiet, shattering his train of thought with simple words and a lick of his tongue against Peter's bloody shoulder.

"Mm?" The hunter turned his head to look at him, not at all surprised to find red eyes already studying him. "Ah yes. A few hours more, I imagine." Peter turned his body slowly, turning to look at him fully. His arms still chained at the wrist tight and controlled above his head. "Don't worry you'll be rid of me soon, rid of the Lonely as well."

The older avatar hummed. "I'd much rather just be rid of them I think." He didn't look away, crimson eyes boring into Peter's blue. "Never liked the damp."

A chuckle left Peter at that. "I never have either." A gloved hand raising to touch the side of Elias' face. "The damp can be treacherous, far more than teeth," he mused, thumb trailing over blooded and swollen lips, smirking at how easily they parted under his touch.

"Easier to trust teeth," Elias agreed, tongue moving to greet Peter's gloved thumb sucking on it slightly before leaning back with a sigh when Peter's other hand gripped the back of his neck. "You can see teeth, watch how they smile and bite."

"I do enjoy how you smile."

"Mm, and I enjoy how you bite." Elias chuckled, licking his tongue over the tip of his thumb once more. "Shall I let you say good bye, just this once, puppy?"

Peter huffed, watching the curl of his tongue. "A proper good bye?" Elias nodded at his question, mouth sliding down his thumb. "You spoil me leech."

"Just this once," he assured.

London Calling

Elias sighed as he leaned on the railing, he had been hoping the air would help temper his mood. His head tilted at the sight of the familiar coastline. He'd watched it change over the years but the sight of it never stopped feeling welcoming. It nearly made him want to see Edinburgh again for the first time in decades as they approached the smouldering harbour.

Grey eyes shimmered with red as they took in the distant sight and the destruction that had been levied against it. The Slaughter avatar took a deep inhale feeling the fear in the air already. His body hummed with the scent of blood and fear that bloomed during war. His hands clenched around the rail wanting to see it, to feel it. Elias took another deep breath, eyes closing at the feeling, having missed it after being surrounded by nothing but the Lonely and the Hunt for months.

Elias basked in the sound of drums and trumpets that fed his heart only to be pulled from the indulgence by thick arms wrapping around his middle from behind. The oldest avatar released a disapproving groan as hands slid around his waist.

"Enjoying the view, wretched thing?"

"I was." He sighed, happy smile fading with the drum core that had filled his heart. He leaned into the familiar body at his back, pressing into him. "It's good to be home," he whispered as the hunter squeezed his sides.

"Funny, can't picture you having one." Peter's lips teased over his neck as his fingers dug into Elias' waist. "You should stay on the ship."

"What? Why?" Elias raised a brow, turning to look over his shoulder at Peter's oddly serious tone. "I'd like to see if the Institute is in one piece after that last bombing. Chelsea hasn't fared well."

A snort left Peter. "I'm sure Beholding can manage, but I can check on your baby-"

"It is not my baby!" Elias hissed, glaring at Peter over his shoulder as he kept him pinned. "Honestly."

"Mhm." Peter nodded patronizingly. "At any rate, I can check on it. I have errands to run before the ship leave the dock and I don't want to worry about keeping an eye on you."

"You do not need to worry about me," Elias bit out, his glare hardening at the idea. His grip tightening around the railing Peter had trapped him against. "I assure you I am fine," he pressed out through a clenched jaw.

"No, you're not," Peter's gaze rolled down the man he had caged between himself and the ship. "You're managing. And poorly. Stay on the ship."

Elias' lip curled. "A little walk about may do me some good," he defended.

"It will not and you know it." Peter's jovial expression fell slightly, hands biting bruises into the older avatar's waist. "All it will do is make it harder for you to stay on mission. You are the one so keen on ending the world."

Elias studied the rare sight of Peter's furrowed brows and clear dislike for the conversation. He clicked his tongue on the roof of his mouth, rolling his eyes and shifting where he was wedged tight against the broader man.

"Fine," he agreed in a harsh exhale as he let go of the idea of drinking in the wreckage and adding his own to the city's whose spilled blood called to him.

Catch Me

"Do you think it's funny?"

A shiver ran down his spine, feeling the chill of a barrel against the back of his neck. "Find what funny, dear?" He grinned at the cold metal pressed against him as Peter moved closer to him in the garden. "You might need to be more specific, been rather busy since you've been gone."

Peter released a laugh at that, making the other walk towards the house Elias had been staying in. "Making me chase you, track you? You were meant to meet me at the docks, go to the institute you abandoned. Wasn't there another part of your plan you wanted to discuss?"

"I never abandoned it," he corrected in a clipped, sharp tone. He didn't bother turning to try and see the man behind him as he walked towards the manor. "I simply outsource my involvement," he added stiffly. "But, no, I do not find it funny to have to make you hunt me just to ensure your attention." His eyes settled on the spade he had left by the shed with a wide grin as they walked closer to the countryside estate. "We were meant to meet weeks ago, but you were unreachable and forced me to take care of things myself. One of many things I've done myself in your absence, I might add."

"Oh my apologies, little leech," Peter laughed, not sounding the least bit sincere. "How dare I leave you to only your hand," his voice light and teasing as he pressed the cold metal harder against the top of Elias' spine. His eyes didn't leave the shorter man. Not trusting him for a moment as he kept his gun steadily on the other as they walked. "You were the one that sent me out. I found your artefact, by the way, kept my end of this deal up. That at least should brighten your bloody day."

"It does," Elias' grin stretched further. "Thank you for fetching it, darling." His eyes settled on the handle, the sound of drums filling his ears and pounding with his heartbeat. "Excellent job finding it and me."

"If I've done so well, are you going to give me a reward at long last?"

"Most certainly, darling," Elias hummed. "I have just thing to give you…"

In a blink, he shifted, the drums filling his ears and making him move faster than the well aimed bullet that grazed the side of his neck.

Peter cursed as Elias gripped the heavy spade, turning violently and swinging wide. His grin was full of sharp teeth as he landed a blow and knocked the gun from Peter's hand. His arms raised, red glinting his eyes, while Peter tried to grab another weapon from his coat. Elias smirked as a knife landed in his side just as the metal hit the back of the Hunt avatar's head. Elias released a heavy breath, groaning at the twist of the knife as it was pulled free from him when Peter fell backward at the hard blow.

He hummed, wiping the blood from his neck before his eyes went to his bleeding side. "Ow," his voice a sarcastic hiss as he glared at the groan that left Peter, blood matting his grey and blood-smattered hair. "How's that for a reward, darling?"

He chuckled a bit at Peter's dazed glare, swinging the spade so that it rested on his shoulder. He frowned down at him, pushing him into his back with a hard shove of his boot.

"Better than you deserve for taking so long to find me after finding my power's artefact," he bit out, lowering the spade once more and hitting Peter again, knowing exactly how fast the Hunt healed the man under his foot. "Insufferable."

He glared, watching as Peter stilled before finally moving from him, but not turning his back on the bleeding hunter. Elias hummed, keeping the spade close as he walked to pick up the gun and checking over it. The drums screamed within him at the weight of the weapon in his hand, wanting blood and pain and violence. His eyes rolled over the woods that surrounded the large cottage he had been riding out his bloodlust in, before looking back at the man that had filled him with rage. His heart beat with the want to hit him again and again until he saw his insides.

Elias' lips twitched, tongue clicking against the back of his teeth as he walked back to Peter's barely conscious form with a sneer.

Under the Northern Lights

Elias stared at the sky, eyes wide as he took in the dancing colours. His arms were wrapped tight around himself, puff coat warm about him even as his scarf whipped behind him in the icy wind. His eyes were fixed on the open sky above him, and for the first time in decades he felt his blood calm at the sight of ribbons of green running through the sky. 

“You alright?” 

He didn't turn to look at Peter as he spoke, footfalls coming closer to him on the icy deck. The hunter followed his gaze, wrapping his arms around him from behind as the ship sailed through frigid waters. Elias leaned back into the warmth the younger man offered, but his eyes didn't leave the sky. 

“I've never seen them before,” he said, awe in his voice.

“Really? In all of your lives?” His brows pinched as he looked at the man before looking up again. “Not once?” 

Elias shook his head slightly, eyes not leaving the open sky above them. “I was always busy, and then…” he sighed heavily. “Well, rage doesn't often let you appreciate calm beauties, does it?” He reasoned, shoulders relaxing slightly at the odd calm that filled him. 

Peter held him tighter. “Suppose not,” he paused, looking from the sky towards the man in his arms. “Do you like it?” He questioned in the cold air, wondering how witnessing something so vast would make the old avatar feel. 

“Mm.” His eyes tracked over it, head tilting back onto Peter's shoulder. “I think I do… Though it does make me feel a tad too close to the Watcher to be honest.” His eyes tracked over the stars behind it. “Happy Solstice, Peter,” he said, a shiver running through him at the cold that laced through every inhale of air this far north. “Thank you for agreeing to this.” 

“Mm. Happy Solstice, Elias.” Peter huffed a laugh, placing a kiss on his hat covered head. “Not much choice, leech. I enjoy hunting you too much to pass up assisting you from time to time.” He released a slow breath, relaxing into holding the other to him, keeping him tucked against his larger form. Something snarled happily within him at holding the unstoppable force close. “Come inside, let me warm you up.” 

“In a moment,” Elias murmured, wishing to watch a bit longer. “It is the longest night of the year. I have plenty of time to bleed you and allow you to mount me like a rabid dog. However, I doubt I shall ever take the time to enjoy this again,” he said, eyes not leaving the sky. 

Peter chuckled, even as his eyes rolled at the dig at him. “You are often worth the wait to mount,” he teased in return, voice light despite the edge to it. 

“Hmph. I would hope so.”

Dealing with the 3 Fs, Family, Failure, and the Fears

"Jonah," Peter said in a breath watching the water churn with blood and gore.

"Well," Conrad hummed a smile clear in his voice as Peter's heart sank along with the Nemesis. "That's that then."

Peter shook his head slightly, lips parted as he watched the far off waters where the old ship had been. He couldn't believe it. He refused to believe that his leech was gone. The movement of the ship under him pulled him from his thoughts.

"Stop."

He wouldn't leave him.

He couldn't.

"I said stop!"

Peter had to find him. He had to stop the ship. He had to find Elias. Something old and primal snarled within him, his hunt wasn't done.

“Lower the boat.”

“What?! Are you mad? I will do no such thing.”

“Lower the bloody boat and wait here! I'm going to get him.”

“Get him?” Conrad looked from Peter to the bodies floating in the choppy waters. “What? Get his corpse?" He waved a hand at the red coloured waters. "Elias Bouchard is dead, cousin. You saw it fail with your own eyes! All of those little blood suckers are dead.”

Peter grabbed him, the snarl breaking free from his chest and rolling past his lips. “Jonah Magnus did not die.” The confidence and surety in his growled words were undeniable. “Lower the lifeboat and wait. I will come back.”

Conrad glared at Peter's sharp and elongated teeth. “That wasn't our deal." His nose wrinkled in distaste at the heavy breaths that left Peter. "Father didn't say I had to take you home, just here.”

“You will wait or I will hunt you down." He paused, shoving him into the rail bending closer to him. "And make sure you die with an audience, little cousin.”

Conrad winced at his words as Peter's hands squeezed his throat punctuated his words. “Fine!” He yelled when he could breathe, shaking him off and glaring at him. He sighed, rubbing his throat grumbling about violence and physical contact. “But then we are done. Nearest port, I'm leaving you and whatever is left of Magnus.”

Peter snorted, pulling back after one last hard shove of the captain and moved towards the lifeboat. He knew he wasn't dead. He wouldn't be, not with how firmly he felt the call. Peter vaulted himself over the edge and into the lifeboat determination and the Hunt drove him onward. His god guided him through the Vast and Lonely of the choppy sea, sharp hawk inspired eyes searching the uneasy waters as he rowed.