Art of War [Peter x Misty]
Peter had found Mark’s body after he heard the conversation between Misty and Mark. He had been too late to save Mark just as he was too late to save Fox. Even if the siren never loved Peter, Peter had loved him and grown rather fond of Mark during their time together. Their son was all that was left of what their relationship was. He took Mark’s body and gave it a proper burial in a place close to their home so that their son could visit him if he wanted to once he was old enough.
There was so much anger in him over the fact that no matter how much he reached out, Mark always chose everyone else over him. Mark always chose Misty over him. But why? Misty was married to Nibs. Why would Mark rely so much on her and Hope? He knew that it was Mark’s job but there was part of him that was realizing that Mark was leaving for hours that turned to days and then weeks away from home. Every time Peter reached out, Mark pushed him away. Deep down, Peter was starting to realize that Mark didn’t really love him. Hearing Mark’s confession to Misty was all it took for him to confirm his suspicions. The siren never loved him but instead he was being used which was exactly what Peter was afraid of in the first place.
He had felt so stupid and the anger that he was feeling was just growing and he knew he needed to get it under control. Peter heard Austin crying in the nearby crib and walking over, he noticed how much that Austin looked like Mark and it caused his heart to hurt once more. For once, the leader had felt so lost and so alone he didn’t know what to do. Make them pay. The voice echoed in his head, a voice he had not missed in the slightest. “I can’t...I can’t do that.” He groaned out loud as he tried to knock the voices out of his head as he teleported somewhere else before running into someone else.
Misty was walking back from the level E camp. Since Noah has died she spent a lot of her free time there trying to do as much as she could for them. She knew she could just heal them all but then Nibs would be pissed and that wasn’t something she was necessarily keen on. She bumped into Peter and was silent for a second before apologizing and moving past him. She hadn’t seen him since the ball and seeing as Peter was the topic of her and Nibs’ fight she decided that she should keep her thoughts to herself and just be pleasant.
“They don’t care it is all some act. He hurt you, you should make them all pay. Show them not to mess with you. No one can use you like that and get away with it.” The monster spoke before Peter fought back, “Just stop...get out of my head damn it. I don’t want to start a war. I just want to be left alone.” He growled as he fought to keep Ombra from taking control of him.
Misty stopped as she heard his words and cussed softly at her need to be make sure he was okay. Why can’t I just be like my mom? She sighed as she turned back to him and looked at him, “How is Austin? I’m sure he is in the fussy stage. Sirens tend to get ear infections when they are young so...it can be hard to deal with alone.” She said.
Hearing Misty’s voice snapped him out of the thoughts he was currently having as he didn’t fully hear what she was saying. “What? What are you talking about?” He asks while trying to silence the voices in his head.
“How is Austin? He hasn’t gotten an ear infection right? Siren babies are usually supposed to be in the water but when they are half human they can’t adjust to the water fast enough so they get ear infections.” She repeated.
“No, he doesn’t. He looks like Mark...but he hasn’t gone near water yet. Mark was supposed to help him with that.” He frowned while looking at the other. “I shouldn’t miss him but I do and he used me. I was so fucking stupid.”
Misty frowned as she looked down. “I am so mad at Mark and Noah. They left me and now I have no one but Nibs. When I am mad at Nibs I can only talk to him about it. They were not perfect. Noah left me with the guilt of taking care of a whole island of E’s. All of which know I can heal them but I don’t. Mark left me with a list of things to do and words I can’t get out of my head and yet I still cry over the fact they are gone.” She admitted. “Sometimes I miss my parents. I wish I could have tried harder. Shit I think that if I was a better person, a version they liked they would have loved me. I miss people I shouldn’t all the time. But I don’t stop myself from missing them. I just do.”
“I am the face of this island Misty. I don't have anyone willing to deal with my demons. I don't have a Nibs like you do, mine was murdered and he took my heart with him. You shouldn't have to change to please others. I haven't changed not when I was with Fox and not when I was with Mark either. I thought they accepted me for me and Fox did. Mark, he didn't. I was right about him using me. Even Ombra told me that Mark was using me and i didn't listen. I should have listened. I should turn it all off and let the monster win. Give it what it wants. I can't even look at my son without hurting. I can't talk about Mark without hurting. It thrives off that hurt, it makes the monster stronger.”
“Mark told you he wasn’t like Fox. He would never be. He couldn’t. That type of heart and selflessness that Fox had wasn’t who Mark was. And if you asked or just...I don’t know. I didn’t want-I didn’t want either of you to get hurt.”
“I know that he would never be like Fox but all I asked was that he not lie to me. I asked him to talk to me if something was wrong. He was so worried about me leaving Fox in my past so that he could leave Hook in the past. I told him I would leave Fox in the past so long as he left Hook there and I believed that he did leave Hook in the past. I did move on but now...our relationship was built on a lie that he started. He wanted us to be a fresh start and he didn’t even put his effort into that. He lied to me Misty. I was stupid enough to believe him. At one point I wanted to marry Mark you know, when we were happy...but then he got more distant ever since we had the baby. He wanted me to give up everything for him and the baby and I did to the best of my ability but he didn’t even do the same. The more I think about it the more it just seems like he used me and was being a hypocrite about our entire relationship. There isn’t anything nice to say about him anymore. The Mark I thought I knew doesn’t exist and I guess he never did. I don’t want to lie to my son about it. I can’t just tell him that Mark was this great person because when he goes out in the real world and finds out the truth, he will hate me for lying to him. If I told him the truth, he would just think that Mark didn’t love him and I can’t have him think that either. Either way, I lose there is no way to have a favorable outcome from this.”
“You have nothing nice to say about him. That’s true but a whole group of people do. I don’t agree with you Peter but I didn’t love Mark so I don’t know. All I know is that you hating Mark doesn’t do you any favors. He is gone and you are left here and you are still letting him affect you. If you hate him so much why do you even care he is gone? Because of your son? Don’t tell him anything then. Ignore it. If you hate Mark as much as you seem to stop dwelling on it because Mark isn’t.”
“I don’t hate him I just...I hate myself for believing his lies. I am supposed to be the strong one on this island the one that everyone looks up to. I am supposed to not be weak from love but that is all it does to me and I hate that feeling. I don’t hate him. I just feel so lost and I don’t know what to do. I am supposed to know what to do in situations like this. I am supposed to be the one that can keep their head high and act like it doesn’t affect me. I can’t show my weakness or vulnerability or else I am not fit to be a leader. I am torn between wanting to be a proper father and the pain in my heart, the monster in my mind telling me to wage war and that no one cares for me. No one does Misty, not anymore. Everyone just hates me and I thought things were turning around. I thought things would turn around but now...I just feel so lost.” He couldn’t help himself as his eyes were tearing up and he wiped them quickly hoping she didn’t notice.
“We don’t hate you...I might strongly disagree with you but I don’t hate you Peter. Sometimes you can be...a lot. But other times you are very sweet. I mean Nibs is like that too. Sometimes I want to push him away and others he is all I want to be around. I feel the same way towards you...without the whole love thing cause that be weird and I’m pretty sure Sarah likes you and that would be breaking girl code. Anyway...the reason I liked you and Fox so much was because you seemed happy. You came across as a human being. You don’t have to be just one thing. You can be whatever you want.” She said choosing not to bring up him crying.
“You are queen of Atlantica Misty, you know about the pressures to be queen about the pressure to be someone who you aren’t. Your parents wanted you to be someone who is the exact opposite of who you are. I am someone that finds my sense of belonging through what other people say. If they want me to be a hero then I be a hero, if they need a villain then I play the villain but at this point in time...I don’t know what I am. All those closest to me are gone. You have the love of your life, you have kids and a family. You have lost a lot and still you managed to push through. I am not that strong Misty, I am not as strong as you and I probably never will be. I can feel my body dying sometimes and I thought things were going to be okay because Mark was there, he could raise our child if something happened to me but now...I just don’t know...I don’t want to fuck things up for our little boy but everything I touch in my life, leaves or is taken away and it’s so hard.”
“I’m not strong. And you know that. I know you see everything on the island and I know you have seen how weak I can be. You have even healed me.” She said. “Look...I can’t tell you who you are. I can’t give you an answer that will make things make sense but I can help. With Austin, with anything you need. I can help. And I won’t be someone who just agrees with whatever you say, that isn’t who I am. So if you need help while you figure all that out then I don’t mind.”
Hearing her offer it sounded too good to be true. “But you and Nibs have a kid on the way. You are both busy with your jobs. I can’t ask you to leave that. It would be to selfish of me to ask you to help me raise Austin wouldn’t it? I mean you have  your own kids and Nibs to take care of as well. I don’t want to be a burden to you and your family.”
“Nibs knows how much I love kids and he also knows I can’t say no to helping someone. That is the great thing about marrying your best friend they are well aware of the person you are. And I want to do this. So let me.”
“Okay. Then you can help me raise him. I...did you want to come back and see him? I couldn’t get him to stop crying this morning…it’s like he knew something was up.”
“Sure, do you have a house or? I mean I can’t get onto the camp so is there somewhere in the middle we could go?”
“I can get you into camp or give you special access since you are helping me but I had a cave where Mark and I stayed with Austin and that is where he currently is. I can take you there.”
Misty nodded. “Okay lead the way.” She smiled as she text Nibs that she would be running a little late.
Peter leads the way to the cave as he waved his hand over what seemed to be a flat piece of nothing and the cave appeared. He led her inside before hearing Austin still crying in his crib.
She follows him to the cave and sets her things down on the table as she heard a baby crying. She followed the sound and went over to Austin to pick him up and calm him down.
Peter watches as Misty goes over to comfort the baby. However, Austin was still fussy even when she picked him up and he didn’t show any signs of wanting to calm down.
Misty wasn’t phased as the baby kept crying and started singing softly as her hair started glowing. Hope and TJ used to cry just as much as Austin did and this always worked. And she knew the light would also calm the baby down.
Peter watched as Misty’s hair glowed and he was rather confused at what she was trying to do. He watched as Austin just screamed when it glowed since it seemed to have scared him. A lot of things scared the smaller and Peter had just about lost track at just how many things that Austin was scared of.
She soothed baby before realizing what was wrong. “Peter I need an ice cold toy. Something he can suck on.”
Peter went over to the toy chest and pulled out a toy before making sure it was cold and then handing it to Misty. “So then what is wrong? Why won’t he stop crying?”
“He’s teething.” She said handing Austin the toy and watching him suck on it. “His gums hurt so he needed something to soothe it.”
“He is what?” He asks in confusion not fully understanding what she meant.
“Oh um he is trying to chew but he doesn’t have teeth. If that makes any sense?” She said looking at him.
“How do you chew without teeth? That is why he drinks milk.” Peter responds in confusion.
“It’s...it’s hard to explain.” She laughed softly before handing Austin to Peter.
Peter took Austin in his arms and he held the smaller. Austin seemed pretty content as he gnawed on his toy. “I guess I should get him more cold toys then.”
“Yeah, normally he gets the soothing from feeding but you know you can’t do that and I could but I don’t know how you feel about that.” She smiled softly watching the two together.
“Uh...how would that even work. Don’t you need to save yours for when you have your baby? I mean we have milk here for him but he doesn’t always like to drink it.”
“It’s not like I run out.” She laughed softly. “Don’t worry I can bring some by next time I know he will like.”
Peter nods his head. “Okay thank you Misty.” He responds with a smile as he watches Austin continue to teeth on the toy.
“No problem.” She smiled back. “Is there anything else you needed?”
“Um not right now. Probably later though, he has a hard time getting to sleep.”
“I can stay? I am not really looking forward to going home so I was probably going to stay at the camp anyway.” She shrugged.
“Oh okay. We have a guest room that you can stay in if you want.” He responds, “I can show you there now?”
“Um no it’s okay, I’m just going to walk outside for a little to just sort of calm down before I get some sleep but you should be able to find me.” She said. “I will see you later tonight I guess.”
“Yeah okay that sounds good to me.” He responds before getting some milk out from the fridge for him to feed Austin.
