deercountry | (no subject)

[really peter, making this trip to look at dead people who haven't moved on a real bummer? unbelievable.

but yes, honestly it is nice to discuss even the depressing aspects seriously. he rarely has for a very long time, people didn't want to hear about this sort of thing. it was abnormal, or scary in ways mob himself didn't really get for a long time.

in fact:] I used to wonder why people were so scared of spirits. I guess I still do.

[ah, a slightly less depressing question. he nods.] Some, yeah. There's an evil spirit back home that haunts me. We talk a lot. [they're friends, it's a whole thing.] The ones here can too, mostly. A lot are shy though.

We could try talking to some, if you want.

( Wait.... Mob did say something about being friends with a spirit back home, didn't he? Memory's always strange in Peter, who tends to forget little details of conversation eerily fast (...it's the demonic possession) but this is ringing a bell.

An evil spirit, though? Once again, Peter is quietly marveling at how brave Mob just is. Even if he grew up with this kind of stuff, still. )

You're really not scared of any of them?

( It... might be okay to tell him about Paimon. Though Peter's aware demons are not the same thing as ghosts, but... )

Oh— I guess we could.. could try that. ( Although Peter says it like someone's holding a gun to his head. But he wanted the experience, didn't he... he should indulge as much as he can..... ) Do we just walk up to them and say hey, or is there like.. a ritual or something?

[(it's usually the demonic possession to blame) but that question has mob consider for a long moment. there's only one spirit he might be afraid of, but mogami was... complicated. after a beat he decides,] Not really.

I think some can probably be scary and dangerous, but not more than people can be scary and dangerous.

[yeah, that about covered it, he thinks.]

We can just walk up and talk to them. They're usually pretty shy, so they might run away. [not even because of any demon stuff! though that. probably doesn't help.] Or we could look around for haunted stuff. The shops here have a lot of that. [mob, not helping the spooky factor.]

( God, being around this kind of perspective sure is a thing. It reminds him a bit of Ange, so comfortable around demons — in her case, more comfortable around them than people. Because... yeah, Mob's right. People can be pretty darn scary, dangerous.

It's just... weird. Eye-opening. A shift in his own perception. Peter's still looking all nauseous and nervous — especially when Mob says there's a lot of Haunted Stuff at the shops around here.... See, this is why Peter doesn't leave the house. But he's still nodding, even as he's simultaneously sort of shrinking back towards the other boy again. )

Maybe... you can talk to one, and I can watch? Would that be okay? I uh. I'd like to see how it happens.

I can do that. [no problem, bud. hilariously his older brother instincts are already kicking in a bit when it comes to peter, despite the age difference, so he doesn't even bat an eye at the request.

especially since there isn't much to it, thankfully. glancing around until he sees a dark figure lingering, vaguely human shaped with a pair of wide, white eyes. he walks over, stopping a good distance away.] Hello.

[the figure shivers like a candle in the wind for a moment, and mob offers,] We won't hurt you. We just want to say hello.

[that has the figure calm, slowly, back to a black stain in the air. when it speaks it sounds like a whisper right behind the ear despite being far away, a simple 'hello' in the voice of a young man.]

( Peter's all too happy to let Mob take the charge, here. And when the other starts making his way over to the figure nearby, Peter stays where he is so he can watch from a bit more distance.

There's a soft shudder when the voice sounds, but what mostly surprises him is the way it sounds... much like a person would. It sounds a bit young, and Peter's eyes are widening further. Oh... it doesn't seem too scary, really.

After a moment's hesitation, he's slowly walking forwards, but very carefully and quietly, body language docile, coming to stand behind Mob so he can watch. He doesn't want to interrupt, so he stays silent, but he will slowly lift a hand and give a soft wave. )

[the spirit shudders a little bit but calms when peter stays near mob. closer there's some more details, a hint of a face in the gloom, fingers that look frozen stiff with ice forming at the tips. a general misty cold.]

I'm Mob, this is Peter. [mob offers, and the spirit after a long beat raises his icy hand in something like a return wave. it's probably a little unpleasant, how the more he comes into focus the more bits of his human shape look blackened and ready to fall off, even if they move fluidly enough.] Peter's not used to ghosts.

[which like fair. it's definitely after a delayed beat but hey, they get another answer. just 'antony' said very quietly again.]

( Now that he's closer, Peter's watching those details reveal themselves, eyes fixed on the fingers to begin with, and then slowly taking in more of the blackened look to the spirit.

There's a jolt of his heart, quick and frantic, and he's seeing his dad's body in his head again. It wasn't the cold, though. Heat can make a thing look black like that, too.

But Peter's swallowing, tries to stay focused as a soft shudder ripples through him. Then comes the word, and his eyes are widening, and he feels more sad than nervous, now. But he coaxes a little smile onto his face, even if it kind of shakes at the corners. Piping up very softly from behind Mob— )

Hey, Antony. It's... it's nice to meet you.

[mob offers peter a tiny, barely there smile. hey, a lot of people who were afraid of spirits used that fear to lash out, so he remains impressed by peter making the effort.]

Is there anything you need? [they're making small talk here, of course, but it is ghosts. the whole 'sometimes needing a push to move on' was probably universal, he thinks. hopes? it'd just be nice to be able to help, especially if the ghost was helping peter learn something in a way.

their new friend goes quiet, a rattling breath that sounds like the wind whistling by before he simply says warm. not a very chatty spirit, mob thinks, which didn't seem too odd around here.

way better than the rude ones in the new city, they had plenty of nasty things to say.]

( The younger's smile may be a subtle thing, but Peter sees it all the same. As oblivious as he may be to... a lot of things, there's a sensitivity there to the small things, too. Tiny gestures of kindness, or encouragement. Peter doesn't miss those things.

It does help. And later he'll be quietly stunned by himself for going from "I'll wait over here, stay out of the way, watch" to doing this, which is standing near a ghost and speaking to them, and.... wanting to help. Because he does, he realises, as Mob asks the spirit if he needs anything and that wisp of a reply comes. Warm.

Peter blinks, looking down at Mob with realisation. ) Oh yeah— makes sense, he's— he's cold.

( For a dumb moment Peter considers asking if he should give the spirit his jacket— )

Maybe we can take him inside somewhere? Let him warm up?

[peter nearly offering a ghost his jacket is incredible, thank you peter you are the best. said spirit just flickers like a candle in the wind as mob nods and looks to peter.]

That's a good idea. Maybe we can make him some tea. [a pause.] Well, I guess he can't drink it but maybe he'll like it anyway.

[it's ghosts, who knows. then a pause as he asks,] Do you think sensei would mind us bringing a ghost into the dojo?

[poor daniel, his life.]

Good idea! You know what, I totally don't think he'd mind, he's always super nice about letting people in.

( That... probably has never included a ghost, before.... Sorry, Daniel.

Peter looks back up to the ghost — Antony — and smiles at him. He's still standing a teensy bit behind Mob, but he's no longer looking frightened, just kind of politely cautious. )

You want to come with us, dude? We'll get you some warm.

[this may end with the dojo being haunted by a chilly young man, just a normal day at miyagi-do. mob nods though, of course daniel would want to help someone, ghost or not. he's just a good guy like that, their sensei.

mob points the way for the spirit, starting to move and only glancing back to see their new friend sort of floating like a mist behind them. all the way back to the dojo, where mob opens the door for everyone.]

This is where we study karate. [he informs their new friend. hopefully no one else is around or peter and mob are just talking to the air.

said new friend looks around, a little less jittery around the edges which is probably a good sign? he seems to gravitate over to the bonsai around, making their tiny leave rattle]

( Peter smiles and moves to follow, also glancing back on occasion to make sure the ghost is trailing along. This is honestly pretty cool! They're helping out a ghost dude.... it feels nice.

When they get back inside, he's gratefully shaking off his own cold, slipping his hands into his pockets as he nods along to Mob's words, and adding on some encouraging ones of his own. ) It's totally safe here, everyone's real cool.

( They definitely don't look insane, right.... Peter's slowly following the ghost over to the bonsai, leaning in closer to Mob for a moment to talk to him. )

I can see why you've made ghost buddies. They're actually pretty cute.

Yeah, they can be really nice. [peter gets a tiny smile as antony makes the bonsai leaves rustle a little bit.] I think most spirits probably just want to exist or move on. Then really bad ones hurt people and those are the only ones people really know about.

[jelle said it would be okay if antony the frostbite ghost maybe haunted the dojo a bit so... this may be the start to peter getting to look crazy more often, saying hello to an empty room and having bonsai wave back.

mob goes to the kitchen though to put on a kettle. he very, very rarely uses his powers casually but peter's done something very big here without knowing it, namely making his powers feel kind of nice and normal for once. so the stove turns on on it's own, the kettle floats to the sink to be filled while he gets some teacups.

thank you peter, you are a real one. he will move the kettle to the stove with his own hands though, as antony continues to float around. a little less skittish, a little, tiny bit less blue lipped.]

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cw: frostbite sort of gore

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