2021-09-21 17:16:46 ¶ ●

## Disappointing Your Own Family and Other Lonely Things

Written for @lonelyeyesweek

Day 2 - Proposal

Peter Lukas thinks there is nothing more Lonely than to ignore all the members of his family and just mind his own business. Unfortunately some of his relatives seem to not fully share his view and simply must share their opinion on Peter’s life.

Read on AO3

…

Peter is really starting to dislike family funerals lately. He still enjoys the silence and peace found in mourning someone you never knew. He likes feeling no sense of loss about them disappearing from this world. It is nice to be looking at an empty casket not being able to recall any memories with them – not even their face. Yes, all those things are still as wonderful as ever.

The problem are those relatives who are unfortunately still very much alive. Last few years, instead of simply parting ways without even looking at each other, members of his family have been trying to start a conversation with him. Just two years ago someone asked him how their ritual was going. Four years before that someone else told him to take over the family affair of dealing with the Magnus institute. And three years before that he was informed about getting the position of the captain of Tundra. All those things could have been solved through much less personal ways such as correspondence. Or even better not to be discussed at all!

Unfortunately even this funeral of a cousin, whose name Peter already forgot, is not very different. Just as he is almost out of the door his uncle stands in his way.

“What is this?” Nathaniel Lukas waves a golden piece of paper in front of his face. It seems familiar… He takes it out of his hand. He does not need to read it to recognize that way too curly and pretentious handwriting.

“Invitation to my and Elias’ wedding. You’ve missed it by a year.”

“You are married to that man?” Nathaniel spits out a curse. Peter is happy to correct him.

“No, I’m not. We’ve got divorced last month.” If they were not he would start planning divorce now though. He was quite clear about not wanting his family to be included in any way. Yet Elias appears to send invitations to them against his wishes anyway – it could not be any less surprising.

“Why?”

“I don’t know why Elias felt the need to send you the invitation. I told him that-…”

“Why did you marry him?”

Peter shrugs. “I was not putting many thoughts into it.”

“Letting yourself being used by that voyeuristic bastard? Have you lost your mind? He married you just for money.”

“I know. And it sounded like quite a Lonely thing to do. I would not marry him if I suspected he cares about me; no need to worry,” Peter notes cheerfully even though he really wishes for this conversation to be over already.

“This is unacceptable, Peter. We tolerated you childish behaviour for long enough. You need to stop acting like a little brat and start doing more for this family.” Peter wonders who the ‘we’ exactly is since all the other members of his family left at sign of their confrontation and overall do not seem to be interested in Peter’s personal life at all. Sooner than he manages to ask, his uncle continues. “You should start serving the Forsaken in a more traditional way. Let’s start with getting you married.”

“Okay.”

“Someone else than that man again. Obviously.”

“What is more lonely that loveless and childless marriage? The pointlessness of it sounds like something worthy of the Forsaken. Not to mention the loneliness of being freshly divorced.” Of course there is also the mild enjoyment of being freshly married but that’s only natural. Where would the sweet pain of split up come from if there was not a sparkle of bliss first?

“Learn your place and do your job,” Nathaniel threatens, quite aggravated but so is Peter. This conversation is focused way too much on his life and goes on for way too long. He is tired of it. He is tired of his family telling him what to do with his life. He is tired of his family telling him how to serve Lonely. He is tired of his family telling him what he can and cannot do!

“No. I know my place and I am doing my job just fine. The Forsaken does not seem to have any problem with the way I serve it nor any of my personal relationships. That is all that matters is it not?”

Nathaniel is taken back. He is not used to anyone undermining his authority. Everyone rather agrees than to argue and prolong their talking and Peter would love to do the same. Unfortunately, actions suggested by Nathaniel sound like more trouble than talking to him some more. Because no. He does not want to settle down with a wife he despises and kids he does not care about.

“Now leave me alone.”

He has been planning to return back on Tundra right after the funeral. After this exhausting interaction he could really use some time in the Lonely. With such a lovely time awaiting it would be very silly of him to head to London instead, making a short stop by Magnus institute, would it not? On the other hand what is more deliciously lonely then disappointing your family…

He should probably make one more stop at the jewellery store. Does Forsaken demand miserable marriage from him? Very well he can just choose evil he already knows and just marry James Elias Jonah again! He hopes Nathaniel will not mind too much receiving a new wedding invitation so soon after the last one.