2021-09-20 16:58:00 ¶ ●

## Divorce Number What?

Written for @lonelyeyesweek

Day 1 - Divorce

Another day and another divorce papers signed. It hardly means anything anymore. If it ever really mattered…

Read on AO3

…

When Peter enters the institute Elias knows he has about five minutes before his husband arrives in his office. Of course if Peter took turn right he would only have to take one set of stairs and he would be right in front of his office. However Peter never takes the right turn. He claims it to be because of the unnerving look of the painting of Jonah Magnus hanging right next to the stairs. Elias would be offended but he must admit that the painter really gave the picture a somewhat menacing look. Which might or might not be the reason why he lets it to be one of the first paintings being seen upon entering his institute.

Alas this silly behavior always means Peter gets lost immediately and ends up in variety of places which are not his office – everything from the library, research department to artifact storage or occasionally even archives.

At least it gives Elias enough time to prepare for his arrival. He has been in the middle of his lunch break so he has no real work to busy himself with but Peter can hardly tell difference whether he is going over the budgets or just staring at a blank excel page.

Five minutes and forty three seconds later Elias hears steps approaching his office and a bit of fog sneaking into corners of the room. He turns his eyes (at least the pair he has currently in his head) to his monitor, away from the doors. Just in time for the doors to be barged through.

“Elias! Divorce! Now!”

“Why, happy afternoon to you too, husband dear,” Elias starts to click random keys pretending he is writing something, “What brings you to my institute at this hour?”

“I just said it.”

“No, Peter, you just chanted three random words. Use a full sentence if you wish to tell me something.”

His husband looks like he is considering grabbing him by the neck and rather than with divorce ending their marriage with ‘till death do us apart’. In the end he does as what he has been asked for as he always does.

“I want a divorce.” Elias looks up at him with his best expression of shock.

“May I inquire why?”

“You know goddamn well why!”

For a fact Elias does not know. It could have been a number of things. Peter might have discovered some of the hidden eye imaginary he carved on Tundra. Or maybe he stumbled on some of his old correspondence containing few words exchanged with few of Peter’s ancestors which seems to be still a bit sensitive topic to him for some reason. Or it also could be about forcing him to attend whole two social events this year so far. Or maybe he simply feels they were married for too long.

“You’ve donated money in my name to a cause of saving… some fish!”

Ah. This thing. Elias would almost forget he has done that.

“Ah yes the rescue fund for Atlantic Halibut. Fascinating fish indeed. Do you wish to know more about it?”

“NO!” Peter slams his hands on the table and leans closer. Elias does not show any signs of being bothered by it. “Why did you do that?”

“You are all about stopping extinction aren’t you? Every little thing counts…”

“They send me a letter of gratitude Elias. They said they put my name on top of the list of donors on their page… whatever that means!”

“It could have been worse. I passed the opportunity to let them name a fish after you…”

“Elias,” Peter lower his voice to dangerous level and very well then. He might indulge him then. He takes a key out of an inner pocked of his suit and unlocks the middle drawer of his desk. It is full of pre-filled divorce papers. He takes one set of them out.

“I see something about my actions seemingly upset you. If you are certain you do not want to discuss it and save our marriage-…”

“I am very sure!” Pater grabs the papers out of Elias’ hand, steals one pen out of his pen jar and makes few unreadable scratches which are probably supposed to be his signature. “And also make them put my name down! Wherever it is!” Elias probably won’t bother knowing how vague Peter’s understanding of internet even is. He takes papers away from him.

“Don’t you want to read them?”

“It is not the first time I am holding divorce papers in my hand Elias.”

“And yet you have never read what all does it say.” Elias points out as he is adding his much more elegant signature next to his soon-to-be-ex-husband’s. Peter does not seem to be interested in prolonging their interaction in any way. He takes off his wedding ring and turns his back at him; disappearing into the Lonely without a word of farewell or a goodbye kiss.

“Enjoy a single life them,” Elias calls after him, “or at least the illusion of it…” he adds with a more quiet voice. He takes freshly sign ‘divorce’ papers, carefully folds them and throws them into a bin next to his table.

Elias picks up Peter’s ring and takes of his own as well. He takes stash of his fake divorce papers revealing a little box and marriage certificates under them. As soon as rings are safely closed in the box and hidden under fake documentations he locks the drawer again.

He sometimes wonders if Peter is really that much out of reality to think one scribble on a paper is all required for process of getting legally divorced or if he is in on the joke their divorces actually are. Not that it changes anything…

They got married in 1997 and have stayed ever since. Only three more years and it will be twentieth anniversary. How lovely! And he is not even counting the wedding they had when he was still James…

Elias does not really care about their marital status. One could easily read more romantic reason behind it but he is just being pragmatic. After all he managed to get Lukas tied to him like this. He can amuse him with little game on marriage and divorce but he is not that naive as to let him go legally. It would be too complicated and overall not worth at all. What is the point to go through the whole legal process when Peter will propose again in matter of months?

Plus… what if he one day decides not to? Elias is realistic. Sooner or later Peter gets bored of the game and tries to let him go as a good servant of Forsaken. That day will come, he has dealt with enough of the Lonely avatars during his long lifetime to know what to expect. And in such a moment nothing will bring Elias more joy than to inform Peter in that moment they are still tied together by law.

So it is just him being practical. Realistic. In inevitable case of their last divorce he wants to be the one to have the last word! That is all…