@lonelyeyesweek
Day 1 - First Meeting
Peter was very reluctant to go to the Magnus institute funding party; uncle Nathaniel informed him that one of his new duties would be to make business with James Wright and he really didn’t want to do that. A beholder… What a nightmare.
Eye of the beholder - MagicalGhost96 - The Magnus Archives (Podcast) [Archive of Our Own]
I would’ve stayed at home
‘Cause I was doin’ better alone
Peter was very reluctant to go to the Magnus institute funding party; uncle Nathaniel informed him that one of his new duties would be to make business with James Wright and he really didn’t want to do that. A beholder… What a nightmare.
The party was unfortunately the most informal way to meet the man, otherwise he would be forced to enter a small room with the watcher to make sure he didn’t dry up his family money for an indefinite amount of time.
So he was really dreading the moment he would be meeting this man, Simon kept telling him that James was an old friend and that it would be fine, that he was actually funny beneath all the politeness, however he wasn’t so sure about that.
Due to Simon’s and his uncle’s influence he has a very loose idea of some boring old man, a type of academic with a nondescript look that he will forget as soon as he leaves.
With any luck he would just make his acquaintance today and then he may go from the party, Peter preferred to be at home instead of dilly dallying with the masses. As much as he likes to observe people, he likes it better when it’s on his own terms and when he is not forced to be part of an event.
So he goes with very little hope for the night, the only positive is that he may get some free food and some alcohol, albeit champagne will not do much for him.
The moment Simon sees him, he zeroes on him and stays nearby talking about his trips to Europe. He also tells him about a few sacrifices he made that actually seemed rather interesting. Still Peter preferred the ones he committed at the ocean, but he knew the man was always more partial to the sky so its not surprising they are all on that vein.
“What about you Captain? You have a few voyages under your belt now lad, how did those go? Were they to your liking?” And the answer to that is a bit complicated, Peter is still getting used to handling a ship, his crew hasn’t been properly trained yet to keep themselves in check so he has to… ugh make a few rules.
The other problem is that most of his crew is formed of older, more experienced sailors. Peter is 26 and unfortunately has a rather… soft looking face, he has been trying to grow a beard to at least make himself look a bit more rugged or older looking, but that will take time and he just has a five o’clock shadow for now. It will take him months to have anything resembling what he wants. The graying hair does work a bit better, that he can count for at least.
He is considering hiring someone to relay his messages to, so that way he can stay away most of the time and he can practice his solitude in peace. He really would love to not be perceived until he looks like he wants.
“Its ok, I still need to figure out a few things to be honest, I would love it if the crew was a bit less…”
“Talkative?”
“Friendly” Simon nods at him and pats his shoulder before going back to another story of a trip he made like 250 years ago. It is quite interesting, albeit Peter gets struck with how old the man is. Most of the time he can forget it, easy to do when Simon is so lively, but when he tells him these stories…. hard to ignore in all honesty.
Picking up an offered champagne glass he listens distractedly wondering when he will meet the man organizing this whole charade.
The older man talks to him but at some point his sentence drifts off and he looks behind him with a grin. A bit lost and now concerned, those grins never end up well for him, Peter turns back to check what exactly was his companion watching.
The answer comes to him like a hit to the face.
An older man talking and entertaining several people at the same time, Peter doesn’t realize that he was gripping his glass very tightly until Simon waves and calls for the man over.
He wasn’t boring looking like his uncle or very, very old like Simon. He must be in his fifties, he was dressed up impeccably with a black shirt that had his sleeves rolled out to his elbows, a deep green vest with golden details and dark green pants.
The man also has a pencil moustache and a few moles near his jaw, which made him stand out. He was also a bit shorter than him, but most people are so that doesn’t surprise him.
The air of surety, of knowing he had made him feel bigger than he was however.
Peter swallows and feels his face warm up for reasons he can’t comprehend.
When the man turns around towards Simon, he can see his eyes-
Grey.
Peter never looks anyone to their eyes and yet, and yet-
For a second it feels as if the man also froze looking at him, he had a look of….surprise almost?
But it was only for a second, the next thing Peter knows is that the man starts to approach them while he is struggling to not disappear in a puff of smoke. Oh, Forsaken protect him.
“Hello Simon” His voice is very low and amused, oh fuck.
“Hello James!! It’s been a while hasn’t it?” Ja-
James?
“You are James Wright?” Peter cuts off the man before he answers back to Simon and he realizes that he is an idiot, shit-
No wonder he was so eye-catching then.
…
For some reason James’ lips twitch upwards as if he was trying not to smile at something. Peter has no way to know what is so funny.
“You must be Peter Lukas then? Nathaniel… told me about you, its a pleasure to meet you” Peter smiles his usual vapid smile to keep him from prying, he already feels exposed and kind of confused about the man. Better to make this quick and go.
“Yes, uncle mentioned you too, albeit he did not do you justice” ???? What the fuck is he doing, what is wrong with him??? Why did he say that??
Peter feels his hands sweat and his face warm up, he is praying he is not red in the face.
James looks perplexed and he feels Simon staring at him with the biggest grin ever as if he was having the time of his life which knowing him, he probably did, he loves drama after all.
“Is that so?” The man crosses his arms and Peter has to keep himself from staring at the flex of it he has to.
What the hell is wrong with him?
“Yes! He made you sound like a boring old man to be honest, but you are quite the opposite, you look very-” Peter spends a lot of time alone, meaning he doesn’t properly talk with people. His usual mechanism of defense is to talk so much that everyone just lets him be.
That translates into him not having a filter, because of that he just says what is on his mind, even if he knows he shouldn’t. In this case it is a shot in the foot and he has no idea why, why is he reacting like this? The man is-
Is just a bit good looking thats all!! No need to be so nervous.
“…Good” His face is burning, Peter knows he must be red all over.
He is an embarrassment to the family name, he has to go, he has to go now. How is he going to face him to do business oh shit-
James for his part seems to look at him with something akin to wonder an a bit of curiosity, while Simon-
Simon for his part is sighing mentally about his nephew’s taste in man. Very on brand for a Lukas, albeit Jonah seems to be quite taken aback.
Peter might look like Mordechai but they are not alike at all.
“Well thank you Mister Lukas”
“Peter is alright” Why won’t he shut uppppp, what is wrong with him? This has never happened before, a little bit more and he will spontaneously combust.
James smiles at him and something in his chest squeezes. Is he dying? Is his heart giving out on him so soon?
“Well Peter, it was lovely meeting you. I can’t wait to make business with you. I’m sure we will get along… very well”
“I can’t wait” !!!!!! He wants to die.
Peter is going out to sea for the next 4 months just to get rid of whatever this is.
James grins at him and is about to leave, making him let out a breath of relief when he turns slightly.
“Say… I was going to ask Simon to drink with me after the party, in my office. Would you like to join us?” No!
“Sure” The man gives him a smug look and goes.
Simon pats his back.
“You need to get better at flirting, albeit i do believe you impressed him quite a bit, he usually ignores all the Lukas that come to make business with him”
“Im going to kill myself” He hates his life so much.
“Ah lad don’t be like that, its just a few drinks, it doesn’t have to go anywhere else”
Several years and flings with the man later. Peter is left with only grief at James sudden passing. They had something of a thing going on, not really labeled, since neither liked that. But the man suddenly broke things up and Peter in his anger left for months on end.
By the time he came back he found out James died and he had a new replacement.
Elias Bouchard.
He hates him on principle.
Peter is cold with him at every little meeting, speaks just as necessary and goes before the man even attempts to chat him up. At least he has his own loneliness, the only thing that truly lasts for him.
It sings out to him, like a siren song, it’s easier to get lost on it, to just… become colder and harsher. What else should he do? It’s not like Peter could ever love someone like that again.
Or want to.
“-ter, Peter!!”
“What do you want Mr Bouchard?” The younger man was glaring at him and it feels unfair, he should be the one glaring.
“I was asking you if you intend to stop being difficult and listen to me for once! I swear i get you lonely ones love playing at the grief stricken partner, but its been months already im getting tired of trying to talk to you like pulling teeth. Listen- i know i was kind of an ass, but really i needed to do the switch and i was worried a bit about people talking about some favouritism-” What the hell is he on about now??? Also how dare he!
“What- are you talking about? I’m not faking- what are you-!? Listen, I’m not up for games, let alone your games. I have better things to do than be your little entertainment, give me the papers to sign and I will be on my way, off of your life-” Elias gets up and slams his hands on the desk making him flinch.
“That attitude!! I don’t want you out of my way!!! I said what I said as James because I was going to change bodies and people were talking about our relationship too much, it would look odd when I became Elias and we hooked up again!!”
Peter freezes.
“What- what do you mean became Elias?” The man who is not Elias??? Narrows his eyes and then suddenly looks surprised and confused.
“You don’t know-”
“What do you-”
“How can you not know I told you- i-” Elias? Drifts off and looks to the empty room with a blank expression.
“I forgot to tell you”
“Um-”
“I thought i told you after- oh, oh fuck we ended up sleeping together after sacrificing that woman at the restaurant, i got distracted and-”
Peter starts to piece together a few things.
“James…?” Elias flops on his chair covering his face and doing a muffled scream into his hands.
“I can believe i forgot i got so excited that you let me tie you up that i completely forgot” Peter’s face burns.
“I-”
“Yes, yes it’s me, I thought you were being difficult not that you- oh my god you actually were grieving me weren’t you? You sap” His face turns smug, and it’s so familiar-
The eyes-!
“Yes, those are really mine”
“You-!” Peter wants to punch him.
“Me?” Elias already closes his eyes expecting a punch. Yet he side steps the desk, comes closer and pulls him up to his feet by his tie.
“If you- you want to choke me-” He shuts him with a kiss. It takes a bit to register on the other’s mind because once he does he grips his hair and pulls them closer practically melting against him. Peter doesn’t stop kissing him, cnat.
“You twat-” In between kisses he curses him out, he was making the rounds across his neck, decided that he was going to leave pretty little marks for everyone to see. Elias? James? Doesn’t seem to mind much.
“Sorry-”
“You- fucking- bloody- ass!!” A bite close to the jugular has him moan a bit, Peter’s hands go to grip his thighs and the other catches his meaning because he lets him lift him up. He carries him to the small couch and drops him there with an ompf-
“Hey-” That he interrupts when he climbs on top of him and starts to kiss him again with a very clear intention in mind.
“Oh…” Yes, Peter is glad he can use forsaken to soundproof the room, he had no intentions to let the other be quiet.
Now that he is not upset, angry or… turned on, Peter lays his head on top of Elias’ chest, while he explains the whole being Jonah Magnus, and thinks that he is very handsome.
Not in the same way as James was, no, but he was still very handsome.
“I was leaning more into pretty but unassuming, but thank you for the vote of confidence for the new body” What a smug prick.
“He is not…?”
“God no, only fragments or echos, the real Elias is very dead, its just me”
“Jonah?” Elias nods at his question.
“Basically”
“Huh” The shorter man’s hands play with his hair making him nuzzle his neck. He thinks about it for a bit, but decides to go for it, after all he has gotten this far anyways “Pleasure to meet you Jonah”
The other stays quiet for a bit.
“Pleasure to meet you Peter”
Their relationship is not conventional or normal by anyone’s standards, but…
It works.
Somewhat.
“So… I got you so distracted you forgot to tell me huh?” Elias sighs.
“I can show you exactly how enticing you looked to me to make me forget, do not tempt me” Feeling his face heat up he tries to play it off.
“Maybe when we are in an actual bed and want to experiment a bit” Elias chuckles and then turns into a full blown laugh that makes him feel the rumble of it against his ear.
“I can’t believe this, but i missed you” He hears Elias heart speed up while admitting that to him, it makes his face warm up.
Peter knows he missed him too, but he wont admit that, too out of character. So instead…
“Will take that with me, feels delicious”
“Oh hush, you already cannibalized yourself, don’t be a prick”
Yes, he definetly missed this bastard and he will have so much fun re-aquitaining to him properly. They are closer in age now, Peter’s body is a bit older than Elias now, just 6 years, but it feels good.
This time people will give Elias looks instead of him, Peter’s gray hair and beard made him look older.
“You are impossible Peter”
“Stop reading my mind then” Elias sighs and kisses the top of his head hesitantly.
“Don’t make it so easy then” Peter lets out a breath.
Prick.
“Never”
“Rude, what a rude person you are” Peter nuzzles him and that shuts him up.
Better.
