Room 502, Saturday Afternoon

[withoutverona]

Romeo spent the hours around lunch fighting with the washing machines. Rather proud of himself for only turning half the whites gray -- and for having the patience to keep from tugging the sodden clothes out of the dryer too early -- he carried the laundry bag of clean clothes up to his room, dumped it at the foot of his bed, and called it good before turning on his laptop.

From: Romeo.Montague@fandomhigh.edu
To: tmontague@montagueholdings.com
Subject: An Update

Dearest Father,

Good e'en! I wished you to know things are less dire here than they may have seemed when last we spoke, though my purse is still empty.

I entered parenthood last week -- but, fear not, only with an egg. We found a capable nurse, who brought the false babe to visit me at work. The other students seem quite different from us, but still I am finding some companions.

My classes too go well. And I have joined a firearms club, so that I might stay in practice should I one day return to Verona. *When* I return there.

How go things at home? Is Balthasar well?

Your son,

Romeo

The door was open.

[OOC: Oooooopen.]

Comments

[repeterpetrelli.livejournal.com]

Peter both listened to radio and had access to a school directory. So during one of his many free moments on a Saturday afternoon, he swung by the fifth floor and went to see if Romeo might be in his room.

[withoutverona]

He was, and he as getting mighty bored with throwing pies at Benvolio on Facebook. "Hello?" he said tentatively, as he rose from the bed to greet the dark-haired young man at this door.

[OOC: May be slow for a bit.]

[repeterpetrelli.livejournal.com]

"Are you Romeo?" Peter asked. "I'm Peter Petrelli."

[ooc: no prob!]

[withoutverona]

"The only of that name," Romeo nodded, recognizing Peter's name from radio but not connecting it to anything in particular. "Come in, if you like."

[repeterpetrelli.livejournal.com]

"Thanks," Peter said, doing just that. "Okay, so this is going to be a weird and extremely high school conversation. But are you interested in Brooke?"

[withoutverona]

"It seems she is not interested in me," Romeo said warily, sidestepping the question he was asked.

[repeterpetrelli.livejournal.com]

"Huh." Peter raked a hand through his hair as he mulled this over. "Did she say why?"

[withoutverona]

"She told me she was not looking for anything serious. And I asked her out and she said no, and I tried to kiss her and she would not, and so it would seem she is done with me as anything but a friend," Romeo pouted. He was past the stage of his life where this would have driven him to days of brooding, but it still wasn't fun. "Is she also rejecting you, or are you more fortunate?"

[repeterpetrelli.livejournal.com]

"Oh I'm out of the dating scene," Peter said, waving that off. "Brooke's a friend. But I heard on radio that'd you'd be hanging out with her so I figured I'd do the guy thing, make sure you were on the level and all that."

[withoutverona]

"My intentions are only the best, but it means little as I have been tossed aside," Romeo said. "How are you 'out of the dating scene'? Do you plan to take vows?" If he wasn't, that was like telling Romeo you were done breathing oxygen.

[repeterpetrelli.livejournal.com]

That surprised a laugh out of Peter. "No. But now I'm going to tell my brother that I am just to see the look on his face. I'll try to get a picture for you if it's a good one.

"Seriously though, I just broke up with somebody. My life's a mess. I don't think it's a good idea for me to be dumping onto someone else."

[withoutverona]

"You may be wiser than I am, then," Romeo said, dropping his guard at the laughter, even though he hadn't meant to be funny. "I was married and she died, some months ago, and ... perhaps it is for the best Brooke not want a relationship, as I am helpless against pursuing them."

[repeterpetrelli.livejournal.com]

Peter was immediately sympathetic. "Oh man, I'm sorry to hear that. I can't imagine how much something like that would hurt."

[withoutverona]

"Thank you. It did. It does," Romeo admitted. "But I must go on, somehow."

[repeterpetrelli.livejournal.com]

"She must've been something special," Peter said. "I give you a lot of credit for how far you must have come."

[withoutverona]

Something about the way Peter said that had Romeo both fighting tears and wanting to smile at his precious memories. "She was beautiful, and true, and brave, and ... there are not many like her, none I have ever known."

He flopped into his desk chair.

"Have you ever thought you would die for love, or the lack of it?"

[repeterpetrelli.livejournal.com]

Peter wondered if love for family counted, then decided that it did. "Yeah. Like you'd do anything to make sure someone you loved was okay?"

[withoutverona]

"Yes, or if they were gone from the world, there was nothing left in it for you," Romeo nodded. "It was like that."

[repeterpetrelli.livejournal.com]

Peter remembered how he felt when he - or the future version of him - had realized that Nathan was dead. "I get that. I really do."

[withoutverona]

"Then we understand each other," Romeo said sincerely.

"So ... did Brooke say anything of me to you?" Because there was always that hope.

[repeterpetrelli.livejournal.com]

"Sorry, no," Peter said, with sympathy. "But if you promise to treat her well I could see about putting a good word in."

[withoutverona]

Romeo's eyes got rather puppyish at the idea. "Not if it doesn't seem natural," he cautioned. "I wouldn't want to push her into anything, or make it seem as though I was. But should my name come up, I would be grateful if you were kind. And I would return the favor if I ever could."

[repeterpetrelli.livejournal.com]

Romeo seemed nice enough. And Peter figured anyone who'd actually gotten into marriage at their age was somebody who wasn't in it for the sex. So that gave him two checks in the plus column, as far as Peter as concerned.

"Absolutely," Peter said. "Nothing clunky or anything that sounds desperate. Just a by-the-way kind of a thing."

[withoutverona]

Of course, Romeo *was* in it for the sex more than anything else, but it wasn't like he would even admit that to himself.

"Perfect," he said. "It is good you came by, then."

[repeterpetrelli.livejournal.com]

"Hey, it was as much to vet you for being good as it was to tell you to back off if you weren't," Peter said. "I'm happier it's turning out to be the first."

[withoutverona]

Romeo eyed Peter. If near-certain death was nothing compared to his love, a self-appointed guardian stood no chance at all. But it was nice not to have to deal with that extra obstacle, so he held his tongue on this point.

"I am happier too, that you came to that conclusion. Especially as you seem good yourself, which gives weight to your judgment. Brooke is lucky to have such a friend."

[repeterpetrelli.livejournal.com]

"Do m'best," Peter said, raking his hair out of his eyes again. "Anyway, I'll let you get back to whatever. Sorry to interrupt."

[withoutverona]

"I wasn't doing anything important," Romeo said, with a glance to the laundry he should fold, really. "But, I will see you later."

[repeterpetrelli.livejournal.com]

"Count on it," Peter said. He went to leave, then paused when he got to the doorway. He thought back to his last conversation with Brooke and said, "A gift might be nice. Something pretty that she could wear. Classic, like an old movie star."

He would've mentioned the clothes Brooke had been drooling over specifically, but Peter didn't know what Romeo's money situation was like. He figured this could be helpful while leaving a wide amount of wriggle room in the budget.

[withoutverona]

"I could manage that," Romeo said thoughtfully, then amended, "If she gives me some sign she cares, I will try a gift. Thank you for the idea."

[repeterpetrelli.livejournal.com]

"No problem," Peter said. He gave a wave. "Nice meeting you."