[Peter has a joke initially, a tease for his husband, that drops out of his head completely as Leo carries him into their main bedroom. He opens and closes his mouth, his teeth audibly clicking together.
The view is enough to make Peter's voice shake slightly. It feels silly, to be so emotional about a mural but... it's everything they lost. Almost a distant memory at this point since the city lay in ruins around them overhead. A headstone for what once stood, the population hidden below out of sight to even try to survive.
It was a large piece of who they were as teenagers. What started their relationship in so many ways. The two running through the city's skyline, laughing as the moon hung heavy overhead, the wind whipping past them as they fell together.]
[He's nervous now. Something he'd put so much thought and care into, wrangling so many people into helping with and swearing them to secrecy with the promise of him taking on a lot of extra duties over the last few years. It'd been easy enough to say it was because he was leading that he should shoulder as much grunt work as everyone else. But he also didn't want it to look like opportunism or something worse.
Balancing Peter again, he reaches over to flick off the lights. The ceiling above and the walls darken with the lights off but now have small, pinprick lights mimicking stars. Constellations in an open sky to give just enough light so they can still see the room but sleep peacefully. Or enjoy the night view.
Leo, for his part, looks nervous seeing it all together like this and presenting it to Peter. He'd meant it to be an important anniversary gift, something to make a big sweeping romantic gesture to make up for all the time he's spent working.]
[Peter presses a hand against his mouth, just staring at the ceiling as the lights come on. He bites the inside of his cheek. Stunned, amazed, and cycling through so many feelings all at once.
How long had any of this taken? How many people knew about this?
He laughs a little, the sound wet with the threat of tears.]
This is... so much. So- [He feels like he's tripping over his own thoughts. Tears sting at his eyes, spilling over a little as Peter swallows thickly.] I love this so much.
[Leo waits. He's waiting patiently, he's already waited this long just to even let Peter know it was a thought let alone something that was existing. But he smiles sheepishly at that reaction.]
I, um. I know you don't... Being down here is hard for you. So. I wanted to... try and make it a little easier to be down here underground so much.
Leo... [The rush of emotions just leave Peter fumbling to accurately say what is on his mind. He shifts the best he can in the hold to press a kiss against his husband's chin, his jaw, peppering his face with kisses.
[Peter releases a large breath, just burying his face against Leo's neck. The affection stops for now as Peter tries to stop himself from crying.]
This is perfect, you're perfect- [He presses a kiss against Leo's neck, drawing back to look up at him.] I think it's worth the surprise being ruined, just so we have it now.
[Leo looks so relieved. It's obvious he's been nervous about this for a while, the nervous tension finally bleeding out of him. Where before Peter probably noticed he was still tense, still "on" even in their downtime, Leo finally looks relaxed.
He moves to set Peter on the bed, rescued mattress fluffy and as new as one can get in this hellscape.]
Good. I'm. I'm really glad. I'll get you a map for your comm until you can figure out the way here yourself. I, uh.
[He clears his throat, looking at the boxes of their things, sack of four potatoes sitting right on top.]
When they moved our stuff in here while you were asleep, I asked 'em to leave it all in boxes. Thought we'd try the... whole. "Newlyweds moving into their home" schtick I remember being so important to people in the old days. If you wanted to do that.
[Peter finds himself laughing a little again. A sound that mostly Leo gets to hear these days. The sight of the potatoes that sort of started a lot of this adds to the humor in a way Peter can't articulate.
He reclines further back into bed, placing a gentle hand against his wound. Working himself up so much doesn't feel great. He can handle it, though. He doesn't want to ruin this moment.]
I do. I always wanted a place for us. [Peter hesitates before adding.] I thought about seeing if we could have an apartment in Queens while I was in college.
[That laughter is everything to him. He'd bottle it up and keep it as one of his most treasured possessions if he could, along with Peter's smile. When Peter lays back, he watches a second or two before kneeling one knee on the bed next to him, carefully leaning over him a little.]
That would've been amazing. Think my brothers would've been sad, but I would've loved it.
[He knows his husband well enough, knows what they would've wanted in some other version of events. Leo rests his hand gently over Peter's checking the injury and leans down to kiss the corner of his lips.]
[Now that the whole project's completed, he's determined Fitzberg and his group are leaving in the next few days, and Peter's out of the infirmary, it's easier to relax a little. He chirps happily into the touch, nuzzling into his cheek.]
We will. It'll be great. Murals of our favorite stops all over.
We're going to keep Mikey very busy painting when all of this is over. [Peter draws his hand away from Leo's cheek after a moment to pat the bed next to him.]
C'mere. I think we both need a cuddle. [He is going to hold this turtle, just watch.]
[It's light and easy because he can be now. He doesn't know if he'll tell Peter what happened while he was asleep, not the full details. Peter doesn't need to know what such a lowlife thinks of him.
He climbs onto the oversized mattress next to Peter and wraps an arm around him to tug him close.]
Mm. Gotta get this bed smelling like us. Doesn't smell right yet.
Given Mikey did all of this, yes, we're going to keep him distracted by a lot. [He answers easily in turn, delighted as his husband joins him on the bed.
The brunette readily cuddles into his husband, slotting himself against Leo's body. He knows the dips, valleys and curves of his spouse and just how he fits against him.]
[Peter draws one of Leo's hands up to his mouth, lightly kissing the mutant's knuckles. He opens the connection between their ninpo, the warmth of his love and adoration rolling over both of them.]
[He can. He can feel that and he wants to cherish it, hold it close and then share it with the colony because everyone should feel this kind of surety.]
In the meantime... [He rolls onto his back, looking up at the ceiling, the darker cloud mural spotted with the pinprick lights of fake stars.] I think this was a success.
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The view is enough to make Peter's voice shake slightly. It feels silly, to be so emotional about a mural but... it's everything they lost. Almost a distant memory at this point since the city lay in ruins around them overhead. A headstone for what once stood, the population hidden below out of sight to even try to survive.
It was a large piece of who they were as teenagers. What started their relationship in so many ways. The two running through the city's skyline, laughing as the moon hung heavy overhead, the wind whipping past them as they fell together.]
Oh- oh, my god, Leo....
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Um. Th-that's not all.
[He's nervous now. Something he'd put so much thought and care into, wrangling so many people into helping with and swearing them to secrecy with the promise of him taking on a lot of extra duties over the last few years. It'd been easy enough to say it was because he was leading that he should shoulder as much grunt work as everyone else. But he also didn't want it to look like opportunism or something worse.
Balancing Peter again, he reaches over to flick off the lights. The ceiling above and the walls darken with the lights off but now have small, pinprick lights mimicking stars. Constellations in an open sky to give just enough light so they can still see the room but sleep peacefully. Or enjoy the night view.
Leo, for his part, looks nervous seeing it all together like this and presenting it to Peter. He'd meant it to be an important anniversary gift, something to make a big sweeping romantic gesture to make up for all the time he's spent working.]
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How long had any of this taken? How many people knew about this?
He laughs a little, the sound wet with the threat of tears.]
This is... so much. So- [He feels like he's tripping over his own thoughts. Tears sting at his eyes, spilling over a little as Peter swallows thickly.] I love this so much.
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I, um. I know you don't... Being down here is hard for you. So. I wanted to... try and make it a little easier to be down here underground so much.
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He's still crying, but it is in joy. Delight.]
Thank you. Thank you.
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Not the worst way to ruin a surprise anniversary?
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This is perfect, you're perfect- [He presses a kiss against Leo's neck, drawing back to look up at him.] I think it's worth the surprise being ruined, just so we have it now.
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He moves to set Peter on the bed, rescued mattress fluffy and as new as one can get in this hellscape.]
Good. I'm. I'm really glad. I'll get you a map for your comm until you can figure out the way here yourself. I, uh.
[He clears his throat, looking at the boxes of their things, sack of four potatoes sitting right on top.]
When they moved our stuff in here while you were asleep, I asked 'em to leave it all in boxes. Thought we'd try the... whole. "Newlyweds moving into their home" schtick I remember being so important to people in the old days. If you wanted to do that.
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He reclines further back into bed, placing a gentle hand against his wound. Working himself up so much doesn't feel great. He can handle it, though. He doesn't want to ruin this moment.]
I do. I always wanted a place for us. [Peter hesitates before adding.] I thought about seeing if we could have an apartment in Queens while I was in college.
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That would've been amazing. Think my brothers would've been sad, but I would've loved it.
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If we liked the place, we could've stayed and called it our own forever, maybe?
[He doesn't directly say 'start a family', but it hangs between them. It is one of those things both of them wanted so badly.]
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Yeah. All of us.
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This is home too, this is our space now. After the war is over, we'll... make it even better. Make our own space above ground.
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We will. It'll be great. Murals of our favorite stops all over.
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C'mere. I think we both need a cuddle. [He is going to hold this turtle, just watch.]
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[It's light and easy because he can be now. He doesn't know if he'll tell Peter what happened while he was asleep, not the full details. Peter doesn't need to know what such a lowlife thinks of him.
He climbs onto the oversized mattress next to Peter and wraps an arm around him to tug him close.]
Mm. Gotta get this bed smelling like us. Doesn't smell right yet.
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The brunette readily cuddles into his husband, slotting himself against Leo's body. He knows the dips, valleys and curves of his spouse and just how he fits against him.]
It'll take a little work, but we'll manage it.
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[He holds Peter as close as he feels comfortable not hurting him more. Enjoying feeling him safe, alive and knowing Leo made him happy with this.]
We will because you're our hope. My hope.
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You're their hope too, Leo. You're my hope.
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We'll get the world back.
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It's a matter of time. We'll make things safe again. [Leo can likely feel Peter's genuine belief in that sentiment soaking through their connection.]
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In the meantime... [He rolls onto his back, looking up at the ceiling, the darker cloud mural spotted with the pinprick lights of fake stars.] I think this was a success.