[ Later in the day, Peter will get his fool-ass kidnapped, but some time in the morning, he leaves a small gift for Mantis at her doorstep, inexpertly wrapped in colorful paper.
There's a little slip of paper attached to it, addressed to Mantis, and in Peter's scrawl, ]
Hey, Mantis!
So I guess there's a holiday going on right now called Prijata, and honestly I don't know what it's about but apparently giving gifts is a thing.
This isn't much but I hope you like it? They're all songs that made me think of you. It's corny but I guess you can call it a family tradition.
Come borrow my Walkman when you feel like it. See you at dinner
- Peter
[ Predictably, the little gift contains a plastic case housing a cassette tape, labeled simply with "Mantis' Mix, Vol. 1." ]
not here response to the not here; as i cry gently at this precious gift
There is a present for Mantis at her door! When Mantis thinks of the times in her life when she's received a present, a real present, all wrapped up and just for her, she has only a few memories to call upon. So when she picks up the gift, reads the note, and opens it to find a cassette like the ones Peter uses for his music (oh, it's labelled just for her too!), Mantis is filled with delight.
Thank you, Peter, she absolutely adores it and she hasn't even listened to a single song on it yet. But she will soon! And then she'll have a lot of lovely things to say to Peter at dinner. (Or sometime later, in the unlikely event that something goes terribly wrong before dinner time!) ]
[ It hasn't been terribly long since she last saw him, a couple days perhaps, but she had nonetheless noticed his recent absence. And she thought he must be busy, but if Gamora has not seen him either... ]
He left me a present yesterday, but it was before then that I last saw him. [ There's an edge of worry in her voice now. ] Peter has not been with you?
[He knows he's just sounding ridiculous, and maybe... like, they're all just marking him off as someone who just sucks at being a friend, but he's gotta at least know that the other two Guardians are at least okay. When Quill doesn't answer back at Peter's hours of random texts, and then Gamora doesn't? Well, it means he's gotta go to Mantis next. And pray she'll be answering him.]
Mantis? Hey, um — I haven't been able to get to Gamora or Peter.
You know where they're at?
[There's a slight undertone, that maybe he's nervous. Worried.]
[It's just immediate, a soft little sound of dismay not directed at Mantis, but certainly not unheard.]
Mantis — you mean...? Are they coming back? [Oh, god, he hadn't said anything. He hadn't told them, and now two of them have left, and — Do they even know? They can't possibly know. He does, and he didn't...] They're coming back, right?
I- I don't know. [ And she's conflicted - shouldn't she be happy they've gone home together? She is, but- still she finds herself sad to be without them, finds a weight of loneliness settle in her chest. ] Perhaps? [ Said hopefully. Should she be hopeful they'll come back? Is she being a bad friend? ]
[His eyes burn in frustration and guilt and all things mournful. He knew he'd been stupid lately about how he faced the knowledge from home, but now? Now he's missed an opportunity to make sure they all knew what they were getting into when and if they ever returned. His heart beats quickly in his chest and his tongue feels too heavy to use for a moment.]
No no no — Mantis, we — we have to go to the people in charge here and ask if they can undo it.
Can they undo it? They can't go back!
[He's really just trying to bullshit a way out of this. But.
It's too late, and he screwed up. Big time. And maybe cost the Guardians valuable time here together.
[ There hadn't been an urgency in her before, but there's panic in his voice, and it makes Mantis suddenly start to panic too. ]
I don't know! I thought that the portals were weird! And that they could not control them! Why can they not go home? They have gone home, Gamora and Peter are together, and- and- [ It's like a Pandora's Box has been opened. Oh no. ]
[His voice is hoarse, like he's got stage fright, but he pushes through.]
Are — are, are you in their place? Or down a floor?
[He's not sure where she's staying, but he imagines if she's in their little shared housing area... it's extra quiet and lonely. He feels his heart clenching miserably and knows he'll be tongue-tied the moment he gets there. Dammit, Peter, focus. Don't screw this up.]
I am in their place. [ Where she had made a sad attempt at macaroni and cheese for her and Groot, trying to continue the tradition of daily guardian dinners in the absence of Peter and Gamora... it hasn't really worked. ]
[He mainly needs a few minutes to steel himself, honestly. Because he's literally a few steps away from their door by the time he sends the message, his hands shaking a little. He's never — he's never had to do this before. Like, this isn't what he was Spider-Man for. He was supposed to prevent things like this, so that nothing like Uncle Ben's death would ever have to happen to wonderful people like May ever again.
But here he is, practically one of those cops at the door. "I'm really sorry to tell you this," is the sad introduction they usually go with, but this is not a stranger you stumble upon a moment too late at a crime scene; this is your own buddies, and you were a part of it. He presses his phone to his forehead and breathes a few times, trying to control his nerves. Inevitably, it barely works.
He knocks at the door, and then shoves his hands in his pockets.]
She started pacing before the call had even ended, truthfully, and she continues to pace by the door of the apartment as she waits for Peter to arrive. Months in this place of relative peace and safety, away from the threat that looms so darkly, so closely, in the world they're from, has made it easy to be lulled into a sense of security that's betrayed her.
What does Peter know that she doesn't?
There are maybe three seconds between the knock and the door opening. Worry is written all over her face, an urgent feeling of distress clear in her dark eyes, and she takes a step back to let Peter come inside. ]
What do you have to tell me? Why must we try to get them to come back? Why can't Peter and Gamora go home?
In an instant she's flooded with his pain. It's sharp in her chest like a knife, and somehow heavy in her throat like a rock. Sorrow, distress, guilt - loss. She feels loss. Mantis follows the tug of his hand distractedly, sits in the nearest chair, looks up at him - and if Peter meets her eyes, then he'll find his own emotions reflected right back at him. ]
I don't understand. [ And now she's almost afraid to. ] What- what happened?
[He sits down, but doesn't let go of her hand. He's not really sure what else he can do. In the end, everyone's going to hurt, and people are gone, and — and he really fucked this up bad. He swallows hard and grips his other hand over hers, too. An apology.]
Mantis, I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry, I should've...
[He squeezes his eyes shut, dropping his head for a moment.
She deserves to know, but she doesn't deserve what comes with knowing.
It's too late to turn back now, though.]
... Thanos won.
We — we lost.
[It's a brutal start to a conversation that will only get worse.]
[ He doesn't let go of her hand, so she doesn't let go of his.
Loss. It's powerful, overwhelming, and it awakens in her the worst of her fears even before he says it aloud. ]
What?!
[ How could she be so stupid, to think things would be fine? To not consider the implications of her friends going home? What they could be walking into? She shakes her head, horrified, her mouth turned down in a deep, devastated frown. No, no, no, no. ]
How? How do you know! You did not know before, what happened?!
[He sniffs miserably, not letting himself cry — he doesn't deserve that, not when it's his fault they didn't have a warning, all because he'd been so afraid and unsure how to say it.]
Mr. Stark told me. Big Pete, he said I should ask Mr. Stark about Thanos.
And eventually I did, and... He told me that half the universe gets wiped away.
[He drops his gaze to the floor.]
I should've told you guys, but I... I was scared. I wasn't sure how. So I — stayed away, for a while.
[ Peter may stop himself from crying, but there's nothing in Mantis that tells her to hold back the tears that escape from her eyes, nothing that stops the hitch in her breath as the gravity of the situation hits her, really hits her, and leaves her reeling. ]
Thanos won.
[ She has to repeat it, as though it isn't real.
But she's seen his power. She's seen the devastation he leaves behind, and still she thought together they could defeat him; why?
A thousand things flood her senses, but among them she recognizes Peter's guilt. He blames himself, he's tearing himself apart with the weight of it, and Mantis places her other hand on top of their joined hands. Reassuring. Sharing the pain. Things definitely aren't okay, but she isn't angry with him. ]
He- he has experienced the future? He knows? Are Peter and Gamora- [ Okay? Dead? She can't bring herself to even say one or the other. ]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
6/12 - not here; also quietly breaks-in your inbox
There's a little slip of paper attached to it, addressed to Mantis, and in Peter's scrawl, ] [ Predictably, the little gift contains a plastic case housing a cassette tape, labeled simply with "Mantis' Mix, Vol. 1." ]
not here response to the not here; as i cry gently at this precious gift
There is a present for Mantis at her door! When Mantis thinks of the times in her life when she's received a present, a real present, all wrapped up and just for her, she has only a few memories to call upon. So when she picks up the gift, reads the note, and opens it to find a cassette like the ones Peter uses for his music (oh, it's labelled just for her too!), Mantis is filled with delight.
Thank you, Peter, she absolutely adores it and she hasn't even listened to a single song on it yet. But she will soon! And then she'll have a lot of lovely things to say to Peter at dinner. (Or sometime later, in the unlikely event that something goes terribly wrong before dinner time!) ]
voice; 6/13
Have you seen Peter?
[ This is clearly very important, and Gamora is very concerned – even if she translates that concern into flat intensity. ]
no subject
He left me a present yesterday, but it was before then that I last saw him. [ There's an edge of worry in her voice now. ] Peter has not been with you?
no subject
No. He never came home.
[ The problem now is that she isn't sure who else to start asking. Maybe Laura? ]
no subject
[ That doesn't sound right. Peter always goes home to Gamora. ]
Do you think Peter is lost? Should we look for him?
no subject
Someone on the network said that people have gone missing – more and more of them.
[ She leaves the implication that Peter might be one of them unsaid. ]
We might have to find him.
no subject
We will find him. [ Her voice holds both determination and reassurance. ] Where should I look?
no subject
Unfortunately, not here. ]
I don't know yet, but... keep your eyes open for anything that might point in the right direction.
no subject
voice.
Mantis? Hey, um — I haven't been able to get to Gamora or Peter.
You know where they're at?
[There's a slight undertone, that maybe he's nervous. Worried.]
no subject
Peter and Gamora have gone home. [ A sad, soft little "I am Groot" can be heard then too. ] I am glad they went together, but I still miss them...
no subject
[It's just immediate, a soft little sound of dismay not directed at Mantis, but certainly not unheard.]
Mantis — you mean...? Are they coming back? [Oh, god, he hadn't said anything. He hadn't told them, and now two of them have left, and — Do they even know? They can't possibly know. He does, and he didn't...] They're coming back, right?
no subject
no subject
No no no — Mantis, we — we have to go to the people in charge here and ask if they can undo it.
Can they undo it? They can't go back!
[He's really just trying to bullshit a way out of this. But.
It's too late, and he screwed up. Big time. And maybe cost the Guardians valuable time here together.
Alive.
He wants to fucking cry.]
no subject
I don't know! I thought that the portals were weird! And that they could not control them! Why can they not go home? They have gone home, Gamora and Peter are together, and- and- [ It's like a Pandora's Box has been opened. Oh no. ]
no subject
Mantis, I —
... I need to talk to you in person.
no subject
Okay. Would you like to come here?
no subject
[His voice is hoarse, like he's got stage fright, but he pushes through.]
Are — are, are you in their place? Or down a floor?
[He's not sure where she's staying, but he imagines if she's in their little shared housing area... it's extra quiet and lonely. He feels his heart clenching miserably and knows he'll be tongue-tied the moment he gets there. Dammit, Peter, focus. Don't screw this up.]
no subject
no subject
[He mainly needs a few minutes to steel himself, honestly. Because he's literally a few steps away from their door by the time he sends the message, his hands shaking a little. He's never — he's never had to do this before. Like, this isn't what he was Spider-Man for. He was supposed to prevent things like this, so that nothing like Uncle Ben's death would ever have to happen to wonderful people like May ever again.
But here he is, practically one of those cops at the door. "I'm really sorry to tell you this," is the sad introduction they usually go with, but this is not a stranger you stumble upon a moment too late at a crime scene; this is your own buddies, and you were a part of it. He presses his phone to his forehead and breathes a few times, trying to control his nerves. Inevitably, it barely works.
He knocks at the door, and then shoves his hands in his pockets.]
no subject
She started pacing before the call had even ended, truthfully, and she continues to pace by the door of the apartment as she waits for Peter to arrive. Months in this place of relative peace and safety, away from the threat that looms so darkly, so closely, in the world they're from, has made it easy to be lulled into a sense of security that's betrayed her.
What does Peter know that she doesn't?
There are maybe three seconds between the knock and the door opening. Worry is written all over her face, an urgent feeling of distress clear in her dark eyes, and she takes a step back to let Peter come inside. ]
What do you have to tell me? Why must we try to get them to come back? Why can't Peter and Gamora go home?
no subject
I can't do this.
"No choice in the matter, kiddo," Ben says somewhere distant. "You made your choice, now get on with it."
He presses his palm against hers, gripping it firmly with a regretful apology in his eyes.]
Mantis. W-we should... sit down. [A pained swallow.] Okay?
[He tugs her hand gently, moving to sit.
C'mon, Spider-Man.]
no subject
In an instant she's flooded with his pain. It's sharp in her chest like a knife, and somehow heavy in her throat like a rock. Sorrow, distress, guilt - loss. She feels loss. Mantis follows the tug of his hand distractedly, sits in the nearest chair, looks up at him - and if Peter meets her eyes, then he'll find his own emotions reflected right back at him. ]
I don't understand. [ And now she's almost afraid to. ] What- what happened?
no subject
Mantis, I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry, I should've...
[He squeezes his eyes shut, dropping his head for a moment.
She deserves to know, but she doesn't deserve what comes with knowing.
It's too late to turn back now, though.]
... Thanos won.
We — we lost.
[It's a brutal start to a conversation that will only get worse.]
no subject
Loss. It's powerful, overwhelming, and it awakens in her the worst of her fears even before he says it aloud. ]
What?!
[ How could she be so stupid, to think things would be fine? To not consider the implications of her friends going home? What they could be walking into? She shakes her head, horrified, her mouth turned down in a deep, devastated frown. No, no, no, no. ]
How? How do you know! You did not know before, what happened?!
no subject
Mr. Stark told me. Big Pete, he said I should ask Mr. Stark about Thanos.
And eventually I did, and... He told me that half the universe gets wiped away.
[He drops his gaze to the floor.]
I should've told you guys, but I... I was scared. I wasn't sure how. So I — stayed away, for a while.
no subject
Thanos won.
[ She has to repeat it, as though it isn't real.
But she's seen his power. She's seen the devastation he leaves behind, and still she thought together they could defeat him; why?
A thousand things flood her senses, but among them she recognizes Peter's guilt. He blames himself, he's tearing himself apart with the weight of it, and Mantis places her other hand on top of their joined hands. Reassuring. Sharing the pain. Things definitely aren't okay, but she isn't angry with him. ]
He- he has experienced the future? He knows? Are Peter and Gamora- [ Okay? Dead? She can't bring herself to even say one or the other. ]
no subject
... I don't know about Rocket and Groot. Those two weren't with you guys, so...
[He hesitates, which probably says as much as the feeling of loss that crosses the bridge of their hands.
His voice is terribly small.]
Drax, and you, and Peter... You vanished.