The thing about Peter and Edmund’s bond is that it’s forged in war. Literally. Edmund is Peter’s grounding force in a way no one else is because Edmund is what steadies him in battle. There’s a comfort he finds in Ed’s presence he doesn’t have with anyone else. Because that’s his brother, the one who saved him from Jadis. That’s the one who knows the best route. The one who will see what Peter misses. Who will cover up and correct Peter’s mistakes. On top of that, Ed doesn’t glamorize Peter the way the others do. He sees Peter the most truthfully. Which provides Peter with a sense of safety. He trusts Ed more than he trusts anyone—sometimes even himself. Because of this, Ed is like Peter’s personal teddy bear. He’ll lug him around wherever he goes. Bring him to places he doesn’t have to be just so he doesn’t feel alone. Goes to him or holds him when he’s anxious (it helps that Edmund never quite outgrows him height-wise). Ed who has a witticism for any situation they’re in. Who can make him laugh and who can help him see things differently. When it comes to Ed, Peter has almost no sense of personal space. He’ll talk to him about everything and anything while Ed is trying to take a bath or go to the loo until Ed has to say in a firm but calm way that he needs literally two minutes to breathe alone. Yet, even as much as Edmund might get occasionally frustrated with Peter, he secretly luxuriates in Peter’s affection and high esteem of him. He feels so loved by Peter and that grounds him, infuses every act of loyalty he does for Peter. Peter whom he betrayed. Who never stopped searching for him. Who only became king because all he wanted was his brother back home and safe. Who went to war for Edmund. Edmund wants Peter to be proud of him.
It’s not always charming, though. Oftentimes, when Peter feels safe, everything he usually represses comes out. His bitterness, fear, self-loathing. Ed usually softens when he feels safe, becomes more prone to laugh and more open about himself. Less confrontational and more complimentary (almost to a sappy degree before he catches himself). He knows people well and so knows what gifts to give them. Loves to see their faces light up when he remembers something they like. Peter is the opposite. He becomes critical or melancholy or resenting in that initial safety following conflict. All his anxieties come forward and he begins to deliberately neg or annoy people, as if wanting a fight. Wanting to be told all his worst fears are true. He starts putting all his worries and anxieties in other people’s mouths. “You think I’m stupid, don’t you? That you’re smarter than me?” “You think I’m a bad king, right? That I don’t do enough. I’m never doing enough for you. You’re spoiled.” “Why are you drinking at this time? Spit that out.” Edmund is just the most skilled at not giving that fight to him. Because he’s used to it. Peter acting that way after a battle, however it goes. He knows what Peter wants is a reprieve from his own crown. His own authority and reputation. From high expectations. He wants assurance that he never fully believes anyway. So Ed lets him act the arse to him, part of him thinking he deserves it anyway, and then waits for Peter to apologize because he always does once the poison’s out. Transforming into a doting, sappy, loving dog. Eager to kiss and hug and please. To make up for it a hundred times over. Because he’s always anxious to let his siblings but especially Edmund know he loves them. Because he blames himself somewhat for Ed running off with the White Witch. Blames it on him being too harsh and critical so that Ed had to run away. Doesn’t ever want Ed to feel so scorned or unappreciated again.
There’s a few people who Peter can truly unravel around. Those are Ed, Glenstorm and Susan. Glenstorm is like Edmund except he’ll give Peter a stern talking to that snaps him out of it while Ed will usually let Peter ride it out himself. Glenstorm acts as a mentor to Peter, someone who’s seen more war than he has. Who guided him through planning for the Battle of Beruna. Glenstorm is good at using Peter’s emotions to sharpen him for battle. For kingship. As for Susan…well, more on that later bc I find his relationship to her very complex. But the long and short of it is Susan provides Peter with a sense of home (while Lucy provides him with a sense of freedom). Home is wherever Susan is, and that’s where he strives to return to. Always making his way back to her with the unwavering conviction that he should be there.
But it is Edmund who makes Peter feel the most safe and Peter makes Edmund feel wanted—despite everything. For that reason they function as a kind of gravity to each other. An inseparable, interdependent pair.
