graver and quieter

edmund pevensie for godscobhhq political campaign advisor

[bete-du-manoir]

Adam chuckles and blinks slowly. His vision is coming back and even sitting up, he feels his balance settling again.

"What were you even doing for him? Polishing his shoes after every step?"

He finally actually looks up at the man helping him. He looks vaguely familiar, not in a "saw a stranger across the street once and just remembered his face" way. More like a "he looks like someone I know" way. Or it could be they'd met in Adam's "Roaring Twenties" but he doesn't look quite old enough for that to be the case.

[justedmnd]

"No. I'm a consultant," The sharp response was escaping Edmund's lips in a grumble before he thought better of it. He did not appreciate the remark, even if it was a joke. He got enough of remarks like that when being compared to Peter the Magnificent.

It would show better character if he also didn't come off like a total hot head compared to his boss. Former boss.

"It's a little thankless, but I like to think I'm the brains behind many operations," Edmund shook off his grumpiness, Adam didn't deserve it, "Edmund Pevensie. I'm a little new to the area, I'm usually traveling."

[peterpevensiegc]

Even if neither one of them dares to voice these thoughts aloud, Peter knows that Edmund has come to see him because he is worried about him. It is a conflicting experience for him, to say the least of it, knowing that one of his own younger siblings is concerned with his safety. It is one thing for Peter to acknowledge and accept this concern from Susan, who is much closer to him in age and with whom he had always formed a united front in regards to their duties as to their family — but from Edmund?

Edmund, whom he had always had such a contentious and strained relationship with? Edmund, whom he cannot talk to? Whom he could never just simply talk to?

Without a word, he raises the cup of coffee that is offered to him to his lips and drinks. The bitterness of the drink is rivaled only by the bitterness of the picture painted by Edmund’s words of a heavy tension in the air, not only in between the two of them but that hangs over all the citizens of Godscobh — a dense fog of uncertainty and apprehension that had gripped their hearts and minds since the day of the raid. Peter’s raid.

It occurs to him, for a brief and fleeting moment, to ask if his brother believes that he had done the right thing. To be affirmed by someone who is close to him, someone who knows him, that his judgement had not been compromised. That to make the choice to act is better than to make no choice at all, even if in the moment, things may seem to be more chaotic and unstable than ever. That he had done well. For once in his life, Peter needs someone to tell him that he was doing well — but those words die before they ever reach his lips.

He would not ask that of him. Not of his baby brother, who has not yet seen just how difficult life can truly be. Yes, Peter can trust Edmund — or, at least, Peter wants to believe that he can trust Edmund — but he will not ask for his support when he is the one meant to support him.

Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown, and he will not ask that his brother share the weight of that responsibility with him. That is a burden all his own.

“Well… Only just today, I received notice that the judge has granted me the search and seizure warrant I had requested in the aftermath of our operation, therefore the plan is that I return to the scene and provide on-site security and support to our CSI unit while my men search every last inch of that harbour.”

Conveniently, Peter elects not to mention why there may be a need for said security in the first place. There is no need to exacerbate whatever concerns his little brother has about him.

@justedmnd

[justedmnd]

In fleeting moments, Edmund lets a little concern cast across his eyes, though it inadvertently comes through as a glare as he is deep in thought. He has the sort of face that looks vexed even when he doesn't mean to, even when he's actually quite relieved to have these little moments with Peter where they catch up, take a breath, and prepare to face their days. The notice that Peter is returning to the scene of action ( probably for the nth time ) also adds to the stale, tense air that hangs between them, though they sip coffee in a measured silence.

"Thrilling," Edmund's response is equally measured, careful not to offend his brother with any of his actual opinions on this. He didn't exactly question Peter's choices or think they were wrong, but they obviously weren't kids playing soldiers any more. Peter's decisions affected everyone else in town, not just the criminals he'd like to prosecute. Ed was definitely looking forward to ports being opened again.

He has learned, however, that words thrown around carelessly tend to land badly between them. Bringing more attention to the stress they're all under would only make Peter put more pressure on himself, and Ed's not looking to see his brother explode under it all.

"So you have to be security because... someone thinks there'll be another fight?" Edmund puts two and two together - he's not as mindless as Peter has, at times, accused him of being. Peter's squad being needed for security means the danger is still very real and alive, not just conveniently sanctioned off to one night. And if someone's going to be shooting again, they're going to be shooting at Peter, "I suppose you cheesed off everyone you didn't arrest, eh?"

[kingoftheskiesgc]

When the sheriff whose career he had personally lent his support to and endorsed for that position had approached him, in the early days of what would be the twilight of his many years as mayor, to ask if he would consider taking on his little brother as an intern, all Zander had promised him is that he would think about it, because that had been all that he could bring himself to promise.

While he does indeed have a reputation for rewarding those who prove themselves somehow worthy of it with his patronage, he feels the need to assess them personally and determine that worth, or the lack thereof, for himself first — and that is how he had first met Edmund Pevensie.

The young man was that of a peculiar nature, far more subdued and solemn than his glowing, golden brother, but not without his own virtues to speak of. There was little resemblance to be found between the siblings, be that in manner or temperament, but it was these very differences that made them each so valuable to him.

In Edmund, he had found a boy with the ambition to rise far beyond his means, and the drive to see it through. A loyal assistant and a logical, fair advisor, whose proactivity and dutifulness had earned him a position at the mayor’s side — until he had decided, against the intern’s counsel, to forgo running for re-election, again.

Zander’s reasons for stepping down had been his own, but he had determined himself to watch the young man’s career whether or not he remained in politics for himself, and what he had seen in the years since had not disappointed him.

Recently, he had his office reach out to ask that Edmund gauge the current sentiment of the citizens in regards to the local government — and, as nothing more than a self-indulgent test, his personal assessment as a veteran campaign manager on if Zander should return to his former position as mayor or not.

Waiting for him in his office at City Hall, he gestures for him to enter as soon as he hears him announce himself through the door.

“Mr. Pevensie, at last. Come in. We have much to discuss.”

@justedmnd

[justedmnd]

Edmund might not have had his father's medals of war or all the respect and admiration Peter commanded when he entered a room, but the youngest Pevensie boy hadn't done too shabby for himself since moving to America. He worked hard on every internship he earned, making connections to the big dogs in the room and make minute observations to assess who would be the most advantageous for himself to make nice with. It was a grueling game sometimes, to be the assistant or aide to big headed bosses, but Ed had built himself a nice support system, and he'd never be without a job.

Zander was definitely one of his preferred superiors, though he'd graduated from internships under Zander to just consulting and advising a few years ago. Ed would've loved if Zander had stayed mayor, in fact, and not only because it would've given himself a substantial boost to his social and political acclaim. Surprisingly enough, Ed did just like the man beyond the formalities of work too, even if the council did sometimes fall in that aforementioned category of "big-headed". Who wasn't, in their line of work?

"About the ports closure?" Edmund made the assumption, since it was all anyone had been chattering about for weeks, "I've been wanting to discuss a timeline for that, it's affecting practically everything supplied at stores in the area."

For obvious reasons they couldn't just stop the investigation, but couldn't they... reopen a little bit? It didn't do the town any good to have fewer resources for every little thing.

[thebluefairygc]

The relief that comes from meeting someone before her sister had the chance to is ruined by Sophia assuming that her sister had met them before she had a chance to. It's yet another wrong foot that she feels like she's starting things off on. She never liked it when people made assumptions about herself, so she knows that others certainly don't either. She really ought to be better about that sort of thing. About many things, actually, but this thing in particular.

"I just- I don't know, I feel bad. You were just trying to buy pens and now I'm telling you about my missing older sister. Thats uhm... not exactly a good impression that I'm making. Not that the bloody sweater was doing me any favors either, but- I'm sorry, I'm doing it again."

She's silent for a single beat before the nerves make her blurt things out all over again. Keeping silent was always better, but sometimes she couldn't help herself. She could be so calm in life or death situations. She could be so calm when helping someone through the worst of something horrible, but something like this scattered her brain like nothing else.

"It's not that she makes me tense, really. I tend to make myself tense. Over absolutely nothing, as I'm sure you can tell. And uhm, she was pretty tense too, all the time, from what I can remember of her when we interacted."

[justedmnd]

Edmund is hardly ever trying to be rude to others, though sometimes it happens without him willing it. He lets a chuckle out when Sophia explains that she is just a naturally tense person, but covers his mouth when he realizes that it wasn't befitting of a gentleman. It could come off as though he's laughing at her, but that's not the case. If anything, he can certainly relate to a life where every interaction with one's siblings compounds into a undercurrent of tension in everything, even when they weren't around.

"I know what you mean," It doesn't exactly come naturally to Edmund to extend empathy, but it's a skill he's working on, "Has anyone ever pointed out to you - you talk more easily about stopping a patient from stabbing himself than you do about your sister? That must just come with the job?" It was the kind of intriguing that made Ed want to ask for more, so he got exactly what he wanted, "I hope that's not impolite to point out. I also get... tense when talking about my family."

[theuglyducklinggc]

There's a level of annoyance that Hannah reserves in her chest for the Pevensies. A level of envy that will never quite be satiated by interacting with any one of them. It's a little frustrating for her, bitter as she always is, to fling herself onto the pike of being a total and utter bitch only for them to be too good to bite back at all. Or was this something exclusive to the brothers? She doubts it, with the way the sisters get spoken about like devout little angels.

She grabs the water and sips at it when he pushes it towards her, without complaint or protest. Though she does roll her eyes slightly, the attitude seems to have become mostly self-contained by now. She hasn't had a good opportunity to observe this one up close yet, so why not now? She might as well. "I never said I didn't like you."

The question about her name isn't much of a surprise, as it is a curiosity. She tilts her head slightly at it for a moment while she considers whether or not to answer it in good faith. Her hand reaches out to snatch some greasy food from the plate. It's an event trying to eat without making a mess all over herself, but she manages, and washes it down with water. She hates to admit that it makes her feel marginally better, but it does. So when she presses the cool side of the water glass to her flushed face, she decides to actually give him an answer.

"Hannah Fowl. I run the ballet school."

[justedmnd]

Edmund huffs, crossing arms across his chest with confidence. She might've not said it in words, but Ed had clocked to way she glared at him ( or anyone else in her line of sight ) and the air of strong annoyance in every word she spat out. He actually finds it a little humorous, finding irony in trying to do the right thing to get her fed and full, and being repaid with venom.

"Of course," He picks at the plate with a fork, even though you don't need utensils to eat a burger. He doesn't recall meeting a Fowl family or anyone else with that name that Peter introduced him to, but obviously she knew who he was. It makes his walls thicken up inside, instinctively aware that she'd be comparing every little word or action from him to his brother. Well, at least she didn't think charitably towards Peter, maybe that was a start to freeing himself from the golden boy's lingering shadow.

"Edmund, but most people call me Ed," He starts to eat too, but with better manners. Granted, he's not fighting against the whole room turning sideways, "Are you a ballerina then?"

[thebluefairygc]

"Really? That's odd. I mean- well- Most of the people I know always knew my sister first. She uhm, had more of a presence than I ever did. That's how I met Mr. Peter, actually. Through her." She fumbles through her sentence. Talking about her family in any capacity always had her on the back foot somehow. She never knew where to put her hands or what tone of voice to use. Should she sound happy? Chipper? Emotionless? Upset? Would any of that go over well? She just doesn't know.

Right, she had a question to answer.

"But, no she doesn't live in town. She used to, but not anymore. I don't know where she is, actually. I'm pretty sure she got married, but I couldn't say with any certainty. She just left one day, didn't tell anybody where she was going, and I've never seen her since. Lea Florence Majorelle."

This felt more awkward and uncomfortable than talking about a patient stabbing themself with a pen. How does she always manage to do this?

"Sorry, I rambled again. I really don't mean to." She laughs, trying to ease any tension away, "The sweater. I'll definitely need a dry cleaner for the sweater."

[justedmnd]

"Yes, well, I suppose you could note I'm quite new to town. I only know who I've been introduced to by other people. So if she's... 'missing'? That's definitely why," Not new to the state necessarily, but Edmund had been living in various cities depending on whatever campaign or internship he was working for, so he hadn't settled roots as much as his siblings.

Given the mention of his brother, Ed has to assume that Sophia already knows about the rest of his siblings too. He couldn't imagine missing one of their weddings or not even knowing where they were... Sophia had this almost tragic ability to speak of things like a patient self-harming or a missing sister as though they were as common as the milk in her coffee that morning.

"Why are you apologizing? I asked about her and you told me about her. It's just a shame she makes you so tense."

[tootleloo-timothy]

The guy steps closer into the neon light and Tim can make out more details. The coat is way nicer than anything Tim has owned. The way he carries himself isn't someone looking for a fight but someone privileged in an uncomfortable environment.

Tim grunts and leans his head back against the wall.

"Nope. Just catching my breath. I think someone's already in there so you'll have to wait your turn. Especially if you don't want to be seen."

Okay, maybe he wants to scare the guy a little, but in Tim's defense... he's tired and doesn't give a shit. He focuses on his breaths clouding up in the cold air as he pants. He can feel his jeans getting soaked but he can't be bothered to care.

[justedmnd]

Weirdly enough, Edmund find the other young man's words just as cryptic and confusing as the psychic's. Seen by who? Are people weirdly overprotective of their star signs they don't even want to be seen entering the place? Given what he knows of Godscobh, Edmund has to suspect there's more inside the psychic shop than tea leaves and incense.

"You make it sound so foreboding," Considering he looked like he had just been drowned, Edmund figured it was just a scare tactic. There were lots of scary things about Godscobh, and a positively soaking young man in worn out Sketchers wasn't one of them, "Are you alright? You look as if you could've crawled straight from the ocean."

[bete-du-manoir]

Adam nods slowly, leaning on the man as they move to a bench. He sits down and takes deep breaths.

"I don't think it's a concussion. I've had one before and it definitely didn't feel like this."

He looks up at the standing man to give him a confused look.

"And don't apologize for him. Not your fault or mine that he can't handle losing without lashing out. And I can't really judge him for that either."

Even now with a few years of working on it, he still can get explosive with his anger. Honestly, Jones is lucky Adam ended up on the ground because if he had stayed standing, it would've gone very different.

"Plus, I'm pretty sure we both know nothing is too low for him."

[justedmnd]

"How reassuring," Edmund replies dryly, not at all comforted that there's a history of concussion. If Adam doesn't want to be babied though, Ed figures it's for the best to just leave him to his own devices. Maybe couldn't hurt to get him back to an office where he could lie down though...

He stares after the door Mr. Jones left from, a distant worry beginning to grow that he might've just handed over his resignation purely by staying behind to help. It didn't feel good to know that's who he had been helping, “On the bright side, I can be happy to take this job off my resume. I'd rather be out of a job than work for someone who couldn't handle a little disappointment without laying hands on you."

[grey-eyed-thea]

Thea crosses her arms, suspicious that the man would actually try to fight her on this. Or at least push back against her.

"If I and the other council members have done our jobs right, by the time the press dig something up, we will have the situation under control and the more sociable members can be nicer."

She steps forward, getting into his space.

"Any objections?" She keeps a stoic expression and her tone even but even with a shorter stature, she knows how to intimidate.

[justedmnd]

"They're not objections," This isn't a courthouse, Edmund feels like reminding Thea. She was an all-business sort of woman - on some level, Edmund had to respect it, but he also thought she could very set in the headspace of legalities and judicature. Considering multiple angles of a statement or strategy was essential to what they were both doing here.

"It's just that I'm a little concerned you're thinking of the press digging up dirt in future terms. I'm starting to operate under the assumption it's already happening," Edmund tried to explain, though he spoke as if he was expecting Thea to interrupt him at any moment, "There were a lot of arrests made, which is a good thing, but it means there's a lot of perspectives we can't control. Someone’s brother or cousin is going to talk. And if that story frames the council as secretive, or untrustworthy, before we’re ready…"

[allxtted]

If Leticia could've rolled her eyes in a professional setting, they would've just rolled out of her head like loose marbles. The pretentious peacocking of a college boy was not something she needed to deal with. He was nearly a decade younger than her! Telling her how they should handle this!

"Great, then in the interest of presenting a united front, we're going with my plan. We need to organize grocery and medicine shipments for the next month while Nauticus is out of commission, since I don't really care what 'viewers' think as long as they're getting fed."

He might've been educated, but Edmund did not have experience handling the crises Leticia did. Little fires everywhere.

"The most helpful thing you could do right now is tell the public they're going to be taken care of."

[justedmnd]

If Edmund thought Leticia's ideas were a little too blunt and impersonal, he kept that thought to himself. She was a force to be reckoned with, that much was clear, but he often thought she didn't have a good idea about respectful communication. To him, it wasn't just about the supplies themselves, it was about getting the public to trust the council and their city again. He thought wiser of saying that however; he didn't need to be treated any more like a petulant child just for arguing with her.

"Fine then. Let me take the administrative lift. I’ll coordinate with the companies, build the comparative cost sheets, and prep releases to go to each neighborhood grocer and pharmacy telling them what their next steps will be," Edmund was a little used to being a go-between for others, and this could show Leticia that he wasn't just another face hidden in a cubicle, "I can set up a daily supply tracker on the city's website too, so citizens can be aware of what they can expect shelves to look like. That'll decrease the waves of panic-shopping for essentials."

[peterpevensiegc]

While it is not necessarily in Peter’s nature, he thinks, to keep secrets from his family, none of them had known what his intentions had been on the night that he and his officers had finally engaged, for the first time, in an incursion against the organized crime in this town. All he had said to them is that he would be working late that night and that he was truly sorry for not being free to celebrate the New Year with them, but that he promised he would make it up to them later — that they would all celebrate together another night.

The next morning, when he had stumbled back to his room with the sound of a firefight still ringing in his ears, the scent of gunpowder lingering on his hands and a nasty gash on his arm, courtesy of a stray bullet that had grazed him during the chaos, he had tried to keep them from that, as well.

Susan had found him, of course, and rightfully read him the riot act for his recklessness — but still, she had helped him clean himself up and seen to his wounds, and both of them had kept this secret from their younger siblings. Edmund and Lucy had enough to worry about without needing to concern themselves with the safety of their older brother. 

This is why he does what he does, after all — so that this town may become a better place, a safer place for them.

Greeting his brother with a stiff incline of his head and a hand that rubs the back of his own sore neck, Peter nods in assent. “For a few hours, at least. I try to come back every night, but duty calls. This is where I am most needed now.”

There’s a small pause, then, as he stops to think about what he’s just said. That he tries to come home every night. When had been the last time he had seen Edmund, lately? Lucy? With all he has needed to do, all he has felt he must do, it has become harder and harder for him to make the time to see his own family. This realisation makes him feel guilty. Guilty enough to say something, where he might have otherwise allowed this conversation to lie.

“What of you? How have things been for you, Ed?”

@justedmnd

[justedmnd]

There's a stale air that follows Peter after Edmund has posed the question - they're acting far too normal about all of this. Edmund's taking time out of his morning to come see his brother, who he already sees very regularly, and is checking in every few hours to make sure Peter's not rushing into some other act that's going to put his life on the line. The ticking of the clock brings a deafening awareness of every hour of the working day, thinking of how the town they currently call home might come out of this after the dust has settled. And though he won't say it, Ed's beginning the suspect his brother's button down and slacks are covering fresh scabs from the confrontation.

They don't speak of it though, because rather than asking something more direct about Peter's condition or his duty to the town, Ed is serving his brother up a paper cup of coffee and giving him a fond roll of his eyes.

"Decent. Complicated," Far more so after the raid than was typical, but Edmund wasn't opposed to the hiccups that kept his job interesting. More work, more being needed. Neither of those things were a detriment to him, even if they were stressful, "The council, the mayor's circle - well, that's who I see on the daily, but I think this goes for everyone - they're on edge. No one wants to be first to say the wrong thing."

And speaking of saying the wrong thing, Peter is obviously on edge too. Their family is very much included in that "everyone", even when it's not convenient to acknowledge. It's only Ed's first few years into building a career and there's suddenly lots of eyes on his politician clients. Questions about who has shaken hands with who, who's been photographed making deals with who. In a small town like Godscobh, the news kept track of everything, which meant he had to as well.

"I'm sure you've noticed the same," Though Edmund did trust his brother, there weren't many more in this very building that he'd say the same for. It paid to be suspicious in Godscobh, that much was clear. That said, his work wasn't so much about trust as it was about strategy and producing results, much like the Sheriff's, "What does duty call you to do today, then?"

[bete-du-manoir]

Adam groans at being asked to do math in this moment. "Absolutely not. Help me up."

He slowly sits up onto his elbows, the world spinning though it's slow so he takes that as a win. He holds a hand up to the man helping him and slowly gets to his feet. He leans against the man as he catches his balance, blinking rapidly until the room isn't tilting.

"And there we are," he says, giving a smile, despite him leaning heavily on the man. "All go- uh..."

He leans more and stumbles to keep himself upright.

[justedmnd]

Well, heaven forbid Edmund try to do the right thing. He does help Adam up, but with an added roll of his eyes that he hoped wasn't noticed. It was par for the course that any C-suite top dogs wouldn't play nice with each other, but Edmund had thought getting your daylights knocked out might warrant such untold traits such as helpfulness and empathy.

Figures that would be too far-fetched in his line of work, "I wasn't sure if you'd have a concussion, you shouldn't move too fast," though Ed wasn't a medical expert, he'd had his fair share of fencing and football injuries before and it was nothing to take lightly. Though in his experience, it was tricky to get someone to admit they needed help, "Let's just get you sitting down. I'm sorry for Mr. Jones' reaction, it was incredibly low of him."

[thebluefairygc]

She doesn't seem bothered by his initial dry reply. In all honesty, she found it quite endearing. And the fact that he put the pens back a little funny. Rather than put her off, it reminds her of someone she used to know. That sourpuss behavior was welcomed. Not everyone had to be pleasant all of the time.

"No- Yes- Well they can, but some of them, especially the newer patients, tend to hurt themselves so it's better not to let them until the worse stages of withdrawal have passed." She over explains, knowing full well that she doesn't have to be talking this much, and it probably doesn't even matter.

At the offer for a dry cleaner, though, Sophia perks up immediately, lighting up at the offer.

"Really? That'd be great! I know it's just a sweater and it's not exactly the finest thing, but it was a gift from my sister so I'm a little attached to it."

[justedmnd]

Edmund really doesn't know what to do with that information, and he's not entirely sure how he was pulled into a conversation with such heavy subject matter. Sophia seems chipper as ever discussing it though, leaving far less of an awkward atmosphere than would be expected when wearing a cardigan splattered with red.

"Right, I've had a sister lend me a jumper before. She didn't talk to me for a week after when I returned it with grass stains," Edmund's smile tightened, only because he feels as if they're avoiding the obviously more upsetting context of the conversations. The mention of a sister does pique his interest though. He hasn't known Sophia for long since coming to Godscobh, but he would've remembered if she'd mentioned that before, "I don't think you'd mentioned your sister, does she also live in town?"

[theuglyducklinggc]

For a brief moment she glares at his arm as though it could bite her head off, before letting out a huff, and accepting it. She rights herself using him, sending a withering look behind her to the purse on the floor, before ending up sitting back down. Only a few seats away from where she'd been to start with. All she'd wanted to do was to get some air outside. The drinking had made her feel too hot. She might as well stick around for water and food, if he was offering. She wasn't one to turn that down, even if it did end up on her tab.

"If anyone were the same amount of gentlemanly as him I'd be worried about a Stepford wives situation. But you're not off the hook quite yet." She grouses without thinking. There's something quite bitter in her tone. But, well, there's something quite bitter about all of her, she thinks.

"Edmund, right?" She asks, to be polite. She knows the answer.

[justedmnd]

Ed decides better of taking the bait in her venomous tone - he knows how to pick his fights wisely and she seems like the type to squabble over nothing. He also wouldn't take much pleasure in bickering with a drunk woman, and despite what she might think, he's doing the right thing by helping her get her facilities back. Clearly he shouldn't expect any gratefulness for it, though.

"Didn't realize I was on the hook at all," He snorts, pushing the water glass even closer to her in a quiet insistence, "You don’t have to like me, but you do have to drink and eat. Non-negotiable. Consider it my one act of tyranny tonight."

The plates of food are brought over in silence, since Edmund wants to just let the stumbling gazelle in front of him settle down. He likes the American fares despite himself, a tad messy but very filling for a late evening when he feel too overworked to police his own tone or attitude much. Hopefully she'd appreciate the same, "Are you going to tell me your name?"

[hcndprints]

Peter snorts at that, the sound more breath than laughter. He turns his head just enough to look at Edmund, eyes looking with interest “Yeah,” he says, easy. “That’s what they tell us. Balls of gas. Big, burning nothing-specials doing their thing way too far away to care.” He lets his gaze drift back upward, tracing an invisible line between stars making up an imaginary shape. "But the stars are so much cooler than that." His mouth quirks, happily.

“But when you’re a kid,” Peter goes on, “they’re never just that. Those are happy places y'know?" He leans his shoulder more fully into the truck, bumping Edmund lightly in friendly way. “Humoring someone like your sister makes you a good brother.” A beat. The closest thing Peter had ever had to sibling were the Lost Boys. His grin returns, softer around the edges. “And hey — Some worlds are only meant to be visited once.” Peter tips his head toward Edmund, eyes slanted but kind. “So tell me,” he says lightly, like it doesn’t matter, “Do you still see that place in your sleep?”

[justedmnd]

Edmund raised an eyebrow at the red head's musings, starting to suspect that Peter smoked something before driving out here, "Who's 'they'? Scientists? You make it sound like we haven't known what stars are for a hundred years," It's not like Ed was an astronomer or anything, but that much seemed like it was decided fact, "That doesn't make it not 'cool', though. Science is cool."

He didn't mean to bring down Peter's pie-in-the-sky attitude, but fanciful, dreamy terms like that just weren't how Edmund saw the world. Or at least, it hadn't been how he saw the world since he was very, very young. "I see a great many foolish things in my sleep, but not many I dwell on for long afterwards. It's no different than seeing my teeth falling out or a test I haven't prepared for. I supposed the snowy fields and golden castles are slightly more appealing, though," Ed laughed, finding it silly to even think of.

Peter did have a strange ability to pull a childlike wonder out of anyone, "So what were your childhood delusions?"

[justedmnd]

Unlike everyone else in this god forsaken town, Edmund actually was not surprised one bit about the events of the gang war several weeks ago. Not that he'd known about the police's plans, or even really ever paid much attention to the Nauticus, but he had lived with Peter nearly his whole life. Obviously the golden son had been planning his take down in the most strategic and militaristic way possible, with just a touch of recklessness that made everyone around him wracked with worry. And obviously it was only a matter of time before the guns went off and the lights went out in a town this divided by corruption. Edmund had quite a lot of faith in his brother coming out with nary a scratch, though. As always.

Conversely, Edmund did not have the same faith in this town. There were many things he liked about America in a general sense. He felt an almost joyful relief upon doing things like meeting new people here, becoming a stronger leader in a land where he felt potential all around him. The chance to be his own man was both a comfort and a temptation ever-present in the back of his mind. Only threatened, understandably, by the constant risk this town put them in.

Godscobh was not a shining city of opportunity, far from it. And there's the rub, Ed felt, because while it was exciting and adventurous to be here, it also felt like something was sucking away at the goodness he'd always seen in his brother. That was more obvious than anything.

"You look better today," Edmund had taken to dropping off boxes of coffee for the sheriff's office the past several mornings, since it was close to city hall anyways, "Finally go back home instead of sleeping in your office?"

@peterpevensiegc

[allxtted]

Injury Prompts: "Stop fighting me and let me help!" from @justedmnd

Leticia did not like new faces around city hall, especially when they were not the democratically elected figures she was used to. Hypocritical? Maybe, considering Leticia was someone who'd worked herself to the bone rising up the ranks the normal way.

That was exactly the problem with Edmund, though. Leticia highly suspected he wouldn't be anywhere near city hall if he wasn't riding Peter's coattails.

"I can do it myself, I do this every day!" That was a bit of an exaggeration, but Leticia was not about to let Edmund take over the newest PR campaign to cover the drama down at Nauticus, "This is too large-scale for you."

[justedmnd]

Edmund had thought being a consultant would be easy, to some extent. The jokes about business and finance majors being easy were true, to an extent. The parts where things got difficult were the interviews, the internships, the competition, the organization. Most of all, the whole "working with other people" thing that Edmund had never excelled at.

thought it wouldn't be so hard to work with Leticia if she'd let up an inch to him every once in a while. How'd she get to be the one in charge of him?

"I'd recommend you take the time to look over my pitch deck again, Ms. Moirai. A vital part of my proposal for handling this mess was presenting a united front on the matter. We can't have the viewers thinking we're fighting just as much as the bloody little gangs in this town."