JAR OF HEARTS

PETER MASON CABELLO || 21 ||   AINSWORTH FAMILY February 10th Closed 3x3 Roleplay

[peter-cabello]

deliaxbarnes​:

In truth, everyone in Davenport knew about the Cabello family and Peter was considered an extension of the siblings who already existed. The odd one out, the orphan shying away from the spotlight and wanting absolutely nothing to do with the public scrutiny the other Cabellos garnered over a lifetime. Delia wondered what lay more with the boy, knowing she could never judge on rumors cast by the rare few that spent longer than a couple minutes conversing with him. “Oh, I thought we established we weren’t strangers. I’m offering a once in a lifetime opportunity I don’t grant everybody else, Peter.” The woman slightly tilted her head curiously as Peter’s attempt to wipe away the dried blood did not go unnoticed before guiding his palm to gently rest against the side of her abdomen where the baby previously kicked. She waited a moment with patience then experienced the familiar butterflies that came with the baby nudging her side. “Did you feel that?” She turned toward the young male, her smile slowly fading. Names. Something she dreaded. “I don’t know. She’s, um, she’s not technically mine.” Delia sighed before further explaining, “I was a surrogate. The couple who I’d been doing this for changed their minds and now I don’t…I don’t know what to do. It’s not like I’m allowing her become lost in the foster system, so, I’m the only person she has now.”

Peter only snorted a huff of air which could be interpreted as a tiny laugh when the woman guided his hand to rest on her abdomen where she was carrying the baby. It was a weird sensation, no one just... let him touch them, let alone want him around them– and yet this woman within a few minutes of meeting him, trusted him even minutely enough for him to not only be near her but that of her unborn child. Peter felt it then, the almost alien feeling of something pushing into his hand through the layers of skin and it was... alarming. He jerked his hand away quickly once he felt the baby move before realizing that it could be perceived as weird or rude. “Sorry, I didn’t expect it to feel like that– that was... strange but kinda neat,” he said before he realized that Delia’s expression fell. He unintentionally broached a topic that was a landmine. His hands fell to his lap as he listened to the woman speak, his eyes casting downward. Peter couldn’t understand how parents could bring a life into this world, this city, even if it weren’t through their own bodies and then abandon it and the woman that was carrying the child for them. There was an anger that shot through him and his frown deepened, his fingers moving to scrape at the dried blood on his fingernails to distract himself from the festering fury; sick of seeing the red splashed across his skin. When his parents were killed, it wasn’t known right away if his Aunt and Uncle would take him in, seeing as his parents were wanting to steal power out from under them. They could have very well abandoned him to the state and ignored him for his parent’s crimes against the family, but they took him in anyway. In a way, if he could be taken in under the circumstances that happened, there wasn’t any reason for the parents of the child to abandon the baby. “For what it’s worth, it’s brave of you to not give the child up for adoption– you have no ties to the child other than carrying her, but you’re still going to keep her and that speaks volumes,” he said finally, his blue eyes flicking back towards the woman once he knew he had his anger in check, “even though I can only imagine it’s terrifying, I think you already know what you need to do. I’d recommend getting a lawyer, though, just in case the parents try to come back for her later. My cousin might be able to help you out with that, but it might be a little difficult with the borders now.”

[peter-cabello]

andromedaxcabello​:

Andromeda could not help being reminded of the time she once resented the notion of her family, the dynamics and tension she fought desperately against. Every one of her brothers and sister maintained a role they played. The Cabello patriarch took Eleanor underneath his wing to continue the power hold, Damien followed suit with a side of jealousy, Nic excelled as a lawyer, even Carter pursued a degree even though he was the closest to truly understanding what it means to be a black sheep. Perhaps, that was another reason why she experienced a kindred spirit with Peter, not knowing where his place was. He behaved in a difficult fashion that was a complete opposite to Andi’s extroverted personality, but she believed they were still alike as much as they differed. Andromeda reach out her hands as soon as her cousin permitted, cupping the palms against either side of the younger man’s head and pressing very gently in an effort to drown out the sound. She noticed a couple curious glances cast in their direction, some wondering the purpose of what they were even doing. Nothing to pay mind about. Instead, Andi focused on his features, just now realizing how similar to her uncle Peter looked. “As long as you’re sure.” She finally dropped her hands and placed them in her lap instead with a gentle sigh, “Do you need anything? I think they’re handing out water bottles and snack bars at that table over there.”

Once the haze and panic began to lift from his episode, Peter realized how ridiculous he had acted. However, if there was one thing he had to take away from therapy, especially with Dr. Beckett’s teachings, was that he didn’t have to apologize for what he needed to do to get through, or what had happened during. Peter knew he had come a long way from where he was years ago, and he was lucky that he was with Andi. The mortification he would have felt with anyone else would have been compounded once the fog lifted– it was no secret that he was the odd one out the Cabello family and there was a sort of kindred spirit between him and Andi, with Carter coming in a close second to the two of them. While the other Cabello’s were running forward, it always felt like to him that they were the ones running backwards. “I’m... sure,” he replied hesitantly, eyes scanning the safe zone. The walls still felt a little to close to him for comfort however manageable before his eyes snapped back to his cousin as she spoke. “No,” he said harshly at the suggestion, even though he very much needed the aforementioned water but he couldn’t bare the thought of being left alone at that moment within the swarms of unknown people. “No,” Peter repeated quieter, looking at his cousin sheepishly after realizing his outburst, “I’m fine, I just... I don’t think I can handle it right now if you left me alone even if it was just to cross the room.”

[peter-cabello]

everlyxsommers​:

How can I help? I’m a trained nurse.

My hands... I cut them pretty deep on some debris and it’s kinda hard to breathe, I don’t remember if I hit anything else.

[peter-cabello]

juniperxtate​:

The last thing I thought I would be doing in an earthquake was getting pizza.

How are you even able to eat at a time like this.

[peter-cabello]

deliaxbarnes​:

Delia rubbed her palm along her stomach protectively as she assessed the young male as much as he absorbed her form, eternally grateful she hadn’t felt a drastic change in the baby’s movements to warrant panic. She was a patient woman, waiting until she received a name from him before nodding once. “Peter. It’s lovely to meet you.” Delia’s brows furrowed at the sight of Peter’s stained jeans, curious as to what ran through his mind in the moment and the memory clearly haunting him. She knew enough about flashbacks, about the toll traumatic events take, it’s the price of St. Cascadia. “Well, then how about a distraction and we’ll see where the conversation flows.” Delia propped a hand to the wall as support as she awkwardly dropped to a sitting position beside him before leaning back comfortably, gesturing to Peter’s hand, “She’s kicking a little. May I?”

He would have laughed at the woman if he had energy– meeting Peter Cabello was not lovely most of the time. He was a sarcastic asshole who threw caution to the wind more often than not, not caring if he perished as long as it was on his terms, and he often time wondered how his cousins haven’t grown tired of him and his antics by then. Peter barely had friends, counting the few of them on one hand, but he managed to shrug while the woman sat down beside him. He didn’t know how much of a distraction the woman would be able to provide, but at least if he had something else to focus on, then maybe the ghosts of his past would leave him alone quicker than if he were in silence. “You’re offering to a stranger to touch you?” Peter said with skepticism, not so much a question, but he still offered a shaking limb to the woman. At least he had the forethought to wipe as much blood off of his hands as he could; Peter didn’t know if he could handle seeing any sort of imprint left behind on the woman. “What...,” Peter blinked, the words coming slowly through the sponginess of his brain, “ what are you going to name her?”

[peter-cabello]

andromedaxcabello​:

She’s been a witness to these episodes more than once, learning patience and kindness was the key to digging Peter from what terrified him the most. Her cousin held his sarcastic moments and oftentimes, that led a deep worrying with the woman when the situation involved Peter’s nonchalance of a death wish, but nothing shook that soft spot she carried for him. Yes, her aunt and uncle desired stealing the power from her parents, yet, she would never dare hold that against the cousin who lived with them long enough to practically become her younger brother. Andi’s gaze followed the path of Peter’s finger, a hand lifting to dab at the small gash before releasing a wince. “Don’t stress over me.” She paused to think, debating what she could use to help him ease the noise. Reaching into her back pocket, Andromeda produced a tissue and tore it in half, crumpling each into small balls. “They’re clean, I promise. It’ll help you muffle the noise.” She held the makeshift earplugs to him, “I can hold my hands over your ears for extra measure until you tell me it’s not loud anymore.”

If it were any other circumstances, Peter would have laughed away the actions of his cousin– saying he didn’t needed to be treated with kid’s gloves, but in that moment when his past gripped him so tight, he did need it. He was just glad it was Andi– any other cousin and he would have died of mortification. Gingerly, Peter picked the crumpled makeshift earplugs, at that point not even caring if they were clean or not and stuffed them into his ears with jerking motions; as if his joints were rusted over in his panic. He let out a shaky breath as he let the muffled quietness washing over him, turning more into Andromeda so she had easier access to be a human ear-muff. Most of the time, the quiet and his inner thoughts were not a place that Peter wanted to take up residence, but it was the only thing he could focus on in that moment. He tried to remember all of the grounding techniques that he was taught through differing therapy appointments, but what his therapists never told him was how hard in the moment it’d be to remember them. He allowed Andi to be his anchor, forcing himself to take deep shuddering breaths even though each one was pained– thinking he must’ve hit the ground harder than he thought– until finally his pulse wasn’t racing and the sweat was cooling on his skin. His limbs still trembled lightly, but his movements were no longer jerky, and he was left exhausted. “I think I’m okay now,” Peter managed to say, his mouth dry like he’d munched on sawdust.

[peter-cabello]

andromedaxcabello​:

After the tremors hit and the rest of her siblings separated, Andromeda briefly lost sight of Peter. Her cousin was at her side one moment and then gone the next in a flash. With a mass confusion crossing along in waves over the crowd, most people were on the verge of complete chaos that seemed to envelope the woman just as anyone else. Something struck the side of her head, trickling the blood down the side of her face, and her ears wouldn’t stop ringing. Thankfully, she rose to her feet slowly and cast her gaze around until it hyper focused on a familiar face she recognized. A face she could see had been contorted and manipulated by his fears. “Peter.” She croaked out, making her way over to the young man seated near a corner, approaching with a gentleness in a fear she would startle him. “Peter,” Andi crouched to her knees in front of him, ensuring no physical contact unless he permitted, “I need you to focus on my eyes only. I’m right here. Stay with me.”

A voice spoke out to him, muffled through the fog and haze; the images of his family mansion bleeding away until the chaos around Peter came in and out of focus. The lights and sounds assaulted his senses, his eyes finally moving away from the red that stained his palms to a familiar face; dark eyes looking at him like he were some skittish animal. Peter knew that was exactly what he looked like in that moment. His light eyes took in the face staring back at him, a trembling hand pointing at the gash that lined her forehead before his eyes flicked back to hers. Focus on my eyes only, God knows Peter tried. He pulled the sleeves of his shirt to cover his hands so he didn’t have to look at the crimson staining them any longer. “I’m here,” Peter managed to squeeze out though it didn’t convince even him, a sleeve-covered hand moving to an ear in an attempt to block out all the noise, “it’s too loud, Andi.”

[peter-cabello]

deliaxbarnes​:

She had seen nothing like this before. An earthquake in St. Cascadia, dozens of townspeople scattered into separate safe zones, injured, looking for their loved ones and not knowing whether they were alive or dead. Delia didn’t really have anyone she cared for, what little family she had weren’t speaking to her after she became her best friend’s surrogate. The traditional types. Once the dust cleared and the screaming ceased as those around her assessed the damage, she had to consider herself lucky that other than a few shallow scratches on her palms and knees, she came out of this somewhat unscathed. Someone who clearly hadn’t once her gaze landed on him? The kid seated in a corner feet from the woman. “Shit.” Delia whispered to herself, slowly walking over to Peter with a hand cradling her stomach. “Hi, sweetie. Would you mind if I sat with you? I think we both could use the company. We don’t even have to talk if you don’t want to.” She spoke gently, “I’m Delia.”

Peter was too consumed in his thoughts to realize that someone had walked up to him until they started talking; his eyes flashing to the woman that was standing in front of him. His eyes flicked over her frame, noticing that she was heavily pregnant but relatively unscathed from the aftermath of the earthquake. Peter’s head jerked in as much of a nod as he could manage over the roar of noise in his head; the motion making him sick. From either the memories or an impact during the first shockwave of the earthquake, he didn’t know. “P...Peter,” he said after a time, his hands wiping on his dirty pants, regretting it the moment he smeared the crimson on the denim, “I wouldn’t know what to talk about even if I wanted.”

[peter-cabello]

Peter remembered the evacuation– his cousins pulling him along to the safe zones. Then the sounds, screams, and flickering lights– it was too much for him. Too much stimulation and the flickering lights made him sick to his stomach, and when he finally was able to open his eyes when it stopped? People were covered with blood, his own hands soaked in crimson from trying to catch himself after the first initial waves hit and forced him to the ground. His eyes couldn’t look away from his palms, even as they shook and his breathing started to quicken. All Peter could smell was the tangy iron, he no longer could see the safe zone around him. He was a child again, staring at the lifeless bodies of his parents, the words “they’re dead” falling from his lips over and over as he sat in the corner.

[peter-cabello]

andromedaxcabello​:

Which I do one hundred percent of the time, I’m not somebody to deny their faults.

I don’t pass judgement, Petey, the need to express oneself is essential, but please don’t tell me you were actually begging for her to shoot you. Legit straight up.

How haven’t you been shot before?

I don’t beg, I just asked a lot of questions but she didn’t shoot me so I guess I didn’t annoy her like you did. I think it’s more along the lines of “I don’t care about my personal safety”. 

[peter-cabello]

pandoraxharlow​:

Pandora dug around in her jacket pocket for her phone, pulling it out and clicking on the text Peter sent before adding his number to the device’s contacts. She paused a brief moment to return to her message inbox and quickly replied to the conversation she was holding with Benji, the side of her mouth quirking upwards before placing the phone in her lap. Pandora honestly could not wait to see her boyfriend’s face when she told him how unexpectedly mended her friendship with Peter was now weaving. Benji understood her hardships, how could he not, but it was easier sharing what was happening inside her mind with someone who knew such darkness. The trauma, the flashbacks and nightmares, any remnant of a consequence from her past actions. Pandora realized, however, her depression morphed long before she committed murder. “I never regret shit, Petey. Life’s too short for regrets. Sometimes.” Pan pressed her head against the bedframe head board, eyes cast to the ceiling, “It’s like you haven’t met me, Cabello, my personality isn’t the greatest. I’m either the biker slut or a total bitch, anything in between was the rarest of flukes. I let resentment and men control me which just…boiled over the rage.” She sighed, “Not anymore.”

Peter watched as Pandora fiddled with her phone, watched as her lips turned up into the smallest of smiles. He knew that she was texting her boyfriend– the whispers on the street told him that it was the exiled kid from Davenport. Whether Pandora knew it or not, she had a knack for getting close to the people that were broken. He knew he himself was not all together. Peter’s lips quirked into a half-smile. “Not anymore,” he echoed, a little part of him resonating with her words. They didn’t have the same traumas, no, but there was a part of him when dealing with his trauma that realized the men that terrorized his dreams and waking memory controlled him, even though they were caught for the murder of his parents and the attack on his life. It took a while but he knew that he was the ultimate controller of his life– and when it ended; he wouldn’t let anyone else take that from him. “I think you’re finding that you can be whoever you want to be now. You essentially have a freedom now, it came with a price, but freedom is everything in a city like this– as much as it can be called ‘freedom’ when we’re still under the dictation of others, but I digress. You don’t have a leash anymore.”

[peter-cabello]

andromedaxcabello​:

Or any emotion she possessed left her body after dealing with my obnoxious ass.

Okay, boo bear, I’m sorry, but what the fuck?

You do tend to have that sort of effect on some people, Andi.

Why surprised, not like this is new. Much to my dismay, I’m still kicking– I think she didn’t want to shoot a fish in a barrel.

[peter-cabello]

chandlerxfitzgerald​:

Is that what they’re telling you now, that your mental illness and the like is only the spice you need? Oh, honey bear, no. I have my own ball and chain of trauma, but that doesn’t mean I would ever wish that just to make myself interesting. As for Hottie Monaghan, well…I  may have to stick my nose in his business.

Weird and unusual, just like me, darling.

Well at this point it’s pretty much my identity now, so can’t exactly change it at this point; didn’t exactly choose it, but I’m just rolling with it. Good luck– he doesn’t seem like the type of person that wants to deal with people sticking their nose in his business.

Yeah, no kidding. Not like it’s necessarily a bad thing, I guess.

[peter-cabello]

andromedaxcabello​:

With literally nothing in her eyes and a trigger finger? Yeah, that’s the one.

So, you met her and she doesn’t shoot you. Guess I’m the exception.

I wouldn’t say there was nothing there, you were just busy getting shot to see.

Not for lack of trying– she just didn’t feel like shooting me, I guess.

[peter-cabello]

carmenxmueller​:

Hi.

Do I know you?

[peter-cabello]

thomasxwright​:

You don’t say?

Isn’t your sister like a leader or something now?

Cousin, but you got the other part right. Swooped right on in and took Greenpoint cuz of some beef with Sebastian but I don’t know much else. I tend not to listen to the details.

[peter-cabello]

islaxharper​:

This city… you’re all so pathetic. 

I can’t deny that at all.