๐๐๐๐๐โ /ย
six years since he was still young and dumb without a clue in the world about what he was doing. six years since he met his mother and cousin on a dirt road in the middle of nowhere so they could hand a newborn baby off to him and part ways. six years since he turned his back on the only best friend he ever had. and six years since he became a father (non-biological but father regardless) to a little girl named nadia.ย
he never thought heโd come back. hemlock grove had stopped being home the second roman crossed the line. looking back, peter understood romanโs fear. they were young, stupidโฆand peter canโt say in romanโs shoes he wouldnโt have suggested the same thing. the only difference was, he hadnโt been in romanโs shoes, heโd been in his own. his own stupid shoes, because he quickly learned that raising a baby wasnโt easy. but he knew that โ lynda had warned him, told him everything she could about a baby, bless her. and while they had both gone separate ways for safety, she was always just a call away when nadia wouldnโt calm down and peter was pacing a hole in the floor.ย
but now he was watching the welcome to hemlock groveย sign pass him by as he headed to the onlyย place he hoped was still standing in that godforsaken town. lynda had set up a place for them all to meet so she and destiny could visit with nadia while peter went to doโฆall of this. because honestly, peter wasnโt sure what he was walking into. when heโd left, roman was changing and the stories that lynda and others told him about the godfrey family made him wonder if he wasnโt going to drive up to nothing but ash and a long forgotten home.
his eyes quickly adjust in the almost setting sun just over the hill as the house comes into view. it all looked almost the same really. only a few differences โ cars, plants, new paintโฆbut still the same somehow. thereโs a hesitation when he reaches the midway point of the driveway, his foot hovering over the brake for a split second. there had been no plan to this, so heโs basically focusing on every ounce of strength he has inside of him to get up the driveway.
finally he pulls up beside a sleek and probably far too expensive black car. which he assumes by the look of it is a new car of romanโsโฆor whoever he has living with him now. suddenly a sense of dread passes over peter, unsure how heโs even going to start any type of explanation of where heโs been or what happened. for all roman knows peter was heartbroken and needed some time away after losing lethaโฆand the baby. he just forgot to mention the part about wanting to keep lethaโs child safe from roman and olivia and essentially kidnapping her. yep, peter was officially a kidnapper and no one but his mother and cousin knew about it. wellโฆno one else yet anyway.
thereโs at least three minutes where peter just sits in his car,ย surprised no one has shown up to drag him out by now. it makes him wonder if roman is even still there honestly. but then again โ it has been six years, he has no idea what heโs even walking into. nonetheless, he still eventually makes it to the door, hand only shaking slightly as he brings a finger up to ring the doorbell. heโs not going to just turn back now.ย ย ย ย ย //ย ย ย ย @saturnsdustโ โฆmy hand slipped
the anger had subsided mostly over the past six years.ย it had started like a childโs tantrum,ย a rage that no words could console.ย heโd lost everything,ย heโd lost everyone.ย letha was gone,ย shelley had disappeared,ย his fucking cunt of a mother the cause of so much of it,ย and though sheโd been severely punished for her actions,ย she somehow still managed to walk as though nothing had happened.ย but the thing that truly pushed roman over the edge was peter.ย ย
in the first few weeks after everything had settled,ย he had made silent prayers to some unnamed god,ย wishing first for peterโs untimely death for having been so selfish and leaving,ย later wishing he could propose a trade with fate.ย but none of it worked,ย not that he believed any of it truly would.ย instead he screamed and drowned his sorrows the only way he knew how to.ย but no amount of white powder,ย blood,ย or alcohol would cure the hole left by peter leaving.ย ย
olivia stayed far away from him,ย shelley eventually returnedย (ย though she too found her own way to avoid their mother ),ย and the despair of lethaโs death slowly felt like less of an ache over time.ย roman was so focused on controlling his hunger that he rarely had the time or energy to properly grieve,ย and as the months passed,ย the anger washed away.ย it didnโt get rid of the hole that was left,ย but at least he wasnโt throwing a complete tantrum anymore. as months turned to years, roman gave up any hope that peter would return,ย anger turned to bitterness,ย and the longing became something easy to ignore.ย ย
itโs a cold night,ย some nearly six years after the insanity of that spring,ย his birthday creeping up again without a single plan in mind,ย when his mundane routine is interrupted by a dream.ย heโs taken comfort dethroning his mother and reclaiming godfrey industries,ย rarely speaking to her unless by absolute necessity.ย thoughts of peter have been forcibly buriedย โโ until he shows up in romanโs dream.ย the childlike tantrum fit comes back almost immediately,ย satiating his hunger with hopes that it had been some side effect of upirism.ย ย
no such luck.ย he spends the day at home,ย trying to push the images from his mind,ย to stop thinking about wolf who hadnโt so much as sent him a fucking text message.ย fucking asshole.ย but calling peter any number of names doesnโt seem to help.ย heโs about to dive into his long since untouched stash of coke before he hears a car pull up in the drive.ย not expecting anyone,ย anxieties come creeping out,ย sure that it canโt be anything good.ย ย
by the time he gets to the door,ย heโs convinced himself it had just been the mail truck,ย but before he can peer out the window,ย the bell rings.ย roman freezes,ย hand hovering over the door knob with hesitation.ย something was connected here,ย and he suddenly feels his dream (ย a memory,ย really ) had been a warning of sorts.ย two days ago,ย the surprise would have been enough for him to shut the door in peterโs face.ย now,ย as he opens the door,ย he does so knowingย exactly whoโs on the other side.ย
silence lingers still as he stares him over,ย taking him in.ย finally he breaks it though,ย swallowing.ย ย ย ย ย ย โ couldnโt have sent a fucking text first,ย huh?ย โ