Noctuary [Peter Ballard]

10- Getting to Know Him

1979

❀. ❀. ❀.

❀. ❀. ❀.

I hold tens hand as we walk to sit down at the table "two used to talk about you," ten says looking up at me "oh I don't remember him sorry," I look over to see Peter re enter the room staring at me.

"I have to go," I say quickly standing up and walking over to Peter who's taking to another guard, ten looks confused.

"I don't feel well," I say and Peter looks at me knowing well I'm lying "uh well we better take you to get checked up," he nods taking my hand.

We walk out of the rainbow room and into the hallway "now what's the real problem zero?" he says looking down at me "don't call me that," I say he gives me a surprised look "excuse me?" his voice echos.

"I'm confused, how am I older then everyone here? And how are you the only person who knew me before?" I say poking his chest he grabs my hand "so you were lying, you don't feel sick?" I freeze looking into his eyes.

"No I want you to tell me the truth!" I shout as a wave of confusion rushes over me. At my tone Peter pulls me further down the hallway angry "you want to know the truth you'll have to wait, all I can tell you is our love was more then friendship."

He flicks my hand down and storms off leaving me confused and I stand there for a good couple of minutes until a guard sees me "hey zero get back in rainbow room!" he shouts walking over to me.

I then think about Tina and it brought me less pain it as if it was all a hazy meaningless dream but that made me mad as I knew it wasn't meaningless it was my life.

I then stare at the guard directly in the eyes not moving "hey kid get back in there before I make you!" he shouts now running but I then tilt my head causing his neck to snap.

He falls to the ground and I gasp for air and start running down the hallways scared of what I did, "Peter!" I shout running and I don't know why but I needed to see him "zero!" Brenner says grabbing me from around the corner.

"What are you doing here?" I look at him completely confused "I didn't mean to kill him," I cry out and he kneels down so he's level with me "hey it's okay, we should have been more cautious with your situation, let's take you to your room."

I feel a needle dig into my neck.

I feel sleepy as we arrive in my room he helps me into my bed "just get some rest," his words muffle as I doze off unable to stop it.

I slowly open my eyes till I see someone sitting at the end of my bed "good morning sleepy head," I hear Peter say and I sit up "don't worry, I had a discussion with papa, you'll be doing private activities... with me as your teacher," he says and I sigh.

"So just me and you?" I question he nods "just us, you still get free time though don't worry," I look at him feeling a weird vibe in the room.

"Can you tell me what you meant by more then friendship?" I say and he gives me a curious look "we had crushes on each other when we were both eighteen," I smile and he does too.

"That's cute not gonna happen again though," I laugh and he moves closer to me "well your one to talk i've grown up and moved on, your still the same," I look at his face which is very close to mine.

"Here's some clothes, as your not a child like the others," I look to see a white hoodie and dark blue jeans "but I still get free time in the rainbow room?" I laugh as the facts aren't adding up.

"That's only if you want but ten seems to enjoy your company very much," I nod while he closes my door, I quickly get changed out of my hospital gown and into the fit.

I then walk out of my room to see Peter waiting outside "let's go get started," I follow him into a small room the same as the one I got integrated in.

"Today you have a choice, there's a type of therapy we created for you to you can detach yourself from the reality which you traveled too."

I look as his hands slid a needle with a purple liquid inside towards me "it will make that life seem as important as a dream," I look up at him, his blue eyes moving all over my face "is there no way for me to get back?"

My words echo in the small room "you used the upside down to enhance your time changing powers, so no portal to the upside down, no way for you to get back," his voice made such a scary thing sound so calming.

"I'll do it and how do you know about the upside down, I believe it isn't discovered yet," I laugh in a almost flirting way "well zero I know more then most people here," he stares at me with a smile.

"Will this hurt?" I say getting my tattooed arm ready as he adjusts the injection "no just a prick, side effects may be odd though," he looks at my underarm studying slowly "here we go."

He puts lotion on his hand before running his hand over my skin I have to stop myself from changing my breathing.

"You ready?" he whispers "yes," I say with a sigh. He pricks the end of the needle in and I wince at the slight pain.

Peters eyes look into mine as the purple serum slowly seeps into me "your doing well, do me and favour... keep this between us," I feel a fuzzy energy feeling form in my head.

"Yeah of course," I smile he does too, soon enough it was all gone and I was half unconscious "why do I feel like I'm falling," I whisper not being able to focus on Peters face "it'll go soon."

I try focusing my eyes on anything in the room but I can't, Peter notices my struggle so he puts my hand in his "hey just look in my eyes and breath," I look into his eyes breathing out calming myself.

The feeling soon leaves causing me to breath out loudly, I look at Peter and laugh "that was crazy," I say actually feeling happy "yeah it looked a bit crazy," he smiles "you'll soon lose attachment to that other life you had," I beam feeling released from all my problems.

"Thanks Peter," I say then noticing my hand still in his, he senses me staring at our touching hands so he pulls away awkwardly "your welcome zero."

"Want to go to free time?" he asks now opening the door for me "y-yeah of course."

a/n i'm hoping the plot making sense 😭