ArchivedLogs:Vignette - Family Matters

Vignette - Family Matters
Dramatis Personae Uncle Ben, Aunt May
In Absentia	2013-07-07 Uncle Ben and Aunt May discuss Peter/Shane. Post Folks Meeting.
Location
"He," Benjamin Parker informs his wife, "is /not/ having sex with a shark." May Parker frowns. She has just descended down the last step that leads to the upper hall of their house; three bedrooms -- one for them, one for storage, one for Peter. The latter is where Peter now rests, hopefully out of earshot. As May continues forward -- stepping gingerly into the living room -- she settles down on the couch besides Ben, reaching an arm out for his shoulder. "What galls me the most," Ben admits as she settles down beside him, "is trying to understand what series of events lead up to me having to make such a ridiculous statement." "He isn't a shark," May tells him, rubbing at the spot between his shoulders, just beneath the nape of his neck. "And /I/ think he's very sweet." Ben's head descends for his hands. Whump. "He's blue, May. Did you see his teeth? He's a shark," he asserts, a little more firmly. This is followed by: "You didn't watch the videos." The rubbing at Benjamin's back grows a little more careful, a little more delicate. "No," she agrees. "I didn't." "He saved Peter, yeah. But before he did /that/," Ben tells her, "he and his brother nearly chewed our boy to death. And they /did/ kill -- and eat -- another fighter. Does that sound very 'sweet' to you?" May's hand stiffens. Just a little. "--he isn't in that situation, anymore." "How do you know that?" Ben asks. His fingers are dragging, scratching against his face. "For all we know," he continues, "he might get like that just when he misses a meal. For all we know, he might /like/ eating people." "Ben, don't say--" "Do you know what you do with a dog once he's gone feral?" May /smacks/ him. Right across the back of his head. She's not a strong woman, but she's got enough force to bob his head downward. "/Benjamin Parker/." Ben grunts, shakes his head -- and lays back against the couch. Rubbing the back of his skull. "...yeah," he says. "I'm sorry. That's not -- no," he sighs. "That was a terrible thing to say." "Peter loves him," May tells him, her voice a little softer -- her hand descending for his shoulder. "Peter /trusts/ him." "Peter," Ben says, "trusts /everyone/." "Well, I don't. And /I/ trust him. I think he's being honest with us." May squeezes. "We'll have to talk with Peter. About--" "--sex. Jesus Christ," Ben says, shaking his head. "What the hell ever happened to just /waiting/?" "/We/ didn't wait," May fires back. "/We/ were idiots." "It worked out alright. Didn't it?" Ben opens his mouth to respond, but then closes it -- opens it -- and closes it again. Thinking. Brow crumpled together. Finally, he just sighs, and: "I don't want -- May, how do you think this is going to turn out?" "I think," May responds, "that that's up to them. Honestly, Ben, if they /really/ want to do this, do you think /we/ can stop them? They go to school together. What are you going to do, chain him up in the house?" "Maybe that's not a bad idea," Ben says, looking thoughtful. "Ben," May says, /glaring/ at him. Then, softer: "My parents didn't want me to have anything to do with /you/, you know." "/I/ wasn't a shark." But then, with a little less sharpness: "I'm not comfortable with -- Christ, how does it even work? Like, do sharks have -- no," he says, suddenly sitting up straight, "I don't even /want/ to know." May looks mildly amused. "I'll talk to him. In the morning. If it bothers you /that/ much." "No," Ben relents, rubbing at his eye, "I'll do it. We'll do it. Together. I just -- Christ," he says, reaching a hand out to take May's other hand, squeezing. "At /least/ tell me he's not going to get married to this guy. I don't think -- I could handle a shark-in-law." "I think," May responds, her tone cautious and diplomatic, "that Peter needs him right now, and we should try to be -- supportive. And let Peter figure this out for himself." "I think," Ben responds, "I miss just worrying that our son might be /gay/."