"Colin, are you-- are you home?" was what
Colin heard as soon as he answered his phone. It was Peter, but it wasn't him. His voice hadn't ever sounded so unnaturally calm.

"Almost. I went to the shoot I told you about and I'm on the way back," Colin told him as he slowed at a stop sign. "I'm driving," the brunet added.

Colin couldn't tell if it was just him, but Peter's voice seemed to fall as he responded with "Oh okay." There was something obviously wrong with the boy and he didn't want it to seem like he was brushing him off.

"My phone's on Carplay so we can talk, don't worry." Colin said as he rounded a curve, eyes flitting up to the rear view mirror as he joined a highway. Although his attention was split with him being behind the wheel, he could still make out the barely-audible relieved sigh Peter made. It further ground his belief that something was up. "Why do you ask?"

"I need you," Peter whispered, "I-- I need you to come pick me up."

Colin couldn't recall hearing the Asian ever sound so... scared. The smaller boy did some questionable stuff out of pride and idiocy, but even when he was supposed to be freaking out, he took everything that came at him like a champ. This time, however, he sounded like he was on the verge of tears.

"I'm on my way." The brunet responded, the wheels in his head turning as he thought of what could possibly have Peter so wound up. He couldn't think up any explanation that sounded plausible enough. Peter never cried during fights. In fact, Colin didn't think he'd ever heard Peter sob before. "Can you keep talking, Pikachu? Do you think you can do that for me?"

A long pause came as noise erupted in the background. A small female voice. A gravelly male voice. Peter's voice. "Uh huh."

"Good. What's wrong?"

"My dad. He's... here."

"Dammit." Suddenly, Peter's uncharacteristic behaviour seemed to make sense. What still boggled Colin's mind was why Peter's dad went to his school. Only four days had passed since Peter had called Colin to inform him of the conversation with his dad. Is he really that desperate to see Peter?

"How'd that happen?"

"I have no fucking idea," Peter let out a dry laugh. "He just showed up. With Ivy."

"Wasn't she the one who--"

"Yes, but she didn't mean for him to come here. She took him to meet Lei and since they used the route that goes by here, he forced her to bring him. He threatened to come no matter what so I guess she had no choice."

"God, that's bad," Colin groaned as both his hands gripped onto the steering wheel. "Do you think you'll be okay by the time I get there? In fifteen?"

"Yes, but please hurry. They're not letting him come up to the dorms because I told them not to, but he's still down there."

Colin didn't leave any time for hesitation once he entered through the gates of UC Berkeley. He had driven Peter here when the school year started so he knew exactly where to go. Leaving his car in the lot, Colin immediately headed for Peter's dorm. Peter must have spotted him approaching the residence hall buildings because he appeared at the foot of the building just as he did.

Colin couldn't help but do a double-take when his eyes found Peter and later, his father. There was a rather striking resemblance between the two-- the only differences being the dark brown, monolid eyes the older man had instead, and the lines of gray in his hair and cracks of age in his skin. Aside those details, they were basically the same person from different generations.

"Hey," Colin whispered to Peter even though his eyes remained on the boy's father. "You okay?"

"Been better," Peter said. He wasn't holding anything except the strap of the bag he slung over his shoulder. Looking over to his family, he said, "Since you're here, I want you to know that you wasted your time coming. I'm heading out."

"Peter, please, you guys should just talk it out and we can all go--" Ivy started just before her brother cut in.

"I have nothing to talk about," Peter said plainly in a monotone voice.

"Nothing? You say nothing? Peter, what's wrong with you? Do you not see me standing here?" The older version of Peter gesticulated wildly, voice rising.

"I see you. Which is the problem because I made it clear I didn't want to see you. I told you to leave me alone." All the words that left Peter's lips were in that eerily calm tone. His hand reached for Colin's and he tugged on it lightly, prompting the brunet as he said, "Let's go."

Colin observed that Peter's palm was sweaty, yet it was freezing cold, as he took the waiting hand. Colin directed a helpless shrug at Ivy and proceeded to turn, but the booming voice of the man stopped both him and his roommate.

He was now standing in front of Peter, raised hand frozen in mid-air. Peter gasped, eyes wide and mouth open. "I came here to talk to you until we're--"

"You were going to hit me."

Dark brown eyes shifted to the suspended arm which coiled shut, falling. "I wasn't going to hit--"

"You were-- you were going to hit me!" This time Peter's voice cracked as he blinked rapidly.

"Have I ever hit you before? I wasn't going to do anything to you."

The exchange was beginning to get to Colin, and even though he promised himself he wasn't going to interrupt in this family's issues, he felt his voice had to be heard.

"Mr. Chu, I know I don't particularly have a say in all this, but I suggest the best thing for you to do is to listen to Peter. You played a huge part in making him the way he is now. I think it's time you let him decide on what he wants."

Obviously enraged, Mr. Chu turned to Colin with dilated pupils which suddenly looked like the shade of darkness his son's eyes had. "And who are you? Who do you think you are talking to me like this?"

"His person. I'm Peter's person." Colin placed a hand on Peter's shoulder, giving it a fond squeeze, before he took a step forward so they stood next to each other, shoulder pressed against arm.

"His person." The older man spat out the word like it left a bad taste in his mouth. "And what is that supposed to mean?"

"It means, Mr. Chu, that I'm that friend who is going to stand by Peter, regardless of who he chooses to be or what he chooses to do with his own body." Colin sighed as he recalled everything Peter spoke to him about. "His choices are his own, and you need to respect that. You should respect him."

"Respect him even though he doesn't respect me? He's crossed so many lines already, this boy." He pointed a finger at Peter who cringed, taking a half-step back.

"Let's go. Colin, let's just fucking leave. I don't want to listen to any more of this absolute bullshit." Now Peter was pulling on his hand.

The father. "Watch your tone!"

The son. "No. You watch yours. You're the one who appeared in my college for no apparent reasons and started yelling for your little audience." Peter gestured at the students who had gathered at the corridors. "I have no business with you. I may be your son, but that does not give me an obligation to have any relationship with you. Believe me, I have tried. For so many years, dad, I tried to be that perfect son every father wants. But the deal with you is, you never even-- wanted me in the first place. I get that now."

The man stared at him, blank. The anger on his face dissipated, replaced by a nonchalant expression. Maybe vague horror. Peter noticed his father was taken aback by his words, he proceeded to let out everything he had to say.

"If it weren't for mom insisting that she wanted me, I wouldn't ever have been born, and you would have had your perfect little family with your perfect little daughter." This time Ivy was the one who winced, tears already rolling down her round face. Her head started shaking as her hands went up to her face, covering her mouth as if to signal her brother not to go any further. Peter didn't look, didn't listen.

"You can still have that though, it's not too late, no," the dark-haired boy said, shoulders tensing then falling a second later. "You can move in with Ivy since I don't live with her anymore, you can find someone who looks like mom and get married, whatever, I don't care. And-- and if you don't want your grandchild either, the same way you don't want me, because she's blind and she falls short of your 'perfect' quota, you can send her my way. I'll be there for her."

Now, Peter started to retreat, adjusting the bag hanging on his shoulder. "I'm leaving now. I would say see you, but that would be a lie. I really don't want to see you, ever again."

"Peter... no, please." Ivy rushed at her younger brother, pulling him into a hug. "Don't do this on impulse."

"I'm not. I've thought about this for a long time and--" Peter sucked in a breath as Colin's hand brushed his just as Ivy let her own hands fall. "--I want things this way."

°

"Hey, Pikachu?" Colin murmured as the car finally joined the highway. The tension, the drama, all was behind them now. Behind the gates of UC Berkeley. They could forget about it for now, until Monday when the world sets in motion again.

"Yeah?" Peter answered, head against the window.

"Are you hungry?"

"No. Lost my appetite."

Colin reached out a hand and ran it through Peter's hair, pulling his head to him and placing a kiss on the dark strands. "You'll be fine."

"Hmm," Peter hummed with the ghost of a smile. There was a sort of peacefulness around him. Zen. Calm. Little did Colin know it was the calm right before the raging storm that came a few hours after getting home.

They were in Colin's room, Peter laying on his stomach on the bed, while Colin used his laptop at his desk. The sounds started as a small mewl before it channelled to full-on bawling.

"Why am I still fucking crying? I expected this, it's no surprise. So why won't the tears just-- stop already?" Peter raged. He was off the bed and pacing the length of the room now, wiping his running nose on the sleeve of his sweater.

"You want a hug?" Colin offered as he turned to look at his roommate. He stood with arms open.

"No, I don't want a hug." Eye roll. "What I... what I want is for this whole thing to-- yes."

Peter was suddenly gripping Colin like he was a lifeline, resting his forehead against the brunet's chest, staining his shirt with tears.

"Why do I feel so horrible, Colin? I know he doesn't like me. I've known for a long time... so why am I like this? Why does it hurt this much?" Peter cried as Colin rubbed his back.

"I don't know, Pikachu. But it's okay to feel this way. Sometimes we don't know why we feel things so deeply. We may try to bottle all our emotions up-- and we may succeed-- but eventually they get the better of us. And then you can't hold them in any longer, but it's okay. It's okay to let them flow free."

A scoff. "Yeah, right."

"You'll feel better. You'll heal. You may never feel that same way again, or be what you once were, but you'll heal." Colin hugged the boy tighter, kissing his hair, his forehead.

"Stop with the philosophical talk. I've already studied too much of that in college to have you lecture me here," Peter complained with a small smile.

"Shut up," Colin mumbled. "Before I make you shut up myself."

"Make me?"

Colin couldn't help but smile. He couldn't even suppress it as he kissed Peter, holding him close. It had been long since he had felt the Asian's soft lips on his, forever even. But it seemed forever was worth the wait if it would end like this. With a kiss. A sloppy, messy kiss that was nothing short of perfect. Yes, he would wait forever just to experience the euphoria he felt when lips touched and married tongues did a waltz. He didn't mind.

"I think I'm hungry now." Peter whispered, breathing hard once their lips separated. "My stomach is rumbling."

"Noodles?" Colin asked, lifting Peter's head up by the chin as his own eyebrows lifted.

"It better not be Ramen."

~~

Special mentions: astropiss, buffalolo and cosmic-creepers for adding SATCK to their reading lists!

Also to Gay_Anything_Is_Cool and GoddessAchlys for their hilarious comments!! Thank all of you for the support! ♡♡

Vote if you ship Mitchu!
Vote if you think Peter's dad needs to work on his parenting!
Vote of you like this book!

Just vote, basically☆

Ciao :*