Title: Enough Said
Summary: Peter chooses the wrong day to pour his heart out to Emma—or maybe not.
Spoilers: "Into Asylum," "Hysterical Blindness," "Shadowboxing"
Notes: I read an interview with Deanne Bray, the actress who plays Emma, which, along with Peter's attempt at opening up to Angela in "Hysterical Blindness," helped inspire this fic.
Emma and Peter sat together on a bench outside Mercy Heights. They were on break, and he had suggested they get some fresh air. She had agreed, and even though the weather was brisk, they were enjoying being outside.
Peter leaned his head back over the top of the bench and closed his eyes, trying to feel the sun's heat through the weak rays that filtered through the mostly cloudy sky.
After a minute, he opened his eyes again and looked over to find Emma reading a book she had brought with her. She had worn her hair down today, and it swayed in the wind, but she made no move to push it back. Peter considered doing it for her, but then dismissed the thought. Not wanting to disturb her reading, the paramedic leaned back again, staring up at the sky.
"I like spending time with you," he admitted aloud, knowing she couldn't hear him or see his lips to know what he was saying. "I think you're great. You're—" he paused, trying to think of a word that would do her justice, "extraordinary." He chuckled, imagining her reply. "I know, you probably don't think that's the best thing in the world to be. But I do. I wanted to be special. I prayed for it. And when my wish came true, when I discovered my ability, I used it to help other people."
He paused, remembering how driven he had been to save the world from destruction. "That was three years ago. A lot's happened since then. Things have changed. I've changed. There's been a hole inside of me. I thought I could fill it by being a paramedic, saving the most people possible. But, I still felt empty, like I was missing something. And then I met you, and I started to feel whole again. So, I just want to say thank you. You said that I saved you. Well, you saved me too."
As he had expected, silence met his words, but he was relieved that he had been able to get all that off his chest.
"You have a nice voice," Emma suddenly said, making him sit up in surprise.
As he stared at her, she smiled and pushed back the hair behind her left ear, revealing a hearing aid there. "I just started wearing it today," she informed him.
It was no longer just the crisp morning air that brought color to Peter's cheeks. This wasn't the first time he had gotten embarrassed around her, and as Emma's smile widened into a teasing grin, he was filled with a sudden desire to turn the tables on her, so before he could think it over, he leaned forward and kissed her full on the mouth.
When he pulled away after a long minute, it became his turn to smile at seeing her blush for a change.