James stepped inside the old, wooden, house and shut the door, shedding his coat and placing it onto the nearby hook. He rubbed a hand over his face and let out a soft breath.
He knew he should have been nicer to the boy, especially since he had been sorta stalking him for the last few months. But he just wasn't ready to play any games with him.
A sudden thump from the kitchen to the right made the blonde look up. He watched the doorway for a long moment, unmoving, as he held his breath. After a minute of silence, he quietly stepped up to the edge of the doorway and peered around it.
The brunette boy from earlier suddenly appeared from around the wall causing James to tense in surprise. Peter leaned against the doorframe casually with his arms crossed over his chest and surveyed the blonde with a pleasant smirk.
"You left," he remarked conversationally.
James' lips formed a hard line as he merely watched the other boy.
"Let me get this straight," Peter continued, his brows furrowing as if in thought. "You stalk me for, what was it? Seven, eight months? And then when I actually approach you, you run off like a dog with its tail between its legs. Don't even give me your name. That's not very good form."
"What do you want?" James asked, his voice cold.
Peter grinned as he pushed himself off the doorframe and casually stepped into the main room.
"I want..." He suddenly trailed off, his brows furrowing again as he looked about. "My god. What, did you pick the most drab house in town to live in? It's just grey walls. You don't even have any furniture. Look, even the floor is grey. You know, there's this new invention called color. You should really look into it. God, it's just so dull." He looked back over at James with a smirk. "It suits you."
James actually had to bite his lip to keep from smiling, just barely managing to retain his cold demeanor.
"What do you want?" He repeated.
"Repayment," Peter responded simply, raising an eyebrow at the taller boy. "You owe me quite a bit for stalking me for so long. A glass of ice water would be a good start."
James studied Peter for a long moment but the shorter boy's clear blue eyes gave away nothing as to what was going on inside of his head. The blonde finally relented with a quiet sigh and walked over to the kitchen.
"And not a glass-glass but a plastic glass. I don't like glass," Peter added as James walked past him.
James wasn't sure if the boy actually didn't like glass or if he was just being difficult. Probably the latter.
He retrieved the plastic glass, filling it halfway with ice and then to the top with cold water before handing it to Peter back in the main room.
The brunette took the cup, taking a sip from it as he continued to survey the space.
"You know what would be a good color in here?" He suddenly asked. "Blue. Not a gross, disgusting, bright blue but more of a soft, pale, muted blue. Something that would be in an island home."
James glanced around the room, his brows slightly furrowing. He wasn't much for interior design. The house suited his needs and that was fine.
"You also need some furniture," Peter continued, his nose crinkling slightly at the barren space. "A couch would be good, you know. Maybe a little table over there with a lamp. A clock. Something that made it not feel so dull."
Peter's eyebrows suddenly furrowed as he handed the glass back to James.
"What was I doing here again?" He asked. "Oh, right. Your name. That's something else you owe me."
James didn't resist the tiny smirk of amusement that graced his lips this time.
"It's James," he responded simply.
Peter's nose wrinkled again as he cocked an eyebrow.
"James?" He repeated doubtfully, surveying the other boy. "You don't look like a James..."
The blonde froze, his shoulders suddenly going rigid as he waited for the next words.
"... It is a rather boring name though, so I suppose it suits you in that regard."
James immediately relaxed at the other boy's teasing smirk and let out a silent breath he hadn't even realized he was holding. Peter watched him for a moment, his brows slightly furrowing quizzically.
"What was that?" He asked with a laugh.
James tensed ever so slightly again.
"What was what?"
"Time sorta stopped back there for a moment," Peter responded still surveying him. "Did I offend you?"
James quickly shook his head.
"No, it's just..." He trailed off as he studied the brunette's gaze. "... I've been told that before."
Peter smirked.
"Then perhaps you should consider legally changing your name."
Once again, James felt himself relax at the innocent response. Peter watched him for a second longer before glancing back around the room.
"Seriously though. Paint and some furniture. Look into it."
A tiny smirk rose to James' lips once more as Peter casually stepped around him towards the front door. He suddenly stopped and turned back to the blonde with a finger on his lips.
"Oh, wait. There was one other thing..." He furrowed his brows, as if trying to recall something, and tapped his lips a few times. James found himself strangely fixated on the action.
"Oh! That's right," Peter suddenly remarked, angling his finger at the blonde. "You owe me dinner."
James' eyes widened ever so slightly in surprise as Peter grinned.
"Meet me at that little cafe downtown tomorrow evening at seven. What's it called again? Granny's? I'm sure you know the place."
Peter's gaze suddenly turned serious as his voice took on a threatening tone.
"And you better show up. Otherwise I'll have to hunt you down and I am a much better stalker than you ever were."
He paused then, looking the blonde up and down.
"And wear something not quite so eugh. You're going to be seen with me, after all."
James glanced down at his clothing with slightly furrowed brows in confusion.
"It's a date," Peter declared with a grin before turning and shutting the front door behind him.
