Okay. Sorry this chapter is short as well. And it took me so long to update. There's a reason for that.
Unfortunately, it's a reason I would rather not be a reason at all.
I hope you enjoy it! I swear, the next chapter will be longer.
It was worse than he anticipated.
They had a case. Good, right? Cases usually pushed them together, forced them to talk and joke. Gave him chances to impress her and save her day.
Only, she didn't want his help. He had no idea what she told herself, but she was staying as far away from the lab as she could. Hell, she even had Charlie bring over the body for them to examine. When questioned, Charlie just shrugged. She said she was busy. It's a complicated case, she's doing everything she can. Then, giving Peter a doubtful look, he attempted to tell Walter what he knew. Even seeing that amusing sight couldn't relax Peter.
That's how she's going to play it? he growled to himself. He never pegged her for the kind of girl who would give someone the silent treatment. No, he had envisioned her as the lay it on the line kind of girl. The this is what happened, this is what I think, and this is what's going to happen. Had he thought wrong? Obviously.
Willing to distract himself, he pulled a stool up to his lab table. Well, it wasn't really his lab table. But he had picked this table out from all the others, sat at it every day, kept all his crap on it, cleaned it, and eyed anyone else who sat at it. So, damn it, it was his. Rolling his eyes at himself, he pulled the tangle of wires he had been working on closer to himself and set at work. He had just gotten the dark red wire untangled from the green wire when Charlie walked over.
"Hey," he breathed, clapping Peter on the back.
Not looking up at him, Peter continued to paw at the wires. He narrowed his eyes, the infamous crease in his forehead becoming apparent. Didn't he just untangle that wire? There were two blue wires? Fantastic. Setting the wires down, he pushed his long sleeves up and glanced up at Charlie.
"I don't know how Liv does it," Charlie commented, his eyes sweeping the lab.
"Does what, exactly?" Maybe it was hearing her name, or his jealousy that this man was a little too close to Olivia for Peter's comfort, but he was instantly annoyed. Was he about to say something that would offend Peter? His tone sure sounded like it.
After a moment, he gestured a hand to the lab. "This. All this insanity. I just briefed Mr. Bishop on the crime scene evidence, and I swear he didn't hear a word I said. Unless caramel caribou flavored ice cream was at the crime scene, I'm pretty sure not."
"Caramel caribou?" Peter questioned, attacking the wires again, keeping his voice uninterested.
"He just started listing off his favorite aspects about it." Yup, that sounded like Walter alright.
Sighing, he stretched his left arm out as far as it would go til he could feel his joints burn slightly. Then, flicking his wrist, the joint in his wrist popped and he dropped his arm and leaned back. "Mkay," he observed. Walter was pacing around the dead body in a giddy matter, saying something quickly to Astrid, who smiled at him. "Everything looks okay to me."
"Sure?" Charlie asked him, raising his eyebrows.
Peter was leaning forward, about to hunch over his wires, when he stopped short. Tilting his head by the slightest, he looked up at Charlie. "Yes. I'm sure. Have we ever failed to get you your precious information? We know what we're doing."
Charlie studied him for a moment, unfazed by his snappy tone. Then, placing a hand on Peter's lab table, he leaned into it. Ignoring him, Peter stared at the wires, his eyes following the trail of a green wire. "I'm just trying to understand what's going on here," Charlie assured him, in that condescending manner all FBI agents seem to acquire.
Biting his tongue in an attempt to stop himself for saying something very smartass, Peter blinked slowly. "I've got it under control," he promised Charlie, his voice level.
Charlie let out a breath and stood up straight, dropping his hand from the table. "I see." Peter didn't watch him as he turned around and walked away. His damn head held above the clouds. Well, it wasn't that Peter didn't like the guy. It was just right now... Peter wasn't particularly fond of anyone right now. He was even hating on Gene, who just would not shut up. Stupid cow.
He heard the click of the lab down opening, and the blinds hitting the windows as it closed. Assuming it was Charlie, he ignored it and pulled his notebook over to him. Briefly glancing over the information he had been doodling about the project he was working on, he attempted to write down a few more thoughts about it. But what he found himself doing was just darkening the letters and lines already written. Pretty soon, the ink was seeping through the page.
Standing up, he dropped the pen and clenched his fists at the side. Maybe he'd go help Walter with that body.
But when he turned around, he stopped in his tracks. There she was. The beautiful blonde agent, standing on the other side of the room. The one who stole his dignity and ran away from him. Staring him straight in the eyes.