video. un: p.parker | don't drink and vlog, people

[madeupnames]

WOOOOOO—

[THUMP, CLATTER, A CURSE WORD THAT STARTS WITH 'MOTHER' THAT COMES FROM A POLITE LITTLE VOICE.]

Wheeew — Helloooo Riverview!

[There's a shuffling of feet as the familiar voice carries further away, like he's walking away from the feed. Someone calls distantly: 'Enjoy your glory years, kid!']

Thank you, sir! Where's the tram...? Which street again — Oh! I dropped my — [Dropped his phone. Oops. Right! He picks it up, squinting into the feed; Peter looks — well, drunk. He's very drunk. He whispers a little lower:] Hey, sorry, oops — sorry, it's late and I'm kinda noisy. I'll shut up. Shhhh.

[He staggers sideways in his attempt to sneak quietly, so there's that.]

Guys, I was, like, so worried about drinking? But I feel great! Mr. Wilson, thanks for helping me loosen up a little; I dunno why I was even nervous. I even did the karaoke thing on my own. Like, the thing on my bucket list? Man... It was so fun... I don't think I had that much fun in... I don't even know when. Heh. I love you guys. [He whispers in a giggle to himself, looking around and ignoring the feed for a moment:] I have noooo idea where I'm at... Oh, wait! that's Centerfield Lane, I'm doing great...!

But where's the tram again? Shit. Iiii mean 'crap'. Crap is what I meant.

Uuuuh. Hold on. [The feed blacks out again, and there's the telltale sounds of someone clearly climbing up a fire escape toward someone's roof. He's very coordinated for a drunk teenager.] There we go! I seeeee it now. Cool, awesome. Cool.

[He looks at the feed again, the background higher up.]

So I was thinking! I've been spending soooo much time moping about stuff I can't, uuuuh. Do anything about, so I was figuring... why not relax a little? I got this To Do List thing I wanna get done, and I was wondering if anyone wanted to help with it? It'll be fun!

I got stuff like — [He counts off on his fingers.] learning how to kniiit, surfiiing, learning origaaami... Holding a really big snake? When I was a kid I always wanted to face my fears and hold a snake, and I almost got a chance to, but then I remembered how scary snakes are and chickened out...!

[He waves at someone down below, sounding so happy.]

Heeeey! You wanna hug?! I have 'give a stranger a hug' on my to do list!

['Dude, what are you doing on a roof at eleven at night?!' the teenaged kid calls back.]

I'm drunk!

['I guess I can hug you?!' Peter fist pumps.]

Awesome!

[The kid down below yells back from cupped hands: 'Hey—! You're gonna break your neck up there! Get down!']

It's cool, I've got really good balance!

[He gives the guy a thumbs up. This is all still recording. Save him.]

Comments

[madeupnames]

[Aw, man. He blows out a breath — and then pops those mints.]

I dunno what happened... I dunno how I even drank so much. I swear it was like — bam.

[He wags an arm dramatically, because yanno, that's how you explain drinking too much too fast.]

[citharede]

[ Good because hooboy, that breath smelled. ]

You hit it too hard and you're drunk before you start to feel tipsy.

[ She pulls him to a stop at a street corner. ]

...You have the keys to your new place on you, right? Didn't lose them?

[madeupnames]

Of course! I'm responsible, c'mon. Jus' not with drinking! Yet!

[He pulls out a pair of keys dramatically, which then nearly go flying out of his hands — thwip, and a web shoots out from under his jacket sleeve, catching them and pulling them back to fumble with them some more.]

... No biggie.

[citharede]

[ SIGH. Athena calls a taxi after sitting Peter down on a bench. ]

So this was like... on your list?

[ She can't make herself say bucket list, even if that's what it is. ]

[madeupnames]

[For once, he quiets.

And seems to try to shake himself out of a near drunken wave of sadness.]

Yeah!

Also got a hug from a stranger, so thass cool, right?

[citharede]

[ She shouldn't have said anything. Athena yanks him into a one-armed hug, then gives him a noogie just to make sure it's not too many Emotions at once. ]

Well, you're a huggable guy. I think they got lucky.

[madeupnames]

I love hugs.

[He says it in complete agreement, hands up like he's explaining the allotropes of carbon to a class.]

Who doesn't like hugs? Hugs're so good. A lotta' times they're better than words, too. You can just talk-talk-talk and not meaaan it, but a hug? That's something super special.

[citharede]

[ Oh Peter. Peter. Athena feels a quick surge of emotions, a tangled mess of things that makes her want to cry, so she hugs him properly instead. Boozy breath and all. ]

Loser. [ Said with all the love in the world. ] Let's get you home.

[madeupnames]

Then we can watch something?

[He says it so hopefully, muffled in her shoulder as he sways and falls into her a little.

Thank god you are here to direct the floppy-footed dweeb.]

[citharede]

[ Athena takes his weight without wavering, rubbing his back. ] Sure. Whatever you want, long as you want.

[ The cab pulls up, and she pulls back enough to open the door, though she keeps one arm around him. ] I'm not going anywhere until you're settled.

[madeupnames]

Yeah! Sweet!

[Before she can fully toss him into the car, he smooshes his cheek to hers.]

Thank you sooo much, Athena...!