Carter's Shadow - 33. Chapter 33

She looked over at him as he stirred, smiling before she turned back to the television where some princess was discovering her prince. West yawned and scratched his head, gently lifting Peter off of him, so as to let him keep sleeping. Laying a large pillow in his place he stood and stretched.

"Are Mum and Dad back yet?" West asked, glancing out of the window on the Saturday morning, and the notably absent truck outside. It was still raining heavily, the rain sluicing down from grey skies, and West stood there a moment feeling his side ache as he stared, hoping that his brother was all right.

He glanced back towards Peter, who had curled around the pillow now, his breath hitching lightly as he slept. Sammy looked at him and reached for one of her colouring markers.

"Sammy..." West warned in a low tone.

She looked up, the model of innocence, "What?"

"Leave him alone," he smiled. "Come on, I'll make pancakes..."

"Can we have Eggos?" Sammy asked cheerfully, following him through to the kitchen as West checked the fridge and fished out the box of blueberry waffles.

Sammy nodded, pleased with the discovery, as she stood beside the washer and drier expectantly.

West glanced at her and shook his head, "You're getting too big for that."

Sammy gave him a very mature look that said she was totally unimpressed with what he had just said and tapped her foot. West rolled his eyes and picked her up, setting her on top of the drier as he moved about the kitchen while she sat there watching him.

"So is Peter your boyfriend?" Sammy asked as West set about putting on a pot of coffee.

West turned holding the pot under the tap to fill it. "I don't know yet," he replied truthfully. "I like him a lot, though."

"Do you think he'll really let me be a bridesmaid?" Sammy asked looking hopeful.

West laughed, "I don't know--maybe if you're really nice to him. Besides, two boys can't get married."

"Why not?" Sammy asked, watching as West adjusted the coffee pot and set it going.

West stopped and thought a moment. "I don't know," he admitted. "I guess it's because some people don't like it."

"Like the ones who beat you up?" Sammy frowned.

"No," West shook his head, "not every one is like that; most people just don't understand that love is just love. It shouldn't matter who you love, so long as you love them."

"I love Eggos," Sammy chimed up, dropping a not-so-subtle hint.

West chuckled as he popped hers into the toaster and pressed down the lever, "I don't know, give it a few years and maybe boys will get married."

"Then I can be a bridesmaid, right?" Sammy grinned.

"I told you," West laughed, "you're going to have to ask Peter..."

"Ask me what?" Peter stumbled into the kitchen, his clothes rumpled, and some of his blond hair sticking out from under the brim of his hat. He looked like he had just woken up, and West grinned.

"Morning," he chirped. "Coffee's on."

"Thanks," Peter grinned, before he frowned again. "Ask me what?"

"Nothing," West smiled and winked at Sammy. "We're just making wedding arrangements."

Peter's eyes widened. "Not again! When I marry you... wait, I meant IF I marry you...I ..." he faltered and blushed.

West's grin got broader, "Uh-huh."

"No," Peter shook his head, "no 'uh-huh', I'm not..." He folded his arms in frustration, "You know what I meant."

"Would you like some breakfast?" West asked cheerfully as the waffles popped up, and he transferred them to a plate for Sammy sitting on the drier.

"Yeah," Peter nodded with a smile, "I'm starving..."

"Cool," West replied, popping in a couple more waffles and setting the toaster on again.

The three of them looked up at the tapping on the back door, as Matt poked his head around gingerly. "Hey?" he called before he caught sight of West, Peter and Sammy over by the counter.

West looked surprised; he hadn't seen his friend all week, and he folded his arms. "Hello," he commented with a questioning smile.

"Uh...hey..." Matt said, glancing at Peter a second before looking at West sheepishly. "I...uh..."

"You coming in?" West asked. "You're getting soaked out there."

"Right," Matt said as if the idea should have been obvious to him. He stepped inside and shook himself off a bit. "Look, I..." he heaved a sigh and just decided to go for it, "I'm sorry," he said, swallowing and looking at the linoleum floor.

"What for?" West asked in concern.

Matt opened his mouth, and looked up at West, open anguish in his eyes. "It's all my fault," he said, sounding totally pathetic. "If I'd...if I hadn't of... I should have been there with you," he said in a rush. "Instead, I was off thinking with my dick... and...you got hurt..."

West looked at his best friend, standing sadly dripping on the kitchen floor, looking utterly miserable. He shook his head, "You can't be with me every second of every day, bud." He walked around the counter and touched Matt's arm, "Hey..."

Matt nodded quietly and he drew up against West and held onto him tightly, and for the second time in as many days a dripping wet, overly emotional guy hugged West.

"It's okay," he murmured, "you couldn't have stopped it."

"I should have been there," Matt murmured.

"No," West repeated, "you 'should' have come to see me in the hospital; you have any idea how boring that was?" He grinned as he drew back a bit, "Hey, don't blame yourself, it's not your fault. You're here right now, right?"

"Yeah," Matt nodded, taking a step back and composing himself, and he looked over at Peter, then back at West.

West just smiled. "Have you had breakfast?" he asked, walking back to the toaster as it popped on cue to deliver the next batch of waffles that he plated and slid across to Peter.

"I'm good," Matt shook his head, "thanks though..." He glanced at Peter again, and fired another questioning look at West. Peter caught the look and blushed slightly, which only served to compound Matt's confusion.

West ignored the questioning look as he busied himself with the coffee. "You were saying you were getting laid or something?" West asked, looking back over his shoulder.

Matt shook his head to shake off the numerous questions burning through his mind as he focused on West, "Yeah..."

"It's this mystery woman, isn't it?" West asked, glancing over at Peter who was trying hard not to choke on his waffles.

Matt's grin ran from ear to ear, his face brightening into his typical goofy-happy expression, "Yeah..."

"Ok," West said. "So are you finally going to tell me her name?" he asked, setting his coffee down and adding sugar.

"Nope." Matt continued to grin, "Sharing secrets goes both ways you know," he remarked, looking meaningfully over at Peter.

"Ahh, I get it," West grinned. "If you show me yours, I'll show you mine?"

"Really?" Matt beamed.

Peter looked up from his Eggo, "Cool!"

West pointed, without looking to where Sammy was sitting, "Not in front of my lil'sister!"

"K, Sammy," Matt grinned at her, "I have five bucks if you run upstairs and..."

"Don't bribe her!" West accused loudly. "You know what I meant."

Peter grinned and leaned against the counter, "He wants to know if we're dating."

"I figured that much out," West replied sarcastically. "Point is, I don't really know myself."

"Yeah, we kinda skipped it and went straight to planning the wedding," Peter explained with a shrug.

Matt gaped. "Dude!" he exclaimed, looking at his best friend.

West shook his head, "No, it's a running joke..." He tossed Peter a glare, the young artist smiling back sweetly cradling his plate and popping another bite of waffle in his mouth, his blue eyes saying that he owed West that one.

"Oh..." Matt shrugged. "Still, you two make a cute couple when you're not fighting... well actually, I think this is the first time I've been around and you two weren't fighting..." His face fell, "Oh man, now I owe Blake ten bucks!"

"You and Blake had a bet on us?" West asked glancing at the clock, wondering where his parents and Joey were, and if he should try calling his father's cell phone.

"Hell yeah," Matt replied. "Nothing much else going on, might as well bet on you two hooking up. Admit it--you've both had a thing for each other for ages!"

"I admit nothing," West folded his arms.

"He's still an A---" Peter glanced at Sammy and corrected himself, "A..." he struggled for a word that would be acceptable for a kid's ears, "big mean chowder head!" he finished lamely.

"Chowder head?" West looked over at Peter, incredulous that that had actually come out of Peter's mouth.

"Best I could come up with on short notice," Peter explained, blushing a bit.

"So," West folded his arms again, balancing his coffee against him so it wouldn't spill, "Mystery woman, I want a name."

"Well," Matt grinned, "you know I said that I wasn't picky...right?"

"Yeah..." West said cautiously. "It's not Patty Drover is it? 'Cause that is desperation..."

"No," Matt shuddered, "not her... it's Blake."

West closed his eyes, digested that thought a moment before he opened his eyes and stared at Matt's grinning face, "Ok, now I know I took a few cracks to the head this week... but I could have just sworn you said 'Blake.'"

"I did," Matt replied, grinning. "Gay sex hurts!" he made to rub his bum.

"K," West said looking at Sammy again, "I direct your attention to the Little Sister; she may be short, and easy to miss, but please, guys..."

"Well it does," Matt shrugged. "I like some of ... the stuff," he winked, "but, some of it's just not my thing. I don't know how you two find it..."

West stared at Matt blankly, a look that was mirrored on Peter's face, and Matt gaped.

"Wait, you mean you two finally...and you still haven't..."

West shrugged, "We're working on it."

"We are?" Peter blinked at him. "Again, aren't we like skipping a few steps? I know there's talk of marriage and all...but... you know I'd kinda like to be in on all these planning sessions of yours." He shook his head, folding his arms.

West shrugged, "The Wesley T. Harding planning committee meets Saturday nights, around seven o'clock at a wonderfully intimate restaurant. There is usually great conversation... good food, and naturally your input will be reviewed by the committee and taken into consideration." He grinned.

"Is that a date?" Peter cocked his head to the side, "It sounds like a date..."

Matt just shrugged, "Sounds like one to me, though I'm not expert on the subject."

West sighed frustratedly as he looked up at the ceiling and shook his head. "Yeah, that was me trying to ask you out." He looked at Peter hopefully.

Peter considered it and shook his head, "Nope, ain't gonna happen." He folded his arms and stood firm, "No way in hell."

"So, I pick you up at seven, then?" West asked with a shrug.

"Okay," Peter cracked a smile and blushed, looking down at the floor. Then his shoulders fell as he looked up a bit pained, "I can't though...not tonight... I've got a thing..."

West arched an eyebrow at the timid excuse, but knew Peter still needed time to get used to the idea. "Right," he said sounding a little crestfallen. "Well, we could rain check, how's the week after?"

"League finals," Matt said with an up-nod, "we're going to be in Toronto."

"Week after that, then," West said sounding desperate.

"Prom," Matt chimed in, reminding both of them.

"Shit, yeah..." West said suddenly, and he turned back to Peter, his eyes wide and his jaw working to find the words.

Peter's eyes were again as big as dinner plates, "Y-you w-want t-to..."

"Give me one reason why not," West replied, folding his arms.

"'Cause... it's the Prom!" Peter said, shaking his head. "We can't...I mean us," he gestured back and forth between the two of them, "we can't go to the Prom..."

"Why not?" West repeated eagerly. "First date, it's supposed to be memorable and that, and..." he set his coffee mug down and took Peter's hand. "Please? I'll beg if I have to..."

Peter shook his head. "I don't know..." he murmured uncertainly, "it's the Prom..."

"Yeah," West said squeezing the hand, "it's the Prom, and I want to go with you." He shrugged and got down on a knee. "Please," he asked again looking up.

"This could get interesting," Matt remarked over at Sammy who giggled.

"Shut up," West grinned over at his buddy, and looked back up at Peter. "Please..."

Peter took a long breath, thinking it through. He would have just given the Prom a miss, and not looked back. But West, on a knee in front of him, staring up at him with those eyes, begging for the chance to take him. Take him to the one defining night of the school year.

Peter swallowed. "O-okay," he whispered.

"Is that a yes?" West asked, hope filling his eyes.

"Yes," Peter said a little louder.

West was on his feet, his arms around Peter and hugging him as the two spun around the kitchen. Finally dropping Peter back to his feet, West spun and grinned like a madman and looked right at Matt, "I'm taking him to the Prom!"

"K," Matt grinned holding up his hands to ward West back. "Chill... it's all good... you're like really excited..."

West nodded as he turned back to a blushing Peter. "Thank you!" he said, grinning.

"I'm not wearing a dress though!" Peter held up a finger in warning.

"You could go buck naked!" West said enthusiastically.

Matt waggled his eyebrows, "Clothing optional Prom... you know, we'd save a mint on tuxedo rentals..."

"Shut up, perv," West grinned at his friend.

"Just saying," Matt winked at Peter. "So, what, is this official then?" he waved to West and Peter.

"No way in hell!" Peter exclaimed firmly, shaking his head.

"That's his way of saying yes, I think," West exclaimed.

"Right," Matt smirked.