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[He nods quickly against her shoulder.]

If you're sure... If you need any help though, I should probably return the favor.

I mean, you've been doing me a favor, listening to all this. Is all.

Trust me. I got this. And it's okay, Peter, if there's one thing that I am good at it is listening. It's all part of the job description.

[Alex just gave him a reassuring smile as she let go of him slowly, and then for some ungodly reason that she would hate later (old! When did she get so old?! She blamed Richard.) she just fluffed the hair on his head.]

When was the last time you ate.

[Yeah, that didn't help with the whole not being old feeling.]

[God, hair ruffling. His weakness. And it completely disarms him for the question, too.

He glances away guiltily and knows there's really no room for lying at this rate.]

... It's been a while. I haven't really had much of an appetite.

Well, it's understandable, I think, given everything that you're dealing with. Both it and the not sleeping. Hopefully talking about it will help.

[A beat and Alex just opened up the desk to her office, pulling out some pastries that she'd grabbed this morning. They're the ones that she normally takes home to her people, but man, sometimes you just need sugar.]

Here. Pick which one or ones you want.

[Heh. Spill your guts about being dead, and you get a free pastry. He's not one to complain, it sounds awesome to him. He takes one with mild hesitation only. As much as he doesn't have an appetite, it helps when other people give him food; then he feels obligated to put more effort into it.]

Thanks. I'm sure my stomach'll get back to top shape in no time.

I eat like crazy, most of the time.

[... He's genuinely surprised he didn't totally screw up and reveal he's a superhero, tbh.]

I think most teenage boys do, if Simon and Stan are anything to go by.

[Well, technically Simon is not actually a teenager but Alex can't help but think of him as one, considering how he spent his formative years and all of the things that he needs to learn. In some ways even with all of his awkwardness, Stan was more mature than he was. It was... a thing anyway.]

And I know the not sleeping goes hand in hand with not eating, so that's probably it. But we should keep an eye on that. You know there's always a plate at our house for you, Peter. We just want you to be safe and happy while you're here. Enjoy yourself and don't blame yourself, okay?

[Oh sister, if you only knew.

He smiles down at his lap at that, relieved, even if he's not sure the blame is easy to scrub out.]

I know. Thanks for all the help.

... Maybe I'll learn how to cook something, so I can return the favor at some point.

Peter, you don't need to learn to cook to return the favor at some point. I promise.

[Then there's a grin and a bump of his shoulder with her own. Thank goodness for other short people sometimes.]

You've got enough on your plate. And I hope this helped, but I know it doesn't make things go away on its own. Trust me, I talked about things a lot and sometimes they still bother me. [Or pretty much all the time but she's not going to say that.] But I know that when it does bother me, I can bring it up again and look at things another way or whatever.

Oh, and there's nothing wrong with not knowing how to cook. God knows I can't even make anything that's not coffee or easy mac. And honestly, I've screwed up the last one.

Oh. Good.

[He smiles a little more openly, the tension easing.]

'Cus I can burn just about anything if I put my mind to it.

Probably water included.

[That makes her laugh, and she offers a fist for a fist bump.]

Oh, same here. I can make coffee and I can make ezmac. Richard forbid me from the kitchen the third time I burnt toast and almost set the damned thing on fire. There's a reason that I know all the best takeout in the city, Pete.

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