The Park, Monday Evening

[lockestheway]

Portals elsewhere might break, send you to the wrong planet, or leave you hanging; this one was forever faithful to its own schedule.

Sadly, for those denizens of the island who might have grown attached to their children, that meant it was time to say goodbye. The portal popped up blazing purple in the center of the park, calling to those it had taken here just a few days ago.

Time to go, time to go home, children.

[[ for your AU kidlet goodbyes! Sniff. ]]

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[lockestheway]

"Oh, and what a blessing that'll be for everyone involved." Peter had been trying, okay? But there was only so much set-up he could endure before he finally had to give in and say something.

[potentia-gloria.livejournal.com]

Aindric eyed him. "Stop being a jackass, dad."

[glacial_queen]

Karla was just going to smug at Peter now. Their son had taken her side. Haaaaa ha!

Or, okay, maybe not her side, but whatever. She'd take it.

"Do at least try, Peter," she added sweetly. "We're saying goodbye."

[lockestheway]

"Are we?" Peter said, though at least he didn't roll his eyes this time.

He glanced back at Aindric. "And remind my older self to wash your mouth out with soap or something," he added. "And that apparently, he's a saint in the making."

[glacial_queen]

"Because if he doesn't boost up his own ego, who will?" Karla added. Sweetly. "And, obviously we are, Peter dear. Do keep up."

[lockestheway]

"I'm keeping up fine," Peter said testily. "Aindric? Take care." He took a breath. "Don't take candy from strangers. Annoy your mother and help your father. And remember you're capable of great things."

There. That was the important stuff.

[potentia-gloria.livejournal.com]

"I know," Aindric said, sounding a little long-suffering. Wasn't the first time he'd been told he was special. Not by a long shot.

[glacial_queen]

"He mixed up the thing about your parents," Karla said, "but I think he got the other stuff correct."

He was certainly capable of being a better male than his father was.

...And almost certainly a better person that his mother, sigh.

*I do hope I see you again,* she added for him alone. *And not just because I was such an ass this time.*

[potentia-gloria.livejournal.com]

*No promises.* He didn't mind it unkindly; he just saw no reason to be anything but brutally honest about it. *But if another portal turns up, I will try to walk away from it at a suitably slow pace.*

Aindric offered her an only vaguely smirky smile. It was a little bit about reassuring Karla, and a lot about messing with Peter, who looked from one to the other and wondered what the hell he was missing here.

[glacial_queen]

Karla turned that smirky smile back to Peter, though her words were directed at his--at her--at their son.

"No dawdling on this side, though. Your parents are probably worried. Or at least impatient to hear about how badly we were thrown for a loop when you showed up."