Peter stood at the top of the staircase as he waited for Ray to appear. Ray climbed up the stairs and faced the psychologist, looking slightly guilty.
“Yes, Peter?”
"There's a peacock in the bunkroom. WHY is there a peacock in the bunkroom?" He folded his arms across his chest and stared at Ray expectantly.
“Well, I found him on the roof, and he looked lost and cold, so I bought him inside, just so he could warm up and have something to eat—“
“Whoa, whoa, hold up there Tex. You thought he looked lost and cold so you brought him inside?” Ray nodded. “You do realise it is a bird, don’t you Ray?”
“Well, yeah,” Ray answered. “But he must be lost because peafowl aren’t native to New York.”
“I dunno, maybe it escaped from NBC,” Peter quipped wryly as he peered into the bedroom. The peacock in question was parading around menacingly as if guarding its territory, or at least that’s Peter thought what it was doing. He eyed it warily and it looked at him before turning and fluttering onto his bed. “Hey!”
Ray peeked in and smiled. “Isn’t he pretty?”
Peter strode towards the peacock, waving his arms at it. “Pretty, Ray? The only pretty things that are ever allowed on my bed are of the female human persuasion.” He stepped closer to shoo it away. It squawked loudly at him, causing him to wince back in surprise. “And they don’t ever make that noise at me! Ray, you have to get rid of it.”
“Well, I was kinda hoping on keeping it...”
“No way, Ray. We already have a pet, remember?. He goes by the name of Slimer.” He edged towards his bed again, waving his arms wildly in front of him, in hopes of making it leave. With another loud squawk, the peacock launched itself off the bed straight at Peter. Eyes wide in alarm, he flung his arms across his face to protect himself as he backed away. “AAAAAHHHH! Get it off! Get it off! It’s attacking me! Help, help!”
Ray, who was watching from the doorway burst out laughing. “Gee Peter, he won’t hurt you.”
Peter looked affronted, realising the bird wasn’t actually attacking him but had in fact wandered away from him. “It jumped out right at me! That bird is dangerous Ray, and I won’t have it in the house.”
“Aww, Peter. He’s not dangerous, he was just scared.”
“Yeah, that’s right,” Peter muttered. “Scared of me. So it should be.” He looked at Ray was staring back at him with those pleading puppy-dog eyes. He almost would’ve given in, if his face hadn’t contorted into horror.
“Oh no!”
Panicked momentarily, Peter followed Ray’s gaze toward the window where the peacock was perched on the window sill. Before Ray could reach it, the bird flew out of the firehouse.
“You scared it away.”
Peter put his hand on Ray’s shoulder as he stared out the window. “Come on Ray. It’s a bird. It belongs outside, not cooped up inside.”
“I know Peter, but it was so pretty...”
“Well, I guess for a bird it wasn’t bad looking,” Peter conceded. “But it could never compete with me.”
Ray turned to face Peter and started giggling. “You felt threatened! By a bird!”
“Hey, it was gonna peck my eyes out!”
“You should’ve seen yourself!” Ray laughed even harder.
“I’m never gonna live this down. Upstaged by a peacock.”
“Wait till I tell the others!”
“What? Oh no you don’t! Hey! Don’t you dare!” Peter called as he started after Ray who had already fled. He made it to the top of the staircase, but Ray had got a headstart and the laughter rang out from the kitchen. Backing away, Peter went to hide in the bathroom. He was never gonna live this down.