You Are What You Eat
Title: You Are What You Eat
Characters: Peter Petrelli, Gabriel
Rating: R
Warnings: Discussion of cannibalism
Word count: ~500
Setting: Shattered Salvation
Summary: Gabriel just read a fascinating article that inspires a novel way to see his ability.
Notes: Inspired by http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/chromosomes/features/2012/blogging_the_human_genome_/blogging_the_human_genome_was_cannibalism_disturbingly_common_in_our_past_.html
“Hey. Check out this article on cannibalism. Some people are made to eat other people.”
Peter blinked at Gabriel, swallowed, cleared his throat a little uncomfortably, and took the proffered laptop. It was not a subject Peter found appealing, but Gabriel looked excited about it. Peter studied the screen for a few seconds, then scrolled down to see how long the text was. “Do you want to tell me what’s in the article, or for me to read it?”
“Read it.”
Peter scrolled back up and started again. A few minutes later, he handed it back. Gabriel was clearly waiting for his response. Gabriel, whom Peter was pretty sure had eaten portions of human brains in a previous life, which was most of why Peter was so squeamish about the subject. While he accepted Gabriel’s past and he had an idea of the impulses that had driven the man to do what he’d done, Peter didn’t like visualizing it. Or thinking about it at all if he could avoid it. Avoiding it wasn’t going to work today. “Um … well … on the bright side, I guess the implication is that you’re unlikely to have any … um, disorders from eating …” He cleared his throat. “Of course I would think regeneration would have taken care of that anyway.”
Gabriel shrugged. “Yeah,” he said dismissively and Peter had the feeling he’d missed Gabe’s point. “But the thing is what this says about all those myths and legends about gaining other people’s power through consuming them - especially, particularly, their brains.”
“Um … kay.” Peter nodded, not following, but he was aware of the mythology. He’d always dismissed it along with the idea of a photograph stealing one’s soul.
“How far do you think abilities go back, Peter? This is a big deal! There must have been people like me,” Gabriel looked off into the distance for a moment, “a really long time ago! Can you imagine if that’s how humanity figured out how to make tools? Or agriculture? Or writing or laws? What if the really big technologic leaps came from someone having my ability and figuring things out?”
Gabriel looked thrilled - ebullient even. All Peter could think about at first was that Gabriel was implying humanity was descended from a bunch of brain-eating cannibals. And Gabe was happy about that. Peter rubbed his forehead. Stepping out of his own point of view, he could see how this idea would be pleasing. Gabriel’s ability was no longer a stain, a deformation that marked him as monster and madman, but instead the badge of a visionary, gifting him with insight and wisdom. Peter gave a slow nod, empathizing with the alienation Gabriel must feel due to the social censure his ability engendered. “It legitimizes you.”
Gabriel’s mouth opened and shut as though that hadn’t been what he’d expected Peter to say. “Yeah. Yeah … And … I’m not alone,” he said, looking at the article again.
Peter rubbed his shoulder. “No. No, you’re not.”
Characters: Peter Petrelli, Gabriel
Rating: R
Warnings: Discussion of cannibalism
Word count: ~500
Setting: Shattered Salvation
Summary: Gabriel just read a fascinating article that inspires a novel way to see his ability.
Notes: Inspired by http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/chromosomes/features/2012/blogging_the_human_genome_/blogging_the_human_genome_was_cannibalism_disturbingly_common_in_our_past_.html
“Hey. Check out this article on cannibalism. Some people are made to eat other people.”
Peter blinked at Gabriel, swallowed, cleared his throat a little uncomfortably, and took the proffered laptop. It was not a subject Peter found appealing, but Gabriel looked excited about it. Peter studied the screen for a few seconds, then scrolled down to see how long the text was. “Do you want to tell me what’s in the article, or for me to read it?”
“Read it.”
Peter scrolled back up and started again. A few minutes later, he handed it back. Gabriel was clearly waiting for his response. Gabriel, whom Peter was pretty sure had eaten portions of human brains in a previous life, which was most of why Peter was so squeamish about the subject. While he accepted Gabriel’s past and he had an idea of the impulses that had driven the man to do what he’d done, Peter didn’t like visualizing it. Or thinking about it at all if he could avoid it. Avoiding it wasn’t going to work today. “Um … well … on the bright side, I guess the implication is that you’re unlikely to have any … um, disorders from eating …” He cleared his throat. “Of course I would think regeneration would have taken care of that anyway.”
Gabriel shrugged. “Yeah,” he said dismissively and Peter had the feeling he’d missed Gabe’s point. “But the thing is what this says about all those myths and legends about gaining other people’s power through consuming them - especially, particularly, their brains.”
“Um … kay.” Peter nodded, not following, but he was aware of the mythology. He’d always dismissed it along with the idea of a photograph stealing one’s soul.
“How far do you think abilities go back, Peter? This is a big deal! There must have been people like me,” Gabriel looked off into the distance for a moment, “a really long time ago! Can you imagine if that’s how humanity figured out how to make tools? Or agriculture? Or writing or laws? What if the really big technologic leaps came from someone having my ability and figuring things out?”
Gabriel looked thrilled - ebullient even. All Peter could think about at first was that Gabriel was implying humanity was descended from a bunch of brain-eating cannibals. And Gabe was happy about that. Peter rubbed his forehead. Stepping out of his own point of view, he could see how this idea would be pleasing. Gabriel’s ability was no longer a stain, a deformation that marked him as monster and madman, but instead the badge of a visionary, gifting him with insight and wisdom. Peter gave a slow nod, empathizing with the alienation Gabriel must feel due to the social censure his ability engendered. “It legitimizes you.”
Gabriel’s mouth opened and shut as though that hadn’t been what he’d expected Peter to say. “Yeah. Yeah … And … I’m not alone,” he said, looking at the article again.
Peter rubbed his shoulder. “No. No, you’re not.”