Yin and Yang: 10 Matthinder drabbles
In tribute to Heroes on the event of its departure, and as a warm-up exercise as I start to tackle another potential Big Boom story, I decided to do another of those "hit shuffle on your ipod and write drabbles to each of the songs that comes up" memes. I did one for Mylar several years ago (you can find it here), and I might try to do one for each of my other two Heroes ships (Peter/Claude and Sylar/Luke). But for now, I thought I'd start with Matt/Mohinder.
It got interesting with my music collection- #2 feels vastly incomplete to me, #4 was nearly impossible, and #6 was a challenge. (And #8 was supposed to have a happy ending- I swear!- I just ran out of time in the song!) But I think at least some of them turned out OK. :P
1. Pick a character, pairing, or fandom you like.
2. Turn on your music player and put it on random/shuffle.
3. Write a drabble related to each song that plays. You only have the time frame of the song to finish the drabble; you start when the song starts, and stop when it’s over. No lingering afterwards!
4. Do ten of these, then post them.
Title: "Yin and Yang: 10 Matthinder Drabbles"
Fandom/Pairing: Heroes, Matt/Mohinder
Rating: PG, I think; there's no sex or language
Also posted at: heroes_slash, mytwoheroes
Warning: Un-beta'd because of the whole "writing for only the length of the song" requirement. Vague spoilers, but not many, because at this point I can barely remember specifics from Matt and Mohinder's run on the series.
1) “Busby Berkeley Dreams” by the Magnetic Fields (3:36)
After Mohinder left, even after everything that had happened, Matt never quite felt like it was right to have him gone. He tried to move on with his life, getting back together with Janice and helping her raise his son- but in all of his dreams, he saw Mohinder. Their life with Molly was reflected in rose-colored hues in the back of his mind, and he missed it more than anything. And while he felt like an outrageous sap for even thinking about it, the truth was that the only thing that kept him up at night, more than the horrors of what was being done to people with abilities, more than his own transgressions, was what could have been with Mohinder.
Call me sentimental, he thought, while Janice slept soundly beside him, but I just want him back.
2) “The One You Love” by Rufus Wainwright (3:44)
The visions started coming one day, when he least expected them. It was just like when he read someone’s mind, that sense of reality bending around his senses- but this time it was sight as well as sound. He saw Mohinder, immobilized by an unseen force, terrified and in danger. And he saw Molly cowering in a corner, looking so helpless. Matt didn’t know if these were things which were happening now, or a possible future, but he knew that he couldn’t let it go on if there was anything he could do about it.
3) “Tonight” by Stars (3:46)
“I think Molly’s asleep,” Mohinder said quietly, closing the door to the patio and sinking down to sit next to Matt. The other man was immersed in staring up at the sky, but leaned back into Mohinder when he pressed close to him, laying his hands gently on his shoulders. Together they gazed up at the stars, each contemplating their own mysteries held within the shining points of light, before either spoke again.
“I want to be with you.” It was Matt who said this, almost too softly to be heard. And Mohinder drew him close, kissed him on the temple, and whispered, “Me too.”
4) “A Pretty Girl Is Like...” by the Magnetic Fields (1:50)
One day, Molly came in to find her dads completely collapsed in fits of laughter. She had to stand there for several seconds before they even noticed her, but when they did, they didn’t stop laughing. She shook her head and left the room, hearing the strains of a really bad joke as she did.
5) “Savior” by Matchbox Twenty (4:07)
Their relationship was volatile, as harmful as it was beneficial. Both men were stubborn, and neither wanted to give any ground, especially not when it came to raising Molly. What’s more, they were in grave danger more often than not, and each knew that the other was their weak point; if someone wanted to hurt one, all they had to do was threaten the other or Molly, and that would be it. It would be better, probably, if they separated forever, just severed the emotional connection and never looked back.
But the truth remained that Matt Parkman was the only one who could save Mohinder Suresh from himself, and Mohinder was the only one who could prevent Matt’s downfall. And without her dads, Molly Walker would not be able to grow up into the woman she was meant to be. They might be safer apart, but the world was better with them together.
6) “The Real American Folk Song” from the musical “Crazy for You” (1:51)
“Matt?”
“Yeah?”
“What is this?”
Matt looked sidelong at Mohinder. “I have no idea what you’re talking about,” he said innocently.
Mohinder gave him a deadpan look. “Of course you do,” he replied. “You’re listening to folk music.” At Matt’s raised eyebrow, he quickly added, “Not that there’s anything wrong with folk. I just didn’t pick you as the person to listen to it.”
Matt faked an indignant pose. “I’ll have you know folk music is genius!” he huffed, as the light turned green and he started to drive down the road.
Mohinder rolled his eyes. “Whatever you say.”
7) “Everyday” by Buddy Holly (2:08)
The night of their 10th anniversary, they had dinner at a local family restaurant, surrounded by their closest friends. After dinner, Molly raised her glass and stood to face her dads.
“This is for my dads, Matt and Mohinder,” she said to the assembled guests, a smile on her face. “To ten more years together. I hope your love only gets stronger.”
Underneath the table, Matt and Mohinder linked hands and squeezed once, before joining the rest of the party in applause.
8) “Hallelujah” by Rufus Wainwright (4:28)
This was it. This was the end. They were up against a threat they were never going to be able to beat. And there was Mohinder on the front lines- his Mohinder, his beautiful man, preparing to give up everything for the sake of the world.
And Matt felt selfish, he felt stupid, he felt completely irrational- but screw the world, he thought. He’d give it all up if it meant that Mohinder wouldn’t do what he was about to do. But there was no stopping it, and he should have known when he chose a hero for a lover that it would end this way.
Mohinder was stooping down now, taking his face into his hands; Matt pressed his own hands to Mohinder’s neck, trembling. “It’s going to be okay,” Mohinder whispered, even though it wasn’t, and kissed him once. Before Matt even really registered that he was no longer there, he had gone charging off into the face of danger.
He broke down, and it was several minutes before he came to himself again. By the time he did, everything was quiet. Whatever had happened, it was over now.
9) “Pure Imagination” by Maroon 5 (4:29)
“You’re thinking about it again.”
Mohinder looked up from his paper. “What?” Then he colored, his eyes darting to the table sheepishly. “Oh.”
“Yeah,” Matt replied. “Mohinder, I know it’s not exactly paradise here, but we’re doing good things. We can stand a little less-than-ideal living if it means that there’s something good coming out of it, right?”
“I suppose.” Mohinder sighed.
“Besides,” Matt said, pushing himself out of his chair and setting his dishes in the sink, “you know wherever you are is heaven to me.”
Mohinder blushed again, but as Matt left the room, his frown had changed to a small smile.
10) “Ashes” by Embrace (4:26)
Matt came back to visit the apartment sometimes, even though those days were long past. He would stand around near the door, imagining that he was still coming up those stairs with Molly after school, and that when he opened the door Mohinder would be there at the table, lab reports spread out around him. He longed to tell the man that he was sorry, that he was wrong about everything. All he wanted was to have him in his arms again.
So when the door to the apartment opened one day and none other than Mohinder Suresh stepped through it, Matt almost thought it was one of his daydreams playing tricks on him. But then the figure stopped a few paces from the apartment, staring in disbelief at him. That’s when he realized it wasn’t a dream after all. His heart leaped, and then sunk again, unsure what to feel.
Then he was pressed against the wall, being kissed like his life depended on it. And there was nothing to do but kiss back.
It got interesting with my music collection- #2 feels vastly incomplete to me, #4 was nearly impossible, and #6 was a challenge. (And #8 was supposed to have a happy ending- I swear!- I just ran out of time in the song!) But I think at least some of them turned out OK. :P
1. Pick a character, pairing, or fandom you like.
2. Turn on your music player and put it on random/shuffle.
3. Write a drabble related to each song that plays. You only have the time frame of the song to finish the drabble; you start when the song starts, and stop when it’s over. No lingering afterwards!
4. Do ten of these, then post them.
Title: "Yin and Yang: 10 Matthinder Drabbles"
Fandom/Pairing: Heroes, Matt/Mohinder
Rating: PG, I think; there's no sex or language
Also posted at: heroes_slash, mytwoheroes
Warning: Un-beta'd because of the whole "writing for only the length of the song" requirement. Vague spoilers, but not many, because at this point I can barely remember specifics from Matt and Mohinder's run on the series.
1) “Busby Berkeley Dreams” by the Magnetic Fields (3:36)
After Mohinder left, even after everything that had happened, Matt never quite felt like it was right to have him gone. He tried to move on with his life, getting back together with Janice and helping her raise his son- but in all of his dreams, he saw Mohinder. Their life with Molly was reflected in rose-colored hues in the back of his mind, and he missed it more than anything. And while he felt like an outrageous sap for even thinking about it, the truth was that the only thing that kept him up at night, more than the horrors of what was being done to people with abilities, more than his own transgressions, was what could have been with Mohinder.
Call me sentimental, he thought, while Janice slept soundly beside him, but I just want him back.
2) “The One You Love” by Rufus Wainwright (3:44)
The visions started coming one day, when he least expected them. It was just like when he read someone’s mind, that sense of reality bending around his senses- but this time it was sight as well as sound. He saw Mohinder, immobilized by an unseen force, terrified and in danger. And he saw Molly cowering in a corner, looking so helpless. Matt didn’t know if these were things which were happening now, or a possible future, but he knew that he couldn’t let it go on if there was anything he could do about it.
3) “Tonight” by Stars (3:46)
“I think Molly’s asleep,” Mohinder said quietly, closing the door to the patio and sinking down to sit next to Matt. The other man was immersed in staring up at the sky, but leaned back into Mohinder when he pressed close to him, laying his hands gently on his shoulders. Together they gazed up at the stars, each contemplating their own mysteries held within the shining points of light, before either spoke again.
“I want to be with you.” It was Matt who said this, almost too softly to be heard. And Mohinder drew him close, kissed him on the temple, and whispered, “Me too.”
4) “A Pretty Girl Is Like...” by the Magnetic Fields (1:50)
One day, Molly came in to find her dads completely collapsed in fits of laughter. She had to stand there for several seconds before they even noticed her, but when they did, they didn’t stop laughing. She shook her head and left the room, hearing the strains of a really bad joke as she did.
5) “Savior” by Matchbox Twenty (4:07)
Their relationship was volatile, as harmful as it was beneficial. Both men were stubborn, and neither wanted to give any ground, especially not when it came to raising Molly. What’s more, they were in grave danger more often than not, and each knew that the other was their weak point; if someone wanted to hurt one, all they had to do was threaten the other or Molly, and that would be it. It would be better, probably, if they separated forever, just severed the emotional connection and never looked back.
But the truth remained that Matt Parkman was the only one who could save Mohinder Suresh from himself, and Mohinder was the only one who could prevent Matt’s downfall. And without her dads, Molly Walker would not be able to grow up into the woman she was meant to be. They might be safer apart, but the world was better with them together.
6) “The Real American Folk Song” from the musical “Crazy for You” (1:51)
“Matt?”
“Yeah?”
“What is this?”
Matt looked sidelong at Mohinder. “I have no idea what you’re talking about,” he said innocently.
Mohinder gave him a deadpan look. “Of course you do,” he replied. “You’re listening to folk music.” At Matt’s raised eyebrow, he quickly added, “Not that there’s anything wrong with folk. I just didn’t pick you as the person to listen to it.”
Matt faked an indignant pose. “I’ll have you know folk music is genius!” he huffed, as the light turned green and he started to drive down the road.
Mohinder rolled his eyes. “Whatever you say.”
7) “Everyday” by Buddy Holly (2:08)
The night of their 10th anniversary, they had dinner at a local family restaurant, surrounded by their closest friends. After dinner, Molly raised her glass and stood to face her dads.
“This is for my dads, Matt and Mohinder,” she said to the assembled guests, a smile on her face. “To ten more years together. I hope your love only gets stronger.”
Underneath the table, Matt and Mohinder linked hands and squeezed once, before joining the rest of the party in applause.
8) “Hallelujah” by Rufus Wainwright (4:28)
This was it. This was the end. They were up against a threat they were never going to be able to beat. And there was Mohinder on the front lines- his Mohinder, his beautiful man, preparing to give up everything for the sake of the world.
And Matt felt selfish, he felt stupid, he felt completely irrational- but screw the world, he thought. He’d give it all up if it meant that Mohinder wouldn’t do what he was about to do. But there was no stopping it, and he should have known when he chose a hero for a lover that it would end this way.
Mohinder was stooping down now, taking his face into his hands; Matt pressed his own hands to Mohinder’s neck, trembling. “It’s going to be okay,” Mohinder whispered, even though it wasn’t, and kissed him once. Before Matt even really registered that he was no longer there, he had gone charging off into the face of danger.
He broke down, and it was several minutes before he came to himself again. By the time he did, everything was quiet. Whatever had happened, it was over now.
9) “Pure Imagination” by Maroon 5 (4:29)
“You’re thinking about it again.”
Mohinder looked up from his paper. “What?” Then he colored, his eyes darting to the table sheepishly. “Oh.”
“Yeah,” Matt replied. “Mohinder, I know it’s not exactly paradise here, but we’re doing good things. We can stand a little less-than-ideal living if it means that there’s something good coming out of it, right?”
“I suppose.” Mohinder sighed.
“Besides,” Matt said, pushing himself out of his chair and setting his dishes in the sink, “you know wherever you are is heaven to me.”
Mohinder blushed again, but as Matt left the room, his frown had changed to a small smile.
10) “Ashes” by Embrace (4:26)
Matt came back to visit the apartment sometimes, even though those days were long past. He would stand around near the door, imagining that he was still coming up those stairs with Molly after school, and that when he opened the door Mohinder would be there at the table, lab reports spread out around him. He longed to tell the man that he was sorry, that he was wrong about everything. All he wanted was to have him in his arms again.
So when the door to the apartment opened one day and none other than Mohinder Suresh stepped through it, Matt almost thought it was one of his daydreams playing tricks on him. But then the figure stopped a few paces from the apartment, staring in disbelief at him. That’s when he realized it wasn’t a dream after all. His heart leaped, and then sunk again, unsure what to feel.
Then he was pressed against the wall, being kissed like his life depended on it. And there was nothing to do but kiss back.