Safe - Chapter 1
Characters: Ensemble
Rating: PG
Word count: 530ish
Spoilers: AU, but up to 1.20 ("Five Years Gone"). Sorta'.
A/N: Inspired by the
heroes_flashfic Somewhen Over The Rainbow challenge. Previous chapters: Prologue.
Disclaimer: Nothing is mine but the words.
Summary: Curfew
"I should not be here, Anders."
Warm orange light illuminates the woodwork and the throng of customers. The bar is full, and Hiro is uncomfortable. He has never completely fitted in - foreign accent too obvious, too unusual. But now the yellow star pins him to the present, attracting all gazes like beams of light. An uncomfortable point of focus.
Already taking off his coat, Anders shakes his head. "It's fine. Look, there are seats there." He smiles hopefully at the blonde serving woman, who flashes him a tired grimace before clunking two mugs of beer down onto the table. Anders watches her depart with an appreciative sigh, lost in the fluid swing of graceful hips. "I love this bar."
Hiro tries to smile, but it comes out as more of a sigh.
The door to the street is pushed open, and a cold blast of air rolls through the room until the door swings shut again with a tired bang. Two men in policemen's uniforms.
The burlier of the two nods to the bartender. "Alright, everybody listen up. Any specials, you ned to leave now. Go home. There's a curfew."
There is some muttering, but several people stand and put on their coats, begin to file out.
Hiro stands, but Anders puts a hand on his arm. "Where are you going? We just got here."
"I have to go now."
Anders frowns in the direction of the policemen. "Them? There's no law that says you can't stay here for a drink with your friend."
Hiro places his hand sadly on the other man's shoulder. "Yes, Ando. There is law." Watches the diminutive soften his friend's expression a little.
The larger policeman observes their discussion, Hiro's yellow star, and approaches. "Is there a problem here, gentlemen?"
"I - just leaving." Obedience so fundamentally ingrained in Hiro, and Anders sighs to hear it. He rises, too, and shrugs on his coat.
"Somebody needs to stand up to them," he mutters, as the policeman moves off, scanning the bar.
Hiro shrugs, shakes his head. "I am not - right man."
On their way out, they pass the other policeman, dark-skinned and silent. Black eyes impassive. Watching.
The smell of beer and the sounds of laughter and clinking glasses follow them out into the night.
*
It's late when Matthias gets home, and he peels off the policeman's jacket, trying to be quiet and not wake Jana and the baby. Heavy steps make floorboards creak, and he hesitates, breath catching, expecting at any moment to hear the squalling of tiny lungs. But luck is with him - the silence holds.
Dim streetlight bathes the room, and he looks down at his infant son, asleep in the cradle.
A tenuous position, his. Tolerated by those in authority because of what he can do. Bringing down his own kind gives him no pleasure, but he knows it must be done so that families can be kept safe. Children can be kept safe.
He doesn't know, yet, who his son will be. What his son will be. The boy must never wear a yellow star, and this is all that matters.
( Next chapter)
x-posted to
heroes_fic
Rating: PG
Word count: 530ish
Spoilers: AU, but up to 1.20 ("Five Years Gone"). Sorta'.
A/N: Inspired by the
heroes_flashfic Somewhen Over The Rainbow challenge. Previous chapters: Prologue.
Disclaimer: Nothing is mine but the words.
Summary: Curfew
"I should not be here, Anders."
Warm orange light illuminates the woodwork and the throng of customers. The bar is full, and Hiro is uncomfortable. He has never completely fitted in - foreign accent too obvious, too unusual. But now the yellow star pins him to the present, attracting all gazes like beams of light. An uncomfortable point of focus.
Already taking off his coat, Anders shakes his head. "It's fine. Look, there are seats there." He smiles hopefully at the blonde serving woman, who flashes him a tired grimace before clunking two mugs of beer down onto the table. Anders watches her depart with an appreciative sigh, lost in the fluid swing of graceful hips. "I love this bar."
Hiro tries to smile, but it comes out as more of a sigh.
The door to the street is pushed open, and a cold blast of air rolls through the room until the door swings shut again with a tired bang. Two men in policemen's uniforms.
The burlier of the two nods to the bartender. "Alright, everybody listen up. Any specials, you ned to leave now. Go home. There's a curfew."
There is some muttering, but several people stand and put on their coats, begin to file out.
Hiro stands, but Anders puts a hand on his arm. "Where are you going? We just got here."
"I have to go now."
Anders frowns in the direction of the policemen. "Them? There's no law that says you can't stay here for a drink with your friend."
Hiro places his hand sadly on the other man's shoulder. "Yes, Ando. There is law." Watches the diminutive soften his friend's expression a little.
The larger policeman observes their discussion, Hiro's yellow star, and approaches. "Is there a problem here, gentlemen?"
"I - just leaving." Obedience so fundamentally ingrained in Hiro, and Anders sighs to hear it. He rises, too, and shrugs on his coat.
"Somebody needs to stand up to them," he mutters, as the policeman moves off, scanning the bar.
Hiro shrugs, shakes his head. "I am not - right man."
On their way out, they pass the other policeman, dark-skinned and silent. Black eyes impassive. Watching.
The smell of beer and the sounds of laughter and clinking glasses follow them out into the night.
*
It's late when Matthias gets home, and he peels off the policeman's jacket, trying to be quiet and not wake Jana and the baby. Heavy steps make floorboards creak, and he hesitates, breath catching, expecting at any moment to hear the squalling of tiny lungs. But luck is with him - the silence holds.
Dim streetlight bathes the room, and he looks down at his infant son, asleep in the cradle.
A tenuous position, his. Tolerated by those in authority because of what he can do. Bringing down his own kind gives him no pleasure, but he knows it must be done so that families can be kept safe. Children can be kept safe.
He doesn't know, yet, who his son will be. What his son will be. The boy must never wear a yellow star, and this is all that matters.
( Next chapter)
x-posted to
heroes_fic