Fic
Fic: You're Nobody (Until Somebody Loves You)
Rating: PG-13
Characters/Pairings: Peter/Sylar
Summary: He doesn't elaborate, and Gabriel doesn't expect him to, but he knows exactly what the empath is implying. Stay here with me, he means.
Warnings: Unbeta'd, sort of spoilers for season 4.
Notes: Good Lord, what is this? Some rambling, quixotic...thing. Well, in any case, enjoy.
PS Title from a Michael Buble song.
A few days after the carnival incident, Gabriel finds a package waiting for him at the apartment he's been hiding out in. It's a cell phone, with a note that says, In case you need to reach me on it. Scrolling through the contacts, Gabriel sees Peter's home phone number, cell number, and work number programmed in already, and he can't help but smile.
As much as he may want to, though, he doesn't call. He decides that Peter has enough to worry about, at least for now.
A few weeks later, maybe seven to be exact, the phone unexpectedly rings at an ungodly hour of the night. Since he doesn't sleep much, Gabriel answers it on the third ring.
"Hey," Peter says, like everything was just fine.
Gabriel replies, "Hey."
There's a bit of silence.
"Is there a reason you called, Peter?"
The man on the other end takes in a breath and hesitates for a moment, before saying, quietly, "If you tell anyone what I'm about to tell you, I'll kill you. Okay?" Without waiting for a reply, he continues, "I miss you, okay? I...God, this is going to sound so gay. I wanted to hear your voice...and...fuck. I can't sleep."
Gabriel moves the phone away so he can laugh into the palm of his hand, hoping Peter can't hear and get offended. Finally, when he feels the laughter has passed, he brings the phone back over.
"I miss you too, Peter. So much."
He can practically feel Peter's relief over the phone, and for some reason, he's really glad that Peter actually cared enough to call.
Gabriel can just imagine the way Peter is biting his lip, before mumbling, "So you can't sleep either, huh?"
Even though the other man can't see, Gabriel nods.
"Yeah. I could...come over? Keep you company?"
"I'd like that."
And just like that, Gabriel is pulling his coat on and grabbing the bag that he keeps his meager belongings in, heading out the door and down the street, wandering until he comes to a familiar apartment. When he knocks on the door, Peter is almost instantly opening it, visible relief painted on his face.
Before Gabriel can say anything, Peter has wrapped both arms around his neck, tugging him down and into his chest, burying his face into his neck.
"You stupid fuck," he mumbles, and for a moment, the other man is taken aback, until he senses the barely disguised emotion radiating off of Peter.
"Aw, Pete, you were worried about me," he teases, and Peter smiles but squeezes him tighter.
"Shut up."
He lets Peter hold him for a while, soaking up the contact he's been starving for, until finally, he's being led into the living room and directed to sit down on a couch.
"I got something for you," Peter says, shifting his weight slightly, before disappearing into his bedroom. He comes back a second later with a small wrapped package, and holds it out in front of him until Gabriel reaches up and takes it.
He already knows what it is, he just knows, but when he takes off the wrapping and sees the book, he can't help but smile.
"I thought you might like a real copy," Peter smiles, shyly, and Gabriel runs a hand reverently over the cover.
"It's perfect, thank you."
He sets the book down next to him on the couch, and then suddenly, realizes the couch wasn't there before.
"So, are you getting your furniture back, or are you still living minimally?"
Peter doesn't respond right away, opting to run a finger along the fabric of the armrest on the couch for a minute, before shrugging.
"I just thought I might need this couch sometime."
He doesn't elaborate, and Gabriel doesn't expect him to, but he knows exactly what the empath is implying.
Stay here with me, he means.
He stays.
Weeks go by, with nothing eventful going on (except for the fact that they haven't tried to kill each other, of course). Peter goes to work, he comes home. Some nights they go out and get frozen yogurt and walk in the Park, other times Peter will storm in without saying a word, looking exhausted and heartbroken. Gabriel knows better than to bother Peter, but sometimes the overwhelming urge to comfort the other man gets to him.
He's not surprised when, after a particularly hard night, Peter slides down the side of the couch, onto the floor, and buries his face into the side of Gabriel's leg. He stays very, very still, not moving and for a moment, Gabriel's afraid that if he moves, he might ruin everything. But reaching over to gently thread his fingers through Peter's hair, rubbing soothing circles and mumbling soothing words doesn't break the spell, and soon enough, Peter's breathing has evened out and his eyelids begin to droop in exhaustion. Gabriel helps him over to his bed, helping him take his shoes and belt off, thinking that he'll just go back to the couch and read, but a hand wrapped around his wrist tells him to stay.
After that, he spends most nights next to Peter in his bed, sometimes reading, sometimes just talking, but almost always touching at the elbow. Their first kiss comes after a hard couple days, with Peter feeling stressed and Gabriel trying to conquer his rage and loneliness; Peter has rolled to the other side, the one that faces Gabriel, and was quietly scootching forward until he was almost chest to chest with the other man. They kiss slowly, methodically, hands gently pulling and exploring, until Gabriel pulls away and looks at Peter with unsure, sad eyes.
Peter just pulls him flush against him and kisses the top of his head, and they fall asleep.
Things start to get better, after that. Peter starts to hang out with some friends from work, Gabriel gets a job working as the super at their apartment complex, and the nights get cooler again. They start to go out in public again, too. Get some frozen yogurt, go for a run, cuddle the puppies at the pet store after a really hard day. Normal things.
Gabriel learns that Peter may be super nice, but he's competitive as all hell, and likes to yell at the referees at football games when they make a call he disagrees with. Peter learns that Gabriel draws in his spare time, creating landscapes based on reality, with just a touch of impossibility.
"I think I'm in love with you," Peter says, one day, out of the blue, and Gabriel has to force himself to swallow the coffee he's been drinking before looking up.
They're on the train, heading back home after an excursion out, and very few people are riding in the same car as them. They had stopped for Starbucks before getting on, but now, Gabriel regrets it, holding the cup awkwardly in both hands as Peter watches him.
"Peter," he tries to say, but he can't seem to get the words right, so he tries again. "You know...you know. Everything. Don't you?"
The man sitting next to him smiles knowingly and leans in, pressing his lips against the other's in a way they've done so many times before. This time, though, something's different, although what exactly, Gabriel's not sure of. Not that it matters, he muses, especially after the way Peter presses his tongue against his own, urgent and needy.
They barely make it back to the apartment before Peter is pushing the other man against the wall, kissing him and trying to undo the buttons to his top, making a frustrated noise when it takes too long. So Gabriel helps him, and they eventually make their way back towards Peter's- well, their- bed. Gabriel pushes Peter, and Peter slides his hands on the taller man's forearms, curling fingers around the cloth still hanging there, tugging him down with him, until they both fall, fall, fall, landing silently against the bedspread.
That night, it snows softly and somewhere in the back of his mind, Gabriel realizes that it's February, again. A year since Claire jumped and a year since Peter forgave him. They've come full circle and made it out alive.
Peter has a blanket wrapped around his bare shoulders, staring out the window at the soft blanket starting to cover the city around them, and for a moment, Gabriel wonders what he's thinking about.
"Did I ever thank you for getting me out of Pinehearst?"
He doesn't turn around when he asks, and Gabriel knows he's feeling nostalgic.
"No, you didn't."
He turns around, then, a small smile on his lips, and he starts to walk back over to the bed.
"Thank you for that."
Gabriel nods, reaching a hand out to pull the other man back down with him, and Peter lets him, sprawling across the bed with the blanket barely covering him anymore.
"Thank you for...well, everything," Gabriel sighs, reaching out to trace a line down Peter's face, where his scar should be, should he ever actually get it.
"You're welcome."
They sit in companionable silence, watching the weather change around them, before Gabriel asks, quietly, "What are we going to do now?"
Peter, already mostly asleep, shifts slightly and mumbles, "Whatever we want to do. We've got each other, right?"
Gabriel smiles a fond smile, reaching out to stroke a thumb across Peter's cheek.
"Yeah, I like to think we do."
"Hmm," Peter is really starting to drift off, but before he does, he manages to mutter, "Good. Cause I was thinking we should catch a movie tomorrow, get some- get some dinner."
Gabriel lets his own eyes close, reveling in the feeling of being safe, and warm, agreeing with a soft, "Sounds good."
After years of fighting and hating and feeling alone, for once, Gabriel is happy to just be normal, because being normal means he gets to spend moments like this.
Moments with him.
He can't ask for anything else, not anymore.
Rating: PG-13
Characters/Pairings: Peter/Sylar
Summary: He doesn't elaborate, and Gabriel doesn't expect him to, but he knows exactly what the empath is implying. Stay here with me, he means.
Warnings: Unbeta'd, sort of spoilers for season 4.
Notes: Good Lord, what is this? Some rambling, quixotic...thing. Well, in any case, enjoy.
PS Title from a Michael Buble song.
A few days after the carnival incident, Gabriel finds a package waiting for him at the apartment he's been hiding out in. It's a cell phone, with a note that says, In case you need to reach me on it. Scrolling through the contacts, Gabriel sees Peter's home phone number, cell number, and work number programmed in already, and he can't help but smile.
As much as he may want to, though, he doesn't call. He decides that Peter has enough to worry about, at least for now.
A few weeks later, maybe seven to be exact, the phone unexpectedly rings at an ungodly hour of the night. Since he doesn't sleep much, Gabriel answers it on the third ring.
"Hey," Peter says, like everything was just fine.
Gabriel replies, "Hey."
There's a bit of silence.
"Is there a reason you called, Peter?"
The man on the other end takes in a breath and hesitates for a moment, before saying, quietly, "If you tell anyone what I'm about to tell you, I'll kill you. Okay?" Without waiting for a reply, he continues, "I miss you, okay? I...God, this is going to sound so gay. I wanted to hear your voice...and...fuck. I can't sleep."
Gabriel moves the phone away so he can laugh into the palm of his hand, hoping Peter can't hear and get offended. Finally, when he feels the laughter has passed, he brings the phone back over.
"I miss you too, Peter. So much."
He can practically feel Peter's relief over the phone, and for some reason, he's really glad that Peter actually cared enough to call.
Gabriel can just imagine the way Peter is biting his lip, before mumbling, "So you can't sleep either, huh?"
Even though the other man can't see, Gabriel nods.
"Yeah. I could...come over? Keep you company?"
"I'd like that."
And just like that, Gabriel is pulling his coat on and grabbing the bag that he keeps his meager belongings in, heading out the door and down the street, wandering until he comes to a familiar apartment. When he knocks on the door, Peter is almost instantly opening it, visible relief painted on his face.
Before Gabriel can say anything, Peter has wrapped both arms around his neck, tugging him down and into his chest, burying his face into his neck.
"You stupid fuck," he mumbles, and for a moment, the other man is taken aback, until he senses the barely disguised emotion radiating off of Peter.
"Aw, Pete, you were worried about me," he teases, and Peter smiles but squeezes him tighter.
"Shut up."
He lets Peter hold him for a while, soaking up the contact he's been starving for, until finally, he's being led into the living room and directed to sit down on a couch.
"I got something for you," Peter says, shifting his weight slightly, before disappearing into his bedroom. He comes back a second later with a small wrapped package, and holds it out in front of him until Gabriel reaches up and takes it.
He already knows what it is, he just knows, but when he takes off the wrapping and sees the book, he can't help but smile.
"I thought you might like a real copy," Peter smiles, shyly, and Gabriel runs a hand reverently over the cover.
"It's perfect, thank you."
He sets the book down next to him on the couch, and then suddenly, realizes the couch wasn't there before.
"So, are you getting your furniture back, or are you still living minimally?"
Peter doesn't respond right away, opting to run a finger along the fabric of the armrest on the couch for a minute, before shrugging.
"I just thought I might need this couch sometime."
He doesn't elaborate, and Gabriel doesn't expect him to, but he knows exactly what the empath is implying.
Stay here with me, he means.
He stays.
Weeks go by, with nothing eventful going on (except for the fact that they haven't tried to kill each other, of course). Peter goes to work, he comes home. Some nights they go out and get frozen yogurt and walk in the Park, other times Peter will storm in without saying a word, looking exhausted and heartbroken. Gabriel knows better than to bother Peter, but sometimes the overwhelming urge to comfort the other man gets to him.
He's not surprised when, after a particularly hard night, Peter slides down the side of the couch, onto the floor, and buries his face into the side of Gabriel's leg. He stays very, very still, not moving and for a moment, Gabriel's afraid that if he moves, he might ruin everything. But reaching over to gently thread his fingers through Peter's hair, rubbing soothing circles and mumbling soothing words doesn't break the spell, and soon enough, Peter's breathing has evened out and his eyelids begin to droop in exhaustion. Gabriel helps him over to his bed, helping him take his shoes and belt off, thinking that he'll just go back to the couch and read, but a hand wrapped around his wrist tells him to stay.
After that, he spends most nights next to Peter in his bed, sometimes reading, sometimes just talking, but almost always touching at the elbow. Their first kiss comes after a hard couple days, with Peter feeling stressed and Gabriel trying to conquer his rage and loneliness; Peter has rolled to the other side, the one that faces Gabriel, and was quietly scootching forward until he was almost chest to chest with the other man. They kiss slowly, methodically, hands gently pulling and exploring, until Gabriel pulls away and looks at Peter with unsure, sad eyes.
Peter just pulls him flush against him and kisses the top of his head, and they fall asleep.
Things start to get better, after that. Peter starts to hang out with some friends from work, Gabriel gets a job working as the super at their apartment complex, and the nights get cooler again. They start to go out in public again, too. Get some frozen yogurt, go for a run, cuddle the puppies at the pet store after a really hard day. Normal things.
Gabriel learns that Peter may be super nice, but he's competitive as all hell, and likes to yell at the referees at football games when they make a call he disagrees with. Peter learns that Gabriel draws in his spare time, creating landscapes based on reality, with just a touch of impossibility.
"I think I'm in love with you," Peter says, one day, out of the blue, and Gabriel has to force himself to swallow the coffee he's been drinking before looking up.
They're on the train, heading back home after an excursion out, and very few people are riding in the same car as them. They had stopped for Starbucks before getting on, but now, Gabriel regrets it, holding the cup awkwardly in both hands as Peter watches him.
"Peter," he tries to say, but he can't seem to get the words right, so he tries again. "You know...you know. Everything. Don't you?"
The man sitting next to him smiles knowingly and leans in, pressing his lips against the other's in a way they've done so many times before. This time, though, something's different, although what exactly, Gabriel's not sure of. Not that it matters, he muses, especially after the way Peter presses his tongue against his own, urgent and needy.
They barely make it back to the apartment before Peter is pushing the other man against the wall, kissing him and trying to undo the buttons to his top, making a frustrated noise when it takes too long. So Gabriel helps him, and they eventually make their way back towards Peter's- well, their- bed. Gabriel pushes Peter, and Peter slides his hands on the taller man's forearms, curling fingers around the cloth still hanging there, tugging him down with him, until they both fall, fall, fall, landing silently against the bedspread.
That night, it snows softly and somewhere in the back of his mind, Gabriel realizes that it's February, again. A year since Claire jumped and a year since Peter forgave him. They've come full circle and made it out alive.
Peter has a blanket wrapped around his bare shoulders, staring out the window at the soft blanket starting to cover the city around them, and for a moment, Gabriel wonders what he's thinking about.
"Did I ever thank you for getting me out of Pinehearst?"
He doesn't turn around when he asks, and Gabriel knows he's feeling nostalgic.
"No, you didn't."
He turns around, then, a small smile on his lips, and he starts to walk back over to the bed.
"Thank you for that."
Gabriel nods, reaching a hand out to pull the other man back down with him, and Peter lets him, sprawling across the bed with the blanket barely covering him anymore.
"Thank you for...well, everything," Gabriel sighs, reaching out to trace a line down Peter's face, where his scar should be, should he ever actually get it.
"You're welcome."
They sit in companionable silence, watching the weather change around them, before Gabriel asks, quietly, "What are we going to do now?"
Peter, already mostly asleep, shifts slightly and mumbles, "Whatever we want to do. We've got each other, right?"
Gabriel smiles a fond smile, reaching out to stroke a thumb across Peter's cheek.
"Yeah, I like to think we do."
"Hmm," Peter is really starting to drift off, but before he does, he manages to mutter, "Good. Cause I was thinking we should catch a movie tomorrow, get some- get some dinner."
Gabriel lets his own eyes close, reveling in the feeling of being safe, and warm, agreeing with a soft, "Sounds good."
After years of fighting and hating and feeling alone, for once, Gabriel is happy to just be normal, because being normal means he gets to spend moments like this.
Moments with him.
He can't ask for anything else, not anymore.