For northernclaude

[medicpetrelli]

Simone was dead. Here one moment, gone the next. Nathan was busy with God knows what; probably trying to save his career, and Angela...all she kept telling Peter was that he needed to be a good boy and try to work with Noah, but Bennet had been preoccupied with keeping Claire safe from that Sylar guy.

He was going to explode. He'd heard it over and

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[northernclaude]

"Well, I see you've reached new heights in the emo kid department. Congrats."

Claude was standing at the open bathroom door, arms crossed. He'd spent a ridiculous amount of time on the fire escape, waiting, thinking about this. It was stupid. He knew Bennet was still in town and might even be watching this flat, and still he returned. He was suck a bloody sucker for disaster.

But he couldn't let the town explode, all those innocent people die, because one stupid kid couldn't control his emotions. So here he was. Suicidal, probably, but he didn't really have much to lose.

[medicpetrelli]

Peter's teeth chattered together in his mouth and he shot a surprised glare in Claude's direction, his wet bang hanging down over his eyes. "O-oh, finally d-decide to come back, did y-you?!" Peter stuttered. "R-right when I'm learning h-how to handle this o-on my own! Thanks al-lot!" Bastard. Claude had abandoned him just as badly as the rest. If he thought he could waltz in here and taunt Peter, he had another thing coming!

[northernclaude]

"Oh save the bloody melodrama, will you?" Claude strode towards the shower and cut off the water. "What d'you think you're doing? Does being under the shower numb away all the pain?" That last part was said in a sing-song voice. "You forgot the Evanescence soundtrack, mate. Now get a bloody towel."

[medicpetrelli]

Peter was up in a flash, cold-bitten fingers twining in Claude's shirt. He slipped a little when he pushed forward but managed to find his feet outside the tub, slamming Claude against the wall hard enough to knock the mirror off and send it shattering. "Son of a bitch!"

[northernclaude]

Claude was expecting that reaction, though perhaps he should have found a way to avoid bashing his head. The mirror shattered, attracting his attention through the little stars dancing in front of his eyes, and he heard himself chuckle. "That's seven years' bad luck, Pete, to add to the rest of your troubles."

[medicpetrelli]

Fuel to the fire, Claude!

Peter drew his arm back and then right-hooked Claude hard enough to send him to the floor. "You left me, and n-now you come back to poke fun?! GET OUT!" Dripping wet and trembling, he pointed out the bathroom door towards the apartment exit.

[northernclaude]

Claude skidded in the glass, which looked much less amusing up close. It snagged at his cheek before he had time to avoid it. Fortunately his face was already numb from the punch.

He got up carefully and looked Peter up and down. He was in a right state. It probably wasn't a good idea to prod him right now, but really he'd forgotten how to deal with people a long time ago. Instead he touched his cheek and glanced at the streak of blood on his fingers.

"Mate, d'you really think I'm just here to make fun of you? D'you even remember why I left in the first place? D'you think I'm an idiot to come back here, of all places, when the Company's after me, just so I can gloat?"

[medicpetrelli]

Peter balled his fists tightly, holding his glare. Unfortunately for Claude, the invisible man was bearing the weight of Peter's emotional frustration. Frankly, he was lucky Peter hadn't exploded and took out the apartment building. "Then what do you want? I won't help you, I can't help you. I can't even help myself right now."

[northernclaude]

Claude's mouth dropped open. For a while, he stared at Peter, just stunned. "Help me? Why'd I want you to help me?" The stupid stupid little git. How could he be thinking of helping other people when he wasn't even able to help himself. How could he even think that Claude needed his help? It just didn't make sense.

[medicpetrelli]

"Why else would you be here?! When people need help they come running to me like I'm some...some goddamn hero or something but they don't even see that things are impossible for me to begin with!"

Peter pushed past Claude and went into his bedroom, stripping off his wet shirt as he did. Peter dropped it onto the wood floor with a slop sound and then pulled on a dry one. He shimmied out of his pants, disappearing into his closet, and emerging a minute later wearing pajama bottoms that wouldn't leave him shivering.

[northernclaude]

Claude was still too dumbfounded to talk. People thought Peter was a hero? Really? That was rather unexpected. But perhaps not as unexpected as seeing him undress suddenly.

He couldn't help but gape at Peter as he changed his T-shirt. Well at least he wasn't playing martyr and staying in sopping wet clothes. Still... nice chest. He shook himself and followed Peter into the bedroom.

"I've come to help you, you idiot." But his voice was soft, now.

[medicpetrelli]

Peter ran a hand through his wet hair and rolled his eyes. "Oh yeah? Thanks but no thanks. Why do I have the feeling you'll be here tonight, gone tomorrow, taking your big promises along with you?" he asked, his tone bitter. Peter had the expression of a friend scorned, and he wore his broken heart on his sleeve. He was, after all, nothing but a puppy who needed guidance and nurturing. Without those things...yikes.

[northernclaude]

Claude rolled his eyes. "Well if the Company's going to show up here, yeah I will be out of there before they can finish what they started." He sighed, rubbing his neck and screwing his eyes shut. Well, maybe he needed someone's company more than he thought. Trust that idiot little boy to come running after him and getting him used to actually having someone to talk to.

[medicpetrelli]

"Don't let the door hit you on your way out," he said dryly, then plopped down onto his bed and grabbed the remote. Peter propped his head up on his palm and turned the TV on, scanning for cartoons with a permanent frown turning down the corners of his lips. At least Claude was honest about his cowardliness.

[northernclaude]

Claude lost it just about there. "You know what? Fuck you, you miserable little toerag. You weren't the one to get tazed or shot by those bastards. Your life wasn't irreparably altered by them. You think you've got it bad? Try spending a week in my fucking shoes. Six years of being a ghost, you'd think I'd have gone insane by now!" He punctuated that with a kick to Peter's TV. It had the good grace of switching off, probably from the ripped out plug. That calmed him down a little.

"Well I suppose I did go insane, eh? Coming back here." He shook his head, letting out a sigh that betrayed the heaviness of his heart. "Fine. Be alone, blow up this place, for all I care."

[medicpetrelli]

"HEY!" Peter sat up when his television was kicked. Oh
Hell no! "You could have fought them! Found others like you and figured out what to do but instead you ran away and hid like a fucking coward!"

...Much like Peter was presently doing, he realized. "I..." Peter let out a heavy sigh and rubbed his eyes. "Look, I don't know how you think you're gonna help me, but you'd be safer somewhere else. I'm dangerous."