Fic: Geneticist and the Frog - Epilogue
Title: The Geneticist and the Frog
Author: starrdust411
Fandom: Heroes
Pairing: Mohinder/Sylar
Rating: PG-13
Summary: When the Prince kissed the Frog the real story began.
Disclaimer: I do not own Heroes or The Princess and the Frog.
Warnings: Humor, Language, Slash, AU
Prologue| Chapter 1| Chapter 2| Chapter 3| Chapter 4| Chapter 5| Chapter 6
Gabriel had never given someone so much information in such a short amount of time, but somehow the prince had managed to recount to Claire everything that had happened to him and Mohinder in the past few days, leaving out the parts about his growing feelings for the Indian and his... "little problem." When his story was finished, there wasn't much time left. The large clock mounted to the tallest peak of the chapel told them that there were only three minutes left until midnight and Claire, understandably, still looked very overwhelmed and confused.
He watched from the corner of his eyes as the local authorities came and took Luke away (he had to admit, seeing his backstabbing valet being manhandled and dragged away was a satisfying sight) as the other members of the Bennet family talked amongst themselves, trying to figure out just what had happened.
"Okay, so let me see if I've got everything straight," Claire began as she fingered one of the pink roses sewn into her gown. "If I kiss you before midnight, then you and Mohinder will be human again and then..." She giggled, blushing girlishly as she batted her long eye lashes at him. "And then we're gonna get married and live happily ever after, right?"
"Yeah... whatever," he huffed, glancing up to the tower. Two minutes. He was running out of time, but at least Claire seemed willing to cooperate. "But just remember, you have to give Mohinder all the money he needs to finish college and get his book published."
"Sure thing," Claire shrugged and from that quick, simple answer Gabriel knew that she would have done just that a long time ago if only Mohinder had asked.
The thought made his heart clench with regret, a feeling that was echoed as Claire leaned forward, lips puckered and ready to fulfill her end of the bargain. Gabriel sighed, leaning in reluctantly to return the kiss. He had to remind himself that this had to be done, that even if Mohinder deserved all the riches in the world he didn't deserve to be tied to someone like him. The least he could do was make the man human again and give him all the help he needed all while staying out of his life.
Their lips were just an inch apart -- he could smell her perfume, practically feel the warmth radiating from her lips -- when a frantic, desperate voice caught his attention.
"Gabriel! Wait!"
The royal frowned, jerking away and twisting around to see Mohinder racing towards them, hopping up the chapel's stone steps. "Mohinder?"
"Mohinder?" Claire squeaked, pulling away from him, stunned at the sight of her former tutor standing in front of her as a little green frog.
"Don't do this," Mohinder begged, ignoring Claire's presence as he grabbed the prince's arm, pulling him away.
"I have to," he sighed.
"No, you don't."
"Yes I do," he huffed, yanking his arm away because just having Mohinder there was making this whole process so much harder than it already was. "And we're running out of time."
He didn't bother to look up at the clock. Somehow he already knew that they had one minute, if not less, before it was too late.
"Gabriel."
He sighed, squeezing his eyes shut. Damn it, why did Mohinder have to pick now to be his usual frustrating self? "This is the only way for me to give you everything you need."
Mohinder fell silent and Gabriel thought for certain that that was the end of it. He turned, ready to hop back towards Claire -- who was watching the whole scene with a puzzled look on her face -- when Mohinder spoke, stopping him in his tracks.
"Gabriel," he whispered, softly, desperately and the prince had to admit that he would love nothing more than to hear his name spoken in that voice over and over again. "I don't... I don't need anything... accept you." His stomach jumped, his throat tightened, and when he turned around and saw the love sick gleam in Mohinder's eyes and the watery smile plastered on his lips, Gabriel felt his heart expand. "I love you, Gabriel."
He smiled, standing tall on his hind legs as he moved closer to Mohinder, who stood and instinctively put his hands in his. "I love you, too," he whispered back, giving the Indian's hands a gentle squeeze.
A long quivering sob caught his attention, interrupting the serene little world he and Mohinder had created. The two humans turned frogs turned around to see Claire, eyes red as she gently wiped away at the hot tears slipping out of her wide green eyes. "All my life," she began, her voice wobbling, thick with emotion, "I've read about true love in fairy tales and... Mohinder, you've found it." She gave one last sniff, wiping her cheeks dry as a bright, sunny smile spread across her painted lips. "I'll kiss him," she declared, "for you, Mohinder. No marriage required."
Relief washed over the prince as Claire scooped him up into her delicate, gloved hands. He puckered his lips, ready for her kiss...
The bell tower chimed, the deep, ominous ring declaring that it was now officially midnight.
Gabriel stiffened, turning to stare at the glowing clock face, its firm black arms mocking him as they both stood erectly pointing at the imposing twelve.
"Oh my word," Claire breathed. "Well... well maybe that clock's a bit fast."
The bell sounded a second time, just as Claire slammed their lips together, kissing him with all her might. Nothing happened. Claire didn't shimmer and change and neither did he. She frowned, a tiny, worried whine escaping her lips as she kissed him again and again and again, each kiss more desperate than the last. It did no good. The twelve bells had chimed and Gabriel remained a frog, a frog with pink lipstick covering most of his face, but a frog none the less.
"Oh no," the heiress gasped, tears ready to spring forth once again as she gently set Gabriel back down on the ground. "Mohinder... I'm so sorry."
"It's alright," Mohinder whispered, his hand falling on Gabriel's shoulder, squeezing gently. "You tried. It's not your fault."
The prince turned towards him. The Indian was smiling, but his eyes told a different story. He looked crushed, defeated, and hopeful all at once. He returned the Indian's grin, placing his hand on top of his. They were together now. That was all that mattered.
"Gabriel! Mohinder!"
Just when he thought for certain this night couldn't get any busier, he turned to see Matt running towards them, a worried look on his usually indifferent face. Gabriel knew right away that something terrible had happened. They hopped towards him, all too aware of the fact that they were two small frogs and a full grown male gator conversing on an empty street in the middle of the night, but from the way things looked that was most likely the least of their problems.
"Matt, what happened?" Mohinder asked, once they were close enough.
That was when Matt knelt down, lowering his cupped hands to show the two frogs the small body dying in his claws. "I heard the commotion," Matt explained solemnly, "so I went into the graveyard and... Hiro..."
Mohinder stiffened and Gabriel actually felt his stomach twist in horror. Two days ago, he never would have felt this bad about seeing a crushed bug -- admittedly, he'd smashed his fair share in the past -- but as he looked down at Hiro -- his antenna bent, his hands twitching, his eyes screwed shut in pain, and his chest shaking with each intake of breath -- the prince actually felt his insides grow cold.
"Hiro?" The Indian reached out, brushing the fly's hand with the tip of his finger.
Hiro's eyes slowly fluttered open. They were blurred, unfocused. He blinked several times and his dark orbs eventually regained their clarity. He looked back and forth between the two amphibians, a confused frown slowly easing onto his face. "You both... still froggy," he whispered, his voice small, strangled.
"We're staying frogs Hiro," Mohinder told him, placing his hand on Gabriel's shoulder, his eyes never straying from the firefly.
"And we're staying together," Gabriel put in, because he knew that was what Hiro needed to hear.
Hiro smiled, his eyes slipping closed for just a second, and for one horrifying moment Gabriel thought that the bug was already gone. But then they opened again, shining with unshed tears as he gazed up at the sky, looking to the star he loved. "That good," Hiro chocked. "Charlene thinks that's good..."
With that shaky whisper, his eyes closed, his chest stilled, and his light went out forever.
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They took Hiro back to the swamp, because they didn't know what else to do. The plan was at first was to just wait until they were back in the marshy bayou to think of a concrete plan, but one never materialized. So they buried him by the shore, in a spot where they felt certain he'd get a good view of the night sky. If Matt was startled by the idea of burying a dead body, he didn't say anything. He merely watched as the two frogs went about their makeshift funeral.
The sky had been clouded for most of the night and sunrise was just around the corner, but for just one last moment the sky cleared. The trio looked up, stunned by what they saw. The night sky seemed to have a new occupant as a star just as bright as Charlene twinkled nearby. No one spoke, but somehow all three companions seemed to know that the celestial body glowing above them was their former friend, joined with his love at long last.
Gabriel turned towards Mohinder, smiled and silently slipped his hand into the other frog's, linking their fingers together. For a moment, Mohinder merely stood there, because for the first time he did not find the gesture repulsive. The cold, slimy hand in his felt warm and right nestled in his palm.
He looked at Gabriel and smiled back. The future had never looked brighter.
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When the pair came back the very next day -- as frogs, not humans -- Lydia did not ask questions. She merely stood there and listened to their unorthodox request with open ears and an open mind. The Tattoo Lady couldn't refuse them, because they had suffered through enough and deserved this moment of happiness, so that same afternoon they set about putting their crazy plan into action.
Amanda -- who had always been a hopeless romantic at heart -- picked the spot, a beautiful place in the swamp filled with brilliant sunlight shinning down from between the lush trees and blossoming white flowers decorating the earth, still slick and glittering with dew. The witnesses just seemed to assemble on their own. Nearly every creature in the swamp came together to witness the strange occurrence, because there had never been and never would be anything like this again. Of course, Matt was given the best "seat," because after all he had put into their cause he felt entitled to it.
Lydia smiled, looking out at the sea of faces -- furry, feathered, and scaled -- before her eyes landed on the two frogs crouching in front of her, eagerly holding each other's hands and waiting to hear those magical words.
"Do you Mohinder, take Gabriel to be your husband? To have and to hold, to honor and cherish, in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer, so long as you both live?"
"I do," he answered, not a drop of hesitance in his voice.
"And do you Gabriel-"
"I do," the other frog jumped in, too eager to hold back his response.
Mohinder chuckled, bumping their shoulders together playfully as the small group of animals laughed at the prince's enthusiasm.
"Let me finish please," Lydia teased. "It might come in handy later. Now, do you Gabriel, take Mohinder to be your husband? To have and to hold, to honor and cherish, in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer, so long as you both live?"
"I do," Gabriel answered again, squeezing Mohinder's hand affectionately.
"Well I'm glad we got that cleared up," Lydia joked. She could practically hear Amanda rolling her eyes at her teasing, willing her mother to stop playing with the frogs and get to the good part. "By the power invested in me, I now pronounce you man and spouse. Go ahead handsome, give your new husband a kiss."
Gabriel didn't need any more instruction than that. He turned towards the other frog, eagerly cupping Mohinder's cheek in his hand. Their eyes slipped closed just as their lips met in a kiss that was both passionate and sweet all at once. It was fortunate that their eyes were closed, because neither frog saw the way their bodies shimmered as a golden light washed over them.
The swamp creatures let out a collective gasp and Amanda took a frightened step back as the two small frogs started to float in midair. Lydia smiled, wrapping an arm around the girl and pulling her closer. "Don't worry," she told her daughter, rubbing Amanda's trembling arms reassuringly. "This is gonna be good."
The water lapped at their feet, surrounding them in a thick cocoon and hiding their changing bodies from sight. There was a flash of brilliant golden light and then suddenly the water was gone. The two frogs were gone. In their place were two men -- one tall and pale, the other dark and beautiful -- kissing tenderly as if they were the only two people in the world.
Their feet touched the group and they pulled away from each other with a soft sigh. It was only then that the two men opened their eyes and saw that the spell that had been placed on them had finally been broken. Lydia had to admit that she was fighting back tears as she watched the two, their actions nearly identical as they looked over their newly restored bodies.
Gabriel stood tall and purposeful in a crisp, emerald green suit with leafs for buttons, a long cape draped over his broad shoulders, and rich brown trousers that highlighted every muscle in his legs. Mohinder wore a soft, jade green sherwani with intricate golden leafs etched along the hems and a lime colored sash draped over his shoulders.
They looked wonderful, handsome, and completely perplexed. The two men turned towards her and Lydia found herself flashing them a coy smile. "It's like I told you," she began, her smile widening as Amanda wrapped her arms around her waist, "kissing a royal breaks the spell."
Gabriel frowned, piecing the puzzle together. "When you became my husband, that made you-"
Mohinder cut him off, grabbing the collar of his shirt and yanking Gabriel down so that they were nose to nose. "If you say 'princess,' I swear Gabriel Gray those will be your last words," he snapped, although the playful smile tugging at his lips let the other man know that there was no real malice to his words.
"Fine, I won't say it," he laughed, touching their foreheads together, "but I'm just glad it was you."
Mohinder's free hand framed the side of the prince's pale face, pulling him closer as their lips met in another kiss.
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The delivery came earlier than anyone had anticipated, but in a way its timing couldn't have been better.
"Oh, the mail is here," Mrs. Suresh announced, grabbing the large box and carrying it over to the kitchen table.
Gabriel was at her side in an instant, gently prying the too heavy package out of her tired, frail hands. "Mrs. Suresh, let me carry that," he chided. The gesture seemed somewhat pointless since there had been barely an inch between Mrs. Suresh and her desired destination, but he felt it was necessary. The young man was still struggling to find his place among the small, tight knit family and as far as he was concerned every gesture -- no matter how small -- helped.
The Indian woman laughed, placing an affectionate hand on his shoulder as he stood up straight, looking around for something to pry the box open. "Thank you Gabriel," she said, standing up on the tips of her toes to place a motherly kiss on his cheek. "But there's no need to be so formal. Remember, it's 'Mama Suresh.'"
He blushed, ducking his head at her words. "Right, Mama Suresh," he repeated. "It's... I'm still getting used to it."
Her smile brightened as she gave his cheek a gentle pat, moving away from the table. "Don't open anything yet," she told him. "We should wait until Mohinder is ready. After the ceremony, maybe?"
"I suppose so," he shrugged, smoothing out the front of his jacket. "I've never been to one of these things before. Are they long?"
"Very long," Mrs. Suresh assured him, a teasing pout on her lips as she reached over and helped to fix his tie. "And quite boring, but the end is well worth it."
He heaved a long, dramatic sigh, rolling his eyes at her words. "Jeepers. Sounds like I need to bring a pillow."
She laughed, patting his shoulder one more time. "Why don't you go upstairs and check on Mohinder?"
Gabriel did as he was told. He'd been in the household for only a few months and already he found himself comfortably taking orders from Mrs. Suresh as if she were his own mother. He took each step two at a time, smiling proudly at the lack of any squeaks or groans that came from the newly repaired stairs. He gave the door a quick wrap, waiting for the Indian man to grant him access.
When he walked in he found Mohinder, belt undone, dress shirt hanging wide open, and his tie still resting on his bedpost as he reviewed the speech he had been working on for weeks. The Indian looked up at him then, a sad, desperate gleam in his eyes as Gabriel flashed him a reassuring smile.
"I'm so nervous," the soon to be college graduate lamented, frantically shuffling through his note cards. "I don't think my speech is any good. What if it's boring? What if everyone falls asleep?"
"Don't be daft, you'll do just fine," Gabriel chided, closing the distance between them, so he could buckle Mohinder's belt -- a strange change of pace. "Besides, I've got some good news for you."
"Really?" he said, his eyes still attached to his notes. "And what would that be?"
Gabriel smirked, brushing Mohinder's hands aside so that he could button the Indian man's dress shirt. "The first editions of your father's book just came in the mail."
That got his attention. Mohinder stared at him, wide eyed with glee, his speech and cards temporarily forgotten in the wake of the news that he had been waiting far too long to hear. "Are you serious?" he breathed. "So soon?"
"Soon?" Gabriel scoffed, grabbing the man's tie and gently wrapping it around his neck. "You call that soon? That damn Primatech Publications really dragged their feet. And don't think I don't know why! Honestly, you bring a live gator into a man's office just once-"
"You have to admit, it was a bit juvenile," Mohinder cut in.
The prince shrugged, his careful fingers easily fixing the garment around the other man's long neck. "Matt didn't mind."
"And the look on Thompson's face was absolutely priceless," he mused, a fond note to his words. "But that's beside the point."
"What is the point?" Gabriel teased, running a hand over Mohinder's clothes, smoothing out any wrinkles.
The action was a wasted effort as the man suddenly found himself wrapped up in a tight embrace, Mohinder's cheek pressed against his own and his shirt undoubtedly wrinkling. "The point is that my father's book has finally been published," he whispered, pressing a quick kiss to Gabriel's slowly reddening face. "And I couldn't have done it without you."
Gabriel smiled, returning the gesture fondly, his eyes drifting shut as he reveled in the warm, strong arms around him. "Glad I could contribute," he murmured. "Not that I did much. Just leant an extra helping hand towards the end."
"Well it made all the difference in the world," Mohinder returned, placing a quick kiss to his lips. It was such a relief to be able to kiss without the fear that their lips meeting would somehow result in an unwanted transformation.
The young royal took a step back, cupping the other man's face in his large, pale hands as he merely stood there, silently studying him with a tender smile. "You're so wonderful," he told him, caressing his cheeks with the pad of his thumb. "I can't wait to take you home, to Maldonia and away from all this. You'll be the crown jewel of the country. There won't be a university in that wouldn't open its arms to you, Professor Gray."
Mohinder frowned, swatting at the prince's hands playfully. "Now, I never said I would be taking your name," the Indian reminded him. "Besides, I doubt I'll be taking anything until you've actually spoken with your mother about this whole marriage business."
Gabriel paled, his cheerful demeanor quickly turning sheepish at the mention of the very conservative queen of Maldonia. "I'm... working on it."
"'Working on it?' In the last letter you received from your mother, her royal highness said that she couldn't wait to meet her 'future daughter-in-law!'"
He blushed, shrugging his shoulders in what he hoped was a charming manner. "I never said anything about gender," Gabriel put in. "I merely wrote that I had fallen in love with a beautiful Indian. She was the one who assumed that I meant a woman."
Mohinder huffed, throwing his arms up wearily at the comment. "Gabriel! You already assured my mother that this sort of thing was perfectly legal in Maldonia. What's going to happen when we arrive in your country and suddenly find that we'll be thrown in the stocks as sodomites?"
He felt terrible for deceiving Mrs. Suresh, but it was a necessary lie. There was no way that the two could tell her the truth, it all sounded too ridiculous. Yet the fact that Mohinder had been missing for nearly three days could not possibly be ignored. So they covered up their tracks by convincing the Indian woman that they had met at the Bennet family's masquerade ball and had fallen in love, deciding to spend those three days away from judging eyes in order to get to know each other. Mrs. Suresh had been shocked at first, but after seeing how happy the prince made her son, she slowly began to grow accustom to the union. Telling her that they would be able to marry in Maldonia may not have been completely necessary, but Gabriel could tell that it put the woman's mind at ease knowing that their situation wouldn't be frowned upon everywhere.
Gabriel sighed, lifting Mohinder's hand in his, the hand that he longed to put a ring on. It hurt to be married to the man and unable to acknowledge it. He wanted to show the whole world that he and Mohinder were together and in love, but there were still too many obstacles.
"Everything will work out," he assured his secret husband. "My father... he's not terribly supportive, but he's a lot more open minded about my 'problem' than my mother ever was. I'm sure once he sees how much you've changed me he'll be on our side."
Mohinder flashed him a half hearted smile, obviously not completely convinced. "Well I hope so, otherwise, you'll be the one to explain everything to Mother."
"I promise, now let's get ready for that graduation. I think we've wasted enough time."
The Indian nodded, his dark fingers naturally linking together with the prince's as they walked out of the room, hand in hand towards their future.
Author: starrdust411
Fandom: Heroes
Pairing: Mohinder/Sylar
Rating: PG-13
Summary: When the Prince kissed the Frog the real story began.
Disclaimer: I do not own Heroes or The Princess and the Frog.
Warnings: Humor, Language, Slash, AU
Prologue| Chapter 1| Chapter 2| Chapter 3| Chapter 4| Chapter 5| Chapter 6
Gabriel had never given someone so much information in such a short amount of time, but somehow the prince had managed to recount to Claire everything that had happened to him and Mohinder in the past few days, leaving out the parts about his growing feelings for the Indian and his... "little problem." When his story was finished, there wasn't much time left. The large clock mounted to the tallest peak of the chapel told them that there were only three minutes left until midnight and Claire, understandably, still looked very overwhelmed and confused.
He watched from the corner of his eyes as the local authorities came and took Luke away (he had to admit, seeing his backstabbing valet being manhandled and dragged away was a satisfying sight) as the other members of the Bennet family talked amongst themselves, trying to figure out just what had happened.
"Okay, so let me see if I've got everything straight," Claire began as she fingered one of the pink roses sewn into her gown. "If I kiss you before midnight, then you and Mohinder will be human again and then..." She giggled, blushing girlishly as she batted her long eye lashes at him. "And then we're gonna get married and live happily ever after, right?"
"Yeah... whatever," he huffed, glancing up to the tower. Two minutes. He was running out of time, but at least Claire seemed willing to cooperate. "But just remember, you have to give Mohinder all the money he needs to finish college and get his book published."
"Sure thing," Claire shrugged and from that quick, simple answer Gabriel knew that she would have done just that a long time ago if only Mohinder had asked.
The thought made his heart clench with regret, a feeling that was echoed as Claire leaned forward, lips puckered and ready to fulfill her end of the bargain. Gabriel sighed, leaning in reluctantly to return the kiss. He had to remind himself that this had to be done, that even if Mohinder deserved all the riches in the world he didn't deserve to be tied to someone like him. The least he could do was make the man human again and give him all the help he needed all while staying out of his life.
Their lips were just an inch apart -- he could smell her perfume, practically feel the warmth radiating from her lips -- when a frantic, desperate voice caught his attention.
"Gabriel! Wait!"
The royal frowned, jerking away and twisting around to see Mohinder racing towards them, hopping up the chapel's stone steps. "Mohinder?"
"Mohinder?" Claire squeaked, pulling away from him, stunned at the sight of her former tutor standing in front of her as a little green frog.
"Don't do this," Mohinder begged, ignoring Claire's presence as he grabbed the prince's arm, pulling him away.
"I have to," he sighed.
"No, you don't."
"Yes I do," he huffed, yanking his arm away because just having Mohinder there was making this whole process so much harder than it already was. "And we're running out of time."
He didn't bother to look up at the clock. Somehow he already knew that they had one minute, if not less, before it was too late.
"Gabriel."
He sighed, squeezing his eyes shut. Damn it, why did Mohinder have to pick now to be his usual frustrating self? "This is the only way for me to give you everything you need."
Mohinder fell silent and Gabriel thought for certain that that was the end of it. He turned, ready to hop back towards Claire -- who was watching the whole scene with a puzzled look on her face -- when Mohinder spoke, stopping him in his tracks.
"Gabriel," he whispered, softly, desperately and the prince had to admit that he would love nothing more than to hear his name spoken in that voice over and over again. "I don't... I don't need anything... accept you." His stomach jumped, his throat tightened, and when he turned around and saw the love sick gleam in Mohinder's eyes and the watery smile plastered on his lips, Gabriel felt his heart expand. "I love you, Gabriel."
He smiled, standing tall on his hind legs as he moved closer to Mohinder, who stood and instinctively put his hands in his. "I love you, too," he whispered back, giving the Indian's hands a gentle squeeze.
A long quivering sob caught his attention, interrupting the serene little world he and Mohinder had created. The two humans turned frogs turned around to see Claire, eyes red as she gently wiped away at the hot tears slipping out of her wide green eyes. "All my life," she began, her voice wobbling, thick with emotion, "I've read about true love in fairy tales and... Mohinder, you've found it." She gave one last sniff, wiping her cheeks dry as a bright, sunny smile spread across her painted lips. "I'll kiss him," she declared, "for you, Mohinder. No marriage required."
Relief washed over the prince as Claire scooped him up into her delicate, gloved hands. He puckered his lips, ready for her kiss...
The bell tower chimed, the deep, ominous ring declaring that it was now officially midnight.
Gabriel stiffened, turning to stare at the glowing clock face, its firm black arms mocking him as they both stood erectly pointing at the imposing twelve.
"Oh my word," Claire breathed. "Well... well maybe that clock's a bit fast."
The bell sounded a second time, just as Claire slammed their lips together, kissing him with all her might. Nothing happened. Claire didn't shimmer and change and neither did he. She frowned, a tiny, worried whine escaping her lips as she kissed him again and again and again, each kiss more desperate than the last. It did no good. The twelve bells had chimed and Gabriel remained a frog, a frog with pink lipstick covering most of his face, but a frog none the less.
"Oh no," the heiress gasped, tears ready to spring forth once again as she gently set Gabriel back down on the ground. "Mohinder... I'm so sorry."
"It's alright," Mohinder whispered, his hand falling on Gabriel's shoulder, squeezing gently. "You tried. It's not your fault."
The prince turned towards him. The Indian was smiling, but his eyes told a different story. He looked crushed, defeated, and hopeful all at once. He returned the Indian's grin, placing his hand on top of his. They were together now. That was all that mattered.
"Gabriel! Mohinder!"
Just when he thought for certain this night couldn't get any busier, he turned to see Matt running towards them, a worried look on his usually indifferent face. Gabriel knew right away that something terrible had happened. They hopped towards him, all too aware of the fact that they were two small frogs and a full grown male gator conversing on an empty street in the middle of the night, but from the way things looked that was most likely the least of their problems.
"Matt, what happened?" Mohinder asked, once they were close enough.
That was when Matt knelt down, lowering his cupped hands to show the two frogs the small body dying in his claws. "I heard the commotion," Matt explained solemnly, "so I went into the graveyard and... Hiro..."
Mohinder stiffened and Gabriel actually felt his stomach twist in horror. Two days ago, he never would have felt this bad about seeing a crushed bug -- admittedly, he'd smashed his fair share in the past -- but as he looked down at Hiro -- his antenna bent, his hands twitching, his eyes screwed shut in pain, and his chest shaking with each intake of breath -- the prince actually felt his insides grow cold.
"Hiro?" The Indian reached out, brushing the fly's hand with the tip of his finger.
Hiro's eyes slowly fluttered open. They were blurred, unfocused. He blinked several times and his dark orbs eventually regained their clarity. He looked back and forth between the two amphibians, a confused frown slowly easing onto his face. "You both... still froggy," he whispered, his voice small, strangled.
"We're staying frogs Hiro," Mohinder told him, placing his hand on Gabriel's shoulder, his eyes never straying from the firefly.
"And we're staying together," Gabriel put in, because he knew that was what Hiro needed to hear.
Hiro smiled, his eyes slipping closed for just a second, and for one horrifying moment Gabriel thought that the bug was already gone. But then they opened again, shining with unshed tears as he gazed up at the sky, looking to the star he loved. "That good," Hiro chocked. "Charlene thinks that's good..."
With that shaky whisper, his eyes closed, his chest stilled, and his light went out forever.
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They took Hiro back to the swamp, because they didn't know what else to do. The plan was at first was to just wait until they were back in the marshy bayou to think of a concrete plan, but one never materialized. So they buried him by the shore, in a spot where they felt certain he'd get a good view of the night sky. If Matt was startled by the idea of burying a dead body, he didn't say anything. He merely watched as the two frogs went about their makeshift funeral.
The sky had been clouded for most of the night and sunrise was just around the corner, but for just one last moment the sky cleared. The trio looked up, stunned by what they saw. The night sky seemed to have a new occupant as a star just as bright as Charlene twinkled nearby. No one spoke, but somehow all three companions seemed to know that the celestial body glowing above them was their former friend, joined with his love at long last.
Gabriel turned towards Mohinder, smiled and silently slipped his hand into the other frog's, linking their fingers together. For a moment, Mohinder merely stood there, because for the first time he did not find the gesture repulsive. The cold, slimy hand in his felt warm and right nestled in his palm.
He looked at Gabriel and smiled back. The future had never looked brighter.
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When the pair came back the very next day -- as frogs, not humans -- Lydia did not ask questions. She merely stood there and listened to their unorthodox request with open ears and an open mind. The Tattoo Lady couldn't refuse them, because they had suffered through enough and deserved this moment of happiness, so that same afternoon they set about putting their crazy plan into action.
Amanda -- who had always been a hopeless romantic at heart -- picked the spot, a beautiful place in the swamp filled with brilliant sunlight shinning down from between the lush trees and blossoming white flowers decorating the earth, still slick and glittering with dew. The witnesses just seemed to assemble on their own. Nearly every creature in the swamp came together to witness the strange occurrence, because there had never been and never would be anything like this again. Of course, Matt was given the best "seat," because after all he had put into their cause he felt entitled to it.
Lydia smiled, looking out at the sea of faces -- furry, feathered, and scaled -- before her eyes landed on the two frogs crouching in front of her, eagerly holding each other's hands and waiting to hear those magical words.
"Do you Mohinder, take Gabriel to be your husband? To have and to hold, to honor and cherish, in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer, so long as you both live?"
"I do," he answered, not a drop of hesitance in his voice.
"And do you Gabriel-"
"I do," the other frog jumped in, too eager to hold back his response.
Mohinder chuckled, bumping their shoulders together playfully as the small group of animals laughed at the prince's enthusiasm.
"Let me finish please," Lydia teased. "It might come in handy later. Now, do you Gabriel, take Mohinder to be your husband? To have and to hold, to honor and cherish, in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer, so long as you both live?"
"I do," Gabriel answered again, squeezing Mohinder's hand affectionately.
"Well I'm glad we got that cleared up," Lydia joked. She could practically hear Amanda rolling her eyes at her teasing, willing her mother to stop playing with the frogs and get to the good part. "By the power invested in me, I now pronounce you man and spouse. Go ahead handsome, give your new husband a kiss."
Gabriel didn't need any more instruction than that. He turned towards the other frog, eagerly cupping Mohinder's cheek in his hand. Their eyes slipped closed just as their lips met in a kiss that was both passionate and sweet all at once. It was fortunate that their eyes were closed, because neither frog saw the way their bodies shimmered as a golden light washed over them.
The swamp creatures let out a collective gasp and Amanda took a frightened step back as the two small frogs started to float in midair. Lydia smiled, wrapping an arm around the girl and pulling her closer. "Don't worry," she told her daughter, rubbing Amanda's trembling arms reassuringly. "This is gonna be good."
The water lapped at their feet, surrounding them in a thick cocoon and hiding their changing bodies from sight. There was a flash of brilliant golden light and then suddenly the water was gone. The two frogs were gone. In their place were two men -- one tall and pale, the other dark and beautiful -- kissing tenderly as if they were the only two people in the world.
Their feet touched the group and they pulled away from each other with a soft sigh. It was only then that the two men opened their eyes and saw that the spell that had been placed on them had finally been broken. Lydia had to admit that she was fighting back tears as she watched the two, their actions nearly identical as they looked over their newly restored bodies.
Gabriel stood tall and purposeful in a crisp, emerald green suit with leafs for buttons, a long cape draped over his broad shoulders, and rich brown trousers that highlighted every muscle in his legs. Mohinder wore a soft, jade green sherwani with intricate golden leafs etched along the hems and a lime colored sash draped over his shoulders.
They looked wonderful, handsome, and completely perplexed. The two men turned towards her and Lydia found herself flashing them a coy smile. "It's like I told you," she began, her smile widening as Amanda wrapped her arms around her waist, "kissing a royal breaks the spell."
Gabriel frowned, piecing the puzzle together. "When you became my husband, that made you-"
Mohinder cut him off, grabbing the collar of his shirt and yanking Gabriel down so that they were nose to nose. "If you say 'princess,' I swear Gabriel Gray those will be your last words," he snapped, although the playful smile tugging at his lips let the other man know that there was no real malice to his words.
"Fine, I won't say it," he laughed, touching their foreheads together, "but I'm just glad it was you."
Mohinder's free hand framed the side of the prince's pale face, pulling him closer as their lips met in another kiss.
-+-+-+-
The delivery came earlier than anyone had anticipated, but in a way its timing couldn't have been better.
"Oh, the mail is here," Mrs. Suresh announced, grabbing the large box and carrying it over to the kitchen table.
Gabriel was at her side in an instant, gently prying the too heavy package out of her tired, frail hands. "Mrs. Suresh, let me carry that," he chided. The gesture seemed somewhat pointless since there had been barely an inch between Mrs. Suresh and her desired destination, but he felt it was necessary. The young man was still struggling to find his place among the small, tight knit family and as far as he was concerned every gesture -- no matter how small -- helped.
The Indian woman laughed, placing an affectionate hand on his shoulder as he stood up straight, looking around for something to pry the box open. "Thank you Gabriel," she said, standing up on the tips of her toes to place a motherly kiss on his cheek. "But there's no need to be so formal. Remember, it's 'Mama Suresh.'"
He blushed, ducking his head at her words. "Right, Mama Suresh," he repeated. "It's... I'm still getting used to it."
Her smile brightened as she gave his cheek a gentle pat, moving away from the table. "Don't open anything yet," she told him. "We should wait until Mohinder is ready. After the ceremony, maybe?"
"I suppose so," he shrugged, smoothing out the front of his jacket. "I've never been to one of these things before. Are they long?"
"Very long," Mrs. Suresh assured him, a teasing pout on her lips as she reached over and helped to fix his tie. "And quite boring, but the end is well worth it."
He heaved a long, dramatic sigh, rolling his eyes at her words. "Jeepers. Sounds like I need to bring a pillow."
She laughed, patting his shoulder one more time. "Why don't you go upstairs and check on Mohinder?"
Gabriel did as he was told. He'd been in the household for only a few months and already he found himself comfortably taking orders from Mrs. Suresh as if she were his own mother. He took each step two at a time, smiling proudly at the lack of any squeaks or groans that came from the newly repaired stairs. He gave the door a quick wrap, waiting for the Indian man to grant him access.
When he walked in he found Mohinder, belt undone, dress shirt hanging wide open, and his tie still resting on his bedpost as he reviewed the speech he had been working on for weeks. The Indian looked up at him then, a sad, desperate gleam in his eyes as Gabriel flashed him a reassuring smile.
"I'm so nervous," the soon to be college graduate lamented, frantically shuffling through his note cards. "I don't think my speech is any good. What if it's boring? What if everyone falls asleep?"
"Don't be daft, you'll do just fine," Gabriel chided, closing the distance between them, so he could buckle Mohinder's belt -- a strange change of pace. "Besides, I've got some good news for you."
"Really?" he said, his eyes still attached to his notes. "And what would that be?"
Gabriel smirked, brushing Mohinder's hands aside so that he could button the Indian man's dress shirt. "The first editions of your father's book just came in the mail."
That got his attention. Mohinder stared at him, wide eyed with glee, his speech and cards temporarily forgotten in the wake of the news that he had been waiting far too long to hear. "Are you serious?" he breathed. "So soon?"
"Soon?" Gabriel scoffed, grabbing the man's tie and gently wrapping it around his neck. "You call that soon? That damn Primatech Publications really dragged their feet. And don't think I don't know why! Honestly, you bring a live gator into a man's office just once-"
"You have to admit, it was a bit juvenile," Mohinder cut in.
The prince shrugged, his careful fingers easily fixing the garment around the other man's long neck. "Matt didn't mind."
"And the look on Thompson's face was absolutely priceless," he mused, a fond note to his words. "But that's beside the point."
"What is the point?" Gabriel teased, running a hand over Mohinder's clothes, smoothing out any wrinkles.
The action was a wasted effort as the man suddenly found himself wrapped up in a tight embrace, Mohinder's cheek pressed against his own and his shirt undoubtedly wrinkling. "The point is that my father's book has finally been published," he whispered, pressing a quick kiss to Gabriel's slowly reddening face. "And I couldn't have done it without you."
Gabriel smiled, returning the gesture fondly, his eyes drifting shut as he reveled in the warm, strong arms around him. "Glad I could contribute," he murmured. "Not that I did much. Just leant an extra helping hand towards the end."
"Well it made all the difference in the world," Mohinder returned, placing a quick kiss to his lips. It was such a relief to be able to kiss without the fear that their lips meeting would somehow result in an unwanted transformation.
The young royal took a step back, cupping the other man's face in his large, pale hands as he merely stood there, silently studying him with a tender smile. "You're so wonderful," he told him, caressing his cheeks with the pad of his thumb. "I can't wait to take you home, to Maldonia and away from all this. You'll be the crown jewel of the country. There won't be a university in that wouldn't open its arms to you, Professor Gray."
Mohinder frowned, swatting at the prince's hands playfully. "Now, I never said I would be taking your name," the Indian reminded him. "Besides, I doubt I'll be taking anything until you've actually spoken with your mother about this whole marriage business."
Gabriel paled, his cheerful demeanor quickly turning sheepish at the mention of the very conservative queen of Maldonia. "I'm... working on it."
"'Working on it?' In the last letter you received from your mother, her royal highness said that she couldn't wait to meet her 'future daughter-in-law!'"
He blushed, shrugging his shoulders in what he hoped was a charming manner. "I never said anything about gender," Gabriel put in. "I merely wrote that I had fallen in love with a beautiful Indian. She was the one who assumed that I meant a woman."
Mohinder huffed, throwing his arms up wearily at the comment. "Gabriel! You already assured my mother that this sort of thing was perfectly legal in Maldonia. What's going to happen when we arrive in your country and suddenly find that we'll be thrown in the stocks as sodomites?"
He felt terrible for deceiving Mrs. Suresh, but it was a necessary lie. There was no way that the two could tell her the truth, it all sounded too ridiculous. Yet the fact that Mohinder had been missing for nearly three days could not possibly be ignored. So they covered up their tracks by convincing the Indian woman that they had met at the Bennet family's masquerade ball and had fallen in love, deciding to spend those three days away from judging eyes in order to get to know each other. Mrs. Suresh had been shocked at first, but after seeing how happy the prince made her son, she slowly began to grow accustom to the union. Telling her that they would be able to marry in Maldonia may not have been completely necessary, but Gabriel could tell that it put the woman's mind at ease knowing that their situation wouldn't be frowned upon everywhere.
Gabriel sighed, lifting Mohinder's hand in his, the hand that he longed to put a ring on. It hurt to be married to the man and unable to acknowledge it. He wanted to show the whole world that he and Mohinder were together and in love, but there were still too many obstacles.
"Everything will work out," he assured his secret husband. "My father... he's not terribly supportive, but he's a lot more open minded about my 'problem' than my mother ever was. I'm sure once he sees how much you've changed me he'll be on our side."
Mohinder flashed him a half hearted smile, obviously not completely convinced. "Well I hope so, otherwise, you'll be the one to explain everything to Mother."
"I promise, now let's get ready for that graduation. I think we've wasted enough time."
The Indian nodded, his dark fingers naturally linking together with the prince's as they walked out of the room, hand in hand towards their future.