Fic: Family Planning - Ch. 1
Title: Family Planning
Author: starrdust411
Fandom: Heroes
Pairing: Gabriel/Mohinder
Rating: R
Summary: This was probably a bad idea. He was the one who had come up with it after all.
Disclaimer: I do not own Heroes.
Warnings: Slash, AU, Domestic Fluff, Mpreg
Chapter 1
He was supposed to be working. Months ago, the watchmaker had shifted his schedule around in order to make time to come over to the Suresh apartment and assist the two Indian men in whatever capacity he could -- trading work for work was how he used to think of it -- but that had all changed. His shop wasn't his number one priority anymore, and what had once replaced it had slipped into the number two slot itself. As time went on, Gabriel found himself content to spend these late afternoons and early evenings focused on something else.
Gabriel frowned, scanning the smudged black print of the classified section of newspaper. There really wasn't much to look at. None of the listings looked at all promising and he was starting to wonder if he would have any better luck using a computer.
"Yes, Mother, I'm making sure he gets enough to eat," Mohinder sighed wearily. His mother's phone calls had become more frequent in the past few months, not that Mohinder minded much. He understood, because the woman was alone while her husband and son were in another country. It was a stressful situation to be in and only natural for her to worry. "Yes, I'm eating as well."
Gabriel smiled. He enjoyed listening in on these conversations. Seeing that there were ways to make even Mohinder blush and squirm uncomfortably, yet still be the affectionate, devoted person that he was made Gabriel feel that much closer to the Indian.
He watched from the corner of his eyes as Mohinder stiffened ever so slightly, the faintest hint of pink coloring his cheeks. There was the blushing and squirming that he had become so fond of. It was a clear indication that the woman on the other line had switched the topic over to him. "Oh... yes, he's fine too," Mohinder chuckled, giving Gabriel's hand a gentle squeeze.
The watchmaker loved how easily their hands linked together. As long as they were sitting or standing near one another, one of them would instinctively reach over and grab the other's hand, their fingers linking together naturally.
With a wistful sigh, the Indian clicked off his phone and ended the conversation. "My mother says hello." Mohinder smiled as Gabriel blushed and bowed his head slightly. "She really wants to meet you. We've been together for some time now and she hasn't even seen a single picture of you."
"I... I dunno," he muttered, flipping through a few pages of the newspaper in order to cover his hesitance. "I mean, after how badly things turned out with my mom and... I just don't think I'm ready to go through meeting another parent."
"But this is different," he assured him. "My mother is perfectly fine with our relationship. She just wants to meet you."
"I know it's just..." the watchmaker sighed, adjusting his glasses wearily. "Can we just not talk about it for now... okay?"
"Fine," Mohinder shrugged, but the American already knew that they would have to continue this conversation eventually. Mohinder adjusted himself, leaning over in his chair to look at the gray pages spread out in front of them. "So, where do you want to live?"
"Somewhere far away from Queens," Gabriel grumbled. He was excited to finally be moving in with Mohinder and out of his old apartment, but he was also bitter that it had taken him so long to finally get away. He'd wanted to do this for so long, but the opportunity hadn't presented itself until now. "Maybe upstate?"
Mohinder laughed. "That'll be quite the commute!" he joked. "What about your shop?"
"Well... I was thinking about selling it," he confessed, bracing himself for the lecture he was sure to receive.
The Indian's face twisted in confusion at his words. He stared at him. "Why?" Mohinder asked simply, quietly.
"Because I've always wanted to," he told him. He had always felt trapped, miserable working in the failing store. Restoring timepieces was a soothing, but he was tired of it being his entire world. The only happy memories he had had at Gray & Sons were all the times Mohinder had come to visit him. It was time to move on, and this was the perfect opportunity. "Besides, the money I get from selling the store might help us put a down payment on a decent house."
"Well, finding a job in this climate can be difficult," Mohinder shrugged, his thumb rubbing the watchmaker's pale hand tenderly. "Even with your talents, it could be a while before you get an interview. Besides, we don't need anything fancy. It'll just be the two of us after all."
"Well, it might not always be."
The words were out of his mouth before Gabriel could even comprehend what he had said. He stilled, his whole body going tense as his wide eyes stayed trained on the table. He could only hope, pray that Mohinder hadn't caught that.
Of course, he could never be that lucky.
"Gabriel," Mohinder began slowly, and the watchmaker could practically hear the confused frown in his words. "What do you-"
The door creaked and their hands detangled in the blink of an eye as the two men scrambled to hide all evidence of what they had been doing before Chandra could even poke his head into the room. The older Suresh had never openly disapproved of their relationship, but both Gabriel and Mohinder knew from the slight furrows of his brow and the small "hmphs" he gave whenever the two were being "too affectionate" that it bothered him. It was probably the main reason why Mohinder still hadn't told Chandra about their plans to move in together.
Chandra frowned, looking between the nervous, guilt ridden Gabriel to the calm, collected Mohinder. "What are you two doing?"
Gabriel felt his mouth go dry as he scrambled to think of an answer. Fortunately, Mohinder was quicker than him. "Working on the new book, of course," he answered easily. "Gabriel and I were just looking over our list of confirmed Specials to see who would be willing to sign a consent forum to allow us to use excerpts from their cases in the text."
From the older man's side long look, Gabriel would have sworn that they had been caught. Yet Chandra merely nodded his head and moved on. He was safe -- for now -- from both Chandra's judgment and Mohinder's suspicions.
-+-+-+-
Saturday nights were his favorite night of the week. They hadn't been before. As a teenager, Saturdays were a miserable joke. While other kids his age went out to the movies or simply hung out with their friends, Gabriel sat alone in his room doing homework or reading quietly until he fell asleep. As an adult it was much the same. Only now, his Saturday afternoons were filled with work, while his nights were spent alone in his pathetic little apartment, as all the hipsters partied and drank and laughed with friends and acquaintances.
Now that he had Mohinder, Saturdays weren't so bad, even if all they did was sit on his couch watching movies until they drifted off to sleep, but that didn't matter. Lying there in the darkness, Mohinder's head resting on his shoulder as the rainbow of lights flashed and colored their world until the Indian's breathing became calm and steady was all the excitement Gabriel needed.
He smiled as the credits began scrawling across the screen and Mohinder curled closer into his side. The young man twined their hands together, because it was so natural to do so. Not holding hands left him feeling lonely and incomplete.
Mohinder shifted, sighed peacefully as his eyes slowly crawled open and Gabriel sincerely hoped that he hadn't woken the other man. "Oh, I forgot to tell you something," Mohinder muttered sleepily.
"What?" he asked softly. Suddenly it felt too late to speak at full volume.
"I have an interview on Monday," he half yawned, adjusting himself so that he was lying flat on his stomach, his head resting on Gabriel's chest instead of his shoulder.
"With who?" he asked, his ears perking up eagerly at the announcement.
"New York University's science department," he told him. "Apparently there's an opening for a genetics professor. If I get the job, it'll just be a small position... two classes a week plus office hours, but it'll be better than driving a taxi."
"Does Chandra know?"
Mohinder scoffed, not bothering to raise his head. "He knows, but he's not interested. Father thinks it's more important to focus on his second book. Teaching would just be a distraction to him."
Gabriel nodded thoughtfully. "It'll be a bit of a commute wouldn't it?" he mused, noticing that his words practically mirrored Mohinder's own comment from earlier. "And... well, with you getting this new job and the house..."
"I know... it's a lot," Mohinder murmured. "And I still haven't told Father about the move... It feels like I'm growing up all over again... leaving the nest and all, but we'll make it work. This job... it'll pay a lot more. Maybe we could try to support my father for a while until he gets a job of his own?" The Indian sighed, shaking his head slightly. "This is all hypothetical of course. I don't even have the job yet."
"You're sure to get it," Gabriel sighed. He was a bit jealous that Mohinder was already finding a new career while he was still working up the nerve to abandon his old position, but he pushed those thoughts aside. Mohinder deserved this. He deserved to have a decent, respectable job, something that he actually enjoyed. "We'll make it work. I guess we should start looking at houses in that area-"
"You keep saying that," Mohinder cut in.
The watchmaker felt his stomach tighten with dread at the words. He didn't know what Mohinder was talking about, but the thoughtful, suspicious tone of voice had him on edge. "What?"
"'House,'" he said simply. "You keep saying 'house.' 'We'll need a decent house,' 'We'll look for houses here...'" He paused, pushing himself off of Gabriel so that they were now eye to eye. "I thought we were looking at apartments."
He blushed, bowing his head sheepishly. "I-"
"And earlier," the Indian continued. "When I said it was going to be just the two of us, you said 'not always.' What did you mean by that?"
"Nothing," was his automatic answered, but he knew right away that it wouldn't be good enough. His blush deepened, spreading all the way down to his neck as he squirmed away from the other man, their fingers becoming unattached in the process. "I... it's... it's stupid."
Mohinder frowned thoughtfully, adjusting himself so that he was sitting up properly on the cushions beside Gabriel. "Whatever it is, I'm sure it's not stupid," he chided. "Tell me."
Silence stretched out between the two, the only sound in the room was the far too steady ticking of too many clocks. Gabriel couldn't think of how to put the way he was feeling into words. He merely turned his head, focusing his gaze on the floor as he struggled to think.
A strong hand pressed onto his shoulder. "Gabriel," the Indian began calmly, "do you want to start a family with me?"
It was funny how Mohinder always knew what he was trying to say, even when Gabriel wasn't sure himself. Yet with the words now out in the open, the idea fully formed, the watchmaker couldn't help feeling silly, overly sentimental for even considering such a thing. "I told you it was stupid."
"It's not. It's just..." Mohinder gave a thoughtful sigh and for a moment, Gabriel thought that he had realized that it really was all a dumb idea. "I... I never realized you thought about this sort of thing."
"Well, I didn't... not until we met, that is."
Gentle hands cupped his cheek, turning his face until the two men were nose to nose. The geneticist smiled at him, tender and sweet with a hint of something Gabriel couldn't quite read, and then gave his lips a soft, gentle peck.
They kissed and the watchmaker felt his skin turn positively pink, just as it always did, as the kiss deepened. He gasped softly as Mohinder pressed him deeper into the couch cushions, the sweet kisses and gentle pecks quickly turning into hungry sucking and tender nips as the geneticist fumbled with his belt.
The shift in mood caught him by surprise -- they only ever did this on the bed, never anywhere else -- but Gabriel wasn't one to argue. He merely followed Mohinder's lead, taking off his glasses and placing them on the coffee table before eagerly helping to remove as much clothing as possible. They were naked in seconds, the Indian still fervently kissing and pawing at him, even as the watchmaker scrambled to catch up with what was going on.
They moved against each other, rocking into one another's heat in a tangled, uncomfortable heap on the limited space the couch provided them. Gabriel came with a strangled, breathless cry, Mohinder following soon after. It was so late and they were so tired that the two didn't even bother to get up, choosing instead to fall asleep right on that spot, their conversation temporarily forgotten.
-+-+-+-
The house hadn't been much to look at when they had first went to look at it. It was the type of home that realtors colorfully referred to as a "fixer upper." Yet despite its lack luster appearance, the two felt a connection with the small single family home and purchased it as is. True to his word, Gabriel sold his father's watch shop to help pay for the home and as a newly unemployed man, he took it upon himself to fix things up. Armed with a box full of rusted tools and his intuitive aptitude, Gabriel had gone about fixing every flaw and imperfection he could find.
Mohinder had been busy adjusting to his new position at the biology department at NYU as well as helping Chandra with his book and hadn't been able to do more than paint a few rooms.
When moving day finally arrived, Gabriel was embarrassed by how little they actually had. Between the two of them, their belongings only filled up the living room, bedroom items included -- not that it could be helped since most of Mohinder's things were still in India -- and Gabriel suddenly realized that they were in desperate need of furniture.
"It's so empty," Gabriel muttered for what felt like the hundredth time.
Mohinder smiled, patting him firmly on his shoulder, just as he had each time before. "Don't worry, we'll fill it out soon enough," he assured.
The American frowned, not at all convinced. "I don't think we can afford any new furniture," he sighed. "Not until I get a new job at least. And I've been so busy with the house I haven't even started to look." Another sigh as he pushed his glasses up against the bridge of his nose. "And there's still a lot of work to be done."
He had much more to say, but his rambling was cut off as the Indian pressed their lips together in a firm kiss. "Don't worry about it," Mohinder told him, firmly, confidently as he cupped Gabriel's chin in his hand. "You'll get a new job and this place will look wonderful."
Gabriel smiled, feeling a bit better already. He opened his mouth to say something, but the sound of someone walking across the front porch caught his attention.
"Hey, guys?" Peter began, poking his head in from just outside the door. "Is someone going to help me haul this mattress upstairs?"
"You can carry it yourself," Gabriel snipped, his voice a bit more terse than usual, but Peter always had that effect on him.
The younger man gave a crooked smile as he shrugged his shoulders casually completely oblivious, as usual. "Yeah, well, I kinda need someone to help balance it," he pointed out.
Gabriel frowned, suddenly feeling certain that Peter was simply trying to interrupt their conversation. Yet he already knew that his judgment was being clouded by his already negative feelings for the other man.
Peter Petrelli had been one of the few -- possibly only as far as Gabriel knew -- people to actually contact the Sureshes first during their initial search for evolved humans. He came to them six months after Gabriel had met Chandra and Mohinder, claiming to have had vivid dreams of flying and swearing that he could possibly even paint the future. All these things he could do only while other people were around, however.
Peter hadn't been on Chandra's original list, but his brother -- a politician by the name of Nathan Petrelli -- had and the possibility of two siblings inheriting abilities filled the geneticist with excited glee. Mohinder had been skeptical about whether the boy actually possessed a power or just had an active imagination, but Chandra was ready to pour all his hopes and dreams into the youth. The elder Suresh fawned over Peter, eagerly running tests and asking him daily questions to see if he had possibly picked up anymore powers. After some time, Mohinder's demeanor towards their new acquaintance soon turned from weary to friendly when the two began talking more.
Needless to say, Gabriel had been overwhelmed with jealousy. Peter was not the first person with a power that they had found and Gabriel, with Mohinder's patient help, had discovered his own ability months ago, but Peter's power -- his potential power -- was unique and the Sureshes treated him as if he were a shiny new toy for them to play with. Chandra was fickle; his attention could easily wander away from subject to subject if they did not possess the right results, so Gabriel wasn't at all surprised by him jumping at the idea of unlocking Peter's hidden ability, but Mohinder...
The American's throat still tightened at the thought of how miserable he had been those first few months, watching from the sidelines as Mohinder and Peter's friendship developed. Gabriel supposed that he was too use to having Mohinder's attention all to himself, and when it started to drift off to Peter, he felt certain that the sweet friendship would -- like theirs -- turn into something more romantic. It could have happened, he was convinced of that, because Peter was younger, better looking, and more fun to be with. The thought of the two men leaving him behind and running away together had caused Gabriel to spend many sleepless nights crying himself sick.
Yet it was only after the results of a brain scan came in that Peter's exact ability was identified, by Gabriel himself ironically enough. Gabriel had compared their two brain scans side by side, noticing the similarities that they shared. He began to understand Peter's power, so much so that he soon made it his own. He had felt accomplished, but not satisfied, because the younger man obtaining his ability meant that there would be no getting rid of him. Furthermore, Mohinder's friendship with Peter continued to blossom and the man found himself still having to suffer through evenings in his company.
"I'll help you out, Peter," Mohinder volunteered, but Gabriel quickly put a firm hand on his arm.
"No, I've got it," he insisted, never comfortable with the idea of those two alone together, no matter for how short of a period.
Mohinder shrugged, most likely already aware of why Gabriel was trading places with him. "Fine, I'll just get something to drink. Anybody want anything?"
"Ginger ale," Gabriel said, walking away just as Peter asked for a bottle of water.
They walked to the rented van parked in the drive way in silence, but Gabriel could tell that the other man was getting ready to start a conversation.
"So Mohinder tells me you want to start a family."
Gabriel cringed at the words. He had hoped that Mohinder had kept their conversation private, but he should have known better. The Indian told Peter everything, no matter how intimate -- how private -- it should have seemed. "I... I don't know about that," he muttered climbing into the back of the truck in hopes of hiding from the conversation. "I mean... it was kind of a dumb idea. I don't even think Mohinder wants to."
"He wants to," Peter assured him as he grabbed one end of the mattress.
Gabriel felt his jealousy rise, nearly boiling over, at the empath's words. They hadn't spoken about having children since the first night the topic had been pushed out into the open and Mohinder had never told him about whether or not he was for the idea. Then again, Gabriel supposed it was his fault since he had purposely never brought the subject back up, too embarrassed, too certain that the Indian had already dismissed the whole concept to even think about discussing it anymore.
"It's just," Peter went on, stopping and starting thoughtfully as he struggled to figure out just how to phrase his thoughts, "you know, it's hard."
He frowned, grabbing his end of the mattress and lifting it effortlessly. With Peter's empathic powers, Gabriel had been able to acquire a number of abilities as well. The main difference between the two was that, while Peter picked up abilities unconsciously, Gabriel actively selected which ones he wanted to absorb. Enhanced strength was one of the many they shared. (As Gabriel had said, Peter didn't need any help lifting, he could have picked up the mattress with his pinky if he wanted, but balance was another thing entirely) It was only after acquiring it did Gabriel realize the power was more entertaining than practical. Overall, it didn't help to make things easier, except in situations such as this.
"What do you mean ... 'hard'?" he asked as they carried the bed out of the van.
"You know... complicated," Peter continued, irritating Gabriel with his typical inability to communicate his thoughts. "I mean, adoption... there's a lot of paper work to go through and... and Mohinder's not exactly legal and that'll make things even harder."
Gabriel frowned, embarrassed that he hadn't thought things all the way through. He was silent as the two walked the rest of the way into the house and up the stairs.
-+-+-+-
The young man couldn't help feeling awkward as he knocked on the chipped, green front door to apartment 613. He was used to visiting Chandra, but he wasn't used to being alone with the older man anymore. Things had been awkward between the two of them ever since Chandra had initially decided to give up on him when the tests were not providing the right results. They still spoke, they were still civil to one another, but Gabriel certainly didn't feel the same fatherly connection that he once hoped to have had with Chandra.
The young man stiffened as the door swung open, revealing a slightly startled Chandra staring up at him. "Gabriel? What are you doing here? Is... Mohinder with you?"
"No, he's at work," he answered, forcing a friendly smile onto his awkward features. "I just... I had some time off and wanted to see if you needed help with anything."
The geneticist didn't look completely convinced, but he allowed the young man to enter anyway, just like Gabriel knew he would. Chandra would allow anyone into his home so long as they offered him some sort of assistance with his research. He was far too eager for his own good.
"So how are you enjoying your new job?" Chandra asked, heading over to the kitchen to pour them a drink.
"It's great," he lied.
At times being an electrician was just as boring as repairing watches. Only now the pay was better and he was no longer his own boss. Having to work on someone else's schedule was somewhat difficult to get used to, but he had to admit that he didn't hate the job nearly as much as his old one. He had picked it and that alone gave it several points above his old occupation. Furthermore, he got to work on things that actually mattered, things that people actually needed. Time pieces were wonderfully complex pieces of art, but watch repair was not for him anymore. He knew he was meant for greater things and repairing faulty wiring was just a stepping stone.
"Well that's good," Chandra continued, handing him a mug of tea. "It's good that you found something."
Gabriel smiled, pretending he didn't hear the silent "so my son won't have to keep supporting you" in Chandra's words. "So, um, is there anything you need help with?"
The geneticist nodded, taking a sip from his mug. "Yes, if you could sort through some of these documents..."
"No problem," he said, heading over to the scattered stacks of paper hiding what had once been a desk. He didn't need any further instructions as he got to work shuffling through the papers, searching eagerly for a solution to his problem.
Chapter 2
Author: starrdust411
Fandom: Heroes
Pairing: Gabriel/Mohinder
Rating: R
Summary: This was probably a bad idea. He was the one who had come up with it after all.
Disclaimer: I do not own Heroes.
Warnings: Slash, AU, Domestic Fluff, Mpreg
Chapter 1
He was supposed to be working. Months ago, the watchmaker had shifted his schedule around in order to make time to come over to the Suresh apartment and assist the two Indian men in whatever capacity he could -- trading work for work was how he used to think of it -- but that had all changed. His shop wasn't his number one priority anymore, and what had once replaced it had slipped into the number two slot itself. As time went on, Gabriel found himself content to spend these late afternoons and early evenings focused on something else.
Gabriel frowned, scanning the smudged black print of the classified section of newspaper. There really wasn't much to look at. None of the listings looked at all promising and he was starting to wonder if he would have any better luck using a computer.
"Yes, Mother, I'm making sure he gets enough to eat," Mohinder sighed wearily. His mother's phone calls had become more frequent in the past few months, not that Mohinder minded much. He understood, because the woman was alone while her husband and son were in another country. It was a stressful situation to be in and only natural for her to worry. "Yes, I'm eating as well."
Gabriel smiled. He enjoyed listening in on these conversations. Seeing that there were ways to make even Mohinder blush and squirm uncomfortably, yet still be the affectionate, devoted person that he was made Gabriel feel that much closer to the Indian.
He watched from the corner of his eyes as Mohinder stiffened ever so slightly, the faintest hint of pink coloring his cheeks. There was the blushing and squirming that he had become so fond of. It was a clear indication that the woman on the other line had switched the topic over to him. "Oh... yes, he's fine too," Mohinder chuckled, giving Gabriel's hand a gentle squeeze.
The watchmaker loved how easily their hands linked together. As long as they were sitting or standing near one another, one of them would instinctively reach over and grab the other's hand, their fingers linking together naturally.
With a wistful sigh, the Indian clicked off his phone and ended the conversation. "My mother says hello." Mohinder smiled as Gabriel blushed and bowed his head slightly. "She really wants to meet you. We've been together for some time now and she hasn't even seen a single picture of you."
"I... I dunno," he muttered, flipping through a few pages of the newspaper in order to cover his hesitance. "I mean, after how badly things turned out with my mom and... I just don't think I'm ready to go through meeting another parent."
"But this is different," he assured him. "My mother is perfectly fine with our relationship. She just wants to meet you."
"I know it's just..." the watchmaker sighed, adjusting his glasses wearily. "Can we just not talk about it for now... okay?"
"Fine," Mohinder shrugged, but the American already knew that they would have to continue this conversation eventually. Mohinder adjusted himself, leaning over in his chair to look at the gray pages spread out in front of them. "So, where do you want to live?"
"Somewhere far away from Queens," Gabriel grumbled. He was excited to finally be moving in with Mohinder and out of his old apartment, but he was also bitter that it had taken him so long to finally get away. He'd wanted to do this for so long, but the opportunity hadn't presented itself until now. "Maybe upstate?"
Mohinder laughed. "That'll be quite the commute!" he joked. "What about your shop?"
"Well... I was thinking about selling it," he confessed, bracing himself for the lecture he was sure to receive.
The Indian's face twisted in confusion at his words. He stared at him. "Why?" Mohinder asked simply, quietly.
"Because I've always wanted to," he told him. He had always felt trapped, miserable working in the failing store. Restoring timepieces was a soothing, but he was tired of it being his entire world. The only happy memories he had had at Gray & Sons were all the times Mohinder had come to visit him. It was time to move on, and this was the perfect opportunity. "Besides, the money I get from selling the store might help us put a down payment on a decent house."
"Well, finding a job in this climate can be difficult," Mohinder shrugged, his thumb rubbing the watchmaker's pale hand tenderly. "Even with your talents, it could be a while before you get an interview. Besides, we don't need anything fancy. It'll just be the two of us after all."
"Well, it might not always be."
The words were out of his mouth before Gabriel could even comprehend what he had said. He stilled, his whole body going tense as his wide eyes stayed trained on the table. He could only hope, pray that Mohinder hadn't caught that.
Of course, he could never be that lucky.
"Gabriel," Mohinder began slowly, and the watchmaker could practically hear the confused frown in his words. "What do you-"
The door creaked and their hands detangled in the blink of an eye as the two men scrambled to hide all evidence of what they had been doing before Chandra could even poke his head into the room. The older Suresh had never openly disapproved of their relationship, but both Gabriel and Mohinder knew from the slight furrows of his brow and the small "hmphs" he gave whenever the two were being "too affectionate" that it bothered him. It was probably the main reason why Mohinder still hadn't told Chandra about their plans to move in together.
Chandra frowned, looking between the nervous, guilt ridden Gabriel to the calm, collected Mohinder. "What are you two doing?"
Gabriel felt his mouth go dry as he scrambled to think of an answer. Fortunately, Mohinder was quicker than him. "Working on the new book, of course," he answered easily. "Gabriel and I were just looking over our list of confirmed Specials to see who would be willing to sign a consent forum to allow us to use excerpts from their cases in the text."
From the older man's side long look, Gabriel would have sworn that they had been caught. Yet Chandra merely nodded his head and moved on. He was safe -- for now -- from both Chandra's judgment and Mohinder's suspicions.
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Saturday nights were his favorite night of the week. They hadn't been before. As a teenager, Saturdays were a miserable joke. While other kids his age went out to the movies or simply hung out with their friends, Gabriel sat alone in his room doing homework or reading quietly until he fell asleep. As an adult it was much the same. Only now, his Saturday afternoons were filled with work, while his nights were spent alone in his pathetic little apartment, as all the hipsters partied and drank and laughed with friends and acquaintances.
Now that he had Mohinder, Saturdays weren't so bad, even if all they did was sit on his couch watching movies until they drifted off to sleep, but that didn't matter. Lying there in the darkness, Mohinder's head resting on his shoulder as the rainbow of lights flashed and colored their world until the Indian's breathing became calm and steady was all the excitement Gabriel needed.
He smiled as the credits began scrawling across the screen and Mohinder curled closer into his side. The young man twined their hands together, because it was so natural to do so. Not holding hands left him feeling lonely and incomplete.
Mohinder shifted, sighed peacefully as his eyes slowly crawled open and Gabriel sincerely hoped that he hadn't woken the other man. "Oh, I forgot to tell you something," Mohinder muttered sleepily.
"What?" he asked softly. Suddenly it felt too late to speak at full volume.
"I have an interview on Monday," he half yawned, adjusting himself so that he was lying flat on his stomach, his head resting on Gabriel's chest instead of his shoulder.
"With who?" he asked, his ears perking up eagerly at the announcement.
"New York University's science department," he told him. "Apparently there's an opening for a genetics professor. If I get the job, it'll just be a small position... two classes a week plus office hours, but it'll be better than driving a taxi."
"Does Chandra know?"
Mohinder scoffed, not bothering to raise his head. "He knows, but he's not interested. Father thinks it's more important to focus on his second book. Teaching would just be a distraction to him."
Gabriel nodded thoughtfully. "It'll be a bit of a commute wouldn't it?" he mused, noticing that his words practically mirrored Mohinder's own comment from earlier. "And... well, with you getting this new job and the house..."
"I know... it's a lot," Mohinder murmured. "And I still haven't told Father about the move... It feels like I'm growing up all over again... leaving the nest and all, but we'll make it work. This job... it'll pay a lot more. Maybe we could try to support my father for a while until he gets a job of his own?" The Indian sighed, shaking his head slightly. "This is all hypothetical of course. I don't even have the job yet."
"You're sure to get it," Gabriel sighed. He was a bit jealous that Mohinder was already finding a new career while he was still working up the nerve to abandon his old position, but he pushed those thoughts aside. Mohinder deserved this. He deserved to have a decent, respectable job, something that he actually enjoyed. "We'll make it work. I guess we should start looking at houses in that area-"
"You keep saying that," Mohinder cut in.
The watchmaker felt his stomach tighten with dread at the words. He didn't know what Mohinder was talking about, but the thoughtful, suspicious tone of voice had him on edge. "What?"
"'House,'" he said simply. "You keep saying 'house.' 'We'll need a decent house,' 'We'll look for houses here...'" He paused, pushing himself off of Gabriel so that they were now eye to eye. "I thought we were looking at apartments."
He blushed, bowing his head sheepishly. "I-"
"And earlier," the Indian continued. "When I said it was going to be just the two of us, you said 'not always.' What did you mean by that?"
"Nothing," was his automatic answered, but he knew right away that it wouldn't be good enough. His blush deepened, spreading all the way down to his neck as he squirmed away from the other man, their fingers becoming unattached in the process. "I... it's... it's stupid."
Mohinder frowned thoughtfully, adjusting himself so that he was sitting up properly on the cushions beside Gabriel. "Whatever it is, I'm sure it's not stupid," he chided. "Tell me."
Silence stretched out between the two, the only sound in the room was the far too steady ticking of too many clocks. Gabriel couldn't think of how to put the way he was feeling into words. He merely turned his head, focusing his gaze on the floor as he struggled to think.
A strong hand pressed onto his shoulder. "Gabriel," the Indian began calmly, "do you want to start a family with me?"
It was funny how Mohinder always knew what he was trying to say, even when Gabriel wasn't sure himself. Yet with the words now out in the open, the idea fully formed, the watchmaker couldn't help feeling silly, overly sentimental for even considering such a thing. "I told you it was stupid."
"It's not. It's just..." Mohinder gave a thoughtful sigh and for a moment, Gabriel thought that he had realized that it really was all a dumb idea. "I... I never realized you thought about this sort of thing."
"Well, I didn't... not until we met, that is."
Gentle hands cupped his cheek, turning his face until the two men were nose to nose. The geneticist smiled at him, tender and sweet with a hint of something Gabriel couldn't quite read, and then gave his lips a soft, gentle peck.
They kissed and the watchmaker felt his skin turn positively pink, just as it always did, as the kiss deepened. He gasped softly as Mohinder pressed him deeper into the couch cushions, the sweet kisses and gentle pecks quickly turning into hungry sucking and tender nips as the geneticist fumbled with his belt.
The shift in mood caught him by surprise -- they only ever did this on the bed, never anywhere else -- but Gabriel wasn't one to argue. He merely followed Mohinder's lead, taking off his glasses and placing them on the coffee table before eagerly helping to remove as much clothing as possible. They were naked in seconds, the Indian still fervently kissing and pawing at him, even as the watchmaker scrambled to catch up with what was going on.
They moved against each other, rocking into one another's heat in a tangled, uncomfortable heap on the limited space the couch provided them. Gabriel came with a strangled, breathless cry, Mohinder following soon after. It was so late and they were so tired that the two didn't even bother to get up, choosing instead to fall asleep right on that spot, their conversation temporarily forgotten.
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The house hadn't been much to look at when they had first went to look at it. It was the type of home that realtors colorfully referred to as a "fixer upper." Yet despite its lack luster appearance, the two felt a connection with the small single family home and purchased it as is. True to his word, Gabriel sold his father's watch shop to help pay for the home and as a newly unemployed man, he took it upon himself to fix things up. Armed with a box full of rusted tools and his intuitive aptitude, Gabriel had gone about fixing every flaw and imperfection he could find.
Mohinder had been busy adjusting to his new position at the biology department at NYU as well as helping Chandra with his book and hadn't been able to do more than paint a few rooms.
When moving day finally arrived, Gabriel was embarrassed by how little they actually had. Between the two of them, their belongings only filled up the living room, bedroom items included -- not that it could be helped since most of Mohinder's things were still in India -- and Gabriel suddenly realized that they were in desperate need of furniture.
"It's so empty," Gabriel muttered for what felt like the hundredth time.
Mohinder smiled, patting him firmly on his shoulder, just as he had each time before. "Don't worry, we'll fill it out soon enough," he assured.
The American frowned, not at all convinced. "I don't think we can afford any new furniture," he sighed. "Not until I get a new job at least. And I've been so busy with the house I haven't even started to look." Another sigh as he pushed his glasses up against the bridge of his nose. "And there's still a lot of work to be done."
He had much more to say, but his rambling was cut off as the Indian pressed their lips together in a firm kiss. "Don't worry about it," Mohinder told him, firmly, confidently as he cupped Gabriel's chin in his hand. "You'll get a new job and this place will look wonderful."
Gabriel smiled, feeling a bit better already. He opened his mouth to say something, but the sound of someone walking across the front porch caught his attention.
"Hey, guys?" Peter began, poking his head in from just outside the door. "Is someone going to help me haul this mattress upstairs?"
"You can carry it yourself," Gabriel snipped, his voice a bit more terse than usual, but Peter always had that effect on him.
The younger man gave a crooked smile as he shrugged his shoulders casually completely oblivious, as usual. "Yeah, well, I kinda need someone to help balance it," he pointed out.
Gabriel frowned, suddenly feeling certain that Peter was simply trying to interrupt their conversation. Yet he already knew that his judgment was being clouded by his already negative feelings for the other man.
Peter Petrelli had been one of the few -- possibly only as far as Gabriel knew -- people to actually contact the Sureshes first during their initial search for evolved humans. He came to them six months after Gabriel had met Chandra and Mohinder, claiming to have had vivid dreams of flying and swearing that he could possibly even paint the future. All these things he could do only while other people were around, however.
Peter hadn't been on Chandra's original list, but his brother -- a politician by the name of Nathan Petrelli -- had and the possibility of two siblings inheriting abilities filled the geneticist with excited glee. Mohinder had been skeptical about whether the boy actually possessed a power or just had an active imagination, but Chandra was ready to pour all his hopes and dreams into the youth. The elder Suresh fawned over Peter, eagerly running tests and asking him daily questions to see if he had possibly picked up anymore powers. After some time, Mohinder's demeanor towards their new acquaintance soon turned from weary to friendly when the two began talking more.
Needless to say, Gabriel had been overwhelmed with jealousy. Peter was not the first person with a power that they had found and Gabriel, with Mohinder's patient help, had discovered his own ability months ago, but Peter's power -- his potential power -- was unique and the Sureshes treated him as if he were a shiny new toy for them to play with. Chandra was fickle; his attention could easily wander away from subject to subject if they did not possess the right results, so Gabriel wasn't at all surprised by him jumping at the idea of unlocking Peter's hidden ability, but Mohinder...
The American's throat still tightened at the thought of how miserable he had been those first few months, watching from the sidelines as Mohinder and Peter's friendship developed. Gabriel supposed that he was too use to having Mohinder's attention all to himself, and when it started to drift off to Peter, he felt certain that the sweet friendship would -- like theirs -- turn into something more romantic. It could have happened, he was convinced of that, because Peter was younger, better looking, and more fun to be with. The thought of the two men leaving him behind and running away together had caused Gabriel to spend many sleepless nights crying himself sick.
Yet it was only after the results of a brain scan came in that Peter's exact ability was identified, by Gabriel himself ironically enough. Gabriel had compared their two brain scans side by side, noticing the similarities that they shared. He began to understand Peter's power, so much so that he soon made it his own. He had felt accomplished, but not satisfied, because the younger man obtaining his ability meant that there would be no getting rid of him. Furthermore, Mohinder's friendship with Peter continued to blossom and the man found himself still having to suffer through evenings in his company.
"I'll help you out, Peter," Mohinder volunteered, but Gabriel quickly put a firm hand on his arm.
"No, I've got it," he insisted, never comfortable with the idea of those two alone together, no matter for how short of a period.
Mohinder shrugged, most likely already aware of why Gabriel was trading places with him. "Fine, I'll just get something to drink. Anybody want anything?"
"Ginger ale," Gabriel said, walking away just as Peter asked for a bottle of water.
They walked to the rented van parked in the drive way in silence, but Gabriel could tell that the other man was getting ready to start a conversation.
"So Mohinder tells me you want to start a family."
Gabriel cringed at the words. He had hoped that Mohinder had kept their conversation private, but he should have known better. The Indian told Peter everything, no matter how intimate -- how private -- it should have seemed. "I... I don't know about that," he muttered climbing into the back of the truck in hopes of hiding from the conversation. "I mean... it was kind of a dumb idea. I don't even think Mohinder wants to."
"He wants to," Peter assured him as he grabbed one end of the mattress.
Gabriel felt his jealousy rise, nearly boiling over, at the empath's words. They hadn't spoken about having children since the first night the topic had been pushed out into the open and Mohinder had never told him about whether or not he was for the idea. Then again, Gabriel supposed it was his fault since he had purposely never brought the subject back up, too embarrassed, too certain that the Indian had already dismissed the whole concept to even think about discussing it anymore.
"It's just," Peter went on, stopping and starting thoughtfully as he struggled to figure out just how to phrase his thoughts, "you know, it's hard."
He frowned, grabbing his end of the mattress and lifting it effortlessly. With Peter's empathic powers, Gabriel had been able to acquire a number of abilities as well. The main difference between the two was that, while Peter picked up abilities unconsciously, Gabriel actively selected which ones he wanted to absorb. Enhanced strength was one of the many they shared. (As Gabriel had said, Peter didn't need any help lifting, he could have picked up the mattress with his pinky if he wanted, but balance was another thing entirely) It was only after acquiring it did Gabriel realize the power was more entertaining than practical. Overall, it didn't help to make things easier, except in situations such as this.
"What do you mean ... 'hard'?" he asked as they carried the bed out of the van.
"You know... complicated," Peter continued, irritating Gabriel with his typical inability to communicate his thoughts. "I mean, adoption... there's a lot of paper work to go through and... and Mohinder's not exactly legal and that'll make things even harder."
Gabriel frowned, embarrassed that he hadn't thought things all the way through. He was silent as the two walked the rest of the way into the house and up the stairs.
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The young man couldn't help feeling awkward as he knocked on the chipped, green front door to apartment 613. He was used to visiting Chandra, but he wasn't used to being alone with the older man anymore. Things had been awkward between the two of them ever since Chandra had initially decided to give up on him when the tests were not providing the right results. They still spoke, they were still civil to one another, but Gabriel certainly didn't feel the same fatherly connection that he once hoped to have had with Chandra.
The young man stiffened as the door swung open, revealing a slightly startled Chandra staring up at him. "Gabriel? What are you doing here? Is... Mohinder with you?"
"No, he's at work," he answered, forcing a friendly smile onto his awkward features. "I just... I had some time off and wanted to see if you needed help with anything."
The geneticist didn't look completely convinced, but he allowed the young man to enter anyway, just like Gabriel knew he would. Chandra would allow anyone into his home so long as they offered him some sort of assistance with his research. He was far too eager for his own good.
"So how are you enjoying your new job?" Chandra asked, heading over to the kitchen to pour them a drink.
"It's great," he lied.
At times being an electrician was just as boring as repairing watches. Only now the pay was better and he was no longer his own boss. Having to work on someone else's schedule was somewhat difficult to get used to, but he had to admit that he didn't hate the job nearly as much as his old one. He had picked it and that alone gave it several points above his old occupation. Furthermore, he got to work on things that actually mattered, things that people actually needed. Time pieces were wonderfully complex pieces of art, but watch repair was not for him anymore. He knew he was meant for greater things and repairing faulty wiring was just a stepping stone.
"Well that's good," Chandra continued, handing him a mug of tea. "It's good that you found something."
Gabriel smiled, pretending he didn't hear the silent "so my son won't have to keep supporting you" in Chandra's words. "So, um, is there anything you need help with?"
The geneticist nodded, taking a sip from his mug. "Yes, if you could sort through some of these documents..."
"No problem," he said, heading over to the scattered stacks of paper hiding what had once been a desk. He didn't need any further instructions as he got to work shuffling through the papers, searching eagerly for a solution to his problem.
Chapter 2