Invisible Breathing
Title: Invisible Breathing
Fandom: Heroes
Rating/Genre: PG-13/slash
Characters/Pairing: Noah Bennet/Claude Rains
Summary: This sort of follows the “Five times… and one time…” pattern. When Noah is with Claude, he learns to hold his breath.
Word count: 500
Spoilers/Warnings: This is pretty vague…
Notes: For heroes_contest Drabble Challenge 31, “Breath”.
The room was filled with fire. Claude told him to take the baby out of the burning apartment and Noah did, as quickly as he could, careful not to breathe in the smoke.
***
Noah and Claude did their job and became friends in the process. Often hiding, waiting in the dark. Easy for Claude, but Noah had to stand absolutely still and couldn’t act until the exact right moment. He learned how to seem like he didn’t even breathe.
***
Noah’s new skill came in handy when Claude was touching him while invisible. Quick, rude or gentle touches. He would look like a fool if he gave in to them with a smile. Noah tried to hold his breath because it would come out all shaky and weak. Claude’s hand was in his neck, a soft caress that demanded a soft sigh in return, but Noah refused and then the next touch was a hard slap in the back of his head. The game had gone on for too long; Noah turned around and that time he was fast enough. He looked at thin air but his hands felt Claude.
“Good!” Claude grinned widely. “You’re getting faster.”
The game was over; Noah didn’t have to hold his breath anymore.
***
If Sandra knew the truth about her paper-selling husband she would ask how he could sleep at night. Well, Noah could sleep, normally. When sometimes his dreams disturbed him, though, he couldn’t; when Noah dreamed at night that Claude was close it woke up a need that had to be taken care of. With his jaws pressed tightly together he was careful not to move and not make any sounds. He tried to not even breathe when one hand clasped the sheets and the other finished what the dream had started.
***
Another assignment for the two of them. They shared a hotel room but the bathroom offered a moment’s privacy, or did it? It had a bathtub, and Noah had a feeling that he was being watched. He chose to ignore it, eyes closed as if he didn’t care. The water was warm around him.
“I know you’re there. Stop hiding in your ability, tell me what you want.”
Instead of words, he heard the sound of a body sinking into water, and the water around him got upset - it splashed onto the floor - and he felt a body meeting his. Claude’s face was very close to his when he opened his eyes. Noah was out of breath.
***
Claude isn’t there anymore. He’s gone. Noah knows it was necessary but knowing doesn’t make it easier. If they could see his tears they would begin to think of him as the next security breach but he can’t help it. He breathes heavily. If he tries to hold his breath, can it stop him from crying? No. Noah lets it all out.
Noah pretends that Claude is there, invisible as the air, pretends to taste him with each breath.
Fandom: Heroes
Rating/Genre: PG-13/slash
Characters/Pairing: Noah Bennet/Claude Rains
Summary: This sort of follows the “Five times… and one time…” pattern. When Noah is with Claude, he learns to hold his breath.
Word count: 500
Spoilers/Warnings: This is pretty vague…
Notes: For heroes_contest Drabble Challenge 31, “Breath”.
The room was filled with fire. Claude told him to take the baby out of the burning apartment and Noah did, as quickly as he could, careful not to breathe in the smoke.
***
Noah and Claude did their job and became friends in the process. Often hiding, waiting in the dark. Easy for Claude, but Noah had to stand absolutely still and couldn’t act until the exact right moment. He learned how to seem like he didn’t even breathe.
***
Noah’s new skill came in handy when Claude was touching him while invisible. Quick, rude or gentle touches. He would look like a fool if he gave in to them with a smile. Noah tried to hold his breath because it would come out all shaky and weak. Claude’s hand was in his neck, a soft caress that demanded a soft sigh in return, but Noah refused and then the next touch was a hard slap in the back of his head. The game had gone on for too long; Noah turned around and that time he was fast enough. He looked at thin air but his hands felt Claude.
“Good!” Claude grinned widely. “You’re getting faster.”
The game was over; Noah didn’t have to hold his breath anymore.
***
If Sandra knew the truth about her paper-selling husband she would ask how he could sleep at night. Well, Noah could sleep, normally. When sometimes his dreams disturbed him, though, he couldn’t; when Noah dreamed at night that Claude was close it woke up a need that had to be taken care of. With his jaws pressed tightly together he was careful not to move and not make any sounds. He tried to not even breathe when one hand clasped the sheets and the other finished what the dream had started.
***
Another assignment for the two of them. They shared a hotel room but the bathroom offered a moment’s privacy, or did it? It had a bathtub, and Noah had a feeling that he was being watched. He chose to ignore it, eyes closed as if he didn’t care. The water was warm around him.
“I know you’re there. Stop hiding in your ability, tell me what you want.”
Instead of words, he heard the sound of a body sinking into water, and the water around him got upset - it splashed onto the floor - and he felt a body meeting his. Claude’s face was very close to his when he opened his eyes. Noah was out of breath.
***
Claude isn’t there anymore. He’s gone. Noah knows it was necessary but knowing doesn’t make it easier. If they could see his tears they would begin to think of him as the next security breach but he can’t help it. He breathes heavily. If he tries to hold his breath, can it stop him from crying? No. Noah lets it all out.
Noah pretends that Claude is there, invisible as the air, pretends to taste him with each breath.