Fic: Sweaty Palms
Title: Sweaty Palms
Author: starrdust411
Fandom: Heroes
Pairing: Gabriel/Mohinder
Rating: PG
Summary: He never believed in love at first sight. Not even then.
Disclaimer: I do not own Heroes.
Warnings: Slash, AU, Humor
*Winner for Best Fluff Fic and Runner Up for Best Chapter Fic at the Heroes Slash Fanfiction Awards: Winter 2010*
*Winner for Best Romance Vignette at the Heroes Faves! Summer 2010 Fiction Awards*
"Gabriel, I'd like you to meet my son Mohinder."
Gabriel Gray had never believed in the concept of love at first sight, and even at that very moment he wasn't sure it was real, but he was certain that something had happened to him that day. The moment Mohinder Suresh had turned to him and flashed that polite, dazzling smile his way, he felt his heart beat quicken, his mouth go bone dry, and his palms become slick with sweat. Gabriel felt his head buzz as Mohinder took a step towards him, offering the watchmaker his slender hand in greeting.
"It's a pleasure to meet you," Mohinder said, his rich, cultured voice sending goose bumps across Gabriel's pale flesh.
His face flushed as he fumbled with the cup of tea Chandra had given him, looking briefly for a place to set it down. Yet everywhere he turned there was clutter and stacks of paper, so he kept the cup in his trembling hands as he began to stand on unsteady legs.
"Likewise," he began, but his words were cut off when his cup slipped from his hands, pouring the scolding hot liquid directly onto Mohinder's lap.
Mohinder yelped, jerking himself back as if to escape the heated fluids spreading across the front of his pants, but it was too late.
"Are you alright?" Chandra asked, grasping his son's shoulder firmly as if to keep him from tipping over.
"I'm sorry!" Gabriel gasped, quickly grabbing a nearby tissue and rubbing at the stain quickly widening across Mohinder's khakis. "I'm so sorry!"
"Stop! Please!" Mohinder shouted, slapping Gabriel's hands away. It was only then that the watchmaker realized that he had been rubbing the Indian man's crotch.
His face was practically burning up as Chandra ducked into the kitchen to get Mohinder a towel. First impressions had never been one of his strengths, but Gabriel had never made this big of an ass of himself before! The pale young man wished that his power had been invisibility so he could just disappear.
"I'm going to go change," Mohinder announced, flashing Chandra a strange look before disappearing into the bedroom.
Mohinder didn't reappear the rest of the time Gabriel stayed and chatted with Chandra. Gabriel knew right away that the other man was waiting for him to leave, so he excused himself and slipped out of the apartment. The young man spent his entire trip home and the rest of the day berating himself. He had probably ruined everything. Chandra had reached out to him, plucked him out of his mundane little life and offered him a chance to be something special. Now the man would probably turn his back on him because of the foolish way he had acted in front of his son.
-+-+-+-
When Chandra called him three days later, Gabriel knew that it was nothing short of a miracle. He came to the Indian man's Brooklyn apartment filled with excitement and a well rehearsed apology for Mohinder. Yet the younger Suresh was not there.
The next three times the young watchmaker came by to have Chandra run tests on him, Mohinder was nowhere to be found. Whenever he asked, Chandra always shrugged and told him that Mohinder was either at work or running errands. Gabriel began to wonder whether Chandra was purposely meeting with him only when Mohinder was away or if Mohinder was the one slipping away in an attempt to avoid him. Both options made him feel self conscious and small, so it was no surprise that they were a constant presence on his mind.
The next time he saw Mohinder, he was not at all ready for him.
Chandra had hooked him up to some strange machines that were meant to study his brain waves and heart rate as the geneticist asked him a series of questions. There was frustration and weariness written all over Chandra's wrinkled face that day and Gabriel felt certain that those feelings were directed towards him.
They hadn't been making any progress. After all this time, they were no closer to finding out his ability than the day Chandra had walked into his life. Chandra was about to say something, either ask him another pointless question or tell him to leave, but he was interrupted when the front door opened. Mohinder walked in, a scowl marring his face, as he shifted the large grocery bags in his arms.
Gabriel felt his heart start beating like a drum and his palms go slick as their eyes met and Mohinder offered him a pleasant smile.
"Hello Gabriel," Mohinder greeted. "I didn't know you were going to be here."
So it was Chandra that had been keeping the two separate. Gabriel would have wondered why if the loud beeping of his heart monitor hadn't interrupted his train of though. He blushed, bowing his head shamefully as he cleared his dry throat.
"I think we're done," Chandra sighed, shutting down the machines with an audible groan.
"Would you like something to drink before you leave Gabriel?" the younger Suresh asked politely as he carried the bags towards the kitchen.
"Let me help you with those," Gabriel offered, hoping to make up for spilling the tea on his lap. Unfortunately, the watchmaker stood up before Chandra could remove the suction cups from him and Gabriel ended up pulling the machines to the floor.
-+-+-+-
In spite of everything that had happened, Gabriel came back the next day. This time, he had not been invited, but he had to apologize to Chandra and Mohinder for smashing their equipment. He knew that the two Indian men were probably still furious at him, but he couldn't let his own foolishness stand in the way of something as important as discovering his true purpose in life. The watchmaker knew he wouldn't be able to afford to replace anything he had damaged, but he knew that the Sureshes were fond of tea, so he bought them a variety pack, not knowing what they'd prefer, and one of his mother's peach pies in hopes of burying the hatchet.
He was about to knock when the sound of raised voices suddenly reached his ears.
"He's a waste of time!" he heard Chandra bark. "There's nothing special about him! We need to move on and find someone who can actually prove my theories."
Gabriel knew better than to eavesdrop, but he felt more than justified doing so knowing that the two men were talking about him.
"He's a person!" he heard Mohinder throw back. "Not a lab rat! You can't just toss him aside like trash. He has feelings!"
The young man frowned, pressing his ear flat against the door. He was just barely able to make out the sound of Chandra laughing bitterly at Mohinder's comment.
"Yes, he's made his 'feelings' very clear."
"What's that suppose to mean?"
"You've seen the way he acts when you're around."
Gabriel felt his heart go dead in his chest as he strained his ears to hear Mohinder say something anything. He should have known that Chandra had caught on to him; why else would the older man try to keep the two of them apart. Yet how was he supposed to know he was being so obvious when he wasn't even sure what exactly it was that he was feeling himself? All he knew was that something happened to him whenever Mohinder was around. His heart would flutter and his whole body would grow warm and tingly.
"At least he appreciates me," Mohinder said, pulling Gabriel out of his day dreams, "instead of treating me like some sort of errand boy!"
"This is my research, Mohinder! You're just here to help me!"
"Help you? Yes! I'm being so helpful. Getting groceries, doing the laundry, driving a bloody taxi while you sit around making phone calls!"
"If you don't like it here, then you're more than welcomed to leave!"
"Fine!"
Gabriel had to scramble to get away from the door when he heard Mohinder's angry footfalls stomping in his direction. He turned and hid around the corner just as Mohinder came into the hall way, throwing the door wide open. He turned and watched as the other man stormed down the stairs just as Chandra poked his head out of their apartment.
"And don't bother coming back!" he hollered before slamming the door shut with such force that Gabriel practically felt his teeth shake.
The pale young man tightened his grip on the small white box containing his offerings of peace. He suddenly found himself at a crossroad. Should he go after Mohinder or try to reason with Chandra? From the sound of their argument, it didn't seem like Mohinder had much say in the actual scientific process, but Chandra seemed to have completely lost interest in him. Chandra was a scientist through and through; he saw things only in black and white, successful and unsuccessful. Yet Mohinder was different. He was warm, nurturing. He'd be the more likely of the two to let him plead his case.
His decision made, he took the steps two at a time, determined to catch up with the younger Suresh. He found Mohinder right outside the building's front door, his back pressed flat against the dirty brick wall as his trembling hands struggled to light a cigarette with a cheap plastic Zippo.
"You smoke?"
It was the first thing that popped into his head and somehow the words found their way to his lips before he could stop himself. He would never have pegged Mohinder for a smoker. It just didn't seem to fit the image that he had created for the other man.
Mohinder turned to look at him, a deep red blush coloring his cheeks as he flicked his lighter on, the flame less than an inch away from his unlit cigarette. "I can put it away if it makes you uncomfortable," he said sheepishly. Clearly Mohinder wasn't used to others seeing him this way.
"No," he said quietly, although in truth he really wasn't comfortable with it. He just didn't want to tell Mohinder to stop smoking after the fight he'd just had. "I just... I never would have guessed."
"I only do it when I need to relax," Mohinder muttered, lighting the end of his cigarette casually. He watched as the Indian man took a deep drag on his cigarette before exhaling calmly, his shoulders slumping as if a weight had been lifted off his shoulders and a thick cloud of white smoke escaping from between his soft parted lips. On second thought, maybe he was okay with it. "Are you here to see my father?"
There was a faint hint of regret mingled with Mohinder's words and Gabriel knew right away the Indian man was trying to warn him. Apparently Mohinder had not seen Gabriel exiting the building and assumed that he was on his way up. The pale man flushed as his eyes flicked from the package in his clammy hands to Mohinder's slight scowl.
"Actually, I'm here to see you."
The geneticist turned and gave him a quizzical look, smoke curling from his nose as he pulled out his cigarette and left it hanging limply in his hand. He looked like a bull ready to charge. Gabriel prayed that he hadn't offended him somehow.
"We got off to a bad start," Gabriel continued, taking a cautious step forward and bringing the white package closer to Mohinder's line of vision. "I just wanted to set things right. I brought you some tea. And a pie. Peach."
Mohinder smiled at him and Gabriel's throat suddenly felt like he had drank nothing but sand for the past ten years. "I've never had peach pie," Mohinder chuckled, taking the offered box gently into his slim brown hands. "Is it good?"
Gabriel nodded. The sound of his heart hammering inside of his chest flooded his ears. He couldn't think, he couldn't see, he could barely breathe.
The Indian man laughed softly as he flicked his cigarette to the ground and stomped it out. "Cigarettes are so expensive in this country," Mohinder said casually. "I felt like I was buying drugs!"
"They do it to keep people from smoking," Gabriel blurted out and he suddenly wished he hadn't said that. It sounded so preachy. He hoped Mohinder didn't think he was judging him.
Mohinder nodded thoughtfully. "I suppose that's good. They're terrible for you, but I can't help it sometimes. When I'm feeling overwhelmed, I just need... something."
"Everyone has their faults," Gabriel laughed, although he didn't feel it was true. Mohinder was perfect, cigarette smoke and all. He'd light up a whole carton of Camels for that man and he'd smile while smoking every single one. The Indian man smiled at him, glancing from the box in his hand back to the window to his apartment. Gabriel was suddenly reminded of the fact that Mohinder had nowhere to go.
"Would you like to get some coffee with me?"
His heart practically exploded in his chest at the question. His mind was suddenly running a thousand beats a second as he scrambled for something witty and clever to say. "I'd... sure. Yeah." Smooth.
"Okay," Mohinder laughed, his smile was so wide it nearly split his face in two. "You'll have to show me the way to a decent café since I have no idea where anything is."
He chuckled nervously. "Alright," he said. "So long as you let me pay."
-+-+-+-
Gabriel's stomach felt like there was a swarm of butterflies fluttering around inside as he watched the Indian grasp his coffee mug gently in his slender hands, raising it to his lips and blowing the steam away. He suddenly wondered if it was possible for Mohinder to do anything that he didn't find captivating.
"Aren't you going to drink your coffee?"
The watchmaker blinked, his face turning bright red as he looked down at the steaming cup sitting in front of him. "Just afraid I might spill it," he joked and instantly regretted it. What if Mohinder didn't find that funny? What if he was still upset about being burned?
The geneticist's melodic laugh helped to put him at ease.
"I'm really sorry about that," he said, knowing that he had ruined the light mood.
"Don't be," Mohinder shrugged. "Accidents happened."
The two soon fell into an uneasy silence, and Gabriel longed to fill it with something witty or charming, but all he could think about was Mohinder... and the fight.
"Is something wrong?" Mohinder asked, his accented voice filled with concern. "You seem a bit distracted."
"I... well," Gabriel fumbled, not knowing what to say. "I didn't want to say anything, but... I overheard your fight with your father..."
Mohinder's face grew solemn as he processed Gabriel's words. "Did you hear what we were saying?" Gabriel nodded. "How much?"
He blushed. "Well, I know that your father is ready to give up on me."
The Indian frowned, running a hand through his thick black curls. "He's frustrated," he explained wearily, "and desperate. He... my father's theories have caused a lot of... problems, back home. When he meet you... I suppose he saw you as validation, his chance to prove himself to his peers."
"So you think that makes it okay for him to raise my hopes and then just give up on me?" Gabriel snapped, allowing his frustration to seep into his tone.
"No!" Mohinder said quickly. Gabriel had to fight to keep from flinching away as Mohinder reached across the table and placed his hand over his, causing the watchmaker to become extremely conscious of how damp his hands must feel. "No, it's not right. He can move on if he wants, but... These aren't my theories, they're my father's, but if you're willing to give me a chance I could work with you."
Yes. Yes! Dear God yes! Gabriel cleared his throat, trying his best to quiet the excited thoughts swirling around in his head. "When I was a kid," he began, pulling his hand reluctantly away from Mohinder's too friendly fingers, "I used to wish some stranger would come and tell me my family wasn't really my family. They weren't bad people, they were just... insignificant. And I wanted to be different. Special."
"Everyone's special, Gabriel," Mohinder assured him, his deep brown eyes serious and tender all at once. "Life is a gift. Sitting and wishing can only get you so far. Sometimes, you have to go out and do things, take chances."
The watch maker nodded, his mind filling with thoughts of jumping across the table and slamming his lips against Mohinder's. He knew then as he gazed into the Indian man’s hypnotic eyes and his sincere face that what he had been feeling all this time had been love.
Part 2
Author: starrdust411
Fandom: Heroes
Pairing: Gabriel/Mohinder
Rating: PG
Summary: He never believed in love at first sight. Not even then.
Disclaimer: I do not own Heroes.
Warnings: Slash, AU, Humor
*Winner for Best Fluff Fic and Runner Up for Best Chapter Fic at the Heroes Slash Fanfiction Awards: Winter 2010*
*Winner for Best Romance Vignette at the Heroes Faves! Summer 2010 Fiction Awards*
"Gabriel, I'd like you to meet my son Mohinder."
Gabriel Gray had never believed in the concept of love at first sight, and even at that very moment he wasn't sure it was real, but he was certain that something had happened to him that day. The moment Mohinder Suresh had turned to him and flashed that polite, dazzling smile his way, he felt his heart beat quicken, his mouth go bone dry, and his palms become slick with sweat. Gabriel felt his head buzz as Mohinder took a step towards him, offering the watchmaker his slender hand in greeting.
"It's a pleasure to meet you," Mohinder said, his rich, cultured voice sending goose bumps across Gabriel's pale flesh.
His face flushed as he fumbled with the cup of tea Chandra had given him, looking briefly for a place to set it down. Yet everywhere he turned there was clutter and stacks of paper, so he kept the cup in his trembling hands as he began to stand on unsteady legs.
"Likewise," he began, but his words were cut off when his cup slipped from his hands, pouring the scolding hot liquid directly onto Mohinder's lap.
Mohinder yelped, jerking himself back as if to escape the heated fluids spreading across the front of his pants, but it was too late.
"Are you alright?" Chandra asked, grasping his son's shoulder firmly as if to keep him from tipping over.
"I'm sorry!" Gabriel gasped, quickly grabbing a nearby tissue and rubbing at the stain quickly widening across Mohinder's khakis. "I'm so sorry!"
"Stop! Please!" Mohinder shouted, slapping Gabriel's hands away. It was only then that the watchmaker realized that he had been rubbing the Indian man's crotch.
His face was practically burning up as Chandra ducked into the kitchen to get Mohinder a towel. First impressions had never been one of his strengths, but Gabriel had never made this big of an ass of himself before! The pale young man wished that his power had been invisibility so he could just disappear.
"I'm going to go change," Mohinder announced, flashing Chandra a strange look before disappearing into the bedroom.
Mohinder didn't reappear the rest of the time Gabriel stayed and chatted with Chandra. Gabriel knew right away that the other man was waiting for him to leave, so he excused himself and slipped out of the apartment. The young man spent his entire trip home and the rest of the day berating himself. He had probably ruined everything. Chandra had reached out to him, plucked him out of his mundane little life and offered him a chance to be something special. Now the man would probably turn his back on him because of the foolish way he had acted in front of his son.
-+-+-+-
When Chandra called him three days later, Gabriel knew that it was nothing short of a miracle. He came to the Indian man's Brooklyn apartment filled with excitement and a well rehearsed apology for Mohinder. Yet the younger Suresh was not there.
The next three times the young watchmaker came by to have Chandra run tests on him, Mohinder was nowhere to be found. Whenever he asked, Chandra always shrugged and told him that Mohinder was either at work or running errands. Gabriel began to wonder whether Chandra was purposely meeting with him only when Mohinder was away or if Mohinder was the one slipping away in an attempt to avoid him. Both options made him feel self conscious and small, so it was no surprise that they were a constant presence on his mind.
The next time he saw Mohinder, he was not at all ready for him.
Chandra had hooked him up to some strange machines that were meant to study his brain waves and heart rate as the geneticist asked him a series of questions. There was frustration and weariness written all over Chandra's wrinkled face that day and Gabriel felt certain that those feelings were directed towards him.
They hadn't been making any progress. After all this time, they were no closer to finding out his ability than the day Chandra had walked into his life. Chandra was about to say something, either ask him another pointless question or tell him to leave, but he was interrupted when the front door opened. Mohinder walked in, a scowl marring his face, as he shifted the large grocery bags in his arms.
Gabriel felt his heart start beating like a drum and his palms go slick as their eyes met and Mohinder offered him a pleasant smile.
"Hello Gabriel," Mohinder greeted. "I didn't know you were going to be here."
So it was Chandra that had been keeping the two separate. Gabriel would have wondered why if the loud beeping of his heart monitor hadn't interrupted his train of though. He blushed, bowing his head shamefully as he cleared his dry throat.
"I think we're done," Chandra sighed, shutting down the machines with an audible groan.
"Would you like something to drink before you leave Gabriel?" the younger Suresh asked politely as he carried the bags towards the kitchen.
"Let me help you with those," Gabriel offered, hoping to make up for spilling the tea on his lap. Unfortunately, the watchmaker stood up before Chandra could remove the suction cups from him and Gabriel ended up pulling the machines to the floor.
-+-+-+-
In spite of everything that had happened, Gabriel came back the next day. This time, he had not been invited, but he had to apologize to Chandra and Mohinder for smashing their equipment. He knew that the two Indian men were probably still furious at him, but he couldn't let his own foolishness stand in the way of something as important as discovering his true purpose in life. The watchmaker knew he wouldn't be able to afford to replace anything he had damaged, but he knew that the Sureshes were fond of tea, so he bought them a variety pack, not knowing what they'd prefer, and one of his mother's peach pies in hopes of burying the hatchet.
He was about to knock when the sound of raised voices suddenly reached his ears.
"He's a waste of time!" he heard Chandra bark. "There's nothing special about him! We need to move on and find someone who can actually prove my theories."
Gabriel knew better than to eavesdrop, but he felt more than justified doing so knowing that the two men were talking about him.
"He's a person!" he heard Mohinder throw back. "Not a lab rat! You can't just toss him aside like trash. He has feelings!"
The young man frowned, pressing his ear flat against the door. He was just barely able to make out the sound of Chandra laughing bitterly at Mohinder's comment.
"Yes, he's made his 'feelings' very clear."
"What's that suppose to mean?"
"You've seen the way he acts when you're around."
Gabriel felt his heart go dead in his chest as he strained his ears to hear Mohinder say something anything. He should have known that Chandra had caught on to him; why else would the older man try to keep the two of them apart. Yet how was he supposed to know he was being so obvious when he wasn't even sure what exactly it was that he was feeling himself? All he knew was that something happened to him whenever Mohinder was around. His heart would flutter and his whole body would grow warm and tingly.
"At least he appreciates me," Mohinder said, pulling Gabriel out of his day dreams, "instead of treating me like some sort of errand boy!"
"This is my research, Mohinder! You're just here to help me!"
"Help you? Yes! I'm being so helpful. Getting groceries, doing the laundry, driving a bloody taxi while you sit around making phone calls!"
"If you don't like it here, then you're more than welcomed to leave!"
"Fine!"
Gabriel had to scramble to get away from the door when he heard Mohinder's angry footfalls stomping in his direction. He turned and hid around the corner just as Mohinder came into the hall way, throwing the door wide open. He turned and watched as the other man stormed down the stairs just as Chandra poked his head out of their apartment.
"And don't bother coming back!" he hollered before slamming the door shut with such force that Gabriel practically felt his teeth shake.
The pale young man tightened his grip on the small white box containing his offerings of peace. He suddenly found himself at a crossroad. Should he go after Mohinder or try to reason with Chandra? From the sound of their argument, it didn't seem like Mohinder had much say in the actual scientific process, but Chandra seemed to have completely lost interest in him. Chandra was a scientist through and through; he saw things only in black and white, successful and unsuccessful. Yet Mohinder was different. He was warm, nurturing. He'd be the more likely of the two to let him plead his case.
His decision made, he took the steps two at a time, determined to catch up with the younger Suresh. He found Mohinder right outside the building's front door, his back pressed flat against the dirty brick wall as his trembling hands struggled to light a cigarette with a cheap plastic Zippo.
"You smoke?"
It was the first thing that popped into his head and somehow the words found their way to his lips before he could stop himself. He would never have pegged Mohinder for a smoker. It just didn't seem to fit the image that he had created for the other man.
Mohinder turned to look at him, a deep red blush coloring his cheeks as he flicked his lighter on, the flame less than an inch away from his unlit cigarette. "I can put it away if it makes you uncomfortable," he said sheepishly. Clearly Mohinder wasn't used to others seeing him this way.
"No," he said quietly, although in truth he really wasn't comfortable with it. He just didn't want to tell Mohinder to stop smoking after the fight he'd just had. "I just... I never would have guessed."
"I only do it when I need to relax," Mohinder muttered, lighting the end of his cigarette casually. He watched as the Indian man took a deep drag on his cigarette before exhaling calmly, his shoulders slumping as if a weight had been lifted off his shoulders and a thick cloud of white smoke escaping from between his soft parted lips. On second thought, maybe he was okay with it. "Are you here to see my father?"
There was a faint hint of regret mingled with Mohinder's words and Gabriel knew right away the Indian man was trying to warn him. Apparently Mohinder had not seen Gabriel exiting the building and assumed that he was on his way up. The pale man flushed as his eyes flicked from the package in his clammy hands to Mohinder's slight scowl.
"Actually, I'm here to see you."
The geneticist turned and gave him a quizzical look, smoke curling from his nose as he pulled out his cigarette and left it hanging limply in his hand. He looked like a bull ready to charge. Gabriel prayed that he hadn't offended him somehow.
"We got off to a bad start," Gabriel continued, taking a cautious step forward and bringing the white package closer to Mohinder's line of vision. "I just wanted to set things right. I brought you some tea. And a pie. Peach."
Mohinder smiled at him and Gabriel's throat suddenly felt like he had drank nothing but sand for the past ten years. "I've never had peach pie," Mohinder chuckled, taking the offered box gently into his slim brown hands. "Is it good?"
Gabriel nodded. The sound of his heart hammering inside of his chest flooded his ears. He couldn't think, he couldn't see, he could barely breathe.
The Indian man laughed softly as he flicked his cigarette to the ground and stomped it out. "Cigarettes are so expensive in this country," Mohinder said casually. "I felt like I was buying drugs!"
"They do it to keep people from smoking," Gabriel blurted out and he suddenly wished he hadn't said that. It sounded so preachy. He hoped Mohinder didn't think he was judging him.
Mohinder nodded thoughtfully. "I suppose that's good. They're terrible for you, but I can't help it sometimes. When I'm feeling overwhelmed, I just need... something."
"Everyone has their faults," Gabriel laughed, although he didn't feel it was true. Mohinder was perfect, cigarette smoke and all. He'd light up a whole carton of Camels for that man and he'd smile while smoking every single one. The Indian man smiled at him, glancing from the box in his hand back to the window to his apartment. Gabriel was suddenly reminded of the fact that Mohinder had nowhere to go.
"Would you like to get some coffee with me?"
His heart practically exploded in his chest at the question. His mind was suddenly running a thousand beats a second as he scrambled for something witty and clever to say. "I'd... sure. Yeah." Smooth.
"Okay," Mohinder laughed, his smile was so wide it nearly split his face in two. "You'll have to show me the way to a decent café since I have no idea where anything is."
He chuckled nervously. "Alright," he said. "So long as you let me pay."
-+-+-+-
Gabriel's stomach felt like there was a swarm of butterflies fluttering around inside as he watched the Indian grasp his coffee mug gently in his slender hands, raising it to his lips and blowing the steam away. He suddenly wondered if it was possible for Mohinder to do anything that he didn't find captivating.
"Aren't you going to drink your coffee?"
The watchmaker blinked, his face turning bright red as he looked down at the steaming cup sitting in front of him. "Just afraid I might spill it," he joked and instantly regretted it. What if Mohinder didn't find that funny? What if he was still upset about being burned?
The geneticist's melodic laugh helped to put him at ease.
"I'm really sorry about that," he said, knowing that he had ruined the light mood.
"Don't be," Mohinder shrugged. "Accidents happened."
The two soon fell into an uneasy silence, and Gabriel longed to fill it with something witty or charming, but all he could think about was Mohinder... and the fight.
"Is something wrong?" Mohinder asked, his accented voice filled with concern. "You seem a bit distracted."
"I... well," Gabriel fumbled, not knowing what to say. "I didn't want to say anything, but... I overheard your fight with your father..."
Mohinder's face grew solemn as he processed Gabriel's words. "Did you hear what we were saying?" Gabriel nodded. "How much?"
He blushed. "Well, I know that your father is ready to give up on me."
The Indian frowned, running a hand through his thick black curls. "He's frustrated," he explained wearily, "and desperate. He... my father's theories have caused a lot of... problems, back home. When he meet you... I suppose he saw you as validation, his chance to prove himself to his peers."
"So you think that makes it okay for him to raise my hopes and then just give up on me?" Gabriel snapped, allowing his frustration to seep into his tone.
"No!" Mohinder said quickly. Gabriel had to fight to keep from flinching away as Mohinder reached across the table and placed his hand over his, causing the watchmaker to become extremely conscious of how damp his hands must feel. "No, it's not right. He can move on if he wants, but... These aren't my theories, they're my father's, but if you're willing to give me a chance I could work with you."
Yes. Yes! Dear God yes! Gabriel cleared his throat, trying his best to quiet the excited thoughts swirling around in his head. "When I was a kid," he began, pulling his hand reluctantly away from Mohinder's too friendly fingers, "I used to wish some stranger would come and tell me my family wasn't really my family. They weren't bad people, they were just... insignificant. And I wanted to be different. Special."
"Everyone's special, Gabriel," Mohinder assured him, his deep brown eyes serious and tender all at once. "Life is a gift. Sitting and wishing can only get you so far. Sometimes, you have to go out and do things, take chances."
The watch maker nodded, his mind filling with thoughts of jumping across the table and slamming his lips against Mohinder's. He knew then as he gazed into the Indian man’s hypnotic eyes and his sincere face that what he had been feeling all this time had been love.
Part 2