pairechallenge drabble #28 "Treasure"; Waist Deep
Title: Waist Deep
Characters/Paring: Light Paire, implied Claire/someone, Zach
Rating: PG
Word Count: 544
Spoilers/Warnings: Nothing; it's completely AU. XD
Summary: Peter’s never seen her eyes so clear and happy.
Disclaimer: I don't own Heroes. :( Lyrics are © Owl City
A/N: ..so this is a completely AU Heroes one-shot, not only in the fact that Peter and Claire are unrelated, but also in the fact that nothing in the series has happened. The characters and their powers are pretty much the only canon things in this. I mentioned a while ago the "umbrella AU" idea I had, and this is meant to take place in that universe. Peter is a nurse at a children's hospital in Seattle, and Claire is an unpaid-intern there since she's planning on going to medical school after she graduates from college. Zach moved with Claire from Odessa to work on his filmmaking and photography. And though they don't show up in this story, Hiro and Ando are Peter's friends and sharers of the apartment. I think that's all that's really important. And for the record, this may or may not show up in the actual story when I do get around to writing it. I just wanted to get a stronger feel for an AU, because this is definitely new for me. XD Written for the "treasure" prompt at pairechallenge. Enjoy? :)
The title comes from the same song as the lyrics: "I'll sit on the front porch all night, / Waist deep in thought because when I think of you / I don't feel so alone."
The silence isn't so bad,
Till I look at my hands and feel sad,
'Cause the spaces between my fingers
Are right where yours fit perfectly.
-- Vanilla Twilight, Owl City
She really is a gem, he thinks.
Claire spins a little, skirt billowing around her and golden curls bouncing against her shoulders. Her smile is bright, her eyes clear and happy. Peter’s never seen her eyes so clear and happy. It makes his heart leap a little into his throat, if he’s being honest with himself, and he has to swallow thickly when she begins speaking.
“So how do I look? It’s not too much, is it? I don’t want it to be too much.” Claire’s face falls a little as she turns to look at her reflection in the bathroom mirror again.
“You look fine, Claire,” Zach clucks his tongue a little from off to the side in approval. “Peter’s practically drooling over here.”
Peter blinks a bit, protesting, “I am not!” He reaches up to wipe at his chin just in case, throwing Claire a small grin once he deems it safe. “You look amazing. Really. This guy... he won’t know what hit him.” The smile falters on his face even as Claire’s brightens again.
“Really? Okay. Okay.” She flashes Peter a smile, winks a little at Zach, and flips her hair one more time. “Okay, I think I’m ready. Wish me luck.”
“Good luck,” they chorus, and the next thing Peter knows Claire’s out the apartment’s door. He lets out a slow breath, slumping into a nearby chair.
“Word of advice, my friend,” Zach starts as he strides towards the fridge, reaching inside and fishing around for a soda. He opens the Mountain Dew can with a click. “If you like her so much, ask her out.”
“What?” Peter throws him a wide-eyed glance. “What are you talking about? I don’t--”
“Peter, please,” Zach cuts him off with a smirk, sipping idly from the can. “You look at Claire like she’s El Dorado itself and you’re a treasure hunter. You should see the way your eyes light up. Trust me, you’ve got it bad.”
“Well...” Peter trails off, shaking his head lightly as he presses a palm against his forehead. “Well, so what? I can’t... I’m too old for her.”
“You’re ten years older than her, Peter,” Zach quips dryly, leaning against the counter. “It’s not exactly impossible.”
“Ten years might as well be a hundred when it comes to her father,” Peter mumbles, dejectedly sinking further into the chair. “Besides, she just left for a date with someone and she seems really excited about it, and we work together and that’s just not professional, and have I mentioned how her father will kill me?” Peter sighs gently, standing to his feet in one fluid motion, heading towards the door. “Look, I’m... I think I’m going home, Zach. Tell Claire goodnight for me when she gets back?”
Zach nods, a pitying look crossing his face. “I will.”
“Thanks.” Peter forces a smile onto his face, stepping through the door and closing it gently behind him. He glances through the hallway quickly, and when he closes his eyes he tries not to picture that sad, little smile he’s come to love so much over the past six months.
When he opens his eyes again, Peter’s standing in his apartment, visions of golden treasures just out of reach dancing in his mind.
Characters/Paring: Light Paire, implied Claire/someone, Zach
Rating: PG
Word Count: 544
Spoilers/Warnings: Nothing; it's completely AU. XD
Summary: Peter’s never seen her eyes so clear and happy.
Disclaimer: I don't own Heroes. :( Lyrics are © Owl City
A/N: ..so this is a completely AU Heroes one-shot, not only in the fact that Peter and Claire are unrelated, but also in the fact that nothing in the series has happened. The characters and their powers are pretty much the only canon things in this. I mentioned a while ago the "umbrella AU" idea I had, and this is meant to take place in that universe. Peter is a nurse at a children's hospital in Seattle, and Claire is an unpaid-intern there since she's planning on going to medical school after she graduates from college. Zach moved with Claire from Odessa to work on his filmmaking and photography. And though they don't show up in this story, Hiro and Ando are Peter's friends and sharers of the apartment. I think that's all that's really important. And for the record, this may or may not show up in the actual story when I do get around to writing it. I just wanted to get a stronger feel for an AU, because this is definitely new for me. XD Written for the "treasure" prompt at pairechallenge. Enjoy? :)
The title comes from the same song as the lyrics: "I'll sit on the front porch all night, / Waist deep in thought because when I think of you / I don't feel so alone."
The silence isn't so bad,
Till I look at my hands and feel sad,
'Cause the spaces between my fingers
Are right where yours fit perfectly.
-- Vanilla Twilight, Owl City
She really is a gem, he thinks.
Claire spins a little, skirt billowing around her and golden curls bouncing against her shoulders. Her smile is bright, her eyes clear and happy. Peter’s never seen her eyes so clear and happy. It makes his heart leap a little into his throat, if he’s being honest with himself, and he has to swallow thickly when she begins speaking.
“So how do I look? It’s not too much, is it? I don’t want it to be too much.” Claire’s face falls a little as she turns to look at her reflection in the bathroom mirror again.
“You look fine, Claire,” Zach clucks his tongue a little from off to the side in approval. “Peter’s practically drooling over here.”
Peter blinks a bit, protesting, “I am not!” He reaches up to wipe at his chin just in case, throwing Claire a small grin once he deems it safe. “You look amazing. Really. This guy... he won’t know what hit him.” The smile falters on his face even as Claire’s brightens again.
“Really? Okay. Okay.” She flashes Peter a smile, winks a little at Zach, and flips her hair one more time. “Okay, I think I’m ready. Wish me luck.”
“Good luck,” they chorus, and the next thing Peter knows Claire’s out the apartment’s door. He lets out a slow breath, slumping into a nearby chair.
“Word of advice, my friend,” Zach starts as he strides towards the fridge, reaching inside and fishing around for a soda. He opens the Mountain Dew can with a click. “If you like her so much, ask her out.”
“What?” Peter throws him a wide-eyed glance. “What are you talking about? I don’t--”
“Peter, please,” Zach cuts him off with a smirk, sipping idly from the can. “You look at Claire like she’s El Dorado itself and you’re a treasure hunter. You should see the way your eyes light up. Trust me, you’ve got it bad.”
“Well...” Peter trails off, shaking his head lightly as he presses a palm against his forehead. “Well, so what? I can’t... I’m too old for her.”
“You’re ten years older than her, Peter,” Zach quips dryly, leaning against the counter. “It’s not exactly impossible.”
“Ten years might as well be a hundred when it comes to her father,” Peter mumbles, dejectedly sinking further into the chair. “Besides, she just left for a date with someone and she seems really excited about it, and we work together and that’s just not professional, and have I mentioned how her father will kill me?” Peter sighs gently, standing to his feet in one fluid motion, heading towards the door. “Look, I’m... I think I’m going home, Zach. Tell Claire goodnight for me when she gets back?”
Zach nods, a pitying look crossing his face. “I will.”
“Thanks.” Peter forces a smile onto his face, stepping through the door and closing it gently behind him. He glances through the hallway quickly, and when he closes his eyes he tries not to picture that sad, little smile he’s come to love so much over the past six months.
When he opens his eyes again, Peter’s standing in his apartment, visions of golden treasures just out of reach dancing in his mind.