Title: Immortal Love Dating Game
Disclaimer: I do not own Heroes or Highlander. I'm just playing in their worlds for a little bit.
Genre: humor, crossover, friendship
Rating: T, nothing worse than anything in the shows.
Pairings: Well, I can't answer that, now can I?
Characters: Highlander: Amanda, Duncan, Methos. Heroes: Claire, Peter, Sylar.
WARNINGS: Potential spoilers through every season of both shows, including Highlander: The Raven spin-off season.
Summary: Claire gets invited to choose a date for Valentines Day. Her choices are four very eligible bachelors who all seem familiar, and similar.
A/N: I don't usually do humor, but here's a special treat because I can't help the comparisons. Sorry I'm getting this posted so late, but at least it's still Valentines Day!
The platinum blonde woman who greeted Claire at the entrance to the Carnival introduced herself as Amanda with a smile that promised lots of fun and more than a little mischief.
"You must be Claire," she said, leading her towards the designated tent. "I'm so glad you could make it. It's such a drag watching young college students like yourself insist on spending Valentines Day alone just because they don't have a beau. I guarantee you, at least one of our Eligible Bachelors will catch your fancy." She ducked her head closer to Claire's ear conspiratorially. "Or if not, at least provide you with a night to remember." Still grinning like a banshee, the taller woman pulled back the tent flap and gestured for Claire to enter.
"Thanks," Claire said slowly, already beginning to regret this. The tent was dark and empty, with a lit stage at the far end with a zigzag wall displaying the numbers 1, 2, 3, and 4 on separate sections. Taking her seat in front of the stage, she asked Amanda, "Aren't there usually only 3 to choose from?"
Amanda leaped onto the stage with perfect balance, her coattails flapping. "Only if you want it to be boring, dearie." Positioning herself under the spotlight, she got into the act. "Now, if we can begin, we'll start off with a little background information on each of our Bachelors.
"In appearance, our Bachelors range in age from 29 to 33. They can all be described as tall, dark, and handsome. But in actuality, they are 29, 32, 417, and somewhere around 5,000 years old."
Claire stared at Amanda like she was a madwoman. How could anyone be 5,000 years old? The hostess grinned and waggled her finger at Claire, deterring her from interrupting now that the show had begun.
"Bachelors 2, 3, and 4 are immortal, and Bachelor 1 can choose to be. Only Bachelor 1 can subsequently give up his immortality."
Claire was beginning to suspect she knew who Bachelors 1 was, and she raised an eyebrow at Amanda, curious.
"Their occupational categories include antiques, history, medicine, and repair."
Okay, that wasn't so bad. Two old farts and a couple of geeks, if she was correct in relating their jobs to their ages.
"Bachelors 2 and 4 are skilled in several forms of martial arts and swordplay."
Kinda cool, Claire thought, but those were probably the older two.
"Bachelors 1 and 2 are often described as 'Boy Scouts," while Bachelors 3 and 4 are reformed baddies."
A warning bell started to go off in the back of Claire's mind. She'd had enough "baddies" to last a lifetime.
"Bachelors 2 and 4 are incapable of reproduction, but I can assure you, all four of our Bachelors are excellent in bed."
Claire shifted uncomfortably. This was getting to be a little embarrassing. It's not like she was supposed to be picking her life partner here... And why did it sound like Amanda had personal experience with all four of them??? She caught Amanda aiming a flirty pout behind the zigzag wall as though one or more of the concealed men were glaring at her. The older woman quickly regained her smile as she turned back to Claire.
"Okay," she said cheerily, "Let's move on to the question and answer session, shall we? Bachelor number 4, in a fight between you and Bachelor number 2, who would win?"
Bachelor 4 sighed. "Amanda, darling, you and I both know that Bachelor number 2 would win and has won, and let's just be thankful he's merciful when he does. I wouldn't want to catch him on a bad day."
"Bachelor number 2. Would you be able to beat Bachelor number 3 in a fight?" Amanda asked.
A deep voice responded, and Claire could hear the smile in it, playfully teasing. "Oh, I don't know. Probably. He's pretty scrawny if you ask me, the punk. Needs to work out more."
"Ah, but that only matters if you can get close enough with your sword," Bachelor 4 interjected.
"Good point," said Bachelor 2. "It'd have to be a fair fight then. And I'd win."
"This isn't the Game," Amanda scolded. "It'd be one on one, no limitations."
"Then number 3 would probably win," Bachelor 2's deep voice grudgingly conceded, still playful.
"I'd be rooting for you, mate," Bachelor 4 said.
Amanda beamed. "Moving on, what would be your idea of a perfect date? Bachelor number 4?"
"Hmm, a road trip with a kiss in the rain and a bottle of champagne," Bachelor 4 replied, purposely rhyming.
"Bachelor number 2? Same question."
"Waltzing on top of the Eiffel Tower at sunset," Bachelor 2 rumbled.
Amanda raised her eyebrows. "On the ledge, no doubt, inches away from falling, but unconcerned because the two of you wouldn't really die if you fell?"
"Precisely," the grin in his voice again.
"How romantic," Amanda said with a half-flirt, half-glare look at the man behind the wall. "Bachelor number 3, same question?"
The voice the spoke then almost sounded familiar to Claire, but she couldn't remember hearing it used quite this way before.
"Sitting on the floor in front of the fireplace eating baked ziti for dinner with peach pie for desert."
The voice was almost sad, as though reminiscing on something that could never be again. Something about it itched in the back of Claire's mind, hauntingly familiar, but she couldn't quite place it. It almost reminded her of Sylar, but it was a bit higher in pitch than his voice usually was when he was angry or hunting. This person sounded almost... nice.
"How about you, Bachelor number 1?" Amanda continued.
"A walk? I don't know. Whatever the girl wants to do."
Claire's eyes widened, and she had to stop herself from laughing when she recognized Peter's voice.
Amanda smiled at Claire. "Well, now. Would you like to pick now, or shall we let the boys out to play?"
Claire did laugh this time. "Well, Peter can come out since I know it's him. 2 and 4 I know I don't know them, so they can come out too. 3 sounds familiar, but I can't believe it's Sylar. Not only would he not want to do this, but I can't believe you would bring him here and endanger everyone. So I guess they all can come out."
Amanda turned back to the men behind the wall. "All right, chop, chop," she said, clapping her hands. "The lady says you can stop hiding."
Peter came out first from the left side, glancing back for a moment before turning and smiling at Claire. She climbed up on the stage and gave her uncle a hug.
From the other end of the wall came a tall man with a long black trench coat. He had an angular face and beady black eyes, and merely nodded at Claire with a small smile on his lips.
A man with a shorter black coat came out behind Peter and clapped him on the back. His longish dark hair was held back in a ponytail with an ancient looking clasp. He took Claire's hand in his larger one and bent to kiss it, looking up at her from under his eyebrows with a smile. It sent chills up her spine to think what might have come next if this man had been Sylar.
"Duncan MacLeod of the clan MacLeod," he said by way of introduction, straightening up. "And that shady guy over there is Methos."
"I am not shady, MacLeod," Methos replied, slipping his hands into his pockets.
Claire looked around, but Bachelor number 3 still hadn't emerged. Guilt crept into her as she started to wonder if she had somehow hurt his feelings.
Amanda noticed the absence too, and sighed. "Duncan, Methos, please do something about Gabriel," she said, waving her arms in wide theatrics, shooing with her hands at the wall. "I swear, that man is impossible. He's ruining all our fun." She pouted, sending puppy-dog eyes in Duncan's direction.
Methos laughed. "All right. Come on, Mac."
He grabbed his end of the wall, while Duncan grabbed the one nearest the others. Seeing what they were about to do, Peter pulled Claire back out of the way as the two men toppled the wall forward onto the stage with a crash.
Four stools were evenly spaced behind the wall, but the third one had toppled over when the man who had been sitting on it got startled into a defensive posture. Claire gaped at the unbelievable scene as Sylar straightened up to glare at Methos and Duncan alternately. The two Immortals stalked forward, cornering their prey while conversing jovially with each other and calling Sylar "Gabe."
Focusing on Sylar, Claire was astonished to see that he looked like a beaten puppy. His eyes were wet, as though they had caught him about to cry, and his posture was slumped, not as confident as he usually was. She looked up at Peter, but his gaze was locked on the scene as well, looking as if he felt sorry for Sylar.
"Come on, Gabe," Duncan taunted, throwing his arms out to the sides in a come-and-get-me pose. "What's the matter?" His angry voice turned cutesy. "Little baby immortal forgot how to have fun?"
Sylar glared at him, seeming to forget about Methos. It was just as well because from where Claire stood, Methos' posture said he was just there as backup incase things got out of hand. That didn't stop him from verbally siding with Duncan, however.
"I don't know, Mac," he said, condescendingly, not looking away from Sylar. "Murderers tend to find fun in killing, burning, destroying. Trust me, I should know."
Claire thought the world must have ended when she saw Sylar take a step back. He still hadn't raised his hands or called up any of his powers. She couldn't believe he was letting them get to him. But then he lowered his head to glare from beneath his eyebrows and started to raise his hand to telekinetically push Duncan away.
Before he even raised his hand halfway, two swords magically appeared in Duncan and Methos' hands from within their coats. Methos' sword, which was closer, was already at Sylar's neck. Duncan merely tapped Sylar's hand with the flat side of his katana until the cornered man lowered it.
"Feel better now?" Duncan asked.
Sylar raised an eyebrow at Duncan and glanced at Methos out of the corner of his eye.
"You think he'd die if I cut his head off, MacLeod?" Methos asked, itching to try it. "Would there even be a Quickening?"
"Put it down, Methos," Duncan said, patting the air with his hand for emphasis.
Methos rolled his eyes and lowered his sword, stashing it back inside his coat. "Come on, Gabriel," he said, putting a hand on the man's shoulder and leading him over to the others.
Claire stared at Sylar as her worst enemy looked up at her without malice. Whatever had happened to him since their conversation in the closet apparently hadn't gotten rid of his powers, but neither was he so keen on using them. The way he looked at her, she knew he was begging for forgiveness. The lonely soul, broken, torn, and beaten, was trying its hardest to repent. It would be a long time before Claire could fully believe in this change and trust Sylar of all people. But somehow, she just couldn't find the heart to reject him today of all days.
Claire sighed, hardly believing the words coming out of her mouth as she looked up into the dark chocolate eyes of the man before her.
"Happy Valentines Day, Sylar."
End.
A/N: You'll have to forgive me if the ages aren't entirely accurate. I did my best to research and account for the number of seasons and years since. I realize I don't let Peter or Sylar talk for a very long while, but I didn't want Claire to recognize their voices too soon.