Pairings: Zach/Peter, implied Paire and Zach/Claire
: Jealous!Zach, possible language, and all possible pairings in this are onesided.
Summary: Zach comes to the conclusion that Peter was not like how Claire idealized him. He was more real than that.
Disclaimer: If I owned Hereos, I wouldn't care about offending people.
AN: hugs to vysed because she is a wonderful beta!
Italics represent Zach's thoughts.
You Disappoint Me
Zach couldn't enter the room. Standing in the doorway, he beheld Peter for the first time. His envious eyes locked on the dark-haired man in the room who was reading a book by Suresh (whoever that was).
So this was the man legends were made of according to Claire. Zach knew all about King Arthur and Luke Skywalker, enough to know that the man in deep concentration wasn't like them. So why did Claire think he was? Peter was most certainly nothing like Claire had made him out to be.
He just hadn't expected to feel the way he did after making that conclusion. He couldn't help but feel disappointed. He had anticipated someone more, not what was before him. He was so dissatisfied he retreated to the Petrelli's guest room he was occupying.
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It was now or never. He wanted to face the guy who had taken Claire from him. Zach didn't want to wait until she returned. If she introduced them, she'd be giddy about her favorite boys meeting, wanting them to be best buds. A disgusting sight that he wouldn't let happen; besides he wanted to inspect this guy who was too incredible to be true. She'd only distract his observation, not that it would matter. Zach knew his hypothesis was correct.
Peter Petrelli wasn't like the guy Claire portrayed or what Zach had read about in myths. He couldn't be as remarkable as that.
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Zach walked down the stairs making his presence known this time. Peter had been drawing vigorously in a sketchbook. His dark, soft eyes looked up hearing the intruder enter.
"Your Peter," was all Zach said, though he had wanted to say sardonically, "You're nothing."
Peter smiled warmly and offered his hand to the younger man. "So you're Claire's best friend?"
"So you're Claire's knight?" Zach mentally responded with sarcasm.
He could be cordial though and accepted the shake, saying with a small pseudo smile, "If that's what she said."
Peter's hand was firm, but gentle compared to Zach's clammy touch. The friendly pleasantries felt awkward, when you're not feeling very friendly.
"She's told me lots of things about you, and how you've been a great friend." Peter said kindly.
Zach scoffed to himself, "Not even close to the loads she's talked to me about you, I'm sure."
Instead he replied quietly, able to hide the bitter tone, "Yeah? Claire likes talking about you. How you've been her rock, the one thing she could rely on."
Peter looked taken back by what the boy had said. Zach hoped the guy couldn't read his thoughts; but understood Peter somehow had seen right through him anyway. Zach felt it was best to leave.
He spoke sincerely before returning to his room, "Thanks for letting me stay in your family's home. When Claire gets back- tell me."
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Peter was everything Zach wasn't. Peter wasn't awkward. He didn't doubt himself, which was probably why he seemed so adamant. Zach could be emotionally strong as well, he believed, if it wasn't for the damn insecurities. This was a temporary defect that would perish when he got out of high school.
Peter was compared to heroes in distinguished fiction and comics, while Zach was only thought to have been superman once. When he was five years old, he had drawn a 'S' on his red shirt and went 'flying' around the house. His mom wasn't amused and had asked when he would transform in to Clark Kent.
Peter had Claire's admiration. It didn't matter what Zach knew of the world. She wasn't marveled by his brilliance. Claire would never look at him like that. He shouldn't have come to visit Claire, but she asked. All she ever had to do was fucking ask and he'd do it. Some things never change.
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Zach opened the door to see who was knocking on it. He let Peter in.
"Claire called. She said she and Nathan were coming. Nathan hadn't expected he would be needed in LA for another day." he spoke benignly.
The teenager casually said sitting back on the bed, "That's cool. I'll just be on my laptop."
"Are you hungry? I could order us a pizza?" Peter asked.
How does Claire feel about knights eating pizza? "Sounds cool." Zach said then reproached himself for saying cool repeatedly. Lame. How could he beat Peter with such an unimpressive vocabulary?
Apparently now he wanted to outrival Peter. He didn't realize he had been competing with him. Did Peter know? Maybe he should, Zach reasoned, so he doesn't violate a chivalry code.
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An hour later when Peter brought up a pizza box to Zach the boy questioned, "I'm allowed to eat in here?"
He assumed the fancy Petrelli's didn't eat anywhere but dining rooms.
Peter smiled, "Sure...And look no plates."
They both sat on the bed. Peter laid the pizza box next to Zach's computer. The boy took a slice and began eating.
"So what are you doing?" Peter asked as Zach continued to focus on his laptop.
"I'd tell you, but --." He began, but paused remembering how other people reacted when he explained to them.
"I don't think you'll understand." Zach said matter-of-factly before taking another bite.
Peter agreed. "Probably not."
Zach couldn't seem to look up at him. He wasn't nervous. He had learned not to be intimidated by those he didn't like, appear strong during adversity, still he couldn't seem to stare the guy in the face.
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Peter came back. Zach stood thinking he was there to announce Claire's arrival.
"You want a tour of the house, since you're going to be here for a week?" Peter asked like a benevolent older brother.
Zach shrugged okay. Claire wouldn't want to do it. As Peter showed him each of the rooms of the second story, Zach couldn't manage to make eye contact. Peter stopped abruptly after they descended down the stairs and asked with a chuckle, "Am I anything like she described?"
Zach took a quick glance before muttering the lie, "I imagined you with a sterner face."
Then he knew why he couldn't face Peter because the animosity he was feeling was shameful. He was guilty of resenting a guy who seemed rather nice. It's hard to dislike a guy with endearing eyes. Besides maybe Zach shouldn't be angry that Claire thought this guy was a hero. It wasn't Peter's fault. He didn't ask her to think the world of him.
Claire's young; she probably has a fairytale complex or something. What if he wasn't trying to be anything extraordinary? He didn't seem to want that responsibility. Zach didn't believe this guy would masquerade as something he's not. He probably didn't want anyone to think of him as anything but who he was. He wasn't out looking for glory.
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They had wandered all through the house now. The tension had eased and talking became less difficult.
"I think you'll like the back patio. Its a perfect back drop if you brought your video camera." Peter explained leading him to a French window.
Peter opened the window to give his sightseer a glimpse. Zach's heart stilled as he watched the enthralling man look out at what the world had to offer. He wasn't looking for glory; it was reaching out to him. Zach watched Peter close the window. He came to the conclusion that Peter was not like Claire idealized him. He was more real than that. Peter was more than a two-dimensional idea on paper.
As he followed the intriguing man into the kitchen, it seemed to make sense why Claire was so smitten with him. No, he had not fallen for Peter. Zach scoffed; he wasn't like Claire, so eager to believe in a dream to separate some dissatisfaction he had with the world and its realities.
Peter wasn't a hero. He was just a regular good-hearted guy. And Zach didn't need him to be anything more than that. He didn't need Peter to be anything for him. He wasn't anything to him.
Still Zach couldn't ignore the disappointment in his voice as he whispered, "You're nothing."
Sorry about the different text color. I can't get it to change. Feedback makes my heart happy :)