Title: Just Another Beau
Characters/Paring: platonic/familial Peter/Claire, very very very slight Claire/OC
Rating: G
Word Count: 484 (including the "epilogue," which is really just a kinda cracky follow-up I couldn't resist XD)
Spoilers/Warnings: Haha, nothing whatsoever.
Summary: He was going to do it again. He always did
Disclaimer: I'm sorry to disappoint you, but I don't own Heroes. That privilege belongs to Tim Kring and NBC.
A.N: What's thiiiis? Not only platonic Peter/Claire, but one that might actually represent a real uncle/niece relationship? God save the queen! But yeah, this was a lot of fun to write, even though I'm not sure how I feel about it. XD Haha, I hope you guys enjoy the lightness of 's just a date, she kept telling herself. Just a simple date with a boy from her English 1101 class that had asked her out for coffee. The third boy from her English 1101 class that had asked her out for coffee, technically. Claire assumed this one hadn't gotten the memo.
"When's he getting here?" Peter asked from off to her side, frowning at his watch as he sunk deeper into the booth.
"Soon," she told him, biting the inside of her cheek lightly as the worry built up inside of her. He was going to do it again. He always did. "You know, you could, um, leave if you want. I won't mind."
He waved it off, flashing her that easy smile of his. "I don't mind. Besides, I like meeting your potential... what is it girls call boyfriends now? Beaus?"
"Oh, God," Claire muttered, half-covering her face in embarrassment. "Never use that word again."
"What? Beau?"
"Yes, beau."
Peter shrugged nonchalantly. "Sorry. I just thought--"
"Oh!" Claire punched him hard in the arm, ignoring his wince as she whispered frantically, "Shut up, he's coming!"
"You didn't have to hit me!" he hissed back at her, plastering a fake smile onto his face as a boy about Claire's age sidled into the table across from them.
"Kyle!" Claire jumped up slightly before sitting back down, nodding in Peter's direction. "Um, sorry about him. He's my uncle. He'll be leaving soon." She shot him a pointed look for emphasis, but Peter's gaze was locked solely on the blonde boy across from him, face set in a serious expression.
"Uh... yeah." Kyle fidgeted nervously in his seat, half-waving. "Hi, dude."
Peter's voice was dangerously low when he spoke, and Claire had to fight hard to not give in to the urge to sink under the table.
"You even think about touching her and I'll know it. Understood?" he warned, and Kyle nodded stiffly, mutely. Peter gave him one more look over before turning back towards Claire, his gaze softer as he stood up and moved out of the booth. "See you later, squirt," he spoke aloud, but inside her head were different words.
Don't be mad, I just don't want you to get hurt again.
Brody flashed through her mind unbidden and any anger she might have had dissolved instantly. He always was her hero.
I could never be mad at you, she thought, smiling gently as she said, "See ya, Peter."
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Epilogue: The date lasted all of ten minutes, not due to Peter's behavior but rather because Claire quickly deduced that Kyle's vocabulary consisted mainly of "yo" and "dude." She wondered how he ever got into NYU. She called Peter up instantly and he (nearly literally) swooped in to save her. They spent the entire day finding fringe comic-book stores and trying to find characters with the powers of people they knew.