Title: Oblivious
Pairing: Peter/Daphne
Summary: No matter how much he tries to catch up, she always manages to beat him. He vows, though, that it's never going to happen again. He might just get his wish.
Rating: T
A/N: The title of the fic came from a song by Aztec Camera... For Laura...Happy Birthday baby!
Daphne Millbrook has never been the kind of girl to wait for anything, to lean one side of her face and press it against the car window, just passing everything and anything that's faster than she is. She's never been one to slow down, to be slowed down by anyone; she'll walk on her own pace, even if no one sees her when she does it, when she's just a rush of air in the world.
She's got the entire world opened up for her, like a huge map on her feet and in a blink of an eye; she can go anywhere she wants. Berlin, Zurich, China, anywhere. It's like a magic trick she plays-Ladies and gentlemen, we gladly present the Speedy Daphne!-and she never wears out. There's always something to do, something to see, someone to meet off the street.
Running, for her, it's like a high, walking on water, it's exhilarating. Her life was undecided, numerous roads unfurling in front of her, her life was off the tracks, her life was hers, a fun one, one with adventure, and thrills she'll always find. She never slowed down; she never waited-why should she, when nothing waited?-she just speeds around the world.
Then she meets a certain someone, the dark-haired stranger, like someone out of a sullen Bob Dylan song, and, before she knew it, she's waiting. Waiting, slowing down, and ruining her life's tracks, just for him. Because if she speeds up, then she'll lose him and he'll lose her.
Peter Petrelli has always wanted to be the hero, the man in the headlines saying that he saved a girl from a burning building, the man who'll grow up into a humanitarian; he'll be looked up to. But he always shrunk under, under his attachments, under his involvements, under his family, and he took the burden gratefully.
He had a family, so he did everything he could to make them stay, make them love him, even if it meant his superhero dream would crash out of late-timing. He didn't regret it, no, being the wallflower so that Nathan would make his dreams come true was just a certain one thing that he did for the good, for his brother, thinking that Nathan would do some good in the hero, and he would save the world faster than he would. He's been fine with slowing down, all this time, why wouldn't he?
Lessons he learned along the way, while he just passed and walked by every opportunity lurking behind the shadows would last him a lifetime. Doing this, saving the world, one by one, made his heart glow, made him fly higher than he would in real life, that was the real high, by knowing that all those last-minute thoughts paid off at last.
Then he found someone, someone who leap across rocks, someone who spoke of adventure and fun instead of his mundane world, someone who seemed the exact contrast to him. When he waited, she went faster, shivering with excitement. Before he knew it, he was catching up; he was running beside her instead of behind her. Then he realized what she saw in running, in being free, of being exhilarated by life's chances. So he kept running, just to catch up.
It's a summer's day, glowing and happy and everything's good in the world, or so it seems. Peter is smiling; it's one of smiles that reminisce everything that's happened to him for the past few years. There's a glow about him, that he's happy about something, maybe he's happy about everything.
She comes out of the house, hands in her pockets, then instantly smiles at him once she sees him. Her vibrant eyes still make his stomach churn and her spiky hair still makes him chuckle. A grown woman, still playing with old school tricks, he used to say, but she always shrugs him off or ignores him. She sits next to him comfortably, leaning against him in a loving manner, then whispers something into his ear.
Let's run, she says. It's been months since she's said that, so Peter's excited. Daphne's back, vibrant, bounced back, and ready to go right ahead. He nods yes so both of them get up.
In 5 seconds flat, she's already running. Peter laughs, and catches up. They're nothing but wind now, but he can see her clearly, the way she smiles at him and distracts him to she can get to finish line faster. All these years, they've decided on a finish line, somewhere where they always feel comfortable.
They run, sometimes in circles, in roundabouts, until they come back to where they started. Blood rushes to his head as he tries to beat her, as he tries to show her that he's making an effort, and he does. He crashes to the ground, grass rustling as he collapses on the surface. He beat her, this was a first. Daphne claps proudly before going down on the grass, too, next to him.
That was fun, she laughs.
Yeah, it was, he agrees.
We should do this more often, she rolls over to see him, panting from the run. She looks at him intently, her eyes seeping through him, trying to send a silent message. I love you, she says.
Peter is taken aback. Yet another first. But it doesn't feel wrong, doesn't feel alien when he responds, I love you, too. He kisses her gently, and then embraces her, on both counts; he does it whole-heartedly, in an affectionate way.
She smiles happily and leans into him, as Peter wraps his arm around her shoulder, kissing the top of her head. Do me a favor, will you? he says.
What's that? she asks. Peter turns to see her face and laughs, Don't let me win next time.
Please review!
-Aly