Peter sighed and flipped a bill onto the counter.
"Another, please."
The pretty waitress frowned in concern.
"Do you have a way to get home tonight, sir?"
He smiled bitterly as she set his drink down and stuffed the money down her shirt.
That wont be necessary, miss. You see, I have a nice little superpower that'll make sure I can never get drunk.
At least, that's what he wanted to say.
"Yeah," he replied shortly.
She turned on her heel, unconvinced, and went to have a talk with the manager.
Peter felt someone behind him and a low voice growled, "What a nosy bitch."
"I'm surprised the feds haven't caught your sorry ass."
Hiro slid into the chair beside him and smirked. "Everyone who saw me pop in poured their drinks in the nearest plant. I think I'm safe."
Peter gave him a look.
"You know I liked the old Hiro. The one who didn't cuss or drink or kill."
"The comic book nerd with the glasses? Yea I remember him."
"I thought he was rather nice." Peter commented scathingly.
A flicker of annoyance came to Hiro's eyes, but quickly faded back into its usual emotionlessness.
"He's dead. Forget about him."
Peter turned to him seriously.
"Well I wish he wasn't. What happened to us, Hiro? When did we become the bad guys?"
He stared down at his empty glass and continued.
"I remember when we were both...happy, about saving the world. When we were actually heroes-"
"We were easy targets." Hiro interrupted.
"Nice guys finish last, Peter."
"But you were better as a nice guy. I mean everything about you..Your love of waffles, the unwavering devotion to the hero's code...hell even when you screamed "ya-tta"...you were-"
"Annoying?"
Peter let out an irritated sigh.
"Well you were more pleasant to be around that's for damn sure."
Hiro ordered a drink, cursing under his breath.
"I am so sorry that I'm not good enough for you anymore." he grumbled
"No, you're just different," he said, smoothing out the arm of Hiro's jacket.
"Not as cute..."
Hiro glanced up, giving him a look of surprise that was so Hiro, he had to laugh.
"It's good to know you still have your moments!"
He lowered his eyes stubbornly to the counter, deliberately avoiding Peter's gaze as the waitress arrived with his drink.
"You're incorrigible, you know that?"
Peter shrugged indifferently. "Eh, I guess my spirit hasn't broken yet."
Hiro took a mighty swig of his drink, grimacing.
"Well I'd hope not. Because I'm not quite finished fixing the past, and I can't do it alone."
Peter smiled at him. "Good."
Hiro took another drink, giving his half-empty glass another look of distaste.
"Tell you what? Let's blow this popsicle stand and get some drinks from the liquor store down the street. This place isn't doing it for me."
Peter nodded in agreement.
"Sounds like a plan."
About an hour later
"Remind me again why I couldn't have just taken you home."
Hiro grinned at him stupidly.
"N'hero nev'r r'veals his secret layer."
"Riiight..."
Dragging Hiro from the liquor store to that sad-looking motel hadn't been easy, and now Hiro wasn't the only one ready to pass out.
If only he hadn't insisted on drinking along the way... he thought grudgingly, listening to Hiro stumble around in the bathroom. A low buzzing sound could be heard, so he had no doubt gotten a hold of some sort of a shaver. Great. An accident waiting to happen.
Just as he'd suspected, Hiro stalked out of the bathroom without his goatee.
"It at'aked me!" he cried, throwing his arms up in frustration. Peter noticed he had something in his hand. Apparently he had been trying without success to carve a unicorn out of a bar of soap with the shaver, and wound up doing something completely different.
Peter chuckled.
Hiro didn't notice, pulling his glasses from his pocket and placing them on his face.
Those would have been convenient a few minutes ago...
He sat on the floor to complete his unicorn, this time using his fingernails.
"Stop that!"
It was no use. Hiro lifted his head momentarily, holding the soap up to show him, and resumed picking at it.
Peter sighed, seating himself on a lumpy armchair. He promptly fell asleep.
A few seconds later
Hiro crawled over to the sleeping Peter and watched. After a moment, he curiously traced a path over the long scar on his face.
Everything seemed to fascinate him at the moment.
He took his "unicorn" and prodded Peter's cheek with it.
"H-Heeyyy.." he whispered loudly.
Peter cracked an eye open grumpily, then shut it again.
Hiro dropped the soap, leaning closer so that he was mere centimeters from Peter's face. He reached up and poked. The other grumbled, "Stop it, Hiro." but beyond that, didn't react.
Hiro pouted at this. Determined to get his attention, he cupped his face in his hands. Peter's eyes fluttered open slowly. "Hiro, what are you-"
"I'm st'l m'self." he insisted. "I c'n st'l be m'self."
Peter looked up at him through his eyelashes. "What the hell do you mean?" he breathed tiredly.
He was surprised to see the emotion in Hiro's eyes. It was lonely, and sad.
"I'm so tir'd o bein' 'dis mis'rable p'rson. I kn'w s'unds impos'ble but...I-I wan' be happy."
Peter looked shocked. "You mean that?"
Hiro nodded. "Mmhmm. An' you sho'd be too."
Peter laughed quietly. "Happy?"
"Yea."
"And how do you suppose I will ever be happy?"
A tiny blush came across Hiro's cheeks.
"I'll make ya' happy." he mumbled.
Peter looked as confused as he felt.
"...what-?"
But before he could get another word out, Hiro pressed a hand against the back of his neck, forcing his head forward...
"Mmph!"
Peter was far too exhausted and confused to move. All he knew was that they were kissing.
Hiro broke away slowly, flushing. He stared down at the floor, dropping his hand in embarrassment.
"I-m...s-sorry..."
Peter caught his chin, gently bringing Hiro's lips back to his. Hiro blushed some more and smiled shyly. Peter smiled back.
"I'm...I-I do want to be happy...with you..."
Hiro looked delighted, placing his hands on the floor between his knees and leaning forward for another kiss.
"..But..."
Peter abruptly put a finger to his lips.
"...it..it's just not that simple..."
Hiro leaned in again, and this time Peter didn't stop him. Their mouths were only an inch apart. His breath tasted of alcohol. Heavily. Peter found the flavor encouraging somehow.
"No, no-is v'ry simple" he insisted huskily.
They were kissing again, Peter allowing the Japanese man to drag him to the floor.
Peter wrapped his arms around Hiro's neck, and he bent to taste the hot flesh there.
"Mm!" Hiro bit his lower lip to suppress a whimper.
Peter's fingers touched something. The hilt of his sword.
He continued licking Hiro's neck, trying to keep him distracted as he slowly drew the sword from its sheath...
"Shhing!"
The other jerked away and stared at him in horror, what was left of his hair falling softly around his face.
After a moment of shocked silence Hiro spoke.
"W-why..?..Why woo'd you do that?"
Peter smiled.
"I never liked the long hair." he replied, tangling his fingers in his short, black locks.
Hiro glared dangerously, making the other laugh again. They kissed a fourth time, Peter biting hungrily on Hiro's lower lip. Hiro pushed him away for a moment, breathing heavily.
"D-do you..do you luv me, Petah?"
Peter smiled. "Not quite...something's wrong..."
Hiro dropped his hands from Peter's face and pouted. "What?"
Peter reached up, pushing Hiro's glasses up. He tapped a fingertip on his nose.
"There! Perfect."
Peter cupped his face in his hands.
"You're adorable again."
Hiro laughed. "Ya-tta!"
Peter beamed at him. God, how I've missed that.