Hidden behind a silver veil
- a Heroes story -
Author: ryuosen
written for the sylar_peter advent calender at lj
Genre: Action, Drama, Angst, Scifi, Het, Slash
Rating: PG13 for language, sexual themes
Pairing: Sylarxfemale (implied), SylarxPeter
Timeline: Set in the exposed future.
Summary:
Being a terrorist sucked, being a terrorist hunted by your own brother sucked even more. But worst of all was being a terrorist, who was being hunted by your own brother and also had a crush on your twin, who coincidentally was still the only family member speaking to you. Peter really should have thought this one through.
Author's notes:
Cutting it a bit close... unbetaed.. so all mistakes are my own.. Heroes doesn't belong to me, I'm just playing in the sandbox.
Comments are appreciated!
Onto the story...
Being a terrorist sucked and being a terrorist, hunted by your older brother sucked even more. Sadly Peter had discovered that little tidbit of information far too late. He should have known, but being idealistic as he was - "..more like naïve.." - he had never imagined that Nathan would force his family to choose between him and Peter.
Obviously he had and it had not been in Peter's favor. Being the president of the United States had clear advantages compared to being an unemployed paramedic on the run. Suspected association alone was enough to be hauled in for questioning and the methods used had scared many of his friends, who might have fought with him, away.
His whole life had clearly taken a turn for the worse after Nathan's unveiling.
It was still hard to believe that now, four years later, anyone with enough money could gain an ability and it was all being supported by the government. With no one to think of the consequences. Well they thought of the consequences and had gone about solving the problem the wrong way. Locking people in camps like cattle wasn't really the answer to a soon to be destroyed world.
Yet the solution to their growing problem eluded him and continued to do so, leaving Peter with nothing but trying to sabotage the distribution of the formula. And that meant getting nearly killed on an almost daily basis, even with the arsenal of powers he had at his disposal.
Being a terrorist sucked, big time.
With a thought Peter changed his clothing to something inconspicuous. There was no need to endanger the lives of the only family, who still openly talked to him. Not that there was much Nathan would dare to do, he was far too afraid of his wayward brother to make big moves. Still better safe than sorry. Closing the door to his current hideout he teleported to Costa Verde.
Appearing behind a high fence he studied the street for a few moments before eventually deciding that it was safe to visit Gabriel. Noah's birthday was today and as little as he saw of both, Gabriel and Noah, today he had to be there.
He had gotten a small present for Noah days ago, when he had been in Florida trying to take out a small plant, who delivered some of the components of the formula. Gabriel wasn't a big fan of modern television but now and then Noah was allowed to watch the TV and Peter had remembered that he was a big fan of an old Disney movie. So he had gotten him a stuffed animal, Nemo to be exact. Hopefully Noah would be distracted enough to make it possible that he and Gabriel could discuss more sensitive topics. Such as the rest of their family and steps to get the formula off of the market before something real bad happened.
The painting of the split world was still heavy on his mind but he loathed to tell Gabriel about it today, on Noah's birthday.
No, not today then. It could wait another day.
Gabriel was always cautious and he respected that, he could understand that Noah was the most important person in his twin's life.
And that didn't make him jealous at all.
It was pathetic to be envious of a small child, especially when Gabriel was the only one still talking to him. But envious he was, because being the focus of Sylar's attention had always been something Peter strived on and being in Gabriel's focus was even more precious. Mainly because now he was being cared for instead of being attacked. Family was everything to Gabriel and he would make mountains move if it was necessary. It had taken him some time to realize that and only when he had been save in his knowledge had he started acknowledging Sylar as Gabriel and as his twin brother. That had been in 2008.
Opening the door with a flick of telekinesis, he entered the small cluttered house. Noah's toys were spread all over the floor, something Gabriel rarely allowed to happen. If there was one thing that his twin didn't tolerate it was untidiness. Maybe they were still busy with breakfast.. No, it was nearly time for lunch.
"Gabriel, Noah?"
Silence greeted Peter for a few seconds, not even Mr. Muggles had come to welcome him. Fire appeared in his hand, the present forgotten on the ground as he quietly entered the kitchen and peered into the living room. On the table was a sizable present still wrapped in colorful paper; below shreds were decorating the carpet. Something had already been unwrapped but he couldn't see anything new.
Upstairs then.
For a second Peter considered trying to make himself invisible before deciding against the notion. It wouldn't matter if he was seen. Years of fighting against Pinehearst agents had turned him into a formidable fighter. He didn't need to be invisible.
Soundless he took one step at a time until he reached the upper level; the fire still crackling merrily around his fingers. Peter could hear small sounds coming from Noah's room and stopped for a few seconds, listening to the voices from the other side of the door before deducing that it had to be some kind of CD.
No danger here, apparently.
Still it didn't hurt to open the door briefly and check. Noah was in bed, the covers pulled over his body with one tiny hand dangling over the ground. He slept like a seastar with all limbs spread over the mattress and Peter allowed himself a tiny smile. His nephew was adorable.
Noah was truly the only good thing that came out of the disastrous marriage of Gabriel and Lydia.
Peter still didn't understand what his mother had been thinking when she had encouraged the liaison between them, though he suspected that she had dreamed of an event and based her decision on it. He would probably never know for sure but what he knew was that Lydia had never deserved Gabriel or Noah. Not after she had run away and returned to the carnival when her son had been a newborn. She had died later during an attack on Samuel Sullivan and Peter hadn't truly mourned her.
Lydia had left her child and husband in the ditch, she didn't deserve his consideration.
Closing the door behind himself, Peter turned towards the door leading to Gabriel's bedroom. Silently he opened the door and entered, burning hand first. Seconds later he extinguished the flames again as he spied Garbiel sitting on the bed, bend over some papers in his hand.
"Gabriel?"
His brother's head turned and met him with a surprised look before he put the papers aside and rose to greet him. And no, Peter would never admit how good it felt to hug someone. Few seconds passed before he let go and stepped back. Gabriel offered him an impish smile before he sat down on the bed once more.
"Nathan was here with Angela. They wanted to wish Noah a happy birthday and you know Nathan. He thought it was a good time to pester me again. I know after all where the most dangerous terrorist of the US is currently living."
"A shouting match?", Peter truly didn't need to ask. He already knew, Gabriel was still as suave as Sylar had been and only something grave could have ruined his mood on Noah's birthday.
"To say the least. I shouldn't have lost my temper. Still did and Noah grew visibly upset."
Gabriel rubbed his forehead briefly before looking at the papers again. Peter frowned and angled his head trying to get a glimpse of the contents and failing.
"Something bothering you?"
"Yes, though for once Nathan isn't the source. Take a look."
With that Gabriel offered him the papers and Peter accepted them. A lot of it seemed to be texts about something biological and he couldn't make sense of it until he came to the last page. It depicted a DNA profile and matched his own DNA to Gabriel's and the ones of their parents'.
Peter blinked before looking at Gabriel questioningly. Alright so it was a bit weird that his mom would give his brother a paternity test but she probably had her reasons.
"Why would mom give you that.", he asked after a few minutes of silence.
Gabriel's answer wasn't what he had expected.
"She wants to include Noah in her testament. At least that is what she told me and since my original birth certificate and the adoption papers seem to have mysteriously vanished, she had another test done to show that's all legal and in order."
"You don't believe her?", it wasn't a question but Peter wanted to know what Gabriel was thinking. The brunet was disturbed by the subject, he could tell but he couldn't think of a reason as to why.
"My guess would be that she knows that we are still in contact. She also knows how … dissatisfied I am with Nathan's current bills. So she reminded me subtly that Nathan's family and therefore off limits.", said Gabriel, although his tone reminded Peter of Sylar, of the murderer who had pinned him to a wall and tried to cut him open.
"Why would you need reminding?"
Now Gabriel shot him that exasperated look, the one he usually reserved for times when Peter had done either something risky or stupid.
"She's afraid that I'll take a firmer stand on your side. No doubt she knows that I'm offering you sanctuary or patch you up should you need it. But that's acceptable in her eyes. However what do you think will happen should I decide to declare my alliance completely to you instead of remaining neutral. She would loose the thin hold she has over me with her lie."
He knew already that he wouldn't like the answer he would be getting, but he knew he needed to ask anyway.
"What lie?"
Gabriel's eyebrows rose before he shrugged.
"That I'm your twin naturally."
Utter silence descended onto the room. Peter's thoughts were going a mile a minute, trying to piece together the information he had just received and failed.
How could that be? Gabriel and he had the same power, something they shared with their father. They all could take the powers of others in some shape or form and Gabriel had even two, one they shared: Empathic mimicry and his intuitive aptitude. But his twin, not his twin, Gabriel had no reason to lie to him, so he forced his lips to move, to form a question.
"How long have you known?"
"From the beginning, after Angela told me that she was my mother and proved that Virginia Gray wasn't related to me, I decided that I would need to know for sure. I vanished and acquired a lie detector ability. Remember what I asked before I killed your father, when he tried to steal your powers."
"Are you really my family, my father?"
He nodded.
"You still played along."
"Naturally, it was the best move at the time. I wouldn't be locked away, was even free to acquire abilities in the name of the Company and your mother searched for a way to stop my hunger. It was a win-win situation. Angela in exchange thought she had some measure of control over me, she wanted to manipulate me. You know what I think of that, too."
Another nod and Peter didn't know what to feel. Voice were screaming in his head and they had nothing to do with his telepathy. One voice was angry, felt betrayed by the deception while another was understanding. Peter had spent enough time on the run to be thoroughly disillusioned about his family.
"We aren't related?"
Peter didn't know why he still phrased it as a question when Gabriel seemed so sure of the fact. But one voice overpowered the others now.
Not related, not related, notrelated, notrelatednotrelated...
"Considering that I found my real father I'm certain. That means you are allowed to kiss me without angsting over it."
The kiss was brief. A mere press of lips against lips before Gabriel pulled away again. His carefully slicked bangs fell into his face as Peter's head whipped around, almost giving him a whiplash. Staring at Gabriel open mouthed, he struggled to find a word. None came and Gabriel just grinned, that particular wide shit-eating grin that Sylar had always worn when he had been amused at something, even when that something had been killing someone. Somehow it was reassuring to see that despite the transformation there was still something left of Sylar.
"'cause one thing is certain Peter, you still suck at shielding your thoughts."
With that Gabriel's mouth descended on his once more and this time Peter didn't waste a moment being stupefied. He also let the insult to his mental shields slide - seriously his control was nothing to Gabriel's, he knew that - before tracing his fingers over the broad back and under the simple sweater.
Gabriel shuddered and Peter decided that he could get used to that. As a tongue was steadily driving deeper into his mouth he busied his hand by trying to get his not-twin out of his clothes before deciding that in such cases telekinesis was an acceptable method. Unfortunately his own clothing suffered the same fate and he gave Gabriel a glare for it. He couldn't simply buy new clothing anymore.
He received another passionate kiss for his troubles before Gabriel's lips moved over his jaw, licking and nipping until he had reached the sensitive area here neck met shoulder right about his collar bone. The first bite had him groaning and his hands grabbed hold of slightly sweaty skin.
Yes, he definitely could get used to that.
Once they had both lost their clothes Peter hoped that Noah would have the foresight to find his present in the entrance hall. He didn't think that either he or Gabriel would be up for anything in the upcoming hours.
fin