Three

Like so many great cities, Las Vegas only came to life after dark. It was an easy enough transition for Peter, who had lived under the lights of New York City. Peter had once been a morning person, but after that day he spent so many nights sleepless or battling nightmares that he gradually grew to be a night owl. It turned out that Alex functioned the same way, so many times Peter spent his nights off with the older British man. Sometimes those evenings were spent at a casino, some in seeing a Vegas show, and others they simply sat together in a bar bonding over drinks. Peter preferred the last of those three. It was quiet and it amazed him how he could lose track of time when he was with Alex.

It was during one such quiet evening that the two men approached the subject of being "special". They had both alluded to it and they had thus far had a silent understanding that they both possessed some ability, but what exactly those abilities were had remained a mystery. As always, it was Alex who spoke up first.

"You know, Bruce, you and I have been here for several hours now. Aren't you feeling the least bit inebriated?"

"What about you?" the scarred man retorted. "You've been drinking as much as me."

"So I have," Alex agreed, smiling as he lifted another glass to his lips. "I'm afraid we must face the fact that we're both hopeless alcoholics." He paused to take a slow sip. "How long have you been a drinker?"

"Five years," Peter answered shortly. The older man's eyes were watching him, a smile playing on his lips. Peter could sense there was more to this line of questioning.

"I've been drinking for a much longer time. Much longer." Alex's smile was widening as he spoke. "Though I must say I've never met anyone who can hold their liquor like you can. Other than myself, of course." Peter said nothing, waiting for his friend to continue. He could almost feel what was coming next. "You can heal too, can't you, Bruce?"

"I…" Peter's eyes fell away for a moment, but soon return to lock onto Alex. "Yeah," he admitted. "I can." Alex looked very pleased to hear that and Peter had the impulse to show him everything. "But it's more than that. Watch." He opened his hand and Alex's glass slid across the table. Alex straightened in his chair, watching with amazement as Peter faded from view and reappeared moments later.

"You have more than one ability? How is that possible?"

"I'm like a sponge," Peter answered quietly. "I absorb the abilities of people around me, then recall it later."

"A mimic." Peter had Alex's full attention now. "I've never encountered one before, and I've lived for a very long time."

"How long?" Peter felt compelled to ask.

"Four hundred years." Peter choked in surprise. He searched the man's mind but could tell he was speaking the truth.

"I have to say," Peter commented with a light smirk, "that you look very good for your age."

After that conversation, the bond between the two men grew even stronger. Finally Peter could understand why he saw such disconnection in the British man's eyes. They had both been through terrible things; Alex simply carried far more weight than Peter. The younger man felt his empathy reawaken for Alex. It had been so long since he'd felt this way, but he had never met someone who could understand his brokenness.

Perhaps it was this that drew him to reach out for the older man, to do what had taken him much longer to do with Niki and physically touch him. It was an incredibly simple gesture but Peter didn't usually make physical contact. His hand was tentative as it rested on Alex's shoulder. The older man smiled kindly; somehow he knew how hard this was for Peter. Alex always seemed to be able to understand Peter. He was looking down on the scarred man with a thoughtful look in his eyes. Peter tilted his head up to match the gaze.

Both of them moved at the same time. Peter's hands reached up to touch the other man's face just in time for Alex to bend his head down. Their lips connected and Peter closed his eyes to savor the moment. The kiss felt right. It was almost as if he'd been expecting it ever since they met that night in the bar.

Peter had never kissed another man before. Something that, again, Alex seemed able to sense. His lips were patient, guiding Peter along in slow caresses. It ended only when they needed to breathe.

"Well...," Alex said with a breathless laugh. "That was a pleasant surprise." Peter responded with his first real smile in years.