Chapter 5:

"No, left….left….a little more left…Wait! Right! No, I mean GO right…left…perfect!"

Sylar collapsed onto the couch, which he had been moving around for an hour, with a great sigh. As soon as he had said yes, Rena had started packing everything in sight.

"Oh, quiet you," Rena said, plopping down next to him. "You know you would have left that couch right in the middle of the room. I'm helping you keep things organized. I mean, jeez! I think we moved an art store over here, not just a loft!"

Sylar just rolled his eyes at her. He knew she was right, but wasn't going to admit that.

"Uh huh. You know, I would have thrown some of that stuff out. My original plan hadn't been to move everything over here," Sylar said, hitting her feet off his lap.

She placed her feet back on his lap. "Your original plan didn't involve moving in here either, did it?" She said, grinning up at him.

He looked at her. "No, it wasn't. But I met this girl, and you see she was very persuasive. I just couldn't say no to her. I just had to move in."

"Oh, Gabe!" Rena said, covering her mouth in mock surprise, "You wait until after we finish moving all your stuff in here to tell me your cheating on me? Oh, woe is me!"

At this point, Rena has draped an arm over her forehead, and one over her heart.

"Oh, woe is you!" Sylar said, gently moving her feet off his lap. "You directed my every move, and told me where to put all my stuff. Watching me work must have exhausted you."

The whole time he was speaking, he had moved closer to her. Rena moved her slightly, and looked at him with one eye.

"Gabe, what are you – ah!"

But she didn't get to finish, Sylar had already pounced. He landed on top of Rena and started relentlessly tickling her.

"Say 'uncle'! Say it!" He laughed, poking her sides and watching her squirm.

"N-No! Yo-you can't mak-make me s-say i-it!" She said, gasping for breath.

Sylar continued on, listening to her laugh and try to squirm out of his grasp. He laughed at her, and then realized something.

'I haven't had this much fun in a while,' he thought, slowing his attack. 'And I don't think she has either. It's like, we bring out the better side in each other. The side that hasn't laughed or let loose in a while…'

"Gabe? Gabe? Are you all right?"

Sylar shook his head, snapping out of his thoughts. Rena was looking up at him, a concerned expression on her face.

"What did you say?" he asked, still not fully there.

Her frown deepened. "I asked if you were all right. You just zoned out for a moment and stopped moving. It made me nervous. Are you coming down with something?"

When Rena tried to move her hand towards him, Sylar realized he still held both her wrists. She tugged on her wrists again, giving him a pointed look, but his grip tightened.

'Her eyes are beautiful,' he thought, watching them catch the light. 'They're green at first glance, but with the right light, it's like a rainbow…'

Sylar didn't even realize he was leaning forward until their foreheads touched…