Chapter Two
When Nathan woke up that morning, he felt more alive than ever. Before this day, this new energy was more frightening than exhilarating. After his night with Pete, he thought he'd at least have a twinge of guilt or fear. He scanned his mind and found none. Smiling to himself, he continued with his morning routine. He could smell his favorite breakfast being cooked. Pete was downstairs making eggs and pancakes and had refused Nathan's offers of assistance. Who else knew that he liked only those two foods for breakfast, and with lemonade to boot?
As he finished cleaning up the basin in the bathroom, he thought he saw someone looking in at him from behind—a face reflected in the mirror. A quick check told him that the only face looking back was his. His face. A beat. A few seconds more. Something was wrong. The feeling hit him in the stomach like news of a horrible accident. He didn't know what, but it had to be something. His face? Was that really him? The smile he gave to reassure didn't help—it was fake, the smile of a politician. "Stop it" he told himself aloud, "that only works at election time". The smile he gave now was genuine—deliberately turning his back to the mirror in Pete's bathroom, he smoothed back his hair and headed down to breakfast, and Peter.
When he got downstairs, he saw the lemonade had been already poured for him and was sitting next to a plate of pancakes and scrambled eggs. Nathan realized that his favorite food being cooked was more than comforting; he was starving after a full night's exertion. Pete turned around and gave Nathan one of his crooked grins that Nathan loved so much. "I thought this would perk you up a bit…wouldn't want you to lose your strength." Then he did something he didn't expect Pete to do. He leaned over as if it were the most natural thing in the world and kissed him deeply on the mouth. "Ummmm…" Nathan groaned. "Breakfast prepared, kissing and touching…I could get used to this." Peter smiled at Nathan's reaction. "Maybe if you don't make yourself such a stranger around here you might get used to this really quick." Nathan embraced Peter in a hug, and placed a teasing kiss on his throat. "Well let's eat before we get too distracted."
Nathan's morning ritual was always odd, Pete thought. He never could understand how in the hell someone could eat eggs and pancakes together and wash it down with lemonade. But, he always did when Pete cooked. He would load the fork with a scoop of egg, catch a piece of the fluffy pancake, and swoop the whole bite with far too much syrup. When Nathan scooped his first bite and put it in his mouth, Pete waited for the moan of pleasured taste buds. He could hardly believe his brother's reaction this morning. Nathan's face turned purple and taking a swig of lemonade sure as hell didn't help. "Goddamn it Pete. What the hell is this? I'm gonna be sick." Nathan looked as if he would make good on his promise… he had gone from purple to green in two seconds flat. "Nate, you always eat this for breakfast." Nathan spat out the food into the trash, looking almost scared. Why? Pete heard him mumble something that sounded like "the eggs must've gone bad." Pete noticed that he looked worried, and anxious to get away from his inquiring gaze. "You okay, bud?" Nathan put on a wide grin. "Yeah Pete. Just a little nervous about all our new changes I guess." Pete frowned "You regret what happened then, between us?" Nathan put his hands on Pete's shoulders. "God no… ….You're the best thing in the whole world. I really do love you." He looked to Peter as if he were surprising himself with this statement. Nathan leaned in to kiss him, soft and tender, reverberating with pure need. "I gotta go. If you see Ma today, ask her where she wants to go out to dinner this weekend." And with that Nathan scooped up his coat and left. Left Pete standing in the kitchen wondering what the hell had just happened.
***
Peter heard a knock at the door. "Just a minute" he called out. He hoped it was just someone who had the wrong apartment door. He was trying to get ready for work and didn't really have time for a visitor. He was astonished (and a bit excited) when he opened the door to see his idol standing there. "Nathan, what are you doing here? I gotta be at work in 10." Nathan smiled at him possessively and pushed the door gently to the side, pressing against Peter and leaning in for a kiss, muttering "But I had to see you." Peter frowned. "Is something wrong? Since when do you get time in the morning on a weekday to drop in?" Nathan's smile dropped. "What…not glad to see me? I just needed to see ya. Couldn't you call in sick?" Pete put his arms around Nathan loosely, and then settled for putting his hands on Nathan's shoulders. "Look…I have abilities…I save lives…if I'm not there then another worker will have to fill in for me." Nathan smiled "I'm sure there are others who need the work too." Peter was starting to get frustrated as he shrugged on his messenger bag. "But Nathan, they don't have powers…I do…I can save more people. I can't work round the clock but I gotta do what I can. See you later tonight though?" Nathan surprised both himself and Peter with his answer: "Fine, go. I don't really give a shit. Just be ready to go to dinner tonight with me and Ma—we have to go tonight because Ma's got a fundraiser this weekend. If you care about seeing her either." Peter tried to grab his brother's arm as he stepped towards the door. "Nathan, don't be like this. You know I love you, and Ma. Of course I'm gonna be there. What's with you anyway?" Nathan paused. "I don't know Pete. I--I gotta go. Nathan stormed out of the apartment. But not before Peter saw something that horrified him worse than any accident he'd ever been called in on. The face that looked back at him with such intense anger as Nathan walked out the door was Sylar's.
***
Sylar. Oh my God. That's what was wrong. Peter couldn't believe what he'd just seen. He felt like he was going to throw up. That would explain the different behavior at breakfast and his anger just now. Would it explain the reunion, and the lovemaking as well? He and Nathan had discussed their desire for one another after making love. It couldn't have been Sylar. Peter reflected on their conversation. Nathan had known things and talked about situations they had been in that Sylar knew nothing about. Nathan's passion for him started at an early age, and Nathan couldn't resist telling him about the many times he had thought about revealing his true feelings, but could never find a way to do so. Certainly Nathan's feelings for him were real. But how to explain the appearance of Sylar? How would he find out what Sylar had done with him? He had a million questions and no way to get the answers. What was he supposed to do now?