capeandcowl | ☼ the first

☼ the first

Such a terrible shame about Ultranova. It isn't always so unpleasant here, I trust? I would be the first to admit I don't have the strongest of stomachs.

[glancing at his nails - moving on]

And to think, it had been so peacefully quiet... I suppose nothing gold can stay after all.

[the video cuts out]

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Because all you wanted to know was how you died, Adam. [ Following along and dropping his tone, he still sounds angry, accusations riding beneath his words -- that Adam couldn't possibly care enough to want to hear the rest. ]

I haven't left. Please, go on. [He rocks back again, propping himself against is chair comfortably as his hand wraps around his coffee.]

[ Peter's back to just staring at Adam, as if it'll actually help him figure out this situation. But all he can keep thinking about is why he had to get Adam back from the dead instead of Nathan.

And suddenly he realizes he's about to fall apart and his gaze snaps down to his coffee, trying to change the topic as he swallows back grief. ] What're you gonna do here?

[Frowning, he carefully studies Peter's face, tipping his head to the side an inch.]

I haven't decided yet. It does seem ..promising in many ways.

[He pauses, considering the merits on expounding upon that before he's back to staring at the other man.]

But now--Peter, you did say I was being inconsiderate. You seem like you have quite a story to tell, at that.

[ Peter's not sure he has it in him anymore to tell his story, especially not when he's now expecting Adam to only garner some form of amusement from it. Not that he wants pity in its place. When he gets right down to it, all he wants is Adam to care, and he doesn't want to watch all over again as Adam does anything but. ]

I was hunted down by the government, I had to cover up Nathan's murder, and I got stuck in Sylar's head for five years because I had to go to him for help. [ Back to staring up at Adam, expression miserable at best. ] Is that enough of a story?

I'd say so. [He says softly; gravely, any hint of bemusement gone from his voice.] Though that...doesn't exactly tell me much.

[a beat] We could come back to that, if you'd rather discuss something lighter. [His awkwardness is a little more than somewhat genuine; that had hardly been the answer he was expecting. Though to think of it, it would take something of that caliber to break a man like Peter. So full of optimism and hope once; now ruined.]

Like what? [ Peter wasn't sure there was much of anything that qualified as "lighter" in his life anymore. Nothing was simple as far as Peter knew, though maybe he just couldn't think far enough through his own misery to see what was. ]

Might as well just talk about it now.

[He nods.] I'm not stopping you.

[ That doesn't make this any easier, and Peter clenches his jaw, though whether it's to hold back anger or misery he doesn't even know. ]

Nathan told the president about people with abilities and they put together an under cover organization to hunt us down. Went on for about a month.

Ouch. [What more could he really say. He had betrayed Peter just as badly, though it had to sting even more from his own brother. He inclines his head to show he's still listening.]

[ Peter barely even reacts to the comment, staring off somewhere into the coffee shop. ]

Took a month before Nathan was convinced to go back and talk to the president. To shut it down. That was when Sylar murdered him.

[He pauses, a beat longer than he normally would. One might even say he's hesitating, and not even for theatric effect.]

What exactly did you need Sylar's help for, then?

What do you think I needed his help for? [ Peter feels so hideously over-exposed right now, and all he wants to do is curl in on himself, or under the table, or do something to escape how awful all of this feels. But there's nowhere to go, and just sitting here is making him feel resolutely ill. ]

He was the only person that could save someone- save hundreds of people in New York.

And he was willing to pick up, and save the world with you?

[Sylar was little more than a file to Adam, and he tried not to betray his fascination to Peter. It really was remarkable, in a way.]

I had five years to convince him.

[ Five years that he spent not wanting to be there in the first place, but five years none the less. Considering he wasn't even looking at Adam for a vast number of reasons, even if Adam's fascination was apparent, Peter didn't notice. Nor did he want to. ]

The five years in his head.

Right. Twelve hours in reality.

How convenient. [extremely dry, with a hint of sympathy.] And did he, save those people?

Yeah, he did. [ It's probably not possible for Peter to sound any more dejected about that statement. ]

Then I suppose all wasn't for naught. [He still looks vaguely concerned, taking a sip and setting the coffee back on the table.]

[ Staring at his cup, Peter's still trying to keep a tight grip on the possibility of a deluge of emotion, and he's barely managing it anymore. ] Yeah, of course it wasn't. He can help the people I couldn't.

But if you hadn't freed him, none of it would've happened. By that logic, you did help them. [Arches an eyebrow, still testing the waters.]

I didn't do anything, I got stuck in his nightmare and we had to break through a wall to get out. It only took losing my brother to do it. [ Finally snapping his attention back to Adam, Peter doesn't even think he's angry anymore, he's just blatantly distraught. ] I couldn't save him, either.

Yes well, we can't save everyone. [It's deliberately cliched, knowing even still that it'll get under Peter's skin.]

We? You didn't want to save anyone in the first place. [ He's heard it so many times before, that now it's just painful, making him pull into himself harder. ] It'd just be nice to be able to save someone.

☼ the first

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