Hope
Title: Hope
Characters/Pairing: Sylar/Maya, Nadia
Rating: PG - 13
Word count: 2,044
Disclaimer: Do not own.
Summery: Maya suggests something to him and he's not pleased :x
Note: Kinda angsty and fluffy. Just a one shot.
She breathes in deep and stills the careful colouring-in she had been doing, a book with yellowing corners that her mother had found in an old library, to watch her father come up behind her mother, finger to his lips. Her mother was cooking a huge cake for her class, something right from that island she used to come from. Bizcocho-Dominicano. The counter was neatly cluttered with pans and the oven was warming up, making the room toasty. The sun was setting and it cast the kitchen into a peach glow.
Nadia watches expectantly as her father comes to a stop and reaches for the loose sitting bow at her mother's back and tightens the apron around her with a hard tug, drawing her closer to him. Her mom gasps with shock and stops whisking, her hips jerking forward.
"Gabriel!"
"What?"
Nadia holds her breath, waiting for her volatile mother to explode but breathes out with relief when she simply sucks her teeth and mutters quietly about "saboteurs." Her father laughs and moves to her side but not to far, giving the apron little tugs now and again until her mother caves in and thrusts the bowl into his hands.
They were at their most normal in these moments, when they were making things together and Nadia eats up every soft and gentle interaction she is witness to. Her heart aches for moments like these, it was one of the reasons she never wanted to go to bed, demands her mother cook because her father would join in. And it hadn't escaped her notice that these moments were increasing.
He looks at her now, very pleased. "What did I tell you Nad? Your mom might be a brilliant cook but she can't keep time."
Her father had a clock hidden under his crown.
*
Maya sucks the pineapple syrup off her thumb as he looks at her for to long and she widens her eyes. What?! He just smiles and shakes his head, turning to talk to Nadia as he starts to sift through the flour in the bowl with his fingers. It was odd to acknowledge but she did seem to cook better with him there, the tension that he creates in Maya making her more energised and on ball. And he wasn't to bad himself, really.
She rubs her hip which pulses faintly where she had banged it against the counter. I shouldn't wear aprons around him. It brings back memories of another kitchen, of his hands and mouth on her and the smell of tomatoes and cheese. Now the air is permeated with pineapple, sugar and the coco butter she uses on her skin. Another time and this is now. She looks at him and sees his been carefully reading her face and she tilts her head, hand on hip.
"So much for you timing Gabriel, watch that if you won't leave." His brows rise and he turns to see the caramel starting to bubble on the stove. As he turns down the heat Maya goes back whisking for the cake. A silence follows as they work, Maya on the filling and Gabriel on the meringue until his soft voice intrudes on the silence.
"You're going to cook for the gathering? Everyone loved what you made durring the summer."
Maya hides her bashful pleasure with difficulty and cracks an egg, nodding. "Si, I will." They have two gatherings during the year, as well as some one off occasions. One during the summer and the other at Christmas. She had cooked for both and she had been a roaring success. Maya looks at him peripherally, noting the dusting of icing sugar on his cheek and then looks away quickly, clearing her throat. "Will you be there this year?" He didn't like Christmas, would never comes to service with her and Nadia.
"I might, why?"
"Just curious."
"Curious?...gonna dance with me this time?" He comes closer to her and she doesn't have to see his eyes to see the teasing glow in them. She scoffs and a silence settles but as it does Maya stills whisking, her eyes narrowed in thought. She looks at him again, thoughtful.
The gentle sound of the whisk stills and he turns to her and sees that she's looking, not angry and scornfully but pensive, maybe a little embarrassed. He waits for her to speak, not wanting to open his mouth and ruin anything.
"Maybe you should go Gabriel...not with me!" she adds hastily as his face flushes with shocked pleasure and she shakes her head, speaking in a lower tone. "Others Gabriel. I think some others..."
"What?" He demands as she trails off, her gaze flickering.
"You haven't noticed all the interest you get?" She says this very fast, not able to look at him. He feels himself rocked and his jaw drops.
"Are you suggesting that I go on a date with someone?!" He says loudly and Maya casts a glance at Nadia who had been watching them carefully.
"Ssssh! What if I am? What's wrong with that?"
He laughs, leaning against the counter. "I can't believe you'd suggest this! No Maya."
"Why?!" She says, very nearly whining. The food lays forgotten as she stares at him plaintively, encouraging even. Gabriel sense of mirth is slammed down under hurt, his throat squeezing too tight.
"Because I don't want anyone else. You know that."
Maya stands staring at him with shock, at the hurt shining so strongly out of his eyes. Can't be true. But it's been years, years of this and he hadn't let go of this act, this pretense that he cares for her. Even if it's true it's something untouchable to me. She stares at him sadly, suddenly feeling the urge to cry which she squishes. It wouldn't be right, no tears for them. She takes a deep breath and her eyes travel to the white dust over his cheek and her hand makes a fluttering motion to touch him, but she draws her hand back and closes it into a fist at her side, turning away.
His head lowers and jerks back slightly, like she'd just shut a door in his face. Flinging the bowl onto the counter he prepares to leave but she grabs his wrist and draws him back, her eyes peering over his shoulder at Nadia. "She's watching..."
"And everything was fine before you opened your mouth." He grits out and her eyes flash. Then she looks him up and down with displeasure and turns her back on him. He presses himself against her, whispering quietly as he picks up the bowl again. "Why would you even suggest it?" she doesn't answer but he can see her jaw clenching, her movements more stiff. He narrows his eyes at her, suspicious. "I know you've got ulterior motives..." He snorts suddenly, scornful. "It's not like you're interested in anyone else and so want me out of the way..."
"I'm not?" She says lightly and backs into him to bend down and put the cake in the oven. Rising and unlacing the apron she regards him with a secretive, mocking expression. "How would you know? There's a lot of things you don't. From now and then." The corner of her mouth twitches suggestively.
His eyes widen and his nostrils flare. He turns to peer at Nadia but she's back to colouring, blocking out their quiet fight. She's very good at that he thinks with a lurch. He nods his head towards the hallway and she follows after a moment, apprehensive. Out of ear shoot he stares at her hard and demanding while she pushes her hair off a shoulder with a light face, ignoring his presence. He grabs her arm to make her look at him after he can't take much more of it.
"Maya!?"
"What?" The she laughs suddenly, taking in his red face. "You're so easy. I haven't even mentioned anyone and already you're jealous."
"What do you expect? Christ Maya it's been years, you must believe me now? This isn't a game to me." He says softly, staring at her beseechingly as he settles his hand on her arm.
The anger fades from her face to be replaced with a serious consideration. "What do you expect me to do? I can see that you believe in these feelings, fine. So what?" she says deadpan and he blinks. She moves closer, looking up into his face. "Sometimes I think you're completely conscience to all this, aware that what you're doing is wrong but you can't let go. You know I won't return those feelings again but you still keep on with this stupid notion. You say it causes you pain, you know that's all it can bring. That's what you really want, isn't? Me hurting you?" She speaks soft, facing searching his sedulously.
Punishing myself? Is that all? He doesn't respond for a long time, going over and over what she had said. It does hurt and I do like it on some level...because I deserve it. He licks his lips and begins to nod and he's shocked to see disappointment in her eyes, biting at her lip as she looks down.
She snorts and then softly sighs, shaking her head. "It was foolish of me to expect anything else from you."
What? She's upset that she's right? Jesus, this woman... He brings his head up and freezes when he sees Nadia peeping out from the kitchen door, watching them quietly and steadily. She's almost six and already tall for her age, all long skinny limbs. Like I was then, he thinks fondly and he smiles at her tenderly and she smiles back and it's just like one of Maya's, unrestrained and bright. Used to be Maya's, he corrects with regret.
He looks down at Maya to see she's also looking at their daughter and he feels certainty settle over him again. She may be right but that wasn't a tenth of what was going on inside him; this was another chance to be different and he wasn't going to give up on that. On her. Maya jerks back slightly when she's caught by his entranced gaze and her lips part, colour rising on her skin when he cups the back of her neck, thumb brushing against her skin.
"It's hard for you to accept and I know it will take time but it is true Maya, I do...but I know I deserve your hate to. I'll take it because I know you can't go on living like that indefinitely and I see you don't want to. One day you'll be like you were again and it will be better. For us but most of all for her."
Her eyes flick between his, breath blowing against his lips and he has to suppress the desire to get closer. She tilts her head, hand coming to touch his. "You'll be waiting a long time Gabriel. You're expecting a miracle to happen." She pulls his hand away from her neck and he moves back, looking at Nadia who had stepped into view.
She deserves a proper family and that is something he knows Maya agrees with. His eyes lock eyes with Nadia and he tries to convey that certainty. Any day now, just you wait and you'll see that things will be right and you'll be happy like you should be.
"Your mother will dance with me. You believe it?" Maya stiffens and then shepherds Nadia back into the kitchen but she can't stop her voice from bursting free.
"Si! All of us will dance whether mama wants to or not!" She laughs loudly, mischievously before sitting down. He comes in to see her looking more content and happy. She locks eyes with him and lifts her arms up.
"You're to old to be carried you know..." he chides but does it anyway, Maya crouching down to check on the cake. Nadia lays her head on his shoulder, looking at her mother and whispers for him alone, "I pray for it every night, instead of what mommy tells me I should. Sometimes - sometimes I ask for a little sister to. Don't tell mom ok?" Her eyes peer at him huge and dark and he kisses her forehead.
"I won't Nad."
Characters/Pairing: Sylar/Maya, Nadia
Rating: PG - 13
Word count: 2,044
Disclaimer: Do not own.
Summery: Maya suggests something to him and he's not pleased :x
Note: Kinda angsty and fluffy. Just a one shot.
She breathes in deep and stills the careful colouring-in she had been doing, a book with yellowing corners that her mother had found in an old library, to watch her father come up behind her mother, finger to his lips. Her mother was cooking a huge cake for her class, something right from that island she used to come from. Bizcocho-Dominicano. The counter was neatly cluttered with pans and the oven was warming up, making the room toasty. The sun was setting and it cast the kitchen into a peach glow.
Nadia watches expectantly as her father comes to a stop and reaches for the loose sitting bow at her mother's back and tightens the apron around her with a hard tug, drawing her closer to him. Her mom gasps with shock and stops whisking, her hips jerking forward.
"Gabriel!"
"What?"
Nadia holds her breath, waiting for her volatile mother to explode but breathes out with relief when she simply sucks her teeth and mutters quietly about "saboteurs." Her father laughs and moves to her side but not to far, giving the apron little tugs now and again until her mother caves in and thrusts the bowl into his hands.
They were at their most normal in these moments, when they were making things together and Nadia eats up every soft and gentle interaction she is witness to. Her heart aches for moments like these, it was one of the reasons she never wanted to go to bed, demands her mother cook because her father would join in. And it hadn't escaped her notice that these moments were increasing.
He looks at her now, very pleased. "What did I tell you Nad? Your mom might be a brilliant cook but she can't keep time."
Her father had a clock hidden under his crown.
*
Maya sucks the pineapple syrup off her thumb as he looks at her for to long and she widens her eyes. What?! He just smiles and shakes his head, turning to talk to Nadia as he starts to sift through the flour in the bowl with his fingers. It was odd to acknowledge but she did seem to cook better with him there, the tension that he creates in Maya making her more energised and on ball. And he wasn't to bad himself, really.
She rubs her hip which pulses faintly where she had banged it against the counter. I shouldn't wear aprons around him. It brings back memories of another kitchen, of his hands and mouth on her and the smell of tomatoes and cheese. Now the air is permeated with pineapple, sugar and the coco butter she uses on her skin. Another time and this is now. She looks at him and sees his been carefully reading her face and she tilts her head, hand on hip.
"So much for you timing Gabriel, watch that if you won't leave." His brows rise and he turns to see the caramel starting to bubble on the stove. As he turns down the heat Maya goes back whisking for the cake. A silence follows as they work, Maya on the filling and Gabriel on the meringue until his soft voice intrudes on the silence.
"You're going to cook for the gathering? Everyone loved what you made durring the summer."
Maya hides her bashful pleasure with difficulty and cracks an egg, nodding. "Si, I will." They have two gatherings during the year, as well as some one off occasions. One during the summer and the other at Christmas. She had cooked for both and she had been a roaring success. Maya looks at him peripherally, noting the dusting of icing sugar on his cheek and then looks away quickly, clearing her throat. "Will you be there this year?" He didn't like Christmas, would never comes to service with her and Nadia.
"I might, why?"
"Just curious."
"Curious?...gonna dance with me this time?" He comes closer to her and she doesn't have to see his eyes to see the teasing glow in them. She scoffs and a silence settles but as it does Maya stills whisking, her eyes narrowed in thought. She looks at him again, thoughtful.
The gentle sound of the whisk stills and he turns to her and sees that she's looking, not angry and scornfully but pensive, maybe a little embarrassed. He waits for her to speak, not wanting to open his mouth and ruin anything.
"Maybe you should go Gabriel...not with me!" she adds hastily as his face flushes with shocked pleasure and she shakes her head, speaking in a lower tone. "Others Gabriel. I think some others..."
"What?" He demands as she trails off, her gaze flickering.
"You haven't noticed all the interest you get?" She says this very fast, not able to look at him. He feels himself rocked and his jaw drops.
"Are you suggesting that I go on a date with someone?!" He says loudly and Maya casts a glance at Nadia who had been watching them carefully.
"Ssssh! What if I am? What's wrong with that?"
He laughs, leaning against the counter. "I can't believe you'd suggest this! No Maya."
"Why?!" She says, very nearly whining. The food lays forgotten as she stares at him plaintively, encouraging even. Gabriel sense of mirth is slammed down under hurt, his throat squeezing too tight.
"Because I don't want anyone else. You know that."
Maya stands staring at him with shock, at the hurt shining so strongly out of his eyes. Can't be true. But it's been years, years of this and he hadn't let go of this act, this pretense that he cares for her. Even if it's true it's something untouchable to me. She stares at him sadly, suddenly feeling the urge to cry which she squishes. It wouldn't be right, no tears for them. She takes a deep breath and her eyes travel to the white dust over his cheek and her hand makes a fluttering motion to touch him, but she draws her hand back and closes it into a fist at her side, turning away.
His head lowers and jerks back slightly, like she'd just shut a door in his face. Flinging the bowl onto the counter he prepares to leave but she grabs his wrist and draws him back, her eyes peering over his shoulder at Nadia. "She's watching..."
"And everything was fine before you opened your mouth." He grits out and her eyes flash. Then she looks him up and down with displeasure and turns her back on him. He presses himself against her, whispering quietly as he picks up the bowl again. "Why would you even suggest it?" she doesn't answer but he can see her jaw clenching, her movements more stiff. He narrows his eyes at her, suspicious. "I know you've got ulterior motives..." He snorts suddenly, scornful. "It's not like you're interested in anyone else and so want me out of the way..."
"I'm not?" She says lightly and backs into him to bend down and put the cake in the oven. Rising and unlacing the apron she regards him with a secretive, mocking expression. "How would you know? There's a lot of things you don't. From now and then." The corner of her mouth twitches suggestively.
His eyes widen and his nostrils flare. He turns to peer at Nadia but she's back to colouring, blocking out their quiet fight. She's very good at that he thinks with a lurch. He nods his head towards the hallway and she follows after a moment, apprehensive. Out of ear shoot he stares at her hard and demanding while she pushes her hair off a shoulder with a light face, ignoring his presence. He grabs her arm to make her look at him after he can't take much more of it.
"Maya!?"
"What?" The she laughs suddenly, taking in his red face. "You're so easy. I haven't even mentioned anyone and already you're jealous."
"What do you expect? Christ Maya it's been years, you must believe me now? This isn't a game to me." He says softly, staring at her beseechingly as he settles his hand on her arm.
The anger fades from her face to be replaced with a serious consideration. "What do you expect me to do? I can see that you believe in these feelings, fine. So what?" she says deadpan and he blinks. She moves closer, looking up into his face. "Sometimes I think you're completely conscience to all this, aware that what you're doing is wrong but you can't let go. You know I won't return those feelings again but you still keep on with this stupid notion. You say it causes you pain, you know that's all it can bring. That's what you really want, isn't? Me hurting you?" She speaks soft, facing searching his sedulously.
Punishing myself? Is that all? He doesn't respond for a long time, going over and over what she had said. It does hurt and I do like it on some level...because I deserve it. He licks his lips and begins to nod and he's shocked to see disappointment in her eyes, biting at her lip as she looks down.
She snorts and then softly sighs, shaking her head. "It was foolish of me to expect anything else from you."
What? She's upset that she's right? Jesus, this woman... He brings his head up and freezes when he sees Nadia peeping out from the kitchen door, watching them quietly and steadily. She's almost six and already tall for her age, all long skinny limbs. Like I was then, he thinks fondly and he smiles at her tenderly and she smiles back and it's just like one of Maya's, unrestrained and bright. Used to be Maya's, he corrects with regret.
He looks down at Maya to see she's also looking at their daughter and he feels certainty settle over him again. She may be right but that wasn't a tenth of what was going on inside him; this was another chance to be different and he wasn't going to give up on that. On her. Maya jerks back slightly when she's caught by his entranced gaze and her lips part, colour rising on her skin when he cups the back of her neck, thumb brushing against her skin.
"It's hard for you to accept and I know it will take time but it is true Maya, I do...but I know I deserve your hate to. I'll take it because I know you can't go on living like that indefinitely and I see you don't want to. One day you'll be like you were again and it will be better. For us but most of all for her."
Her eyes flick between his, breath blowing against his lips and he has to suppress the desire to get closer. She tilts her head, hand coming to touch his. "You'll be waiting a long time Gabriel. You're expecting a miracle to happen." She pulls his hand away from her neck and he moves back, looking at Nadia who had stepped into view.
She deserves a proper family and that is something he knows Maya agrees with. His eyes lock eyes with Nadia and he tries to convey that certainty. Any day now, just you wait and you'll see that things will be right and you'll be happy like you should be.
"Your mother will dance with me. You believe it?" Maya stiffens and then shepherds Nadia back into the kitchen but she can't stop her voice from bursting free.
"Si! All of us will dance whether mama wants to or not!" She laughs loudly, mischievously before sitting down. He comes in to see her looking more content and happy. She locks eyes with him and lifts her arms up.
"You're to old to be carried you know..." he chides but does it anyway, Maya crouching down to check on the cake. Nadia lays her head on his shoulder, looking at her mother and whispers for him alone, "I pray for it every night, instead of what mommy tells me I should. Sometimes - sometimes I ask for a little sister to. Don't tell mom ok?" Her eyes peer at him huge and dark and he kisses her forehead.
"I won't Nad."