Fic: Bulletproof Weeks (Heroes)
Pairing: Mohinder/Bennet
Rating: PG-13
Spoilers: through 2x01
Disclaimer: These characters aren't mine.
Notes: Thanks to tju_tju_tju_tju for general encouragement.
Summary: Mohinder makes the phone call from the back of a restaurant.
- - -
“I have a deal for you, Dr. Suresh.”
Mohinder isn’t even surprised. He turns over the piece of fruit, in his hand, looking forward over the produce display. “Because that’s gone so well in the past,” he says, shifting his grip on his cell phone.
He hears a laugh, from the other end. “We have a mutual goal,” says Noah Bennet.
“And what’s that?”
“We want the Company gone.”
Mohinder puts the fruit down. “I’m listening,” he says.
“We should meet, in person.” A short pause, then, “how’s your apartment?”
“Wrecked,” says Mohinder, shortly.
“A hotel, then.”
~*~
Mohinder gasps for a breath, slow, sweat cooling on his skin. Listens to the shower turn on, the water hissing onto the cool white tile.
He turns over, onto his stomach, resting his chin on the pillow, and tries not to think.
“Mohinder.”
For a moment, Mohinder doesn’t recognize his own name; he’s not sure Bennet has ever said it before. He twists around, looks up at the other man, in the doorway to the bathroom. “What?” -oddly dreading the answer.
“You coming?”
Mohinder sits up. “What?”
Bennet half-smiles. “The shower.”
Mohinder bites his lip. “I’m not up for any-”
“It’s fine,” says Bennet. “Come on.”
Mohinder stands, self-conscious, suddenly. He winces, a little, at the ache inside him - there will probably be more pain, tomorrow, even though Bennet was as gentle as he could be.
Heat rises on Mohinder’s skin, at the memory, and Bennet’s hand rests on his back.
“You all right?”
Mohinder isn’t sure which one of them starts the kiss; only that it lasts, longer than he thought it would. Bennet’s tongue slips into his mouth, and Mohinder moans, soft and low.
“I’ve felt worse,” he murmurs, after he breaks away.
Bennet, wordlessly, pulls him into the shower.
~*~
“You can always reach me here,” says Bennet, slipping a scrap of paper into Mohinder’s palm. “My end of the line will be secure; make sure yours is.”
Mohinder nods, and he glances over the number.
“Don’t keep that on you,” Bennet tells him. “You’re going to be under a lot of scrutiny from now on.” He gives Mohinder a pointed look. “Are you ready?”
Mohinder meets his gaze, coolly. “Are you?” he returns.
Bennet smiles. “See you around, Suresh.”
“Until next time,” says Mohinder, “Noah.”
With a laugh, Bennet leaves him.
~*~
Mohinder makes the call using the phone in the back of the restaurant. It’s old, plastic, with numbers worn nearly illegible, and a receiver smooth in the palm of his hand. Mohinder nods his thanks to the waitress, waits until she’s out of earshot.
The ring blares in his ear; a quick twist of his fingers and the volume is low, barely audible over the hum of conversation.
“Yes?” comes the voice, from the other end, and Mohinder closes his eyes in relief.
“There’s no one listening,” murmurs Mohinder.
“Are you sure?”
“I’m sure.”
A slight hiss, an exhaled breath. “You have something to report?”
“No,” confesses Mohinder, and he stops, hesitates.
“All right.” Noah Bennet’s words are a little drawled, and Mohinder flinches. “Where are you?”
No reprimand. Mohinder bites his lip, glances around the restaurant. “Nowhere important,” he deflects.
“You’re going to make it to the next lecture.”
Mohinder nods. “Of course,” reflexive, without thinking about it.
“Are you having second thoughts?”
Mohinder’s eyes close. His throat is dry. “No,” he says. “I’m not.”
“And you’re all right.”
Mohinder cups the phone closer to his cheek, turns away from the scattered crowd. “I need to know that I’m doing this for something.”
“Suresh-”
“Don’t call me that.
“Mohinder.”
Mohinder takes a shaky breath. “Never mind.” He moves to hang up the phone -
“Wait,” says Bennet.
Reluctantly puts the phone back to his ear.
“You’re not alone, Mohinder.”
Mohinder’s throat tightens.
“We’re both in this, and I promise you, we will win.” A pause, then, “Mohinder?”
“I saw someone in the lecture today,” says Mohinder, slipping into a more formal tone. “He stood out, like you told me. He hasn’t approached me; I don’t know if he’s one of them.”
“Keep an eye on him,” says Bennet.
“I will.”
There’s a pause - too long, but Mohinder doesn’t feel any hurry to break it. Just listens to Bennet’s breathing, on the other end of the line.
“If you were here,” starts Mohinder, finally.
“If I were there,” interrupts Bennet, “I would pin you against the wall and fuck you so hard you wouldn’t be able to stand.”
Mohinder shudders, and he nearly drops the phone.
“I’ll be seeing you,” says Bennet. “Good luck.”
Mohinder hangs up, without another word.
~*~
Mohinder wonders, obscurely, if his phone line is really secure. If he’ll be ruining everything, by making the call.
It’s a possibility. They could have tapped it; the Company has incredible resources. But it would require a physical tap, or a decoding of the frequency, and Mohinder doesn’t think they’ve had a chance.
He’s been cautious enough; he should call now. Before he’s under real scrutiny.
Things are going to get complicated soon, Mohinder thinks, and he dials the phone.
Rating: PG-13
Spoilers: through 2x01
Disclaimer: These characters aren't mine.
Notes: Thanks to tju_tju_tju_tju for general encouragement.
Summary: Mohinder makes the phone call from the back of a restaurant.
- - -
“I have a deal for you, Dr. Suresh.”
Mohinder isn’t even surprised. He turns over the piece of fruit, in his hand, looking forward over the produce display. “Because that’s gone so well in the past,” he says, shifting his grip on his cell phone.
He hears a laugh, from the other end. “We have a mutual goal,” says Noah Bennet.
“And what’s that?”
“We want the Company gone.”
Mohinder puts the fruit down. “I’m listening,” he says.
“We should meet, in person.” A short pause, then, “how’s your apartment?”
“Wrecked,” says Mohinder, shortly.
“A hotel, then.”
~*~
Mohinder gasps for a breath, slow, sweat cooling on his skin. Listens to the shower turn on, the water hissing onto the cool white tile.
He turns over, onto his stomach, resting his chin on the pillow, and tries not to think.
“Mohinder.”
For a moment, Mohinder doesn’t recognize his own name; he’s not sure Bennet has ever said it before. He twists around, looks up at the other man, in the doorway to the bathroom. “What?” -oddly dreading the answer.
“You coming?”
Mohinder sits up. “What?”
Bennet half-smiles. “The shower.”
Mohinder bites his lip. “I’m not up for any-”
“It’s fine,” says Bennet. “Come on.”
Mohinder stands, self-conscious, suddenly. He winces, a little, at the ache inside him - there will probably be more pain, tomorrow, even though Bennet was as gentle as he could be.
Heat rises on Mohinder’s skin, at the memory, and Bennet’s hand rests on his back.
“You all right?”
Mohinder isn’t sure which one of them starts the kiss; only that it lasts, longer than he thought it would. Bennet’s tongue slips into his mouth, and Mohinder moans, soft and low.
“I’ve felt worse,” he murmurs, after he breaks away.
Bennet, wordlessly, pulls him into the shower.
~*~
“You can always reach me here,” says Bennet, slipping a scrap of paper into Mohinder’s palm. “My end of the line will be secure; make sure yours is.”
Mohinder nods, and he glances over the number.
“Don’t keep that on you,” Bennet tells him. “You’re going to be under a lot of scrutiny from now on.” He gives Mohinder a pointed look. “Are you ready?”
Mohinder meets his gaze, coolly. “Are you?” he returns.
Bennet smiles. “See you around, Suresh.”
“Until next time,” says Mohinder, “Noah.”
With a laugh, Bennet leaves him.
~*~
Mohinder makes the call using the phone in the back of the restaurant. It’s old, plastic, with numbers worn nearly illegible, and a receiver smooth in the palm of his hand. Mohinder nods his thanks to the waitress, waits until she’s out of earshot.
The ring blares in his ear; a quick twist of his fingers and the volume is low, barely audible over the hum of conversation.
“Yes?” comes the voice, from the other end, and Mohinder closes his eyes in relief.
“There’s no one listening,” murmurs Mohinder.
“Are you sure?”
“I’m sure.”
A slight hiss, an exhaled breath. “You have something to report?”
“No,” confesses Mohinder, and he stops, hesitates.
“All right.” Noah Bennet’s words are a little drawled, and Mohinder flinches. “Where are you?”
No reprimand. Mohinder bites his lip, glances around the restaurant. “Nowhere important,” he deflects.
“You’re going to make it to the next lecture.”
Mohinder nods. “Of course,” reflexive, without thinking about it.
“Are you having second thoughts?”
Mohinder’s eyes close. His throat is dry. “No,” he says. “I’m not.”
“And you’re all right.”
Mohinder cups the phone closer to his cheek, turns away from the scattered crowd. “I need to know that I’m doing this for something.”
“Suresh-”
“Don’t call me that.
“Mohinder.”
Mohinder takes a shaky breath. “Never mind.” He moves to hang up the phone -
“Wait,” says Bennet.
Reluctantly puts the phone back to his ear.
“You’re not alone, Mohinder.”
Mohinder’s throat tightens.
“We’re both in this, and I promise you, we will win.” A pause, then, “Mohinder?”
“I saw someone in the lecture today,” says Mohinder, slipping into a more formal tone. “He stood out, like you told me. He hasn’t approached me; I don’t know if he’s one of them.”
“Keep an eye on him,” says Bennet.
“I will.”
There’s a pause - too long, but Mohinder doesn’t feel any hurry to break it. Just listens to Bennet’s breathing, on the other end of the line.
“If you were here,” starts Mohinder, finally.
“If I were there,” interrupts Bennet, “I would pin you against the wall and fuck you so hard you wouldn’t be able to stand.”
Mohinder shudders, and he nearly drops the phone.
“I’ll be seeing you,” says Bennet. “Good luck.”
Mohinder hangs up, without another word.
~*~
Mohinder wonders, obscurely, if his phone line is really secure. If he’ll be ruining everything, by making the call.
It’s a possibility. They could have tapped it; the Company has incredible resources. But it would require a physical tap, or a decoding of the frequency, and Mohinder doesn’t think they’ve had a chance.
He’s been cautious enough; he should call now. Before he’s under real scrutiny.
Things are going to get complicated soon, Mohinder thinks, and he dials the phone.