Title: The Fall of Claire Petrelli
Rating: NC-17
Pairing: Nathan/Peter/Claire
Warnings: Incest, Slash, Sexual Content, Alcohol, Alternate Reality
Dislaimer: I do not own Heroes or its characters; I make no money from the writing of this story.
Spoilers: Season one, but the story takes place during what would be season 4 in an alternate reality.
Summary: Claire never thought that taking the Petrelli name would drag her down further than she ever thought she could go.
A/N: Claire is eighteen in this story and therefore not underage. Please leave comments, I thrive on them. Enjoy.
At first, Claire Petrelli hadn’t realized what was going on. She had always thought that her father and her uncle were just very close, the way it often happens when there is such an age difference between two siblings.
Tonight all that would change.
Nathan and Peter Petrelli sat together in the family room in deep conversation, sharing a late evening drink. Her grandmother Angela was nowhere in sight, having gone to bed much earlier in the evening. Claire came in from the rainy New York City night, cursing under her breath because the new leather jacket Nathan had bought her for her eighteenth birthday was probably ruined. She’d worn it not expecting for it to start snowing. She could feel the grime from the dark, steamy streets as if it were a tattoo permanently embedded in her skin, the cold etched in her bones. What she really could use was a drink too.
She knew she’d have to be quiet as so not to alert Peter and Nathan to what she was up to. With the both of them around, it was like she had two fathers to deal with. The first thing she could grab out of the liquor cabinet would have to do.
Claire slipped a small bottle inside her large purse, anchoring it between two textbooks, hoping that she wouldn’t bang into anything and make it obvious there was an almost full bottle on her person. Since she had left her adoptive family, took her father’s name, and moved here into the Petrelli mansion so that she could attend college, she’d rapidly become more of a drinker. Probably because Peter and Nathan tended to indulge a bit as well. How could they not when this house seemed to echo with the loneliness of decades?
Claire was ready to take off up the stairs with her prize when she saw Nathan lean in close and whisper something into Peter’s ear. Peter’s face lit up, and he showed off his slightly crooked smile. Nathan then placed a tender kiss on Peter’s cheek.
Claire was aware that she was watching a very private moment between the brothers, and she felt intrusive even though they were not aware of her presence. She turned away again, intending to leave them in peace, and out of the corner of her eye noticed that her father’s hand was now cupping her uncle’s cheek, turning his head towards him.
The thing she saw next made her jaw drop and her illicit parcel clunk to the hardwood floor. Nathan’s and Peter’s lips locked in a kiss that was far from brotherly.
Claire was revolted and intrigued all at the same time. As she watched them share this intimate moment, she found herself wondering if they ever did anything more than that. She berated herself, Claire, you’re sick! They love each other; it’s okay if they kiss each other. Strange, but not unheard of. They’re brothers, so of course they don’t do anything other than that! What’s worse, they’re your family! Get the hell out of here before they see you!
In a panic, Claire grabbed her purse and ran up the stairs, praying that they had not noticed her.
Claire closed the door to her room, opened the cap to her bottle, and took a long swallow straight out of it. A sickening thought gripped her as the alcohol burned in her stomach. Of course Peter knows. He has to know. Hell, he can read thoughts!
She sat down hard on her bed and grabbed one of her teddy bears; by chance, it was one that Peter had given her long ago when he learned of her obsession. It was dressed in royal blue mittens and a silver and blue scarf. Peter had chosen it because he had always loved the winter, and Claire didn’t get much snow in Costa Verde, California. Claire hugged the soft white bear to her chest and willed herself not to throw up all over it.
After a few deep breaths, she tried to talk herself out of believing that Peter knew she had seen them. He thought they were all alone; he wouldn’t have been paying attention to anything but him. Peter has to be able to shut it off. He wouldn’t want to hear people’s thoughts all the time. I know Peter. If he knew, he’d be up here trying to explain, trying to make me feel better.
Claire started to believe this explanation, and she felt a little better. She took another hearty douse of the liquor, the alcohol taking away the deep chill within her, relaxing her immensely. She bent down to unlace her knee-high black boots, another gift from Nathan. She pulled them off and rubbed her insteps, sorry to have chosen the damn things. New shoes were murder even on her feet, and sometimes it was worse that she healed because her feet never really got used to them.
The alcohol was working its magic on her now, and she managed to push the thought of her father and her uncle out of her mind, concentrating more on just how much she needed a shower. Claire grabbed a change of clothes, a pink tank and gray pajama pants, and headed to the bathroom so that she could cleanse herself of the city’s grime.
***
Claire toweled off her honey-blonde hair and her tanned skin, feeling very refreshed, the scent of lavender fragrant in the heavy, steamy air. Everything was fine now. Nathan was her father, Peter was her uncle, they were brothers, and a kiss shared between them meant they loved each other. Simple enough.
She dragged her hairbrush through some unruly strands of hair until it looked nice, neat and shiny. She gave a brilliant smile to the mirror and swiped on some peach lip gloss. She knew she’d be going to bed soon, but she felt naked without it. Claire felt absolutely wonderful now, and pleasantly drunk to boot. Instead of a shower she had taken a hot bath, and drank the liquor while soaking languidly in the tub, managing to finish half the bottle in that time. She sauntered out the bathroom door, her eyes closed in drunken bliss, nearly knocking her uncle off his feet.
“Hi, Peter,” she giggled, gripping his forearm, steadying herself against him.
“Are you drunk, Claire?” Peter asked, horrified, seeing the bottle in her hand. “When did you get home? Don’t let Nathan see you like this!” He ushered her into her bedroom, closing the door behind them before Claire could even answer. Peter blew out a frustrated sigh and groaned, “Go to sleep, Claire, okay?”
Claire set down the bottle on the bedside table. She looked into Peter’s deep brown eyes and said teasingly, “Why are you worried? I could metabolize this alcohol in a second if I wanted to.”
“All right, then, the real question is, why do you want to be drunk?” Peter asked, his arms crossing his chest, leaning into Claire’s dresser. He was shirtless, and his dark brown hair had almost grown back out to its usual state of disarray. Claire couldn’t help but notice that though he was her uncle, how absolutely sexy he was: his youthful face, those smoldering eyes, long, graceful neck, his upper body defined and angular.
She walked slowly towards him and raised her arms to place her hands on his shoulders. A shiver ran through her when her fingertips touched his bare flesh; his skin was unbelievably soft. She traced her thumbs along his collarbones, and Peter’s eyes widened in alarm.
Claire whispered, “You want to know why I want to be drunk? So that I could do this and not worry about it.“
Claire stood on her tiptoes and smacked a wet, sloppy kiss on Peter’s lips.
Peter touched a finger to his mouth, which now shone with a residue of shimmery lip gloss. She emitted a giddy laugh at his furrowed brow, his confused expression.
“Claire--ah--I--think maybe you better go to bed. Really.”
Claire said, her voice lowering seductively, “What, only my father gets to kiss you?”
Peter’s face darkened.
Oops. Well, he didn’t know then, but he sure knows now, Claire mused, fully enjoying her loss of inhibition. She had clearly touched a nerve, though, and Peter’s voice lowered to a growl.
"Go to bed.” He swiped the rest of the lip gloss off his mouth and turned away.
“I’m sorry, Peter! Don’t be mad!” she pleaded after him. He did not acknowledge her, and he hurried down the hall into his bedroom and closed his door.
Claire closed the door and sat down on her bed. She definitely shouldn’t have done that. Peter was probably going to be mad at her for a while. But how could she help it? She’d had a slight crush on him before she’d found out by some freak chance that the person who had saved her from Sylar was her uncle. She’d tried to force the feelings away, never quite succeeding. And she had truly, honestly thought he wouldn’t mind; he had let his brother kiss him, after all.
The adrenaline rush she’d experienced cleared the alcoholic haze very quickly, and suddenly she felt ridiculous and embarrassed, hoping he wouldn’t mention to her father what she’d done. No, he knows how that would make me feel. He wouldn’t. I’m sorry, Peter.
She heard Peter’s voice in her head. It’s okay. I won’t say anything. Just go to sleep, Claire. Please.
Claire sighed and relented, Peter’s suggestion making her mind fuzzy, her eyelids heavy. She snuggled under her comforter. One more thing, she thought, grabbing Peter’s white teddy bear and hugging it. Sleep drifted softly upon her like a silent winter’s snowfall.
***
Claire awoke abruptly, and wasn’t sure why. It was still dark, and it was raining now. The sky was that horrid black-orange color of four in the morning, demons surely lurking behind those inky clouds.
Claire stretched and tried to settle into a new position. As her eyelids fell shut, she heard a loud whisper come in through her partially open door.
“Shut the fuck up, Pete!” her father’s voice demanded. His door had to be slightly open as well if she was able to hear him so clearly from all the way down the hall.
“Sorry, Nate,” Peter returned.
Claire was alarmed at the agitation in Peter’s voice, and she went to investigate. What could they possibly be fighting about at four in the morning?
She listened, but there was nothing but silence now. Claire walked lightly past the door she knew was Angela’s, not wanting to wake her and risk her wrath. A muffled sound stopped her dead in her tracks. That was Peter, and it sounded like he was in pain. What the hell was going on? She padded softly in her slippers to Nathan’s door, peeking in surreptitiously.
She clapped a hand to her mouth, frozen in place as she watched her father and her uncle undress each other.
Oh, my God. That had not been a sound of pain. Am I really seeing this?
Peter’s body stood out porcelain-white against Nathan’s darker skin tone. They kept eye contact, and when they were not lip-locked, they smiled and even laughed softly as they touched each other.
They were actually quite beautiful to watch, and it became hard to tell with the fluidity of their motions where Nathan’s body ended and Peter’s began. Clearly they’d been doing this secretly for a long time, successfully keeping this clandestine relationship from everyone until now. However disturbing this was, Claire couldn’t tear her eyes away.
Then Peter’s eyes were on her, the intensity of his gaze boring into her very soul.
She turned around to run back to her room, but Nathan demanded, “Stop her, Peter.”
She hit an invisible brick wall; Peter had an arm out and was holding her in place. All she could do was swivel her head towards them.
“Peter--let me go. Please,” she entreated softly.
“Oh, no you don’t,” her father said. “You’ve seen way too much.” Peter pulled her closer, and when she felt Peter’s invisible hold relent, Claire stepped reluctantly into her father’s room and closed the door, knowing she had no choice. Claire couldn’t believe what was happening; her father and her uncle had been having sex. She started to shake in fear, unsure of what might happen next.
Peter had covered his lower body with the blanket, trying to retain some of his decency, but Nathan hadn’t even bothered to cover up. He was on his feet in seconds, then towering over her, his anger palpable. Claire cringed and backed up, hitting the door.
“Nate, you’re scaring the shit out of her. Cover yourself for Christ’s sake!” Peter cried, throwing his brother’s boxer shorts at him.
Nathan put on the boxers and then pressed his palms to his forehead, sitting down next to Peter. “Fuck. Pete, you want to handle this?” he asked halfheartedly. Peter shot Nathan a look of dismay.
Claire gushed, “I promise I won’t say anything to anyone ever I swear I never saw anything please believe me I--”
Nathan groaned. “No. It’s not that easy, Claire. Obviously you know what the hell you just saw. You wanted to be a Petrelli? It’s time you learned how fucked up this family is.”
Peter said, finally conceding to his brother’s request, “Nate, you’re not helping anything. Let me.”
Claire took the bottle that Peter handed her. She took a long drink out of it, and coughed as the strong spirit flared down her esophagus into her stomach. Nathan glared at his brother, but Peter just shrugged.
Before Peter could open his mouth to speak, Claire did.
“I never wanted to be a Petrelli. I just am,” she said, her shoulders slumping. Liquid courage allowed her to shake off the discomfort of this delicate situation. She sat down on the bed between her father and her uncle, deciding to rest her head on Nathan’s chest. “You know, this shouldn’t have shocked me. I saw what you did with each other before, when I got home. For God’s sake, I kissed Peter earlier in the evening. I’ve had the biggest crush on him for as long as I can remember,” she confessed.
Peter rolled his eyes and Nathan burst out laughing, “She’s a fucking Petrelli all right!”
“Nathan--” Peter warned. Nathan was really drunk, and he had that glassy look in his eyes. Peter knew that look all too well. Their relationship was one thing, but he couldn’t let Nathan drag Claire into their madness. Peter had vowed to protect her, even if it meant from the perversions of her own father.
Nathan put his arms around his daughter and said, “Peter, did she really kiss you?”
Peter sighed. “Yeah, she did. But she was smashed drunk, Nate.”
“That’s how it usually starts,” Nathan said, not able to stifle another peal of drunken laughter. “I don’t believe it…I have to see. I have to. Peter is just so irresistible, with his innocent face and his cute little smile.” Peter looked at him crossly, but Nathan just smiled.
Nathan beckoned Peter closer, as if he wanted to tell him something confidentially, but when he was able to reach, he sealed his mouth over his brother’s, and Claire watched them in fascination. Nathan broke away, breathing hard, and laughed, “Your turn, Claire.”
All right, Peter conceded. As long as Nathan didn’t touch her, it was okay. After all, Peter was a Petrelli too, and he wasn’t going to pretend he hadn’t imagined what taking Claire would be like.
“I don’t know…” Claire protested, but she knew she couldn’t resist. Part of her had always wanted Peter in this way, and he looked so willing, almost like he wanted her to do it. Claire thought she saw desire flicker momentarily in Peter’s dark eyes, like a candle under a gust of wind.
Looks like I’m really a Petrelli now, she thought, as she latched her arms around her uncle, and Peter pulled her into his lap, her most sensitive area brushing against his erection, sending a shock through her lower belly and thighs. Next thing she knew, her mouth was filled with the taste of him, and Peter’s tongue was wrestling hers as if they were silently fighting over who had wanted the other more.
She was distantly aware of Nathan’s hands resting chastely on her shoulders as she ground herself into Peter, the blanket that had been covering him curiously missing.
Nathan breathed, “Look at all this happening in my bed. God, she wants you, Pete. Looks like we’re gonna have to fight over it.”
Peter pulled his face away from Claire long enough to groan, “Don’t fucking touch her, Nathan, I swear to God!”
Oh, no, Nathan thought. First of all, he had been joking, and he had meant Peter, not Claire. But Peter didn’t ever talk to him like that. What made him think he could start now? Nathan had given life to this lithe young thing that was virtually riding his brother’s cock.
“You just fucking stop me, Peter,” he challenged. He knew Peter wouldn’t.
Nathan took a handful of Claire’s hair in his fist, bared her throat, and kissed her roughly, biting hard enough to bruise, watching each appear and fade almost instantaneously. Claire was his. Peter was his as well. Daughter, little brother, it didn’t matter. They both belonged to him, and he would do what he wanted with them.
Claire bucked, writhed and moaned under Nathan’s rough treatment, and he knew she loved it, her father and her uncle vying for her attention. Nathan had just known this was how it would be.
Nathan’s hands slid under her thin tank top, cupping a breast in each one, and it was all Peter could do not to raise a hand to fling his brother off her. Nathan’s fingers kneaded Claire’s nipples, and she rubbed herself even more forcefully against Peter.
Peter wished desperately that there was not a layer of clothing preventing him from picking her up and sitting her down right on top of his cock. The thought of Claire riding him elicited a low groan from his throat.
Nathan continued on, until her nipples stood out hard, dark pink against her tanned skin. He pulled the flimsy shirt over her head, and Claire did not resist.
“Peter, are you just gonna watch with that stupid look on your face? You want her? Take her!” Nathan demanded.
Peter snapped out of it, his anger gone, replaced by an uncontrollable urge to get his hands on Claire. Peter leaned forward, pushed one of Nathan’s hands away, and closed his mouth on Claire’s breast, sucking and licking gently. Claire panted, “Peter, I’m not that fragile!”
A surge of excitement washed through Peter, and he bit down, and she gasped in half pleasure, half pain. No matter. She would heal.
Peter slid his hands into Claire’s pants, his left gripping her buttock, the other into the center of her, his fingers entirely slick before he could even get them inside her.
God, she’s so tight, Peter thought, his cock achingly hard now. He found that special little spot within her, and Claire’s breath caught in her throat. Claire struggled to get out of the constricting clothing, and Nathan decided to help out, pulling the pants off her.
Nathan deserved some of his attention, so Peter released Claire, and pushed the fingers of his left hand inside her. He then reached behind her, and took hold of Nathan’s cock with his right, still covered in Claire’s fluids, the lubrication allowing him to slide his hand very easily along Nathan’s length. A special thrill seized Peter as he produced moans of pleasure from both of them, all while suckling at Claire’s nipples, and blowing air on them while they were wet with his saliva. She whined and bore down on his hand, clearly wanting more of Peter inside her than just his fingers.
Claire let out a sudden gasp. “Peter, you--you have to stop,” Claire begged, forcing Peter’s fingers out of her. She rolled off of Peter and lay next to him, breathing hard. Peter gave Nathan a knowing look, and Nathan sat back, breathing heavily as well.
“Can’t let him play too long,” Nathan said. “He’ll finish us both off with just his hands.”
Claire laughed in agreement, her body trembling, her nerves recovering from the stimulation. Oh, God, what the hell am I doing? she wondered. I can’t believe I just let them do that to me.
She turned her head to look at them. Peter and Nathan both had turned towards her, and were looking her nude body up and down, two pairs of identical hazel eyes admiring her petite, fit frame.
“You got her all worked up, Pete. Let her calm down. Let’s give her a show,” Nathan suggested, and leaned in to kiss his brother’s shoulder.
Claire asked the question she’d been holding back. “So, ah--even though you do this, you both aren’t like, gay, right?”
Nathan snorted in laughter. “Honey, I made you, and I don’t sleep with any other men. So, no. Now, when it comes to Peter, I don’t know.” He closed a hand around his brother’s cock, and taunted, “You still like the ladies, Pete? Even after me? You ever been with any other men?”
Nathan had asked his last question casually, but he would definitely smack him in the mouth if Peter answered yes. Peter could fuck any girl he wanted, but that sexy little ass of his was Nathan’s alone.
Claire watched in astonishment as Nathan’s hand moved expertly over Peter’s cock, rendering him helpless against the pillow.
“Fuck you, Nate. Of course not. I’m as straight as you are an asshole,” Peter groaned.
“Okay, there you go, Claire,” Nathan said. “Could you keep him from running his mouth while I show you what he really likes?”
Claire asked, her mouth suddenly dry, “What do you mean?”
Nathan said, pulling a bottle of lubricant out from what seemed like nowhere, pouring a generous measure into his hand, “Kiss him or something, how the hell should I know?”
Claire gasped. “You’re not going to put your…fingers in him, are you?” she asked stupidly. Of course he was. Nathan was going to think she was an idiot.
Nathan rolled his eyes. “What the fuck did you think I was going to do, Claire?”
Peter said, “Nate, you don’t have to be so rude. How should she know? She’s really just a kid.”
Nathan said condescendingly, “I suppose.”
Claire asserted, “I’m not a kid! I’m eighteen years old!”
She grabbed their bottle of liquor off the bedside table and took a long drink out of it. Overprotective bastards. She would show Nathan and Peter just how much of an adult she was.
“Why don’t you let me do it?” she said, trying to look innocent and sweet.
Nathan was sincerely shocked at her request. “What? Have you ever--ah--done it before?”
Claire blushed deeply. “No. I just wanted to try it, you know, since he likes it.”
“Is that okay with you, Pete?” Nathan asked, feeling slightly like she was intruding on his territory. That most sensitive part of his brother had never been touched by anyone but him.
Peter knew where Claire was going with this, and he was secretly amused. It was fun to see someone throw Nathan off completely. Peter said, resting his hands behind his head, catching his breath, “I don’t care, Nate. It’d definitely be different.”
Nathan said, “Different. Oh, Christ. Fine. Hold out your hand.”
Very possessive of his little brother, he inspected her fingernails, happy to see they were short and neat. He massaged her whole entire hand with his, fully coating every finger with the lubricant, over her palm, up to her wrist. “Start with one, and when he loosens up, you can add another one. Pay close attention to him, you don’t want to hurt him. I know he’d heal, but still.”
Claire started to shake, fully realizing what she’d signed up for, changing her mind abruptly. “I--I don’t think I can do this.”
“Yeah, that’s what I said. You can, I promise. It’ll be really easy to know if it hurts. Trust me.” Nathan guided his daughter’s hand over Peter’s thigh, down until she reached her destination. She cried, “I can’t do it!”
Nathan sighed. You’re not getting out of it that easily, little girl. He would have to make her do it. “Come here, Claire.”
He kissed her, his tongue dominating her mouth, and while she was preoccupied, he directed two of her fingers into Peter. He figured since he’d been inside him before Claire had showed up, and her fingers were so slender, Peter could take it. Peter’s body tensed at first at the unfamiliar contact, but with a little more pressure, he accepted. Nathan wondered what Claire might do next. Would she freak out, or would she try to continue?
“Look, Claire. He’s okay. You’re in there."
Claire realized what Nathan had done, and she almost pulled her hand back in shock. Oh, God, what the hell am I doing? she agonized again. She was then overtaken by the strangeness of the feel of Peter’s muscles around her fingers, and she wiggled them, trying to loosen him up a bit as Nathan had instructed, with little success. In fact, it was even more difficult to move now. Peter made an uncomfortable sound, and Claire thought, This is insane!
Claire knew she needed some assistance from Nathan in this crazy thing she was doing. She said, “He’s really--really tight. How do you ever fit in there?”
“He’s probably nervous, Claire. He’s not used to you. Sorry, honey.”
Claire withdrew her fingers, and felt like crying. Nathan gave her a towel to wipe her hands. Peter reached over and placed a hand on her thigh, and said, “Claire, it’s okay. Really.”
She wrapped her arms around Peter and moaned, “I’m so sorry, Peter. Was I hurting you?”
Peter pulled her close, and he whispered, “No, no, you weren’t. Nothing hurts me, Claire, thanks to you. The main thing is that you had the nerve enough to try it. Nathan can be a real prick sometimes, and you called him out on it. But he’s been doing it for years. Let him. He told you to keep my mouth shut, so go ahead.” He gave her his cute crooked smile.
Claire took Peter’s face in her hands and kissed him, then moved down his neck, his shoulder, breathing in the scent of his skin, a mixture of the soap he used and the slight salt of sweat, not unpleasant at all.
It was particularly quiet now, and she noticed Nathan was absent. She asked, “Where’d he go?”
Peter panted, “Don’t worry about him, he probably went to the bathroom. I’m worried about only you.” He kissed her below her ear, and whispered, his voice low and needful, “I want to learn all about you, Claire. I want to know your body like my brother knows mine.”
Claire stopped talking, stopped caring, deciding to let Nathan do what he wished.
Little did she know then that what Nathan was planning to do after he returned would be nothing Claire could have even prepared for.
Peter continued to kiss Claire all over her throat, her shoulder, down each breast, leaving trails of his saliva on her skin, his mouth finding each nipple, pulling the erect, pink flesh with his teeth. Claire’s body jerked and she moaned softly as his cock ground into her belly.
Peter looked up at her, his mouth full of her, his hazel eyes wide enough to bare open his soul to her. He arched his eyebrow playfully, and the damage was done.
Wrong as it was, that was the moment Claire fell in love with Peter Petrelli.
***
A few minutes passed, and Peter was fighting off his desperate urge to turn Claire over and bury himself into her, but he knew Nathan would be back soon, and he really wasn’t comfortable with the idea of doing that in front of him. He heard Nathan return, but did not feel his weight settle on the bed.
Nathan waited, watching his little brother kiss his daughter, his hands all over her.
Eventually, Nathan couldn’t wait anymore; she was just too beautiful, much too eager for Peter to just roll over on top of her and take her. And what fun would that be for Nathan?
Nathan turned her gently so that she was flat on her back, but she didn’t even notice him, so caught up in Peter.
He lowered his head in between her thighs, his tongue finding the most sensitive part of her, flicking it, circling around it. He teased her for a few more seconds, then drove his tongue inside her, darting in and out of her and back up again, slowly returning to the crown of her femininity. When he did finally reach that circle of flesh again, she jerked and let out a shaky sigh. By now she had totally forgotten about Peter; she could do nothing else but take Nathan’s hair in her hands and moan.
Peter looked over at his brother with shock and awe. Peter asked him silently, projecting his thoughts, What the fuck? Christ, Nate, what are you doing? I should really stop you.
But you won’t, Nathan thought. Peter heard him, and he started to shake, tension mounting.
The anger drained from him as Peter became transfixed on Claire as she enjoyed this fully; by the look on her face and the sounds she made, he could tell she’d never received oral sex before. And from his own personal experience, he knew that Nathan was quite proficient at giving it. Peter felt a little twinge of jealousy, his painfully hard cock demanding attention, so he stroked himself discreetly, content to watch.
After a while, Claire said, her chest heaving, “I want to scream your name, but I don’t know what to call you!”
Nathan raised his head. “No screaming, honey. You call me by my first name. You call me Nathan. And don’t shorten it like he does. Only Peter gets to do that. Say it, Claire,” he demanded, sliding his hand up her body, roughly grabbing her breast. He lowered his head once again.
“Oh, Nathan,” she managed. It sounded strange the way his name left her lips, so desperate and pleading. With each caress of his tongue on his daughter’s body, Nathan was blurring the line between paternity and possession, and he couldn‘t care less. She was falling under his spell as easily as Peter had so many years ago. Peter and Claire ultimately belonged to him.
Peter had apparently realized this, and had given up trying to get the nerve to stop him. Nathan would now prove this point to Claire.
Nathan raised his head and wiped his face. He laughed, “I keep on doing that and I’m gonna drown down there.” He fumbled around again for the bottle of lubricant, and turned to Peter, who had resumed kissing Claire.
“Come here, Pete, I didn’t forget about you, ” he commanded, parting his brother’s legs. Peter hardly paid him any attention, so immersed in Claire. Nathan slipped a freshly lubricated hand between his brother’s buttocks, and found what he was looking for.
When Peter felt Nathan’s fingers penetrate him, he stopped abruptly, his body slackening against Claire. He leaned back, groaning deeply.
Claire sat up, and watched Nathan control his brother completely. Peter’s face contorted in absolute ecstasy under Nathan’s touch.
“You thought what I did to you was great? Just watch what I do to him.”
Peter gasped as Nathan’s fingers went further into him, and he started to tremble and whine, pressing his face into the pillow, gripping the sheets in his hands so hard his knuckles turned white.
Regardless of the intimate, delicate action Nathan had just administered to her, part of her had always been somewhat intimidated by Nathan, his confidence that bordered on arrogance. Not to say that she didn’t love him, but she didn’t really know him, not like she knew Peter. Claire’s intimidation inexplicably changed to fear, now more afraid of Nathan than she had ever been of anyone in her life. She backed to the edge of the bed in a panic and Nathan was utterly confused.
“Claire, I’m not hurting him…what’s wrong?”
Claire covered her face with her hands and moaned, “I don’t know. I just…don’t like to see him that way.” Peter had always been her strength, her protector, and to see him so vulnerable, so consumed by his brother’s touch…it scared her deeply.
Nathan said, “There’s nothing wrong with him, Claire. Look at his face. He loves it.”
Claire looked, and saw that Peter had bitten down so hard on his lip that a thin rivulet of blood had run halfway down his chin.
Claire shrieked and covered her face again, and she started to cry. She knew he had healed, and he probably hadn’t even felt it, but it was still frightening to see.
All right, that didn’t go down so well, Nathan thought, and took his hand away from his brother’s body. Nathan wiped his hands.
Peter wondered why he had stopped, and after he recovered, he sat up, seeing Claire’s distress. “What the fuck did you do to her, Nate?” Peter gathered her in his arms.
“I didn’t do anything, Pete, she just got a little shaken up at the way you looked. She’s okay now, aren’t you, Claire?”
Claire’s irrational fear subsided as Peter pulled her close and kissed her.
“Oh, shit, Claire. Sorry.” He a wiped a drop of his blood off her lips, and then his mouth. “Sorry, I do that sometimes.”
Claire said shakily, “It’s okay. I’m all right. I’m sorry, that was actually stupid. I don’t even know what made me panic like that.”
Peter said, “I know why. Oh, Claire.” Kissing her neck again, he murmured, his breath soft on her skin, “If any of this scares you, we can stop, you know.”
Claire said, losing her reluctance under Peter’s kisses, “No, it’s okay. I want to.”
Peter pulled away from Claire and Nathan moved forward on the bed, so that Nathan and Peter were both sitting in front of her.
Nathan said, “She’s been a pretty good sport about all this, Pete, what do you think?”
“I think so,” Peter replied, and they both grinned mischievously. The two brothers leaned in and each took hold of a breast and started licking and teasing her nipples.
Claire felt a new wave of desire sweep through her as she noticed the difference in their techniques. Peter’s tongue moved slowly, deliberately, teeth nibbling gently, but Nathan used his teeth to anchor her nipple in place while he flicked his tongue very quickly back and forth, up and down, sucking hard. The disparity of sensation was extremely arousing, and she started to squirm, desperately wanting something, anything, to fill that aching emptiness between her thighs.
She reached out in front of her with both hands, took Peter in her left and Nathan in her right, and she heard them both groan and sigh. The feel of them under her hands was different too; Nathan’s cock was thicker and longer than Peter’s, the texture of him slightly uneven, while Peter seemed to vibrate slightly in her hand as if an electric current ran just under that smooth skin.
Nathan and Peter relinquished their hold on Claire’s breasts and kissed each other, their hair tickling her chest, and Claire could feel her own warmth pouring out of her. Never in her life had she imagined she would take part in something this forbidden, this exciting.
Peter broke their contact, and he pushed Claire down on the bed. Nathan turned to his brother and said, “Think she’s ready for you?”
“Definitely,” Peter sighed, lowering his full weight on top of her. He felt Nathan’s weight shift off the bed; he was leaving them alone for this, and for that he was thankful.
Claire had known it would be Peter; there was no way Peter would let Nathan go that far, and she had a feeling Nathan wouldn’t have even wanted to. He had his limits.
***
Claire opened herself to Peter, arched her body, impatiently urging him on, but something was holding him back. The head of his cock hesitated at the very edge of her entrance, the two of them about to commit the ultimate sin of the evening.
Peter whispered, “Oh, Claire. I can’t believe I’m doing this. You have one more chance to save me from myself, Claire.”
Claire smiled, and said, “Looks like you’re done for, Peter.”
“I was afraid you’d say that,” he breathed.
He slid into her, and she gasped; his heat seared her inside, flowed through her like quicksilver. The intensity threatened to take her over the edge immediately, but Peter soon assumed a slow and shallow rhythm, just barely thrusting, as if it were even too much for him. He seemed to touch every nerve in her body just by moving ever so slightly, and she moaned into his mouth as he kissed her deeply. She buried her fingers in his disheveled dark hair, traced her hands over every bit of his skin that she could reach, trying to imprint the memory of him into her fingertips.
Peter’s head dropped to her shoulder, and he made soft sounds that became louder and more insistent as he moved faster, drove himself into her, pulling her legs up and around his waist. His heart crashed into his ribs, his chest pressed flush against hers. Claire was now absolutely sure that heaven was right here on earth, right here in the arms of Peter Petrelli.
That odd vibrating sensation had returned, slightly different but noticeable, and there was simply no explanation for it. The only thing she knew for sure was if he kept it up she wouldn’t last much longer, and she couldn’t let him go just yet. She never wanted to let him go, not now, not ever.
Claire took Peter’s face in her hands, and she caught his hazel eyes in her green ones. He stopped moving, and she realized his whole body was shaking atop her. She ran a hand down his back, his skin slick to her touch. Tiny beads of perspiration had collected at his hairline, the back of his neck, down his spine, the small of his back.
“Peter, are you okay?”
He groaned through clenched teeth, his breathing labored, “I’m--trying so hard not to come--wanted to wait for you--I can’t--”
His fingers dug painfully into her thighs, his eyes widened, and she felt every one of his muscles seize, then release, and from his throat escaped a sound that chilled her and excited her as he let himself go.
Before he finished, Claire felt that vibration one last time, a strong push and pull on the most sensitive part of her, inside and out, and she realized Peter had done it with his mind. She came, her body shuddering madly, the orgasm taking her with such force there was no way she could stop herself from crying out. Claire pulled his head down and sunk her teeth into the place where Peter’s neck met his shoulder, crushing her screams against him. She bit down so hard his flesh opened, and her mouth filled with his blood, hot and metallic, strangely intoxicating, heightening her senses. After a moment, the wound closed right under her lips, and she relaxed, utterly spent.
Peter looked down at Claire, and for a second, she didn’t really look like that soft, innocent Claire he had always known. She seemed older than her years, and she had a wild look in her eyes, her forehead glistening with a sheen of perspiration, her lips stained ruby-red with his blood. He emitted a shrill laugh, gasping for air, and he asked, “Are you always that vicious?”
The wild look left her, and she said, “No. I would have definitely woken up Angela if I didn’t do that. I’m sorry,” she said, letting out a nervous chuckle, and Peter laughed too, collapsing on top of her.
Nathan’s voice sounded from the other side of the room, “She tried to take your head off, Pete, and all you can do is laugh?”
“You watched? You fucking watched?” Peter asked incredulously. He pushed himself off of Claire and stood up, sweat positively dripping off him, some mixing with the blood running down his neck. Claire knew it was time to make herself scarce, so she got up too and started searching for her discarded clothing.
When Claire retreated into Nathan’s bathroom, Nathan smirked and said, “Of course I watched, Pete. You two together are very…what’s the word? Stimulating.”
“Fuck you, Nathan,” Peter hissed, his body shaking, anger boiling in him. He grabbed a towel and wiped his face, neck, chest, and back, then cleaned his and Claire’s fluids off himself. He pulled on his pants, glared at his brother and reached over for the bottle of alcohol.
“What the hell was I supposed to do? I mean, neither of you asked me to leave or anything. Would you rather I joined in?”
Peter almost choked on the shot he’d taken, and directed his brother a furious look.
“Didn’t think so,” Nathan said. He got to his feet and went to him, slipped his arms around him, trying to pull him in. Peter did not move.
Nathan implored softly, “Come here, Pete. Come on, don’t be upset. I know how you feel about her.”
“No, you don’t,” Peter insisted.
“Yes, I do. I know how it feels wanting someone you’re not supposed to have. I wanted you for ten years before I ever did anything about it.” Peter sighed and gave in, embracing him briefly. Nathan looked down at his little brother, hoping he’d say something, but he remained silent, sullen, pensive.
Peter still was angry, Nathan could tell; pain lingered in his eyes. A thought occurred to him when he noticed Peter’s gaze was fixed on the bathroom door.
Nathan wondered if Peter wasn’t so much angry, but feeling guilty about what he’d done with Claire. After his and Peter’s first encounter, Nathan had done two things he’d never done before in his life: he had cried inconsolably for hours, and had refused to talk to Peter for almost two weeks.
Claire emerged from the bathroom, dressed, hair neat, face freshly washed. Her tanned skin seemed to glow from within, and she was smiling broadly. Peter couldn’t help but smile too, and Nathan pretended he didn’t see. Part of him didn’t really want to accept that his brother was in love with his daughter. To accept that would be to admit that he had lost some of what he secretly shared with Peter, and that was something Nathan could not bring himself to do.
“Peter, seriously, let it go. Claire doesn’t seem to mind. Does it bother you that I watched, Claire?” Nathan asked.
Claire said, “Ah--no, I can’t really say that it does. It’s a little weird, because you’re my father, but then again, this whole experience has been quite strange.”
Nathan saw an indirect way to make Peter feel better, and reassure Claire all at once. “Claire, that’s exactly what I wanted to talk about. Now that you’ve taken part in this thing that we do, I want to explain something to you. When we do this, neither I nor Peter try to get too hung up on that fact. I know it’s hard at first, but it gets easier. The way you feel about Peter, the way he feels about you, it goes deeper than lust, deeper than love, than blood. That’s the way he and I feel about each other. That’s why I stayed. I wanted to make sure that you both could deal with it afterward. Okay?”
Claire nodded, and said, a smile playing on her lips, “It must be a Petrelli thing.”
Nathan laughed. “I suppose you could say that. Come on over here.”
Claire wiggled underneath Nathan’s arm, and he said, “Everybody all right? You still pissed off, Pete?”
“No, Nate, I’m not, at least not about that. But sometimes I hate it that you always know the right thing to say.” Peter was never able to stay mad at Nathan for long, and he gave his brother a smile.
Nathan said, “It’s definitely been fun, to say the least, but it’s getting light out. There’s no chance I’m going to sleep, because if I do I won’t get up, and I have to be in the office at ten. You two are lucky with your damn healing ability. I’m going to have one hell of a hangover. I’m making myself some coffee. You two do what you like.”
Nathan left them alone in his bedroom.
***
Peter looked down at the floor, and Claire looked at the wall, both of them feeling awkward. They both glanced at each other, but were silent; neither wanted to be the first to speak.
Peter raised his head suddenly, and caught Claire’s gaze. What she saw there was the purest, most sincere love she had ever known, from the most beautiful person she’d ever laid eyes upon. Claire was sure that she loved him, in a way that truly ran deeper than blood.
“I know,” he said.
Claire took a deep breath, realizing he had heard her thoughts. She squeezed her eyes shut tight, afraid of what Peter might say.
“I love you too, Claire.”
“You do?” she asked timidly, peeking out at him.
“Ever since I saved you.”
“Oh, Peter. I love you, but no one can ever know. You know this isn’t right.”
“Nothing’s ever right when you’re a Petrelli,” Peter sighed, taking Claire in his arms and pulling her in close, stroking her cheek. “When you’re a Petrelli, you take the fall, and all you can do is find something in it that makes it right.”
Claire knew there was truth in his words. Nathan and Peter would never tell anyone how they loved each other, and now she and Peter would have to do the same. Through her guilt, she understood Peter even more now that all this had happened, and somehow, she understood her father more as well.
Claire saw that Peter had tears in his eyes. She whispered, “I guess I’m really a Petrelli now.”
Pushing a strand of her honey-blonde hair away from her face, Peter said, “I guess you are.” He kissed her once more, swiped at his eyes, and left her alone in her father’s room.
Claire sighed, and left the bedroom as well, closing the door quietly behind her.
She slid into her bed, and hugged Peter’s teddy bear once again, listening to the rain tap incessantly on the windows.
Everything was different now. Everything had changed. She wondered if what had happened between her and Peter would someday ever feel as comfortable as Nathan and Peter’s relationship seemed to be. For now, she wouldn’t worry about it. Her eyes closed, and she began drifting off to sleep, thinking of what Peter had said to her before he left.
Claire Petrelli had taken the fall, and she could only hope that she’d eventually find something to make it right.
***
A/N: This turned out a lot more Paire-ish than I originally intended, and Nathan turned out to have more of a help-them-along type of function. Maybe, even though I love Nathan/Peter, I could try to get more into Paire in the future. Hope you enjoyed it. Please comment.