Heroes fic: Comfy Cozy Are We
Title: Comfy Cozy Are We
Series: Heroes
Pairing: Gabriel/Mohinder
Rating: PG-13
Warning: Fluff.
Summary: Nothing improves a crappy holiday season like a drunken come-on.
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters or their universe.
A/N: Complete AU here, in which Gabriel and Mohinder work for the same company. For the mylar_fic Holiday Contest. Prompt: spiked eggnog.
Gabriel could kick himself for ever agreeing to come to the party. But even now it was difficult to go against Chandra's wishes and just leave. Gabriel had spent years at Chennai Moon under Chandra's wing as he expanded his talents and drank in Chandra's praise. Months ago, Gabriel saw him like a father. Now he just felt foolish for ever applying such a fond label to the man, and yet Chandra's words, in that authoritarian voice, still held such sway over him.
"Please attend the party, Gabriel. You're staying into the new year, after all. Let's maintain a pleasant atmosphere."
Let's keep up appearances. Let's pretend your contract doesn't terminate in January. Let's pretend you're still my protégé, the one everyone thought would run things one day.
Gabriel looked out over the industrial park. It was nighttime, but the lights from the building hit the texture of the grass, the ripples of the pond. Not even any snow for the holidays-- just another element of shittiness in his Christmas season. Losing his job and idol, completely lacking any other meaningful human connection, no presents to give or receive, too depressed to even look for a new position-- if Chandra's soon-to-be-public rejection would even make him a valuable commodity in the job market.
This company deals with the cutting edge of biotechnology, Gabriel. Your dry spell is starting to reflect on our reputation.
Dry spell. Chandra didn't think he had a dry spell. Chandra thought he was just dry, that his mind was barren, that he'd mined all he could. Chandra couldn't wait for brilliance to reignite. Chandra had research to perform, to supervise. Chandra had other budding scientists to ensnare with his awe and vision, other people to build up and up until they tottered over without support, other hearts to break.
Gabriel scoffed at himself. He was starting to behave as if he'd been in love.
Music burst briefly in his ears as someone came through the sliding doors to join him on the balcony. Gabriel bristled at the intrusion. Couldn't a person mope in peace? The person stumbled into the ledge beside him, dark hands clasping the railing. Gabriel turned slightly to see an Indian man leaning back, his hold on the metal bar the only thing keeping him from falling flat on his back. His eyes closed as a light breeze pulled the winter chill over his face-- all defined angles crowned by soft tangles of black hair.
Speaking of being in love.
But abruptly Gabriel realized he recognized this man from company newsletters: Chandra's son, Mohinder. He'd recently transferred over from the main branch in India, though gossip said it was against his father's wishes. Gabriel wasn't sure what to think of those rumors when Chandra had said it was Mohinder taking over Gabriel's position in the next month. He idly contemplated flipping Mohinder over the side of the balcony, but it would be a crime to shatter such a pretty face on the patio two floors down.
Suddenly Gabriel realized he was staring, because Mohinder stared back at him. But apparently Mohinder found nothing strange. "It's hot in there!" he said with a laugh, a little too high-pitched, and he pulled himself upright.
The animosity Gabriel should have felt was being easily smothered by Mohinder's smile. He nervously adjusted his glasses. "Been into the eggnog?" he assumed.
Mohinder laughed again. "I think it's got a liiittle something extra in it."
Oh, it definitely did-- it was a given every year that someone would spike it. Gabriel never took any. He was enough of an odd one out in the office as it was. He didn't need to do anything stupid to make him an outright pariah. Not that that mattered so much this year.
"I'm fine, though," Mohinder went on. "Perfectly in control of all my fognitive cacul.. cognultive..."
"Cognitive faculties?"
"Precisely!" Mohinder confirmed, nodding seriously. The corners of his mouth quirked up and he giggled again.
"What's funny?" Gabriel asked.
Mohinder blinked at him. "Hm?"
"What's funny?"
Mohinder cocked his head for a moment. "I'm... not sure. I think I've had a little too much." He pinched his fingers to illustrate "a little," leaning forward, and stumbled over nothing into Gabriel. Gabriel caught him on reflex and the next thing he knew, Mohinder was holding himself up by Gabriel's shirt and smiling at him.
"Ah, are... are you okay?" Gabriel fumbled, not sure if Mohinder would fall if he let go.
"You're warm," Mohinder murmured. He tucked his face under Gabriel's chin.
Oh. Oh, Lord. "Maybe we should go back inside," Gabriel said quickly.
"Why?" Mohinder murmured against his skin. His breath tingled.
Gabriel swallowed and took hold of Mohinder by his shoulders, holding him at arm's length. "We're missing the party!" he said, trying to feign enthusiasm.
"Pffft." Mohinder rolled his eyes. "The party is stupid."
"No, it isn't! It's..." Gabriel gave up quickly. "Okay, it's stupid, but..." How exactly could he say, "You're coming onto me and it's making me uncomfortable" without it being awkward?
Luckily Mohinder's floundering mind was overtaken by an apparent wave of dizziness. "I think I need to lay down," he said, blinking rapidly, hand to his forehead.
Downstairs, just off the huge lobby where the holiday party took place, was a "quiet room" near the bathrooms. It had first aid supplies and a cot for employees who didn't feel well. "Okay," Gabriel said, wrapping one arm around Mohinder's back, grasping him under his arm. "Come on."
Gabriel kept his head down and tried to move through the party as quickly as possible. He only had to hear Mohinder's cheerful repetition of "Hello!" to know he was smiling mindlessly at everyone they passed. Gabriel could imagine what rumors this would start, especially once everyone knew Chandra had let him go. "Did you see the company loner leading the president's drunk son off to parts unknown?"
He turned down the hallway at the back of the room and finally felt the stares vanish, although Debbie Gibson's rendition of "Sleigh Ride" trailed behind them. (Mohinder attempted to sing along-- badly.) The quiet room was open and it was dark inside. Gabriel flipped on the light and closed the door behind them before easing Mohinder back onto the cot. "Do you want the light on or off?" he asked, perched uneasily on the thin mattress.
Mohinder didn't seem to hear him. He reached up and brushed Gabriel's cheek. "Father should keep such a handsome face around," he said quietly.
"Handsome?" Gabriel felt himself blush, and he pushed Mohinder's hand back down to his side. "Wait-- you know who I am?"
Mohinder yawned. "Oh, yes, he used to email me articles about your work. Think he was trying to galvanize me. Not that I wasn't already working as hard as I could..."
Gabriel was surprised at the sad look that overtook Mohinder's face. So he wasn't the only one Chandra had found disappointment in. "I'm sure you were," he found himself saying automatically. "I'm sure you did nothing but your best."
"But often 'your best' is not 'the best,'" Mohinder murmured, staring at the ceiling. His eyes started to glisten.
Oh, crap. Gabriel did not know how to deal with weepy drunks. His social skills were weak as it was in sober situations-- not to mention that he wasn't coping well with his own personal rejection from Chandra. He awkwardly squeezed Mohinder's hand. "You should rest," he said.
Mohinder pulled his hand away and slipped it into Gabriel's hair. "But I don't have a blanket."
Gabriel laughed nervously, then yelped as he was unceremoniously pulled over Mohinder and onto the side of the cot against the wall. Mohinder was stronger than he looked. He laid half on top of Gabriel, still with a fistful of Gabriel's shirt. Gabriel swallowed hard, noting how their mouths hovered over one another. Mohinder's eyes, suddenly dry, stared into Gabriel's as he traced the pale man's jawline. Gabriel found himself smoothing his hands over Mohinder's back, despite the protests from his conscience. This isn't right! He's drunk, you're upset, neither of you are thinking right.
But Mohinder was so warm and his smile so kind and his eyes so dark and everything about him so lovely. And Gabriel knew then and there that in the space of ten minutes he had fallen-- hard. And he would not stop what was about to happen.
Which was Mohinder giggling again and pulling Gabriel's glasses off his face.
Gabriel felt an overwhelming disappointment as Mohinder tried the spectacles on. "Do I look fashionable?" he asked.
"You look ridiculous," Gabriel muttered.
"I feel ridica... ricul... silly," Mohinder said, as if it was only important that he matched. He yawned widely. "And tired." He shifted to cuddle to Gabriel's side,and Gabriel felt his annoyance fade. He couldn't help but stroke Mohinder's hair as the other man's eyes slipped closed behind his glasses.
Gabriel hoped the morning wouldn't be too awkward to summon the courage to ask for a phone number.
mylar_fic
Candy Cane
White Christmas
Spiked Eggnog
Festive
Under the Christmas Tree
Silent Night
New Years Day
Holiday Surprise
'Tis the Season
Mistletoe
2/10
Series: Heroes
Pairing: Gabriel/Mohinder
Rating: PG-13
Warning: Fluff.
Summary: Nothing improves a crappy holiday season like a drunken come-on.
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters or their universe.
A/N: Complete AU here, in which Gabriel and Mohinder work for the same company. For the mylar_fic Holiday Contest. Prompt: spiked eggnog.
Gabriel could kick himself for ever agreeing to come to the party. But even now it was difficult to go against Chandra's wishes and just leave. Gabriel had spent years at Chennai Moon under Chandra's wing as he expanded his talents and drank in Chandra's praise. Months ago, Gabriel saw him like a father. Now he just felt foolish for ever applying such a fond label to the man, and yet Chandra's words, in that authoritarian voice, still held such sway over him.
"Please attend the party, Gabriel. You're staying into the new year, after all. Let's maintain a pleasant atmosphere."
Let's keep up appearances. Let's pretend your contract doesn't terminate in January. Let's pretend you're still my protégé, the one everyone thought would run things one day.
Gabriel looked out over the industrial park. It was nighttime, but the lights from the building hit the texture of the grass, the ripples of the pond. Not even any snow for the holidays-- just another element of shittiness in his Christmas season. Losing his job and idol, completely lacking any other meaningful human connection, no presents to give or receive, too depressed to even look for a new position-- if Chandra's soon-to-be-public rejection would even make him a valuable commodity in the job market.
This company deals with the cutting edge of biotechnology, Gabriel. Your dry spell is starting to reflect on our reputation.
Dry spell. Chandra didn't think he had a dry spell. Chandra thought he was just dry, that his mind was barren, that he'd mined all he could. Chandra couldn't wait for brilliance to reignite. Chandra had research to perform, to supervise. Chandra had other budding scientists to ensnare with his awe and vision, other people to build up and up until they tottered over without support, other hearts to break.
Gabriel scoffed at himself. He was starting to behave as if he'd been in love.
Music burst briefly in his ears as someone came through the sliding doors to join him on the balcony. Gabriel bristled at the intrusion. Couldn't a person mope in peace? The person stumbled into the ledge beside him, dark hands clasping the railing. Gabriel turned slightly to see an Indian man leaning back, his hold on the metal bar the only thing keeping him from falling flat on his back. His eyes closed as a light breeze pulled the winter chill over his face-- all defined angles crowned by soft tangles of black hair.
Speaking of being in love.
But abruptly Gabriel realized he recognized this man from company newsletters: Chandra's son, Mohinder. He'd recently transferred over from the main branch in India, though gossip said it was against his father's wishes. Gabriel wasn't sure what to think of those rumors when Chandra had said it was Mohinder taking over Gabriel's position in the next month. He idly contemplated flipping Mohinder over the side of the balcony, but it would be a crime to shatter such a pretty face on the patio two floors down.
Suddenly Gabriel realized he was staring, because Mohinder stared back at him. But apparently Mohinder found nothing strange. "It's hot in there!" he said with a laugh, a little too high-pitched, and he pulled himself upright.
The animosity Gabriel should have felt was being easily smothered by Mohinder's smile. He nervously adjusted his glasses. "Been into the eggnog?" he assumed.
Mohinder laughed again. "I think it's got a liiittle something extra in it."
Oh, it definitely did-- it was a given every year that someone would spike it. Gabriel never took any. He was enough of an odd one out in the office as it was. He didn't need to do anything stupid to make him an outright pariah. Not that that mattered so much this year.
"I'm fine, though," Mohinder went on. "Perfectly in control of all my fognitive cacul.. cognultive..."
"Cognitive faculties?"
"Precisely!" Mohinder confirmed, nodding seriously. The corners of his mouth quirked up and he giggled again.
"What's funny?" Gabriel asked.
Mohinder blinked at him. "Hm?"
"What's funny?"
Mohinder cocked his head for a moment. "I'm... not sure. I think I've had a little too much." He pinched his fingers to illustrate "a little," leaning forward, and stumbled over nothing into Gabriel. Gabriel caught him on reflex and the next thing he knew, Mohinder was holding himself up by Gabriel's shirt and smiling at him.
"Ah, are... are you okay?" Gabriel fumbled, not sure if Mohinder would fall if he let go.
"You're warm," Mohinder murmured. He tucked his face under Gabriel's chin.
Oh. Oh, Lord. "Maybe we should go back inside," Gabriel said quickly.
"Why?" Mohinder murmured against his skin. His breath tingled.
Gabriel swallowed and took hold of Mohinder by his shoulders, holding him at arm's length. "We're missing the party!" he said, trying to feign enthusiasm.
"Pffft." Mohinder rolled his eyes. "The party is stupid."
"No, it isn't! It's..." Gabriel gave up quickly. "Okay, it's stupid, but..." How exactly could he say, "You're coming onto me and it's making me uncomfortable" without it being awkward?
Luckily Mohinder's floundering mind was overtaken by an apparent wave of dizziness. "I think I need to lay down," he said, blinking rapidly, hand to his forehead.
Downstairs, just off the huge lobby where the holiday party took place, was a "quiet room" near the bathrooms. It had first aid supplies and a cot for employees who didn't feel well. "Okay," Gabriel said, wrapping one arm around Mohinder's back, grasping him under his arm. "Come on."
Gabriel kept his head down and tried to move through the party as quickly as possible. He only had to hear Mohinder's cheerful repetition of "Hello!" to know he was smiling mindlessly at everyone they passed. Gabriel could imagine what rumors this would start, especially once everyone knew Chandra had let him go. "Did you see the company loner leading the president's drunk son off to parts unknown?"
He turned down the hallway at the back of the room and finally felt the stares vanish, although Debbie Gibson's rendition of "Sleigh Ride" trailed behind them. (Mohinder attempted to sing along-- badly.) The quiet room was open and it was dark inside. Gabriel flipped on the light and closed the door behind them before easing Mohinder back onto the cot. "Do you want the light on or off?" he asked, perched uneasily on the thin mattress.
Mohinder didn't seem to hear him. He reached up and brushed Gabriel's cheek. "Father should keep such a handsome face around," he said quietly.
"Handsome?" Gabriel felt himself blush, and he pushed Mohinder's hand back down to his side. "Wait-- you know who I am?"
Mohinder yawned. "Oh, yes, he used to email me articles about your work. Think he was trying to galvanize me. Not that I wasn't already working as hard as I could..."
Gabriel was surprised at the sad look that overtook Mohinder's face. So he wasn't the only one Chandra had found disappointment in. "I'm sure you were," he found himself saying automatically. "I'm sure you did nothing but your best."
"But often 'your best' is not 'the best,'" Mohinder murmured, staring at the ceiling. His eyes started to glisten.
Oh, crap. Gabriel did not know how to deal with weepy drunks. His social skills were weak as it was in sober situations-- not to mention that he wasn't coping well with his own personal rejection from Chandra. He awkwardly squeezed Mohinder's hand. "You should rest," he said.
Mohinder pulled his hand away and slipped it into Gabriel's hair. "But I don't have a blanket."
Gabriel laughed nervously, then yelped as he was unceremoniously pulled over Mohinder and onto the side of the cot against the wall. Mohinder was stronger than he looked. He laid half on top of Gabriel, still with a fistful of Gabriel's shirt. Gabriel swallowed hard, noting how their mouths hovered over one another. Mohinder's eyes, suddenly dry, stared into Gabriel's as he traced the pale man's jawline. Gabriel found himself smoothing his hands over Mohinder's back, despite the protests from his conscience. This isn't right! He's drunk, you're upset, neither of you are thinking right.
But Mohinder was so warm and his smile so kind and his eyes so dark and everything about him so lovely. And Gabriel knew then and there that in the space of ten minutes he had fallen-- hard. And he would not stop what was about to happen.
Which was Mohinder giggling again and pulling Gabriel's glasses off his face.
Gabriel felt an overwhelming disappointment as Mohinder tried the spectacles on. "Do I look fashionable?" he asked.
"You look ridiculous," Gabriel muttered.
"I feel ridica... ricul... silly," Mohinder said, as if it was only important that he matched. He yawned widely. "And tired." He shifted to cuddle to Gabriel's side,and Gabriel felt his annoyance fade. He couldn't help but stroke Mohinder's hair as the other man's eyes slipped closed behind his glasses.
Gabriel hoped the morning wouldn't be too awkward to summon the courage to ask for a phone number.
mylar_fic
Candy Cane
White Christmas
Spiked Eggnog
Festive
Under the Christmas Tree
Silent Night
New Years Day
Holiday Surprise
'Tis the Season
Mistletoe
2/10