Drabble Request #3
In response to this
Zach / Mr.Bennet (HRG) / behind closed doors for veetvoojagig
Rating: PG-13
Words: 1650
Summary: "Zach feels so stiff with tension he can hardly breathe."
A/N: This is one-sided and does NOT contain paedophilia. Thanks to karathephantom for being the world's quickest beta. All other mistakes are mine. Feedback much appreiciated.
Quick fingers are flitting over the keyboard, the clacking ringing loud in the empty room. Zach sits in front of the computer in Claire's room, the white glare of the screen bathing his face in a warm glow as he glances over his shoulder before he types in 'Claire Bennet' in the search engine.
Old elementary school photos, an article about how she won a finger painting contest when she was four…
No, it wouldn't be that easy. He supposes that he'll have to go into the newspaper archive to find anything she would be interested in. He hopes that doesn't involve too much hacking. He is good with computers - better than Claire, obviously - which was why he was here, but breaking into the security of other systems is another thing. Then again if it were a few years ago they would have to figure out a way to break into the library or even the archives. This is really so much easier.
"Claire?"
A hurried click of the mouse quickly switches the webpage to show an article of manatees before he even turns in his computer chair with a falsely wide smile.
"She's in the bathroom taking a shower." Bennet gives a polite smile in return and walks into the room, staring at the computer with interest, even though he wears his usual calm and sure demeanour.
"Researching?"
"On the manatees, yeah," Zach replies casually, gesturing to the webpage he had on the screen, still seated in front of the computer.
He finds it weird that Bennet closes the door behind him before walking in, but doesn't dwell on it because at that moment he's trying to control the skipping of his heartbeat. He decides that he's bad at this "keeping secrets" thing because he's suddenly as nervous as shit.
Bennet is behind him now. He can almost feel his body heat radiating against his back. He swallows, clutching the mouse firmly.
"I'm glad you're making progress," Bennet says, laying a warm hand on the teenager's shoulder. It is firm, heavy and Zach can feel the warm weight when he takes in a breath. "But before I leave I'd like to have a few words with you, Zachary."
Zach stares at the animation of the swimming manatee, trying to nod stiffly without looking up but realising that Bennet wasn't looking for an answer at all, because he was already leaning in, his chin hovering inches from his shoulder.
Shit. Why was he feeling like this? Why the hell was he responding like this because only…
His mind blanks out.
"I have the presumption that you and my daughter are close," Bennet breathes, his breath playing by the younger man's ear, trailing across his shoulder.
Zach nearly shivers, almost tasting the somehow comforting smell of clean male sweat mingled with heavy cologne that tinged of wood and musk.
"She's a great friend..." he says in reply after a substantial moment; willing his brain to spew out a neutral-yet-witty answer. He swallows. "Sir," he adds as an afterthought, like a period after a sentence; it sounded respectful and he didn't know why, but he felt like he needed to sound respectful right now.
Bennet doesn't answer.
Zach doesn't dare to turn. He wonders how long he can continue staring at the fat manatee wobbling obliviously across the screen. It's almost funny. He has an inexplicable urge to laugh and he nearly does, until the sensible, calm voice cuts him off.
"I realise that she values your friendship very much. But if you do anything, anything to hurt her in any way, you have to understand that you should think about-"
The hand tightens on his shoulder.
Zach feels a surge of anger towards Bennet for even thinking about it, fuelling the flow of adrenaline already rushing through his veins. He has a heady feeling and wants to interrupt, but says nothing.
"What I could, what I would-" Bennet is leaning closer, the corner of his glasses skimming his temple and Zach wonders whether he is close enough to see the pulse jumping frantically at his neck; hear his suddenly racing heartbeat. "do to you."
Zach feels so stiff with tension he can hardly breathe. His grip on the mouse is hard as he feels the heat rushing to his cheeks. His mind should be rattling for an answer, but instead flits through images. He sees Bennet punching him, a scarlet gash of blood on his lips. He sees Bennet moving closer, a hard glint in his eyes behind the glasses. He sees lips, lips and hot breaths and the hard rim of the glasses pressing…
"Zachary?" The deep thrum of the voice reminds him.
"Y-yes sir," he finally spits out.
There is a rush of cold air and Bennet is standing up, his hand still on his shoulder. The heat that was curling on his skin moments ago has given way to sweat and uncomfortable dampness. Just a few moments ago he wanted the hand, the heat, the weight to go away. Now he isn't so sure.
Zach decides not to lift a hand to wipe the cold sweat from his brow, because that would constitute moving, and moving is bad when he didn't want the hand from his shoulder to move. He doesn't know why he is disappointed when it does.
"Good. I'm glad we understand each other." Bennet smiles slightly, patting the younger man's shoulder before turning to leave. Bennet has barely even twisted the doorknob - Zach knows because he hears the familiar creak of metal - when Claire comes out from the bathroom in the hallway.
"Zach?" she asks at first, confused, before she looks up and nearly runs into her father. "Hey, dad." She smiles.
Zach is still sitting in front of the computer, his back towards the door. His mind returns slowly, like the few seconds before the ground in a fall - blurred, long and crammed full of scrambled thoughts.
"I was just checking in on you. Zachary told me you were in the shower." He hears him say from the corridor.
"Yeah…" She's towelling her hair vigorously as she nudges open the door fully and walks into the room.
"I'll be downstairs if you need me."
"Okay. Thanks, dad." She yells back, her voice loud down the stairwell.
Zach is still staring blankly ahead when Claire turns to look at him. She frowns.
"You alright? You have this weird look on your face." She leans over, a few damp locks brushing his head. "My dad didn't see anything, did he?"
"No, no, he didn't…" He shakes his head, trying to get the thought of the glasses and the lingering tingle of a hand on his shoulder out of his mind. "I'm fine. Let's just get back to work." He swallows and looks back over his shoulder, seeing the ghost of the stoic man with the chiseled jaw and the blue eyes all over again.
Zach / Mr.Bennet (HRG) / behind closed doors for veetvoojagig
Rating: PG-13
Words: 1650
Summary: "Zach feels so stiff with tension he can hardly breathe."
A/N: This is one-sided and does NOT contain paedophilia. Thanks to karathephantom for being the world's quickest beta. All other mistakes are mine. Feedback much appreiciated.
Quick fingers are flitting over the keyboard, the clacking ringing loud in the empty room. Zach sits in front of the computer in Claire's room, the white glare of the screen bathing his face in a warm glow as he glances over his shoulder before he types in 'Claire Bennet' in the search engine.
Old elementary school photos, an article about how she won a finger painting contest when she was four…
No, it wouldn't be that easy. He supposes that he'll have to go into the newspaper archive to find anything she would be interested in. He hopes that doesn't involve too much hacking. He is good with computers - better than Claire, obviously - which was why he was here, but breaking into the security of other systems is another thing. Then again if it were a few years ago they would have to figure out a way to break into the library or even the archives. This is really so much easier.
"Claire?"
A hurried click of the mouse quickly switches the webpage to show an article of manatees before he even turns in his computer chair with a falsely wide smile.
"She's in the bathroom taking a shower." Bennet gives a polite smile in return and walks into the room, staring at the computer with interest, even though he wears his usual calm and sure demeanour.
"Researching?"
"On the manatees, yeah," Zach replies casually, gesturing to the webpage he had on the screen, still seated in front of the computer.
He finds it weird that Bennet closes the door behind him before walking in, but doesn't dwell on it because at that moment he's trying to control the skipping of his heartbeat. He decides that he's bad at this "keeping secrets" thing because he's suddenly as nervous as shit.
Bennet is behind him now. He can almost feel his body heat radiating against his back. He swallows, clutching the mouse firmly.
"I'm glad you're making progress," Bennet says, laying a warm hand on the teenager's shoulder. It is firm, heavy and Zach can feel the warm weight when he takes in a breath. "But before I leave I'd like to have a few words with you, Zachary."
Zach stares at the animation of the swimming manatee, trying to nod stiffly without looking up but realising that Bennet wasn't looking for an answer at all, because he was already leaning in, his chin hovering inches from his shoulder.
Shit. Why was he feeling like this? Why the hell was he responding like this because only…
His mind blanks out.
"I have the presumption that you and my daughter are close," Bennet breathes, his breath playing by the younger man's ear, trailing across his shoulder.
Zach nearly shivers, almost tasting the somehow comforting smell of clean male sweat mingled with heavy cologne that tinged of wood and musk.
"She's a great friend..." he says in reply after a substantial moment; willing his brain to spew out a neutral-yet-witty answer. He swallows. "Sir," he adds as an afterthought, like a period after a sentence; it sounded respectful and he didn't know why, but he felt like he needed to sound respectful right now.
Bennet doesn't answer.
Zach doesn't dare to turn. He wonders how long he can continue staring at the fat manatee wobbling obliviously across the screen. It's almost funny. He has an inexplicable urge to laugh and he nearly does, until the sensible, calm voice cuts him off.
"I realise that she values your friendship very much. But if you do anything, anything to hurt her in any way, you have to understand that you should think about-"
The hand tightens on his shoulder.
Zach feels a surge of anger towards Bennet for even thinking about it, fuelling the flow of adrenaline already rushing through his veins. He has a heady feeling and wants to interrupt, but says nothing.
"What I could, what I would-" Bennet is leaning closer, the corner of his glasses skimming his temple and Zach wonders whether he is close enough to see the pulse jumping frantically at his neck; hear his suddenly racing heartbeat. "do to you."
Zach feels so stiff with tension he can hardly breathe. His grip on the mouse is hard as he feels the heat rushing to his cheeks. His mind should be rattling for an answer, but instead flits through images. He sees Bennet punching him, a scarlet gash of blood on his lips. He sees Bennet moving closer, a hard glint in his eyes behind the glasses. He sees lips, lips and hot breaths and the hard rim of the glasses pressing…
"Zachary?" The deep thrum of the voice reminds him.
"Y-yes sir," he finally spits out.
There is a rush of cold air and Bennet is standing up, his hand still on his shoulder. The heat that was curling on his skin moments ago has given way to sweat and uncomfortable dampness. Just a few moments ago he wanted the hand, the heat, the weight to go away. Now he isn't so sure.
Zach decides not to lift a hand to wipe the cold sweat from his brow, because that would constitute moving, and moving is bad when he didn't want the hand from his shoulder to move. He doesn't know why he is disappointed when it does.
"Good. I'm glad we understand each other." Bennet smiles slightly, patting the younger man's shoulder before turning to leave. Bennet has barely even twisted the doorknob - Zach knows because he hears the familiar creak of metal - when Claire comes out from the bathroom in the hallway.
"Zach?" she asks at first, confused, before she looks up and nearly runs into her father. "Hey, dad." She smiles.
Zach is still sitting in front of the computer, his back towards the door. His mind returns slowly, like the few seconds before the ground in a fall - blurred, long and crammed full of scrambled thoughts.
"I was just checking in on you. Zachary told me you were in the shower." He hears him say from the corridor.
"Yeah…" She's towelling her hair vigorously as she nudges open the door fully and walks into the room.
"I'll be downstairs if you need me."
"Okay. Thanks, dad." She yells back, her voice loud down the stairwell.
Zach is still staring blankly ahead when Claire turns to look at him. She frowns.
"You alright? You have this weird look on your face." She leans over, a few damp locks brushing his head. "My dad didn't see anything, did he?"
"No, no, he didn't…" He shakes his head, trying to get the thought of the glasses and the lingering tingle of a hand on his shoulder out of his mind. "I'm fine. Let's just get back to work." He swallows and looks back over his shoulder, seeing the ghost of the stoic man with the chiseled jaw and the blue eyes all over again.