seekevolution | Summer

Summer

Though Mohinder didn't buy into the saying that there could be such a thing as love at first sight, the way that Simon Petrelli looked at Molly when they were first introduced made him reconsider and then immediately close his thoughts so Matt wouldn't worry. Mohinder gently pulled her long hair back from her shoulder so his hand could rest upon it, Molly in a bright red and yellow sundress,and said shoulder covered by a small yellow half jacket. They'd both been pleased to find it at Walmart on the drive up from Fort Lee to Maine, taking the long, scenic route even though Peter had offered them a chance to teleport.

Why teleport when they could have more time together and see the country? Molly needed a little break away from enclosed spaces and the forests along their mountain roads in New York and at the southern border of Canada was just the ticket.

Of course, there had been blighted areas, places where the virus had broken out, or worse, where communities had closed their doors and grown violent. They had just guided their black SUV around the problem areas and stuck to rural hotels on the interstate.

Now, standing in the foyer of what looked like another hotel and yet, knowing it was a family summer retreat, Mohinder could feel Molly yearning to go explore...and the eldest of Peter's nephews more than willing to guide her.

They were both the same age. They'd both been without playmates (what nearly twelve year old counts their brother as a playmate?) for a long while. Mrs. Petrelli, gracious despite her furtive glances at Matt, finally gave them the go head. "Show Molly to her room. Gently, Simon. She's not one of your trucks." Molly glanced back up at Mohinder and he nodded.

"I'll come find you shortly."

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Really, it was one of the few more obvious traces in Matt left of his mother. She'd been a soft-spoken, mild-mannered woman who sounded a lot like all the books she tended to read - romantic, if a bit distant. It wasn't something Matt reflected on in his adult life but a few of her word choices had stuck with him. She'd been nicer to talk to than his dad, after all.

Ignoring Peter's snickering, he shifted his gaze to Molly.

"What, and get all dirty and scruffy again?"

Just a half-hearted challenge. Molly, predictably, had none of it, in that somewhat superior way of hers.

"Well, I can wash up after lunch, so it's not all wasted."

"Mm, but that's still backwards, smartypants."

Molly shot a look at Mohinder for support and then said with her eyebrows raised in a way that matched and challenged Matt's own expression, "But Mohinder's always telling me to think outside the box."

Touché. Heidi smiled behind her hand and Matt went to tousle Molly's hair affectionately.

"Fine. If that's alright with you?"

And as Heidi had already said her okay she just repeated it for Matt's benefit, and that settled that.

Though Mohinder was up to help pack up the picnic, he was glad to have another stretch of time with the adults. Oh, he loved Molly, but knowing she was safe and happy and he didn't have to try to think up childish activities made him all the more comfortable. Lunch was held in the solarium and though Matt and Peter went to watch more television later, Mohinder was happy to read on the deck.

Every day for the next week flowed like this. The children played and kept each other company. They came together for meals and for once, there was absolutely no strife.

These things, however, could not last forever. No matter how much Mohinder might like them too.

He'd gone with Peter to take Monty to the dock one afternoon in early July. Matt stayed back at the house to show off his grilling skills and Heidi had taken Angela and the two older kids into town to see a movie a little too old for her youngest to see.

Mohinder wasn't much of an open body of water type of guy so he sunned himself out on the dock, wearing tiny orange and blue shorts and sunglasses. A book was spread across one thigh and he watched Monty force Peter to lift him to the boards so he could jump into the water every few minutes.

He wasn't sure when looking turned into admiring but-- He couldn't deny that he was admiring Peter at all. He immediately pressed his nose right back into his book.

Things undeniably settled into a bit of a routine, but it was a very nice one. With continued reports that the world was slowly healing and hopes for the future it was increasingly easy to relax. Not to mention how despite some lingering tension between Matt and Angela everyone were turning into family.

That's something Peter would have said, anyway, if he'd been thinking about it. When he got into the water to play with his nephew he wasn't all that focused on the general state of things but more concerned with the water splashed at his face and the act of retaliation.

He was honestly all too easy to admire, nobody would disagree with that. Especially some time later when he took Monty by the hand to get up to the deck to dry off. He tucked damp strands of hair behind his ear with a boyish grin.

"Sorry, hope your book made it", he joked, in reference to Monty shaking himself off like a shaggy dog.

In town, Molly didn't feel the first itch in her mind, but it was still there.

Matt turned some meat over and took a moment to listen to the birdsong.

Eyes wandered. Mohinder had never quite experienced that before, but the thought was planted in his head that Peter was gorgeous, was young and the right sort of man to be attracted to. Mohinder was still young too. They matched well, their body types, their interests. And why shouldn't he look? There was no harm in attraction--

Except there was. Mohinder didn't even know it was happening but there was a nigling though in the back of his head as he smiled awkwardly at Peter and said he book was fine.

Following the pair back to the house, Mohinder tried to cheer up. Tried not to think about it. And, as luck would have it, the smell of the barbeque was enough to snap him out of anything carnal he might be thinking about for now. Meat really didn't do it for him, but he knew there's be salads of all sorts and Matt was always kind to him when cooking and likely had a veggie burger or two on the grill first before the meat could taint it.

He broke off from Monty and Peter and headed around the back of the house where the patio and the doors to the kitchen were. As expected, his boyfriend, his lover, his co-parent was there, grinning with a stupid loveliness that further moved Peter from his mind.

He glanced at the kebobs for a moment before taking hold of Matt's Kiss the Cook apron and tugged the larger man against him for a kiss.

Mohinder always ran hot in that respect but today there was something that much more feral about him. Maybe it was those tiny swim trunks he wore and nothing else.

There was a surprised little sound from Matt that was swallowed by Mohinder's mouth. Yeah, Mohinder was often direct, something Matt was getting used to and hardly minded, but they'd gotten to know each other well enough to notice the nuances in each other's behavior. And that feral edge came through loud and clear.

After glancing at the doors and finding that neither Peter or Monty were around, Matt indulged the kiss for what it was and put the spatula down to place his hands on Mohinder's hips and draw him in even closer. That familiarity had developed between them eagerly the last few weeks. Given the fact that they hadn't gotten to have their honeymoon phase when they should have it was like they were making up for lost time.

No real words, in either of their minds. Not until Matt drew away when a particularly loud sizzling called for his attention and he flipped the meat over before giving Mohinder a curious look, but coupled with the grin that had been so frequent lately.

"Hey. Uh, did you want something?"

How cheeky.

Peter was elsewhere, getting Monty and himself into some clothes, something Mohinder should probably also see to. Peter hadn't noticed being looked at and he likely wouldn't - it'd be more an issue of Mohinder having to guard his thoughts if it happened again, from Peter and Matt both.

"You." Guarding his thoughts had never been Mohinder's strong suit. In fact, he was blatantly terrible at it. So rather than hide his thoughts, he just would cover them up. He'd never been all that sexual of being. Sex was nice, but his brain was hardwired for science. It was why he so rarely had a type. People nice to him, that paid attention to him, they were his type. And Matt was the best thing to have come along and to have gotten swept up into.

A few glances at Peter couldn't pull that down, could it?

"But perhaps after we eat." Mohinder pulled away from Matt to let him return to work (with half an erection, he was so proud of himself) and padded back into the house. He bypassed Peter completely to get himself changed and checked his phone to be sure Molly hadn't called.

Satisfied that she hadn't, he put on too tight jeans and a light linen shirt to help Matt finish cooking...and perhaps tease him a little in the process.

Everything seemed very lighthearted that afternoon until the kids got back. Molly seemed very quiet. Simon kept trying to get her to talk but she looked a little paler than usual. Mohinder knew better than to pry. Molly's one fault was her defensiveness and he didn't want to cause a scene. How old was she again?

I... I think we ought to ask Heidi to speak with her, Mohinder shot across the table when the kids had been excused. About womanly things.

"Yeah, figured as much", Matt said with a laugh, but there was always something a little incredulous in statements like that. Cause he'd always consider Mohinder about two miles out of his league, and this even before he'd really considered playing for the other team. But as things turned out that way, well. It all seemed fine.

And was, too, as the sun slowly came down but stayed warm throughout the afternoon and evening. With food, drink and conversation it was easy to miss that one of them didn't seem on top of her game, but since Molly was quick to smile and laugh normally her silence did become gradually more obvious as the meal went on.

Matt shot her one or two concerned looks but figured she was probably just getting sick somehow, so when Mohinder presented that other option, his eyes widened slightly.

Oh, uh, right. You think?

That was slightly alarming, evidently, and he cleared his throat. Peter looked up, amused, but Matt couldn't tell whether he was listening in on them or not.

Yeah, okay. Yeah.

The topic was unapproached for most of the evening, as they stayed out on the deck for a while to just chat among each other. But as the rest of the adults eventually rose to get back inside, Matt shot Mohinder a look, waited for the confirmation to be found there and then halted Heidi with a hand to her elbow.

"Hey, ah ... you got a minute?"

Matt might have been uncomfortable but Mohinder understood at least that Molly didn't have another woman to speak with. While Mohinder could give her clinical reassurances, only a woman would be able to answer her questions. He decided to take the lead here as Heidi looked at them both, searchingly. "Of course."

"Molly's about that age... She's been acting somewhat moody, looking run down--" Mohinder didn't even need to finish. Heidi, strangely, looked honored.

She was a mother, but her children were boys. They hadn't needed this sort of talk and Peter could deliver the other in a year or two to make it less strange for her boys. "I imagine it might be frightening...I'll gladly speak with her after it tomorrow. Perhaps we can make a trip into town together. Just the two of us."

Mohinder was really very grateful and smiled at Matt. Problem solved, he thought casually.

If only he knew how wrong he was.

That night, he woke with a start, clothing on because neither he nor Matt cared to be naked if Molly came in to their room at night needing them. He pressed a hand over his chest to still his heart and then left the room to head down for water.

It was less about discomfort and more about being unprepared and uncertain. With Molly, what Matt didn't know or couldn't quite tackle he tended to make up for in enthusiasm and warmth, but he could hardly find it in himself to feel excited about their daughter feeling down. And, to be quite honest, he was slightly reluctant to the idea of her growing up. But that was a while to go still. It was moments like that he was glad he was the mindreader of the two but he met Mohinder's smile easily and touched his back when they left the deck.

When Mohinder woke Matt remained asleep, the very image of relaxation to contrast whatever it was that had rattled Mohinder. It'd probably be hard to identify, just a fleeting dream, a half-formed notion. But getting out of bed seemed like a good idea, didn't it?

Everything was fine. It'd just be nice to be somewhere else for a little while.

Peter apparently had a similar feeling judging from the way he was leaning against the counter in the kitchen with a distant expression, glass of water partially raised to his lips but unmoving. Everything was still. Until he noticed Mohinder, anyway, and seemed to shake something off to shoot him that boyish smile and greet him in a hushed tone.

"Hey. Can't sleep?"

"How did you guess?" Mohinder moved around the other man, eyes downcast almost shyly and went to the refrigerator to have himself...well. Soda. Not his typical choice but a little sweetness in his stomach might do him well and the carbonation could settle him down too.

He felt itchy in ways he couldn't describe and wasn't quite sure how to, though the niggling feeling in the back of his skull was slowly starting to go away.

Nevermind that he was only in a pair of sleeping trousers, Mohinder pulled up a stool at the breakfast bar as Peter turned towards him, setting his glass down.

"This hasn't happened in awhile. Sometimes Matt will wake me if he has nightmares, but even those are remarkably kept at bay since we've been here." It was Mohinder's way of trying to get Peter to feel comfortable with discussing his own issues. He and Matt spent at Month in New York's ruins together after all.

The quality of Peter's smile changed into something both knowing and fond when he pushed away from the counter to sit opposite of Mohinder, not minding the impromptu conversation. If they couldn't sleep, why not just ... talk, for a bit?

"Honestly? I'm pretty sure that's thanks to you and Molly. You're his focus, you know."

That much was obvious to anyone. Matt had a way of looking at the two of them that Peter recognised since he'd had that look himself. Not so much anymore. It had faded after Nathan, but that didn't mean the feelings weren't there.

He raised a hand to tuck some hair behind his ear.

"But if Matt didn't wake you, then ..."

He wasn't trying to avoid talking about himself, but he knew most there was to know there. Far less about Mohinder, comparatively.

"I use to have difficulty sleeping when my mind wasn't active enough," he confessed, having spent enough time with Peter to know that, though he was certainly smart, Peter was more of the head in the clouds sort. There was nothing wrong with that but Mohinder had difficult relating to it. "I suppose I feel a bit empty. Matt and Molly are wonderful, but neither of them need me hovering every moment of the day. I dare say they'd not like it if I did."

He laugh was soft, unassuming.

"When I was working at Pinehearst, has terrible as the hours were, as awful as it had been knowing Matt wasn't safe and perhaps even dead, I had something to strive for. Now--"

What could he look forward to? Making peanut butter sandwiches? Doing the laundry?

"I'd never seen myself as a house wife."

Peter's expression cleared of the smile to instead settle into recognition and understanding.

"Getting restless, right?" He thumbed at the glass of water, leaving only barely visible prints along its center. "I am. I just feel this ... this need, to be out there, to help everyone - but I can't. I can't leave my family. I can't do that to them."

It wouldn't be fair. They'd all lost Nathan; Peter was the one left. He had to stick around and he knew as well as anyone else that if he went out into a world that was still broken up and damaged, he might not make it okay.

He'd live. But being alive didn't mean you were fine.

If that's what Mohinder was struggling with, Peter thought he got it.

"Restless, yes," Mohinder said, meeting Peter's gaze. "Restless. I want to do more." He'd helped to save humanity, sure, but there was always more he could do. More work. He missed Pinehearst. "I keep trying to tell myself that I'm on holiday. But when the school year starts, we might as well stay in the area. There's...more trees here than I've ever seen in my entire life, Peter."

Mohinder couldn't be happy here. Oh, he'd try. And Matt nad Molly could fulfill the parts of him that needed a family, but he's always been the sort to seek science out first.

It was difficult juggling who he was with who two other people were. Strange. He'd never thought of it that way.

"I feel guilty for even bringing it up."

Peter leaned his chin on his knuckles as he listened. He didn't mind letting Mohinder talk because it seemed like they'd found common ground here, and there was something comforting about that. Matt understood the fidgeting and the wariness and the memories, but for the moment at least, he found peace in the quiet. Peter wasn't going to interfere with that. He'd earned it.

Just like Peter's family. Just like Molly. But Mohinder had that urge to get out, too. It was something Peter sometimes played with in his head ... that it'd be so easy to disappear. He had so many powers and they were all going to waste here.

"Don't be", he replied easily enough, tone soft. He felt guilty, too. "I get it. Maybe you should talk to them, though, Mohinder. They might be different people but they're your family now."

Somewhat hypocritical? Maybe. But it might be worth a shot and Peter tried to be optimistic despite everything. And in a situation where nobody actually was in danger for once it was an even easier thing.

Matt wouldn't understand though, would he? Peter wasn't thinking about that. But maybe Mohinder was.

"It would cause Matt stress and he doesn't need that." Of course, Mohinder being stressed out wouldn't do either of them any good either but the sex helped. And knowing Molly was taken care of and safe helped. "I should buy a computer and work from home." He smiled appreciatively at Peter.

Worrying Matt needlessly seemed like a good way to a bad argument and they hadn't fought in weeks. It was good between them, a little too good. Mohinder needed that friction, though. He felt stagnant like this.

There was a reason no one stayed with him.

His mind wandered. And when it wandered, he was left ignoring the people he ought to care most about. That sudden thought terrified him.

"And I'll be honest, I have no idea why Matt's with me. I have no idea what I did right this time. It's unnerving." He sighed. "Sometimes it doesn't even feel real."

If Peter picked up on those thoughts he didn't say anything. He wasn't as in tune to telepathy as Matt was - didn't really have the background noise the same way, hadn't started using it as a sixth sense. He had to focus differently to bring it out. And he had no reason to be reading Mohinder's thoughts.

So the fears were silent to him, even if they were showing between the lines of what Mohinder was saying. Peter offered a quick, reassuring smile in response to that. One coupled with a slightly teasing light in his eyes, if you looked for it.

"Come on, Mohinder, low self esteem doesn't suit you. You just saved the world, remember?"

He leaned forward a little. Earnest.

"You're both lucky people. What you guys have? It is real. If you want my advice, it's try not to worry about it."

"Oh, it's not low self esteem," he protested, feeling perhaps a little awkward discussing this at all. He normally would have just held it in, but it felt liberating not to have to. Poor Peter was left to be an ear to something he might not actually be all that interesting in. "It's-- He was with a woman for most of his life. The same woman. And he was divorced for very little time before he caught a hold of my thoughts towards him."

If self esteem wasn't the issue, then certainly fear was, as if Matt might 'snap out of it' at any second. It was a terrible thought, as if Matt would eventually get over the newness of their relationship or suddenly realise--

"He's not gay."

Mohinder might have been feeling around a little to see what side of the fence Peter might be on.

Whatever Peter had expected, it wasn't that. It was an understandable fear if you thought about it, but that was exactly it - Peter hadn't thought about it. From what he knew Matt hadn't thought about it. But of course Mohinder would. He was the scientist, the analyst.

Peter's brow furrowed in momentary confusion. Then there was that hint of a smile again when he shook his head.

"Look, if you're gonna worry about that forever, you're gonna make yourself sick. Maybe he isn't. Maybe he just doesn't care. There are people like that, you know."

That'd be the answer to the question Mohinder wasn't asking, most likely. Peter had always felt that you could look beyond those precious words everyone used to find connections. It was possible. It was just about being brave enough.

"I suppose so..." Worrying forever hadn't been Mohinder's plan. He's just figured that he'd worry for a small while and after a year or so, realise that Matt was here to stay. It sounded ridiculous in his head and he turned back to Peter with a shy smile. "What about you? No interest in a partner? You've earned some settling down."

Even though neither of them wanted to settle down, having someone to do it with helped.

"It must be...difficult...meeting someone with similar interests." Being a superhero could have it's downside. And now he was just blabbering on, mentioning the people they knew who knew about and could accept Peter. "Which really leaves quite a small pool. Unless you hid it--"

Tuned in to the conversation, Maury rolled his eyes. There was a reason Mohinder didn't have a lot of friends, he realized. The Indian was annoying. He gave him a little nudge to get him back on track before he filled Molly's head with nightmares.

They were subtle, though. Beautifully crafted works of art, every single one nudged just so into place to bring her discomfort and illness but nothing that'd make her understand. She had no reason to look for Maury and he made sure she wouldn't. He just gently wrapped her sunshine mind into clouds, making her fidget and turn but not scream. She'd get that later.

He left Matt alone and Mohinder with a gentle reminder that maybe he should, too.

Peter wasn't aware of any of this. He had no reason to look for a third telepath. No, he shook his head instead with a sad smile in place as he thumbed his lower lip, clearly thinking back on something.

"I didn't have to", he said softly. "Back when- before all this ... there was this girl. I didn't understand what was happening to me and she helped the world make sense."

Caitlin had been a spot of light in the confusing haze surrounding him at the time. He looked up briefly at Mohinder, then looked down and away, sighing.

"I lost her."

He'd tried going back for her but that future had never happened now. She was gone. He had to carry that burden of knowing that he'd unwittingly erased a person from history. And while he couldn't say with any certainty that he'd loved her, he still felt the loss.

His shoulders hiked up slightly as he thought about it.

If there was one thing to ruin Maury's plans for the evening, it was Peter's sob story. How could Mohinder even think on hitting on someone, subconsciously or not, with the younger man's sorry dished right up to him like that? Mohinder spent over an hour in that kitchen, listening to Peter talk about Ireland and the girl and the future he'd desperately wanted to stop.

A future that no longer existed. And he'd taken her there, completely erasing her too.

They had some rum and coke after that, just sitting outside on the veranda and talking about this or that as the sun slowly rose. By then, Mohinder was smashed, singing softly and making Peter try to sing along with him too.

"Oh honestly," Angela's voice came from behind them. "I'd have expected an all night binge from your brother. But Peter, really."

It left the two dissolving into giggles, though Peter wasn't drunk at all thanks to the gift he'd gotten from Claire. There would only be one of them throwing up in the near future.

Oh, he'd find a way around it. But by the time they got to drinking Maury left them and the girl alone. Fine; let them be comfortable for a while. It was still progress and even if it hadn't been he'd managed the girl. She was his orders, to turn her into leverage for Arthur - no, splitting up his son with the foreign fag he was so damn touchy with was his own personal pet project.

He had time.

By the time the sun was up Matt woke, at first not really thinking twice about Mohinder not being curled up next to him. He was usually there but he was also an earlier riser than Matt so it didn't have to mean anything. But as he got up and got dressed something stung his mind that he couldn't quite put his finger on.

He went downstairs. There was birdsong and life and laughter, and he could easily make out Mohinder's voice, but it had that quality to it -- hm.

He wasn't angry, and in fact had a teasing smile when he located his friend and boyfriend outside and leaned against the door frame casually.

"Guys, come on. I know it's summer but it's barely even morning."

Peter grinned innocently at him. "You know I'll be fine either way, Matt."

Matt snorted and pushed away from the door, moving to place a hand to Mohinder's shoulder and kiss him good morning. "He won't", he said pointedly. It was true enough that Mohinder had a habit of getting pretty drunk pretty quickly.

The sting in his mind remained, but he could ignore it for now. Things seemed easier that way.

Matt's presence made Mohinder grin and as he was kissed, he wrapped his arms around the older man's neck. "We talked," Mohinder whispered, perhaps not realising it was out loud. "All night. About you. And Catelyn." Peter arched an eyebrow almost sheepishly and offered Matt a half smile before he shrugged.

He wasn't going to rat on Mohinder. If the Indian needed to get that off of his chest, he was just going to have to figure it out himself. So, with everyone gathering for breakfast, Peter stood and gave Matt a wink. "I'll have them keep two plates in the over okay?"

Someone needed to take care of Mohinder, who couldn't even seem to be able to stand up.

"Good luck with that one." Matt would need it. Drunken Mohinder was...something else.

"Whoa, easy", Matt said with half a laugh, not having expected to be pulled down a little. He was tall and while Mohinder wasn't using any force there was still a momentary imbalance before he disentangled himself but made up for that with warm hands on Mohinder's shoulders.

Caitlin - he knew about her, but not all that much. Whatever discussion had warranted a link between him, the girl Peter lost and alcohol, he didn't think he could even begin to guess at.

"Thanks, Peter", he said and then added with a fond roll of his eyes, "shut up." He did need luck, at least to some extent. It depended a lot on what he wanted to accomplish, though.

He took Peter's previous spot and picked up a glass to sniff experimentally. Good alcohol, of course. No wonder Mohinder's thoughts were drifting off him, floating outwards without much direction.

"How're you feeling?" he asked, putting the glass back down. "You know you're gonna regret that in a few hours."

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For some reason my phone tags never get posted. :(

boo. :c

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