rp for genetic_fate: morning

[heroslayer]

The first thing Sylar was aware of was the sun peeking through the windows of the motel room, unhindered by the cheap curtains as he'd forgotten to close them before he'd fallen into bed. The second, that his head hurt worse now than it had the night before while they'd driven, no doubt his body catching up to him when it came to lack of sleep. Both of those things he could deal with, as they were to be expected, but the third thing that bled into his consciousness as he shifted out of sleep? He wasn't so sure.

And that third thing happened to be that, somewhere during the course of the night, he'd curled up around the geneticist he'd been sharing a bed with.

Lifting his head from the Indian's shoulder - his good one, as apparently he hadn't been stupid enough to all but drool on the side that had been shot - he stared at the other man for a minute. Then, as he tried to get up without waking him, he found there was one critical flaw in his plan. Suresh was sleeping on his arm, and while he was sure that he could move the man with his mind or simply pull away, he was also fairly certain that it would wake him up.

He made a face. "Suresh."

Comments

[genetic-fate.livejournal.com]

Mohinder woke to sunlight, an uncomfortable bed, a warm body pressed against him, and a quiet voice speaking his name. Also, pain. A very large amount of pain, emanating from his right shoulder. All these things, put together, just didn't make sense to Mohinder for a moment or so. He was not a man who was at his best, first thing after waking up.

Eventually, after much consideration on the best course of action, considering the variety of stimuli, he decided on voicing his confusion.

"What?"

[heroslayer]

"You're on my arm," he said, something small and pointed in his voice. Suresh, apparently wasn't a morning person for how hard it was for him to get his wits about him. Sylar wasn't a morning person because, until he'd been up for awhile, he didn't want to be bothered with human interaction. It seemed neither of them were going to get what they wanted, this morning.

Regardless, however, he shifted a bit to make his point.

[genetic-fate.livejournal.com]

It was a lucky thing, for Sylar, that the slowness of Mohinder's reaction times, first thing in the morning, meant that his memories of the previous evening came back before his brain managed to recognise the voice in his ear. For that reason, there was very little in the way of panicking. In fact, due to Mohinder's nature, on waking up, all the killer got in response was an eventual "oh".

Slowly, thanks to Mohinder's shoulder, the Indian shuffled away from his bedmate, returning his arm. Then, with great effort, he turned over so that he was facing the other man. For a moment, he regarded him blearily, before simply closing his eyes again.

[heroslayer]

Sylar mumbled something that may have been a thanks and raised his arm over his head in attempt to get some of the feeling back in it. His arm had, apparently, fallen as dead asleep as he had, and now there were pins an needles racing through it. Wonderful.

Making a small, sour face, he wiggled his fingers, watching the way the muscles in his hand flex before dropping his arm to his side. His attentions dropped as well, drifting first to Suresh who seemed content to try and fall back asleep, to the cheap coffee maker on one of the dressers. Did he feel motivated enough to get up and make coffee? Probably not.

As he moved his eyes back to Mohinder again, he realized he was probably going to have to get up, regardless of whether or not he wanted to. The man would need aspirin - hopefully there was a vending machine with little travel packets somewhere - surely. And, even if they weren't that lucky, he'd have to go back to the car at some point, to get more gauze and tape to change his bandages.

That in mind, reluctant to leave the bed and its warmth, he shifted a bit before pulling himself into a sitting position.

[genetic-fate.livejournal.com]

Mohinder frowned as Sylar began to move, sitting up in bed. "You're getting up," he observed, voice a little on the whiny side. Amazing, how different people were when you caught them at their worst.

And then, "My shoulder aches."

Because, obviously, that explained everything.

[heroslayer]

"I am, yes," he agreed, reaching up to scrub the sleep out of the corners of his eyes, now that he could actually feel his fingers again. "I was thinking of making coffee." He paused, sitting up a little straighter to banish the tension that sat in his own shoulders from the fight and the drive yesterday, and then he added, "And finding both of us some Advil."

Now that he was starting to get his sense back, he realized Advil would be better than aspirin for Suresh. The latter, after all, had blood thinners, and that wouldn't be good considering the geneticist's state.

[genetic-fate.livejournal.com]

Mohinder nodded at Sylar's plan. "Good idea."

For a moment, he didn't make any further move, happy to lie still that little bit longer. But his relationship with this other man was tentative, at best, and maybe trying to help out a little might be a more intelligent than just letting him do all the work.

"Anything I can do?" He questioned, sitting up with surprising difficulty as he found himself hardly able to support any of his weight on his right arm.

[heroslayer]

He turned his head to consider the geneticist, dropping his hands into his lap. Getting coffee and painkillers wasn't a two person job, and while he appreciated the offer, even if it were something Suresh could help him with, it didn't look like the other man would be able to do much. There was too much weakness in the arm that had taken the bullet - it wouldn't have taken he unique insight to see that.

"Just wait here," Sylar responded, something vaguely apologetic in his tone, so that the Indian knew he wasn't leaving him out of weakness. "I'll be right back." Assuming he could actually get out of bed, instead of just shooting thoughtful glances at the door, anyway.

[genetic-fate.livejournal.com]

Mohinder could see Sylar's reasoning, knew that he wasn't in the best shape right now. Their road, at least for the immediate future, wasn't going to be an easy one - he should accept the chance to rest now, whilst he could.

"Waiting..." He drawled when it became apparent that Sylar was in no rush to move. "In your own time, obviously."

[heroslayer]

Sylar made a small noise in the back of his throat that seemed to suggest he was getting there, though he still failed to move. Then, after another long moment, he was suddenly on his feet. Whether this was a result of telekinesis or simple, quick movement, however, it was hard to tell.

Shooting a mournful glance at the bed and the geneticist he was leaving behind, he offered another mumbled reassurance he would be back and then moved for the door.

[genetic-fate.livejournal.com]

Mohinder briefly considered laying back down, once Sylar had left, but decided that he would most likely just fall back to sleep - not the wisest idea.

Instead, he slowly got himself out of bed, cradling his bad arm to his chest. If he could find a way of making a makeshift sling, that would definitely be a great aid to him.

For want of somewhere better to locate himself, he perched then on the edge of the bed, and awaited Sylar's return.

[heroslayer]

Sylar was gone for longer than it should have taken to find painkillers.

He didn't stay away so long as to worry the geneticist intentionally, though. It was more, on the way to seek out medicine, something had caught his attention. The sound of a dryer tumbling clothes distantly. He didn't think that this motel, small as it was, would have had something like that, but if the clothing inside was in either his size or Mohinder's? It would spare them having to go and pick out clothes legitimately and possibly catching unwanted attentions.

Getting the promised Advil out of a vending machine he'd found in the public men's room in the lobby, he palmed it - damn Company issue clothes and their lack of pockets - and followed the sound. And sooner rather than later, he'd tracked down the washer and its noisy counterpart, set into a small alcove by the pool. He took a casual look around. No one seemed to be lurking, waiting for their clothing to be done. Then, sure he was safe, he moved with purpose to the dryer, pulled it open and proceeded to go through the contents of the machine, as if the things belonged to him and he was simply checking to see if they were dry.

Rule one of stealing something from someone else? Act as if you belong there.

In the end, he'd managed to find a pair of dusty-looking black jeans and a wifebeater that he was sure would fit him. He also found something he was almost certain would suit Mohinder, too - a black button-up shirt, and another pair of jeans. Good enough, he decided, and putting the items from the laundry he wasn't intent on stealing back in the machine, he carried his stolen goods back to their room and let himself in.

"I found us clothes," Sylar announced, once the door was closed.

[genetic-fate.livejournal.com]

"Well done," Mohinder offered when Sylar returned and explained the reason for the length of his absence. "I could do with a fresh shirt." His words were such an understatement, it was laughable, the garment tattered and bloody, a large hole cut out of one shoulder.

With great effort, he managed to pull off said shirt, looking at his shoulder with distaste. "Definitely going to have to come up with a better strategy for stopping bullets."

Though, deep down he knew it was impossible. The only way he'd ever have powers of his own would be if he could give himself a completely different genetic co-

That was it. Oh, it was so simple, why had he never thought of it before? He was off the bed like a shot, pacing the room with a feverish excitement as he thought the theory through in his head, over and over, trying to find where he'd gone wrong. But he couldn't. What he was thinking - what he was proposing in his mind - it might just be possible.

"I need to get to a lab." He stated, turning on Sylar with wild eyes. "Any lab, but preferably medical."

[heroslayer]

He stared at him for a long moment, like a child staring at a bug that was thought dead, only to realize it was still alive. He could practically hear the gears in Suresh's head turning, but still. He hadn't expected him to move so quickly, as wounded as he was, nor could he pin down what, exactly the geneticist had in mind. A lab? Why?

"They'll have yours watched," he noted, quietly, setting the pile of clothes he'd purloined down on the bed.

He had no desire to go back to Manhattan, depite the fact he knew there to be labs there, for much the same reason. But where would they go, if not back there? He considered it as he stripped his own shirt off and went for the wifebeater at the top of the pile. And as he pulled it over his head, he asked, "Would a hospital do?"

He could break them into there with little trouble, he decided.

[genetic-fate.livejournal.com]

A hospital would be just about perfect, Mohinder thought. "That would be fine. I just need equipment, I think I might be on to something."

His hands and arms were getting more animated as he talked, a sure sign of his excitement, but a particularly vicious wave of his right arm had him very quickly sitting back down on the bed.

"First, though, I need painkillers. And the wherewithal to make a sling."

[heroslayer]

"On to something?" Sylar echoed curiously, cocking his head to one side, briefly, before he moved towards the bathroom. Getting a cup, so that the geneticist would have water to take his pills with, he carried it back to the bed and offered it, along with one of the two packages of Advil, to the other man.

"Here." A pause, and then, "May I ask what you're planning?"

[genetic-fate.livejournal.com]

"Thank you."

Taking the cup, Mohinder popped twice the recommended dose of pills and swallowed them with several sips of water.

"I'm not sure myself," he answered Sylar's question once the pills were down. "It's just... struck me, that your abilities, everyone's abilities, are due to their genetic code. Science has managed to transfer genetic code between individuals before now, and there's just a chance I might be able to do something similar. It's a long shot, but..."

He looked up at Sylar, hope making his eyes shine, dark with lust for power. "But I might just manage something."

[heroslayer]

"So, you'd be like me?"

He wasn't sure how he felt about that. On one hand, Mohinder having powers would bring them closer to being equals. Suresh would be able to come with him on hunts, know what it felt like, to take something from someone that they didn't deserve. The other man would finally be able to understand, first-hand, what it felt like to weild that kind of power. And he'd be able to fight with him against the Company, if they came after them again, instead of being a liability.

But on the other hand, he wondered if it wouldn't be a little like putting a steak in front of a lion. What kind of powers would Mohinder end up with? If they were different - newer - than his own compliment of abilities, would the want to attack the geneticist be too great to manage? What would stop him from killing Suresh if it was? He supposed that, for now, he'd be able to bottle his demons until he'd repayed the other man the other favor he owed him, but after that? Then what? What if his hunger was too great?

And, beyond that, he suddenly had images of Mohinder taking another spinal sample from him, in order to 'transfer genetic codes'.

He made a face, pulling open the second set of pills he'd brought so he could take two, hoping to banish his headache. He took them dry, wincing as they went down, and then, "You'd need a sample from someone with abilities?" If it wasn't a needle to the spine, he might be willing to volunteer. If it was, well. He'd have to track someone down.

[genetic-fate.livejournal.com]

"I could be like... anyone." Mohinder stated, face crazy with hunger, such a huge feast so close to possibility. "I've yet to further my father's sole genetic marker... what allows for a particular ability still eludes me. For now I shall just have to use that common marker, and see what happens."

Oh, the chances of this not working at all were so very high, but doubts were the food of the old Mohinder. This Mohinder was new, self-sure and positive.

"And yes... I'd need a sample. Blood ought to do it, if you're willing?" Mohinder also entertained the possibility of finding someone else, but the ones he knew of were back the way they'd come. It would be very risky, returning for something so common as blood. He hoped Sylar would be willing to play ball for this one.

"Throw me your Company shirt?" He asked, as an aside. It was white, and therefore more likely to look like a proper sling than if he were to tear apart his own old shirt.

[heroslayer]

Sylar looked almost relieved as he moved to grab the shirt he'd stripped out of and left on the bed. He didn't hand it over right away, however, considering the geneticist for a long moment. And after he'd reached some kind of conclusion, he commanded, "Hold your arm up. Like you had it in a sling already." A pause, and then as an afterthought, "And I wouldn't mind giving a blood sample."

[genetic-fate.livejournal.com]

"That's good, thank you," Mohinder gave Sylar a warm and honest smile, glad of the cooperation. It would have been tricky, to find another person with abilities to get blood from.

He also smiled when Sylar offered to deal with the sling for him, and he quickly did as he was told, bringing his right arm across his chest, hand touching his left shoulder. "I suppose this does make more sense, thank you." It would have been a skill, after all, to try and tie his own sling, single handedly, behind his neck.

[heroslayer]

He flashed him a quick smile. "You're welcome."

Then, like that, the killer was crossing the distance between them to tie the geneticist's in place. It wouldn't be the best job, he was sure, but it would at least serve to hold Mohinder's arm in place so he didn't do any more damage to himself. And that was the important thing, wasn't it?

[genetic-fate.livejournal.com]

Sylar's breath was warm against Mohinder's face as he leaned in to tie the material around his arm. The movement made his shoulder ache, but he managed to ignore it by concentrating on that breath against his cheek.

He turned his face to that warmth, automatically, finding himself with his lips scant centimetres away from his new friend. The temptation to close that distance was suddenly overwhelming, though he had no logical explanation as to why. He just... couldn't stop himself, in the end.

He did wonder, as lips met other lips, how much longer now he would be in possession of his brain.

[heroslayer]

If Suresh had simply darted in to kiss him, he might have been taken aback both by the suddeness of the action and the fact that he had in the first place. But with the two of them so close already, even if he hadn't noticed the other man's mouth so close to his, too busy with his sling, it seemed almost natural. As simple as falling asleep or moving something with his thoughts.

Dropping his hands away from the Indian's arm, too distracted to continue along with the sling even if he hadn't already finished, he leaned into him, returning the kiss. He'd wanted this for to long to do anything else.

[genetic-fate.livejournal.com]

Mohinder's free hand rested on Sylar's shoulder as the kiss was returned. It had not been the response he had been expecting, but it was most definitely preferable to having his head sliced open.

And it felt good. Surprisingly so. He had had no idea why he had initiated the kiss, but now that he had? Mohinder was in no hurry for it to end.

Squeezing Sylar's shoulder just a little bit firmer, the Indian tilted his head slightly, with the effect of deepening the kiss. The longer this went on, the longer it would be before they had to talk.

[heroslayer]

It was a damn shame that Mohinder was injured. Mostly because all he wanted to do, right now, was slam the geneticist against the wall - with a thought, with his hands, it didn't matter - and keep this up. It was a fight with his lack of impulse control not to do so, the other man hurt or not. So much so that he had to break off the kiss not to simply do it just for the sake of doing it.

Sylar didn't explain the movement, however, didn't say anything. He just fixed his eyes on the Indian's face, watching him heatedly from under his eyebrows.

[genetic-fate.livejournal.com]

Mohinder did not speak either for a while, for the sole reason that he had no idea what to say. It had been a very long time, since he had been responsible for initiating a kiss, and he was pretty sure that situation had been far less complex than this one.

Of course, it is a well-known fact that the average human can only last out an awkward silence for so long, and Mohinder was no exception. When no response seemed forthcoming from Sylar, he finally coughed awkwardly, blushing more than a little.

"I shouldn't have done that. I'm sorry..." The fact that Sylar had responded was currently alluding him. His sole concern was that he had ruined their relationship, just as it was beginning.

[heroslayer]

"No," Sylar answered, near immediately, never taking his eyes off of him. Beyond that, however, he didn't know exactly what to say. Surely, there were words that applied to the situation, but he wasn't able to find them, or at least not beyond a very quiet, "It's alright."

A pause, and then, "But why?" He wasn't complaining, but he couldn't understand why. Sanity issues aside, he'd considered this an alliance of convenience. He needed Mohinder's help, and the geneticist needed his, but beyond that? They weren't friends - or at least he doubted that Mohinder felt any camaraderie - but well. Apparently he was wrong.

[genetic-fate.livejournal.com]

Mohinder did not have an answer for that question, and thanks to this ever-encroaching madness, he no longer cared about that. Time was, a question without an answer would have driven him into sleepness nights of endless research, but now? Now he could finally accept that some parts of life would always be a mystery.

So, all he did was shrug as best he could with a shoulder injury. "I don't know. It wasn't premeditated, not at all. You were just, well, there."

Mohinder offered up a small, mildly awkward smile to go with his statement.

[heroslayer]

He didn't hesitate to close what little distance he'd put between them when he'd pulled away. And watching the other man with hooded eyes, he pointed out, "I still am." If that would earn him another kiss, he was all for it.

[genetic-fate.livejournal.com]

Mohinder didn't need telling twice, and that added closeness was all he needed to close the little remaining gap and press their lips back together. His free handed rested under Sylar's chin, his touch almost tender.

Almost, because underneath the gentle touches, there was a definite roughness. An unspoken motive to show that this wasn't the weed of a man Sylar had previously known in Mohinder. It was something in the way he employed teeth and tongue in the kiss that screamed 'I have power, too'.

[heroslayer]

Sylar smiled into Mohinder's mouth at the thinly veiled roughness. Such a shame that he couldn't throw the geneticist against the wall, really, and not even for the reasons Suresh would probably assume, if he had been able to. No, it wouldn't have been a power play, a way of showing he was in charge still. It would have been more reciprocation. Mohinder wanted to possess him and he wanted to possess right back.

He supposed, of course, that there were other ways of doing it beyond telekinesis. And that in mind, he put a hand to the small of the Indian's back, digging his fingers into his spine.

[genetic-fate.livejournal.com]

Mohinder gasped at the pressure applied to his spine, back arching away from that touch due to pure reflex action.

"We shouldn't," he whispered against those lips, oh so kissable, struggling to be all that assertive in his wording. "We shouldn't be wasting time. People will be looking for us."

He hated to be the one to bring up moving on, but better that than get caught now, when they'd come so far.

[heroslayer]

He didn't like being told no, but he could see the logic behind what the Indian had said. Still, however, it didn't stop him from nudging Suresh into his mouth again, briefly, so he could steal another quick kiss.

"Later, then," he growled into his mouth, half promise and half threat, as he pulled away. Then, just like that, he was turning to retrieve the pair of jeans he'd brought back for himself. And stripping out of his Company issue pants - he may have yielded out of the kiss, but that didn't mean he couldn't harass Suresh by changing in front of him - he shot a glance over his shoulder.

"You need a lab."

[genetic-fate.livejournal.com]

Mohinder struggled not to stare as Sylar practically performed a striptease in front of him. That growled 'later' had sent strangle tingles up and down his spine, and now the added show? He shifted uncomfortably on the edge of the bed.

"Yes, I do. That would definitely be a good start." He stated, trying to keep his mind free of anything that might be considered lust.

[heroslayer]

"There's a hospital not far from here," he answered, taking his time fastening his jeans as he could hear the geneticist discomfort behind him. As much as he deserved it for that teasing kiss, however, he was well aware that he didn't have time to draw out the mind game much more than he already had. And that in mind, he finished changing and turned to face him. "I saw a sign for it, when we pulled off the highway, last night. I can break us into there."

He would have done the same, while Suresh had still been bleeding if he thought the Indian wouldn't have bled to death before they made it there. Or if he thought he could get a doctor to look at him without asking a million questions they wouldn't have had time for.

[genetic-fate.livejournal.com]

"That'll be fine." Mohinder nodded, before reaching for the clothes Sylar had purloined for him. Modesty obviously was not an issue for Sylar, and he had no reason to be embarrassed either, so he did not beat around the bush about changing his trousers.

The shirt was more awkward, thanks to his shoulder, but he managed. The clothes were ill-fitting, slightly too large, but they could be a lot worse. They would do, until such time that they could purchase new garments.

"All set." He stated once he'd finished changing.

[heroslayer]

Sylar watched the other man as he changed, eyes dancing over him, both enjoying the view and assessing. Mohinder's clothes were too big, his own a just a touch too small, but both were the closest he could come up with in his thieving. Either way, though, it was an issue that would need to be addressed sooner rather than later, and not wanting to press their luck with their current source of funds, he'd have to kill again to do so. He hoped, idly, it would be someone who was broken, next time - he really did hate killing normal people, even if it meant his own survival.

He shrugged the thought away, as they had more pressing issues at hand, and nodded towards the door. "Let's go."

No, he didn't intend to pause to check them out. That was a ridiculous waste of time, and he didn't want the front desk getting a better look at either of them than they already had. And along the same lines, he stopped to pick up what remained of his Company issue clothing before heading for the door himself. "Take your old clothes with you."

That way, if the Company was still at their heels, there would be less of a chance of them knowing they'd been here.

[genetic-fate.livejournal.com]

Mohinder did not need telling twice. They were making a move, and that was fine by him. Swiping his discarded and bloody clothes into his free arm, he gave the room one final sweep with his eyes before heading for the door.

"What do we do with the key?" He voiced, aware that Sylar seemed to have no intention of formally checking out.

[heroslayer]

"You'll see," was all he said.

Stepping out of the door so that Mohinder could follow, he locked it behind them, before heading to the car. And once they'd reached it and he was safely in the drivers' seat, his old clothes in the back, he closed the key between his palms. There was a brief, bright flash of light from his hands, and when he opened them, find powder scattered from them like falling snow.

Maybe it was a little extreme, destroying the key, but it seemed the best option. Holding onto it was ridiculous, and his other thought - pushing it under the door and leaving it there - was a bit of a security risk. It had his fingerprints all over it, after all, and that just wouldn't do.

[genetic-fate.livejournal.com]

Mohinder followed Sylar's lead inside the car, tossing his old clothes into the back, before fixing his eyes on the key clasped in his accomplice's hands.

"Well, I suppose no one will be able to trace us from that." He commented, an eyebrow quirked in gentle amusement.

Reaching awkwardly over his right shoulder, Mohinder grabbed at his seatbelt and secured himself into his seat. "Let's go."

[heroslayer]

"That's what I was hoping."

He dusted his hands off on his new jeans before bringing the car to life. And then, just like that and without regards for his own seatbelt, he was pulling out of the parking lot.