hackthis_archive | Heroes - X Will Mark the Place Like a Parting of the Waves (Heroes AU)

Last week I burned through Friday Night Lights by writing Jason (All the Trees of the Field Will Clap Their Hands), Matt (The Greater Good) and Smash (smashnstreet). This week, we do something else.

This story is based on a storyline concept that was apparently supposed to happen but for whatever reason didn't, which is a damn shame cos wow that would've be awesome.

Heroes AU
Nathan/Peter Petrelli
Spoilers: General for the series
Rated R

X Will Mark the Place Like a Parting of the Waves

In an alternate universe Nathan and Peter Petrelli are identical twins. Peter is older by two minutes, but Nathan is bossier. Nathan is the one in charge -- Peter doesn't mind. Peter says he was only first because Nathan shoved him out so that Nathan could make his grand entrance. Nathan is all about appearances.

*

Nathan is the more aggressive twin; he's more ambitious. He wants things; Peter just wants. Most times Peter's wants are simple: another bowl of cereal, another five minutes of sleep, another ten minutes watching The Colbert Report. When it comes to Nathan, however, Peter's wants are a little more complicated. Sometimes Peter will look up and find Nathan watching him, sharp eyes tracking Peter's movements across a crowded room or through their cluttered apartment, and Peter's fingers will unconsciously ghost over his neck or his ribs or someplace that Nathan touched him recently, and everything will get that much more opaque.

Nathan has never asked Peter what he wants, but he must have an idea.

Peter's ideas are written all over him.

*

Peter will tell you that Nathan is the smarter twin, but then again, Peter is more modest. Nathan says this is because of Peter's stupid martyr complex; he wishes Peter were more assertive. Nathan wishes -- well, whatever Nathan wishes, it never stops him from cleaning up Peter's scrapes, tidying up his messes, and making whatever Peter wants come to fruition. Nathan isn't just Peter's brother; he is his twin. He is a part of Peter. There is no one that Nathan loves more than Peter. Even if Nathan doesn't say it, Peter knows it's true.

*

Nathan and Peter have the same silky black hair -- although Peter's hair is longer than Nathan's -- and the same bright eyes. They have attended the same grade school, middle school, high school and college -- a point which required a little concession on both their parts -- but have completely separate groups of friends and completely different sensibilities.

Peter is relaxed; he practices yoga every morning before breakfast. Nathan is -- Nathan; he has a sandbag hanging in the corner of his bedroom which he spars with while Peter does his yoga. At least this is what happens on the mornings that Nathan is able to motivate himself to get out of bed and go back into his own bedroom.

Most mornings, however, Nathan lies in Peter's bed, bare legs entwined in cotton sheets, while he rubs his morning erection against the mattress until he gets tired of watching Peter contort himself on the floorboards. Then he crawls down to the foot of the bed, grabs Peter by his floppy hair, and yanks him back onto the bed.

Nathan tends to stretch Peter out in ways Peter's pretty sure his yoga teacher has never even thought of.

*

Nathan is not a cuddler, but he is a toucher. He touches Peter all the time, even when there are other people around. There should be something more scandalous about this than there is.

*

Peter has a faded scar on his temple from crashing his bicycle when he was eight. The day of the accident, Nathan was at a soccer game being cheered on by their father -- because there were two of them, their parents always tended to split time accordingly. Nathan spent more time with their father; Peter spent more time with their mother. Everyone plays favorites.

According to what Nathan told Peter later that night, he was charging down the field, less than twenty feet from scoring this wicked corner shot on the goal, and then he just fell down on the field in agony. He didn't know why, he just felt like his head was splitting open. Their father rushed Nathan to the hospital only to find their mother there already. Peter got five stitches, Nathan got two aspirin. It wasn't the first time they'd shared an experience. It wouldn't be the last time either.

These days, Peter carries ibuprofen for when Nathan gets headaches -- Nathan says his headaches always tend to start in the exact same place as Peter's scar. Most times the drugs don't work though. Most times, if Peter's around, he drags Nathan someplace private and kisses and pets the spot on Nathan's temple where Peter's own scar is.

It makes Nathan feel better, and that's enough for Peter.

*

Nathan is taller by a quarter of an inch, which he tends to lord over Peter whenever he gets a chance. When they're in public all of Nathan's lording gets wrapped up in sarcasm and headlocks and ruffling Peter's hair until Peter bats him away.

*

When they're in private Nathan likes to fuck Peter on the furniture. Correction: Peter likes to fuck Nathan on the furniture. Peter likes to push Nathan down in chairs and on floors and across tables and then crawl on top of him and ride Nathan's cock until Nathan's thrashing beneath him and begging for anything Peter will give him. They have a rather dysfunctional power dynamic.

*

When they were younger Nathan and Peter's mother had the nanny dress them identically; at twenty-six, however, they are easily identifiable by their clothing choices. Peter prefers jeans and sweaters and tee shirts; Nathan's clothing is sharper, as befits an up-and-coming Assistant District Attorney.

After they graduated from NYU, Nathan demanded that they get out of the Village, but Peter wasn't ready to go, so Nathan moved out.

They lasted fourteen days apart.

It was a bright October afternoon when Peter went downstairs with two duffle bags and his yoga mat to catch a taxi to Nathan's apartment on the Upper East Side. When a taxi stopped for Peter at the corner of Bleecker and Sixth, Nathan got out of the back holding a large suitcase.

Peter blinked. "I knew you couldn't leave me alone for long," he said, dropping his yoga mat in the middle of the street.

Nathan rolled his eyes and grabbed Peter by the front of his zip-up hoodie and hugged him. "I just missed your snoring," he muttered against the shell of Peter's ear somewhat obscenely.

Peter snorted. "Yeah, you would."

*

It has always been Nathan and Peter. There was once a Peter and Simone, but Nathan didn't like her very much. There was also a Nathan and Heidi, but Nathan changed his mind. Or possibly Peter changed Nathan's mind for him. Whatever the case, their mother was less than pleased about the news. Nathan let the wedding planner break it to her.

*

Nathan is right-handed, Peter is still undecided. According to his brother, he's only ambidextrous to piss Nathan off, except that the only person who really benefits from Peter's talents is Nathan. Like when Peter's jerking Nathan off in the shower, one hand wrapped around Nathan's cock, his thumb rubbing the underside of the head while his other hand is tangled in Nathan's hair, yanking and pulling. Peter kisses Nathan like he's the only thing keeping Peter grounded on this earth. And then, instead of letting Nathan come, Peter backs off, switches hands, and starts all over again.

*

The first time Peter woke up and found Nathan floating two feet above the sheets he should've been shocked. He should've been surprised and worried and probably a little jealous, except that Nathan rolled over in mid-air, presumably looking for Peter in his sleep, and then Peter was floating too.

*

Peter likes being a hospice nurse. It's not glamorous like Nathan's job, but he genuinely enjoys the work he does. He likes that he can make things better for another people. He likes giving comfort. Nathan says his superhero complex is overdeveloped -- except that Nathan's the one who can fly whenever he wants. Peter can only fly if Nathan's holding him tight. Peter always knew that Nathan was meant for something better than what he is.

*

Everything changes for Peter on a Tuesday evening at 4:42 p.m. It's November, cold and raining aboveground, so instead of walking home, Peter's taking the train.

Nathan has to work late, and Peter's thinking he'll just order some Chinese takeout. He's trying to decide between the Peking duck and the Mu Shu Pork when everything around him just stops -- the train, the people, everything.

The man with the mouth wide open would be funny, except there's this Asian guy with a samurai sword walking towards Peter, and that's freaking him out. He wishes Nathan's flying abilities came with some superhearing too.

And then the Asian guy starts talking, he starts telling Peter that he is the chosen one, that Nathan will be nothing without him, and Peter discovers that there may be something more important to him than the incestuous little life he's surrounded himself with.

Apparently, if he doesn't save the cheerleader, then there won't be a world for them to hide from anyway.

-end-

Title from Radiohead's 'Where I End & You Begin'

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