013 } video

[askedtobe]

[ Peter rarely makes posts to the network with such express purpose, but when he shows up on the feed this time, he looks prepared. Like he's got a message. And he only glances off camera once, before he starts. ]

You know, been here almost a year and a half now. Place definitely takes a toll on a person after awhile. Especially when things at home don't exactly make it any easier to deal with the kind of things that go on here. If you let it, everything just kind of.. falls apart. [ He shrugs, grasping a little for the right words. Public speaking isn't his strong suit. ]

Doesn't mean it has to, though. I know more than a few people here have made allegiances with people they never would've thought to. Whatever gets you through, right? Makes it easier, helps keep you going? Didn't actually think i'd end up happy in this place, not after everything that's happened.

[ This time, when he looks off camera again, he lets his NV turn ... to an expectant Sylar, his dark gaze fixed on the device. He smiles, wryly, as though to say 'surprise'. ]

Makes a lot of sense, when you think about it. The people who remind you of home, who understand what it's like to be you better than anyone else does; you can't really pick and choose who those people are. Adversity makes strange bedfellows.

[ He quirks an offscreen glance toward Peter. ]

Everyone deserves a little happiness in their lives, don't you think? Someone to love. Something you'd kill to protect. [ He reaches out suddenly, viper-quick, pulling Peter back into view of the NV by dragging him into his lap, and surprising a smile out of him in the process. Sylar presses his nose into Peter's neck, buries his nose briefly into hair that has grown back mysteriously quickly, and then looks back at the screen mockingly. ]

Like this smile. Isn't it adorable? A man could kill for a smile like this.

[ But before Sylar can embarrass them both any further, Peter's fumbling for his NV and trying not to smile so much as he turns off the feed. ]


[ ooc; blue is Peter; red is Sylar. threadjacking is encouraged! ]

Comments

[gammas]

[ snarling ]

I am calm.

[ seriously who is going to believe that ]

[deductives]

If you were calm, you'd yell at me for using your real name.

[Calm wasn't leveling a city block, but he decides that's not the best thing to say.]

[gammas]

[ a defeated beat. because wow, she's definitely going off the edge. and she's kind of... horrified with herself?

there's a long pause and then: ]

Oh god.

[deductives]

[He sighs. She would probably want to know more about what happened, so a face to face meeting was doubtlessly inevitable.]

Where are you?

[He's tracing her signal, but now doesn't seem like an opportune time to surprise her.]

[gammas]

[ a pause ]

I'm at [ address WHATEVER I DO WHAT I WANT ]. Look, you don't have to like, come down here.

[action]

[deductives]

[Too late. It's before night sirens, so Sherlock takes his motorcycle instead of using the shadows. It's a little slower, but he's there quickly enough. As he dismounts, he surveys the street subjected to Jennifer's tantrum. The damage is-- well, it's damage. A few tossed cars, a few new potholes. People had fled the scene, so she was easy enough to find. Not that she wasn't normally.]

Bit of an expensive form of therapy.

[Even though it's his typical wry nature, Sherlock's anger is still evident in his tone and his posture. So there's really no point in telling her she shouldn't be angry either.]

[action]

[gammas]

[ she's looking up when he arrives and... well, she's a bit of a mess. her hair's mussed, her fists are battered (though unhurt), and her eyes are a bit wild. but otherwise, she looks a lot calmer than she did. her gaze goes from the motorcycle to him and she's trying to force a grin but. well.

failing. ]

My therapist wasn't in today.

[action]

[deductives]

Hm. [A hollow, dry attempt at a laugh.] They rarely know what they're talking about, anyway.

[He doesn't close the gap between them just yet. Something tells him she still needs a bit of a bubble.]

We shouldn't do this here. Someone must have called the police by now.

[He mounts the motorcycle again, waiting for her to join without really asking. It's an odd sight, really, to see a sharp dressed man riding a fairly beaten up old bike.]

[action]

[gammas]

[ she doesn't really argue with that, and she doesn't really reply either. she just takes another look around her and then nods, before pushing at her bangs. there's a slight flash of green light, and in her place is tiny, 5'7" Jennifer Walters, still dressed in that spandex outfit.

Jen hesitates for a second before walking over to him and sliding onto the back of the motorcycle. another pause and then she slides her arms around his waist, clinging. ]

[action]

[deductives]

[Sherlock thinks of the last time he saw her that way and almost cringes. The embarrassment will never go away, he's certain, especially not when her arms wrap around him like that.

But there's no time for delicacy, as he hears sirens in the distance. Sherlock lets the engine roar to life and takes off down the street in the direction of his apartment complex, swerving around a few car parts in the process.]

[action]

[gammas]

[ she just buries her face against his back and tightens the grip around his waist. she doesn't think about what happened the last time she was like this (mostly because of how long ago it was for her), instead, focusing on the sound of the motorcycle as they made their way through the streets. ]

[action]

[deductives]

[Sherlock frowns at Jen's sudden silence, more out of concern than embarrassment now. It only takes a minute or so to get back, and he pulls up to the curb next to his building's stoop. He casts a glance back at her.]

Tea?

[action]

[gammas]

[ it takes her a second to realize that they've actually come to a stop, pulling her head up and looking around.

and then another second to realize that he's looking and talking to her ]

Huh? Oh -- yeah. Sure.

Re: [action]

[deductives]

[Sherlock doesn't baby her. He heads up to the flat and just waits for her to follow, leaving the door open. Luckily, John left the kettle out when he went to work, so it isn't hard to start preparing a few cups.

It reminds him of Carrie's weekly visits. He can't help but think of her now.]

[action]

[gammas]

[ she trails after him, shutting the door when she gets to the flat. she stands by the door and takes a few moments just to look around, examining everything. the last time she was here, she never got the chance to visit him at home.

but then again, he rarely ever used anything besides text with her either.

finally, she takes a seat on a couch and watches him. ]

Hey. Um. Thanks.

[deductives]

[Sherlock doesn't answer, and only joins her in the living room once the tea tray for two is ready. He sits in his chair and steeples his fingers as normally as ever, though his gaze is more distant. Sherlock really isn't quite the same as she knew him before.]

She meant something to you, so I figured you'd want answers.

[He may as well be talking about himself.]

Besides, no good getting locked up in your first month back, I imagine.

[gammas]

[ she pauses and chews on the inside of her mouth, tucking back a lock of her hair. ]

I wasn't thinking. I just kind of -- you know, let my feelings get ahead of myself. As usual.

[ rubbing her temples and then squeezing her eyes shut. ]

I had -- I had no idea. And this happened while I was gone. So I couldn't even help her.

[deductives]

[Sherlock quietly stirs his tea as Jen talks, though his eyes are sharply on her now. Her posture and her entire demeanor was different in her normal form. It could have just been the effect of what she'd just been through, but Sherlock can see older signs. Circles under her eyes, her spine slightly sloped forward, and a general look of being oppressed.]

Exactly. You weren't here; you can hardly be held accountable.

[It's not said with any gentleness, only Sherlock's usual calm recitation of facts.]

I couldn't help her either. [And I was here.]

[gammas]

[ she doesn't open her eyes, just keeps her face buried in the palms of her hands. she knows what's going unsaid and that makes her feel worse, but. ]

You couldn't -- you couldn't put that guy away? You couldn't get him arrested? Any decent prosecutor would have that guy hauling his ass to jail!

[ she's bringing her hands down now ]

You're supposed to be some amazing detective! Why isn't he in prison for what he did to her!

[deductives]

[Sherlock slams his spoon onto the tray with a loud clank that almost threatened to dent the stainless steel.]

There was plenty of evidence without bodies. An idiot could have proven it. But the anti-Newcomer stigma is strong, and they were probably already chuffed that he killed Batman, so I'm sure SERO pulled some strings. He was in jail for months, but as we all know, they apparently forget to lock the doors at night. So don't take your own guilt out on me.

[He's sounding angrier as he goes on, though he looks straight ahead and not at her.]

I caught up with him before that. I could have killed him, but--

[gammas]

[ Jen notices that. that he's not looking directly at her, but she doesn't try to meet his gaze. her green eyes just turn a brighter, more unnatural green, and her fists clench on her lap ]

Then why didn't you?

[ not that she condones murder. she doesn't. she believes in the law, and taking him to court, and letting the justice system deal with this. but she's mad and irrational and all she wants to do is just cry. ]

[deductives]

[Because John and Carrie both pleaded with him not to. Because if he had, he would have proven himself to be just the mirror Moriarty wanted. Because back then, he was afraid of going to far. Now, he wonders, how would things be different?]

I hesitated.

[He notices her eyes, and he finally looks at her for a moment.]

You don't have to stay like that. [He knows she doesn't want to.]

[gammas]

[ she's bringing her leg under her and immediately looking away when he looks at her. ]

I'm fine, Sherlock.

[ it's not that she wouldn't turn back in a second. she just doesn't trust herself when she's... uninhibited. ]

[deductives]

No you aren't.

[He picks up his tea and blows some steam from the top of the cup.]

I saw what he said to you.

[gammas]

[ she grits her teeth, raking her hair back again. she takes a moment to respond and when she does: ]

It's not that big of a deal. He doesn't know anything about me.