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quirkysmuseFandom: Heroes
Title: Deserter
Author: Paynesgrey
Characters/Pairings: Claire/Peter, slight Claire/Hiro
Rating: PG
Genre: Drama
Warnings: Some implications, established relationship
Spoilers: after Season 3
Word Count: 497
Notes: Written for "Worry" at![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
pairechallenge.
Summary: Peter finds Claire in Tokyo and makes her choose.
Claire thinks she can get lost in the crowd here, but she can’t. Once in awhile she gets strange looks from the people in Tokyo, a pretty blond so lost and so far away from home.
Her cell beeps, and she knows Hiro is worried about her now. He’s leaving his work and expects her to stay close. There’s only one other man in her life that acts that worried – at least, one other man still alive.
She thinks she’s dreaming when she sees him standing among Tokyo’s busy streets.
“Peter,” she whispers, and he embraces her.
Peter is the permanent home inside her heart, but Claire knows she can never stay.
She steps back. “What are you doing here?” She hasn’t seen him since...
“I came to see you.” His touch never leaves her arm, but she sees him frown. “You left again.”
She remembers the six months ago when she left him after one heated night in a loft in Cairo. She looks away regretfully remembering how things changed. She feels the tension in his grip on her arm.
“I had to, Peter,” she says. “You know why.”
He nods with understanding, but his tone is stern. “I don’t think you should run anymore. It’s not going to solve anything. It’s not going to bring them back.”
“What about you? You’ve been running too. I can’t forgive them, and neither can you.” He deserves her harsh words, and as usual, Peter is amiable. “Where have you been?”
“Ireland,” he says, and she thinks she’s detected a faint learned accent. “I was looking for something and never found it, so I came to you.”
He squeezes her arm as she holds back tears. “If you’re going to run away, let me come with you.”
After Cairo, Claire doesn’t think that’s wise. She opens her mouth to answer, but her phone beeps again.
“It’s Hiro. He’s expecting me,” Claire says, pulling away from him. Peter looks disturbed and unsure about her involvement with Hiro.
“Are you two…?”
“He wants to,” Claire says quickly. “I mean, I can tell. He’s so sweet.”
Peter nods. “Do you?”
Claire doesn’t know. Being with Hiro is a lot safer than being with Peter. It’s a lot more normal too. “I don’t want to hurt him.” It’s not really an answer, but it’s all she can give.
“I’ll leave you two alone, but I’m coming over tomorrow.” Claire takes it as a warning, even if his voice is light and hopeful. His smile almost kills her. “Then I’m off to Prague. I want you to come with me.”
She purses her lips and nods once. “I’ll let you know.”
As Peter disappears into the amorphous crowd, Claire feels an ugly weight on her heart.
She doesn’t know if she can make such a decision by tomorrow. Peter doesn’t know the real reason she’s run away.
If she chooses him tomorrow, her life of denial will have to come to an end.
Title: Deserter
Author: Paynesgrey
Characters/Pairings: Claire/Peter, slight Claire/Hiro
Rating: PG
Genre: Drama
Warnings: Some implications, established relationship
Spoilers: after Season 3
Word Count: 497
Notes: Written for "Worry" at
pairechallenge.Summary: Peter finds Claire in Tokyo and makes her choose.
Claire thinks she can get lost in the crowd here, but she can’t. Once in awhile she gets strange looks from the people in Tokyo, a pretty blond so lost and so far away from home.
Her cell beeps, and she knows Hiro is worried about her now. He’s leaving his work and expects her to stay close. There’s only one other man in her life that acts that worried – at least, one other man still alive.
She thinks she’s dreaming when she sees him standing among Tokyo’s busy streets.
“Peter,” she whispers, and he embraces her.
Peter is the permanent home inside her heart, but Claire knows she can never stay.
She steps back. “What are you doing here?” She hasn’t seen him since...
“I came to see you.” His touch never leaves her arm, but she sees him frown. “You left again.”
She remembers the six months ago when she left him after one heated night in a loft in Cairo. She looks away regretfully remembering how things changed. She feels the tension in his grip on her arm.
“I had to, Peter,” she says. “You know why.”
He nods with understanding, but his tone is stern. “I don’t think you should run anymore. It’s not going to solve anything. It’s not going to bring them back.”
“What about you? You’ve been running too. I can’t forgive them, and neither can you.” He deserves her harsh words, and as usual, Peter is amiable. “Where have you been?”
“Ireland,” he says, and she thinks she’s detected a faint learned accent. “I was looking for something and never found it, so I came to you.”
He squeezes her arm as she holds back tears. “If you’re going to run away, let me come with you.”
After Cairo, Claire doesn’t think that’s wise. She opens her mouth to answer, but her phone beeps again.
“It’s Hiro. He’s expecting me,” Claire says, pulling away from him. Peter looks disturbed and unsure about her involvement with Hiro.
“Are you two…?”
“He wants to,” Claire says quickly. “I mean, I can tell. He’s so sweet.”
Peter nods. “Do you?”
Claire doesn’t know. Being with Hiro is a lot safer than being with Peter. It’s a lot more normal too. “I don’t want to hurt him.” It’s not really an answer, but it’s all she can give.
“I’ll leave you two alone, but I’m coming over tomorrow.” Claire takes it as a warning, even if his voice is light and hopeful. His smile almost kills her. “Then I’m off to Prague. I want you to come with me.”
She purses her lips and nods once. “I’ll let you know.”
As Peter disappears into the amorphous crowd, Claire feels an ugly weight on her heart.
She doesn’t know if she can make such a decision by tomorrow. Peter doesn’t know the real reason she’s run away.
If she chooses him tomorrow, her life of denial will have to come to an end.
