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Author : takhallus
Word count : 1348
Rating : G
Disclaimer : These characters are not mine
A/n : For advent day 7, prompt 'boot' and for the challenge 'Home for the holidays' in
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mylar_fic 
“Come on Mohinder, you should bow to me on matters of Christmas tradition.” Gabriel shuffled the presents around under the tree looking for one that might be the right size.
“I think you came up with this tradition so that you could get your hands on those damn boots before Christmas Day.”
Gabriel had been hinting about these brown leather Cuban heeled boots since November, and there was a box under the tree which looked likely to contain them. “It’s absolutely true, you get to open one present on Christmas Eve, everyone knows that.”
Mohinder gave in, “Fine, let me get one for you….” He began, but Gabriel was already unwrapping the box greedily. He grinned when he saw it was a shoe box and lifted the lid gingerly to find….A smaller box.
Too intrigued to be annoyed, Gabriel lifted out the box and shook it, looking at Mohinder. “What is it?”
“Open it.”
Gabriel opened the box and Mohinder was relieved to see real emotion in his eyes. “You kept this?” He asked rhetorically.
Mohinder got down on the floor next to him as Gabriel took out the bronzed champagne cork which Mohinder had had mounted on a plaque. The inscription read “Our First Christmas – 25-12-08”
“You know me, sentimental.” He replied, and felt Gabriel’s arm around him. “Five years – I can’t quite believe it.”
……
“What do you want?”
Mohinder didn’t want to look up from his work and give Sylar the attention he craved. First Arthur had blackmailed him into working at Pinehearst, and now he was cured of his ill-gotten ability he was being forced to work for Angela at Primatech. It seemed destined that Mohinder would have to suffer the indignity of having the boss’s son haunt him, knowing that he had the upper hand.
“That’s not very nice doctor, I just came here to wish you a merry Christmas, oh and to give you this, looks like you’ll be busy over the holidays.” Sylar tossed a thick wad of test results onto the bench and smirked at Mohinder, who was visibly dejected at the sight.
“I don’t celebrate Christmas.”
“That’s a shame because it’s my favourite time of year. It’s a time for family, you know? A time for families to be together.”
“Oh really? And you think they’ll let the monster out of his cage?”
“If you’re asking me about my plans, then yes, I expect to be home for the holidays. Merry Christmas Mohinder.” He spat, and walked out of the lab without a backward glance.
Mohinder looked at the stack of papers and resolved to do nothing about them until at least January. If Angela could be so reckless as to invite Sylar for Christmas merry making then the Company had bigger problems than late reports on genetic mapping. Once this last piece of paperwork was done, he was gone. He might not celebrate Christmas but even he wouldn’t work late on Christmas Eve.
The clock beeped seven o’clock and Mohinder jumped. So much for not working late. He started to pack some papers into his courier bag before giving in to laziness and leaving every scrap of work-related paper on the bench. He locked the door of the lab behind him and walked towards the front doors.
Mohinder stopped at the Level 5 security checkpoint, rustling in his bag for a passkey.
“Are you leaving Sir?” The security guard looked at him, questioning.
“Yes, is there a problem?”
“No Sir, no problem, but Mrs Petrelli has assigned an agent to you during the shut down period.” The guard was simultaneously dialling a phone and spoke to an unseen colleague. “OK, Agent Gray is clear for signout.”
Mohinder looked round to see a stony faced Sylar being walked down from the Level 5 cells, accompanied by another suited agent. “Dr Suresh, there’s been a security alert, Agent Gray has been assigned to accompany you whilst you’re out of Company HQ.”
“But that’s…why wasn’t I told of this?”
“Very recent developments.”
Mohinder suddenly realised what he ‘developments’ had been. Unable to take her prodigal son into the family home, and unable to leave him in cells over Christmas. He looked at Sylar, and knew they both understood the situation.
“Fine. Let’s go.” Mohinder walked out, scribbling on a signout sheet and trying not to look back at his baby sitter.
…….
“This isn’t ideal for me either Mohinder, you could at least say something.”
The drive to the Loft had been tense to say the least. Mohinder felt strangely unaffected by the turn of events, and this was making him uneasy. He didn’t want Sylar there, but he felt weirdly responsible for him. Mohinder regarded him, and remembered the look of sadness on his face as he had been led out by the agent. Bad enough to be rejected by your family at Christmas, even worse that everyone knew about it.
“I was just thinking,” Mohinder said finally, “I need to pick some things up.”
“We’re almost there, can’t it wait?”
“No. I need a department store, or something.”
“On Christmas Eve?” Sylar sighed heavily. “Fine. Your funeral.”
Two hours later Sylar was jolted awake by the sound of the trunk opening as Mohinder started to unload his wares. As he sat back in the passenger seat he seemed to actually be smiling.
“What’s the matter with you?”
Mohinder grinned. “It’s insane in there! Everyone’s stressed and panicking, but they’re still happy! It’s wonderful.”
“What were you buying? Was there actually anything left?”
“It was quite serendipitous. I got the last one.”
“Last what?”
Mohinder smiled knowingly. “You’ll see.”
........“No, no, no. You’re doing this all backwards.”
Sylar shook his head, looking at the ridiculous sight of Mohinder trying to dress his first Christmas tree. “You have to put the lights on first, then the tinsel, then the decorations. Here...."Mohinder watched as the lights miraculously untangled and settled themselves on the branches. “Tell you what, you do the decorating, I’ll get the drinks. Fair?” He wandered into the kitchen as Sylar grunted his agreement, too engrossed in his task to pay real attention. He rummaged through his last minute shopping and pulled out a bottle.
“I’m afraid I only have wine glasses but the
“Do you want to put on the star?” Sylar asked, slightly blushing at the look of wonder on Mohinder’s face.
“No, please, be my guest.”
Sylar nodded and floated the star up gracefully to sit on the top of the tree. “There, all done.”
Mohinder handed him a glass and popped the cork, which stopped in mid-air and fell into Sylar’s waiting hand. “It really looks wonderful,” Mohinder said, pouring. “Thankyou.”
“Not a problem. To Christmas?”
“Christmas” replied Mohinder, clinking glasses.
.....
“Do you remember it all?”
“I remember most of it.” Mohinder laid his head on Gabriel’s shoulder.
“Yeah, you were really knocking back that champagne. I had to carry you to bed.”
“Oh you did not! You may have helped me.”
“And you even let me under the covers that night, although I was trying to be gentlemanly.”
Mohinder smiled at the memory. That week had flown by, the surreality that Christmas always brought had cocooned them and made them feel safe in their experimentation. A kind word, an accidental touch, shared laughter. They hadn’t ended the week as lovers, that would come much later, but they had been at least friends. They had seen the New Year in together. A new year which would see their first kiss, in a darkened lab after Mohinder had had a near miss with an escaped prisoner, and their first admissions of love, quite accidentally as they relaxed one Sunday morning. Exactly a year on, Mohinder had overheard Peter inviting Gabriel to the Petrelli family Christmas, and had been close to tears when he heard the response.
“I’m sorry Peter, I can’t. I’ll be spending it with Mohinder, at home.”
