When Worlds Collide: RP for yearsguilt

[changehistory]

There was a distinct sense that it was very possible that he ought not be doing this. Repercussions could abound, sliding between both of their timelines. Already the questions abounded of what he was like in this Peter's world. If Kirby Plaza happened, then Hiro was not there, and Sylar had not thrown him to the wall...or had he? He should ask, he thought. Ask if they had all been there, and Hiro still...Because if it had gone wrong in just that Claire hadn't shot Peter or Nathan hadn't appeared, hadn't stepped away from Angela and to save Peter, then Hiro still could have been flung back in the past and his own life taken the same course until somehow, some other way, he escaped the Company facility.

But it hadn't happened that way here, and part of him felt his headache with the repercussions of that, because if changing it here hadn't changed this boy's future, then had Hiro stopping him in that vault not truly changed the future his Peter had seen? Had the virus been released somewhere, somehow? Was there a world where with God's grace it had all gone right? And if so, why was he stuck in this one where everything felt fragile and hard and sharp, like he could fall apart at any moment, and the choices that tore from emotions he'd never expected nor wanted to feel seemed harder. A setback, surely. Just that, a few more weeks, a month or two, some sleep, some rest, and he'd be fine. Back to his old self, back to looking about. Back to a new plan.

So damn the timelines crossing, he decided, as he entered the Yaffa Cafe, taking in the bright animal prints and Christmas lights strung around and smiled to see that some things didn't change, even if his blessed East Village had gone and gotten gentrified while he was locked away. This he knew, the music and the people, and if the clothes changed, the air did not. He'd settled on jeans, considering the venue, and a sweater over a button down shirt, with his leather jacket and scarf. Casual, but still pulled together, unable to be sloppy. If he was nervous, it didn't show as his cool eyes scanned the room, looking for a familiar face, and, failing to find it, moving to take a seat at a booth in the back where he could watch the door and wait for Peter, this new Peter who shouldn't be here, but was, to appear.


[ooc for anyone reading: For now, I think this is in the "open" verse. Coming out of RP in sixwordstories, but I think that's best, so "his Peter" would be youngerpetrelli when referred to in discussion with this one, yeah?]

Comments

[yearsguilt.livejournal.com]

There was a part of him that knew this shouldn’t be happening, that visiting the Adam of this timeline would pin him against some unknown consequence when he returned back home again. This was the past and coming in contact with people could shift how they knew Peter in the future. He was hesitant to leave his apartment, those brown eyes staring at those pale features in the mirror, knowing that he probably looked so much different from the Peter Petrelli Adam was used to. There was a small hint of fear that actually made him contemplate whether or not he should actually do this, that if he should risk himself and everything else in his time to have this single meeting – to get to know this single person.

Teleporting would have been the easiest way to get there, seeing how it was a simple place image in his mind to picture and use Hiro’s ability to pop himself there. Then again, it wouldn’t hurt walking for a change and seeing how this was still the past where people were unknown to others being termed “special” with abilities, it was a good idea to take it one step at a time and act normal for a change.

The thick coat was easily wrapped around him as he departed from his household, his face expressionless and wearing that default look of aggression, eyes glancing up from time to time to read street names to make sure he was going in the right direction. He ignored the looks others gave him as he walked, eyes wandering over his face to get a good look at the scar clearly visible. He scoffed, shoving his hands deeper into his coat pockets as he turned the corner where the Yaffa Café was located.

“I shouldn’t be doing this,” he said to himself, his tone quiet as he easily stepped inside, passing swiftly by a customer that was exiting. It didn’t take Peter long to find who he was looking for, almost amazed by how identical this Adam looked compared to the one in the future. He really didn’t age at all.

There was a small little tug at his gut, making him feel that uncomfortable presence that perhaps things were already taking a dramatic turn for his timeline, that when Adam’s eyes finally met his there was this turn of events he’d have to face whenever he used his time traveling ability to go back home. He pushed those thoughts aside, letting them bottle up to worry about them another time.

[changehistory.livejournal.com]

Adam saw him the second he walked in, eyes sliding over him quickly before meeting looking at his face. The scar took him by surprise, a quick frown shadowing his eyes before he pushed it away, focusing on the boy -- though he was older, yes. A bit, at least, and he had to remember what he'd been through. Remember, really, that this wasn't his Peter with their history, and the stories he knew.

But, still, even so. He was Peter. And that meant something Adam wasn't quite ready to examine, all things considered.

He smiled a little, lifting his hand to beckon him across the small café, stomach twisting into little knots of nerves and anticipation and worry, and wondering just what he was supposed to say beyond "Hello". Words on a screen were easy. Face to face, everything else got rolled up into, with familiar eyes and lips, and yet, he had to hate the thing that was Adam's creation so much, even more than Adam himself did, perhaps. He'd been used--used the way Adam had fully intended to use his--and to much the same purpose, though it sounded like, if only from the stories Hiro had told, as if the future they'd shaped with the explosion wasn't exactly the one any of them had envisioned. He could have told them it wouldn't be.

Swallowing, he kept the smile, fingers wrapping tightly around the water glass and waited for Peter to come to him. That part, at least, was familiar.

[yearsguilt.livejournal.com]

“Adam.” His name left Peter’s lip in a quiet greeting, giving him a nod as he easily found himself sitting. He didn’t feel right just standing there, staring at him intently as if something big was supposed to happen. There was a moment where Peter thought the actual time continuum was going to crack and crush them – destroying time and space because of a simple introduction between the two. It took Peter an entire minute, taking in everything around him. Nothing changed. Nothing imploded or shifted. It was just normal and that made him relax.

There was a moment where Peter was going to start throwing question after question at Adam, suddenly being curious about his origins. His lips parted, taking in a breath as the waitress working her hourly shift stopped by their table, her charming smile being nothing short of a friendly greeting.

Can I get you anything?

The question was directly mostly at Peter, her eyes sparkling with perfect intent. Despite the scar, he was still handsome and there were times where it was like a magnet – it attracted certain people that Peter quickly dismissed.

“Coffee,” he said, his tone still holding that quiet feature as she offered him a bold wink, something he easily brushed off as his attention returned back to the person who was more important.

[changehistory.livejournal.com]

Adam gave the waitress an amused look, and ordered a coffee of his own, before returning his eyes to Peter, curious and intent, tracing the scar again with an almost question there that he didn't quite want to ask. With everything that had ever happened to him, though, Adam didn't have a single mark on him. Even piercings refused to take if he ever bothered to remove the jewelry holding them open, as he'd discovered when a pirate centuries before. Limbs regenerated, organs regrew, skin renewed itself even when completely burned off--perfect every time. So far as he'd found, he'd thought Peter's did the same. Bruises, bite marks, cuts, scratches and burns seemed to, at least.

But this one had a scar and part of him wanted to demand why. How? But it seemed rude, and so he let the question go for now, and smiled at him more easily now that he was sitting, a charming and quiet smile, though his eyes remained ever watchful, ever alert.

"It's good to finally meet you in person," he said, finally offering his hand almost to test if he was really real as much as from any social imperative.

[yearsguilt.livejournal.com]

Peter almost flinched when Adam stared at him, knowing exactly what he was staring at. He almost wanted to look away, annoyed at himself that he even had the scar to begin with. The story behind it was personal somewhat, something he didn’t share with most people. He shifted in his seat uneasily, letting his index finger lightly tap on top of the table as Adam took him in – made himself sure that Peter was real.

“The feeling is mutual,” he replied, letting his tone keep at ease. Adam would probably see that he always sounded angry, always sounded inpatient and forceful. It was the years in his world that shaped him, built him up into the man that Adam was now noticing. He almost wanted to ask what he thought – wanted to know whether or not he was surprised by how different he was from the Peter Petrelli he had in his life.

[changehistory.livejournal.com]

Adam watched Peter's fingers for a moment, then flashed him a rueful smile.

"This is...I keep expecting holes to rip in the universe or something. I've met a time traveler from the future before--Hiro--but not anyone from a future that I know isn't going to happen for me."

The waitress came with their coffee, and he waited until she and her saucy looks were gone again before going on.

"I have so many questions, but then I think you must get that a lot here, from anyone who knows you, and I feel like...until that day where things changed and the timelines split, I know so much about what your life was, but I don't know you and you don't know me at all which is...very disconcerting." Best to just get the awkwardness out there in the open, so they could deal with it, he thought, rather than spending the whole time shifting nervously around each other.

[yearsguilt.livejournal.com]

“I have questions too.” For someone who lived for over four hundred years, there was a lot for Adam to share – too much for Adam to share was the more reasonable realization. Peter wasn’t prepared with a list or anything, but he was sure that pulling out questions from his mind wasn’t going to be real difficult. “But, mine can wait. I have a feeling you want to know about me, the me from my time. You might actually know pretty much everything there is to know before the explosion, before Ted’s radiation ability became too much.” Peter wasn’t sure what the relation between his past self and Adam Monroe, he wasn’t sure if he was just close friends with him or not, though, by the way Adam was looking at him there seemed to be something else – something he couldn’t put his finger on and it was starting to bug him.

Peter’s fingers lightly traced the rim of his coffee cup, idly keeping himself from staying completely still as he knew his mind would begin to wander off and think of others things and those thoughts were mostly of finding the people who were dead in his timeline – people he knew were alive and well. There was also this small tendency to visit Elle, but he wasn’t sure if he was fully prepared to take in the perky attitude the electric Barbie brought to the table.

[changehistory.livejournal.com]

"But I don't know what came after," Adam said quietly, concern in his eyes and that need to reach out, take his hand, respond to him the way he was used to responding to Peter. Touch, comfort, reassurance, affection...even now with everything else between them.

"Tell me what happened?" He asked, letting his fingers curl around his coffee cup instead of Peter's hand. "And then...I'll answer anything you want to know."

[yearsguilt.livejournal.com]

“Hell came after.” It was easy to say and Peter had no problem telling it how it was. He wasn’t going to try and lie just to make his world sound like a better place – there was no reason for keeping the truth away from Adam and Peter had become quite honest with himself about certain things and the filter to keep things from people just to make them feel safe was getting weaker and weaker as the years continued to stroll him by.

“After I wiped out half of New York, it didn’t take long for people to find out what we are – what we can do. Nathan became President out of the ashes of the city and he lied about what happened. He told the entire world that it was Sylar who blew up and killed all those people.” It would be quite clear that talking about Nathan hurt Peter emotionally, maybe even physically as his breath became quite sharp, hitching lightly before his continued. “People feared us. They were afraid so that made them go out and act on their own. It didn’t take long until we were being hunted down like animals. They couldn’t kill us, no, the law didn’t allow it, but it the law did allow for us to be locked away. We’re prisoners for being special.”

[changehistory.livejournal.com]

Nathan had moved into power, then. That part was right, he thought. He was meant to, whatever happened. But the rest...he frowned.

"What?" They were supposed to pull together. Unite. Turn to Nathan for guidance..."How can Nathan let that happen? If he's the President...can't he do something? Anything to stop them? What we are...we're supposed to help. To heal the world, to make it better. Why can't they see that?"

[yearsguilt.livejournal.com]

Recent events had made it clear why Nathan had turned everyone against them. How Nathan made everyone afraid of those who carried abilities. Peter wasn’t sure if he was ready to face, to tell Adam what he found out when his attempts to save Hiro Nakamura from the past ended up killing his Hiro Nakamura of the future.

“It was Sylar.” Peter said, letting his frown become fully visible, his features becoming cold as he closed his hands into fists, bringing them to settle together on top of the table. “Sylar killed Nathan and sometime before that he killed Candice Wilmer who had the ability to shapeshift. Sylar impersonated Nathan for years and twisted my world into a dark place. He revealed himself to me during his attempts to kill Hiro from returning to his future to stop the explosion in the timeline we're in right now. I fought him – I tried to kill Sylar, but I couldn't. He was able to heal."

[changehistory.livejournal.com]

Adam felt himself go cold, knew he'd paled even more than he normally was, fury and despair and pain all flashing through him. Nathan, gone, killed by...

"He killed Claire, too," he said numbly, voice sounding very far away. "If he could heal and I'm still alive...he killed Claire, too."

His legacy, even if he had no proof, not really, except Claire. Claire had been the proof, all that he needed to know, even if Angela wouldn't tell him.

"And now...with everyone in prisons, he has his pick of powers, doesn't he? And if he can heal as we can..." As tightly as he was gripping the coffee cup, it was good he didn't have super strength. "Nathan's gone." He felt sick.

He took it back, the flicker of envy he'd felt for his other self. He didn't know Peter. The world had gone to hell. He'd lost Nathan. He'd lost Claire. Everything they'd ever wanted was in shambles and lost. At least here...he still had a chance. Even if strangling Nathan himself sometimes was a touch appealing.

[yearsguilt.livejournal.com]

"All I have left is Niki." His girlfriend. The very same girl who he finally admitted that he was the one who killed her son - that it wasn't Sylar that had taken him away from her. It had killed him to finally admit it, having screamed it when she made her attempts to tell him that changing the future was inevitable, that he couldn’t save everyone.

“Well, all I had left. She told me never to come back after I decided to leave to go help Hiro – to go fix things. I admitted to her that I was the one who exploded and not Sylar.” He had been amazed how he only hesitated for a second when her words were uttered angrily, how he contemplated being alone forever over attempting to fix his entire reality. He rolled the dice and Peter came up short once again.

[changehistory.livejournal.com]

"Niki?" Adam blinked. "Sanders?" He only knew her by reputation, but here, he didn't even think Peter knew her, let alone was romantically interested in her. But future...in a future were they were all hunted, he supposed a lot of them had met each other who hadn't before.

"She...didn't want you to fix things?" That seemed odd, considering the world he described. But the oddity only slightly turned him from the ache in the pit of his stomach over the news about Nathan. He took a sip of the coffee, but it didn't help either.

[yearsguilt.livejournal.com]

“It happened a year after the explosion. Hiro and I decided to take it upon ourselves to do everything we could to break out those who were locked up in the metahuman facilities. I’ve said this before, so I don’t really have to go into complete detail. Anyway, I saved Niki, but not before Matt Parkman and his little wonder team tried stopping us. You see, Matt Parkman is head of homeland security – his main objective is to follow the orders of the President and those orders are to stop any terrorist from trying to let prisoners escape. Besides Sylar, he’s one of my enemies.”

Peter had a lot of enemies, but Parkman was one of the worse. His ability was hard to fight against and despite having so many chances to just off him, he didn’t exactly have the will power. Peter cursed himself for letting Matt live, knowing the world would be better off with him dead.

“Anyway, she was the only person around. We needed each other.” Peter had lost everything with Niki having mutual understanding. It wasn’t hard to see that the two would gather a connection from that.

[changehistory.livejournal.com]

Adam nodded a little. He understood connections forged that way. It bound him to Elle, along with other things, in ways he couldn't make his Peter understand, after the things she'd done. But there in the coldness of that place, both of them prisoners of her father, they had needed one another, too. And now that he was out...he had no idea what that meant.

"Parkman here...well. He's not actively hunting us down, obviously, but he does keep protecting all the wrong people against those of us trying to make a better world for our kind, where we don't have to live in fear. He is something of a thorn in my side." Bastard kept protecting Bob. From his own father, even. What sort of son did that? Besides his, obviously. Sometimes he really thought his former friends had ruined this generation completely.

[yearsguilt.livejournal.com]

“Roles often reverse. People who were originally terrible people became good people in my future. Those who used to be kind of heart have morphed into monsters, but in the end we all have but one goal. We all just want to try and make the world a place better to live in and we all have our views. Good ones and the bad ones.” Things were very different in his timeline, that was a given as he had repeated it over and over.

“Tell me how it was like for you back then. I want to know how it felt discovery that you were different from everyone else.” Peter’s voice had suddenly shifted, a familiarity of softness arising – the kind of tone the old Peter was used to using with everyone.

[changehistory.livejournal.com]

Adam shifted a little in his seat, eyes falling to his coffee with a faraway look. "I haven't thought about it in so long. I was twenty seven, at the time, almost twenty-eight. I was living in Japan there, working as a mercenary after several years of training as a samurai." He smiled a little. "One day, during a battle, my decoy was on the field and I was waiting in ambush for the rest of the enemy army when suddenly a boy appeared out of nowhere, grabbed my decoy and they both vanished. I went after them...and told the boy who I was. At the time I'd taken the name Takezo Kensei." He glanced up to see if it meant anything to Peter, watching him carefully.

"The boy was Hiro Nakamura. He knew the name, he told me, because he was from the future. He then spent days trying to convince me that I had some great destiny to save Japan and needed to embrace it, move forward. I finally caved, only to walk out, find myself surrounded by bandits and shot to death with arrows. Only, when Hiro pulled the arrows out...I healed." His smile twisted a bit. "I...thought he'd cursed me. I thought he was a demon from hell, at first, a spirit, and that he had made me some sort of monster, an abomination. But when I realized what it truly meant, the more we talked, the more explained about people with abilities in the future, the more I decided I liked it. Useful, really, when a warrior, to know you can't be killed, can heal from any wound."

[yearsguilt.livejournal.com]

Peter could only nod as he took in this information, suddenly realizing that Hiro was responsible for setting the timeline of the hero known at Takezo Kensei. It must have been something, be responsible in helping create a much told samurai tale. There was a moment where a thin smile curled over Peter’s lips, finding it amusing that Adam thought himself as an abomination – being cursed. It was almost the opposite reaction. Peter thought it was a sign for him to finally be someone, to rise up out of his brother’s shadow and finally become something special. It had first started with believing he could fly and then it just changed into so much more when he discovered he could mimic the abilities of those around him. He was a sponge, or at least that’s what Claude liked to call him.

The empath.

“I think we all have to embrace who we are at some point or another. We can’t neglect what we’re capable of because it isn’t necessarily healthy. Hating it won’t do any good either since it isn’t as if being angry will make it go away. The day I exploded – the day I took so many lives. I completely changed my view on what I was. There was nothing special or great about what I did. I wasn’t turning into this person that I could one day look back on and be proud of. I know you’ve said that what I’ve done isn’t my fault, that there was no way I could have possibly known I was going to ignite and take half the city of New York with me, but that doesn’t take away how I feel.”

[changehistory.livejournal.com]

"No, I imagine it wouldn't," Adam said softly. "I ... believe in you, though, Peter. In the Peter I know, but also in you. From what you've said, you are using your abilities to really try and help people in your world. To recover...it wasn't your fault. Everything they did to set it in motion, the Company behind it...you were just learning what you were, learning how to handle things, and to be exposed to that sort of power? You still are special. You are the most powerful of any of us, and yes. Your loss of control came at a huge price, but you're learning. You can still turn into a person you can be proud of. You have time." He hoped, somehow. The scar still worried him.

[yearsguilt.livejournal.com]

“What am I to you?” It was asked so abruptly, those brown eyes having narrowed almost in some kind of defensive manner. The way Adam talked, how he hoped that Peter would change for the better. He couldn’t help but sense something else, something that Peter Petrelli was oblivious to until he really took notice. It helped that they were standing there face to face and in person. Adam was like an open book and Peter was reading him in bold print.

[changehistory.livejournal.com]

The narrowed eyes took Adam aback, the earnestness sliding out of his own as the mask he normally hid behind slid firmly back in place.

"Which you?" he asked with a sardonic smile. "You-you? Or the you in this time line?"

[yearsguilt.livejournal.com]

"Peter Petrelli in general." It was easy to say, his tone returning in an almost warning for Adam's sudden smart alec response. Despite some logic in what Adam said, he had to know what Peter was asking and he was starting to take it rather personally. Peter didn’t enjoy beating around the bush. He wanted straight answers.

ooc

[youngerpetrelli]

Yay! I get to be 'his Peter' in something! *does happy dance* ;)

Re: ooc

[changehistory.livejournal.com]

hee! of course you do! They just haven't... established a universe. And Adam's mopey he has to share. lol