Fic: Into The Black (Heroes)

[apocalypsos]

Title: Into The Black
Author: Troll Princess
Fandom: Heroes
Rating: PG
Pairing: None
Summary: A short piece about Nathan and flying.

*****

Into the Black

*****

Nathan Petrelli can't fly.

Not that he doesn't have the ability. When he tears away from the bonds in his mind and lets himself push off he takes off from the ground like he goddamn means every bit of it, soaring through the air like he's intent on slicing it apart. When he wants to take off, he does, and it's a new kind of unreal.

And not that he won't, because he will. If his brother is falling from the roof of a building, his arms spinning like he thinks he'll be able to grab onto handholds in midair that no one but he and Nathan can see, he will. If he's being held at gunpoint, if two strangers show up out of nowhere to drag him off to parts unknown, he will.

If it's self-defense, if it will save his life (and damn anyone else's), he will.

But he can't.

There are cameras everywhere, you know. The world is filled with them. Most cell phones have them. They hang from street lamps, from the ceilings of shopping malls. They take pictures from space for people Nathan plans on getting to know after he gets elected.

They see him, even if he doesn't know it.

So he can assume they see it when he lifts off the balcony of his penthouse, just a few feet off the stones, not even high enough to be noticed and late enough when anybody who could is long asleep. The boys are down, Heidi's in their bedroom, and he is here, out in the black, defying gravity.

Pushing off, and loving every minute of it.

But Nathan Petrelli can't fly.

Nathan Petrelli is on buses and posters. He shakes your hand as you walk through the street, he flashes you a false smile and smoothes his hand over your child's hair. He's a handsome charmer who'd never think of doing something so odd and dangerous as breaking the laws of physics.

No matter how much he might want to.

Comments

[whitetower.livejournal.com]

Thumbs up! Short, sad, and incredibly realistic in tone. Loved it. Thanks!

[amalthia]

I liked this. :)

[hjcallipygian.livejournal.com]

Just awesome.

Found you from ninth_wonders, btw.

[poisontaster]

Oh, I really liked this. The fandom as a whole really seems to dislike Nathan the way SPN disliked John and so I really love/like/appreciate fics that show Nathan as more multifaceted than "the guy who's mean to Peter". He's a real person here, with his ambitions and his longings...and his regret. I ADORE the image of him lifting just a few inches off the ground on his balcony, just to capture a LITTLE BIT of that feeling of flying. It's so sad and poignant and at the same time rather edged.

[mel-b-angel.livejournal.com]

the way SPN disliked John

Oh you know, that's right... it is a bit like the Daddy Dubya thing. He wasnt perfect, and he didnt always do what you wanted, what you thought was right, but I always liked him, was intrigued by him, wanted to know why he did what he did ... that must be why I'm so fond of Nathan :)

[poisontaster]

You know this comment originally confused me to no end because you say "Dubya" and I automatically think George Bush. *laughs*

[mel-b-angel.livejournal.com]

Oops! Sorry! Just my lil nickname for John :)

[trinity_clare]

Ooh, nice. I like Nathan. He's got depth to him. He doesn't wear his heart on his sleeve like Peter does.

[mel-b-angel.livejournal.com]

Ooh, isnt it maddening that he won't do it?!

Very cool :)

[celinafairy.livejournal.com]

Love it to pieces! It's wonderfully done :D

[yahtzee63.livejournal.com]

Belatedly chiming in to say that I really love this. It holds up after the finale -- maybe more than ever, now that we know Nathan will fly, after all. :D