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((continued from here.))

( Oh don't let appearances fool you, Ethan. You might still die today. Sylar really hasn't made up his mind yet. Probably won't. Because you're paying for his coffee and that is important. First meal of the day, y'know.

Also? You're cute. So there's that, too. Sylar props one cheek up with his knuckles, scoffing with amusement at the question. )

I mean I was an 80's kid with a mom who liked choir and country. So, yes, is the answer to that question. Listened to anything to break up the monotony. Oooh but let me guess... You're more of a Top 40 guy with a side of indie-punk for the hipster cred.

Edited 2020-12-07 23:08 (UTC)

[ ethan does, technically, have an infiltration job to get to, but there's at least six hours left on that deadline. he'll be fine, he's sure of it. that's what he tells himself when he looks sylar in the eyes, taking note of how, ah, handsome he really is. ]

alright, fair enough. no top 40 for me, but you hit the nail on the head with the indie punk.

[ ethan kicks the chair across from him to slide it out towards sylar; he can't be assed to stand up and pull it out himself. he then gestures to the coffee that sits opposite him, untouched. ]

you can sit down. i got you a vanilla latte.

[ when he speaks, his tone is a little light, almost like he's searching for approval. and... maybe he is. ]

( Those eyes are either caramel brown or dying forest green, depending on the lighting. They stare right back, noting easily just how eager this guy is. It's almost charming enough for him to overlook the wrong order. He takes it in stride, however, not getting too overly perturbed. )

Close. But, the heart wants what the heart wants. And I've never been a fan of 'vanilla'.

( Sylar goes to the counter, orders the dirty chai latte he had been craving, then returns to the table, sliding onto the offered seat. )

They'll be bringing you the bill. Amazing what one can get accomplished with an 'aw, shucks' Southern accent here.

[ ouch. alright, he's a guy that knows what he wants. it's fine, ethan can survive with two lattes, and his confidence that he carries himself with is just sexy enough to not be obnoxious. longer term, who knows, but for now he's happy to enjoy this for what it is.

and then the bomb is dropped, and ethan gives a soft exhale.

of course. ]

ah, sure. i guess that's what i get for trusting a stranger. you usually one to try and pull one over on people like me? am i part of a ploy, or something? a longer con?

( His smile only widens the more this guy rattles off questions. Using two fingers pressed together, he delicately touches the vanilla latte's saucer and moves it to the side of the table. )

Firstly? We're gonna take it easy on the caffeine for a moment. Secondly, no, that's only basic invitation etiquette. If you invite someone out, you pay. Everyone knows that.

( His coffee is brought over and without missing a beat he slips into a deep-fried Texan accent as he thanks the waitress for her speedy service and, darlin', would you be so kiiind as to leave us in peace a spell? Much obliged. She scampers off with a noticeable flush to her cheeks. With her departure goes the accent. )

But now I wonder: what are you into that that's the first thing you suspect?

[ ethan's emerald eyes track the offending drink, and he makes a mental note to down it later, if his new friend isn't going to. they flick back up to watch him interact with the waitress, and ethan barely remembers to give her a polite smile before his attention falls back to him.

he chooses to skip the etiquette comment. that's a conversation for another time. ]

well, ah. [ how to say this. ] let's just say i con and i've been conned enough in my life, yeah? anything more than that and i might have to kill you.

[ a playful, i'll-never-tell wink follows when he reaches over the table, bringing the vanilla latte to his lips. ]

( Sylar brings the latte to his lips as he listens to the reply. He pauses before taking a drink, his amusement evident. )

You can certainly try.

( That's not just overconfidence talking. His smile becomes a knowing smirk, the secret hidden in the depths of his dark eyes. There's a question there, too, or rather many: what kind of cons had this seemingly young man been involved with? How alike were they, really?

Too scruffy to be with the Company, or whatever remained of it anyway. No, no, there was something more to him that intrigued Sylar. Confident yet eager to please, easily excited. This could be fun. He sips his own drink finally, savoring the flavor and his thoughts hone entirely on the foamy liquid. No words, only drinking. )

[ the sort of knowing glance that comes from sylar tells ethan everything he needs to know. he's not kidding, he could probably fuck up ethan if he wanted to, and... he's onto his profession. way to be subtle.

he maintains the silence for a moment, his own curious questions ruminating under the surface of his tongue. he could let this lie, he could choose to gloss over it, part ways, never know the answer. but that sounded an awful lot like a challenge. ]

i don't think i want to try, [ he finally says, ] but... i've gotta get to work soon.

( The cup moves away and Sylar catches the remaining foam on his lips with a swipe of his tongue. Or, most of it. A couple droplets strayed out of his reach, and as he wipes at his stubbled cheek with a napkin, he watches Ethan, wanting to see how he'll react. )

Ohh. Shall I ask what it is you do, make small talk? Or shall we skip to the part where you ask for my help?

( A little presumptuous, yes, but he wasn't a man who enjoyed subtleties too often. )

i- i wasn't-

[ oh, but he was going to ask for help. maybe just, you know, not in those words. ]

it isn't help that i need, it's... more areas of expertise. i'm good at one thing, and that's infiltration. being quiet. i need someone with tech know-how, or someone who can be convincing. i'm a bad liar.

[ he stops to lean over his cup, getting in close with a small smirk playing on his lips. he doesn't trust this guy, but on the other hand, it's likely no one trusts him, either. ]

know anyone like that?

( Sylar gives him a look at that stammering, but said nothing. He simply waits. It wouldn't be long. 3...2....and there it is. Don't mind him grinning like the cat who just ate the canary. )

I knew a kid who could talk to machines. But, that's not something I possess. I do have some rules with what I do.

( Another drink, smaller and neater than the last. )

That said, I have a few tricks up my sleeves with machines. You need a good liar, I'm your guy. ( His gaze shifts pointedly to the barista, and he winks over at her, causing her to noticeably stammer with her current customer. Grinning, he turns back to the Ethan, his voice a low conspiratorial purr. ) I'd much rather kiss you than her.

[ ethan observes, knowing when it's best to just listen and when it's best to dive in. he isn't sure if this guy knows more than him, or if he's just being cocky and trying to show off, but either way, that sentiment isn't reassuring. ]

listen, i agree. i'd rather kiss you, by far. but you just told me you're a good liar, and you expect me to believe you?

[ a pause. green eyes scan sylar, searching for more giveaways. when there are none, he resigns. this is his man, unfortunately. he was hoping he wouldn't have to call in help. ]

my name is ethan. i guess we're in business, then, aren't we?

( Ethan gives too much of himself away and Sylar enjoys that far more than he should. )

Call me Gabriel. Be a good boy and I'll tell you my actual name. And, yes, yes we are.

( Sylar winks over the rim of his cup as he finishes off his drink. )

Tell me about the job. Details. Location, target, what is your end goal here?

[ jesus christ did he just tell ethan to be a good boy god have mercy. ]

uh--

[ please stop stuttering. ]

i-i--

[ PLEASE. ]

yeah. the job-- uh. arc energy. you know, the douchebags who think it's cool to drain the mountainside of it's natural resources? the ones who hired me want to put that to a stop. so we're going to disable them from the inside.

[ he has ulterior motives, but this is what he was hired to do. if ethan can help it, they'll be in and out before they know it. gabriel, or whatever, might never even have to know what his motives are. ]

i'm breaking in tonight. [ a pause. ] please don't be a cop.

( The very second he hears that stammering, Ethan gets Sylar's complete attention. His sharp predatory gaze observes him, notes the flushed cheeks, the rapid pulse and darkened eyes.

Oh.

Oh he likes this one. )

Now, if I was a cop, would I tell you to give me road head on the drive over?

( The mission parameters were noted, filed away, to be examined later. Right now, Ethan was a shiny new toy, his flustering like catnip.

And he's all mine. )

[ and just like that, they're on the same page.

ethan holds gabriel's gaze, just for a moment. to challenge. to see if he's serious. he's met with no objections, nothing to say otherwise, so he glances down. the nervousness begins to set in. fuck, what is wrong with him? he's been dominated before, sure. it's always been for fun, and it excited him. but this is.. this is. wow. he's flustered. ]

alright. [ ethan picks up his mug and finishes it, quickly. he drops a twenty on the table, then rises to his feet. if gabriel is observant, he'll notice two blade hilts tucked into ethan's waistband, sheathed comfortably and out of sight. they flash for only a moment as he adjusts his jacket.

as nonchalantly as he can, ethan glances back at gabriel. ]

in that case. where are you parked?

( No objections at all. Nor would he even blink until Ethan looks away first. The flustering is one thing, but the sight of nervousness gives him a quarter-second's pause to wonder: is my new toy just a curious virgin? Such a thing wouldn't deter him, exactly, only make him decide on a correct approach.

It's a blink-and-you'd-miss-it sort of thought. No one has yet to turn him down. Well, except Claire. But she was the exception to the rule, given their unique circumstances.

Finished with his own coffee, he's content to simply watch his new partner for a moment. The blades do get noticed, simply as Sylar is watching for every new detail. At the question, there's a quirk to his lips, a tiny sneer. )

I'm not. Actually, there's a bit of a problem with my car...

( The sentence trails off and Sylar stands, motioning with his fingers for Ethan to follow him. The boy would likely follow him anywhere now, with or without being told, but something tells him, Ethan likes being told what to do.

just a little bit.

Once outside and away from the door and prying eyes, he'll finally finish that sentence. )

See, the problem is? There's not a car. Not yet.

( And that's when he'll grab Ethan, hold him close, and take off into the clouds. )

[ fortunately for them both, ethan is not the shy virgin type, usually. he hasn't met someone with such a commanding presence, is all. it's a lot for him; it's usually his role. he's no stranger to wooing and to seducing and playing the game, but. gabriel's just going in dry, huh?

ethan gets to his feet without thinking, and. uh. this is it. this is absolutely how stupid people die. this is the end of ethan's life, here, as he follows sylar out of the shop and to where he, presumably, will get murdered.

arms take him, pulling him in close. ethan's brain is running at a thousand miles a minute, trying to quickly piece together what could be happening. is it affection? getting handsy? is it dangerous; is gabriel whatever trying to hurt him? his guard is up, and it's conflicted.

what ends up happening, though, is the last thing he expects. he instinctually pulls close to sylar, holding his arms around his neck and burying his face into his shoulder. he's terrified of heights. so terrified, in fact, that he doesn't even scream, just clings to his new friend (?) for dear life. gods, please don't drop him. ]

( Sylar has no intentions of dropping his new toy. He intends to damage him, slowly, over time, not all at once. There's no fun or game in that.

So he holds on, winding his arms tightly around Ethan's waist and upper back. Thankfully for the both of them, whatever else this ability granted him, it gave him enhanced strength to carry someone with ease.

They would not be in the air for long, nor would they even travel a great distance. Just to a park one town over. Once hidden by trees, he slows until they're drifting and floating in the air at a reasonable pace, slowly descending. )

Relax, I've got you. You can look around, enjoy the view. It's like dancing in the clouds.. just at supersonic speeds.

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