Day 43: Courtyard, Third Shift

[oftemptation.livejournal.com]

Once again, Endrance's nurse interfered with his plans. He had been planning to look around the Game Room, but the moment he began to move towards the Sun Room, she had taken him by the arm. "Your family has asked that we make sure you get as much fresh air and sunshine has possible, and you won't get that by staying inside playing video games all day."

He had thought for a moment about protesting, but decided against it. After all, if what had happened to Haseo was punishment for having spoken too strongly the day before, he didn't want to make that worse somehow. So, when given the choice of going out to the recreational field or the courtyard, he chose the latter.

There were a few reasons behind the decision, the most salient being that he wanted to see what the area looked like for a second time - this time without the threat of a brainwashed patient surprising him. The second reason was just as strong as the first, and it had to do with the presence of a second former Demon Palace Emperor. As energetic as she was normally in The World, he couldn't imagine Alkaid not wanting to spend some time outside.

Just as before, he sat down under a tree by the side of the pond, keeping one eye on the door.

[closed to Alkaid]

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[darwinism]

"Your father," Sylar shot back, leaning down to meet her nearly eye-to-eye, "stopped me from getting what I deserved."

He remembered that day, when he'd escaped from the company facility and had made it all the way to the Bennet house, had talked and played pretend with "Noah's" oblivious wife. He'd been just about to get some revenge for those two weeks in a glass cage when the bastard had busted in with that Haitian goon of his and chased Sylar away from his invaluable catch. Bennet had somehow even been here to keep Sylar separated from the cheerleader, though now that he thought about it, he hadn't seen Super Daddy around in a while...

Claire's back was nearing the wall. He almost had her cornered, and though he couldn't do anything right now, this was still very, very good for his mental health.

[instaheal.livejournal.com]

Claire felt her back bump against the wall as she tried to avoid his face being too close to hers. This could have been it, he had her cornered, helpless, he could do whatever he wanted, but...

I couldn't kill you, even if I wanted to.

She was completely at his mercy and he hadn't so much as lifted a finger. No matter what his reasons where, it made her feel a little more in control. He'd already done his worst to her and she survived-- and now she was going to make him pay for what he did.

"You deserve to die," she growled. "And I'm going to be the one to kill you." Regardless whether or not he took the threat seriously, she meant it. She'd spend her whole life trying to kill him, if it came to that.

[darwinism]

Sylar let out a laugh, sharp and scornful. When he looked back to her, his grin was even wider than before.

"You, Claire? Kill me? Oh, I seriously doubt it."

Her back was against the wall, which meant that he could escalate to a whole new level of intimidation. He leaned one hand onto the wall beside her and reached forward with the other, following it with longing eyes as he trailed a finger across the middle of her forehead with a feather's lightness.

Tick. Tick. Tick.

"No, no," he said in a low, steady murmur, "what's going to happen is I'm going to take your power. I'm going to wear it as my own, and then, nothing else will matter."

[instaheal.livejournal.com]

It was like watching a dam break. Any attempt to keep her brave, tough front was lost the closer he got to her. She couldn't stop thinking of being trapped, unable to breathe, as Meredith taunted her.

Was this what it was like with Sylar?

No, no, no, she was going to fight back now, she was strong, she...

Did he make you feel trapped?

He was close now, far too close and there was no room to run, and he was touching her and...

...Why do you wanna stop bad guys?

She slapped his hand away, her breathing now heavier than it had been before. Claire felt herself start to shake, but she wasn't quite sure whether it was from fear or anger. "I'll kill you," she said again, her voice raising. Her adrenaline was pumping, and she didn't care about the consequences anymore, so she shoved him now in an attempt to gain some distance. "I'll kill you!"

[darwinism]

He could see the panic slowly rise in her pretty blue eyes, hear her breaths quicken and then stop altogether. He anticipated her explosion of anger but he didn't try to stop it: instead, he let his arm go limp as she thrust it away and laughed even as he staggered backwards from her surprisingly powerful shove. He couldn't help it: she was so predictable, so adorable. So fun.

"You know," Sylar said, and this time, his tone was more contemplative than derisive, "maybe you will."

Maybe she would survive his "methods" to fight another day and maybe he wouldn't care. Maybe, if she gave him this much of a reaction to a few well-placed words, she was worth keeping alive for entertainment.

He took a step backward. He'd done what he'd meant to; anything more would give her the impression that she had the upper hand, and that simply wasn't the case.

"Well," he said with a smirk, "it won't matter because by the time you do? I'll just come back."

With a wave, he turned around and made his way towards the main section of the Courtyard.