WHO: Angela Petrelli & Hiro Nakamura (Future) WHAT: Hiro grates on Angela's nerves. Angela fixes the problem rather more effectively than is necessary. WHERE: The Hyperion Kitchens WHEN: Afternoon. RATING: PG STATUS: Narrative log; Complete
Angela had been hoping for a quiet snack away from the chaos of the rest of the hotel. The kitchens seemed empty now after the lunchtime rush, and she had settled down at one of the chairs when Hiro Nakamura, the older and much less agreeable one, entered the kitchens. He spared her only an annoyed glare before turning to the fridge. It was only a few seconds until a wry growl filtered from the depths of the appliance to her ears.
"Why don't you just leave already?" Hiro asked, a scowl gracing his features as he plucked a piece of fruit from one of the shelves. "We both know that you're just going to end up hurting him again," Hiro closed the fridge with a snap, rubbing the apple on the front of his shirt for the moment. "So why don't you just leave and save those of us who actually care about him the trouble of picking up the pieces...again?"
How dare he! How... how dare he speak of their family like he had any idea what was going on with any of them? He had no right whatsoever to speak to her like that. She had allowed Kaito the right to talk down to her on many occasions because she had respected his opinion and was willing to tolerate his lip in order to get the honest kernels from within the bile. But this child had not earned that right but was taking it none the less.
Standing slowly, Angela picked up her now empty plate and glass, moving from the table to set the dishes into the sink before turning back to the elder Hiro and offering him a sickeningly sweet smile with just a slight edge of deviousness in it was she lifted a hand to tuck the loose strands of hair that had fallen from his ponytail back behind his ears. Her fingertips came alight with her power as she purred her response.
"My dear boy, if you would only be a little more open, agreeable, and willing to believe the people around you, you would be able to see that not everyone has ill intentions. Even those whom you expect to. Try and be a bit nicer from now on, all right? Everyone will benefit from it."
Angela watched with a deep satisfaction as the dull look of someone who didn't know what her power was or how to deal with it blossomed on Hiro's face. Pulling her hand away slowly as the dull expression settled into a much softer one, Angela lifted her chin. Only one way to see if it had worked.
"Would you be a dear and wash those for me?" Angela asked, nodding to the dishes that she had left sitting in the sink.
Hiro stalled, considering the words before the fog that had settled over his brain nudged him slightly. There was nothing wrong with helping her out a bit, was there? No, certainly not. "I'd be happy to, Mrs. Petrelli," The words were brighter, a far more enthusiastic than this Hiro had been able to manage in the last five years. But they were there none the less.
Angela couldn't help but smile a bit wider. Perfect. Absolutely perfect. Patting Hiro appreciatively on the shoulder, she slipped past him and out the kitchen door. Consequences be damned. This was going to be fun.