A/N I know it's a little late for a Christmas story, but late on Christmas Eve I had the image of Sylar in a Santa hat pop into my head, which ended up being the basis of this fic, which was finished between 2 and 3 in the morning on New Year's Eve if anyone cares. Anyway, yeah, this is slash, Sylar/Mohinder, so if you don't like that, don't even read it please. I hope you like my fic!

Disclaimer: I don't own Heroes. If I did, Sylar and Mohinder would have freaking hooked up already. XD

It was Christmas Eve. The snow was falling, people were singing Christmas carols and eating turkey, and here was Mohinder sitting in his apartment, eating macaroni and cheese. The Kraft kind in Scooby-Doo shapes that Molly swore by. Mohinder couldn't see the appeal, personally, but since he had nothing else to eat, and since Matt had taken Molly ice skating, he had decided that it would be far too much trouble to cook just for himself.

Molly had offered to let Mohinder come along. She would teach him to ice skate, she promised, but Mohinder had politely refused. Mohinder was a scientist. He was not an athlete.

Mohinder took his empty mac-and-cheese and placed it in the sink. He stretched and looked at the clock. It was only 7:00. He had plenty of time to kill before bed. And, of course, he would have to play Santa and place Molly's presents under the tree she had insisted on getting. Christmas, he thought, was not all it was cracked up to be. Here he was, alone in his apartment and eating Scooby-Doo mac-and-cheese for his Christmas Eve dinner. He shook his head and sighed.

There was a knock on the door of his apartment. Mohinder blinked. Who could it possibly be? Surely Matt and Molly hadn't finished ice skating yet. And in any case, Matt had a key. Bemused, Mohinder went to the door and opened it.

Mohinder wasn't sure which was more concerning - the fact that Sylar was standing outside his door, or the fact that he was wearing a red cap with white trim - more commonly described as - well, a Santa hat. "S-Sylar?" Mohinder stammered. He couldn't help the stammer. It was something that was known to happen. It was especially known to happen when Sylar turned up when Mohinder was least expecting it.

Sylar straightened up and smiled. "Good evening, Dr. Suresh," he said pleasantly.

Mohinder didn't believe the pleasantry. He backed away nervously. "What do you want?" he asked flatly.

Sylar stepped inside and held up his hands. "Don't worry, Mohinder. I'm not going to hurt you."

"Really." Mohinder backed up to the kitchen counter and felt around for Matt's gun behind him. "Then what are you doing here?"

Sylar furrowed his brows. "Well, I was just passing by the ice skating rink and saw your little friend Molly skating down there with Officer Parkman - "

Mohinder found the gun and tightened his grip around it. "What have you done with her?"

"Don't be so anxious, Doctor. It's Christmas Eve." He smirked. "I thought I'd just pass on by but then I realized that if Molly and Parkman are at the ice skating rink, that would probably mean - " He spread his arms out. "You were here all alone in your apartment. No one should be alone of Christmas Eve, Mohinder."

Mohinder yanked the gun out from behind him and aimed it at Sylar, but Sylar carelessly threw it aside with a twitch of his fingers. "Mohinder - you don't need that, I promise."

"Oh, really? Because everyone knows you keep your promises." Mohinder rolled his eyes and turned his back on him. "Get out."

"Mohinder. You don't want me to leave." He paused. "I wore this Santa hat. Just to be festive."

"I'm not festive," Mohinder snarled. "Please leave."

Sylar sighed. "If you really want me to go - "

"I do." Mohinder turned back around and glared at him. "After everything you've done to me, to everyone, you really expect me to welcome you kindly into my home?"

"I know, I just thought - maybe we could put aside our differences for just the evening - and just enjoy ourselves!" Sylar shrugged. "It's Christmas, Mohinder! Don't tell me you want to stay here by yourself."

"If it means you leaving, then yes, I do." Mohinder shoved Sylar in the chest. He stepped backward, closer to the door.

Sylar lowered his head. "Fine. Apparently I was mistaken in my belief - about the way you felt - " Sylar, smirking, stepped closer to Mohinder. "I'll see you another time then, Mohinder," he whispered into his ear. He turned and headed for the door.

"Sylar!" Sylar halted at Mohinder's call and looked over his shoulder.

Mohinder shuffled his feet, sticking his hands in his pockets. "What - what are you talking about?"

"What am I talking about what, Doctor?" Sylar asked pleasantly.

Mohinder tilted his head. "The - the, um, belief you were mistaken in."

Sylar turned back to him, smirking again. "You don't know?" He laughed. "Then I'm not going to tell you."

Mohinder shrugged. "Fine."

"Fine?"

"Stay, then!" Mohinder snapped.

"Excuse me?" Sylar raised his eyebrows. "I'm not sure I heard you correctly, what?"

"Sylar!" Mohinder said warningly. "You heard me perfectly well!"

"No, I'm not sure I did, could you repeat yourself?" Sylar asked cheerfully.

"No, I could not. If you keep pressing the matter I may have to ask you to leave again!" Mohinder snapped back.

"Okay, okay," Sylar came farther into the room and shrugged his jacket off. Mohinder's breath caught in his throat. Sylar tossed his jacket over the back of a chair, came around the table and leaned against it. "So what should we do, Mohinder?"

Mohinder shrugged uncomfortably. "I can't think of a single thing."

"Let's see." Sylar tapped his chin. ""What are some traditional Christmas Eve activities?"

"I wouldn't know."

"We could...." Sylar pondered the issue. "Hang stockings!" he said cheerily. "Bake cookies. Write a letter to Santa Claus. Build a snowman."

"We're in New York City," Mohinder informed him. "There isn't any room to build a snowman."

"You're right," Sylar said in mock disappointment. Then he brightened. "We could listen to Christmas music! I mean - " he gestured to his head, "I'm wearing the hat for it."

Christmas music. That was safe enough. "All right," Mohinder conceded. He switched on the radio and didn't have to search long before find a station playing Christmas music.

...how I'll hate going out in the storm, but if you really hold me tight.....

"'Let it Snow'," Sylar said reminiscently. "Such fond memories of Christmas..."

"Well - " Mohinder reached for the teapot and set it on the stove. "That must be nice for you."

"Well, I don't know that I'll doing all that much this Christmas," Sylar amended sadly. "I don't have anywhere to go...."

"Sylar, you can't come here tomorrow. You shouldn't even be here now - you've got to leave before Matt and Molly return!" Mohinder protested.

"It's fine, I completely understand, Mohinder!" Sylar reassured him.

Mohinder sighed and turned back to the teapot. "I don't know what's wrong with me," he spat. "I don't know why I've even allowed you to stay!"

.....and my dear, we're still goodbye-ing, but as long as you love me so, let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.....

Sylar laughed. "You really don't know yourself, Mohinder! It's a source of great amusement for me."

"Glad to be of some use," Mohinder growled. "II haven't the slightest idea what you're talking about."

Sylar shook his head, still smirking. "You'll understand one day. Soon, I hope...."

"Keep on hoping, my friend," Mohinder said grimly, pouring the tea.

"Friend?" Sylar smiled. "That's a step in the right direction," he said, taking the cup from Mohinder.

"A step in the right direction," Mohinder repeated.

Sylar sipped his tea. "You're so naive sometimes, Mohinder."

"Am I." Mohinder took a sip from his own cup, not smiling back.

Sylar grimaced and set his tea aside. "It's hot."

"It is," Mohinder agreed.

Sylar smirked at him. "So are other things here I could mention..."

Mohinder turned his back. "Sylar, don't go there."

"Mohinder." He felt Sylar's hands on his shoulders and shrugged away from him.

"Get away!" Mohinder backed up, eyes wide.

Sylar let go of him, lifting his hands. "Mohinder - "

"What on earth is wrong with you?" Mohinder hissed. "Why did you come here? What do you want?"

"I can't believe you don't know! You understand so much - yet so little." Sylar dropped his voice almost to a whisper.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Mohinder said flatly. "I want you to leave."

"You don't!" Sylar placed his hand on Mohinder's shoulder. "You do not!"

Mohinder pushed his hand away. "I do." He stepped past Sylar and picked up the nearly-full teacup, taking it over to the sink. "Leave." He turned back to Sylar. "We have nothing to say to each other."

"So don't talk." Sylar shrugged and reached for Mohinder's hand, stepping closer.

Mohinder yanked his hand away. "Stop. Just stop!" He paced back and forth. "Leave. Leave me alone, and leave my family alone. I want you out of my life and I never want to see you again!"

"That is absolutely not true," Sylar informed him.

"It is true!"

"Then why does your heart rate increase when I walk into a room?" Sylar touched his ear. "Enhanced hearing," he reminded Mohinder with a smile.

Mohinder barely resisted placing a hand on his chest to see if Sylar was telling the truth. "It doesn't," he muttered.

"It really does," Sylar countered. "Even more when I touched your hand just now."

Mohinder slowly shook his head. "No. Absolutely not."

Sylar grabbed Mohinder's hand again and yanked him closer so they nearly touched. He smirked. "What now, Mohinder?"

Mohinder shook his head. "I don't know."

"I do." Sylar bent down and kissed Mohinder on the lips, much to his astonishment.

Mohinder was shaking when Sylar finally moved his head back. "What was that?"

Sylar smirked. "Merry Christmas, Dr. Suresh."

A/N I would really appreciate reviews on this one, I've never written for this ship before! :-)