Title: Absolute Worst Timing in the World
Character(s): Claire, Simone, hints of Paire and Peter/Simone
Rating: PG
Summery: Claire and Simone have one really awkward conversation.
A/N: First part of a three part thing.

The silence is so thick, Claire is sure that she could cut, bottle, and sell it if she wanted to. She doesn't really--who in their right mind would buy bottled tense air, anyway? It's just the principle of the thing.

"So..." Simone starts, looking just as weird as Claire feels.

Claire swallows hard before repeating, "So..."

"You... live here?" Simone asks. "With Peter?"

Oh yeah, it was only a matter of time before that came up but Claire still would've preferred it to wait a little longer, like until tomorrow, or never. "It's temporary," Claire confesses quickly, "Just you know... until we save the world." Not really, she is still a runaway, world saved or not and she's still going to be one once they do save the world. Peter isn't going to kick her out just because they stop him from exploding--she hopes.

Simone raises her eyebrows and nods in a way that tells the younger girl that that isn't a good enough answer. "I see."

Claire glances at the floor, cursing Peter for being late vividly in her head. If he wasn't running behind, then he would've been here to answer the door for Simone and she could've hid in the bedroom like she always does. No such luck today. She's stuck in the middle of the most awkward meeting to ever happen.

"I sleep on the couch," she says, wincing at how her voice squeaks. "He's still got his bed. It's all very... proper."

"I know." Just the way Simone says that sends an icy shiver down Claire's spine. Apparently separate rooms isn't good enough for the girlfriend.

"He's a nice guy, Peter," Claire says. There are times when she doesn't shut up when she should and this is one of those times. "Lettin' me stay here and all."

"No one else had room then?" Simone asks.

Claire senses the trap for what it is. Yes, both Isaac and Mohinder offered to take her in but she chose to go with Peter. She just trusts him more and he's one of the few people that makes her feel safe anymore.

"Nope," Claire answers with a tight smile. "All full."

Simone arches a long eyebrow. It's a lie and they both know that but she can't very well call the cheerleader on it without being horribly rude and she doesn't put it past Claire to tattle on her to Peter. She might be sweet on the surface but she's still a woman and women play dirty to get what they want.

"Too bad."

"Yeah," Claire agrees, unable to help glancing at the door in hopes that that would make Peter come home faster.

"You don't have to wait with me," Simone offers. "I mean, if you have somewhere to be."

Claire does have somewhere to be. It's called anywhere but here and she could leave to go find that place, but that's just begging Simone to share this little conversation with Peter. Claire likes having his good graces and confidence and he'll think her immature if she leaves before he gets home. Being immature will effectively ruin everything she's tried so hard to earn.

"Oh no, I don't mind."

Simone narrows her eyes in a way that says she does mind but she doesn't say anything. Claire's mouth finally starts to realize that it doesn't need to fill in every silence that happens and she doesn't say anything either. The silence crowds back, hanging there for several minutes.

"You like him, don't you?" Simone says suddenly, startling Claire. "Peter?"

"He's a nice guy," Claire answers, trying to suppress that feeling of panic rising in her gut and failing because the older woman reads her like a book. "It'd be stupid to not--"

"No," Simone interrupts. "You really like him."

There's no real use in denying it. What she feels towards Peter is probably written all over her face now in the blush peppering her cheeks. "I... well--"

The sound of a key turning in the lock cuts her off and it means only one thing--Peter's back. She falls silent and tries to sink into the couch cushions as Simone gets up to greet him, praying to God that Peter doesn't feel the need to hug her and Simone keeps her mouth shut and her secret safe.

"Hey you," she hears Simone say and then there's the sound of kissing that makes Claire visibly wince and leaves her with a bad taste in the back of her throat. "I've got a surprise for you."

Peter laughs and Claire's certain that he's got the art dealer by the waist now, holding her close. "What?"

"Reservations at that Italian place you love so much," Simone pauses to kiss him again. "And then dessert at my place."

Peter mumbles something that Claire doesn't quite catch but she's glad for that. She's about ready to vomit from a mix of disgust and jealousy right now. "Hey, Claire?"

Claire swallows hard, silently wishing him to stay over where he is and come nowhere near her because she's still blushing and if he sees that, he'll either get unreasonably worried or completely freaked out by her. "Yeah?"

"I'm gonna leave some money on the counter for pizza," Peter tells her. "Or if you want, I'm sure Isaac won't mind you showing up for dinner. I'll be back late, so don't wait up, okay?"

"I won't."

"Okay, see you later."

"It was nice meeting you, Claire," Simone chimes in, sounding far too triumphant for Claire's taste. Last time she heard that tone, she punched the girl who used it.

"You too," Claire answers, hating how tight her voice sounds. She waits until the door shuts after them before adding under her breath, "except totally not."

Claire sighs and slumps deeper into the couch. She and Simone are never going to be friends and that's all Peter's fault. If he wasn't so damn good looking and if he hadn't crashed her Homecoming and if he wasn't eight years older then her, she wouldn't have to hide the fact that she's falling in love with him. But she is and it could be the best thing to ever happen to her if he wasn't already taken.

Her heart has the absolute worst timing in the world.

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