torchwoodinstitute | Welcome to the Hub

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Welcome to the Hub

Who: Gabriel and Mohinder with appearances by Jack Harkness and JC.
When: July 20, after this thread of doom.
What: Mohinder and Gabriel accept Jack's invitation and join Torchwood.

Mohinder might as well have had his hands and nose pressed to the ass as the SUV descended on the platform from the plaza above. The Hub was darker and less clinical than he had imagined from the way Jack had spoken briefly about Torchwood Institute. The walls were either brick of off white ceramic subway tiles, shaped like a massive tube around a central core. Walkways and stairs connected levels above and below them and rooms seemed to jut off from the main area like the spokes of a wheel.

No wonder Jack called it a Hub.

Wide eyed and half confused, when the car stopped moving, Mohinder jumped out of it to examine the winch system and try to find the opening they had slowly dropped through, though that had disappeared. He gripped the yellow industrial lift control box, which looked like something out of a warehouse or a mine, and frowned at the buttons.

"I was expecting something more... Futuristic, I suppose," Mohinder muttered to himself and set out around the catwalk, trying to look both up and down at the same time.

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He wasn't entirely sure what Jim was doing as he reached up to touch his ear, but he let him do it. He was fairly sure the man wasn't trying to attack him or anything. He clearly missed his friend....who had something weird about his ears, apparently.

He was rather grateful for Mohinder stepping in, however. It saved him from having to push the guy off him. Could've gotten awkward. He was a little annoyed that everyone seemed to pay no attention to Mohinder, though. As much as he liked attention, he'd finally found someone who was amazing enough to be around, and apparently no one else was going to acknowledge that. It made him mildly frustrated.

"First Officer, where you originally came from?" he asked. He doubted there were First Officers for Time Agents. "I didn't know this could happen. I'm gonna guess it has to do with the Rift?" James seemed to know more than they did, unsurprisingly, so it fell on him to explain.

"Captain of a starship," Jim said, still trying to pick out the differences that Gabriel might have that Spock did not. "He might be your great-great grandson. He's half human," the blond pointed out before he finally smiled at Mohinder. "Jack did tell me there was a Gabriel and Mohinder coming. Sorry about that."

He wasn't really the sort to stick around when he was feeling some sort of way and oh, yes, he was really feeling weird here. He wasn't sure how he felt working with a Spock lookalike to be perfectly honest... And it showed.

Mohinder started after Jim but instead, turned back to Gabriel and arched an eyebrow. "Did he say half human...?"

"He also said starship," Gabriel noted. "Sounds fun."

He didn't mind Jim heading off so quickly- he was feeling really weird about this, too. Out of all the strange possibilities, that he might look exactly like (or at least really close to) someone from the future? And it was someone Jim thought he'd never see again.

He didn't say any of that, although Mohinder might've noticed the conflict on his face. Instead, he added, "Must be a race with elf ears, the way he was looking at mine."

He was going to follow that up with another off-hand remark to get the conversation going. But he couldn't think of anything to say, for once. So instead, he shrugged at the strangeness and started heading down the hallway to the Hub proper. "C'mon, let's see if we can find Jack." Somehow, his hand found Mohinder's, while he stared straight ahead. He wanted the contact, all of a sudden.

Mohinder had to laugh. "You focus on the space ships and I focus on the biology," he noted. "Perhaps that's why we get along? We have just enough interest to make us compatible and outlying interests to keep ourselves amused. He climbed the steps two at a time, up and around the central core, glancing at the doors as they passed them until one stood open with a certain greatcoat hanging on an old fashioned rack nearby.

Jack Harkness was in the building.

Mohinder poked his head inside and gave a little knock on the door. With all of the upgraded technology, he was a little surprised to see that Jack was flipping through a paper file, presumably whatever mission the others had been on if Jim was back.

"We've chosen the seaside cottage," he said cheerfully and Jack's face was unreadable before he smiled.

"Good. It needs some life in it."

"Maybe," Gabriel replied to Mohinder, a smile creeping back onto his face. It was a good explanation, their mixture of interests, always seeming to meet at the middle.

Jack seemed okay with them taking the cottage. Gabriel figured he would be, but sometimes he made the wrong call on these things. As Jack talked about bringing life back to it, Gabriel's mouth drew back into a line- not quite a smile, but certainly not a frown. "We'll take good care of it. It's beautiful there."

He glanced down at the floor for a moment before continuing. "And- well, we packed some things away, too. I don't know if you knew, but I recently picked up clairsentience from someone at Primatech. I'm still not an expert with it, and I didn't want to needlessly intrude. We can leave that in the second bedroom for awhile, or bring it over here, whatever you want." He gave the option because he didn't think he'd want to be confronted with that sort of thing, all of a sudden.

Jack had that awful, knowing smile of his plastered intently on his face. "I handed Mohinder the keys for a reason. I didn't want who those places belonged to to influence you."

First it had been the doctor's flat. Owen had been resurrected through alien technology to the point where he was alive but his flesh was not. He could no longer eat or feel and his skin could not heal but he lived... Until he didn't.

The second was Gwen's place. She and her husband and her baby wanted nothing to do with Jack and he never blamed them. Not with a little girl to look after.

And finally... Ianto's cottage. He couldn't just keep that to himself forever. Most of the other man's possessions were moved. Gone. He kept his pocket watch close.

"But you should move whatever you want. I'll put the boxes in storage. I guess this means you'll want a salary advance? What was Angie paying you?"

Mohinder smiled sheepishly. "Letting us be together I suppose was payment...?"

Oh, so Mohinder getting the keys was just so he wouldn't be pushed one way or another. Jack earned a smirk and a slight eyeroll with that knowing smile. Gabriel thought he'd probably have kept informed on any powers he'd developed. At least that meant that if he popped up with information he probably shouldn't have, Jack would know where it came from. That tended to make people less suspicious, if more annoyed.

Jack started talking about moving things (and that was good to hear, he had been thinking about making the second bedroom a study) and salary advances. Mohinder tried to explain their 'arrangement' with Primatech and Gabriel laughed. "It was more of a congenial hostage situation than it was a job. Although it looked like Angela was going to try to pay me in suits, eventually. And Mohinder in high-tech lab equipment."

He shrugged. "If it helps, I made about 45 grand a year in my watchmaking business, when I didn't put it all back into the business." It was clear he wasn't terribly concerned about the money. He could scrimp pretty easily, and they both were workaholics regardless of their salary. An advance for moving-in materials would be nice, though- especially since Peter wasn't around to trick people into taking American money.

"How did you survive in New York on that?" Jack laughed, teasing.

"You make due," Mohinder said, coming quick to the rescue. "I managed to survive in Brooklyn on a cab driver's salary--"

"And a trust fund. And your father's life insurance..." Jack let it go. He could see from Mohinder's eyes that the father topic was not something to be brought up. And he could understand that.

Mohinder took the seat across from Jack and folded his hands on the desk. "What are you offering, other than room and board?"

Jack wrote a figure on a piece of paper. There were at least six digits. He folded the paper and handed it to Mohinder. "How about that, each, to start?"

Mohinder had never seen half a million dollars before, let alone half a million pounds. His mouth dropped.

Neither Mohinder and Gabriel wanted Jack talking about Chandra's life insurance. Or Chandra. Gabriel made a sour face at the mention, as well. They got on, so far, by not talking about him as much as possible.

Gabriel had been about to assert that he did all right in Queens on his salary, even if it was difficult sometimes. But Mohinder thankfully interjected with a different subject.

While Mohinder's mouth dropped, Gabriel's eyes bulged. He didn't even see the amount, but he saw that extra digit there. And that was in addition to the place? He glanced at Mohinder, slightly dumbstruck but also amused. "Well, this is different than Primatech. I think that'd be just fine with me. You, Mohinder?"

"Why so much?" Mohinder had learned to be skeptical beyond just scientifically. He'd been beaten and used and hurt badly enough that he was almost touch shy to these companies. "What do you want from us?"

Jack had given much the same speech to a hundred before Mohinder. He would give it to a hundred after too. Closing the file, Jack smiled. It was hollow but mohinder couldn't read him that well. Gabriel, who had given those same smiles, would know it far better than his boyfriend. "The average life expectancy for a Torchwood Agent is forty or a decade of service. Whatever comes first. You're compensated for risking your life just being in the Hub, before you're sent on any missions. You might not be a field man, doctor. But you will be exposed to likely toxic alien biology on a regular basis. Your pay is to give you a good life while you're here, saving the future of humanity. Gabriel's is to make sure he enjoys yours while you are with us."

There wasn't an ounce of candy coating there. The two had a choice to make now.

Gabriel started frowning as soon as Jack said 'life expectancy' and that frown only deepened while the man went on. He'd known this, of course- it wasn't just the money. Knowing that they worked at fixing time itself, seeing that remains were kept here, hearing and seeing displays of mourning the lost. This was a dangerous job, even moreso than Primatech. Or perhaps they just acknowledged it.

But the thing was, Gabriel didn't want to acknowledge it. He wanted to find a way around it, because this didn't suit him at all. His eyes hardened as he looked somewhere behind Jack, off into the distance. He'd have to start carrying around a syringe of his blood, in case Mohinder got infected with something or injured badly. And he'd have to prioritize finding a way to make Mohinder immortal, as well.

He chewed on his lip for a moment, thinking about it, before turning to look at Mohinder. "This is up to you. I can do anything, with you. We could head somewhere else, get settled somewhere, you could focus on your research." But he thought he knew the answer he'd get already. They'd seen too much here, and it was all too tempting.

"And leave the world hanging?" Mohinder asked, relatively serene. "I think it's a small price to pay. And you'll never need to watch me grow old," he pointed out, which struck a cord in Jack. Wives, lovers, Ianto had said the same thing to him. It was why Jack grew wise and left when it became obvious that he was never aging.

It was harder on the people he loved than their deaths were on him. He kept going on. But they obsessed. Their lives were stretched and horrible. And Jack didn't want it for them. "Let me add one more pleasantry. I'm not telling you to cut ties but no one can know about us or the details of what we do. Understood?"

Mohinder nodded quickly. "Just show me where to sign, Captain. I'm ready to see what the universe has to offer."

This was the first time that Gabriel really had to face the implications of his immortality. He hadn't had time yet to see things and people grow old around him, and he couldn't- didn't want to- guess at what that would be like. Mohinder's reassurance that Gabriel 'wouldn't watch him grow old' was anything but reassuring.

But as he suspected, Mohinder had already made the decision. In fact, no matter what they got into, it'd likely be fairly dangerous- it was the sort of people they were. Gabriel allowed himself a brief moment of sadness, rubbing the palms of his hands on his eyes and down his face, before he reasserted to himself that he'd find a more acceptable solution.

He took a deep breath, in and out, and then he smiled. It was the same fake smile Jack had given them. "We're on board, then. And don't worry, I don't think my mom's heart could handle this. She's going to have a hard enough time accepting that I can manage to move out of New York."

When the ink was drying and Jack was done flirting, Mohinder and Gabriel were told to report tomorrow around noon for training. It was going to give them the rest of the afternoon and morning tomorrow to spend together before Jack purposefully separated them. He didn't think Mohinder really needed to be going through pocket portals and Gabriel was going to have to learn to experience days or weeks or months at a time while Mohinder only went through a few hours without him.

Time travel, like time itself, was not only relative but kind of a bitch like that.

Mohinder was somewhat surprised when he stopped to get milk and some bread and cereal and whatever else Gabriel wanted at the Tescos and saw what was left in his account after running the card through the chip and pin machine.

He almost choked.

"This is going to take so much getting use to!"

Gabriel heard the strange noise Mohinder made and leaned over his shoulder to snoop on the amount. He let out a low whistle. "I knew we'd be getting an advance, but it still hasn't sunk in yet. I'd ask you to pinch me, but- well, we can get to that." He smirked at Mohinder. "Looks like I'll be able to afford more than one suit, now." He was planning on getting good use out of that fancy closet.

Gabriel helped Mohinder carry the groceries back to their new home, and it felt great to talk and laugh and to not have to worry about goals or betrayal or anything but getting home. Of course, his mind was still on the lookout for the unusual, but being away from Primatech made him feel like a heavy weight had been lifted off of him.

Taking the time to put the groceries away, at this point, was the hardest thing his willpower had to endure. It was shortly after Tesco that the two had gotten back to full-on 'making eyes' at each other, and it was difficult for him to keep from immediately kissing Mohinder as they walked in the door. But Gabriel reminded himself that this was truly the last task they had before they could fully enjoy their evening, so they might as well get it done.

Mohinder took his time packing things away. He moved around the contents of the kitchen a few times and then again when Gabriel was starting to look impatient. The man that could understand how everything worked would probably catch on that he was teasing, especially with condoms and lubricant sitting right on the breakfast bar as if to evoke terror in the heart of Gabriel's jeans... Or just to make them exceedingly tight as a form of foreplay.

He even hummed, cheeky thing, as he cleaned the area with some store bought spray, glancing up from time to time.

Mohinder liked to live on the edge, even if this was a particular brand of danger that might only bruise him in the best of ways. He figured that if he could file Gabriel up when he didn't look his best, he could really do a number on him when his hair grew back and all the bruises faded.

After possibly setting a record for dumping food into a fridge without breaking it, Gabriel had to stop and stare at Mohinder. This was more in disbelief than anything else- the man had gotten out cleaning spray and was wiping the counter down. Gabriel watched him in silence for a few seconds, and then Mohinder started humming, and Gabriel had to roll his eyes.

Gabriel's mind flashed a few worried possibilities at him, but they were quickly thrown away. So he approached Mohinder from behind, snaking an arm around the Indian's waist, and leaned down to speak quietly into his ear. "You missed a spot." He nodded vaguely towards the boxes on the breakfast bar.

He could play this game, too. Although, to be honest, he wasn't entirely sure how long he'd hold out.

Mohinder didn't stiffen a bit, but he did not so subtly lean back to rub his rear against Gabriel's crotch while leaning over to get the spot Gabriel had mentioned. "Here?" Oh so innocent, he even looked back over his shoulder. It was probably lucky that he was too bruised to properly arch his back or else Gabriel might break into a million pieces.

Mohinder was almost ridiculously sexy and that little wiggle at least proved that he knew he had an effect on his boyfriend in the most base of ways.

"Or... Perhaps this spot here? No?" He should never have told the Indian he liked the way he spoke. "Gabriel, would you mind showing me?"

Gabriel might break into a million pieces, anyway. At least, that was what he thought, as he felt Mohinder press back into him while (poorly) feigning innocence. Gabriel couldn't do any better- his pants were already tight, and Mohinder's wiggling had made that more than obvious to everyone involved.

He groaned quietly, both out of arousal and exasperation. "You are unbelievable," he said, his breathy tone indicating this was meant as a compliment. He had no chance at this teasing game against Mohinder. Maybe he'd last longer in the future. "Stop cleaning and let me kiss you, already."

He tugged lightly on Mohinder's shoulder to try and get him up and turned around, so he could do just that. His lips held a slight pout, from having to wait so long for this.

"I thought you preferred to listen to me speak," Mohinder said, though he did turn and drop the paper towel so to focus his attention strictly on Gabriel. "I'd do better speaking if I wasn't so distracted by you," he continued, arms slipping happily around Gabriel's neck as he pushed more firmly against the other man's hips. There was no denying that they were both excited. Mohinder didn't hide the fact and stood on his toes to kiss those pouting, sweet lips.

It was a race to the bedroom after that, Mohinder tearing into newly purchased sheets. He assumed Gabriel would be able to bring the other necessities with him.

He shook one sheet out over the mattress cover before he turned again towards the American. "Gabriel?" He knew the man liked how he said his name. "Would you kindly help me with the zipper on these jeans?"

He had almost groaned again when he remembered that they needed to change the sheets. Ugh. He stretched out one hand and the sheet smoothed itself out and tucked itself under the mattress. He'd been actively trying to cut down on his telekinesis use, but surely that would be fine.

Regardless, that would be all the attention the sheets got, because Mohinder was calling for him. And clearly needed his help. "Of course," he said, leaning in for another short kiss. He tugged lightly on Mohinder's lower lip as he pulled away to look at what he was doing. It was actually somewhat tough- jeans weren't the easiest things to remove when tight- but he managed somehow. He pulled down the zipper and pulled the jeans down, leaving the underwear for the moment.

As he rose back up, he let his hands slide across his boyfriend's legs. He had no idea what he was doing, really, he just wanted to touch. Once he was standing, his right hand slid to the front, lightly fondling the tent in the fabric there, feeling out the shape of it. "Was that the sort of help you were looking for?" he asked, a mischievous smile on his lips. "Maybe we could apply it to your shirt, too." He'd be more careful taking the shirt off, mindful of the bruises. But once it was gone, he'd be kissing Mohinder's neck and down to his collarbone, murmuring, "God, you are gorgeous."

Most of the bruising had started to fade and the yellow blended right into his skin tone in a way it wouldn't on a paler person. He still ached but some aches were all right to ignore. All he wanted was Gabriel's hands on him, all he wanted was to continue to feel his fingers climb across his skin. Let the man worship him....as strange as that was, it was also wholly erotic.

Mohinder mentioned the pros of having help with his shirt as well and stood with his arms to his sides as Gabriel unwrapped him. He would willingly be naked, standing there as a feast for soft brown eyes for as long as the American willed it.

The compliment made him smile. "Who I am to question your taste? If you find me so, I'll believe you. I can't rightly say I'm use to hearing it, though. And not from someone gorgeous themselves."

At Mohinder's assertion, Gabriel pulled away from his skin to look at him with surprise. And then he blushed, slightly, as his partner turned that compliment back around on him. "People are blind. That or jealous."

He had been working his way down, but now he leaned in to kiss Mohinder on the lips, slow and sweet. As raring to go as he was for everything else, he did really enjoy the kissing, too. When he pulled away, he looked shy- it wasn't entirely an act, either. "As for me, I had something of a makeover...you saw those old pictures of me. This look's still pretty new. Glad you like it."

He smiled against Mohinder's lips, then worked his way up to an ear. His hands continued to roam, treading lightly over the back, but soon finding perfect places to press and knead. "Uh-oh, looks like I might need help with my clothes, too," he chuckled into Mohinder's ear. "I keep getting distracted somehow."

"And I thought you were so capable," Mohinder purred, his teasing holding absolutely no malice as he curled his fingers in Gabriel's belt loops and hauled him towards the bed. Kneeling upon it, Mohinder took his time undressing Gabriel as he stood in front of him, his long body revealed with the twist of a fine body.

Oh, he did enjoy this. He loved how mutually insync they were and grasped onto it with fast, sure fingers as if he could keep Gabriel with him always.

The thought of 'Sylar' never came up. Perhaps that was because Mohinder completely blocked the thought, perhaps he clung to other, more beautiful angles. It didn't matter at the moment. He couldn't imagine that it ever would.

"Come up here and let me distract you some more," he whispered when they were equally dressed...or undressed!

Gabriel suspected that Mohinder had separated the 'Sylar' personality quite a bit farther than it actually was from himself. But that didn't bother him. It kept him from tripping up on their conversation, bringing everything back to those murders. When it came down to it, they both could use a little bit of denial to their advantage- and Gabriel was convinced he'd never do anything to disappoint Mohinder again, so it wasn't a problem. Jack might mind in a few decades, but hopefully Gabriel would have actually found a way to be a better man by then. And maybe Mohinder will have seen that, too.

But that was a subject to ponder while on the road. They'd finally made it home, and he wouldn't worry about anything while Mohinder was helping him undress. He breathed a sigh of relief as he was freed from his pants. Once all of it was taken care of, he rolled himself onto the bed, somehow ending up in the lotus position and looking up at Mohinder with a mischievous smile.

He put his right hand out, and ran his fingers over Mohinder's chin and down his chest, lightly brushing them over a nipple. "How about we start with you, this time?" he said, still wondering over Mohinder's physique and skin and- just all of him. "What would you like me to do, for you? Or I'll try to fill in, but- I've warned you I'm new at this." He nearly chuckled at that, because he hardly felt lost. He felt like he did when he looked at the watch shop for the first time. "Lucky for me that you're such a good teacher," he added, his left hand coming up to cup Mohinder's cheek. He brushed his thumb against the man's stubble, enjoying the rough feel of it.

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