Lambert Residence, Mauvaise Chance, Tuesday Afternoon [NFB]
There was only one word to describe her first experience with intimacy as a vampire: intense. Nick's blood now mingled with hers and, in doing so, bonded them in a way she had never known -- his memories, fears, happiness, and regret collided with her own. It was an experience that had almost overwhelmed her. Nick had coaxed her back with soft whispers and gentle caresses.
They had spent the weekend riding this wave of complicated emotion, surfacing occasionally: an evening stroll in the park, a necessities run for Nick, and a couple of hours here and there to watch old movies. And they talked -- so much that had gone unsaid suddenly in the open, exposed by the deeper blood bond the two shared.
Tuesday afternoon arrived and Nat knew Nick would have to leave. He could ask his partner to cover only for so long, especially since she didn't know the full story. Then again, his partner knew he was visiting Natalie, and the precinct had their own suspicions. Suspicions that are finally confirmed, Nat thought with a wry grin.
"Hey."
Nat was still grinning as she opened her eyes, finding Nick standing at the foot of the bed. He was clad only in the bottoms of the black silk pajamas he had purchased, a bottle of blood in one hand, and two mugs in the other. "Hey," she echoed. "What's this? Breakfast in bed?"
"Exactly." Nick's eyes glittered with mischief. His boyish grin crept across his features and he climbed back into bed. He then pulled the cork free with his theeth, ejecting it a split second later. It sailed across the room, landing in a darkened corner.
"I'm never going to find that again, am I?"
His grin widened. "Probably not. But it's better than, say... popcorn."
"It's not like that was a regular thing, Nick," Nat replied with a laugh. She took the cup she was offered. "Besides, it's what you get for scaring me like that."
Nick laughed as well. "It took weeks to get it all out of my sofa cushions."
"Poor baby." There was nothing apologetic about her expression. She sobered after a moment, eyes fixed on her cup. "Ya know, I understand a lot more now," she said quietly.
Nick raised his brows. "Like what?"
"Why the protein drinks were so hard, why the food tasted so awful. I've been like this for ten years, and it's hard for me. I can't imagine trying to break 800 years of bad habits."
To this, Nick nodded, acknowledging his thoughts on the matter. "But we're making good progress," he said. "And...it's easier, knowing you're there with me."
Natalie's eyes flitted toward the clock. "Well, there in spirit, at least." She paused. "I guess you'll have to be getting back soon."
"I am." Taking her glass and setting it aside with his own, Nick drew his hands into hers, kissing them. "It's going to be more difficult to be apart now."
"It was easy before?" There was a slight edge to her voice -- she couldn't help it -- and Nat knew her eyes showed her frustration.
Nick shook his head. "No, it wasn't. At least, not for me." He paused. "I'm not quite sure what LaCroix will do or say now, Nat. I've not been sure of his motives since the night you came across."
Nat frowned. "I'm a new toy, Nick. He hasn't had a few lifetimes to play headgames with me. To be honest, I'm not sure he knows what to do with me yet."
"Then let's hope you keep him guessing for a while." Nick forced a smile. "Now what's the best way to spend the rest of the afternoon?"
Eyes flickering yellow, Nat smirked. "Oh, I can think of a thing or two..."
They had spent the weekend riding this wave of complicated emotion, surfacing occasionally: an evening stroll in the park, a necessities run for Nick, and a couple of hours here and there to watch old movies. And they talked -- so much that had gone unsaid suddenly in the open, exposed by the deeper blood bond the two shared.
Tuesday afternoon arrived and Nat knew Nick would have to leave. He could ask his partner to cover only for so long, especially since she didn't know the full story. Then again, his partner knew he was visiting Natalie, and the precinct had their own suspicions. Suspicions that are finally confirmed, Nat thought with a wry grin.
"Hey."
Nat was still grinning as she opened her eyes, finding Nick standing at the foot of the bed. He was clad only in the bottoms of the black silk pajamas he had purchased, a bottle of blood in one hand, and two mugs in the other. "Hey," she echoed. "What's this? Breakfast in bed?"
"Exactly." Nick's eyes glittered with mischief. His boyish grin crept across his features and he climbed back into bed. He then pulled the cork free with his theeth, ejecting it a split second later. It sailed across the room, landing in a darkened corner.
"I'm never going to find that again, am I?"
His grin widened. "Probably not. But it's better than, say... popcorn."
"It's not like that was a regular thing, Nick," Nat replied with a laugh. She took the cup she was offered. "Besides, it's what you get for scaring me like that."
Nick laughed as well. "It took weeks to get it all out of my sofa cushions."
"Poor baby." There was nothing apologetic about her expression. She sobered after a moment, eyes fixed on her cup. "Ya know, I understand a lot more now," she said quietly.
Nick raised his brows. "Like what?"
"Why the protein drinks were so hard, why the food tasted so awful. I've been like this for ten years, and it's hard for me. I can't imagine trying to break 800 years of bad habits."
To this, Nick nodded, acknowledging his thoughts on the matter. "But we're making good progress," he said. "And...it's easier, knowing you're there with me."
Natalie's eyes flitted toward the clock. "Well, there in spirit, at least." She paused. "I guess you'll have to be getting back soon."
"I am." Taking her glass and setting it aside with his own, Nick drew his hands into hers, kissing them. "It's going to be more difficult to be apart now."
"It was easy before?" There was a slight edge to her voice -- she couldn't help it -- and Nat knew her eyes showed her frustration.
Nick shook his head. "No, it wasn't. At least, not for me." He paused. "I'm not quite sure what LaCroix will do or say now, Nat. I've not been sure of his motives since the night you came across."
Nat frowned. "I'm a new toy, Nick. He hasn't had a few lifetimes to play headgames with me. To be honest, I'm not sure he knows what to do with me yet."
"Then let's hope you keep him guessing for a while." Nick forced a smile. "Now what's the best way to spend the rest of the afternoon?"
Eyes flickering yellow, Nat smirked. "Oh, I can think of a thing or two..."