8 - upwards to infinity
Welcome to our eighth prompt post.
As ususal, here are a few things to keep in mind:
1) All fills for prompts of the earlier prompt posts go in the post the prompt was posted in. No re-posting or splitting up prompts and fills.
2) Self-prompt when you post unprompted fic. (This means posting what the fill is about in a first comment, like a real ( Read more... )
As ususal, here are a few things to keep in mind:
1) All fills for prompts of the earlier prompt posts go in the post the prompt was posted in. No re-posting or splitting up prompts and fills.
2) Self-prompt when you post unprompted fic. (This means posting what the fill is about in a first comment, like a real ( Read more... )
Sam had been in and teased him thoroughly about his ‘date’ with Nick, before putting the children to bed and departing for dinner with a friend. David was half glad she wasn’t going to be there; it allowed him to focus completely on making sure everything was right. He wanted this to be the best dinner of Nick’s life, and for him to take back all his mocking words and realise just what he had been missing out on.
There was a knock on the front door and David jumped, smoothed down his shirt, realised he was still wearing a pinny and removed it quickly. That could have been embarrassing. He ran a hand through his hair, and headed down the hall to answer the door.
‘Hello,’ Nick grinned at him and thrust a bottle of red wine into his hands, before entering uninvited. He sniffed the air. ‘Smells good, and so it should, after this terrific build-up.’
‘Well,’ David floundered a bit, brandishing the wine. ‘It wouldn’t have been such a 'build-up' if you had got over your unfounded paranoia about socialising with me when we were in opposition, and just accepted the invitation.’
‘Hmm.’ Nick removed his coat, draping it over the many Cameron coats which were taking up all the pegs. ‘Let’s just leave the past where it belongs, shall we? I’m starving.’
He wandered down the hall to the living room, leaving David to head back into the kitchen and sort out the drinks.
He entered the room carrying two glasses of wine, and found Nick nosing through his book collection and chuckling to himself.
‘Really, David, how many books on Margaret Thatcher do you have? Could you be more of a Tory? - oh thanks,’ he took the glass and sipped a little wine. ‘Hmm, I don’t usually drink wine, well, I don’t usually drink at all, actually, but I thought I might need to dull my taste buds a little in preparation for whatever you’re going to serve me.’ He twinkled at David, who frowned.
‘Just you wait!’ he retorted. ‘Anyway, it’s nearly ready, actually, just a few more minutes.’ He gestured at the sofa. ‘Have a seat.’
They sat, Nick on the sofa, David in an armchair.
‘So,’ David began, ‘I haven’t really seen you today. How was Spain?’
‘Fantastic,’ Nick grinned. ‘Just what I needed, to get away from everything and just be with my family, you know?’ He waved his free hand a bit, and David eyed the glass, worrying for his carpet. ‘What with everything... and I love Christmas, with all the relatives, and the boys get so excited. Miriam’s family are very traditional, and there’s millions of them. On Christmas day we...’
David tuned out as Nick rambled on, unable to suppress a smile as he watched Nick talk enthusiastically about his holiday. He couldn’t keep still, David noted. He was like an over excited puppy, or a little boy, sometimes. Fidgeting and making ridiculous gestures to illustrate a point.
He rejoined Nick’s monologue to find he was currently halfway through one of his sprawling and incomprehensible anecdotes, and having missed the beginning David had no hope of following, so he concentrated on nodding in the right places, and smiling appreciatively. All the while watching Nick’s hands wave about, admiring the way his suit jacket hung off his shoulders, fitting him perfectly, studying the tuff of fringe that was sticking straight up, as if he’d slept flat on his face. He imagined Nick standing in front of the mirror with a comb, struggling to make it lie down. Then again, Nick probably wasn’t bothered by things like that, unlike himself. David smoothed his hair, feeling a little self-conscious.
Suddenly Nick broke off, sniffing the air again, with an alarmed look.
‘Are you burning something?’ He enquired.
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Fuck, the duck. Fuck!
‘Shit!’ David leapt up from his chair and sprinted to the kitchen, already knowing it was too late. He pulled open the oven and smoke billowed out, and he coughed, his eyes filling with tears. He tried to grab the tray, and burnt his hand. ‘Ow! Fuck!’ He snatched up a cloth and pulled the tray out, frantically inspecting the damage.
The duck was blackened, shrivelled, ruined. David set the tray down on the side, a sharp pain rising into his throat, and suddenly it was ridiculously difficult to breathe. All his careful preparation; it was all for nothing. He’d let himself get distracted, and now Nick would think he was even more of an idiot, crying over a stupid fucking dinner.
Then he felt a warm hand resting on his shoulder, and Nick’s hip brushed against his as he came to stand beside him.
‘Ah, well,’ his Deputy said, very calm, ‘takeaway again, then?’
David resisted the urge to throw the tray at him. Instead he twisted out of Nick’s grip and fled from the kitchen to the bathroom, locking himself in. He heard Nick shout his name, and closed his eyes, slumping against the door and sliding down to sit on the floor. He pressed his face into his hands, fighting a stupid urge to cry.
‘David,’ Nick called through the door. ‘It doesn’t matter. We’ll just have something else.’ He knocked softly, and David curled up tighter. ‘Dave... are you ok?’
He swallowed hard. ‘I’m fine. Go away.’
‘No you’re not.’ He heard rustling, and a thump, and then Nick’s voice came from lower down; presumably he had seated himself on the other side of the door. ‘What’s all this about?’
David scrubbed his hands over his face, lifting his head. God, he felt like an idiot, hiding in here. But he couldn’t come out yet, not with red eyes as evidence of exactly how upset he was.
‘Nothing,’ he replied, trying desperately to keep his voice steady. ‘I just... wanted to do something nice for you, that’s all.’
There was no reply for a moment. Then Nick said, ‘you do nice things for me all the time.’
David swallowed hard. ‘Work things.’
‘David...’ Nick’s voice had a pleading note now. ‘Please come out and talk to me.’ He paused. ‘You’re worrying me, a bit.’
David laughed bitterly. ‘Right. You just want to take this piss out of me, again.’ He let his head fall back against the door with a thump and gazed up at the ceiling, waiting for Nick’s reply.
‘Oh,’ Nick said quietly. ‘I see. Listen, I’m sorry, I probably... went too far. I’m sure you can cook really, everyone says so. I just... it was a joke. I’m sorry.’
‘Whatever.’ David closed his eyes.
‘Why... why is it so important that you cook something for me?’
David sighed. ‘Because, pathetically, I wanted to show you that I’m good at something other than... being in charge, like you’re good at bloody everything and speak millions of languages and things like that, and cooking is my thing.’ He felt his face heating up, even though Nick couldn’t see him. ‘I wanted to... impress you.’
God, why the fuck had he admitted that?
Silence radiated through the door and David cringed; probably Nick was also wondering what he was thinking, saying things like that, leaving himself wide open to ridicule, and manipulation and... Oh God.
‘David,’ Nick said quietly, his voice coming through the crack in the door. ‘Don’t you think I’m impressed by you already?’
‘No.’ David looked down at the bathmat, and reached out to fiddle with a loose thread.
‘You idiot,’ Nick sighed through the door. ‘I think you’re incredible.'
‘No you don’t.’
Nick laughed. ‘That’s for me to decide, actually.’
‘I’m just you, with more votes.’
‘No,’ Nick admitted quietly. ‘You’re really not. I... I don’t think... I could do it.’
David froze. Had he really just heard that?
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David frowned. This was his pity party, but Nick sounded depressed as well. And now he felt guilty, as well as stupid and embarrassed.
‘Sorry,’ Nick said softly. ‘You don’t want to hear about my problems right now.’
David hesitated. Then he got up with some difficulty and turned the lock. He stood with his fingers resting on the handle, nerves building, then forced himself to open the door.
Nick was sitting outside in the hall, leaning against the wall. He looked up at him and David was shocked at how pale and shaken he looked. Evidently he’d really scared him.
Without a word he held out his hand and Nick took it, getting to his feet. They looked at each other for a moment, not letting go. Then David shifted a little, transferring his weight from one foot to the other.
‘Shall we, um, get a pizza or something?’ he suggested, hesitantly.
Nick’s lips twitched into a smile. ‘That sounds lovely.’
‘Ok.’ David squeezed his hand gently, and let go. ‘I’ll find a menu.’
‘Right.’ Nick nodded, and they smiled at each other. There was no need to say anything else about it.
Not yet.
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Lovely, lovely stuff in short, and I am a very contented OP :)
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I think - hope - that certainly by 2015, after spending all that time together, they really will be sort-of-in-love-in-a-mostly-platonic way. It must be nice for each of them to have someone around who is just like them (party leader, similar families and background etc) and understands how they feel, politics aside.
Also i reckon in RL DCam loves having Nick as a Deputy because he is SO AMAZING and does half his work for him haha :D
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