Helen/Nikola - One-shot
Title: Something is not the Same
Pairing: Helen Magnus/Nikola Tesla
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Helen is sick of Nikola's moping.
Author's Note: A friend asked me for Sanctuary fluff for her birthday and this is my attempt...
“Remind me again why I’m here?” Nikola Tesla complained, his hands playing over the vines as they walked through the dense vineyard.
“Because this area of the Napa Valley is known for a rare species known as the Medusa Serpent. I thought, given your proclivity towards wine, you might wish to accompany me. And also, quite frankly, I was tiring of your moping around the Sanctuary.” Helen Magnus kept on hand on her tranquilizer as she reached out to Nikola. “I thought perhaps, if you had something to occupy -”
“I have never quite been interested in your abnormal-saving missions, as you well know. I only came here on the assumption tat you were angling for a weekend getaway with me and just didn’t know the proper way to ask. You know I don’t mind forward women.” He looked at her hand on his arm, then looked back at Helen, boredom written on his face.
Helen only rolled her eyes and kept scanning the vines for movement. “I would have thought the Medusa serpent might have captured your interest - an ancient creature with pointy fangs? Sounds familiar.”
“We’re not all alike, you know. We didn’t have meetings where we compared tooth sharpness and showed each other the secret handshake. I’m surprised you didn’t find some giant bat to bait me with.” He smiled only slightly, cocking his head as he waited for her response. Helen Magnus was the one person he gleaned any satisfaction from sparring with.
“I should have brought Will. He’s much better company.” Helen turned away from the once-vampire in front of her, her gaze once more searching the thick vegetation for the elusive snake.
“Ah, but you really like me better. Admit it, you’re enjoying this. It’s just like the old days at Oxford. Bantering, trying to cover up your obvious attraction to me with poorly disguised barbs.” His mouth twitched in the way it did when he was clearly amused with himself.
“You’re quite insufferable, actually. You know that, don’t you? Oh there - look!” Helen’s voice lowered and she pointed to a few rustling leaves. “The multiple heads in the snake make vineyards a perfect place for the Medusa to survive - they simply look like a patch of really heavy vines.”
“Helen, you seem to forget that I am not your doe-eyed protégé and I have very little interest in whatever creatures you hunt in your spare time. Perhaps Dr. Useless would have been the right choice if you insist on lecturing me on the vagaries of abnormal life. You did never master the art of an interesting lecture anyhow.” He plucked a grape from a vine and placed it in his mouth delicately.
“Well, then, stay quiet while I capture this snake. How quickly you forget all the boring, unbearable lectures you made me sit through when you were first playing with electricity.” She crouched low and moved slowly towards the camouflaged snake.
“Yes, but now you don’t have to hire an electrician - see, my lectures were useful!” Nikola ate another grape nonchalantly as Helen kept moving carefully and quietly. As she neared, the snake become obviously agitated, its once hidden heads suddenly visible and hissing.
“Careful, Helen, it looks angry,” Nikola offered casually, earning a glare from Helen before she turned her attention back to the abnormal in front of her. He moved to stand closer to her, crouching beside her as he watched the many heads dance in a hypnotic rhythm. The snake suddenly lunged and Nikola pushed Helen roughly aside, grabbing her tranquilizer from her as he did.
“When will you learn,” he began, shooting rounds towards the slithering animal, “to bring real weapons with you?” The leaves around the snake were ridden with tranq darts, but the snake in front of them lay still. Helen pulled a bag from her pocket and crawled slowly towards the serpent, gently placing it inside.
“When will you learn that a tranquilizer is all you need sometimes? Men and their guns.” Helen shook her head with a smile and looked up at Nikola.
“What are you doing down there?” he asked incredulously, without offering to help her up.
“If I recall, you quite rudely pushed me aside. Or perhaps you were being chivalrous?” Her smile widened. “Perhaps you are not as stand-offish as you seem.”
“That is far from correct, Helen. I merely saw an opportunity to conquer something. You were doing a miserable job, so once again it fell to me to be the competent one. Perhaps it’s a good thing you did not bring along that doctor of yours after all.” He stuck his hand out finally, reaching out to the woman below him. She grasped his fingers firmly and pulled him down next to her with a small laugh. He fell with an undignified “oomph” and crossed his arms sulkily. “You owe me for that.”
“Yes, yes I do. Of course I do. You were brave and I wasn’t very respectful towards you just then,” she said, a hint of mocking below the fawning tone. “And bravery deserves a reward.”
“Finally it seems you are thinking clearly,” Nikola answered. “And how may I expect my payment? You will have me end another world crisis? I can solve all of your problems for you, as usual?”
“No, that doesn’t sound like all that much fun…Perhaps we could partake of the delights that the Napa Valley has to offer.” Her eyes twinkled as Nikola straightened at the thought of wine.
”Well there is no time to waste! Let us hurry! There are vintages to be scoured and wines to be devoured!” He practically jumped up, pulling Helen up after him roughly. She laughed as he moved quickly through the vineyard towards the winery, as though drawn to the wine.
---
After much wine had been imbibed, Nikola and Helen sat in their hotel room, reclining on the couch, holding still full glasses as they talked, reminiscing about old times, gossiping about the abnormal community. Nikola knew a different set of abnormals than Helen generally interacted with, knew a different set of stories than Helen.
“The Cabal’s network fell easily, once you got that vile Whittaker woman out of the way. John and I had little trouble hunting them down. I relished the search - it gave me a chance to use my vampiric talents in ways that I have not been able to for many years.” He was relaxed, comfortable. Since wine was suddenly able to affect him, he fell into a certain mood after drinking. Helen found his company more pleasurable in these circumstances, found him more enjoyable.
She also found her hand trailing up his arm and down again, her fingers meeting with his. “It’s been a long time since we’ve been alone together, Nikola,” she commented, unsure of her motivation. “You’ve been so distant since you lost your powers.”
“Ah, but I have retained still an abnormal ability.” He smiled at her. “I’m still better than your average human. Better than an above-average human, even.”
“Better than most humans, I would say,” she added, matching his smile with one of her own. “Most abnormals as well.” She was being bold, she was being blatant, and she was going to blame it on the wine.
“You did always have a tendency to state the obvious,” he replied, catching her dancing fingers with his hand. “It is a testament to the glories of this wine that I find it amusing and not repugnant.” He used his free hand to toast her with his glass.
“You have never found me repugnant, Nikola.” She slid closer to him, her hand still caught in his own. “In fact, I always thought you rather liked me.”
“You’re fishing for compliments, and that’s something I just will not stand for.” His cheeky grin belied the seriousness of his words. He set down his glass and his hand found its way to Helen’s thigh, currently wedged against his own.
She impulsively leaned towards him, kissing him soundly. He reacted with startling alacrity, his hands in her hair, his mouth all she could think about.
A few pleasurable minutes passed this way and then Helen moved away. “Perhaps…this is not the best -”
“No, no. You cannot say that! I refuse to accept another half-hearted excuse on your behalf. There’s no Jack the Ripper to keep us apart this time. We have a good bottle of wine and a nice hotel room. The Napa Valley is practically screaming for you to get past your erstwhile inhibitions!”
“I was simply going to say that perhaps the couch was not the most suitable place for these activities, but it is nice to know how you really feel. Shall we retire to the bedroom?” Her left eyebrow lifted in question, although she did not wait for his answer as she stood and began removing clothing, leaving a trail for him to follow behind her.
---
Will could tell something was different. He didn’t know what it was, and he didn’t know when it had happened, but there was something different. Tesla would go around the sanctuary whistling. Whistling. Helen smiled more than she used to, and by the looks of it, slept more too.
He mused about the two changed abnormals as he walked to the lab, data sample in hand that he wanted to show Magnus, when he heard something that made him stop abruptly.
“I told you - not in the lab. What if one of my employees walked in?” Magnus’ voice was unmistakable, although the slightly giggly tone was new to Will’s ears.
“What? You’re worried about Huggy Bear? Perhaps just a bruised ego, but it’s most likely nothing new to him. He is a doctor, after all.” Will blanched, and could imagine Nikola’s face, taunting him indirectly.
“What about the fact that I work in this lab every day and cannot have my work day interrupted with memories of you…” She trailed off and Will couldn’t quite tear himself away, wanting to know more even as he felt disgusted by the thought.
“Me? In a compromising position? You didn’t seem to mind last night, in the -” Will heard Helen make a hissing noise.
“One-time event, Nikola. You were moping again. You know I cannot abide moping.” Her voice sounded muffled and Will didn’t want to think what was muffling it.
“Well, if that’s all it takes…” Will heard the unmistakable sounds of kissing, the sounds of clothes falling on the floor and Will wrenched himself away, wanted to avoid sullying any part of the sanctuary with thoughts of his boss and his main antagonist in any sort of position that could be called “compromising.” As he pressed the button for the elevator, he heard a loud noise coming from the lab and didn’t want to stay to find out whether it was Magnus or Tesla. At least he knew what was different.
Pairing: Helen Magnus/Nikola Tesla
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Helen is sick of Nikola's moping.
Author's Note: A friend asked me for Sanctuary fluff for her birthday and this is my attempt...
“Remind me again why I’m here?” Nikola Tesla complained, his hands playing over the vines as they walked through the dense vineyard.
“Because this area of the Napa Valley is known for a rare species known as the Medusa Serpent. I thought, given your proclivity towards wine, you might wish to accompany me. And also, quite frankly, I was tiring of your moping around the Sanctuary.” Helen Magnus kept on hand on her tranquilizer as she reached out to Nikola. “I thought perhaps, if you had something to occupy -”
“I have never quite been interested in your abnormal-saving missions, as you well know. I only came here on the assumption tat you were angling for a weekend getaway with me and just didn’t know the proper way to ask. You know I don’t mind forward women.” He looked at her hand on his arm, then looked back at Helen, boredom written on his face.
Helen only rolled her eyes and kept scanning the vines for movement. “I would have thought the Medusa serpent might have captured your interest - an ancient creature with pointy fangs? Sounds familiar.”
“We’re not all alike, you know. We didn’t have meetings where we compared tooth sharpness and showed each other the secret handshake. I’m surprised you didn’t find some giant bat to bait me with.” He smiled only slightly, cocking his head as he waited for her response. Helen Magnus was the one person he gleaned any satisfaction from sparring with.
“I should have brought Will. He’s much better company.” Helen turned away from the once-vampire in front of her, her gaze once more searching the thick vegetation for the elusive snake.
“Ah, but you really like me better. Admit it, you’re enjoying this. It’s just like the old days at Oxford. Bantering, trying to cover up your obvious attraction to me with poorly disguised barbs.” His mouth twitched in the way it did when he was clearly amused with himself.
“You’re quite insufferable, actually. You know that, don’t you? Oh there - look!” Helen’s voice lowered and she pointed to a few rustling leaves. “The multiple heads in the snake make vineyards a perfect place for the Medusa to survive - they simply look like a patch of really heavy vines.”
“Helen, you seem to forget that I am not your doe-eyed protégé and I have very little interest in whatever creatures you hunt in your spare time. Perhaps Dr. Useless would have been the right choice if you insist on lecturing me on the vagaries of abnormal life. You did never master the art of an interesting lecture anyhow.” He plucked a grape from a vine and placed it in his mouth delicately.
“Well, then, stay quiet while I capture this snake. How quickly you forget all the boring, unbearable lectures you made me sit through when you were first playing with electricity.” She crouched low and moved slowly towards the camouflaged snake.
“Yes, but now you don’t have to hire an electrician - see, my lectures were useful!” Nikola ate another grape nonchalantly as Helen kept moving carefully and quietly. As she neared, the snake become obviously agitated, its once hidden heads suddenly visible and hissing.
“Careful, Helen, it looks angry,” Nikola offered casually, earning a glare from Helen before she turned her attention back to the abnormal in front of her. He moved to stand closer to her, crouching beside her as he watched the many heads dance in a hypnotic rhythm. The snake suddenly lunged and Nikola pushed Helen roughly aside, grabbing her tranquilizer from her as he did.
“When will you learn,” he began, shooting rounds towards the slithering animal, “to bring real weapons with you?” The leaves around the snake were ridden with tranq darts, but the snake in front of them lay still. Helen pulled a bag from her pocket and crawled slowly towards the serpent, gently placing it inside.
“When will you learn that a tranquilizer is all you need sometimes? Men and their guns.” Helen shook her head with a smile and looked up at Nikola.
“What are you doing down there?” he asked incredulously, without offering to help her up.
“If I recall, you quite rudely pushed me aside. Or perhaps you were being chivalrous?” Her smile widened. “Perhaps you are not as stand-offish as you seem.”
“That is far from correct, Helen. I merely saw an opportunity to conquer something. You were doing a miserable job, so once again it fell to me to be the competent one. Perhaps it’s a good thing you did not bring along that doctor of yours after all.” He stuck his hand out finally, reaching out to the woman below him. She grasped his fingers firmly and pulled him down next to her with a small laugh. He fell with an undignified “oomph” and crossed his arms sulkily. “You owe me for that.”
“Yes, yes I do. Of course I do. You were brave and I wasn’t very respectful towards you just then,” she said, a hint of mocking below the fawning tone. “And bravery deserves a reward.”
“Finally it seems you are thinking clearly,” Nikola answered. “And how may I expect my payment? You will have me end another world crisis? I can solve all of your problems for you, as usual?”
“No, that doesn’t sound like all that much fun…Perhaps we could partake of the delights that the Napa Valley has to offer.” Her eyes twinkled as Nikola straightened at the thought of wine.
”Well there is no time to waste! Let us hurry! There are vintages to be scoured and wines to be devoured!” He practically jumped up, pulling Helen up after him roughly. She laughed as he moved quickly through the vineyard towards the winery, as though drawn to the wine.
---
After much wine had been imbibed, Nikola and Helen sat in their hotel room, reclining on the couch, holding still full glasses as they talked, reminiscing about old times, gossiping about the abnormal community. Nikola knew a different set of abnormals than Helen generally interacted with, knew a different set of stories than Helen.
“The Cabal’s network fell easily, once you got that vile Whittaker woman out of the way. John and I had little trouble hunting them down. I relished the search - it gave me a chance to use my vampiric talents in ways that I have not been able to for many years.” He was relaxed, comfortable. Since wine was suddenly able to affect him, he fell into a certain mood after drinking. Helen found his company more pleasurable in these circumstances, found him more enjoyable.
She also found her hand trailing up his arm and down again, her fingers meeting with his. “It’s been a long time since we’ve been alone together, Nikola,” she commented, unsure of her motivation. “You’ve been so distant since you lost your powers.”
“Ah, but I have retained still an abnormal ability.” He smiled at her. “I’m still better than your average human. Better than an above-average human, even.”
“Better than most humans, I would say,” she added, matching his smile with one of her own. “Most abnormals as well.” She was being bold, she was being blatant, and she was going to blame it on the wine.
“You did always have a tendency to state the obvious,” he replied, catching her dancing fingers with his hand. “It is a testament to the glories of this wine that I find it amusing and not repugnant.” He used his free hand to toast her with his glass.
“You have never found me repugnant, Nikola.” She slid closer to him, her hand still caught in his own. “In fact, I always thought you rather liked me.”
“You’re fishing for compliments, and that’s something I just will not stand for.” His cheeky grin belied the seriousness of his words. He set down his glass and his hand found its way to Helen’s thigh, currently wedged against his own.
She impulsively leaned towards him, kissing him soundly. He reacted with startling alacrity, his hands in her hair, his mouth all she could think about.
A few pleasurable minutes passed this way and then Helen moved away. “Perhaps…this is not the best -”
“No, no. You cannot say that! I refuse to accept another half-hearted excuse on your behalf. There’s no Jack the Ripper to keep us apart this time. We have a good bottle of wine and a nice hotel room. The Napa Valley is practically screaming for you to get past your erstwhile inhibitions!”
“I was simply going to say that perhaps the couch was not the most suitable place for these activities, but it is nice to know how you really feel. Shall we retire to the bedroom?” Her left eyebrow lifted in question, although she did not wait for his answer as she stood and began removing clothing, leaving a trail for him to follow behind her.
---
Will could tell something was different. He didn’t know what it was, and he didn’t know when it had happened, but there was something different. Tesla would go around the sanctuary whistling. Whistling. Helen smiled more than she used to, and by the looks of it, slept more too.
He mused about the two changed abnormals as he walked to the lab, data sample in hand that he wanted to show Magnus, when he heard something that made him stop abruptly.
“I told you - not in the lab. What if one of my employees walked in?” Magnus’ voice was unmistakable, although the slightly giggly tone was new to Will’s ears.
“What? You’re worried about Huggy Bear? Perhaps just a bruised ego, but it’s most likely nothing new to him. He is a doctor, after all.” Will blanched, and could imagine Nikola’s face, taunting him indirectly.
“What about the fact that I work in this lab every day and cannot have my work day interrupted with memories of you…” She trailed off and Will couldn’t quite tear himself away, wanting to know more even as he felt disgusted by the thought.
“Me? In a compromising position? You didn’t seem to mind last night, in the -” Will heard Helen make a hissing noise.
“One-time event, Nikola. You were moping again. You know I cannot abide moping.” Her voice sounded muffled and Will didn’t want to think what was muffling it.
“Well, if that’s all it takes…” Will heard the unmistakable sounds of kissing, the sounds of clothes falling on the floor and Will wrenched himself away, wanted to avoid sullying any part of the sanctuary with thoughts of his boss and his main antagonist in any sort of position that could be called “compromising.” As he pressed the button for the elevator, he heard a loud noise coming from the lab and didn’t want to stay to find out whether it was Magnus or Tesla. At least he knew what was different.