(no subject)

[eternal-boy.livejournal.com]

Nick comes down from his room. He's cleaned up since...the last few days. He looks a little lost, but his clothing and hair and appearance is otherwise impecable. He nearly stumbles on the way to the bar, eyes staring at anything but the actual environment around him. He sits. He stares.

He orders some food and begins to sip.

Comments

[theprettiestone.livejournal.com]

Alex is seated at one of the tables. And knows that Nick is in the bar. He goes slightly pale and looks down into his cup of tea, biting his lip.

crap crap crap

[eternal-boy.livejournal.com]

Nick doesn't look at Alex. He doesn't move or react or do anything.

He sips his blood.

But Alex might feel a slight tug within. A desire for Alex's presence.

[theprettiestone.livejournal.com]

Perversely, he stays where he is for a few moments. Then he sighs and stands up, going over to Nick.

[eternal-boy.livejournal.com]

Nick doesn't react. He waits and he sips.

Then he stares meaningfully at the stool next to him.

[theprettiestone.livejournal.com]

Alex sits down.

To the bar, "could I get another cup of tea, please, pet?"

It's something to look at, at least.

[eternal-boy.livejournal.com]

Nick doesn't look at Alex.

"I didn't lie to you. At all. The entire time I was up there."

[theprettiestone.livejournal.com]

Alex doesn't look at Nick.

"I - I know."

A pause.

"Why did..."

He can't finish that question.

[eternal-boy.livejournal.com]

"I don't know..."

The emphasis is perhaps the first show of any sort of emotion. And it is a bizarre mix of helplessness and concern.

"But it's true. Nonetheless."

[theprettiestone.livejournal.com]

He sips his tea. Honestly, "I'm still afraid of you."

Why wouldn't he be?

[eternal-boy.livejournal.com]

"I'm still not pleased with what you did. For different reasons than I think you might believe, but nonetheless. What happened before...we spoke. It's still there. I didn't forget. I can't."

He sips his blood.

"My kind never forget. Part of the gift...or the curse...or whatever."

He sips again.

"But you know I wasn't lying."

[theprettiestone.livejournal.com]

Spoke. An interesting way of putting it.

"I'm not likely to forget any time soon."

He still doesn't look at Nick.

"I know. I just don't know why."

[eternal-boy.livejournal.com]

"I told you I'm...not known for my sanity either, Alex. I..."

He sips his blood.

"I can't hate what I know. I thought...I thought that was the extent of it. I was wrong."

[theprettiestone.livejournal.com]

He unconsciously reaches up to rub at a fading mark on his throat.

"I wish it was that simple."

[steadfastknight]

The theives working against the AIT had been stopped and Michael was... busy. He had a date tonight, after all, and Kitt was going to be playing transportation. So he thought he could at least use a few hours to himself.

But that was when he stepped in and saw Nick.

He hadn't seen Nick in too, too long. And so he walked over, strides sure, and reached out to hug him. "Hello, Nick," he said in his distinctive voice.

[eternal-boy.livejournal.com]

Nick doesn't react for a moment. It's like hugging a stone.

And then it's like Nick woke up and stares at Kitt for a moment.

"Oh...Kitt...hello."

His eyes are someplace else for all the warmth in the voice...that...he's trying to project.

[steadfastknight]

Kitt, if nothing else, was used to reading voices. He had learned to read tone, to read silence. And therefore, hearing that, he worried. "Nick... What's wrong?" he asked, his concern evident, as was his innocence.

[eternal-boy.livejournal.com]

He opens his mouth to answer and wave away Kitt's concern...but then he closes his mouth.

Nick doesn't react for a moment, still as a stone once more. Nick is thinking. This...isn't a good thing, most of the time.

"Me."

He sips his blood.

[steadfastknight]

"I felt like that three days ago. Michael helped me. Can I help you?" he asked softly. He didn't know what to offer, what he could do, if anything - but he offered all the same. "You came to help me..."

[eternal-boy.livejournal.com]

Nick finally looks at Kitt, really looks at him, and his eyes fill with concern.

"What...what happened, Kitt? What...what happened? I'm so sorry I wasn't there. I didn't...I mean, if I could have...I was...Natalie...and Alex...just...LaCroix...I..."

His head drops.

"Me."

[steadfastknight]

"I was reprogrammed. Twice. I'll tell you the rest when you can hear it -- but Nick, please. Now is not the time." If this was anywhere else, it would be simple. He would open his driver's side door, entreat Nick inside, and darken the windows so they could talk. All he could do now was ask, "Do you want to speak in private? I still have my room here."

[eternal-boy.livejournal.com]

Nick would love to be Kitt the car. Or even just a car right now. The complexity and yet the simpleness of it...would be refreshing. But that would be running. And he can't run anymore.

He looks up to Kitt.

"No, I...I just. I...she left. And Meg lost the duel and then I...I hurt Alex because he had to know and then I tasted him and I knew and then I spoke to him and LaCroix was here and he told me he wanted me to be me but I don't know how to anymore. I just..."

He shakes his head.

"No...I...I don't want to burden you, Kitt...especially if you just went through trouble of your own. I...am so sorry that I wasn't around to help, to...to give you someone to speak to."

[steadfastknight]

"I had Michael and I had Karr. I still do. I wasn't alone. Nick..." He reaches out then, gently grasping Nick's wrist... and from his pocket, he drew Nick's comlink, strapping it onto him most carefully. "This is yours."

And then, most carefully, he was hugging Nick again. "Lean on me, Nick, if you need to. It won't be too much for me."

System integrity was holding at a steady one-hundred percent. He could handle this.

[eternal-boy.livejournal.com]

He leans into the hug.

"Thank you."

He burrows his head a little in Kitt's shoulder. Arm. So frail. Human. Breakable. \Alex's arm in his hand\....\loud crack\...\smile\...

Nick startles a bit and thinks of pulling away. But he can't. It's too much and Kitt isn't Alex and Kitt is safe and knows what's going on and he's being hugged.

[steadfastknight]

He hugged Nick as tightly as he dared. He had little muscle as a human, though, being much more slimly built. He did have tenacity, and that was how he held Nick. Fingers digging in securely to shoulder and back, instinct led and he tilted his head just slightly toward Nick's. An assurance that he was there. "I won't abandon you," he softly said. "Just like I won't abandon Michael."

[eternal-boy.livejournal.com]

"I'm sorry."

There is a world of pain in that word.

He leans a little further into Kitt.

"I know."