milliways_bar | (no subject)

(no subject)

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.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Nick covers the hand very gently with one of his own.

"I know, Alex. And we'll figure things out. I...know less about this than you, Alex, but...I know that things can be worked out. Without anyone hurting anymore."

He's still looking confused.

"I can't think properly..."

Nick shrugs.

"Never stopped me."

He laughs again, and again it sounds choked and brittle.

Nick doesn't say anything but he pulls Alex a little closer. Finally, he leans down and looks at Alex.

"Don't."

He bites his lip to stop the laughter, looking down.

"Sorry."

"Not for me, for you."

He kisses Alex. Gently.

He wants to ask why Nick cares. He wants to, but he doesn't, because it's been too long since he's been held by someone.

"I don't understand anything anymore."

"That happens."

He's been around for 800 years. Everything has happened at one point or another. Except perhaps this.

"This thing, where I can feel when you're here, how long does it last? Is it because of the blood, or something else?"

"It's the blood. And it should last about a week unless..."

Alex should know where this is going.

He nods.

"Is this as deep as it goes?"

"Yes..."

As long as you're not a vampire, yes.

"Just about."

He touches the bite on his throat again.

"Would you do it again, if it'd been a week?"

"If you wanted me to."

"Would you do it just because I wanted you to, or would you want it as well?"

Nick blinks.

"I want to right now. But I won't. Because I don't want to hurt you. And that's stronger than my...than...anything else I might be feeling. In a week, I...will still want to. And if you want me to..."

Alex doesn't know what he wants.

So he doesn't answer that. Just looks down at the Bar and traces the grain of the wood.

Nick doesn't like the staring at the bar. But he lets him have his moment.

He presses a kiss to the side of Alex's head.

The moment stretches into several.

Nick doesn't move.

~~Please remember this is the guy who was kneeling on the ground crying for three days straight.~~

Quietly, "what if I asked you to hurt me?"

~~The mun knows, Alex does not.~~

"To what end?"

because I deserve it

"Penance."

"A penance of pain is worth very little."

But he doesn't say no.