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Nick didn’t remember falling asleep that night, one minute he was laying in bed contemplating his and Adalind’s relationship and the next his alarm was going off. It felt nice, to wake up with his alarm instead of a phone call from Wu or Hank about a case. It also was nice to sleep in, instead of waking early so that he could be out of the loft before Adalind was even out of bed — a habit he’d picked up in the last two weeks, after he learned about Adalind being a Hexenbiest again.
Nick rolled over after shutting off his alarm to look at Adalind, still sleeping peacefully, her blonde hair covering most of her face. He resisted the urge to brush it behind her ear, unwilling to break the quiet peace he found himself in this morning.
A peace he knew was from last night’s activities.
For the first time in days Nick’s mind seemed to be at ease, his brain wasn’t going from one extreme to the next. He could just lay here, for a few more minutes at least, and watch Adalind. He could pretend like nothing was wrong, like they weren’t keeping secrets from each other. Like they were a normal couple and this was a normal day. Like they could both wake up and maybe kiss good morning, and have breakfast together before they both got ready for their respective jobs.
But they weren’t, and they couldn’t. Too many secrets lie between them now, too many things left unsaid and Nick wondered if it would end. If they could get through this and maybe they could be that normal couple.
He wanted it, he wanted it desperately. And he wanted it with her.
Nick’s second alarm went off and he sighed, it was time.
One thing he liked about Adalind was that even though she did like to be wrapped in his arms, she didn’t need them constantly around her to sleep. She wasn’t clingy, or needy. They didn’t have to be practically sleeping on top of each other to feel safe, to feel protected. Just being in the same bed brought them comfort, knowing that the other was only a small hand movement away made it easier for them both. No matter how much Nick ignored it in the beginning.
It made it easier to get out of bed with Adalind still sleeping on her side, blissfully unaware of his inner turmoil and absence from their shared sleeping space.
He wondered if he should wake her, she was still only at the office part time and technically didn’t need to be awake as early as him but maybe they could eat together before Kelly woke up. Nick continued to contemplate what he should do while he went about his morning routine in the bathroom, weighing the pros and cons as he waited for the water to heat up in the shower.
Pro: get to talk to Adalind before they go their separate ways for the day.
Con: talking to Adalind.
Nick frowned, that..... didn’t seem right. It’s not that I don’t want to talk to her, he reasoned to himself. It’s just that I’m afraid I’ll slip up.
Adalind seemed to have that power over him, he found himself constantly on the verge of spilling all his secrets to her. He felt as though he had this need to let her see all of him, to bare himself to her and wait for her judgment, praying to whoever that she would still choose him, still want him the way he wanted her.
He didn’t remember feeling this way with Juliette. He remembered wanting her to like him, of course, but there was something different about this — it seemed unhealthy, he felt some part of him calling out to him, telling him that he should know better. But everything else was telling him that this was right, and he’d known it for a while, he must have. How could he not? Things would not have gone this far if he hadn’t known.
Nick quickly goes through his shower routine, pushing all of these thoughts to the back of mind — it’s too much to think about this early in the morning, and, he decides, he has other things to worry about.
After he showers, Nick goes to the kitchen to start making some coffee and quickly checks to make sure Kelly and Adalind are still asleep — they are, and Nick pretends he doesn’t sigh in relief to still see her peacefully sleeping. Somewhere between washing his hair and brushing his teeth, Nick had decided that he would avoid talking to Adalind. For this morning at least, maybe tonight he would talk to her. Or tomorrow. Probably tomorrow.
He manages to eat his breakfast and finished getting dressed without waking Adalind — a part of him he refuses to engage with is quite proud that she’s so very obviously in need of extra sleep. Nick decided to leave a note, something he hasn’t really done before, but he hopes that it’ll be the olive branch they both need.
He drives to the station, quietly humming along to the songs that play on the radio, feeling, despite the fact that he avoided any needed confrontation this morning, lighter. He feels happier, like how he was before he left for Germany. Or how he felt right after he got back from Germany.
He knows he has an extra bounce in his step this morning, can feel the eyes of the officers and other detectives as he walks through the precinct on him, all likely have rightly interpreted his good mood and have probably figured out why. Nick ignores them and continues to his desk, it doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks.
Well, it doesn’t until Hank asks him about it while they’re on their way to a scene.
“So, what’s got you in such a great mood this morning?” Hank smirks, and Nick immediately regrets all the teasing he did about Zuri.
He contemplates not answering, obviously from the tone of Hank’s voice and the way the smirk hasn’t left his face Nick knows that Hank knows. Nick shouldn’t be as surprised as he is that Hank immediately figured it out, they are partners and friends, and Hank is a detective. But, up until know Hank hasn’t said anything about it. He must have known, from that day he left for Germany, that something was going on. Nick remembers being a in good mood that had nothing to do with his trip with Monroe. Hank had said nothing, and he’d continued to say nothing after Nick got back — maybe he figured it had been the trip and then what they had found. Or maybe Hank didn’t care until now. Now that Adalind was a hexenbiest again and Nick knew it.
“What do you mean?” Yeah Nick, keep avoiding everything.
Hank gives Nick the “You Know What I Mean Now Spill” look, but Nick pretends he doesn’t see it, continuing to stare out the window. He can feel Hank’s eyes on him every 30 seconds, alternating between watching the road and watching his partner — waiting for Nick to crack.
Nick sighs, he knows it sounds dramatic from the way Hank rolls his eyes, “It’s nothing. Just… happy, I guess.”
Hank lets out a snort, “Yeah, I bet you are.”
Before Nick can retort, they arrive at the crime scene, walking over to Wu so he can fill them in on their victim. He can tell from the way Hank keeps shooting him looks that this discussion isn’t over, just put on hold — hopefully, he thinks, Hank will forget about it during this case.
Hank does, forget that is — between the guy removing bones and then Wu almost dying, Hank is too preoccupied to even think about whatever is going on between Nick and Adalind.
Until they leave the hospital that is. Nick thinks it’s time he starts taking his own vehicle, if only to avoid these conversations.
“So… you and Adalind?”