Julian & Nico; All we know is falling

[x-staffofone.livejournal.com]

Julian runs into Nico on a night time excursion. They made some...discoveries. And their relationship turns even more complicated.

Covered in sweat, Julian exited the weight room in track pants, his shirt slung over his shoulder and his iPod blaring in his ear. After a quick trip to the kitchen, he fully intended to take a long shower and then study some more tactical reports on the team database- thus further avoiding having to make a difficult choice. Bare feet padded across the tile floor of the empty kitchen, it was late, but he hadn't been able to sleep well lately, not since he'd been confined to the mansion.

It was so late that you wouldn't expect to find mansion people dwelling on the kitchen, and for the most part it had worked for Nico. It was bound to fail though, and when she entered the kitchen, wearing a long, old black tee and some gray wool pants, she realized that time flew when you felt like crap. She didn't speak, somehow convinced she would remain somehow invisible to Julian if she just started to slide veeeeeeeery slowly towards the door.

It was just as she was about to disappear that Julian turned around from the refrigerator with a cold chicken leg in one hand and a glass of juice in the other. For a moment, the two young lovers simply stared across the kitchen at each other, frozen in place. Finally, the silence broke as Keller uttered a simple, "Hey."

Oh, he saw her, didn't he? Yeah, because he was talking. Nico's brain froze for a moment before she could think more or less clearly again. "Hey", replied in a somewhat low tone, eyeing him with a mix of care and caution. You weren't supposed to just pretend your boyfriend had vanished from the Earth, perhaps not even when you think the same of just about everyone else you know. "How..." She bit her tongue, wondering if she should even try to talk to him. The answer was yes; Julian deserved that much. "How have you been?"

He took a tense step forward, unsure if that was the best idea, "Well, honestly, I've been better." The words came out with the sting of a wasp, which was completely unintentional, but it was too late for that. Julian stood his ground.

"I know the feeling", said as she looked down. "It's been...rough. I've hardly seen you, too." Mostly because she didn't want to see him, because nine out of ten times they were together and close, she knew she could end up killing him if she didn't control herself, and honestly? She didn't think she could.

Julian took another hesitant step toward her, "Nico..." but the words left him. For the first time in a long while, he didn't know what to say.

Nico took a step back. "I love you", said, still looking down. "And my love...it could kill you now. I drain energy of living beings, just like Selene. I like the feeling, it's like a rush and when I'm high of it...I don't care. I could kill you." Tears dripped down her cheeks as she started to cry. "God, I'm so pathetic."

All he could do was close his eyes and take a breath, setting his snack down on the counter-top, "Is that why you've been avoiding me?" Julian closed the space between the two of them in a few quick steps and put his hands on her bare shoulders. "I love you, too."

Nico automatically brought herself closer to him, hiding her face against his neck. She could feel it, his energy, but she also realized that perhaps it was the same with Amanda; perhaps if she cared enough, she should be able to control herself. "Dude, your girlfriend is weird", said with a shaky laugh as she hugged him, still crying.


Julian scoffed, "Tell me about it." He squeezed her, feeling her soft skin against his own, the sweat making things slippery and suddenly, he was pulling back slightly and snaking his neck down to meet her lips with his.

She didn't fight; her mind had already worked it around, and she had to believe she could hold her powers; there was nothing to do if she couldn't. She kissed back, feeling him, and suddenly, also wanting him, and something dark clouded her mind for a second. Opening her eyes, they went pitch black, and for a moment, she couldn't resist. It tasted so good, after all.

"No, NO!" Taking a step back, Nico slammed the wall behind her, sliding down in horror as she covered her face with her hands. How much had she drained? She couldn't force herself to see.

Shaking off a serious case of dizziness, Julian stumbled back and knocked his drink off the counter, the glass shattering on the tile floor- that had been a rush and definitely not in a good way. The nearest thing he could compare it to was the first time he'd jumped off the flyer's platform and slammed into the ground. Slowly catching his breath he turned his attention to his girlfriend, "You-" he coughed, cleared his throat and continued, "You okay?"

Nico sort of snapped.

"How the fuck can you worry about me when I just tried to...to suck you DRY!?" She looked at him, and relaxed a lot when she saw he was still alive, and standing. "Pleasure it's off the list until I can handle myself."

The young man sighed, slightly disappointed in this turn of events but understanding all the same, "Look, I'm fine." He tried to stand, but his shaky legs gave out and he was soon on his knees again, "Well...fine-ish."

Nico sighed too, and didn't move one inch, not until it was completely safe to do so. "Yeah, you sort of jinxed that one, honey."

Crossing the kitchen, carefully avoiding the shattered glass, he sank down next to Nico, "This isn't the end of the world, you know."

Not yet she thought, but sighed and nodded anyway. For his sake. "I know, but it feels a lot like it. I keep telling myself...I need time, but how much? It's not fair to you, or me, or anyone here. Not fair." She sighed and again and closed her eyes.

He considered telling her that life wasn't fair, but it probably wasn't the best thing to do given the circumstances. "So where does this leave us?"

Opening her eyes, she tried to smile at him. She succeded. More or less. "Hug me please?" It was all she needed at the moment.

Julian nodded and slowly made his way over to her, sinking down to the floor and putting an arm around her shoulders. "It's going to be okay," he said, both for her, and himself.

She nodded in silence, eyes closed again. For a moment, she would believe it.