DISCLAIMER: I am borrowing the characters from the lovely New Girl. (Also, this is my first fanfic ever!)
SPOILERS FOR EPISODES S1X12 (The Landlord), S2x3 (Fluffer), S2x15 (Cooler), and S2x20 (Chicago)
Rubbing sleep from her eyes, Jess walked through the dark apartment into the bathroom and found Nick quietly fixing the light above the sink. "Hey, Nick. What are you doing up?"
Nick looked down from his work. "Hey, Jess. Couldn't sleep, so I thought I'd look at the brace for this light. I noticed it last week and thought . . ."
"That 2:15am was a good time to address the bathroom sconce issue in 4D, huh?" asked Jess.
Nick quietly laughed and looked back at his work. "Yeah, well, I'm making up for lost time, you know, with the whole trip to Chicago thing."
"Yeah," Jess agreed softly. "Do you want any help with the light?"
"Well, I'm pretty good, but if you wouldn't mind holding the brace straight while I unstick this screw . . .?"
Jess walked around Nick and raised her arms to hold the light. "How's that?"
"Perfect. Just like that," muttered Nick.
For the first time since their kiss, Nick seemed calm and at ease. Concentrating on removing the stuck screw from the wall brace, Nick's awkward turtle face had relaxed into an expression of boyish curiosity. As he worked, Jess watched the line of muscles in his arm flicker against his white t-shirt and noticed how the diffuse light added warmth to the darkness of his eyes.
"Hey, Nick? Jess asked.
"Yeah?" Nick answered. "Oh, hey, there it goes!" he softly cheered when the broken screw came free.
"Can I ask you a question?"
"I think you just did, my handy assistant," teased Nick. Although his words were light, a slight hitch in Nick's breath and a return of the turtle face hinted at worry over Jess' question.
"I was wondering . . . how come when stuff in the apartment breaks, you're usually the one fixing stuff? I mean three other people live here, and if you give me enough time to Google directions, I could fix stuff. And there's Remy . . ."
Nick relaxed. "Remy? The Landlord? Ugh, no, Jess!" he laughed. He looked through his toolbox for a new screw.
" . . . who is quite nice now and doesn't even so much as do a double air flute when I'm around, " continued Jess. "I mean, I'm just worried that while you're no longer my emotional fluffer, maybe you're allowing yourself to be the loft fix-it fluffer."
"Fix-it fluffer? Uh . . ."
"Handy-job man?
"Handy-job man?" Nick laughed and looked up from his work. "That definitely sounds like fluffing of some kind is involved."
"Eww! Nick!" laughed Jess. Jess shot a surprised glance at Nick, only to find him looking at her with amusement. "No, I just mean . . . I just want to make sure . . . " she awkwardly trailed off.
"No, Jess, it's okay. I like fixing stuff. I like putting together stuff. Like your dresser, or the sink, or this light brace," he said. Picking up a shiny new screw, Nick asked, "Oh, I think this one is a 3/8ths! How are you doing with the light? Is your arm tired?"
"No, Nick, I'm good. Thanks. So . . . ?" Jess prompted gently.
"Yeah, I don't know. It's just something I did as a kid and I kept on doing it. When I was a kid, my mom would give my dad a Honey-Do list every Saturday, and every Saturday, my dad would tell me how fun it was to fix things and ask me if I wanted to learn how. Then, he'd grab a beer, hand me a tool, and then tell me what to do while he sat back and drank. "
"So, your father Tom Sawyer'd you into doing his chores?"
"Yeah, basically. It's funny, though. Even though, looking back, I know he was just getting me to do the work, I still really enjoyed those Saturdays. I'd finish the job, and my ma would come over and admire the work. Then she'd kiss me and my dad on the cheek, and my dad would wink at me and say, 'Good job, kiddo.'"
"Mmm."
"Later on when I was in high school, my dad wasn't around as much anymore, but by then I'd learned enough to figure out things on my own. I guess I just kept on doing the fixing work."
"Nick?"
"Yeah, Jess?"
"You miss your dad, huh?"
"Yeah," he said softly.
Jess watched quietly as Nick finished tightening the new screw into the wall. Pleased with his work, he placed his screwdriver back in his toolbox and ran his hand over the brace to make sure the screw was tightened and flush. With a slight smile, Nick turned to look at Jess. "Jess?"
"Yeah, Nick?"
"You can let go of the brace now."
"Oh, yeah, right! Sconce duty in 4D is complete," she said, as she let go of the light and gave Nick a little mock salute.
"How's your arm? You were holding the light there for awhile."
"I'm okay, " she said. To prove it, she fisted her hands and flexed her biceps but ended up wincing a little.
"Here, let me. If there's anything my dad taught me, it's that you gotta make sure your assistant is okay so that they'll keep being your assistant in the future."
Nick warmed his hands and placed them on Jess' shoulders. Jess inhaled sharply. He looked curiously at her, seeking her permission for his touch. Jess was still unsettled, the tension from their kiss still not completely gone, but the sincerity in Nick's eyes calmed her. She accepted the steady warmth of his palms with a slight nod and small smile. Permission granted, his hands traveled from her shoulders to arms and gently rubbed the sore muscles there.
Closing her eyes, she exhaled and tension left her arms. "Nick?"
"Yeah, Jess." Nick watched her curiously.
"That's really good."
"Yeah?"
"Mmm. Yes" she breathed. Jess's eyes flew open. "I mean, great, Miller. My arms are good now. Thanks." She looked at Nick.
Nick laughed lightly and looked away, but mercifully, didn't say anything about her awkwardness. "You're welcome." Nick smiled, and looked at her. "Thanks, Jess."
"For what, Nick?"
"Coming to Chicago. Being with me and the guys when . . ."
"No, it's no problem!"
"No, I mean it! Let me say it! Thanks for being with the guys and me. It meant a lot to me that you were there, and I don't know if I could have gotten through everything without you.
"Yeah, no problems, Nick. What are friends for?" she said as she hugged him.
"Yeah, friends," Nick said as he released her. He slid his palms down her arms to her hands, and held them.
Relishing this rare, quiet, comfortable moment between friends Nick and Jess held hands in the warmth of the fixed light. As Nick looked down and saw her small hands enveloped in his, the moment slowly turned to something else. Nick looked back up at Jess, and his eyes turned dark and unreadable.
Feeling the shift around them, Jess flushed a delicate pink. Nick started slowly caressing her hand in small circles with his thumb. Jess closed her eyes at the sensation. For a brief moment, she imagined what it would be like to be able to enjoy his touch freely, to trade in their angry banter for honest affection, and wondered whether, in spite of their differences, they could make each other happy.
Jess opened her eyes, "Nick?"
"Yes, Jess?"
"Do you think you could show me how to fix things? I mean, I'm a single gal, and a strong independent woman, I think I need to learn how to fix things. You know, power to the sisterhood and all that!"
Nick blinked, and the moment was lost. "Um, yeah, sure of course. Are you sure?"
Jess looked at Nick, and thought of her fantasy. "Yes, Nick, I'm sure."
Nick smiled, and hugged her. "Then yes, Jess. I'd love to teach you how to fix things." He released her. She pulled away and saw a bright grin on his face.
"Well, Miller?"
"Well, Sergeant, 10am sharp, Saturday. We'll be fixing the sink, and don't forget the tools."
"Oh, well what if I don't have tools?" asked Jess.
"You don't have tools? Who doesn't have tools? What kind of . . ." teased Nick.
"MILLER!"
"Okay, 9am sharp, Saturday, we buy tools. 10am sharp, we fix a sink. Don't be late!"
"No, sir!" said Jess, as she gave a little salute and laughed. "Okay, well, night, Nick." Jess leaned in slowly, curiously. Nick gave a little nod, and Jess kissed him on the cheek. "And thanks," Jess threw over her shoulder as she retreated to her room.
"Night, Jess," Nick called out. "And thanks," he said softly as he touched the place on his cheek where she kissed him. Nick watched her as disappeared into the darkness of the apartment, and then turned out the light.
