This is my first attempt at a Sanctuary fic. A short tag to Chimera, looking at the continuation of Helen and Nikola's conversation at the end of the episode. All feedback appreciated.
(Written in UK English.)
Dolce Far Niente (Sweet Doing Nothing)
Helen and Nikola had continued to discuss old times and sip wine in the growing darkness of her office. The conversation was easy and relaxed and had gradually given way to peaceful silence, the way it can when two good friends are talking. Not needing to talk but merely share each others' company whilst contemplating their own thoughts.
Helen had picked up a file and was trying to read it in the warm and possibly, depending on whether or not you asked Nikola, romantic glow of the lamps dotted around the room.
Nikola tore his gaze away from the wine in his glass, he had been studying it intently, trying to discern each individual flavour in this particularly intriguing Cabernet Sauvignon. He leaned back into the cushions framing the window seat once more and stretched his left arm out towards Helen. She eyed it suspiciously but decided not to comment, it would only spur him on. She chose to ignore the loud sigh emanating from his lips and the sudden burn of his gaze.
"Why do we do this year after year?" Nikola asked lazily.
"Quietly tolerate each other's company over the most expensive and rare wine you could find in my cellar?" Helen quipped, tipping her head slightly to the side.
"Deny ourselves our most primal needs." Nikola smiled suggestively over his glass.
She felt him slide along the seat and felt the warmth of his thigh millimetres from hers. She rolled her eyes.
"I decided a long time ago that shooting you doesn't actually work as a deterrent, you rather seem to enjoy the sensation of cold steel ripping through your skin." She mused, her gaze appearing to be firmly on the folder, but actually focused on the position of his hand, edging suspiciously across his thigh.
"Not as much as I'd enjoy ripping through your skin." He breathed, his tone lower and huskier. She sighed internally seeing where this was going, again.
Nikola's hand sneaked from his own thigh to lightly stroke her own, quickly snaking higher. She lifted his hand before he reached the hem of her skirt and smartly placed it back on his own lap.
"I'd thank you to keep your hands to yourself." She told him sternly, a playful glint in her eye betraying her. She always found their moments alone greatly entertaining.
"Then you'd never experience how truly dexterous I am." He replied with his usual slick manner.
"Really?" Helen pulled a face at his dreadful attempt at seduction. Now fully distracted, she slammed down her folder and looked at him incredulously.
"You've never wondered what it would be like to be completely at my mercy?" He spoke so softly it was almost a whisper.
Helen stared. She smiled and leaned forwards slightly. She met his gaze and held it for a brief pause.
"Surprisingly, I haven't." She leaned back and smirked. She took her position as they started their age old dance once again; his open flirting, her witty rebuttal. She'd never admit to him how much she enjoyed it.
Nikola grinned. "I'd take you to places you've only dreamed of…"
Helen raised an eyebrow over her glass, "Catacombs filled with brainless reanimated vampires?"
Unperturbed Nikola carried on. "Show you the 8th wonder of the world…" he started to gesture with his hands.
"Athena's court?"
"It would be out of this world…" His hands twirled and motioned of their own accord.
"Your inter-dimensional rift does nothing for my skin." Helen shrugged her shoulders and focused her attention on her wine; the deep layered fruity tones tantalizing her taste buds and the haunting oaks and cedar wood of the bouquet intriguing her senses.
Nikola frowned. "Helen please, don't tell me you've never thought about it, not even for a minute.
"Before or after your genetically modified trust-fund vampire brats held me hostage?" she asked nonchalantly.
Nikola smirked irritably. "I'm being serious."
"So am I." She replied slightly more harshly than she had intended. Those had not been pleasant encounters, and as Will always said, he was Mr Hidden-Agenda. She could never be sure whether there was an ulterior motive behind his advances – especially after his declaration of love for her nearly resulted in her death. The irony that it was John, who had stopped her from being cut to shreds, was not lost on her.
She paused to sip her wine before placing her glass on the table beside her. "Actually there is something, a scenario I've been wanting to try out with you."
Her gaze dropped seductively before flicking back up to Nikola's eyes, she held him captive as she leaned slightly forwards. Nikola leaned in, licking his lips and hanging on her every word.
Her voice was barely a whisper as she continued. "Does everything heal after you've been shot? Only this could be dangerous and I'd hate to damage anything irrevocably."
She sounded so sweet and sincere he knew he had missed something. He had been so focused on her face, the curve of her lips and the way her dark hair fell about her face and neck, framing it softly, that he hadn't noticed what her hands had been doing. Something hard and cold rested on his thigh; he looked down to see the muzzle of a semi-automatic pointed directly at his crotch.
He shot it a look of distaste. "You'd only be punishing yourself."
Helen raised an eyebrow. "Were't you seeing someone?"
"What, hottie, whatsherface? A mere distraction, something to pass the time and entertain me until such time you acknowledge the simmering lust between us and let me set your world on fire." He dropped his head to give her one of his best seductive gazes.
"Do warn me before you go pyromaniacal so I can put the antiques in storage." she reached out for her file feigning boredom.
"That was bad wasn't it?" he asked curling his lips and eagerly taking a large swallow of wine.
"Even for you." She nodded, stopping short of picking up the file.
"Blondie just laps up the cheese, at first it was endearing, now its nauseating." Nikola held his glass out beside him as if to emphasize his point.
"Nikola, your disregard for your lovers astounds me." Helen looked at him scornfully.
"One cannot constantly conform to your superior irreproachable code of conduct." He retorted.
"Is it too difficult to spare a moment in your frivolity to be respectful?" she asked.
"When one is in the throws of passion, names become merely words. The body, mind and soul are entwined in their erotic dance and ..." he lost himself in the moment, looking for the right word.
"You don't have a soul." Helen finished for him.
"Now Helen, you wound me. Your razor sharp tongue cuts me right to the core." He feigned deep pain in his chest.
"I was aiming for your ego." she quipped.
"My ego is very much intact, my pride however requires urgent medical attention." He pouted, blinking his eyes and holding them open wide.
"Oh dear, what a shame." Helen replied, not sounding the least bit bothered by his antics.
"I need the healing touch of a seasoned medic with years of expertise." He told her.
"I'm sure Biggie would help you out." She jested, fighting back a smile.
"The walking carpet is going no where near my fine pedigree." Nikola looked thoroughly disgusted by the idea.
Helen leaned towards him suggestively. "I had a labrador once, intelligent, handsome, loyal." She bit her bottom lip and started to twist a curl between her fingers.
Nikola leaned towards her smiling and licking his lips hungrily.
"It constantly tried to sneak onto my bed and slobbered all over me." She relaxed back into her seat. Helen swirled her wine in her glass and took a sip.
Nikola sighed and took a large swig of his wine. "I don't know why I bother, I come all the way out here to save you from the praxian nanite and you make sport of my emotions."
"God Nikola, you are such a drama queen." she scoffed.
"And you belittle my desires." He actually sounded quite hurt, all an act she was sure.
"Oh, poor Nicky." She pouted.
"You're cruel, you know that, cold and cruel." He turned away and downed the rest of his wine in one go.
Helen shifted a little closer to him on the seat and smiled, "Would you have me any other way?"
Nikola turned to her, his face alight with glee. "On the couch? In front of the fire? Against the crisp cold glass of the window?" He waggled his eyebrows suggestively.
Helen frowned. She shook her head and sighed, a defeated smile on her lips.
"You gotta admit you walked right into that one." Nikola grinned, nudging her knee with his.
Helen lifted her head and smiled at him. He refilled his glass and lifted it up before her.
"Cheers." Nikola grinned, sipping his wine triumphantly. She knew could easily think up a witty response, but she decided she'd let him have his moment, this time. Next time he might get a little more than he bargained for.