A/N: Ok, so this story found its origin at the (so called) Camping-Con. We were bowling and (with 5 Teslenites no wonder) got the idea of Nikola and Helen going bowling together. Though, the original idea was different - that turned out at the end. The original idea will follow as a sequel to this fanfic later. A huge Thanks to The-Camping-Con-Five! I love you girls, you are awesome! This fanfic is for you! 3
Everyone else, enjoy the fic of course as well :)
The fic sets when Ashley was a little kid so when both of them aren't suppose to have any contact. But it fitted the best.
Disclaimer: I owe nothing (not even the idea after it's from The-Camping-Con-Five) ;)
A huge thanks goes also to my awesome beta Criss, thanks a lot sweetie 3
Bowling
"Nikola, what are we doing here?" Helen asked when Nikola dragged her out to a bowling-center.
"Having fun, my dear. You have a little girl now and I'm sure she'd love to go bowling with you one day. You should be prepared, don't you agree?" Nikola answered and gave her a huge grin.
Hm…what could possibly go wrong? She was there with Nikola but it sounded like…fun.
It was late when they entered the building. Big Guy was watching after Ashley while Helen was gone.
"You've never been here, have you?" Nikola asked when he saw the expression on Helen's face.
She was studying everything as much as she could. Helen Magnus was a very intelligent woman but she was never interested in bowling so she never really knew how to play. Both of them got their bowling shoes and went on their track which was of course number 3. Nikola was grinning in the same cheeky and arrogant way and pulled his shoes off so he could put the new on. Helen watched him and couldn't help herself but laugh.
"What?"
"I just never thought I'd see you in shoes like that."
And indeed it looked wrong. It didn't fit to the rest of his outfit at all and still, he looked good. Nikola's face grew into a hurt expression but his grin was still not gone.
"Don't play hurt, Nikola. They are blue and red!"
Nikola's expression changed immediately into a smirk.
"Care to join me with your new shoes?"
Helens soft laugh filled the air while she changed her shoes as well. It was weird for her to walk in those ones. After all she was used to heels. High heels.
"And you still look hot…" Nikola said with an honest smile.
Helen could feel a blush coming up so she passed Nikola as fast as she could to change the topic. Nikolas smirk meanwhile grew even wider. She blushed.
"So, what do I have to do?" Helen asked clearing her throat.
Nikola stepped to the computer to type in their names. Helen's first and then his own. After all he did have to show her how to play.
"See the pins over there, my dear?" Nikola asked pointing over to the 10 pins at the end of the track.
Helen nodded looking over as well.
"Great. Now, see the balls here?"
She nodded again, seeing where this was leading to in the end. That could actually be really funny.
"Take one. Then you go on the track." Nikola said watching her taking a bowling ball.
He stepped closer and explained how she had to put her fingers in the holes in the ball. The he led her on the track in the right position and kept standing directly behind her. Helen felt how her stomach started to tickle and her heartbeat increased rapidly when she felt Nikola so close behind her holding her hand on the bowling ball and the other one wandering around to make her stand correctly. He pushed a curl of her hair gently aside and whispered in her ear.
"See? It's that easy."
Helen closed her eyes. She enjoyed it. Maybe too much but she couldn't help herself. Everything felt so good.
"What now?" She swallowed hard opening her eyes again.
"Hm…We could take a room-"
"Nikola! Do you always have to destroy our moment?"
Oh oh. That was a wrong reply. Not that she would mind his idea but she didn't need to push his ego even further- or even let him know how she felt. Why couldn't she have said anything else?
"I meant the game…" She whispered.
"Shame…Well, coming to the game, my love. It's easy. All you have to do is hitting the pins with the ball in your delicate fingers. I'm sure you can do that easily but do you want me to show you how to do it?" Nikola whispered back, smirking like always.
"No, thank you, Nikola. Now, would you give me some space?"
Taking a bow he slowly stepped back but not too far away. He still stood on the track.
"Everything for you, my love."
Helen smiled, although Nikola couldn't see it. Then she tried to bowl for the very first time… and failed. She missed all of the pins. It was so bad, one could almost think she missed on purpose…
However she still had another try for this turn. Helen turned around to look at her old friend.
"Care to help me, Nikola?" She asked smiling, "I feel like I'd fail again."
Nikola moved back to Helen as close as she let him and smirked like always.
"Everything for you, my dear Helen."
Once again he stepped behind her and led her, telling her silent what she had to do.
Helen tried it herself just like Nikola had told her and it worked out fine. She hit 7 pins. With a huge smile she turned around.
"Thank you. Now it's your turn."
Stepping aside she made space for Nikola who grabbed a bowling ball and moved forward. He swung, let go of the ball and…Strike. All 10 pins fell.
He swung his hands in the air while he turned around and raised his eyebrows.
"Don't I deserve a kiss?" Nikola smirked.
"That could have been luck. Prove me that you can do a perfect run."
"Deal, my love." He smiled.
Helen didn't know if the feeling she had was good or bad. On one side she felt butterflies in her stomach when she thought about the – probably – upcoming kiss. She knew he could actually do it. But on the other side, it couldn't be a good thing to kiss Nikola Tesla. Or feel that way whenever he's close or simply smiling at her. It made her heart melt away. That couldn't be good…could it?
"Your turn, beauty."
Helen chose her bowling ball and looked at it for a second. A thought crossed her mind. She knew exactly how to score now but something told her she should fail again. So she did.
"Nikola?" Helen asked sweetly.
"I get the feeling that you're failing on purpose. Not that I mind." Nikola said stepping behind her once again.
Helen grinned. "Maybe I am."
That was more than Nikola had expected to hear from Helen. He stopped for a moment in his tracks then his genius smirk came back and he did the same he did before. He showed Helen how to score and she made it once again correctly.
8 turns later Nikola had the highest score possible while it didn't look that bad on Helens side either: The first try was always 0 and the second one was always over at least 7.
"Well, I did my part of the deal." Nikola grinned, standing on the bowling track and looking at Helen.
"So I should keep my promise then." Helen said standing up and walking towards him.
He was smiling like hell and it looked damn sexy.
"You knew I could do that, didn't you?"
Helen shook her head smiling to tell him how incorrigible he was but didn't reply with words. Nikola's grin grew even wider.
"I knew it."
Helen stood right in front of him and smiled shyly. She just had to do it. The next thing she did was pressing her lips gently against his. Closing her eyes Helen felt how Nikola kissed back and embraced her sweetly. One hand ended up in her neck playing with her hair and the other …
"Nikola!" Helen yelled silent and broke the kiss for a second.
When she saw his grin she had to laugh and ruffled his hair.
"I told you it'd be a good idea to come here and play…"
"You planned it like that, didn't you?"
"You were a big help yourself, my dear. You've failed on purpose from the very first time, haven't you?"
"How did you-?"
"You're a bad loser Helen. You would have shot all the pins."
Helen smiled cheerfully and kissed Nikola instead of replying anything.
Back at the Sanctuary they stood in front of her room hand in hand like two teenagers after a date.
"Thank you for the great evening, Nikola. It surely was a good idea." Helen said and gave Nikola a quick kiss on the cheek.
"My pleasure, love. It was the best evening I had in quite a while. Thanks to you, darling." Nikola replied raising her hand to place a soft kiss on its top.
Helen smiled happily and a slight blush placed itself on her cheeks.
"Isn't that the time where you should ask me in for some wine?"
She laughed but the question was fitting their situation. In a movie the shy girl would just enter her house after pecking her new boyfriend's lips. But what was she going to do? After all it wasn't a movie. She really had enjoyed the evening but inviting him in? Helen was pretty sure that it wouldn't stay with just a couple of glasses wine. It would and most likely could end up somewhere else and Helen wasn't sure if she was ready for that. Ready for him.
"So?" Nikola asked after some time in which she hadn't replied anything.
He looked so…vulnerable, innocent and honest. Something she rarely had seen since he was a vampire. Helen couldn't say 'no' to that. Not even with her entire self control.
She looked at him for some more seconds before she opened her door a little. It wasn't a 'yes' either so far. She had to ask one more thing before she would or wouldn't let him in.
"It's not going to stay with a glass of wine, is it?" Helen asked seriously.
Nikola looked at her.
"It will if you want to. I won't do anything you don't want, Helen and you know that."
No smirk. No grin. No joking-face. She believed him.
Helen opened her door a bit further and stepped in. Nikola waited outside until Helen asked him in as well. He was surprised.
Meanwhile Helen had got some of her wine and two glasses. She sat down on her couch and so did Nikola. He took the bottle of wine and filled both of their glasses.
"You look surprised."
"I…didn't expect you to let me in. Especially not after your question."
"What about your answer? It was all I needed to know for tonight. I do trust you, Nikola." Helen smiled. And I do love you.