I OWN NOTHING. . . except my orange hoodie and my new pen.
I wrote this because i had writers block. just a little fluff to get the creative juices flowing.
Henry confronts Vicki after Norman. One-shot.
Vicki sighed and walked into the comic shop. She'd gotten a message that had said to meet Henry here at ten and it was now. . .she checked her watch. 9:56. She looked around. The vampire was nowhere to be seen. She frowned and walked around, peering over the shelves every now and then to check for him. Henry walked in and his eyes met hers almost instantly. He walked to her and she smiled. "Hey." she greeted.
"We need to talk." he said. She frowned and nodded.
"What's wrong, did something happen?" she reached out and touched his arm. He nodded.
"When Norman was here."
"What? Henry, that was weeks ago, why didn't you say something sooner? Are you okay? What is it?" she seemed frantic now.
"Calm down. He didn't do anything."
"Then what. . ."
"I meant with us."
"Oh. You mean. . ."
"The kiss. And the talk about passion. And what happened with Mendoza."
"Mendoza? But that was months ago. There aren't any side-effects, are there?"
"Not physical." he mumbled. She opened her mouth. "Grim humor. Vicki, how would you characterize me in your life?" he asked. She seemed to go still.
"I. . .what do you mean?" she asked.
"Don't play dumb, Vicki. I have a right to know what's happening between us."
"And you mention Mendoza to, what, scare me into talking?" she crossed her arms.
"Don't go all defensive on me. I know there's something between us. I just need to know what."
"YOU need to know?" she asked, sounding offended.
"Yes."
"And you think I know?"
"Yes."
"Prick." she turned and started to leave, but he followed her and grabbed her arm gently in the alley.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Why do you assume I know what's going on? I'm lost here. You haven't sent one clear signal in all the time I've known you." she jerked her arm from his grasp. He closed his eyes and let out a deep breath, then looked at her again.
"I've tried telling you and showing you how I feel. You throw it away every time. I just want to know where I stand." his eyes bore into hers and she felt five inches tall.
"I. . .Henry, can we talk about this tomorrow?"
"No. Then you'll keep putting it off until the next tomorrow. My patience is very poor, Victoria."
"Well, I have work to do."
"Liar. I asked Coreen. She said you cleared your schedule tonight."
"Because you said to meet you at the comic shop. I met you. Now I'm leaving. Don't follow me." she walked back to her office and sat behind her desk, closing her eyes. She grabbed a piece of paper and a pencil and stared at it, then began to write.
Feelings about Henry.
Feelings wasn't the right word, she decided. She crossed it out.
Obsessions about Henry.
1) Smart
2) Funny
3) Attractive
4) Vampire
5) Everything else
She looked at the page for awhile, then folded it and put it in the bottom drawer of her desk. Had he really tried to show his feelings? She frowned, trying to think of when he had done so with Mendo. . .she froze, remembering the terrified look on Henry's face when she'd come to in the church basement. The things he'd said in the hopes of getting her free. And he only objected to her being left. Not to him dying. He'd wanted her safety more than his own. And then he had spoken to her of passion right before Norman had come the second time. While Norman was there. That she didn't hold passion for a lovers touch. The pain etched on his face, the regret, flashed through her mind.
"Oh God." she scolded herself. "He did tell me. He told me a lot." she stood and was headed to the door when it opened. Henry walked in and she froze.
"Where are you going?" he frowned.
"I was going to find you." she admitted. He closed the door and looked around. "You're right. You did tell me. I just never realized what you were saying." she said it all in one breath and he just stared at her for her to continue. "You don't feel passion for me, though. You lied about that."
"I didn't. . ."
"Henry, passion doesn't make you beg a psycho to send your dinner away. It takes something stronger than p-passion for that." she felt herself stumble on the p-word. He didn't speak a moment.
"And your conclusion?"
"My conclusion? I. . ." she paused. "My conclusion is that I don't really have much experience expressing. . .certain emotions. In fact, I'm only good at anger."
"Really? Never would've guessed."
"Hardy har. Iloveyou." she said the words quickly and shrugged. He blinked and his eyes widened. She just stood there a moment, then his lips were on hers, one hand in her hair while the other pulled her closer by her waist. He drew back slightly.
"I lo. . ."
"I know." she nodded. He smiled.
"But I want to say it. Be quiet for five seconds." he traced his finger down her nose and tapped the end gently. The finger trailed to her chin and tipped her head to look into his eyes. "I love you, Victoria." he grinned. She blushed.
"Yeah, you, too." the words weren't the same, but were no less sincere and the vampire chuckled.
"We'll work on that later." he teased.
"How about we just leave it how it is?"
"Oh, but that wouldn't be fun."
"You have a sick definition of fun." she murmured, sliding out of his arms. He nodded.
"I've been told that. But you love my sick definition of fun."
"Great. Give you three words and your ego is the size of Jupiter." she went around her desk and sat down in the chair. He leaned against it beside her, his leg settling against hers.
"Give you those words and you go into your defense mechanisms."
"I don't have def. . ."
"Vicki." he gave her a disbelieving look. She stuck her tongue out.
"I'm not USING them."
"You're a really bad liar." he said idly. She picked a file up. "No. No work tonight." He took the manila folder and put it behind himself. She frowned.
"Henry. . ."
"We have to do something fun."
"Fun? Like what? You don't think cases are fun?"
"No. Not the ones you get. We're going to do something special."
"How about we go to a random alleyway and just happen to spy on a cheating spouse while we're there?" she tried.
"Oh, so cute. No. How does a. . ."
"If you say anything along the lines of moonlit stroll along the beach, you won't have fangs." she vowed.
"It will always be moonlit with me, Vicki. But I don't like the beach. How about a moonlit walk through the glorious night life of Toronto?" he offered. She couldn't help but smile.
"Only if you don't make this a big deal." she surrendered. He offered his arm and they went outside for their walk. Halfway down the block, she wrapped an arm around him and he mimicked. They walked for awhile, then Henry stopped her in the middle of the sidewalk, people moving around them. He smiled down at her.
"I love you." he said. She looked around.
"Iloveyoutoo." she blurted. He held her still.
"Say it right." he pleaded.
"Henry. . ."
"You already said it once, what do you have to lose?"
"Any foothold of control I possibly have."
"Vicki."
"Fine, fine. I love you, too." she nodded. He grinned. "Get over yourself."
"As my lady commands." he bowed his head, then looked around. People were moving around them, looking at them confusedly. "I'm in love with this woman." he said. She hit him.
"HENRY!" she scolded.
"What? Not loud enough? I LOVE THIS. . ." he was muffled when her hand covered his mouth. An old couple smiled at them, walking by.
"He's senile, excuse him." she apologized. She put her hands on her hips, glaring at the vampire, and he beamed at her.
"What?" he asked innocently.
"You are in so much trouble." she threatened. He smirked.
"That sounds promising."