characters. nick, stephen, connor (not really though, he's just sleeping)
genre. tag, general.
summary. 'Nick turns back to him: "What?" The younger man just shakes his head, hiding a smile, "It's nothing." '
disclaimer. i disclaim primeval & all that goes with it.
another one in my tag-ish series. i'm (very) slowly getting closer to the episode which i actually wanna write about, -g-
-
I Know You Don't
-
"How's he doing?"
Nick looks up and smiles tiredly at Stephen. "Still sleeping."
"He okay?"
It's typical of Stephen, the short sentences, not showing much emotions. But his eyes are troubled when he looks down on the sleeping form of someone who's become a friend.
"I'm not sure."
"You don't think he'll want out?" Stephen lets himself fall into a chair and Nick notices that he wears his old leather jacket. It looks good.
He snorts. "Conor? Never. Although it could go both ways, I suppose," the amusement of thinking about Connor wanting out of the anomaly project turns into worry as he, too, looks to the young man.
Stephen sighs, "I don't think he'll get even crazier about it, if that's what you mean. It's not possible." A small smile. "Ryan said he'll pull through just fine, and he's a good judge of character. Connor is tougher than he looks."
Nick freezes, but only for a second. Ryan? "The Captain?"
"What?" Stephen frowns, "yeah, we talk a lot, you know that. He's a nice guy."
Nick nods, even if he doesn't know why. He didn't know. He doesn't even know the Captain's first name.
There is an amused smile around the corner's of Stephen's mouth when Nick turns back to him. "What?" The younger man just shakes his head, hiding a smile, swallowing it.
"It's nothing."
"Hm."
Nick turns back to the papers on his desk, he wanted to finish writing about the latest anomaly. The dodos, he smiles. Dodos. But he can't really concentrate, even if the deep breathing in the background is the same as before and Stephen never disturbs his concentration - quite the opposite, if anything the young man's presence sharpens his mind.
It's Helen.
"Where do you think she is?"
Stephen proofs he can still read his mind with one look and a twitch of his lips. He lets out a shuddering breath, why can't he?
"Sorry."
At least he can't always read him right.
"It's okay." For a moment they're both silent and the distance between them seems unbridgeable; Nick leaning over the keyboard of his computer, Stephen absent mindedly stroking a patch on his knee.
"I really don't know. I have no idea what she wants from me."
Stephen almost smiles, not looking at him. "She was always like that."
"Hm."
They lapse into silence again, each thinking their own, similar thoughts until Stephen looks at him again, not really smiling this time either, but looking as if he wanted to. Nick lifts one brow, "what?"
"It's not like we can't find out all about the anomalies by ourselves."
He grins.
"Much more fun that way."
And we don't really need her.
Nick laughs, and is surprised that it feels good and he doesn't care that Connor shifts slightly on the couch. Stephen is leaning back, taking off his jacket and putting his feet up.
Sometimes it feels like they're so close he's surprised to find him sitting at the other side of the room when he looks up.
-
fin.
-
...another one done, yay! -g-
this one is a bit less angsty than the one before, i hope ;) in this little tag!series i just want to show the up & downs of stephen & nick's friendship, and i hope this comes across... i'd love to hear your thoughts, feedback, etc. - comments are loved to itty bitty pieces.
