Author's Note: Yayyyy more Brainy and Nia! I decided on doing a drabble archive as I like to call them instead of posting an individual story for each and every 1,000-3,000 word fanfic.
Also uh, peep that ORIGINAL fanart up there in the thumbnail :D Before you all commend me on how good I am at freehand, in reality I used a computer program and traced over two existing pictures. I'd still say it takes some talent but it's probably more patience and the airbrush tool XD
Summary: Post 4x15, Nia brings Brainy his Chocos and they discuss what happened in the hospital.
Spoilers: 4x15
Nia wasn't exactly sure if she was allowed to go see Brainy. She fully realized that, after they had kissed, he had basically rejected her. But he had done so in a way that made Nia feel... not heartbroken. It was obvious that Brainy still wanted their relationship. It seemed he was just a little too scared to try.
What had he said? That relationships based on intense experiences never lasted? Well, it wasn't as if their only interactions had been while training to be superheroes or dealing with the end of the world. Nia could remember plenty of times things had been calmer, like when she had showed up at the DEO when she couldn't sleep (read: couldn't let herself sleep) to see if she could help out and had found Brainy working almost all alone at his desk. She had sat with him and they had talked and eventually both of them had passed out in their respective chairs until they were awoken the next morning.
Or- or what about that time, after her mom had died, when Brainy had knocked on her door at 5 in the morning? She had gotten up, glad her roommate was out of town as the knocking persisted, over and over and over again until she was practically running for the door. She had opened it, beyond irritable, only to find Brainy holding a box of warm donuts and not seeming to at all realize that 5 am was a bit early for social calls.
The warm donuts had aided her forgiveness of him pretty well, as had the bedhead he'd seemingly forgotten to tame before coming to her apartment.
Point being, they had had, if not plenty, at least a good amount of moments that weren't based on intense experiences. So Brainy's excuse for not having their relationship was fundamentally just.. not working.
She was fully prepared to tell him that as she walked towards his apartment. She also had something to give him, but she figured that could be used to gain access, or as a peace offering or something.
She had never actually been to Brainy's apartment before. He had been to her's a couple times, like during the 5 am visit and when her roommate threw her Valentine's Day bash, but she had never been invited to his place or had had a reason to go. The building itself was small and looked rundown. She wondered how well the DEO actually paid Brainy, or if he even noticed that his living space was less-than-desirable.
She had contacted Kara, awkwardly, to find out what room number Brainy was. Kara had immediately started asking questions but Nia had made some sort of excuse and hung up as soon as possible. She was sure that she was being fairly obvious about this whole thing she and Brainy had, but she still felt the need to keep it at least a little secret.
Nia had reached Brainy's door. She hesitated, then took a deep breath, then knocked as firmly as she could. Her hands were shaking, and she tried not to crush Brainy's gift or melt it with her sweaty palms.
Nia heard footsteps on the other side of the door. She held her breath as the viewfinder darkened. She could imagine Brainy on the other side, peering through, eyebrows crunching in consideration of why Nia Nal was standing outside his door.
Then she heard the latch unbolt and the door slowly swung open.
"Nia Nal," Brainy greeted, hands clasped, as always, primly behind his back. "It is... a surprise to see you here."
"An... okay surprise?" Nia asked, suddenly wondering if Brainy even wanted to see her. He had made his position pretty clear back at the hospital. Was she being stupid in thinking that he actually did want a relationship with her? Had he been letting her down easy and she was just going to break her own heart but showing up here tonight?
Brainy seemed not to understand her question. "It is a surprise," he repeated. "I believe that you would say that it is a... pleasant surprise?"
Nia was relieved. "Good, good," she said, before extending what was in her hand. "Uh, I brought you a gift."
Brainy squinted down at it. "A gift?" he repeated. "It is not my birthday nor is it Christmas." He paused. "We're you... expecting a gift in return?"
"Oh, no, no," Nia told him hurriedly. "Sometimes people just... give each other gifts. To be nice. Or because they think the other person could use a present. Like- like when you brought me donuts after my mom died."
"I see." Brainy nodded, and delicately picked up the object resting in Nia's upturned palm. "Oh. It's a Choco!"
She smiled brightly. "You seemed kinda upset not to be able to get one at the hospital, so I figured I'd pick one up for you."
Brainy looked happily down at the candy bar. "Thank you very much Nia Nal," he said. "I think I rather like your tradition of giving gifts for no reason."
"Well..." Nia said slowly. "There kind of... is a reason, actually. I suppose you could say that it's kind of like a peace offering?"
Brainy's eyebrows scrunched. "I do not understand," he told her. "I didn't not realize that we were at war with each other."
"No, no, not war, exactly." Nia wasn't exactly sure where to go with this. Maybe peace offering had been the wrong term. "It's just that, well, we didn't end in the best of ways at the hospital. I kissed you, and you said that you couldn't have our relationship because-"
"Relationships based off of intense experiences never last," Brainy finished. "Yes. I thought I made my position rather clear. I hope I did not hurt you too badly."
"You didn't," Nia said. "But- but only because I feel like you don't actually not want this relationship."
He made a very Brainy-like contemplative face. "That is a double negative."
"Yeah, yeah, I know. Basically, I feel like you actually do want to be in a relationship with me," Nia explained awkwardly. This was more challenging than she had expected it to be. "Even though you said you didn't."
"Unlike most humans, when I say things, I usually mean them," Brainy told her.
"Yeah but... I think you were just scared. Maybe."
"Scared?"
Nia winced, worried that she had offended him. "I'm not, like, saying you're a coward or anything. I just more meant that... you know, relationships can be scary. Especially new ones. Especially because of the lives we lead. But we don't just have a relationship based on intense experiences. It's not fair to- to not let yourself date me or whatever just because you think that."
"I am... a little confused," Brainy admitted slowly. "You are saying that... you believe that I said that we shouldn't have a relationship not because I actually don't want one, but that I was scared to have one?"
"Uh... yes?"
"Well then." Brainy swallowed, stepping back and allowing her to move further into his apartment. "You would be right."
Nia felt a shock of excitement burst in her stomach. She walked into Brainy's apartment and he shut the door. It was almost completely dark in his front entry hall until he felt along the wall and flicked on the light.
His place wasn't anything special. The ceiling and the walls were fairly molded and the paint was peeling, and his furniture looked old and secondhand. Nia didn't suspect that Brainy spent much time here. There weren't any dirty dishes in the sink, the laundry basket was empty, and there was only one framed photograph in his window.
Oh, jeez.
It was of her.
Well okay, it was of them, which made it significantly less creepy than if he had just printed a picture of her off her Instagram or something.
She tried not to stare at it too long, not wanting to make him uncomfortable. Brainy laced his fingers behind his back, waiting for a second while she looked around before speaking. "I apologize about the state of my home," he said, sounding a little embarrassed. "I must admit to not spending much time here."
So he did notice how decrepit it was. Nia felt sad for him. "It's fine," she told him quickly. "It looks... cozy."
He nodded once. "It serves its purpose."
"So, um..." Nia was trying to steer the subject back to them, to their relationship, and the bomb he had dropped on her in the middle of his entryway. "So I was right? To come here? And to... to get it out of you that you actually want a relationship with me?"
Brainy avoided the question a little. "I must admit that I'm... not very good at this," he said with a stiff shrug. "I have never had a- a girlfriend before. I've never seen the necessity of it before you."
If that wasn't adorable Nia didn't know what was. She laughed a little. "We can go as slow as you want," she assured him, starting to feel incredibly hopeful. "If you do want a relationship with me."
"Are you..." Brainy stopped and frowned. "Are you asking me.. to ask you... on a date?"
He wasn't exactly saying the words with any sort of disgust, but they were definitely unfamiliar in his mouth. Nia softened. "It's the 21 century," she shrugged. "Guys don't have to do all the work. Brainy, do you want to go on a date with me?"
Brainy's eyes went wide. "Nia Nal," he said, reaching out and quickly snatching up her hand like if he went too slowly he would lose his nerve. "I would like nothing more."
Author's Note: MY BABIESSSS :D :D :D It's so niceeee to have an OTP again O.M.G. I have been on writing FIRE :D :D :D
PROMPT ME! PLEASE! PLEEEEEASE!