Title: Taste of Revenge, Taste of Bitterness
Pairing: Niles/Daphne, Frasier
Summary: Frasier is not fine after he finds Niles in Lilith's hotel room. He ponders what he could do... to hurt his little brother.
AN: Turned out longer than I planned to... sorry for that! Please read and review anyways. Frasier might seem somewhat OOC, but I hope he is still recognizable. It's kind of a different kind of story – so I hate to beg, but please review :D
"Are we ok?" Niles asks him. The way he sits there in that bathrobe unnerves Frasier, because he is wearing the same. They're brothers; they've shared so much already. Never did Frasier think he would have to share Lilith with him as well. Share this experience.
"No, we're not," The heartbroken expression that appears on Niles' face lets Frasier falter; he is reminded of them as boys. For a moment. A moment too long.
"But we will be." He assures his little brother. Not sure yet if it's the truth. Or a blatant lie.
Frasier goes home alone. He tells Niles that he needs a moment to himself. He can't even make himself say goodbye to Lilith in person so he yells it through the bathroom door. A muffled 'goodbye' comes back, but Lilith doesn't seem ready to look at him either. Niles on the other hand is ambiguous; Frasier can see in his brother's eyes how he still tries to find arguments why this isn't such a big deal. Even if it is. So he leaves. He puts on his shirt in front of Niles – the situation can't get any more awkward – and just leaves. Outside, in his car, he takes a moment. Part of him realizes that he is too wired, too agitated to drive. Another part feels like everything is fine. Will be fine. Just like he told Niles.
Starting the car, Frasier tries to clear his mind. Tries to analyze again. Certainly both Lilith and Niles were having a bad time. And didn't Frasier push Niles towards Lilith? To keep her away from himself? No, he is not going to justify Niles' behavior. The two never even liked each other particularly. Now, whatever happens, they will be intricately entwined forever. Frasier's stomach churns. Of all the women Niles could have hooked up with, he had to pick Lilith. Suddenly Frasier is convinced this wasn't an accident after all. Not a night of passion stemming from his impending, dirty divorce and too much alcohol. Dirty it was, yes, but for a different reason; Niles is punishing Frasier. He nods to himself, convinced he has finally found the truth in all this mess. Frasier was lusting after Lilith and Niles knew, he knew, so he went and thought 'how can I hurt Frasier? How can I punish him – ha, I will sleep with Lilith myself'. The longer Frasier thinks about it, the more sense it makes. He doesn't even notice how far he's over the speeding limit until someone honks at him. He is agitated; even more so than before.
Niles wanted to hurt him. Well, Frasier can play, too. And he knows the best way to hurt his little brother. He knows it oh, so well. Grinning like a mad man, he drives home. Home, where he will find Daphne.
Lilith offers Niles his eggs Benedict, but he can't eat. She comes out of the bathroom as soon as Frasier is gone.
"Crazy." She mumbles to no one in particular. Niles hears it anyway and he is certain she wanted him to hear. He himself is still torn about all of this; did they do something wrong, or are they in the right? Logically, he finds Frasier has no reason to be this angry. Then again, emotionally, he understands. He realizes how great a mistake this has been. His logical side tends to win, but this time it's a tie. He can't stay. Usually, it's Frasier he talks to in such a predicament he finds himself in. The apartment at the Elliot Bay Towers is all he knows when he is in trouble.
"I better leave as well."
"Suit yourself." Niles watches Lilith eat for a moment. Stares at the disgusting combination of eggs Florentine and ketchup. For a moment he sees himself there on her plate. He is the ketchup. The thing that just doesn't go with these eggs. He and Lilith are like that – not meant to be combined.
"It was... I would say nice, but somehow that feels wrong. Doesn't it?" Lilith looks up at him, chewing. She seems to have detached herself from the situation already.
"Nice? If you want to put it that way. Thank you, Niles. For, you know, satisfying me sexually."
Niles merely nods, feeling as if he's provided a service, and leaves. Outside, he realizes he's lost this great feeling he's encountered earlier. After he's been able to stand up to Maris and her lawyers. It's all gone. All that's left is a bitter aftertaste. As he's walking away, he wonders if Frasier has ever felt this way after being with Lilith.
Frasier almost doesn't wait for the elevator, because he is too excited to get upstairs. He hopes Daphne is home. Granted, he hasn't thought all of this through. He's using his instincts; Niles will come and look for him. To apologize again, or to argue. Frasier is sure of that much. And what a great way to greet him in Daphne's arms. The object of Niles' undying affection. On his way up, Frasier thinks about Daphne. She is not necessarily his type. At all. She doesn't repulse him though and he loves her in a purely platonic way. The possibility that she could refuse him doesn't even cross his mind. The ping resonates and Frasier steps off the elevator with a big grin on his face. The thrill of anticipation.
As he opens the door and enters his apartment, he sees no dad and no Eddie. The first obstacles are out of his way. Then he doesn't see Daphne either.
"Daphne!" he yells rather loudly. He has on occasion found her with headphones somewhere in the apartment, always startling upon his entrance. His heart slumps when there is no answer. He checks her room first, and then every other. She is simply not home. His plan bursts like a bubble, like a dream.
"A sherry then." Frasier sighs. He downs the first one as if it was a strong shot. Then another. Still, he isn't fully satisfied with the results. He pours himself a third, but before he can even take a sip, the door opens. Daphne walks in with the laundry basket in her arms. Her expression softens and she starts smiling. Wonderful, Frasier thinks in his already decelerated mind.
"Hello, Dr. Crane. You're back early." Is he? He wonders. He can't remember when he left. Or what he has told Daphne when he did.
"Yes, yes. I- my plan fell through." He turns away from her, downing the third and last sherry. This has to be enough, he thinks. Enough alcohol to act upon his non-existent feelings towards Daphne and hurt Niles. Hurt his little brother deeply. Like he deserves it. As Frasier stumbles forward, Daphne gives him a confused and wondering look he completely ignores. In his mind, he sees himself kissing her, taking her to bed. The queasiness that spreads through his stomach, he discards as a side effect of the alcohol.
"I'm sorry, Dr. Crane." Daphne is clutching the laundry basket, but she doesn't move away. She just stands there as if she knows what is going to happen next.
"Plans oftentimes fall through. You just need to make new plans. Better plans." Daphne tilts her head, her mouth opening to maybe ask a question, but she doesn't get a chance. Frasier trips over something, probably one of Eddie's toys, and Daphne's eyes widen in slow motion as he seems to fly towards her. She is frozen in her place, but lets the laundry basket fall down; her arms reach out, whether to push him away, or to catch him is unclear. Nothing matters, because Frasier lands on her and they fall to the floor with a big thud.
"Are you alright, Daphne?" Frasier asks; his eyes seem crazy.
"You're heavy, Dr. Crane." Still, he doesn't get up. This is not like he has planned it – if he's ever had a plan to begin with – but it will work. So instead of lifting himself off of her, he crushes his lips to hers. Her lips feel rather cold underneath Frasier, but he keeps going. She's trying to push him off, but he doesn't notice, because his mind is hazy and he is concentrating. He really hasn't thought this through, he realizes as he's trying to push his tongue into her mouth. Niles isn't even here. He should have waited for Niles to get here! Now he can't stop. Suddenly something hits the back of his head hard.
"Ouch!" He screams out. Daphne uses this moment to roll them over so she's on top. She pins him down. Her eyes dark not with desire, but with fiery anger.
"Are you out of your mind!" She screams. She's holding his arms behind his head and it hurts. Fighting, he soon realizes, will only cause more pain. In regions much more south.
"I'm sorry, I- I was –" What is he doing? The alcohol seems to drip out of his mouth as he is trying to come up with an explaination.
"Are you drunk?" She's still yelling and still angry. This is not going to work. Not like this.
"I had three sherrys. I must be, yes. I received some rather... troubling news." This melts Daphne somewhat and she loosens her grasp. When Frasier pouts a little bit, she sighs and gets up.
"Do you want to talk about it?" Daphne asks with her back now to him. Frasier stares at her back, her ass. He tries to see her as Niles sees her; his perfect goddess. To him, she is just an average, albeit lovely woman. The thing is, he does want to talk about it. He wants to pour his heart out, get another opinion. Sort this out. He wants someone to feel sorry for him. To tell him that he has a right to be this angry. He has a right to want to hurt his brother. He has the right to actually hurt him, because he hurt him first.
"I think I might want to drown myself in sherry tonight."
"Alcohol is not – ah, I can't make meself say it. I am here if you want to talk though. Just talk." Daphne reminds him, and Frasier smiles. She goes to hug him, she is not even reluctant. She has already forgiven him and for a short moment, Frasier sees more in her than he has a second before. A good friend. Someone he shouldn't be treating like this; he sighs and he decides she deserves to find out the truth, deserves to know why he did what he did.
Nothing would have happened if Frasier, his face directed towards the door, hadn't seen it open slowly, slowly. All he sees is his brother's face which is still unscarred. His brain switches off, his instincts take over and he pushes Daphne away just the tiniest bit and again, for the second time, puts his lips onto hers.
TBC