"So lemme get this straight, you're going to meet the killer for pizza?" Rosalee exclaimed as she read over Nick's messages with Adalind.
Nick figured that letting them have a peek of what him and Adalind talk about would ease some of the tension. Again, his intentions went completely left field as Rosalee scrutinized every one of the messages that he let her see.
At least Monroe kept his distance.
"She's not a killer. She's a lawyer." Nick corrected.
Rosalee rolled her eyes and snorted.
"Like that makes any difference. Lawyer, liars, they're all the same." She retorted.
He sighed but leaned back against the couch. Arguing with Rosalee was only sending him down a dead end street. Closing his eyes for a moment, he tried to process everything that was going on in his life.
For once, nothing dire was happening, so it gave free reign on his personal life. He figured Date Match couldn't hurt, but obviously that wasn't the case.
Not with what was happening to him now.
Adalind wasn't exactly a dream but she was more than he could ever imagine. If circumstances were different, he wouldn't be so cautious of her and he definitely wouldn't have to sugarcoat everything for his friends.
Or his family.
The idea of telling his mother or his Aunt Marie about Adalind was honestly a nightmare.
Aunt Marie always insisted that having a partner at this point in his Grimm career was only going to be dangerous for them and more work for him.
But Adalind understood it. Or at least Nick believed that she could.
Hexenbiests weren't soft Wessen and they knew the ugly and evil side of life. Mostly because they were the reasons that evil side has been thriving for so long.
Yet, Nick still couldn't see the evil Adalind had within her. Well, at least not towards him.
He glanced at his watch and saw that it was time to get going if he was going to be on time to meet Adalind. He had already been late for their first meeting and that nearly got him killed. He didn't even want to think about what being late the second will result in.
With a goodbye and a comment about locking the door on their way out, Nick left Rosalee and Monroe in his house and made his way into town in his jeep.
Adalind knew this was not the best idea, but how else would she get what she needed from Nick?
Sure, asking was most definitely in the question but so was lying. How could she be sure that Nick would tell her the truth? After all, a Grimm is a Grimm at the end of the day.
So, she decided to take matters into her own hands. Though it didn't require any magic per say, she did have to browse through several of her cabinets in her attic to find her Serum Exomologesis. The truth serum was relatively harmless and as long as she asked Nick the right questions and he answered them properly, no harm would come to either one of them.
She figured since Nick was late the first time, he'd be late this time or make an effort to show up before her. So as soon as she found the serum she was on her way out the door. She had already dressed herself in a black T-shirt and leather jacket with jeans and boots. Her hair was up in a messy bun and she had minimal make-up on.
Tino's was pretty close by so she could literally walk there with good timing.
The dark of the night ironically didn't scare her. If anything, she was the one who invoked the fear. All she had to do was woge, and it sent ay potential attacker away from her.
Just as she suspected, she reached Tino's food truck before Nick did. Taking a quick look at her surroundings, she found no one she knew around nor did she see or sense anyone suspicious.
Ordering two large slices of cheese pizza, Adalind planned her approach.
Waiting for Nick to get his own slice wasn't an option because that would make it harder to slip the serum in, hence why she order one for him already. As Tino rang the bell to signal that the slices were ready, Adalind picked them up with a smile and sat on a nearby bench.
Slipping the serum out of her pocket as soon as she was settled, she managed three drops of the serum on the crust, middle and tip of the pizza.
She took a bite of her own slice to ensure that Nick would pick the one she drugged.
Satisfied with the steps taken so far, Adalind took a moment to sit back and enjoy her own pizza even more as she waited for Nick.
She was early, so she didn't expect him to be here anytime soon.
Right as she was about to take another bite out of her own pizza, she felt a tap on her shoulder. Expecting Nick, Adalind was surprised when she saw Tino himself standing beside her.
"What did you put on the other pizza?" Tino asked.
Her eyes widened as she looked down at the untouched pizza in her hand. She shook her head at Tino as she lied smoothly in response.
"It's nothing. My boyfriend has horrible cholesterol so the stuff I put on it makes sure his levels stay stable."
Tino raised an eye brow accusingly, waiting for Adalind to come up with a better response.
Adalind rolled her eyes in annoyance before pulling out the serum and holding out the unlabeled clear vial.
"Take some yourself." He motioned to the vial.
Adalind rolled her eyes, realizing she had to do this quick before Nick showed up. Take the eyedropper she used before, she opened her mouth and drop two drops of the liquid into her mouth.
Swallowing the liquid sent shivers down her spine as she could taste the cold and bitter truth of the ingredients combined.
Since she didn't drop dead, Tino took this as a sign that she was telling the truth and nodded at her carefully. Adalind cringed at the thought of her own mistake followed by thoughts of what her mother would say if she knew what an amateur Adalind had acted like tonight.
Tino walked back to his truck just as a beige Jeep pulled up across the street and Nick came striding out of it. Adalind checked the time on her phone and low and behold Nick had actually made it on time. Standing up to greet with both hands filled with pizza, she gave Nick the best smile she could.
He welcomed it as he awkwardly stood in front of her, debating how to embrace her.
Was a hug appropriate? Maybe a kiss on the cheek?
He settled for an awkward side hug that she returned graciously.
They stood there for a moment looking around, trying to find a conversation starter.
"I-I got you a slice of pizza." Adalind stuttered.
Nick's smile returned as he happily took the uneaten slice out of her hands.
"Thanks, Adalind. I'll pay you back for this. How about dinner or something sometime once we hit it off here?"
Adalind's eyes widened at his request.
"Well, first off, you're pretty confident we're gonna hit it off. What if I say something you don't like or our beliefs are different? Second, you paid the first time. Third, I spiked your pizza with Serum Exomologesis so I could ask you whatever I want and have you answer honesty but the asshole Tino saw me and I had to take it myself to prove I wasn't poisoning you because the bozo has some liability issues he's trying to protect, so now I have no choice but to tell you the truth and wow that was a lot to say." Adalind managed to blurt out in one breath.
Nick's eyes widened as he glanced at the Tino's truck to Adalind and then to the slice of pizza that was in his hands.
"Were you even going to tell me that you spiked my pizza, if not for you taking the serum yourself?"
Adalind scoffed.
"Eh, you would've figured it out by the end of this date."
"Adalind!" Nick said in disbelief.
"What? I have to protect myself you know? Granted, I could kill you with one look but I still need to know what your intentions are."
"You could've just asked and I would've told you exactly what they are." Nick said angrily.
Adalind shrugged. The two drops of the serum were already hitting her hard. She felt relaxed but at the same time her mind was racing with all the things he could potentially ask her.
Before she could open her mouth and say something to Nick, Nick took a big bite of his pizza. To say she was shocked would honestly be a lie, she was traumatized at best.
As soon as Nick swallowed, she found her voice.
"Why the hell did you do that?" She exclaimed.
He pulled her over to the bench where they both sat down. With his eyes locked on hers, he answered honestly.
"Because I really like you. I like talking to you. If this is what you want, then fine. I'm not happy that it had to come to this, especially on the second date, but fine. Ask away." Nick mumbled.
Adalind sat back in shock but nodded her head at him. The first question she wanted to ask him since finding out he was a Grimm came tumbling out of her mouth.
"Are you going to kill me?"
Nick shook his head.
"No. And I don't want to either."
Adalind nodded, a weight fell off her shoulders.
"Do you want to kill me? Do you even want to be with me?"
"Trust me, if I wanted to kill you I wouldn't use Serum Exomologesis to do it. It would look more like a freak accident than anything else. Plus, I wouldn't be here with you right now if I didn't want to be with you in some sense of the word. For some strange fucking reason, I like you Grimm."
Nick chuckled at her honesty.
"Well Hexenbiest, I like you to. A lot actually. Telling my friends Monroe and Rosalee about you was no easy task but it was worth it."
"Ah, the whole Hexenbiest thing?"
"Yup."
"Did they call me a psycho that needs to be burned at the stake?"
"Nah, surprisingly enough that one didn't come up. Do you get that often?" Nick said taking another bite out of his pizza.
Adalind did the same.
"Couple of times but not because they knew I was a Hexenbiest. Couple of ex-boyfriends who I failed to amicably break up with and a few people in court when I pummel them into the groud." She replied with her mouth full.
Nick nodded, carefully putting his arm around the back of the bench. Adalind looked at him in a sideway glance before inching closer until she could lean her head into the crook of his neck comfortably.
"Wow, I tell you I don't want to kill you and you're already feeling safe in my arms." Nick said.
He cringed at the words floating from his mouth but he took it as the truth serum forcing his thoughts into reality.
"I'd say I appreciate the honesty but we both know it's the serum, but yes. I might as well treat this as what it is. It's a date. So, when you pull the high school move of putting your arm out in hopes to pull me, I'll oblige." Adalind said.
"So, where do we go from here?"
Adalind shrugged.
"How about we just date. Let it happen naturally, I guess." Adalind offered.
Nick shifted awkwardly and coughed.
Adalind rolled her eyes.
"Just let it out Nick. Don't fucking choke on the truth. That would be a new low for the Grimms. Well other than the whole killing Wessen including their children for centuries, but that's another thing for another date." She added.
"Well, I was just going to say that this isn't natural. You know the whole Grimm, Wessen thing?"
She lifted her head and looked at Nick.
"Obviously it isn't 'natural' but that doesn't mean it is wrong. Plus, who wait a minute. Just to make sure. You're not going to let anyone kill me, right? Like you family members or friends?" Adalind said as the thought came to mind.
Nick shook his head.
"Of course not Adalind. I have no plans to bring you any harm nor do I want anyone to do the same. And yeah this isn't natural but what I mean is that, it could still work. We're going to work. And to be honest, I don't want this date to end."
"I just had to make sure." Adalind answered.
They went back to their previous stance just sitting there, enjoying each other's company. It was quiet around them. Well, as quiet as Portland could ever be. The traffic was slowing down around them but the occasionally beep of a horn would pull them out of there daze. Neither one of them knew what tomorrow was going to bring, but right now was more than enough.
Nick liked the feeling of having her heard on his shoulder while his hand rested on her arm. The comfort he felt from it wasn't confusing like he thought it would be, instead it oddly made sense. Though it may not be the smartest choice, he felt as if they had gotten over the biggest hurtle so far and were ready to face the others.
"Do you wanna come back to my place? I'm not saying because I think you're easy but like I said I don't want this date to end. Maybe we can go back, watch Hulu or Netflix or something and just talk?"
Adalind mulled over her options. She could go back to her house alone and watch her usual Nanny reruns or she could follow Nick home and just relax with him.
Her mother's disdainful glare flashed before her eyes as she made her decision.
"How do you feel about watching the Nanny?"
Nick chuckled before shrugging. He pulled Adalind up with him and they walked hand in hand back to his jeep.
I hope you guys like this one. Things get messy next chapter, so stay tuned!
Thanks for reading!
Ness