Naked

*Knock knock knock knock knock*

"Come in," Nick says still focused on his computer screen and not looking up.

Another knock comes from the door and this time it catches Nick's attention. He mentally shakes his head before advising Jess that she doesn't have to knock once she's in the room.

"I've worked on something for you." Jess says beaming.

Nick moves to the corner of his bed before shrugging and looking up at Jess with his full and undivided attention. "Alright."

Jess clicks her lips before proceeding. "Penis." It comes out crisp and smooth; no singing involved what so ever.

Nick's turtle face inverts as a small smile creeps onto his face. "Very good."

"Thank you." Jess blushes, quite pleased with herself. Then it hits her, the reason for her coming into his room in the first place. "So did Amanda call you back?" She knows the likelihood of the answer being 'no' is seriously high, but she asks anyway.

"No, I don't see Amanda calling me back." Nick states rather matter-of-factly.

"I'm sorry." Jess replies earnestly as she stands in places, eyes darting around the room and back to Nick.

"It's okay. Maybe you were right," Nick starts, which catches Jess off guard. "Maybe I'm not ready for meaningless sex with beautiful women."

Jess's throat catches as Nick gives her a funny look. "What Jess?"

Jess sings quietly to herself, not audible to Nick.

"Sorry, didn't catch that." Nick continues standing up and placing his hand on her arm that is resting against her side.

"I said that I think you are ready for one of those." Jess is staring at the ground, her cheeks the same shade as the red birds on her pajama top.

Nick gets closer trying to meet Jess's eyes with his own, but it's impossible at the angle of Jess's downward gaze.

"Hey," he finally responds pulling her chin up with his index finger. He is ready to ask what she means when she pulls him towards her and closes the distance between the two.

Flashbacks of the previous nights in his room dart around his mind as Jess backs him up onto the bed. Her baggy pajamas are like the soft blankets he secretly cuddled up to in the weeks, maybe months, following his break-up with Caroline. He doesn't stop once to ask if it is right what they are doing, but also doesn't care. At this point, it had to be normal on some levels.

It's about an hour later when Schmidt's yell startles the two who are laying down underneath the sheets on Nick's bed talking about how weird and creepy their ex's could be sometimes; somehow making their past seem a whole lot funnier now than when the events actually took place.

"Shh." Nick whispers as he hops up and walks over to his door to lock it.

Jess shakes her head as he gets back in bed and giggles into her neck.

"He will eventually shut up." Nick tells Jess as he lifts his head to look her in the eyes. She nods, but doesn't reply.

"So..." Nick says after a few minutes have passed and the sound of the apartment door closing has signaled Schmidt's departure. "Do you mind me asking which 'one of those' I was ready for?"

Jess blushes again like she had previously, except this time there is more pressure. What does Nick want to hear? Saying that he was ready to sleep with beautiful women might sound too arrogant and cocky. Who besides Schmidt could get away with calling themselves beautiful? On the other hand, Jess wasn't sure if this was just meaningless.

"I don't know." Jess says finally with a defeated look on her face.

Nick laughs quietly. "That was a rhetorical question Jess," His eyes have sincerity written all over them and his hand underneath the sheets is motionless on Jess's waist for the first time in a while. Jess nods again, her eyes bigger than ever.

"Of course it's the second one Jess." He picks up her glasses from the floor that had been discarded in a frenzy earlier and hands them to her. "I'm hungry. Thinking about making waffles. You up for two?"

Jess smiles. "Yeah. Sounds great. Don't burn them!" She is all serious with this last remark.

"Okay Jess," Nick says getting on some shorts and a T-shirt.

"And blueberries, put blueberries in them." Jess adds.

"I know, I know." He backs up towards the door before mocking her in that sing song voice and spreading his arms out wide. "The adventure begins!"

"So not funny Nick! That was so horrible."

He grins her way before stepping out and closing the door behind him.