Chapter 29: Niles
Niles was despondent. The first day he looked at apartments within his budget was so depressing, he hadn't looked again. It had been almost a week now, and he knew that he would be caught out soon.
And Daphne had been frustratingly nonchalant about everything. If it wasn't for Roz's information to reassure him, Niles would have gone completely crazy by now trying to work out what she was thinking. As hard as it was, he was patient. Niles tried to make sure things between them were as normal as possible. He offered a hand with the cooking, and anything else around the house. Niles reasoned that he did this before everything else, so it was best to continue doing so. He knew Frasier would suspect something if Niles appeared to be completely avoiding Daphne without reason. Daphne was accepting his help where she felt comfortable - perhaps she had a similar thought. However, when it was just the two of them alone, Niles tried to give Daphne her space. He would find a reason to excuse himself either from the room, or the apartment entirely. Niles knew Daphne didn't mean for him to go that far, but he honestly didn't know if he could pretend that everything was fine and normal while knowing that she knew, and the passionate nights they spent together. He wanted her. He had for years, of course, but now it was unlike anything he'd felt before.
Another week passed before Niles got caught. Roz ratted him out, having spotted him going to the movies instead of apartment hunting. Niles tried to placate Frasier, but to no avail. Niles knew he had outstayed his welcome. The next day Frasier dragged Niles to an apartment within his price range, and his heart dropped looking at it. Much to his dismay, the apartment was ready for him to move in immediately. Niles had no choice - he had to take it.
That night – his last at Frasier's – Niles ate dinner silently. He hadn't offered to help Daphne cook. He was feeling too depressed at that moment to offer help. Most of Niles' things had been packed up that afternoon and stacked in the living room, ready to be moved in the morning.
"Oh, come on, Niles. Cheer up, it won't be that bad." Frasier was trying to lift his spirits, but it wasn't working.
Niles knew his brother felt slightly guilty about the place Niles was about to move into, but cared more about having his own personal space back to truly be sympathetic.
"You can be positive about it – you don't have to live there." Niles knew he sounded bitter, but didn't really care.
"Niles, its temporary - just until your divorce with Maris is over. I'd have you stay here longer, but we don't have the room." Frasier gave Niles a dark look. "And there is only so much we can take of sharing our rooms with mission control."
Daphne looked up at that comment, curious as to what it meant. Niles suddenly felt self-conscious.
"Mission control?"
"Yes. Niles appears to need several humidifiers and white noise machines to be able to sleep - to the detriment of others sharing his space." Frasier glared at Niles accusingly.
Daphne looked at Niles, confused.
"I never noticed that when I sle- when I passed your bedroom- your father's bedroom. That you are sharing. While staying here."
Daphne was suddenly immensely interested in her mashed potato, flustered that someone may have noticed her slip which referenced her previous nights spent with Niles. No one seemed noticed but Niles, and he couldn't help but laugh at their situation. Daphne shot him a look from the corner of her eye, the hint of a blush coloring her cheeks.
"What's so funny?" Frasier looked at Niles, wondering if his brother had finally snapped.
Niles regained his composure.
"Oh, nothing. Just..." He gestured widely, at nothing in particular. "Everything, I guess."
Niles looked at Daphne to answer her earlier statement, and defend himself to the rest of the table.
"Also, I only really use the humidifiers and white noise machines when my sinuses are acting up. Which they have been the last couple of weeks." He sniffed. "Seasonal allergies."
The sinus issues weren't a lie. Humidifiers helped Niles breathe properly, and the white noise machine helped drown out the tinnitus he got when his sinuses were blocked. Niles was used to it, needing the set up several times a year; and he slept by himself the majority of the time anyway – even when he was married - so he never thought about the noise.
"Still," Frasier objected. "It's very disrupting to those trying to sleep in the same room as you. You know, what you could-"
"Frasier, lay off your brother. I don't want to listen to you two fight - I'm too tired." Martin was half asleep at the table, and annoyed at his sons' bickering.
Niles knew he was difficult to live with. He had stayed in the same room with his father for the majority of the time, but when Martin was struggling to sleep, Niles moved to sharing Frasier's room the last couple of nights. The noise had caused a lot of tension between himself and his brother, which probably contributed to Frasier's insistence that Niles take that apartment today. He sighed.
"Sorry. I'll sleep in the living room tonight." The suggestion seemed to appease Frasier.
"Dr Crane, I haven't seen your new apartment yet but I'm sure that once you get some of your things in there, it'll feel a bit more like home."
Daphne's attempts at cheering him up worked better than Frasier's. Niles looked at Daphne gratefully.
"Thank you Daphne, I'm sure you're right."
Frasier rolled his eyes, as he usually did whenever Niles favored Daphne's opinion. He ignored it, used to it by now.
While the last two weeks were difficult, Niles was just happy to see Daphne, just be around her, a part of her life. To just have her friendship and support. He had realized that even if Daphne never returned his feelings, or they pretended nothing ever happened between them, this would be enough.
Well, I want more, but I would settle for this... I'm good at settling.
After dinner; in slightly better spirits than he was earlier, Niles offered to wash the dishes. Daphne accepted and, to his surprise, offered to dry. They both stood in the kitchen, close to each other, almost hip to hip. Niles had rolled up his sleeves and was busy focusing on the dishes. They were quiet for a few moments, washing and drying in silence.
Niles broke the silence first.
"Enjoying the book you've been reading?"
Daphne had been reading a lot the last couple of weeks, and had just started a new book. It was small talk, but it would break the silence that they found themselves in. Niles desperately wanted to get back to a semblance of the affectionate friendship they used to have.
Daphne smiled awkwardly, as if embarrassed.
"It's not bad. I don't think it would be your cup of tea though. It's a little trashy, but romance novels are a guilty pleasure of mine."
Niles smiled, understanding.
"Well, we all need guilty pleasures; that's what makes life fun. I have a couple of my own, actually."
"Really?" Daphne looked at him, intrigued. "What are your guilty pleasures?"
Well, I walked into that one.
"Oh, I don't know if they'll interest you."
"Doesn't matter. I told you one of mine, you have to tell me one of yours."
Niles suddenly felt awkward. These were things people didn't know about or, or would be surprised to know.
That's why they're guilty pleasures, I guess.
He glanced about, making sure it was still just the two of them.
"Well," he hesitated. "When I'm at work and have time between patients or it's been a slow day, I'll sometimes go and sit in the waiting room and... watch a soap opera with my secretary."
Daphne's eyes widened and she let out a delighted laugh.
"I never would have guessed you enjoyed watching soap operas."
Niles tried to shush her, afraid Frasier would overhear.
"Mrs Woodson is an avid fan. I... just started watching them to keep her company." He sighed. "They do have a certain entertainment value, but I watch them so infrequently Mrs Woodson needs to update me all the time so I know what is going on."
"I didn't think you even had a TV in your waiting room."
"Mrs Woodson has a portable television that she brings out when it's slow. So... we actually squeeze around her desk when watching."
Daphne grinned at that, playfully hitting him on the shoulder.
"Oh, that's an even better image."
"Frasier can't find out, he'd never let me hear the end of it."
"Your secret's safe with me. Your brother doesn't need to know everything."
Daphne looked around – similar to Niles earlier – making sure they weren't going to be overheard.
"Sometimes, if I'm having a bad day and no one is home, I borrow some of Dr Crane's bath salts for my own bath."
"Which one? The chamomile and lavender salts, or rosehip?"
Daphne smirked.
"Usually chamomile and lavender, but it depends on how I'm feeling that day."
Niles chortled at that, knowing his brother was weirdly fussy about his bath salts. He also made a mental note to buy some for Daphne...
...When I'm able to afford things again.
Niles sighed, feeling glum about his situation again. Daphne nudged him.
"Your turn again."
"Oh, I don't know if I can think of anything at this moment."
"What about a secret? What's your deepest secret?"
He looked at her, a little sadly.
"I've already told you that one."
Daphne looked surprised.
"Surely watching soaps with Mrs Woodson can't be your deepest secret?"
Niles let out a sad laugh, shaking his head.
"No, it's not."
Daphne seemed to get it this time.
"Oh," she said softly. "Well, I guess we are even at the moment."
They finished the washing up, silence settling back over them. Niles wiped his hands dry.
"There. Nothing like a clean kitchen."
"Thank you for your help... Niles."
Niles turned to look at Daphne, surprised at the use of his first name again. She was standing there, looking at him, almost like she was considering something. She reached out and straightened his tie, which Niles had flung over one shoulder to keep it from getting wet. Daphne smoothed it down on his chest, and little jolts of pleasure coursed over his body at her touch. He could feel the hairs on the back on his neck stand on end. Niles reached out, and brushed Daphne's hair behind her ear. His hand cupped her cheek, and rested there. Daphne leaned into his touch, her hands still resting on his chest. They stood there a moment, eye contact never wavering. Niles was close to leaning forward and kissing her, he wanted to so badly, and Daphne looked like she wanted him too.
"Niles, would you like a nightcap?" Frasier called out as he headed towards the kitchen.
The effect was immediate, both of them pulling away and averting their eyes from each other. Niles glanced at Frasier as he entered. From the look on Frasier's face, he must have seemed guilty. Although Frasier didn't know what exactly happened, Niles could tell Frasier wanted to chastise him over potentially fawning over Daphne. Daphne had turned away and was wiping down a bench, her back to them. She wasn't even on Frasier's radar - totally immune to his suspicion. Niles cleared his throat, breaking the silence.
"Um, yes. Thank you, Frasier. Sherry?"
Niles walked out of the kitchen with as much composure as he could muster. Frasier glowered at Niles suspiciously, before following.
