Party
Katherine doesn't even know why she's here.
Well, actually, she does know why she's here, but she doesn't know why she ever agreed to Nick's pleas for him not to have to be the only one not drinking obscene amounts of alcohol at the annual Calimov Christmas party that Katherine had always made a conscious effort to avoid upon all costs, even when she was CEO and was obliged to attend such events.
Curse Nick and his sad eyes.
And now she's standing as close to the door of the presentation hall as can look natural without actually backing out of it, which is incredibly tempting and getting more so as the night progresses. Disco lights flash overhead, their bright colours half blinding her whenever she happens to look up. Honestly, disco lights – this is a company party, not a night club. She recognises some of the half-lit faces dancing in the crowd, but wouldn't be able to name many if asked. Luckily, no-one remarks on her presence or forces her to join the fray; she's definitely not prepared for that sort of commitment to the night.
"This is fun, isn't it?" Nick comments dryly beside her, taking a rather too generous sip from the wine glass he clutches to his chest, having been knocked and almost spilled over his suit countless times. Neither of them has made any attempt to try and mingle beyond going to get drinks a few minutes ago, although a few people have nodded to or made brief conversation with Nick due to his heightened position at Calimov that does tend to require some degree of social understanding. There has been a sort of mutual agreement between them ever since they stepped through the doors thirty-seven minutes ago that no, this is not the environment for them, and yes, it is much safer to stand aside by the wall as several of the more decorous or self-conscious employees in the company are opting for.
"Depends on your definition," mutters Katherine, irritably straightening out the creases in the knee-length blue dress she wears and wishing she had tied her hair up: the tangible heat in the room is causing it to uncomfortably stick to her face and neck, however much she brushes it back.
"You'll need to teach me some of the excuses you've used in the past to get out of these parties," Nick tells her loudly as the song ends and another even louder one starts its pounding rhythm through the hall.
"Oh, a party, is that what it is?" Katherine absently wonders aloud. "I was under the impression it was some form of mild torture employed for reclusive scientists to get them to crack and spill all their secrets."
Nick snorts. "You're not far wrong there."
Katherine watches in distain as Phil wanders past them, glasses slightly askew and hair dishevelled as she bobs her way through the crowd in a way that Katherine guesses might be constituted as dancing if you squinted. "Remind me never to go to one of Phil's birthday parties."
"I'm not sure she'd invite you," Nick reasons. "Or me, for that matter."
"What?" Katherine raises her voice over the ever-increasing tempo of the music blasting overhead. If they deliberately ramp up the volume of those speakers one more time…
Nick repeats his proclamation and Katherine nods in reply, deciding it's not worth the strain on the voice to try and continue to make conversation, while also wondering when would be an appropriate time to leave. Nothing beside some randomly placed tinsel around the room seems to openly suggest 'Christmas' to her, and Katherine can't help but speculate that the annual party has always just been set up by some stir crazy members of the marketing department who don't fancy going to a real club and figures this is as good a substitute as any.
She's almost made up her mind to go ahead and leave when something tickles her cheek and she jolts in surprise, letting out a squeak that she will vehemently deny later. It turns out just to be Nick, absently brushing a strand of her hair away from her face and tucking it neatly behind her ear, without seeming to be particularly aware of what he's doing until his gaze refocuses and he steps away from her slightly, dropping his hand from her chin and nearly spilling his drink again in the process.
"Um – it looked like it was getting in your eyes," her colleague explains rather too hurriedly, waving a hand around like Katherine has previously noted he always seems to do when he gets stressed.
"Yeah… yeah, thanks," she replies equally as quickly, turning back to survey the area as her cheeks glow inexplicably pink. She'll claim it's just from the uncomfortable heat of the room, she decides. That's the only reason that Katherine Calvin is blushing.
Still, she hasn't left yet.
"Hey, um - do you want to go and dance for a few minutes?" Nick suddenly unexpectedly asks, once again interrupting her inner monologue.
Surprise obviously shows on her face at the suggestion, because Nick flushes even more – it's the heat, just the heat – and starts to gabble, another telltale sign of his stress. "You know –" Nick coughs and says quickly by way of explanation: "The CEO showing willing, and all that."
"I'm not the CEO," Katherine finds herself answering somewhat hoarsely.
"Yes, but - I dragged you here. And unfortunately for me I am the CEO."
"That never stopped me before," comments Katherine. "I don't normally even attend these things, let alone dance at them."
"Yeah, but I promised a few friends I'd show my face here, and –" Nick looks hesitant, but determined as he tilts his head slightly to one side, managing to look apologetic and beseeching at the same time. "Can I drag you into this for me as well? Last thing, I promise. Then we can get out of here and hopefully find some well-earned sleep."
"I'm never doing anything for you ever again," grumbles Katherine by way of complying as she finally allows Nick to take her hand and pull her away from her refuge against the wall, leading her into the crowd of dancing people and thick darkness, broken occasionally by snatches of coloured disco light as the ball rotates above their heads.
"Try explaining that to the Board," Nick shouts in jokey answer as the music intensifies tenfold around them and Katherine wishes that it was socially acceptable to press her hands over her ears to try and block some of the thumping beat out. They find a spot that looks vaguely uninhabited and Nick turns to face Katherine, his face darkened so she can't quite make out his expression. Awkwardly, he slides one hand lightly around her waist and they start to sway slightly to the upbeat music, letting the deafening throb and the multitude of people doing similar dancelike movements all around them hide the acute sense that this situation is completely out of both of their comfort zones. For once, Katherine is actually glad that it's now almost pitch black in the room; it helps her to lean lightly against Nick's shoulder and not worry that anyone might be watching the ex-CEO and the new CEO dance together like they aren't usually at each other's throats most of the time during working daylight hours.
"You enjoying any of this yet?" Nick queries at the top of his voice a few minutes later, when the music has altered yet again and has finally dropped in tempo a little, making it a little easier to breathe and sway more gently to the melodic thrumming of the music.
"Not even remotely!" Katherine yells back.
Well, actually, that isn't quite true either, but she doesn't bother correcting her automatic snarky response. She's not ever likely to admit that she's enjoying dancing with her co-worker at a party with rapid music pulsing overhead; or that she doesn't think to complain when said coworker's arms tighten almost unconsciously around her waist; or that when Nick reaches to brush away another strand of hair almost tenderly from her cheek, she finds a lump in her throat that is suddenly impossible to swallow.
And neither of them stop dancing, even though the whole aim of joining in for a few minutes was to be able to leave the party more readily, and they have both conceded that they're not enjoying the experience one bit.
Definitely not.
A/N) I think I just found a new favourite Nick/Katherine image for my mind to obsess over...
And Phil as a wild party animal just seems to be the perfect image in my mind XD