Sanctuary: What Was And What is
Title: What Was And What Is
Wordcount: 455
Rating: G
Characters: Helen, Nikola
Warning(s): None
Prompt(s): A moment of genuine caring between Helen & Nikola.
Notes: This is the proper fill for this prompt.
Disclaimer: I own nothing
Summary: Helen is concerned, Nikola doesn't want to talk and an idea is had.
They don't speak of it, not at first. It's hard to ignore of course, his change, but they don't say anything.
She decides he should be the one to bring it up, the one to really start the conversation but she's not sure if he ever will. She's worried he's going to remain quiet on the subject until...well, until there's no other choice.
She doesn’t want to talk about it on his deathbed, she can't do that.
So she goes to his rooms, the ones he's currently staying at in the Sanctuary, and knocks on his door.
"Nikola?"
She hears movement from inside and the door opens a crack, then opens wider, as if he were making sure it was actually her. "Helen," he says in a cheerful tone that sounds so false to her ears. "Come on in."
She smiles and lets herself inside, as if she would actually need permission to enter one of the rooms in her own Sanctuary. She lets him have the dignity though because he certainly deserves as much.
"Nikola I--"
"Helen, if this is about what's happened, I really don't want to talk about it."
She blinks. "Nikola, you didn't even give me a chance to speak."
"Because I know where this is going. 've been closed off, I haven't spoken about it. You're here to come and talk to me, to make sure I'm all right about my...humanity." he says the word like it's something dirty, like it tastes foul.
"I'm here to make sure you're all right," she counters, taking a seat. "You can't blame me."
"I'm not blaming you," he points out. "I'm just saying you don't need to be here."
She studies him, looks at his rumpled clothing and his tired expression. "Have you eaten recently," she questions. "Or slept for that matter?"
He just shrugs at her. "I've been busy."
She just nods, considering something for a moment. "Have dinner with me."
He looks up at her. "Excuse me?" He says it in an utterly confused tone. "What?"
"Have dinner with me, Nikola. It's been years. A proper dinner, just the two of us."
He studies her, considering the option. "And then we'll talk about what's happened?" He questions.
"No," she says. "We'll just have dinner. We'll talk about whatever you'[d like and I'll make sure that the silverware won't stick to your hands."
At that, he cracks a smile. "All right," he agrees. "But I expect good wine."
She rolls her eyes at him. "It's going to be dinner with me. I am not going to provide cheap wine for the occasion."
That makes him laugh and she wonders if it's the first time he's honestly laughed since this whole thing started.
Wordcount: 455
Rating: G
Characters: Helen, Nikola
Warning(s): None
Prompt(s): A moment of genuine caring between Helen & Nikola.
Notes: This is the proper fill for this prompt.
Disclaimer: I own nothing
Summary: Helen is concerned, Nikola doesn't want to talk and an idea is had.
They don't speak of it, not at first. It's hard to ignore of course, his change, but they don't say anything.
She decides he should be the one to bring it up, the one to really start the conversation but she's not sure if he ever will. She's worried he's going to remain quiet on the subject until...well, until there's no other choice.
She doesn’t want to talk about it on his deathbed, she can't do that.
So she goes to his rooms, the ones he's currently staying at in the Sanctuary, and knocks on his door.
"Nikola?"
She hears movement from inside and the door opens a crack, then opens wider, as if he were making sure it was actually her. "Helen," he says in a cheerful tone that sounds so false to her ears. "Come on in."
She smiles and lets herself inside, as if she would actually need permission to enter one of the rooms in her own Sanctuary. She lets him have the dignity though because he certainly deserves as much.
"Nikola I--"
"Helen, if this is about what's happened, I really don't want to talk about it."
She blinks. "Nikola, you didn't even give me a chance to speak."
"Because I know where this is going. 've been closed off, I haven't spoken about it. You're here to come and talk to me, to make sure I'm all right about my...humanity." he says the word like it's something dirty, like it tastes foul.
"I'm here to make sure you're all right," she counters, taking a seat. "You can't blame me."
"I'm not blaming you," he points out. "I'm just saying you don't need to be here."
She studies him, looks at his rumpled clothing and his tired expression. "Have you eaten recently," she questions. "Or slept for that matter?"
He just shrugs at her. "I've been busy."
She just nods, considering something for a moment. "Have dinner with me."
He looks up at her. "Excuse me?" He says it in an utterly confused tone. "What?"
"Have dinner with me, Nikola. It's been years. A proper dinner, just the two of us."
He studies her, considering the option. "And then we'll talk about what's happened?" He questions.
"No," she says. "We'll just have dinner. We'll talk about whatever you'[d like and I'll make sure that the silverware won't stick to your hands."
At that, he cracks a smile. "All right," he agrees. "But I expect good wine."
She rolls her eyes at him. "It's going to be dinner with me. I am not going to provide cheap wine for the occasion."
That makes him laugh and she wonders if it's the first time he's honestly laughed since this whole thing started.