Nick lay on the suspended bed in a darkened room in Tavi’s haven, staring up, his hands locked behind his head. He wasn’t tired yet – there was still some time before sunrise after all – so he was left alone with ts thoughts. They flitted about, mostly focused on things that had been set in motion for the time being; things like the security company, his recording studio, and the upcoming trip to Turkey, which he wasn’t quite sure he understood fully, but felt he got the general gist of it. He was pretty sure it had been explained at one point, at least. A lot had happened since his arrival, so he couldn’t be too sure.
Sighing, he reached for his phone, then stopped himself. Ryan’s phone had been submerged and stuck in the freezer as punishment, though for what yet, Nick wasn’t sure. Probably something to do with the marriage comment Vince had overheard earlier. So, no texting Ryan, then. There were others he could probably talk to, but he felt as though it might not be a good idea, and besides, he wasn’t sure he wanted to reach out to anyone else right now.
“Ugh.” he muttered aloud, before shifting positions on the bed, feeling it sway slightly as he did so.
Thinking of the fact Ryan’s phone had been taken made him think of Vince, who now owed seven full life boons to Adam, when he shouldn’t owe any. Nick was fully to blame for four of those, but what was done, was done, and he had a Damocles sword hanging above his head, that would drop if anything happened that caused Ryan and he to split up. He had liked Adam well enough too, up until recently. Singling out Ryan like he had during introductions, levying punishment should something happen, and now tonight’s ordeal with Tavi and that whole massive overreaction…
Service was easier… came a stray thought, and he propped himself up, looking around, as though for the source of that thought, before realizing fully that it was his own. It had not been easier than this – it was just that he had Alyssa by his side, along with other friends, some of whom were gone now.
Alyssa… what had she meant by her family? He wondered. Rationally, he knew it wasn’t impossible for her to have one, but it still felt unexpected. They’d both had their issues after the breakup, based in what little she had told him. From the sounds of it, they’d both struggled, but to what degree was unclear. The only thing he was certain was that he still cared about her – and that was some cause for concern.
Still… he was excited to see her again. He wanted to catch up with her, reassure her things would be alright. He just had to be careful this time. He refused to screw up and endanger Alyssa by acting like he had with Ryan. And if the information did slip? Ghouling or Dominate would be his options. He would refuse to kill a woman that saved his life. Nick still remembered that instance, too, seeing her face after being buried under rubble for he didn’t know how long. She was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen at that moment.
And damn, was she something to look at. He’d always felt lucky having caught the attention of the shorter, curvy but muscular Latina woman. Alyssa’s dark hair had, at the time, run past her shoulders, something that was difficult to tell when she was in uniform, as she had always worn it in a tight bun to not get in the way. Her dark eyes could convey so much emotion or intensity in one glance; her lips sweet.
He smiled a bit then, there in the dark, lost in memories of Alyssa, both the fun they’d had with other members of their unit, and the times they’d manage to steal away to be with one each other, explore the ways one another felt, tasted and loved. These thoughts segued into dreams as he slept, his mind recreating some of their most intimate moments, sprinkled with similar, intimate moments with Ryan sprinkled in. To really tease and appease, his mind made up scenarios where both were involved, scenarios where they formed a throuple.
There was some sadness there, at the idea of the throupling, knowing it was unlikely to ever be. And yet, the idea was appealing. Mostly, though, the dreams were pleasant, making him wonder if he were built for polyamory instead of monogamy.