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“You’re not the only one anymore,” Nick says, softly, reassuringly, seeing the way Trubel’s eyes flick over his face rapidly, emotions flooding her soft features as she exhales shakily, disbelieving almost. He isn’t expecting it when she reaches for him.
He isn’t expecting any of what follows, either. None of it. Not the hands that tug him close, grasping desperately at his cheeks and his neck and his shoulders, scrabbling to pull him in as close as is physically possible, nor the pleading sobs falling from pink lips as she crowds close, her eyes wide and shining with unshed tears. Not the way those warm brown pools that he’s grown so fond of in such a short amount of time search and search for something he isn’t sure they’ll ever even find. Not the way her lips tremble as they press hard against his own, like she’s shaking apart right in front of him and he’s the only thing that can keep her together.
She says something, but whatever it is comes out incoherent, slurred against his mouth between shuddering gasps that make him feel dizzy and sick. His hands fly up to cradle her waist like she’s something fragile even though she isn’t, even though he knows she isn’t, even though he knows she’s probably the strongest person he’s ever met, thrown into a world like theirs with no help, no support, nothing. Forced to be alone and scared and hunted by things she thought only she could see. He lets her grapple at his jacket, lets her push it down off his shoulders, shoves away the thoughts of this is wrong, she’s so much younger than him, and God, what about Juliette? in favour of pulling her closer to his body.
Her hands flit over his shoulders, twisting into the fabric of his shirt, her vicelike grip making him feel dizzy and odd. His fingers flex against her waist, pushed beneath her jacket but over her shirt, her skin warm through the thin fabric, able to feel the ridges of scars left behind on her pale skin. She lets out a wounded sound against his mouth when he gently squeezes her, and her hands fly up to slip slide over his jaw and neck, grappling for purchase, threading into his hair and gripping hard, like she’s afraid he’ll disappear altogether if she doesn’t.
“You’re not the only one anymore,” Nick repeats against her mouth, his attempt at making this better, making it okay, even though it stopped being okay the moment she started this, further, when he lost his powers in the first place, and he feels her breath hitch on a sob before she presses their lips together firmly again, wet and salty and messy and like nothing he’s ever experienced before. He can feel the eyes on them, can practically taste the heartbreaking understanding wafting from Juliette in thick waves, knows she’s uncomfortable with whatever it is that’s happening, and Jesus, he’s still not quite sure what that is, knows she won’t hold it against him, or Trubel, because that’s just the kind of person she is. Because how could she fault a girl as young as Trubel for seeking comfort from the only person who can give it? From the only person who could ever possibly know what she’s going through?
Hands fly down to grip his shoulders, then fumble for his neck, and he opens his eyes to meet the wide pair staring back, still glistening wet and shining with so much relief and shit, hope, it makes him downright nauseous. “Don’t leave me like that again,” Trubel begs, voice breaking as a tear slips down her cheek, meeting the corner of her mouth where it brushes ever-so-gently against his own. “Please, I can’t be alone again,” she adds, her desperation plain and clear and making his head spin. He feels sick and he nods, knows she’s gotten used to it without meaning to, to having him around, to not being alone. Knows she hates herself for getting so attached so quickly. Knows it’s one of the rules she’s always followed, never getting too close, never getting attached, never having anything they can use against her.
“I won’t,” he promises against his better judgement. He shouldn’t, really, because they both know there’s no way to guarantee that, and it’ll only hurt more if something like this happens again, but the way she exhales with relief and pushes their mouths back together for a brief, hard yet somehow soft at the same time, kiss makes it worth it. She puffs out an incredulous laugh against his lips that sounds almost bitter, and her teeth sink down gently into the soft cushion of his lower lip, tongue sweeping out a second later to soothe the sting, and she breathes raggedly when he sighs in response. Her face is red, her cheeks flushed and rosy, when she pulls away, her hands falling away, his falling too, her fingers lifting to wipe at her eyes and then her lips as she steps back.
“I’m sorry,” she whispers, cheeks heating even more as she seems to remember where they are, who they are, why they’re not supposed to do this. He shakes his head, opening his mouth to respond when he hears Juliette offer up a gentle, “it’s okay,” from the other side of the room. She’s too understanding, after all the crap he’s put her through, because there’s no way she can understand this, understand Trubel kissing him, him kissing Trubel in return, but somehow she does. Somehow, someway.
He swallows and nods in agreement, seeing the guilt flooding Trubel’s features, unable to meet anyone’s eyes, before clearing his throat and bending down to pick up his jacket that’s fallen to the floor. She looks away in embarrassment when she sees it, her eyes growing wide in surprise, and he feels a surge of affection towards her as he shrugs the fabric back over his shoulders. He licks his lips, tasting the salt from her tears and revelling in it for a brief, sickening moment, and she turns her entire body away, shaking her head like she’s gathering her thoughts.
When she turns back around, Trubel’s eyes are wider and her lips part as they dart back and forth over his face. He tries not to stare at them, pink and puffy all because of him, but it doesn’t work very well. She exhales shakily and says, voice breaking as she starts, words coming out shaky over the top of unsteady breaths, “Uh, so we got another problem.”