Our Little Secret

[Fluffy]

Vigilantism didn't appeal much to Nicoli. Killing off these men she despised would come with a lot of drama that Nico did not want to deal with. The gang would consider themselves at war with his, and that wasn't even the worst of it. He had to look at things from a cold, logical perspective. She could hunt them down herself if she wanted their heads that badly!

The next time they walked in on his turf though, their lives were fair game. Nic was trained well in the art of torture, and quite liked to dish it out where it was deserved. He'd get his ten grand back, plus interest.

On the other hand, he understood how she felt. An eye opened so he could look at her, the maliciousness fierce in her gaze until she got on to the topic of her job. What she told him didn't come as too much surprise. The skill she demonstrated with salon tools was impressive. She was worthy of being in a more top notch location, and now he knew why she wasn't. His response to that would be, why not move away? Nico knew why she couldn't, though. That was an expensive process. Expensive wasn't in her budget. "If you need a loan to open your own place, I'm your man. Seeing my face frequent your shop would get you some customers," he offered with a light shrug. She had a bad record, he was guessing, that some people were turned off about. Not everyone in the city could possibly be that dense, though. Her business would thrive, he was confident about that.

Nico joined into her toast, silently of course. His raised glass was swallowed quickly, then he decided he was finished for the night. One of his large mitts rubbed over his face, letting the stubble scratch his palm as he gave thought to the sleeping arrangements. There were plenty of options in his ginormous living space. She was right that she shouldn't be left alone, though. Sleeping could be a danger to her after that hit to the head. Thank heavens they didn't kill her with that damn crowbar.

"You can use my bed, I'll be nearby on the hide-a-bed that's across the way," he decided. Half of his room was setup like a place you could lounge with the TV, or a good book. The little sofa could transform into a nice little bed he could use. The chair was scooted back as he stood up, eyes settling on the girl as he did. "You're not going to die, even though that would make my life easier." His dark humor was followed up with a stifled yawn. "You're a tough little lady, a survivor," he observed, making an effort to lift her spirits a little. "You hold onto that and you'll come out on top. The fight to get there is a brutal one, but you can do it." She did not have the benefit of having a rich family, but there were plenty of other boundaries he had to leap over to get where he was today. On some level, he could relate to Sasha's struggles. Besides, it was amazing to see the less fortunate become something great. It would make all their doubters look foolish.

To act as her crutch once more, he made himself available to her to hold onto when she was ready to stand up. Once she was tucked in, he could get all the bottles put away and get himself to sleep as well.

 

[Hydronine]

Sasha smiled slightly at his offer. Yeah, a new place would be nice- and she'd always be able to count on him coming every month like clockwork- never late, even once- she could set a watch by the way he ran things- well, when she wasn't involved. It was easy to see that her being thrown into the mix had been unexpected and probably messed up some of the planning of his.

"I'm pretty sure that wouldn't work. Nice thought, though." She offered back to him, shrugging. No, there was little doubt in her mind that if she tried to get out of the situation she was in, something would come and drag her back down without fail. Hell, even this was enough to pull her down more- this was just a never-ending shit-heap of... calm. Calm down.

His idea on the sleeping arrangements seemed a little odd to her- ok, so the guy was being nice and having her take the bed. Didn't expect that- nor the fact that he even agreed that sleeping in the same room would be a good idea- she figured he'd have her as far away from himself as possible. She snickered at his comment at her death being easier to deal with.

The rest of his comments made her go quiet. Angry even. "You don't know what you're talking about." She stated, an edge in her voice. "I don't want to get stuck on hope- hope got me in this shit-heap of a life to start with. You have family still, right? Call them. Talk to them. Be thankful that they respond to you... My brother's the only one I got left, and all he does is worry that I'm going to get in trouble all over again. I resent and hate him. Don't speak on what you don't understand. I get it, you're a big-shot dealer and boss and whatever. I doubt you actually ever had to get trudged through the mud like some of the underlings you run across. I'm lucky to be alive. I already know that." She muttered darkly, trying to swallow the lump that had formed in her throat.

"I'm just as fucking lonely as you. The only thing is, I surround myself with dumbasses so I feel better about it. My co-worker and I go out for drinks once a month and she tells me about her boyfriend who cheats on her all the time- Sometimes she gets me drunk enough to actually talk about myself- yeah, coming into work the day after is always fun. She looks at me like I'm the goddamned boogey-man for a few days. Then she forgets. Amazing.... I WISH I could have that kind of shitty memory." She snarled out, eyes gleaming daggers at Nico as she moved to try and stand on her own. Her legs trembled and she winced but she wasn't going to fucking take his help. No. Not after those little "Yes, you can!" statements.

She braced herself on the walls as she made her way back up to the bedroom. Her movements weren't graceful, and she stumbled every now and then, but she got up and kept going. Fuck Nico. Fuck Britney. Fuck her boss... Fuck those guys who kidnapped her... Fuck Mark. The whole world could take a fifteen inch dildo to the ass tonight, she was done giving a shit.

She managed to get to the bed, crawled in and tried to sleep, bitter anger sitting heavy in her gut, sloshing with the booze, and she tried to settle down with the idea that instead of being angry and bitter, she didn't care at all.

 

[Fluffy]

Nicoli really didn't know the proper way to react to her. Honestly, he was just standing there with a quizzical expression on his face that reflected an inner child that was seldom allowed to be seen. Was it something he said? That was a dumb question, of course it was something he said. She misinterpreted what he wanted to say, or maybe what he said was offensive somehow. All the possibilities were intense enough to give him a brand new headache.

The girl was left alone to do what she wanted, though. Nicoli hardly had time to deal with a bickering child. She could throw a tantrum about how shitty her life was, or she could do something about it. That's the simple thinking he was raised with, so naturally he held that standard to everyone else.

Instead of going into his room, he returned to the groups of glass bottles so everything could be put away. Here and there, he'd take a swallow from something. Anything to numb the unwanted feelings he was having. Sasha said he wouldn't hurt her? She was right, he wouldn't, but that didn't mean he didn't want to. His father raised him to be aggressive on purpose, so his son could dominate anyone who tried to step on him. Be calm and cool, son. Be calm and cool so they'll never see it coming. Every mouth that ever sassed him usually got broken. But this woman would most likely make his fist stop midair.

Everything got put in its proper place, surprisingly. His balance was not quite as straight as it was earlier since he had those extra mouthfuls of liquor. He was clumsy in the hallway, using the wall as support so he could avoid any falling over. At least now, he felt like he could get some shut eye. He was drunker than he'd been in weeks.

The dimmer switch was pressed down so the room was in the faintest light available. This enabled him to get out a new bed comforter that he could throw on top of Sasha. Despite all that just happened, he still took the responsibility for her health and comfort seriously. The blanket was tucked against her body so she'd keep warm. Maybe it was because of the alcohol, but he felt it necessary to lay the most tender of kisses against her temple.

With all that out of the way, he kicked off his shoes in the bathroom and stripped off the slacks he was wearing. Rather than put on pajamas, he chose to just be in his boxer shorts. He groaned once his body fell onto the couch; he was feeling too drained to even bother with the hide-a-bed.

 

[Hydronine]

How fucking dare he?

She trembled as the man stumbled to the couch, anger reaching tenfold as she huffed. How dare he touch her! Of course she had been having thoughts about it the whole night- but not after that little.... son of a bitch really had her tricked, she had thought he of all people would understand- but no. Not even... No. She was alone.

She set her jaw at an angle and finally fished her phone out of her pocket. She had turned it off during the events of everything after she had been taken by Nico, now she was turning it on and looking through her contacts. Who the fuck could she even.... No one, really. Anyone who mattered was probably concerned as hell for her- misplaced concern at that. She was fine aside from all her fucked up cuts and scrapes.

She could pin it on Mark. She could pin it on a few people, actually. She couldn't let it lead back to Nico, at the very least for the reasoning that she needed him to be able to keep coming to her salon so she had that small saving grace of a tip.

That bitter anger was making the liqueur in her stomach bubble and rumble in a way that wasn't pleasant. Maybe she should just vomit on his bed out of spite? No... No, that would make this whole thing a lot less comfortable. It would probably be smarter to just keep calm until dinner. He still owed her dinner. Fed for one more night at the very least- that's the highlight of her week, that was slightly depressing.

That was when she finally drifted off, her eyes easing shut as she reviewed her shitlist for the day. If Nico said one more goddamned thing about her being a survivor, he was getting bumped to the top. No, she wasn't a survivor. She was a dumbass, a coward, and too headstrong for her own good. She ruined her own chances at moving up because she couldn't let go of anger. She was skipped over in other chances because of her past.

IT was funny that her whole life, she had been looking for someone to look over her past and still see some hope- and now that someone had, it pissed her the hell off.

She slept dreamlessly and groaned in discomfort and pain in the morning. Hang-overs mixed with what happened yesterday wasn't the best idea.

 

[Fluffy]

An alarm set off on Nicoli's watch, beeping annoyingly until he made it to the button that turned it off. It didn't beep for long; it rarely did. He was disciplined when it came to getting up at the same time every morning, which in this case was 9 AM. The man stretched out on the couch, noting the ache in his head that doubtlessly was caused by the drinks he went overboard with. He was thankful that this was a Sunday.

Nicoli had a will made of iron. Even with all the discomfort from the hangover and sleeping awkwardly on the couch, he worked past it all so he could stand up to do a full body stretch. Now that morning lit the house, there was quite the collection of battle scars to be seen on Nico. Scars from bullet wounds were scattered on his body, one of which was mere ticks away from where his heart was. Lashings on his back suggested torture, or abuse; so did the lines that traced over the shapes of his rib cages. His left leg showcased a large gash mark. That injury was so major that it put him on a cane for half a year. Nic was pretty looking until you got a look at his not so smooth looking skin. He inherited the 'family business' at a young age, putting him at a lot of disadvantages. Getting beaten up a lot happened to be one of them. Daddy wasn't around to protect him anymore, so he was easy prey for the enemy until he finally got strong enough to fight back. Other than that, he was injured several times just because he was unlucky during some showdowns.

A glance was made to Sasha, who seemed to be waking. She was probably still upset with him, since she was little miss 'I hold grudges'. Having little experience dealing with these sorts of dilemmas, his best option was to just leave her alone until she felt like talking. Or not. Nic couldn't care less, really. Silence was golden.

He disappeared into his bathroom, where clean clothes were to be found. Usually he'd have a small snack, then work out. Today he might have to skip it though, with how cruddy he was feeling. A plain grey shirt was pull over his head, with black sweatpants that followed. Seldom was he seen in anything but a suit. When he was just relaxing at home though, he dressed for comfort. Maybe later he could use the shower and then figure out what to do for the rest of the day. Obviously there was unwanted business to take care of.

As he walked past his bed, a shirt was set down on the bedside table if she might need it for some reason. That was him attempting to be thoughtful, since she was in his care after all. He was on his way to his kitchen, where he wanted to prepare a quick breakfast that could fight the hangovers. Some greasy bacon, some eggs, and toast should help. While he flipped over slices of bacon, he was wolfing down a mouthful of blueberries he swiped from the fridge.

He was somewhat thoughtful during his time in the kitchen. Sasha was right, she was lonely too. After she revealed to him just how much that was true, he could see why what he said was misplaced. It wasn't wrong, though. She would be dead already if she wasn't a survivor. Choosing flight over fight may still lead to survival, and that's all that really mattered in the end.

'That still doesn't excuse the tone she took up with me.' Scrambled eggs were stirred in a pan as he brooded on this.

 

[Hydronine]

He didn't disturb her while she was waking up, at the very least. She was groaning when he set the shirt down, and looked at it, confused. What was she intended to do?

As she looked to the shirt, a smile came to her face, it didn't last long, the headache was killing her.

Oh she was still angry. He had really struck a cord with her- hearing some kinda inspirational shit from him made her angry. Had he ever had to... No of course he hadn't. Though, from all the glances she got at his chest last night, it was evident that he had been through a lot.

No... it was still different.

She heard him in the kitchen and grinned slightly, managing to get herself out of the bed, wincing with the effort before looking down at herself- she looked like hell... she didn't even want to check the mirror, she knew her hair was beyond help. Whatever.

Sasha was slow in removing her top, grimacing at the pain that dotted along her body where she had gotten cut up and hurt- then she unhooked her bra, took it off and kicked it with the shirt from yesterday towards the bed. She pulled on the shirt he had given her and then slipped off her shorts, leaving nothing but the black boyshorts on and headed out of the bedroom, going straight towards the kitchen where he was cooking- smelled good to her half-dead-with-hangover body.

She watched him for a moment, quiet, before she padded over to him, hugging him from behind, pressing herself against his back. Every little curve and nook and cranny she had was up against him for a few moments while she softly yawned and then muttered a "G'mornin', Nico."

She backed off then, walking away from the kitchen slowly, the shirt not completely obscuring the view of her rear and her shapely legs as she stretched while she walked. A little bit of teasing never hurt no one, and honestly, this was a pretty tame micro-aggression for her. She wanted him flustered, she wanted him confused. She wanted to put him off balance just a little bit.

She was still beyond angry, but it could wait. Food, again, was the main reason why.

 

[Fluffy]

Nicoli knew she was behind him, but the coil of her arms wasn't anticipated. In that very instant, he froze, his hand tightening around the spatula so he could fight the urge to reach behind himself and throw her across the room. He was very protective of his personal space. Anyone who tiptoed into it uninvited risked getting themselves hurt. His violent upbringing could be to blame for that. Everyone was always out to get him, so he had to defend himself somehow. Sadly, it came with a case of paranoia.

Air passed quickly through his nostrils, helping to relieve the tension she'd caused him. She was only hugging him, there was no need to get worked up. He grunted a response to her good morning, and resumed his work at the stove. Now that his pulse was returning to its steady beat, he was left with the realization that he forgot what it was like to feel embraced. What she did was a passive-aggressive attempt to stir up emotion, but all it did was remind him that he was a stranger to human touch at this point. Part of him wished she would hug him in earnest. In that short time she was holding onto him, he got a better idea of how soft and warm she was.

Nic let the melancholy mood of his linger for a bit while he searched his mind for a proper solution. Slices of bread were dropped into the toaster while he remembered why, exactly, he wasn't making personal connections with people. It made his job easier; overall, it made his life easier. He liked it so much better when he had no one to care about but himself. Now this girl was here, needing all the help in the world.

A plate was filled with the breakfast food, steaming hot with a fork laying on the edge. He set it down for Sasha to have, then turned away to start some coffee. Nicoli made a simple meal, but he was capable of much more. In the long periods he spent alone, he mastered quite a few hobbies and skills.

Nicoli returned with his own plate of food, and two mugs of coffee. If she didn't want it, she could just leave it there to turn cold. A little dish of sugar was set down, along with a mini cup of cream she could use. The man didn't say many words, so he went the extra mile to serve his guests every available option.

Sighing quietly to himself, he took a seat at the opposite side of her so he could start digging in.

 

[Hydronine]

Seriously? Nothing?

How the fuck hard was it to get him riled? Wait... No, she had managed to...

"Thanks." She murmured softly as she walked over, sitting at the table. She looked up at him for a moment before digging in fervently, reminiscent of how she had handled the bottles last night- hunger and thirst- and probably a history of having simple nutrition denied to her, be it out of lack of funds or control. She was quick to scarf down the food, the only way she could have gone faster is if she had ditched the utensils and used her hands. The coffee was chugged down quickly and only after she had finished and looked up, had she realized she might have betrayed a bit more of her history. Nothing she could do about it now. Her plate and cup were entirely empty of food and drink and she was full, but her eyes were still scouting out more, making sure of what was available. She slowly remembered where she was and that she was already full, she was ok.

At least, for now.

"I... It was good. Thank you." She spoke quietly. She was too embarrassed to be angry at that moment. He always looked so poised and... outside of work she was hardly lady-like, ate like it was her last meal, and her attitude needed serious re-tuning. Not to say he didn't have his faults too, but even in goddamned regular clothes, he still looked...

"Hey... Nico?..." Why the fuck was she using that timid tone? Why the hell was she simpering and... fuck it, if that's how she could ask this, so be it. "Um... Since they've already... kidnapped me once... you don't think they'll try it again, right? Do you have any other enemies that might not be a fan of hairstylists?" She asked softly, almost a meek tone to her voice. She suddenly felt vulnerable sitting across from him in nothing but one of his shirts and her panties. Why had this been a brilliant idea again? She felt naked.

"Is... there anything else I need to know if you want me to keep cutting your hair?... like self-defense." She asked, then muttered the last part under her breath, looking up at him as she pulled her bare legs up to her chest, locking her arms around them as she leaned over her knees. Bad for posture, but it wasn't exactly a moment of proper upbringing. She felt a little bit defenseless at that moment.

 

[Fluffy]

Mocha colored eyes flicked to her when she softly thanked him for the meal. He nodded back, showing his appreciation for her politeness. Right after, he was quick to devour the meal as well. Nicoli built huge appetites, and he had a genuine love for food. That plate was cleaned in no time.

Now that his stomach was full, he could enjoy his black coffee. There was no newspaper to read; he'd forgotten to get it from outside. This left him in the company of Sasha with no available distraction. It wouldn't be unlike him to hide his nose in the newsprint to help him ignore her bickering.

However, there was no bickering to be had. A quizzical brow rose as she got his attention with a shaky voice. Nicoli listened patiently, sipping the coffee out of desperation to rid of this hangover. She seemed to be afraid. Thinking back, she didn't have much time to properly feel frightened. So much happened in that one night, it knocked them out by the end of it.

"They won't try it again. That would be stupid of them." Targeting the same person twice was a death wish. Rodrigo and his guys should know better than to repeat their crime. Especially since they could expect him to refuse anymore business with them in the future. "I don't think any of my other rivals would lay a hand on you. They're classier than that. Rodrigo is scum and so are his men." He nodded firmly, giving power to his reassurance. Most of the enemies he had weren't gross like Rod was. Whether they were friend or foe, he preferred to socialize with people that had the same style as him, or at least something close to it.

Nicoli was aware of how vulnerable she was right now. She was openly showing her feelings to him, while sitting there in just the shirt he offered, and her underwear. That hug she gave him earlier told him as much. What was he supposed to do right now? He was torn between comforting her, and going back to being silent. After proving last night that he was terrible with words, he was hesitant to say anything more. "I may not know much about you, or...really anything that isn't business, or killing. I do know my enemies, though. Something like this won't happen again to you, or anyone else. I'll see to it." Towards the end of his statement, he poked his index finger against the table a couple times. "If you need help with self-defense, I can provide. Anything that makes you feel safe, okay?"

When he got up, he collected the empty dishes so they could be placed into the sink for later. He was serious when he committed to repairing any flaws in his security. People shouldn't have to get involved with his illegal transactions. He'd send a message about it overseas if he had to.

 

[Hydronine]

How could she keep being angry when he seemed to be... trying to make her feel better?

"I... I see." She started, looking down at the table as he moved the plates. "I... I might like that." She admitted softly, uncertain of what to do next.

"Nico?" She started then seemed to take a while on following up on what she wanted to say, "... I'm sorry I got mad..." She seemed a little at odds with herself on the apology. "I... just don't think you understand... You're... different.... You're top of the food chain in every stance and... I messed up. Got into the wrong problems at the wrong time... " She admitted softly. "My problems are people you wouldn't even know about probably..." She continued, pausing for a moment, then looked up at him. "I... I fucked up a few years ago when I was working at that salon. I went to a club with a friend... I had something to drink and everything got hazy. I wish I could say it was just... that someone had just... This wasn't my first time being kidnapped." She stopped, shaking her head, unable to think on it further. "That's why I was trying my hardest to keep away from those guys. Look where it got me. I still got kidnapped. I still got pulled into it." She spoke, her voice wavering as she looked up at him.

"I... can't... get hopeful and have it lead to nothing. I don't think I could take having my dreams taken from me like that again. I wouldn't be able to bounce back again." She managed and shook her head, lower lip quivering and tears burning in her eyes. No, she was not about to cry in front of Nico, that would be ridiculous- and useless. "I've tried fixing things, it doesn't work. I've tried everything, and nothing works. As I said, I'm lucky to be alive. And not in jail still." She murmured sullenly, eyes glued to the table.

She looked up at that point, desperation in her eyes, focusing entirely on Nico. "I want my life back, and I can't have it. My family has more or less disowned me because I was forced to... I..." She stopped, clenching her jaw and troubled. She couldn't get the words out, and it frustrated her- she was shaking. No... she had to fucking talk about this, he might be the only one who could help her. "I ransomed... myself. For some group... and we ran off with the money. Sold and made drugs... got looped into a couple different things I'm not proud of. It's not like I wanted to... and... I knew if I ran from them, they'd find me. One weekend, that's all it took. Family left me. The group kept me around until I... I got myself out- Mark... managed to spin everything, got me fired, got me put in jail for a bit... got me pretty much blacklisted from everywhere I ever wanted to work... I did what I could- it wasn't enough. It still isn't enough." She chuckled darkly at that. "So every once in a while when times get hard, I go back to that club, back to Mark and beg for a loan. I owe him. I don't know who he's affiliated with. All I know is that I... can't get out of it. He's not as well-connected as you are, probably, but it's enough.."

She looked up at Nico, shrugging. "Why would I think I have a chance when I'm dealing with that? As I said, one mistake, that's all it took. I had a drink and everything from that point... I don't know what to do." She muttered softly. "I have a criminal record. I pushed my family to bankruptcy-They're never going to talk to me again... save for my brother who's trying so hard to keep me on the straight and narrow that I almost want to fuck everything up just to spite him. I can't move. I can't work anywhere else. My only other option is... stupid and wouldn't work." She murmured. "You're in control of what you have, I'm not. People owe you- I owe everyone. You have this whole place to yourself- I... scrape by. Big difference." She explained softly, then rested her forehead on her knees, hugging her legs tighter to herself. "How could I expect you to understand?" She asked softly, slightly muffled by her position.

 

[Fluffy]

Nicoli was using cleaning as an excuse to not sit still and listen. He was still listening of course, it was just important that he keep his hands busy. The table was cleared of all dishes, which were promptly washed and put away. He could still hear her over the faucet if he kept the water coming at a low level. After drying his hands, he realized that's really all there was to do. Sasha deserved his attention, though. So through the rest of her spiel, he stood nearby with crossed arms.

The poor dear was trying her best to fight the tears stinging in her eyes. He could tell by the shakiness of her voice, and her posture. For so long, he didn't give a single thought to the private lives of strangers. All he paid mind to was himself. So to say the least, her story was eye opening. In that single moment, he could actually come to an understanding as to why she lashed at him the way she did. It impressed him, too, that she was mature enough to admit to what she did. He was mostly expecting her to resume the tantrum, like a child would do.

She didn't really have to reveal all that information. It was way more than he was willing to share about his own self. On the positive side, it made getting to know her a bit easier. With this new knowledge in his brain, he could do a better job of not upsetting her. Hopefully. Nicoli wasn't too confident in that still.

Quietly, he arrived at the side of the hunched figure that was Sasha. An arm formed half an embrace around her form so her head could be pulled against his side. She could cry into his clothes, or just lean on him for support. All he wanted to do was calm her down. Nic was internally sympathizing with her. A young lady shouldn't have to go through what all she's gone through. He could see why it would be hard to find the strength to carry on when life just keeps knocking you down. Nico became strong enough to stomp on his enemies, but she was doomed to perish without any proper support. Which her ex-boyfriend did a good job of taking way out of her reach.

"Thank you for helping me to understand better." he started with, his voice carrying a velvety softness he rarely made use of. Usually it was intimidating with this man was towering over you, but his stance suggested he was only there to act as her pillar of strength. "You may feel as though you owe me, but I'm going to offer anyway: let me help you. All along you've had connections with me, and you can use them." It's about time her long wait ended, right? Otherwise, he was at a loss for what to say. "We'll take it a step at a time. Worst has happened to me than this, so..." He shrugged a little. Silver linings? "For now, you should get cleaned up and I should give you clean bandages where necessary. Later, you're going to have crab legs."

 

[Hydronine]

She was surprised by his actions, to say the least. She had flinched instinctively at his touch- where he had the reflex to defend and go on the offense, she had never been taught how to defend herself- only a reflex to flinch and tremble at sudden touch. It spoke volumes about the spunky hairdresser, and it was something that she tried to hide.

After flinching after fist, she recovered swiftly and leaned against him, shuddering. Crying. Partly out of relief of someone understanding. Britney was... well... scared of her... and her brother tried to understand- but that was a failing effort. Her family wasn't worth mentioning. Her current boss knew about her past, but had warned her explicitly that he wouldn't take any shit from her. Nico was the first person to not look at her like she had grown a second head, or tried to avoid her. He was actively trying to physically be there for her.

"Thank you..." The words were whimpered softly into his shirt as she finally came out of her hunch, her arms locking around his waist, clinging to him with a desperation that he might be the only one to understand. Something inside her instinctively wanting to be near this other human being that had shown her human decency. Her frame trembled against him, aching and begging for just a few moments longer of physical contact with someone else. So what if he was older? So what if others might see him as a bad guy? They'd probably think no better of her. Her shyness from moments ago was gone, replaced with so much overwhelming relief that she couldn't think of anything else.

She held onto him for a bit longer, silently, until the shakes and shudders subsided and then she managed to lift her head, looking up at him with tear and mascara/eyeliner-streaked cheeks. She had managed to keep anything from getting smudged onto him, small victories, but she looked up at him and all she could manage was the most sheepish smile ever seen. "I... Sorry... No one's ever..." She shook her head, he'd probably understand at this point. "I've never had anyone hear about it and think to hug me... or... anything other than... Y'know, get away from me..." She tried to swallow the lump in her throat and she bit her lower lip, looking up at him with a shrug. "I... I'll go get cleaned up." Sasha stated softly before getting out of the chair...

And then immediately stood up on her toes to kiss Nico on the cheek, patted him on the shoulder and then walked past him, walking back to the bedroom, and then the shower.

 

[Fluffy]

Nicoli, oddly, didn't mind her holding onto him for as long as she did. Close contact with someone, especially a crying someone, would usually make him want to step back while using a ten foot pole to pat them on the back. Sasha got a different sort of response from him, though. She made him want to be more patient and gentle. When he saw how vulnerable this woman truly was, his first instinct was not to abandon her. That was an absurd idea. It disgusted him a whole lot to know that her family could be so cruel to her, not to mention the others she's had the misfortune of knowing. His desire to help her came from him genuinely caring, not from obligation or anything else. This was an odd, new feeling for him. But he felt it best to go with it.

The kiss to the cheek caused crimson to stretch across his face. Whether she intended to or not, that got to him. As did watching her walk off with the slightest bit of her backside exposed under the hem of his shirt. His hair stylist was leaving a mark on him and he wasn't sure if he liked it or not. Nico was strictly against making any attachments. He admitted, too, that he wished he could help relieve her stress. She would be pleasantly surprised to find out how fantastic he could make her feel.

A breath of air passed through his lips before he slowly made way to his bedroom. She was free to use his bathroom as much as she needed. You could guess that it was a very fancy setup. He had a spacious shower with a head at each side. Instead of a standard bathtub, there was a jacuzzi in the corner with an assortment of bath products around the edge. There were two sinks, and big fluffy towels hangings from the racks in the wall. The mood was calming with tones of navy and sky blue, a few nautical knickknacks giving decoration to the whole place.

He'd leave her to what she needed to do. Meanwhile, he sorted out some supplies he could use to get her patched up again. As well, he laid out his outfit for the day, since he really wasn't doing anything else. Anything to distract him from the inappropriate thoughts racing in his skull. He then realized, what would she wear? It didn't occur to him until now that he should wash her clothes so she'd at least have something fresh to put on. "Stupid," he grumbled to himself. Nicoli really wasn't properly instructed in the way of house guest treatment.

 

[Hydronine]

Sasha didn't even look at herself in the mirror, she just looked for the shower and went in- trying not to feel out of place in this grand place. She felt slightly like a street urchin that had stepped into a mansion. Which... was actually the best way to put this.

She looked around, some-what overwhelmed with everything and blinked.

Ok. Ok... Ok, the shower was... really big... two heads?... And all these products... she didn't recognize a damned thing. Wait, was that shampoo?... Was that body wash? Was it color-friendly?... You know what, fuck it, if her dyes faded, she'd just fix them up.

She still felt lost in this bathroom though.

Finally she just decided to go for it, turned on one of the shower heads, then pulled back, peeled herself out of Nico's shirt, her underwear and then slowly pulled off every bandaid and pad and piece of tape on her to inspect the damage, grimacing at what she found. She made a hiss in her throat at the sight of her injuries then shook her head and stepped into the shower, opening and smelling things to try and figure out what they were... Body wash? Test it. Nope, shampoo.... then this must be bodywash?... the hell was this... what was that... Were those labels in FRENCH?... no... wait, were they?... What in the hell...

After the crash-course that was trying to figure out the toiletries and get herself adequately bathed, she was disgruntled to find that her dyes HAD faded a little. Well, ok, fine. She could fix them. She wrapped herself up in one of the fluffy towels after drying herself off and trying, trying really hard to make sure her hair didn't bleed onto the towels. Luckily it wasn't that bad.

Wait... what was she going to wear?

She poked her head out of the bathroom, her head slicked down to her head in a way that looked unflattering, and she was completely bare of makeup- if Nico laughed or reacted, it would be the death of him. "Um.... N-Nico... at the very least... um... could you pass me... my.... er... bra... and shorts and shirt?..." Her face was flushed from the heat of the shower- that's what she told herself at least.

 

[Fluffy]

The time she spent showering, he spent getting the place tidied up. Not much was out of place, though. He ended up spending time looking through his cellphone for messages. There was nothing, though. Not what he was expecting, but no news was good news. Hopefully it would stay that way.

As he set down the device, his head turned towards the bathroom doorway where Sasha was asking for her clothing. He noticed the faded colors in her hair. Obviously, he didn't have the right products for her. At least she was willing to use them. Some women were too protective of their does. "Yeah, um..." Nicoli had to tear his eyes away, curious about what was hiding beyond the wall. She had no makeup, something that actually didn't come to attention until he made a second glance, holding her clothes in his hands. Someone in her age group might find the sight to be laugh worthy, but not him. He just saw her real face in full, and was actually pleased to see it, redness and all.

He strode over coolly with an arm outreached, allowing her to grab the clothes without having to step out of hiding. "Let me know when I can come in. I'll patch your leg up." Nic hoped she felt at least a little bit better. Getting clean always improved a person's mood. He thought so, at least. "I'm sorry I didn't think to wash those. I can be a bonehead sometimes." The light insult to himself was punctuated with the faintest chuckle. Then, he set a fist against his forehead, his lips silently carrying a string of curse words. He was trying to be friendly, but... Was only making himself look incredibly lame. It made much more sense now, as to why he was told to just look good and be quiet while someone else spoke on his behalf. He might end up telling someone he's a bonehead, for instance.

 

[Hydronine]

Ok, he wasn't laughing, that was a good start, right?

He had grabbed her clothes without any sort of reaction and she smiled before taking them from him, at his comment of being a bone-head, she had to chuckle a bit. "You should let your guard down more. You're more approachable like this." She stated softly before retreating into the bathroom, pulling her clothes on.

He was a gentleman about all this- that was for certain. Most guys she knew wouldn't give a shit if her clothes were washed or not, but that statement.... and then his help on her injuries...

She looked at herself in the mirror, frowning before combing her hair a bit with her hands, trying to arrange it a little better. She didn't have any of her makeup over here... she didn't have anything over here- he was going to have to deal with her being like this. Wait, she didn't have anything besides her phone. She didn't have her money or her id... Great. Whatever, save that for later. Worry about that later.

"Hey, we're all good.... I'm decent." She murmured as she peaked out of the door, looking up at Nico shyly. The worst of it was over, it wasn't like he was going to have to pull something else out of her and stitch her up again. At worst it would need some disinfectant before the wrappings were re-applied.

"Hey, Nico?... Thanks... For all of this. I mean it." She said softly as she looked over the sewn up gash in her leg.

 

[Fluffy]

Well, at least she found him more approachable. That made him feel a little bit better.

Nicoli appeared in the bathroom, where she was waiting to be patched up. An extra light was turned on so he could get a clearer view. He looked it over from where he was standing, pleased to still see his work in good condition. Just a little bit of cleaning should due, with a new layer of tape.

He was kneeling before her with the supplies lined on on the floor at his side. Brown orbs flicked upwards to see her face, her lips delivering a soft spoken thank you. Attention went back to the wound, where he was about to start dabbing with a swab of disinfectant. "You're welcome, Sasha." he said with a sigh, accepting that he should be more appreciative of her compliments and gratefulness. "You know I wouldn't hurt you deliberately, right?" Even though his face was mostly stoic, his eyes were smiling at her. However, the mood changed within seconds: "Except for right now, as I clean your wound a bit." Following that, there was feathery dabbing that probably still stung a bit. He saw to it that he was quick about getting the padding on, then the bandaging. That should keep the wound nice and safe.

Nico was tempted to kiss her thigh. He didn't, of course. That was so childish and stupid, why did the thought even cross his mind? Scoffing in his own mind, he collected the medical supplies and got everything where it belonged. "That'll do it," he assured her, letting his arms rest at his sides. "Did you need anything else?" It seemed right to offer before getting himself freshened up for the day.

 

[Hydronine]

Sasha smiled at him slightly, nodding when he asked her if she knew that he wouldn't hurt her... and then that dabbing, she winced.

"That was mean, Nico." She whimpered slightly, before relaxing a bit as he moved on to getting it covered up again. She watched him as he went to put his stuff where it belonged and then that small question, she almost wanted to make some cheeky remark about wanting a kiss or something... Then again, this was Nico- Nico... her client...

Nico, the serious stiff who probably wanted her out of here as soon as she was able to leave... Nico, who reacted like the act of being asked for a night out was comparable to torture...

A bright red blush was coming up on her cheeks and without the alcohol or pain from her leg to distract her, she was suddenly realizing some of what she had said the night before- Had she REALLY made a comment about the last time he got laid? Really? And... had she made some comment when she saw him shirtless? She did, didn't she? Stupid, stupid, stupid. She was lucky if he'd still come to her after all this.

She couldn't help but worry that she had already said and done enough to warrant judgement from him- not about her past, but her current behaviors- asking him those questions, talking his ear off, getting angry at him for reasons he couldn't understand...

"U...uh... no... I think I'm good now." She spoke softly, unsure of what else to say. What else could she possibly want from him? No, don't think on that. Bad idea. Bad Sasha. Her eyes were watching him as she looked at the job he had done, admiring the work. "Yup, not bleeding to death." Wow, just state it like it is, why don't ya? Why not also tell him that the sky is blue and his eyes were brown.

"I... I'll just er... leave you to it." She stumbled over her words and zipped out of the bathroom quickly. Now what? What was she supposed to do with this guy? How was she going to get home and grab her things at any point? Were the cops there? How many times had her brother called her? She pulled her phone out her shorts, turned it back on for a moment and immediately saw the amount of calls and shut it off again. Nope. Not dealing with that today. Thirty.... six... calls. Twelve voice-mails. Nope. Not doing it.

She knew keeping her phone on was stupid- if she kept it on for long enough and someone managed to get her on a call, they could find her. And right now, she really, really didn't want to be found. By anyone.

She hadn't even called her work, and honestly, she wasn't planning on doing it. She'd explain later. Sure, her boss would be mad, but she was one of their best stylists and he'd probably be ok if she explained that some shit had really hit the fan the other day.

Actually... no. Let's not take any chances. She took off the back of her phone, lifted the battery out of its compartment and took her the chip out of her phone, put the battery back in and the back of her phone back on, pocketing the SIM chip with the phone. It made her feel slightly more secure.

Her thoughts traveled back a couple years and she grimaced. Could she blame her family? No. Not really. She had milked thousands out of them- hell, she had been forced to, but still... And then what did she do? She went on a crime spree. She rubbed her forehead slightly, unable to stop hating every choice she made. She had screwed up every opportunity to escape because she was afraid. Even if she did escape, where'd she go to?

The similarities to this instance and the one years ago were annoying at times- both situations, she couldn't go home. Both situations, the cops weren't her friends. When was the last time she actually wanted a cop around?

No... this was different, she had Nico...

Or did she? Could she really trust him? Really?

The thoughts on her past had made her paranoid about the present- who could she really trust?

...If she was honest.... No one. Nico knew quite a bit about her now, and was that smart? Really? Britney knew a bit, but even just knowing the jist and not even the nitty gritty had scared her.... Her boss... nope.... Her brother just wanted to hold tight to the image of the sister she used to be.... and that left...

No one.

Brilliant- absolutely fucking brilliant. She was an idiot. What if... no. She could trust Nico.

What if he was making it so she owed him though- even if he had said... no... no... it was possible that she shouldn't be trusting him...

She was giving herself a headache and she knew she should calm down... Nico wasn't an enemy- if he was going to do something, he would have done it already. Still. She was worried and troubled. This whole damned situation was just...not favorable.

She almost wanted to knock on the bathroom door and ask Nico if he could just pay off the cops for this situation. IT would be nice to go home, get her dyes and... wait.

Wait.

Why the hell was she feeling like she should stay here?... She already knew the answer, though- it was because no one knew this place. No one knew she would be here. That made all the difference in the world. She didn't want to talk to anyone or deal with questions.

She'd have to talk to Nico when he got out... figure something out... maybe he'd be able to help her think of a plan?

 

[Fluffy]

The door was closed only partway after she fled. It was a common habit for him because being closed up in any room triggered paranoia. He wanted to be able to hear intruders better, and not having to open the door would save him a few seconds in an emergency.

Nicoli normally didn't take long to bathe. Once the water was warm enough, he got his hair and skin properly cleansed. He was already feeling significantly better. Having his routine thrown off was causing him so many problems, it just felt nice to wash away a bunch of it. Shower time usually meant it was thinking time, but this time he let his mind go blank. Thoughts would only ruin this peaceful moment he was having to himself.

The water got turned off once he was done, then he stepped out onto the fuzzy rug on the floor. He used a light blue towel to dry himself off from head to toe, spending a good amount of time on getting as much water off as possible. Nic actually liked to spend some time in the nude so he could air dry; clothes felt uncomfortable with those easy to miss wet spots on your body. He had a house guest, though.

A pair of boxer briefs was pulled up before he went looking through his clothes. He chose a suit that was a slate gray, showing that very faint tint of blue to it, worn over the standard white dress shirt. It was dull looking until he got on the cobalt colored tie that would give the outfit more personality. As well, the coordinated colors went well with his dark eyes, and the olive tone of his skin. They were all the ideas of his tailor, Nic could never piece outfits on his own.

Items were tucked into his pockets where they were regularly kept, after he gave his hair its signature style. The last thing he did was lace up his shoes. The shoes that made a familiar echo through the house, heralding the arrival of a professionally dressed Nicoli. His steps carried him into the living room, where he stood near the sofa rather than on it. He and Sasha could discuss a thing or two about today. Surely she'd show up at some point, wherever in the home she may be.

 

[Hydronine]

Sasha was walking through the place, exploring now that there was no rush or emergency to worry about. Honestly, this was just beyond ridiculous and she almost wanted to laugh at just how big the place was. Hell, her shitheap of an apartment was tiny- but it felt like home and she didn't feel all that lonely when the space she had was pretty much only enough for one person. If she lived here, by herself, she'd croak.

She eventually wandered back towards the sound of Nico's shoes. Those fucking dress shoes- he was all dressed up again, wasn't he?

"Are you fucking kidding me?" She muttered as she finally spotted him- surprise all over her face. "Do you ever go out in less than three layers?" She asked softly, still getting over the fact that he was all dressed up. He did look good, she had to admit of course- but damn, did he ever leave his place in anything but a suit?

And then she realized just how out of place she felt, again. That hurt like a punch to the gut, but there was really nothing she could do about it- these feelings occurred from time to time. Just get over it.

"Ok... Suit aside, I... have a question... a request... and you can say "no". No pressure and I completely understand if you..." She was trying to stop herself from talking too fast. Calm down. Breathe. "Nico... I'm... afraid to go home. I mean, shit, I'm eventually going to have to- I can't stay here forever- I'm sure that would be fun for you- but.... I... I don't know what to do... Got any ideas or... anything? I don't want to deal with cops... or anything else.... Hell, I don't want to deal with any questions at all..." She murmured softly, crossing her arms over her chest, trying to keep calm. Just ask.

"Can I stay here for a few more days- just a few- and figure something out? I promise I'll stay out of your way, and you won't even know I'm here, or... I'm... a really shitty cook... and I suck at cleaning... You're good on haircuts for a while... er... I can make mixed drinks pretty damned well? Shit, no, that's still a bad offer..." She bit her lip, looking at the ground as she tried to determine something of equal value to what she was asking.

"I don't have much to offer... honestly. But I'll do anything I can to make it up to you." She spoke softly, swallowing that lump that had formed in her throat again. She knew exactly how far that statement could take this, and knew it was the only thing she could put on the table. "I'll do anything you ask of me." She drove the point home, a quiet seriousness in her eyes as she looked up at him. This wasn't just words, she meant it. She needed sanctuary and this was the only place she felt safe for now.

"I won't say "no" to anything. I'm not shy and I'm not stupid, I know what it means to offer what I'm saying. It's all I got." She shrugged, smiling slightly, but it didn't reach her eyes. "I just need a few days."

It was easy to see that this was an offer that she had made before, and she was calm about it. There was nothing else she could do, why fret?