slidingmoments | "Every time I look at you, I just don't know what to do."

Entry tags:

"Every time I look at you, I just don't know what to do."

Who:

nickthewarbler with a side order of

justwants2dance (posting order)
What: That awkward moment where you think you care
Where: Jackson Memorial Hospital, Miami
When: A couple of weeks after THIS
Rating: Who knows

The elevator incident was probably always destined to go down the toilet. Nothing could could come out of being locked in a small space with Jeff Hinton. First the damn thing breaks down, then there is angry sex with was basically a power struggle with results Nick couldn't quit analyse effectively, but he was putting it down to being sick. Then there was this. Waking up in a hospital a week later after hitting diabetic ketoacidosis in there and falling into a coma in the ambulance on the way to the hospital. He only heard after the fact that Jeff had apparently freaked the fuck out after Nick passed out and they ended up fixing the elevator at emergency speed, with the ambulance waiting for him by the time they got it open again.

Nick had spent a week unconscious, and then a few more days in a groggy haze. He had been aware of family and friends coming and going for visits, but these past couple of days were the first time after it all that he was starting to feel like a human again. There was some sensations of being worse for wear, and he was tired all the time, but he was getting better now he had been hit with intensive insulin therapy running constantly on an IV drip. He must have dozed off mid-conversation with Mike and woke up slowly again finding Mike sitting there holding his hand. Nick gave him a sleepy smile and squeezed his hand back gently, grateful of the company. They weren't dating, but they were room mates with a distinct friends-with-benefits thing going on. It was like a stopover for them until they found something else, and it worked. Mike was a caring guy, though, and he had been visiting daily since Nick landed in hospital. They didn't even need to have constant conversation. It was just companionship, and Nick was grateful because being in hospital? Sucked giant balls.

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Freaked out had probably been an understatement if Jeff were honest. It had been the most terrifying thing he'd ever gone through, and while he hated Nick with a burning passion, he didn't want the guy to die right there in the elevator with him... or at all. He'd actually been totally unable to sleep that night, freaked out by the memory of how Nick had slumped against him so lifelessly. He'd honestly thought for a moment that Nick really had just died, and it had shaken him to the core.

Something in him had told him he should go to the hospital and check in on Nick, but he just hadn't been able to bring himself to do it yet. He'd kept quietly informed by asking Mercedes about things, but still. He had been the one there with Nick when he passed out, and that made it different, whether he wanted it to or not. After two weeks of back and forth, the man had finally decided that he needed to go. Like it or hate it. The cab ride to the hospital seemed to take forever, and when he finally found himself outside the hospital, it took him a long time to even go inside. Usually, people took gifts to patients in the hospital, right? But what kind of gift did you take to the person you hated all through school and had hate sex with in an elevator before he passed out cold?

In the end, he decided against the gift and went up to Nick's floor, where a nurse took him to the room. Swallowing hard, he knocked on the door, before coming in when Nick said it was okay. Jeff could only assume he'd expected a nurse, but he walked over to Nick's bedside slowly, blinking in surprise when he saw Mike, whom he knew from the days when he was dating Mercedes and Mike was dating Quinn. "Um... Hey," he said awkwardly, looking from Mike to Nick.

Were Nick and Mike dating? Did Mike know that Nick had fucked Jeff?

Well, this was awkward.

Mike had been coming and visiting Nick at least once a day since he fell sick and landed in hospital. His college schedule was mental, as was the demand going to med school, but he always fitted in time for his friends. Nick was probably one of his best mates, and they were FWB roomies. Mike really cared about him and although Mike knew he really wasn't ready for another relationship after his engagement with Quinn ended, Nick had only been looking for casual too so what they had worked. There was still and affection between them, though, and they gave each other comforting. Plus, Nick had been really sick and he hated being in hospital. Comfort was always a good thing for that.

But when Jeff appeared in the doorway, Mike's eyes widened in surprise. He really hadn't expected to see that guy. He knew the whole story of the elevator, what happened, what went down, and how Nick ended up in a coma from it. Nick wasn't really a secret-keeper in that sense. They actually had a bit of a laugh about it when he was feeling well enough to see the amusing side. But really, he hadn't expected to see the blonde appearing any time soon. He released Nick's hand and looked between him and Jeff. "I might make myself scarce. You guys should probably, uh... debrief."

Nick didn't know what the hell to say to the fact Jeff was there. What did it mean? He knew Jeff had done everything he could to get Nick out of the elevator and Nick was eternally grateful for that. He wasn't that much of a dickhead to not let old school rivalry get in the way of gratitude for having his life saved. It was one of those freakish events that just sucked and they couldn't do anything about it. Mike was right though. Something had to be said between them after what happened, and especially considering they had mutual friends.

He swallowed to wet his throat and glanced at Mike. "You don't mind? Will you get me a real coffee from the cafe? The stuff in here is shit. Thanks, babe," he murmured with a smile and shifted up in the bed against his pillows a little.

From what Mike said, Jeff was pretty sure that he knew what had gone down between him and Nick on the elevator. That was a relief. At least he wasn't about to get punched in the face by Nick's boyfriend or something. He gave Mike a slight nod of appreciation before turning back to Nick.

God, this was so fucking awkward. What did you say in a situation like this? Maybe it would've been better if he hadn't come at all, but he would've never been able to forgive himself for leaving it like he had. Love or hate someone, Jeff couldn't just ignore the fact that Nick had been sick to the point of going into a coma. Quietly, he looked over Nick's face, swallowing hard. "I just wanted to... um... make sure you were doing okay..."

Nick watched as Mike left and then found himself alone with Jeff again. This was getting to be a repeat occurrence and he hadn't figured out how he felt about that yet. He was more than aware that at this point, he was on shoved into the more submissive position being weak in a hospital bed. It did grate on him that he had to show his weakness in front of Jeff, but there wasn't anything that could be done about it. It had happened, and that was it. Nick had diabetes back in school, and had even been diagnosed in junior year, but it's not something Jeff would have been aware of. Some of the Warblers knew, but Nick had kept it mostly discreet because he had been more than embarrassed by the whole thing.

"I am now," he replied calmly. The least he could do was offer the reassurance. Jeff did basically save his life. "It's been a work in progress. I did need to thank you for what you did to help me, though. It was pretty much an inevitable outcome, I just... hoped it wouldn't be, I guess. I'm a bit of a buzzkill without my drugs."

The last thing on Jeff's mind was having the upper hand at this point. Despite everything, Jeff wasn't heartless, and seeing Nick in the hospital bed did something to him that he couldn't explain. Nick just looked so much smaller and more vulnerable in that bed... Nothing at all like the kid Jeff had spent the majority of high school fighting with, sometimes physically, and nothing at all like the fierce, passionate guy who'd had his way with him on the elevator.

"That's... that's good. You definitely look better... You know, considering that the last time I saw you, you weren't conscious." He shrugged, shaking his head. "No need to thank me, man... I just... I know we've never gotten along well, but that doesn't mean I wanted you to... like... check out or anything." He stood there awkwardly for a moment. "Seriously, though. I'm glad you're okay... I didn't know you... um... had a boyfriend."

Nick quirked his lips a little and gave a shake of his head. "I don't. I haven't dated since I was overse-- Mike? You mean Mike?" he cut himself off with realisation and then smirk. "I'm not dating Mike. We live together, he's my room mate, and yeah, we fuck, but we're not dating. He's not long out of a really long term relationship and engagement, and he doesn't want anything serious right now."

"Look, dude, I know what happened in the elevator with my diabetes was as scary as fuck. My family and friends have been aware of it for years, and if it happens? It still scares the shit out of them. It scares the shit out of me. As much as you and I... uh, haven't seen eye-to-eye on, well, everything, I wouldn't have wanted to wish that onto you. It sucks it happened, but I am really grateful you did what you could to help me." He fell into a silence for a moment, feeling that awkwardness trying to reign again. "And if I did anything embarrassing when I blacked out, can we please just pretend it never happened?"

There was a tiny bit of relief in knowing that what happened on the elevator hadn't been cheating on top of everything else. "Oh... That's cool... Just like a... friends with benefits deal? I sort of have a deal like that, too... It's kinda nice." He didn't know why he was volunteering this information, but he eventually stopped himself. "Yeah... He was gonna marry Quinn... I used to date Quinn's friend Mercedes... They're like... co-fag hags, and I'm still really tight with Mercedes."

Jeff shook his head. "No, it's cool, dude. Don't worry about it. It's not like you could help it. It was a bad situation is all. I know we've always been assholes to each other, but I don't think you'd purposefully put yourself in a coma to be a dick to me." He smiled faintly. "I wouldn't use anything like that against you, man," Jeff said, his tone reassuring and gentle. What the hell was this? He and Nick having a civil conversation? "Anything that happened on that elevator... at least after the really hot sex... stays between us."

Nick gave a nod. "Exactly that. Nothing exclusive by any means. We're good mates, we both want what the other can offer right now. I'm not even sure I'm ready to settle anywhere. Wanderlust is still flowing through the veins and all that," he murmured with a shrug. He couldn't lie, some days he was actually homesick for Italy. "He sure was, but they cut their losses. Well, sort of. They're still fucking, even if they don't mean to. I don't think that's common knowledge, though..."

"Take a seat, if you want," he offered with a glance at the spot Mike had just vacated, and not having an iota of a clue why he was even suggesting it. He wasn't going to overanalyse it, but he was going to make excuses for it. "I mean, I hear Blaine has hooked up with your ex's best friend, Kurt, so maybe we should make some sort of attempt to clear the air. I don't know about Kurt, but I know Blaine could really do with an easy ride. I mean, you probably know he's never hooked up before, so the last thing he'll want is his mates warring behind the scenes. It's not like we're in school anymore. Shit happens and a lot of time has past. I'd offer you a drink, but they didn't give me a room with a mini bar."

"Friends with benefits works really well with that, then," Jeff agreed. "Nothing serious, no need for commitment, and if we end up finding someone we actually want to date and stop sleeping together, it's no harm, no foul. I know what you mean. It's kinda the perfect fit for me right now. Oh, I see," he said, reminding himself not to let slip to Quinn that he knew that unless Mercedes filled him in. "Does that not make it harder that they broke up?" Jeff asked. He wasn't judging by any means. He couldn't sit in judgment on anyone for their sexual choices, especially considering he'd let his high school enemy bang him on an elevator.

"Thanks," he said as he crossed over to take the offered seat, giving a slow nod to Nick. "You're probably right. And I know Kurt could, too." He couldn't help the amused grin on his face. "Well some hospital room host you are, dude," he said, surprised at the light joking between him and Nick when there had been a time that they'd barely been able to stand in the same room without ignoring one another completely or ending up in a massive fist fight. "It's cool, though. I think you're right. We need to bury the hatchet... For our friends' sake, you know."

Jeff had mentioned his own FWB thing twice in a row now, and Nick had to wonder if he wanted a medal. But it was probably still the lingering and reflexive bitchiness in him that had always been second nature with Jeff. It wasn't like Nick was about to ask him anything about his own arrangement. It was none of his business what Jeff's sex life was, and his own had only come up in conversation because the shared party had just been sitting there holding Nick's hand. Even if Jeff had been dating someone, and their elevator fucking had been cheating, it still wouldn't be Nick's issue. "I don't know. Maybe it does, or maybe it's just part of resolution process after being together to long. It can't be easy going cold turkey, and neither of them are with anyone else. They're not hurting anyone, I guess that's all that matter. They could hurt themselves, but they're adults. Not dumb ones either considering they're in med school and law school."

"I've heard a lot about Kurt over the past few days. The couple of times Blaine's visited, he's been babbling non-stop about the guy. Talk about head-over. Makes me really curious. I keep trying to remember Kurt from McKinley, and I think I vaguely do, but he never got much spotlight with their glee club. He must have been background noise. Which is a shame, because Blaine swears he's multi-talented..." he said, smirking. "How about we just both agree to not apologise for anything? Clean slate and all that."

If anyone had asked Jeff why he kept bringing it up, even Jeff wouldn't have been able to come up with an answer. He had no clue at all, but he was a little relieved when Nick didn't point it out, and instead let the subject change to Quinn and Mike. "Yeah, I guess so... When they were together that long and all that. They were dating back in high school. I guess it'd be hard to just quit altogether after all of that."

"Mercedes said Kurt and Quinn were the co-HBICs of the school. But Kurt's always seemed kind of quiet to me, so I don't know. He's a cool guy, even if he is kind of a bitch sometimes. I never would've thought of putting him with Blaine in my head, but now that they are, it kinda works in my head." He paused, offering Nick a smile. Now there was something he could definitely agree to. "Clean slate sounds like a plan to me. Everybody needs a second go at things every now and then, huh?"

"Maybe they'll hook back up one day. I don't know. No one ever really knows what's waiting around the corner. Maybe some people are just harder to quit than others..." Nick wasn't even sure about the whole thing, but he was hardly one to judge when he didn't exactly have the best relationship track record himself.

He wet his lips with a slow nod of confirmation. "They were. I've heard the stories. Kurt has... issues, shall we say. He's not quite, he shielded. There's a big difference. I asked Mike about him when Blaine started the repetitive babbling, because I was curious about what sort of person Kurt was. No one wants to see their pal get hurt, and if Kurt was at any risk of hurting Blaine, I wanted to know. Mike told me a few things that surprised me, but there's no intention on Kurt's part there to hurt Blaine. In fact, he's probably going to be more surprised by Blaine's attentions than anyone. You might know what I'm talking about, I don't know. I don't want to be dropping any bombshells that aren't my to drop. I just think it's another reason why neither of them need any of their friends at each other's throats. I think we can both be men about it all."

"I guess that's fair enough," Jeff said with a shrug. "Not really something I have a lot of experience on, but it makes a lot of sense." Jeff couldn't really say anything one way or another about that.

"Yeah. I don't really know a lot about him on a deep level. I dated his hag, but to some extent, there's a level of fag-hag secrecy that stays in place no matter what. She'd never have told me anything that wasn't hers to tell, and I never really got close enough to Kurt to get the downlow on anything. We're friends, but we're not super tight or anything. But trust me... The last thing I want is for Kurt and Blaine to have any problems from the outside. We're adults now. We don't have to act like we're kids in high school. Especially not kids who are at each other's throats constantly."

Nick looked over at Jeff, eyebrows raising just a little. "I had someone overseas, but when I wasn't going to inevitably stay there permanently, it had to end. I don't believe in long distance. I think physical connection is vital. Without it, you can't be complete. Not everyone shares that opinion, but I thrive on passion. There's nothing quite like it."

He gave the merest of shrugs. "Kurt's battled an eating disorder for some time. That doesn't go beyond these four walls, and if I find out it has, I will hurt you. I don't know the true extent of it, I just know it's there and not really a secret in the group. But what Kurt and Blaine figure out between themselves is up to them. If we all start trying to interfere, it could get ruined and I think they'll be good together. It's sort of weird they've never met before, but it mustn't have just meant to be. It would have to be shit to have your friends around you at each other, so I think we can take the high road and just set that aside. Or at least try. For them."

"So... what made you come back here?" Jeff asked, settling back in his seat. "I mean, it sounds like you really liked being in Europe... and if you had somebody there... What was the draw of coming back to the States?" There was part of him that was still waiting for Nick to go bitchpls on him for asking too many questions or something.

"I won't say anything," Jeff said. "Besides... if you didn't hurt me, I'd have a bevy of pissed off fag hags to contend with. No worries there. It's not my place to tell Blaine anything like that. Yeah. I'm definitely okay with that. I mean, hey, that was high school, right? We're grown men now. And... yeah. Like you said. For them." But as they sat there, Jeff couldn't help wondering if it really was just for Kurt and Blaine that he was willing to try getting along with Nick. As weird as this had all been, it had shown Jeff a different side of Nick. A side that was human and that showed kindness and concern for his friends above his own feelings to some extent. Jeff could only assume that Nick wasn't the hugest fan of his even still, but he was willing to move past that for Kurt and Blaine, and Jeff couldn't help admiring that.

"I'm half Italian and half Irish. Europe is in my blood more than America is. I came back because I missed my family. I'm a Florida native, so it's not like I followed anyone here. My family live four hours away in Jacksonville. I'm in Miami because of my job. It's based here, but I travel a lot with it. Technically this is my home, so I'll always come back," Nick replied casually.

He smirked and nodded. "Truefax. He has a couple of live-in ones too, which could be either convenient or inconvenient, depending on who is on the receiving end of it. They'll just slice your balls off and hand them to you in a dripping bloody mess, no questions asked. I haven't been back any distinct amount of time to profess to know everything going on, because I don't, but Mike has filled me in on a lot of stuff. It's mostly Warblers I've been in touch with. Sebastian's coming to town with Jeremy soon. They're moving here too, I hear, to be closer to Blaine. Still fucks with my head that they're brothers."

[ooc: Notif fail on this thread - bastards!]

Half Italian and half Irish... That would explain why he was so fucking hot... Like him or hate him, Jeff couldn't deny that. Nick was a beautiful man, dark hair, dark eyes, and a nice body, at least before he'd landed himself in the hospital, and Jeff couldn't really tell with the hospital gown how well Nick had held up to that part. "I gotcha. That's cool, though, that you're close with your family like that. I get along well with mine, but we're not super tight. We go ages without even seeing each other, and nobody really worries about it. I do have a little nephew, though, and I miss him."

"Yeah... One of his hags is my ex, so I get that to the fullest extent. Mercedes does diva like it's her job, but I love her to death. She's still one of my best friends, but if I did anything to hurt Kurt, I'd be out on my ass.... Or two asses, considering she'd probably rip me a whole new one. You've been in touch with Sebastian? That's cool. He and I are really good friends. We were roomies for a while there before he went to Europe. I'm excited to see him and Jeremy. It's kinda crazy how all these connections exist and we didn't even realize it, though... I mean, parts of it we did, but it got so much more deep and tied together or whatever... Like six degrees to the max."

[ooc: No worries, love!]

"Mine's a bit spread out right now. Two of my younger sisters are in college at Yale and UCLA respectfully, the latter just started this year. Then the next sister down from them is finishing high school this year and going to Stamford next year, then my baby brother is at Dalton and about to go into his sophomore year there. So, other than my youngest sister, no one is actually at home right now. But my folks are, and I've always been close to them. I have shit load of extended family all over the the place too. Other than when I was away at Dalton, I can't actually think of a time I was away from family, and that didn't even count because my cousin went to McKinley," Nick said, pulling his lips to the side in thought. It really was the case, but he hadn't really thought about it before.

He nodded as he listened, fiddling at the IV in his forearm when it started to sting a little. "I've only known Mercedes a short time since I've been back in Miami, but she's fantastic. Because Mike is close to all of them, I've just connected by default but I'm more linked to Blaine here than anyone else. He's the one I got in touch with when I knew I would be back in Florida and he suggested Mike as a room mate because he had split with Quinn and was going to live on his own when he came here for med school. It's a lot of random links, but in saying that, maybe it's just inevitable? I never lost touch with Sebastian. I even spent some time in France with him and Jeremy when they were over there. I'm still in touch with just about every Warbler, uh, save for you," he added with a laugh.

"Well, it's good at least that you're tight with your parents... I didn't know you had a cousin who went to McKinley, though. Although, whoever they are, I feel sorry for them going to that hellhole of a school. My parents love Omaha, and so does my sister, but it's not really for me, you know? I always felt a lot more at home at Dalton than I did there, so it's nice to be able to reconnect with a lot of those people again. Hopefully the job I came here for comes through." The blonde seriously felt crazy making small talk with his former sworn enemy. What even was this?!

"Definitely," Jeff agreed. "When we broke up, she told me if we stopped being friends, she'd show me how to use my own dick as a dildo. Of course, she was kidding... Mostly... But we never stopped being friends. She's an amazing person, and I love her to death. Sebastian's a good guy. Ever the bitch, but not like he used to be. And Jeremy's a sweetheart. Well, why the hell aren't you texting me on the regular to check in?" Jeff teased, offering a wink and a grin of amusement. Fuck, what the hell was going on?

"Always have been. They always supported me and my siblings 100%, and we never wanted for anything. My cousin, Dani, was in the same year as most of New Directions, but she wasn't involved with them at all. My uncle is the police lieutenant in Lima. She's off at Harvard med school now. She's doing amazing for herself, I'm really proud. She was way better than McKinley High and wanted to make a difference after her sister was killed in a car accident. Dalton was fantastic, but it was more a home away from home for me. I always still needed to come back here because I missed it. I love the water, love the beach. It's in my blood. So, I take it you're sticking around here then? If you're going for a job and stuff," Nick pointed out.

He smirked. "Ci, I can imagine that as something she would say. I think that's a lot how the break up with Mike and Quinn went down too. There was no question they would stay friends, and it's nice to see. Not every break up has to be miserable and ruin your whole life forever. It's gotta take a lot to recognise that the friendship isn't worth throwing away, even if the relationship didn't work. Jeremy's a freaking little ninja sex god. Some French heiress wanted him to marry her and he turned her down! My bad. I must have misplaced your number... or, you know, never had it to start with."

"That's awesome," Jeff replied. "It must be really cool to have so many siblings. I can't imagine. I mean, I have a metric fuck-ton of cousins, but only my sister as far as siblings. I love her, but it would be cool to have more. I guess you kinda get used to a certain dynamic, though, and that's just what you go with. Wow, your cousin sounds really smart! I don't think I could walk on campus at Harvard. I'd set off the not smart enough detectors or something. Yeah, I'm planning to stay here... That is, if I can get the job. If not, I may have to try somewhere else. But I love it here... And it's nice to be around my old friends again."

Rolling his eyes, but with a light laughter that showed his amusement, Jeff nodded his agreement. "Oh, yeah. Mercedes doesn't play. You don't screw with her if you want your man parts attached at the end of the day. But that's what I love about her. She's awesome. Seems to really work well for Quinn and Mike, and I know it works great with me and 'Cedes. I heard about that! Seb was not amused," he said with a grin. "Pretty sure that chick got one hell of a bitchpls. Psh... Like you would've used it if you had it," he shot back, though playfully and with a wink.

Wait, a wink? Was he seriously flirting with Nick?

No. Of course not. Why would he do that?

Nick blinked, taken aback just slightly. Did Jeff just wink at him, or was it a random eyeball twitch. It was probably best to just not acknowledge the gesture at this point. If he did, either way, it would turn into an awkward moment and that was what they were attempting to avoid, right? "Like anything, there are pros and cons. Always company, but then, very little privacy. At least, when we were all living at home. That's not an issue anymore with us spread out lie a dog's breakfast. Plus, I'm pretty protective of them all. Okay, a lot protective. Anyone hurt them, I would probably literally draw blood... for a start. You would think having four brothers and sisters, I would know how to share, but when I get something I want, I really don't like sharing." And people could make of that what they will. "What are you going to do if you don't get it? You seem to be banking a lot on it."

He just laughed. "Hell, that's what you get for toying with fag hags. They're the fiercest bitches out there, save only for the fags they're protecting. I know Quinn would probably literally run over someone with a truck if they hurt Kurt. I'm talking monster truck, too. Hey, I think it's going to have to be some seriously top notch chick that Sebastian allows to date Jez on the long term. He will probably find something wrong with any girl Jez dates just so he doesn't have to share."

Jeff was pretty sure there had been some reaction from Nick to the fact that he'd winked at him, but he wasn't about to push that any further. this was weird enough as it was, and keeping the conversation going was a giant enough leap for mankind for the day for the two of them. "Yeah, I'm sure. It wouldn't matter how big a house you had, that many people would probably make it seem crowded. My house just kinda tends to be lonely a lot, honestly. My parents both work a lot, and my sister's out on her own, now, so... Yeah." He paused at Nick's comment about sharing and gave him a golden retrieveresque head tilt, a tiny smirk playing at his lips. "Some things weren't really meant to be shared, I guess," he said, though he followed Nick in the subject change and shrugged. "I mean, it's kinda why I'm even here right now. I don't know if I'll get it or not, honestly. It's not something I've convinced myself of or anything. I really want it, because it would be an awesome job, but at the end of the day, it isn't really my choice to make if they don't hire me... I guess I'll apply for other stuff, but I'm probably gonna try to stay around here, just because this is where everybody is. I made new friends in college and stuff, but the people who I really care about are here."

"Oh, yeah," the blond replied with a fond smile. "'Cedes has kind of made me her secondary fag, because we all know Kurt's forever number one... But she always says there's plenty of hag to go around. But yeah, the two of them, and Holly? Even if I didn't like Kurt, which I really do, I'd be scared as hell to fuck with him. I wouldn't know which one of 'em hit me, but they'd kill me in some extremely creative way, and definitely don't want that. Definitely. The twin thing is really awesome, though. Watching Seb and Jez always made me wish I had one... Well, until Seb was scaring off all Jez's prospective other halves." He went quiet for a moment, deep in thought. He'd really missed Seb and Jez while they were gone. Being roommates/friends with benefits with Sebastian had made Jeremy a pretty constant figure in his life, too, and he genuinely liked both of the twins. It had been weird without them around over the last while, and he was looking forward to seeing them both.

Nick nodded. "Si. It does. But I like crowded. I don't do being solitary very well, I prefer having people around me. It's why getting my own place coming back here was out of the question. Mike is busy and does his own thing most of the time, but it's just someone else's presence. It makes a big difference. What did you do in college?"

"I haven't been back in the country all that long. Just since the end of summer, but I've hung out with them quite a bit living with Mike. Kurt's usually epically busy, though. Between college and his job, I have no idea how he doesn't spend half his time crashed out in exhaustion. He's a good guy, though. It's why I hope things with him and Kurt can really kick off and work out. They seem to suit each other in a strange way you can't really put your finger on. I know Kurt's got a big heart, he just keeps it really protected. He won't go for being set up, either. Mike said he and Quinn tried that, and Kurt gave them the silent treatment for two weeks," he said with a snicker of amusement. "It's definitely going to get more colourful around here with the twins on the scene. And many a mistaken identity event. I think we're all guilty of it at one time or another."

"I'm not great with the whole being alone thing either, really... After Seb left, being alone in the apartment drove me nuts. I think that's part of why I headed here. Mike's really cool from what I know of him and all. I was a communications major... The goal is to get a start in sportscasting, but it's a pretty damn hard field to get into if you don't hit the right place at the right time." He shrugged, keeping his eyes on Nick as he spoke for a while, before looking away when it hit that awkward length of time for eye contact.

"I know what you mean," Jeff said. "I mean, I worked through school, but not like he does. He's serious about everything, which... honestly is insane to even think about. I couldn't do everything he does and not go crazy as fuck. I really hope Kurt and Blaine can make it work, though. They're both something really special. They deserve to be happy." He had to laugh at that. "It doesn't surprise me. Kurt's bitchpls is the stuff legend is made of... Mercedes is always telling me fun stories about it. Or fun for me, cuz I'm not the one receiving the bitchpls. I'm looking forward to them getting here. Oh, yeah... It makes for some really awkward moments sometimes... Especially when me and Seb lived together."

"You lived with Sebastian? Seriously? Well, shit. It's a smaller world than I thought. There I was thinking we were all spread out like Brown's cows after school, but really it's just been a few missing pieces more than anything. Yeah, Mike's one of those people with a big heart that has room for everyone. He won't take shit, but general things don't bother him either. Sports? Seriously? Not music or anything? I have no idea why I assumed most of the Warblers would end up in music when I didn't even myself. It was just all-encompassing at the time." Nick watched Jeff for a little bit. He had no idea why the conversation was still continuing as easy as this. They had hated each other for so damn long, and this was just surreal. But he wasn't going to complain. He felt too old to maintain the conflict they had in school.

He shifted in the bed and nudged the covers down a bit when they started to feel too hot. "Mike just says Kurt has issues. I don't exactly know what that means, but maybe throwing himself into work helps with that. I'm hardly going to judge on anyone having issues. I think just don't hit on Blaine and you'll probably be safe from the bitchpls. Oh, and don't dress unfashionably or act like a douche. He probably has a checklist of dos and don'ts somewhere," he laughed.

"Yep," Jeff replied with a nod. "We lived together for a while, but then he and Jez went to Europe. But yeah... Sports. I love music, and I still play and sing a lot, but more so for fun than for money... I go to open mic nights sometimes, or like... Karaoke, and I was in a band in college for a while, but I like sports a lot, and I figured it would be really cool to get into the broadcast side of it." If Jeff were honest, it was actually kind of nice holding a normal conversation with Nick. It was weird, but as they sat here, talking comfortably with each other, it was harder and harder for Jeff to remember what exactly it was that set them off at each other in the first place. Honestly, even in the moments when they'd hated each other most at Dalton, Jeff hadn't known exactly what started it. He had a story he was pretty sure was kind of accurate as to what had happened when they first fought, but even that wasn't exactly locked down on the details.

"I guess that's true... Staying busy would help, I guess, to keep the focus off of it. But no, no worries... I won't hit on Blaine... He's gorgeous, but he's Blaine... It'd be like hitting on a family member... And I think I dress okay... Not couture or anything, but I match, and my clothes don't come from Target. I think being friends with his hags gets me an inroad into what's on the dos and don'ts list. At least partly." He grinned at Nick, falling quiet for just a moment. Almost too quiet, and he suddenly swallowed hard and cleared his throat if for no other reason than to break the silence.

Nick just gave a nod in response. It wasn't like he knew any of Jeff's interests from Dalton. They spent the entirety of the time avoiding each other so Nick never went out of his way to know anything about the guy, and it was probably a mutual thing. Maybe that had been part of the whole problem at the end of the day. Nick was close with just about every other Warbler, but he never understood why he just clashed with Jeff. "At least you know what you want to do. It's more than some people can say. What sort of sport? I'm not really into much myself. Just surfing mostly. I've got my hands too full with other things. Art, and I always wanted to travel. Luckily, the two can go hand-in-hand in the right circumstances. I don't really do much with music anymore."

"Yeah, I think the guy just needs some fun, to be honest. He doesn't seem to have much. He's always too busy. We've invited him out a few times to see if he might want to hook up, but he makes excuses," he said with a shrug. "It's not like we can bound and gag him to get him to come. Maybe with Blaine now he might get more involved." The sudden silence was awkward, without a doubt. Now they had covered the small talk, was that it?

"Yeah... Right now I'm trying to get in on the ground level in sportscasting for Miami Dolphins football, but I don't really know for sure how it'll go. I'm built like a dancer, not a football player, so that part of life never really worked out for me, but I love talking about it, so maybe talking about it on TV will work out someday." He shrugged. "You surf?" he asked suddenly, with a huge grin. "I love to surf, dude... I learned when I spent a summer in California. I guess growing up here made it pretty easy to be able to do that. You're an artist, too? That's kinda cool... I can't even draw good stick people."

"I'd agree with that, from what I've heard. It sounds like the fun kind of goes on around him and he never really taps into it. But I hope that he and Blaine make it work. They're both awesome guys... They deserve it." In the midst of the silence, Jeff was just about to get up and tell Nick to have a good one so he could head home, when something else stopped him and he met Nick's gaze again. "So... Why exactly did we hate each other again?" he asked, weird question though it may be. "Cuz I seem to remember you as this big asshole, but... You're kinda not."

"Oh right. That's a big bar to be aiming for, but I hope you have a chance, dude. Last I looked, you didn't need to be built like a footballer to commentate on it, right? And yeah, I surf. I've pretty much been on surfboards since I could walk. My dad started me out early and it was one thing we really bonded with over above everything else. Which worked out well, considering they had me, then three daughters before the next son came along and Harry hates the water. He's more of a rough-nut kid who likes climbing trees and sandpits. Well, he was when he was younger. It's hard to wrap my head around the fact he's nearly a teenager now. Art's my passion, my job is a close second, though," Nick explained.

His lips pressed together with a hint of wryness and he shrugged, holding a hand up for emphasis. "This is me, dude. This has always been me. I might have grown up, but I haven't changed much. I guess maybe we just didn't want to see anything but the asshole. I don't know. School seems like a long time ago now. You were the only one I ever really had anything against. I got along with everyone else at Dalton."

"Thanks," Jeff replied, surprised even still to hear Nick encouraging him and wishing him the best. "Nope... That's kinda what I figured... I'm damn good at running my mouth... Which I guess you kinda already knew, huh?" he added with a small laugh. "That's awesome... You probably know the best places around here then, yeah? Think you could help a dude out with finding good places to go? What exactly is it that you do for a living?" Maybe he'd already asked, but for the life of him, Jeff couldn't remember... He chalked it up to ADHD.

As much as he wished he could remember why they'd been so horrible to each other all the way through school, Jeff just couldn't. At least if he could put a finger on it, it wouldn't feel quite so stupid, but the longer he talked to Nick, the more he began to question whether it made any sense at all that they'd spent so damn long hating each other. "I'm... pretty much the same guy, too, to be really honest. Maybe we were just really stupid kids," he said with a shrug. "Although... I have no idea why it is that we picked each other to hate. I got along with everybody else, too... Oh, well... I guess shit happens."

"So, you know all the football strategy and all that? I guess you have to have an extremely fine eye to be able to watch every detail of the play and commentate on it. And yeah, I know, but old water and all that," Nick said with a small smirk. "I know my way around Miami well enough, but I'm actually from Jacksonville, about six hours north of here driving. I do two things, actually. I got my Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Language in French at the University of Florence in Italy and I work now as a Court Translator up and down Florida, as well as some odd freelance translating work here and there. I speak French and Italian, so I can translate in both. I also sell my art at a gallery down on Miami Beach. So, being laid up in here will start driving me up the wall sooner rather than later. I'm not used to being still."

He shrugged again. "I like to think I was actually a pretty smart kid. We gave each other the cold shoulder, so it wasn't like I was going to ignore that. Maybe it's just one of those things to chalk up as the past, and leave it at that. Not everyone had to get along. Hell, Blaine and Sebastian used to rub each other up the wrong way all the time before they were forced to play nice."

"Oh, yeah. I've watched it for years... My dad's a huge fan, too, and he taught me a lot of stuff about it. He played in college. Football for us was kinda what surfing was for you and your dad, I guess. We both loved it, and bonded over it. I just never quite grew up to be football player material. I guess I could've been a kicker, but that never played out." He nodded at that. "That's right... I think I knew that... Leave it to me to not remember anything. Do you like Miami, or are you thinking you'd eventually like to head back closer to home?" A small laugh escaped Jeff. "I'll bet. I've got the world's worst case of ADHD, so I'd be screwed. How much longer are they gonna keep you in here?"

"You're probably right," Jeff replied. "Maybe understanding why we were dicks to each other isn't as important as just not being dicks to each other anymore. Which... I'm kind of down with," he admitted. "You actually... are a really cool guy. I never thought I'd be saying that." Pausing just a moment, he glanced down at his watch. "Hey, I gotta get going... I'm supposed to meet Mercedes for dinner. But I'll... I guess I'll talk to you again soon." He paused, offering Nick a playful smirk. "By the way... I couldn't walk properly for quite a while after the elevator thing... Just thought you might like to know... It must be true what they say about smaller guys being the best hung."

"You sound pretty set on it. What are you going to do if you don't get it? Do you have a Plan B?" Nick laughed and shook his head. "No, no. I'm not heading back home. I need to be based in Miami. Most of my work is here. I love it, it's just an extension of home, really. It's all Florida, so no big deal. I love the beach here, and it's bigger than Jacksonville. Plus, all my friends are here now. I've travelled so far and so much, I don't really feel rooted in any one place. I can quite happily freely move around whenever I need to. In fact, I get bored when I'm stuck somewhere too long. I love the drive home, so that's no big deal. They'll keep me in until my blood sugar is stable. Then it will be a few weeks off work because I do travel with it and they don't want me being an insurance liability."

He gave a small gesture with his hand. "Blaine deserves us to at least make an effort. And Kurt for that matter. If it all works out with them, my world and your world are pretty much going to be firmly connected. Same parties, same hang outs, same get-togethers. It's just the way it will roll. And honestly, I'm too tired to maintain any old negativity." He just gave him a faint smile, but chose not to actually touch the ass comment seeing as Jeff was going to leave. It was a subject you just opened and ran by any means.. "I'll catch you around them."

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"Every time I look at you, I just don't know what to do."

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