Dark Heretic (E. St. John)

Chapter 08

Another time skip. Moving to the "Daddy Issues" episode, the 13th episode in the 2nd episode!

Nick hears a knock on his door. He walks over and looks out the peep hole and he finds Elijah standing there patiently. Nick closes his eyes and he exhales sharply. He was the one who told Elijah where he was staying at now. He wearily opens the door and Elijah looks at him.

Nick steps aside and Elijah steps inside the apartment.

"Nickolas," Elijah murmurs as he approaches him once the door's closed. "I've been watching you since I came into Mystic Falls, and I am worried."

Nick melts as Elijah runs a finger across his face and Elijah smirks at his reaction as he melts into him,

"Still so reactive," Elijah murmurs and Nick shudders.

Nick shuffles as Elijah's lips brush teasingly against his. "Elijah..."

Nick whispers when Elijah finally finishes closing the distance and kisses him. He still has images of homophobia in the past but he doesn't stop kissing Elijah back because it was always his favorite thing in the early 'fifties. Times are different now, he is not as into Elijah as he was, but Elijah still has that same effect on him as he always did. A kiss turns him into putty.

Elijah speeds Nick against the door, the kiss deepening as he lifts the boy. Nick runs his fingers through Elijah's hair and he pulls back and drops his head back. Elijah kisses on his neck and grazes him with his fangs and he gropes Nick's behind. But when memories of his death, Nick panics and he shoved Elijah away and rushes off to hide in his closet.

"Nickolas!" Elijah is outside the closet. "Nickolas, open the door. Talk to me." He stands there. He doesn't know Nick's story. They had met five years after his turn and Nick refused to talk about it. "Nickolas, there is no need to be afraid. It's just me. You know I would never harm you."

Nick knows that. He knows that Elijah wouldn't hurt him; deep, deep down, he knows that. But his memories continue to haunt him. So, instead of responding, Nick stays silent. Elijah sighs.

"Will you be alright if I leave?" Elijah asks.

"I-I-I-I'll be fine," Nick stammers. "I want you to leave, Elijah."

Elijah's heart soars in worry but he accepts Nick's wishes. "Very well," he says. "Call me if you wish to see me." He runes and he rushes out of the apartment. He pauses in the hallway when he hears Nick crying. His heart breaks a little. He always did care about Nick. He had to leave in '55 because Mikael was closing in and he had to leave in order to protect Nick. Now... now he wishes he never left.
-/-/-/-/-/-

Caroline calls for Stefan to come in. She's running her fingers through Nick's hair. After Elijah left, Nick came straight to Caroline, his new best friend since Katherine is the 'bad guy' right now. He told her what happened and she listened and he's just now dosed off.

"Is he okay?" Stefan asks.

"He's going to be fine," Caroline says.

He sees Caroline's worry. "There's something else, not just your concern for Nick," Stefan notes. "What's wrong?"

"Tyler knows about you and Damon," Caroline says. "He knows that Damon killed Mason. I didn't say a word, I promise."

"I know you didn't," Stefan says. "It's that woman, Jules. Sue had a run-in with Damon."

"Tyler was so upset," Caroline says. "The look on his face, he was so betrayed."

"Wow,"Stefan mutters, "this is bad."

"You're not gonna tell Damon, are you?" Caroline asks.

"No!" Stefan yells and Nick shuffles in Caroline's lap, his eyes open and direct at Caroline's torso. "He already wants to kill him. He thinks all werewolves should die, and he's not wrong to think that, Caroline. I mean, what if Tyler tried to retaliate? He has every right to. He could get himself killed."

"Well, we're not gonna let that happen," Caroline says firmly. "We have to get to him and reason with him before he does something stupid. You have to talk to him. Just try to explain, you know? You always know the right things to say, okay? He and I... we're friends."

"Are you going to tell me what's wrong with you, Nick?" Stefan asks. "I heard your heartbeat change as soon as you woke up." 

"I kissed a guy and freaked out," Nick says as he rolls onto his back.

Stefan walks over and he kneels down. "Why did you freak out?"

"Because of my past," Nick says. "I was best friends with Katherine for two years when I was human. I went out with my lover, Lee, in the 28th day of December in 1945. Katherine told me to be careful, but Lee didn't listen, he was always so... spontaneous. I loved him." He exhales as Caroline starts messing with his hair again. "The cops caught us kissing in an alley in Queens, New York, which is where I'm from. There were four policemen. Two of them held me back as they beat Lee down and then they did me. They beat me worse. I died. I came back with vampire blood in my system and Katherine had a human for me. We got me a daylight ring. In early 1950, I met Elijah. I was nervous about being gay, but he... he made it better. We had sexual relations and cared for each other for five years until he left. Then I saw everything else happen involving homophobia. Now I'm..."

"He's terrified to be who he is," Caroline says.

"You don't have to be," Stefan says. "Damon knows this, doesn't he?"

Nick nods. "He does," he says.

"You should give it another try," Stefan says. "Times have changed in the gay community, so I've seen."

"I've seen it, too, but I'm still scared," Nick says.

"I'm gonna go," Stefan says. "But think about giving it another shot, okay?"

Nick nods. "I'll consider it."

Stefan nods. He glances at him when he stands up and he leaves. Nick curls into Caroline again and Caroline giggles a little.
-/-/-/-/-/-

Nick goes to Elijah's motel room and when he knocks, the Original lets him inside.

"Thank you for sending your witch to save Caroline, Damon, and Stefan," Nick says.

"I made a deal with Elena, and I am keeping up my side," Elijah says calmly. He sits in the chair by the bed and his eyes lock on Nick. "Are you alright?"

"Just..." Nick pauses. "A hard past. Before and after you left."

Elijah moves forward once he stands and he caresses Nick's cheek. "I'm not going to ask, I am sure it is bad," he says. "But I would never dream of harming you."

"I know," Nick says. "Deep inside, I know that, but I'm still scared." He breaks and he tells Elijah how he was turned and about what he's watched coming up through time.

Elijah sits him on the bed and wraps an arm around Nick to comfort him. Elijah kisses his head and holds him there while Nick shakes a little, trembling, in Elijah's arms.