Comeback

7. Insecure and on Edge

A/N: Sorry this took me forever, I was just a bit stuck. Any ideas about the continuation of the story or just thoughts on what it's like so far are always welcome! I hope you like it

After their short reunion, both Y/N and Nick had mingled with the other guests as the party was in full swing. It's getting close to midnight now though and everyone was going of into little groups. Y/N doesn't want to third wheel with Joe and Sophie, so she finds an empty corner of Joe's balcony and looks out over the city.

Nick notices her as soon as he steps onto the balcony for some fresh air. It's a cold night and he sees Y/N wrap her arms around herself. He smiles slightly as he remembers her almost always being cold when they were together. He never minded, it gave him an excuse to wrap her up in his arms. And the nostalgic feeling, in combination with the few drinks he had throughout the night, gives him the courage to walk up to her.

Y/N tenses up as she feels a jacket being draped over her shoulders, but she relaxes slightly when she sees it's Nick. She still feels a bit nervous around him, even after their earlier banter, but that doesn't mean she will say no to the chance to warm up a bit. "Thanks." She gives him a small smile as she takes in the warmth and the still somewhat familiar smell of Nick that lingers on the jacket. She can tell he changed his cologne since they were together, but there's an underlying smell that is still so clearly Nick that she has to stop herself from pulling the jacket tighter around her.

"No problem." Nick nods slowly as he looks at her. She's slightly shorter than him and she's not wearing heels tonight, so he has to look down. He really has missed her and is curious about her life. "So how have you been?"

"I've been good." Y/N answers. "It was nice to go to school and be away from everything for a while, but I did miss acting and having that creative outlet. So it's good to be back as well." She adds. "What about you?" She asks in reruns as she turns slightly to look at him while leaning against the railing of the balcony.

"Busy." He chuckles as he shoves his hands in his pockets to ward off the cold; giving her his jacket may have been a nice thing to do, but now he's getting a little cold. "My solo albums have been doing well and it's been fun to get more into acting."

Y/N nods at his answer and he can tell she's going to tease him when a playful glint appears in her eyes. "I do hope you're a bit more convincing than you were in Jonas." She jokes.

"Hey I was amazing in Jonas." Nick responds. "The show just didn't give me much to work with." He smirks as Y/N shakes her head with a smile.

"Whatever helps you sleep at night." Y/N shrugs and tries to keep a straight face, but she can't help but smile slightly. She's glad it's not awkward between them. She missed the banter and tonight gives her hope that maybe they can become friends. But that doesn't change the nervous feeling in her stomach and the self conscious thoughts about her looks whenever she feels his eyes on her.

***

"What are you looking at?" Joe asks Sophie, who is looking at something over his shoulder. He has been having a great time with Sophie tonight, but since she noticed something behind him she has been a little distracted.

"Y/N and Nick." Sophie mutters as her eyes move back to Joe's. "I've been distracted, I'm sorry." She sighs as she wraps her arms around his neck. "I'm just a little worried about her." She admits.

Joe frowns. "Worried about Y/N?" He wonders. "Why?" He asks as he goes over the time he has spent with Y/N lately to see if he noticed if anything was off.

"Yeah about her and Nick. I don't want her to start feeling like she did after they broke up." Sophie says, but when she sees Joe's face realization hits her. "You don't know do you?" She asks quietly and Joe shakes his head in response as one of his arms wraps around her waist. "She really struggled after her and Nick broke up. It wasn't a good time for her, Joe. She felt really insecure and she told me that she's scared those feelings might come back if she spends time with him again."

Joe stays silent for a moment as he turns slightly so he can see Y/N and Nick. "She told us she felt insecure after the breakup, but I didn't know it was that bad." He says as he turns back to Sophie. He feels bad for not asking Y/N how she really felt after the breakup. They hadn't really discussed the topic since that first lunch and it makes him feel a little guilty about not telling her Nick was coming tonight.

***

"So." Nick starts after they've been standing in silence for a while; Y/N looking out over the city while his eyes were on her. She has gotten even more beautiful in the past few years and he is having a hard time keeping his eyes off her. If he's completely honest with himself there is one question he's been dying to ask since he found her on the balcony, but he has no right to ask it and feels slightly guilty for the fact that his thoughts keep coming back to it.

Y/N turns to him when he doesn't say anything else. "So?" She questions as she raises her eyebrows, wondering why he doesn't continue.

Nick just watches her as she turns sideways so she's leaning against the railing of the balcony. His jacket still hangs from her shoulders, and the tilt of her head as she gives him a questioning look is enough for the question to fall from his lips. "So, shouldn't you go and find whoever it is you're supposed to kiss at midnight? I'm sure he can't be happy that you're standing out here with me."

The question catches her off guard and she immediately tenses up; the wall that had started to lower a little during their earlier conversation coming back up. "I could ask you the same." Y/N replies as she crosses her arms over her chest and leans away from him. If this is his attempt to rekindle the flame or something, she's not up for it. She can't go back to that, the idea alone already hurts.

He immediately knows he made a mistake. He notices her tense up and close off the moment the words leave his mouth and he curses himself for even thinking that was an appropriate question; he has no right to want to know about her relationship status. "Y/N." Nick says softly as he reaches out for her. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked." He adds as his hand comes to rest on her shoulder, and he almost flinches as he feels how tense she really is. "I was just clumsily trying to find out if you had a boyfriend, but that's none of my business."

Y/N's eyes drift from his hand on her shoulder to his face. "It's fine." She tries to assure him as she moves to take off his jacket, effectively getting rid of his touch which was making her even more nervous than she already was. "Here, I'm going back inside." She says as she holds out his jacket for him to take.

"Y/N." Nick starts again as he looks down at her with a disappointed look in his eyes. "I'm sorry." He tells her again as he refuses to take the jacket from her. "The fireworks are about to start. Please stay here and watch them with me."

He knows she has given in before she even says anything; he can see it in the way her shoulders drop slightly and the muscles in her face become a little less tense. "Fine." She mutters as she shrugs his jacket back on and turns so she's facing the view again, leaving Nick to stare at her profile.