Did we get what we deserve? Who: Nicodemus and Dominic Where: Nic’s place When: Late night
Just because Dominic was staying on his couch, didn’t mean Nic had gotten a chance to see him. After spending too long picking up Chinese food for the group at Heme, Nic had come back to find Zania gone and a note barely explaining that she’d gone to dinner with Dom-- and that he’d be staying with them for a bit. That part was fine with Nic. The only thing that urked him was not being able to actually see his friend, especially after his run-in with Savvy. Not that Dominic would have anything good to say about that, but talking to anyone who knew the situation would have helped. Nic had gone from one cigarette a day to almost chain smoking, a sure sign that he was wound up way too tight. At least it was his night off. But where the fuck was Dominic?
Dominic, on the other hand, was busy dealing with fucking angelic vampires and even though he’d made sure to leave Jared far behind him, he could still feel that creepy-crawly feeling in the pit of his stomach. Needless to say, he was definitely not in a better mood than when he’d gone out, and not winning when he gambled that night didn’t help. At least he was going back to an actual house, not some crappy empty hotel room bed. Maybe even Zania would be home. She’d given him a key to the place so he didn’t worry about knocking, the scent hitting him the moment he walked in through the door. Nic was home. Great, he could have used his best friend earlier in the evening. Closing the door behind him, he didn’t bother to call out, using his nose to lead him to where Nic was. “About time I actually ran into you,” he said, managing something of a smile as he collapsed into a seat on the couch. “You look like I feel.” Seriously, if both he and Nic snapped at the same time, Scarlet Oak might well be fucked.
Nic was draped over a chair, two empty beer bottles on the floor, one in his hand, a cigarette in the other. Zania would bitch about him smoking inside, but it was his house, dammit. At least he’d cracked open a window. The television ran in the background, something on that Nic had ceased to really watch, and his attention turned towards the doorway the second he heard Dominic enter the house. “I meant to track you down sooner, but the only place I could think to find you was Zan’s room and I wasn’t going to check there,” Nic said with a small smirk. He doubted Dominic had gotten that far that fast, but with Zania it might be possible. Nic knew her almost better than anyone, and that still left plenty of room for guessing. “Savvy’s in town. Ran into her the other night.” And life had turned sideways, just with that knowledge. A few beers wouldn’t turn it upright again, but it was worth a try.
Oh, if Dominic had gotten that far, Nic would have known. Hell, Nic probably could have heard it, too. And if Nic was drinking, then Dominic could have another few beers as well, reaching over to grab another from the six pack nearby. One for him, one for Nic. Seemed like a good plan to him. “I have a phone too, could always call it,” he said, shrugging. Whatever, Dominic was here now, and that was what mattered. Hearing his half-sister was in town though? This was just not his day, it seemed. “So?” Nic cared about her, Dominic knew that. “I knew she left New York, but not where she went.” In all honestly, Dom hadn’t cared enough to pay attention. His relationship with Savvy was never going to be made of sunshine and roses, that was for damn sure. “I would’ve given you warning if I knew.” He eyed Nic, “You okay over there?”
“I could have. Sorry, man.” Calling would have meant Nic was thinking, and his mind had been focused elsewhere. He also thought Dom was with Zania and if that was the case then he didn’t want to disturb the two of them, no matter what they were doing. “Well, she came here and... she looks good.” Which meant Nic wanted to screw her yesterday, but that should have been obvious. That desire had never died, no matter how much time they’d spent apart. Seeing her again had just reminded him how badly he’d fucked up, and with a guy he didn’t even like. He still wanted her, still loved her, and still knew it was his own damn fault for losing her. “Been worse. Better now that I’m not drinking alone,” he said, lifting his beer with a nod of his head. Dominic had seem him right after he and Savvy broke up and this was nothing compared to this. It was just a bad night, and Nic figured he was allowed those every once and a while.
“Next time.” If he was busy, there was a reason why voicemail was invented and besides, Dominic kept his phone on silent nine-tenths of the time. Dominic only shrugged at the comment about Savvy’s looks, because like hell he paid attention to that sort of thing. Even before they figured out that they were half-siblings, he’d never thought Savvy was all that attractive to begin with, and he’d told Nic so. Savvy didn’t look good or bad to Dominic, she was just Savvy. Still a part of his pack, whether he was particularly fond of the idea or not. “Glad to know I can still be of service,” he said, raising his beer in a mock toast. “So. What did she say?” Not that he cared about his sister, but Nic did, and Dom supposed he’d do the best friend thing and help him out. Shit, eventually Nic was going to have to listen to Dom talk about Zania, so fair was fair.
When Nic thought back on the conversation, he wasn’t even sure what to make of it. They’d talked for a good bit of time, but there was no more resolution than they’d had before. Instead, it had shown him just how raw the wounds still were, that they’d not healed enough for him to move on, if he ever would. “She said she was here for work. Didn’t know Zan was in town. Definitely doesn’t know you’re in town. Doesn’t seem to be dating anyone, but...” He hadn’t been daring enough to ask that one. “Snowballs have a better chance at surviving hell than I do at getting her back. So maybe we can be friends? I dunno. It was awkward.” That didn’t stop him from wanting to see her again. Maybe she’d let him buy her coffee.
In that respect, it sounded close to the conversation Dom and Zania first had, but without the promise that they were going to work on things. Even that much had been enough to ease Dominic’s mind a little, but then again, Nic wasn’t a wolf like he was, and therefore didn’t have to play by the same rules. Dominic was only slightly jealous of that. “Camilla mentioned that she’d left the city for that,” he said. “Never bothered to find out what she was doing, and I sure as hell didn’t tell her where I was going. Coincidence is a bitch.” The only one who really knew, aside from his parents, was Dante, and that was because Dominic was close to his big brother. Dante figured out how bad off Dominic was before anyone else did. Dom shrugged, “Maybe. You have to start somewhere.” Savvy was part Agostino, after all, and Agostinos didn’t forgive and forget.
“It would be nice if you could at least pretend not to hate her,” Nic said, taking a swig of beer. He might not believe it, but it would still make it easier for him to talk about Savvy with Dominic. Family was, for the both of them, everything, but the difference between them was that Nic at least tried to get along with anyone related by blood. “Something tells me I’m gonna have to walk on water before she’ll even consider forgiving me.” He didn’t want to get too down about it, but it was still hard to face. He’d fucked up, and he’d fucked up bad. He’d broken her self confidence and then some. What girl wouldn’t be hurt when her boyfriend cheated on her with a guy? Nic wished there was at least a little justification for his actions, but knew that wouldn’t help even if there were. “So, you and Zan? How’s that going?” Hopefully better than things on his end.
Dom shrugged. “Wouldn’t be me if I didn’t tell you the straight truth.” It wasn’t in Dominic’s nature to sugarcoat anything, and this was one of those times. His relationship with Savvy was complicated, to say the least, and he thought Nic was probably better off without her and with someone else. Apparently his best friend didn’t share that opinion. “Cure cancer or save a kitten from getting run over by a train, maybe that’ll help,” he said, half-joking. “Seriously, you slept with fuckin’ Chase. If anyone’s got a case for temporary insanity, it’s you.” Dominic would just not think about the fact that Chase had slept with Zania, too. Or that his cousin was still breathing. Whatever. Mentioning Zania, however, brought a little grin to his face. “It’s - going,” he said. “Her first reaction wasn’t to punch me in the face, so it’s a start.” He blew out a breath, “I wish I could explain how hard it was to be away from her.”
Dominic was right; Nic had always known him to tell it like it was. There were plenty of people out there who would lie to him, but he could rely on Dom to tell the truth, even when he didn’t want to hear it. “There was no sleeping involved,” Nic said, the tiniest smirk on his lips as he took a drag off his cigarette. It wasn’t worth it, and he’d take it all back in a heart beat, but if he had to live with it, then at least he could say Chase gave one hell of a blowjob. That night was still mostly a blur, but he remembered that. While he tended to be quiet about his sexuality, he wasn’t going to deny it. “She invited you back here, man. That’s a definite good start,” Nic said, speaking of his cousin and Dominic. “If she didn’t want you around, you wouldn’t be sleeping in such close proximity. She’d have sent you on your way, probably with a swift kiss to the ass.”
The truth sucked, but sometimes it was all you had. Dominic had learned to accept that in the last few years. Didn’t mean he liked it, but at least he was being a realist. He only raised an eyebrow at Nic’s comment - they both knew how he felt about Chase and even the fact that his cousin had landed Dominic in the hospital once already, that didn’t mean Dom wouldn’t try to kill him again. Chase deserved it for thinking he could get away with bedding Dom’s mate. To be honest, Nic’s sexuality was never in question with Dominic, as it was Nic’s life, not his, and Nic could do with it what he pleased. “I know,” he said, pushing his hair out of his eyes. “I’ll be honest, I was probably going to crash here anyway,” he reached over to nudge Nic’s shoulder, “because you’re such a good guy and all. I just didn’t realize she’d be here too.” Dom looked down at his beer for a second. “You know I want her back.”
“My couch is always open,” Nic smiled. it would always be for a friend, and Dominic had been there for him more than any other that didn’t share his blood. Hell, he’d put up with him after he’d lost Savvy, and that was saying a lot. Nic might have joked about what happened with Chase now, but they both knew the repercussions had caused irreparable damage to his relationship with Savvy. Dominic might not have liked her, but Nic knew he wished them well... well, most of the time. “I know,” Nic said, watching Dominic closely. “And I think you have a chance, so long as you’re careful. I don’t think she can take you breaking her heart again.” And as close a friends as they were, Nic wouldn’t hesitate to beat the shit out of Dominic if he hurt Zania again. Or he’d try, at least. He wasn’t sure how well he’d fair against a werewolf, but he hoped not to find out.
“Good to know, Scarlet Oak is lacking in decent hotels.” The only one he’d passed was called the Budget Lodge, and Dom’s standards were way too high for something like that. Besides, he’d wanted to see his best friend again for a while, so Dominic considered this trip valuable for more than one reason. Dominic was well aware that, if he fucked up with Zania again, Nic would come after him. Not to say that Dom wouldn’t fight back, but he’d expect nothing less from Nic, and would’ve done the same thing were the tables turned. “Careful.” That was never a word one associated with him, ever. “I can’t fuck this up again. Too much is riding on it.” He started to peel the label from his bottle of beer, flicking the tiny pieces of paper onto the coffee table. “It’s starting to fuck with my head, you know. And I’m not saying that in some pussy ‘waaaaah I miss my girlfriend’-type shit. It’s the damn wolf.”
From what Nic knew about werewolves, there were a number of attributes that the person took on that matched their animal counter-part. Dominic’s hearing and sense of smell had to be heightened, that much he knew for sure, but there were a number of other elements that Nic hadn’t really considered. “What do you mean? Like, you’re here for the wolf? Because if you’re not in it a hundred and ten percent...” Nic didn’t know what to make of that and needed a better idea before he pushed forward. If Dom had been completely human, would he be there? Would Zania be worth it? If the answer was no, then Dominic would be smart to keep that to himself.
Dominic shook his head. It was hard to explain to someone who wasn’t a wolf how it felt, because he would have never understood it before he’d been turned. “No,” he said, “I’m here because I love her. Because I need her. You know that. The only way I could leave last time was because I thought she’d be better off without me.” Zania was doing better now, anyway, than the last time he’d seen her in New York, so maybe he’d done the right thing by her. By him, not so much. “Nic, she’s my mate. It’s like having a piece of you constantly missing. Take Savvy leaving you, multiply it by a thousand, and then try to figure out what the fuck you’re supposed to do with your life.” There was only one way to unmate a werewolf, and Zania dying was never an option. Ever.
If there was one quick way to sober Nic up, it was asking him to think back on losing Savvy. He’d had girls come and go, but she was the only one to leave a gaping hole behind where his heart had been. To say that he felt incomplete without her was an understatement, even if there was nothing he could do about it. He’d just resigned himself to move on and learn to live with the emptiness. From the sounds of it, that was harder for a werewolf, more pronounced, definite, or impossible even. “So you win her back,” Nic said, his eyes meeting Dominic’s. “You remind her what she’s missing, you calm her fears, and for fuck’s sake you refrain from making her feel guilty about something she did when the two of you weren’t together.” That was key, especially considering their past.
At least Nic had some sort of frame of reference for what Dominic was talking about. He was strong, yeah, but he wasn’t fucking Superman. There had once been a time when he and Zania had been good for each other, so happy together. All Dominic wanted was to get that back the way it was, even if it meant that now he had to put himself in a cage every full moon and his spells were crap. He’d learned to deal with that, kind of. “That’s the plan,” he said. “Helll, I called Justin to see where she was. Your family hates me, by the way, so the fact that he said, ‘Oh yeah, Michigan’ says something.” Justin probably hadn’t expected Dominic to be a good tracker, either, but that was neither here nor there. The sleeping with Chase thing, that was harder for Dominic to accept. He was trying to see it as a mistake, but it was hard when the wolf in him said she was his and there wasn’t anything anyone could tell him to convince him otherwise. Nic was right, though. If Dominic brought it up somehow, he was screwed. That’s all there was to it.
“They don’t hate you,” Nic sighed. “They see you as a kind of... unknown danger. Werewolves aren’t our expertise, bitten ones especially. I think it leaves a lot of questions in their minds and it makes them uncomfortable. Add to that your past with Zania and I can see how they’d come to the conclusion she’d be better without you. That doesn’t make it fact, though. Just an opinion.” Of all the Castalias, Nic knew what it was like to have his significant other viewed as an outsider, and that’s what Dominic now was. Justin had lost his trust in Dom, and refused to let his sister date a man he didn’t trust. Their father took Justin’s word for it, knowing his son was closer to the situation than he was. “You’re at an advantage here. I’m the only one who’s going to give you hell about it,” he smiled. “Keep her happy and there’ll be no reason to write home about it until you’re ready.”
Dom snorted. In his mind, it was the same exact thing. His personality hadn’t changed when he allowed himself to be turned. And it sure as hell hadn’t changed his commitment to Zania, if anything it only made it stronger. Was it a mistake? Yes, and he knew it, and he would take it back if he could. Sadly, the world didn’t work that way, and he could just deal with what he had now. “I’m no more of a loose cannon now than I was then,” he said, and only with a hint of bitterness. He allowed himself that much. “I just can’t kick your ass with magic anymore.” He’d try, but the backlash might not be worth it. Better to go with teeth and claws now. “You know I’m gonna take care of her,” he said. “If she’ll let me, that is.” Whatever it took to get her back, really. Dominic needed her, and he wasn’t going to give up without a fight.
“I don’t think you’d have a chance if you changed completely,” Nic said. “She loved you then, reckless as you were. Knowing Zan, that was probably part of the appeal.” Nic had never seen Zania go after anyone that was safe; she tracked down trouble and if she didn’t then it found her. Maybe that’s what was happening here. He didn’t see a problem with it. In fact, it seemed to be going well, even if slower than Dominic might like. “I know you will,” he said with a small smile. “You’re my friend and all, but if I thought this was going to crash and burn, I wouldn’t encourage it.” He wanted to see both of them happy, and maybe them being back together would get them there.
Dominic grinned. He was still reckless and impulsive and he knew it - and he didn’t want anyone to ever tell him otherwise. He was the alpha now, and he expected to be the one who made the right decisions. At least he always stood by them, even the ones that turned out to be mistakes. “I’m still me,” he said, “and I’ll prove it to her.” He looked down at his beer bottle for a second, letting it spin idly in his hand. Dominic loved Zania still, and he’d never questioned that. He always would, he knew that now. The drink was getting her to know it too. “And trust me, I’m not intending on letting this crash and burn. Last time was enough.”
He was right on that point. Last time had almost broken them both and Nic didn’t want to see either of them go through that again. “So what are you up to these days? Please tell me you’ve been doing something with your time other than pining over my cousin,” Nic grinned. He didn’t think Dominic was the sort to sit around and mope when he was upset. No, Nic was pretty sure he’d have kept himself busy, though he wasn’t sure what with. Since they were both into rather seedy lines of work from time to time, there was plenty to do in Scarlet Oak, despite it’s appearance otherwise. It was only a matter of time before Dominic got into trouble, or Nic sought it out for him.
That was a question that wasn’t really easily answered. He was the king of distractions, this was true, and he could find ways to pass the time without his mate. They just weren’t exactly legal pastimes, but he’d never gotten caught before. “I was working for my dad for a while, family business and all of that,” he said, shrugging. “Other than that, I was making more money with... other pursuits.” Dominic reached into his pocket and pulled out his trusty deck of cards, taking them out of their box and shuffling through them. “Don’t play poker with me, I’m significantly better than I used to be.” And that was the only warning Nic would get, and only because he was Dom’s best friend. He didn’t want to take his best friend’s money, so therefore it was better they didn’t play at all.
Nic was well aware of what family business could entail, seeing as he had his fair share of that as well. He also knew it couldn’t hold his attention full time, so he wasn’t surprised to hear that Dominic had found himself a side job that suited him better that what his family was offering. It seemed they had that in common. “You know with a statement like that I can hardly resist,” Nic smirked. He’d probably lose, but that didn’t mean Dominic could keep him away from the game. Poker had been a pastime of his since he was old enough to understand the game. “Those new abilities of yours tell you when I’m lying?” he asked. It was one thing to look for tells and another to be able to hear or smell them. That was certainly not something Nic could compete with, which left him wondering how he could balance the playing field or if that was even possible.
Dom’s only reaction was to laugh. “I have won and lost more than we could have ever bet in one of our old games,” he said. “But hey, if you got some money to spare, I’m game.” In truth, it was a bit of a problem. Okay, a very big problem. Dominic knew that. He also knew that gambling kept his mind off other things, providing him with the very distraction he needed in order to help keep his life from completely falling apart. Was it the right thing to do? Probably not, but it was something, and he’d take that any day of the week. “Sometimes. Depends on how good a person is at hiding it. I pick up on a lot more now.” That was one skill he had mastered since being turned, and he was a damn good tracker if he put his mind to it.
“Money’s not an issue, but that doesn’t mean I want I want to blow it all,” Nic smirked. Heme wasn’t the only income Nic had, though it was the only legal one. The life he lived was for appearance’s sake; he didn’t need people asking where he got the money from when he didn’t want to answer. Dominic knew, though, which made his side cash fine to gamble with. “That’s kind of cool. I mean, I know you’re not thrilled with all the side effects, but at least there are a few perks.” Nic tried to be optimistic, especially with his friends, hoping that they might return the favor when he sunk into depression. Today wasn’t the best of days, but it was nowhere near bad.
The smirk on Dominic’s face only got bigger. “I’ll try not to take your entire paycheck, then,” he teased. He knew Nic had access to more than what a bouncer at a vampire would make - unless the vampires paid really well, that was. He wasn’t about to call Nic out on that now, though, because what would be the point? It wasn’t like Dominic had driven his ass all the way to Michigan and gambled as much as he did on solely what his dad paid him, either. “Thrilled,” he snorted, “yeah, that’s the word for it.” He blew out a breath, “But yeah, I’m adjusting. As well as could be expected, anyway.” He polished off his beer, thinking that he really didn’t need another one tonight. Buzzed was one thing, drunk was another.
As Dominic finished off his beer, Nic picked a fresh one up off the floor and considered it. He wanted another, perhaps too badly, and for that reason he set it back down. One more and he’d probably have another, then another, and he’d lose tomorrow completely. It had been a while since he’d wanted to wash away his troubles in such a way and knew this was likely due to seeing Savvy. If Dominic could handle seeing Zania, then he should at least try to do the same with Savvy... even if his run-in hadn’t gone near as well. “Come on,” Nic said, rising from his seat to find he’d had more than he realized. He definitely needed to stop. “Let’s find you some blankets and a pillow. I don’t think you’ll be there long, but you can be comfortable till then.”
They’d been friends for a while, so Dominic definitely knew when Nic had had enough. He didn’t want to be the asshole who cut his friend off, but he was trying to make sure Nic didn’t do anything completely stupid, either. Neither of them needed the hangover that kind of drinking would bring. Able to smell the alcohol on his friend, Dominic stood up too, laying a hand on Nic’s shoulder to keep him from falling over. “Here’s hoping, right?” The words were said in jest, but Dominic certainly meant them. He was hoping to get an upgrade in sleeping conditions sooner rather than later, but if sleeping on the couch meant he still got to be close to Zania, he’d take what he could get. “Sounds good, man. Thanks again for letting me crash.” Dom would always be grateful for that. At least he still had one friend he could rely on.