12. “H-how long jave you been standing there?” – “Long enough.” mc!Nick x Reader A, please.

carisi-dreams:

Nick threw another punch at the bag hanging from the ceiling with a frustrated yell as you looked on from just across the room. He’d yet to notice you yet, so caught up in the music and his obvious frustration and rage. You wondered how long he’d been here as he finally took a break and stalked over to the side of the room to grab a bottle of water from the floor. He did a double take as he spotted you from the corner of his eye and complete shock colored his expression. At his acknowledgment you pushed off the wall and started walking in his direction.

“How—how long have you been standing there?” Nick asked in an unreadable tone as his chest heaved from exertion. You stopped with a bit of space between the two of you, not wanting to crowd him.

“Long enough,” you answered finally and he looked to the side with a frustrated grimace.

“How did you even—?” he started to ask before shaking his head and cutting himself off. He chugged some water and propped his free hand on his hip before wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.

“Razor,” you filled in the question he hadn’t finished asking.

“Razor told you I was here?” Nick asked and the incredulity in his tone was obvious.

“Well, Veronica told me. But she got it from Razor. Was worried about you. You’ve been…” you trailed off as you grasped for a word that would encompass distant, but polite. He’d been a bit more closed off than usual and you knew something serious had to be bothering him.

“Yeah. I know,” he agreed with a heavy sigh as he scuffed his bare foot across the spongy mat. “I just…it’s hard when someone you looked up to turns out to not be who they appear, you know? Just…got a lot on my mind.” It wasn’t much to go on, but it was more than he’d said in the last few days and you took another step forward. You hummed a little sympathetically and studied his face.

“I can go if you want. Didn’t mean to corner you. I’m just happy to see that you’re okay,” you said gently, for all the definition of ‘okay’ applied in this case. Nick shook his head and took another gulp of water.

“You can stay,” he squeezed out. “I’ll be here a little longer.”