Didier was surprised and his eyes opened wide, the shut tight as the light flooded them. He opened his eyes slowly. He looked up at Nick, who indeed had been blushing, and was even moreso now. "Jim! I can't do anythin' I'm dyin' here!" he yelled at him after Nick threw her boot. Jim probably hadn't heard him though, seeing as he just closed the door, laughing, from what Didier could hear.

"They are, they are... but nothing's goin' on here, so it's not like we'll be lyin' when we say so... though they prolly won't listen..." Didier said in response, then he laughed, "Oh, and by the way, you were blushing, I saw it." he said with a smile.

Nick groaned again, mock banging her head on the wall. "Yeah yeah, shut up," she said, turning to face him. The blush had died down, but her cheeks were still a delicate shade of pink. "I'm going to murder that dirty little bilge rat," she muttered darkly, crossing the room again. "Or better yet, I might just..." she trailed off, trying to think of a punishment bad enough for he who dared enter her room without knocking. She sat down on the bed and sighed, cradling her head in her hands. Her long hair fell forward, curtaining her from the rest of the world.

Didier at that moment had the most awkward of urges, something simply not done between friends, but he decided to maybe go for it anyway. At least, part of it, unless otherwise provoked.Slowly, Didier sat up on the bed, pulling her back against his chest as he spoke, "Yeah, yeah, yeah, and why were you such a pretty pink, my dear, Nickie?" he asked, leaning his lips in towards her ear as he spoke with a smile not only in his expression, but also in his voice.

Nick stiffened as she felt herself being pulled back, fining herself against his chest. "U-uh...," she stammered, scrambling for something to say. What a rum time for the girl-boy thing to be kicking in! She was sure this was all friendly, even though a small part of her hoped it wasn't. "Maybe because I was feeling a little hot," she said primly, hurriedly calming herself. Actually, it was cold in the room, but she didn't really think about that when finding her excuse.

Didier laughed, "It's freezing in here!" he laughed again, his back aching as he did, but he tried to ignore it. He liked this too much to let a little pain ruin it. He leaned in closer to her ear, "Maybe you were just thinking what they were thinking about being in bed with me, aye?" he asked with a smile and a playful hint in his voice. He could feel her heartbeat, and it seemed to be quickening a little, being in his arms like she was. Didier wouldn't admit it, but he liked being there like that, with her in his arms. It made the butterflies in his stomach go wild, but he enjoyed the feeling.

Nick flushed a bright crimson color, her heartrate skyrocketing. "Y-you scoundrel," she stammered, feeling dizzy from the rush of blood to her head. She didn't have butterflies in her stomach- oh no, she had bats, and they were packing a wallop on her poor stomach. Her hand tightened slightly on his arm, making her aware of the fact that she had put her hand on his arm in the first place. "I was t-thinking no such thing."

Didier's voice deepened a little, giving it a sultry hint to it, "I may be a scoundrel, but you love it..." he said. He wasn't sure why he was teasing her like this... perhaps because he liked it a bit. He felt like this was the only way he could flirt with Nick, and subconsciously, that's exactly what he wanted to do, and why he liked doing this. She wasn't fighting him on it much either, to his surprise, so that didn't mean it was completely unwanted, right?

Nick turned to face him, her heart going a mile a minute. "D-Didier, you shoudn't tease me so," she gasped, looking totally and utterly helpless. Give her a sword and ten thousand enemies and she was fine. Give her a boy and flirting (she was pretty sure that was what he was doing) and she was a total mess. The worst part was, she couldn't get him back. She didn't know how to flirt. She looked up at him, her eyes wide, her body shaking from how fast her heart was beating.

Somehow her words snapped him back; he laughed lightly, looking away. He could feel her stare, her eyes upon him, even in the dark. Her shaking made him want to just pull her closer, and he felt the need to apologize, but he wouldn't back down. "Maybe I wasn't just teasing." he said, in a whisper. He hadn't let her go, even though she had turned around. Didier's hands were resting on her lower back; he could feel her shaking, and he wasn't sure how to react- wanting to pull her closer, but wanting to let go in case she was uncomfortable... but she would have said something, right?

[[Poor Nick, she's so helpless]]
"Didier," was all she managed. She lowered her head, her forehead touching his chest, her heart fluttering wildly. Her hand tightened a little more on his arm, and she managed a shaky, breathless laugh. "You're a dirty rat," she said softly. "But you're the only one who can make me feel like this." She hesitated; she didn't know what to say next. Or, to be more correct, she didn't know how he would accept what she would say. Because, if she was totally honest, she liked Didier. A lot. But what if he was, in fact, just teasing? What if she told him how she felt, and he totally blew her off? That's why she had thought it was so much easier to be a boy- she was sure the insecurities weren't so bad. At least, for her, when she acted like a boy, they weren't.

((But so cute! xP ))

His heart fell when she called him a rat, but the next bit caught him completely off guard. Didier wanted to say something, but struggled to find the words. Eventually, they just started to gush out, "I don't mean to be a rat, but I care about you... I really do. I... I wasn't just teasing you, Nick..." he said and leaned his head down to hers and ran a hand through her hair, "I.. I know we've known each other for forever, but I think that's why I... why I care about you so much..." he said. As hard as Didier tried, he couldn't use a word other than care.

His hands in her hair were comforting, as were his words. She took a deep breathe, looking up at him. "Didier.... I care for you too. I really like you and... I always have. You've always been by my side, and... You've always been more to me then just my best friend." The shaking had finally stopped; she took a deep breathe, finding it strange that her heart had stopped pounding so hard. Maybe it was the closure she was recieving from this, the fact that some small part of her was finally happy that she had admitted something.

Something about this exchange of feelings felt so right to him. Didier felt like they were finally connecting the way he had always wished they had before. It wasn't that he was just an impressionable young boy when he first met Nick, it was that he found something in her he realized that after all this time, he still held onto; it was his love for her that he held onto, and that all he wanted was for her to return it. His heart beat slowed, but became louder, even if it was just to him.

Didier moved his hand to her cheek, wishing he could see her face, once again. Her words touched him and warmed his heart, then spread over the coolness of the rest of his body which was maintained a the low temperature of the room. "Nick," he said leaning his face down to hers, "I think I... love you." he said, closing his eyes and pressed his lips ever so lightly against hers, which were warm against his, just as her words had, the feel of her lips spread a new surge of warmth through him. He hadn't been thinking when he did it, but he was definitely glad he had; despite the pulsing in his deepest wound, the one on his back, which was growing more fierce the longer he held his lips to hers in a kiss he did not want to end.

Had Nick had the chance, she would have given a small, surprised (yet pleased) gasp. Instead, she kissed him back, instinct battling with her mind.
After a minute, she had to pull back- she couldn't breathe. She gasped for air, sitting up and groping around blindly for the emergency lamp she had stowed under her bed. She couldn't find it, and gave up, drawing her knees up and putting a hand to her heart in an attempt to slow its frantic beating, her face flushed and her eyes wide, her lips tingling.
"Didier," she managed after another minute. "I... I think I love you too." She looked at him, and although he couldn't see, she was smiling, smiling at the rainbow emotions inside of her.
[[D'aww. Tis adorable!]]

He felt his heart drop slightly as she pulled away, but Didier did not say anything. He felt her move away and he became worried, and then confused when he heard her rustling around as if she were looking for something. Had he done something wrong? Did Nick not like- no, did she not love him back? His mind raced in the few seconds where Nick did not speak. It raced through all the negative thoughts it could before she finally spoke his name.

Instantly, the words had sent a euphoric warmth through him that he could not describe if he tried. The happiness that filled Didier's quickly beating heart was immeasurable, and he beamed back at her through the darkness, though she could not see his smile any more than he could see hers. "Do... Do you mean it, Nick?" he asked, wanting to hear it just one more time, or at least an admittance that her words hadn't been a cruel joke or a figment of his wishful imagination. He did not only want to hear it, Didier needed to hear it.

((Tis. ^_^; ))

Nick chuckled a little and reached out, her hand finding his hair. "I don't say things like that lightly," she said, sobering a little. "I mean it." She almost didn't believe it herself, but the pounding of her heart and the sweet lift of her soul told her that it was true. She leaned down and kissed his forehead, then stood and went to the door, opening it and looking down the hall. The hallway was beginning to lighten, signalling the beginning of a new day. She crossed back and sat down, falling onto her back with a sigh, closing her eyes. "Another day, another battle," she said softly. "I have to tend to the others soon."

Didier didn't have time to formulate a response before she went over to the other side of the room. When she opened the door and a bit of light poured in, brightening up the pitch-black room, he smiled a little, seeing they passed the night, awake even. It made him feel like a kid again with the late night story tellings the crew did often when he was younger. Sometimes, they still did it now, but usually only around when a celebration was in order. When Nick came back, he felt her sit on the bed and he pulled her against him, leaning his head against hers, "I'd offer to help you, but I'm afraid we wouldn't be much good." he admitted before returning to the subject at hand, "So, what happens with us now...?" he asked. He was almost certain after what Jim had seen, they were bound to be bombarded that day, especially with the way Jim gossiped. He'd probably say he walked in on them naked, or something to that effect...

Nick had been thinking about the same thing. Ah, the joys of living with men- you had absolutely no privacy. She turned her head and kissed him softly, then turned her head back to look at the ceiling. "We'll just have to take it as it comes, aye?" she asked, sticking a hand behind her head and another over his hands. "Anyways, yer in no shape to be helpin' anyone but yerself. I can take care of them." She returned to the matter at hand- an extremely delicate matter, apparently, although she didn't understand why. If two people loved each other, what did anything else matter? "Maybe I should just commit mutiny and shoot Jim,"she wondered idly. "I mean, it's not like anyone would mind- he's a bit o' a jerk, if you ask me."

Didier nodded a bit at the first part and laughed at the second, "I'm sure it wouldn't even count as mutiny in that case." he said, glancing around the room. He wasn't sure what else to say. Things had changed so much in the course of one night, the casualness was still there, but he was also more self conscious.

Nick laughed, enjoying the conversation. It took away some of the awkwardness for her, knowing that they could still talk like this. "Prolly not; in that case would it count if I shot Gregor's parrot? That thing talks holes in my head when I have to go below deck." She smiled brightly, able to see him a little now- or at least his outline. The room was definetely lightening now.

Didier laughed, trying to keep it down so he wouldn't hurt his back again, "I definitely wouldn't mind if you shot that damn thing." he told her, and after another small laugh, "Who else is on this hit list of yours?" he asked.

Nick mock-pondered this,her finger tapping her lip. "Well," she murmured, "I'm not sure. Anyone you wish to add?" She turned to him, one hand on her hip, the other supporting her weight, her slim fingers splayed against the bed. A red curl flopped into her face, and no matter how hard she blew it away, it kept coming back.

Didier laughed, brushing the curl away, "Off the top of my head, no, but I'm not exactly thinking clearly." he lie down slowly as he spoke: "I'm feeling a bit dizzy, actually..." he admitted, closing his eyes and inhaling deeply, slowly, trying not to damage his back any more.

Nick leaned down and kissed his forehead. "Then rest," she said simply. "I have work to do, but I'll be back in a bit," she murmured, then kissed his forehead again before standing. She picked up her water flask and set it where he could easily reach it without moving. "Is there anything you want me to bring you back? I'm sure you could think of that one off the top of your head," she teased gently.

"Are you going to be alright to work with your eye? How is it feeling anyway?" he asked, sure she had gotten as wrapped up as he had in their previous conversation and such and forgot about her wound. "Naturally, breakfast would be nice, but I don't want to trouble you too much..." he said, I mean, I don't want you to feel obligated, or to feel like my personal slave girl." he said.