This is a sequel of Two Sides Of A Coin and will feature the duration from Nick signing in for the marathon up to the actual event.
While writing the end of TSOAC this idea struck me and wouldn't leave.
So here are the boys, exchanging one or the other cellphone message and meeting more times than they thought possible.
/ = text messages
cursive = thoughts
GRIMM GRIMM GRIMM
Fall:
Day 1 (September, 28th):
A week after Captain Renard returns to work after falling prey to 'a bad bout of flu' Nicholas Burkhardt signs in for participation of the inter-precinct marathon which is to take place next spring. It leaves him with approximately 7 months (220 days exactly... not that he's counted... who is he kidding?) to train and a way to do certain other things while going for his trice weekly scheduled run.
Day 15 (October, 12th):
Two weeks after Nick has decided on his plan of action Captain Sean Renard catches sight of the well known profile of a man who jogs along the street that runs directly below his condo, high up as it is situated.
It seems, the Prince thinks as he stands tall in front of his living room windows overlooking Portland, that I have acquired not only a damn good runner for inter-precinct sports competition but a personal body guard as well.
And it is true. Every time Portland's resident Grimm goes for a training run his route leads him past his Captain's housing complex and every time he checks – with a surreptitious glance upward – that the man is alive and well.
Day 33 (October, 30th):
Renard is easily able to make out a pattern to his Detective's running. If they are on a case Nick will run early in the morning long before he has to be at work, if they are off rota and just doing paperwork he will run in the evening. No matter the time of day, though, the Grimm will make his way past his window exactly three times a week. After a little over a month of this Sean has seen him often enough – today being no exception.
He knows without a doubt that, had the Grimm wanted to hide his presence from him, he would have been able to do so. But reality is quite different. Nick shows himself deliberately – to his Prince who he wants to protect and to anyone who intents to do harm to either the Police Captain or the ruler of Portland's wesen community.
GRIMM GRIMM GRIMM
It is early evening, Portland is awash with fiery colours of fall and the Captain is once again standing in front of his living room windows enjoying a magnificent view:
Bright orange, burnt gold, Nick Burkhardt jogging past, adorned in a hoodie and track pants. The bastard Prince hides a smirk. Source of his amusement is an array of leaves stuck in Nick's hair and the hood of his sweatshirt, visible even at such a distance. It seems his route has lead him through Forest Park.
On a hunch he pulls out his cellphone and sends a message.
/As you are in the area already, do you want to come up? There's coffee./
Down on the street Nick pulls out his own phone. He stares down at the screen for a moment before gazing upwards pinpointing his Captain's position at once.
/Sure. But be aware, there are most likely wet leaves stuck to my trainers./
Not only to your trainers, Detective. But no need to spoil the surprise by writing that now.
GRIMM GRIMM GRIMM
The sight his Detective presents upon entering his condo is an admittedly endearing one. Eyes alight with happiness, cheeks fairly glowing from running in the cold and, of course, those persistent pieces of greenery (more like orangery) clinging to unruly locks.
Nick for his part is not sure what to make of the barely there smile and a teasing glint in watchful eyes. Renard's appearance is a curious mix of an impeccable though
more casual attire and an ease that is non-existent in the man he presents himself to be at work.
"In case you haven't noticed, Detective, leaves are not only stuck to your shoes but also in your hair and hoodie."
That certainly explains some things.
Nick plucks the offending things out of tousled strands of hair with a sheepish grin. He holds them out to the other man, waggling his eyebrows enticingly while a quirk of lips turns into a full out mischievous smile.
"Need any items for fall decoration?"
An eyebrow is raised.
"What do you think?"
The Grimm looks up from where he has toed off running shoes in order not to sully his bosses' carpet.
"That bright orange would make a fabulous counterpoint to your cream coloured sofa."
The zauberbiest emits a quiet scoffing noise as he leads the way farther into his home.
"Now you sound like your blutbad friend on an interior fitting spree."
Nick scowls at that making Sean show the ghost of a devious smirk.
"So... you offered coffee?" The grey eyed gaze changes from stormy to longing.
"I didn't offer, I merely mentioned."
"Captain, I'm shocked. Did you lure me up here under false pretences? If that is the case I should just leave my leaves (pun intended) here for your pleasure and be gone."
"Hardly... on both accounts in case you've held any hopes. I never said you wouldn't get your brew. I merely corrected a false statement. And before you even think about dropping those things anywhere, do you see any other seasonal decoration here?"
His tone is forbidding, his gaze hard, wholly the inscrutable bastard Prince. In face of this it is difficult not to shy away from making a flippant remark. But Nick isn't a Grimm and a cop for nothing. He has faced far more dire situations.
"No, but that shouldn't keep you from trying it out. You know, seasonal cheer and all."
For emphasis the Detective turned fool waves around his leaves in a vague way as if testing where they would look best. A fact which the imperturbable 'biest ignores in favour of making his way into the kitchen.
Evil, evil, unflappable man.
"Seasonal cheer is for Christmas. If you manage to find a single other article of fall decoration, though, you may leave them here."
He throws over his shoulder sounding triumphant. Well, Nick has always enjoyed a challenge and lets his gaze sweep over his Captain's flat.
The view out of those windows is truly captivating. Maybe Renard doesn't need any decoration of the seasonal kind. After all there is a sea of beautiful, enchanting autumn colours spread out below, all for the Royal to enjoy. Observant eyes move on, roving over a sheer unending number of books, reading titles and grinning when he catches sight of a certain one.
Article found. 1:0 for the Grimm. That leaves only 'the leaving'.
For the time being, however, Nick's attention is diverted by a heavenly smell wafting over from the kitchen.
Mmmmh, thank God for delicious, high quality coffee! If this is one of the perks of being a Prince then I would give it a try.
"Here." He jumps a bit at finding the older man directly beside him, standing tall and watching him closely. He hasn't heard him approach and ostentatiously thinking too closely about coffee makes for a serious breach in his defenses. If the tiny crinkles around Renard's observant eyes are any indication he has just been silently laughed at.
"Sorry. I spaced out. Coffee is a substance of true evil."
"Than you may enjoy it to its fullest. No sense in doing things halfway if one is about to commit a sin anyway."
Nick shows a charming devil smile thinking about his secret plan of action. He takes the mug – while somehow managing to hold onto the leaves – and inhales deeply.
GRIMM GRIMM GRIMM
While enjoying their hot brew they talk easily. It seems that, ever since the Grimm tore down a few of Renard's inherent self-defence mechanisms and showed him that for once he can let down his guard, a lot of their past distance has melted away. Sean Renard will never be one to unravel completely or to make a fool of himself but Nick is deeply gratified to find his boss, his... what... acquaintance... engage in their conversation with quiet delight.
The Prince's cellphone ringing ends their little get together.
He looks at the caller-ID, gaze turning inscrutable and maybe the slightest bit wistful. Is this normally distant man saddened to interrupt their time?
Somehow this makes Nick feel warm inside. He knows it is damn hard to get past the zauberbiest's shields. That he should have managed to do so is a revelation and a gift he does not intent to throw away.
"I am sorry. I have to get this one."
"No problem. Thank you for the coffee. I'll just let myself out. See you tomorrow, Sir."
Renard inclines his head – a small apologetic smile showing – before he takes the call and disappears into his home office. The Grimm gazes after him marveling at how things have developed over the last weeks. Two months prior this deeply suspicious, formidable man would never have left him alone in his home. Shaking his head and smiling to himself he changes one last thing about the room before letting himself out of the flat like he said he would.
GRIMM GRIMM GRIMM
Upon re-entering his living room he finds it deserted and yet filled with evidence of Nick's presence. There's his empty mug for one...
And there is a book placed upon the coffee table and are three leaves of burnished red, bright orange and warm yellow, set atop as if a gentle breeze has carried them there.
The title of the book is 'cycle of nature – seasonal poems of spring, summer, fall and winter'.
A soft laugh escapes him as he gazes down upon his Detective's work. He has forgotten that he even possessed this book... it has been a long time since he's last read it.
I should have known, though, shouldn't I? If anyone were to spot such a minute detail it would be my Grimm Detective.
He doesn't disturb the arrangement in any way, just sits down on his couch and looks at this small piece out of a sea of fiery colours... and at Nick's handiwork.
GRIMM GRIMM GRIMM
His housekeeper seems to like his newest item of fall decoration, too, for every time those leaves show signs of withering new ones are fetched and placed upon the book. At some point a candle of tasteful chocolate colour joins the assembly.
Sean doesn't say anything about it. He decides to simply enjoy the sight and gift a certain Grimm has bestowed upon him.
Day 42 (November, 8th):
The air is cool and crisp, a morning made for outdoor activity. Running has always been an essential part of his spare time activities. No matter how little time there's been between Police and Grimm work Nick has always found a way to squeeze in a bit of running.
With the incentive of doing a marathon, of course, the Grimm has stepped up his pensum immensely.
His route – approximately 9.5 miles as per his training plan – takes him along forest tracks, suburban parts similar to Monroe's living area and of course Portland's busy spots. The layout of his way varies slightly every time but a point that he never fails to hit upon is a nondescript street that runs along a certain multistory building, which conveniently contains his Captain's condo.
Today he has altered his route slightly, not having it approach its final part by Renard's place but rather begin there. Today Nick has a plan. He takes out his cellphone about 10 minutes of running distance to Renard's place.
/Come run with me?/
He has to wait for some time before a beeping sound heralds a new message. He has anticipated this – thus the stretch of way until he reaches his destination.
/Why?/
Of course Renard would ask this. 8 minutes to go.
/Weather is perfect for running./
/I have never participated before. What makes you think I would now?/
/You know how the saying goes: Just because you haven't done it before.../
He's curious if the Prince remembers. 6 minutes.
/... don't let that keep you from trying it out./
Nick cannot help grinning like a Cheshire cat.
/You see. Anyway, what about being supportive?/
/Going to the event and actually cheer you on counts as supportive as far as I am concerned./
He can practically hear the waspish drawl when reading the word cheer. 4 minutes left.
/Maybe. But running with me would be better. Going to do some HIT today./
/No guns involved hopefully.../
/Not hit as in 'hitman'. HIT... high intensity training. You get to snap at me and order me around. Whip me into shape so to speak./
/I can do that at work, you know? Perks of being the commanding officer./
Imagining Renard's carefully guarded but still ostentatiously smug expression – an effect heightened by his aristocratic features – makes Nick equal parts irritated and giddy at the challenge. 2 ½ minutes.
/Yeees. But you could use this opportunity to get outdoors for a bit. I know you have three meetings with stuffy politicians scheduled for today. Come on, you want to do this./
1 minute.
/Don't presume to know what I want./
Uuh, oh, cool aloofness is oozing from this text!
Nick puts his cellphone away and turns around the corner to Renard's home. Now it's time to see, if his persuasion skill are any good.
The man leans against one of the building's support pillars, arms crossed in front of his chest, adorned in running clothes of undeniably high end quality – an unobtrusive shadow in early morning twilight.
Nick cannot hide a broad grin as he approaches. There are no words, only two sets of eyes meeting – silent communication – then the zauberbiest falls into step beside him.
GRIMM GRIMM GRIMM
Sean Renard is a right bastard of a task master! It's safe to say that his Detective's training that day is intense, gruelling and planned to perfection. The Grimm loves it. He couldn't be more happy.
GRIMM GRIMM GRIMM
This was their fall time. Winter will follow soon with more fluff but also quite a bit of Hurt/ Comfort and taking care. ;)