So far gone, on your own

After Vivian’s attempt to win Nick over through appealing to his fondness for marine life fell through, it was up to Nick to try and salvage the situation somehow.

“I’ve gotta say, that certainly wasn’t what I expected,” the heiress said as she walked out of entrance to the aquarium with a big smile on her face.

“Are you disappointed?” Nick asked, knowing that she wasn’t. Since Vivian had never been to an aquarium before, he decided to step in and create one for her out of his own memories.

She turned back to look into his eyes, and cocked her head to the side. A crooked smile crawled up her lips.

“Not at all,” she chirped. “You said that was your favorite aquarium, right?”

He nodded. “Deep Blue Aquarium. I used to go there a lot. I’ve used Dream Alley to recreate it a few times now, so I thought you might like a taste of something real.” Nick was smiling from ear to ear. Not only had he enjoyed himself, but he’d enjoyed showing Vivian all of his favorite displays and exhibits. The heiress seemed to absorb it all like a sponge, and although he couldn’t be sure, she seemed to genuinely enjoy herself.

Nick hoped that was the case, anyway.

“Mm, so tell me, Romeo, how many girls have you taken here, eh?” Vivian teased him.

Nick blushed, having the sense to not answer that question. The number was a lot more than zero.

“I’m just givin’ ya a hard time,” Vivian said, tapping him on the shoulder. He looked so cute when she caught him by surprise like that! “Don’t worry, I know I’m not your first.”

“Very funny,” Nick said sarcastically, rolling his eyes.

“No, I mean it!” Vivian said. Her eyes widened and her voice ached with sincerity. “It’s better for your first time to be with someone who has a lot of experience. Someone who knows what they’re doing, and can show you the ropes so you’re not nervous the first time you… go to an aquarium.”

“Subtle,” Nick replied, upping the sarcasm even more. “That was about as subtle as a brick through a window.”

Vivian gasped in horror. “Don’t joke about that here! They’ll think we’re turning the sharks loose!” She couldn’t keep a straight face and doubled over with laughter while a slightly amused Nick just rolled his eyes.

“So if we’re keeping score, I think that’s a point for me,” he said, holding up an imaginary pen and making a fake tally mark in the air.

“Oh?” Vivian straightened up and put her hands on her hips. She eyed him with a piercing look. “And how do you figure that one?”

Nick shrugged. “You wanted to surprise me by taking me to an aquarium. A romantic gesture designed to win me over, right? But you flubbed it, and so I had to step in with a real aquarium. So any points you would have gotten for your idea, it’s only right that I get them instead, yeah?”

Vivian snorted in disbelief and crossed her arms over her chest. She cocked her hip to the side and flashed a smile that revealed the top row of her teeth. “Oh really now? Is that how it works?”

“…Well no,” Nick replied, tossing away the invisible notepad he had marked up. “You’re not supposed to keep score when it comes to a relationship.”

“A relationship? Is that what we’ve got now?” Vivian mimed a yawn. “Well since we’ve made so much progress in such a short time, but I’m not any closer to falling in love with you, I think that means I’m currently in the lead, yeah?”

“Not any closer as far as you think,” Nick corrected her with a coy smile, pointing at her chest. “Who knows? Maybe my charming knowledge of marine life has gotten you smitten and you haven’t even realized it yet!”

Vivian tossed back her head and let out a long, sarcastic laugh. “Ha ha ha! That wasn’t even funny enough to get me to forget to laugh!”

She flicked her eyes towards him again, shooting a challenge with her smoldering gaze. Nick didn’t even mind. The glow of her face was a testament to how much fun she was having, and that was all he was hoping for right now.

Vivian isn’t going to be easy to win over. After all… she’s Vivian. She’s inscrutable even at her best. Nick had no illusions about the difficulty of his task. Making a girl like this fall for him, it was a first. Most of his early relationships on the island, they had formed in spite of his resistance Sylvia’s, and later Dakota’s, actions. And then, as he became more open to the idea of having a harem, came women like Augmented Synthetic Humanoid Assassin who couldn’t keep her hands off him, and then ones like Ella, Amelia, and Sylvia, who he had to handle with care.

So in a way, Vivian was the first time he had ever tried to really win over a girl’s heart in a very long time. And unlike his last attempt at finding love organically, small talk over the checkout lane probably wouldn’t get the job done.

…Kim probably wouldn’t appreciate him using their budding feelings for one another as practice for seducing the heiress either, now that he thought about it.

“Anyway,” Nick said, redirecting the topic and stepping closer to Vivian as he did so, “I’m in the lead right now. Better watch out, if you don’t want to be seduced.”

“Oh? And who said I didn’t want it?” Vivian preened, curling a fringe of her stylish brown hair. “Maybe that’s part of my plan, get you to seduce me so hard you don’t even realize that you’re falling for me yourself.”

“Mm, no, I wouldn’t go for that plan if I was you,” Nick said, shaking his head. “If we both fall for each other then I win.”

Vivian scrunched up her nose and tilted her head to the side. She crossed her arms to mirror her date. “Do you though? Really? Is that a win for you? I mean, wouldn’t you prefer if I was totally head over heels, and had to try and get you to love me back? That sounds way more exciting than trying to seduce a gal who’s already fond, wouldn’t you think?”

“Are you saying if you were already in love with me, you’d be doing something different?” Nick challenged. “Don’t take it easy on me now!”

Vivian giggled and shook her head. “Oh no, you’re not going to bait me that easily,” she crooned, leaning forward and stroking his cheek. “I’m having far too much fun. Believe me, when I pull out the big guns, you’re going to be begging for mercy.”

“I don’t know, that sounds like a bluff.” Nick couldn’t help himself- he was really enjoying this. The way Vivian and he traded barbs, circling around each other and looking for an opening, it was a strangely refreshing relationship. Almost like two old friends. And even though part of him knew that was exactly what the heiress was trying to cultivate, he could enjoy it while it lasted.

Even this conversation is working in her favor. As long as she can keep me at arms’ length, then she won’t have to open up. In spite of the smile on his face, Nick couldn’t help but feel a little guilty. Part of him kept questioning whether or not this was the right thing to do.

After all, if Vivian didn’t want to open up to him, was it really okay to **** it? To coax her like this, and break down her walls? He wouldn’t do that with someone like Morgana or Ella or Dawn, after all, he’d respect their boundaries, like he would any other woman.

But with Vivian, it just felt different.

Maybe because she’s challenging me. If she really didn’t want me to try and win her over, then she’d say so. Instead, she’s acting like this is all one big game to her. Maybe that means, on some level, she wants someone, wants me, to see through it and make a sincere connection with her.

The heiress played it off real casually, like a relationship with Nick wasn’t all that important to her. Just a means to her ends. And she was upfront about it, too.

But if she wasn’t going to back off when he told her that’s not what he wanted, he wasn’t going to back off, either.

I want to make her fall for me. As long as she’s not going to give up, I’m not, either.

“So, since you’re currently behind in points, what’s your next plan?” Nick asked with a teasing smile, pushing aside any remaining traces of discomfort. “I mean, I’m fine exchanging taunts and teases in front of the aquarium, but you’ve got something else in mind, right?”

“Well, you’re right, I do love a jaunty rejoinder as much as the next heiress,” Vivian admitted with a laugh. “But I do have maybe one thing I’ve been thinking of…”

Behind her smile, Vivian could acknowledge the difficulty of her present situation. Nick had a lot more experience in the field of romance than she did, after all. But that wasn’t anything new. She’d sat across the negotiating table with CEOs and boards that had far more experience than she did plenty of times in the past, and gave as good as she got.

This was just another challenge to overcome.

Or, I could just try and actually fall for him. It’s not like I’m that opposed to it. Frankly, he’s not wrong. It would be easier to get him to marry me if I actually fell in love with him first. That’s the way this stuff is supposed to go. Vivian didn’t have anything against romance or sexuality or any of the wild, twisted ways Dakota tried to spin them up into a relationship together. If she was being honest with herself, genuinely falling for someone could even be fun.

Still, no way! I’m enjoying this way too much! She just knew that something would be lost if she fell for him for real. Like their banter, for example. At this point, winning him over was a matter of pride. She’d have plenty of time to fall in love with him for real after they got married, if necessary.

She could already picture him all flustered and embarrassed and frustrated at their wedding. No love involved, just a purely financial necessity. For Vivian, that would be her perfect victory! And then she could sit back and reap the rewards as she showered him with all kinds of gifts, all while he protested he didn’t want any of that stuff and just wanted a real relationship.

It made her want to squeal with glee!

Whoa, tamp it down there. That almost sounds like you’re falling for him already, don’t give him the satisfaction! Vivian was a born winner. And she had her eyes on the prize! Sure, she’d come to like Nick a lot more than she’d expected to when she first came onto this show, but that wasn’t the same thing as love.

Now the question is, how do I get him to like me even more? I can’t waste this opportunity. If only I’d had time to plan this out, I’d have a stronger angle of attack to wear down his resistance. But she didn’t know enough about her date to target his weak points and make him all weak in the knees. As proved by the last debacle with the aquarium.

Something he won’t expect coming from me… …Oh, that could work.

“You ready for the next step of our date?” She asked.

Nick shrugged and held out his hands to the sides. “I’ve been waiting,” he taunted her. “Come on, show me what you’ve got!”

Ooh! You-! Vivian bit her lip in excitement. Trying to get me all riled up, nipping at my heels like that, you’re so adorable! But you won’t see this coming.

She tapped her foot and she world shifted around the two of them, surprising Nick. He’d expected his date to make some grand display and get him to close his eyes again so she could surprise him, but apparently she was switching things up.

The first thing he realized, before the world stopped spinning, was the fact that he was feeling a strong gust of wind in his face. As things stabilized around them both, all Nick could see was a vast expanse of blue.

The clouds before him indicated they were in the air, but…

“Whoa, what!?” Nick nearly stumbled over himself as he realized he was standing in the middle of the sky. Well, not technically true. The rush in his ears got him looking up, up, up, at a massive canvas stretched out above his head.

It was a hot air balloon! Vivian had taken him to a hot air balloon?!

“You like?” Vivian called, startling him. He turned to see her leaning against the railing of the wide basket, dressed in a warm parka. “I decided a private jet would be a little too ostentatious, so why not a hot air balloon? Quite the charming concept, wouldn’t you say? Just you and me, miles and miles in the air, with no one else around but our attendant?”

She gestured to Octavia, who was busy operating the controls of the balloon with a grim expression on her face.

“Indeed, Lady Carrington,” Octavia agreed. “This is quite an exceptional idea for a date.”

Vivian puffed up her chest with pride, flashing a smirk at Nick that oozed with “See? I told you so!” energy.

“It is quite befitting of you to propose an idea that is full of hot air,” Octavia added.

While Vivian glared at her butler, Octavia focused on the flames, turning up the heat and making the balloon rise.

“Come over, Nick,” Vivian urged her date, beckoning him over to the railing. “Wouldn’t you like to see how high up we are?”

Nick was a little wary, even though he knew there was no risk of dying in Dream Alley. That logical, rational fact wouldn’t stop his stomach from doing somersaults when he saw the ground so far below him.

But then, Vivian was always trying new experiences. He could do the same.

Better to do it here, than in the real world where I could fall out, he reasoned. Besides, if I can do skydiving with Kim I can stand in a bucket thousands of miles in the air.

Nick came over to join her, and peered down to look at the ground below.

“Whoa…” he whispered as he gazed at the blurred land beneath them. Contrary to his prior concern, he wasn’t feeling afraid at all. In fact, a strange rush shot through him.

“It’s different from ordinary flying, isn’t it?” Vivian said, running her fingers along his shoulders in a strange almost-massage. She was really ramping up the physical contact, and Nick suspected he knew why. Aiming to seduce him with the suspension bridge effect, most likely. “In a plane, you don’t get this feeling of suspension, right?”

“It’s like being on a rollercoaster,” Nick considered for a moment. The sensation he felt was a lot like the buildup before that first drop. Vivian was right, it was nothing like a plane, or even looking down at the ground from the top of a mountain, which he’d done a couple of times.

“Don’t worry though,” Vivian giggled. “Octavia won’t let us drop though.”

“Of course not, Lady Carrington.”

Nick was relieved at the lack of sarcastic barbs from the butler this time around. As fun as it was seeing Vivian get flustered herself, he didn’t think this was the time or place for jokes.

“I didn’t just bring you here to see how high up we are,” Vivian clarified. “Actually, I brought you here because I wanted to give you the chance to experience something I know you’ve never experienced before!”

“Well, you’re not wrong,” Nick said, stepping away from the edge and turning to the grinning heiress. “This is definitely a first.”

Vivian’s smile widened and she shook her head. “No, not what I meant,” she said coyly. “Octavia?”

“Is it time, Lady Carrington?” Octavia asked, raising her eyebrow.

“Close enough,” Vivian replied. “We spent a while in the aquarium. We can have an early lunch.”

Nick perked up when he heard that. “Wait… lunch?”

“That’s right!” Vivian clapped her hands together. “Tell me, Nick, have you ever eaten a meal thousands of feet in the air before?”

Nick opened his mouth to reply before she cut him off.

“Not in a plane, I mean.”

“…Oh. Then no.”

“Exactly! And that’s why, I arranged for Octavia here to cook us lunch while we travel over the countryside, looking down on everything!” Vivian proposed with a proud smile.

Nick felt like there was a metaphor for class in there somewhere, but he didn’t say anything.

Vivian looked expectantly at him. “You’re going to love this. Octavia’s actually using the heat from the balloon’s burner to cook the food!”

“Is… is that sanitary?” Nick asked, looking up at the massive balloon above his head. In the yawning opening he could see little cages of food suspended above the flames.

“Only if Lady Carrington has washed her hands,” Octavia gruffly answered.

Vivian rolled her eyes. “Just so you know, I don’t usually eat like this,” she clarified.

“I figured you didn’t,” Nick said. “I expect you mostly eat golden steaks and ice cream worth a million dollars because it has tiny edible diamonds in it or something.”

“No, that’s only for special occasions,” Vivian said, playfully swatting him on the shoulder. “Come on! Let’s eat. I brought a blanket, since I figured you’d be getting pretty cold all the way up here.”

As soon as she mentioned it, Nick shivered as he realized just how cold he really was. Unlike Vivian, he hadn’t thought to change his clothes.

Vivian patted the empty seat beside her on the narrow bench, and Nick sat down to join her. She wrapped a nice, warm blanket around the two of them and sidled up close, leaning in right against Nick and resting her head against his shoulder.

It was a surprising display of intimacy from the heiress. And Nick hoped that it was genuine, and not a calculated manipulation on her part. The sad thing was that he really couldn’t be sure. But for right now, he decided not to overthink it, and just enjoy the moment for what it was.