Set at some non-specific part of canon. This is inspired partly by Envy Jaw, a web short by Kohske about Alex and Nicolas that she released before Gangsta was serialized. It's super sweet, so check it out if you haven't already! The other part was inspired by all the morning scenes in the manga. Sleepy Alex is adorable! One-shot.

She lay in a fetal position on the floor, the coppery taste of blood in her mouth.

Barry leered over her. "I don't like to do this to you either, Alex… So why don't you make my job easier and do what I ask?"

Alex woke up with a start, sweat clinging to her body, her throat parched. Although the hallucinations of Barry had mostly disappeared over time, the nightmares remained. This wasn't the tenth or even the twentieth time she had had this same dream, but it never got any better.

She reached blindly for the glass of water on the coffee table, knocking some papers onto the floor in the process. Ahh, she had forgotten to bring up a glass of water from the kitchen last night, hadn't she?

She tried to hold out for the next hour, tossing and turning in the sofa. But the irritation in her throat refused to go away no matter how much she swallowed, and every time she closed her eyes the image of Barry would reappear in front of her.

Sighing deeply, she finally sat up. Wrapping the blanket around her shoulders, she crept surreptitiously down the stairs, slightly mortified by the fact that she might wake Nicolas up. Because he slept in his training area by the kitchen, she made it a point to never go downstairs in the middle of the night, not even to use the bathroom. The few times she absolutely had to go in the middle of the night, Nicolas got woken up each time. He pretended to be asleep, but Alex wasn't fooled. When he was actually asleep, his grip on his sword would loosen, albeit slightly, and his chest would rise and fall in tandem.

How did he wake up so easily, she wondered? It's not as if he could hear her. Was it just a sixth sense that let him know when someone approached? Or was he never fully asleep, merely in a semi-conscious state?

He must be really tired today, she mused. Because even after she crossed the kitchen and poured herself a glass of water from the sink, he didn't stir from his position on the floor. She could hear his soft breathing echoing through the stillness of the room. It was slow, measured, and rhythmic.

Setting the glass down, she approached him. He always slept on his side, one arm under his head, the other clutching his sword to his chest. How could he even sleep like that? It didn't look remotely comfortable. Worick had told her that he had tried to get Nicolas a bed when they first moved into their place, but he refused adamantly.

Nicolas looked really peaceful in his sleep today. Before she even realized what she was doing, she had touched his cheek.

The reaction was immediate. A hand clamped down on her throat, and an unsheathed sword was pointed at her waist.

Alex's eyes widened and fear momentarily gripped her heart, even though she knew Nicolas would never hurt her. He released her within seconds.

"AlEx, I thOUghT I tOlD you noT to cOme near me wHeN I'm sLeePing." He growled.

"I-I'm sorry," she whispered, hoping he wasn't too angry with her, and that he could read her lips in the dim light. "I just came down here to grab a glass of water and…" she trailed off. And what? I wanted to check on you? I was watching you sleep?

Nicolas scowled and re-sheathed his sword. 'Do as you wish.' He signed. 'I'm going back to sleep.'

"Okay…" she said, even though his eyes were closed.

Normally she would have grabbed her glass and made a hasty exit. But the thought of returning to Barry in her dreams terrified her. Nicolas' presence was comforting.

She took her glass and sat leaning on the wall across from Nicolas. She sipped her water quietly with her blankets around her. The place was always freezing at night.

Nicolas peaked an eye open and observed her for a few moments. 'Go to sleep.' He signed, with his signature scowl on his face. His eyes closed once more.

Eventually his breathing slowed.

Alex smiled. There was a time when Nicolas refused to be in the same room as her unless necessary. He would organize his schedule in a way that they had the least interaction. The fact that he was so relaxed around her now meant a lot to her.

But there was still an unseen distance between them. It was like a game. Every time she took a step forward, he would take a step back. She wouldn't give up though. If he took a step back each time, she would just have to be faster than him.

There was some contradiction too. While he maintained a certain distance, there were all these little things he did for her all the time. There were too many to count. Really, she didn't understand Nicolas at all.

The distance he maintained, was it because of that girl everyone whispered about...? Veronica?

She lost track of time. There was no clock on the first floor. The sound of Nicolas' breathing was so relaxing...

Alex woke up to the sound of birds chirping outside the window. She was back on the sofa, having been tucked in with her blanket. Nicolas was nowhere in sight.

Alex got up to start her day, a strange warmth enveloping her long after she had shed her blanket.

Hope you liked it! Feedback greatly appreciated! :)