Chapter Text
When Nick Burckhardt found out from his dieing Aunt Marie, that he was a Grimm, he honestly didn't believe it and thought due to the chemo and the medications she was on because of the cancer, that they had made her kinda crazy. Then he started seeing people differently. He almost made the mistake of asking his partner, Hank, if he had seen the same thing he did. But he gave it a second thought and he was very glad he did. Because Juliette, well she took the news pretty badly.
He really should of just done what his aunt had said to do and broken things off with her. It would of been easier than having her think he was crazy and that his job had finally been too much for him to handle. He tried to convince her that he was sane and that this Grimm business is real, if she would only stop packing and listen to him.
And then it was all too late, she had stripped the house that they used to call a home while he stood there trying to talk her out of moving. And while he was at work the next day she left, all that there was left of her was a letter on the table when he got home that day. He had cried as he read it, she said, she promised she'd keep all his secrets to herself but if this being a Grimm was real, then she wasn't safe with him and that there was no future, no hope of having a family and a normal family. As she said it would already be strained without adding this on top of everything else that came with being with a man that was a cop and a male transgendered one as well. She had put two and two together and had figured out some of those situations that she had been a target, she had thought it was due to him being a cop. And she didn't want to believe what he was saying, it was just to much to take. As it was they barely saw each other, they both worked way to much and she just didn't want to continue being afraid for him and now for herself. She said she would always love him, but that it was time she moved on. It was over.
So due to there being no reason in keeping the large house that they had bought together, he condensed everything down so he could move into a smaller two bedroom house with a den and basement. He asked Eddie to help him move, he really enjoyed the Blutbad's company.
He was a very calming presence to my ragged emotions. And I bribed him with his favorite beer. Nick smirked, his friend was a sucker when bribed with beer and chocolate muffins, especially when I made my triple chocolate muffins.
There was room to park the trailer beside the garage. He worked over the next few weeks on putting together a rather intense basement. Exercise equipment, a dojo mat so he could practice some of the moves listed in one of the many books on how to become more fit, on using and exploiting various weak spots and weakness on the various Wensen. He picked up a boxing dummy to work on as well, since Eddie refused to spare with him. He said it was too dangerous, that blutbaden are dangerous creatures and even though Nick was a Grimm, he was still a very young Grimm. Eddie often called him a baby Grimm, just barely coming into himself, still needing to learn so much more if he wanted to stay alive.
So Nick wound up putting a trunk in his bedroom at the foot of his bed. It had a hidden compartment under the folded blankets, that held a couple of weapons he could use if need be. He also used a few of the more decorative one's as well, decoration. Most of what was in the trailer, stayed in the trailer. The trailer was moved back to the storage lot for safe keeping.
He would occasionally bring a journal or two home to read over, he mainly wanted to make sure that if anything happened to his home that he wouldn't loose everything. He was far from knowing everything in the many journals. He had bought two recently for his own notes and drawings on the various non-humans. A small one he could carry around to take quick notes and drawings in and a large one for at home. Maybe one day what he wrote and drew might help another Grimm. He definitely didn't really want to think about not being around anymore and having another Grimm needing and, or reading his journals. But it was a possibility.
And one Sunday he went over to Eddie's with a six pack of his favorite beer and a couple of those giant muffins. He parked his car in the driveway and went up to his friends door, trying not to lose either the beer or muffins. He was very glad when the door opened for him without him having to knock.
"Seriously?" Eddie just stood there with the door knob in his hand while Nick walked in and on into his kitchen. Nick chuckled as Eddie muttered about social Grimms and him letting Nick just waltz on into his home like he owned it, as he closed and locked the door. Not like anyone would be crazy enough to even come onto his territory. If it wasn't due to his scent, then the scent of a Grimm would surely keep them away.
"Super Bowl is on in about an hour and I brought your favorite beer, some huge muffins and I figured we could order pizza or go pick something up at the grocery store. Whichever works for you, works for me. I wasn't very interested in watching the game by myself. That ok?" Nick smiled at Eddie.
"Oh put away the puppy eyes. Yes, it's fine. But we will head to the store and get a few more healthy snack type foods." Eddie picked up his keys and shrugged into a jacket, since it was a bit chilly outside.
"We can take my car, if you want?" Nick quickly put the beer in the fridge and then hurriedly followed Eddie outside.
"And what's wrong with my car?" Eddie had stopped walking and turned to stare at Nick.
"My car has heat. Yours...not so much." Nick said smoothly as he stepped around Eddie and got into his car and waited for Eddie to get in before pulling out into the street and heading towards the local grocery store for snacks. It took 45 minutes due to it being busy with a bunch of people whom had the same thought at the same damn time. They barely got back in time to see the anthem being sung and then the opening kick off.
So for the next couple of hours, there was little talking as both men where engrossed in the game. they ate a mixture of junk and healthy foods. They had chips and dip, hoagies made with just about every condiment available to them, some cut veggies with dip. A fruit bowl and of course the muffins and beer.
At the end of the game, Nick smiled as the blutbaden cheered that his team won. Nick got up and started to clean up their mess.
"Hey Nick, I've got a really personal question to ask you."
Nick blinked up at Eddie with dishes in his hands. Eddie took them out of his hands, sitting them down on the counter, then pulled Nick over to the couch. Sitting him down and then he started pacing.
"Uh...Eddie what is it?"
"I thought at first it was because of Juliette that you had this scent about you. But she isn't around anymore and I haven't heard or seen you with anyone else. So the scent has to be coming from you." He stopped there and looked at Nick, then turned away and started pacing again.
"My nose is telling me one thing and my eyes are telling me something different, but both is you, I just don't know how..."
"Well you could ask me. Although I'm pretty sure I know what your talking about. If it is, I had no intentions of deceiving you. This is me, 100%" He said while faint worry lines showed on my forehead showing my emotions.
Eddie could see in his friends eyes how nervous and scared he was, 'Well I better just take the plunge and be done with it.'
"Were you born male or female?" Eddie stood stock still while waiting on the answer.
"Well....I was born female, but I transitioned to male many years ago and I haven't had to have the 'why am I a transgendered person' talk in a long time. Last time was to Juliette." Nick bowed his head. Nick took a deep breath and stood up. "You can judge me if ya want, but it won't change that I'm a cop and a Grimm, it won't change the fact that I'm thankful for your help and friendship. You've saved my life more times than I can count, but through everything you've helped me get stronger and smarter. My gender should mean nothing to you or anyone else."
Eddie was speechless and Nick took it the wrong way. By the time he had snapped back to the here and now, Nick was already gone. He looked outside and saw his car was still there and he had left his coat.
Eddie growled low in his throat, put his own coat on and taking Nick's with him as he quickly left in the direction of Nick's house. It wasn't very far, about 2 miles from Eddie's own home. So he jogged to catch up with Nick, it wouldn't of been a terrible walk but it was dark and colder by the minute. He caught up with Nick about halfway between their homes.
Eddie didn't say anything, just draped the coat over Nick's shoulders and walked the rest of the way to Nick's home, in silence, with him. Once inside Eddie went to the fireplace to start up a fire, while Nick shrugged off his jacket and went to put the kettle on.
"So instead of some Wesen trying to kill you, you'd rather do it yourself?" Eddie was trying very hard not to raise his voice but there was a warning growl there anyways.
"Eddie, whether you trust your nose or your eyes, I'm not weak. You may be scared you'd hurt me if we spared but I think your more worried I might actually be able to win a match." Nick's gray eyes were shinning with challenge and something else, Eddie was getting turned on again.
"You'd be too easy to take down right now..." Eddie said with no real bite to his words.
"Yeah, whatever, I'm beat." The kettle went off and he made myself some tea. And Eddie was still just standing there, staring. "Come on ya got your answer, now leave. I'm not dealing with this right now. Once you get your head back on right and want to continue being my friend, then call me and let me know. Otherwise I just won't bother you anymore. Even though I've come to think of you as my best friend and someone I can talk to about the Grimm stuff. I don't honestly have anyone else that will listen to me without wanting to commit me to a psychiatric ward. But hey if something so not an issue for me bothers you, then you can just forget about me." Nick walked pass Eddie with his tea and down the hall towards his bedroom.
Nick felt like crying, he felt helpless and like his whole world was falling apart again. When had he fallen for his best friend, for this to hurt so badly?
Eddie stood there staring off into space trying to figure out a way to fix this. He decided he needed to just talk to Nick and reassure him that this wasn't going to change their relationship. He walked down the hall to Nick's bedroom and knocked softly.
"Yes?" Nick sounded pissed and bone weary.
Eddie pushed the door open and was hit with a wave of differing emotions coming from Nick. He was scared, sad, angry, etc.
"I thought I told ya to leave." Nick stood there with his arms crossed over his bare chest. He had changed into a pair of sleep pants and was wearing nothing else. His chest and stomach were well sculpted. And definitely didn't look female in any way. A light dusting of freckles and black hairs on his chest and the trail of black soft looking hair that lead downward and disappeared beneath his sleep pants.
"Uh...." Eddie shook his head to get himself to stop staring. "I wanted to say I'm sorry and that I don't want to lose our friendship over me being stupid and making something out of nothing. If your good with yourself, then I can't really say anything. I guess we all have our secrets."
Nick snorted, "Ain't that the truth, but for now I'm about to fall asleep on my feet. So either stay or leave." Nick said with a challenge in his eyes and voice. His words really couldn't come across any clearer but Eddie had to make sure.
"So if I stay its the couch or the guest room?" Eddie cocked his head to the side slightly as he watched Nick turn out the light beside his bed, plunging the room into darkness as he slid into his bed.
"Well, that wasn't what I was offering but if you just want a friendship, then sure either the couch, the guest room or your own home."
"Shit...this isn't an offer I'm gonna get again is it?" Eddie could feel his fangs and claws breaking through.
"I might give you another chance, if you need time to think about what I'm offering. But I will want an answer by next weekend." Nick closed his eyes, close to falling asleep. The past week had been stressful and very busy at the station, busy with Grimm things and this emotional conversation with Eddie, was just too much.
"I...I will go home then and think about this."
"Hmmm...lock the door on your way out, thanks." And Nick was asleep by the time Eddie made it to his front door. He locked it as he left. Then marked around Nick's house to refresh his earlier marks.