Numb3rs fic: "Maybe You're My Good Luck Charm" (Liz/Nikki, PG-13) (original) (raw)

I signed up for numb3rswriteoff this round and I've been trying to come up with an idea for this fic ever since (well, not, like... constantly. But you know.), somewhat unsuccessfully. I guess it turned out I was trying to force myself to write David/Liz because I love that pairing so much, but for this particular prompt Liz/Nikki worked much better.

Title: Maybe You're My Good Luck Charm
Author: sororcula
Pairing: Liz/Nikki, Colby
Rating/Category: PG-13 / Femmeslash
Summary: Nikki shares her lucky charm with Liz. Liz reciprocates.
Word Count: 560
Spoilers: none
Warnings: brief mention of gun violence, suggestive language
Notes: unbetaed. Thanks to mercilynn for the idea for part of this. Not as dirty as my summary accidentally makes it sound. :-/
Prompt: "Superstition" for Team Schmoop at numb3rswriteoff.
Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, nor do I profit from their use here. This is only for fun.

This fic was written for the Angst vs Schmoop Challenge at numb3rswriteoff. After you’ve read the fic, please rate it by voting in the poll located here. (Your vote will be anonymous.) Rate the fic on a scale of 1 - 10 (10 being the best) using the following criteria: how well the fic fit the prompt ("Superstition"), how schmoopy the fic was, and how well you enjoyed the fic. When you’re done, please check out the other challenge fic at numb3rswriteoff. Thank you!

When Liz wakes up she's alone in bed. She can hear music playing quietly in the kitchen, Nikki humming along when she strains her ears. She sighs contentedly, stretches, and after a minute convinces her body to get up. Throwing on a t-shirt and shorts, she pads out and makes her way to the kitchen, where Nikki is sitting at the table reading an online newspaper on her laptop and eating a sandwich.

"Good morning," Liz says, running her hand along the back of Nikki's shoulders to the nape of her neck, where she rubs her thumb familiarly.

"Morning. There's coffee," Nikki tells her, nodding to the fresh pot on the counter.

"Mmm, thank you." She pours herself a cup and sits down, still sleepy. She watches Nikki and Nikki smiles when their eyes meet. She offers up her sandwich.

"You want a bite?"

"Sure." Liz grabs the sandwich half and takes a bite, eyes popping open at the rush of sickly sweet that hits her tongue. She passes it back hastily. "What are you eating?"

"Fluffernutter," Nikki says. She looks amused. "You don't like it?"

"It's... a little intense, for seven AM." She takes a palate-cleansing sip of her black coffee. "Since when do you eat fluffernutter sandwiches for breakfast?"

"Since Charlie said today was the most likely date our bank robbers would hit," Nikki says.

"I'm not following," Liz tells her.

"This is my lucky sandwich," she explains.

"...uh-huh."

"If there's a big case, a dangerous situation--like a bank robbery," she offers, "I make sure I eat one of these in the morning and it brings me luck, so nothing goes wrong."

"I see." Liz is not certain she sees the logic.

"There's a long line of precedent," Nikki assures her. "Going all the way back to the third grade. It's never failed me."

"Well hey," Liz says, relaxing. "Over 20 years of precedent? Say no more."

"You should probably have another bite, in case it works on you, too."

"Right." She takes another bite. It works on her, too.

"Holy crap!" Colby exclaims. He's still breathing hard, shaking with adrenaline, and he won't stop staring at Liz, like he's just witnessed a miracle. "That guy shot right at you, from behind you, and you ducked just in time."

She shrugs, but she's shaking too, the bullet whizzing over her head too fresh a sensation still to forget her brush with death.

Nikki comes up from behind her, looking serious. She brushes her fingers across Liz's wrist, warmth from the touch burning through her, almost calming her. "Hey," she says. "You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm... Yeah. Thank you."

When they get home that night Liz waits patiently during dinner, dishes, and while they brush their teeth, side by side. Finally, Liz follows Nikki into the bedroom and watches as she spots the shiny penny facing heads up on her pillow. Nikki reaches out slowly and picks it up, running her thumb over the copper.

"You know, I heard something about those lucky pennies," Liz tells her, taking a few steps closer.

"Yeah?"

Liz slides her arms around Nikki's waist, resting her hands on her belly and her chin on Nikki's shoulder.

"If you find one in your bed," she murmurs, "it means you're getting lucky."