A Long Term Perspective
formulated by Les GSLike every relationship, that between Nicholas and Lacroix has had its ebbs and flows, its ups and downs. Given the sheer amount of time it has existed, it would be astonishing if it had remained static.
Below is a list of the flashbacks in which Nicholas and Lacroix appear together, in chronological order. Now, given Lacroix's sardonic nature, there is a certain edge to many of their interactions, even those I would call "amiable." There's often a real intimacy shown in some of those labeled "contentious." This is all based on my perceptions; others might see something else altogether.
There are times when it seems like Lacroix shows up simply to comment on a situation Nick has involved himself in, rather than obviously pursuing him in an active effort to bring him back into his household, so I might call those encounters "contentious" though not "pursuing." These occasions could be chance (as in Strings and Can't Run, Can't Hide, where Lacroix may simply be creating or finding good hunting grounds) or they may be Lacroix taking an opportunity to remind Nick he's still around and watching (Over the Line, perhaps).
During all the "amiable" flashbacks, they seem to be cohabiting, so I don't bother noting that. They may or may not be during the "contentious" FBs, so the ones where they are, I've labeled CH. A note beginning with V: indicates an act of physical violence between them.
*** ~1228, Paris: Dark Knight, Dance By The Light of the Moon, Killer Instinct, Near Death, Curiouser & Curiouser, Human Factor (This series of FBs contains an intriguing mixture of tension and intimacy, contention and something approaching tenderness. V: Nicholas roughly grabs Lacroix's hand. (While Lacroix bites Nicholas in the course of bringing him across, that seems different in intent than the other acts of aggression between them.) CH.)
~1228 - 1230, Brabant: Be My Valentine (Some contention, based mainly on Nicholas's aversion to Lacroix getting involved with his little sister. Note though, that Lacroix has agreed to this visit because Nicholas desired it, despite his own own reservations. V: Nicholas shoves Lacroix into wall. CH.)
~1247, Brabant: Fallen Idol (Contention, though it seems to be based more on what occurred with Fleur, unlike their later conflicts centering on Nicholas's attempts to escape the life of a vampire. Remember the "Pit of Condemned Bimbos." <g>)
~1435ish, Europe: Dead Air (Contentious, but Nicholas seems to have joined Lacroix and Janette on his own initiative after being away for some time. Just visiting or CH?)
~1448, Europe: Trophy Girl (Amiable until Nicholas steals Lacroix's dinner. V: Lacroix slams Nicholas against wall. CH.)
~1518, Italy: Partners of the Month (Amiable)
~1528, Austria: Dead of Night (Contentious. Lacroix is quite nasty to Nicholas, though his rosebud hints his ire derives from what occurred with Fleur. CH?)
~1530-70, France or Italy: Crazy Love (Amiable)
~1578, Spain: Sons of Belial (Amiable)
~1590ish: Sometime in this timeframe, as mentioned in Love You To Death, Nicholas began feeding only upon those he judged "depraved." There's no flashback showing him make this decision.
~1665, London: Fever (Amiable)
~1670-1700, England: Fatal Mistake (Amiable, until Lacroix detects fear (weakness) in Nicholas.)
~1711, France: Blood Money (Contentious, though not because Nicholas is fighting his vampirism, as is usual. CH?)
~1740, Virginia: Undue Process (Contentious. What I consider the first of Lacroix's manipulative "lessons" other than those which derive directly from what occurred with Fleur. Is Lacroix pursuing or commenting?)
~1755, France: Francesca (Amiable)
~1820, France: Capital Offence (Contentious. Lacroix pursuing.)
~1828, England: False Witness (Amiable though dueling conversation, ending in contention. CH.)
~1830ish, Geneva: Let No Man Tear Asunder. (Lacroix is not in this flashback. However, it is the first instance we see Nicholas searching for a cure to his vampirism.)
~1840s, England (?): Hunter (Hard to say. Being pursued by mortal hunters, they argue, though they act as a team once cornered. Unsure what the R is like under non-stressful conditions. CH.)
~1840s, England (?): Hunted (Amiable.)
~1850, San Francisco: Avenging Angel (Amiable.)
~1853, Crimea: Night in Question (Contentious. Nicholas uses opportunity to arrange they travel apart for a time. CH?)
~1857, Germany: The Fix (Nicholas cure-hunting. Lacroix only appears in last seconds, but when he offers Nicholas his hand to help him up the stairs, Nicholas takes it. Is Lacroix pursuing or did Janette bring him in to help rescue Nicholas?)
~1855-1860, American South - NC or GA: The Fire Inside (Some contention, though Lacroix accedes to Nicholas. CH)
~1861-62, America: Unreality TV (Contentious. Unclear if Lacroix is pursuing or being opportunistic.)
~1880-83, USA: The Code (Lacroix pursuing. Contentious.)
~1883, England: Blind Faith (Lacroix pursuing. V: Nicholas throws stake at Lacroix)
~1888, England: Bad Blood (Contentious. Nicholas takes opportunity to leave Lacroix and Janette. CH?)
~1890, Paris: Love You To Death (Contentious. CH. V: Nicholas grabs and pushes Lacroix.) (It was the events in this flashback that led Nicholas to foreswear killing to eat.)
~1916, San Francisco: Cherry Blossoms (Lacroix pursuing. Contentious.)
~1916, Russia: Strings (Contentious.)
~1918-19, European Frontier: Jane Doe (Wearily contentious, in a domestic sort of way. CH.)
~1919-1924, Sudan: Faithful Follower (Contentious.)
~1925ish, Paris, Toronto, Los Angeles: Fathers' Day (Contention followed by Lacroix pursuing. CH. V: Lacroix clobbers Nicholas.)
~1941-43, London: Father Figure (Contentious. CH.)
~1942, France: Over the Line (Contentious.)
~1966, East Germany: 1966 (Lacroix pursuing. Contentious.)
~1968, USA: Beyond the Law (Contentious.)
~1971, Bin Loc, Vietnam: Can't Run, Can't Hide (Contentious. V: Nicholas pushes Lacroix into wall.)
*** I count 9 FBs where they seem amiable (to my eyes), 6 where it is clear Lacroix is actively pursuing Nick. That leaves 22 with varying degrees of contention with no clear-cut pursuit. (This includes the few which are hard to characterize.) In 10 of those, they are probably cohabiting. So, there are 19 of 37 flashbacks where they are "together," amicably or not. And the trend seems to be, the later in their relationship, the more contentious they are and the less likely they are to be cohabiting.
There are also far more flashbacks dating from their last two centuries together, 23 out of the 37. Their first two centuries together are essentially "undocumented," except for the episodes within the twenty years just after Nicholas was brought over, involving Fleur and her son, André. Those centuries, before Nicholas met Jeanne d'Arc in the 1430s, is when they were most likely to be on generally amiable terms. Even after Nicholas met her, it wasn't until the 1800s when their interactions became consistently contentious and even then they had their more companionable moments.
A side note:
Initiating-Physical-Violence Score (or Things That Make You Go "Hmmm..."):
Nick - 5 , Lacroix - 2.
(I don't count Lacroix's bite when bringing Nicholas across here, as that seems different in intent than the rest of their violent scuffles. Others may decide to include it.)
Lacroix definitely wins the Emotional Violence contest, hands down.My thanks to Dorothy Elggren for her excellent In-depth Forever Knight Flashback's page. ***