[closed] cashin in my bad luck

[cyphered]

Date & Time: On the eve of this post
Location: Nathan Drake's place
Characters: Nathan Drake and Chloe Frazer
Summary: Belated thanks that involve a lot of beating around the bush
Warnings: awkward

[Penning up the dogs wasn't easy -- they were young, rambunctious, and full of energy. Nate hadn't bothered to try until the sun had neared waning point. He couldn't imagine Chloe wanting to be out past dark in this weather if she could help it.

Its a mostly empty one bedroom, and the bedroom is missing its door -- both dogs can be heard occasionally whining behind the couch that had been shoved in the doorway to prevent escape. They also occasionally appear over the back of it, pushing one another out of the way with ears perked straight up and paws awkwardly hanging over to try and get a better look at what their new best friend is doing.

For now, he's sitting in the only other plush chair in the room with his feet propped up on his table, drumming his fingers on the arm of it with one hand and holding his chin with the other. He's pulled over one of the wooden chairs from the dinette set and set it next to the table occupied by his feet. Occasionally, he glances at his tablet, wondering if he should just tell her to forget it. He'd run around trying to get food for the dogs, and part of that had included lugging heavy tools to exchange for it. He has more than enough food to manage for himself and his pets at least, but it had come at the price of haggling with Kang.

The dogs will hear Chloe before Nate does, and begin to sound the alarm from their prison. So deep in thought, he doesn't attempt to silence them -- simply lets his eyes slide toward the door in expectation as his fingers begin to tap out a slightly quicker tempo.]

Comments

[totallytrustworthy]

[His lean earns him a quick (careful) shove back, her palm at the center of his chest to keep him literally at arm's reach. For god's sake the bastard hasn't got room to gloat--not in her eyes when differences in moral obligation had contributed to the wedge that drove them apart. Twice. ]

Could you possibly not gloat for once in your life?

[cyphered]

[Nate's reaction is swift, his larger hand snapping up to grab her wrist. He doesn't squeeze for more than a second, but if they're going to have this conversation, then damn it they're going to have it.]

OK, fine. But give me a little credit here and hear me out.

[He doesn't try and close the distance. He knows better.]

I have the benefit of recent perspective. You're going in over your head, if you haven't gone in already.

[He isn't just concerned for her -- there is Charlie to consider, with how inseparable they are. He knows by now that Victor is too young to be looking out for anyone but...well, best not think too hard about that.]

You don't owe these people anything.

[totallytrustworthy]

[His palm is warm against her wrist and it's the most contact shared between them in years-- the most she's permitted them to share in years-- and it means she's quick to pull (gently) from his grip in addition to his advice. ]

You don't understand. There's nothing else out there-- nowhere left to run to. There's no line between us and them and if nothing's being done we'll be back on the moon before we can blink. Or on the other end of yet another attack from the United Earth.

[And it's not supposed to be like this. Nate stopped caring, stopped seeing anything but whatever goal he was chasing at the time. Concern now-- for however briefly it lasts-- is near torture. ]

Whatever you think I owe or I don't, this is how survival works now.

[cyphered]

[He lets her go and lets his hand fall back to his side. Nate listens without interruption, though with a light furrow of his brow. Having time to stop and look at what was going on wasn't pleasant, and he'd trade anything to get back to what suddenly seems like a simpler life back home.

He's stopped warlords before -- he's nearly died more than he cares to admit, and he's laid his life down for people before. For people who didn't deserve it. But this is different. Right? He doesn't know these people, doesn't care to know them -- they're not lining his pocket, and they're not watching his back. They're not giving him purpose, intellectually stimulating him--

Was it really about survival? Is that what life boiled down to now? Being cornered into fighting for the rest of their life?]

Chloe...

[The weight around his neck suddenly seems heavier than usual.]

[totallytrustworthy]

[Whatever it is that he's gearing up to say, she doesn't know if she wants to hear it. There's barely a break between where he trails off and she starts:]

Come on, sweetheart. [It's all earnest affection even if the lightheartedness is forced.] It's not so bad.

You're the one always playing hero, remember? You'll do fine.

[cyphered]

Yeah? Well, maybe I learned my lesson for once.

[His arms go from his pockets to fold across his chest. Chloe was a nice teacher, even if her behavior was confusing him now.

He almost says that, but is quickly reminded of everything that had gone on since his arrival. Her claims of the future.]

Playing the hero hasn't gotten me anything but shit so far. It nearly killed you and Elena.

[--too much. He goes tight lipped and quiet, straightening up on the wall a little. He couldn't admit that there was appeal in the new frontier, so to speak. A world that shared similar history, and yet history that was so different at the same time. But at what cost this time?]

[totallytrustworthy]

[Between the two of them it's always been her convincing him: that he had to trust her, that they were on the same side, that she wasn't the one responsible for everything that happened to him to the point that it always came down to the intervention of a third party capable of vouching for her. She was the grifter and he was the mark-- to his mind, she assumes-- and it was all a matter of how good the pitch was or how much help he needed to get what he wanted that cinched it in the end.

But this-- like every last detail of their current conversation-- is different, and Chloe has no comeback, no pitch good enough in the face of his own. Christ, he's too bloody good at it for his own good. For hers too.

So it takes a long minute of silence with her eyes set on him (then elsewhere and back again) for Chloe to say anything at all. ]

Whatever happened to me was my own fault, Nate. [Even the troubles that came from trusting him. ]

[cyphered]

[In part, he agrees. In part, he disagrees. So many things could have gone differently if he had stopped being such a nice guy once in a while.

But that was the joke right? "Nice guys finish last". Apparently, so did everyone who associated with them. Either way, its become clear that he isnt going to change her mind -- not entirely surprising, after he had seen how long she had been here.

No running away this time.]

Maybe I want to take credit for the screw ups this time. Can you let me have something?

[Bring it back to humor.]

[totallytrustworthy]

Oh please. [Chloe crinkles her nose at that, covering up the hard pull of a smile before she goes to swat at him. ]

'Can I let you have something'?-- don't know if you've realized yet it but thus far, darling, you've had literally everything.

[cyphered]

Once or twice.

[Nate doesn't bother holding back his cocky smirk, dramatically showing her his shoukder when she goes to swat at him.]

If I wasn't a little greedy, I wouldn't be fit for my job.

[totallytrustworthy]

You're not fit for your job.

[cyphered]

[That causes Nate to make a face.]

Me? Excuse you, but let's keep things in perspective here. Who came hunting down who again?

[totallytrustworthy]

You. Twice. [Chloe has the advantage of more recent events on her side; doesn't she look so smug for it?]

[cyphered]

Bullshit. You followed Captain Hair Gel by his tighty-whiteys and interrupted my very relaxing drink to translate for your asses. Did I ever thank you for that?

[He's sarcastic, rather than angry. He's over at least her half of the crux of that little...issue.]

You and every other thief on the western hemisphere, and some on the eastern.

[totallytrustworthy]

Ohh right, okay. Fair point. I'll give you one out of three.

[It's a sharp, slanted grin she's wearing at the moment. Really, Nate? Captain hair gel?]

--Also, boxer briefs.

[cyphered]

[Come on, its not an inaccurate description. He blinks momentarily, obviously not quite registering what she had said.]

Wh--oh, Chloe.

[Nate waves his hands to try and wipe away the image of Flynn in his skivvies.]

[totallytrustworthy]

What? I thought you were a detail oriented man. [Her arms cross, hips canting to one side.]

If you'd like we could talk about Victor's instead...

[cyphered]

Yeah. Selectively.

[Which is why he goes pale and tight lipped when she mentions Sully, despite knowing she was just having a go at him. Right? Just because he was younger--]

No.

[totallytrustworthy]

[Right. Best not to mention post Shambhala.]

Charlie's?

[cyphered]

[His shoulders relax a little, but arms fold again. Nate manages to keep his lip from curling and instead replies with a scoff and a raised eyebrow.]

Are you trying to make me jealous? Because you know its not going to work.

[His name isn't Harry Flynn ok, you lost him after you brought Sully into this.]

[totallytrustworthy]

Nah. I just can't resist watching you squirm.

[He earns another scuff from her knuckles before she settles-- as something of a peace offering-- against the wall behind her, choosing to say nothing more of it.

And really she could because: also boxer briefs.]

But speaking of Victor's dirty laundry, you gonna take him up on his offer when he comes to you for it?

[cyphered]

[The scuff this time earns her a light charming grin full of teeth before the expression dissolves into something more neutral.

That certainly was the million dollar question, wasn't it?]

Depends what the offer is, I guess.

[Nate unfolds his arms and reaches up to put them behind his head, awkwardly running one hand through his hair. He's kind of hoping Sully doesn't ask him, because...]

I've been thinking a bit about this -- all of this.

[totallytrustworthy]

...and?

[Because there is an and-- with him there's always an and.]

[cyphered]

And I think that if I'm meant to stick around this world, I'm going to make use of it.

[Charlie doesn't know it yet, but he's not planning on cutting and running out of Colombia right away if they can help it. Muisca territory once upon a time, if there were any similarities between here and home.

But Chloe doesn't need to know that either. She just gets an easy smile.]

Who knows? Maybe I can uncover some history here.

[totallytrustworthy]

I'd say that's not beyond the realm of possibility. [And maybe-- just once-- he'll stick around this time.]

You always did do a decent job at unlocking the past.