I imagine Nathan is much more different around people he trusts like Victoria. So I’m just imagining what he’d be like if he was really close to Max.
Imagine Nathan just going into Max’s room and just chilling on her bed on his phone, getting some peace and quiet that he can’t find anywhere else. Max doesn’t care so long as he doesn’t touch anything, and when she walks into her dorm after class she barely notices him.
Max talking to Nathan about positive things, rather than bitching or gossiping. Them sharing their photography and thinking each other’s style is weird, but nice.
Nathan climbing up onto a car or building and making sure Max gets the perfect shot of him.
Nathan texting her in the middle of the night, venting about his dad. Sometimes he calls her he because he knows that she won’t ignore him.
Nathan knowing that Max is timid and always apologizes after his outbursts. Max understands always, and she offers to find something fun to do like eat ice cream to distract and calm him down.
Max using her rewind powers to keep Nathan out of trouble, and knowing to go to him before he does something stupid.
Nathan always helping Max out. Helping her study and making sure she stands up for herself because he can’t always be there for her.
Victoria and Max becoming friends through Nathan, and Max having a positive influence on both of them.
“Wow,” Warren said, breathing out in amazement. “This is a really great view.”
And it was. Outside, away from the artificial gloom of the house, was the ocean. The Prescott Manor stood over a cliff face, close to the edge. The sun was beginning to set, giving the house a warm hue. The salt-laden smell of the sea was intoxicating and Warren breathed it in deeply, savoring it.
“I hate it,” answered Nathan, bitter.
Warren turned to look at him in surprise. How could anyone hate something so beautiful? No matter how hard he learned that he shouldn’t be surprised at the words that came out of Nathan’s mouth, some things still caught him off guard.
But Nathan was learning too and followed it with an explanation. “It’s unstable. The house is too close to the edge; An earthquake or a storm could easily topple it over and send it crumbling to the ocean. I can’t tell if the idea terrifies or excites me. All it would take is two seconds of chaos and a century of Prescott bullshit would be lost to the sea forever.”
Warren looked at the house. He didn’t see what Nathan saw. To him, it was sturdy, strong. Old, but well kept. The coat of paint was fresh, the lawn was trimmed, the wood maintained. It had probably survived storms and earthquakes before, and would probably continue to do so for many more years. But he kept that to himself. Nathan’s mind worked differently from his.
“Oh,” was all he answered.
Nathan didn’t mind, said ‘come on’, and led him down a rocky pathway that Warren had not seen previously. It was a tricky descent down the cliff, jagged rocks and slippery slopes made Warren watch his feet carefully. Nathan, however, knew exactly where to step. Which rocks were stable, and which were wobbly. Knew the smoothest way down.
Warren stepped on a rock that gave out from under him and he stumbled. Nathan had been paying attention to him and caught one of his flailing arms, steadying him again. Warren offered a shaky ‘thanks’, and Nathan held out his hand. Warren took it without hesitation, and Nathan led him down carefully, occasionally warning him of an upturned rock or a root out of place.
Nathan had seen the Prescott manor as unstable, but walked along the path steadily, secure in it. Warren didn’t understand it, just as he didn’t understand so much of Nathan, but he found that he really wanted to. He wanted to know why Nathan found it so safe. How his beautiful mind worked.
Warren was so lost in his thoughts that he didn’t notice he was stepping on sand until Nathan asked him if he wanted to keep his shoes on. Nathan hadn’t let go of his hand but somehow managed to remove his shoes without it, and held them on the other hand. Warren did untangle his fingers from Nathan to remove his own shoes but immediately intertwined his fingers with Nathan’s as he was done. Nathan squeezed his hand. It was where it belonged.
“I used to go to the beach a lot,” Nathan started, walking along the shore. “As a kid, you know. Back when I lived in Florida.”
“Do you miss it?” Warren asked, seeing the faraway look in his eyes.
Nathan’s answer came after a few seconds of silence. “Yeah.”
Warren swung their arms and squeezed his hand lightly. “Tell me about it.”
“I always lived in front of the ocean. I guess that’s the one constant in my life. But things were simpler back then. We didn’t live in an ancient mansion in the middle of nowhere. We lived in a penthouse. I know that’s still extravagant and expensive as fuck, but it felt more normal.”
“I can see it,” said Warren.
“It was in front of a beach. I could walk down to it as a kid. Cross two streets over and I’d be in the sand. There was a snow cone stand on the way. Kris and I would beg our dad for a dollar so we could buy one,” Nathan stopped and chuckled, but he didn’t smile. “Things were so fucking different back then.”
Warren squeezed his hand again, encouraging him to go on.
“It was all so fucking normal. I went to school and I was still the rich kid, but that didn’t matter because everyone had money. We lived in the rich part of town. The Prescott name didn’t mean anything. Then we moved here and… everything changed.
“We already had a rep. People hated us just for existing. I don’t give a shit, not anymore. But it was harsh back then. I changed, my parents changed, everything. The only thing that didn’t change was my sister,” he kicked at the sand. “Then she fucking left.”
“What about the beach?” Asked Warren.
“I look at the ocean and I don’t see snow cones and summers and penthouses. It just reminds me of angry fishermen, dead whales, and Pan Estates. We ruined the water and everyone hates us for it. I don’t go to the beach anymore,” he said.
Warren stopped walking and Nathan stopped with him. Using their intertwined hands, he pulled him closer. Nathan looked at him with open, sad eyes. Warren dropped his shoes on the sand and cupped his face with his free hand. Nathan leaned into the touch. “I’m sorry that happened to you,” said Warren.
“I don’t want your pity,” said Nathan, but it was without bite.
Warren brought their foreheads together. “It’s compassion,” he said, and set his hand from Nathan’s cheek to the base of his neck.
Nathan released a shaky breath. He dropped his own shoes and put his hand atop Warren’s. “Why?”
“You didn’t deserve that. Any of that. You deserve all the snow cones and penthouses and beaches you want,” Warren said and felt Nathan’s breath released as a chuckle on his face.
Nathan shrugged. “I could buy all of those things.”
Warren moved his hand to Nathan’s jawline and drew circles over the skin there with his thumb. “That’s not what I meant and you know it. Smartass.”
Another chuckle. “Wow, you’re insulting me? This is the least romantic walk on the beach I’ve ever been on.”
Warren smiled. He removed his hand from Nathan’s and cupped the other side of his jaw. “Let me fix that,” he said, and leaned in to give him a soft kiss.
A/N Merry Christmas! Once again I present you with another non-Christmas themed one-shot. Fun fact: I actually wrote this years ago and it was supposed to take place during December 25th in Exposure, back then when it didn’t occur to me that it snowed during winter in America. The fic has changed a lot since then so I don’t know if this will remain or not, but I hope you enjoyed it all the same. :*
Stop talking and start doing: My Fallout Shelter for my Tumblr blog 