I sort of miss him. Just a bit.
You miss who?
Just someone who used to be in my life, and now they aren’t anymore. It’s simple, really.
“Uh, okay.” Nate nonchalantly shrugs and tosses the pillows onto the armrest before sitting down. He makes himself comfortable as possible against the pillows then opens his arms, one resting on the armrest and the other along the back. Nate clears his throat. “Make yourself comfortable.”
It looks painful to have those cuts on his cheeks, Nate thinks to himself as he looks over Shaun. One of them looks really close to being reopened, red and irritated around the edges and Nate wishes he never had put away the first aid kit.
“Right.” Carefully, Shaun curls himself up against Nate, adjusting his position several times before he finds something semi-comfortable. He’s warm and definitely more comfortable than those miserable excuses for pillows. He wonders for a moment if the man’s even more defined than he was last time because he can can see the muscles in his arms. Even though it’s only been a few years, he can definitely see the difference.
Somehow, he returns his focus to the TV, leaning against Nate. It’s wavers time to time, his body’s desire to sleep trying to drag him under but he refuses. He doesn’t want another horrifying nightmare like that again. Besides, he’s perfectly fine with being awake, even if it means dealing with a little bit pain everywhere.
(Source: historicalgenius)
“So I’ve been told.” Nate chuckles softly, thinking about Chloe and her rant about him saving a dying cameraman — Jeff. “C’mon. Why don’t you rest some more?”
Sliding a hand down to hold Shaun’s hip firmly, he carefully pries him off the door and starts to lead him to the couch. Shaun feels heavy and Nate figures that he must be really tired and in great pain. He’s about to sit down and let Shaun rest against him, but then he realizes he doesn’t know what the other wants from him. Then Nate awkwardly sets Shaun down and backs up, holding up a hand. “Hold on.”
He rushes to the bedroom and grabs two pillows from the bed and hurries back. “I didn’t know what you would prefer so… here.” Standing in front of the man, Nate holds out the pillows.
“Yeah, I should…” Shaun trails off, leaning against Nate as they make their way back to the couch. It’s nice to feel a strong pair of arms around him, keeping him safe and making sure he doesn’t fall down again. When he’s set down, Shaun looks up at him but the man quickly moves away. With a sigh, Shaun leans back into the couch, his face stinging slightly. He can’t even imagine how terribly he looks right now.
Nate comes back, holding out two pillows. An eyebrow raised, Shaun shakes his head. “No, I-… Can I lean against you? You’re at least warm. And those were pretty lumpy.” He frowns, sitting up slightly.
(Source: historicalgenius)
All of the sudden, he feels cold lips pressing hard on his own and a tongue tasting him once he kisses back. Then Shaun lets him go. Nate’s head is still spinning from the sudden kiss but he manages to catch Shaun around his waist. He doesn’t want to leave. For some reason, that made Nate smile, wrapping his arms around the man and burying his face into the soft hair.
He whispers into the other’s ear. “You don’t have to go.”
Maybe this is what Sully meant. Shaun could be his chance to move on from the mistakes in the past and to start anew. Nate’s not exactly the best person to have a relationship with but it’s worth a try to see if Shaun would stick with him.
Clutching onto Nate and hearing him say those words, he’s relieved. He’s not exactly sure what he wants; he wants to leave and he wants to stay. He wants to kiss Nate and he wants to punch him in the face. He’s an enemy and a friend. Shaun squeezes him tightly, ignoring the pain flaring up his chest and rattling his bones. Groaning inwardly, he tries to get back up onto his own too feet. The shock of the incident still hasn’t worn off.
“You’re an idiot.” Shaun laughs quietly, finally standing properly, with Nate’s support. He leans his back against the door, trying to take the weight off his feet as he feels the man’s chin in his hair. “You’re too kind for your own good, Nate.”
(Source: historicalgenius)
Normally, Nate would slide his tongue into the kissee’s mouth and kiss them senseless but he keeps it simple with Shaun. He holds his neck and applies more pressure between both their lips before breaking away with a nuzzle to his nose.
“I’m sorry.” Nate strokes Shaun’s skin with his thumb and chuckles quietly. “But this isn’t a joke.”
This time Nate knew he wanted to kiss Shaun but he doesn’t know why. Right now, he wants to stop Shaun from leaving and keep him here in his arms where it’s safe and warm. He could be somebody who Nate can protect from the adventurous world he lives in.
“Are you okay?”
Nate’s being soft, being careful and compassionate. In a way, it pisses Shaun off. He’s not some package, labeled ‘fragile’, but he figures considering his physical state, Nate’s thinking logically.
And Nate’s apologizing. Shaun doesn’t know why, but he is. What is there to apologize for? Shaun should be the one, but he won’t open his mouth. He refuses to. Too stubborn for his own good. It’s why most relationships don’t work out with him. He hates being wrong.
“Yeah… I-” Shaun inhales before he places his hands on either side of Nate’s face, kissing him hard enough that he remembers his taste, the way his mouth fit on his. His heart is pounding, hands still shaking and his legs are daring to give out. “I don’t want to go.” After pulling away, they finally do.
(Source: historicalgenius)
Nate watches Shaun leave the bedroom with wavering eyes and slowly gets up to follow him out. His eyes catches on something black on the white sheets and he picks it up. It’s Shaun’s iPhone. “Hey! Wait! You forgot your phone!”
He heads to where Shaun is, so close to the door, and walks faster. Nate unlocks the phone just as he grabs Shaun’s shoulder, gently pulling him back. His focus is entirely on the phone and he’s trying to add a number in the small contact list. Once his own number is added, Nate feels lighter and he smiles as he slips the small object into Shaun’s back pocket.
“There. Now you have my number and you can reach me at anytime for whatever you need.”
He’s looking into Shaun’s eyes — they’re dark brown, smoldering with thoughts — and he finds himself leaning in. Nate realizes what he’s doing but refuses to back away, lightly pressing his lips against Shaun’s.
Shaun groans as he reaches the door, his hand trembling - Shaun, knock it off - and he turns the doorknob reluctantly. Then Nate pulls on his shoulder and turns him around, stopping him from leaving. Of course - without his phone, Rebecca would kill him.
Idiot. Like Shaun would ever call him. He needs to get as far away from this man as possible; he needs to lose him. He needs-
Oh.
He needs this. He needs him to be closer and he needs him to be there, he needs this stranger to become a friend, to become something other than the insanity and pressure of the Assassins. Shaun lets out a little gasp, his heart fluttering wildly. “Nate…” His lips are chapped and even from the chaste kiss, he can tell he’s missed this. Whatever this is.
(Source: historicalgenius)
“Maybe.” Nate inhales and exhales heavily, hooking his other arm under his head. “Maybe not.”
What is he saying? What would he achieve by keeping Shaun here? Nothing. Then why is he trying to make him stay? Clearing his throat, Nate sits up and smooths out his hair. “You can go if you want— only if you’re feeling better. If you can’t walk like you’re alive and well, then maybe you should stay a bit more.”
His hand slides down to his neck and rubs agitatedly at it. Why the fuck is he so nervous?
Shaun smiles as he sits up, slowly turning to get off the bed. He can hear the childish indecision in Nate’s voice, can hear it in the way he rubs his neck and laughs awkwardly. “Yeah, I’m great now.” Shaun lies through clenched teeth, mentally readying himself. If he can just make it to that door and out to the street, he can get Rebecca to pick him up. They can’t be that far.
Hesitantly, he puts one foot on the ground, another following before he stands, swaying momentarily as the room spins. He talks one step forward, holding in his breath, and another. Somehow, he makes his way out of the room, his legs shaking. Give me a reason to stay.
No, shut it. You have other things to be doing.
I missed him.
You miss your own bed. Get out.
Shaun stands in the bedroom doorway for a moment before he pushes himself out, knees daring to buckle as he wobbles for the front door. He feels drunk, in a sense.
(Source: historicalgenius)
“Oh? And did I?”
Nate tries to relax but he’s too tense. So he lets Shaun go and rolls over onto his back, one arm under his head. His eyes doesn’t leave the other though, avoiding eye contact as he focuses on the stylish goatee on Shaun’s chin. In the back of his head, Nate wonders how long it took him to decide which style to use. And is it as smooth as it looks?
“No. You woke me up.” Shaun forces a smile as Nate untangles from him, the warmth leaving his side. Doing the same, he rolls onto his back, looking at the ceiling he’s become so familiar with. He can feel the younger man looking at him, can see it out the corner of his eye, but he doesn’t say anything. Instead, he lets out a breath he doesn’t even know he had been holding.
“Maybe I should go.” Shaun can sense the tension building in the room, and it’s making him uncomfortable.
(Source: historicalgenius)
“Yeah, but…”
“Nate!”
He closes his eyes as he rests his forehead on Shaun’s, their noses brushing slightly. That scream sent chills up his spine and he was sure Shaun was in trouble before finding out that it was just a nightmare. Nate feels useless and the feeling instantly reminds him of how he felt five years ago. That thought makes him scoots back and loosens his grip on Shaun.
“You said my name. I’m not scary, am I?” Nate weakly smiles.
Shaun realizes Nate’s getting closer, their noses barely touching with their foreheads pressed together. Licking his lips, Shaun holds his position, trying not to move away or any closer - if this is what Nate wants, that’s fine. After all, Shaun does owe him a tiny bit for saving his life.
“No.” Shaun feels disappoint wash over him as he feels Nate pull away. “I… I called out for you to help me, actually. If you really wanted to know.”
(Source: historicalgenius)
