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[sketchycharacter]

[The face that appears on the MID is familiar, despite the age loss. Nathan Drake is recognizably himself. But there are fewer lines on his face, no touch of gray in his hair, and he's skinnier, without twelve years of built-up muscle.

He's also got an obvious black eye and a set of plain prisonclothes that are pretty threadbare. Those are new.]

Okay, so, space. That's a thing. Which you've all probably figured out by now, since you're here and all.

[He lifts a hand in greeting.]

I'm Nate. And I don't want to complain, because I got lifted out of a shitty place and I'm sure someone thought they were doing me a favor, but I'm going to complain anyway, because I didn't actually need it. I wanted to be there. And if someone had to spacenap me, the least they could've done is take my brother too. Sam's gonna be pissed he missed this.

[On the plus side, his prison garb at least smells better now. Thanks, Moira laundering facilities.]

So is there a complaints department? Or some way I can get a ride back to Panama? Probably not that lucky, huh.

Comments

[sketchycharacter]

[That they have. She really does know him.]

Then let's get lunch. It'd be rude to continually stand up the future wife I didn't know I had until now.

You're going to have to tell me where to go, though. I get pretty lost around the ship.

[tearsinajar]

I bet it's one of the biggest surprises of your life. One of many.

[ Elena looks up at the tree and then off to where the exit is. ]

I don't mind showing you around. But I do have to warn you, the food here is a little limited now.

[sketchycharacter]

So far, yeah.

[That sounds...serious. Huh.]

Damn, and here I was hoping to pig out. Did something happen? Weevils get into the kitchens?

[tearsinajar]

Something like that. Real nasty weevils. The new captain called for rationing. Not just of the food but also the hot water.

[ Knowing he's waiting for her to move she begins heading for one of the exits, arms crossed while she leads, glancing at him. ]

The last part is the worst, in my opinion.

[sketchycharacter]

[That gets a pulled face. He can deal with bad or less food, but you do not mess with the showers.]

Oh no, that's just wrong. I hate cold showers. [Unless they're for a specific boner-killing purpose.]

Please tell me we won't have to gnaw on stale bread, at least.

[tearsinajar]

Cold showers are the worst. You have no idea how difficult that makes it for the mornings...

[ TRAILING OFF...

They can barely jump into a quick shower together in the mornings now with this stupid restriction, and morning showers with her husband were always a favorite past time. Lazy shower morning sex, the best. ]

Uh. The bread? No, everything is fresh, or as fresh as it can be up here in space. The meals are decently good.

[sketchycharacter]

[He raises an eyebrow when she trails off, but doesn't press for elaboration. Yeah, he can imagine.]

I'll take decent. The stuff we were eating in Panama didn't even approach that level of quality.

[tearsinajar]

I can imagine. At least here you have more than a bucket in the corner.

[ She gives a small smirk; she's heard that story too many times. ]

[sketchycharacter]

Ugh. Yes.

[He'll leave out the part where he didn't even have a bucket this last time he was in solitary. No need to gross her out.]

So...how do we meet, in eight years? Aside from the con. That's pretty general.

[tearsinajar]

You apparently saw one of my old TV show episodes I hosted and got the brilliant idea that you could use me to get to Sir Francis Drake's coffin.

[ Despite all the hardships Drake's caused them... Elena's smiling gently at the memory. He brought them together. They wouldn't be here if it weren't for that four hundred year old dead asshole. ]

It was...actually a good time.

[sketchycharacter]

So I marry a TV star? Neat.

[He can put some of the pieces together, vaguely formed as they are. If he's right about Drake faking his death—hell, even if he isn't and the coffin contains a body—that kind of expedition would take serious cash. Why not open someone else's wallet to pay for it?]

Did we find it? Was I right?

[tearsinajar]

Something like that. I go from TV star to journalist to being a foreign correspondent stationed in Yemen for a few months.

[ His questions and the gleam in his expression at needing to know make her smile. ]

We found it. But do you really want me to answer the rest and ruin the surprise?

[sketchycharacter]

That's quite a journey.

[Impressive, though. He feels like he should be proud.]

Well...maybe? I guess it depends on how long I'm gonna be here. Whether I get to experience the surprise anytime soon.

[tearsinajar]

Hard to say. I mean I'm surprised and yet not that this has happened but...

[ Well. She COULD keep going and tell him more.... ]

We didn't find him. But we did find his journal.

[sketchycharacter]

I knew it.

[He slams a fist into his palm excitedly.]

He faked his death, didn't he? I knew I was right!

[tearsinajar]

[ Her response comes with amused laughter. ]

He did. Francis Drake faked his death.

[sketchycharacter]

I knew it.

[He's repeating himself, but he can't help it. He's just so psyched.]

Wait until Sam hears about that.

[tearsinajar]

[ Sam...

Something in her expression tightens to keep it from falling. She glances away, makes sure to keep the smile curving her lips. ]

I'm sure he'll be just as excited as you about this.

[sketchycharacter]

Yeah, I bet.

[He's already imagining telling him all about it...which should take less than a minute, since he doesn't actually know that much about it, but still. It's cause for celebration.

He glances sidelong at Elena, still grinning, before sneaking his hand over to take hers. Hey, they're married. Or she's married to him. Whatever.]

[tearsinajar]

[ This is like some serious messed up Benjamin Button shit right now. His hand takes hers, and for a moment she feels the familiar calluses against her skin, her attention drawn down to their joined hands. ]

Once a thief always a thief.

[ Elena squeezes his hand and gives his arm a nudge, winking. ]

[sketchycharacter]

Yeah, apparently.

[He squeezes back and swings their hands a little.]

I'm kind of surprised you'd get involved with one. You seem like a nice girl. It was my good looks, wasn't it?

[tearsinajar]

[ The hand swinging is...cute. She turns her hand to lace their fingers together. ]

Something like that. Could've been the magic dick, who knows.

[sketchycharacter]

The what?!

[Wow. He must be a good husband.]

I mean...thank you?

[tearsinajar]

[ A better response. Though Elena can't help but laugh loudly at that. ]

You're welcome.

Probably a little weird to hear that but...

[ She ain't gonna lie. ]

[sketchycharacter]

A little, but not in a bad way.

[Hell yeah his dick is magic. Nate the Great. He's going to have to remember that.]

It just seems unfair that you can remember the magic show and I can't.