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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]

Yeah?

[A slow grin spreads across his face, but then something occurs to him.]

Wait, we have separate rooms?

[Does he snore?]

[tearsinajar]

We do. Only because we were assigned separate rooms and I'm guessing we came onto the ship at different times.

Everyone's split up.

[ He snores a little, not much. Not enough to keep her up or disrupt her sleep. ]

[sketchycharacter]

Oh, okay. Then...maybe we could get some sandwiches and you can show me your place?

[He doesn't actually waggle his eyebrows. He doesn't need to.]

[tearsinajar]

Sandwiches sound like a good plan. And if you're really curious... I can show you some of the pictures on my camera I have of us.

[ No. No he really doesn't need to do any waggling. ]

[sketchycharacter]

I'd like that. Both parts.

[He has a feeling he's going to like her, too.]

[tearsinajar]

They should have your favorite still. You had it just a few days ago.

[ His favorite sandwich, which she'd watched him wolf down in slight amusement while she had picked at her own. ]

[sketchycharacter]

You never know, though. They might run out. We should hurry.

[For the sandwich, right.]

[tearsinajar]

You must really want that sandwich...

[ Totally for that sandwich. ]

[sketchycharacter]

What kind I say, I'm feeling hungry.

[He squeezes her hand again.]

Go on, lead the way.

[tearsinajar]

I am, I am.

[ She squeezes back. ]

God, nothing has changed. You're still so pushy when you really want something.

what CAN I say, jesus

[sketchycharacter]

I'm just expressing my enthusiasm. I mean, it's my whole future we're talking about here.

Ehehee

[tearsinajar]

[ He draws out a laugh from her, unable to not smile. She shakes her head and resists rolling her eyes and grumbling a 'oh lord'. ]

There's more to your future than just me, Nate.

[ He won't know the difference but she's actually leading them to her room on Nomo Deck and not the kitchen area. ]

[sketchycharacter]

Sure, but you're the part of my future that's right here.

[And he's hot and funny and nice. And he's been in jail for a little while and planning for jail before that.]

[tearsinajar]

Mmmhm...

[ Her hand gives a tug and it's as they turn the corner and reach her door that she turns to lean up and kiss the corner of his mouth before she opens her door.

Thank god her roommates are all out. ]

Home sweet home.

[sketchycharacter]

[Oh. That was fast. Or maybe—more likely—he enjoyed the company that much. A new smile blooms on his face at the cheek. Jeez, it's like he's never been with a girl before.]

And what a warm welcome this is.

[tearsinajar]

It isn't much.

[ Whether she means the kiss or the room she leads him in to, he can figure that out for himself. Her fingers slip free of his and she moves to where her camera sits, finding a spot on the sofa. ]

Did you want to see...?

[sketchycharacter]

If that's okay?

[There can't be anything on her camera that will make him feel weird about the future, right? He already knows the important parts.]

Up to you, really.

[tearsinajar]

I don't mind sharing.

[ She pats the sofa seat next to her, turning on the camera and getting to the pictures she's taken of them over the months. ]

[sketchycharacter]

All right then.

[He takes a seat and leans in, curious about his future image.]

[tearsinajar]

[ Leg crossing over the other, she leans back and angles the camera for him to see as she begins to go through them like a flip book. ]

This is probably one of my favorite shots of us...

[ Date night, both of them dressed up, the shot she'd taken where she'd stolen a kiss against his cheek. His expression. Now, on the couch, she smiles at the memory. ]

[sketchycharacter]

[They look happy, all affectionate and dressed up, but Nate is mostly staring at himself, not Elena.]

That's me in a decade? I look...old.

[Not really. He just doesn't look twenty-two.]

[tearsinajar]

No one looks the same after a decade, Nate.

[ But she says it while laughing, flipping to another picture of them, then to some of just him. Candid shots she snuck. ]

[sketchycharacter]

[Yeah, but...all right, he can't argue with that.

Nate pays close attention to each picture, then looks at her, a smile playing at his lips.]

Looks like I'm your favorite subject.

[tearsinajar]

You're too good looking not to take pictures of.

[ She gives him a nudge, a smile playing at her own lips. It can't be helped, she'd bagged herself a damn good looking man. And even now, at twenty-two, he clearly starts out cute. ]

[sketchycharacter]

Stop, you're going to give me an ego.

[As if he doesn't already have one. Nate nudges her back, edging ever so slightly closer.]