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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]

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.]

[tearsinajar]

[ Scoffing that trails off into bright laughter. ]

Puh-lease. Like you don't already have one.

[ Elena doesn't take notice of how he's edged closer, but she does give him another nudge back, smiling wide. ]

[sketchycharacter]

Maybe I never did until today. All this mixed-up time business made you the root of it.

[Ha. As if. Nate doesn't bother to try and be sly when he lifts his arm to put it around her shoulders.]

[tearsinajar]

Hey, don't go blaming me for your problems.

[ She settles back against the sofa, neck positioned to rest her head against his arm. He doesn't need to try and hide it, it doesn't feel too weird. At least they're comfortable while she flips through some more pictures and eventually turns the camera off. ]

[sketchycharacter]

Who said it was a problem?

[Oh do innocent. And she must be able to see right through it if she married him.]

All done with the pictures?

[tearsinajar]

[ She could definitely see through it. No point in calling him out on it right now. The camera was set aside on the table in front of them and she plopped back against the couch and his arm, head tipped toward him. ]

Sure am. Why? What did you have in mind?

Inquiring minds would like to know.

[sketchycharacter]

Oh you know...stuff...

[Her face is perfectly positioned, so hey. Hey not take advantage? He leans in to kiss her.]

[tearsinajar]

[ She would've expected a full kiss like this starting off slow to feel strange, and it does, in a way. He's younger, a lot younger. That doesn't mean she can't work with it, her hand touching the side of his neck to feel his pulse under her fingers before sliding up to his jaw to pull him in for something a little more deeper. ]

Stuff...and things...?

[ A low murmur after she's gotten a taste and feel. ]

[sketchycharacter]

Things too.

[Wow. It's not much of a kiss in terms of length or, uh, depth, but she's a good kisser. So he goes in for another.]

[tearsinajar]

I like things...

[ There isn't as much hesitation as she'd felt during the first kiss. This time she opened up for him, lips parting. Her teeth nipped at his upper lip, mainly to tease and test. ]

[sketchycharacter]

I like things a lot.

[He barely mutters it into her mouth before falling into the kiss, sliding his tongue into her mouth with probably less finesse than she's used to but still, not bad.]

[tearsinajar]

[ It really isn't all that bad. It might end up a little messier than she's used to but Elena can work with it. A low moan rumbles in her throat and she leans in, fingers pushing into his hair.

Still a little too early to climb into his lap... ]

What kind of things...?

[sketchycharacter]

[It is so not too early for that.]

Just... [He kisses her again, nibbling a little. It's strange how this doesn't feel familiar, but it does feel like it should.] Naked things.

[tearsinajar]

[ Give her a little bit! ]

Maybe it can be arranged...

[ She nibbles back, corner of her lips lifting. Just keep teasing him, that's how she works, lightly teasing his nape with her nails, fingers trailing down the front of his torso to feel him through the shirt.

Definitely lacking the muscle he would have years later. Leaner, not that that's bad. ]

[sketchycharacter]

Cool.

[Cool. Cool. Christ, he can't believe he said that, there was nothing cool about it. But she doesn't seem to mind what a loser he just sounded like, so hey. Maybe they are meant to be together.

He'll just keep kissing her and see where this goes.]