Nathan Drake @ huge fucking brother. (Because acording to my intel, Nathan is 180 cm at max, probably shorter)
@missdictatorme yo long boy can’t do what the short king can, huh?
Well, compared to Sam everybody is short, so this seems accurate
However, idk exactly how tall are the characters, because the wiki says Nate is 180 cm, but I think the heights are based off the voice- and mo-cap actors, and Nolan North is 185 so idk
But I’m into tall guys so, I’ll stick with Sam
I’ve read MULTIPLE articles about the Uncharted characters height charts (Sam and Sully always came up like the tallest) and Nate was supposed to be 180 cm tall according to one, 186 cm according to the next one and 177 cm tall according to the last one…
Which makes me think that Nate’s somewhere from 175 - 180 cm tall, while his brother and Victor are both 190+ cm.
NEXT TO THEM, NATHAN IS A SHORT KING AND NOTHING EVER MADE ME EMBRACE HIM EVEN MORE.
I was playing around with the ideas of soft Nate smut last night and I decided to go for this rocking against each other clothed before doing anything actually and-
Description: Nathan Drake is not the exact definition of an unhappy man. His job is steady, his friends still see him from time to time, he plays football, but his marriage is his main problem. Many things will change when a special person comes to his life.
Part Summary: It was becoming more and more obvious that something isn’t right between Nate and Elena, just as he was discovering how much of an amazing person you were.
A/N: A lot has changed ever since I started this damn series… It is MORE than a year old. And I still do love Nathan, he deserves all the love and cuteness, smut and attention his brother gets. Like… I love Sam too, and y’all know that, but sometimes you need the softness and love in your life. ♥
A/N:Just a quick reminder that this Nate is in his early 30s’ and Sully is in his early 40s’. It takes place after Honor Among Thieves, where Nate and Elena and Nate got married, but didn’t found the way to work the things out.
Nathan couldn’t believe what he had just done. His blue eyes were scanning the phone, his lungs weren’t getting the amount of air they needed and his heart was racing. He had just called you. Asked you if you’d like to hang out with him. And you said yes. Nate breathed out steadily, and before he could stop himself, he was doing his happy dance.
Nathan, being a grown-up he seemed to be with his muscles and 5'11 height was a small kid inside an adult’s man body. For starters, he was always singing and dancing when he was happy, or when he tried to kill some time in his car - and he wasn’t a good singer at all. He had his happy dances when no-one could see him dancing. Another thing was that this man adored the movie Notting Hill with Julia Roberts and he cried every damn time he saw the movie. He loved to buy himself an ice-cream, was loud, and loved to laugh. He was dorky in his own, irresistible way as Elena often put it.
Oh, Nathan stopped. What would’ve Elena think about this? She would be most probably cool with him seeing a friend, right? Like, he went with Frazer for beers and stuff, why would be Elena worried about him going to play some Scrabble with another friend? A girl he had just met? A girl he was all over his heels for? Nathan shook his head as he stood in front of half-emptied wardrobe since El had taken most of her things with her, already dialing her number. She answered after a small while.
“Hey, hey, did something happened?” - She mumbled sleepily, having Nathan curse under his breath. He forgot about the time difference thingy. He was creating various looks on the bed, thinking about what is most suitable for the occasion.
“No, I’m fine, I don’t have anything broken just yet, the flat didn’t catch on fire, everything’s fine here.” - The man named every horror scenario he could think of, finishing it with a slight chuckle. Elena on the other side didn’t find it funny at all, leaving a frustrated sigh to make her husband realize she isn’t in the mood for his jests. - “But Sully has a girlfriend.” - He mentioned just, by the way, settling on a dark blue t-shirt and khaki pants that made his ass popping as Chloe told him many times. These pants were old, but they were still presentable.
“And you’re calling me at three a.m. to tell me that Victor found himself a girlfriend? Nate… I have to wake up early today.” - Elena sighed, doing something in the background. She knew that once Nate had woken her up, she won’t be able to fall asleep again, so she went to make her a cup of coffee.
“I am not calling you at three a.m. just to tell you that Sully has a girlfriend, who is at least fifteen younger, by the way. I’m calling you because a friend asked me if I wouldn’t mind hanging out with her because her boyfriend is at work, so…” - He left out a small pause, rolling his eyes around, walking around the flat like a little boy.
“Nathan, let me remind you that you’re thirty-and-something years old man who has the right to decide who he wants to hang out with.” - “And won’t you be mad ar me, or jealous, or something?” - “Do you want me to?” - Elena asked with a dry chuckle. Nathan didn’t expect that Elena would be so cool about this. He expected a lot, but not such a calm attitude. Nathan had quite a time while trying to come up with an answer for Elena.
“Listen, I just wanted to let you know.” - Nate sighed in the end, waiting for a moment before hearing Elena chuckle on the other side of the phone. - “Yeah, but you still woke me up this early. Unforgivable.” - The woman joked and for a moment, Nate felt seriously bad about himself and the whole situation around you. - “I love you.” - Nate whispered after a moment, waiting for her answer. But, just like the last time, there was no I love you said back.
“Enjoy the hangout and don’t drink too much. You know how much you love Notting Hill when you’re drunk. Bye.” - His wife whispered in the end, ending the call. The man felt hurt for a reason he couldn’t exactly name. Nathan was an endless romantic with his whole soul - he loved to cook surprise dinner for Elena when they were together, he brought her flowers at least once a week, bought her some sweets when he felt like the needs to sweeten her life a bit and he once even did the cliché thing with petals leading to the bed. This man needed to feel he’s being loved, that he’s being appreciated and cared for.
Yet Elena seemed to be super-distant even if she knew about it. But Nathan wasn’t the type to pressure into doing things, he was too sweet for that. He cared for the woman and wanted nothing more than seeing her contained. And so far, it seemed she’s more or less feeling happy in some way.
After ten minutes of preparations, like styling his hair with water and finding the best was to style his t-shirt, he set to go to the market, as he promised you. This man loved ratatouille with his whole heart. It was somehow reminding him of the days when everything was way simpler. When he was younger and he and Sam were traveling through the states, he was the one doing the cooking when they didn’t have enough money for picking something at a Chinese restaurant. And ratatouille was simple and quick, not that much expansive. And his lemon cake? Jesus, you’ll love it.
Nate was just arguing about the cost of the zucchinis when you texted him your address, telling him you somehow managed to clean the place up. Which filled Nate with new energy - so much that he paid a horrendous amount of money for a couple of fresh zucchinis. It wasn’t too far from the market, so maybe, if you’d like to know where to get the best fresh goods, he could take you there. Nathan caught himself grinning and humming a song when he finally walked through your street - you lived in the modern, yet indie-feeling one. The houses were small, almost as if in a Mexican village and each of them had a different color. There was a bright, yellow one, then one with a blood-red facade, grass-green one, and your house had a color of the sky. It could be known that you’re a student, as you told him because bands and independent artists were playing on the streets until the deep night, so the rant was significantly reduced and this was a part of the city young people lived in.
Yet it filled Nate with this sort of energy and it made him grin as he watched a guitarist serenading for some tourist, who was giggling. It made him feel a bit younger than he was… Well, he wasn’t old by any means, but he still was a dude in his thirties, so he wasn’t the youngest in the game either. But soon enough, he was calling you as he stood in front of the door, tapping his feet around nervously. Suddenly, he heard someone calling his name, and before he could say something, he saw you leaning down from your balcony, waving your hands wildly.
“Watch out for the keys!” - You cried out, pulling your hand out so he would see them. First, he chuckled and then nodded, so you let them fall. It was the first time you’ve seen someone catch the keys to their palm. It took him barely a minute to run the stairs up and dear Lord, he had this grin as soon as he saw you. You had this jean overall with one of the suspenders fallen off your shoulder, a white t-shirt and messy hair. Jesus, you were looking even better than Nate remembered you.
“Hey there.” - You smiled goofily, stepping aside from the door, finding the man in. - “And welcome to my kingdom. Please, we hope you don’t mind a bit of mess.” - You giggled and stopped him when he wanted to take his shoes off.
“I don’t mind a mess since I am a bit of one myself.” - Nathan answered back playfully, finding this new sense of confidence inside of him. It made him feel good when you laughed out loud at the statement, shaking your head with an unbelieving smile. Your place was really cute and as far as Nate could tell, it suited you… And your boyfriend. Most of the things was still in the boxes, the furniture was unassembled and… - “Why didn’t you tell me that you need help with painting the walls?” - Nate asked you.
Jesus, that didn’t even cross your mind. Nathan was still a stranger to you, even if you called him a friend already. You met for this one afternoon a week or so ago during the storm, but you hadn’t talked since that day. He didn’t even text you or anything. So, naturally, it didn’t come across that you could ask Nate to help you with accommodating the new household. The only thing you’ve had fully equipped was a kitchen - and that was because you already bought the flat with an equipped kitchen and bathroom.
“Calm your horses, I’ve had enough of a hard time to make sure the water is running so you can cook me the damn lunch. I’m starving.” - A joke left you as you opened up the living room windows. Nate’s expression was enough for you to start explaining. - “Mike usually does this stuff, I’m the worst technician you could befriend, so, don’t ask me to repair stuff for you, okay?” - Oh shit, Mike. Your boyfriend. Right. Don’t let your feelings get the best of you, Nate, the man spoke with himself.
“So, what does lunch, Scrabble, and painting your living room sound like?” - Nate asked and put all the vegetables on the table, smiling at you daringly.
“Oh, no, no, no. I asked you to hang out with me, not to slave work for me.” - You marched right next to him, pulling out some knives, pans, and pots for him. - “And you’d ruin your t-shirt and I don’t want to buy you a whole new one. I’ll manage on my own.” - This made the man chuckle as you still kept talking to him while chaotically running around, assembling the dishes for him. You were going through various boxes on the ground, having a slight furrow on your face.
“Yeah, I can see how you’re managing with these tomcats all over the wall, good job. I mean it, I have a day off anyway.” - The man answered you with a soft giggle at the end, already working with the vegetables. What surprised him was that you stood next to him in the next minute, helping him with the cooking.
“Your wife would be angry that you wouldn’t be home for dinner. It must’ve already weirded her out that you’re going to cook lunch for this random girl.” - The topic of Elena made Nate gulp quietly, letting the playful grin disappear from his face. For a moment, you thought you hit the soft spot, but then the man bumped with his elbow to your upper arm.
“Elena… She’s out of the states now. She’s working on an article in Thailand, and for your information, she was proud of her hubby doing such a gentleman thing about not letting a girl starve to death.” - Oh, crap. Nathan wished for the things to be as he was interpreting them. He wished to talk about with Elena, because maybe if their relationship would’ve been better, he wouldn’t crush on you straightaway. But those were only speculations. What could Nathan know?
“Do you have her picture? I’m kinda curious about what she looks like. If that isn’t… Too weird, of course.” - You stuttered out. Nathan was caught off guard with your wish, but in the end, he wiped his hands and pulled his phone up, showing you a photo from their most recent vacation in Brazil. She was smiling into the camera, holding a glass of wine and her hair was let down. She was also beautifully tanned at the time. You opened up your mouth, smiling at the sight of Nathan’s wife. - “Wow. She’s like… Pretty. You’re one lucky guy, Nate, I tell you.” - As if, Nathan answered, but he did his best to nod and hum in agreement.
When this weird little thingy about Elena was off the table, you both concentrated on your cooking. Nathan could see why you told him that you’re not the best cook either, but you were doing his best to help him. But the pie was even more fun to prepare than the ratatouille. First, you shoved the main course into the oven, making the sweet end after that. It was both looking miraculous to you since you would eat anything the man would serve you. And no matter how hot the food was, you had some appetite. Nathan hadn’t seen anyone eat his food with such a passion for a long time - not even in the restaurant.
When the lunch was over, you pulled an old box with scrabble out of nowhere, putting on the table. - “Now, now, what you have to understand, Nate, is that this box is a relic. I wouldn’t be surprised if it would be older than me… So, naturally, most of the letters are missing and you’ll have to have hella imagination playing this game.” - You presented him, putting the board down. This was a nice spent time while letting the food settle down inside of you - you were laughing a lot with Nathan and his main tactic. The man was trying to convince you that most of the words he made up were real. Soon, you pulled a dictionary, and Nate knew he’s screwed at the moment.
When you proved Nathan you’re actually like… Ten times smarter than him, it was the time to paint your living room. The sun was slowly setting down, so you lit up every light you could find and blasted some playlists on your laptop, making the man dance at once song. Which made you laugh from the bottom of your heart.
“What?” - Nate turned to you with the roll in his hand, already having paint on his face.
“This was… So… Terrible. I suppose you hadn’t picked Elena on your dancing skills, huh?” - You mumbled, drying the tears off. Then, you stepped forward to take the paint from his face, still chuckling at the memory of him dancing. But Nathan’s world just stopped for a moment when he felt your hands running on his face, your fingertips touching him gently. It made his heart jump a bit higher with joy, even if he had to fought the urge to lean into the warm touch.
“Unfortunately not, but, I am just a good dancer and you’re jealous.” - Nate teased you when he gained his consciousness back, making you stop as you watched his face unbelievably. With a burst of laughter, you smacked his shoulder playfully, leaning away.
“That’s how it is?” - You asked, finding a different song in the playlist to show Mr. Drake how real dancers dance-like. - “Yeah, that’s how it is.” - Nate answered light-heartedly, looking at you already vibing to another song. With one daring look, you turned at him, making the craziest dance creations Nathan had ever seen. After a while of your theatrics, the man finally chuckled, continuing with painting the wall. He was leaving around eight in the evening, just a while before Mike came home from work and listened about your adventurous day.
On his way home, Nathan stopped at one of the artists, listening to the girl playing guitar and singing for someone she was deeply in love with. And instead of Elena, he was thinking about you when he was putting a few dollars to the guitar case. He couldn’t wait to see you again.
Description: Nathan Drake is not the exact definition of an unhappy man. His job is steady, his friends still see him from time to time, he plays football, but his marriage is his main problem. Many things will change when a special person comes to his life.
A/N:To be fucking fair with y’all, even I myself am curious about how tf did I manage to get from a cutesy giggly girly story about a crush into… This. I mean, it was coming sooner or later, but holy crap, this is wild… Even for me. Also, the line at the end of the chapter is a refernce to Saturn by Sleeping at last, which was an inspiration for a headcanon I wrote for Nate baaack in the day.
Part Summary: The dinner’s aftermath was not going to be pretty and all of you knew that. But any of you actually expected how much shit will go down that night.
Warnings: Physical abuse, verbal abuse, yelling, argument, angst and emotions. Also a ton of typos, I’ll be going over it tomorrow.
Boy oh boy, it was even worse than what you imagined it would be like. First, Mike was only walking a few feet in front of you with angry huffs and puffs as he lit up a cigarette while you asked him what’s gotten into him all of a sudden. Not that you’d have to ask; the tension between you and Nathan wasn’t exactly easy to hide… Especially with those puppy eyes that the man was giving you practically all the time. The real fun started as soon as you entered your apartment and Michael slammed the door behind you with pure anger passing through his veins. The man was shaking as the amok took over his body, his pupils were dilated when he turned around to look you in the face, pointing at you with one of his fingers. - “We need to fucking talk, Y/N, you hear me?!” - He yelled angrily, watching every move you made. At first, you froze in motion entirely because of fear, watching the man, waiting for what he’s about to do next. Truth be told, you’ve never seen Mike more furious.
It certainly wasn’t your first loud fight, but it sure as hell was the first violent one. At first, you were both pacing around the apartment, spitting snarky arguments and curses at one another - Mike was, of course, most concerned about Nathan clearly being all over you while you tried to protect the man, telling Mike to first clean up his fucking mistakes before denouncing someone else’s. It didn’t take him long before he picked up the first glass out of your cabinet, throwing it in your direction. As you heard the glass shattering under the force of the blow, you reflexively jumped away and put your hands in front of your body to be sure that you were safe. As you caught your breath, looking at Mike with confusion, you picked up one of the books laying on the coffee table and pointed your finger in his direction before slamming it into the ground. This only provoked Mike further since he didn’t expect such strong resistance.
Usually, it was you who backed off first, trying to cut the yelling and crying short since you hated everything about arguments. That evening was different though - you were infuriated beyond even thinking about trying to stop. That night, you were going all out, yelling at Michael at the top of your lungs, going over every small, shitty thing that bothered you about him in a fashion you never did before. The man was confused since he was sure about knowing everything there was to know about you; and yet, he never bumped into this Y/N in front of him. As he got more and more outraged, a terrifying thought had crossed his mind. What if it was too late already? What if there was no point in trying to tear you and Nathan apart? What if you’ve already fallen for him, what if something already happened between the two of you? What if you were in love with Nate? And this alone sent him into a spiral beyond the point of no return. Since there were no more glasses or plates to throw in your direction, as you were already standing between thousands of shards, Mike walked closer to you, pushing you so hard that you almost fell onto the ground. This action made your eyes widen. He had never gotten physical with you in his life. He wasn’t a violent type - sure, he was an idiot, a liar, and a cheater, but he wasn’t an abuser. In the heat of the moment, you pushed him back with more force, yelling another bunch of stuff right into his idiotic face.
It took him a second to shut you up - a second to terrify you to death, to make you cry and sob as you caught his palm in yours, listening to all the shit he was yelling at you. He was squeezing your throat like a bouncy ball, sucking the air out of your lungs while doing so. You only had a second to take in a deep breath - it was when Mike slammed you onto the wall, choking you once more. His face was just inches from yours as you fought for each breath, trying to punch his palm off your neck. The man could vividly see your face swelling and reddening, your eyes popping out widely while your punches got weaker. “Look me in the eyes, you fucking slut. Look at me and tell me you didn’t fuck him, hm? Are you fucking proud of yourself? Was that dick worth it? Did you enjoy the way he fucked you, huh? Come on, you whore, say something!” - The man yelled at you in the amok, tightening the grip. When he saw you opening up your mouth as you tried to speak, he loosened the grip for a moment, hearing what you wanted to tell him in your defense. “What would Amy say you insane fucker?” - You asked teasingly, knowing well that the question might as well cost you your life. But as soon as Michael heard the woman’s name, his expression filled with confusion. How in the fuck did you get to know about Ames? She was someone he… Was seeing. He was spending time with her (in her apartment while you thought he was at work) and he went with her to Seattle for a short getaway… But there was no way in hell you could know about his newest mistress. - “Did you hear me or do you want me to ask again? That’s right. I know all about your precious Amy you lunatic, you fucking perverted swine. And you’re the one to talk about cheating? I fucked him, I fucking did. And you know what? He fucked me better than you ever would, you pathetic loser.” - You laughed with tears in your eyes, feeling the grip tightening once more just before he slammed you onto the ground on all of the shards of glass and porcelain. Before pulling yourself on your elbows, you already felt the first droplets of blood running down your forearms.
While you were laying on the ground, coughing and gasping for air while massaging your throat, Mike stood there frozen still, feeling all the anger and amok slowly fading away. The man looked at his shaky palms, at you laying on the ground with fear all over your face, watching him with pure hatred in your eyes. “Oh my God.” - Mike mumbled and tried to take a step forward so he could help you pick yourself up, but you pushed yourself further from him, into more shards, picking up the biggest one you could reach, aiming it at him. - “Don’t you fucking dare to touch me.” - You mumbled, seeing the blood dropping out of your palm since you held it really tight. “I… I’m so sorry, Y/N, baby girl, I don’t know what’s gotten into me…” “Get out of here. Now.” “We can solve this if we just talk…” “Or I’ll call the fucking cops, alright?” - At that, Mike realized he had lost you completely. Where there was once will make it work and pure love, now there was hatred and fear. He was lucky the cops weren’t already there with how much you both screamed… And with all the shattering and thuds coming out of your apartment in the middle of the night. - “Don’t do anything stupid and just get the fuck out of here. GO!” - You screamed, crying again, throwing the piece of porcelain in his direction.
You only dared to fully break down once you heard the click of the door lock - you squeezed into a tight ball as you tried to breathe it all out. He had never been like this around you… Never. Seeing this petrified side of Mike made you stop in your tracks, it made your heart ache and stomach turn upside down. He almost killed you, for fuck’s sake. Mike almost choked you out. It was hard to tell how long you’ve been just laying there with a swollen neck, cut forearms, torn dress, and absolute fear ruling over you, but you managed to calm a bit after a few hours. Michael was not coming back, which was a great sign - this shit had to terrify him too. Now, he finally saw what a piece of actual shit he was. With the last remnants of your strength, you searched for your phone, dialing another man’s number - and thanks to God, Nathan responded almost immediately.
As you arrived home, the situation on the other side of the town was going on entirely else. Nathan and Elena were standing next to each other on the moonlit beach, letting the cold ocean waves soak their toes. The air carried a hint of salt, the sounds were repeating, almost hypnotic. That place felt safe enough for her to finally talk to Nate. She was leaning her head into his shoulder with a small smile, watching the horizon while Nate didn’t move an inch. That was when the words left her mouth, silently and softly. “We need to talk, Nate.” - Elena mumbled into the quiet, peaceful night. Nathan, without sparing her a single look, already knew that this will be a long, complicated and serious conversion. Acknowledging all of that, he hummed to make her sure he was listening to her. - “That girl… I like her a lot.” “I noticed.” - The man answered with a hint of confusion. He was expecting some scolding, maybe Elena wanting to talk about their emotions and feelings, about their marriage apart - and instead of that, she stated something so simple and innocent. - “You’ll be great friends, just like I thought you would be.” “… And I know you like her a lot too. More than that, actually.”
Hearing Elena saying those words made Nate’s heart ache as he cursed under his breath, stepping away from Elena to look her in the eyes. She didn’t appear to be distressed nor angry, far from it actually. Smiling at him, she walked a bit further into the cold water, letting her ankles sink into the cold sand. Doing so, she sighed, scoffing at the end. “El, it’s not like you think it is…” - Drake said after a moment, knowing he was lying. It was exactly like Elena thought it was. It might’ve been even worse than Elena thought. - “I can explain, I can explain everything. Just don’t get upset and talk to me.” “I’m not upset Nathan.” - Elena cut him off with a smile, looking right into his eyes. - “To be fair, I was upset when I found her earring in our bed. I was scared and it hit me like a truck, finally witnessing what I made you do because I was selfish and scared to…” - “You weren’t selfish. Traveling is your life, El, it was your dream ever since we met, and…” “Can you let me talk, Nate? Please?” - The woman begged him, letting her high heels fall onto the ground as she caught both of his palms in hers. She could feel the tears running down her face - and as usual, the sight of her crying made Nate cry too. Biting her lower lip, her palm searched for Nate’s cheek, smoothing the tears off his face.
“I wasn’t happy here and it wasn’t a short-term occasion. And before you start blaming yourself, Nathan, it wasn’t your fault in the slightest. You are not boring or unworthy or whatever your brain tried to suggest to you.” - The sound of her voice was making Nate’s heart shatter into a million pieces since he knew Elena was internally suffering more and more with each passing second. - “Fuck, you are one of the best people I’ve ever bumped into. You have the power to calm me down and to make me happy when the world is falling apart, you listen to every word I say, you remember all the things I love and you cherish all of our memories and Nathan… I couldn’t be more grateful for what I’ve found within you. Do you hear me? I couldn’t be happier. But we don’t work as a couple.” Elena knew she had to be careful with Nathan, simply because he deserved it. The fault was within neither of them and she intended to make him aware of the fact. Both of them still cared deeply for each other, but to be honest, ever since laying her eyes on you, Elena knew you’ll make him happier than she ever could.
“Are you breaking up with me?” - Nathan whispered before he sobbed a bit, making Elena’s eyes to look him in the face, searching for any kind of emotion. But instead, she saw one of the corners of his lips turn upward, realizing it was a joke. This was so Nate that she had to chuckle unhappily. “I thought I was protecting you by distancing myself, by not talking to you, by keeping you in the dark. But it was actually the worst thing I could’ve done and I’ll be apologizing for that for eternity.” “How long?” - Nathan asked as he started to regain some sort of self-esteem, sitting on dry sand, looking onto the ocean. Elena sighed and repeated after him - both of them put their elbows on their shoulders, listening to the ocean lazily moving back and forth. Honestly, this conversation needed to happen. All of it needed to be discussed and talked about, they both had to let their feelings out. And a calm, intimate conversation between two friends was honestly so much better than aimlessly crying and yelling shit at each other. - “Since you’ve met him?” “Fuck, am I that obvious? Not long, I swear. Two months at maximum… I wouldn’t be able to live with myself for that fucking long. Even this had taken a toll on me, but I’m the one who brought it upon me… It’s all my fault.” “Same.” - Nathan answered with the smile of a small boy, not answering Elena’s attempt to make the villain out of herself once more, reminiscing about how you first knocked on the restaurant door. He recalled that moment crystal clear - the moment when he fell in love as easily as if he just took a deep breath. - “I met her around two, three months back.” - Nathan said with a small smile, looking over to Elena. The woman smiled back, nodding at him to let him know she was listening to him. - “There was a hurricane outside and she was knocking on the restaurant door, trying to get in, smiling like crazy. At first, I thought I was looking at an angel.”
“I met him when I arrived in Thailand. We bumped into each other at the airport, he was excited to see me again.” “Someone I know?” - The man asked with confusion, toying around with the cufflink on his sleeve. This was the hardest part so far - Elena gulped as she felt her stomach turn upside down. She heard the thumping of her heart if her ears while trying to find some solid, stable ground. Nathan will hate her. She was sure of that. But he needed and deserved to know. The process Elena was going through was enough to catch his attention. As Elena tried to push the words past her lips, she almost started crying again. - “Just tell me it’s not Sullivan, huh?” - Nate joked, trying to lighten up the atmosphere a bit. “It’s worse than that.” - The woman mumbled, letting the smile disappear from his lips. - “It’s Samuel, Nate.” That hit Nathan like a fucking truck at the speed of light. He had to support himself by pushing his palm into the cold sand as he gasped for air, putting his fingers over his mouth. For a long time, Elena was sobbing and mumbling apologies to Nate, tugging on his forearm gently, terrified, while he was just staring at the ocean. Until, suddenly, he started laughing.
Chuckles grew into a roaring, historical laughter as tears of amusement rolled down Nate’s cheeks. This shit was funny as fuck. He is in shock, Elena thought as she watched Nathan slowly calming himself down, he doesn’t know what he’s doing. But she was wrong. Drake just seriously thought the shit couldn’t get funnier, but it suddenly did. Wow. So the guy charming his wife was none other than Samuel. When he thought about everything for a moment, it kinda made sense. He was everything Nate wasn’t - that guy didn’t want to settle down, he didn’t have a place to call home, he was adventurous, continuously traveling the world… Which was perfectly aligned with Elena’s idea of a life worth living. Their marriage was dead for long enough for Nathan not to throw a fit. Sure, it was a surprise, it was a shock, but he did the same exact thing to Elena. You might’ve not been her sister, but your situation perfectly mirrored the one Elena found herself in. In a funny, sick was, they were even. “Tell him…” - Nate took in a deep breath, calming himself down for a bit. - “Tell him that if he ever hurts you, I’ll beat the ever-living fuck out of him. Tell him you’re one of the most wonderful people I got to know, that I love you as my best friend and that I hope you’ll be happy together.” - With a small smile, he smoothed Elena’s cheek, drying the tears off her face. The woman gave him a broken smile, crying even more. Nathan was way more amazing than she ever realized.
He wasn’t okay with any of it, of course, he was hurt and confused - but so was Elena. And there honestly was no point in throwing away a good, deep friendship just to throw a childish tantrum. They truly were even in everything - both of them fucked up, both of them failed, both of them were to blame. And Elena was the greatest friend he ever had; when he didn’t count Sully. She was right; they weren’t suited for married life… Not for one another, at least. “Wanna see some pictures we took on our trips?” - The man asked when Elena calmed enough to stop crying, leaning her temple into his shoulder while watching the ocean once more. With a grateful smile, she looked at her best friend and nodded. - “I’d love to… Only if I can show you mine, tho.” - She grinned, slowly getting playful as she calmed down. This was the Elena adored, and he wished she’d never disappear.
They sat on the beach for hours while the air got a bit colder - it was still very warm when they started to pick themselves up, ready to walk back into the apartment. This was only one conversation they had to have to solve the entire issue and there was more and more to go through, but for that evening, it was just enough. The main points were said and disclosed and now, they were free to work around their mutual trust and honesty. Frankly, Elena loved the way Nathan talked about you. There was also one video, in particular, she absolutely fell in love with - it was shot by Nate and you were trying out a kite you’ve bought in nearby stationery. It was a windy summer day, an ideal one for a hike. For the entirety of the video, you’ve been giving Nate a step-by-step manual about how to make a kite fly, and just when you were about to let it go, your feet tangled between the lace. As you threw the kite in front of you, you were soon to follow with many curses following. Her favorite part was how quickly Nate threw the phone away, running off to help you… And all the sweet, quiet questions he whispered to your hair.
When they finally opened their apartment door, they were both exhausted - Elena put her palms above her head, yawning loudly as she opened up the fridge, searching for anything she’d be able to eat. At the same moment, Nathan’s phone started to ring - with a smile, he showed Elena your picture before picking the call up. “Hey, Y/N!” - The man greeted you happily, happy to hear your voice. As soon as he heard the first sob, he stopped himself in his tracks, his expression growing worried with each passing second. Elena watched his whole body tense up, eyes opening wider. - “Yes, of course. Of course, I’ll be there. We’ll come to get you, just hold on for a bit longer, baby.” - Nate whispered, grabbing his keys before walking over to the door furiously. Elena didn’t wait for too long either, she just slipped her feet into slippers, ready to follow Nathan. - “You can stay at home.” “What happened, Nate?” - The woman asked, being concerned about how fast Nate’s emotions shifted in a mere second. Something bad must’ve happened. Shit went down for sure. “I’m not sure.” - Drake answered, cutting the explanation sure as he always did when he got furious. - “She sounded… Horrible. If that son a bitch laid one finger on her, I swear to God…”
The entire ride to your house was completely silent - Nathan was holding the steering wheel with so much force that his knuckles got completely white while Elena stared out of the window, nervously biting the skin around her nails. She had to come with just in case Nathan’s suspicion was right. Honestly, she didn’t see Nate furious very often, so it was hard to predict how Nate would act. Something awfully serious and fucked up had to happen in order to get him this enraged and railed up. In a state like this, he’d be able to start a fight, that was for sure an option. So you and she had to do your best to prevent that.
Still hoping the shit won’t be as serious as they were afraid it is, Elena followed Nathan down the street full of various musicians, open bars, and loud music, smiling to herself - this was exactly what she liked. This part of the town was one of most favorite… In any time she had visited over the past few years. She loved the energy, the will to live, the engine behind all this. And she was positive Sam would’ve loved it too. Soon enough, both of them were ringing on your doorbells. Nathan was anxiously shifting his weight from one foot to another while Elena stood under the stairs, hugging herself - while dressed in compy, fuzzy slippers, and an elegant cocktail dress. She must’ve looked real fucking funny. The way up the stairs was making both of them more and more anxious - especially when they overheard you talking to your neighbor. “I should’ve called the police.” “It’s okay, my friends will pick me up and make sure I’m okay. Don’t blame yourself.” “Man, it’s not okay. I thought… I thought you just drank a bit too much or something, yannow? A typical argument. I feel shit now, I’m so sorry.” - The young woman answered and that was the first time the Drakes saw you in the light. Nathan stopped himself, halting so rapidly that Elena bumped flat into his back. His breath got even more shallow, he had to press his palms into tight firsts upon seeing you, which made Elena sure that whatever happened inside of that flat… It wasn’t a pretty sight. And holy fuck, she wished she was wrong.
You’ve clearly cried a lot, which could be based on your puffy, red eyes - but that wasn’t even that bad. Your hair was a fucking mess, your neck was swollen and bruises were slowly appearing there inch by inch, your dress was torn at places due to signs of a physical fight, your forearms were full of scratches and small glass shards were sticking out of them at places… Let alone your bleeding palm. Anxiously, you looked at both of them, crying again. This time, it was a relief - both Elena and Nathan didn’t waste a single second. As soon as you asked him for help, he just jumped into his car and came to pick you up.
While Nathan was on the verge of losing his shit, shaking and barely breathing in and out in a steady rhythm, Elena snuck past him, walking closer to smooth your cheek. - “Thank you for keeping her company, we’ll take her somewhere far away from her.” - And with that, she led you inside of your flat, mumbling sweet shit right to your ear. You were safe. Michael won’t be coming back, Elena will take care of you, making sure you’re safe. - “I’ll fucking kill him.” - Nathan mumbled, following you both into the apartment. There were small puddles of blood on the wooden floors, all of your kitchen equipment was either shattered in the living room or thrown around the apartment, the schoolbook he chose with you were laying everywhere. Nathan could name each spot where something was thrown - the brute force was so big that it left behind small spots of chipped plasterboard. Honestly, you were fucking lucky to be in the state you were in… Or even alive.
As Elena walked around your flat, packing all your necessities into a sports bag, Drake approached you slowly, kneeling right in front of you. Your bloodied up palm caught his knee as his fingers slowly caressed your cheek. Honestly, you didn’t even know what happened between the married couple and you couldn’t be bothered by his very own wife packing all of your stuff - you bent forward, bumping your forehead into his as you let out a long breath. Finally, you felt safe. Nathan’s presence calmed you down. His smell filled up your nose, his warmth felt known and welcoming, inviting. With your voice broken, you whispered one line from a song Nathan loved a lot, making him smile bitterly. - “How rare and beautiful it is, to even exist?” - Hearing that line made Elena stop herself from frantically running around as well. She knew that song well, Nate listened to it every time he got melancholic. And it was truly beautiful. Just like the sight of you two… But you had to get moving if you didn’t want to see your, clearly ex, boyfriend being beaten to shit.
Just when you entered their apartment complex, as all of you got exhausted and sleepy, another blow hit all of you sitting in the car. As they always said, the bad things always come in a trifecta, one being worse than another. It was Florence standing at the back entrance, hugging herself, crying as well.
Whatever was going on that night, everything was going to shit.
Description: Nathan Drake is not the exact definition of an unhappy man. His job is steady, his friends still see him from time to time, he plays football, but his marriage is his main problem. Many things will change when a special person comes to his life.
BEFORE READING THIS PART, PLEASE, ACKNOWLEDGE THIS: I love Elena and Nathan, along with their weird idea of romantic, with all my damn heart. They are one of the best couples in current media altogether, and I mean it. Their love is so strong and beautiful, I literally grew up watching them finally find their happy ending in one another… Aw, I smile just thinking about it. But this is kinda what the series was slowly getting to - an unhappy marriage that wasn’t working for either of them, distancing, heartbreak, coldening, falling for someone new… Yeah. I wanted to make it human and full of emotion, which I hopefully captured well enough - my goal isn’t to make either of them a villain of the story. Elena was unhappy, but she didn’t tell Nate cause she didn’t wanna hurt him - but that was exactly what drove him away, and he wanted to live his quiet life, not really wanting to travel the world all the time (I mean, in this AU), which drew Elena away from him also. See? It’s complicated.
And about whom Elena fell for… Yeah, I fucking did it. The idea was a crackhead one in the middle of the night merely a year ago when I was talking to my one and only @missdictatorme about what I wanna see in that story and I kinda told her. I don’t remember exactly what she told my crackhead ass, but I remember that her reaction was good enough for me to actually commit… Year later.
One last thing: If you’re careful enough, you’ll notice that I was trying to mirror Mike and Elena’s POVs as well as Nathan and the reader’s which was honestly a nice concept to work around. I hope it won’t be too confusing to read tho. Love y’all!
Part Summary: The dinner with the Drakes finally came - yet even before it starts, it’s already so much more complicated that what all the parties involved expected.
property of: nathan drake (a Spotify playlist): H E R E
You were quick to set the date and the spot of your hangout with Nathan and his wife - even Mike felt more confident in his shoes ever since he learned that the mysterious Elena is not only real but also present and ready to meet both of you. The more time you spent with Nathan, the more jealous Mike was becoming. Yet after everything he had done to you in the past (and what he was currently up to), he couldn’t just lash out at you because you hung out with your best friend. Plus, you always showed him pictures from your trips, seeing both you and Nathan being socially distanced and laughing always. As he saw you putting the earrings on while making sure that your lipstick is perfect, Mike couldn’t but sit on his bed and wonder; how it must’ve felt to be the perfect guy? You literally never talked bad about Nate, it was only Nate this and that - according to you, he was really funny, attentive, caring, and smart, he was obviously working really hard for everything he had ever achieved, remembering all the smallest details you ever told him and on top of all that - Nathan was making you laugh all the time. That guy knew every last damn thing there was to know about cooking, he was financially stable and had amazing friends (Michael heard everything about Sully and Ms. Carter)… If he wasn’t married, he seemed to be the perfect partner for you.
Compared to Nathan fucking Drake was Mike always distant, struggled to remember the things you liked, haven’t taken you out on a proper adventure in months, it almost seemed that you laugh less around him ever since you met Drake. But knowing Drake’s wife is real, that was a really good consolation prize. And the way Nate appeared to be was also what was making Mike see red - the sole thought of Drake making a move on you made him mad. Mike already knew that during the dinner that was about to go down, he’ll be searching for every green light or indication of you and Nathan being more than just friends… And if he fucking finds it, you sure as hell were up for one crazy ride.
In a cozy, spacey apartment on the other side of the town, Nathan was struggling to tie his tie properly. He was furrowing at himself in the mirror, trying to keep his palms steady and not sweaty, muffling curses under his breath. That was when Elena approached him with a snarky smile, putting up the collar of his shirt. “That’s 1:0 for the tie, your biggest enemy.” - The woman joked, untying the mess her husband managed to make. “Oh haha, very funny.” “I can set a timer, you know?” - Elena teased Drake a bit more, having the man roll his eyes with a smirk, making two elegant loops with the piece of fabric. - “If you’ll tie the knot under ten minutes, I can do the dishes… You absolute chicken.” - After a moment, she heard her phone buzzing while finishing the process. With a proud smile, she bent the collar back down and smoothed his shoulder. - “Looking great, tiger… But I really have to pick this up. It’s my boss.”
As Elena grabbed her phone and turned away from Nathan, the smile faded away from her lips as she felt her heart sink a bit deeper. Something had changed and honestly, she wasn’t the one to wonder about what it could be. She could name all the factors, she understood and even though she already counted on such a huge shift, even before Samuel talked her down to talk it all out with Nate, it hurt more than Elena ever imagined. She furrowed upon closing and locking the bathroom door, picking the call as she leaned her forehead into the wooden door, cursing under her breath. The woman felt tears filling up her eyes as she sobbed, putting her shaky palm in front of her mouth to shush all of them down. Slowly, she leaned her back into the door, sliding down until she sat on the ground.
Nathan Morgan Drake. The legendary so-called “two-bit thief” who was actually even greater than the legend itself. Elena clearly remembered the first day she met Nate; she was mesmerized by his charm and witty, situational sense of humor, by his overconfidence, and overall personality. When she first looked into those baby blue eyes, she knew that under all that sex appeal, there is a heart of gold and a loyal, loving, and fragile soul. Nathan felt safe, the man felt like home to Elena. And that’s why she fell in love - or, at least she thought she did until she discovered differently. And the discovery was pretty random and pretty decent, in her defense. With the other guy, the one she was spending the last three months with, she finally discovered what true love feels like for her. Elena was all over him, he was all she was able to think about, he completely filled up her head and made her feel feelings she had never felt… So the man being his very own brother was what was making everything even more fucked up. In the back of her head, Elena knew she’ll have to talk to Nathan about all of that. And until she came home a few days ago, she was confident and calm. They had to talk. Nathan was still her best friend and Elena knew that a clear-cut will be the best solution in this situation. Yes, Drake will hate her for a bit, but he’ll let his heart heal much faster. That was what she planned on doing - until Nathan looked her in the eyes.
The change struck her immediately. Nathan was… Pulling away instead of trying to reach for her, his mind was gone, wandering somewhere around the city, there was sadness present in his eyes as well as in the entire flat. And that woman wasn’t stupid - she figured him out before Nathan got the chance to greet her back home. Which was also caused by that small pearl earring she found in the sheets… And which certainly wasn’t hers. Instead of this making everything faster and easier, it somehow confused the ever-living fuck out of Elena. Who did Nate spend the night with? Was she pretty, or just a random one-night stand? Were there more of them? The next clue was the shine in his eyes when she asked about his new friend Y/N - suddenly, at least a part of the old Nate was back as he excitedly talked about her - it was at that moment when her heart stopped beating for a second.
Elena never wanted to make Nate suffer - they were adults when they met, they thought they were right for each other and they got married - it was as simple as that. It wasn’t her fault that things didn’t quite work out for them and it wasn’t Nathan’s fault either. It was evident that both of them loved someone else, that their heart belonged to someone else, that their happiness lies in someone else… She never wanted to make Nate suffer, but she already did and the realization hit her like a truck when she entered their apartment. For two years, two fucking years, Nathan was sitting tight, waiting for Elena to come back home. Sometimes, he went on a thrilling adventure with Cutter, Chloe, or Sully, but mostly, he was living his nice, quiet time in his safe apartment (which he loved, by the way. Nathan adored simple day-to-day life). The man waited for so long, he was hoping, in love, full of trust - until it broke inside of him. Until he started to fall in love with someone else.
And for all of that, Elena hated herself. She should’ve talked to him way back in the day, the first moment she realized that a simple life might not be what she longed for. It was late to take it all back now. Elena already made his life miserable enough for those two years. Truth was that she bumped into Samuel back when she arrived for her Thailand gig. He was stoked to see her there, excited to spend some time with his sister-in-law. The man was there on his gig, but they managed to see each other pretty regularly and travel across Thailand together - Samuel was showing Elena around, enlightening her about a lot of local traditions, which was exactly what she needed to keep herself contained. She was born to live thrilling life full of adventure that never stops and she was not ready to settle down just yet. This type of adventure might’ve not been as dramatic as Nathan’s thrilling car chases, explosions, lost cities, and civilizations, or shooting guns, but it was the life Elena was suited for.
And it didn’t have a single flaw with Samuel - he was funny, both book smart and street smart, susceptible, charming and handsome, a perfect partner for a life of everlasting adventuring. The guy was honestly very easy to fall for.
It happened one evening without either of them predicting it - they were just standing under a tree, it was raining heavily and Elena was showing Samuel the latest batch of the photos she took while he held an umbrella over their heads. The woman was absolutely stoked about them, pointing her fingers there while talking happily, turning her head to look at Sam. And that was when it happened - the man met her lips halfway as he let the umbrella go, grabbing both her hips so he could press Elena closer to his body. And she was now about to tell Nathan.
Exhaling, she finally accepted the all as she dried the tears, sitting on the bathroom floor. Sam’s voice, as usual, made her heart fill with happiness and love, making her a bit calmer as she listened to him talk.
“Hey there, baby girl, I was just thinking about you and I needed to hear your voice, even tho I promised I won¨t call you when you’re there. I was just wondering about how’s it going back there… Did you talk to him already?” - The man asked, taking a drag from his cigarette. “No, not yet…” - Elena mumbled defeatedly, letting out a shaky breath. - “It’s so hard, you know? To find the time to discuss a serious topic like this. I just can’t bring myself to do it to Nathan, fucking Christ, he’s one of the best people I ever met in my entire life. What if he’s going to hate me? What will I do then? I don’t wanna lose him completely.” - After this confession, Elena started sobbing once more, hiding her face in her palm. Hearing such words made Sam’s heart shatter a bit, especially due to Elena’s heartbreaking tone and paralyzing fear, yet he knew that this was something they both had to go through. It wouldn’t be fair to Nathan to hold him in such a relationship. “My brother isn’t like that and both you and I know that, El. He’ll be upset, that’s for sure, and it will take him some time to get over that, he’ll need to heal… But he won’t be able to hate you. He loves you too much to do that - and I’m sure that he’ll let you go if that’s what you wish for.” “I think Nate… I think he…” - Elena laughed nervously, calming down even more as she looked at the hair products lined up on a shelf in the shower. - “I have the feeling that he loves someone else. Shouldn’t that make me feel better about all of this? Why do I feel like a fucking piece of shit?” “I honestly don’t have a clue about how all of this works, angel. All I know is that you two have been in a fucking pickle for two years now and it’s time for you to set you both free. You can do it and Nathan is adult enough to not break down. Now remind me who’s my big strong woman?” “I am.” - Elena mumbled, feeling as weak as never before right before ending the call just to lean the back of her head into the door for a bit longer.
Pulling herself back together and checking on her make-up felt bittersweet as she then proceeded to walk past all of the framed photos of her and Nathan; those where they were frozen in time, still in love and intact. Now, they were two estranged people living two separate lives due to her incapability to confide in Nathan. All she wanted was to protect him, not to feel flawed because of her not being able to slow down and live a normal life. Yet all she did was cause more harm in the process. “Are you alright?” - The man slowly approached her, running his warm palms along her shoulders before bringing her into a hug, kissing the top of her head. She wasn’t alright, she was in shambles, paralyzed with fear and worries. But she didn’t say anything, she just hugged him back, taking in his scent. Elena snuggled up a bit closer with her eyes closed, realizing that this might as well be one of the last moments when she’ll feel Nate’s raw, warming love.
As soon as you locked your apartment, you knew that the whole dinner will be one hell of a mess. Without a doubt in your mind, you knew that Mike holds a grudge against Nathan - one so huge that you only barely understood. And as for you, you already knew that you won’t be able to take your eyes off of that man. You haven’t seen or heard him in two weeks and just the thought of him being close again made your cheeks warmer and your heart skip a beat. Funnily enough, it felt like you were about to come back home. You couldn’t wait to see him again. Nathan was rather nervous the entire time he was leading El to the restaurant, holding her palm in his. She didn’t wiggle out of fear of hurting him more when he caught her palm and as the time passed, she calmed down and started talking about everything that was on her mind. The city managed to change a lot when she was gone and in a sense, it was calming to be back home, where she knew it the best with a person that knew her even better than she was to know herself.
It was as you walked down the street when you saw the other couple, holding hands just like you and Mike were. And holy motherfucking mother of God - there was so much going down inside your head. First off… Nathan was strikingly handsome in his own, adorable way. He looked so good that it sucked all of the air out of your lungs as your eyes hungrily scanned his appearance. The way the shirt hugged his frame, the black necktie, the black formal jacket, and pants that appeared to be a bit too tight for his amazing, beautiful ass… Unknowingly, you dug your nails deeper into Mike’s skin as your heart skipped a beat. The view alone made your knees weaken, the memories were immediately taking you back to two weeks ago, to the moment you held that man’s head between your thighs, moaning his name… Aaaand there it was; now, you were also wet and horny. What a great start. Secondly - Elena was way more beautiful than the pictures showed you. Standing in front of you in person, giving you a bright smile, you had to admit that Nathan’s wife was simply gorgeous. From her big hazel-nut brown eyes, nice smile, tanned skin, and the perfect dress to the way she carried herself on the heels she was wearing, she looked amazing. She was as brilliant as her husband. So this was his wife… Wow. Next to her, you looked like a fucking scarecrow, didn’t you? That led you to the last point… Nathan’s eyes started to shine as soon as he realized it was you. Just like your breath got shallow and your cheeks felt super hot, he was suddenly appearing way happier. It meant that whatever reason he had not texted you in the past two weeks, there were some feelings inside of him as well. And you already knew that no matter how happy it made you, it wasn’t a good sign at all.
“Oh, hi!” - Elena exclaimed happily, laughing as she let Nate’s hand go, opening up her arms to bring you into a hug. So… This was you, huh? The woman that made Nathan finally crack and fall head over heels for her. And looking at you, Elena understood everything a bit better - you were undeniably attractive, you had this spark in your eyes, your smile was warm and welcoming, you oozed friendliness and patience… Something Nate desperately needed after being alone for almost two years. “I couldn’t wait to meet you, Nathan told me so much about you guys.” - Elena mumbled as she gave you a tight, friendly hug before introducing herself to your boyfriend, giving you a moment to say hi to Nathan. And… Yep. As soon as Mike opened up his nasty mouth, Elena could sense something weird about him. His aura wasn’t quite checking out, but she was unable to put a finger on it. Yet she laughed at his joke, chit-chatting with him a bit more.
When you walked up to Nathan, you were about to have a heart attack. You felt so happy that you almost started crying, you were shaking, hot, and your head was spinning blissfully. Looking into his eyes, you knew he was feeling exactly the same thing as you did. Your presence made his day better, it made a bright smile appear on his face. Not being able to contain yourself any longer, you launched into a tight and desperate hug, almost bringing Nate to the ground in the process. The guy snickered unbelievable, bringing you even closer, taking in the smell and warmth of your body. Fuck, he missed you so much. - “You look incredible tonight.” - Nathan mumbled into your ear before letting you go, straightening as both Elena and Mike approached you.
The establishment Nate chose for the occasion was amazing. It was one of the high-class restaurants with an intimate, elegant setting… Even tho the prices might’ve been a bit too high for your liking. In the end, Mike was paying for you, so why would you care? The interior was grandiose - from two floors to an enormous glass chandelier to the golden ornaments and furniture made out of black, shiny wood, everything had its purpose and place. It was one of the restaurants you’d see in a rom-com; the one where the main hero proposes to his love interest, making her cry and the whole restaurant cheer for them. The waiters and waitresses have been dressed accordingly to the dress code, bringing deliciously looking food on silver plates. You’ve never been at a place like that and to be fair, you were pretty nervous about it.
“It’s amazing to finally meet you, Elena.” - You said honestly as you entered the restaurant - you and Elena walked in first, letting the guys talk for a bit. This comment made the blonde smile at you, entwining her elbow with yours as she led you to the reserved table in the far corner of the restaurant - the one with the best view of the sea. Nate always reserved this table specifically. “Same goes for you. Nathan speaks incredibly high of you… All the time. Never heard a single bad word when it came to you, Y/N.” - With that, you looked into Elena’s big, brown eyes, feeling your stomach tightening into a small ball. Fuck… If you haven’t slept with her husband, who was your best friend, and if you wouldn’t fall in love with him, you and Elena might’ve been great friends. She seemed easy-going and interesting, someone you’d simply love to befriend. “That sounds like Nate. But he speaks highly of everyone, doesn’t he? He’s too nice to hold a grudge.” “Oh, no, no, no.” - El chuckled, letting your arm go as you reached the table - both of you sat opposite each other while the guys ordered you some drinks. - “This man can curse when it comes to it and when he really doesn’t like someone, he’s a goddamn swearing machine. Saying the word, how’s Victor? Haven’t seen him in months.” “They are doing great…” - You smiled, opening the menu. It was luxurious, coated in black leather with drawings and details made out of golden metal. The woman looked up, perplexed about what ‘they’ is supposed to mean. - “Him and Florence, I mean. Never seen a couple more strange, but, hey - it’s working out for them. Have you met her yet?” “Ah, of course. No, we didn’t meet yet, that’s why I got so confused. My brain still didn’t catch up with the fact that Victor found himself a girlfriend. I always knew Sully as the dictionary definition of a 'ladies man’, so…” - At that, you both giggled. Talking to Elena, it could be heard that she is a journalist and that she also knows her friends well, that she cares deeply about them. She was smart and funny, but there was just something… In the way, she spoke and structured her sentences. - “What’s she like? She must be a piece of art if she managed to tame the big ol’ Sullivan himself, let me tell you that much.” “Ah, Florence is simply great. I really enjoy being around her… To be fairly honest, I might not know Sully that well, but I’d say she’s the feminine version of him, yannow? There’s this thing that just seemingly clicked between them. That woman’s also very, very smart and knowledgeable when it comes to history. I think you’ll like her.” “If she’s similar to you, I’ll certainly will…” - Elena smiled kindly, hearing both men finally joining your table. For a moment, you couldn’t bring yourself to break the eye contact with her, staring at her with a small furrow. It could’ve been just a simple statement that didn’t even mean much, but the sparks in her eyes were telling you that whatever was she trying to get across, it was far more profound than that. As if she was giving you a blessing to do something… But what? Without a clue, you stared at her, seeing her smile even wider as tears appeared in her eyes for a second. - “I’ll certainly will.” - She repeated, winking a few times to hold the tears back.
As time passed by, Elena started to like you more and more. You, in your entirety, were a wonderful person. Both you and your boyfriend listened to her storied eagerly, being mesmerized by some of the photos Elena decided to you, wondering about what her life must be like - it seemed wonderful. The entire night, you were trying to keep up a good conversation with her, yet each time she talked to Mike or Nathan, your eyes immediately turned to the man sitting next to her. His presence was calming you down the entire time - he was there with you and for you and there was nothing that had the power to change it. When Elena wasn’t talking to him, his eyes were glued to you; yet only when Mike didn’t pay attention to him. Ever since you met up for the dinner, he could feel the bitterness Mike was radiating toward him. That guy fucking hated him to bits. But honestly - he was right to do so. In the end, Nate not only fallen for his girl, but he also made love to her.
Seeing Elena enjoy your company, just as you enjoyed hers, left him wondering about how things could’ve been if stuff was less complicated. What if he was still in love with Elena and she was in love with him? Could you all be just a group of great friends? Nate liked to think so since the two of you clicked so well straightaway. At that moment, he felt grossed out by his own actions; he should’ve suppressed his feelings for you somewhere deep inside of him, somewhere where they’d be intact and safe while not growing or changing - he shouldn’t have acted based on his desires and he should’ve turned you down. But… It was too late for that now, wasn’t it? Now, Drake already knew how you tasted, how your touches felt, and how wonderful it felt when you trembled in his arms, when you moaned his name, or fell asleep with your head on his chest. And it was too late to erase those precious memories.
At the end of the night, everyone seemed to be contained - all of you had some delicious food, were just tipsy enough for it to be enjoyable you and Elena hugged like two old best friends and the two men shook hands with smiles on their lips. Yet as soon as Elena offered her palm to Mike, there it was again. The sense of insecurity, the strong distaste in her mouth. This guy was not a good person, she was sure of that - his looks towards you had a possessive, proprietary character as if he had to do his absolute best to control himself for some reason. She disliked the guy in his entirety. Yet, same as before, she simply smiled at him and wished him a wonderful night. And indeed, Mike had to keep himself in check, cause he felt the tension between you and Nathan. If you thought he didn’t notice the subtle smiles and looks, you must’ve been fucking stupid. The guy almost bawled his eyes out while looking at Mike’s girl. That’s right - you were his and he wasn’t willing to let you go. For a guy that cheated on you multiple times, he was extremely possessive, jealous, and selfish - it wasn’t even funny at that point. He was to do whatever he pleased, but if you’d only think about anything like that… Boy oh boy. He was outraged when you left the restaurant, yet as you walked home, everything started to boil inside of him. Mike was completely furious by the time you reached your flat, and as soon as he slammed the door behind both of you with great, brute force, you remained frozen in place. - “We need to fucking talk, Y/N, you hear me?!”
Elena was furrowing the entire way home, holding onto Nate’s elbow as she carried her high heels in her other palm. At that moment, she was soaking her feet in the cold salty water of the ocean, feeling the wet sand between her toes. Nate was walking next to her with the jacket thrown over his other elbow, holding his shoes in his palm as well. Suddenly, Elena stopped and looked at the ocean and the moon, sighing. “I didn’t like that guy she was with.” - Elena mumbled worriedly, looking at Nathan’s silhouette, seeing the blue eyes looking back at her. - “There’s something off about it him, I just… Something’s nagging me about him.” “He’s a fucking asshole, that’s what’s nagging you about him, El. He hurt her multiple times, cheated on her with various women and Y/N is still choosing to stay by his side, fucking Christ.” - Nathan laughed sourly, warning the waves crashing at his feet. Elena tightened her grip on Nate’s elbow, leaning her temple into his shoulder as she listened to the sounds of the beach - the waves crashing, people talking in the distance, the crickets in the tufts of grass… And suddenly, it slipped past her lips. - “We need to talk, Nate. ”
Description:Nathan Drake is not the exact definition of an unhappy man. His job is steady, his friends still see him from time to time, he plays football, but his marriage is his main problem. Many things will change when a special person comes to his life.
Part Summary: One text has the power to change everything - from making you the happiest in the whole world to crying on your couch in the morning. And the worst part probably was that the situation was only starting to get complicated.
When do you both have time? The text started quite simply, luring you into a false sense of safety before blowing everything into bits. Elena is back in town and she’d like to meet you both. Dinner is on us, just like we talked about it. Feeling your heart sinking into your stomach, you caught your phone in your palms, leaning your elbows into your knees as you fought the urge to scream out loud. Mike was still sleeping, it was his day off, and even though everything that he has done to you, you didn’t plan on waking him up like that. What you couldn’t stop was the tears rolling on your cheeks as you felt your heart being crushed to absolute pieces.
Nathan wasn’t doing any better than you. The days were slowly dragging by as he tried to continue with his daily schedule - yet since you asked him for privacy, which he was to respect, you were no longer there to fill each second with happiness and laughter. You two weren’t even texting at that time, which made everything even worse. The man’s food was barely edible (at least in his eyes) since there was no love nor happiness that he’d be pouring into it, he was laughing way less and he was reading through your text chain longingly, hoping a new text would pop out any second. Yet you remained silent, pulled away, in the shadows.
After a week of silence, Nathan was walking down the street with vegetables in his hand, looking around - almost bumping his shoulder into a woman he hadn’t noticed. It was almost late when she put her small palm on his forearm, dodging out of the way. At first, the woman with fiery hair wanted to pull out her best Irish insults to scold Nathan, yet as soon as she noticed who was standing in front of her, she calmed down and observed him a bit closer. To Florence, he was looking like a fossil; lifeless, pale, and petrified a bit. The man didn’t even register who she was as he started to mumble apologies, looking away from her. - “My oh my, aren’t you looking horrible, love?” - The woman whispered, smoothing his cheek, making Nathan look at her and finally realize who he bumped into. - “Oh crap, I haven’t even noticed you, Flo, I was lost in my thoughts. I’m so sorry. Are you okay?” “Other than you almost making me end up on the ground?” - The woman asked with a grin, taking it back as soon as she saw the shy look Nathan’s blue eyes gave her. This man was not in the mood for jokes. - “I’m alright Nate, don’t worry about me. You don’t look too fine tho. Is everything alright?”
For quite some time, Nathan was standing there, thinking about what should he say. First off, was Florence even the right person to discuss this stuff with? Wouldn’t someone else be better in that regard? They were good friends, Nathan and Florence, by that point; but that didn’t mean Nathan would entrust her with her deepest, darkest secret right away. To which she’d say is understandable. “Depends. Yes and no.” - Nathan answered evasively, already leaning away from Florence. How long was he like this for? True, she nor Victor had talked to Nathan in almost two weeks, but what monstrosity had to happen for Nathan to suddenly look like that? The sight of him was making her worried. So much so that she pulled a small diary out of her bag, writing down an address of sorts for Nate. - “You need to go there right now.” - Florence smiled and pointed the tip of her finger to the name of the establishment. - “I’m on my lunch break and I was supposed to meet Victor there, to talk about businesses and stuff, but you need it much more than I do. He’ll be happy to see you, kiddo.” “That’s nice of you, but I don’t wanna exactly talk to him at the moment.” - Nathan shook his head, giving the paper back to Florence. But the woman wasn’t the one to give up easily. Instead of that, she caught Nathan’s palm in both of hers, looking him in the eyes. “You don’t want to, but you need to. He’ll be glad to see you, he always talks about you and wonders about how you are, he worried about you cause you’re his family. You don’t necessarily need to talk about what’s on your mind, but you can just hang out, huh? I need to take a break as well… This won’t be the first nor the last time I didn’t come to a date with Vic. Do it, for me.” - The woman said, smiling at Nathan.
Victor was right about her the first time - she was acting like his mother despite being younger than Nathan himself. But it was something she couldn’t exactly help herself with. It was undeniable that Nathan and Victor were most likely the closest members of a family to each other - Nathan had an older brother Samuel (according to what Sullivan told Florence), yet due to Sam’s long absence, Sully replaced that figure in Nate’s life for quite some time. He was not a brother to Nathan; Sullivan was the father figure Nathan needed and deserved. And Nathan, despite Victor’s best efforts, became his son as time went by. Which, funnily enough, put Florence in a motherly position (according to herself and herself only). The woman never dreamt of being a mother, she was never exactly inclined towards motherhood and all the stuff that went with it, but this was as natural as breathing. She could be Nathan’s great friend, offering him care and patience. And Florence was all in with it. Sure, this was one hell of a weird dynamic this untypical family had, yet it was the one they all chose willingly and which suited them well.
“Fine. But next time he’ll ask me to go out drinking with him, you’re the one taking my place.” - Drake mumbled, making Florence grin. “I outdrink him any time of any day, so, sure - why not? Tell him I’m saying hi, yeah? Bye!” - The woman cried out, running to the other side of the street. Before Nathan had any chance to answer, Florence was already long gone, rushing off; which was impressive in itself since she had high heels on.
With an unhappy sigh, Nate put the address into his phone, realizing it’s one of the expensive steak spots - that made him scoff, seeing Victor is one hell of an expansive fancy dates guy. Looking at the time, he hoped he’d at least put the food away at his place before meeting up with Sully - yet then he realized, Florence said she only had her lunch break to meet up with her old guy; meaning Nathan was to go now since Sully was surely already waiting for you.
It felt kind of funny - Nathan walked into the door of that fancy restaurant dressed up in one of his old, comfortable denim jackets and khaki linen pants, holding a paper bag filled with veggies close to his chest. The hostess, dressed up in her uniform consisting of a white shirt, black vest, and formal black pants widened her eyes at Nathan; yet he didn’t catch the part where she looked him in the eyes and smiled upon seeing how handsome the man was. Goofily, Nathan took a deep breath in and walked right in front of the lady, giving her one of his clumsy smiles. Nathan Drake was a lot of things, but when it came to women, he was never an idiot. He was an absolute fool and clown when it came to you, true, but you didn’t have the chance to see the ladies man Nathan could be when he tried to. He especially used it on his working trip, when he knew he’ll get out of the situation without any consequences. This man wasn’t exactly the guy who’d pick up a chick just to have a one-night stand with her; Nate enjoyed flirting, but if someone had to be called the ladies’ man, it was definitely Sullivan… At least before he met Florence.
That made Nathan well aware of his charm, of his knowledge with the right usage of his voice and body, yet it made him able to stick to his internal moral compass. He’d never cheat on the woman that he loved… Until he got to this pickle that was making him unable to sleep. “Hi.” - The man said quietly, making the hostess smile as she put a strand of her hair behind her ear. “Good afternoon sir, how may I help you?” - The woman asked sweetly, playing with one of the guestbook’s pages in front of her. “I am supposed to meet an older man here, in his best years, with neatly cut hair and mustache. It’s also possible that he’s wearing some kind of a disgusting guayabera…” - Nate described, but then he giggled. - “Victor Sullivan.” - He disclosed, making the girl giggle too. To repay the joke, the woman smiled at him, leaning her head towards her shoulder. “I suppose you’re Florence Carter, then?” - She asked, making Nathan chuckle as well. Looking through the guestbook swiftly, she found the table. - “The reservation was made by her yesterday.” - She explained, giving him the table number before she said her goodbye. Banters like that always made Nathan feel a bit better. He also was pretty positive about that young lady being attracted to him, but to be frank, he couldn’t care less; no woman could reach you in his eyes, especially the way you held him, kissed him, moaned for him, and the way you were being a best friend to him… Not even Elena could, he was afraid.
Sully was just as surprised to see Nathan there as the hostess; with his eyebrows risen, Sully put his paperback on the table, watching Nathan marching right to the table with vegetables in his arms. The older man was at least dressed appropriately, and he was looking sharp Nathan had to admit and caught off guard. “Goddamn, kiddo.” - Sully sighed as Nathan set that bag down, sitting down on the other side of the table. - “What the hell are you doin’ here, huh?” “Your gorgeous girlfriend bumped into me twenty minutes ago and stated that I look like trash, so she sent me here to talk to you. You can thank her later.” “Looking at you…” - Sullivan straightened in the chair a bit, massaging his temples. Of course, she’d do that, that sounded exactly like his Flo. A few days ago, while Sully was watching a documentary about submarines, they were both sitting in the living room - he was splayed all over the couch while Florence was sitting at the dinner table with her laptop open in front of her. As she took her glasses off, she turned her head in Victor’s direction, telling him that she was worried about Nathan. He and Y/N used to spend basically every evening there and now, two weeks have passed without them being seen. Sully just hummed at that, not being too alarmed. And now he got exactly what he, at least according to Florence, deserved. - “She wasn’t wrong, yannow? She’s rarely wrong with this stuff. So what is it kiddo?” - The older man asked with concern, putting his palms on the table in front of him.
Nathan sat there, piercing his eyes through the table, trying to figure out what to tell Victor. And what would be the way to express all the fireworks and sudden fall that happened inside of him in the spawn of 12 hours - the evening you made love and the morning you told him you needed to take a breather. His mouth kept on opening and shutting close as he watched the luxurious plates in front of them, he started to furrow and the small wrinkle between his eyebrows came out… And with that, Sullivan knew something serious had happened. Either Nathan found a new gig, or something bad happened to you or to El… Maybe Sam told him some bad news? Maybe Nathan got fired? Sullivan licked his lips and almost spoke out loud until a waiter interrupted this small moment. “What can I get you?” - The young man asked, giving them each a menu. Nathan snapped back to reality, looking right at the waiter. - “Do you have any tequila?” “Well, of course, sir. We have Patron, Sierra, Don Julio…” “Give me five shots of the strongest one, thank you.” - Nathan ordered and gave the waiter back the menu. Victor was watching it all with serious concern; whatever this was supposed to mean, it was not a good sign. - “Oh, and a medium-rare steak with mashed potatoes, thank you very much.” - After Sully gave the man his order too, they both sat there in silence. Nathan needed the alcohol to speak out, so the issue was personal and he was ashamed of talking about it - even to Sullivan. Whatever happened, it shifted something deep inside of Nate, something that probably couldn’t be repaired easily.
Watching Nathan drink the shots one by one, in the spawn of a few minutes, was pretty impressive. Usually, it was Sully who was the drinker and party starter - so it was pretty interesting to see the roles reversed. Both men sat at the table in silence. Sully knew better than to pressure Nathan into telling him what was wrong. He needed his time ever since he was a teenager - he always came to consult Sully with his trouble in the end, no matter how much time he needed to encourage himself. But then, Nathan suddenly blurted it out. “We did it. Me and Y/N.” - He said, exhaling out loud while leaning his back into the chair. His heart was in his throat, his eyes were all over the place and his cheeks started to warm up. To say that Victor was confused was an understatement - the man sat there with his lips opened, trying to figure out what the “it” exactly was. Usually, Victor had impressive intelligence to sense this sort of stuff, yet now, he was just confused. Florence would’ve known immediately, without doubt; but Victor didn’t have a single clue. - “You did… What exactly? Went to see a movie in the cinema, to Seaworld, or to the ZOO?” “We drank and she decided to stay over, during that hurricane. And then we kissed and… I made love to her, Victor, I cheated on Elena with her.” - Nathan blurted out with desperation, not believing that those words left his mouth. After a moment, he continued. - “And I don’t regret a single thing about it, which is the part that terrifies me the most. I haven’t been that happy in such a long time, I haven’t felt this much love in… Years. It was like I wasn’t alone for that one night, she was there with me, kissed me and smiled at me… And I knew she was feeling the same about it. And when the morning came, I kinda told her I love her and she asked me for some space and hasn’t texted me since. I can’t get it out of my head. I guess I wouldn’t mind if she’d ask me to pretend it never happened just to be able to see her and talk to her again. Since Y/N disappeared, it feels like the world stopped. I’m not happy at my work, I feel more alone than ever. And I think nobody can help me now.” “When did this happen, Nathan?” “Two weeks ago.”
So Florence was right; something was off. And to be honest, Victor didn’t expect this at all. He knew Nathan better than anyone on the entire planet - this man was loyal, loving, caring, and gentle. He’d never harm anyone’s feelings intentionally (at least of those whom he loved) since that was the kind of a guy Nathan simply was. Whatever Elena was doing, it deepened the trench between them, burying this marriage for good. Because if Nathan not only was fully in love with Y/N, but he also slept with her, his feeling for Elena had changed fundamentally. “Nate…” - Sully sighed, watching the waiter walking to their table with both their meals ready, smiling at both gentlemen. Because of that, he smiled back and waited until they were alone again. - “Did you tell Elena?” “How in hell am I supposed to tell her?” - Nathan hissed back, laughing unbelievably. - “Oh hey, I fell for this amazing woman and we kinda had sex. I feel like I can’t live without her, so can we, please, divorce?” - The man mocked him. “I understand - this situation is fucked up, but you need to tell her. El is still your wife in the end. And the sooner you’ll tell her, the better. She’d understand, son, she’s smart and she will know somethin’ is wrong as soon as she opens the door to your apartment. If you don’t want to stay in that marriage anymore, you two need to talk.” “I don’t think Elena loves me anymore either.” - Nate sighed, cutting off a piece of meat. Sullivan’s heart sank a bit deeper upon hearing those words. He was at their wedding, watching the two exchanging wows while looking each other deep in the eyes. Sully remembered Nathan asking about marriage advice a few months back, but he seriously didn’t think that the issues could be this intense and this deep. - “Hasn’t called me in a week, doesn’t send me any postcards anymore, no contact, nothing. I simply live in that flat with the ghost of her.”
This made Sullivan lean his back into the chair even harder. This explained a lot - it explained everything, every single smallest detail about Nate, his relationship to you, and how, in the name of God, had Nathan fallen for you as hard and quickly as he did. Sullivan understood. The entire lunch, the two sat at the table while drinking tequila and scotch, trying to figure out at least a single piece of good advice. That day, Victor just sat there and let Nathan get it all out. He was there throughout the entire breakdown, he listened to how their issues started, how Nathan was desperately trying to fix everything for a long time, and just when he hit his low, you had entered his life… And how everything changed. But neither of them figured out the solution.
By 7 pm, Nathan was walking back to the apartment. In front of the door, he started to take his shoes off when he noticed it - the quiet rambling coming from inside, someone humming a song as they did the dishes. This made him physically sick - and as soon as he opened the door and smiled at Elena, his worst worries were confirmed in mere seconds. He felt his heart sinking and panic starting to take over him as all he recalled everything he and Sullivan talked about that evening. He was feeling sick, like he’s about to throw up. Elena, his goddamn wife was back home, telling him all the amazing stories she had. And as soon as he opened the door, she gave him a heartwarming smile back as she was setting the dinner table. The whole evening, she talked about everything that had happened in the past few months, describing Nathan every small detail. But she stopped herself all of a sudden, sipping the red wine out of her glass as she smiled at Nathan. - “I’m sorry, I got carried away - you’d really love Thailand. But tell me everything that happened here. How’s Frazer doing, and what about Cutter? And, of course, that new friend of yours… What is she like? That girl sounds like a really amazing person, you talked so highly about her.” - Elena asked with genuine interest, leaning her elbow into the table while watching the man. She was always like that when she got back home - talking about everything and being all over the place. The man usually loved the enthusiasm, but this time, it was really hard to even look her in the eyes after all that has happened. Nathan did his best to smile back at Elena without choking on his wine as he nodded, trying to figure out what in the fuck is he supposed to tell her. So… He did what he did best - rambled about nonsense.
“Y/N? Oh, you’d love her, without a doubt. You have a very similar sense of humor now that I think about it. She likes to go out and have fun, she’s easy-going and gentle. And smiles rather often, that makes one’s day better…” “Wow.” - Elena sighed, smiling even more. At first, Nathan almost shat himself - he straightened, looking back at Elena nervously. - “I can’t believe I missed that when I was gone. Can we go on that double date you two planned? I’d love to meet her. Y/N sounds really great. Also… Were you joking about Victor and that young chick, or is that for real?”
And so, Nathan sent you the text while feeling his heart still sinking deeper and deeper. And because of that, you sat on your couch with your phone in your palms while crying.
Nathan Drake; “A capable treasure hunter with a knack for getting in over his head. Though his involvement in treasure hunting provides him with the adrenaline rush he so craves, it hasn’t yet yielded much in the way of actual treasure.“
