Nathan was getting anxious waiting for Brandon to return. When he had been told that his friend was going on an overnight trip with Addie, he was admittedly jealous.
That was before the worry kicked in. He didn't like that they were going to be fuck knows where all on their own.
While he was worried about Brandon, Nathan knew he could handle himself. He was more anxious about Addie. The two of them had become quick friends.
If anything happened to her, Nathan would be devastated.
"Quit fussing," Corey admonished him, flipping a page in his book. "He'll be back soon."
Raven and Sean nodded in agreement from their spots on the couch. Luke, Gabriel and Marc snickered at him.
Nathan glared at Corey. "Don't act like you didn't sleep down here worrying over him all night."
"Watch it," Raven rumbled and pulled his boyfriend into his side.
"Of coarse I did," Corey said with zero shame. "Now I know why he always got so worried when me and Raven took off on our trips."
"Ha!" Gabriel exclaimed in amusement. "That fucker annoyed the shit out of us whenever you guys left. He was always in a shitty mood, bossing everyone around and tearing our cars apart like North when he gets in a tizzy."
"Where is Corey? When will they be back? Corey better get his ass back here before I hunt them down." Luke mocked in a deep voice.
They all chuckled in amusement. Nathan went to comment on how the twins were more alike than they thought, but the door opening caught his attention.
They all turned to the entry way and watched as Brandon threw his bag on the ground and kicked off his shoes. He had a troubled frown on his face and he barely looked at them as he collapsed into one of the chairs.
"That's not the face of someone who got laid," Raven rumbled, looking at Brandon with interest. Everyone groaned. He had been going on and on about how Brandon was going to get over Kayli by laying over someone else.
He already got an earful from everyone, not liking how he portrayed Addie as some type of rebound. They knew he was joking, but it was still disrespectful.
Brandon snorted bitterly and ran his hands through his hair. "I don't even know where to begin, man."
"At the beginning?" Nathan promted him sarcatically.
"Well she took me up to the hot springs resort," he then went on the explain everything from the scenery to the wine they shared. He explained the talk they had and how she reacted.
Nathan was happy she took everything so well.
"So you're telling me you were sharing a tiny hot spring pool at night with a beautiful woman wearing nothing but a bikini, surrounded by lit candles and wine?" Luke asked incredulously. "And you didn't make a move?"
Nathan found himself humming in agreement. Hell, if he had been in that situation with her, he probably wouldn't have been able to help himself.
"It was hard, so hard," Brandon whispered with a faraway glint in his eyes. When he noticed them staring at him all grossed out, he cringed. "I didn't mean it like that, you sick fucks. Anyways, on our way back we ran into some trouble."
They all sat up straight in worry, but Brandon waved them off. He went on to tell them about what had happened with the coyotes and how Addie had handled it on her own. Raven looked impressed.
Nathan sat foward eagerly. "What happened next?"
To any outsider, the situation they were in would probably be hilarious. They were gossiping like a group of teenage girls.
"Well, I may have had her pushed up against a tree, trying to protect her from the attack. When she took care of the situation without blinking an eye, you can say I got a little worked up."
"Oh!" Gabriel said with wide, unbelieving eyes. "You didn't!"
Brandon shrugged and sunk into his chair. "It was in the heat of the moment. I barely kissed her when I remembered we were both drinking, so I pulled back."
Nathan gawked at his friend. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. He expected to feel a rush of jealousy, but Nathan only felt acceptance. He couldn't believe they were traveling down this road again, but it felt more real and natural that time.
While he wasn't in love with Sang any longer, he still wanted to take his time getting to know Addie. He liked her, but he wanted things to progress as they should. He didn't want to rush.
"How'd she react?" Nathan asked in genuine interest.
Brandon looked overwhelmed with their attention on him. "She seemed disappointed, but also understanding? I dunno."
"So you guys just pretended like it never happened?" Sean asked disbelieving.
"Yeah, we just went to our separate rooms," he confirmed but blushed a bright red. All of them couldn't believe what they were seeing. Out of both of the twins, Corey was the only one who showed his embarrassment visibly.
Corey was finally starting to show more signs of his interest. "Oh, I've got to hear this. What's running through that head of yours?"
Brandon looked away from them all, staring hard at the wall like it held the answers to getting out of the interrogation. It didn't work. They all pestered him until he finally gave up.
"She must have thought I was sleeping, because it was an hour or so after we split ways, but she..." he trailed off and cleared his throat, turning red once more. "Let's just say the walls were paper thin."
Raven laughed and slapped his thigh. "Little bird oiled her engine with you in the room next to her?! это золото!"
Nathan half choked. "How in the hell could you look her in the eyes this morning and pretend you didn't hear anything?"
"Easy," Brandon said and scratched the back of his head. "We didn't talk until we pulled up into the driveway."
Nathan felt amusement bubble in his stomach. Brandon probably felt like an unwitting pervert torn between wanting to hear, and not wanting to invade her privacy. He didn't envy his brother that.
That's what he would call being stuck between a rock and a hard place. Literally.
"What did you say to her when you got home?" Marc asked curiously when he was done laughing.
At that, Brandon sobered. Nathan felt apprehensive for what he was about to hear.
"I asked her where she learned to shoot like that, and she told me her twin brother had taught her," he told them with a heavy frown on his face. He glanced over at Corey but quickly looked away. "I'm guessing he passed away from the virus."
"No shit?" Nathan asked with a frown. If she had been as close with her brother as Brandon and Corey, he could only imagine what the pain of losing him must have felt like. He felt sympathy stir in his chest.
"Yeah. She said he had told her he wouldn't let her go on dates unless she could hit all the targets he challenged her with."
Nathan smiled a little sadly. "Well that's better than not letting her go on any dates at all."
"True," Gabriel hummed. "Could you imagine what Kota would be like if Jessica wanted to date?"
They all laughed, replacing the somber air. Nathan knew his brother was trying to lighten up the mood. Having lost so many people, they were able to navigate around topics of grief rather quickly.
Nathan could understand why Brandon seemed so upset by the fact. It must have freaked him out because he was so worried about losing his own twin brother. Hearing that Addie had lost hers was a reminder of that fear.
Sean's face turned a little thoughtful. He rubbed his chin. "Just saying, but that may not be so off base here soon. Jessica seems to be getting along well with our neighbors."
"Tyler and Simon?" Nathan asked with furrowed brows, feeling a little over protective. "I thought they were together."
"Well them and Lawson." Sean shrugged, probably not seeing it as a big deal.
Nathan felt responsible for making sure she was happy and well taken care of. All of them did. Jessica was their little sister.
Brandon cleared his throat and sat up. "Addie mentioned that Tyler and Simon have shared a girlfriend before, but get this..."
"What?" His twin asked apprehensively, even Raven looked a little intrigued.
"That guy Hubb-" he cut off and looked faintly disgusted with himself. Nathan wondered what he was about to say, but didn't ask. He shook his head. "Troy, the one Kayli was sneaking out to see was in a relationship with two woman before they ran off."
Nathan was surprised. "This town seems pretty excepting."
"Yeah," Brandon nodded. "They don't seem to judge. Addie told me that it wasn't uncommon for the survivors to have poly relationships."
"Huh," Nathan mused, tapping his fingers on the arms of his chair. "Interesting."
Everyone nodded in agreement, looking deep in thought. Maybe that was why Addie took the news of Sang and Kayli so well.
🌲🌲🌲
Nathan walked up the pathway towards Addie's house holding a plastic to go cup filled with Marc's iced coffee in each hand. One for her and one for him.
Even though Addie and his brother had just gotten back from their trip a few hours ago, he figured he'd check on her to make sure she was okay. Maybe ask her to join him for a swim.
When he knocked on the door, no one answered, but he heard noise from the back, so he walked around the side of her house.
Addie was standing there, surrounded by wood and tools. Her hair was up in a messy bun, and sweat was rolling down her neck from working so hard. He didn't know what she was building, but it looked complicated.
She was wearing a pair of dark jeans and a red crew neck shirt with some type of school logo on the front. She wasn't wearing anything special, but he thought she looked perfect.
What didn't look perfect, was how she beat away at the wood with a hammer. Jesus, she was going to take her eye out with that thing.
Nathan cleared his throat. "Got a minute?"
He held the coffee up in offering. Brown eyes widened in a startled reaction.
"Bejeezus," she cursed and held a hand to her heart. "You guys gotta stop sneakin' up on me."
Nathan chuckled lowly. "Is that where Raven learned that word? He's been saying it all the time, and no one's been able to figure out what it means. It's driving Corey bat shit crazy."
"That's my fault," Addie said with a crooked smile, but Nathan could tell she was wary.
He handed her the ice coffee and tried to reassure her. "It's no big deal. I've gotten a kick out of it."
Addie thanked him for the coffee and read the message Marc had written on the side. "Chin up, your crown is falling." She smiled genuinely. "You guys seem to know just what I need before I even know I needed it."
"Figured you could use some fuel to get through the day." Nathan gestured to the big structure behind her. "What are you working on?"
She tugged at the collar of her shirt. "Uhm. Am I talking to my friend Nathan or knows-my-brother Nathan?"
"Always friend Nathan," he told her, amusement heavy in his tone.
She looked at the wooden structure with excitement. "It's a homemade catapult. It's been my side project for the last year or so. Lawson found me a book with instructions, but I've added some of my own touches."
"No shit?" Nathan whistled, impressed. "When's it going to be done?"
"I'm hoping soon," she brushed off his regard bashfully. "Like soon as in today. I've got a few more peices to add then I'm gonna go test it out."
Nathan eyed the huge construct dubiously. "I was going to ask you to go swimming, but it looks like you're busy here. Need any help?"
"Nah," Addie said with a shrug. "You can always stick around and keep me company though."
She picked the hammer back up and started taking out her frustrations on the nails. Nathan was impressed that she had such a swing for her small frame. Nathan also noticed the dark circles under her eyes, and figured she had trouble sleeping.
Nathan felt worry in the pit of his stomach. "You alright?"
There would be no reason for her to lie, but he had an inkling that she would stretch the truth. He hadn't known her for long, but he already knew that she wouldn't want to burden him. It was a flaw she had that could also be considerate if one were to look at her motives the right way.
She grunted, never taking her gaze off of her work. "Just tired."
"If you were tired, you wouldn't be beating the shit out that wood."
He didn't want to push her, but she needed to know that he was there for her if and when she needed it. There wasn't much he could do for her if she didn't confide in him. Perhaps if the virus never happened, he would have taken her for a night out on the town to cheer her up, but they didn't have those options available anymore.
She sighed and set down the hammer. "I'm just tired, but not in the physical sense."
Nathan regarded her in understanding. He truly knew how she felt. He had been there a thousand times before. It wasn't easy to climb yourself back out of it. "Talk to me," he requested of her with pleading in his eyes. "Let me help."
Addie led them to a couple of lawn chairs, and sat down with her coffee. "I'm sure you've figured out what went on with Brandon."
"Yeah," he wouldn't lie to her. "He told us when he got home. Needed someone to talk to. Forewarning - we don't keep things from eachother."
"I just feel like I'm getting too comfortable, y'know?" She pushed stray hairs back into her messy bun. "I don't want to cross the boundaries that I'm pretty sure all of us had set. Last night, I came too close."
Nathan loved how she seemed to know what was happening between all of them without needing several reassurances or having crippling insecurities about it. Now he needed to make sure she didn't pull back.
Nathan hummed and leaned back in the chair. "You did nothing wrong. What makes you think that?"
"I don't know. It might be because of the history you guys share with Sang and Kayli," she said and shrugged self-consciously. "I feel like admitting my attraction would be selfish. Especially when you've all gotten out of a recent relationship. It almost felt like I was taking advantage of Brandon in a way."
Nathan thought she was much better at communicating than anyone gave her credit for. Sure, she needed a little nudge, but ultimately she had told him her concerns freely. That meant a lot to him.
He stood up and walked over to her. Kneeling down, he set his hand on her thigh. "There's nothing wrong with what you two did, Addie. We're all adults fully capable of making our own decicions," he said sternly. "Brandon wouldn't have done anything he wasn't ready for - under the influence of wine or not."
She looked down at his hand before resting hers over it. "I feel like I keep getting signals from you guys that you might be interested in me as a little more than friends, but I don't want to read it wrong and fuck up our friendships."
"I don't want to answer for everyone else, but yes." Nathan looked away bashfully. "I'll admit I'm attracted to you on a personal and physical level."
"But you're not ready to move on to another relationship so quickly," she guessed and gave his hand a squeeze. "But that's okay, because I wouldn't even know what to do with a relationship at this point."
Nathan looked into her eyes, trying to read if what she said was the truth. It was. Addie was accepting them as they were and expected nothing else.
Nathan took a deep breath and blew it out steadily. "Can we just admit we like each other and see where it goes from there? I know you like spending time with my brothers, and I won't stop you. Shit, at this point I doubt I'm the only one who enjoys your company."
"No pressure," she said as she tapped her chin with her finger thoughtfully. "Color me intrigued. Let's see where this goes Nathan Griffin."
Nathan smiled hugely, feeling the most content he had in a long while. "As long as you promise not to hate me if we crash and burn."
"I don't know about that," she teased, nose wrinkling. "If you piss me off, I may have to chase you across the lake. It's happened before."
"Should I expect torches and pitchforks?"
"Oh, most definitely. Maybe watch out for my new catapult too."
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A/N: We're starting to progress into the relationships. Woohoo! Do you like her and Nathan's dynamic? Sang always went to Mr. Blackbourne for guidance, but I wanted to give Addie a different option. In the series, Nathan was always jealous and (let's be honest here) not counted on as a serious figure. Let's see how it goes. *shrugs*🤷♀️
это золото - That's gold