Chapter Text
barnettparker asked: Maybe Nathan/Duke please and something along the lines of -Nathan liked it when Duke made allowances for his trouble without calling attention to it- Maybe something like testing the temperature of something for him or still being gentle when treating a wound even though Nathan doesn’t feel it, if you’re so inspired.
Nathan watched every movement of Duke’s fingers, how they slid over his skin, how careful he was with treating this wound. “Why do you do that?” He asked before he even thought about it.
Duke raised his head. “Because you cut yourself with a knife and I know you. You won’t treat it yourself because you can’t feel it, so it’s nothing to worry about, right?”
Nathan shook his head. That wasn’t what he wanted to ask. “No, I meant, why are you so gentle?” Nathan didn’t feel it, Nathan wouldn’t know if Duke just wrapped a bandage around his hand without caring. He could do it quickly and wouldn’t have to think about hurting him but he did it slowly and tenderly so that Nathan asked himself why.
“I don’t want to hurt you, Nate.” Duke was putting the bandage around his hand. “I know that you can’t feel it but that’s exactly why I’m so careful with you. You can’t know if I’m hurting you and maybe it’s ridiculous because it’s just a scratch and I won’t hurt you if I’m less gentle but I don’t want to take that risk.”
Nathan was speechless. Duke really cared that much for him? He never would have thought, not really. They had a complicated relationship, they never really came along although they were friends since childhood but so much had happened between them, it was hard to get back to that. It was hard just to forget what kept them apart.
But Duke still cared like they were still kids.
It was not only that. Nathan noticed little things over the past few weeks like Duke made always sure that his coffee had the right temperature when he brought him a cup or that he didn’t just pull his arm to stop him from leaving but actually said just stop because Duke knew how hard it was for Nathan to be put out off balance like that.
Duke always made sure that he was making it easier for Nathan to deal with his Trouble.
“Nate?” Duke’s voice took him out of his thoughts. “You’re okay?”
Nathan just nodded. “Yes, of course.”
“Okay, then, all stitched up.” Duke tapped his hand gently and smiled. And he made eye contact so Nathan would notice the touch. He did this every time. Always when Duke was touching him he made sure that Nathan would see it.
“Thank you!” Nathan didn’t just mean to thank Duke for treating his wound but for everything else but the rest of the words kept stuck in his throat. He wasn’t good at it, not at all, especially not with Duke.
“Just be more careful the next time. I can’t be around anytime.”
Nathan just nodded and promised himself to thank Duke the next time. The next time he brought him coffee or just did anything to help him, to make it easier to live with this Trouble.