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If you'd asked Chloe Frazer a decade ago if she’d be wiping down her kitchenette with a big dumb smile plastered on her face as she watched Nadine Ross crawl around the carpet on all fours, a little blonde toddler sat upon her back and kicking to “Giddyup ‘dine!”, she'd have laughed your ass down under and back.
But well, here she is, mate.
Yeah, here she is laughing deep in her belly as 5-year-old Cassie Drake wrangles former mercenary Nadine round the living room in quite imaginatively eccentric 5-year-old requests. Nadine seemed all aboard in the very beginning, that soft smile usually only reserved for Chloe beaming down at the little girl now gone slightly exasperated at all the stunts and roleplays Cassie demanded. No doubt Nadine was sure her imagination couldn't keep up and was afraid of boring or disappointing her little friend. Another smile stretched Chloe's face wide. That's what Cassie calls Nadine. Practically shouted it to the rooftops of London she did when Elena and Nate dropped her off earlier. “Best friend! ‘dine!” Christ, Chloe could shed an adorably overwhelmed tear at how Cassie couldn't properly pronounce Nadine's name yet, rounding the beginning off and screeching it as if it were her favorite word. And honestly, it just might be.
Everyone save for Chloe and Elena had been awestruck and taken aback by just how much Cassie seemed to adore Nadine. Even from the very first moment the two met, when Cassie was still “fresh” as Nate loves to say, her chubby little fingers wound tight in the lapels of Nadine's jacket determined not to let go. It had taken Nathan and Elena both to gently pry their daughter out of Nadine's arms, who was reduced to watching helplessly with affection as Cassie continued flailing for her as she was whisked away for a warm bottle. That night as they left, walking slowly back to their hotel, Chloe caught sight of charmed tears shining within Nadine's eyes.
“I like kids,” she had whispered after a few moments, “feel like I shouldn't though.”
Then, a dark look shadowed mercilessly over Nadine's face. Chloe knew that look. It was the look Nadine got when she had convinced herself she was evil, a bad person, deserving of every betrayal and each wrong done to her in life. The look that Chloe hated because of how much pain it brought, a pain she couldn't immediately ease. It would take time. She simply reached out and took Nadine's freezing hand in hers, lifting the pair of them to her lips for a peppering of kisses. “Well, love, seems like Cassie Drake isn't going to give you much of a choice in the matter.”
How right Chloe had been, and oh how she did love to rub it in Nate's face. Each and every time Chloe and Nadine showed their treasure-hunting faces at the Drakes they were met enthusiastically by the youngest member. Chloe always got hers first (she was well loved too, mind you) with a large bear hug defying toddler strength and several broken praises of, “So pretty, Aunt Choe. I misst you!” and “Tell me where you saw last!” That was often Chloe's cue to pass her off to Nadine's eager, protective arms as she regaled to the little girl the mostly PG version of their latest find. Mostly PG, as it were because it seemed the parts where Nadine clobbered all the “bad guys” were Cassie’s favorites. Chloe's too, honestly. If you ever saw Nadine Ross throw down, you'd understand. And be quite envious.
And so that's where she would stay. In Nadine's arms. All night. Now, Chloe couldn't blame the kid, she knew exactly what those muscle-corded arms were capable of and just how comforting they were to be wrapped up in. Nate hated it. At first.
Yep, as to be expected Nathan Drake was not too fond of Nadine “She threw me out a window!” Ross becoming his daughter’s idol. But, as with the announcement Chloe was dating Nadine years ago, he eventually warmed up to the idea. In fact, on one cloudy night out at the beach, Nate had made Chloe damn near cry about it.
“You know, I may act annoyed by it, but truthfully I know Cassie’s the safest she’ll ever be when she's with Nadine.”
All Chloe could do was stare at him, her beer forgotten in her hand, blinking swiftly to keep her tears locked behind their thin veil. He continued absentmindedly anyway, oblivious to her fragile state, “She’d definitely throw a guy out a window for her.” And leave it to Nathan to perfectly merry vulnerability with humor. Chloe barked a laugh that carried longer than it should have, but honestly the tears unshed from moments earlier spilled over and she tried her best to hide them. So yeah, that had happened. You'd’ve cried too.
So now, similarly to on that night, Chloe felt nothing but pride and ever-evolving affection for Nadine as she pranced happily about with Cassie. Well, she felt other things too, it was way more arousing than it should be to see a tiny baby hoisted effortlessly into Nadine's arms–her crooked smile and breathless laughter stirring Chloe's stomach slightly. But, well, she'd have to behave. They did promise to watch Cassie until the morning anyhow. It was the least they could do, childless themselves and not currently running reconnaissance for a new job, to let the Drake and Fisher combo appreciate the full extent of London’s nightlife during their vacation–toddler free for once. Chloe smirked to herself. She knew most of the “nightlife” they were going to be exploring would be seen from the window of their hotel bedroom. Elena’d practically been bouncing as they left Chloe and Nadine's flat. She made sure to give Sunshine a cheeky wink at that on the goodbye.
Oh, and that's another thing. She and Nadine shared a flat. As in, like, lived together. Permanently. It made sense, after their initial awkward admission of feelings (of which they’d both been aware of but had been too scared to say anything, go figure) they'd practically become inseparable. Plane tickets home from jobs eventually mirrored each other, no longer going back to their respective hobbles but instead taking turns accompanying the other home (and to bed, of course, especially to bed) So when Nadine suggested she stay permanently in London with Chloe…well she hadn't said much except for, "Shit yeah!" It terrified her as much as it comforted her. Chloe Frazer always took refuge in her independence and solitude, but as with many things, Nadine made her rethink–not just rethink- but redefine. So yeah, they lived together.
It was so bloody nice and domestic. Chloe adored waking up to a sweat-drenched Nadine back from a run already cooking breakfast. She adored their showers together. Nadine always let her stand in the water’s spray since she got cold easier and she loved how much care and reverence Nadine took in shampooing her mess of thick hair; Chloe herself grew warm every time she learned a new way to care for and style Nadine's locks. Chloe was also very amused to learn Nadine Ross is one very forgetful lass when it comes to her own keeps. They're in a hurry to meet friends or grab dinner? Nadine already has Chloe's shoulder bag held out for her but, oops, forgot her own phone. Nadine's running out for groceries? Oh, well, she made sure to pick up Chloe's favorite Indian treat on the way home buuut also forgot her keys to the flat so she had to get the manager to let her back in. It was amusing and endearing, yet oddly un-Nadine-like and so Nadine-like at the same time, how forgetful she could become in her devotion to Chloe.
Chloe also learned just how much Nadine loved to fight. There was seldom a night in their kitchen spent cooking or conversating that Nadine didn't settle into a light bounce or martial stance and feign blows thrown at Chloe, making her own sound effects to boot. That was bloody fucking adorable. Most times Chloe would give in and they'd have a quick, fake tussle in the living room which usually ended in Nadine's victory and the pair of them breathlessly cuddling on the floor, reluctant to leave each other's bodies to return to whatever it was Nadine had distracted them from. Other times, Chloe couldn't be bothered and tried for a bitchy face, sluggishly weaving around Nadine's comically telegraphed blows, which usually ended in Chloe shoving Nadine hard against the counter by her hips and breathing hotly against her ear, “Stop all that, love. Now.”, and yeah, Chloe definitely took the win those nights. She relished at how jittery Nadine remained afterward, a permanent blush etched onto her dazed face, practically staring heady lazers into their bedroom with heavy breathing. Chloe made her wait all night to get it, each time, naturally.
Chloe also loved sharing parts of herself with Nadine, watching as her girlfriend employed the same observational conclusions as she had. For example, Chloe was confident Nadine could tell you all about how she arranged her spices by shade, how she preferred the larger utensils much to Nadine's own discomfort, and how it took ages for Chloe to find a comfortable reading position–usually settling for pacing around to read instead. Nadine had also made Chloe aware of how she hogged all the pillows on their bed, and she always took care to gently remind Chloe in that sleep-husked voice of hers to turn off her phone for the night as she struggled to fall asleep otherwise.
Sharing her life with Nadine Ross was nothing shy of bliss–if you wanted the short and sappy version of it.
So then it had been no wonder when they'd gotten married as well.
Chloe Frazer.
Married.
She couldn’t believe it either, to be honest. Didn't think she'd mean that much to anyone, ever. Didn't think she'd want to be that to someone, ever. Yet, again, here she was. Wife. Oh just thinking about the word, let alone saying it out loud, enveloped Chloe’s body in full shivers. It felt wonderful, if not alien still. Yet, it also felt like the most natural thing in the world. So natural, when on one late London night, face made bright by the nipping cold, Nadine had turned towards her in their embrace and asked, “Would you marry me, Chloe?”
And by God she did.
Chloe bit her lip at the memory of it and of the long night filled with lovemaking that followed. She spun her ring round her finger, marveling at just how perfect it was, how perfect everything with Nadine was. She swore her finger grew warmer at the recollection, knowing that on Nadine’s ring finger she would find a twin ring–both fashioned of beautifully layered Damascus Steel bands topped with three beautiful stones–Chloe’s with lush red rubies and Nadine’s with radiant sapphires. Perfect.
It didn't take long to lay Cassie down for the night after everything. The child probably ran more than a mile or two within their tiny den. Once Nadine had her cozily tucked up in their large bed, warm and pillow fortified so she couldn't roll off and bonk herself, she joined Chloe in the kitchen again. Chloe gave her a warm smile as she turned the main lights off and illuminated the flat with a lamp instead. Much softer on the eyes, that. It was the way she preferred their space but, well, low visibility and children never really made for a good match. She wandered over and set about putting on some soothing, low guitar melodies on their record player and felt Nadine's strong hands seize her hips gently. Chloe hummed her pleasure when Nadine snuck her thumbs under the hem of her shirt, stroking at her skin. She turned easily in her arms, crossing her own loosely at the wrists behind Nadine's head, letting herself be pulled in close. Their heads bumped, noses brushing. Chloe desperately wanted to pash Nadine thoroughly, but couldn't help teasing beforehand, “Ah, you smell like a toddler.”
Nadine chuckled, the noise always coming from deep in her throat, genuine. It was beautiful. “Oh.” A pause. “I hope that's not doing anything for you, eh?”
Chloe snorted before roaring into unrestrained laughter, Nadine joining her a few seconds later. After wiping her tears on Nadine's sleeve, Chloe lifted her head again and tightened her hold around her neck. She waited, enjoying the light swaying Nadine had coaxed them into along to the music. “Smell or no, Mum’s a good look on you, China.” It came out quieter than Chloe intended, but well, it rather fit the mood. Immediately, Nadine's face bloomed with color and she did that adorable shy head tuck and looked away. Ugh, Chloe could just eat her up when she did that. And so while Nadine did look away, all shy, pleased smile plastered wide on her face, Chloe let herself imagine.
She imagined, for a moment, not Cassie Drake in Nadine's arms but a child of darker skin, like the two of them. A child with a head full of bouncy, shiny curls similar to Nadine's. Maybe even a child with Chloe's grey eyes.
Oh.
Chloe's heart seized at the mental image, her vision gone a bit blurry. And of course, her mind took it a bit further too, and instead of hearing the child exclaim, “Best friend!”, it was replaced with, “Mummy!”, or maybe even, “Ma!”, as Nadine preferred for her own mother.
If you'd asked Chloe Frazer a decade ago if she’d be slow dancing in the near dark with her wife, envisioning raising a child together–an honest to goodness tiny human child of their own– well, she'd probably have shot you, and then her damn self.
Yet, here she was. Being pulled into an intimately closer hug, Nadine's hands splaying across her back and squeezing, face buried in the side of her neck pressing soft kisses to release the rigidness of her spine.
“I think it looks pretty good on you too,” Nadine whispered into her skin, muffled, but full of loving conviction.
Chloe bit her lip at that loaded sentence, understanding a tad what she had made Nadine feel with the same words just moments ago. She swallowed thicky, burying the hopeful words, “We'll see.”, because, well, they would have to see. They were both older now, Chloe damn near her mid-40s and Nadine very soon to be knocking at the door of 40 herself. And because as beautiful as envisioning a child with Nadine is, so too, is her time alone with Nadine. Chloe might've changed a lot over the years, but she was still quite selfish–especially where her love was concerned. Case in point, she was very quickly being lulled to sleep by Nadine's warm hands and swaying, pressed tightly against one another. She desperately wanted to lead Nadine back to their bed for lazy, heated kisses before curling into each other and drifting away, waking in the morning to gasps of pleasure and aching forearms. But, no. She knew tonight as soon as they went to bed, there’d be no heavy kissing or touching pre-snooze. Instead, Nadine would protectively curl herself around Cassie. As she should, as Chloe wants her to do. But dammit, Chloe also wants to be curled around like that.
So yeah, she was still plenty selfish, mostly wherever Nadine was relevant, but she was righty-oh okay with that, and she knew Nadine was too, regardless of how much fun she had with Cassie. She knew Nadine relished their freedom, spontaneity, and unconventional lifestyle just as much (if not secretly more than) Chloe did. And maybe it would change, as did all her other preconceived notions about her life, or maybe not. Either way, as long as Chloe Frazer got to spend the rest of her life alongside Nadine Ross, she was one goddamn happy woman.