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Chloe none too gently toes open the door of the room so “generously” offered by Meenu (it only cost her about 10 pizzas worth of rupees). She groans loud, unabashed, exaggerated. Her face scrunches in every way possible, brows knitting together and mouth agape, huffing as if in deep exercise. Exhaustion was one tough son of a bitch.“Shit, I'm glad to finally get these off.”
Following close behind, Nadine smiles at the back of Chloe's head amused by and sympathetic to her theatrics. She watches as Chloe braces against the nearest wall to rip her muddy shoes off with little care as to where they end up, while Nadine crosses the cramped threshold to sit on the stiff, two-cushion loveseat. It's just about the only thing decorating the room, other than the barely twin-sized bed shoved in the corner underneath an open window. The warm nighttime breeze drafting through feels divine, calming, and beckons for sleep. Nadine breathes it deeply as she bends over, feeling stiff after the day’s adventure now that they are safe and her body has disposed of adrenaline and war instinct. She methodically unlaces her combat boots, disposes of her sweaty socks, and rolls the end of her cargo pants up, past her ankles. She's only slightly jostled when Chloe moves to sit next to her.
There's room enough if you can call it that, for there to be an inch or so of space between them on the loveseat. But not with Chloe. She sinks right in close, her sticky skin sliding along Nadine's own as she shimmies to fit her hand in her pocket to get her phone. Nadine smiles again. Despite the soreness of her body, despite the multitude of blooming bruises and micro-cuts throbbing in protest, it feels good to have Chloe close. More than that, it feels right. Nadine is a very private person, reserved, repressed even–some might say. She finds herself comforted and charmed by Chloe's lack of boundaries. It was that same free-flitting nature that warmed Nadine throughout their galavanting in the Indian wilds as she reciprocated, called towards Chloe, enchanted. A hand up over a cliff, a warm caress after, a squeeze of reassurance, a playful smack or two (or five). Chloe made it feel like the most natural thing in the world, to be beside her. Even better, she made it feel pleasing. Truthfully, Nadine can say she's never had as much fun in the field as she did today with Chloe Frazer. Who she had originally thought only to be a two-bit thief no less, worth only “some” salt according to her contacts. It turns out, Chloe is a woman of impressive historical knowledge and even more impressive climbing skills, with a beautiful broad smile and a mouth that could make any soldier blush. Nadine included. A sudden wave of guilt stills Nadine's working hands for a moment. Chloe was playful and charming, teasing even, but that was just Chloe. And here Nadine was, practically searing the memory of every touch and infectious smile into her brain as something precious, something more. She wanted it but…
Nadine places her boots neatly against the legs of the loveseat, out of the way. She resolves to rise and do the same with Chloe's shoes once she had a moment to sit, to rest. She sighs. The warmth of Chloe pressing against her was now growing uncomfortable, rendered clammy and suffocating by her own selfish thoughts. She hopes Chloe won’t notice the nervous twitch of her fingers in her lap or her shoulders rising high and stiff from the nervousness of being so close.
Just then, a loud snore rippled through the hall and the thin door of their room.
Chloe groans, a slight sneer at the end turned to a chuckle as Nadine similarly makes a deep noise of disgust.
“Leave it to Sam to disturb the peace, huh?” Chloe says with another laugh, slightly elbowing Nadine.
“Ja. Shame the train didn't hit him,” Nadine deadpans, only joking halfway.
Chloe roared a laugh, her fingers spazzing uselessly over her phone’s screen from the force of it. The feeling of it traveled through her skin into Nadine's. She can feel it so deeply vibrating within her ribcage it felt like her own. So entrancing it is that Nadine can barely laugh alongside her partner, more enamored with the blissful pride she feels at eliciting such joy from Chloe. A few chuckles spill out though and she hopes from the way Chloe's eyes meet hers that she enjoys the sound.
“Hope you don't mind, love. Gunna make a quick house call to the Drakes and let them know Sam’s alright–since he obviously can't manage,” Chloe gestures with her phone to the door.
“No need. Call here,” Nadine nods in assurance. True, she wasn't a fan of the Drakes, but she wouldn't make Chloe leave for a call. Especially not after the day they just had, and especially not with how cute Chloe looks, leaning in tight against Nadine's side with her legs tucked underneath and to the side of her, pushing her even more into Nadine’s lap.
Nadine tries (and of course, fails) not to feel too guilty at the blissful feeling and the comfort of her partner's weight as Chloe swipes through her phone, clicking the call icon next to that infamous name: Nathan Drake.
Nadine listens to the line dimly ringing as Chloe presses the phone to her face, chewing on her bottom lip absently. Nadine laughs quietly to herself and reaches over, silently pressing a thoughtful finger against Chloe's lips. Well, against Chloe's top lip and a set of teeth already captured around her bottom lip. Chloe stifles at first, surprised, then instantly realizes what the touch was for and with a roll of her eyes, playfully flings a hand to swat at Nadine's legs. It ends up being less of a swat and more of a tired, aggressive dump of her hand into Nadine's lap.
Nadine laughs audibly then. She expected Chloe to try again or, eventually, to draw her hand away, but neither came. In fact, after a few moments, Chloe turns her hand over securing it around Nadine's leg, just above her knee. Nadine has to fight not to flex her thigh as Chloe gives a soft squeeze, her thumb sliding to and fro. Suddenly, the fabric of Nadine’s pants feels too thick and stuffy. Chloe's stroke was entrancing and she wants it closer. It stoked warmth and longing deep in her chest and…further up her legs, between her thighs. Harder, then, does Nadine fight to not squeeze her legs together. Dammit, Frazer. She really did just have an absolutely infuriating way of testing Nadine's discipline. But not Drake infuriating. Not Rafe infuriating. Chloe infuriating. Meaning, instead of punching her in the face or a high kick to the jaw, Nadine wanted to press closer, to guide Chloe's hand deeper, to kiss those chapped, charmingly bitten lips until breathing was an afterthought.
But, of course, she couldn't rightly do that after the day they had. She couldn't do that until she found the courage to tell Chloe of these budding feelings. She especially couldn't do anything as Chloe beamed a greeting with Nathan picking up the call finally.
Nadine settles instead for removing her field watch, massaging the lines imprinted in her skin before then stretching her arms, draping one along the backside of the couch. Almost immediately Chloe smiles and rests her head against it. Relief fills Nadine and she nudges her arm lower, making it easier for Chloe to rest against and easier for her to curl around Chloe's shoulders. The guilt was fading. There was no room for it, not really, not when Chloe smiled at Nadine like that–all bright and blissful, unaware of just how vulnerable she felt in her gestures–not when Chloe so easily readjusts to Nadine's body, positioning them into a proper cuddle on the couch.
Chloe bursts into a very Chloe-Esque explanation of their journey for Nathan (meaning, she tells only the juicy, non-buggered-up parts). Nadine listens idly, feeling pleasantly smug at the horrific squeal that sounds when Chloe mentions she has partnered with Nadine, the hand on her leg giving another affectionate squeeze. In fact, every time during the regaling that Chloe mentions Nadine, her hand squeezes again, and even a few times, moves a bit higher.
Only after a few moments of listening to Chloe’s charming blabbering, (Nadine was not hanging onto every word, of course not. That would be eavesdropping), did Nadine’s ears begin to burn when the familiar, annoying chime of Nathan's voice cracks through the line with a boisterous laugh. Her body acts on ill-begotten instincts, betraying her idyllic comfort, her head whipping around to stare daggers at the receiver.
Chloe notices, of course.
“Oh, and guess what? Nadine’s here! Say hi, love.”
And with a demanding shove, Chloe toggles the speakerphone on and holds it across her body, shoulder and elbow digging into Nadine’s body, much too warmly for her to be as annoyed as she was. Chloe's dark eyes glitter with amusement.
The silence must’ve lasted hours, felt like. Though eventually, at Chloe’s silent encouragement, Nadine unwillingly lets out a gruff, “Ja, hi.”
“Uh, um…h-hi?”
Nathan, predictably, fumbles with his response. Nadine can hear him holding his breath, which was only released when Chloe laughs and pulls the phone back into her personal space. She leaves the speakerphone on. ‘Course.
“Oh, don’t mind her, mate. Woman of few words and all that–you remember.”
Nadine suddenly feels herself fighting back a blush. Her nature wasn’t quite hard to pick up on, anyone who spent more than 10 minutes with her knew she preferred the quiet. But for some reason, Chloe’s notice of it–even when, with her, Nadine found herself uncharacteristically chatty, smiling, and joking about–makes her heart race.
“And a woman of many, many punches. If you remember–I know Elena has told you the stories,” Nathan adds on.
Chloe only laughs at him, further amused. Nadine hears another feminine laugh from the background, mirroring Chloe’s own. Nathan’s wife then? Elena, it was? Her bright tone summons a smirk onto Nadine’s face. She wouldn’t have expected Nathan’s wife to be so amused by the no doubt exaggerated (possibly even embellished, knowing the Drakes) stories of her and Nathan’s encounters.
“Oh, they’re nothing compared to seeing the real-life thing,” Chloe’s husky voice scratches an octave lower, “talk about watching a master at work. Good thing she had my back, ‘cuz I was too busy watching hers, that’s for sure.”
A mix of disgusted groans and bright, shrill laughter lag through the phone. Chloe smiles at their reaction, turning towards Nadine to shoot a wink and, at the last second, a bite and lick of her lips before turning away. She squeezes Nadine's thigh once more, letting her nails catch against the stiff fabric this time. Warmth suddenly returns to Nadine’s face and she really hopes that Chloe reads the subtle, heady push of her hips as a readjustment and not as the silent plea for more it truly was. Then, a new voice.
“Chloe! She must be impressive then for you to bite. You should bring her by some time! I miss you.”
Before Nadine can react, a resounding clash of answers explodes, voices overlapping.
“Absolutely not!”
“You bet, Sunshine!”
The poor receiver, again, groans and hisses as Nathan’s distressed wails and Chloe’s charmed laughs overloaded it. Eish. If the phone was struggling to handle the both of them, Nadine couldn’t imagine being in the same room with them. Suddenly, she understood what they must’ve seen in each other all those years ago. The thought, though amusing at first, then leaves Nadine’s stomach with a sick gurgle deep inside. Great. One adventure and couch cuddle later, and Nadine was already feeling the tendrils of possession for Chloe.
No.
It wasn’t just the current press of their bodies or the hungry, affectionate hand grabbing at her thigh. Nadine knew. Even if Chloe had stopped in the Ghats of India to make a home call to the Drakes she’d still feel the same unease of jealousy. Somewhere along their journey to find the treasure of Chloe’s father, and in finding her heart, Nadine had given her own to Chloe. Not even the punch had changed that–and they both knew it.
Nadine must’ve been internally rambling longer than she thought because Chloe and Nathan were ending their call with soft goodbyes once she pulled herself from her mind.
“Alright, love. Don’t stain your britches. Just wanted to pop in and let you know I did not lead your brother to his untimely second death.” Then, bubbling out in a very Chloe way, before she had the chance to take it back, “--and to let you know how amazing Nadine is and how we’d both have found our ends without her there. Sam even said so himself, so, how ‘bout them apples?”
Nadine expects another joke, another twit, anything at all clever and deflecting from Nathan’s mouth. Instead, after a noticeable moment of silence, he sighs, allayed.
“I trust you, Chloe.”
Nadine has never heard his voice so soft. She doesn’t have too long to be moved by it though. Chloe's own vulnerable response summons a short laugh from her throat.
“‘Course you do! Have I ever given you a reason not to? Wait. Don't answer that, actually.”
Nathan chuckles fondly and Nadine could make out an equally as fond, “Chloe, don’t be silly,” from Elena. Course, as to be expected, it was all getting rather too squishy for Chloe’s comfort, Nadine could tell.
“Right, well–ta!”
Nadine smiles to herself over the chorus of enthusiastic farewells the Drakes give to Chloe, reluctant to finally hang up. It was nice, she had to admit, hearing how fond they were of Chloe and the laughter they shared. Nadine didn’t have the same for herself, back home. Or anywhere, really. So she expects that to be it, to hear the click of the line disconnecting, but before Chloe can do so, a farewell is said for her as well.
“Bye, Nadine. I hope to meet you for myself one day!”
Chloe fixes her with an enchanting smile. If not for that, Nadine probably could’ve conjured a better reply. But staring into those gleeful silver eyes, all she can muster is a good-natured, albeit nervous chuckle and, “Ja, me too.” Surely then, Nadine thinks that to finally be the end of such a confusing yet warm house call, which was surprisingly shared with her. Obviously, Nadine’s penchant for predicting situations is not currently with her.
“See ya around, Nadine. Preferably on solid ground. And very far away from any windows.”
Nadine rolls her eyes at that, Nathan’s wit once again ruining any sort of semi-pleasant exchange they could have. “No promises, Nathan.”
“Nathan?! Not Drake?”
There was a very poorly attempted and borderline offensive imitation of her accent on the last bit, but before Nadine could nip back at him, Nathan did what he does best and teasingly blathered onward.
“Why, Nadine. My wife’s right here, save it for later at leas–”
“Hang up.”
Nadine fixes a commanding gaze upon Chloe, whose loud belly laugh thankfully drowns out her own audible groan (a growl, really) of disgust as Chloe finally ends the call. There were a few more moments of broken snickers and sighs before Chloe finally finds her voice, wiping a tear away.
“Oh, that boy. Really knows how to ruin a good thing as soon as he’s gotten it.”
All Nadine can do is shake her head, cradling her temples with raw fingers. Even if she could find eloquent words to describe just how belligerently annoying Nathan Drake was, it wouldn’t do to so enthusiastically insult one of Chloe’s closest friends. Annoying as he may be, he was the better Drake. The margin though, grew increasingly thinner the more time she spent with each. She tries not to think too hard about the many times Nathan refused to even attempt to gain the upper hand during their fights (though he wouldn’t have been able to, Nadine knew that he knew it as well), pleading for understanding instead. She tries not to think about how Nathan risked his and his brother’s life by pulling away the pistol Sam had aimed at her head and surrendering it to Rafe. She would not feel thankful, or anything even remotely as soft, for a Drake–for Nathan. She refuses. So why, then, did a half-hospitable phone call with him, with Chloe and Elena’s laughs floating about, make her feel so warm inside? She refuses to think about it, her knuckles flexing from the confusing stress of it all.
“You know that means he likes you, right?”
Nadine is thankfully pulled from her thoughts, looking back to Chloe, finding a very smug and very challenging lilt of her brow looking back. Nadine scoffs and looks away, “Couldn’t he find a less annoying way to go about it?”
“Like what, love? Punching you in the face?”
Nadine freezes. Every zap of neurons and flow of blood within her body stands still. Then, all at once, each of the muscles cording throughout her body tense–trying hard as they may to squeeze the guilt and disgust away. She looks away again, not able to bear the way her eyes fixate on the newly forming bruise and aggravated flesh of Chloe’s nose, or the way the sight made her feel. Chloe, of course, notices. She always notices.
“Too soon?”
Nadine is silent. There isn’t even a hint of malice in Chloe’s words. Instead, she is surprised to hear the concern and regret there–gently pooling around each syllable in that special, low register that Chloe usually keeps hidden away. Nadine’s silence stretches on.
“Sooo, we’re not going to talk about it?”
Nadine’s jaw pops, reminding her to unclench it. “And say what?”
Nadine recoils herself at how loud and harsh her tone is, turning away again. It isn’t like her, to run away, to be a coward. But she very much does not wish to hurt Chloe again. She’d become anything, even a coward, to protect her.
“Uh. Well, to start, say that I kinda deserved it?”
Nadine bows her head in shame. Yeah, Chloe had been an absolute selfish dickhead to keep to herself the fact that they were risking life and limb to also help save the Drake that had once tried to kill her. Nadine shouldn’t have hit her though. But it’s all she knows. She had been conditioned and taught her whole life how to be a weapon, that violence was the only suitable answer to any situation, and that anything short of rage was a weakness. This time, squeezing her knuckles wasn’t enough. Nadine bits her lip so hard that she stifles a grunt when blood starts to flow into her mouth.
“Nadine…”
She hates just how much she loves hearing Chloe say her name. How the rasp of her accent makes her pronounce it not quite right but, Nadine loves it even more for that. It feels correct that way. She lets her head be lifted by lovely calloused fingertips. And this time, she doesn’t tear her eyes away. Chloe deserves to look her in the face for this talk, Nadine resolves after all.
“I deserved it,” Chloe states again, steadfast. There is no arguing with Frazer. “I hurt you first. I know…”
Chloe trails off, eyes still locked with Nadine's but seemingly not sure yet of what else to say, what to breach first.
“I know you did it ‘cuz you care.”
Fok. And ja, it is stupid on a surface level Nadine supposes. “I rocked you in the face because I care so deeply for you, for us.” But it was true. Never in her life had Nadine felt so betrayed, so wounded. So she just wanted to hurt, to fight. Her instincts became her folly once again. Even so, they had led her to an even deeper, even more, precious truth. Nadine closes her eyes for a grounding count of 10. She opens them, and the waiting concern of silver eyes which never left her sepias, bolsters her resolve.
“You came back for me.”
A moment passes. Chloe dips her head in question. Nadine doesn’t know if she spoke too softly or if Chloe was prompting her for an explanation, but she continues regardless.
“I hurt you, and you came back for me. No one has ever come back for me.”
For a second, Nadine bites her lip again, willing the rising flood of emotions to start draining before she can speak. Chloe’s fingers, a gentle and affectionate caress upon her face, crossing over scars new and old, calm her. Chloe's thumb brushes over her biting teeth and tender lips. Nadine stops at once, remembering her own caress of concern for Chloe's lips earlier. Now, she leaves her lips parted, panting heavily against the warm pad of Chloe's thumb. She starts again.
“My father gave up on me before I even turned 20, really. He never bet on me–not once. He raised me within Shoreline only to absolutely obliterate it before handing it over to me. Then, Rafe nearly let me die to prove his own ego–with Samuel Drake pulling the trigger. That’s not to mention Rafe was going to sell me out in the end anyway, buying my men out from under me.” She makes an aggressive gesture at that in emphasis. “My own men took a bribe over me, leaving me to die. My second turned Shoreline into a bloody weapons trade business. Nathan is…Nathan.” Nadine shakes her head, overwhelmed, sighing deeply and pinching her nose to focus her breathing and find her calm again. She hates when she does this. When everything just comes bursting out. Chloe’s hand strokes her jaw the entire time. “You never sold me out. You never left me, not even on that death trap of a train. And I hit you. I hurt you.” Nadine hates how her voice quivers, the sound of swallowed tears embedded in each word.
Suddenly, Nadine is afraid. She and Chloe had shared several vulnerable moments on their quest for the Tusk but never to this degree. Not bone-deep, years in the making, regrets and fears and weaknesses unraveling within clumsy words. Well, Nadine hadn’t. Chloe had all but barred her soul in the treasury room her father found before her, and in their emotional confrontation before the drive to stop the train–what Chloe had thought was going to be her heroic goodbye. Now, it was Nadine’s turn, overdue.
She is afraid of how Chloe will react. Will the confession be too much, too real? Will Chloe run away, not wanting such overbearing emotions to deal with? Will the sight of tears disgust Chloe Frazer? Will all the teasing and compassion during their quest have been a hint at something casual, fun, surface level, and nothing significant, nothing difficult, nothing long-lasting?
Of course not. No. If anything, Chloe Frazer is going to show Nadine she is being an overthinking idiot.
“What do you say we make it even then?”
Nadine looks up in a panic as Chloe rises from her close-pressed seat next to her. She paces around the room for only a few steps, before turning around and placing her hands on her cocked hips. She matches with a cocked brow when Nadine doesn’t answer.
“Ja,” She finally answers, “I deserve that much.”
Nadine moves to stand, to brace herself for a well-deserved sock in the jaw, but Chloe rushes forward and pushes her back into the seat with a hand to her chest.
“Close your eyes.”
Nadine, still wide-eyed from the gestures, chews on the inside of her cheek but obliges nonetheless. She doesn’t like the idea of taking a hit unannounced, but, well, hadn’t Chloe? Up there, upon the gateway to Halebidu? After another wave of guilt and bile floats through her at the memory, Nadine steadies her breathing. She knows anticipation will only make the strike worse but with each breath, the lack of a hurdled fist colliding with her face makes her doubt. It is only when Chloe’s warm hands brace upon each of Nadine’s forearms did she know what was happening.
With a gentleness Nadine has never known before now, Chloe presses a loving, deep, lingering kiss upon Nadine’s brow bone. The very same place upon Chloe’s face she’d left a gash with her war-hardened fist. Nadine’s breath hitches and Chloe hums lovingly at the noise.
When Nadine opens her eyes, Chloe is pulling away. Her face is flushed, eyes shimmering with satisfaction and want. It is nearly too much to bear, but even so, Nadine wants more. So does Chloe, she can tell. And so, slowly, so slowly that the pair of them exchange several heavy glances and nervous smiles in the time it takes her to close the distance, Nadine seals her lips against Chloe’s in a firm, warm kiss. They fit together perfectly, just as Nadine had imagined–no–better than. Chloe’s lips are soft and rugged from all the biting. She’s perfect. She’s beautiful. And she tastes a bit like pizza and beer still. The soft exhales from their noses melding together tickles her skin and makes Nadine smile into the kiss, her lips stretching wide until Chloe is kissing her teeth for a moment before she pulls away with a pleased hum.
Chloe lingers close enough for long enough that it would take such minimal effort for Nadine to surge forward and capture her lips once again. To deepen the moment and maybe even escalate it to something more…but Nadine knows she can’t. Not tonight. She wants it, wants Chloe, more than anything, but she doesn’t want it to be this way. She is tired, and Chloe is too if the droop of her usually bright eyes told her anything. Better for both of them to wait. Preferably, wait for a time they weren’t boarded in a child’s home, with Sam Drake snoring none too quietly across the hall.
Not wanting Chloe to misunderstand, to doubt, Nadine does happily lean forward to touch their noses together. She rubs against Chloe softly, her face firing with a blush to rival all others at the intimacy of the gesture she was sharing with Chloe.
Chloe, who hums her understanding and flashes that charming, broad smile Nadine loves so as she lets her nose gently caress Nadine’s face, tracing it along her warm skin up to her forehead to press another kiss. Lighter, shorter. Still just as affectionate and full of love.
“There. Now we’re even, China.”
Nadine can’t help but smile, bashful. She is a stranger to intimate affection and the natural, easy exchange of it with Chloe makes her giddy. Besides, she knows Frazer loves it, the husky “Cute.” she mutters in response only confirming it more.
“Well. I’ll let you sit there and process all that while I take myself a long overdue shower.” Chloe quips in her usual cheeky tone.
That only makes Nadine smile warmer. She knows it isn’t in regret or retreat, but in acceptance. An understanding that Nadine needs her time to reflect, to be quiet. Nadine shakes her head good-naturedly to herself. She is falling in love with this woman. Where the thought before had been terrifying, overbearing even, now it only leaves her feeling warm and yearning–hopeful.
Nadine watches in silent admiration as Chloe turns, newly acquired towel in hand, walking out toward the hall to go find the bathroom. She stops suddenly, hand freezing on the doorknob. She turns.
“And just for the record, you came back for me too, Nadine. You believed in me, even when I gave you a reason to doubt. So, yeah…”
Nadine chuckles, now it is Chloe’s turn to chew on her lips and cast her eyes about. But it is just as heartfelt. “Always, Frazer.” That earns her a genuine smile as Chloe turns to leave again when, suddenly, there is another pause and another turn back towards Nadine.
“Also, just for the record, I know you’re totally staring at my arse right now.”
With that and a wink (Nadine's blushing has become sore by now), Chloe finally disappears down the hall. Nadine only chastises herself for a moment before finding herself immensely comforted by the fact that Chloe would come back once her shower was finished.
Chloe would always come back for her.
Nadine would do the same.