unscathed
Parker hated himself sometimes. No, really. He’d been a real jerk the other day in the gym. A right asshole. Nate hadn’t actually done anything that hurt Parker in any way, and he’d completely projected his own frustration and confusion onto the other guy. It wasn’t something he liked about himself, but at least he was man enough to admit when he’d been in the wrong, and he was willing to do something about it. Whatever was going on in his own head, Nate hadn’t deserved the anger. Sure the guy was a cocky little shit, but that was harmless. Mostly. Nate deserved an apology at least. It hadn’t been hard to track down Nate’s dorm. Most people knew who he was, and could offer up those sorts of details. Which was how he found himself here, standing outside the dorm. Hesitating.
He should just knock. Dammit. Why was this so hard? Sighing, and running a hand through his hair and trying to calm himself. This was stupid. He was just some guy. Who the hell cared. Reaching out, he let his knuckles wrap on the door. Doing his best to pull himself together. Looking like a nervous wreck as he stood at Nate’s dorm door wasn’t going to go over well. Besides, there wasn’t actually any real reason to be nervous, or well, that was what he was going to keep telling himself until he believed it. Truth was, Nate was under his skin. He’d been replaying their encounter in his head since it had happened, twisting himself in knots at remembering what it felt like to have Nate so close. Torturing himself with flashes of images he shouldn’t be thinking about. He was a wreck. If he got out of this unscathed, it would be miracle.
Nate had spent the last few days angry at himself. Well, angry for the most part. There were moments when his cocky attitude broke through and told him he was completely in the right for getting up in Parker's face. But then the demons deep down told him he was an idiot for making an enemy of someone who could have potentially been his friend. This anger had done nothing but put him in a bad mood. Every day when his academic duties were finished he'd make his way back to his dorm room, pull on sweats or pajamas and pour into his bed and watch film after film trying to convince himself he hadn't done anything wrong. This wasn't like Nate. Normally he would shake it off and continue being his cocky self. But if he was perfectly honest? He liked Parker, he liked his naivety and innocence, his seemingly simple life. Nate wanted that, or at least to be close to something like that. And he fucked it up by thinking with his dick.
The knock on the door was a surprise to him. He hadn't been expecting anyone. Peeling himself out of bed, hair flat after failing to do anything but let it dry on it's own after a shower and looking no more than frumpy, he made his way to the door. When opening it revealed Parker he wasn't sure what to say. Surely the other had pulled himself together to come yell at him. He wouldn't be surprised by that. He alienated a lot of people. Instead of saying much of anything he left the door open and retreated back to his bed. "What?"
