summary: nathan comes home from work soaking wet, domestic banter and cuddling ensues.
wc: 1k
you hear the sound of nathan’s boots before seeing the man himself, work boots heavy and tracking in mud from outside. the oregon rain is relentless; you can already tell from his footsteps that he’s irritated from it.
there’s a moment of silence as the apartment becomes still again, you almost get up to go check on him but he beats you to it. boots loudly being tossed to the side in irritation before he crosses into the hall, the creaky door to the bedroom opening to reveal him. stocky frame casting a shadow with the dim lighting.
his hair is practically sopping wet, pushed back into a makeshift slick back that reminds you greatly of his blackwell days. you know better than to say that though, tilting your head at him before gesturing to the bed.
“what?” he mumbles, looking at the clean bedding that you had to have done while he was gone. nathan can’t remember the last time he did that himself in this shitty little apartment. “im soaked, don’t be stupid.”
his voice holds no bite as he shrugs off his thick jacket, a carhartt one you had given him all happily when he got his job. you roll your eyes, watching him as he tugs off his shirt to use that as a makeshift towel.
“don’t call me stupid.” you say, faux annoyed with his language. suppressing a laugh as he glances at you unsurely, to make sure you’re not seriously upset at him; only to scoff when he sees you smiling.
“well, who fuckin’ tells someone to get in a bed while soaked.. and dirty.” he adds, scratching his scruffy beard before tossing the shirt aside. it took a while for him to be willingly undressed around you, always forcing himself to stay in his long sleeves and jeans combo. you want to tell him that he’s cute, but he’d probably snap at you about how he’s a grown man. so you refrain.
“is this you soft-launching a shower?” you tease, watching his face scrunch up in response before saying “fuuuhk no.” in a throaty voice. you almost laugh until he glances at you again, narrowing his already squinty eyes even more.
“what’s so funny over there?”
“nothing, nate.”
he glares halfheartedly, changing into a random pair of sweatpants before stalking towards the bed. you can’t resist poking fun at him, “for a man that was insisting he’s too dirty to rest, you sure do seem to be resting.”
he groans as you talk, loudly. slamming his face into the bedding like you’re the impossible one, another thing that reminds you of being teenagers with him. you also bite your tongue on that tidbit, rubbing a hand up and down his shoulder blades until he’s curling his body closer to yours.
nathan’s thick arms wrap around your bent leg, an awkward position for the both of you but he’s far too stubborn to admit that.
“how was work?” you ask after a couple minutes of silence, letting him inhale your leg at the weird position he’s gotten himself in. he barely acknowledges what you say with a grunt, clearly not looking to talk about stupid things like work. “riveting.”
you say dryly, earning yourself a hard pinch on the back of your thigh. you jerk in response to the pain, before hitting him on the side of his head. “what the fuck is wrong with you!” you snap, but all he does is smile in return; how do you get irritated with a man who loves when you’re mean to him.
his arms tighten around both your legs now, preventing you from moving like he already knew what you were going to do. “c’mon, babe, don’t be like that..” he says with a grunt as you squirm around, trying to break free from his hold on principle now.
“you fuckin’ pinched me!” you say, kicking your legs as his arms constrict even more, now beginning to tug you closer and closer to him until he’s able to crawl up your body. he sprawls out atop of you, weight fully pinning you down while his arms move to wrap around your waist.
“you can’t be serious.” you groan, watching as he traps you in a cuddling position. he only hums in satisfaction, clearly pleased with himself. “you’re going to crush me!”
any attempt at making him see reason is met with either a grunt or a hum, his hands sliding under the tank top you’re wearing to rub your sides. calloused and cold fingers against your warm body make you jolt, but any of the previous annoyance has melted away as you lay limp under him. as he knew would happen.
“the fuck do you even use.” he says, eyebrows furrowed as his beard scratches the bare skin of your collarbones. his palms sliding up and down your sides, feeling your skin like it’s a rug he’s going to buy. “is it one of those things you never let me touch?”
“you act like im preventing you from buying your own body scrub.”
he grunts again, ending the conversation stubbornly as he relaxes on you like you’re apart of the bed. you snake your arms around him to cradle him, smiling when his face relaxes into a calm expression; his eyes half lidded, eyebrows lax, and his permanent sneer now a soft smile.
nathan smells like the rain outside and motor oil still, but you don’t even care about the smell seeping onto you and the bed you share. for you, this is some of the best moments of the day. when he’s able to come home after work and be present with you, not thinking about the past or future.
but for him, this is some of the best moments of his life. nobody is watching his every move, judging or scrutinizing him like he believes he deserves. just being able to exist as a person, and not nathan prescott. intimacy shared between the two of you that he was convinced he’d never get, nor deserve.
post-prison!nathan w his 10 y/o truck from blackwell, it’s horrifically dated & still has the taped back light but it’s the only thing his family gave him back
post-prison!nathan who got used to not having money while incarcerated, he surprisingly adapts well to no funding even though he still has expensive taste.. he actually likes working for his luxury now
post-prison!nathan who is sober and medicated now, he still has to regularly get his medication switched around when they stop working but it’s still the best he’s ever felt
post-prison!nathan who moves inland after living on the coast all his life, he still visits the coast from time to time but the memories of dead whales keep him from going more often
post-prison!nathan who’s completely no contact with all of his family, cut off from the prescott estate after disgracing the name.. he tries to get in contact w his sister but has to accept that not everyone forgives him
post-prison!nathan who feels wrong abt still wanting to do film and photography, he stops taking pictures of people and focuses on hobby scenic photography
post-prison!nathan who gets a controversially young bf (warren graham) 👅
nathan is an Edgelord niche film critic but post-prison!nathan is the less severe version of That. he still loves niche films but now he doesn’t need to be Performing pretentious taste for ppl
too many nathan posts i Had to warren post to clear my mind
that being said. i Desperately need a moment to think abt post prison nathan finding out max has powers.. we Must consider him Begging max to go back in time so none of this happens
