Preseason is great and all - it gets him out of Maine and off the lobster boats early - but there’s a reason Dex plays a winter sport. Years of hockey and pre-dawn work haven’t prepared him for dealing with the height of summer at Samwell.
Dex thought that being in the basement would help, counting on being below ground with minimal windows to keep out the heat of the day. But in this, as in all things, the Haus defies logic. It’s boiling in the basement. And he knows for sure it’s just as hot everywhere else. He’ll have to move if he wants relief, needs moving air, and his fan just isn’t cutting it.
He wanders upstairs in just his briefs, intent on the front porch with a bottle of water and his phone. Dex doesn’t want to go any further than he has to. He’s only been outside for a couple minutes when he hears a clatter and, “Shit, chill,” from above him. Obviously Nursey isn’t asleep yet either. If Dex just shouts up, Nursey might actually fall off the roof. Texting is safer.
Dex: you okay up there? 🐥
“Yo Dexy! You on the porch?”
“Ayuh,” he says, “Too hot in the bungalow.”
“Get up here and keep me company!” And Dex, helpless, goes. He braves the second floor after snagging another bottle for Nursey. It is actually cooler on the reading room than the porch. The second floor is just high enough to catch the slight breeze.
“A blessing on both your houses Dex,” Nursey says at the sight of the extra water bottle, downing half of it immediately. “Chill.”
Dex just rolls his eyes fondly. He does a lot of things fondly now, he thinks, drinking in both his own water and the sight of Nursey in just his briefs. Despite the water, his throat is bone dry. Dex has always thought Nursey was unfairly attractive, even when they were still fighting all the time. But there’s something extra special tonight.
Maybe it’s the moonlight highlighting his curls, or the way his tattoo now extends up over his shoulder and down his back, but Dex can’t look away.
There’s a drop of water sliding down Nursey’s neck.
It keeps getting slightly redirected from his stubble, but it makes its way down his neck, over his Adam’s apple, and settles in the dip of Nursey’s collarbone. Dex wants to lick it off him. He might be panting. Dimly, he’s surprised that he’s not being chirped to within an inch of his life. He’d deserve it, he’s absolutely gone on Nursey and ogling his best friend to whom he hasn’t confessed said feelings is one of the least chill things he’s ever done.
When he finally manages to wrench his eyes back to Nursey’s face, he sees why he’s gotten away with the ogling. Nursey’s eyes are decidedly south of Dex’s face, seemingly stuck on Dex’s thigh. Well, more specifically, on the new ink high up enough that no one on the team has seen it yet.
Dex can feel himself flushing, and not because of the heat. Because Dex has a Pablo Neruda quote on his thigh. In the original Spanish. And Nursey definitely recognizes it because Neruda is Nursey’s favorite poet. Dex spent all of last semester crushing on Nursey to the extent that Dex started reading Neruda on his own, working through the Spanish and looking up analysis and context.
The quote he got isn’t from any of the poems Nursey had (ha!) waxed poetic about. So it’s extremely obvious what he’s done. Nursey says, sort of strangled, not quite meeting his eye, “Nice ink, Dexy.”
“Yeah I got it a few weeks ago.” They are just sort of staring at each other, and for the first time Dex feels like his ridiculous crush isn’t unrequited, that it might even be longed for - can feel a grin trying to break out, but keeps it small for now.
“Oh, chill,” says Nursey, more of a breath than any actual volume. Dex licks his lips and sees Nursey’s eyes track the motion. He takes a deep breath.
“Great job guys, good work today. Take tomorrow off and get ready for classes to start, and then regular practices start tomorrow night,” Dex says.
“And the first team breakfast is Wednesday after morning practice!” pipes up Chowder.
There’s a general rush to shower and leave, guys chirping each other left and right. Nursey finally feels at home. He closes his eyes while he waits for C and Dex to wrap up so they can head to Annie’s. He’s a senior. He even knows what he wants to do after college. Life is good.
“Hey. Hey Nursey.”
“What Dex.”
“Feel my shirt.”
He opens his eyes to see Dex holding out the edge of his t-shirt with a smile and doesn’t try to fight the rush of affection that comes with it. He reaches out and rubs Dex’s shirt.
“It’s nice. Soft.”
“Know what it’s made of?“ Dex asks.
“No? Cotton? Should I know?”
Dex smirks and leans closer.
“Boyfriend material.”
Nursey bursts out laughing. He can’t help it. Coming out to him and C over the summer had been a huge step for Dex. He was so much more relaxed and, though he would never say it out loud, chill now. Chill enough to use horrible pick up lines on Nursey of all people.
“Dex that’s so bad oh my god,” Nursey manages to wheeze out between laughs. He looks up to chirp him more and sees that Dex looks proud of himself despite the fire truck level blush he’s rocking.
“You guys ready?”
Dex reaches his hand out to help Nursey off the bench. “Yeah we’re good Chowder, let’s go.”
Still laughing, Nursey just says “boyfriend material” to himself, takes Dex’s hand and they leave the locker room.
_X_
2. During Spookykegster
It’s an excellent party. They won their game last night, and there’s no practice or classes in the morning to wake up for. Ideal conditions for sure. And his best friends are on NurseyPatrol, which, to be fair, hasn’t been needed since sophomore year, and has now evolved into the best excuse to hang out with Dex and C for some quality Frog Time.
“You mind if I leave to go over to Cait’s?“ Chowder asks, shouting a little to be heard over the music.
“Ooooooh we see how it is, don’t we Dexy? Not even our epic friendship can hold a candle to the lovely Farmer. What ever shall be done?” Nursey says as he sways into Dex.
“You’re good C, take off. Come help with clean up in the morning and it’s all good,” Dex says, his hands automatically coming up to catch Nursey before he overbalances and falls.
“Bye guys! Have fun the rest of the night!”
And now Nursey has a slight problem. Tiny really. It’s just that now he’s alone with Dex. Dex who is actually wearing a costume for once. He’s dressed up as Woody from Toy Story and Nursey might be having a hard time not staring at Dex’s ass in those jeans.
It’s fine.
“You want to get another drink? Or are you going to dance?“ Dex asks.
“I think drink,” he says, moving toward the kitchen, “I need another beer I think before dancing. Want one?”
“Ayuh, sure, thanks Nursey.”
He goes and comes back, handing Dex a can as he leans back against the wall next to him. He’s drinking and scoping out a potential dance partner when out of nowhere he hears,
“Are you wearing space pants?”
“What? No? I’m wearing jea-”
“Because your ass is out of this world,” Dex finishes a little too loudly, blushing furiously.
“What’s this Dexy? You flirting with little ole me?” Nursey flutters his eyelashes and delights in watching Dex’s blush deepen and spread down his neck.
“I - well - you know - I - no?”
“Chill Dex. I know you’re just practicing, en bee dee,” he says just to watch Dex’s eye twitch at the spoken letters. “Gotta go see a boy about a dance. Catch up with you later.”
Nursey laughs to cover his disappointment and goes to dance. Now that he knows Dex isn’t serious and his beer is finished, it’s time to dance.
_X_
3. At Founders a Week before Finals
Nursey is stressed okay? Just because he’s got an internship lined up for credit for next semester doesn’t mean that he doesn’t need to study. And his Harlem Renaissance paper is kicking his ass. But once he finishes this draft he can take a break. He just needs to focus. Or another coffee? Maybe he just needs -
“It’s a good thing I have my library card because I am totally checking you out,” Dex whispers, from the chair next to him.
Nursey starts to snigger, trying to keep from making too much noise in Founders.
“You been saving that one just for me Dex?”
“Just thought you needed a little break from your paper,” Dex says, trying to be nonchalant about it, but his hand comes up to rub the back of his neck, and his ears are bright red, giving him away.
And.
Nursey can’t hold it in anymore, and starts hysterically laughing.
He’s still laughing as the librarian swoops down on them and demands they leave. What a horribly cheesy pickup line. And from Dex of all people.
_X_
4. Nursey’s Birthday
All the card says is “We’re not socks but I think we’d make a great pair.”
But, he recognizes the handwriting and it was left on his pillow so he digs his phone out of his pocket, laughing.
Me: woowwww dex
Me: this one is so cheesy if i didn’t know better i’d swear you’d have a fondue machine down there
As he changes out of his jeans and gets ready for practice in an hour his phone pings. He opens Dex’s response and promptly has to sit down. William J. Poindexter has responded with a selfie. It’s a little blurry, clearly taken while he walks home from his programming class. It’s unseasonably warm for February today, so the pink across Dex’s freckles are 100% blush.
Dex: Happy Birthday, Nursey! Hope it made you laugh.
Something about the picture makes Nursey’s breath catch. He doesn’t feel like laughing all of sudden. He doesn’t want to examine the swooping sensation in his stomach too closely. That way lies madness.
_X_
5. March
It’s been a brutal practice. But no one is complaining. They’re in playoffs. Everyone wants to do well. And Dex is a great captain. He’s really come into his own this year.
But today was like Bitty was still here; Dex put them through a whole practice of the Russian calisthenics that Bitty had adapted from his figure skating coach.
Everyone was wiped.
“Dex, you’re my best friend but I hate you so much right now. If you were a punching bag all that would be left would be a pile of sand on the ground.”
“If you were words on a page, you’d be fine print.”
He couldn’t help it. He giggled.
“Oh stop making me laugh, I can’t feel my abs as it is,” Nursey says, looking over at Dex.
“S’just the truth,” Dex mumbles, flushing abruptly and turning away to dig in his bag for his shoes.
“Fine print,” he snorts and hauls himself up to go refill his water bottle.
_X_
+1 After Winning the Frozen Four
Nursey doesn’t think he’s ever been happier. They’ve won the Frozen Four for the second year in a row. Chowder had a shut out, and both he and Dex had scored. It was truly a perfect game.
He knows he still has to get through the rest of his internship and finals but right now, he’s on top of the world.
He and Dex are crammed into a too-small booth for their combined shoulders with Chowder and Farmer (who flew out to watch the game) opposite them. Nursey feels good, floaty and glowing. They won, his friends are here, and long-established convention means he gets to be pressed up next to Dex. Not an inch between them.
It wasn’t like he was unaware his crush was getting astronomical. And it didn’t help that Dex kept feeding him pick up lines all this year. Lately, they’ve been a small torture, wanting Dex to flirt with him for real.
Whatever.
He’s here. Dex’s here. Nursey’s happy.
Dex has never looked better. Confident and loose like he usually only gets at the Haus. The lights overhead highlight his freckles and Dex’s hair, a touch too long and starting to curl after not cutting it through playoffs. Nursey’s staring. He knows he is. With a herculean effort, he tears his gaze away and tries to focus on what Chowder is saying.
“-And wasn’t it s’wasome when Bully checked that guy right before he could get to Whiskey and -”
“Breathe, babe,” Farmer says fondly, “They were there too.”
Nursey leans further into the leather, relaxing when they leave. As happy as he is, he is tired, and the booth is comfortable. Especially with Dex so close.
They’re all chatting too loudly about The Martian and he’s laughing at Farmer’s Donald Glover impersonation when Dex suddenly winks at him. Nursey almost falls off his seat. Dex leans closer, and whispers in his ear.
“Hey Nursey?”
“Yeah?” Nursey can barely breathe.
“Even in zero gravity I would still fall for you.”
Nursey doesn’t blush. Which means the heat he feels in his face must be a symptom of a fever. His throat is dry enough it might be true.
“Ha ha Poindex-” he abruptly stops talking when he feels Dex’s hand cover his own on the seat in between them and his fingers curl around Nursey’s own.
“Oh holy shit,” he whispers, “Really Dex? Now? With a cheesy pick up line no less?”
“S’thematically appropriate,” Dex shrugs and then tilts his world upside down with, “I got tired of you thinking I was joking around the other times I tried flirting.”
“Wh - I - I -” Nursey has no words. For once in his life.
“Its a good thing you’re pretty,” Dex chirps before leaning in an kissing his cheek, holy shit.
“FINALLY!”
They both jump and look around at Chowder’s shout. C’s beaming at the two of them.
“Do you know how much in back fines the two of you owe?!?!”
Dex just laughs and hides his (bright red) face in Nursey’s neck and Nursey tries not to melt.
“I think we’re good for them, C. It’s chill,” Nursey says, not looking away from where his fingers are curled up with Dex’s.
Senior Frog’s is a harbor front watering hole popular with cruise ship passengers when their ship pays a visit to Nassau, The Bahamas. (photo by CruiseReady)
