´´broken. (--nate)

[nate]

Free to go did not necessarily mean she wanted him to go. For that matter, Nate wasn't entirely certain he wanted to go. Yes, he was uncomfortable and unhappy. But misery felt better when you shared it with someone. And something told him that he shouldn't abandon Elliot quite yet.

Though why the hell I'm doing something based on what I should do is beyond me. Stupid feelings, making me suffer like this.

"I'm certain you can think of many ways of thanking me," he offered. Now he tried to slide an arm around her, this time carefully avoiding wounded areas. He'd prodded her enough for now, though he made a mental note of sore spots just in case he needed them later.

"Something tells me you don't want me to leave," Nate stated, turning to look Elliot in the eye. "Did you want to talk about anything else? I don't know if I have anything overly interesting to offer you. I did manage to pick up a girlfriend while you were gone, but it strikes me as bad form to bring that up now."

Though yes, she was hot and yes, I do want to brag about it.

"As surprising as it sounds, I'm not solely your friend because I want sex," Nate grinned now, "I'd be lying if I didn't admit to that being a huge part of it."

She is hot, after all, you can't blame me for thinking that way.

[Elliot is on the edge.]

Elliot leaned forward a bit so Nate could easily slide his arm around her, nuzzling her nose further into the curve of his neck as he spoke. She pressed a chaste kiss to the spot below his earlobe, eyes falling close soon after. It had been her intention to avoid answering him, to skirt around having to say something they both already knew; Elliot just couldn't be alone.

"You already told me that darling. Someone wants to brag." He had turned his head, finally forcing her to pull back and look at him with heavy-lidded eyes. There was a small quirk to her lips, but even Elliot wasn't sure if it was genuine or the Morphine talking.

"God you're such a charmer." Her voice was dry, but the tiny smile remained, hovering just a few inches from his own. "Why do I even keep you around?" There was a tiny laugh amongst her hazy blue eyes now.

[nate]

"Yes, someone does want to brag," admitted Nate. He smiled wryly at Elliot again. He did that a lot around her, smiling.

Probably getting high off her smell. I'm certain she splashes something on that makes men go completely insane over her. Certainly there's no logical explanation for why so many of us lose our minds whenever she's around. Besides, I'm clearly looking for something to blame.

"I suspect you keep me around because of my charisma and good looks," offered Nate. "Though I'm certain that my way with words must be up there as well. After all, we met because I was able to write to you. That was certain unusual.[/i]

Nate almost let himself reminisce, but quickly squashed the altogether nostalgic feeling. It simply didn't work for them.

"Went to Japan while you were gone," said Nate, altering the route of the conversation now. "For an overnight. Stayed in a little country inn. Horrible food, and the booze tastes like s**t. If it weren't beautiful I'd say skip it entirely."[/color]

[Elliot is on the edge.]

"Well, I know you don't have much worth bragging about in your life, so feel free." Elliot winked at Nate, unable to keep the dark humor from her voice as she settled her head on his shoulder once more. Idly, she began to toy with the hand he had hanging over her collarbone, tugging on his fingers and scraping her nails feather-light against his palm, just because.

"We're unusual kids Nathan," ever since learning his full name, the blonde had found herself using it more often than the shortened version; perhaps just to torture him. "We've gone over this many times. You keep me around in hopes of getting laid because obviously, I'm one hot piece of ass," Elliot was, sadly enough, used to be talked about like a piece of meat and it hardly bothered her anymore. "And I hang around you because you're adorable, sunshine. And always a refreshing change from the pretty boys."

She laced her fingers in his only to undo the knot a moment later. Her eyes were unfocused, directed somewhere just past her bare feet as she tugged on his index finger absentmindedly. "Still, there's that other thing that we've never been able to figure out too." That feeling or drive or draw that kept them together long past the expiration date for a normal friendship of their kind. The similarities between them or maybe the differences, that kept them in each others company despite everything that had them pitted against each other.

"I can't go somewhere with shitty booze. I wouldn't last five minutes. You know that silly."

[nate]

"Of course we're unusual," argued Nate, "if we were usual, we'd be boring."

How much of her assessment is accurate? Do I really simply hand around her in hopes of a pity lay? Yes, that's certainly part of it. Of course it is, just look at her. But all of it? Not quite, and I don't think she believes that either, fortunately for me. Still, we're pretty d**m selfish at the end of the day.

"It's more than your physical appeal that makes me want to f**k you," again argued Nate. He took the time to take in said physical appeal, smiling to himself. "Your personality influences it some. A far second."

He let his hand trail along her arm for a bit, skirting around the unpleasant areas this time. He'd already given her enough frustration, though he did feel fully justified in doing more. Spread the unpleasant sensation around and all that.

"I'll make sure not to take you to Japan then. Or pretty much anywhere in the far east. I hear they make everything out of rice," he wrinkled his nose. "Besides, the beds are mats on the ground, and that's not going to happen anytime soon."

He'd been willing enough to put up with them for his girlfriend, and would probably do so for Elliot if she wanted. Though he wasn't about to say that. It would break unspoken rules, after all.

[Elliot is on the edge.]

"So we've determined that I'm clever, and hot. Awesome." Elliot elbowed Nate in the ribs gently, merely teasing the boy as her tone rang flat. Wiggling her toes, she smirked softly at something, though her gaze was still spacey, far-off and distracted.

"Ew. Rice? And you get to sleep on the floor, huh? Gee Nate," And now she turned her head, tipping her chin up to bite his earlobe playfully before softening her voice so that she could speak directly into his ear. "Sure hope she was worth it." There was a soft, breezy giggle to accompany the punctuation, and Elliot was grinning as she pulled back to set her head upon his shoulder again. The Morphine had her skin tingling, a Nate's touch wasn't making her squirm anymore as she wiggled her toes again, somehow feeling restless and exhausted simultaneously.

"What are you thinking about?"
Such a question had proved itself dire in their past, and still, Elliot could never resist asking. Nate's mind fascinated her.

[nate]

Yes, you're clever and hot. Stop pretending like this is news to you. No girl that hot and intelligent should have that low of a self esteem. Sometimes it makes me want to find the source and beat the living s**t out of it.

Of course, it's probably what got me here, in her bed. Which means I should actually enjoy it.

D**m emotions anyway.

"She was worth it," admitted Nate. He shifted.

I really do want to brag. To prove to her that I've evolved somehow, and she aided that evolution. Thanks to her little confidence lessons. Besides, it's nice to be the one who's got a lover stashed away somewhere for once. Even if I haven't seen her lately.

Then again, it strikes me as bad form to discuss one woman in front of another.

Elliot's question earned a smile from Nate, and an eyebrow quirked as he lazily drew circles on the sun-kissed skin of her upper arm. He pretended to think for a few moments before answering.

"A bit of the same old same old. Wondering how someone like you could possibly have such low self esteem, while praising that fact, as it got me here," he shifted, "and I was also thinking about the other girl, since we've been dancing around her for a while. Waffling about how I'd like to be the one bragging about someone else for once, but knowing it's decidedly bad form."

Hmm... wonder if that's going to score a hit on her. It certainly leaked my feelings toward her other conquests. or at least, hearing about them.

[Elliot is on the edge.]

"Nate," Elliot paused, her lips pursed as she raised her head from his shoulder again. "My personal issues are not what got you curled up in bed next to me right now." There was something stern in her eyes, as if she really wanted them to be on the same level with something, but there was also that constant flicker of amusement dancing about her irises, that said probably wasn't going to let him know exactly what that even was.

"Rather depressing circumstances led to our first meeting, that's true, but don't you think that if I wanted to 'boost my confidence', then I'd been wasting my days with pretty boys doting on me, instead of hanging out in bars and breaking bones with someone who is as socially rejected and retarded as I am myself?" Ever with the venomous tongue, Elliot had to hold back a small grin as she watched Nate's expression, a silence lingering between them for a moment as she shifted slightly.

"I'm not always looking for reassurance or help from you darling. Sometimes I like to be around you, just 'cause." Elliot tipped her head to the side as she poked him gently in the ribs, as if to silently say 'My, what a thought!'

"We're friends, whether we like it or not." for better or worse, "and as such, I'm going to let you tell me all about this lady of yours, because you're obviously dying to." Mocking him more than anything now, Elliot snuggled down against Nate's side, feeling drained as she tried to force herself to pay attention now, hardly looking forward to hearing anything about the boy's romantic life while she had been away. No matter where they stood on any scale, Elliot was a jealous sort of girl, though she had grown remarkable good at hiding it.

[nate]

"Why do I actually tell you my thoughts when you ask?" mused Nate aloud. He refused to look at Elliot now, instead intensely focusing upon the ceiling. Took look was to be ensnared, and give her an edge she certainly didn't need.

"At the least it gets me a lecture, and usually more," he complained. "I'm well aware we're friends," he almost spat the word, "and I do appreciate hearing it from you. I'm inclined to think I'm also around just because, but I lie frequently enough that even I wouldn't know if such a statement were true."

He shrugged.

Wow, it actually makes me oddly happy. Knowing that Elliot considers me a friend. That she would actually apply that label. Do I even have friends, really? Besides her, of course.

No, not really.

Don't need them, I suppose.

"By the way, you are many, many things, Elliot Davis," now he turned to look at her, arching his brows, "but you are not socially inept. Practically the opposite."

He leaned over to place a chaste kiss on the top of her head, then grinned at her.

"Her name was Miki, and she was an incredibly sexy Japanese girl," said Nate, nodding. "For some reason, she actually liked me. I haven't seen her in a while. Probably ran for the hills."

He tactfully left off the bit about his attempting to sex Miki up on the first official date. Or the various other oddities that were involved with the whole incident.

[Elliot is on the edge.]

"Awh, just because I can pretend to play nice doesn't mean I actually have any people skills." Elliot pointed out dryly, though she still leaned into his kiss, a tiny quirk to her lips as he began to speak.

"That's a dumb name." Elliot couldn't stop herself from interrupting almost immediately, nor was she able to erase the sharp edge to her tone as the words spilled from her mouth. She tried to ignore the way her lips curled up maliciously despite her embarrassment and how inwardly, she actually thought Miki to be a very pretty name. The blonde shifted, moving so that she could lay her head on his shoulder again, and so he couldn't see the faces she made as he spoke.

"Most likely." Her eyes fell closed, and a heavy wave of fatigue washed over her. "I suppose I probably should set you up with my sister. All I would have to do is tell her that I'm madly in love with your or some such nonsense and she would have your pants off in record time." Elliot's voice was too quiet to read properly now, but still, there was no missing how sharp it sounded.

"Though, I suppose that anytime you have your pants off around a lady it's a record, huh?" The bitterness faded and she was grinning against his neck once again.

[nate]

Why did I want to tell her again? Oh yes, to brag, and quite possibly to make her jealous.

Mission accomplished, dumba**.

"I really don't think any girl named Elliot has room to be talking about horrible names," Nate pointed out, raising his eyebrows. "Clearly you have deeply inset issues regarding this subject. You should consider talking to someone about that."

Should consider talking to someone period. There are times when she worries me.

Why am i thinking this now? Off the subject. Back to making her jealous.

"So, you're going to set me up with the second best Davis sister? I'm insulted, really. If I weren't clearly a desperate person, I'd even consider turning it down," he smirked down at Elliot. "And I take my pants off all the time. It's a matter of how long the girl stays after that."

He looked down at said piece of apparel, speculating. It was tempting, but it would only be in jest. And he didn't particularly want Elliot to just see how riled up he was by her mere presence. That was giving her far too much to work with.

[Elliot is on the edge.]

"Hey! I like my name, Nathan." She spit the word at him, now wearing a frown on her glossy lips. Elliot's name was a touchy subject with the girl considering that she was still a bit embarrassed about it; though, at the same time she felt a great pride with her handle given that she had been named after a man who had grown to be one of her personal idols. The blonde stretched a bit in her spot, moving so that she could bite Nate's neck as revenge.

"Well, that's probably because once your pants are off, girls realize that there's nothing worth staying around for." She murmured with her lips pressed against his neck, her lips curled upwards at the corners as she pressed an apologetic kiss to the spot just above his collarbone that she had bitten a moment ago.

"She," obviously meaning that holy creature that was Elliot's sister, Mae "is second best to none, especially her baby sister." She leaned over Nate now, obviously determined to prove something as she stretched across his lap and she reached into her nightstand. The blond began sifting through things, and from somewhere amongst the pill bottles, love notes and spare change, she pulled a few photos. Handing them to Nate, she puling herself into a sitting position besides him.

"This, is my sister. Mae Justine Davis." With long, jet-black hair and mystic purple eyes*, Mae was the physical opposite of her sister Elliot, and supernaturally beautiful. There were subtle similarities between the two sisters, but while Elliot was a classic - as well as generic by comparison - beauty, Mae had an exotic, jaw-dropping sort of quality to her; and that was only in 2-D. In real life she had a set of mile-long legs and a skinny waist that curvy Elliot had always envied. More than anything, the blonde was always infuriated with her sisters natural charm and disarming ability with people, the way she could hide her devious ulterior motive and leave everyone talking. She was Elliot's false idol, her ultimate rival and simultaneous best friend.

"I got the brains in the genetic draw, more or less. She got everything else." Elliot's eyes lingered on the photo, her expression caught somewhere between an exceptionally bitter smile, and a frown.

[nate]

Nathan's a perfectly acceptable name. At least it matches the sex of the baby. My mother might be quite confused on some things, but that certainly hadn't evaded her.

It does look like names are a sore subject. One I shan't return to unless I feel like prodding. So give it about five minutes or so.

"Nothing to stay for," Nate snorted, "big talk for someone who's actually stayed."

He levered himself up to a more upright position as the photos crossed over. Intrigued, he studied the infamous sister closely.

If he hadn't known it, he wouldn't have guessed Mae to be related to Elliot. Yes, there were some similarities, but there were far more differences. The unearthly beauty captured in photographs certainly looked different than the classic, earthly siren who stretched beside him.

Now's where I tread a thin line. Mae's clearly attractive, and you'd be stupid or lieing to admit otherwise. But I actually know Elliot, and she is a friend, if nothing more. Ergo I'm obligated to at least try to make her feel better.

Besides, there are some places where Elliot beats Mae hands down.

"Certainly is sexy," agreed Nate. "Those eyes are certainly appealing. I must say though, Elliot, you're selling yourself a bit short here. I'd hardly call you the ugly sister. Besides."

This next he could say in all honesty: "There's something incredibly hot about a sharp wit. Else why would you bother with me?"

[Elliot is on the edge.]

"Pity is a fantastic motivator." Elliot retorted, her lips curling upwards slyly as he took the photos from her hand and their combined attention landed on Mae, as all attention seemed to at some point or other, at least in Elliot's eyes. She watched Nate carefully as his dark brown eyes scanned the photos in hand, attempting to read his reaction to the best of her ability.

"I know!" She answered as soon as Nate mentioned her sister's unique gaze. "Lucky bitch was born with purple eyes. How stellar is that?" Her expression had lifted a bit, causing her frown to melt into a crooked half-smile. "I have begun to suspect that we have different fathers. I mean, we don't look alike at all." She shifted, sitting next to Nate and taking a photograph out of his hand so that she could inspect it a bit closer. "Plus, I wouldn't put it past my mum." Her tone was dry, but she still managed to inflect a little buoyancy into her voice as well.

"Darling, - sunshine, I put up with you because I need something in my life to laugh at; I already told you this." A little more life flooded into her smile as she bypassed Nate's compliment and set her head back on his shoulder, dropping the photograph carelessly from her hand.
"And because you're surprisingly good company." Elliot sighed against him, sounding a bit over-dramatic as her floundering grin finally bloomed into a generous smile.

"I'm sleepy."
The morphine had taken complete control of the blonde's senses and her eyes had grown heavy and she quickly grew hesitant about speaking for fear that she would slur. There was a distant throbbing in her wrist as she snuggled closer to Nate, but she did her best to ignore it. Maybe she would get lucky and wake up to find that she had miraculously healed overnight.

[nate]

Well, if Mother Davis is anything like her daughter, there's certainly a chance of there being a handful of fathers. Would go a long way toward explaining those eyes, not to mention the obvious differences. I've got to agree with Elliot there: the sisters don't look alike. About the only thing they've got in common is that they both look drop dead sexy.

He didn't move as they cuddled, pretending as if the affectionate display didn't phase him. In truth, Nate Wakeman wasn't much of a cuddler. It wasn't in him to be affectionate, even to someone like Elliot. Still, she was wounded and he'd been a jackass.

Which buys her a few moments. At least til she falls asleep. Then I am so finding a healer and getting her fixed. Surprise, Elliot.

"If you're sleepy than sleep, Elliot," suggested/ordered Nate. He looked down at his friend and cuddle buddy, smirking. "Don't worry, I won't rape you."

Yes, he would make rape jokes.