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It’s hard to pinpoint the exact moment when it started. Probably around their week number one of knowing each other, somewhere between their first meeting in the bar and trying not to die on Magellan’s ship. Even back then when trust wasn’t on the table, and each of them was waiting for the stab in the back from another, even back then this pattern could have been seen.
Whenever Nate throws something, Sully catches it.
He always does.
It definitely took them some time to notice this. And if Nate really tries to, he most likely will name that first time he threw something to Sully. He did that in the bar, all those months ago, when the man came to his workplace with the goal to see the guy, which he was planning to trick into treasure hunt with him. After Sully paid for his “Papa Doble” and left a very generous tip for one small sip of a cocktail he took, he also left a tie clip right under the fifty-dollar bill.
Intentionally, of course.
Nate was confused at first, he still is if come to think about it, because, why the heck did Sully have a freaking tie clip with him if he has been wearing a bow-tie that day?
When the younger man saw this object on the bar counter, he called for Sully and since the man already had been at the exit of the bar Nate threw the tie clip to him.
And Sully caught it.
It just went from this moment, really. Nate throwing Sully all possible things the man needed or not became a habit none of them were aware of. It could have been something simple, like Nate passing the kitchen island at Sully’s place and grabbing an apple for the man because he knew Sully didn’t eat anything for more than a few hours working on some new clue they got. And then when he would reach the room he would stop somewhere at the doorframe and with a quick ‘Sully, catch!’ would throw an apple to the man.
And the man never failed to catch it just in time before it would cause any damage.
Not like Nate would ever intentionally hurt the man. Nah, he cares for him way too much to do so, even if he was afraid to admit this even to himself.
Slowly, it became their thing.
During their heists Nate would pass Sully needed equipment, throwing it with precise accuracy right to the man’s hands. During the time while they are cooking Nate would throw a tomato which Sully so desperately needed for the sauce the man decided to try to make himself and then Nate would throw him a towel so Sully could start working on the fire he set with his attempt.
Victor Sullivan will always capture things Nate throws him.
Even if sometimes it is Nate who he needs to catch.
The younger Drake was willing to take a bag with his favourite toffee candy from the top shelf using a wobbly chair to finally reach his prize when Sully entered the kitchen. Seeing Nate’s failed attempts to reach for the treats, Sully couldn’t help but tease him a bit.
“What are you doing, kid?” the man asked with a clearly detected fake innocence in his voice, leaning on the kitchen counter not even a foot away from the younger man.
“You know exactly what I’m doing, asshole,” Nate hissed, tiptoeing to get at least one inch taller. “You are the one who put my favourite toffee candy on the top shelf!” he continued, stretching his hand as far as he could, yet still failing to take the desired bag.
Snorting, Sully shook his head, following with his eyes the younger man’s actions. His gaze every once in a while, was falling to look at Nate’s ass in those ridiculously tight pants.
“I have no idea what you are talking about,” the man denied his ‘crime’, enjoying the view way too much.
“Sure, you don’t,” Nate muttered to himself before resuming his attempts to reach his candy.
It lasted for another few minutes before Sully decided to end the younger man’s suffering and offer his help. Not without some more teasing first, of course.
“You should have asked me for help, I know it sucks to be short, but-” he didn’t manage to finish his sentence as Nate interrupted him.
“You are literally one inch taller!” the younger man argued and shuffle a little to find a better position.
Sully couldn’t stop a smile from appearing on his face, as he repeated the same answer he did back then on the Magellan’s ship.
“There is a little more than that, kid,” he chuckled and bit at his lower lip so as not to laugh when Nate stomped his foot at the comment.
The younger man clearly with a witty response on the tip of his tongue leaned back from the shelf and looked at Sully.
“I can do it myself, and for the record, oh-woah!” before he could finish, he lost the balance on this wonky chair.
Acting pure on reflexes, Sully moved just in time to catch the younger man. The man’s left hand was supporting Nate’s back, when the right one was hooked right underneath the younger man’s knees, holding Nate bridal style before he could really process what was happening.
Nate’s hands were on Sully’s shoulders as he hid his face in the croak of the man’s neck, clearly expecting a painful fall.
Yeah, like hell, Sully would let that happen.
“You were saying?” the man asked, arching an eyebrow up, trying to ignore how much his heart was racing with fear for the younger man.
“I, umm,” Nate mumbled, tilting his head, coming way too close to Sully’s face. “Thanks for catching me,” he muttered, his cheeks turning a nice shade of pink.
Not breaking eye contact, the man responded sincerely.
“I will always catch you, kid.”
Their relationships had a drastic change since that day.
After having Sully so close to him, feeling his breath on his face, looking into those stunning hazel eyes, and losing himself in them, Nate understood one simple truth.
He was falling for Victor Sullivan.
At first, he was afraid, not willing to ruin their friendship and scare the man away. Sully was magnificent, perfect with all his imperfections, and Nate knew he was falling for him more and more with each passing day. The younger man also knew that there was nothing he could offer to the man. Sully didn’t really need him, but damn if Sully let him fall into the deep of doubt.
The man was right here, ready to catch Nate on his way down.
Dating Sully was an incomparable marvel. The younger man never felt more loved and cared for in his twenty-five years of living. Late night dates at Sully’s place, which quickly became Nate’s place as well, breakfast in bed, long walks through the city filled with light chatting, movie nights with Mr. Whiskers close by their sides, looks filled with love, this and so much more to add…
Nate truly was happy with Sully. He felt happy.
And he wanted to feel this way forever.
So, the younger man got a plan.
A new clue that led them once again to Barcelona had perfect timing. After a long day in the hotel trying to figure out what to do next, the both of them were in deep need of a break so they decided to take look around the place they were staying in.
Little did Sully know that Nate chose this hotel for a reason, because it was close to the place, he was willing to lead the man after they had their dinner.
While holding hands and talking about nothing particular Nate walked them right to the fountain, which was hidden between the narrow streets of Barcelona. Right in front of the ‘Papa John’s’ pizzeria. It wasn’t the most outstanding thing to look at in Spain, but Nate didn’t need that, no, this right here was just perfect.
“Woah, kid, remember this place?” the man asked, coming closer to the edge of the fountain. It once again was filled with water and now was working perfectly fine like its water never was used to drown the younger man and Chloe underground.
“Yeah,” Nate breathed out and moved to stand a few feet away from the man. “‘Trust in your fellow man, for one will go to heaven and the other to hell’,” he quoted the line from the captain’s journal and that made Sully look at him incredulously. Offering the man a small smile, the younger man continued. “You know, it was when I truly trusted you with my life,” he said, reaching with his hand into the pocket of his jeans. Sully knitted his eyebrows in confusion at the younger man’s words but before he could ask, Nate threw something to him. “Hey, Sully, catch!”
Acting on instinct, the man captured the object, confused to the bone as to what that was. Slowly lowering his eyes, Sully choked on air as he understood what he was holding.
A small light blue velvet box.
The man didn’t know how much time had passed since he caught the box, but clearly, it was enough for Nate to come closer to him. The words stuck in his throat, as Nate with an anxious smile got down on one knee in front of him.
“Kid,” Sully rasped, not believing in what was happening.
Some people around the place and outside the ‘Papa John’s’ pizzeria gasped, someone was filming this, but neither Sully nor Nate cared about it.
“Victor Sullivan,” the younger man began officially, making a cold shiver of excitement run down the man’s spine. “Back then, at this place you made me trust you that you will save my life, and I did, you later proved yourself again and again, keep saving me and helping me not to get hurt,” as he was talking, Sully felt as his heart began beating with double speed and his eyes became watery. He just couldn’t wrap his mind around that this was really happening here. “You keep catching me whenever I fall, whenever I need you, you are always there, and I hope that you know that I’m here for you either. Sully, I trust you with my life, I trust you with my heart, with you I found my true passion, with you I found happiness, I love you with my whole heart and I know that whatever happens, you will always catch me,” after those words, Nate reached and opened the velvet box in the man’s hands. Sully gasped when he saw a shiny diamond ring inside incrusted with a dozen of smaller stones around the big one in the centre. “Sully, will you marry me?” Nate asked his voice shaking with nerves as he looked the man in the eyes.
After hearing those words, Sully felt as if the ground disappeared under his feet, and he flew. Nodding his head, not trusting his voice, the man lowered himself to his knees to be on the same level as Nate.
“Yes, kid, yes, of course,” he whispered and saw as Nate breathed in relief.
The moment the ring was on the man’s finger, Sully cupped Nate’s face and captured his lips in one passioned kiss, pouring all his love and admiration into it.
The crowd around them busted into applause but none of them noticed this, too busy sharing this moment just with each other.
When they parted and tried to get up, Nate still standing on one knee, lost his balance a bit and nearly fall if it wasn’t for Sully who at the last moment grabbed the younger man by his waist and pulled him closer to him, involving him into a crushing hug.
Because Victor Sullivan will always catch Nathan Drake.