Contact

By angellwings

"Ella?"

She blinked and shook herself and looked up from the knot on the hardwood floor that she'd been staring at for who knows how long. She rubbed her eyes as she faced the source of the voice.

"You okay, Ells?"

She smiled half heartedly at Nate. "Fine. Just thinking."

"About?" Nate asked as he continued to tune his guitar.

"How weird it is without Jason around," Ella admitted.

Nate chuckled. "He's not gone for good, Ella. He'll be back next week."

She rolled her eyes. "I know that."

His brow furrowed in concern. "Then what is it?"

"Well, he's been gone a week and since he left no one has hugged me. Not a single person. I don't really like that fact very much," Ella told him with a sad sigh. "I'm a touchy feely person, you know? I thrive off of that stuff. The lack of hugs is depressing me a bit, that's all."

"Is it the actual hugs or the person who's giving the hugs? Cause if this is about Jason then, well, Ella I don't know how to tell you this but he's—"

"Totally in love with Caitlyn, I know," Ella said as she rolled her eyes again and interrupted him. "This isn't about Jason. This is about the actual contact. He's the only other person besides me that really likes hugs. I mean, Caitlyn doesn't really do hugs, Mitchie only does hugs when she's feeling extremely happy or extremely sad, Shane does these pathetic half hug things, and you don't really do touching at all. Not unless you're punching Shane or something."

He frowned and set his guitar aside. "I—I don't?"

Ella gave him a confused look. "Did you not notice that?"

"I just…don't really think about it. When I want someone to know I like them, whether that's friendly or something more, I usually do something for them. Something thoughtful. I don't often see touches or contact as an expression of that," He said with a contemplative shrug. "I just don't really pay attention to it. So, no, I've never noticed."

Ella nodded. "Everybody's different, I guess. I just fall into this weird sad funk when I'm deprived of any contact for a while. No big deal. I'll get over it next week when Jase gets back probably."

Before Nate could say anything else Ella stood up with her sketch book and pencils. She waved goodbye to him and walked away. Their conversation haunted him for the rest of the day. He didn't like the idea of Ella being anything less than the bright and shining person she was for however short a time period. He liked that she was cheerful, happy, and encouraging. To see her so…subdued just felt wrong. He needed to find a way to cheer her up. There had to be something he could do to help.

He ran into Mitchie and Shane on his way to the Mess Hall for dinner and pulled them aside.

"Have you guys noticed that Ella's been a bit…different, lately?" Nate asked.

"She's been kind of quiet," Shane said with a nod.

Mitchie nodded. "And she's been staying in the cabin a lot more. Why? Is everything okay?"

Nate shook his head. "I'm not really sure. I mean, I don't think it's a crisis or anything, but we certainly had an interesting conversation earlier."

"Dude," Shane said with a grin. "Did you finally tell her that you—"

"Shut up, Shane," Nate sneered as he gave Mitchie a panicked glance. "Dear God, shut up."

"What?" Mitchie asked. "What's the big secret?"

"Nate's got a big honkin' crush on—"

"So help me, I will punch you. I will punch you in the throat," Nate said in a calm tone that contradicted his glare.

Shane's eyes widened and a protective hand covered his throat. "Geez, fine. No need to get violent, bro."

"Nate," Mitchie said with a big grin. "You don't, by any chance, have a crush on Ella, do you?"

"Dammit, Shane," Nate cursed. "You just had to open your big mouth."

"Hey! She guessed!"

"Yeah, because you all but screamed it at her."

"I'll take that as a yes," Mitchie said with a chuckle.

"I—I couldn't help it," Nate said with a sigh. "She's just so…bright and…cute. I'm a sap, aren't I? I'm a sad, hopeless sap."

Mitchie rolled her eyes. "Nate, having a crush on someone doesn't make you a sap. You make your money writing love songs for crying out loud. That's what makes you a sap."

Shane snorted. "See, that's why you're my girlfriend."

"And who says being a sap is a bad thing? And why do you care?" Mitchie asked with a sympathetically smile. She sighed. "I'm gonna have this speech perfected by the time summer ends. First, Cailtyn. Now, you. Geez, you cynical people just think you're too jaded to be with someone optimistic, don't you? Honestly, Nate, Ella's a great girl. You shouldn't feel like having feelings for her makes you weak. It's a good thing. Like who you wanna like and forget about everybody else. Seriously. Now, you better have listened to that because I am not making that speech for a third time."

Mitchie waved goodbye and dragged Shane away before Nate could say anything else. Mitchie was right. He knew she was right, but her advice didn't tell him what to do to make Ella feel better now. Nate sighed and tried to think. He was a highly intelligent guy. He should be able to think of something. Okay, he thought. First name the problem.

Ella's a touchy feely person and the only other touchy feely person in the group isn't here right now. Not being touched in any small way or hugged is hurting her.

Touch.

The source of the problem is touch. So the solution would be to find some way to physically express affection. Simple. Well, simple in concept, not in execution. Not for him anyway.

How could he give her a hug without it coming off as awkward or forced? He could just simply hug her, but he'd never done that before. It would feel out of place. He needed to be sneakier about it. He sighed. He was planning a hug. Wow, he thought. I'm sad. He should just go in the Mess Hall and look for an opening during dinner. There would have to be one at some point. He took a deep breath, squared his shoulders, and entered the Mess Hall. He made his way to the table where Ella, Peggy, Barron and Sander were all sitting and sat down next to Ella on one of the benches. She looked up from her food and smiled weakly at him.

"Hi, Nate," She said quietly.

He very lightly and awkwardly punched her shoulder. "Hey there, Ella."

Ella's brow furrowed and she looked confused. Nate tried very hard to ignore the chuckles coming from Barron and Sander. Ella gave Peggy a questioning glance, but Peggy grinned in amusement and shrugged.

"Are you okay?" Ella asked him worriedly.

"I'm, uh, fine. Totally fine," Nate said as he blushed furiously.

"You're awfully red," Ella said as she vaguely motioned to his face. "Are you sure?"

The way she airily wiggled her fingers at him made him smile a bit. He smirked and pulled one of her hands out of the air and held it in his just for a second. "I'm sure. Thank you for worrying."

His eyes connected with hers and this time she blushed. "No problem."

"So," He asked as he cleared his throat nervously. "What are you doing after dinner?"

She blinked at him in surprise for a moment. "I-um-nothing. I'm not doing anything. Why?"

He hadn't really thought of a reason. He bit his bottom lip before he spoke. "Um, I thought maybe…we could…finish that conversation we started earlier? You walked away in a hurry."

"Oh," Ella said with a gulp. "Um, if you want. I guess we could."

"Great," Nate said happily. He stood up and went to get a plate of food and when he came back the rest of dinner passed in silence. He was trying to think of what he was going to say to Ella after dinner and she was too busy being confused and nervous to talk to him. Slowly but surely, the rest of the group left, and only Nate and Ella were left at the table with their empty plates. Nate cleared his throat anxiously. "Are you finished?"

Ella nodded. "Yes." She slowly stood with her plate before reaching over and stacking his plate on top of hers.

"Oh, Ells, you don't have to—"

"No," She said with a soft smile. "I want to. It's no problem. It's not like I'm washing it myself or anything."

He watched as she took his plate to a window from the kitchen into the dining hall where a few members of the kitchen staff were waiting and handed them the two plates. He met her halfway to the door and then held it open for her.

She blushed lightly and smiled. "Thank you."

They walked out toward the lakeshore and the pier in silence before Nate finally spoke up. "I've been thinking about what you said earlier…"

Ella nodded and smiled warmly. "You have?"

"Yes," He said with a nod. "And I don't think you should have to depend on Jason for physical displays of any sort of affection. I mean, if we care about you, which we all do, we should be able to hug you or at least squeeze your shoulder or something when you need it. Don't you think?"

Ella smiled brightly. "Well, I mean, I don't expect it, but I think…that would be nice, yes." She paused and then chuckled. "Is that what that punch thing was about during dinner?"

He blushed. "It was awkward, I know. I just…I'm not very good at that."

Ella giggled at him and nodded. "I understand, but it's like anything else, Nate. Practice makes perfect. If it helps, your second attempt at contact was far less awkward."

He smiled softly at her. "The hand holding felt a little more natural than the fist-shoulder bump thing."

Even in the twilight that surrounded them he could see her cheeks redden. Her smile widened and she bit her bottom lip before she spoke. "So, all of that stuff at dinner…you were trying to make me feel better?"

"I didn't like seeing you…subdued," Nate said slowly. "You're usually so energetic and cheerful and to see you so sad when there's a clear solution just bothered me."

She turned and gave him a contemplative look. "So, then, you were doing what we talked about earlier."

His brow furrowed. "What?"

"Earlier, you said that when you want to express that you care about someone you do something thoughtful for them," Ella repeated. "All of this that's going on right now is you doing something thoughtful for me. Isn't it?"

"Yeah, I guess so."

"Oh!" Ella said excitedly. "Why don't we do a trade off? Since you're trying to practice this whole contact thing…maybe I should practice doing more 'thoughtful' things for you. What do you think?"

He nodded and smiled warmly. "I like it."

"That way it's an even trade and no one gets jipped," Ella said with a decisive nod. She jumped in surprise when Nate's hand suddenly wrapped around hers. She froze and then smiled slowly as she shifted her hand and laced her fingers through his.

Nate glanced down at their intertwined hands and gulped nervously. He was glad he'd found the initiative to just do it before he lost his nerve. He'd really liked holding Ella's hand earlier, even if it was just for a second. A nervous and electrified silence suddenly overcame them as they walked hand in hand toward the lake. His left hand was holding her right and as they walked he could feel the calluses on her hands and fingers against his skin.

He smiled. "You have calluses."

An insecure look quickly flashed across her face and he held her hand tighter so she wouldn't pull away.

"It's a good thing, Ells."

"It is?" She asked.

"I have calluses too, you know," He said with a small smile. "I mean our calluses are from two different things. Mine are from playing the guitar and yours are from sketching and sewing and stitching, but I like that we both have them. I really do."

She blushed and smiled softly before a sudden nervous look took over her face and she hesitantly spoke up. "Nate, you do know that hand holding isn't normally something friends do right? I mean, at least, not like this."

He leaned down toward her ear and nodded before he whispered. "I know."

Her smile was back and brighter than ever as she suddenly turned and threw her arms around his neck. She pulled back and beamed at him. "That means what I think it means, right?"

He chuckled lightly and wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her closer. "Yes, that means exactly what you think it means. That means that I really really like you and that I want to be able to hold your hand and…hold you so I want to work on that with you. If you're up for it, that is."

"You're doing a pretty good job of it right now," Ella said excitedly. She paused and smirked at him. "Only…"

"Only what?" Nate asked curiously.

"Only you're forgetting something," Ella said mysteriously.

"What's that?"

"This," Ella said as she quickly pulled his mouth down to hers and kissed him deeply. His arms instinctively tightened around her in an attempt to pull her even closer and her hands found their way into the hair at the nape of his neck. She pulled away and flashed him a cheeky smile. "Much better."

Nate gulped and cleared his throat. He gave himself a minute to recover before he spoke up. He grinned brightly at Ella. "I think I'm going to like this arrangement. A lot."

Ella laughed and winked at him. "Good." She tugged on his arm and pulled him toward the pier. "Now come on, I want to sit on the pier and put my feet in the water."

He smiled at the back of Ella's head as she led the way. Oh yes, he was definitely going to enjoy this.