Sully's apartment wasn't exactly the best place that a 15-year-old could hang out, but it was good enough. Especially if said 15-year-old didn't want to go back home.
As Nate walked up to the front door of the dingy little apartment Sullivan was staying in, for the time being, he couldn't help but feel a little ashamed. He didn't want to look like an impotent child, for christ's sakes. So, he hesitated when he raised his knuckles to the door. He knew Sully wouldn't make such a comment that could upset Nate again, but just the thought of being ridiculed by someone he cares about again was enough to make the kid hesitate.
But only for a moment.
A few moments after Nate had rapped his knuckles against the front door, Sully opened the door.
"Hey kid, how's it going?" Sully greeted his protégé with a pleasant look on his face, which almost instantly turned into concern after seeing Nate's blotchy, tired-looking face. "What happened? Are you okay?"
Nate only shrugged, finding the floor incredibly fascinating.
"Well come in. Please."
It was only moments later that they were seated at Sully's kitchen table, completely silent. Nate was staring at nothing in particular with an extremely tired and almost pained expression with tears still threatening to fall. Sully had no idea what to say; there was nothing to say. Nothing that wasn't a little insensitive, anyways. And Sully had no intent to upset the kid further; the kid didn't look like he could take any more shit at the moment.
"Look, kid," Sully spoke up finally after a few minutes of uncomfortable silence. "I know you're upset at Sam, and I know he's upset with you, but he's probably wondering where you are."
Nate just shook his head. Sully sighed heavily, starting to get a little scared at how the kid was acting; Nate was never this quiet.
"Nate, we both know he's worried sick looking for you–"
"He ran off." Nate spat, sounding more hurt than actually angry. "He's gone off doing god knows what, so no, he doesn't give a fuck about where I am right now."
Sully sighed again, "He'll come back." he replied not surprised nor speechless at hearing of the elder Drake's penchant for running away from his problems. "He always does."
Nate shook his head at this again, tears now rolling down his face. "But what if he doesn't? What if this was it? What if I just pushed him to his limit?" his voice was just above a whisper, his effort to keep his voice under control very obvious.
"Kid–"
"No," Nate interjected tiredly. "He's all I've got left. I can't do this again." At this point, Victor feels as if his heart has been snapped in half. He knows Sam would never run out on Nathan like that, and so does Nathan, but dealing with abandonment issues is no joke. Nate would always, deep down, have the irrational fear of getting abandoned again.
Victor couldn't help but feel a little bit guilty about this whole situation. Since he had come around, he noticed that all the brothers seemed to argue about was him, and the fact that Nathan was so scared right now was really getting to him.
"Nate, listen." Sully kneeled in front of the younger Drake, now on his eye level, and started speaking again, with a much more gentle tone. "Your brother cares for you so much. He puts so much on the line for you. He would never leave you in the dust, okay?" He cupped one of Nate's cheeks with his hand.
Nate sniffled, again, subconsciously leaning into his mentor's hand a bit.
"You should go, kid. Maybe see if he's come home, hm?"
The two stood and made their way to the door. Nate pulled Sully into a tight hug.
"Thanks, Sully."
"Anytime, kiddo."
Thus, Nate left and began to make his way back to the shitty apartment he and Sam had, his thoughts plaguing him once again, Sam's words finding themselves in the poor kid's head for the millionth time that day.
To be honest, Sam's words cut deep; they always did. Not that Nate and his brother fought extremely often, but Sam did always find a way to make the younger of the two think, even if that way was unintentionally worrying his brother sick with the fear of being a burden.
It'd definitely go on the list of things to discuss.
