So, angellwings finished her epic Natella story, "Go Figure" like, half an hour ago. She's been working on the thing FOREVER. I figure, why not post this conclusion to her birthday story as a reward for her. She deserves it after all. :D
I've been having all sorts of computer issues lately and I'm trying to get things back to normal. So, while I have lots of fic written, it might not get posted too terribly quickly. I apologize for that. In the mean time, read this. Then go read "Go Figure" if you haven't already. Because you should!
"Hey, Caitlyn?" Nate asked, looking up from his guitar.
"Yes, Nater-Tot?" she asked, setting down the tongs she was using to turn the chicken legs she was cooking.
"When you and Jason started dating, it was long-distance, right?"
Caitlyn nodded and checked the temperature of the chicken. Still not done. "Essentially. I mean, I let him know I was into him before we left camp, so we were able to get comfortable with each other in a romantic sense, even if it was only for about a week. It was sort of awkward to go from long-distance to being together constantly; we sort of reverted back to a platonic relationship because we had just gotten so used to the lack of physical contact."
"Didn't take you two that long to fix that," Nate grumbled.
"Jason's very good at initiating physical contact. I'm good at continuing it."
He rolled his eyes. "Can we bring this back to me, though?" he asked. "Ella's arriving in a couple of hours and I don't know what to do."
Caitlyn shook her head and turned the chicken again, adding a little more oil and salt to the pan. "Just…be yourself. Don't force anything. Give her a hug when you see her, but don't go beyond that until you're alone. Because you do not need to have tabloids pick that up when you're not even an official couple."
"We are an official couple."
She rolled her eyes. "No, you're not. You've never kissed her. You've never been on an actual date with her. You and her spend hours on webcam, chatting about everything and eating food and—"
"Okay, okay. I get it."
Caitlyn smiled and placed a drumstick on a plate with some rehated rice and broccoli. "You'll do fine. Trust me. If you want, I'll even text Ella throughout the night and text you afterwards. Like your go-between." She took a big bite of chicken. "You want shome uf thish?" she asked, waving the leg at him.
He shook his head. "Nah. You don't need to go that far. It feels too secret agent-y. Also, no. No chicken. I saw how much garlic you put in there."
Caitlyn laughed. "Garlic's an aphrodisiac."
"I swear I will tell Jason that your collection of edible body things is now hidden under the loose floorboard in the hallway closet if you don't shut up."
"Do you just like, go looking for my private, personal items? This isn't your house, need I remind you. Also, I was just stating a fact. Garlic's an aphrodisiac. Get over it."
"I am moving out. Tonight. To a hotel room," he growled.
"With El-la?"
"I'm choosing not to answer that." He got up from the kitchen table, gathering his sheet music and putting it in a folder.
"Do you want to borrow anything of mine for tonight? I know you know where it all is."
"Caitlyn…" Nate said.
She leaned forward on one arm and grinned. "Yes?"
"Go…find Jason and…put that garlic to use. I'm going to go buy flowers."
"I don't need your permission to do things to your brother."
"Caitlyn, shut up. Please."
"Nope. I refuse."
"For the love of god, I just want to be able to think."
"I'll tell Jason you told me to shut up again. You know he doesn't like it when you do that."
"Stop trying to blackmail me! He's my brother."
Caitlyn smirked and shook the remains of the chicken leg at him. "But I'm sleeping with him. And things that happen between the sheets are far more sacred than the bonds between the brothers."
"Gross. I think I just threw up a little, actually. Now I need to go brush my teeth again."
"Yeah, you can't greet your virtual girlfriend with vomit-breath!" she yelled after him as he went to his bathroom.
Nate inhaled and exhaled slowly as he caught sight of Ella coming down the escalator to baggage claim. She was so cute. Had she always been this cute? She was the only girl he knew that could make a Barbie shirt look grown-up and elegant.
"Hey there," she said with a soft smile as she stopped in front of him.
"Hi. Hey. Hello. Um...Caitlyn told me not to kiss you in public. I mean, not yet. Just because we've only been on virtual dates. Literally."
Ella giggled and reached for his hand, giving it a squeeze. "Did Caitlyn give you any other suggestions?"
"She tried," Nate said shortly.
Ella, still holding onto his hand, made her way over to the baggage carousel and studied his expression. "I take it you thought they were inappropriate suggestions?" she asked.
"It's Caitlyn," Nate said.
"You probably provoked her, though," she said, picking up a pink rolling bag.
"Not...really..." he said, holding out his hand for her messenger bag.
"Nathaniel," Ella said.
"I made an observation about her and Jason's mating-I mean dating habits and then she was all "Jason and sex and edible body paints". It was totally unwarranted." He led her out the door to the parking garage and to his car.
"Well, to be fair, mating and dating are pretty much synonymous with those two," Ella said as she pushed the handle of her bag down and handed it to Nate to put in the trunk. "But your comment was probably rude as well."
Nate opened his mouth to respond but closed it when he didn't have a comeback. "Fine. Do you want to go to their house or eat first?"
"House, please," Ella said with a sigh. "This outfit reeks." She got in the car and grinned. "You don't mind, do you?"
"Caitlyn should have gone to the dog groomer by now, so we'll be spared any...advice she may dispense otherwise."
Ella giggled. "She's totally your best friend, isn't she?"
"Don't tell her that. She'll get a big head."
"She is? I was just joking!" Ella exclaimed with wide eyes.
Nate winced. "Shit."
Ella started laughing uncontrollably. "I swear, I won't. It's just so funny, though."
Nate rolled his eyes. "Yeah, it's hilarious." He pulled up to the kiosk and handed the teller the five dollar parking fee.
Ella grabbed his hand and smiled at him reassuringly. "I won't tell her, Nate. Pinky swear."
"Between you and Jason, I don't even know..." he muttered.
Ella rolled her eyes and quickly leaned forward, pressing a short kiss to his lips before pulling back and smiling at him.
He grinned and leaned towards her, but a short honk from the car behind him startled the pair and he growled softly as he exited the parking garage.
"I hope Caitlyn's at the groomer for a long time," he said, glancing over at Ella. "I don't want any more interruptions."
"I can text her and tell her to not come home for a while."
"Good. Do that," he said with a smirk.