Hey guys, Chanté here! I realised it's been ages since I updated and I apologise for that. To make up for it, I've uploaded two chapters! Please forgive me! And keep your ideas coming!
Day fifty-three of the Nate and Sully friendship
"Hey, Nate?" Sully asked hesitantly, as the two walked out of a fast food restaurant. They had just eaten their weight in salted goodness and they seemed pretty content that they had. Nate brushed his shaggy brown hair back from his eyes and looked up at Sully.
"Yeah?" Nate replied, curious as to why Sully sounded so cautious. Sully looked worried for a second, no doubt weighing the question in his mind and thinking of possible outcomes. When Sully was lying in bed last night, attempting to get some shut eye, the question crossed his mind and he realised he couldn't answer it.
"When is your birthday?" Sully questioned, caution ringing out in every letter. Nate looked down for a second, hiding his facial expression from Sully. Sully had to stop himself from taking back the question, his curiosity getting the better of him.
"I, uh, I don't know." Nate said, not looking up at Sully, which caused the older man to be afraid he'd misheard him. Sully almost asked him to repeat it, but Nate suddenly broke into abrupt laughter that held no humour. "That's crazy, isn't it? I don't actually know the date of my birth. I don't know anything about myself. I can just remember stupid little things." Nate kicked a stray soda can in anger and frustration, while Sully took that all in.
"When your father... left you in that orphanage, he didn't leave anything about you?" Sully asked incredulously. Nate just shook his head. "Have you ever celebrated it?" Sully asked, confused because he was sure Nate had told him about how much he hated his birthdays in the orphanage. Nate sighed.
"Yeah. But I don't know when I was born, so we didn't celebrate my birth. We celebrated the day I arrived at that crap hole." Nate had a lot of pent up resentment towards his father, which didn't surprise Sully but instead made him feel like he understood him more. Sully's father had been a lousy excuse for one, but whilst the Nate and Sully walked through the town it made him think if he would have preferred not to have one. Whilst watching Nate's despair over his lost identity, Sully had a feeling that he should be happy with the way his life had gone.
"Well, what day was that? Do you want to change your birthday to a day you want?" Sully asked. Nate looked up at him in surprise, but seemed to ponder over the question.
" I arrived at the orphanage on the 6th of August." Nate said slowly, as if contemplating what he was saying. "I've never really liked that day. Bad memories." Nate half smiled, as if he was letting Sully in on some inside joke. "But I remember my birthday being close to Christmas because my mom..." He paused, swallowing as if to hold something back. "She took down the Christmas decorations and my father didn't like that." Nate said it as if he was holding back information, but Sully understood.
"Jesus, kid." Sully whispered. Nate was quiet for a few moments.
"So, what day should I have?" Nate asked Sully abruptly. Sully almost replied to Nate that it wasn't something Sully should pick, but then stopped himself. For Nate to have given the ability to Sully to choose any day of the year and say that that was Nate's new birthday, it meant Nate had to like him, even trust him, a great deal. Sully stopped walking, which caused Nate to instantly stop too, and he watched the kid for a second. Nate raised his eyebrows at Sully, causing him to see Nate's bluish-grey eyes much better than usual. Sully racked his brains for a date to give to the kid, thinking of how Nate remembered that it was after Christmas so well.
"What do you say to the 24th of January?" Sully asked, watching Nate contemplate it. He laughed when Nate's eyes lit up in agreement. Nate nodded.
"Yeah... I like it! The 24th of January will be my new birthday." Nate seemed unable to wipe his happy grin off his face, causing Sully to laugh again. Nate looked up affectionately at Sully, which made Sully smile back.
"I'm not surprised you like it, kid, I happen to be an expert at picking great birthdays." Sully replied, causing Nate to push at his arm.
"Yeah, yeah, I bet that's what you say to all those barmaids in Peru." Nate's innuendo comeback was ready as soon as Sully had finished his sentence. Sully laid a hand on Nate's hair, moving his hand around quickly so Nate's hair seemed to go into some sort of frenzy. Nate shoved Sully away, his laughter ringing out around them. Nate swatted Sully's hand away with his casted arm, the other pushing Sully back so he'd have to reach further for Nate's hair.
"You should get your hair cut, kid. You'd look good. Dames would flock to you." Nate laughed again, which Sully smiled at.
"Goddamn it, kid, you're such a good looking child." Nate said, a spot on imitation of Sully, causing Sully to almost double over in laughter. "I'm sure you're a real expert in what all the ladies want, old man." Sully nodded, as if pondering over the words.
"Never had any complaints, kid."