#(i wanted this to be about the frogs rather than about nurseydex+chowder is how)

[embyrr922]

Ceramic Frogs

(I assure you that this has nothing at all to do with me taking an intro pottery class, nor does it have anything to do with seeing a plate on the finished pieces shelf that had the Sharks logo painted on it.)

Chowder is the one who suggests it; they’re picking out courses for spring semester their senior year when he says that they should all take an elective together. A senior slacker course, Frog-style.

None of them actually remember who suggested pottery, but it’s the one they all end up agreeing on.

The first class is kind of a mess:

Dex has to ask for help a couple of times because he can’t wedge his clay correctly.

Chowder has to be reminded that wedging your clay too much is bad. (Wedging is kind of like kneading, it’s a lot of fun and super stimmy.)

Nursey doesn’t throw his clay correctly, and when he starts up the wheel and tries to center it, it slides right off.

Chowder spends the entire first class unable to center his clay.  It’s fine, though, he’s having fun and he isn’t the only one who can’t get centered.

Dex asks so many questions. Like, a million questions.

“Yo, dude, is that how you are in all your classes? You sounded like Tango.”

“You have to know what each step is trying to accomplish and what it’s supposed to feel like when you’ve gotten it right. When you’re working with your hands, sometimes it’s easier for a particular person to do it slightly differently, but you can’t know if you’re doing it right if you don’t know what each step is supposed to do.”

“Yeah, okay, but you still asked a lot of questions.”

Nursey actually manages to pull walls up and make a cylinder, but when he goes to stop the wheel to take it off, he accidentally turns it up to full speed and ends up splattering clay everywhere.

 From that point on, classes are a little more straightforward, or at least less disaster-prone.

The first time Dex accidentally collapses a piece, Nursey and Chowder expect him to go off the way he does when his code isn’t working, but he’s remarkably calm. Chill, even. The clay can be reused, so he’s not wasting materials, and unlike buggy code, he’s actively learning the entire time that he’s making a mistake.

Once hockey season has ended, they spend a lot of the time when they would have had practice in the ceramics studio. It’s a really good way to de-stress and hang out.

One of the things they’re taught how to make is coffee mugs. Putting handles on correctly is definitely a skill.

Once they’ve gotten to the step of painting and glazing, Nursey suggests that they all make matching mugs.

After a bit of discussion, they decide on the SMH logo and a frog.

At the end of the class, as they’re all gearing up for graduation, they decide to swap mugs.

Dex gives his to Chowder, Chowder gives his to Nursey, and Nursey gives his to Dex.

It’s a solid, physical reminder that even though they’re graduating and starting jobs and moving to different cities, they’re still the Frogs, and they’re still a team.

[mylifeiskara]

NurseyDex Week Day 1- Get Together/Mutual Pining

So I am super busy this summer with an internship and tried to write all of my NurseyDex Week prompts ahead of time, but was only able to actually finish four of them. So here’s the first one that I could not think of a snappy title for, but at least it’s finished, so I hope you enjoy!

                                                           ...

Dex is confused. He doesn’t get it. He and Nursey had parted on such good terms at the end of freshman year that he figured a lot of their problems would be over. Hell, Nursey was the second person Dex came out to! They’d talked a bit over the summer, just exchanging pleasantries every now and again, and of course they talked in the Frog group chat.

So basically, there’s no reason for Nursey to be giving him the cold shoulder. He’s been acting weirdly ever since they got back to campus. He interacts with Dex when he has to, so mostly just when they’re on the ice. He’s started sitting next to Lardo at team meals. He responds to texts with quick replies, rather than the normal paragraphs he usually sends. And it’s getting harder and harder for Dex to pretend that it doesn’t sting. Which is honestly just incredibly annoying. Dex is afraid he’s starting to care too much. So naturally, he has to find a way to confront Nursey about all this. Then things will go back to normal.

As it’s nearing October, Dex finally works up the courage to say something. It’s like any normal Thursday night. Nursey and Dex are hanging out in Chowder’s room at the Haus working on homework. Well, more like Dex and Chowder are working on homework, while Nursey sits on Chowder’s bed and reads, since he somehow managed to not schedule any classes for himself on Fridays. It’s around nine when Nursey decides he’s going to turn in for the night. Since Dex lives in the dorm building next to Nursey’s, he figures now is as good a time as any to breach the subject, so he starts to pack up too.

“You don’t have to leave if you’re in the middle of working, Dex,” Nursey says. “I’m good to walk back by myself.”

“I’m pretty much done. At least enough is finished that I feel good about calling it quits,”  Dex responds.

“Okay.”

Nursey waits by the door for Dex to finish packing his bag. They say good night to Chowder and head downstairs and out of the Haus.

Their walk is relatively silent. Almost awkwardly so, but that might just be Dex projecting. Every time he wants to ask Nursey what’s up, he decides to wait another minute. Nursey shockingly only trips once the whole walk. It’s only until they’re entering North Quad, where their dorms are, that Dex realizes he still hasn’t said anything to Nursey.

“Okay, well I guess I’ll see you tomorrow,” Nursey says.

“Are we friends?” Dex blurts out.

Nursey stops walking and gives Dex a concerned look. “What?”

“I… uh, well. I just feel like you’ve been acting weird around me since we’ve been back at school.”

“What do you mean?”

“Come on, Nurse. Don’t play dumb. Besides like socially acceptable pleasantries and when we’re on the ice, you don’t speak to me. And your texts keep getting shorter and shorter. Did I do something? I mean, you can tell me if you don’t want to be friends anymore. I totally get it.”

“Dex, why would you think I don’t want to be friends anymore? You’re my best friend.”

“Then why are you acting so weird? Why won’t you talk to me?”

It’s mostly dark, but Dex can tell that Nursey is blushing.

“See, the thing is,” Nursey begins. “You’re my best friend. And it’s kind of weird and maybe a little scary when you sort of develop feelings for said friend?”

“What?” Dex isn’t sure he heard correctly.

“I like you, Dex. I’m sorry if it came off like I didn’t want to be friends anymore, I just didn’t want to make things weird.”

“You like me?”

“Yeah.”

“Oh.” Dex doesn’t really know what else to say. It gets quiet again.

“Yup, this is exactly what I was afraid of. You know what, just forget it. I’ll get over it. It’s fine. I’ll see you at practice,” Nursey says in a jumble of words before heading off to his dorm.

Dex is still speechless and rooted to his spot, even after Nursey has already gone inside. Nursey likes him? That can’t be right. He eventually finds the will to walk to his dorm, mostly because he’s starting to get cold.

He’s thankful that his roommate isn’t home right now. He’s usually in the library until about 11:30 on Thursday nights. Once Dex is inside, he throws his backpack to the ground and flops back onto his bed.

Nursey likes him. That sort of explains his weird behavior. It doesn’t really add up, though. Last year when Nursey briefly dated someone (was her name Carey?) it was very clear that he was into her. He’d get all smiley and blushy when he talked about her. And even before they were actually official, he hung out with her almost all the time. He didn’t avoid her at all.

It starts to dawn on Dex that maybe some of his reactions to Nursey’s behavior might have to do with his own feelings. Does he have feelings for Nursey? He hadn’t really thought about it before. He thought he had just wanted his friend back. He’s not really sure what compels him to get up and put his jacket on, but he does anyway. He unlocks his phone and dials as he heads out the door.

Nursey picks up on the third ring, same as always. “Hello?”

“Hey, man. I’m sorry about earlier,” Dex responds.

“You don’t need to apologize, Dex.”

“No, I feel like I should. I definitely should have said something other than just, oh.” He opens the front door to his building and power walks to catch up with a person who’s about to walk into Nursey’s building.

“It’s not the most comforting response, I’ll tell you that.”

“Nurse, you have to know…”

“Dex, it’s okay if you don’t like me. It’s not as though I’ve never experienced rejection.”

“Oh please, you’re gorgeous.” At that, Dex stops walking.

“Wait, what?”

“I… uh.”

“Dex?”

Dex takes a deep breath and hurries up the stairs to Nursey’s room before he loses all of the confidence he had started to build up on the walk there.

“Dex?” Nursey asks again, but by now Dex is standing in front of Nursey’s room, so he just knocks.

Nursey opens the door and ends the call when he sees who it is. “Hi?”

“I never said I didn’t like you, though.”

“But all you said was oh.”

“I just didn’t think you would ever like me, is all.”

“Dex, why wouldn’t I like you? You’re a total catch!”

Dex blushes. “I, uh. I was wondering if you were busy on Saturday night?”

Nursey grins. “Are you asking me out?”

“Yeah, unless I completely misinterpreted our conversation.”

“You didn’t. And I’m free on Saturday night.”

“Cool.”

“Chill.”

Dex laughs, which he figures has to be a testament to how much he likes Nursey, even if he didn’t realize it until this evening. Once he’s done laughing, he notices that Nursey has stepped in a little closer to him. It takes a second to register, but Dex steps in too, and the next thing he knows, he’s kissing Nursey.

It’s not a long kiss, partly because they’re technically standing in the hallway, and also because it’s very new. But it’s nice. Probably the best first kiss Dex has ever had.

“So, I’ll see you tomorrow?” Dex asks, after he pulls away.

“Yeah. See you tomorrow.” Nursey leans in for another quick kiss before closing his bedroom door.

Dex doesn’t move for a minute as he goes over what just happened in his head. He’s more than pleased with the results, and it shows as he can’t stop smiling all the way back to his room.