#uncharted angst

[gashofleastresistance]

🎵 Time may change the shoreline

But time will not change me 🎵

THE LITTLE MERMAID (2023) dir. Rob Marshall

[t-lostinworlds]

Treasure Be Damned | Nathan Drake

》 PAIRING: movie!nathan drake x female!reader

》 TROPE/GENRE: childhood best friends to lovers; angst; fluff

》 SUMMARY: Nathan wished it didn't take something drastic to happen for him to finally realize what he felt for you. And no matter how much that gold was worth, you will always be his greatest treasure.

》 WARNINGS: both are orphans (mentioned), tech genius!reader, protective!nathan, switch pov halfway thru, kinda canon divergent (a.k.a. i made slight changes to some scenes from the movie), pining, jealousy jealousy, idiots in love, some angst, kidnapping, canon level violence, injuries, love confessions and a cute fluffy ending.

》 WORD COUNT: 5.4k+

A/N: hello! me again with another fic. this may seem super random but this was commissioned by the lovely @theslayerofthevampires ! thank u so so much hun <3 my first ever commission btw. trying to stick to a certain word count was actually quite interesting to me alskalsk but this was fun to write and i hope i did it justice!

+ also i couldn't think of a better title and the summary is kinda cheesy but we love cheese in this house so alksalkslaks

📍 BLOG NAVIGATION ✩ MAIN MASTERLIST

⊱ ─────.⋅♚ *｡･ﾟ.★. *｡･ﾟ✫*.

You and Nathan had been best friends for as long as you could remember.

When he punched a guy twice his size all because they made you cry on your first day at the orphanage, he quickly gained your trust and loyalty. It was reciprocated when you dumped all your lunch on a kid when they poked fun about why his brother left him.

You two had been inseparable ever since.

Nathan was protective of you, and you were protective of him.

As years passed, that protectiveness only grew tenfold. With it came the care and affection that went from strictly platonic to something warmer, sweeter.

For you, at least.

You couldn't pinpoint when it started, all you knew was that everything Nathan did for you suddenly felt special—like it was solely for you.

The change wasn't outright. It was a slow realization, when the little things he did made your heart grow warmer and beat faster all the same.

At first, you thought it was a simple crush—a silly phase, that with time, it would fade.

But no.

As months moved to years, it went from something that lingered to something you couldn't escape from.

The moment you truly figured that what you felt about him wasn't as simple as an adoration for your best friend was on your eighteenth birthday.

Nathan had spent all the money he saved from working odd—and honest, he made sure to make that known—jobs on a silver necklace.

Maybe you watched way too many romcoms, maybe it was all in your rose-tinted head, but there was an underlying romance in the way he stood behind you, so close and warm, as he put the necklace on for you.

With bated breath, you let him, trying your best not to melt over his simple touch. His fingertips brushed against your skin so delicately but felt electric in all the right ways.

You only regained your breathing when he finally stepped back. Yet he took it away a moment later when he gently tapped the charm—shaped like a compass—sitting between your collarbone, a fond smile on his lips when he said,

"So you'll always find your way back to me."

How could you not fall in love?

What a cliché.

Falling in love with your childhood best friend.

It would've been cute if it was reciprocated.

But whatever he saw you as was strictly platonic.

You were constantly reminded of how unrequited your love was with the hook-ups he brought back to the apartment.

You had agreed to be his roommate to help lessen the expenses. Even though you had only recently moved in together, you were starting to doubt if it was a good idea—for your heart's sake, anyway.

It didn't even stop there.

Because here you were once again, sporting an ache in your chest as you watched him flirt with a blonde girl at the bar.

As much as you enjoyed visiting him at work, seeing him flirt with the pretty customers regularly will always leave a bad taste in your mouth.

Jealousy.

A feeling you shouldn't be entertaining in the first place. You were just a best friend. You had no right to go all green-eyed whenever you saw him with another girl.

Nathan Drake wasn't yours.

You didn't even realize that you were too deep into your thoughts until a familiar voice brought you out of it.

"You okay?"

You blinked, looking up to see Nathan regarding you with brows furrowed in concern.

"Huh?"

"You've been glaring at that thing for a good minute now," he explained, nodding at the personalized cocktail he made for you.

He always did that whenever you stopped by, experimenting with new mixes he thought you'd enjoy solely based on how well he knew you. You give him your honest feedback in return. It was your own little game.

"Is it bad?"

"No, no, no," you said, taking a sip before smiling. "I liked it."

"Just 'like', damn. I need to step up my game," he sighed in feigned disappointment. When you didn't react as much, he added, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

Nathan looked at you for a moment, lips pursed as he shook his head.

"You're such a bad liar."

"I'm not," you scoffed, playfully rolling your eyes. "You just know me so well."

"I do," he hummed, grin turning proud. "I also know when something's bothering you so, what's up?"

"Girl things." You shrugged, trying to seem nonchalant. You could tell it confused him, because he was never uncomfortable to talk about those topics with you. But before he could even question it, you quickly added, "I think I'm going to head home first. You didn't forget your keys, right?"

"That was one time," he grumbled, eyeing you for a moment because he obviously didn't buy your excuse. A second later, he sighed, "Yeah, I got my keys."

"Okay, See you later," you said, gathering up your things before walking towards the door.

"Let me know if you get home safe," he called out.

You only threw him a salute in response.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-

It was the harsh light from the huge window in the living room that woke you up.

You must have fallen asleep on the couch in the middle of watching your comfort movie—a poor attempt at trying to distract yourself from your lovelorn predicament.

Who knew dealing with feelings could be so exhausting?

It was the smell of bacon that coaxed you out of your cocoon, though. 

"Good morning, sleepyhead," Nathan greeted as soon as you stepped into the kitchen. He threw you a warm smile over his shoulder before he continued making breakfast—shirtless, might you add. "There are painkillers beside your water in case your neck is killing you. I would've carried you back to your bed but you kick in your sleep and I've learned my lesson so…"

It did happen once.

He was trying to coax you off the couch and back into the comfort of your bed. But as he got closer, your leg having a mind of its own when you were deeply asleep, you kicked him straight in his jewels—his words, not yours.

The loud thud of him falling on the floor didn't even shake you awake, not even when he was groaning in pain. 

You couldn't even remember any of it.

"How many times do I have to apologize for you to let that go?" you chuckled, settling at your usual seat at the small dining table you had.

"Not enough," he snorted. "I still feel the phantom of the kick, you know."

"You're so dramatic." You rolled your eyes, glancing around only to catch a glimpse of that old yet familiar green trunk. It was then you noticed some of his old stuff littered around, trinkets and memorabilia he hadn't looked at in a while. Just as you were about to question him about it, you saw the excited look on his face. You narrowed your eyes, asking, "Did I miss something?"

"Quite a lot, actually," he chuckled, sauntering over to you with your breakfast for the day. Putting the full plate in front of you, Nathan leaned down and quickly kissed your forehead. "Eat. I'll tell you all about it."

You ignored the phantom of his lips on your skin.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-

A treasure hunt.

Nathan dragged you into a treasure hunt.

You didn't trust this Victor Sullivan guy, but Nate seemed to be adamant about finding this gold in hopes of finding Sam too. And you trust your best friend's judgment so that made Sully a friend of your best friend, much to your dismay.

"Do I look okay?" you asked, straightening out your long, black evening gown as you emerged out of the makeshift changing room.

When you didn't hear an answer, you looked up to see Nathan staring at you with a certain look in his eyes.

Your face warmed. "What?"

"Okay?" he scoffed, shaking his head as if he was offended by the word you used. With a gentle smile, he gestured at you with both hands. "You look beautiful."

"Thanks. You don't look bad yourself," you responded with a shy smile, unable to hold his gaze for much longer. You fixed your entangled necklace, instead.

"Here, let me," he said, quickly walking over to you to straighten it out, his touch featherlight against your skin. "It's a gorgeous necklace. The guy who gave this to you has good taste."

"If good taste means licking his own ass, then, it's a bit questionable."

"Okay, gross," he playfully grimaced. "All I'm saying is that I picked the right one for you."

"You did." You smiled fondly. 

"Perfect," he hummed with a smile, his gaze slowly trailing from your necklace up to your eyes, his next words barely even a whisper. "You're perfect."

You didn't know if it was even meant for your ears but you could only stand there, staring into his brown eyes that seemed to shift from one emotion to another.

Nathan was about to say something when Sully came out of nowhere with that grumpy look on his face.

"Why are we bringing her again?" he asked as if you weren't standing in front of him.

"She's a genius with computers," Nathan said, a bite in his tone. "She's going to help us get through any security tech easy breezy."

Sully narrowed his eyes between you two before shrugging.

"Fine," he grumbled, looking you up and down before walking away. "We leave in ten minutes."

"I don't think he likes me very much," you sighed once the door shut.

"I don't think he likes anyone," Nathan said, smiling at you reassuringly. "Don't take it personally."

And you didn't. Truly.

But when you got to the auction house, it definitely felt more personal when the old man wouldn't tell you anything.

No communication. No updates. No information. Nothing.

Only when you ask Nathan directly were you able to get a grasp of what was going on or when to proceed to the next step—if he wasn't distracted.

With the countless pretty ladies dressed to the nines, you best believe he wasn't anywhere near focused.

You were angry because this was a dire situation. One wrong move could get you guys caught. You were too goddamn young for prison.

You definitely weren't bitter over something else.

"Do you always feel the need to flirt with anything that walks?" you spat when he finally reached the door you'd been trying so hard to keep open without getting caught. It took him three minutes more since he was busy chatting up some random trust fund girl.

"I wasn't—Jesus," he grunted, the door hitting him on the way as you walked past it.

You couldn't be bothered to wait anymore. You didn't look back and simply sped walk towards the power switch.

"You're upset," Nathan said once he caught up with you.

"I'm not upset," you grumbled. "I'm annoyed."

"It's the same thing."

"It's fucking not."

"Okay, geez," he conceded, pouting, "What'd I do?"

"What aren't you doing?" you asked sarcastically, harshly tapping on your phone as you tried to decode the security lock on the main switch. "Oh right, focusing on your job!"

"Christ, do you two always bicker like an old married couple?"

"Shut up!" you and Nathan barked synchronously.

Shaking your head, you calmed yourself, punching in the security code.

"Look, I'm sorry, alright? I was just trying to scope potential—"

You glared at him.

"I'm shutting up."

"Just do your thing. I want this over and done with," you grumbled, stepping aside once the circuit box finally opened.

"You're a genius," he praised with a smile, placing a quick kiss on your forehead. "Thank you."

"Whatever."

You wished you could say everything went smooth sailing from there, but when did it ever?

Everything happened so fast.

One minute you two were walking out of the control room, the next you were being chased down but huge men.

Running in heels was not fun.

And then it was a blur, someone grabbing your arm in a way that made you scream in pain to Nathan tackling the guy to the ground, landing blow after blow to his face until blood started to splatter on the suit he was wearing.

"Touch her again and I'll kill you."

You'd never seen him so angry before.

But that anger quickly disappeared when he fussed over you, hands soft against your cheeks yet the panic and worry were evident in his eyes.

It took several 'I'm fine's and a couple more reassurances that you weren't badly hurt to get him to fully calm down and help you up so you could get out of this place.

Unbeknownst to you, there were curious eyes watching everything closely with a knowing yet wicked smile on her lips.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-

You thought the feeling of being outcasted was only a small blip at the auction house.

But you were so wrong.

"What happened to you?" you asked when he finally met up with you at the church in Barcelona, soaking wet from head to toe.

"Long story."

"So you brought your girlfriend with you" A girl—Chloe, you later learned—suddenly appeared.

"She's not my girlfriend," Nathan quickly corrected.

Yes, it was true.

But the way he shut it down so quickly as if the thought made him hurl made the sting harsher.

It didn't take long for you to notice how Nathan seemed to be following Chloe around a lot.

So much so that you were becoming more of an afterthought.

They were always conspiring amongst themselves. It was in their line of expertise, you supposed, and you were just the tech girl. But it wasn't like you were clueless about it. Nate has told you enough stories for you to get the gist of what was going on.

It was getting pathetic, trailing behind them like some puppy, wanting to feel included.

When Nathan argued with Sully that you were not leaving his side when it was time to split up, you could only laugh at it now.

What was the point when you were immediately alone when you got into the tunnels?

Even more as you stood by yourself at the club, watching him dance with Chloe, so close, in the guise of blending in.

Maybe if you weren't distracted you would've noticed the man sneaking up behind you. You would've been able to run before he could grab you from behind, hand over your mouth as he started dragging you backward. And maybe you were quite good at kicking someone's jewels when you hit the jackpot the first time, enabling you to escape and scream for help.

You were yelling Nathan's name, but it was the loud gunshot that caught his attention.

It was heartbreaking to think that it took you getting shot in the leg for him to fully acknowledge you.

You were overwhelmed with too many emotions that you became numb, simply letting them take you back to the safe house in silence.

"I'm sorry," he whispered as he sat by your temporary bed, carefully wrapping the bandage on your thigh after he cleaned it. Thankfully, the bullet was only meant to slow you down, not kill. "I'm supposed to be looking out for you."

"It's fine," you sighed. You knew he was being sincere. He looked thoroughly distraught when he saw you drop to the ground. You knew it wasn't his fault, and you knew he was already blaming himself enough. But with the pain and bitterness—both physically and emotionally—you couldn't stop it. "You were busy. I get it."

He frowned. "What's with that tone?" 

"There's no tone," you grumbled, avoiding his gaze.

"You're annoyed."

You shook your head. "I'm not annoyed.'

"So…you're upset," he hummed, reaching for your hands. You pulled away, carefully getting comfortable on the bed.

"I'm going to sleep," you sighed, pulling the covers over you.

Nathan got the hint, standing from his seat with a sigh, "Okay, goodnight, just…call me if you need anything."

So when you woke up in the middle of the night when a sudden sting went up your leg, you quickly yet carefully got out of bed to look for him.

You wish you hadn't bothered.

The last thing you wanted to see was him and Chloe getting cozy on the balcony, a bottle of wine between them.

You figured you weren't important enough to interrupt their moment. Besides, the ache in your leg couldn't compare to the absolute pain in your heart. It only intensified when they started leaning toward each other.

So you quickly went back to bed, tainting the pillowcase with salted tears.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-

"Here." Nathan kneeled in front of the foot of the bed, tying your shoelaces for you. "So, I've been thinking…"

"Uh oh," you joked.

"Maybe you should sit this one out."

Your smile quickly got wiped off your face.

"What?"

Nathan glanced at the door. You followed his gaze, catching a glimpse of Chloe before she hurriedly walked away.

You pressed your lips, nodding in understanding.

"It's not what you think it is," Nathan placated.

"Sure it's not," you scoffed.

"Look, you're injured and—"

You stood up, abruptly cutting him off. You grabbed your bag, limping around the room as you gathered your stuff.

"Woah careful, your wound is still fresh," Nathan followed you around, arms out in case you stumbled. "What are you doing?"

"Leaving. That's what you wanted, right?"

"What? No!" he rushed, hands on your shoulder, stopping you. "What I meant was, you need to recover first."

"Right," you scoffed, shrugging him off before you continued packing. "Because  it's going to be dangerous and you're looking out for me, trying to protect me and all that bullshit."

"It's not bullshit!"

"You know, after all we've been through, I thought I could count on you to at least be honest with me," you said bitterly.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means," you pressed, harshly zipping up your bag. "If you wanted me out of the picture, you could've just said so."

Shaking his head, he argued, "That's not it."

"Maybe," you said, looking him straight in the eyes. "But fewer people, more gold to go around, right?"

That rendered him silent.

"You've known me your whole life," he started, hurt flickering in his irises. "You really think I'd do that to you?"

"I don't know anymore, Nate." You threw your hands up exasperatedly. "Because ever since you met them, I barely recognize you anymore. You've been wanting their approval so bad you're getting desperate for it. 

"And I always thought that when we get the chance to find this treasure, we'll do it together, side by side like we always do. But all I've done this whole time is be a third wheel to whatever this is." You gestured at him and the door, laughing sarcastically. "Fourth, if you include Sully."

"That's not true," he argued weakly, realization dawning on his face.

"You whisper among yourselves, nobody tells me a fucking thing, you don't even tell me anything anymore! I'm always left chasing after you because you couldn't be bothered waiting for me to catch up. Fine, I might not know everything about this treasure but it'd be nice to get filled in every once in a while instead of leaving me clueless! Hell, you're starting to forget you brought your best friend with you—"

"I didn't forget about you—"

"You didn't even notice I was getting dragged away until I was shot!"

Nathan looked away.

"All of you are always excluding me and it sucks," your voice cracked, blinking away unshed tears. "And don't think I didn't see you conspiring with Chloe last night."

He looked confused. "Last night?"

"When I came looking for my best friend for help because my leg was hurting like a bitch but I didn't want to be a cockblock so, you're welcome."

"You're not—" Nathan cleared his throat, shoulders slumping, looking at you apologetically. "Y/N…"

You shook your head, harshly wiping at your eyes, putting your jacket on. "The more it goes on, the more I think that you just brought me along because it was convenient for you. Now that I'm considered a liability, gotta leave the extra baggage right?"

"That's not fucking true!" he gritted, pulling his hair frustratedly. "You're part of this as much as I am!"

"Right. Where are we going next?"

Nathan blubbered like a fish out of water.

"That's what I thought," you scoffed, slipping your backpack on.

"Wait, dammit," he cursed when you walked past him, chasing after you into the living room. Frustrated, he called out, "All I'm asking is for you to sit this part out because you're hurt."

You stopped, slowly facing him.

"I never thought that the loneliest I'd ever feel is when I'm supporting you to chase this dream you'd been wanting ever since you were a kid," you admitted, chest tightening as you stared into his troubled brown eyes. "So, I'm not sitting this one out, Nate, I'm done." 

You shoved the cross right on his chest.

"Have fun on your honeymoon," you said, bumping his shoulder as you walked out the door.

"Y/N!"

You never looked back.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-

Nathan was smart in a lot of different aspects. But emotions and feelings?

Oh he was stupid as fuck.

He wished it didn't take something drastic to happen for him to accept what he truly felt for you.

Part of him was relieved because at least you weren't there when the plane fiasco happened, especially with your injury. He was appeasing his guilt by telling himself that you were safer this way.

Nathan wouldn't know what to do with himself if something worse happened to you.

But as he was decoding the postcards Sam sent—a difficult task to focus on when he couldn't stop worrying about you so much—Chloe suddenly came in with a package.

"It has your name on it."

He opened it confused, but nothing could prepare him for what was inside.

The dread and fear started to creep up his spine when he held the silver necklace he gave you.

You never took this off.

As he emptied the box in a rush, photos upon photos of you tied up and gagged, beaten and bruised with blood tainting your delicate skin, Nathan felt like his entire heart was taken from him.

'The map or her. Choose wisely.'

It came in flashes, moments where you'd been there for each other, the joy and heartbreak, success and failures—you were always there, his one constant.

Then came the moments where he dreamed about you and him, doing things best friends shouldn't be doing.

He always knew what he felt about you but he shoved it down in fear of ruining the friendship you'd built over the years. But now? Denying it seemed insignificant. Now there was a chance he wouldn't be able to tell you at all.

Nathan was losing the love of his life.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-

"That didn't take long," Braddock laughed sardonically, standing up from a large rock nestled on the beach somewhere in the Philippines.

"Where is she," Nathan growled, the tube map holder slung on his back.

Braddock nodded at one of her men, Nathan's heart sinking to his stomach when they dragged you in, your yelp piercing his chest when they shoved you on the sand.

Nathan instinctively tried to run for you.

"Not so fast," Braddock hummed, clicking her gun before pressing it on the back of your head. "How do I know this isn't a trick?"

"I think you already figured out I don't play games when it comes to her."

"Well, let's see," she challenged. "On your knees, Drake."

"N-Nate," you whimpered, adamantly shaking your head. Even in your state, you were still trying to protect him.

"It's okay," he reassured with a smile, hands up as he did as told.

Braddock grabbed a fistful of your hair and pulled you closer to where he was.

He stifled his anger. But best believe he'd already plotted so many ways to make Braddock suffer for what she did to you.

But one wrong move could cost your life.

"Hand it over."

"Untie her."

Braddock rolled her eyes but did so anyway.

"Hey, hey, look at me," Nathan whispered, your tear-filled eyes meeting his. He lifted his chin once, gaze flickering behind you. "I got you, okay? You're going to be okay."

"Enough with this sappy bullshit. Hand over the map or she dies."

Nathan slowly grabbed the map, only to throw it away as far as possible.

On cue, a huge explosion distracted Braddock enough for you to abruptly stand on your feet, hitting her under the chin with your head.

"You bitch!" she yelled, dropping the gun.

Nathan quickly pulled you aside and grabbed the weapon. With no remorse, he shot Braddock on both thighs, once more on the arm to be petty.

He'd do much worse if you weren't on borrowed time.

Nathan grabbed your hand and made a run for it.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-

The silence was tense.

But Nathan was focused on taking care of you first.

He was busy enough trying not to cry whenever he'd discover a new cut and bruise on you that he couldn't even dwell on the fact that you were showering together. You were both in your underwear, but still.

It was when he had you sitting on the counter as he patched you up when you spoke.

"You didn't have to do all that for me."

"You know, it hurts me so much that you think I wouldn't take a bullet for you," he sighed, finishing up a bandage before meeting your glossy eyes. "You're more important to me than you think you are."

"No, I know it's just—" You bit your bruised lip. Nathan quickly pulled it away with his thumb, not wanting you to worsen your injury. You leaned into his touch as you continued, "You've been dreaming of this since you were a kid and I feel like I've ruined it for you."

"You didn't ruin anything."

"But you should be out there looking for the gold," you said. "Instead you're stuck here with me."

"Listen to me, if I had to choose between that gold and—" He took a breath, holding your face in both hands as he stared at you longingly. "The woman I'm hopelessly in love with then…"

Nathan breathed out with a smile, "Fuck that gold."

You stared at him in a way that made him believe that he'd done it.

He'd finally ruined your friendship to a point of no return.

That until you broke out into the sweetest, brightest smile that made his heart grow and his knees weak all the same.

"It's not as hopeless as you think it is."

Nathan felt like his heart was about to burst.

"Yeah?" He grinned, giddy and warm, gently parting your legs and stepping a little closer.

You let him into your space. But suddenly your brows furrowed, frowning. "What about you and Chloe?"

"So you were jealous."

"Nate."

"There's no me and Chloe," he reassured, gently taking your hands, kissing the insides of your wrists before placing them on his shoulders. "Maybe I got the incredibly stupid idea to make you jealous—I know, baby, I'm an idiot—but she shot that down real quick."

"But—"

"Those times you've seen me with her, all I kept talking about was you," he admitted, blushing. "I'm sure she'd grown sick of me being lovesick."

Nathan probably talked her ear out about how hopelessly in love he was with you, seeking advice on what to do because it was the one thing he couldn't go to you about.

She had been really helpful, pushing him to confess because it was better you know before it's too late, and that in this line of work, you'd never know when that would be.

If only he hadn't let his cowardness win.

"She argued with me that leaving you behind was a bad idea, and if I listened to her I—" He pressed his forehead against yours with a shaky breath. "I'm sorry."

"I know you like to take all the blame but this isn't your fault," you hummed, fingers combing the straggles of hair on the nape of his neck.

"It kind of is," he pressed, eyes watering as he thought about what he dragged you into.

He couldn't stop thinking about the pain you'd gone through all because he was being reckless. For as long as he could remember, he made a vow to himself to always keep you safe no matter what. Yet here he was, failing at that—failing you.

"I'm sorry for being such a shitty best friend this past week," he said, caressing the apples of your cheeks.

"You were pretty shitty," you teased, though he could see the way your body relaxed a little. He could tell that you appreciated hearing his apology. It must've been weighing on you since you left.

It made his heart ache.

"I was and I'm sorry," he said regretfully. "I guess I just got so caught up in this whole treasure-hunting thing that I lost sight of what's truly important to me. But still, it's no excuse. I was the one who dragged you into this, I should've been attentive enough."

You turned your head and kissed his palm, a silent way of saying it was okay. He felt like he was about to melt.

"And I'm sorry for taking so goddamn long to tell you how I feel," Nathan admitted.

"Yeah well," you hummed, smiling at him sweetly. "We're both at fault on that one,"

"Still, I'm sorry," he whispered, brushing the tip of his nose against yours. "For everything."

You nodded, a smile on your lips. "I can't say I forgive yet—"

"Understandable."

"But hey," you hummed, leaning closer. "You have plenty of time to grovel and make up for it."

Nathan chuckled, brushing his lips against yours with a whisper, "Can I start with a kiss?"

You nodded with that cute giggle of yours, one that still echoed as he finally closed the distance.

So many things filled him up at once—soft, sweet, warm. So many emotions rattling his heart as your lips molded into one—relief, passion, love.

It was gratifying, a kiss he'd been dreaming of for as long as he could remember. But, with your fingers in his hair and his hands on your waist, your warm body flushed to his with no space in between, nothing could ever compare to the real thing.

And yes, it was going to take some time to repair the cracks that were made in your relationship. But he was willing to wait and do whatever it takes to gain your full trust back.

Nathan didn't care how long or how much work it would take, as long as at the end of every day, you came back home to him—it was more than worth it.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-

"Kid, are you even listening to me?"

"Sorry, Sully," Nathan said unapologetically. "But whatever the wife says, goes and her plan is usually better than yours."

"I'm technically not your wife yet," you giggled, your engagement ring glinting as you continued bypassing the security cameras using your phone.

"Technically, yes," he agreed, shrugging. "But in my head, you've been my wife ever since you put that ring on."

"Always thinking ahead, huh?" You finished up the job, slipping your phone into your pocket before turning to him with a raised brow.

"Oh yeah," he hummed, pulling you closer by the waist. "And once we get married, in my head, we already have three kids."

"Three?" you choked out a laugh.

"Five?"

"Let's start with one and see where that goes."

"We should definitely practice later."

"Do I always have to remind you two that this is an open line?"

"Oh we know," Nathan hummed, kissing you with a loud smack which earned an annoyed groan. He then gestured at the door with a bow. "After you, Mrs. Drake."

"Still up for debate."

"I'd take your last name any day."

"I was thinking hyphenated."

"Not a bad shout."

"Get moving you two!"

"Sully, you're getting so close to getting your wedding invite revoked."

You laughed at that.

Nathan couldn't resist kissing you once more.

"Let's go," you giggled against his lips. "We still have treasure to find."

"I'm in no rush," he shrugged, brushing his nose against yours. He was sure his eyes were glowing with pure adoration. "Already got the best one right here."

You groaned and called him cheesy but you still kissed him anyway.

Treasure be damned, with you by his side, Nathan was the richest man alive.

✫*ﾟ･ﾟ｡.★.*｡･ﾟ♛ *.

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[durrtydawg]

can i just say how thankful i am that you are keeping us samuel sluts WELL FED LATELY!!

And can i also please request something, anything angsty :3 i literally do not care what happens I'm just excited to see what you can provide 🥵

Thank you, kind anon. My heart is full of love from you and everyone else in my inbox (what the hell where did you all come from???) I hope this meets your expectations. It definitely made my chest tighten. Didn't specify a gender here- hope that's okay! would love to hear your thoughts bc this isn't the usual from me. big love <3

[Masterlist]

WOUNDED- Sam drake x Reader {angst one-shot}

CW: Injury, blood | 1.3k Words | Gif is absolutely unrelated I just think he's neat <3

“You’re….we can’t go back in there.” You hunch, dumfounded, pointing towards the entrance of the mid-collapsing crypt you’d just somehow fought your way out of. You clutch the bleeding gash on your upper arm, coughing as dust continues to settle around you.

The cough sparks a pain in your torso, drawing your attention to a bloodied score in your shirt.

“We can, and we will.” Sam grumbles, teeth gritted as he removes his plaid over-shirt, knuckles coated in a thick layer of crimson.

“Come on, Sam,” you urge, raspy and desperate, chin trembling. “We should get out while we still-”

“And then what?!” He snarls in your direction. You step back in trepidation, eyes glossing over as he waits for an answer. His eyes burn into yours, and you don’t know whether to chastise yourself for being such a coward, or scream some sense into him. His newfound aggression, however, pulls you away from the latter.

Never had a job gone so horrendously wrong at the last hurdle. Months of planning and physical toil, rotted down into a husk of nothing but severe injury and anger in mere minutes.

Sam scoffs at your silence, tugging at the sleeve of his shirt. The fragmented tearing of the fabric only makes you shrink further away from him.

You gnaw at your bottom lip, attempting to forego tears that threaten to spill, but the sudden sting from a freshly punched split has your cheeks dampen anyway. You wince, limping over to the wall to catch your breath and try to calm down. 

Sliding unsteadily down the wall, you land with a thud, boots forcing another cloud of dust to roll over the ground as gravel gets scuffed aside by your heel. 

The pain in your torso intensifies, and you shakily peel the torn fabric of your shirt away from your skin. It’s not good.

You watch through watery vision as Sam wraps scraps of his shirt around his bleeding knuckles, his expression stiff and unmoving from his indignant glare. His grey t-shirt clings to his torso, with help from sweat and blood that steadily grows more and more stagnant from time and exertion. His jaw is clenched so frighteningly tense that you swear you feel your own teeth ache, and oh, the anger in his eyes is horrible. You’ve never seen him so enraged- so…intoxicated by his own determination to succeed, to the point where he doesn’t seem to care whether or not you bleed out in front of him.

Does he care? Has he even noticed the extent of your injuries? You wince as the rise and fall of your chest repeatedly pushes and pulls soiled fabric from the laceration on your side. With reluctance, you press your palm against it, squeezing sore, cracked fingers around the expanding red stain on your t-shirt, and you hiss, unintentionally catching his glare.

He takes in your appearance, and it’s hard to tell if he’s more angry at you or himself. Then, he looks away. 

He fucking looks away, and you feel sick. You squeeze your eyes shut after taking an anxious glance towards your fingers. The small spaces between each are thickly oozing crimson that’d be so beautiful if it were any substance other than your own blood. God. No- you didn’t think it was this bad. 

“It’s just a graze”, you whisper to yourself. Just a graze. Your chin quivers. He’ll come around.

“Shouldn’t’a brought you.” What? Your eyes snap open in disbelief. “I shouldn’t…” You shake your head at the venomous grumble he mutters from across the room. Through a haze, you watch him smack blood and dirt-encrusted hands over pockets in search for more ammunition that you both know doesn’t exist. He grunts, loud, angry, before kicking the stone. 

You shrink back further into the wall out of a fear that you’ve never felt around Sam before, stifling a yelp of pain as your wound twists painfully under your hand.

He covers his mouth with his palm, nostrils flaring as his eyes squeeze shut- an attempt at suppressing his outburst to give way for some capacity to think. You watch on apprehensively, head throbbing as he turns back towards the crypt entrance you’ve only just managed to scramble away from, scathed, exhausted, and possibly on the brink of passing out all together. His brows shift from a tightened rage into a conflicted indecisiveness that makes your mouth go tight and dry.

It’s purgatory that you can’t afford right now.

“Sam.” You croak, trying to adjust your uncomfortable posture. “I…I can’t.”

Your lungs are suddenly under a painful pressure that you can’t shift. What would happen if he makes you go back in? Sam storming off ahead, blind-firing into mercenaries far more prepared for battle than the pair of you could ever hope to be, as you lamely hobble behind, becoming more and more lightheaded by the second. 

Your chest tightens more as you imagine him looking back at you as he ducks down behind a precariously structured pile of rubble to reload his pistol, with nothing but disappointment- no, scrap that- disgust in his eyesas you fail to keep up with him. 

You’d plead from a small but dangerous distance, crying out for him to help you get back to your feet after your inevitable fall; blood loss rendering your legs into useless jelly, bullet and stab wounds too sore to pick yourself back up again. The pain you’d feel as he mutters something towards you one last time before taking off into the gunfire smoke subduing your peripheral.

No. No! He’d never leave you behind. No matter how desperate he is to prove his worth again. No. Not your Sam. He’ll come around.

You pant through parted lips, damning your panic attack back to the confines of your stomach.

“We’re…gonna die if we go back in there.” You murmur, resting your head back against the stone wall, eyes squeezed shut as if to try and shut out the incessant pain pulsating around your body.

“Don’t be ridiculous-”

“I want to go home. Before I can’t.” You spit, causing Sam to glare in your direction. He stands slowly, taking in your weakened form. He’s trying to uphold his expression of anger, but a brief softness in his eyes fails him. You feebly grab at the wall behind you, dragging yourself halfway upright, stopping to hiss in pain. You’re lightheaded.

You collapse back onto the ground, and you feel your energy dwindle even faster.

Had you actually felt your own mortality bite at your heels this harshly before?

God, your heart is pounding, the sound beginning to echo around your head, taunting you with your own failure. Your own weakness.

He stares at you for a moment. Eventually, his eyes soften even more. 

Your brows arch slightly in hope.

Crouching in front of you, he grabs a hold of your head, taking you in for a moment before placing a soft kiss onto the bridge of your nose that twists deep into your guts more than any enemy blade ever could.

He pulls his lips away, hands still holding the sides of your face as the weight of your eyelids becomes another burden you’re trying hard to fight against. You watch his eyes flit between every feature on you, a watery glaze of his own forming as your brows twitch in defeated disbelief, and a distraught understanding, your hands growing ever wetter from your own blood.

He looks away again. Back to the tight space you just escaped from. You begin to shake your head with whatever strength you can muster.

You know what he’s about to do, and you try to pull together the will to push yourself up, but you can’t. Your body is tired. Drained.

“No.” You whisper, voice strained by the silent sob bubbling up your throat.

“I’m sorry.”

He never apologises. He never ever apologises.

You want to kick, and scream, and beg, but your mouth is tight and your lips won’t let you form words anymore.

“I… have to see this through.” He whispers. Any louder and you’ll hear that he’s crying too.

Then Sam stands, turns from you, wipes his eyes, and walks.

Knowing that you’ve both seen each other’s faces for the last time is more painful than the feeling of your life draining from you.

[lnfours]

maroon ⎸ n.d

summary: you know nathan drake like the back of your hand, and he knows everything about you. your mind is always wandering back to him, even when you don’t want it to be. a huge thank u to @sunshinehollandd and @captaindanvxrs for helping with this idea and helping me edit this i love you guys so so much <3

pairing: nathan drake x fem!reader

warnings: angst, some fluff, language, drinking, nate and reader being a little toxic to each other. just pure heartbreaking stuff.

wc: a heartbreaking 1.8k 

masterlist ⎸ listen 

when you first met nate, you were instantly intrigued by him. the two of you first introduced yourselves when he started working at the same bar as you. everyone else there loved him almost instantly, because who wouldn’t? he was sarcastic, witty, charming, and knew how to crack a good joke every now and again. 

and, of course, he was extremely good looking. 

the two of you got pretty close after consistently working shifts together. it was a friendship no one really saw coming, and didn’t seem to make sense to anyone but the two of you. of course, the closer you two got, the more your feelings for him grew. the little moments between the two of you stuck in your mind like glue, never slipping from your mind. as depressing as it seemed, you didn’t want them to fade, even if it hurt to look back on them. 

you two were giggling about nothing, the city lights of new york city pouring into the room from the windows. you were leaning on your elbow, feet resting on his legs, with a bottle of rosé sitting on the floor. at the same time, the two of you talked about anything and everything. 

“you know, i never understood the appeal of new york until i moved here,” you looked out the window, oblivious to the fact that his eyes wandered to your face, taking you in, “could be because i always thought it was overrated.”

he chuckled, grabbing the bottle and taking a sip from it before responding, “yeah, it’s definitely not the kind of city that's made for everyone.”

you nodded in agreement, “it grew on me. nowhere else really feels like home anymore.”

“understandable,” he replied. the music playing softly in the background slowly faded, the vinyl playing through to the end. he tapped your legs lightly, signaling you to move them. he let out a soft grunt as he stood, making his way to the record player. 

“what’s next?” you asked, taking your own swig of the wine. you two had decided to open it about an hour ago, and the bottle was almost finished. you could feel the warmth in your face and you could tell your cheeks were red from the alcohol.

he hummed, putting the record back in its sleeve before skimming through your collection. his fingers stopped over one of them, pulling it out and placing it on the turntable, “something we haven’t heard in a while.”

you smiled softly as he adjusted the needle to fall to one specific spot in the vinyl, listening as one of your favorite slow songs began playing through the speakers. you smiled as he walked back over to you with his hands out for you to take them. he pulled you up to your feet, grinning as you met his gaze again. 

“dance with me?”

you rolled your eyes playfully, arms wrapping around his neck as his found their home on your waist, 

“always.”

the two of you swayed to the music, your head falling to his chest as you looked out the window to the city lights again. 

you could stay like this forever.

you and nate were everyone's favorite couple to talk about. everyone knew how in love you were with him, and how he felt the same about you. your friends would always be the first to ask when the wedding was whenever you got together to catch up, and you’d both shake your heads and laugh, reminding them that it’s still a little too soon. 

as you and nate started getting more serious, so did his relationship with sully. you knew about nate’s past, and he had let you know that he’s always wanted to find this treasure both his father and brother talked about. you had honestly tried your best to understand in vain, but supported him through his decisions regardless of your views. 

the more serious the treasure hunting got, though, the less serious your relationship became. you felt like you had been placed on the back burner of his life, and it was crushing to feel so unwanted, unneeded, and pushed aside while you still loved him with every fiber of your being. 

it ended in a fight. of course. 

“nate, do you not hear yourself right now?!” you yelled, standing in the living room of your apartment in disbelief. he had just told you that he was going with sully to barcelona to pursue more questionable clues about treasure no one was even sure actually existed.

“do you hear yourself?” he replied, spinning your words back on you, “come on, you’re supposed to support me, not tear me down.”

“i’m not - i am! and i have been, in case you haven't noticed! but you’re telling me that you’d rather go off and possibly die over something you're not even certain exists; all for what? the adrenaline? the thrill of thinking you’ll possibly be recognized from it? i mean, you can’t even tell me that you love me, for gods sake! but you want to go halfway across the country for some made up treasure hunt without a second thought?!”

you knew your words were hurtful. but honestly, you wanted them to be. after everything he had said and done, part of you just wanted him to know how it felt to be in your shoes.

“you know it’s more than that! this is what my entire family has been after for years. ages before i ever even met you!” he said,“it’s my only chance of figuring out where my brother could be, too. how could you not get this?”

you knew how important his brother was for him, and when you saw the tears glistening in his eyes, you almost felt bad, almost stopped, almost apologized. you didn't, though, continuing,”how do you even know sam is still alive, nate? how many months has it been since you’ve even gotten a postcard?!”

he scoffed, turning away from looking at you as he gathered his things,”if you can’t respect the fact that i have to do this, that i need to at least try and find out for sure if he is alive or not, then i don’t know what i’m still doing here.”

you swallowed thickly, blinking back tears, refusing to let him see you cry over him,”and what if you die? what am i supposed to do then?”

he stopped, looking back at you, face growing cold as he threw his backpack over his shoulder, “dead or not, you can just forget about me for all i care.”

you watched as he left, the door slamming on his way out. you let the tears fall as soon as he was gone, hand covering your mouth as you let out a quiet sob. 

you didn’t hear from him again. 

you had no way of knowing if he even was alive, or not. the desire for information, any information, made you understand a bit more where he was coming from regarding his brother. 

that didn't make you feel any better. 

you walked through the streets of new york, headphones in your ears as you made your way back to your apartment after work. 

you tried your best to move on, friends set you up on dates with guys they thought you’d like. you only let a couple stay around. you hated to admit it, but you just couldn’t move past nate. you knew you had to, at this point there was no sense in trying to fix something so beyond broken. 

you made your way into the complex, getting out your keys and unlocking your door. as you stepped in and kicked off your shoes, you turned the lamp on.

you jumped at the figure sitting on the couch, tugging an earbud out as you shut the door,”nate?”

he smiled softly, standing as he wiped his palms against the material of his pants. his face was littered in small cuts and bruises. you stood there staring at him, trying to decipher if this was real or just your imagination. 

“i’m real, don’t worry.” he said, almost like he could read your mind. 

“what the hell are you doing here?” you asked, crossing your arms as you looked at him up and down. 

“i, uhm… honestly, i don’t really know.”

“you don’t know?” you asked incredulously, “so you just invited yourself into my apartment after months of letting me wonder if you were even alive? months after breaking up with me without a second thought, all because you decided some childhood fantasy was worth more than i was?”

he sighed, “look, please don’t start this-“

you cut him off, “get out.”

he stared at you blankly, but you stood tall with your arms crossed. 

“please - just let me explain.”

you shook your head, grabbing the jacket that sat on the back of the couch, “no, really, i don’t care. please get out of my apartment. now.”

he sighed softly, grabbing the jacket as he approached you. you stepped back when he got close, waving him towards the door and he nodded, resigning and reaching for the doorknob; stopping briefly on his way out to look over his shoulder as he touched it. 

“i did really love you, you know? hell, i never stopped loving you,” he admitted, “i wanted to find that treasure so we could build a happy life together, no other reason.”

you couldn’t tell if he was making it up so he could stay or not. it didn't matter, anyways.

you weren't about to let the months you spent healing yourself come crumbling down because he finally wanted to tell you how he felt - if there even was any truth to his words. you had worked too hard and cried too much to let that happen. 

you watched as he opened the front door, slipping out into the hallway as he closed it behind him, walking out of your life once again, not saying another word.

you locked the door and pressed your back up against the cool wood, sliding down as your knees pressed against your chest. you let the tears fall down your cheeks and onto your neck, sniffling quietly to yourself, feeling absolutely defeated. 

you looked out the windows, the city lights glistening as the rain slowly trickled down the window, thinking about how you’d do anything just to be able to feel the same way you did when you danced with him in your bedroom. you loved him more than you could ever love anyone else, including yourself. you wished you could turn it off, but you knew your feelings weren't going to go anywhere. you hated him for leaving you, but at the same time you were overwhelmed with all the love you held for him with nowhere to go. 

maybe you had been a bit too hard on him, but you had vowed to yourself that you’d never let someone make you feel like a second choice again. never again. you couldn't take the risk of letting the person that led you to make that vow back in your life. 

you had begged to feel loved by nathan drake, but he was unable to love someone. not until it was too late. 

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[justsomerandomfanfic]

Out Of The Darkness, And Into Your Arms - Sam Drake X Female Reader

Title: Out Of The Darkness, And Into Your Arms

Sam Drake X Female Reader

Additional Characters: Reader's friend one, Reader's friend two, Nathan, Elena (Mentioned), Sully (Mentioned), Rafe (Mentioned), Alcazar (Mentioned), and Bar jerk

Loosely inspired by: 'I'm So Tired' by Lauv and Troye Sivan

WC: 6,390

Warnings: Uncharted 4 canon violence mentioned, Uncharted 4 canon events/storyline, Sam's death, italics used, cursing, crying, nightmares mentioned, bars, alcohol, drugs mentioned, guy at bar harrasses/annoys Reader briefly, blood briefly mentioned, brief mention of mental health/depression, nicknames, slightly suggestive, angst, and fluff

"Come on, Y/N, just try." Your friend placed a hand on your shoulder, stopping your pacing. 

You threw your hands up in the air, "I have been trying." You huffed, glancing at your friend as you tugged at your hair in frustration. "I have been trying - for fifteen years. But you don't understand how damn hard it is." You gently pushed past your friend and moved over to the couch, sitting down. 

As you covered your face with your hands, your friend let out their sign. "I know that it's hard. I truly do. I may not know the full extent of everything, but I'm so sorry for what happened."

"It's not your fault," You whispered, taking a deep breath, dragging your hands down your face, making your cheeks burn slightly; "It's mine."

"No, it’s not, Y/N." They quickly sat next to you, putting an arm around your shoulders, "You didn't know what was going to happen."

You shook your head, looking up at your friend, "I watched him fall." You felt tears sting at the corners of your eyes, "I tried to help Nate but we couldn't hold on..." You stared down at your shaking hands. You could still see the look on Sam’s face when he got shot - the blood - and you could still remember the feeling of his hand slipping from yours before he fell down the side of the building. You remember the shock, the horror; the complete and total shuttering dread that filled and chilled your bones. You couldn’t hear the bullets piercing through the air near you, Rafe, and Nate’s bodies on the rooftop. You couldn’t even feel the bullet as it grazed your arm… You couldn’t even hear Nate as he yelled out to you, nor did you feel his hand as it grabbed you. The dread… The feeling of the adrenaline, and your heart breaking into millions of pieces, were overwhelming as you followed Nate. You wished you stayed… Maybe Sam was alright. Maybe you could’ve saved him… But the blood - his blood - you couldn’t think about it anymore. You couldn’t think about Sam anymore, but it was hard not to think about him constantly. He was always on your mind. You stared at your hands, your mind imagining Sam’s blood on them before you clenched them, your nails digging uncomfortably into your palms; creating crescent-shaped divots. "I should've done something." You took a shaky, deep breath, "I should have stopped him from falling."

Your friend gave you a sympathetic smile, pulling you closer to their side. "But you couldn't, Y/N. You are only human. The only thing we could do was move forward."

"Yeah, I know… That’s what everyone tells me." You sighed deeply, leaning your head onto your friend's shoulder, "...It just hurts." You admitted after a moment, "Every day I think about him... How scared he must have been..." You trailed off, letting your words drift away into nothingness; your hand mindlessly drifted up to the scar on your upper arm, your fingers brushing over the sleeve of your shirt, the scar was slightly raised beneath it. 

They didn't say anything for a few moments until your friend spoke again, "I know, but that's why moving on is going to be good for you. Going out and about in the world, meeting new people... Get your mental health back on track."

"I've been trying, you know I've been trying. But it's been fifteen years and I still love him." You looked up to meet their gaze, tears slowly spilling from your eyes. “And I never got the chance to tell him.”

"I know." They nodded, their voice soft. "I know. That hasn't changed. But you can't live like this. Please, Friday, just go out with us... Just try and have some fun."

"I'll try..." You sniffled, wiping away the stray tears, "But if things start going south, then I'm coming straight home." 

They laughed softly, squeezing your shoulder, "Fair enough." They reached forward and pulled you into a hug, "So... Friday?"

You smiled sadly, hugging back, "Yeah, Friday."

Giving your friend one last smile, you said your 'goodnights' before shutting your door. The moment the door clicked shut, you sighed. Leaning forward, you shut your eyes as you pressed your forehead against the cool wooden surface of the door. Your chest began to tighten as the dam eventually broke, and your tears quickly fell down your cheeks.

Sobs racked through your body as your arms wrapped around yourself, holding tightly to your ribs. A small whimper escaped your lips as you sank down against your door, clutching your knees to your chest as you dug your chin into yourself, muffling your sobs. 

After what felt like hours, your cries eventually quieted. Exhaustion seeped into your limbs as you slipped against the door, finding purchase on the ground; burying your face in your arms as you just curled up on the cold floor. You tried to shut up your brain, trying to force yourself not to think about Sam, or the night you lost him... But you couldn't stop yourself from remembering every detail. 

Every time that you thought about Sam, it hurt more and more each time. The pain never dulled, never numbed... You remembered how his eyes sparkled whenever he talked about his adventures in Italy and Brazil. You loved how they sparkled that same sparkle - that same passion - when he showed off the treasures he had found during those adventures; the same went for when he told you about Sir Francis Drake. It made you miss him even more. You'd never hear his stories again. You'd never hear his voice again; that deep, thick Boston accent. You'd never get lost in his chocolate-brown eyes again, or try and count the small freckles on his cheeks before losing track. You'd never get to hold him again… Listen to his steady heartbeat... Or tell him that you loved him... 

Sam… You'd never get to tell him. You never got to say it back to him.

~~~

The blankets shifted as you shuffled closer to Sam, your arm falling over his chest as you cuddled into his side. Sam laid there with you, his hand caressing the soft, warm skin of your back. You, Sam, and Nate had traveled to Spain to find some old pirate treasure of a notorious female pirate of the eighteen hundreds. You and Sam were in your motel room, relaxing after a long day roaming through forests and hiking up mountains. It was nice to finally be able to relax, and have some downtime. You loved adventures - treasure hunting - but it was nice to take a break. No hot weather, no dirt under your fingernails, or running away from treasure-hunting competitors. Just you and Sam, enjoying a peaceful night together. 

Sam chuckled suddenly, causing your eyelids to flutter open. "What's so funny, Sammy?" You asked, glancing up at him.

He smiled, "I'm just thinking about that movie," He glanced at the TV, a soft glow emanating from it; showing the credits rolling. "I liked it."

You matched his smile, "Well, I am happy you liked it. It is one of my favorites." Your fingers played with the edge of the blanket that laid upon Sam's stomach, "I told you bringing a movie with us would be helpful."

Sam hesitated, his mouth opening and closing before opening again, "About this morning... I- uh, it probably wasn't the best time to tell you... Ya'know, when we were getting shot at." Sam tried to joke, but his words sounded awkward even to his own ears.

You hummed, biting your lip briefly, "Sam, I-"

"You don't have to say it back," Sam spoke, interrupting you, "I don't want you to say it when you're not ready."

You felt your face flush, Sam had told you he loved you that morning. Multiple bullets were being shot at you, and both you and Sam were barricaded behind a crumbling wall of an old castle. Sam was right, the situation you two were in wasn’t exactly ideal. But after Sam watched you single-handedly take down three of your competitor's goons; he had to tell you. The sight of you taking those goons down, it was amazing - he couldn’t take his eyes off you, couldn’t keep his focus off the way the sunlight hit you, making the light dance across your features. Your hair was messy, sweaty strands sticking to your forehead, you were breathing heavily, yet you still managed to pull your gun out from its holster and shoot another two goons dead. You did it so flawlessly, it was breathtaking. And by the time you were beside him again, racing to find Nate, Sam just blurted it out. You were shocked, yes, but before either of you could say anything, you had found Nate and the three of you were off to Spain; a piece of an artifact in hand.

"Thank you," You whispered quietly, pressing a kiss to Sam's cheek, smiling at him.

He smiled at you gently, wrapping his arms around you. "Of course," He mumbled, before placing a lingering kiss to the top of your head.

~~~

Your eyes widened as you jolted upright, and your heart raced, before swiftly looking around your living room, breathing heavily as you realized you must have fallen asleep. The depression seeped in again, and you let out a small sniffle. You wondered if you'd ever feel better, but it had been fifteen years. Fifteen years of just... Drifting? Living? No, you weren't living, and you knew that Sam would've wanted you to live. You didn't know what you were doing. And you were scared that these feelings weren't ever going away. Looking up at your window, the sun was already low in the sky; it seemed you had slept for a good couple of hours - yet, you were still tired. 

~~~

The bar was loud, and the moment you entered it, you regretted ever leaving your house. Yes, you had gone out, but to stores or to the mall when you felt like it. You felt incredibly out of place, even though, years ago, you used to frequent bars with... Sam. You used to be the life of the party, but things changed; you changed.

You couldn't even remember the last time you went into a bar after what happened. After what happened, you and Nate - along with Elena and Sully - stuck together; for the most part. Soon, Elena and Nate got married, it was a beautiful wedding, and the both of them quit their adventuring. You lost contact with Victor not long after. You spoke to Nate on the phone often, and both he and Elena visited when they could; and vice versa. 

Your two friends practically dragged you by the arms further into the bar, snapping you out of your thoughts as you felt the tingling feeling of anxiety coursing through you. You were not ready for this at all. Your friends then found a booth near the small dancefloor, and before you knew it, you were stuck sitting in between your two friends.

"I might get a martini," Your friend, the one that comforted you in your home, spoke.

"You always get a martini. I'm going to try something new, maybe a bloody mary." Your second friend spoke, before turning to you, "What are you getting?"

You shrugged, shifting uncomfortably in your seat on the dark red, leather booth. "I don't know."

Your second friend gently nudged your shoulder, gaining your attention away from the wooden, circular table. They gave you an encouraging smile, "You got this. Just for tonight."

You tried to smile back at them before you watched the both of them head off to the bar on the other side of the large, dim-lighted room. You let out a sigh, before letting your gaze shift around the room, you were already growing tired of the music the bar was playing. You fiddled with your fingers in your lap, somewhat people-watching. It was a pretty crowded bar, with a good amount of people either at the bar, on the dancefloor, or at the booths eating. The bar was located more by your work, close to downtown. You had passed by it many times in your time living in the area, but you never went in. 

Your eyes snapped away from the people of the bar, your ears perked up to where you presumed a speaker was, hanging on the corner of the ceiling. The music, that had been playing throughout the short time that you were there, was ranging between pop, rock, and indie - had changed, changed into one song that you hadn't heard for a long time, and for a reason.

The song was a rock song, though it had some romantic elements mixed into it. It was made by a band from the eighties. A band you used to love - that Sam even liked. The song was your song. It was yours and Sam's song. 

You had first heard the song in your car. It was way before... Before what happened, but you and Sam had been driving away from somewhere, and the song just popped onto the radio. The song was something new, something neither you nor Sam had ever heard before. But as you sat there, listening to the lyrics, you couldn't help but think about Sam. The song spoke about two lovers, who had the power to speak without words. They could go through everything and anything. Their love could transcend all. There was more but the song resonated within your bones. 

Sam thought it was a bit cliche, but the more you insisted that it was your song for each other, the more Sam grew to love it. He never told you, but you knew. 

You bit your lip, your eyes dropping back down at the table, memories flooding your mind. Sam had given you a mixtape for your birthday, composed of your favorite songs. You remembered, a long time ago, listening to the song in the car; from your mixtape. You were singing along, somewhat obnoxiously, but you didn't care, you were having fun. You remembered when you pulled up to the red light, somewhere in the middle of nowhere - miles from home - when you turned to Sam. Your bright smile slowly faded upon seeing Sam's face. His expression was intense, but soft, as he looked directly into your eyes. The side of his face was illuminated by the streetlamp on the side of the road, highlighting his features beautifully. You could hardly take your eyes off him. 

It was like time stood still, and the world stopped spinning. The world only existed for that one moment, and for one single moment, nothing else mattered. No treasure hunting, no running from men with guns, no responsibilities. Nothing. It felt only natural when you both began to lean in, your heart beginning to race in your chest as Sam reached out with a hand, cupping your warm cheek. He closed the distance between you two as your eyes fluttered shut and you felt his lips press against yours. He tasted like cinnamon and smoke, and you loved it. You loved how his rough hands cupped your face, how the calluses of his thumbs felt as they brushed against the apples of your cheeks. You loved him... You loved him.

You blinked away the memories, a heavy feeling resting in your chest. That moment would forever stay with you. But, you were tired. You were tired of love songs, and you just wanted to go home. You wanted to go home and watch some comfort movie while eating takeout. You wanted to be alone. But, you knew that being out and about was probably good for you, as your friends had said many times before.

So, you slid yourself out of the booth, making your way to the bar; passing the dancefloor where you found your two friends dancing and having fun. Upon reaching the bar, you waved the bartender down, but before you could even reply with your drink, a deep voice answered for you.

"She'll have a vodka lime and soda." 

You briskly turned your head, coming face to face with a man in what seemed to be his late thirties. He was tall, had short, curly blonde hair, and piercing blue eyes that you could surprisingly make out within the dim light of the bar. He was attractive, yes, but with the way he was staring at you - ogling you - looking you up and down; there was just something about him that gave you an uneasy feeling in your gut. And you often trusted your gut; something that you learned to use when you used to treasure hunt. On top of that, he ordered a drink for you, choosing a drink for you, instead of politely asking to pay for your drink. 

You weren't at all in the mood for whatever bullshit he was going to pull, "I don't drink those." You replied simply, thankfully the bartender was still there, and you corrected the drink to one you preferred, before turning back to see that the man was still there, so you raised an eyebrow. "Can I help you?" You weren't trying to be polite, and you were hoping the man would just see that you were not interested and just leave you alone. 

"Just admiring you," He finally spoke, his comment making you scoff, and roll your eyes. What? Were you some sort of museum piece? What did he want? He continued speaking, "The outfit you're wearing is gorgeous."

You stared at him with annoyance, not sure how to respond. Did he expect you to thank him? Because you wouldn't do that. Maybe you'd have to simplify your question. "What do you want?"

The man - that you still didn't have a name for, mind you - as if you wanted one - just gave you, what he probably believed was a charming smile. With a swish of a hand, he pushed the curly blonde hair from the side of his temple, "Can I not just admire someone as beautiful as you?" Honestly, this guy was reminding you of Prince Charming from 'Shrek'. And obviously not in a good way, you hated that guy.

"Go find someone else to admire - actually, no, how about you go home and not bother anyone else? Forever." The man, still with no name other than the idiot from 'Shrek,' just continued to smile, unbothered by your attitude. You briefly looked around the dancefloor, unable to spot your friends. 

"I quite like where I am right here." He continued, soon the bartender arrived with your drink, and you were quick to grab your drink; not wanting this guy to possibly drug you. "Unless you want to join me. My apartment is just down the street."

But at this point, this man was becoming insufferable. "Hell no," You took a quick sip of your drink. "Not interested. I have a boyfriend." You pursed your lips, the words had just slipped out, easily, subconsciously. You clenched your jaw, taking another sip; you wished the drink was stronger, but you didn't think they made anything strong enough to numb the pain you were feeling. And besides, that was unhealthy anyway. One drink for the night - maybe even two - was enough. You had a long day of work tomorrow and you didn't want to wake up with a massive headache. Though, you were beginning to get one the longer the man stood beside you. And the jerk was still staring at you. Weirdo. 

You could vaguely hear the man beside you talking, but you weren't paying attention. Your eyes wandered the bar, trying to spot your friends, checking the booth that you had been sitting at before your eyes landed on the dark corner of the bar; near the back door; a green neon sign locating the exit above it. Your eyes widening as you felt your hands shaking; you had to tighten your grip on your drink to stop yourself from possibly dropping it. There stood a figure. One that you could barely make out, but you knew that figure. You knew that stance. 

Feeling a hand on your arm, you snapped your gaze away from the corner, your eyes meeting the blue ones of the man, who was still beside you. Your expression completely soured, your eyes narrowing and your frown deepening. You stared daggers at him before grabbing his hand and taking it off of your arm. "Do not touch me." You practically growled, only for the man to smirk down at you.

"Awe, you're so cute when you're ang-" Before he could even finish his sentence, you left the bar. You were this close to punching him, and you would’ve loved to if you didn’t have the threat of the police being called on you if you did.

Spotting your friends next to a small group of people, you walked over, your friend turned to greet you; but upon seeing your expression, their smiles fell. "Gone south?" One asked, and you nodded, handing your other friend your drink.

"Gone south." You confirmed, before saying your 'goodbyes and thanks' before leaving the bar entirely. 

~~~

"Death cannot stop true love. All it can do is delay it for a while." That sentence seemed to echo through the TV screen, making you pause your chewing as you shuffled further back into the cushion of your couch. You watched as Westley and Buttercup lay in the green grass, in each other's arms; you placed your popcorn to the side.

"I'll never doubt again," Buttercup spoke, as Weastly just gazed down at her, with such admiration and true love.

You sighed as he spoke his line, "There will never be a need." Before he brought her in a long-awaited kiss.

You sighed once more, grabbing your large bowl of popcorn - mixed with M&Ms - resuming your eating. You loved 'The Princess Bride' but you hadn't watched it in a very long time. And, like most things in your life, it reminded you of Sam. You somewhat scolded yourself. It had been fifteen years, and you still felt the same as you did since the moment you watched Sam fall to his death. You wished that you could just un-miss him... But, you needed him. You needed him more than ever. 

Somedays were harder than others, and today was one of those days. The night before, you had gone to the bar with friends, and had to deal with that Prince Charming wannabe jerk - and then with that overwhelming thought that maybe Sam was there at the bar... No, you didn't see him. Your mind was just playing tricks on you. It was like that scene in another movie you liked, where the mother spoke that she saw her missing husband ten times a week, in a hundred different faces. You shook your head to clear it, letting a sigh escape your lips.

But that feeling, you couldn't shake it. You needed to tell someone about it. And there was only one person you could possibly talk about it with, that would totally understand.

Leaning over the side of the couch, you grabbed the TV remote; careful not to spill your popcorn and M&Ms. Pausing the movie, you grabbed your phone off the coffee table, replacing it with the bowl. Flipping open your flip phone - you never really got around to getting a new phone - you opened your contacts and called Nathan.

The phone rang a few times, before he answered, "Hello? Y/N?" He asked, and faintly you could hear the theme of 'Crash Bandicoot' before you assumed he paused it.

"Hey, Nathan," You felt yourself smile, "I'm sorry to call so late."

You heard him let out a sputtering chuckle, "Nah," He was probably shaking his head, "Not too late. I was just playing 'Crash Bandicoot.' What's up?" 

"Just checking up on you and E," You spoke, shifting on the couch, "Anything new going on?"

"Mmm, nope, not at the moment." Nate spoke with a short hum, "Still a salvager." He paused shortly, "What about you? What did you really call me about?"

You let out a somewhat awkward laugh, "Nothing! I just wanted to check up on you and Elena. It's been a while since I saw you both." You sighed, glancing over to the shelf beside your TV, spotting the picture frame featuring you, Nate, and Elena; you were all standing by the Colosseum in Rome - your birthday vacation. "I guess I just miss you guys."

"I miss you too, kid," Nate spoke, his voice soft, "I know Elena does too. She talks about you a lot. We've been planning to see if you are available to hang out sometime soon. Have dinner with us. Haven't seen you in like, what? A month?"

"Two, actually." You corrected with a small laugh, "And you know I am free whenever. I am my own boss, so..." You trailed off, and Nate laughed in return.

There was a short pause before he spoke again, "How are you?" He asked, and with that tone of his voice, you knew what he meant, but you played oblivious. 

"I'm doing great-"

"Y/N," He interrupted, and you huffed, "You know what I mean. You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to. But, you know, talking about... Well, everything… It might help."

You glanced at the paused movie, "I know," You bit your lip, your eyes dropping on to your lap before you huffed again, but it turned out into more of a sigh, "Honestly, I am the same as I was since the beginning." You rolled your eyes at yourself, fiddling with the soft fabric of your throw blanket with your free hand, "I went out to the bar with some friends, and I thought-" You swallowed before continuing, "Can I just- Are you free tomorrow? Uh, before work? Can I just come see you? What I have to say might be easier face to face."

"Yeah," Nate answered, "Yeah, yeah, for sure."

"Thank you, Nate. I really hope I’m not bothering you or anything with this." You replied, your eyes closing momentarily, a slight frown on your face, before opening them as Nate spoke once more.

"No, it's totally fine, Y/N." His voice reassured you a bit, "I'll talk to you more tomorrow, okay?"

You felt yourself smile - an appreciative one - "Yeah, yeah… Thank you again, Nate. See you tomorrow."

Hanging up the phone, you tossed it to the side cushion, and grabbed the TV remote, unpausing your movie. 

~~~

Your fingers tapped against your car's steering wheel, not to any particular rhythm, nor to the song that was playing on the radio; just your nervous energy that wouldn't leave you alone. Stopping at a light, you blindly grab ahold of your water bottle, taking a quick sip before the light turns green. The drive to Nate's place of work was a good forty-five minutes from your house, so the drive wasn't terrible, and you considered yourself lucky that you didn't get stuck in traffic or something along those lines.

Pulling up into the driveway of the parking lot, you parked beside a red pickup truck, before letting out a sigh. Taking a few seconds, you flipped open the vanity mirror in your sun visor. Pausing, you glanced at the polaroid of Sam that you pinned to the inside of the sun visor. You and Sam had been in Egypt - looking for treasure as always - and you just decided to take a picture of him. The sun was setting, and you could just barely see one of the pyramids behind Sam's head. He looked so… Ethereal.

Fixing your hair somewhat, to at least look presentable, you hopped out of your car. The sun was already raising, and you had to take a minute just to admire the sunrise as you climbed up the stairs towards Nate's office. However, when you reached the top of the stairs, you froze. 

If your heart was beating, you couldn't feel it. All you could feel was the soft breeze that passed by you as you stared wide-eyed at the sight before you. You originally thought that you were seeing things again. But, as he turned to face you, a sort of apprehensive look on his face... You let out a breath - a sigh - that you didn't know you were even holding. 

His name was on the tip of your tongue, just at your lips, and yet, you couldn't force the words to pass through your mouth. Instead, you felt tears burn the backs of your eyes before they spilled over onto your cheeks as you quickly ran towards him. Sam staggered back as you crashed into him - wrapping your arms tightly around him; your hands gripping the denim martial of his jacket.

His arms wrapped tightly around you, squeezing you tighter as he buried his nose into the hair on the top of your head. You shut your eyes, your breathing coming out heavy as he kissed the top of your head softly, whispering your name; almost like a prayer.

You clung to him tighter, an overwhelming wave of relief and happiness flooding over you as you pulled away slightly; your fingers still clinging to the front of his jacket, the other resting on his chest. His heartbeat was the proof that he was real, that he wasn't just some grief-created hallucination; he was alive.

Meeting his chocolate-brown eyes, seeing that smile on his face... You finally found yourself able to speak, "You're alive," You reluctantly let go of him to wipe the tears from your eyes and cheeks, "But you fell…” You buried your face back into his chest, “It’s my fault, I should’ve- I should’ve held on tighter." Sam’s arms tightened around you, shaking his head.

“No, sweetheart, darling, none of this was ever your fault.” Sam let go of you to gesture to himself, “I’m fine, see?” He gave you a reassuring grin.

You nodded, brushing the tears from your cheeks, “I thought you were dead.” You gave him a smile, “But, I am so glad you’re home.”

Sam couldn't look away from you - after fifteen years, you continued to look as beautiful as ever; like a goddess. Sam missed you, so many nights in that prison, Sam had dreamed about you - some nights he even thought he heard your voice... And now that he was standing there, with you standing right in front of him, and all he wanted to do was pull you close to him again.

"So did I." A small grin stretched across his face as he took your hands in his, his thumbs gently rubbing against the tops of your palms as his gaze moved over your face. Honestly, he was still taking you in; it had been so long. 

"What happened?" You asked, your worried and confused eyes searching his as Sam let out a small chuckle, glancing at the sunrise before looking back over at you, he was about to speak, but you continued, "I mean, how did you get out? How did you get here? Nate called basically everyone, and everything led to you being dead, and now you're here, and you're alive. I grieved for you, and I even thought I saw you at the bar, but I think I was just going crazy, or maybe the stress of going out- nevermind that. Are you alright? I mean, you got shot and then you fell-"

"Hey, hey," Sam cut off your rambling, laughing lightly as he raised one of his hands to cup your cheek, "I'm okay, sweetheart, I promise." He smiled reassuringly at you, but seeing the worry that was so clearly written upon your face - the desperation for answers - Sam let out a sigh, nodding his head. "Let's sit down, alright?" Sam led you to the wooden bench, sitting down beside you, and Sam was quiet for a moment before he opened his mouth to explain. And explain he did. He told you about being caught, stitched up, and tossed right back into a cell. He told you about Alcazar and the treasure of Henry Avery. He was in some crazy trouble, and you knew Nate, you knew that Nate was going to help his big brother. You wondered how he was going to tell Elena. "That's the story," Sam let out a sigh, looking over at you with a grin.

You let out a breath, "Wow," You muttered, looking up at him in shock, well, many emotions. "Well, I am just going to say this, I am helping you with his whole Alcazar business. And don't think you can try and convince me not to go. I am going." You hadn't gone on an adventure in a very long time, but you would be crazy to not go with him and Nathan to find that treasure of Henry Avery's. Deep down, you were hoping it would be like the good old days.

Sam raised his hands up in defense, letting out a chuckle, "I'm not going to stop you, the more the merrier."

You felt your shoulders fall as you let out another sigh. Looking up at Sam, relief washed over you in waves once more. You couldn't even express to anyone, nor yourself, how incredibly happy you were that Sam was alive. You missed him, that was obvious, but you missed being next to him, talking to him, hearing his voice; his laugh and touch. And the way he looked at you... You couldn't believe that this was really happening. "I missed you," Came out before you could even have time to think about it. 

Sam's expression softened, his grin morphing into more of a smile - a real one - his hand reached out to grab one of yours; the callouses rough against the soft skin on the back of your hand. "I missed you too, Y/N," Sam admitted quietly, watching you, "You have no idea how damn much."

"I think I've missed you more," You muttered, shifting impossibly closer to him on the bench, your eyes roaming his face before they caught sight of the tattoo on the side of his neck. "I haven't stopped thinking about you, you know? I've had dreams, nightmares. Pictures hanging up on my walls... Even a couple of your shirts." That statement made him chuckle but you continued, your fingers still going along on their journey across Sam's skin; trailing from the apples of his cheeks to his jaw, and so on. "It hurts, sometimes. I miss our talks and our late-night drives. It hurt when I woke up from nightmares and realized that you weren't there..." Your words drew out, your tone wistful and yearning, almost pained.

"Hey," Sam spoke up, pulling your attention away from your exploration, "All that matters is that I am here now," His hand came up cupping your cheek once more, his thumb brushing along the skin of your cheek like he used to do all those years ago; a smile slowly slipped upon your lips, your hand coming up to press against his. You watched as his dark eyes flickered from around your face to your lips, before looking back up to your eyes. He didn't move, no matter how much he just wanted to swoop in to steal a kiss, he spoke, "Can I... Can I kiss you?" He asked, his voice deep, soft, but husky as if there were a slight nervousness hidden underneath it, in addition to longing. "It's been... A long time and I don't know if you-"

"Only you," You answered quickly, "There's only been you." Sam let out a shaky breath before he leaned forward. Your noses brushed together slightly as he brought his free arm around your waist, pulling you closer to him; his lips pressing against yours. The kiss was sweet - gentle yet passionate - as you melted into each other. You hummed, your fingers coming up to brush against the hair on the nape of his neck. Sam eventually pulled away first - reluctantly - resting his forehead against yours, catching his breath, before bringing his hand up and threading it through your hair.

Your hand cupped his warm cheek before you nuzzled your cheek against the other, digging your face into the crook of his neck. Sam chuckled, tightening his grip on your waist, "I love you," He whispered against the shell of your ear. Just for you, and only you to hear.

"I love you, too," You finally got to answer, your own heart beating faster than it ever had before. You didn't want to pull away - not just yet. You couldn't. Not when you finally had him back. You squeezed your eyes shut as you relaxed, leaning into the warmth of Sam's body beside you, relishing every second of being near him. After what seemed like forever, you sighed contently, tilting your head up to press a light kiss to the underside of his jaw before cuddling into his side; admiring the beautiful morning with him. "I hope you know that you're forever stuck with me." You added teasingly as you laid your head back on his shoulder.

"I wouldn't have it any other way," Sam responded without hesitation, smiling as you let out a giggle. Shaking your head as you wrapped your arms around his torso, listening to the sound of his heart beating as you laid your head against his chest.

Finally, after so many years, after so much heartbreak and grieving... After so many sleepless nights, watching soap dramas and binging pints of ice cream and cold pizza... Finally, Sam was home. With you. You closed your eyes, feeling his hand brush up and down your arm soothingly as he buried his face in the top of your head; you still used the same shampoo.

Sam shut his own eyes, ignoring Rafe's voice in the back of his mind, allowing himself, for a moment, to pretend that everything was alright. He let out a sigh from his nose, relaxing at the sound of your breathing as he pressed his lips to your temple. Everything was going to be fine.

---

Main Masterlist | Uncharted Masterlist

[hogarthwrites]

Happily Never After

pairing: samuel drake/femme!reader (m/f)

genre: hurt, angst

words: 1091

summary:

Sam deals with heartbreak for the first time.

Samuel Drake approached love apathetically. To him, it was something that came and went, like a passionate night with a beautiful stranger. He didn’t believe in “happily ever after” unless it involved an unfathomable amount of treasure, so he had let every romantic opportunity pass him by.

That was, until he met her. She was the hurricane that crashed through the door of his heart, blowing him away with emotions he never knew he could feel before. He couldn’t get her out of his head the first few months they started dating, and he almost felt like a fool, acting like a silly schoolboy in love. But there it was: love.

Sam knew it the moment he woke up one Sunday morning and she turned to smile at him, adoring the wrinkles at the corners of her eyes.

“Good morning,” was all she said and that was it; he had bought her a ring that very afternoon and proposed.

Of course, it wasn’t always all good. There were days they’d argue, especially when Sam had to go away for months again. But the moment he stepped back into their apartment, their clothes strewn on the floor, all was forgiven.

Or, at least that’s what Sam had thought until the moment he stood at the altar, staring at the heavy wooden doors. He had spent weeks wondering how she’d look entering those very doors, hoping she’d give him that smile he fell so deeply in love with, but as the clock ticked, he started to get nervous.

Nathan gave Sam a worried look, but he shook his head. She wouldn’t leave him like that, right?

He glanced at his watch; it’s been an hour and a half since the wedding started, and guests were starting to whisper.

“I’m sorry, kid,” Victor quietly said.

Sam’s hands fell to his sides, suddenly he couldn’t feel his legs and there was a lump in his throat. He couldn’t believe she would stand him up.

“Sam…” He could feel Nathan grab his shoulders, but he shoved him away.

He made his way out of the chapel, and, almost as if out of habit, started to climb the steeple. His heart hurt, but he climbed, feeling the chilly Boston air as he made his way up. He couldn’t believe he was back in this city he’d hated growing up, thinking this new beginning with the love of his life would’ve changed how he felt about it. Instead, he was sitting on the roof of an old church, his heart shattered into pieces again.

At that moment, he felt like a kid again, when Frank left him and Nathan at the orphanage. At just eleven years old, Sam couldn’t understand why his own father didn’t want them anymore. He had cried and cried on the roof of one of the orphanage dorms, feeling sour about the sermon Father Duffy had given earlier that day. If God was real, why would he let us feel this way, he had thought. 

Decades later, Sam had the same thought, wondering what he had done to make her go, and if he even still deserved love. 

“No one else in the world, baby,” she had told him just a few months ago as they lounged on the sofa, bathed in sunlight. She gave him a kiss as she held up her hand with the stunning ring he had given her. “Just you and me.”

The memory hurt him more. 

“Hey, Sam, I’m so sorry,” Sam felt a strong hand on his shoulder.

Nathan stood next to him, worry cast over his face. 

“It’s fine,” Sam waved a dismissive hand at him. “I’m fine. I’ve been through prison, what’s a little heartbreak, huh?”

Nathan sighed as he sat next to him. “You’re not fine. You know it’s okay to let it out, right?”

“Yeah,” Sam looked out into the horizon. “Fuck,” his voice broke as the tears started falling again. “Fuck, I don’t want to be dramatic, but this shit hurts more than a goddamn bullet.”

“Love will do that to you.”

“Fuck that,” Sam almost laughed. “What did I do?”

Nathan shrugged. “Did she give any indication of leaving?”

“No,” Sam scoffed. “Or maybe I didn’t see it because I’m a goddamn asshole.”

“Don’t be so hard on yourself, it could be anything.”

Sam stared down at his hand. If things had gone right, he would’ve been wearing a ring by now. 

Nathan had never seen his older brother this vulnerable, he felt bad he didn’t know what to say. And so, the Drake brothers sat side by side as Sam quietly cried.

“I might as well go home,” Sam sighed. 

“Are you sure? You can stay with me and Elena for a while.”

“Nah, I need some time alone.”

Sam gave Nathan a sad smile. “Thanks, though, I ‘ppreciate it.”

The apartment was freezing when Sam came in. She had packed up all her things, but left a note on her side of the bed. Written neatly on a folded piece of paper was his name in black ink that had run because of her tears. 

Sam sat on the cold wooden floor as he unfolded the letter.

Dear Sam,

I want you to know this isn’t something I just decided to do. You’ve always been good to me, and I’ve never loved a man more than I’ve loved you, but the past few months have been tough with you always away. I spent so many nights so afraid you wouldn’t come home, wondering what you were doing, wanting to reach out, but I couldn’t.

Sam, I can’t live like this. I can’t live being afraid that the man I love will just be taken away from me at any given time, but I can’t make you walk away from treasure hunting. I know better than to compete with a man’s first love. 

I never wanted to hurt you like this, but I just can’t marry you with this fear in my heart. I hope you understand. 

I’m sorry, Sam.

Sam tossed the letter to the floor. Solitary confinement in a Panamanian prison seemed like a better option than the torture he felt at that moment. 

“Why didn’t you just tell me?” He whispered as he buried his head between his knees. “Fuck.”

He crawled into the bed he had shared with her, the smell of her perfume faintly lingering, making him feel like he was being stabbed in the heart a hundred times. He knew “happily ever after” wasn’t real.

[alltoowelltom]

Glimpse of Us (t.h)

look at him he is so precious i just want to hold him and tell him he's wonderful :(

summary: time to finally get back at Tom for his pranks. who knew he'd fall for it that easily?

a/n: trying to get back into the swing of writing again. a combination of two requests I received to do with the song 'Glimpse of Us' by Joji. tysm for requesting! <3

✧･ﾟ: ✧･ﾟ:✧･ﾟ: ✧･ﾟ:

Ever since you'd started dating Tom and joined into his friend group, you'd often found yourself the butt of the joke. Not in a mean way, the boys just couldn't resist a prank every now and then and in their words, your reactions were 'not to be missed'. The fans loved them too, many videos of their pranks going slightly viral. You could take a joke, but eventually there was only one thing left to do: revenge.

"I don't see why we all have to go to the grocery store," whined Harry. "Can't just one or two of us go?"

"No, because you always nominate Y/N or me." says Harrison, rolling his eyes as Harry begins to bicker back.

While all four boys are preoccupied in their argument, you take your opportunity to surreptitiously prop your phone up against your leg. The camera catches Tom in the driver's seat, completely unaware of it's focus on him. Next you slowly slide Tom's phone from the centre console into your lap, quickly adding a song into the play queue. Replacing his phone, you turn to the boys in the backseat.

"Boys!" you say loudly, drawing their attention out of their argument. "It's not even 10 A.M, can you shut it for at least another half hour?"

"Exactly what I'm saying, I could be in bed right now." sighs Tuwaine, leaning against the window and staring out dramatically.

You smile sweetly as the boys are quiet, punching the air in your mind as Tom seems to read your mind, reaching out to turn the music up before you could. That'll work even better than your plan.

Tom reaches out and gives your knee a quick squeeze as the song comes to an end and the song you had queued begins to play.

She'd take the world off my shoulders

If it was ever hard to move

You see Tom's brows frown sligtly as he clearly tries to place where he's heard these lyrics before. When the chorus begins to play, you take a deep breath to put your plan into action.

'Cause sometimes I look in her eyes

And that's where I find a glimpse of us

"Tom," you whisper shakily, biting your tongue to keep a straight face.

"Y/N, honey, what's wrong?" he immediately questions, placing his hand on your leg.

"I- I- can't believe you!" you cry. "How could you?"

"I- What? Love, you're not making any sense." he tries.

"I've given my all to this relationship for the past two and a half, almost three years, and the whole time you've been thinking about someone else?" you say, making your bottom lip wobble in an incredibly convincing manner. The boys begin to perk up from the back seat, leaning in slightly to hear the conversation.

"Darling, what are you on about?" Tom questions, completely confuddled. "What have I done? You've got to tell me what I did so I can fix this, right?"

"I don't know if you can fix it," you mutter, leaning away from his touch. "After almost three years you're still stuck on someone else, and this is the way you deign to let me know? Through a song, surrounded by all your friends?"

"I think we might actually be Y/N's friends not Tom's friends after this," announces Harrison, glaring at Tom.

"Yeah, I might actually be Y/N's brother not Tom's brother in a minute." adds Harry.

The song continues to play on unhelpfully in the background, as no one thinks to turn it down to de-escalate the situation.

Said I'm fine and said I moved on

I'm only here passing time in her arms

"Can everyone shut up for a minute?" asks Tom, taking one hand off the wheel to rub his head. "I'm not trying to tell you anything, my love. I didn't even put this song on!"

"Yes you did," you sniffle. "You put it on because you relate to it and you're still thinking about someone else."

Just as Tom is about to defend himself again, he realises that perhaps he did put the song on? He's been hearing it all over TikTok and it's been stuck in his head for days. He only added it to his playlist because he thought it was a good song for when he's sitting in the back of a car in the rain, having his main character in a music video moment. Surely you knew that? You knew that you were all he'd ever wanted and more. Right?

"You know what Y/N, I can't be perfect all the time," he says, raising his voice slightly. "If you can't get just how much I fucking love you, then I don't know what I'm doing wrong. I do my best, I get you flowers on date night, I always make sure to send good morning and goodnight texts when we're apart, I get your favorite cereal every week I go shopping even though it looks like a unicorn threw up in it. If all it takes to break this relationship apart for you, then I think we really need to re-evaluate our trust for each to each other." he finishes.

He glances over after a few seconds of your silence, his messy brow raised in worry. The boys hold their breath, frowning when you curl up on the seat, giggling.

"Babe," says Tom, concerned. "This is a serious argument we're having."

You only laugh harder at that, slapping the air as you scramble to find your phone and holding it up in the air. When Tom glances over again, catching a glimpse of it still recording, he lightly bangs his fist against the steering wheel, rolling his eyes.

"I'm totally kidding you," you wheeze.

Tom simply pouts at the camera, hunched over in his seat as the boys breath out in relief. You post the video on your Instagram story, turning it off and letting it rest in the cupholder as it already begins to buzz with the fans reactions to your post.

"I put the song on." you clarify. "And I wasn't upset. At all."

"I genuinely thought we were going to break up over this," pouts Tom. "And I could already see the rest of my life, sitting in front of the TV only eating your gross cereal because it reminds me of the love of my life, and then throwing up because it's so disgusting. Rinse and repeat."

You laugh, reaching out to grab onto his hand and rub gentle circles into his palm as you lean across to kiss his cheek.

"I'm sorry," you say. "I had to teach you guys a lesson. Do you forgive me?"

Tom pretends to think it over, exaggerating his pout.

"I might if I get another kith," he whispers, inventing a lisp to try and gain sympathy.

You pretend to gag at his attempt at a baby voice, leaning over to kiss his cheek once again nevertheless.

He grins slightly.

"One more?"

You roll your eyes this time, hoisting yourself out of your seat to press one more kiss to his soft cheek.

He turns to you, grinning madly.

"Think I could get one more?"

✧･ﾟ: ✧･ﾟ:✧･ﾟ: ✧･ﾟ:

thank you so much for reading! i'm sorry if it's a bit shit, a quick write to try and get some creativity flowing. reblogs and comments are always appreciated <3

[unchartedthelostlegacy]

The air in the sauna made Nadine gasp. It felt wrong. It felt like she wasn't really breathing.

Chloe, unfazed, shut the wooden door with its tiny window and sat down on the slatted wooden seats, and Nadine tried to settle in across from her. She watched Chloe pushing her wet black hair behind one shoulder, hotel towel barely covering her breasts. Was there even enough oxygen in this hot elevator-sized crypt for both of them?

"China? Y'alright?"

Nadine bit her lip and shook her head, closing her eyes.

The panic rising in her stomach was irrational. She knew that. War memories rising unbidden, or maybe she just had a new phobia after the past couple of adventures with this battleaxe or the Drake idiots. Maybe it was of the combination of fire and water and being trapped.

Still, the dark, cramped wooden cube was supposed to be relaxing. Chloe was clearly enjoying it. She almost looked to be dozing off, a safe practice in the devil's hotbox for sure.

Nadine gripped her knees. She was starting to shake. Not from cold, obviously. It felt...more involuntary. Like muscle twitches. Her heart was pounding.

Someone could lock us in here. Cook us like lobsters. I don't have my gun with me. Frazer doesn't even have her stupid phone.

"Wait," Nadine burst out.

Chloe looked up at her, about to ladle water onto the heated rocks.

"You really think it's not hot enough in here?" the ex-mercenary said.

"You're the one that's shaking, mate."

Because this is what my version of hell feels like.

"How long's it been?" Chloe was smirking at her now. "Don't tell me you've never been in one before."

"Ja, I haven't missed much."

"Sauna virgin."

"I'm going to kill you in your sleep," Nadine's face was on fire.

"Even Sam's been in a sauna before."

"Did they have to demolish it afterward to get rid of the smell?"

Nadine could just go, walk out, leave the Aussie idiot to turn into biltong in here if she wanted. Chloe's goading shouldn't have an effect on her when she'd put up with so much in her life. Instead, the shaking was getting worse, and she knew she wasn't hiding it by re-wrapping the towel around her upper half. Nadine wasn't even the type to be self-conscious about nudity, but Chloe was obviously staring.

This was the Finns' fault. This was geometry and fluid dynamics's fault. This was Chloe's stupid rewards points getting them a cut-price deal on this campy spa instead of a reasonable business hotel's fault. Nadine should be upstairs in her pajamas watching the Premier League and pretending not to Facebook stalk Lesedi on her phone. Apparently relaxation was not supposed to be fun.

"All right, ready for the ice dip?" Chloe said into the boiling silence.

"What?"

Nadine was so overjoyed at seeing the door open again, a strip of light cutting the penance benches, that she wasn't prepared when Chloe grabbed an armful of ice from the trough (Nadine had assumed it was for champagne bottles that would be brought later) beside the evil room and threw it over herself.

"Bracing!"

This couldn't be how it was done. This had to be a prank. The line between luxury spa treatment and interrogation-room torture method seemed very thin at the moment to Nadine.

"You won't even feel cold after the first minute, china. Try it."

"I'm going to be honest," Nadine said as the treasure hunter continued rubbing ice on her sweat-beaded body. "I think I'd rather die."

And yet. Nadine did not know what possessed her to reach over and grasp a handful of the ice--it seemed to steam and stick to her wet fingers--and then brush it over her shoulder and chest, where her heart was still quaking.

The shudder that went through her was, yes, bracing. Nadine wouldn't call it nice. Or even tolerable. But it made her take a full, deep breath for the first time in what felt like forever.

Climbing to absurd heights and balancing across precipices. Catching runaway trains. She needed to stop letting Chloe rope her into this death wish crap.

Chloe was rubbing the ice on her face now, in large circles, like it was some sort of influencer anti-aging trick. "You weren't happy in there. You should have said something."

Nadine sputtered, "And--and listen to your--"

"My what?"

"Your bullshit," Nadine gritted her teeth. "All of your bullshit, Frazer, always."

"You listen to it anyway. God, it was hard watching you?" She turned to Nadine. "What sort of place is this for bottling all that up?"

Nadine couldn't say anything to that. Couldn't even hold Chloe's television-static eyes.

Because it used to work. For almost her whole family it had worked. And other skills, softer skills, non-close-quarters-combat skills that she was sure she had down were atrophied now.

"I thought everyone hated being in there," Nadine stammered. "I didn't think--people actually liked that."

Chloe didn't have to burst out laughing.

[ptergwen]

i finally got around to watching uncharted and how abt a blurb for nathan where y/n is pregnant and unsure abt starting a family with nathan bc of his propensity for stealing and crime, but nathan lowkey really wants a family bc he never got that when he was little. make it kinda of angsty and end it however you want :)

congrats again on 7k! love you <3

together

7k sleepover 🦋  |  ask box  |  taglist  | main masterlist

w/c: 574

warnings: angst, mentions of death

a/n: thank you hehe love this idea and love you! as soon as you sent the request the gears in my mind started turning <3 i hope you enjoy and make sure to join my taglist y’all

“i’m pregnant.”

nathan knew something was going on with you, but he couldn’t quite put his finger on it. you’ve been acting different recently. in general and towards him, especially towards him. now, it all makes sense. you’re going to be carrying a baby. his baby.

surprise and a grin overtake nathan’s features.

“you are?”

you nod. nathan looks down at your stomach, up at you, and down again. he chuckles and grabs both your hands, pressing his forehead to yours.

“sweetheart, i’m so happy. we’re gonna have a family. you, me, and a baby drake.”

“nate…”

your voice comes out as a croak. tears fall down your face, eyes searching for nathan’s.

“why’re you crying? is it the pregnancy hormones already?”

when you don’t laugh at his joke, he knows something is wrong. he lifts his forehead off of yours.

“are you not happy, too?”

“yes… no… i’m not sure. i have a lot of mixed feelings about it. sorry to kill your mood.”

“no, you feel however you’ve gotta feel. can we sit?”

nathan leads you over to the couch. you sit facing each other, hands still connected and settled between the two of you. your eyes are burning and brimmed red.

“y/n? what is it, sweetheart?”

you shrug your shoulders, hiccuping.

“i just don’t think we’re ready to do this. i- i want to, but we can’t.”

“why not? we’ve talked about it before, starting a family. that was always the plan.”

“yeah, in the future. when we’re older.”

“it doesn’t make a difference.”

“maybe not to you, but it does to me.”

nathan lets go of your hands.

“what’s this really about?”

“we can’t raise a kid, nathan. we can’t afford to. neither one of us makes enough to provide, and-“

“you never have to worry about money. you know that. i’ll take care of you, both of you.”

“how, by stealing?”

nathan bites the inside of his cheek, gaze intense.

“it might work for you now, pickpocketing your way around the city, but what if you get caught? what if you’re not around?”

“sounds like you’ve made up your mind.”

“i haven’t. i just want you to understand why i’m confused.”

you brush your drying tears off your cheeks and take nathan’s hands again.

“i think you’d be an amazing dad, nate. you have so much love to give, and there’s so much you could teach our kid.”

nathan runs his thumb over the back of one of your hands, sighing.

“but?”

“but i don’t think it’s time yet.”

nathan scoots closer to you, gripping your hands so tight his knuckles turn white.

“i really want this. i want a family, with you. my parents passed when i was a kid, and my brother sam…”

“he left you.”

“yeah, and i would never do that to our kid. i’d never let anything take me away from them, or you. i’ll always be here.”

your eyes flick between nathan’s.

“i don’t wanna wait, y/n/n. i’m ready to settle down. hell, i have been since the day i met you. i’ll stop stealing, i’ll pick up more shifts. whatever i’ve gotta do, i’ll do it. please, please, can we start our family? can we do this, you and me? together?”

your lips twitch into a smile, tears once again filling your eyes. happy tears.

“okay, together.”

nathan captures your lips in a searing kiss, tears of his own mixing with yours.

tags: @hollandsangel @parkerctrl @inthegetawaycarwithtaylah @magicalxdaydream @tayyx @peterficrecs

[holyfruitsnax]

Behind Bars Babes

 Soooooooo I’m making another part to Behind Bars. It must be done. Lots of people seem to love it and I loved writing it so, look forward to that Darlin’ <3

Part 2 is UP!

[reverie-verse]

Hiiiiii guyysss!!!!!

Here’s all of the characters I write for. However if you don’t see your favorite character you can always request one. It can be any type of fic fluff, smut, angst, lemon, a little spicy, platonic, enemies to lover, forbidden love etc. I am gonna be really honest here. Don't ask me to write nothing short, cuz I cant do it. I get waaaaayyyyy to invested for my own good. I wish I was playin with yall but IM not. 😂😭

Just a heads up I do not write anything for Anime. I don’t really watch it, so I’m sorryyyy. Yoo for smut listen y’all, there are just some things I will not write okay. No shame to anyone it’s just not my cup of tea I’ll let y’all know when that time comes. Anyways here’s the list.

Here leads back to the masterlist of the characters I have written for

-Rie

____________________________________________________

Spiderverse

-Miguel

ACOTAR SERIES

-Azriel

-Cassian

-Rhys

-Lucien

MCU

-Peter Parker (Any)

-Loki

-Thor

Star Wars

- Anakin

-Obi Wan (Only if you can persuade me enough to do it haha)

Teenwolf

-Stiles

- Scott

- Isaac

-Derek

Bridgerton

-Antony

-Benedict

- Collin

-Theo

-Simon

Maze Runner

- Thomas

-Newt

- Minho

Uncharted

- Nathan Drake

Supernatural

-Sam

-Dean

- Castiel

-Adam

Vampire Diaries / Originals

- Damon

-Stefan

- Jeremy

- Elijah

-Klaus

Twilight

- Jasper

-Edward

-Emmett

-Jacob

Witcher

- Geralt

-Jaskier

Divergent

-Four

-Caleb

Hunger Games

-Finnick

-Peeta

Criminal Minds

- Spencer Reid

[writergeek]

Coda fic to Unknown Origins:

Alternate chapter for 49/50 aka giving Dick the cure doesn't go as smoothly.

~~~~~~

Bruce braces himself and opens the door, not quite sure what to expect.

The last time he was here…

The last time he was in the room was just before he told the news to everyone, to the Titans, and to the League. (Before his meltdown, let’s be honest.)

He heard Wally mention life support earlier, but he didn’t—

More fool him, but he didn’t expect this.

...

Continue on AO3 or read the whole thing.

[hoony-parker]

hello everyone! i wanted to share with you that i started a taglist! i am also going to put the link on my bio. feel free to join, if you want to be tagged on my next writings!

stay safe x

[autobotmedic]

ratch, with 0 hours of sleep, holding a baby he did not know one of his adopted was even going to have, bloodstained from helping save said adopted: this is a fine and normal week

[justsomerandomfanfic]

Tender Loving Care - Sam Drake X GN Reader

Title: Tender Loving Care

Sam Drake X GN Reader

Additional Characters: Nathan (Mentioned), Sully (Mentioned), and Reader's friends (Mentioned)

Requested by: @a-very-bored-blogger

WC: 3,763

Warnings: Sickfic, bar mentioned, alcohol mentioned, italics, smoking, nicknames, brief mention of snakes, movie reference, banter, flirting, teasing, confession, mini angst, and fluff

Waking up with a sore throat and a snotty nose was not how you wanted to start your day. At all. Your eyes felt crusty from sleep, or your sickness and your whole body felt achy and cold. Well, no work today for you, that's for sure. You were not going to get up, get dressed, and everything, just to suffer through eight or nine hours of dealing with people. That sounded like torture, and you didn't want to risk getting anyone else sick. One part of you was pretty elated, you didn't really care much for your job. But, the other part of you was going to miss your best friend, Sam. The both of you had planned to go out to dinner together.

You and Sam met when he rode into your sleepy little town on his motorcycle. You were on your way to college, walking down the sidewalk when he pulled up to you. He asked for directions to the closest motel and you answered politely; whilst also trying not to get too caught up in how handsome he was.

Throughout his stay in your little town, you had bumped into him many times. On the fourth time, you were with friends at a bar. You had been chatting with them, laughing and having a good time as you usually did, before one of your friends nudged you in the side. You looked at them, seeing their bright, mischievous grin and the glint in their eyes; watching as they gestured with their eyes to the other side of the room. 

You turned your head, looking over, only to freeze. There, at the other side of the bar, was the mysterious stranger that rode into town only a few days prior. The stranger that you had learned was called Sam Drake; his eyes flickered over to you. You had bumped into them three times before - as previously said - and all three times, you felt this immense connection between the two of you. 

Before you knew it, you found yourself walking to the other side of the bar; with a smidge of help from your friends, your confidence grew; albeit with the help of some liquid courage. You stood with him, leaning against the bar as you sipped one of your drinks.

You finally got to know the mysterious Sam, finding out that he was a treasure hunter; which definitely intrigued you. He told you the many stories of his adventures, from Captain Avery's treasure to just traveling around different countries with his brother. 

When it was your turn to speak, you almost felt that your life was practically nothing in comparison to his. You didn't go off on amazing adventures or found long lost treasure. You worked a simple - yet boring - nine to five job. You had friends, went out to the arcade and the movies sometimes, but never anything as amazing as what Sam said he did. You hadn't even traveled outside of the country. But you spoke your part, and Sam didn't turn away. He didn't yawn, he didn't stray his eyes, and he didn't try to interrupt you. You had his full and complete attention. 

And, well... To make a long story short. The two of you quickly became best friends.

Sam stayed in the town for the next month, playing the excuse that he needed a small vacation from his treasure hunting. You greatly doubted that. But, for that month, you spent most of the time together. You showed him around, introduced him to your friends, and even went on mini adventures on that motorcycle of his together. You were both joined at the hip, and you - and Sam - wouldn't have it any other way. 

But he did have to go. You had learned that Sam never liked to stay in one place for too long. And before you knew it, he was heading off to Granada, Spain. You were incredibly crestfallen. You didn't want him to go so soon, but then he asked you something that you couldn't refuse. 

He asked you to come with him.

You couldn't say ‘no.’ How could you say ‘no?’ This was your chance to get out of the country, to get away from your sleepy little town, to get away and go on a real adventure. You asked your boss for the time off, packed your bags, and off you and Sam went - with the help of his friend Sully - whom you grew to adore as a father figure. 

Granada was beautiful. The architecture, the culture, the food, everything. You wished that you could stay there forever. Sam - quite literally - taught you the ropes, teaching you how to toss a grapple hook and swing across high cliffs. You traveled through forests, through old ruins, and even helped Sam find the lost jewels of Enrique Gómez. It was adrenaline-filled, and exciting. 

You didn't know when, or where in Granada, but you found yourself falling for the thief. You quite thought that he stole your heart. And you did not want it back. You loved how passionate he got when he spoke about an artifact or some treasure he had planned to find in the future. You loved the way his face lit up when he found something amazing to show you. You loved how the corners of his eyes would crinkle when he laughed. You loved his voice when he spoke about anything and everything; you could listen to him talk for hours. And you loved his eyes... They held so many emotions, and if you held his gaze long enough, you believed that you'd fall into those dark abysses of his. 

This realization however, made your life a bit more difficult.

~~~

Groaning slightly, you pouted, not even wanting to move an inch; it felt like your skin was on fire, yet you were freezing. However, you needed to use the bathroom, and your nose was beginning to run, so you had to get up. After you were finished, you headed downstairs to find some tissues so you didn't have to use toilet paper, grabbed your carton of ice cream from the freezer for your sore throat, and headed back to your room. Dealing with your nose, you sniffled before heading to your closet to find your fuzzy bathrobe. Slipping that on, you almost felt a little better before heading to your TV, sliding your ‘Superman ll’ VHS tape into the player. Sitting on your bed, your back against the headboard, you slowly ate your ice cream as you watched your movie; feeling groggy and aching. 

~~~

Sam waited by his motorcycle, leaning on the diner building’s wall, as he waited for you; taking a drag from his cigarette. He was becoming a bit restless, with his foot tapping against the pavement. Near the beginning of his friendship with you, he insisted that he would pick you up in the evenings when you both had planned to have dinner together, but you insisted back, wanting to use your own car; not wanting Sam to waste his motorcycle’s gas more than he had to. Sam had been a bit disappointed in the beginning. He thought picking you up would be a great opportunity to spend more time with you, but it didn’t take Sam long to agree with you.

But as he waited, and waited, Sam began to wonder and worry about you. What if something happened? What if you got caught in traffic? Sam scoffed to himself on that. Traffic? There was hardly any, if not zero, traffic in your little town; Sam came to realize that after staying there for the past month or so. So, where were you? 

Were you okay?

Though Sam was used to feeling worried and uneasy - especially for his brother, Nathan - he still wasn't used to the feeling. In addition to these feelings that grew whenever he saw you. This intense sense of desire to protect, hold, and cherish you. It scared the hell out of him. It scared him because he didn't know how to handle it. He was a flirt. He was someone who enjoyed the thrill of danger. He probably couldn't count how many one-night stands he had. But this… This… It felt so different. He wasn’t a ‘settle down’ kind of guy. But, Sam believed that he could be for you.

He sighed heavily, smoke expelled from his mouth as he pulled the cigarette from his mouth and stared at it. You told him to quit, but it was difficult. He had cut back on how many cigarettes he smoked in a day - smoking only one or two a day. He wanted to quit; he really did - especially for you. But every once in a while, he’d lose himself and he’d start smoking again. Just a tiny bit of nicotine and he’d be good as new. Sam sighed again; staring at the cigarette for a moment before tossing it onto the ground, squishing it with the heel of his boot, and pushing himself off the wall. Sam stuffed his hands into his Jeans pockets as a couple left the diner; their laughter echoing throughout the air. Sam felt that he had waited long enough, hopping onto his bike. The trip to your house was a short one, and when Sam saw your car in the driveway, he let out a sigh of relief. 

Slipping off his bike, he walked up to the front door, ringing the doorbell. Shuffling his feet on the porch, he stuffed his hands back into his jean jacket pockets, hearing shuffling behind the door. As you opened the door, Sam's awaiting grin dropped when he saw your appearance. You stood at the open door, hand holding onto the door frame to support your weight. You were wrapped up in your fuzzy bathrobe, your hair a bit messy, and still in your pajamas. Your eyes were glassy, your eyelids were hooded, and your nose red. 

"Oh, sweetheart..." Sam muttered, as you sniffled, "Why didn't you tell me that you were sick? Why didn't you call me?"

"Hello, handsome," You gave him a small, tired smile, moving out of the way as he quickly entered, "I'm sorry, I should've called..." You muttered, closing the door behind yourself. "I just didn't want you to worry about me. I'm fine now, it's just a cold." You tried to reassure him, letting out a yawn.

Sam shook his head, raising his hand to press the inside of his wrist against your forehead, "Y/N, you're hot."

You let out a small laugh, having to turn and cover your mouth as you let out a nasty cough, "Thanks, you are too."

"No, sweetheart, you're really burning up." He spoke, "Come on, let's get you back into bed." You nodded slowly, following Sam up the stairs and back into your room. Sam pulled your blankets back as you climbed in; unable to stop smiling as Sam began to tuck you in perfectly. You hummed happily, snuggling deeper under your blankets before turning around to lay on your back, closing your eyes. "Do you need anything? Water, food?" Sam asked, watching as you shook your head. He let out a sigh as he ran his hand through your hair, pushing it from your sweaty forehead. 

"I'm good, thank you, Sammy." You spoke, clearing your throat slightly as you opened your eyes again, "You're too good for me." You mumbled, your eyes closing once more as you fell asleep.

Sam sighed once more as your breathing began to slow, your chest rising and falling peacefully. Standing from your bed, he headed out of your house, but not before grabbing your house keys from the hook by the door. 

~~~

You didn't know how long you had slept, or what time it was, but when you opened your eyes, you found the sun rising outside your bedroom window. Blinking rapidly you took in a deep breath, and sat up. As you push yourself to lean back against your headrest, you let out another cough, rubbing your sore throat with your hand. Looking around, you found Sam's jean jacket on the back of your desk chair, his shoes next to yours by your closet. You couldn't help but smile as you brushed your hair back, wondering where he was. But, your question was quickly answered as you heard footsteps coming up the stairs, and it wasn't long until your bedroom door opened. 

Sam entered, dressed in his jeans and maroon v-neck, holding a bowl. Noticing that you were awake, Sam's frown flipped right around. "Afternoon, gorgeous."

"Gorgeous?" You let out a small laugh, watching as he sat down the steaming bowl on your bedside table. It looked like soup. "I bet I look like a mess, but, thank you." You smiled brightly at him, sitting up. "So, where have you been?"

He continued to grin, running a hand through his hair, "Out n' about."

"Out? Where?" You pressed, furrowing your eyebrows together.

"Well, I went to the store, and got you a few things that you might need..." He replied, grinning as he continued, going around your bed to grab a brown paper bag from the end of your bed; placing it down near your feet, "And then I made you soup. Your tea is doing whatever tea does in the kitchen. I was going to go grab it after I gave you your soup. But now that you're awake..." He trailed off, digging through the bag to pull out the items he grabbed for you.

"Sam, did you really?" You asked with a smile, excitement, and surprise in your voice, and your stomach filled with warmth as he nodded. "Is that chocolate?" You asked as Sam pulled out a few packs of crackers, some chocolate bars, a box of tissues, and a few small bottles of water.

"Yeah. I didn't know how much you needed. Or what you wanted..." He muttered, placing them all on your nightstand; the last item being an ibuprofen bottle. "But, I also saw this when I was out, and thought you might like it." He spoke, going back into the paper bag, and pulling out a book. You blinked a few times before your eyes widened, looking up at Sam in shock. 

Reaching out, you took the book into your hands, a gasp leaving you, "Sam... This is ‘The Trials of Marine Beaumont’! The legendary French pirate that revolutionized European history in the seventeenth century! How did you get this? It’s been sold out everywhere." Sam shrugged lightly, giving a halfhearted smile as he took a seat at the edge of your bed. "Who knew that a small cold would bring out the nurse in you. You spoil me.”

"Don’t think that’s an excuse for you to get sick again." He smirked at you softly, “And I always spoil you.” His chocolate brown eyes gazed down at you. "How do you feel?" He then asked, shifting closer to your side.

"A little better... My throat is a bit sore, but otherwise, I feel great." You smiled softly, glancing over at your alarm clock, "It's almost two... Did you stay here all night last night?"

"Yeah," Sam nodded, "I didn't know if you'd need me for anything... So, I slept on the couch."

You sat the book down beside you on the bed, "Sammy... You should've just taken the guest bedroom. That couch is so small."

Sam just shrugged, his fingers fiddling with the edge of the handmade quilt, "Slept on worse," He joked, looking up at you, finding you already looking at him. Clearing his throat, he pressed his fist to his mouth briefly, "So, you hungry? Don't want your soup to get cold."

You hummed, nodding as your smile softened, "Yeah, it smells amazing."

~~~

"Snakes... Why is it always snakes..?" 

Your bedroom was dark, only the light from your TV illuminating the room. You were sitting on your bed, leaning against the headboard, Sam beside you; his arm wrapped around your shoulders. An empty bowl sat on your bedside table, along with your new book, your empty tea cup, and your alarm clock - which read; seven-thirty-three. 

Your cheek was pressed snuggly against Sam's shoulder, eyes glued to your TV as Indiana Jones found himself surrounded by snakes. Your nose felt dry, as did your throat; and you coughed. Sam rubbed soothing circles into your shoulder. Sam blindly reached for the half-empty water bottle beside him, before handing it to you. 

"Thank you..." You muttered, taking small sips from the bottle. "You know," You began, clearing your throat a bit, "He reminds me of you."

Sam looked down at you, his brows knitting in confusion. "Who?"

You shook your head, "Indiana Jones." You chuckled softly, setting the bottle of water on the nightstand, "He loves adventure, going from place to place, finding treasures..." You trailed off, grabbing a tissue from the tissue box and blowing your nose. "Though I will admit, you're funnier than him." You said, throwing away the tissue in your small, plastic trash can.

"You don't say," Sam smiled, his lips grazing the tip of your head, before looking back at the TV.

"I do say," You mumbled, nuzzling your cheek on the soft fabric of his sleeve. "I love that about you. No matter how I am feeling, or what situation, you always make me laugh."

Sam suddenly felt warm, his heart fluttering as he smiled. "Hey, I am a man of many talents." Sam breathed out, his thumb running across your shoulder gently.

"Yes, you are," You grinned, just as the infamous Indiana Jones pulled his way out of the snake pit. But at the sound of your little hum, Sam looked back down at you. Feeling his eyes on you, you looked up at him. "What?" You asked, biting off a piece of your chocolate bar.

Sam tilted his head to the side slightly, his dark eyes searching yours before he spoke, "What was that little hum all about?" He asked, his grin turning mischievous.

"What hum?" You giggled quietly, moving the chocolate bar from your mouth.

"You hummed, sweetheart." He raised an eyebrow, "What popped up in that beautiful mind of yours?"

You bit your bottom lip, re-wrapping the chocolate bar and setting it over on your bedside table. You watched Sam closely, as he looked back at you. He seemed curious, waiting for your answer patiently. "Nothing important..." You spoke softly, suddenly becoming nervous. Sam could tell that something was bothering you. "Um, Sam," You paused, licking your lips nervously. "Can I ask you something?" You started, not meeting his eyes.

"You can ask me anything," He told you, his hand on your shoulder gently playing with your hair. You nodded, staring down at your hands in your lap. The short silence between the two of you hung thick and heavy. Sam could hear your breathing slowly getting heavier and heavier. After a moment, he sighed, deciding to speak first; seeing as you never had a problem talking to him, even when it came to the serious stuff. "Y/N?" His voice sounded gentle, his tone kind as he spoke to you.

"When are you going to leave?" You asked, continuing to stare down at your lap, as Sam felt a wave of panic - and slight hurt - settle in his stomach.

"I can leave-"

"No!" You cried out,, your hand grabbing his, quickly lifting your gaze to meet his eyes. "I mean... Um... I- uh, Do you have any plans on leaving any time soon? Y’know, going off on another adventure?" What you really wanted to ask was if he had plans of leaving you soon. You knew that Sam wasn't the kind of guy to stay in one place for too long. He had told you, and it was very apparent in the many stories that he told you, that it was only a matter of time. 

He stared down at you, watching the nervous expression on your face shift to worry. Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes, shaking his head slightly as he opened them again, "Not right now. It might be a while. Maybe in a week or two. Not sure." Sam admitted before his expression suddenly turned serious. The intensity in his eyes caused your breath to catch in your throat, but with a somewhat defeated sigh, he dropped his eyes from you to the still-playing TV. As Indiana swooped down with his lady-love in his arms, Sam pursed his lips; his eyes narrowing in deep thought. "I'm not good at this," He muttered, and you could tell that he was speaking more to himself than anyone else.

Your brows furrowed, "At what?"

Sam hesitated for a few moments, before speaking. "Love," He explained, his brown eyes boring into yours, causing you to blink once, twice. "I've been in love before, Y/N, but... I've never felt anything like what I do towards you. It's hard for me to put words to my feelings, but... I guess what I'm trying to say is..." He trailed off, not knowing how to continue. "You make me want to be that 'settle down' type of guy, sweetheart." You swallowed thickly at his confession.

You suddenly forgot how terrible you felt - forgetting about the stuffy nose, the sore throat, and your aching muscles - you simply focused on him. His gentle touch as his hand covered yours, his words echoing through your head as you gazed into those same deep brown orbs. His words made your insides melt, and your cheeks flushed. You felt yourself falling deeper and deeper, and deeper. "Really?" You asked, you couldn't help yourself, letting out a small giggle; you felt your eyes tear up slightly.

"Yeah," Sam breathed, "Really." He repeated, reaching out to cup your warm cheek.

You sighed, "If I wasn't sick right now, I would kiss you," You stated honestly, feeling a rush of excitement course through your veins as you stared into his eyes.

Sam grinned, narrowing his eyes playfully, "I don't mind getting sick, if it means kissing you,"

You couldn't help but laugh, before turning away swiftly to let out a rough cough into the sleeve of your elbow. "First thing when I'm better, how about that?" You suggested, looking back up at him, unable to keep your wide smile off of your face.

Sam chuckled lightly, looping his arm back around your shoulders, the both of you settling back to watch the rest of the Indiana Jones movie, "I'll hold you to that."

---

Main Masterlist | Uncharted Masterlist

[hogarthwrites]

once in a lifetime

pairing: Sam Drake/Original Character

genre: angst, AU - a normal life

warnings: poor life choices

words: 786

summary:

Normal life AU where Sam has a normal 9-5 job, but he's bored and craving for adventure... Or anything that'll get him out of the corporate hell he's in. He finally has the courage to travel, so what can go wrong?

It was exactly 9:25 a.m. when Sam sat at his desk, sighing as he tossed his bag on the floor beneath him. Just another Monday in paradise, he thought to himself as he looked around the fluorescent lit office. He didn't care that he was late again. He saw his co-workers’ equally tired expressions as they shuffled through papers or stood around sipping on coffee as they talked in monotone voices.

One face stood out as Victoria, the woman he was seeing, walked into the office. Sam gave her a small smile, but as she met his eyes she didn’t return it. Weird, but he didn’t think too much of it. Who wouldn’t be frowning on a Monday morning?

“Sam, I need you to finish those September reports by lunchtime,” Paolo, his supervisor, said as he walked by. “Rafe’s visiting at two and he’s gonna wanna see them.”

“Seriously?” Sam felt the irritation rise up in his chest. “You haven’t even given me three days to do it.”

“I’m sorry, we don’t have a choice.”

Sam angrily clicked his pen as he stared at the Excel sheet in front of him. For a minute, he thought about quitting then and there. This wasn’t what he wanted.

He thought about how his mother was a great historian and how he’d take her on her travels to England and Morocco. It upset him more that when she passed, he chose to follow what his father wanted, and that was to become a financial analyst like him. 

He searched up Madagascar online, unsure of what was drawing him to that particular country. He longingly looked at the baobab trees and the tropical beaches, inviting him. Come visit, Samuel. You were meant for this .

Forgetting about the report, he went on a travel site, booking a ticket for Madagascar in two weeks as soon as he gave in his resignation letter later that day. 

He could already imagine himself in a 4x4 driving through the plains and enjoying Malagasy cuisine while he mingled with locals. Of course, he would have to polish his French, but he figured he knew enough Spanish not to struggle too much.

Excitement bubbled up inside Sam as his mouse hovered over the “Book Now” button. In just one click, his life would change. Would Victoria want to come along, he wondered. It wasn't like they were officially together, but they've been hooking up for months, and he had to admit she did make him happy.

Almost as she was reading his mind, Victoria showed up in front of his desk.

“I need to talk to you,” she said, her voice shaky.

“Okay,” Sam frowned as he dragged the word. “What's up?”

“Meet me on the roof,” was all she said before she turned away.

Sam felt his heart pounding with every step he took, climbing the steel stairs to the roof of the building. What could she want to talk about?

He found her leaning over the railing, staring into the horizon with a troubled look on her face.

“Vix?” Sam approached her and pulled out a packet of cigarettes to offer her one.

She raised her hand to decline. “No thanks.”

“So…” Sam leaned against the railing next to her. “What's this about?”

“I'm pregnant, Sam.”

He froze as she turned to him. 

“I'm three months.”

“Three months?” His voice was small. “When did you find out?”

“Over the weekend.”

“It's… Mine?”

“What do you think of me, Sam?” Victoria raised her voice. “Of course it's yours.”

“Okay,” he felt like he couldn't breathe. “Wh-What are we gonna do?”

“I'm keeping it.”

He turned to her, realising she was crying. 

“I'm sorry, Sam. You don't have to stay, but I just wanted you to know that the baby is yours and I'm keeping it.”

“I…” Sam felt like he couldn't breathe. “I'm not ready to be a father.”

“Well, that's your choice, Samuel. Like I said, it doesn't have to be your responsibility.”

“Vix,” he took her hand before she turned away. “Give… Give me until the end of the day to decide. Please.”

“Okay,” she simply said before leaving.

He watched as she went back inside the building as he lit a cigarette.

“Shit.”

As he sat back down at his desk, he noticed a yellow sticky note with Paolo’s handwriting on it.

September reports. Don't forget.

He looked back at his screen, still on the booking page, taunting him. This was meant for you.

Sam then looked over at Victoria who had her face in her hands as she sat at her desk while other women in the office tried to comfort her.

What are you going to do, Samuel?

author's note: