Dragon Age: Origins/Awakening, Part 4: Permanently Frozen
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A natural clearing amid the trees, not so big as to be inconvenient, but large enough to accommodate them both. For water, there was a small lake only a short walk away. The mage was actually pleased with himself for having found it, especially when Nate praised him for doing so. Of course, his elation wasn't all that long lived.
Thankfully, Anders had some sense of what he was doing when it came to setting up camp. That part was easy enough. No variables. Ring and kindling for the fire, build their respective tents, and make sure the packs get stowed properly. After that, however, he was at a complete loss.
"You want me to what?"
"I'm going hunting for dinner. And you're going to help."
"Nate, you've seen me try to use a bow. There's a reason I have this." Anders laid a hand on the staff beside him.
"You don't have to do the shooting. Come on. I can at least teach you how to track."
Several hours later, they were standing on the shore of the lake, the rogue digging up the earth with a dagger, looking for grubs to use as bait. Anders knelt beside him, poking at the loosened earth with the end of a stick.
"Well, at least it will be a lot harder for me to scare the fish away."
"We just need to try again with you not in robes. I've a spare set of clothes in my pack that should fit you and won't get snagged up while we're sneaking along."
"I'm not rightly sure how comfortable I'd be in those."
"If it's between your comfort and my dinner," Nate looked up at him with a very pointed expression, "I'll strip you and wrestle you into them myself."
"H-hey! No...No need for that."
“I honestly fail to see why you need to keep wearing those robes. Yes, I’ve heard your explanation that you gave Oghren, but don’t you think it would have been easier to, I don’t know, disguise yourself a little better when you were running from the templar?”
“That’s not really a concern anymore, is it?” Anders stared at the ground to hide the frown he wore on his face.
Nate hesitated. “No, I suppose not.” He put his attention back on rooting for something to use as bait. “Maybe I ought to let you use that staff of yours. Then we needn’t worry about cooking dinner, either.” He chuckled.
Anders let out a soft laugh. “You’d be surprised at how much you still need to cook your food when that’s the case.” He caught sight of the rogue’s arched brow. “You don’t think I didn’t try my hand at hunting when I was out in the world, did you? How else did you think I knew I couldn’t do it?”
“I think you give yourself far less credit than you should, Mage. And you really ought to give it a try. I think you’d be rather good at it.”
“Trying to butter me up will do little good. I already know I’ll never come close to you in skill.”
“You don’t have to match me, Anders. Using your staff has given you a critical enough eye. Maybe we ought to see how well you do with a crossbow.”
“We’ll see,” was all that he’d say to that. Part of him was still determined to hate this and given their luck so far, it was very easy to do. But it was getting more and more difficult the more praises Nate would give him or the little suggestions that made things not quite so bad.
"Ah, here we go." Nate had managed to unearth a rather fat grub. "Should be good enough. I'll get the line baited. You keep looking. We're going to need a few more of these."
Just what he wanted to be doing. Scratching about in the dirt, looking for creatures he'd be much happier leaving under their rocks. Of course, it really wasn't all that different than when he went hunting for herbs, if he thought about it. And at least this searching would result in dinner.
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Sitting with his arms wrapped around his knees, Anders stared glumly into the fire. "Maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all."
Nate chuckled. "You're only saying that because you're hungry. We'll get an earlier start tomorrow."
"Do you really think I can do this? Honestly?"
"Anders," came out in a sigh, "this isn't something you learn in a day. It's not like your potions. There isn't a formula to master. It takes patience and practice. Right now, I just want to see what you might be capable of and what you need me to teach you."
"I can answer that. Everything." He rolled his eyes.
"Then that's what I teach you. We'll spend tomorrow hunting. And I'll even make a deal with you. If we don't scare up so much as a rabbit by midday, I will concede defeat and we go home. Fair?"
"Hmm, that depends. Will we be starting mid-morning?"
Another chuckle. "I'd bed down after dinner, Mage. Dawn is going to come awfully early."
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After hiking back to camp, Nate began lessons on dressing game. The rabbits, he declared, could be strung up and saved for later, but the deer would need immediate attention. It was bloody business, there was no denying that, but they'd both hiked up their sleeves and gotten to it. Or rather, he had. Nate knelt beside him, occasionally stepping in, reaching over to guide his blade to a certain area or to lend a hand when he needed one, but for the most part, he took care of it himself.
They'd carved off some to set over top of the fire and the rest Nate showed him how to keep so that they'd have more for their dinner and the next day, even. He suggested hauling it back to the keep, not as an excuse to be close enough to go home, but so the others could share the spoils. Nate dismissed the idea, though, stating that he'd make sure it wouldn't go to waste.
Of course, cutting up a deer was messy work, so they headed for the lake after that. After rinsing his own hands, he noticed that Nate was staring thoughtfully out at the water.
"Something wrong?"
"No." The brunette shook his head. "Just thinking. Y'know, we were hiking around in the woods. Probably best if we washed up fully." Standing up, he stripped off his shirt, boots following once he was certain he had is balance.
"What? You're going to go...out there? Now?"
"Why not? It'll be a while before the meat's ready. And unlike some, I was stalking that deer through the woods. That's work enough for you." He shucked off the rest of his clothes and began wading into the water, letting out a hiss as he did so. "That'll wake you," he laughed.
"I was so..." Anders protested, though he didn't see the point in picking up the argument. "I think you're mad. Come back to the shore."
"I'll be fine once I'm in here long enough. You should join me!" Diving forward, Nate stroked his way further out into the water, splashing about as he did so. Anders was rather thankful he was on the shore and out of the way of that.
"No, thank you," he called back. "Just rinsing up like this is fine enough for me."
"I'm telling you, you won't be as cold once you get used to it." He could see the other man treading in one spot to talk to him. "And it certainly isn't going to get warmer the longer you stare at it." There was a touch of a tease in his voice.
In truth, it wasn't really the idea of the cold that bothered him. Well, maybe a little, but in reality, there was something else holding him back.
"I can't swim," he muttered.
"What?" Nate obviously heard him speak but didn't make it out.
"I said I can't swim!" Anders barked, crossing his arms and refusing to look over at the other man.
"Is that all?" he laughed.
"What do you mean, 'Is that all?' I don't feel like drowning, thank you."
Another laugh. "Just get in here, you'll be fine."
Fine, he said. Little did he know. Well, then, if he did drown, wouldn't that just make Nate feel terrible? And it would serve him right, having to carry him back to the Keep. Of course, thoughts like that weren't exactly perfect for convincing himself to get in.
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"You're stalling," the rogue called, clearly taunting him.
"Yes, well, excuse me if I'm not splashing headlong toward my death, thank you," he called back, shuffling his feet a little bit further forward. He half expected some unseen current to suddenly whisk him off-balance and pull him under.
"Just wade out to me. You'll be fine."
Easy for him to say. Ever since his second escape attempt, he'd been terrified of the water. In spite of all the rumors abounding about Lake Calenhad, he'd attempted to swim it. Problem was, he'd tried doing it while in his robes, not thinking that the fabric would suck up so much water and pull him down. Thankfully, Kessler had been out and seen him, hauling him into Bessie and pounding him on the back until he'd coughed up enough water that he swore he'd swallowed the whole lake.
Not one of his finer escapes. But it at least taught him to be rather inventive when getting across the lake in the future. The ice bridge had been very clever, he thought.
Without realizing it, he was now waist deep in the lake, though he hadn't started bobbing yet. In fact, Nate wasn't all that far off from him and he still didn't seem to need to swim out to meet him. Was there a deeper portion he wasn't aware of? Likely, and the rogue was just waiting on him to splash into it.
"See, not as bad as you thought, hmm?" Nate drifted closer, Anders watching him warily. "You just need to know to trust me."
"Oh, yes. Asking me to trust you when I'm terrified is the perfect way to build things between us."
"Anders..." Nate trailed off, shaking his head. And then he did something that had the mage cursing him to the Black City and back.
He stood up.
"You mean to tell me this lake is only as deep as this?" he sputtered. The top of the water came to the middle of his chest.
Nate laughed. "It's a pond, Anders, not a lake. And even at its deepest, you still wouldn't be underwater unless you dunked."
Anders narrowed his eyes. "I hate you. You know this, right?"
"Do you really think I'd try and coax you out into the water if I weren't sure if you could swim? I doubt the templar let you mages down to the beach for daily jaunts." He slid around behind him. "Now, come on. The sooner you get clean, the sooner we can get back to the fire."
"That cold, are you?" Anders arched a brow.
"No, but you are. I can see your teeth chattering, even if you're hiding it well." He chuckled and reached up, undoing the tie that kept his hair in place, twisting it around his wrist so it wouldn't get lost. Little droplets of water fell from his fingers and trailed down Anders' chest, making him shiver even more. Slipping back around in front of him, the rogue held out a hand. "Come on, we'll dunk under together, all right?"
Anders shook his head. "I don't like being underwater," he protested.
"All you need to do is stand up and you'll be fine, Mage."
"Nate, I can't," he whispered. "I'm afraid."
Fingers threaded between his own, giving his hand a squeeze. "Just hold on to me, all right? I promise nothing bad will happen to you. Now, take a deep breath and just hold it. You'll be up before you even realize it."
Anders swallowed. True, the water wasn't that deep, but he'd heard stories of men drowning in pools of ale. Granted, they were mostly drunken slobs that it happened to, but still, why take chances, right? He felt another squeeze and looked up into Nate's eyes. They were expectant, but not demanding. If he really protested this, the other man would let him go. He could wade back to shore, dry off, and be no worse off than when he'd entered the water.
But he could trust Nate.
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"It's much better in the summer, when the cold water is a relief," Nate murmured, releasing his hand so that he could start chaffing at Anders' arms. "Still, that was brave of you."
"I'd prefer to be brave somewhere warmer," he laughed, leaning a little closer to the other man, wanting to build up heat between them. He had a feeling it would make them both feel better. Still, the closer he got, the slower Nate seemed to be moving his hand. And he wasn't keeping it confined to just his arms, but was now rubbing around at his back as well. Letting his arms circle the rogue's waist, he brought his hands up, starting to return the favor.
The longer they stayed like that, the closer he felt himself getting to the other man. He kept telling himself it was for warmth, but there was also something...nice...about being in Nate’s hold like this. Especially given the feel of his hands as they skimmed up and down, following the length of his spine, just dusting at the nape of his neck. Maybe the water wasn’t so bad after all.
He felt a tickle against his skin and picked his head up, not having realized he'd laid it against Nate's shoulder until he did so. They were face to face, almost close enough to let their breath mingle. Fingers brushed along his jaw, a cool palm cupping at his cheek, holding him lightly as the rogue leaned closer, pressing his lips against Anders' slightly parted ones.
For a heartbeat, they stayed together like that before the mage pulled away. He suddenly felt very warm, his breathing having picked up even more. Swallowing once, he licked his lips, barely able to breathe out "Nate?" as he stared wide-eyed at the other man.
A crooked smile, almost embarrassed, graced the other's lips. "Thought I might take your mind off the cold."
"The...The fire will do that just nicely, I...I think. And hey, there's food there, too." Maker, why had he laughed? There was no keeping his nervousness out of it.
He pulled away, intent on wading back to shore, and Nate let him, not following until he had his robes pulled back over his head. While the other was dressing, Anders hurried back to camp, making a point to settle as close to the fire as he could get without actually situating himself on the blaze.
Nate's return took longer than the mage would have thought, but he said nothing as he entered the camp, sitting across from him and taking a few moments to tend to the meat that they'd left cooking there. All the while, Anders kept shooting him glances over the flames, wanting to say something to break the silence between them and yet, finding himself too afraid to.
It wasn't until they were in the middle of their meal that he couldn't take the silence any longer. "Why did you kiss me?"
Nate swallowed the bite of venison he'd just took and looked over at him with an arched brow. "Why does a person kiss anyone?"
"Because they--" He stopped, actually thinking about the words before he spoke them. "You--? Me?"
A laugh. "Very articulate, Mage. If you're asking if I," he paused, considering his own words for a moment, "fancy you, then the answer is yes. I do."
"But I thought...I didn't think you...You can't possibly...can you?"
"I think I've addled your wits." Nate pushed himself up and came around to Anders' side of the fire. He sat down beside him, but made no move to get closer, especially as the mage knew he could see him tensing up. "Who's to say who we do or don't fancy? There's quite a bit about you that makes it very easy to, not the least of which is how handsome you are."
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Not wanting Nate to see him like that, he put his attention back on the fire, hoping the glow would hide the redness of his cheeks, or at least give him an excuse for it. Given that the rogue had settled in his new spot, Anders kept shooting glances at him out of the corner of his eye.
"Do I make you that nervous?"
Maker, what was he? A child? This was Nate. His friend. His fellow Warden. Surely they could talk about this. They were both adults. They could discuss this like them.
Licking his lips, Anders nodded slowly. "I suppose I'm nervous that you're going to try and kiss me again."
Nate shook his head. "Only if you wish it. I won't pursue," a pause, "this unless it's something that you want, Anders."
That got a soft chuckle out of him. "Hard to know if it's something I want if it's something I know so little about."
"There are ways to fix that, you know."
Anders winced. Though Nate's tone was teasing, he had invited that remark, hadn't he? "I just don't know," he admitted quietly.
Aside from another shiver, he held very still as Nate reached out, brushing his hair back behind his ear. From there, a light tickle of fingertips along his jaw and the line of his throat. The palm cupping his cheek seemed to settle there, as much to assure him as to tip his parted lips up to the gentle press of the other's kiss.
The flick of a tongue had him gasping, his own starting to duel with the invader that sought to deepen the gesture and from there, he felt himself being kissed...stealing his breath and stirring his body into a pleasant tightness. It was that realization that had him drawing back, panting, blinking Nate's face into focus as he gently shook his head.
"What is it?" He felt a finger brush along his cheek, making his eyes lid for a heartbeat.
Anders shook his head again. "I just can't believe I feel...that feels..." His gaze flicked up and for a second, he managed to catch the worry in the noble's expression. He hid it well, but his eyes could be especially telling. "I've just never felt like this toward another man before."
Nate chuckled. "Neither have I." Another chuckle as he caught the frown that statement caused. "You're the first in a very long time whose been more than just a whim, Anders. When Xareth got it in his head to send you on this little excursion, he didn't have to ask me twice to accompany you. I wanted time with you, without the others, to learn how you might feel." He gave him a crooked smile. "And if I could teach you a thing or two about surviving out here, I was willing to call that a victory, if nothing else."
"Well, you've accomplished that, at the very least." Flashing the other man a smile, he felt it fading as he dropped his gaze, studying his hands as he sought to make sense of the other half of Nate's plan.
Nate eased a little closer, resting a hand over top of Anders' folded ones and drawing the mage's attention to him once again. "I've been hoping to make this something that you enjoy, Anders. To give you something pleasant to think about when it came to being out here." He brought a hand up, tracing a finger along the blonde's jaw.
For the moment, he couldn't remember how to talk. Maker, why did he feel this way all of a sudden? They weren't bad feelings, which meant there was nothing wrong with feeling them, right? And he knew he could trust Nate, that this wasn't just a whim. Still, his own nerves were keeping him from simply agreeing with the rogue. "Well, you've made it memorable, I'll give you that." There was a waver in his chuckle that he knew he couldn't hide.
"Then I suppose the question now is how memorable you wish for me to make it."
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The smile that graced Nate's face actually made Anders' heart flutter. Bringing a hand up to mirror his own, Nate leaned closer, brushing another kiss against his lips, letting it build into something deeper as he drew the mage into his arms.
Shifting the two of them around, he encouraged Anders to straddle his legs, breaking the kiss for only a moment. What truly drew them apart was the blonde's gasp, glancing down as he felt the skim of a hand along the length of his thigh.
"You're not that virginal, are you, Mage?" Nate arched his brows, the tease quite clear in his voice.
"Just surprised. Your hands are cold," he lied. Of course he wasn't a virgin, but for Maker knew what reason, the thought of doing anything with Nate had a...newness to it.
"Mmm, I'll have to warm them up, then." Returning to their kiss, he could feel Nate slipping his hand around to his back, drawing them even closer together, rubbing there in a way that actually felt rather relaxing.
The longer they kissed, the more Nate's hands, and lips, started to roam. Not content with just kissing, he started working his way along Anders' jaw, nibbling at his ear and then down to his throat. Little nips and the stroke of his tongue sent lightning all through him, even making him whimper whenever Nate stopped.
"Feel good?" Nate murmured in his ear, a smile pulling at his lips.
Anders could only nod. This was not something he ever imagined himself doing, at least not with another man. And yet, he couldn't ignore the way Nate was making him feel, nor his body's craving for more. Tipping his head up, he leaned in, pressing a wanting kiss to the brunette's lips. A heartbeat later, he pulled back with a gasp, feeling the light brush of fingertips along his length.
"Still cold?" Nate chuckled.
Wide-eyed, Anders shook his head. "N-no. No."
"Good." Leaning in again, Nate caught his lips, teasing with his tongue the same time he began stroking , almost in time with the feel of the kiss.
Groaning at the feel of his partner's touch, Anders found himself starting to rock his hips, pressing himself into Nate's hand. A firmer grip and a quickened pace had him tipping his head back, feeling a flush creeping over his skin as he realized he was moaning Nate's name.
A tug distracted him and he blinked Nate back into focus. It took him a moment to realize the rogue was trying to hike up his robes.
"These. Off." The order was almost a growl.
Still not trusting his voice, Anders nodded, shifting enough so that he could pull the garment over his head. While he was doing so, he gasped, feeling the warmth of Nate's lips capturing one of his nipples. It stuttered his movements for a moment before he dropped the robes behind him, fingers sliding into tangled black locks.
"Move with me."
There was no stifling his groan as Nate stopped his attentions, guiding him first off of his lap and then urging him to stretch out onto his back. He welcomed the other's weight on top of him, finding himself parting his lips eagerly into their kisses.
His own breathing filled his ears as Nate started kissing lower. The tease of his tongue at first one nipple and then the other had him writhing as much as his resumed touch further down. Opening his eyes, he felt a hitch in his throat as he caught sight of Nate's silver-grey gaze, finding the desire there arousing. That he wanted him, it made his lower body coil even more than the firm grip sliding along his length.
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"Nate, what...Oh, Maker!" The questioning hum that interrupted him had him arching his back, head tipped, and eyes wide. He hadn't expected it to feel that good. And the more he took him in and the more he moved his tongue, the harder it was getting for him to think clearly. All he wanted was to feel more: more of the heat around him, more of that delicious pressure that was starting to make him squirm. The tension starting to coil in his body brought a degree of clarity with it. If Nate kept doing what he was doing--
"Nate, stop. Stop," he panted. "I'm going to...I don't want..."
And just like that, the feelings went away. It was so sudden, he ached from the loss of it, unable to hold back the whimper that came with it.
"Not how you want to finish, Anders?" Nate was suddenly on top of him, body pressed close enough to pin Anders' shaft against his stomach. "Something else in mind?" He was definitely teasing him, no doubt about it.
Anders felt himself flush. "I didn't want to...you were..."
Nate shifted a little, making him groan, the feel of his clothes adding a strange sensation to the motion. "You've never been pleasured like this?"
"No. I...I mean, I have. I just...The thought of you..." Amid his babbling, he caught a flash of...sorrow?...in Nate's expression. "No. No." He brought a hand up, cupping his cheek. "I liked it. I did. I just...I didn't want to...didn't...Maker, this is embarrassing," he muttered.
Nate gave him a rather searching look. "Did you want me to stop because you would have--"
"Yes," he interrupted. Maker, again, were they children? Still, he couldn't even bring himself to let Nate say it. "I...The thought of you...doing...that. Of me..." He took a deep breath, collecting his thoughts, not an easy task, especially if either of them moved. "I think I...respect you too much to--what?"
Nate had started laughing, gently, but still laughing. He pressed his lips to Anders' forehead, tipping his head down to touch noses with him. "A true gentleman you are," he murmured. "Anders, if I didn't want to do that for you, do you really think I would have?"
He swallowed. "I...I don't know. People sometimes let themselves get carried away by the unexpected."
"Or by desire." Nate trailed a finger along his jaw.
"I couldn't help it. You felt amazing."
Both brows went up. "Amazing, hmm?"
Anders nodded. Taking a deep breath, he slid his fingers into Nate's hair again, drawing him into a kiss. There was a sharp taste in the rogue's mouth this time, surprising him, especially as he realized why, but he wanted this. He wanted Nate to know how good he had made--was making--him feel.
He felt Nate slowly drawing back, nuzzling his cheek as he did. "If you're so concerned for me, Anders, there's something else we can do. You'll just need to trust me, all right?"
That request was easy enough. "Something else?"
"Aye." Nate shifted his body to the side. "Roll over. And up on your knees."
Anders blinked. "On my...my knees?" Nodding slowly, he did as he was bid, scooting up to be more on all fours, looking at Nate over his shoulder. "Like this?"
The other man nodded. "Perfect," he smiled, moving closer and letting his hands massage Anders' back, relaxing him more and more, until they started moving lower.
Anders rocked a little on his knees. "Nate?"
"It'll feel good, Anders, I promise. But I want to make sure it doesn't hurt you. There'll be some pain. You're not used to this, after all, but I will do all I can to help you enjoy this."
He chuckled. "That's why you asked if I trusted you."
"And I'm happy you do." He leaned forward, meeting Anders' lips as he pushed himself up.
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"Breathe deep, Anders. Nice and slow."
Forcing himself to calm down and listen to his partner, he nodded, though it was difficult to remember to do so at the first press of his finger inside of him. Thankfully, Nate was taking things slow, continuing the motions to help him relax and grow more comfortable rather than assuming he was fine with it immediately. In time, he did find himself rocking back the more accustomed he grew to the thrusts. He found himself gasping as a second finger stretched him further, the sensation almost regressing him to his initial feelings.
He could hear Nate whispering to him above the sound of his own breathing. Gentle, encouraging words that helped bleed some of his tension away. The motions felt good, the ache of it eventually giving way to feelings that were more pleasant, something that surprised him. Still, they weren't as intense as what he'd been doing. Something gentle, instead of getting carried away.
Slowly, he started rocking his body back again, seeing how it felt. Nate's hand moved opposite him, making a bit of friction that teased him some. As he pressed, it felt as if there were something Nate was pushing toward as well.
And then his fingers reached it, tightening Anders' lower body and making him gasp, a moan caught in his throat and coming out a croak. Maker, he forgot how to breathe. A second press had his upper body sagging and a third threw his head back as a deep sound finally pulled its way past his lips. He'd been nearly on edge before and now he felt painfully so. "Nate," he all but keened his name.
The touch eased off, the sparks clearing from his vision, but the ache remained. "Go on, Anders. You know what your body wants."
Bracing himself on an elbow, he brought his free hand up, wrapping it around his length, seeking to ease the tension there. At the same time, though, he could feel the motions of Nate's hand again, adding to the sensation and just shy of teasing him again.
"Don't. I won't...I won't last."
"I know." Nate's voice was near a purr. "I want to help bring you over."
There was a change in his pace, still steady, but not as smooth. Hazarding a look, Anders found out why. Nate had worked himself free of his breeches and was using his off-hand to stroke himself.
"Nate, you--"
A tight smile pulled at his lips. "You're not ready for more." He shook his head. "But you're a damn fine sight, especially calling my name."
Biting his lower lip, Anders flashed Nate a smile of his own. "Then make me." He turned back, letting his head sag as his partner took up the challenge of those words.
Between Nate's attention and his own, it wasn't long before he was crying out again, begging Nate and the Maker for his release. When he fully climaxed, it was the rogue's name on his lips, murmured over and over as he fought to catch his breath. Hearing a groan behind him, he turned, watching the pleasured expression on Nate's face before his body shuddered with its own release. Panting, his eyes opened and found Anders', a smile coming to his lips as he did so.
They should hike back to the lake, he told himself. Clean up. But at the moment, neither cared. Anders crawled back into Nate's arms, as much supporting him as he was getting enveloped in a warm embrace. Their lips met, no hurry to the kisses this time, just warmth. And gratitude.
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"I hate to admit it, but you were right. This trip has turned into something enjoyable for me after all."
He could feel the smile against his skin. "Mmm, and just think, we still have the rest of the week."
Twisting around, he met Nate's laugh with a kiss. "And am I looking forward to it," he replied with a chuckle. "Especially with you here to guide me."
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Writeanon if you're ever interested I would totally love to see a sequel of this--I'll even do a fill for you if it'll entice you to give us more!!
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And if you do decide to write it just drop a note here letting me know what you want filled in return.
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