Thread for notabadguy

[medicpetrelli]

Living away from home for the first time was proving more difficult than Peter thought it would be. He had big dreams of freedom and being an adult, but when it came down to it he missed his bed, he missed home cooking, and he missed getting to see everyone for dinner. Including Nathan.

Fortunately, because he came from money he was able to get an

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[notabadguy]

Sometimes Nathan wondered why he had picked this career. He tried not to think too hard about the fact that he really hadn't, and this was just what he was always set out to do

[medicpetrelli]

Peter had just taken off his messenger bag and set it on his bed when he heard his phone vibrating away in the front pocket flap. He dug through past pencils, pens, erasers, and a calculator until he found it.

He was content to look at the caller ID and toss it away, assuming it'd be one of the many girls who had approached him the entire week, but of course it was the most important person in his life.

Peter smiled and flipped the phone open, his heart thumping wildly when he spoke and waited for Nathan's voice.

"Thought you'd never call to check up on me."

((hurr durr apartment. read, csilla. lol))

[notabadguy]

Nathan's mood improved the moment he heard his brother's voice. Peter sounded so happy that it was him, "Hey, better yet, I'm downstairs. But I forgot your apartment number, so buzz me in."

He looked around. At least the neighborhood wasn't awful. The people were too artsy for his tastes, but Peter always liked that ridiculous sort of thing.

((PFFFF its totally okay XD I was willing to swing with it either way))

[medicpetrelli]

His eyes widened, even if Nathan wasn't there to see it. But he was there, just downstairs! Without answering him Peter went to the door and buzzed his brother in so he could come up. "Why are you here? I mean...that sounded wrong. Is everything okay?"

Honestly he hadn't expected Nathan to make an effort to see him. In Peter's mind he would've needed to pay for a cab to his brother's place for that to happen. "Apartment 26A," he added. "Write it down, old man." He'd only told Nathan his address about fifteen times before leaving for school.

[notabadguy]

Nathan laughed, pushing the door open and headed up the stairs, "Yeah, everything is fine. What, I can't come see my little brother his first week of college?"

He didn't know what to expect once he got up there. Peter wasn't exactly the cleanest person, plus he had roommates. "Hey, I'm hardly old. At least I get to do more things than you do." Not that Peter wouldn't drink anyway, he was sure.

Once he got to the apartment, knocked on the door. 26A. He'd remember that for next time. He didn't feel like listening to Peter call him an old man again. He was nearing 30 and it was starting to bug him already.

[medicpetrelli]

"What like shave and wear a tie? Yeah, I can do those things too. Have been for about five years," Peter teased. He actually had to compose himself before he opened the door. Peter hung up his phone and took a moment, trying to calm his nerves. It had only been a week but it felt like a lot longer, and he didn't want to come off as over-eager.

Right so the plan is...open the door...smile...invite him in and show him your bangin' bachelor pad like you own the place. That's it. You can do it.

Peter pulled the door open, and there went his plan. Just looking at Nathan made him forget what he'd been telling himself for the past minute. He stepped into the hall and hugged Nathan in a very needy, very homesick way.

[notabadguy]

"Have you? I must have missed whenever you did that, cause I don't think you've worn and tie more than once your entire life. As for shaving, there isn't much to shave," Nathan teased, grinning. He had already forgotten about his awful day.

He tucked his phone away, straightening out his tie as Peter opened the door. Nathan gave him a winning smile, then raised his eyebrows when he had his arms full of Peter a moment later.

"Whoa, hey there. Miss me?" He hugged back, kissing the top of his brother's head. He still had that glorious mop going on. At least it was clean.

[medicpetrelli]

"Little bit," Peter said quietly. Oh no no no, don't cry. Shit.

If he cried, it would prove all those things Nathan had ever said about him being a kid, and him growing up too slowly.

But his brother smelled like home and he couldn't fight off the little tear that crept from the corner of his eye.

Peter stepped away after a minute and smiled, ducking his head to hide the fact that he was a little bit teary, and a little bit too happy to see Nathan. "Come on in. Home sweet home." He stepped back so Nathan could enter the apartment. It was small with a kitchen and eating area rolled into one, and a couch separating that from the TV. The furniture was all old and used from students cycling through over and over, year after year.

Peter didn't want to admit how hard it was to transition to this after living in a big fancy home all his life. He didn't want to be a snob. It took everything in him not to beg Nathan to let Peter live with him.

[notabadguy]

Little bit, my ass, Nathan thought, knowing that this was the kind of hug he'd always get when he was gone for a while and Peter had been waiting near the door all day for him to get home. It was nice to still get hugs like that from his brother. It felt like home.

When Peter pulled back, he noticed the look on his face, too, despite the flop of hair that fell in front of his face. Nathan reached out, pushing it back as he walked into the apartment, but he wouldn't make fun of Peter. He knew the kid was probably home sick. He felt the same way when he left home.

"It's cleaner than I expected, that's for sure," Nathan looked around, unimpressed, "It's also very small. How many roommates do you have again? Three?" He made a slight face.

[medicpetrelli]

His hair fell back over his face despite Nathan trying to nudge it away. Peter kept his head low for another moment until the urge to burst into tears had passed, and he closed the door behind Nathan.

"Three, yeah. The other guys are okay...kinda weird. One is an art major so he's always out painting stuff and taking pictures. The other two are really quiet and don't talk to me." Which was fine with Peter. He'd rather be left alone. Especially at night when he needed private time with photos of Nathan.

"Want a soda or something?" That was all he had to offer his coffee-loving brother, unfortunately. Peter went to the fridge and opened it up, bending over to look in. "...Strike that. Looks like someone took my Dr. Pepper. Want some crappy faucet water?"

And the embarrassment over living in a shit-hole ensued.

[notabadguy]

"Where did you find them, sitting on the NYU stoop? You could have gotten a place by yourself, you know." Ma would have helped him out. He would have, too. But maybe it was better for Peter to have roommates. He did well around people.

Nathan looked around a little more, following Peter into the kitchen, "As appealing as crappy faucet water sounds, I think I'll pass. How do you survive without coffee? You're in college now." Ridiculous, "Do you even have a coffee maker?"

[medicpetrelli]

He looked around the kitchen slowly. There was an old toaster, a tea kettle Angela gave him, and a microwave that had come with the apartment. "Nope." Peter shrugged. "There's a coffee place on campus, though. Sometimes I get it from there." But not always. He was trying to save every penny that he could, because Peter wanted to do this on his own if he could. Angela insisted on helping, yeah, but he wanted to prove that he could handle most of it.

...Which was why it scared him so much that he wanted to run home with his tail between his legs.

[notabadguy]

"Alright, well... if you want me to keep visiting, we're going to have to fix that." Nathan opened the microwave making a face, "There's that appliance store a block or two away from here. We're going to get a few new things." He was not having his brother put food in his mouth that came out of that.

"Grab your coat. We'll get some coffee and milk on the way back, too. And whatever else you need." He knew Peter was trying to prove himself, but this was ridiculous. "And if your roommates steal your food, I'll sue them," he said in a perfectly serious tone, totally teasing.

[medicpetrelli]

Peter opened his mouth to protest but Nathan kept right on going, ending with a threat to sue like he always did when he meant business. "But I..."

It was no use. This wasn't a battle he could win. Nathan had a look of disgust on his face that not even Peter could wipe off.

"Just a minute." He went into his bedroom and grabbed his beige coat from the closet. Peter pulled it on and then went back out to join Nathan, looking sheepish over how gross his brother thought the place was. "Are you sure? 'Cuz this is something me and my roommates could pool our money on..."

[notabadguy]

"Yeah, of course I'm sure. Don't even worry about it," he waved it off. He had been wanting to find someone ways to help Peter out anyway, so this would do.

"It's not a bad place, for your first time away from home. It just needs a little sprucing up, you know? You'll be fine," Nathan pat Peter on the back, then led him to the door. He knew how sensitive Peter could be, and judging by the look on his face, he was embarrassed. "I just really need coffee for when I come over," he smiled.

[medicpetrelli]

"You're really gonna come over? Even if you think this place is gross?" Peter locked the door behind him when they were both out in the hall, then stuffed his hands into his pockets. He had his wallet with him, too, hoping Nathan would at least let him buy the coffee.

And he tried not to sound oh-so-very-needy when he added, "I'd really like that. I miss you."