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[byrned]

 gonna put gifs here

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[byrned]

"Well you gave me mine early, I suppose I can let you unwrap yours." It's good to be able to laugh and joke like this. It feels right to Matt. Natural. How could this ever be wrong?

He shouldn't really feel glad that Nate says he's not going back to his family, but, well, he does a bit. He shifts on the seat, turning slightly back towards him.

"Soooo. You want to go to Ireland? Not my folks- In case you're worried. My cousin, he invited me to this family thing. And I mean, if you'd be up for it."

[cravating]

He blinks, sitting up straighter.

"Sorry?" Genuine shock on his face right now. "I mean... Yeah of course, but-- you really want me to come? To a family thing?"

[byrned]

Matt just nods at first, almost bashful. Smiling a bit.

"It's not a big thing. Just him and his Mrs, his ma and da and a couple of friends. Christmas dinner, probably too much to drink --though not for me babe don't worry--, bit of a sing song. Typical Irish sort of thing."

He pauses and then proceeds, "Obviously I'd just introduce you as my friend. I mean, none of this boyfriend stuff yeah?" He's... joking. Badly. Very badly. Maybe because he's nervous. Maybe because he's an idiot.

[cravating]

It is a bad joke. And Matt's nerves make it harder for Nate to see the truth behind the joke so he just looks down and nods.

"Yeah- I mean, of course. Not going to rush you on that." He tries not to look hurt. He's serious about not rushing Matt but it does still sort of sting to think about.

[byrned]

He can tell as soon as Nate reacts that his comment was fucking stupid. He might be trying not to look hurt but Matt knows him better than that.

"Babe I'm joking," he says quickly, standing up to walk over towards him and sit himself down on the couch next to him. He reaches out a hand, putting it against Nate's leg.

"You go with me, you're going with me. The full boyfriend experience. Hand holding and PDA and all that soppy shite."

[cravating]

Nate looks down at Matt's hand, then up at his face and smiles a bit, nodding.

"I just don't want you to feel like you have to. I know it's still gonna be weird for you- being open about it with other people. Especially people you know."

[byrned]

"I don't feel like I have to," he assures, reaching up and cupping his hand against Nate's cheek.

"I'm not good at shit I have to. You know that. And yeah it's kind of weird for me, it all is. But I don't want to hide you away, I really don't. You're not some dirty secret. I'm not gonna pretend 'm shouting it from the rooftops. Not going to pretend that part of my brain still doesn't freak out by it, because it does. But I'm doing my best to get there, because I really want to."

[cravating]

"We've got time." He says quietly, turning to press a kiss to Matt's palm. "So Christmas with your cousin, hm? This the one you work with, I'm guessing?"

[byrned]

"Yeah Andrew. He's a bit of a geek. Lot of a geek actually, but he's not bad. Got a hot wife who's a suckerbus." Yes. Suckerbus.

"So you know. We'd be low on the list of weird at the christmas table."

[cravating]

Nate looks really confused, head tilting to one side as he tries to make sense of the words Matt is saying.

"Sucker...what?" Is that an Irish thing? He thought he knew all of Matt's weird Irish things.

[byrned]

"A suckerbus? It's some sex thing apparently I dunno."

He waves a hand. "She's hot though. Boy did well. Though not as well as me, obviously."

[cravating]

Nate just chuckles at that. "Didn't realize it was a competition. I'll be sure to have a chat with her to let her know I beat her out."

Which is to say that he'll definitely be going.

[byrned]

"Yeah?" he asked, enthused, but not over the idea of the chat, of course. It's because he'll come. Because they'll spend the time together. He can't think of anything he'd want more.

"Hey babe how about you go warm up that pasta. I'll go get us some joggers. It's getting a bit cold in here."

[cravating]

"Yeah, alright." He gets up to go see what he can do about heating up the food with all the power still out. All of this is still just...really nice. Having Matt here, staying with him. It's good. Really good.

[byrned]

Matt shoots him a grin before getting up from the couch. He moves past the keyboard with it's magical power source and towards the bedroom where he finds some tatty old jogging bottoms to wear and a tshirt that should be in the bin.

He finds Nate something a bit nicer, something that was folded and not found on the floor. He returns with it over his arm, stepping into the kitchen.

"Here you go babe, got them out the drawer."

[cravating]

Nate, having given up on finding a way to heat up their food, trades Matt the clothing for a plate of cold pasta.

"Thanks, love. Can't hear this up, sadly. Just going to have to eat it cold tonight. Unless the power comes back any time soon."

He proceeds to get dressed right there in the kitchen because why not.

[byrned]

"Think we should start eating salads, babe." How many cold or re-heated meals is this now? They do tend to distract one another.

"Bit weird a power cut like this isn't it?" he look a bit concerned. "I wonder if I should check in with work. Just in case it's something."

[cravating]

"It's just a bad storm. It'll pass." Nate says with a shrug, but he's already looking closer at Matt's face, like he'll be able to see something there.

"Right? I mean- do you think it could be something? They'd call you if it was something, yeah?"

[byrned]

"Yeah yeah, it's probably nothing, yeah." But he looks... less than convinced. "Maybe I should just send a text..." he suggests, heading back to grab his phone.

Lifting it, he sends a quick text to Andrew. (Because more characters for you).

Power has been out ages, is this storm normal or something I should be worried about?

[cravating]

[Fairly quickly, Matt's phone lights up with a response.]

Nothing weird about it as far as I know. If I hear different, I'll let you know.

[Nate tries not to be too nosy but...]

Well? Off to save the world?

[byrned]

Thanks mate.

He texts back a response quickly, feeling a little relieved by it. That done, he sets the phone down and turns back to his boyfriend.

"Nope. Not unless I'll be doing that from bed. I mean I'm good, but I don't think I'm that good."

[cravating]

"As much as I'm looking forward to taking that arse of yours, I don't think it's going to save the world." He says with a little laugh, trying to make light of what they've previously talked about. Yeah, he didn't forget. That's still going to be a thing. Maybe not tonight, but also maybe yes tonight.

[byrned]

Raising his brow, Matt laughs a little as he looks towards Nate, shovelling in a bit of cold pasta.

"Oh, thinking about that, are you? Getting ideas now?"

[cravating]

"Maybe a few. But nothing until after we've finished eating. Need to keep your strength up." He gives him a little teasing smile as he spears some pasta onto his own fork.

[byrned]

That just makes Matt smirk even more.

"What, so I can be a big strong boy?" He teases. It's still strange in some ways, being able to tease Nate like this, even strange for it all to just feel okay. But it's good, it really is.