Haven AU: Youth

[amichan]

“I'm serious!” Nate says, from the other side of the oven that we're carrying across the deck.

“Less talk more shifting,” I counter, “We're going to have to angle it through the door if you ever want to eat something not flame broiled when you're hiding out here.”

“Now you're just trying to change the subject,” he puts his side of the appliance down, “I'm not budging until you answer me, and I'm the one in the doorway.”

“I will mow you down and you will feel it now.”

“You should be happy I outgrew my illness,” he says, with mock indignation. Yeah, just never leave Haven, “What?” he asks.

“Nothing. You wouldn't believe me.”

“Well, if it has anything to do with you not having a thing for Julia then I absolutely won't.”

“Nate, please. It doesn't matter.”

“Of course it matters,” he says, “because as I was saying before you rudely tried to shove me over board with the oven. She likes you too.”

“Eh. You can swim.”

“That's beside the point. That means you can do something about it and have, you know, an actual relationship instead of being a man whore.”

“Just pick up the oven before I ram you with it and you're never able to have children.”

“Is she coming down here today?” Nate asks, but he does, thankfully, pick up his side of the oven and start backing through the door into the rooms below deck.

“I don't know,” I tell him, though she does come down pretty much every day and she didn't say anything yesterday about having some awful family obligation with Eleanor so chances are.

“Uh-huh,” Nate says, “You know she is. She can't keep her eyes of the gypsy bad boy.”

“Stop it.”

He puts his hands up, thankfully having already set the oven down again so it doesn't drop on my feet or something.

“Seriously, Nate. I'm 19 now. You live with police. You know what that would mean. Even if she likes me.”

“Which she does,” he persists.

“And we hit it off,” he starts to say something else but I put my hand up, “but anything happened, even if someone saw us just kissing and that's the only thing that had ever happened her reputation is ruined and I'm lucky if I just get arrested for statutory rape and am not being lynched somewhere.”

“Well, then get the hell out of Haven.”

“That'd be nice.”

“Ursa's almost finished,” he points out, “Shit, if you didn't care so much about eating you could go now.”

I mime throwing something at him. He mimes ducking.

“I'm not the only one who likes eating,” I point out, “Next time you come fishing you'd be bitching if it took longer than a few minutes to get a fire going.”

“Permission to come aboard!” Julia calls from outside.

“Aah!” Nathan says, making a face.

“Don't even start.” I warn him, “I know where you live, Wuornos.”

I go out on deck and fold my arms on the railing, looking down at her, “You're late, wench,” I call down, “we might have to make you walk the plank.”

“Do you have a plank yet?” she asks.

“I'm sure we could put something together.”

She laughs, “Not without help.”

“I did work on boats before I hung out with you people,” I back away from the railing, “Get your butt on board.”

She jogs up the gangplank and on to the deck, “What's up for the day?” she asks.

“Well, we picked up the oven.”

“That was her game,” Nate remarks, “She didn't want to deal with that.”

“What? Being trapped in a truck with you two for an hour?” she laughs, “That can get a bit much, but no, unfortunately it was just Mom deciding that I couldn't go anywhere until I helped her change all the curtains in the house,” she shakes her head.

“--the hell?” I ask.

“Well, you see,” Nate says, “In regular houses, people have these things called curtains and they use them...”

I hit him in the arm, “I was meaning why spend all this time changing them.”

“Mom is crazy,” Julia shrugs, “So, you were saying about the oven?”

“Yeah. We need to sort out the wiring on the oven and make sure it's not going to short out anything when it's connected, and we need to hook up the extractor fan. Other than that it's the clear coat on the cabinets and table...”

“Super exciting,” Nate rolls his eyes.

“You were the ones who said you wanted to help me. I can do this stuff by myself, you know.”

“I'll help with the oven,” Julia says, “It'll be good to know how to wire things. Putting the radio on won't risk electrocution will it?”

“No. Just like in a regular house, I do know how those work,” I add for Nate's benefit, “The oven is on a different breaker and I didn't connect the stove one yet because I like living.”

“This place only has one bedroom, doesn't it?” Nate remarks, when he comes up with the varnish and stain.

“I wasn't exactly in the market for a luxury liner. If I deign to allow you to stay on board at some point you can sleep on the pull out, or just sleeping bag on the floor somewhere, unless,” I waggle my eyebrows at him, “you want to cuddle up in bed with me. I'll let you be the big spoon.”

He throws the paint can key in my direction but misses and it bounces off the cabinet behind me.

“Careful now, damages are coming out of your pay.”

“You're not paying me,” he counters.

“Oh, right,” I put my finger to my chin, “but then refresh my memory, who was it loaned you, what was it $3000? so you could get your truck? And is letting you pay it off in labor?”

“And who was it just said you could do this stuff by yourself?” he picks up the paint key.

“Oh, my God!” Julia says, “Do I have to bash your faces together?”