#uh oh I'm having strong and harsh opinions on main

[ghwosty]

anyways kindly go act like a shithead about Eddie being sick somewhere else, thanks <3

[obscureenthusiast]

Not to be Our Fair City posting on main but has anyone written a fic about Nathan Rourke and Andrew Snidge becoming reacquainted post-season 8 and actually talking through some of their pasts and becoming friends? Like I know Elizabeth is under no obligation to forgive Nathan and I'm not saying Nathan and Andrew even have to be REALLY close but...

Nathan learns to plant things and let them grow. Since Dora is very used to dealing with and teaching previously violent, opinionated people because of her wife Switchblades, Nathan actually LEARNS something about... well, life.

And at first Nathan avoids Andrew and his gaggles of science academy students who flock through the garden areas every once in a while to help Dora, Switchblades, and Simon with maintenance and upgrades on the equipment. He doesn't want to have the awkward conversation with Andrew that he knows will come. The one that maybe tries too hard to explain that Elizabeth said goodbye to only one of her sons when she and Herbert packed up the truck to go adventuring. The one where Nathan admits he fucked up and doesn't know anymore what he can do, because Andrew is a better son than he ever was.

(Nevermind the fact that Alan Rourke is still running around, pretending not to know who put the blanket around Nathan's shoulders that night he was so tired he fell asleep on the hood of Simon's truck outside the greenhouse.)

But one day? When Nathan's too busy digging in the garden, too busy getting his hands dirty with work, to notice someone approach until an unsure voice says:

"Uh... hi, Nathan."

And he freezes and grimaces and goes on a face journey as he repeats, like a PWC's mantra in his head shit, shit, shit, shit.

But Andrew pretends not to notice. He pretends like he hasn't noticed Nathan up until this point and somehow that only makes it worse. Maybe because Nathan knows for a fact he caught Andrew staring at him more than once. Or maybe because it means the question:

"So, how long have you been working with... the plants and stuff?"

Andrew winces as he says it and for a second Nathan considers just telling him to fuck right off. Because it gives Nathan the choice to make: Keep this going, pretending like he's somehow, magically been invisible this whole time! Keep pretending like he's not been actively avoiding Andrew! Keep on acting like this is somehow not the culmination of several months of carefully planned trips to sheds as far away from wherever Andrew and his class was visiting...

Or tell the truth. Which has, admittedly, never been Nathan's strong suit.

"Actually, Smidge, I-" he starts harsh, but stops, breathes in the smell of mulch and earth, and tries again, "I've been here a while, Snidge... I didn't want to... bother you." His last words are hissed like air out of a slashed tire, through gritted teeth.

Andrew laughs -why the hell does he laugh?- and says, "Bother me? Why do you think-"

"Because, idiot, I nearly beat you to death with a stick of rebar."

Andrew laughs again, "Oh, I wasn't nearly beat to death. I definitely died."

When Nathan stares at Andrew, the younger man is quick to correct himself (most unhelpfully):

"I mean, it was only the first time that happened! And Dr. West was able to-"

Nathan nods, turning away and digging into the dirt more furiously. Right. He should have realized. With his closeness to West, of course Andrew would have been mixed up in all the... that stuff. He doesn't bother listening as Andrew continues talking, until he hears:

"-maybe just stop by when you're done with the... the stuff with the dirt you're piling into that pile."

"What?"

"I mean, it's no Al's Bar, but the moles have a pretty sweet setup over-"

"You're inviting..." Nathan frowns, staring at Andrew, "I'm not going drinking with you of all people!"

"Oh."

Andrew looks hurt and Nathan wonders for just a second if he should clarify that the reason he can't imagine drinking with him is because he doesn't know how they can possibly avoid any of the hundreds of bad topics that crowd the space between them like smog.

"Well, the offer's open. We go every Friday." Andrew says, and of all unimaginable things manages to smile at Nathan before he walks away across the greenhouse.

Nathan scoffs and keeps working because why would he ever take Snidge up on an offer as ridiculous as that.

But then, some Friday night, weeks, months later... Dora, Switchblades, and Simon (and Emerson) drag Nathan along with them for a drink. It's an anniversary of something, or maybe just a celebration for the sake of celebrating, but somewhere during the evening Andrew's science drinking group and Nathan's garden drinking group get integrated together.

God, sometimes Nathan hates how everyone in this city knows each other.

And as much as Nathan tries to keep to himself and drink quietly (he even pretends not to see his father sitting nearby with his own drinking group, occasionally sending glasses of water to Nathan via the bartender, with attached notes about the importance of hydration -the hands-off parenting approach as usual), eventially Andrew drifts over to his corner.

And... strikes up a conversation. Which is promptly shot down. So, Andrew tries a new topic. And Nathan shoots it down. But no matter what Nathan does to shut him up, Andrew just keeps going until finally Nathan breaks:

"What do you actually want, Snidge? Just tell me so you can get it over with and leave. Do you want to guilt-trip me? Embarrass me? Do your worst, okay, I'm-"

"I... I just wanted to talk."

"About?"

Andrew shrugs, "Nothing! I don't know! Crazy having weather again, right?"

Nathan stares Andrew down, "You want to talk... about the weather?"

Andrew shrugs again and Nathan almost walks out of the bar that instant.

"You're still mom's... Elizabeth's son," Snidge sighs, shrugging again, "And, yeah, you've done some messed up stuff but... I mean, Dr. Caligari says that Switchblades says Dora says you're doing okay!"

Nathan wants to slam his forehead against the nearest countertop, but he resists the urge in order to continue glaring at Andrew.

"Really? You've been monitoring me like some kind of StreetSafe agent?! You're not my-"

He cuts himself off.

Andrew folds in on himself, staring down at his drink.

"Yeah, I'm not mom," he says quietly, "but mom's not here and I just thought you might... want a friend."

"Why would you be my friend?"

Andrew smirks, small and knowing and surprisingly dark:

"My brain is 10.6% evil mastermind. It used to be 100%. I don't know what that means, most days, but... I understand trying to... not be who you were. And... and I think you are trying, Nathan."

Nathan could argue with him, but he's not sure, frankly, how to unpack all that. But the point is that for the first time that night, Nathan doesn't disagree with Andrew.

And Andrew takes that as permission to keep talking. And Nathan, somehow, has fewer and fewer reasons to disagree.

They keep talking. Nathan doesn't come out for drinks every Friday night. But... every now and again he doesn't fight too hard when Dora invites him.

The melting of the world makes it bigger, brighter, and more complex than ever, and Nathan tells himself he has no right to be as hopeful about it as he is. Because people who have done the things he's done don't get happy endings.

But usually that's about the time Andrew smacks him on the shoulder and tells him, laughing:

"Shut up, Nathan, you shovel dog dooky for a living."