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user name: nick
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The cats.

( nick takes the food but he lingers still, stays close to nate and tangled up as he can be for a moment longer. he draws the moment out with closed eyes, nodding along to nate's calm, simple, clearly laid out plan. on his own, nick had just been pivoting in the middle of a handful of tasks, none of them vital but all of them feeling it, without actually getting anything done.

it's easier, with nate here. it's always easier.

nick pulls back then, sucks in a deep breath and--smiles. it's nowhere near close to his usual casual grin, but nick doesn't falter. he just gestures to one of the hallways leading out of the room, aiming for light in his voice and getting something not teary, at least. it doesn't really matter, nick carefully plucking out a sentence to sound as business as usual as possible, steadfast in ignoring the way his hand shakes. )

They're down here. The dog too, they all just sort of wanted attention at the same time and I kind of—anyway, do you want to come with? I'm pretty sure they both bully Chewie when we're not looking, you can give her a hug while I feed the assholes.

[guylining]

Yeah, of course. Come here.

[ Nate reaches to slip an arm around him while they walk, just to have some level of contact. He thinks Nick needs it, and honestly it's difficult for him to keep his hands to himself while they're together, anyway.

Besides, he can see that shake in Nick's hand. He's doing a good job at pretending to be okay, and Nate honestly wishes that he wouldn't. It would be easier if he could give in to what he's feeling. But until he's ready to do that, Nate will be here giving him as much support as possible. ]

They're probably missing him. They'll smell my cats and Anna's dogs all over me, of course, I hope they won't mind. I'll be getting the cold shoulder off that lot when I go back.