North || Nathan Drake

02

Tracking Nate's phone to the airport and flicking through schedules until he was seated on the same plane was simple and far too easy. Neither Sully nor Nate noticed as he boarded the plane, though he was in the business class section while they were back in the rows. The flight itself passed easily enough and Dante occupied his time with editing the landscape shots he had taken on a recent trip to Yellowstone that he needed to send to his client, some nature magazine that had paid him quite well for the job. It took a few hours and he was sending them off before his knew it. After that he spent the rest of the flight sleeping, watching movies and snacking. Soon enough they were landing in the warm country of Spain and he was inhaling fresh air after hours of confinement in a tin can. Pulling his backpack over his shoulders, he stepped out into the airport and set off to find somewhere to wait. 

Dante grinned as he held the camera up to his eye, a small but durable thing that had been dropped from far too many heights yet survived much longer than he expected. It was waterproof and had been a specially commissioned gift from his mother for his twenty first birthday. The rather battered outside case proof of its long lasting life. Only the lease was new and it twisted in his hands as he focused it on the two men strolling across the airport floor below him. Nate and Sully in deep conversation, backpacks hanging from their shoulders as they made their way out of the arrivals gate. The shutter clicked and the photo showed up on the little camera screen. Dante glanced at it, pleased to see that he had captured the way the Spanish sunlight caught on the angle of Nate's face through the windows. 

When he lifted the camera back up to his face to get another shot, the light through the wall to ceiling windows that covered the front of the airport glinted off the lens. Nate turned his head at the glimmer and Dante clicked. The photo of Nate half turned, gaze fixed up at the open balcony of the second floor saved itself to the memory card. He lowered the camera and grinned down at the other man, lifting his hand in a half wave as he let the camera hang from the strap around his neck, other hand pulling out his phone. Nate blinked at him in surprise, Sully at his side occupied with a map and his own phone, and frowned. Dante began texting and a second later the brown haired man was pulling his phone from his pocket and glancing at the screen. 

'Hi. Fancy seeing you here'. Nate read the text then flicked his eyes back up at the curly haired man before his fingers started typing back. 

'What do you want? Did you follow us?' 

'Yes'. Dante saw no point in denying it. It was obvious. 

'Why?' 

'The gold of course. But mostly for the adventure. Did Sully not tell you that I take amazing photos?'  Below, Nate's lips crinkled slightly in amusement and he glanced up again. 

'He might of mentioned that'. 

'Did he also mention the time he locked me in a coffin with a skeleton?' 

Dante looked down and saw Nate visibly snigger. Sully now on the phone and arguing with someone a few feet away. The other man looked up at him and winked. Dante grinned as he felt his phone buzz. 

'No. I guess that you weren't his vertebruh'. Dante groaned and his shoulders shook as he fought to contain his sudden giggles. When he looked back up to where Nate was standing, the man was grinning at him. 

'OMG that was terrible. You should be ashamed of yourself'. 

'I saw an opportunity'. 

'You are making me wanting to regret making my offer'. Dante flicked his gaze from his phone screen to Nate, who was staring at him. He watched as the man typed back. 

'What offer?' 

'I help you and you both let me come along'. 

'How can you help us?' Nate sent him a dubious look and Dante smiled at him. 

'I'm a professional photographer. I get through doors and past guards easier than you would'. 

'Anything else?' 

'I have funding. How much is it costing you two to travel here again?'  Dante paired that text with a smirk and Nate scowled at him. 'Just wait a second'. He hit send as he turned around and walked away from the balcony edge. A moment later he was descending down the escalators and striding across the polished floor to meet them. Sully got off the phone just intake to turn around and catch sight of him as Dante drew closer. 

"Well the car company has bailed on us kid- Dante?" Sully scowled at him. "Really? Here to gloat?" Dante stopped and pulled his large backpack higher up his back, camera still bouncing against his tshirt and curls already frizzing in the warmer air as he grinned at them. The scar on his face moving and giving the smile a sly, mischievous look. Sully took one look at him and rolled his eyes. "Don't grin at me like that. You are a fiend and that scar does your evil face no favours". 

"Awww Sully", Dante rocked on the heels of his feet, hands stuffed in the pockets of his cargo pants as he smiled up at the taller man. "I missed working with you too". 

"We are not working together". Sully frowned at him. "Every time I work with you, half my treasure goes missing". 

"Hey. I told you, I always leave Sam's stuff", Dante shrugged. "And its been two and a half years. Come on. Loosen up". 

"You stabbed me last time", Sully huffed. 

Dante laughed. "It was only with a knitting needle and it healed up fine. Now I heard you had some car trouble. Would you like my help or not?"

"He did offer to pay for our hotel and travel", Nate voiced. 

"No. I offered to pay for your hotels and travel. Sully can pay for himself". Dante pulled the camera from around his neck and tucked it into the case hanging over his shoulders. 

"I see how it is. You always favour the Drakes. First Sam, now the brother too". 

"That's because you shot me. Sam saved my life. Now come on. Do you guys want a ride or not?" He called the last part over his shoulders as he strode past them and towards the open doors. Through which he could see a man standing next to a blue mini, his hands holding a sign reading North. With a cheeky grin, he turned and gestured to the car and waved at the two other men. Nate immediately began walking after him. Sully sighing visibly before following. Dante smirked in triumph and hoisted his bag higher up his shoulders. 

unedited