The Fading Oddities of Nate Smith (A NateWantsToBattle Fanfiction) --COMPLETE--

Chapter Three

It's not until two hours later that the man even begins to show signs of stirring.

He's tossed and turned a few times, but we know for sure that he's waking up now. His eyebrows are scrunched in a pre-awakening way. I hop off the head of the bed and kneel down next to him as his eyes slowly flutter open.

"Is he waking up?" Tess says in a whispery voice, turning away from the computer on her desk.

I nod.

"Might wanna keep your distance."

I shuffle backward and curl up against the side of Tess' bed. The man's hand slowly slides across his temple, ruffling his hair and using his other arm to pull himself to sitting position. A quiet, hoarse groan escapes his mouth, similar to the one he made when I found him. It takes him a minute to register in his mind where he is. He slowly puts his hand down from his head, using it for extra support. As he lowers it, his hand traces across the side of his face, feeling the new bandages I gave him earlier.

His head suddenly whips around the room, his breathing quickening and a sort of intensity flooding his eyes. His eyes finally rest on me and Tess, and he scoots backward on instinct.

"Hey, he didn't freak out as much as I expected him to," Tess blurts, swinging back around and returning to her laptop.

"What...?" the man croaks, his voice still hoarse. "Wh..."

"Sir," I clear my throat timidly and look up to the man. "Um, okay. Please don't freak out. I can explain everything."

His eyes relax, but his breathing is still fast-paced.

Tess and I exchange looks, then turn back to the man. I stand up and walk towards him, sitting myself on the bed again.

"I was driving back here from the park just outside of this school - Florida State University - when I found you." I don't look up at him as I speak. "I brought you back here because you looked pretty beat up. Took you inside, patched you up, and now..." - I shrug awkwardly - "...now you're here."

Tess closes her laptop and swings back around, arms crossed. "So where ya from?"

The man blinks at Tess, his breathing now slowing down. "Los Angeles..."

Her eyebrows shoot upward in a sort of surprised way. "Los Angeles?!" she replies. "That's...what, on the other side of the country? You've come a pretty long way to make it all the way to Tallahassee."

His face is emotionless. "Yeah. I know." Something about his voice changes, like a sort of sharp tone has been added to it that makes me want to back away a bit. But I don't.

Now it's his turn to ask questions. "Why did you help me...?"

I shake my head. "Why wouldn't I?"

His eyes waver down to the floor, and he nods. "Right..."

That's it? No "thank you"? Just..."Right"? Why would he ask a question like that? The questions come flooding in once again.

"Wait," I look up as one more question surfaces to my mouth. "I almost forgot. What's your name?"

Tess butts in before he can say anything. "The name's Tess Amistad, by the way. You'll meet my brother Leo soon enough." She holds out her hand and laughs. "I mean, soon enough as in when he finds you."

The man hesitantly returns the gesture and shakes her hand.

"And I'm Olive Zachrielle," I add in. "I-I'm alone here, so the only sibling you have to worry about is Tess'."

He looks at the two of us in a doubting way, wondering whether or not he should reply.

"So," Tess crosses her arms again. "What's your name?"

His eyes flick toward her, then finally rest on my eyes. He opens his mouth, and the raspiness in his voice is replaced with a clear and firm one.

"Nate," he finally says. "Nate Smith."