#button up.

It’s a bat back that you don't plan on leveling, but it flies out of your mouth before you can stop it. His brows raise, a surprised smile twisting his lips. Your face heats with embarrassment, stomach squirming, but you press on, “If I want one, I’ll have one. I don’t want one.” 

“...Alright,” He concedes before he turns a smile toward William. “More for us, man.” 

You can feel Dan looking at you, and you glance guardedly up at him. He’s watching you with the same surprise that Nathan did, but he mouths, You okay? 

You give a small nod, waving him off before raising your glass to take a sip. You glance behind yourself, eyeing the armchair there before you lower yourself to sit on the arm. The guys are already debating what kind of shots they’re going to do, how many, how it’ll go with the wine that’s been chosen with dinner. You’re rethinking every move you’ve made since you arrived. You’ve done nothing but push back against Nathan’s requests—first the boxing, and now this. You’ve got another few days there, and he’s probably right: a little ass kissing may be in order. How much more are you doing to push back? How long can you keep it up? 

“You hungry?” 

You look up to find Nathan watching you expectantly. You nod. This, at least, you can agree with. 

“I am,” You admit. “Though I’m sure I’m less hungry than all of you.” 

“Well, you did have the hike—No, no, sit.” He waves you off from standing and giving him the chair as he lowers himself to sit on the ledge beside the armchair. 

“Yeah, I know,” You nod. “But you all boxed, I didn’t. How’s William’s form, by the way?” 

“Awful.” 

“He’s got some improving to do,” Dan agrees. 

“I think between the three of us, we can straighten him out,” Nathan adds, nudging his knee lightly against your shin. You smile a little. 

“I don’t know about that. He made me carry half of his bags up here. You have me spar with him, I might pop him one and mean it.” 

“He made you?” Dan’s brows raise. 

“Well—Made is a little strong, but he gave me that look and I was like ‘I’m gonna be around this guy for a while, I should probably just make nice’.” 

“That a strong suit of yours? Making nice?” Nathan asks before raising his glass to his lips. You bite back a rude remark, your eyes narrowing a touch. 

“It can be,” You concede with a shrug. Nathan’s eyes light up, his smile widening as he nods, leaning back against the dormant fireplace more fully. You find yourself holding one another’s gaze for a moment, hardly registering the chatter between Dan and William as Kyoko carries in a tray of shots. For the first time since you arrived, it doesn’t feel contentious between the two of you. 

It should. The man may as well be staring you down—but his gaze is more appraising than combative. That should freak you out more. 

Damnit, maybe you should’ve had that shot.

You turn away from him as he stands to grab a shot from the proffered tray. 

“Alright. Quick toast. Get up, c’mon,” He urges, waving toward you, “Get in on this.” 

Maybe bullying is just second nature to him. Maybe he can’t help it. Still, you get up, muscling into the cluster of them. 

“Alright, I’ll be honest,” Nathan looks around to all of you. “When, uh…When I woke up with a hangover and three email confirmations that you guys would be coming, I dreaded it basically immediately. But,” He adds over Dan’s guffaw, “So far, this isn’t that bad. So—” He holds his shot glass aloft. “Here’s to the next few days. Team-building, teaching Will to box, and checking me for polyps.”

You let out a quiet eugh as the four of your clink your glasses. You take a sip of your drink, glancing over and watching Nathan’s head tip back as he does the shot. 

“Alright,” Nathan nods the three of you toward the hall. “Dinnertime, let’s go.” 

--  

You are no longer regretting not having another drink. You’re on your second, in fact—and the guys are all on the fourth. You’ve moved from the sleek dining room to a lounge near your rooms. You’re slouching on the opposite end of the couch from Nathan, eyes moving between the guys, and the Pollack on the other side of the room. There’s a flush rising in Nathan’s cheeks, a goofy grin pulling his lips up as he giggles at something Will just said (something that’s almost certainly not funny). 

You lean back against the couch, letting your gaze drift back to the Pollack. You rest your head on your hand, closing your eyes for a moment as you try to block out the hooting and hollering Dan and William are doing. Christ.  How soon can you excuse yourself without looking like a total...What was it Nathan called you? A wet blanket? What are they talking about? You can’t focus up. You’re tired, full from dinner, and…And where’s all the noise gone?

You open your eyes, peering around just in time to see Dan and William leaving the room, the door swinging shut behind them. 

“Where are they going?” You ask. 

“Grabbing another bottle of…Something.” 

You glance over as you hear the creak of the couch, and feel the dip of the cushion beside you. You turn your head to see Nathan getting closer, your brows raising. 

“...Doin’ okay there, Bateman?” You ask. 

“I’m still Bateman? Not Nate yet?” 

“Not yet, and…Likely not ever,” You shake your head. 

“What? C’mon, Dan calls me Nate.” 

“Dan wants a raise.” 

“You don’t?” 

“I do, but I’m not gonna get all cutesy and use a nickname to get it. Even if I was,” You add, shifting on your seat, “I wouldn’t use Nate. It’s been used.” 

“Yeah? So what would you use?” 

It feels like a trap. Nathan is watching you with that sweet, warm look again. It’s a little more muddled now, his eyes dark and clouded slightly from his budding buzz. 

“...I don’t know,” You admit. “Dancing queen, maybe?” 

He snorts a laugh, reaching out to grab his beer from where it’s sitting on the table in front of you.

“You seemed like a real partier,” You add, “I had no idea you could dance.” 

It had been quite the sight—Nathan trying to teach Dan and William a few steps to a song that you’d never heard before. It hadn’t gone particularly well, but they’d given it a hell of a go. 

“Didn’t know I could box, either, didya.” 

“No I did not,” You chuckle. “I’m learning a lot about you.” 

“So when do I get to learn about you?” 

“There’s not much to tell,” You chuckle. 

“Somehow I doubt that. I’m pushing back on your pushback.” 

“How’s that going for you?” You arch a brow. 

“Look, you either tell me about yourself or I dig through your search data.” 

“You’re telling me you haven’t already?” 

“...You either tell me about yourself or I dig through your search data a second time.” 

You chuckle softly, raising your glass to your lips and taking a swig before nodding. “Alright. Whaddaya wanna know?” 

--  

“Wait—Wait wait wait wait wait, hang on—” 

You frown at the sound of William’s voice. You’re sort of surprised he’s up. The guys had all tied one on last night. You glance at the time on your BlueWatch as you hop up the steps toward the patio. You spy the three of them outside, each kitted out with boxing gloves. You look over William, watching him brace his hands on his knees. You can’t imagine how the three of them are awake right now, let alone boxing. 

You cross your arms over your chest, brows knitting in concern as William straightens. He looks a little green around the gills. You open your mouth to ask if he wants some water, but he’s already taking off toward the edge of the patio. You wince, turning your head away a touch as you hear him throwing up. 

“Shake it off, man!” Nathan calls back toward him as he heads for the door. You raise a hand, giving a short wave. 

“I didn’t get the memo,” You wave a finger toward where Dan is rubbing William’s back. 

“S’alright. You can always join us tomorrow morning.” Nathan leans in the doorway, mirroring your posture. “You hungry?”

“Yeah—But I can fix something for myself.” 

“You sure? Kyoko can make just about anything.” 

“I’m positive, but thanks.” 

“Sure. You gonna make your special pancakes?” 

You smile a little, brows raising in surprise. You can’t believe he remembered. He was pretty smashed when you told him about that. It had taken Dan and William a while to get back the night before, and you'd had more uninterrupted time than you'd ever had with Nathan.  

“I might.” 

“You mind making me some?” 

“Think you can stomach ‘em? I thought smoothies were your recovery breakfast.” 

“I can handle it.” 

“Well, we’ll see.” 

“Bacon, too.” 

“Don’t get greedy, dancing queen.” 

You turn away from Nathan with a smile, heading for the fridge. Maybe the next few days won’t be so bad.