[Five and nine. Near the same age that Taako and Lup were plopped off at a relative's doorstep, the start of one of many cycles in their life. She wonders if it was any different, experiencing what they did with an age gap, where one sibling was the designated protector, the other to be protected. Even if Lup took it upon herself to keep her twin safe, always leaping forward with the bristling anger that always kept her going, it was an easy partnership of switching off roles.
Did having to rely and look up to an older brother change the game for them? She wonders.]
Good. [She's not sneering exactly, but there's a certain fierceness in that single word that's impossible to hide.] Fuck anyone who threatens to separate siblings. It's total horseshit. Koko and I would've done the same.
[There's no question of whether or not Nate may have had a more stable life if he'd stayed and found a family instead of going off on his own with his brother. Lup understands him in this. That was never even an option. How could it be?]
We were about eleven, I think. Found a traveling caravan from there and hopped on. We had to pretend we were one kid for awhile, since the dicks there refused to take the two of us on, even if we were both working out asses off for them, but it worked. For awhile.
[There's a variety of loyalty that can't be bought, can't be feigned, and it's that express brand of ride-or-die for a sibling that Nate knows well enough to have recognized it in the twins a long time ago. The kind of loyalty where if one party comes forward with a story about a drug lord, a prison break, an ultimatum, the other would automatically agree to help. There is too much history and trust not to do so.
The similarities are striking and Nate can't help the faint smile, because he absolutely believes that Taako and Lup pretended to be the same person to keep up a convenient charade. With their background and street smarts it stands to reason that a lot of the melodrama of performance in the way that they act - Taako in particular - stems from like work.]
Yeah, that sounds like you guys. We left the country. Labor laws were a little more...lenient, south of the border. Sam did the odd job here and there, I was mostly busking, uh, picking tourists' pockets. That kinda thing.
[For a moment he debates whether or not to tell her this, because it's hilariously embarrassing given the audience, but also pretty telling.]
Had a sleight-of-hand phase- [That never really went away.] -so I'd do street magic while Sam lifted wallets.
[For how emotional of a turn this conversation has taken, the sound of Lup's laughter - high-pitched and unrestrained and so so loud - might feel out of place. She barks out a laugh and the sound of it against all of this tension feels strange to even her, but that stops nothing.]
Holy fuck! [She breathes out into the receiver, giggling and utterly delighted. For all of the sadness to be said for this talk, to hear of two young boys struggling to survive in the same way Lup and her brother had, she wants to find fun in the similarity, not just mope over what can't be changed.
For their shitty upbringings, look what they've all become. Nothing's a bigger 'fuck you' to an unfair past than growing up and becoming incredible.]
You did street magic? Sweet, little Natey Drake? I - [she dissolves into giggles again, pulling the phone away just to wipe at her eyes before Lup's back.] I need to see. I need to see your whole routine. You have to still know it, gods. Please. Koko an' I will show you ours if you show us yours.
[The instant he admits to it, he regrets it. Sometimes he forgets how laughable stage magic must be to people who can practice actual magic, and Lup is nothing if not unforgiving when it comes to giving others shit.
Nate pinches the bridge of his nose with a vague sigh.]
[Getting into an argument about how his world has categorically lacked "real" magic would be pointless, particularly since the original direction of this conversation veered elsewhere, so he just takes it.
Mouth a tight line, he takes a deep breath through his nose and exhales slowly.]
[It's a real show of their friendship that Lup doesn't just drag the man for another hour over this. But she's not stupid, she sees the tight line of his mouth, the way he draws a calming breath. The teasing doesn't bug him, she thinks, maybe it's just the subject matter. It hits a little close to home.
Which Lup naturally understands.]
Fiiine, I won't say a word. Promise.
[And for once, she means it. Taako won't hear a word.]
[It's definitely not the teasing. It's the peripheral subject, the way that these interests are intrinsically linked to his brother, who isn't here. Were this a Nathan Drake from a year ago, he might not feel so raw about it, but the loss of Sam a second time has made it difficult to ease back into the shrugs he used to employ when personal matters came up.]
Yeah. Yeah, I know.
[Taako and Lup depended on each other as much as Nate and Sam did.]
Maybe I'll do some tricks for you, soon. Just go easy on me, 'cause it's not real magic.
I don't think going easy on someone is something I'm capable of, but I'll do my best. [a beat] Just for you.
[She's shared more today with him than she's ever revealed to anyone in one sitting like this before. Nate may not understand how important that makes him, how deeply she trusts the man, but hopefully he'll pick up on that just a little.
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Did having to rely and look up to an older brother change the game for them? She wonders.]
Good. [She's not sneering exactly, but there's a certain fierceness in that single word that's impossible to hide.] Fuck anyone who threatens to separate siblings. It's total horseshit. Koko and I would've done the same.
[There's no question of whether or not Nate may have had a more stable life if he'd stayed and found a family instead of going off on his own with his brother. Lup understands him in this. That was never even an option. How could it be?]
We were about eleven, I think. Found a traveling caravan from there and hopped on. We had to pretend we were one kid for awhile, since the dicks there refused to take the two of us on, even if we were both working out asses off for them, but it worked. For awhile.
no subject
The similarities are striking and Nate can't help the faint smile, because he absolutely believes that Taako and Lup pretended to be the same person to keep up a convenient charade. With their background and street smarts it stands to reason that a lot of the melodrama of performance in the way that they act - Taako in particular - stems from like work.]
Yeah, that sounds like you guys. We left the country. Labor laws were a little more...lenient, south of the border. Sam did the odd job here and there, I was mostly busking, uh, picking tourists' pockets. That kinda thing.
[For a moment he debates whether or not to tell her this, because it's hilariously embarrassing given the audience, but also pretty telling.]
Had a sleight-of-hand phase- [That never really went away.] -so I'd do street magic while Sam lifted wallets.
no subject
Holy fuck! [She breathes out into the receiver, giggling and utterly delighted. For all of the sadness to be said for this talk, to hear of two young boys struggling to survive in the same way Lup and her brother had, she wants to find fun in the similarity, not just mope over what can't be changed.
For their shitty upbringings, look what they've all become. Nothing's a bigger 'fuck you' to an unfair past than growing up and becoming incredible.]
You did street magic? Sweet, little Natey Drake? I - [she dissolves into giggles again, pulling the phone away just to wipe at her eyes before Lup's back.] I need to see. I need to see your whole routine. You have to still know it, gods. Please. Koko an' I will show you ours if you show us yours.
no subject
[The instant he admits to it, he regrets it. Sometimes he forgets how laughable stage magic must be to people who can practice actual magic, and Lup is nothing if not unforgiving when it comes to giving others shit.
Nate pinches the bridge of his nose with a vague sigh.]
Forget I told you. Please.
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Pretty sure 'forget I told you' basically translates to 'please tell Taako immediately'.
[Maybe google translate messed that one up, but Lup'll take it.]
Nate, you're good. You're so good. The whole thing's just cute. You gotta admit that much.
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Mouth a tight line, he takes a deep breath through his nose and exhales slowly.]
Are you done? Are you done yet?
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Which Lup naturally understands.]
Fiiine, I won't say a word. Promise.
[And for once, she means it. Taako won't hear a word.]
Look, I get it. You know I get it.
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Yeah. Yeah, I know.
[Taako and Lup depended on each other as much as Nate and Sam did.]
Maybe I'll do some tricks for you, soon. Just go easy on me, 'cause it's not real magic.
no subject
[She's shared more today with him than she's ever revealed to anyone in one sitting like this before. Nate may not understand how important that makes him, how deeply she trusts the man, but hopefully he'll pick up on that just a little.
He means something.]