#noah sebastian band

[flowery-mess]

uh oh

Pairing: frat boy Noah x female reader

reader has a name (Ella Thompson, but the story is written in 'your' POV)

Warnings: 18+ MDNI! / alcohol / protected sex / friends with benefits / let me know if anything else should be taged!

Words: 3,7k

frat boy Noah masterlist

Author's note: I fell in love with frat boy Noah while writing this, so feel free to elaborate or send thots, I'll maybe make this a 'thing', maybe series? What do you think?

Inspired by this song:

feel your eyes watchin' me, so I'm movin' on him just so you can see, told you I was gonna get you right back, oh, you don't really like that? ✨

You and Noah met at sociology class you both had to attend in junior year at college. Your majors not similar at all, his being economics and finance and your neuropsychology. You never had the same classes until now, so he was just another one of pretty school boys for you. You never paid much attention to him as you were actually interested in topics your professor talked about in classes, but you couldn’t say the same about Noah. You caught his eye the first week of when he entered the big study room and you were the first one there, working on your neurology project with headphones on. When you noticed movement around you and lifted your head, Noah only gave you a small nod and sat few rows behind you. That was your first encounter.

Your second encounter was when you were at the opening party at a frat house. You liked going out, having fun time and drinks with your friends. You usually let them pick the place or party you’re going to be attending, so you didn’t have a clue where you’d end up that night. You had pre drinks at your shared dorm with your two best friends, picking outfits and doing each other’s makeup. You ended up wearing black leather skirt that ended just above your knees, basic black top and matching leather jacket over your shoulders. That was bold outfit for you, so you decided for some natural makeup look with red lips. You felt good that night, the alcohol in your system helping your confidence.

When you entered the frat house the party was already on, music on full volume and people all over the place. You found some of your classmates and had shots with them, then settled on the big red couch in the living room to play some stupid game that involved alcohol.

After while your friends were too occupied either with kissing boys or chugging vodka down their throats, so you went to find kitchen to have some water for a change.

“Wouldn’t think of you as a party girl.” you heard deep male voice behind you, but didn’t know if he was talking to you. When you looked around and saw only few younger boys chatting in the corner about god knows what, you turned around to see the pretty tatted boy looking at you.

“Why not?” you asked.

“You look like someone who spends their Friday night studying at home. You always have book in front of you at school.” Noah answered your question with a teasing smile.

“Well, that’s so I can have fun on a Friday night instead of reading books.” you crossed your arms over your chest, not knowing where this small talk will get you.

“Smart and funny, I like that.” he said, taking small steps towards you.

“So, you’re part of the fraternity then?”

“Why would you think that?”

“You look like someone who spends their Friday night partying and having one night stands.” you shot back.

“You’re almost right. I am in this fraternity, I like partying on Friday nights,” he slowly walked in your direction, making you walk backwards until your back hit the counter and he caged you in with his arms on your sides, “but I don’t do one night stands.”

You felt his breath on your cheek, as he leaned closer to your face.

“Oh, sorry for making assumptions then.” you said just a bit louder than whisper.

You didn’t do one night stands either, but you blamed alcohol that night for ending with Noah between your legs, his tongue deep inside your pussy and your fingers in his dark hair. You had sex with him in a room you later found out wasn’t even his, he lived in an apartment 10 minutes away from the campus. The sex was great and you actually enjoyed talking with him after he got you finish for the second time that night.

Since then you said “Hi” to each other at every sociology class and at every party you both were. Leaving those parties together also became regular thing that grew into friends with benefits type of thing. You agreed on casual sex, without dates and feelings. You sometimes ordered food or watched movie, but never in a romantic way. And you liked it that way.

Until Noah started flirting with other girls at parties. You weren’t jealous, because it was always you who was screaming his name later, but you didn’t like the uneasy feeling in your tummy everytime you saw a girl touch his bicep or him to lean down to the girls ear so she could hear what he was saying.

You liked what you two had and didn’t want to lose it. So you talked to him about it one night, which lead to an argument instead of sex and orgasms. He told you that it’s just harmless flirting and if you’re jealous that means you caught feelings for him and that he doesn’t want that. You tried to tell him it’s not like that, that you just don’t want to continue this thing between you if he wants to have sex with other girls and that you would understand if he would want to end it, but he didn’t listen. You didn’t talk to each other for three weeks and he made sure you saw every single one of his flirt attempts at parties.

So you decided to do the same tonight. You went for short black dress with deep V neck that made your boobs look amazing. The dress probably made the trick as you found yourself talking with a guy from the same fraternity Noah was part of. You were leaning against the wall in their living room as he hovered over you. You didn’t pay much attention to what he was saying, you were watching Noah with red haired girl at the couch. When your eyes met you saw something in Noah’s eyes that you haven’t seen there before. Jealousy? Anger? His eyes were dark and he was staring at you.

The boy who’s name you forgot like ten seconds after he told you, started touching your hips and leaning towards you too much for you liking, so you excused yourself and went for the bathroom.

“What the hell was that?” you heard Noah’s voice when you opened the bathroom door and he was leaning against the wall opposite you.

“Excuse me?” you raised your eyebrow at him.

“What kind of show was that supposed to be?” he was angry, you could hear it in his voice.

“A show? You mean the same show you’ve been doing the past three weeks? It’s not so nice from the other side, is it?”

He didn’t want to hear another word, so he pushed you back into the tiny bathroom.

I’m yours again when you walk away, you know if you leave, I ain't gonna stay, when I'm doin' good, you get me off track, and I guess I kinda like that. ✨

“Come to my place with me?” Noah said between kisses and lifted you so you sat next to the sink.

He was jealous, but wouldn’t admit it. But you felt it in the way he was kissing you, his tongue fighting for dominance and his hands in your hair, pulling at them every once in a while.

“Say you’re sorry Noah.” you said breathlessly, leaning back from him until your back touched the cold mirror behind you.

“Sorry for what?” he had your lipstick all over his lips and chin, he looked hot like that, marked.

“Noah.” you knew he knew what you were asking from him, but he was too proud to say it.

“Come to my place with me and let me show you how sorry I am?” he asked you, already kneeling in front of you. He knew what your weakness is, so how could you say no to him when he was already pulling your panties to the side.

you make me really, really good at makin' bad decisions, all my friends know where to look every time I go missin', seven texts and two missed calls, know I can't ignore 'em all, said that I'm gonna be sleepin' at mine, i lied. ✨

You knew you should have said no, but you missed him. You missed his touch, his hands all over your body, his mouth on your skin and how good he could make you feel.

After your argument three weeks ago, your friends told you that you should stop seeing him, that what he started doing wasn’t acceptable and that you should know your worth, but he was just so addictive. So when your friends saw you two leave, you felt ashamed and tried to avoid their stare. You knew that you’ll find missed calls and unread messages on your phone in the morning, but you didn’t care at that moment. You just wanted, no, needed to feel Noah’s skin on yours again. You craved him, the satisfaction he was able to give you.

uh oh, I couldn't help myself, i'm almost at your house again, again, uh oh, I'm one foot in the door, my clothes are on your floor again, again. i get a little drunk and it's all I want, tomorrow I'll be sick, but tonight I'm numb, uh oh, now we can just pretend, we won't do it again, again, again. ✨

The drive to Noah’s place was short, the taxi driver’s music loud enough for him not to hear all the dirty things Noah whispered in your ear.

“I hated Trevor’s hands on your body, only I can touch you.”

“I miss your mouth on my dick, you’re so good.”

“I’m gonna make you scream my name baby.”

He was selfish. He hated another man’s hands on you, yet he could touched dozen of other women. He knew he had you wrapped around his finger, but you just couldn’t help yourself. You wanted to be strong enough to not get in the taxi with him and go back to Trevor who actually looked interested in you and maybe would take you out on a proper date.

Instead you left with Noah, knowing how it’s gonna go. You’re gonna have a great sex, fall asleep in his arms, sneak out in the morning and then feel like shit. You’re gonna listen to your friends about how you’re just hurting yourself and wasting time with him, them making you promise it was the last time, only to break that promise at the next party.

roll your eyes like you do, shoulda known it's always the same with you, tryin' not to feel our connection, but, oh my god, it's kinda temptin' ✨

In the elevator you walked Noah back until his body hit the wall and went for his neck. Leaving lipstick all over his skin, licking and biting his sensitive spots. His eyes rolled to the back of his head before he closed them fully and left his mouth hanging open. Silent moans leaving his pink lips, until the elevator stopped at his floor.

you said, "Can we leave now?", i don't think we should, through the back door, that won't end good, how 'bout my place? shit, you know I would, then I'll follow you out, hope nobody looks. ✨

“Do you want a drink?” Noah asked you, really hoping your answer would be no so he could take you straight to his bed.

“Yes, wine is fine.” you said as you started taking off your coat, taking in the sight of familiar apartment you haven’t seen in weeks.

Noah took out two glasses and filled them with white wine, then handed one to you. You sipped on your drinks in quiet, you sitting at Noah’s kitchen counter and him standing next to the oven.

“Did you have sex with anyone in the last few weeks?” you managed to build the courage to ask him the question that was in the back of your mind for weeks.

“What?” he looked genuinely confused.

“You heard me.”

“No, the last time I had sex was with you.”

“Then why did you start flirting with all those girls in front of me, Noah?”

“It’s just for fun, you were the one I took home in the end.”

“It wasn’t fun for me.”

“That’s why you did the same with Trevor tonight?”

“And you didn’t like it, or did you?”

“No.”

“We said no to sleeping with other people, I just felt like you wanted to and you flirting with all those girls made me feel uncomfortable. That’s all.”

“Okay, I’m sorry. I won’t do it again if we go back to our thing.” his apology seemed genuine, so you nodded your head.

“Okay, but you can tell me if you want to stop and date someone, I’ll be fine with that.” you finished your wine at the same time Noah did. He took the glass from your hand and put them both in the sink. When he returned, he came much closer to you and put his hands on your thighs.

“I don’t want to date anyone, I told you that.” he rubbed his nose along your jaw, then he gently kissed your neck and you tilted your head back to give him more access.

He made sure to suck on your sensitive spots, he desperately needed to hear your moans.

you make me really, really good at makin' bad decisions, all my friends know where to look every time I go missin', seven texts and two missed calls, know I can't ignore 'em all, said that I'm gonna be sleepin' at mine, i lied. ✨

“Lay down.” he helped you lay down on the cold counter and then continued kissing you more. He went for your chest, kissing the top of your breaths that were close to spilling over the edge of your lacy bra.

He palmed your nipples through the fabric of your dress, smirking at the sound that came from your mouth.

Noah rolled your dress up to your waist and kissed your tummy until he reached the lacy panties you wore, matching your bra.

“Poor Trevor, bet he would love to see those too.” Noah teased you.

“Shut up Noah.” you lifted your hips to give him sign he should talk less and touch you more.

He took the hint and gladly slid the panties down your legs.

“Fuck I missed you.” he sighed at the view in front of him. You were laying down with legs spread open just for him. Your cheeks were pink and your chest was going up and down from the excitement.

Noah kneeled down so he’d face your core and put your legs over his shoulders so he could spread you open as much as he needed to.

He took his time, licking you from you entrance to your clit, tasting you like a starved man. His tongue explored you like it was for the first time, slowly and gently moving up and down.

“Oh Noah.” you let out a breathy moan only he could hear. He felt himself grow tighter in his pants, but he wanted to give you an apology before he’d fuck you senselessly.

He sucked on your clit, teasing your pussy with his long fingers. He spread you open with them and went to slowly fuck you with his tongue. His other hand made its way to your clit, collecting your wetness so he could gently rub small circles where you wanted it the most.

“Noah, I’m-“ you didn’t get to finish your sentence when you felt the start of your orgasm in your lower tummy. Noah had to put more pressure on your hips to hold you down, but continued with his moves until he felt your legs shake and your breath stop for a second. You squeezed his head with your thighs and let out the sexiest sounds out of your mouth.

After he was sure he licked you clean, he took you in his arms and started walking in the direction of his bedroom.

He laid you down in his bed and connected your lips. You could taste yourself on his lips, that alone made you want him more.

You helped him out of his clothes until he was only in his underwear and you pushed him down so he was laying under you. You straddled his lap, enjoying the view for a moment. He was looking at you with eyes full of lust, his hair messily laying around his head. He was waiting for you next move, letting you take control for now.

You took your dress and bra off at the same time and Noah immediately went to touch your boobs. He squeezed them and started playing with your nipples. Your head fell back and your hips moved involuntary.

The wetness from your core already making wet spot on Noah’s underwear, but both of you couldn’t care less.

You shifted your weight to one of your legs and shimmied Noah’s underwear down his legs. His dick fell back against his stomach, hard and swollen, waiting for you to take him.

You wrapped your fingers around his length and he gripped your hips as an reaction. You stroked him few times, collecting the pre cum and enjoyed the state Noah was in. He had his eyes closed in a bliss, gripping your hips like his life depended on it.

“Fuck me, please.” he groaned, knowing he wouldn’t last long if you’d keep stroking him.

You reached into his drawer and took a condom out. You took your time putting it on, teasing Noah along the way.

You took Noah’s dick in your hand and collected your wetness with it, then gently slid down his whole length.

You both made unnatural sounds and you sat still for a moment, enjoying the fullness and stretch he was giving you.

When you started moving your hips, Noah reached for your right hand and intertwined your fingers, giving you his hand for balance. Your eyes were closed and mouth open, as you were riding his dick in slow motions.

“That’s it, god yes!” Noah encouraged you to keep going with his words, squeezing your fingers when it felt particularly good. “Touch yourself baby.” he told you, and you did as you were told.

You didn’t pay much attention to the word baby, as it was something he went for regularly. Instead you paid attention to your fingers touching your clit, feeling another orgasm closer and closer.

Noah felt you squeeze him and he knew you were close, he wanted you to have one more orgasm before he finished, so he encouraged you with his words. “Come on, cum on my dick. That’s it, you can let go.” as if it was the last thing you needed for actually letting go, the orgasm took over you and you fell to Noah’s chest.

He hold you, whispering gentle things in your ear as you tried to even your breath.

When he knew you were okay to continue, he started kissing your neck and gently lifted you from him and you felt him slide out of you, suddenly feeling empty. He switched your positions, you were now laying under him, ready for more.

“You good?” he asked you, wanting some kind of permission to continue.

“Mhm.” was all you could get out before attacking his lips with yours, pulling him down by his neck.

He lined himself at your entrance and slowly slid in. His head fell in the crook of your neck and you enjoyed feeling him inside you again.

His movements were slow at first, his hand slid around you throat and he put a bit of pressure on it, just like you liked it.

“You feel so good around my dick, fuck!” Noah managed to say between taking deep breaths. You felt so good and so loved at the moment. You knew there were no feelings, but the way Noah knew your body and where to touch you or what to say, that made you feel loved.

He went to kiss you, but instead you both left your mouth open and moaned into each other’s open lips as both of your orgasm started to build inside your bodies.

Noah’s rhythm became irregular and you felt his hand on your clit.

“Noah, fuck!” you breathed out when you felt the orgasm build inside you for the third time, more intensive than before.

You felt the Noah’s dick twitch inside you and you knew he was cuming, he grunted next to your ear in bliss.

Hearing him reach his high with his hand still on your clit pushed you over the edge and you came seconds after him.

He collapsed on top of you, staying inside you until his dick softened.

He moved you both so he was laying on his back and were laying on his chest, both of you still catching your breaths before you went to clean yourselves.

uh oh, I couldn't help myself, i'm almost at your house again, again, uh oh, I'm one foot in the door, my clothes are on your floor again, again. i get a little drunk and it's all I want, tomorrow I'll be sick, but tonight I'm numb, uh oh, now we can just pretend, we won't do it again, again, again. ✨

After you took shower and changed into Noah’s t-shirt, you laid in his bed waiting for him to finish washing up.

You had toothbrush, make up remover and underwear at his place. He didn’t mind, he also didn’t mind you staying the night and then leaving his place before he woke up.

You enjoyed falling asleep next to him, sometimes you would talk until 2AM about anything, sometimes you would watch movie and sometimes you would fall asleep straight away.

You watched him dry off his body with white towel through his mirror, wondering if you would go back to hooking up every weekend after tonight or if something is going to change. You knew your friends will try to talk some sense into you tomorrow, but for now you just wanted to pretend like there is no tomorrow.

✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨

Tag list: @lacy1986 @chey-h

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This story is a work of fiction, with the plot and characters entirely made up. The appearance and name of the main male character are inspired by Noah Sebastian Davis, but the storyline bears no connection to the real person. Please do not steal or repost this work on other platforms without permission.

[flowery-mess]

I want like bilion more parts of this🥹

I love dad Noah in general, but this idea or him being with reader who already has kids are very close to my heart as a child of divorce myself.

It's very hard and sensitive topic and you wrote it so softly and beautifuly, good job💗

𝐓𝐎 𝐁𝐔𝐈𝐋𝐃 𝐀 𝐅𝐀𝐌𝐈𝐋𝐘

Pairing: Noah Sebastian x reader

Summary: When Noah was left alone to take care of his daughter about two years ago, he never thought he would find someone else he would trust enough to include in his little family. But things can change.

Tw: parent abandoning their child, fluff, angst

The afternoon sun filtered through the living room window and cast a swath of gold over Noah's house. You were sitting crossed-legged on the couch, watching Luna play silently, her small hands precisely set her favorite toys in a small, neat row, where Mr. Flop, her favorite bunny, had proudly taken the central point, guiding whatever game was in her head.

You smiled at her concentration, something warm blooming in your chest.

She was a perfect blend of Noah's features, a mirror image of him in her own way. She had his warm, deep brown eyes with his same subtle almond shape, dark hair, with a way chubbier face.

Noah leaned against the counter in the kitchen, drinking a cup of coffee. Some brown locks fell over his eyes as they darted between you and his daughter in quiet contemplation and hesitation.

You could tell something was on his mind. It had been incredible between you and Noah in the past few months, but there was one part of his life he'd held carefully at arm's length: Luna.

That wasn't because he didn't trust you, you knew that. It was deeper than that, more complicated. He was protective of her in a way hard to explain unless you knew the full story, which he had only recently begun sharing with you.

It had been late one night, just the two of you curled up on his couch after Luna had gone to bed, when Noah first opened up about the relationship with his ex. In the beginning, it had been passionate-whirlwind-type love, felt like the kind that could move mountains.

But once Luna was born, everything shifted. She was never ready for the reality of being a mother, and slowly but surely, it dawned on him that with each passing day, she actually resented it. Noah tried to understand her, tried to support her in whatever way he could, but nothing seemed to help. The more he tried, the more she pulled away.

One night, Noah had come home to an empty house. No note, no explanation, just Luna, not even a year old yet, lying in her crib, and complete silence in every room. His ex was gone, had walked out on both of them, and though Noah tried to reach out, tried to get her to come back, she never did.

From that moment on, he'd vowed to protect Luna from anything or anyone that might hurt her. Or perhaps that was his way to protect himself, too.

You both were up late, the only sound in his living room coming from a small lamp in the corner of the room, its dim light.

Noah was sitting next to you on the couch, his back hunched and his elbows to his knees as he stared into the floor for thought collection. You knew he had been carrying something heavy in his head for quite some time.

"I never thought that I'd ever be a single parent," he said gruffly, as though the words hurt him to utter. "But then again, after what happened …I don't really see my life in any other way anymore. She is everything to me."

He stopped, rubbing a hand over his face, and in those eyes you could almost see his tiredness, not physical, but an emotional toll, when one carries so much on his shoulders alone. You said nothing, just let him work through the words at his own pace. You could feel his vulnerability hang between you like some fragile thing he was just willing to show you.

"I didn't have time to process what happened," Noah whispered. "One day I'm in this relationship and we're trying to make it work for Luna, and the next… she's gone. Just like that. I came home and she'd left. No explanation. No good-bye."

Your heart ached with the pain in his tone, even now raw with emotion.

“I didn’t know what the hell I was doing,”, he admitted, shaking his head. Just like that, it was him and Luna against the world.

"I was fucking terrified" he said, the corner of his lip curling up in a self-deprecating smile. "I had to figure out how to be a dad by myself, how to balance that with the band, how to be there for her when I was barely holding it together myself."

He glanced up at you then, his eyes warm with appreciation and a little fear. "She's the reason I'm so careful, you know? With relationships, with people in general. I don't ever want to bring someone into her life unless I am really sure."

He paused, his throat swallowing hard as his eyes drop once again to the floor. You could tell there was more he wanted to say, but it was hard for him to speak.

"I'm scared that…," he started, then had to force himself to continue, his voice faltering. "I'm scared that you're mad at me. Or disappointed, maybe. That I'm taking things too slow with you. That I haven't fully… let you in yet. It's not because I don't care about you, because I do. A lot. It's just—"

"Noah," you said softly, leaning in closer to him. "I'm not mad. I'm not disappointed. I get it, why you want to be careful. It's okay."

His eyes finally met yours, surprise flickering in them. He had been so consumed by his fear of messing things up that it hadn't occurred to him you might actually understand where he was coming from.

"You've been through much," you went on, your voice soft but clear. "And I get why you'd want to protect Luna. I'd be more concerned if you were being anything less than careful, honestly. It says how much you love her, and how much you want to do right by her. And I respect that, Noah. I'm not going anywhere."

He blinked, like he was trying to absorb what you were saying, his shoulders loosening as your words soaked in. You reached for his hand, threading your fingers through his. His hand closed around yours, clasping at it like he was holding onto something solid for the first time in a long while.

"I can wait," you said with an even voice. "You need more time, I'm waiting. I do care for you, for both of you. And I don't want to make anything if you are not ready yet. What matters to me is that we're moving forward, even if it's slow."

Noah's breath slightly caught, emotion swelling up in his eyes as he continued to carry that weight for such a long time, terrified that by taking things slow, he was pushing you away, when all you wanted was to meet him where he was.

"I don't know how to do that," he said, his voice thick with emotion. "I've been so scared of screwing this up, of screwing us up. But you… you've just been there."

You smiled softly and squeezed his hand. "You've been hurt, Noah. And it takes time to heal from that. I'm not here to hurry you or push you into something that you're not ready for. I am here because I care about you. And I care about Luna. I want you only to know that I'm in this for the long haul whenever you're ready."

He breathed shakily, his forehead leaning forward to rest against yours while his hand remained tightly wrapped around yours. You could feel the tension start to seep from him, replaced by a silent sort of relief that he didn't have to bear the burden of his fears alone anymore.

"Thank you." he whispered, his voice full of gratitude. "For understanding. For being… you."

You pressed a soft kiss to the corner of his lips, silently communicating that he had nothing to thank you for, that this was where you wished to be.

You saw Noah in all his completeness: a good father, a man who had been wounded but kept trying, learning how to trust once more. You were more than ready to wait for him to fully open up that part of his heart.

You sat in that silence, the weight of the past there still, yet lighter now. You knew Noah still had a really long way to go before letting go of all the pain he had been carrying with him, but you knew he was on his way. You would be here every step of the way, to build something real, something lasting, with him and with Luna.

Now, months after you and Noah had started dating, you were sitting in the middle of that guarded space he had created around her.

Now you knew why he was being so careful, why he had not pushed for more interaction between you and Luna.

She meant the world to him, and after all she had been through, he would never risk anything that could disrupt her life. But still, you waited. You had cared for Noah, and by that extension already cared for Luna, too. So you gave him the time he needed to let you in.

Today, though, there was something different in the air, something to let you know Noah was about to take a step forward.

"Hey," Noah finally said, breaking the comfortable silence that had overcome the room. He set his coffee cup down and rubbed the back of his neck, a nervous quirk you'd come to know well. "Can I ask you a favor?"

You raised an eyebrow. "Of course. What's up?"

He turned to Luna, still deep in her toys, and back to you again. He paused a beat, you basically saw the cogs turning as he picked his words with all care.

"The band's got a thing later today, just some planning stuff for the new album. I was supposed to go meet the guys, but…" He trailed off, gesturing toward Luna with a helpless look. "Usually, I ask one of them, but they are all busy today."

You chuckled softly at that, imagining Luna in the hands of Noah’s bandmates. As much as they loved her, you knew they weren’t exactly all equipped for child care even if you were sure they all deeply cared about her.

"So… you want me to stay with her?"

Noah nodded, his expression softening as he met your gaze. "Yeah. If you're okay with it. I mean, I know it's last minute and I wouldn't ask if it wasn't important, but—"

"Noah," you interrupted softly, standing up and walking over to him. You reached out, resting your hand on his arm. "It's okay. I'd love to stay with her."

He exhaled, the relief washing over his features, but there was still that damned hesitation in his eyes. You knew how big of a deal this was for him, trusting someone with Luna, especially after everything he'd been through.

"Are you sure?" he asked more quietly now. "I mean, she's really shy, with most people and with you too, and I don't want any of you to feel uncomfortable."

You smiled, leaning up to press a kiss against his cheek. "I'll be fine. We'll be fine. She just needs time, that's all. And I think she got her shyness from her dad."

Noah closed his eyes for a second, his head slightly leaned into your touch before pressing a gentle kiss against your forehead. When he pulled back, his eyes were different, warm and a deep well of silent appreciation.

"Thank you," he whispered. "This… this means so much."

Now, you were sitting on the floor, after Noah had gone off to his band meeting. At first, Luna had been quiet, keeping to herself to play with her toys, but bit by bit, she'd started to warm up toward you, like you'd wanted.

You leaned forward for Mr. Flop, the stuffed bunny, and held him out to her with a playing grin. "You think Mr. Flop needs some tea?"

Luna's eyes sparkled, a shy smile overspreading her face as she nodded vigorously. "Yes! He is very thirsty."

You laughed softly, watching her scurry over to her tiny plastic tea set. She first poured an imaginary cup of tea for Mr. Flop and then one for you. As she handed you the pretend tea, your heart swelled with affection for this little girl who was letting you into her world slowly, piece by piece.

"Thanks, Luna," he said, making a big show of taking a sip. "This is the best tea I've ever had."

She giggled, her cheeks blushing with pride. For several moments, the two of you played in comfortable silence, with her showing you through the rules of the tea party.

"You think Mr. Flop would like to go on an adventure?" you asked after some time, breaking the silence as Luna finished pouring more imaginary tea.

With eyes aglow with excitement, she said, "Yes! He loves adventures!"

"Okay, where shall we go?" you asked, leaning in conspiratorially.

Luna tapped her chin, and then a huge grin spread over her face. "The jungle! I love jungle! Dad loves jungle too! We have to find the lost treasure!"

You gasped melodramatically. "The jungle? Wait. Noah made you listen...nevermind. That does sound dangerous! You think we can make it?"

She laughed again, her head bobbing up and down quickly. "We can do it! Mr. Flop is very brave."

And then you both launched into your make-believe jungle adventure. The shyness had left Luna by now, replaced by a bubbly, fearless energy that took your heart soaring.

The front door creaked open a couple of hours later when Noah returned home, but you didn't notice him first, too caught up in the game with Luna sitting next to you on the floor.

Noah stood in the doorway, watching the both of you, and his heart swelled in his chest. He had always known you were special, knew from the moment he met you that there was something different about you, but seeing you now, playing with Luna, made him feel something he hadn't felt in years.

Love, not just for you, but for the idea of you becoming a part of him and Luna's lives in a deeper way.

When you finally saw him standing there, you smiled. "Hey, you're back!" you said. Noah nodded, stepping closer, his eyes soft. "Yeah, I'm back."

Luna ran to him and wrapped her arms around his legs as he scooped her up, holding her close to his chest for a moment before turning back to you. "You two seemed to have fun."

Noah had Luna in his arms, babbly excitedly about some "jungle adventure" and lost treasure. He listened intently, though his eyes never left you. There was something there in his gaze, something so raw and deep, that made your heart go racing. It wasn't the usual softness, the usual affection, it was heavier, like something nestled between you when nothing was said.

"We did," you said, smiling at Luna as she continued her excited recount of the day. "We found the lost treasure, and Mr. Flop was the hero of the day."

Luna giggled, snuggling into Noah's chest as she added her own details. "We were very brave, Daddy! Mr. Flop was so good at being quiet, and we didn't get eaten!"

Noah chuckled, brushing a hand through her hair as he kissed her forehead. "Sounds like you had quite the adventure."

"Yes! We had a lot of fun. And your friend is amazing. I want to play with her again. I think she is my friend too now."

Noah smiled, his brown eyes full of affection for the both of you. "I'm glad you made a new friend. We'll ask her again, okay?"

Luna nodded, her eyelids drooping as the excitement of the day finally started to catch up with her and she rested her head against the soft fabric of his dad's hoodie. Noah glanced at you over her head, a soft smile tugging at his lips once again.

"Would you like to help me get her ready for bed?" he whispered, and with Luna nuzzling her head into the crook of his shoulder, half-asleep.

You nodded, and your heart fluttered with the thought. This felt like some sort of minor but meaningful step in being included in the nighttime routine, part of something as personal and intimate as this.

All three went into Luna's room together. It was not a big room, but it was cozy with soft toys, bookshelves, and a little carpet that glittered from strings of tiny fairy lights.

Noah was soon to gently lay Luna down into her bed, and you sat down beside him, watching as he tucked her in, his hands moving with the sort of practiced ease that came from more than two years of being a single parent. You leaned over, setting Mr. Flop down beside Luna, who smiled sleepily as she cuddled the bunny close.

Noah leaned over her, placing a gentle kiss against her forehead with tenderness that would ache your chest. "Goodnight, sweetheart," he whispered into her hair. "I'll be right outside if you need me."

"Goodnight, daddy," she muttered the tone in her voice drowsy. Then her tiny eyes flickered open just enough to glance at you. "Goodnight Y/N."

You smiled warmly, your heart swelling in the simplest of words. "Goodnight, Luna."

After several minutes of quiet whispers and soothing reassurances, she fell asleep, her breathing evening into the quiet rhythm of her sleep. Noah leaned forward and pressed another soft kiss to her forehead before he eased himself up, motioning you to follow him from the room.

As the door is shut quietly behind you, he let out a very, very long breath, running his hand through his hair, leaning against the wall.

"Thanks," he whispered, his voice trembling with emotion. "For sticking with her. For being so… incredible with her."

You shrugged. "She's a pretty amazing kid. It wasn't hard."

Noah turned fully toward you now, his eyes searching yours with a sort of intensity that hitched your breath. His hand rose and delicately swept a strand of hair back behind your ear, where it lingered on the side of your face. His thumb tracing the line of your jaw sent you leaning into his touch, your heart beating with each passed second a little faster.

"I never knew whether I would find anybody that could fit in this part of my life," he whispered, his voice not a decibel over a whisper. "With Luna, after what happened… I felt I needed to keep her world small, you know? Keep it safe. I didn't want to bring someone in that might hurt her."

His eyes welled with that same vulnerability you had seen before, and you knew how hard this was for him, to open up, to let you into this part of his life he had guarded so much.

"You don't have to worry about that," you said softly, laying your hand over his. "I would never hurt her. Or you."

Noe's thumb stroked over your cheek, his eyes sealing to yours in an tight seriousness, as if you were the only person existing. "I know. That's why I love you."

The words hung between you and him, heavy with tension. You couldn't breathe for a second, heart pounding in your chest as you tried processing what he just said. He loved you.

You hadn't expected it, not so soon, not in that moment, but the way he looked at you, the way he had been with Luna, it made sense. It wasn't just the two of them anymore; it was all three, the small family that had formed.

A soft smile overspreads your face as you looked up at him, your hand clenching a little tighter around his. "I love you too, Noah."

The relief in his expression was genuine, and for him at least, it was as though the weight had finally been pulled off his shoulders. He pulled you into his arms, and you wrapped yours around him, holding close as he buried his face in your hair, breathing you in like he couldn’t believe you were real.

And for a long time, neither of them said anything. They only stood there with each other, wrapped in their own warmth, and the silence just told it all.

Then Noah leaned back, just a little, just enough to look down at you. And then his eyes were deeper and surer.

"I don't know what I would have done if I hadn't met you," he whispered huskily. "I don't think I even knew how much I needed someone like you, not just for me but for Luna, too."

You reached up and brushed a thumb over his cheek. "You're an amazing dad, Noah. You've done everything right for her. But you don't have to do it alone anymore."

He closed his eyes, like almost to let your words sink in. Opening them a second later, there was something soft, something vulnerable, that made you want to pull him closer still.

"I don't want to do it alone anymore," he whispered with his forehead against yours. "I want this. Us. You and me, and Luna. I want a family."

Tears pricked at the corners of your eyes as you nodded, your voice barely louder than a whisper. "Me too."

Noah's arms tugged closer, his lips finding yours in a gentle unhurried kiss that felt almost like a vow, like a start, the type of kiss that spoke of love, of trust, of a future that finally was starting to feel real.

He drew back and his eyes shone bright now with a happiness in them that hadn't been there before. He reached down, took your hand in his, and guided you back onto the couch. You sat together in the quiet glow of the livingroom.

You knew you would have one of those movie nights where you definitely fall asleep in his arms on the couch.

Noah for once in a long while felt something he hadn't dared to believe in, peace. Peace in knowing that he didn't have to protect himself and Luna anymore. Peace in knowing he was finally able to let you in, fully without any fear.

You sat there, his arm around you, knowing this was only the beginning of something beautiful: a life no more his or yours, but one which both of you had started building together.

hello friends in my phone! would you like more parts of this? (｡◕‿◕｡)

Tags: @anything-more-than-human @ladyveronikawrites @iloveyoutodeathbutimdrowning @collisionofyourkissmakesitsohard @fadingangelwisp @xmads-omensx @iwasntstable @thisbicc @pathion @mathfairchild1 @flowery-mess @into-the-grey @lma1986 @tosoundlessdarkistare @stardustsirenmelody @thewrstinme

+ Tags: @aubrey-melinoe

[l3earfat-st]

😺🎤😺🎤

[aquareegia]

[flowery-mess]

Just another dad Noah thought...

I have two ideas of this in my head...

1) Noah is away on tour and you and your toddler take lots of videos of things you do together to send him. Like you just put your phone somewhere, then forget it's even there and Noah then can watch what he's missing when he's away. So one day you sit your toddler down, put the phone on record and do 'interview about my daddy' where you ask toddlers things like 'how old is daddy? what's daddy's job?' and this is how it goes:

"What's daddy's name?"

"Noaaaaah." he yells, just like you do when Noah is in other room and you call out for him.

"How old is he?"

"Mhmm, 3."

"Oh okay. What's his job?"

"Screaming at people." your toddler says with a proud grin on his face and you try to hold your laugh, because he's kind of right.

"What's his favorite food?"

"Vegetable salad." you can't really remember the last time Noah would ate vegetable salad, but okey.

"What daddy's favorite thing to do with us?"

"Watch a movie and then fall asleep on the couch."

And this would go on for a few more questions and as a respond from Noah you'd get picture of his face with little sad pout and tears in his eyes, saying he misses you and can't wait to be home.

2) Sometimes kids do this at school, so your toddler would come home with two papers, one for you and one for Noah. When you read it for the first you try really hard to not laugh and make your baby sad. But later when the baby is asleep and Noah has some free time for a call, you pour yourself a glass of wine and put Noah on facetime as you read him the cards.

"What's mummy's name? And the answer is 'my love'" and you both make heart eyes at each other, knowing he got that answer from how Noah calls you.

"What's mummy's job?" and the answer would be 'cutting into peoples heads, and you'd be a hairdresser or 'she's selling people drugs' and you'd be a pharmacist.

"How tall is daddy?" and you could not get the answer out of you because you'd be laughing too much "Noah, the answer is 3 feet."

"What's daddy's favorite thing to do with me?" and the answer is 'buying me toys'"

"Oh, guilty." Would be Noah's answer.

"I told you you're spoiling him."

"But he's always so happy and then he's cute, you have to admit that love."

"What does mummy and daddy do after I go to sleep?"

"He doesn't know what we like to do when he's asleep, should I be scared for that answer?" Noah said over the phone.

"They clean after me and drink alcohol."

"Oh god we look like alcoholics."

"Well, I'm literally drinking wine now."

After that you'd fell into comfortable silence and just look at each other through the screen.

"I miss you, just one more week and I'm home with you." Noah said with sad smile on his face.

"Oh I can't wait to have my 3 feet tall husband back so we can drink alcohol together!"

[sorrowsofsilence]

mask on, mask off

[flowery-mess]

Hehe I love all the omens mom on here🫶🏻

Cute story, love me a woman with an attitude!

Also, I'm probably gonna repeat myself, but I loveee your dialogues, the messages between Niah and October? Funny, cute, flirty, love that!

Can't wait for part 2!💗

Well guys, you let me write your delulu fan fantasies, and it was an absolute blast. I had the best time with it, and hope to open myself to doing that again someday. Thank you all for letting me bring some semblance of your fantasies to life. It means the world to me!

Now…I think it’s only fair that I write mine.

Rating: Mature

Warnings: None.

Breathe

The last three days had been a blur. They’d been exciting, exhilarating, and unbelievably fun…but they were so exhausting.

Flying all the way out to Grand Rapids…amid a cyber defect, no less…delayed flight, no one can take cards, two days at a rock music festival…I was beat.

Nicole and I had been planning this trip for months, and it felt like regardless of how many things we did right, we were fighting against some unseen force against us. Everything we tried to do was halted at each turn, and it had become rather annoying.

Despite all of the mishaps, we had persevered, determined to enjoy ourselves against any and all odds. We got to listen to great music, meet some bands, and ate the most disgusting food the festival had to offer.

It was a dream.

By the drive back to the hotel after day two of Upheaval, we were sitting in near-silence, the radio humming low in the vehicle.

"Babes?" I looked over to Nicole. "We need to eat."

I groaned in response, sinking further into my seat. "Sounds dumb. I want to sleep."

She chuckled. "Same, but if we don't eat, we're going to feel like shit tomorrow."

"Ugh," I rolled my eyes toward the pitch darkness outside the window of the rental. "you're right."

She smirked. "As always."

I sucked my teeth. "Can we at least shower first?"

Back at the hotel, we each took our time scrubbing the day off of us, erasing the sweat and makeup left from the weekend. I slipped into my heavy sweats and black crop-top, beads of water still falling from my long, dark hair. Nicole was rubbing moisturizer into her skin, standing in front of the bathroom mirror as I ran my fingers bluntly through my hair.

"I don't want to eat Taco Bell again." Her voice was pleading, and I snickered.

"Same, dude. But what else is open?"

She picked up her phone, opening Google Maps, and scrolling through.

"IHOP?"

I sighed. "It was so bad when we ate there on Thursday..."

She nodded, pursing her lips. "I know, dude. Let me keep looking." Her fingers swiped the screen. "That Denny's looked fucking scary."

I laughed, walking out of the bathroom and grabbed my wallet from my purse, stuffing it in my pocket.

"Oooh!" She stepped into the room, a smile on her face. "There's a TGIFridays open! Only for like, another hour? But if we eat fast, we can make it."

The restaurant was desolate, only one other large SUV in the parking lot. Before opening my door, I slipped my phone from my pocket and checked the screen.

No notifications.

"Have you heard from him?"

I just shook my head, re-locking the phone, and putting it in my pocket. Her look was sympathetic.

"He's an idiot. Don't even worry about it, babe." She put a hand on my arm. "That's a 'tomorrow you' problem."

I nodded, giving her a small smile. "I know. Thanks, Nic."

We walked into the restaurant, eyes glancing around and seeing only one table in the corner filled with no less than five men laughing and eating. Craning my neck around, I searched for the server.

"You think they'll even seat us this late?"

Nicole shrugged, eyes trained on the table with the patrons. "Don't know."

She was distracted, so I stepped forward toward the host stand, looking around toward the bar.

"October..." Her voice was small, just above a whisper.

I didn't look back at her, my empty stomach motivating me to keep checking for the employee. "Hmm?"

A hand gripped my wrist, which made my head snap back to her. "I need you to, discreetly, look over at the table of guys in the corner."

I furrowed my brows, looking her directly in the eyes. "What? Why?"

Her face was stern. "Just do it, but don't be obvious."

Exhaling a breath, I continued searching around the restaurant, letting my eyes fall on the table for only a split second longer than anywhere else.

I counted six men, all black t-shirts and hoodies. Three of them wearing black baseball caps. Half of them were sitting with their backs turned to me, but my eyes caught one of them facing our direction, hands air-drumming feverishly in front of him.

He looked so...familiar?

I stole another glance, and my eyes widened.

"Is that...?"

"Nick Folio." Her voice whispered to me.

I averted my eyes to the floor, hand rising to cover my mouth. "Oh my God."

"If he's here, that means it's them."

I couldn't process that.

Bad Omens was my favorite band. Nearly the entire reason I had flown sixteen hundred miles to a state I had never been. I ground my teeth together, shutting my eyes.

"No fucking way, dude. We just saw them at the festival." I let my eyes look up at her, and she smirked.

"Well, clearly, they're hungry."

"Mkay, well I'll be out in the car if you need me." My legs started for the door, but an arm hooked mine, swinging me back to my spot in front of her.

"Oh, no no no. You're not leaving."

My eyes blew wide at her. "I can't fucking be here while they are! They're my fucking heroes, Nic!"

She nodded. "Uh, fucking same! But when will we ever get an opportunity to be this close again?"

I rolled my eyes. "We're not at a zoo, Nicole. They're just guys."

I didn't even believe the words I was saying.

"Yeah?" She crossed her arms, and raised an eyebrow. "Then why leave?"

My face deadpanned, my lip pouting. "Cause I'm going to throw up."

She chuckled at this, eyes darting back to the guys, completely oblivious to our turmoil unfolding fifty feet away.

"We should talk to them."

My heart fell straight to my gut. "I beg your finest pardon?"

She shrugged, considering me. "Why not? What's the worst that could happen?"

"Uh, we interrupt their meal and I die of a stroke?"

This time, she rolled her eyes. "If you don't go say hello, I'm going to do it."

My brain short circuited. We couldn't have that. Who knew what Nicole's unhinged mouth would say to them...

"Can't I just eat and go? Pretend I didn't even see them?"

"And you'll never forgive yourself. You can't be this close to Noah Sebastian, and not tell him how much his music means to you."

I chewed on my lower lip.

"C'mon, babe. It'll be fine, and I'll be there with you!"

I steadied myself, wiping my hands on my pants. "Okay. Okay, I will."

I turned, looking directly at the table. The server had finally emerged, a tray full of plates in his hand. I waited as he set them all down, and he finally approached us.

"Sorry about that wait, guys. Just two?"

Nicole nodded, given I was nearly catatonic. The short, blonde man led us to a booth, only two away from the table I was dreading. He handed us menus, and took our drink orders.

"Before or after food?" Nicole asked as she scanned her menu.

"Can't you just do it?" I grimaced. "Without being a weirdo?"

She didn't even bother looking up at me. "Nope. Weird is built into my soul, sorry."

I sighed hard. "Before, then. If I eat, I will vomit all over them."

She folded her menu, and stood from the booth. "Let's go, then."

I closed my eyes, and took her outstretched hand, standing. Taking a quick second to right my hoodie - my Bad Omens hoodie - tied around my waist, I took in a hard breath.

"Alright." I squeaked out.

She led me carefully the few paces over to the table, moving behind me. I walked about four feet from them, likely looking pale as a ghost. I caught Folio's attention first, smiling awkwardly and giving a short wave.

"Hey! Can we help you guys?" His voice was upbeat and sweet as candy. Exactly how I expected.

"Hi." I cleared my throat, taking a careful step forward. My hands kneaded each other, and Nicole held a steady hand on my low back. "I'm s-so sorry to interrupt."

All heads had turned to me, and I didn't have the nerve to look to my left, where I knew Noah was sat.

"No worries!" Folio was smiling widely at me. "Are you guys fans?"

I nodded, looking down at my feet. "We are. We just saw you guys perform tonight, and I wanted to just-" My voice cut off abruptly, a catch in my throat. I swallowed hard. "We wanted to tell you how amazing you all were."

My eyes bounced to the other two men facing me. Nick Ruffilo and Matt Dierkes. They were both grinning.

"Thank you, that means a lot." Nick's voice was tired, but his smile was genuine.

Folio stood from his seat, pushing a hand out to me. "I'm Nick."

I took it with shaky fingers, feeling his grip mine tightly. "Folio, right."

He nodded. "And you are?"

Wow, I forgot my name. Smooth.

It took me a moment, but with a more certain voice, I was able to respond. "October." I let go of his hand to move to the side. "This is Nicole."

He shook her hand as well.

She smiled a toothy grin at him. "We flew from Las Vegas to see you guys."

Folio smiled wider. "Really? Wow! That's so fucking cool!"

Trying not to combust, I dared a glance slightly to the left, seeing Jolly and Bryan, who were both chewing food.

"I would introduce the rest of these guys, but I'm sure you already know who they are." Folio chuckled, and we both nodded.

"Yeah, we're familiar." I added.

"Well, that's great. Now, do you mind?"

The voice came directly from the left of me, where I had been avoiding. The tone made my blood run cold, and I felt all of my muscles tighten.

Finally, I looked over to meet his large, brown eyes. Noah looked anything but appreciative of us coming over to give our praise. In fact, he looked downright annoyed.

I couldn't process what he had said, and I stupidly asked, "Excuse me?"

He narrowed his eyes at me slightly, gesturing to the table. "Look, as much as we all appreciate it," His voice was dripping with disdain. "we're exhausted. We just want to eat so we can get out of here."

My heart had stopped beating. If I had anything in my stomach, it would have erupted out of me right then and there.

Maybe it was the jet-lag, or the fact that when I got home tomorrow, my life was actively in shambles, or maybe it was just being hungry...but I was enraged.

My hands balled into fists instinctively, trying to control my irritation, and I repainted my sweet smile.

"I'm sorry, we'll go. We just wanted to let you guys know you did great tonight. And you all are extremely talented."

He nodded, eyes now looking about as bored as they come.

"Great. Thanks." He snapped, turning his body back toward the table.

"Noah." Folio's voice was stern, and he turned back to me, an apologetic look on his face. "Don't mind him. He's cranky. You guys really aren't bothering us."

I heard the sound before I really registered what it was.

He sucked his teeth.

Oh, I see. He was a fucking child.

Now having lost all sense of nervousness, I could feel Nicole's hand tugging at my arm. "C'mon, babe."

I let myself be turned for a second, but my anger spun me back around, now facing directly toward him, which made him glance up at me like an inconvenience.

"You know," I started, sucking my own teeth in mockery. "you're not at all what I expected?"

He snickered, leaning back in his chair. "No?"

I shook my head slowly. "Nah. I expected someone with as much talent and success as you to be a decent person. Guess I was wrong."

Nicole's near silent gasp behind me was not lost, and I smirked.

"Well, sorry to disappoint, sweetheart." His voice was so nonchalant, it made my blood roar in my ears.

My hands twisted around the knot in my hoodie at my belt line, pulling it loose. I pulled it off with one hand, holding it out in front of me and let it go, leaving it to fall directly in his lap.

"Here." I caught him off guard, him looking up at me with wide eyes. "You probably want this back."

He picked it up, recognizing it was one of theirs. "Why would I want this?"

I smirked, a darkness in my eyes. "Well, you're pretty cold, Noah." I leaned down just to meet his eye level. "Might want something to warm you up before everyone realizes."

I heard a stifled snort come from the table, but I couldn't even begin to tell you who it was. Standing back up, I backed away from the table, and looked back at Folio.

"It was really nice to meet you guys. Have a safe night."

With that, I snatched Nicole's hand, and stalked away from the table, only pausing at the booth to grab my bag, before heading for the doors.

Once outside in the brisk night air, I took three large breaths, rounding the building and leaning down. My hands caught my knees, and Nicole stood in front of me.

"Holy shit!" She was nearly hysterical. "You just told off Noah Sebastian!"

Breathing hard, I fought the tears welling. It was too much all at once.

Was it that significant? No, not really. But after the year I'd been having, I couldn't handle that encounter at all.

"I want to leave. I want to go home."

"I know, babe. I'm sorry that went that way. I can't believe how much of a douche he was."

Shaking my head, I stood back up straight, wiping the moisture from my eyes. "Me either."

"Well," A voice came from behind us, and my eyes blew out, seeing him towering only a few feet away, hoodie in hand. "I don't know if I'd go as far to say douche."

My eyes squinted, jaw clicking. "I would."

He approached us slowly, holding the sweater out to me. "Take this. It's yours."

I held a hand up to him, shaking my head. "No, thanks."

He rolled his eyes. "You paid good money for this. And you made your point. Take it."

I considered him, counting my breaths. He was unmoving, so I reached out, gripping the fabric.

His foot kicked at the sidewalk, hands retreating into his sweater pockets. "Look, I'm sorry." I stood, shocked. "Folio's right. I'm just cranky. I haven't eaten all day, I'm tired. You just caught me on a bad moment."

My lips tightened, and I sighed hard. "So that makes it okay to be rude to someone who just wanted to tell you how great you were?"

His teeth chewed on the inside of his cheek. "I said I was sorry."

A hand touched my arm, and I looked back at Nicole, who gave me an amused smile. "Babe? I'm going to go back in. I'm also hungry."

I just nodded, letting her walk past the both of us.

He took two steps toward me slowly, eyes fixed on my face. "Nicole, right?" He asked, without taking his eyes off of me. She stopped short in her stride. "Pull a chair up to the table, dinner's on me tonight."

I caught the small smile on her lips before she continued her trek back into the restaurant.

"Well, you all enjoy that." And I turned, ready to get into the car, when I hand caught me by my purse. I stopped, looking back at him.

"Come eat."

Stitching my eyebrows together, I crossed my arms with my sweater between, considering him.

"Why?"

He shrugged. "Cause I was a douche."

I sat relatively silent at the table, munching slowly on the personal flatbread pizza I had ordered. It was one of the cheapest items on the menu, and I would be damned if I didn't somehow manage to slip him cash for it before we left.

Noah had loosened up substantially once he started eating. He was leaned back in his chair, flicking fries at Nick across the table, and participating in the conversations swirling around. Nicole, as she always did, melted into the group comfortably, sat next to Folio, and telling story after story of our trip and the festival.

"You guys seriously had to drive to an ATM to pay at the IHOP?" Nick asked incredulously.

"Yep. We sure did. The guy couldn't take card, and we felt bad. We could've just not come back, but that wouldn't be good karma."

I smiled at Nicole, the memory of two nights ago flooding in. An arm bumped mine, and I looked to my left to see Noah, eyes searching my face.

"You still mad at me?"

His voice was entirely different, soft as butter and warm like a fire. I smirked, leaning my elbows on the table.

"Haven't decided yet."

He nodded, sitting up so he was sat closer to me. "Yeah? Well, you shouldn't be."

Resting my chin on my hand, I gazed at him. "Why not?"

He smiled brightly. "Cause you came all this way to see me."

This made me snort, rolling my eyes. "Uh, no. I came all this way to see Bad Omens. Which I did."

"Why fly to Michigan? We were just in Vegas in April."

I nodded. "At Sick New World. I was there." He quirked an eyebrow. "Also at the show in October."

He looked confused. "So why come to Michigan?"

Shrugging my shoulders, I smiled a small grin. "Favorite band."

"We are?"

"Is that so hard to believe?"

He smiled, smug. "I mean, not really."

I laughed, leaning back from the table. I was wearing my hoodie now, having become chilly halfway through the meal.

"Bet I can guess your favorite song?"

My eyes darted to his face, amused. "Really?" He looked so sure of himself. "Go for it."

He pursed his lips and stroked his chin dramatically, like a Medium. I tried to hide my laughter.

"Just Pretend?"

Rolling my eyes, I shook my head. "You think I'm that basic?"

He chuckled. "Fair enough." He stared hard at me, trying to get a read. "Death of Peace of Mind?"

Nicole raised a hand. "That one's mine!"

Both of us glanced up at her, not realizing anyone else was listening. He turned back to me, still wracking his brain.

"Dethrone?"

I shook my head. "Nope."

"Nowhere To Go?"

"Nope, close third, though."

"Third?!"

I giggled, a blush flushing up my neck.

"Which album is it off of?"

"Nuh-uh, that's cheating."

He threw his hands up. "How is that cheating?"

I pursed my lips. "Second album."

"Limits?"

"Bingo."

He clapped his hands together in triumph. "Ha!" He pointed at me. "Knew I'd guess it."

Laughing, I pushed him with my arm. "Yeah, after you guessed half of your songs."

We both broke out in laughter, and it occurred to me that some of the other conversations had stopped. I caught Nick in the corner yawning hard, and my eyes met Nicole's. It was time.

"Well, Noah," I looked back at him. "thank you for the food. We should get going."

His lips downturned, but I was sure I was imagining it. "Oh," He looked back at the rest of the guys. "yeah, us too. Early morning."

I nodded, standing out of my chair, everyone else following suit.

As a group, we made our way out the door, pouring out onto the sidewalk. Nicole bid goodbye to the guys, and I did the same. We hugged them each separately, Noah being last.

I wasn't sure if hugging him was appropriate, given our encounter, so I just stood in front of him while everyone else headed for the cars.

"So," I let my lips turn up in a smile.

His face mimicked mine. "This was fun."

"It was. Despite how it started, it was really great meeting you, Noah."

"You too, October."

The bill in my hand was getting sweaty, so I stepped forward, pushing it toward him. His eyes looked down at my hand, and he put his hands up.

"Oh, no. Dinner was on me."

"Please take it, Noah."

He took a step back, as if what I was holding was poisonous. "Not a chance."

Scoffing, I stepped toward him, pulling my hand back. "I don't like people paying for me."

He pursed his lips. "I'm not taking money from you." I groaned, slipping the two twenties back in my pocket. "I will, however," He looked at me from under his lashes. "take your number, if that's okay?"

I froze, my mind stopping. "Oh, uh,"

He looked as though he may run in the opposite direction, eyes becoming panicked. "You don't have to. I totally get it."

"No, no. I can give it to you." His head snapped up to look at me. "I just, uh," My face fell to stare at the ground for a moment before I spoke. "I'm not really looking for..." I trailed off.

"Oh! No! I just had a lot of fun talking to you. Figured we could keep talking? Like, friends?" His smile was nervous, and it warmed me.

"Okay."

"He asked for your number?!" Nicole nearly screamed at the windshield as she drove us back to the hotel.

I cackled. "Yeah."

"And you gave it to him?!"

I didn't verbally respond, only dropped my head in my hands.

"Holy fuck!"

"He said he just wants to be friends."

"Oh, bullshit. He fucking liked you. I could tell he was into the attitude."

I gasped. "Not true!"

"So fucking true."

"No way, dude. He's Noah Sebastian. And I'm...me."

"You're fucking amazing, I don't know what you mean." Nicole looked nearly offended.

"I know. But he just wants to talk."

She smirked. "With his dick, maybe."

The shrieking laughter that exploded out of me was a mix of shock and hilarity at her comment.

"We'll know for sure if he texts you."

I sighed, leaning back in my seat. "We'll see."

As fried as my nerves were, nothing was stopping me from passing out the moment my head hit the pillow of the hotel room bed. I was absolutely cooked, ready to return back to my normal life.

I had received no messages before I knocked out, so I put it out of my head. It was a fun experience, and a sweet gesture of him to take my number, but I knew the likelihood of ever hearing from him again was so slim, it wasn’t worth hoping for.

He didn’t know me, and from what I knew about Noah Sebastian, he was an extremely private person. How did he know I wouldn’t give out his number or share our messages online? I would probably pause before I did anything if I were him.

When my eyes finally cracked open, the fog settled behind my eyes slowly evaporating, I saw Nicole sat up on her bed, looking down at her phone. I grunted, rolling onto my side and pulling the blankets up to my chin.

“What time is it?”

“Nine. We don’t have to leave for the airport for another hour.” She didn’t look up at me, but she smirked when she spoke.

I yawned, letting my eyes fall closed again. “I should go back to sleep, then.”

“You could.” She set her phone in her lap. “Or, you could check your phone.”

Snuggling deeper under the covers, I stretched my legs.

“He hasn’t texted me, dude.”

Nicole raised an eyebrow. “I don’t know. Your phone went off twice about half an hour ago.” She leaned back on her hands. “I already looked at the screen, and it wasn’t your Dad or…anyone else.” She spoke the last words carefully. I knew who she was referring to, and my chest squeezed at the idea.

My hand carefully reached onto the nightstand, gripping my phone. I pulled it in front of my face, tapping in the code, and letting it open. My messages icon showed two red notifications, which I opened hastily.

The messages came from an unknown number. When I opened the thread, my heart halted all its movements.

+17475558326: Hi.

+17475558326: It’s Noah.

My breathing picked back up, and I shot straight up in bed.

“Was it him?!” Nicole was bursting.

My eyes slipped over to look at her, my mouth fallen open. “It was.”

She squealed. “I can’t believe he texted you!”

My fingers shook while holding the phone, threatening to drop it in my lap. “What do I do?!”

“Fucking respond!”

I nodded, my thumbs hovering over the screen but freezing. “What do I say?!”

“Hi? I don’t fucking know?!” She looked amused. I was not.

Me: Good morning.

My finger hovered over the send button for a moment before I finally sent it. Instinctively, I tossed my phone on the bed, pulling my knees to my chest,

“Holy fuck, dude.”

She stood, walking over to my cell and checking the screen. “He’s already read it.”

“Give it.” I held my hand out, and she placed it in my palm.

His type bubble was already up. I took a second to save his name into my phone.

Noah: Sleep okay?

Was this real life?

Me: I did, how about you?

Noah must’ve had the chat open, because my message was read instantly and he started texting back quick.

Noah: Eh, yeah. Hotel beds aren’t my favorite.

Me: Me either. I was so tired, though.

I stood off the bed, stretching my arms over my head. Nicole had disappeared into the bathroom. I pulled my hoodie over my head, and looked at my messages again.

Noah: I’ll bet. You had a busy weekend. Excited to go home?

I thought about my response carefully.

Me: I am. I’m sure my kids are missing me almost as much as I miss them.

It shouldn’t be any big deal to admit that I’ve got kids casually, right? We’re just friends…

The thread indicated he read the messages, but it took him a full five minutes to start typing. My breath held what felt like the entire time, waiting for his text to come through.

Noah: How many kids?

My pulse raced, and I sat down on the edge of the bed.

Me: Two.

Noah: How old?

I raised an eyebrow.

Me: Why do you ask?

He responded slowly.

Noah: Just curious. Making conversation.

I sighed, now slightly concerned.

Me: 9 and 5.

Noah: Boys?

Me: Boy and a girl. My son is older.

Noah: Big brother, huh? Very cool. What’re their names?

I bit my lip, and Nicole was now stood next to the bed staring at me.

“What’s wrong?”

“I told him about my kids.”

She eyed me, confused. “And?”

“He’s asking about them.”

Quirking an eyebrow, she sat down next to me. “Are you not comfortable telling him? That’s a valid feeling, babe.” She put a hand on my knee. “You just met him.”

I nodded. “It’s just kind of…I don’t know, strange? Why would he care what my kid’s names are?”

She pursed her lips, staring down at my phone. “Maybe he’s trying to get to know you?”

“Maybe. I don’t know. Maybe I should just tell him?”

“It’s up to you, babe.”

I sent back a quick response.

Me: Michael and Willow

Noah: Nice.

I was brushing my teeth, so I didn’t immediately respond before his next text came in.

Noah: So, if you’ve got kids, does that mean you have a husband?

I scoffed, rolling my eyes.

Me: Don’t have to be married to have kids, Noah.

His text that came through almost made me spit my toothpaste all over the mirror.

Noah: Children out of wedlock?! Unacceptable!!

I cackled, and I knew Nicole was wondering, but she didn’t ask.

Me: What can I say? I’m a heathen.

I followed it up quickly.

Me: But, no. Not married. Their Dad is around, but we’re not together.

Noah: I see.

I sighed, not really sure where to go from here. Resolving to changing the subject, I was also packing up my things into my duffel to prepare for our journey to the airport.

Me: Anyway, enough about me. What’re you up to?

Noah: On the bus headed to Mansfield. We should be there in about an hour.

Me: Oh, that’s right. You play Inkcarceration tonight, right?

Noah: Yup. Surprised you won’t be there. 😜

I laughed out loud.

Me: Well, I can only stalk you so much. I have work tomorrow.

Noah: What do you do?

Me: I work for a law firm as a paralegal. It’s a mostly remote gig, so I work from home most days.

Nicole and I loaded our bags into the car, dropping our key cards off at the desk.

Noah: Oh that sounds fun.

Me: It’s not, but it pays the bills.

We made it to the rental car return, and I waited outside while Nicole dropped the keys in the box. We made our way into the airport, now having to pay full attention to the tasks at hand.

Check in, move through TSA, head to Starbucks, find gate.

Nicole had stopped at a gift shop that had an impressive bookstore inside, where I opted to go find seats at the gate. It wasn’t until I was settled in that I was able to check my phone again.

Noah: Well, what would you rather do for a living?

I chewed my bottom lip thinking about this.

Me: I don’t really know, honestly. Thats a tough question.

Me: I’d have to think on that.

Noah: Great, I expect a report back in 3-5 business days. 👍🏻

I cackled at the message, and Nicole sat next to me right as I did.

“Still texting the love of your life?”

I scoffed, locking my phone and looking at her. “Oh, stop. He’s just a guy.”

“Yeah, mhm, sure.” She opened her crispy new novel and began reading the first few pages, successfully ending the short conversation.

Noah: What time’s your flight?

Me: We board in about ten minutes.

Noah: Sweet. You’ll be home soon, you must be relieved.

Me: I am, but I hate flying…

Noah: Really? I’m the same way. It’s the worst.

Me: Any tips for me?

Noah: Depends. Is it the small spaces, or the fear of crashing?

Me: Crashing.

Noah: Oh, yeah…no. Can’t help you there. I have an insane irrational fear of being in a plane crash.

I audibly groaned, sinking into my seat.

Me: Awesome, thanks.

Noah: LOL you’ll be fine. It’ll be a smooth flight and you’ll be home to your kids in no time.

Noah: I usually blast music through the whole flight and just tune everything out.

Me: I’ll try that.

The call for our boarding came, so Nicole and I stood, headed for the line.

Me: We’re about to board. Talk later?

Noah: Yup. Fly safe. Text when you land.

Noah: If you want.

Smiling at my phone, I typed back swiftly.

Me: Will do.

Falling into my bed, I took a moment to stare up at the ceiling.

It was over. I was home. All that was left to do was gather myself, pick up my kids from their Dad, and return back to my regular life.

The thought consumed me. I only had an hour until I was due to pick them up, and as excited as I was to see my babies, I was absolutely floundering at the idea of seeing their Dad…

Things had not ended well between Sean and I. Earlier in the year, we had finally called it quits after nearly a decade. Although we tried hard to amicably end things, it just wasn’t in the cards for us. There was too much history and hurt to let it die peacefully.

I gave myself a few minutes to gather myself before I took my phone out, shooting him a quick text to let him know I’d be there at 5PM, as agreed.

Sean: K.

Sounds about right.

I then realized I had forgotten to text Noah, so I opened our thread.

Me: I got home okay. Did you make it to Ohio safely?

Heading for the backyard to let my dog, Steve, out to use the bathroom, I sat at the table, staring out at the grass.

My phone chimed.

Noah: Nope. Bus crashed. Fiery mess. Blood everywhere.

I smirked.

Me: Damn. RIP.

Noah: We’re at the festival, just hanging for now. We’ve got about an hour before they set up the stage.

Me: Same setlist from last night?

Noah: Probably. We haven’t taken the time to make a new one.

I sighed, making my way back into the house and moving around the kitchen to start a pot of coffee.

Me: You should.

Noah: Yeah, how so?

Thinking for a moment, I leaned against the counter, and typed on the screen.

Me: Maybe add in something different? Something you haven’t played in a long time?

Noah: Such as…?

I snorted.

Me: Isn’t that your job to decide?

Noah: You can tell me, as a listener, what you’d want to hear.

Noah: What’s your favorite song off the first album?

Me: The Fountain, but that’s too slow.

Noah: I doubt I even know the words to that anymore, dude.

Me: Exit Wounds?

Noah: Meh.

Me: OMG…

Noah: What else?

Me: Worst In Me?

Noah: Hate that song.

Me: Jesus actual Christ.

Noah: Second album? Other than Limits?

Me: Burning Out?

Noah: …

Noah: That might not be a bad one…

Me: Oop?

Noah: I’ve got to talk to Nick. I don’t have a lot of time. I’ll text you later?

Me: Yup. Have a great show!

Noah: That you should be at…

I ignored his last message, sipping my coffee, and steadying myself. He was a little flirty, sure. It didn’t mean my heart didn’t jump each time he did it.

My knuckles tapped the door, and I was greeted by my son Michael, his smile huge.

“Mom!” He rushed me, wrapping his arms around my waist.

“Hey baby!” I knelt down, pulling him into a tight squeeze.

Behind him, inside the house, my daughter came running as well. “Mama!”

I pulled an arm open for her, encapsulating them both. “Ugh, I missed you guys so hard.”

Letting them loose, I noticed they already had their backpacks on.

“Where’s your Dad?” I looked around inside the apartment, but Michael just waved a hand.

“In his room. He told me to tell you he’ll see you next week.” He was so nonchalant, and although I knew it was forced, I was thoroughly impressed at how strong my young man had been throughout this difficult process.

Silently, I thanked the universe that Sean and I didn’t have to come face to face, and we made our way out of the apartment and down the stairs.

“How was Mushygen?” Willow asked, and I laughed at her pronunciation.

“Michigan was good. Auntie and I had fun, but I’m so glad to be home with you both.” I buckled her in the back of my minivan while Michael climbed in his seat next to hers.

“Did you get to meet any cool bands?” He asked me.

This made me smile as I slid into my seat, starting the vehicle.

“I did. I actually got to meet my favorite band.”

“Bad Omens?!” His voice cracked, and I smiled bigger.

“Yes! We ran into them at a restaurant last night!”

“What were they like?” He was curious, being a bit of a fan himself.

“Super nice, really cool guys.” I skipped over mine and Noah’s introductory debacle.

“That’s so cool, Mom!” Willow chirped from her seat.

“How was your weekend at Dad’s?” I asked them.

They proceeded to give me the full rundown of their three days with their father. They went to the park, out to dinner, but mostly stayed in at the apartment, given how hot it was. They couldn’t wait to go back next weekend.

Sean was a lot of things, but I’d never lie and say he wasn’t a good father to his kids.

Once back at home, I began working on dinner. Spaghetti, per the children’s request. After dinner were baths/showers, two hours of hangout time, before they had to go to bed. It was summer, so bedtime was midnight.

About 8:30PM, while I was sat on my Chaise lounger curled up with Willow watching Inside Out, my phone buzzed next to me.

Noah: That was a good choice. Turns out, a lot of people know that song.

Me: I’m glad it went well! Did the rest of the set go smoothly?

Noah: Sure did. It was tiring, and I’m ready to go home. But festivals are fun.

Me: When do you head back home?

Noah: Tonight. We’ve got stuff coming up on Thursday, so we’ve got to get going ASAP. Takes three days to make it back to LA.

I felt Willow shift next to me, and I noticed she was snoozing comfortably. It was already after 9PM, so I decided it was time to carry her into her room.

Laying her small body in bed and tucking her pale pink blanket over her, I left her with a kiss on the forehead and turned on her nightlight.

When I made it back to my spot, I flipped to SVU, and responded to his text.

Me: That’s a long drive. I don’t envy you.

Noah: You’ve got work tomorrow, I don’t envy you.

Smiling, I leaned back in my seat and covered up with my throw blanket.

Me: Fair enough.

The days passed tediously. Two weeks had gone by since I came home from Michigan. Every day, like clockwork, Noah texted me. Not the entire day, but most of it. We talked about a lot. My job. His music. Our favorite movies. Favorite places. Our hobbies. Our tattoos.

I was working in-office today, smiling at my phone because of the messages we were exchanging.

Noah: How big is it?

Me: Hip to knee.

Noah: WOAH.

I smirked. I was referring to a tattoo of an octopus I have on my left thigh.

Noah: Pic?

Me: I don’t have any off hand.

The flirting had been mild at best, but once in a while, he would say something suggestive, and it made me smile. Still, I would typically change the subject.

Noah: Damn. I’ll just have to see it in person.

This made my stomach twirl. In person? Throughout these last couple weeks, at no point had we discussed meeting in person again. I mean, it was possible, I’m sure. But it hadn’t really registered as a possibility.

While talking to Noah over text only, it almost made the entire experience feel unreal.

Me: I don’t remember seeing any Vegas tour dates on your website, sir.

His text took a few to come through.

Noah: Sir…?

Whoops. Maybe that was a bad move.

Noah: Vegas isn’t far. And didn’t you say you’re going to be in LA in September?

Chewing the skin off of my lip, I clutched my phone.

Me: To see Falling in Reverse and Black Veil Brides.

Noah: Maybe I could go.

Me: I didn’t think you listened to them?

Noah: Not so much, but if you’re going to be there, I think it could be fun.

That made my insides twist. He wanted to see me?

Me: Well, guess I’ll see you there, then?

After work, I dropped the kids at Sean’s. He had requested we do contactless drop off now, to try and avoid any arguments…like my children were a fucking Uber delivery.

He would stand outside, I’d let them out of the car, and they’d walk up to the apartment. It was fucking childish, but I didn’t argue. I had no energy left for Sean anymore. He had taken it all.

At home, I began the process of decompressing for the week, still fuming over my ex’s immaturity. First order of business was to uncork my Rosé, and fill my tallest glass.

I stood at the counter, heels kicked off to the floor of the kitchen, and chugged a few gulps of the drink.

My phone began chiming in my bag, and I fished it out. Someone was FaceTiming me?

Noah…

Noah was FaceTiming me?

I swiped the call open, not bothering to check my appearance first, and his face looked back at me. He was sitting at a desk, bed behind him, wearing a t-shirt and his hair was messy.

“Hey.” I said, apprehensive.

“Hey, sorry, is this a bad time?”

I shook my head, taking another long pull from my glass. “Not at all. Just got home from dropping the kids off.” My tone contradicted my words, my agitation still leaking in.

“You sure? Lookin’ a little stressed there, October.”

I snorted, propping my phone against the stove, and refilling my glass.

“Long day. What’s up?”

He sat back in his chair, hands folded over his chest. “Just wanted to see you.”

My fingers gripped the counter. “You did?”

“Yeah, texting gets old.”

I nodded. “It does.”

“Want to talk about your day?”

I groaned, the alcohol already softening the edges of my brain slightly. “You don’t even want to know.”

He pursed his lips. “Try me?”

Waving a hand in front of me, I swallowed the last of my second glass. “It’s just my children’s father being a dick. Nothing new.”

Lifting a brow, he cocked his head to the side. “What’d he do?”

As messy as ever, I poured a third and final glass, emptying the bottle, and dropping it in the trash can. Lifting my hand to my hair, I pulled the clip loose, shaking my hair out.

“He asked for contactless delivery with the kids.” I said as I lifted the glass to my lips.

He looked taken back. “Like…a pizza?”

“That’s what I said!” I shook my head. “He’s a fucking coward. He can’t even fucking face me without being an asshole.”

“Then maybe it’s better you don’t see each other?”

Shrugging, I ran a hand through my hair. “Fuck, probably.”

Looking at him, I noticed he was walking now, phone in hand.

“Anyway, fuck that guy. How was your day?”

He set the phone back down, and he was clearly in his kitchen. “Uneventful. Played with some beats. Caught up on some of the shows I’d been missing.”

I walked to my room, pulling a t-shirt from the hanger. “I’m going to set you down a sec so I can change.”

He just nodded. “Should I make pasta or tacos for dinner?”

I shouted at the phone as I pulled my shirt over my head and slipped my pants off. “Pasta, always pasta.”

Satisfied, he began pulling items from the cabinet.

“Oh, Noah!” I stood, only in my shirt covering my underwear. He turned to look at me as I lifted the phone. “Did you want to see the tattoo now?”

He padded back to where his phone was at, and leaned down close to the screen. I set my phone on my dresser and stepped backward to get myself in the frame. Feeling sheepish, I carefully worked to only show my ink, and not my crotch.

“Hmm,” He mused. “Cant see it. Better take the shirt off too.”

My eyes rolled, and I grabbed the phone. “Perv.”

He snickered, smiling at me. “What? Beautiful tattoo on a beautiful woman? Can you blame me?”

My cheeks reddened, and I quickly slipped my sweats on. “Guess not.”

He placed a pot of water on the stove to boil, and stepped back, twirling a wooden spoon in his hand. His eyes considered me as I moved back into the kitchen to start working on my own meal.

“Can I ask you something, October?”

Distractedly, melting some butter, scallions, and garlic in a pan, I responded. “Sure.”

“When I asked you for your number, back in Michigan, you acted like you weren’t looking to date anyone.”

My eyes shot over to the phone, my hand stopping its stirring. “Mhm…”

“That’s true? You’re not looking to date?”

Trying to concentrate on my task, I added the cream to the roux I had made. “Not right now, why?”

He shrugged his shoulders, dropping his pasta in the boiling pot. “Curious.”

“Yeah? Cause that’s a super pointed question for just curiosity.”

He smiled to himself, not looking at the camera. “Alright, maybe I’m a little more than curious.”

I turned my full attention to him, adding Parmesan to my Alfredo base. “What’s ’a little more than curious’?”

He looked at me then, eyes piercing me. “Interested?”

Death. That’s what I felt right then. Heart rate explosive, mind racing, eye twitching. No words can describe the feeling when someone as unbelievable as Noah Sebastian tells you they’re interested…

“Y-You’re…interested?”

He nodded slowly, stirring his pot. “I am.”

Stuttering like a cat, I nearly dropped my spoon. “Why?” I managed to choke out.

His face was bewildered. “Why not?”

Biting my lip hard enough to draw blood, I nearly let my sauce boil over.

“Uh,” I moved the pan from the burner and poured my pasta in the water. “I mean, it’s a valid question.”

“I don’t get it.”

“Noah…” I sighed hard, scrubbing a hand over my face. “Have you seen you?”

“A few times.” He laughed as he strained his noodles. “And?”

“I’m not,” I pointed toward him. “that.”

“A dude? Yeah, I didn’t think so but I didn’t exactly want to ask.”

I narrowed my eyes, smirking. “Smart ass.”

“I don’t see the confusion here.”

“You’re being willfully ignorant.” I raised my eyebrows at him.

“How so?” He answered as he threw butter and seasonings into the pot.

Sucking my teeth, I rolled my eyes. “Noah, you’re an actual rockstar.”

“Kay, and?”

“And I’m a normal person.”

“I’m sorry,” He held up the spoon that was scooping noodles into a bowl. “Am I not?”

“I have kids. A job. Baggage. We live in different states. You’re,” I gestured to him again. “far out of my league.”

He shook his head. “I disagree.”

He moved to his table, propping me up on something I couldn’t see.

“Well, you’re wrong.”

He shoveled food into his mouth, taking a moment to chew. I strained my own pasta.

“How do you figure? You’re funny, interesting, fiery, beautiful…”

My throat went dry.

“What’s the issue?”

Putting my pasta together and getting it onto a plate, I walked over to my own table. “You’re forgetting the baggage part.”

He waved a hand. “You’ve got kids. So what?”

I dropped my fork. “So what?”

He rolled his eyes. “I didn’t mean it like that. I just mean, what’s the big deal?”

“Uhh,” I drawled. “you don’t? And probably don’t need that in your life right now.” I sighed. “Or someone who has them. They’re always first priority.”

Nodding, he continued eating. “As they should be.”

Biting into my food, I stared at him, no words coming to mind.

“Look,” He set his fork down. “I’m not saying I want to marry you.” I choked at the word. “I just like you.”

My eyes widened, my jaw stopping mid-chew.

“I just want to take you on a date or something. See how it goes when I’m not super cranky.” He smirked.

Oh God. It was so enthralling, hearing the words come out of his mouth…

The temptation was strong.

But…

“I can’t, Noah.”

He leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms. “No?”

My head hung in frustration.

“I like you, too. A lot. But,” I pushed my plate away, suddenly losing all of my appetite. “I’m still dealing with a lot. I’m trying to get back to a sense of normalcy here. Sean just moved out three months ago. My kids are my entire life. I feel like I’m living in a storm at all times. I’ve got to get a handle on that for now.”

He was silent as I spoke, and I knew I had blown it.

“Are you mad?”

His tongue rolled around in his mouth before he spoke. “No. I won’t lie, I’m disappointed, but your reasoning is valid. I respect that.”

A man? Respecting me? Wild concept.

“I understand if you don’t want to talk anymore.”

He looked perplexed, taking a drink from his water bottle. “Why would I want that?”

I didn’t verbally respond, I just stared at him.

“I like you for more than a date, October. I like talking to you. If it’s alright with you, I’d like to keep doing that.”

My face warmed, and I couldn’t stop the smile spreading. “I’d like that, too.”

“Alright.” He slapped a hand on the table. “That settles that. We’ll stay friends.” He picked his fork back up and kept eating.

I almost didn’t catch the last words come out of his mouth.

“For now.”

[core-bands]

Bad Omens — Bad Decisions

[fuckloveihavemusic]

Bad Omens - Just Pretend

[beforeifadedaway]

Why's this always gotta happen to me? I should have known

[flowery-mess]

Frat boy Noah collection

This story is a work of fiction, with the plot and characters entirely made up. The appearance and name of the main male character are inspired by Noah Sebastian Davis, but the storyline bears no connection to the real person. Please do not steal or repost this work on other platforms without permission.

♥️ reader has a name (Ella Thompson, but the story is written in 'your' POV)

♥️one shots (linked in order as they were published, all of them can be read as stand alones, but for the whole picture it's better to read in order):

uh oh [ 3,7k words ]

in vino veritas [ 2k words ]

crossing the wrong line [ 3,4k words ]

healing touches [ 1,8k words ]

heaven [ 3,1k words ]

a family of one [ 3,9k words ]

the bet: part one [ 3,5k words ]

the bet: part two [ 2,1k words ]

nowhere to go [ 3,1k words ]

lost in touch [ 6k words ]

kill the silence (part one) [ 2,8k words ]

kill the silence: dance with me (part two) [ 7,2k words ]

what if [ 2,1k words ]

the gifts he gives [ 4,8k words ]

broken, you know that I've always been [ 4k words ]

tidal wave [ 1,6k words ]

♥️ smaller posts:

meet Ella

molly and clara introduction

Ella's playlist

Noah's playlist

Valentine's day with frat Noah

Texts with frat Noah by @xmads-omensx ♥️

one | two | three

moodboard

♥️ asks from you:

one | two | three | four | five | six

dividers by @silent-stories ♥️

[sorrowsofsilence]

forever in love with this eras look ~

[dethronetheveil]

smiley noah in b&w because it’s actually alleviating my anxiety rn :’)

pc: pinterest

[flowery-mess]

Well dog would be much better than Rick tho...

Soo happy for more Luna in this chapter😍 can't wait for when Noah leaves and it will be just miss Luna and reader😍

But also I have a feeling that's when something with Jason is going to happen

𝐓𝐎 𝐁𝐔𝐈𝐋𝐃 𝐀 𝐅𝐀𝐌𝐈𝐋𝐘 - 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐄𝐍

Summary: When Noah was left alone to take care of his daughter about two years ago, he never thought he would find someone else he would trust enough to include in his little family. But things can change.

Pairing: Noah Sebastian x reader

Series masterlist

The morning had come too quickly, as it always seemed to when you were tangled in thoughts. The light streaming through the windows of the café caught the edges of the ceramic mugs and the polished counter, casting a soft glow over everything.

It should’ve felt like any other morning, but it didn’t. The events of the day before—the fight between Jason and the other guy, his strange comment, and everything in between—kept circling in your mind, gnawing at you as you wiped down the counters and set the café up for the day. You couldn’t quite shake the feeling that something was off, but you didn’t know what it was.

“Noah is a lucky guy to have you.” Jason’s words replayed in your mind, their meaning unclear. It felt like something important, but you couldn’t pin down exactly why it had left you unsettled. You hadn’t had the chance to ask him about it, nor had you planned to. Maybe it was just his way of thanking you for stepping in. Or maybe it meant something else. Either way, it made you uneasy in a way you couldn’t explain. What did he mean by that?

The bell over the door jingled, snapping you from your thoughts as Grace entered, her usual confident swagger leading her into the café.

"Oh, something definitely happened." She said looking at you.

"Where did 'hello, good morning' go?"

"Good morning. Something happened. I can read it on your face."

She was always a little too interested in gossip, and you knew she wouldn’t let the events from yesterday slide.

"Yeah, something happened."

"So? Spill." She asked as she joined you on your side of the counter.

"I stopped a fight between Jason and a dude I didn't know. That's all."

"You. Stopped a fight?” She raised an eyebrow, her voice laced with amusement.

You sighed, wiping your hands on a random cloth, not quite sure how to explain it. “It wasn’t a fight-fight, really. I just... I stepped in before it got too bad. Jason was arguing with some guy, the guy punched him and almost broke his nose, and I just didn’t want it to escalate.”

Grace’s eyes widened, and her lips curved into a grin. “No way! You’re telling me you were in the middle of a Jason showdown, and I wasn’t there to witness it? You’ve got me intrigued.”

You chuckled, though it felt a little forced. “Honestly, Grace, it was nothing like that. Jason didn’t start the fight. The guy was getting aggressive, and I just stepped in to stop it. It wasn’t anything huge, okay?”

Grace was practically bouncing now, clearly loving the drama. “Mmm, sure. But like, you stopped the fight—you, and Jason’s probably all grateful, right? You’ve got his attention now, huh?”

“God, I didn’t do it for attention. I just didn’t want things to get ugly. I didn’t think it was necessary, you know?”

Grace raised her eyebrows, clearly not buying your nonchalant tone. She leaned in, lowering her voice in that way she did when she was about to make a point. “Uh-huh, sure. You just didn’t want things to get ugly. But the real question is—what did Noah think about it?"

"I didn't tell him yet."

"You gonna tell him? Or, like, you don’t want to tell him?”

Your stomach did a little flip. You hadn’t thought about it. It wasn’t like you didn’t want to tell him, but... you weren’t sure how to bring it up. The last thing you wanted was for him to think you were too involved with Jason. Or that you stepped in because you cared about him.

You shook your head, trying to push the thoughts away. “It’s not a big deal. I'll tell him. I mean, it’s not like anything happened, right?”

Grace leaned closer, eyeing you like a hawk. “Okay, babe, let me get this straight. You’re saying you didn’t tell Noah because it’s ‘no big deal’? Or you just don’t want to tell him because, I dunno, Jason was ivolved and you are scared that Noah is gonna get jealous or something?”

You felt your throat tighten. “What? No. It’s not like that,” you said quickly. “I just didn’t want to make a big deal out of it. Noah trusts me, and I trust him, so why bring it up for no reason?”

Grace’s lips curved into a sly smile. “Uh-huh, sure. But you know what I think? You don’t want to tell Noah because you’re worried about how he’s gonna react."

You froze for a second, unsure of what to say. Was Grace right? Was that why you hadn’t told Noah?

Were you going to hide a random interaction with your ex just because you were scared he was going to be jealous? This didn't make much sense.

Before you could respond, the bell over the door jingled again, and Noah waked in. He was holding Luna’s hand as she skipped beside him, clutching Mr. Flop—the stuffed bunny—by the ear. She was wearing a purple coat and her pigtails bounced with each step, and her face lit up when she saw you.

“Hi!” she called excitedly, waving her free hand.

Your heart melted at the sound. “Hey there, Luna!” you called back, leaning over the counter to greet them. Noah grinned as he placed a gentle kiss on your lips, his eyes soft and affectionate.

“Morning, beautiful,” he murmured.

“Good morning,” you replied, your smile widening. “How’s the little one today?” you asked, turning your attention to Luna.

She beamed. “Good! I want cookies!” she declared, pointing at the tray on the counter filled with chocolate chip cookies.

Noah smiled, clearly amused by her enthusiasm. “Cookies? With milk?” he asked, his voice warm.

Luna nodded vigorously, her pigtails swishing with the movement. “Yes! With milk!”

You leaned over the counter, brushing a stray lock of hair from her face. "Those pigtails are so cute, Luna." you said, your voice full of affection.

Noah chuckled, his gaze softening as he ran a hand through his own hair. “You wouldn’t believe how long it took me to get them right. She kept saying I was doing them in the wrong way. Took half an hour.”

"You were doing them wrong!"

You laughed, shaking your head as you positioned a glass of milk and a tiny plate with a couple of little cookies on it on the counter, in front of Luna. “Well, they turned out adorable. Totally worth the time.”

"Thank you!" She smiled.

Grace, who was serving another costumer but had been watching the whole scene unfold with an amused look, chimed in with her usual comments. “If this rockstar thing ever falls through, Noah, you could totally be a hairstylist. You’ve got the skills, I’m tellin’ ya.”

Noah raised an eyebrow as he sipped his tea, smirking. “You think so? Maybe I’ll open a salon on the side so we'll be all here."

A not very subtle comment referring to Jason, of course.

As you kept talking, a boy stopped to ask Noah for an autograph, who scribbled his name on a piece of paper.

"Daddy's famous." Luna giggled.

"Hell, yeah, he is." The boy laughed as he left the café.

"I've haven't been calling him 'your rockstar boyfriend' for nothing." Grace commented and you laughed.

After a few more minutes of chatting, Noah stood up, ready to leave. He gave you a quick kiss, then took Luna’s hand.

“We’ll catch you later,” he said with a smile, waving.

“Bye-bye!” Luna called, waving Mr. Flop enthusiastically.

As they left, Grace turned back to you, her eyes narrowed in that all-too-familiar knowing look. “So, still didn’t tell him?”

You sighed, running your hands over the counter. “Luna was here, Grace. I didn’t think it was the right time to talk about fights and blood and all that stuff with her around, okay?”

Grace raised her hands in mock surrender. “Sure, sure, of course."

You groaned, rolling your eyes. “I’ll figure it out, okay? It’s not that big of a deal.”

“Yeah, yeah, sure it’s not."

As you got back to work, Grace’s words kept replaying in your mind. Maybe she was right. Maybe Noah would want to know what had happened. But for now, you weren’t sure how to bring it up and you didn't even know why.

Jason's ink studio was quiet, save for the sound of the only man left in the tattoo shop moving around. The walls were lined with framed artwork—flash sheets and detailed tattoos from Jason’s own hand, as well as pieces he admired from other artists. The air smelled of fresh ink and antiseptic, a smell that had become as familiar to him as the hum of the tattoo machine.

He was still getting used to the new place but he liked it.

Jason had just finished cleaning his workstation, putting away his equipment, and was wiping down the counter when he heard the faint jingling of the doorbell. He didn’t even glance up, expecting another walk-in customer, but it was already getting late, and he was ready to call it a day.

“We’re closing,” he called out. “You’ve gotta book an appointment by phone, man.”

But instead of an annoyed customer, a familiar voice answered back. “Oh, c’mon, I just wanted to ask how your nose is doing.”

Jason’s head snapped up at the friendly tone. His first thought was annoyance—until he saw who was standing in the doorway. The guy from the day before. The one who had thrown the punch.

“Oh, hey, man!” he said, his voice light and genuinely happy. “Didnt expect you here!”

Rick, with his black hair full of grease, stood leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed. He was grinning back, the same playful smirk on his face as the day before, right after the 'show' they put on outside the shop.

Rick had been one of Jason's closest friends until life led him down different paths, causing them to lose touch when Jason moved away. Now that he was back in town, Jason couldn’t resist reconnecting with Rick, and when they met again, it felt as though no time had passed at all.

Rick wasn’t a bad guy, but he had always been easily influenced, too trusting, and too willing to follow others without question. He was the type to jump off a bridge if a friend asked him to, not out of malice, but out of a misguided sense of loyalty.

Both Jason and Rick remembered the time, years before, Jason had convinced Rick to steal a few bottles of Jack Daniels from a convenience store.

Jason had a buzz at the time and still loved to play baseball, and Rick wasn't dying his hair black yet.

Rick, of course, had slipped one bottle under his jacket without a second thought, fully believing in Jason's plan. He hadn't asked questions, hadn’t stopped to think about the consequences. They’d barely made it ten minutes down the street before the police had pulled them over.

Jason was twenty-one, and Rick was still underage when the incident happened.

And Jason was Rick's only friend. Probably still was.

In the years that followed, Rick was arrested several times, for different reasons.

Maybe, if Rick hadn't always been such a lonely boy, things would have gone differently.

Over the years, Jason hadn't obviously come to realize how bad an influence he had been on his friend, and still was.

Now, ironically, Rick was working part time at the convenience store he had tried to steal from years earlier.

Jason couldn’t help but chuckle as Rick pushed off from the doorframe and stepped inside. “You’ve got some nerve, huh? Punching me and then coming here? On my territory?"

Rick laughed, walking casually into the shop and looking around. “Hey! You asked me to do that! Just wanted to check on my favorite punching bag, make sure you’re not bleeding all over your shop. Looks like you’re still in one piece, though.” He motioned toward Jason’s nose, the bruise still visible.

Jason wiped his hands on a rag, a smirk tugging at his lips. “Yeah, I’m all good. It was worth it."

Rick rolled his eyes, the metal chain on his pants jingled as he approached his friend, then he leaned forward, his voice lowering in a teasing manner. “Seriously though, if you need someone to punch you again, just let me know. I’ll come by anytime. I mean, it was kinda fun, don’t you think?”

Jason shook his head, letting out a short laugh. “Don’t get used to it, man,” he said, raising an eyebrow as he went back to organizing his tools.

Rick leaned against the counter, a grin still plastered on his face. “Nah, man, seriously. That was probably the funniest thing I’ve seen in a while. You just stood there and took it. I don’t know if I’m impressed or worried about you."

Jason rolled his eyes, a laugh escaping his lips. "No need to worry, I have everything under control."

Rick grinned wider. “Sure but hey, I still don’t understand why you made me do that, you can just... talk to her, you know?"

Jason let out a long breath, his gaze dropping to the floor for a moment as he thought about it. When he looked back up, his face was more serious. “I wanted to see her reaction, man. I wanted to know if she still cared enough to step in. And she did. That’s when I knew I could make my move again.”

Rick tilted his head, his brow furrowing slightly. “So, you just wanted to see if she’d care enough to intervene? Is that what you were going for? You are out of your mind, dude."

Jason nodded, leaning back against the counter, his arms crossed. “Yeah. I figured if I pushed things a little, she’d react. I wanted to see if there was still something there. And when she stepped in, I knew. It wasn’t just about stopping the fight—it was about her. About her still caring enough to step up when I needed it. She still care about me, I fucking knew it."

Rick raised an eyebrow, still trying to process the whole thing. “But, man, she’s still with that Noah, right? From Bad Omens? The one with the kid?”

Jason’s jaw clenched slightly, but his tone remained calm, though there was an edge of frustration creeping in. “Yeah yeah, she’s with him. The guy who couldn't even keep his family together. But here’s the thing—Y/N still likes me. She just needs time, man. Time to realize what’s really important. And I’m gonna get her back. I’m not giving up on her, I'm telling you."

Rick didn’t seem entirely convinced, though he nodded in understanding. “I get that, but I don’t know, man. Do you really think she’s gonna come back with you? What about Noah?"

Jason’s eyes darkened. “I’m not worried about Noah. That guy’s got nothing on me. He thinks he can have everything he wants, mh? Because he is famous, and has money and is in a band? It doesn't work like that.

I’m gonna do whatever it takes to show her that I’m the one she needs. And when I get her back, she’ll see that I'm better than him. Noah can go fuck himself.”

Rick gave him an impressed look, shaking his head with a grin. “Damn, you’re really that sure of yourself, huh? Alright, man, I hope you'll get what you want, good luck with that. Don't screw it up."

Jason smirked, leaning in a little, lowering his voice as if to emphasize his point, his blue eyes sparkling. “I know what I’m doing. And I’m not screwing this up. I’ve got it all planned out.”

Rick snorted, stepping away from the counter, stretching out his arms. “Well, if you’ve got it planned, I’m not gonna stop you. Just, next time, try not to get punched in the face so we don’t have to do this whole ‘checking on your nose’ thing again, alright?”

Jason laughed, his usual cocky grin returning. “Yeah. I'm not gonna ask you to do that again. That hurt like a bitch."

After Rick left, Jason found himself leaning back against the counter, staring into the quiet space of the shop. His thoughts were racing again, but this time they weren’t about the punch or the drama of yesterday. They were about you.

He was going to get you back and he wasn’t going to let Noah—or anyone else—get in his way.

The night was quiet, the only sounds filling the livingroom of Noah's house was the soft hum of the TV and the occasional rustling of the blanket as you and Noah settled onto the couch. The warm, yellow lights from the lamp in the corner of the room created a cozy glow. Luna was already tucked into bed, the house peaceful and calm.

You stretched your legs out, snuggling deeper into the couch, feeling the comfort of the soft cushions and Noah’s presence next to you. His arm was draped over the back of the couch, his fingers lightly brushing your shoulder from time to time.

“I’m thinking The Crow tonight,” you said, reaching for the remote, your fingers hovering over the buttons.

Noah glanced over at the screen, and then back at you, raising an eyebrow in disbelief. “The Crow again? Seriously?”

You turned to him, grinning. “Yes! It’s a classic, Noah. Come on, it’s a perfect choice for a night like this. You know you love it too.”

He let out a long, exaggerated sigh, as if he was dreading it. “I love you but I don’t know how many times I can sit through this one.”

You laughed softly. “Well, then it’s just too bad for you, because I’m in the mood for it."

Noah chuckled, shaking his head. “Fine, fine. One more time. But after this, no more for at least... three months, okay?”

"One month."

"Two."

"Deal."

You nodded, a satisfied grin on your face as you clicked the play button. As the opening credits began to roll, you both settled back into your spots, the opening music of the movie filling the room.

For a moment, there was a comfortable silence as you watched the screen, the soft glow from the TV dancing across Noah’s face. But then, Noah shifted slightly, his voice breaking the quiet.

“Hey, so I’ve got to head out next week for a couple of days,” he said, his tone a little more serious than before.

You glanced over at him, not surprised by the sudden change of subject. You had known about his trip for a while. “Oh, yeah. I remember you mentioning that show,” you said, giving him a reassuring smile.

Noah nodded, his gaze flickering to the TV for a moment before focusing on you. “Yeah, I leave Monday morning for that, and I’ll be back Tuesday night. So… don’t worry about Luna. I’ll get a babysitter for her, so it won’t be a problem.”

You paused, considering for a moment, and then shook your head with a smile. “No. Don’t worry about it. I can take two days off, no problem. I’ll look after her while you’re gone.”

Noah’s expression softened, and he shifted a little closer to you, his hand resting gently on your knee. “Are you sure? I don’t want to put that on you.”

You met his eyes, your voice full of reassurance. “It’s no problem, really. Luna and I will be fine. I don’t mind at all. We'll have fun.”

His lips curved into a soft smile, and he leaned in, pressing a quick kiss to your forehead. “Thanks. I really appreciate it. It means a lot to me.”

You smiled up at him. “Anytime,” you murmured, snuggling closer to him.

As the movie continued, you let yourself relax, but something on your mind lingered.

“Oh, by the way,” you began, turning slightly to face him, “I talked to Jason yesterday.”

Noah stiffened almost immediately, the muscles in his shoulders tensing. His expression changed just enough to show the concern behind his calm demeanor. “What? Why?”

You tried to keep your tone light, brushing it off as something insignificant,. “Don’t worry about it. He was about to get into a fight with some guy, and I just stepped in before things got out of hand.”

Noah’s face faltered for a second before he leaned forward, his expression serious, more worried than angry. "You shouldn’t be doing things like that, especially when Jason’s involved.”

You felt a bit of guilt settle in your chest as he spoke, knowing that he had a point. “I didn’t want things to escalate,” you explained, voice soft. “I just saw how close it was getting, and I acted before it could turn into something worse.”

His eyes softened, but there was still an edge of frustration in his voice when he spoke again. “Why didn’t you tell me before? I don’t like the idea of you getting mixed up in his mess again, especially not like that.” He let out a deep breath, running a hand through his hair, his expression showing the frustration that had begun to bubble up.

You bit your lip, trying to find the right words. “I didn’t want to make a big deal out of it. I just… didn’t want to add to the stress."

Noah exhaled slowly. “Jason’s trouble, and you shouldn’t have to put yourself in the middle of it. And I'm sure he is still in love with you, by the way.”

"In love with me? Noah. Be serious. It's been four years."

He sighed, the frustration slowly draining from his expression as he pulled you closer.

“I almost feel like he is back here just to cause trouble between us. I don’t want you getting hurt, especially when it’s because of someone like him.”

You nodded against his chest, your voice quieter now. “He can't cause trouble between us. I love you."

Noah’s arms wrapped tighter around you as you snuggled into his embrace. “Good,” he murmured softly, his lips brushing your hair. “Because I happen to love you too."

You let out a small chuckle, feeling the weight of the conversation finally lift as you melted into his embrace. His steady heartbeat beneath your ear, the sound of his soft breath comforted you, and you let yourself relax fully into his arms.

For the next few minutes, you both simply sat there in the quiet, watching the movie play out in the background, but neither of you were paying attention to the screen anymore. It was just the two of you. Noah’s fingers gently traced circles on your arm, soothing you with the rhythmic motion.

As the credits rolled on The Crow and the room grew darker with the passing time, Noah pulled the blanket up higher around you both, his voice soft and calm as he whispered, “Sleepy?”

You smiled softly. "Not really. But I wanna go to bed to cuddle, honestly."

He chuckled. "The answer I wanted."

And for the rest of the night, there were no more words, just the sound of each other’s steady breathing and the comfort of being together—no Jason, no worries, just peace.

The next morning, Luna sat at the breakfast table, finishing up her cereal and chatting with Noah and you, getting ready to leave. The morning routine was familiar, comforting, but something was on your mind.

"You know," you began as Noah grabbed his jacket. "I randomly remembered that somewhere in my house, I still have some toys I used when I was a kid. Like, old stuffed animals, and I don’t know, just random things. No one’s gonna use them now, so I thought maybe I could give them to Luna."

Noah glanced over at you, amusement flickering in his eyes as he tied his shoes. "She already has a ton of toys. You really don’t need to give her more."

You shrugged, trying to play it off with a smile. "I’m happy to give them to her. Plus, I’ll finally get some more space in my wardrobe. My closet is like a time capsule at this point."

He chuckled at that, shaking his head. "Alright, if you insist. You want some new toys, Lu?"

You smirked, deciding that getting rid of some old clutter was worth it. "Well, it’ll be a good excuse for me to clean up. You’ll see, it’ll be fun."

"Yes!"

"Y/N is gonna be really really nice and give the ones she doesn't use anymore to you." Noah explained her.

"Thank you!" She smiled, "you don't play with them anymore?"

"No. Not really."

"We'll play with them together, then."

With Luna finished with her breakfast and ready for the daycare drop-off, you all headed out, and soon enough, Noah was on his way back to your house to help you sort through the memories tucked away in your wardrobe. By the time you reached your place, the thought of digging through old boxes had already started to feel oddly nostalgic.

As soon as you entered, Noah kicked off his shoes, and you led him to your bedroom. You gestured to the overstuffed wardrobe. "This is it. All the old things I can’t bring myself to part with."

Noah smirked. "I’ll bet there’s some treasure in there."

You laughed, pulling open the closet door. The air inside the closet smelled faintly of old fabric, dust, and memories. You reached for the first item and tugged it out—a dusty old sweater you used to wear when you were a teenager. "Oh, this one's from high school," you said, holding it up. "I’ll definitely be keeping that."

Noah raised an eyebrow, but before he could comment, you continued your search. With each pull of a worn-out sweater or faded t-shirt, you felt the weight of nostalgia building up. There were pieces of your past, fragments of who you used to be.

You heard Noah chuckle as he pulled something from the back of the wardrobe. "Look what I found," he said, holding up a Bring me the horizon tee with an old logo emblazoned on it.

You glanced at it and grinned. "That's from my emo phase. I had a whole collection of these."

Noah laughed out loud, holding the shirt up to his chest. "You still are in it, trust me. Next time I see Oli, I'll tell him my girlfriend likes his band more than mine."

You rolled your eyes, stepping over a few stray items to sift through another pile, finally finding some toys. A faded teddy bear, two bunnies, a small toy kitchen set that had seen better days, and some wooden blocks you used to play with as a kid. There was something oddly satisfying about unearthing these childhood relics, even if they were well past their prime.

Noah picked up a worn-out action figure. "You really kept all this stuff?"

You smiled sheepishly. "I guess I couldn’t bear to part with them, even when I probably should’ve."

"Well, Luna will have fun with them," Noah said, tucking them into a box. "But this wardrobe? It's got more junk than I thought."

He was about to turn back to help you search when something shiny on the floor caught his attention. Kneeling down, he picked it up, turning it over in his fingers.

At first, you didn’t realize what it was. But as soon as you saw the silver chain and the small pendant in his hand, a lump formed in your throat. You recognized it immediately. Your eyes involuntarily widened.

Noah held the necklace up, his brow furrowed. "This was on the floor of your wardrobe." He looked at the small silver pendant, the letter "J" hanging from it. "What’s this?"

You froze, a sense of panic rising. You hadn’t even thought about that necklace in years. You could feel Noah’s gaze boring into you, expectant, as he held it up between you both.

You swallowed, trying to find words. "I... I didn’t even know it was still there. I must’ve forgotten about it."

He cocked his head to the side. "A necklace with your ex’s initial?" His voice was calm, but there was a hint of something sharper in his tone now.

"I guess I just... kept it. I don’t know. It doesn’t mean anything."

Noah’s expression didn’t soften. He studied you for a moment, his eyes narrowing slightly as if weighing your words. "Why did you keep it, though? Why would you hang onto something like this?"

You felt a twinge of guilt. "I didn’t think about it. Honestly. It just... got buried in there. I forgot about it until now."

He didn't seem entirely convinced. "You sure you forgot? Or are you holding onto it for some other reason?"

Your heart skipped a beat. He was digging, trying to find an answer, but you didn’t want to go there. You didn’t want to explain that keeping it was more about trying to preserve some piece of the past that still lingered in your mind. You tried to laugh it off. "It’s just a necklace, Noah. It’s not a big deal."

But he wasn’t letting it go. "It doesn’t look like it’s just a necklace. It’s got your ex’s initial on it. Why would you keep that around?"

You felt the weight of his question, the tension building between you both. The silence seemed to stretch on longer than it should have, and for a moment, you regretted not throwing it away when you had the chance.

But Noah wasn’t satisfied. He stood there, the necklace still in his hand, looking at you with a mixture of curiosity and something else—something more like confusion. "Why would you keep it? You said you wanted to forget him. That you did it."

You wanted to say something, to explain that it was complicated, that you moved on, but seeing Jason now was still a weird feeling you couldn't explain, but instead, you just stood there, looking at him, feeling exposed. "I didn’t mean for it to stay. I just didn’t know it was still there."

Noah didn’t fully buy it.

"Okay." He whispered, "whatever."

The way he said it almost hurt you, and you knew he was mad about it even if he didn't bring it up again.

Hi nice people in my phone! If you saw a post where i said I was getting attached to a 'new' character, yes, it was Rick. I'm sorry.

Tags: @anything-more-than-human @ladyveronikawrites @iloveyoutodeathbutimdrowning @collisionofyourkissmakesitsohard @fadingangelwisp @xmads-omensx @iwasntstable @thisbicc @pathion @mathfairchild1 @flowery-mess @into-the-grey @lma1986 @tosoundlessdarkistare @stardustsirenmelody @thewrstinme

TBAF Tags: @aubrey-melinoe @klutzy-kay24 @mrscevans @concreteangel92 @iconic-taurus @niicoleleigh @cheyyyyr @supersquirrel1996 @respectfulrebel @alwaysfightforwhoyouare @clickmedead @missduffsblog @whenyouwannafindlove

[veilofsam]

WHY IS HE SUDDENLY SO LARGE?!