Days like these are Noah's favourite. The air still warm, the sun still on full display in a sky full of nothing but blue, being able to just sit out in the wild and lose himself in a sketch. Peaceful, serene. Everything that's just about to be interrupted by his newfound friend.
"Can I ask you something?" Leo says, voice shaking from nerves.
Noah pauses, pencil lifting away from his sketchpad as he turns to the other. It's then that he realises that Leo's page was still pure white, completely untouched. "Of course."
"Would you, maybe- you don't have to but I would really like if we could um- possibly... hang out tonight as more than just friends?"
"You want to go on a date with me?" Noah's eyes widen in shock, this is something he definitely did not see coming.
"Uh- yeah?" Leo looks down at his hands, unable to meet Noah's eyes.
Shellshocked, Noah thinks over what to answer with. Honestly, he's never even thought of Leo as being more than just a friend, but does that mean he should rule out the possibility so soon? It's not really settling if he gives it a chance, who knows what could come of it. Besides, the person he actually wants, in his mind, is never going to reciprocate his feelings. It was time to move on. "I'd love to."
"You would?"
"Totally! I've never been on a date before, I'm excited."
Really, Noah was. This is what he wanted, the chance to finally experience a real love life. To be spoiled and loved by someone, and maybe Leo could be that someone.
*****
Fussing. He's been this way for an hour now, standing in front of the mirror changing outfits, a pile of unwanted clothes discarded onto his bed. TJ just sits and watches, slowly snacking on some chips as he tries to work out what kind of drug Noah was on. To him, that was the only reasonable explanation for his behaviour.
"Okay, I give up. What've you taken?"
Noah turns to face him, eyes narrowed and head tilted to the side. "Excuse me?"
"You're on drugs, aren't you? So what is it? Ecstasy? Crack? Coke?" TJ was trying his best to seem as if he wasn't all that educated when it came to different types of drugs, but sadly he was. All thanks to his wonderful father he learned the names of drugs before he could even spell.
"I'm not on drugs, you ass. I'm getting ready for a date."
The words cause TJ's whole body to freeze up, hand paused in the process of retrieving yet another chip. This was a nightmare, it had to be. There's no way he's awake right now. "A date?"
"Yep! Leo asked me out. Sweet, right?"
Wrong. TJ's blood boils, he knew that this was going to happen. But does he really have the right to be angry? It's his own fault, after all, he's waited too long and now he's losing him. All because he was too scared to face up to his feelings. "Do you really want to go?"
"Of course I do! I wouldn't be putting this much effort in if I didn't," Noah laughs, but TJ doesn't seem the humour in it. Instead, he feels as if he's been punched in the gut. "Okay, I think I'm happy with this. What do you think?"
Noah spins slowly, showing off his tight, black jeans and the red, flowing shirt he's paired it with. His hair was parted in the middle, a style that he rarely sees on him, but every time he does it takes his breath away. The natural waves falling around his face instead of covering up his sparkling eyes, his strong eyebrows on display only adding more depth to his features. Beautiful. "You shouldn't go."
"What?"
"He isn't right for you. You want a guy with confidence, right? Someone who will take charge of the relationship and make you feel safe? He could never do that, he just isn't right for you."
"So you want me to sit around and wait for a guy like that to fall into my lap? I don't want to be lonely for the rest of my life just because I'm being picky. Plus, Leo is sweet, maybe he is right for me," Noah says, but he doesn't sound as if he truly believed his own words. Still, he slips on his black vans, still eager to head out to his date.
"He isn't," TJ states bluntly. Confidently.
Noah sighs in frustration, unsure as to why the other was acting this way. "It's not your play to decide, it's mine. Just be happy for me like I am for you. I've been nothing but supportive with trying to get you with that girl you like, so stop being such a dick when it comes to my own love life."
"But-"
"TJ, I don't want to hear it. I just want to finish getting ready and go."
Panic rises within TJ, his window of opportunity to stop Noah from leaving was closing rapidly. He chews on his bottom lip as he watches Noah decorate his fingers with rings, biting so hard that he begins to taste the metallic taste of blood. This is it, it was time to stop being so afraid. He'll never forgive himself if he doesn't even try.
Impulsive, that's the perfect word to describe TJ's next actions. Completely and utterly impulsive. Panic was clouding his judgement, stoping him from thinking clearly and making a better decision as to how to get his feelings across. Words would've been more reasonable. But instead, he stands, spilling the forgotten chip packet all over his sheets from how quick the movement is. Noahs staring at him, confused, his lips moving to show he's talking but the words aren't registering to TJ. And then, he's in front of him, swallowing each and every one of his fears as he places both hands on Noah's waist gently, and then he kisses him. Firm, spontaneous, trying his best to communicate everything he's been feeling since he first walked into that same room two months ago.
Surprisingly, Noah kisses him back, making it harder for him to pull away. He was expecting more shock, not for his feelings to be mirrored by the other's lips. So, he savours the moment. Kissing Noah until they're both breathless, dizzy, unlike any kiss he's ever experienced before.
When they finally part, they're both panting. Their foreheads resting together as they try to catch their breaths, eyes still closed. "Don't go," TJ whispers into the small space between their lips. Vulnerable.
As soon as he regains his senses, his brain processing the words and everything that just happened, Noah jolts away as if TJ's touch had scolded him. He was so confused, flustered, mostly shocked. Did TJ really just kiss him? "I have to," he splutters, remembering the look on Leo's face when he agreed to go out with him. Pure joy. "I- I can't do this right now. I have to go, I need to go."
And then, Noah's gone. Leaving the room in such a rush that he grabs TJ's jacket instead of his own.
He leaves TJ behind, heart dropping as he moves further and further from his room. It didn't feel right to walk away when they clearly had so much to talk about, but he does so regardless. Ignoring every single part of him that's trying to pull him back.