icah’s POV
It had been maybe a minute or two since Nico left Micah alone in the cool, dark night.
He stared up at the sky and took a slow breath.
His brother was annoying — painfully annoying — yes.
But he also had a point.
It would be cruel not to say goodbye to Noah…
even after everything.
Micah shifted his weight and walked back inside.
Everyone else was huddled on the couch, silent and miserable.
Except Noah, of course.
Micah trudged toward Noah’s room, hoping — praying — he’d be there.
He wasn’t.
Micah frowned. He swore he saw Noah in the window earlier, but maybe he was hallucinating.
He looked around the messy room.
Noah was usually so organized — notebooks stacked neatly, shelves color?coded.
Micah missed that Noah.
The one who smiled.
The one who teased him.
The one who looked at him like he mattered.
There was a light on in the bathroom.
Micah knocked lightly.
The door unlocked immediately.
Noah opened it — eyes wide — and the moment he saw Micah, he panicked and slammed the door in his face.
---
Noah’s POV
Noah pressed his back against the door, breathing hard.
No need to panic.
Right?
It’s just Micah.
Right?
But he couldn’t face him.
Not after what he’d said.
Not after what he’d done.
Micah probably hated him.
He should hate him.
Noah unbuttoned his shirt — though he kept it on — and turned on the shower.
Cold water.
He didn’t deserve warmth.
Not now.
Not ever.
Minutes passed.
Silence.
Noah thought Micah had given up.
He exhaled shakily… and finally broke.
The tears came hard and fast, everything he’d been holding in crashing down at once.
The pain.
The guilt.
The heartbreak.
How long could he keep pretending he was fine?
Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.
A sound snapped him out of his daze.
A door opening.
Wait.
Did he lock the bathroom door?
---
Micah’s POV
Micah waited.
He really tried.
He tried to be patient.
Tried to be respectful.
Tried to give Noah space.
But then he heard it — the soft, broken sound of Noah crying.
And something inside him snapped.
This was Noah.
His Noah.
He couldn’t just stand there.
Micah reached for the doorknob — ready to break it if he had to — but it turned easily.
The door was already unlocked.
He stepped inside.
And found Noah in the shower, fully clothed, falling apart.
“What the hell are you doing here?!” Noah snapped, voice cracking.
Micah froze.
Okay. Fair.
He did technically break into someone’s shower.
“I—umm—uh—” Micah scratched the back of his neck, looking anywhere but at Noah.
Noah’s shirt was half off, but he wasn’t naked or anything.
Still.
Micah’s brain short?circuited.
“Well?! Say something,” Noah demanded, cheeks flushing despite the cold water.
“I—I was worried about you.”
“Well, I’m fine. I can take care of myself. Unlike you.”
Noah’s voice was sharp, but Micah could hear the tremble underneath.
Micah winced.
This was a bad idea.
Noah clearly didn’t want him here.
“I heard something,” Micah said softly. “Were you… crying?”
Noah’s face burned. “I was NOT! Are you eavesdropping? You know what? You should leave. Please.”
Noah turned away, shoulders shaking.
Micah’s chest cracked open.
“Noah… please don’t run away from me.”
His voice was barely above a whisper.
“I just wanted to say goodbye. And that… you may not want me anymore. But… I still love you.”
Noah’s breath hitched. “You should… l?leave.”
His voice broke.
Micah’s eyes widened. “Noah…?”
Noah turned toward him — tears streaming down his face.
“M?Micah… p?please. I?I can’t do this…”
His eyes were red and puffy.
He turned away again, stepping deeper into the shower, trying to close the door.
Micah grabbed his hand.
Noah froze.
Micah gently pulled the door open and stepped inside — fully clothed — letting the cold water soak him.
“Noah,” he whispered, voice soft, careful, like Noah was something fragile.
Because right now, he was.
Micah pulled him into his chest and held him.
---
Noah’s POV
Why was he letting Micah hold him?
Why was Micah holding him?
After everything Noah said…
Micah should hate him.
But he didn’t.
And Noah couldn’t pretend anymore.
He couldn’t hate Micah.
He couldn’t push him away.
He couldn’t keep hurting him.
“Micah… I’m sorry.”
Noah’s voice cracked.
“I really am. But I can’t do this anymore. I can’t pretend I don’t love you. I can’t pretend I want you to go. Because… I don’t want you to go.”
He sobbed harder.
“I know it’s selfish. I know. But I can’t help it. I’m sorry I hurt you. I’m sorry I said all those things. You can hate me now. I deserve it.”
Micah’s breath caught.
He lifted Noah’s chin gently, wiping the tears from his cheeks.
“Noah,” he whispered. “I could never be mad at you. You have no idea how much I love you.”
Noah broke again, harder this time.
“I don’t deserve you. You’re so perfect.”
Micah smiled softly. “No. I don’t deserve you.”
Noah sniffed, hair sticking to his face, clothes soaked through.
Micah’s breath hitched at the sight.
He reached out and brushed a strand of hair from Noah’s forehead.
“What? Is there something on my face?” Noah asked shyly.
“No,” Micah murmured. “It’s not that.”
“Then what is it?”
“I just wonder how you manage to look this good even in a situation like this.”
Noah’s cheeks flushed.
He scowled — but it had no bite.
“In this situation, that’s what you’re thinking about?”
“Yes.”
He really had no shame.
He was never going to change.
Noah blushed even harder.
He tried to change the subject. “Do the others need anything…? I’ve been neglecting them…”
Micah smiled. “You’re so selfless. I love that about you.”
“Stop,” Noah muttered, flustered.
“Make me.”
“Are we—”
Micah didn’t let him finish.
He wasn’t in the mood to play around.
He leaned in and crushed his lips to Noah’s.
