NOAH
"Get the fuck out of my house you filthy faggot!" the lump in my throat got impossibly tighter, as i heard my minutes-ago-sober-mother slur from the other side of my door. She wanted me gone, i didn't understand exactly why, but staying here would only cause both of us problems, so that's what i did, i went.
The moment replayed in his head as the green eyed boy with messy curls explained to his uncle why he ended up on his porch at 3 a.m. holding nothing but a backpack and the change from the 2 hour long taxi ride from Leeds to Manchester he had just gotten out of. "And why did you come here noah?", asked george anxiously, probably wondering what he was going to do with a 16 year old runaway that isn't even blood related. "Well" noah paused, not even knowing the reason himself "you were my fathers friend, he trusted you, and even if it's been years" since his funeral, the last time i got to see anyone before my mother (i feel like i should start calling her by name) anne moved 2 states away and made me go with her, he added mentally "i trust you two. I'm not asking you to let me move in or anything, but i need help" silence "i know you live alone so i thought maybe" sigh "it would be easier to come to you?" it ended up sounding like a question. noah chewed the inside of his lip and looked at his fingers like they were the most interesting thing in the world, while going through all the possible ways his uncle could tell him to go back home. Home. he doesn't feel like that word is appropriate to call anne's house anymore. "Come inside noah" he turned, opening the door wide enough for noah to come in after "we can talk where it isn't snowing and you don't risk getting a cold" he added with his back faced to the scared boy that just then noticed how freezing cold he felt. Good noah thought he didn't leave me to fend for myself trying not to get his hopes up, he followed george inside.
The house was just like he remembered from the endless house parties his uncle used to invite his father to, beige walls, huge flat screen TV, and open kitchen. George led him to the kitchen and sat down on the dining table, facing the opposite side where noah had accommodated himself. The boy couldn't keep his leg from bouncing up and down as he stared at the patterns on the wooden table, waiting for the uncomfortable silence to be broken. "Before i say anything else, i want you to know you can stay here for as long as you want" noah let out air he didn't notice he was keeping in "but that's all it is. A place to stay, i can't promise anything else" george was serious, but the pity and concern were crystal clear on his face, no matter how much he tried to hide it. "Thank you so much, honestly you don't-'' the green eyed boy's 'thank you's' were cut short as his uncle raised his palm as if telling him to calm down. "Now look here noah, i need to get a few things clear before you crash on my sofa, and explain everything tomorrow" he paused and received a nod to proceed "not a few things actually... only one really... i don't live by myself as you had said earlier" noah looked up with his brows furrowed asking for further explanation "i am now married, with two children" noah let out a surprised "oh" "yeah, one is a newborn, lucas, and the other is a year older than you, my wife had him with her ex husband but now just recently has gotten full custody due to his father's suicide" both shiffted uncomfortably on their seats "william, is the boy's name".
As if on queue steps were heard going down the stairs and towards the kitchen. This is it noah thought his wife is going to see me here, demand an explanation and politely (but only if i'm lucky she won't throw me out by screaming profanities) ask me to leave her home. Interrupting my thoughts walked in a short (extremely handsome, but that is not the point at the moment), brown haired boy, wearing a dark blue jumper and tight gray sweatpants who wears tight sweatpants as pajamas anyway?? That accented his thick legs and- snap out of it noah! Snap. out. Of. it. He almost didn't catch what the cute brunette (who he is assuming is william) was saying "george, who are you talking-"
William
It's 3 a.m.. 3. In the fucking morning. And william had just heard the front door close. Flashbacks from his father coming home drunk with a broken bottle of beer in hand and incomprehensible words being yelled as he crashed down on the sofa and slept until the next afternoon, when he would decide which bar to spend every penny he had. George is not like that, he's not like that, william managed to calm himself down as he heard 2 different voices coming from downstairs, too low to make out what each was saying.
He really did try to ignore his curiosity, but his stepfather had just gotten a visit at three a.m. and the blue eyed brunette couldn't just stay in his bed and risk never finding out. So he as noisely as possible (just to give the visit a heads up someone was coming) went downstairs facing the kitchen after giving a quick glance at the living room and noticing there was no one there. (again, announcing his presence) before actually getting to the kitchen william started "george, who are you talking-", that's as far as he got into the sentence, for there was a boy sitting across from george. And. wow. That boy was beautiful. He was obviously exhausted, with black circles under his green eyes, but the way he stared at will, wide-eyed and scared, light blush spreading on his cheeks, and barely noticeably dropped jaw, was just so pure and innocent the blue eyed boy felt like he needed a hug.
So that's what he did. He walked to the boy with the messy curls and beautiful eyes, and hugged him. He was tense for a few seconds but gave in and melted into the embrace. It hadn't clicked how weird that was until william had already let go and was seated next to his stepfather. He blushed deeply and brought a leg up on the chair, holding it there with both arms "sorry" he said in a small voice while raising his head which was earlier facing down watching his fingers draw patterns on his grey sweatpants, "you looked like you needed a hug" his voice grew, along with his tinted cheeks as the curly boy's mouth twitched upwards as he said in a even smaller voice, " 's okay" pause "thanks"
"Yeah ok" george stood up, reminding the boys they were not alone "um," he faced noah "i'll leave a pillow, blanket, and toothbrush on the attic couch" now facing will "you" he pointed at the blue eyed boy who was confused as ever "show him your bathroom and the attic so he can take a bath and sleep" he pushed his chair in and was ready to face the stairs when he added "tomorrow, monday, we'll go to will's school and see about getting you in" pause, probably trying to remember if there was anything else he might've forgotten "yeah, that's about it, 'night boys" he half smiled and waved as he climbed the stairs up to his room, leaving the boys awkwardly staring at the table. "Shall we" said as william cautiously stood from his chair and signaled towards upstairs where the bathroom was. Noah was a bit startled by the sudden break in the silence, but stood up following close behind the blue eyed boy.
