Noah's Arc

I Didn't Protect You

Seeing Wade come to comfort me instead of TJ. I don't know why I think he was a better guy than Malik. A wry smile plays on Noah's lips. Maybe Malik wasn't so wrong about the "know-it-all" thing, but against the warm brown eyes and that smile that could melt glaciers, it was a forgivable flaw

Noah: Wade what are you doing here

Wade: Well I just wanted to make sure you are ok

Noah: But what will Dre say about you being here
Wade: well he doesn't know I'm here

Noah lets out a nervous laugh 

Noah "You snuck out? This isn't exactly helping my case with Dre. If he found out you were here he'd lose his mind he already knows i am crazy about you 

Wade steps closer, his voice low. "Look, Noah, I know things haven't been good between us, but hearing about what happened... I just had to see if you were okay.

Alex: Hey Noah comes to look at this. I think the local news has aired your attack.

Noah: "I can't watch it," Noah blurted, his voice tight. "They're going to twist everything. I think the reason Wade wasn't here to protect me is that I still believe he is hurt by me for cheating on him. Part of me believes that because Wade was my everything and I just didn't fight temptation at a sex party and now the man I want is scooped up by a bartender who doesn't even want him the way I want him. 

Ricky: I don't need your little thug boyfriend running around town making things worse 

Alex, ever the mediator, jumps in. "Whoa, hold on. Maybe we should all just calm down and watch the news it seems as if they caught the guys who attacked Noah. 

Noah bristles. oh, and He's not a thug, Ricky. He just cares about me

Tears welled up in Wade's eyes, spilling over onto his cheeks. "I should have been there," he choked out

Noah: I think i am going to call it a night and go to bed 

Noah squeezed his eyes shut, the emotional rollercoaster finally catching up to him. Maybe tomorrow he could sort through the tangled mess of feelings – Wade's unexpected tears, Ricky's reappearance, the trauma of the attack. For now, all he could do was breathe. Noah stared at the ceiling, the image of Wade's tear-streaked face burned into his memory. What did it mean? Was it just about the attack, or was there something deeper Wade wasn't saying? Sleep, when it finally came, offered no answers 

Wade: This bottle of pain medicine is full have you been taking the medicine?

Noah: I have not been taking the medicine but I think tonight I will take it 

 "Hey," Noah started, his voice rough. "I know this whole thing is messed up, me, you, the attack..." He trailed off, unsure how to articulate the jumble of emotions swirling inside him. But seeing you cry... it threw me for a loop because I thought you didn't care about me. 

Noah! Wade said angrily I care about you but I can't trust you said Wade 

Noah's heart sank. The anger in Wade's voice was a punch to the gut, a stark reminder of his betrayal. Shame washed over him, hot and suffocating. "I know," he rasped, the words barely a whisper. "I messed up, Wade. I don't blame you I just went to a sex party looking for Ricky who unbeknown to me left as soon as I walked in. Let's not dwell on the past anymore

I love you Noah I want us to work things out. said wade

 A flicker of hope ignited in Noah's chest, a fragile ember battling the lingering guilt. He reached out, his hand hovering over Wade's. "I love you too," he admitted, his voice thick with emotion. "But I don't know if I deserve another chance and if I do let's do things slowly. 

wade kisses Noah and the burst of built-up passion sparks between the 2.  The world dissolved into a dizzying kaleidoscope of emotions. Noah surrendered to the kiss, his eyelids fluttering shut. Years of unspoken longing, regret, and a desperate hope for reconciliation all poured into the contact. Wade's touch was a familiar brand of fire against his skin, reigniting a spark Noah thought had long been extinguished.

Their kiss was a tangle of limbs and frantic whispers. Noah could taste the desperation in Wade's every breath, the silent plea for a second chance echoing between their lips. "I missed this," Wade rasped against his mouth, his voice thick with a raw vulnerability that sent shivers down Noah's spine. Noah's eyelids fluttered open, the raw passion of the kiss lingering on his lips. Wade stood before him, shirt half-unbuttoned, a storm of emotions swirling in his eyes. The words that tumbled out were a stark contrast to the heat of their embrace.

"I don't want to hurt you," Wade rasped, his voice thick with concern. "We don't have to do this." I want this baby and you can't hurt me said Noah. 

The interruption could not have been more perfectly awful. Just as the air crackled with raw desire and the unspoken promise of intimacy, the shrill ring of Wade's phone pierced the tension. He fumbled for it on the nightstand, his face a mask of frustration. The caller ID flashed: Dre. A jolt of electricity shot through Noah as he saw the name on the screen. Wade glanced at him, his brow furrowed. He answered the call on speakerphone, his voice strained. "Hey Dre, what's up?" A muffled conversation followed, filled with technical jargon and deadlines. Noah could only pick out fragments, but it was clear something work-related demanded Wade's immediate attention.

By the time Wade hung up, the momentum of the moment had dissipated, replaced by a sense of frustrated resignation. However, something shifted in Wade's eyes. A flicker of defiance replaced the frustration. He silenced the call and met Noah's gaze, a determined glint sparkling within them. "Listen," he started, his voice low and firm. "This can wait I have to go home to dre said Wade 

 Noah reaches for Wade, his fingers brushing against the warm skin of Wade's chest. "Wade," he starts, his voice husky. "Are you sure about this?" There's a vulnerability in his eyes, a mix of desire and the lingering fear of rejection. He needs to hear Wade say it, a clear confirmation of what they both want.

The question hangs in the air, heavy with unspoken emotions. Wade stares at him for a beat, his gaze intense. Then, a slow smile spreads across his face. "Yeah," he rasps, his voice thick with desire. "But maybe..." He trails off, his eyes twinkling with a hint of mischief. "Maybe cuddling first wouldn't be such a bad idea