"you make me weep just looking at you"

For good this time

"Mischa?"
Noel immediately opened the door wider, to give Mischa room to enter.

Mischa and Noel had established this dynamic a while ago. Whenever it wasn't safe to be at home, Mischa could go to Noels house and spend the night, or however long he needed.
This time was different, though. Noel could gather that much from the look on his face. No words were exchanged. Noel simply stepped aside to let Mischa in farther, and they both went to Noels bedroom.

"Did you eat? I have food, I can go get you something." Noel offered, his tone gentle.
Mischa simply shook his head, still preferring not to talk.
"No, you didn't eat? Or no you don't want anything."

"No, I do not need anything."
"Okay." Noel gave a gentle smile. It was strange how only around an hour ago, he was sobbing so hard his ears popped, but this wasn't about him.
In the dim light of his room, Noel could get a better look at Mischa. He had a busted lip, and the beginnings of a nasty shiner around his left eye, the skin red and slightly raised. There was an already purpling bruise on his left cheek.

In short, Mischa looked awful.

"Do you wanna talk about it?"

"Bad argument. Worse than all." Noel figured that's what happened. Mischa's slightly curly brown hair was just out of place, just the right amount of messy to look good rather than awful. Noel couldn't say the same. He had just finished sobbing for an hour, and his hair definitely looked it. Mischa's eyes were ever so slightly bloodshot, much akin to Noels, who's eyes were admittedly much more red-rimmed. If this were any other situation, Noel would be blushing like he had a fever and would barely be able to get a few words out; but this situation was serious, and Mischa needed comfort.

"Do you have any other injuries, or is it just your face?" Noel asked tentatively. He watched the rise and fall of Mischa's chest, occasionally stuttering ever so slightly.
"Just my face. It doesn't hurt badly. Do not worry." Noel wanted so badly to reach out and take Mischa's hand, to draw circles around it with his thumb, to comfort Mischa. But Mischa might not be ok with physical contact right now, and Noel didn't want to risk making Mischa panic.

"You're not going back right now, right?" Noel hoped Mischa would stay. Noel hoped Mischa knew he could stay as long as he needed to–- as long as he wanted to.
At this question Mischa hesitated, stiffened. He seemed to be debating whether or not to tell-- or ask-- Noel something.
"No. I am not going back. Running away," Mischa started. There was a look in his eyes-- soft, but not peaceful, like the calm before the storm. Noel could almost see the clouds start to roll in when Mischa started talking again.
"For good this time."

Mischa then looked over at Noel, into Noel's eyes. The storm clouds had rolled away just as fast as they had appeared; foggy, misty skies replaced them. Mischa looked at Noel like a stray puppy would look at a potential savior. Pleading.
"Can I stay, Noel?" Mischa's voice shook, clearly trying to keep it together. Bracing himself for refusal.
"Of course. Of course, Mischa." Noel didn't even hesitate.
With that, the dam broke. Everything Mischa must have been doing to keep himself from crying failed, and he fell forward into Noel's chest, giving heavy sobs that shook Noel through his bones; had their height difference been anything more than an inch or two, the position would have been awkward, uncomfortable, even. But they fit right in each other's arms, like they were made for each other. Noel led Mischa to his bed, both sitting down and adjusting to a more comfortable position.

"My birthday is in a few months-- that's all I need. I will get a job. I will move out on 18th birthday." Mischa whispered, barely audible from the heaving sobs, though his accent was still clear. Noel brought a hand up to stroke Mischa's hair.
"You can stay longer, Mischa. I don't mind. And my mom won't care, she'd honestly be too drunk to notice." Noel had meant that last part as a sort of joke, to try and make Mischa feel even the slightest bit better, but it was also the truth. It had taken his Mother 4 months to notice he had cut his hair, and another 4 to notice his-- at the time-- new piercings.
"In fact, I'd like for you to stay longer. It would be fun, we can be, like, roommates or something."
Mischa only held on tighter. He gripped the fabric of the back of whatever sweater Noel had put on like his life depended on it.

They stayed like that for a while, Noel cradling Mischa, softly playing with his hair, and Mischa holding on like Noel was the only thing that existed in that moment. It was, in all honesty, nice. Sure, Noel would have preferred for the context to be slightly different, to have Mischa not be as miserable as he was right now, but still. Noel was happy to be of some comfort to the other. As the sobbing slowed, Mischa stopped holding on so tight. When the crying stopped completely, Mischa pulled away.

"You need something different to wear. Your clothes do not look comfortable to sleep in. At all." Mischa just nodded, sniffing every so often.
Noel got up to find something for the other to sleep in. Again, Noel would be blushing furiously at the thought of Mischa wearing his clothes to sleep in, but one, it happened before on one of the nights Mischa stayed over, and two, Mischa just needed comfort right now. This was not the time for Noel to dwell on his gigantic crush.
Clothes obtained successfully; Noel gave them to Mischa to put on. Noel left the room for Mischa to change. Mischa was sitting in Noel's bed when he returned.
"Do you want to watch a movie? I don't have any of the Saw movies, but I have a couple slashers." The smallest ghost of a smile crossed Mischa's face, and he nodded. Noel listed the small collection of slasher movies he had bult up until Mischa found one he liked. Noel preferred psychological horrors rather than torture-porn bloodbath slasher movies, but Noel enjoyed watching Mischa's eyes light up during a particularly gory scene, and Noel loved it when Mischa launched into a rant about how good and how difficult the special effects were, and how exactly they were done.

When the movie started playing, Noel sat next to Mischa on his bed. They weren't weird about sleeping in the same bed anymore, as this had happened so many times. They weren't too awkward about physical affection either, the only issue now was that Noel had recently developed a big, fat crush on the other.
Noel attempted to act normal as they got situated, but he seemed to be hyper aware of literally everything. The heat from Mischa's body, the soft thumping of his heart, the way one of Mischa's arms wrapped around Noel protectively while the other was resting in Mischa's lap.

Noel attempted to shut everything out as best he could, and as the movie played, and it got later and later, both boys eventually fell asleep holding each other, breathing syncing up and hearts beating in time with each other.