Mitch and Noah

Noah~ Found

Waking up in warmth, Noah didn't let himself think for the first few seconds of bliss.

"Da?"

Mitch jumping up from behind and taking away his arms protective blanket snapped him out of it, and Noah sat up sleepily as Mitch grabbed at his back and Rowan.

"Hey, bud. I'll bet you're hungry. Now, I know I put the formula in the kitchen...one second. Here, sit with Noah."

Noah smiled and held out his arms in agreement as Mitch groaned.

"I did tell you your body would rebel in the morning."

"Worth it."

Mitch's laughter as he went to fetch a bottle for Rowan triggered the night before's memories, and a red heat crept up his neck to his face.

He had actually agreed to be Mitch's boyfriend. Hugging Rowan to him, Noah's chest felt ready to burst with both worry and excitement.

He still wasn't positive if he would be able to sustain a healthy relationship with all the past trauma that was still pretty fresh in his mind, but he knew that a part of him now believed with Mitch by his side, he could possibly do that and even more.

"So, what's the plan for today? I was thinking of whipping up some scrambled eggs and toast if you're a breakfast person like myself. Or we can stop and grab you something on the way back to your place?"

Mitch grabbed at a finally awake and standing in Noah's arms Rowan, who grabbed at Mitch with a huge smile before popping the bottle hungrily in his mouth.

"Do you like scrambled eggs little guy?"

Bouncing him and walking around the room in circles, Noah could see that Mitch was a natural dad. Rowan was going to be so lucky to have someone like Mitch to watch over him and care for him.

His insides fluttered wildly at the thought that HE had that too, his mind almost not daring to focus on the thought to hard, in fear that he may wake up from the dream he was living in real time.

"Yeah, I like eggs and toast. Sorry you have to drive me. I could try to call Grace-"

"Ummm No. I would never push my boyfriend off to someone else like some burden to be dealt with. You're now in the top two of most important people in my world, and with that promotion comes perks."

Noah laughed.

"Oh, really?"

Mitch smiled his dazzling crooked smile, imprinting even deeper on Noah's heart.

"But of course, my sweet. First off, chauffeur, this perk is contingent on work, but is an insistence of mine should you need to go anywhere when I'm free."

Mitch winked as Rowan giggled in excitement with Mitch's ever faster pace of circles around the room.

"I see."

Noah held in a laugh at the joy emanating throughout the room.

"Second perk, Me. HA! No, I joke."

"Hey, I count that as a definite perk."

Mitch stopped his walking as Noah rose from the floor carrying some blankets with him which he threw onto the nearby couch.

He felt the kiss attack coming even before Mitch walked straight to him and pecked his lips, cheek, and then neck loudly, making him and Rowan burst out in giggles.

"You better stop saying flattering things, otherwise I might have some serious restraint issues."

"Well, that's just tempting me to say them more, isn't it."

Mitch flashed a mischievous smile while raising an eyebrow in amusement and gave a final loud kiss to Noah's cheek while giving a quick squeeze to his lower one. He then walked away towards the kitchen, bouncing Rowan softly in his arms as he went.

It was surprising how naturally comfortable Noah was saying things that he normally only thought and never dared speak out loud. There was a rare sense of safety around Mitch, and he felt more comfortable than ever to go with the flow and be himself; Something he was still figuring out how to do day by day. An identity development he noticed was evolving faster being around Mitch's free-spirited, protective presence.

The light at the end of the tunnel had not only appeared, but they were running full speed ahead towards it in his opinion, and Noah couldn't shake the gratitude he felt surging throughout him for Mitch as he began to clean up the living room floor; folding the blankets and towels and such and placing them on the couch before heading to the bathroom with his bag to change into the cleanest dirty clothes he could find.

He was grateful he'd be able to go home and grab new ones, though when he put on his sweater and caught a whiff of Mitch's musky scent, he figured that maybe one more day wearing it might not be all that bad.

.

After a quick and surprisingly delicious breakfast, Mitch bathed and dressed Rowan with almost no help from Noah, and then handed him over so that he could also get dressed for the day.

Noah was grateful to have Rowan as a distraction, as the second Mitch walked out in a tight pair of faded blue jeans and a button up shirt, he knew his eyes might pop out of his head from oogling too much.

"We might be meeting with Amelia today. I was gonna call her with more info, but it's been a busy few days, you know?"

"From what I've heard of her love for tea, I'm sure she's resisting the urge to bug you for it."

"ha-ha, You can bet I have a few missed calls and more than 5 texts. I feel bad, but sometimes it's better to process the moment just by focusing on living in it."

Mitch began getting things packed into the new, brown, spotted diaper bag Noah had convinced him was imperative, and after a few trips to the car to empty it, they all headed out towards Noah's place.

He figured Grace would be gone, as she was always busy with some project or another from earlier in the morning than Noah wanted to rise and as he walked into a empty apartment his hunch was confirmed. She had left him a welcome back note on the fridge with instructions to eat the leftovers inside, which was very Grace of her.

With Mitch waiting in the car with Rowan, Noah hurried to throw his bag on his bed and change before locking up and leaving. Ready for another day of adventure, and grateful that he was still off, he knew another sleepover was, disappointingly, out of the question with his schedule to open the next morning. That meant he would get as much enjoyment from the day off as he could, to energize him throughout the next day.

As he slammed the door shut and locked it, he noticed a pink heart post it on the top corner of the door that he hadn't noticed when rushing inside.

He grabbed it as he glanced with a smile towards the car at Mitch who was turned around towards Rowan in the backseat.

His full heart of joy stopped instantly in horror as he stared down at the all-too-familiar writing on the note in his hand.

HELLO JACK. I KNEW I'D FIND YOU.

~LU