Just Pretend

Chapter 54 - Flatpack & Tequila

The reality hits me as walking around the store looking at simple things like pots and pans. They never seemed like such a big deal until today.

Noah chuckles from behind me as he leans on the trolly allowing it to pull him forward.

"You know what ones you want? You've been examining the same pans for like ten minutes now." I can't help but sigh at his question. "What's wrong baby?" I feel arms wrap around my waist and he plants a small kiss on the crook of my neck.

"It's just overwhelming... I've never lived with a boy before." I explain as Noah takes the pan out of my hand.

"Not a boy, a man. You're living with a real man." Noah jokes with his fake bravado as he spins me around to face him. "Seriously baby, you're okay. We're okay. This is new to both of us. Just talk to me. Communicate with me. We can do anything. We've got this Mar." Noah smiles at me with reassurance.

It's sounds so dumb but it's exactly what I needed. Just to be told that we're both in this together, that it's new for both of us but we'll navigate it together.

"I love you." I whisper and he quickly pecks me on the lips.

"I love you too. Now pick god damn pan." Noah winks.

"I kinda like the cream ones but they'll be a pain to keep clean. Black is always classic right?" I think aloud.

"Black is always classic." Noah nods reassuringly putting the cream pan back in exchange for the black set. "So what's next on the list?" Noah asks placing the pans in the trolley.

"Literally everything else that we need to fill and decorate a house with." I giggle as Noah pushes the trolley down the aisle.

"Perfect, one thing ticked off another three hundred and fifty seven more to tick off." Noah jokes and I can't help but roll my eyes.

"Exactly, let's get a move on."

*

"Are you nervous about all the Europe shows?" I ask Noah as we make our way inside the house, hands full with shopping bags.

"A little... more about the travel than anything else." Noah replies as he kicks the front door shut with his foot.

"I know baby but you'll be alright. You'll have all of us with you." I smile at him trying to put his mind at ease him but clearly not doing a very good job.

"Everything's always more than alright if you're around." Noah replies returning my smile with his own.

We begin to unpack everything that we've bought putting things away in cupboards, placing rugs and pillows throughout the house giving it a much more homely comfortable vibe than before.

"It's a shame we won't really get to enjoy the house until we come home." I think aloud looking at Noah as we both take a seat on the floor ready to attempt to assemble the flatpack furniture that we bought.

"I know..." Noah sighs and tears open the cardboard box that contains our coffee table in a what seems like hundreds of small parts. "I'm sorry." Noah looks over to me apologetically.

"Oh Noah don't be sorry it's hardly your fault. We both agreed to get our own place together before you went on tour. Please don't look at me like that." I tell him taking his hand in my own giving it a quick squeeze.

"I know but you're right. We're hardly able to make this place a home and then we'll be away for a couple of months. Mar am I messing this up? I feel like I making it more complicated than it needs to be." Noah mumbles and I scoot over to his side wrapping my arms around him, pulling him close to me, his arms instantly wrap around my waist and I kiss the top of his head.