other half

Silence

Lydia headed upstairs leaving Noah to his own devices in the living room while she changed out of her pyjamas and returned fully dressed in a pair of black jeans and a white tank top that she had tucked into her jeans with a cream chunky knit cardigan over her outfit, leaving it open.
She stared at herself in her bedroom mirror for a moment, taking in her slightly ruffled appearance she smiled, brushing her hands on her jeans she headed back downstairs.

"Do you want a tea? Coffee?"

"I'm okay thank you" he replied smiling kindly at her.
She gulped pouring herself a cup of coffee.

"So what are you Um? What are you doing back?" She asked slightly uncomfortable taking a seat across from him on the armchair opposite the sofa.
She fiddled with the hot mug, feeling the tension in her chest build as past images flashed through her mind. She bit the inside of her cheek, bringing the hot coffee up to her lips. A mistake she wasn't aware she was making until the scorching liquid scolded her tongue and she dropped the cup, spilling it all over the rug.

"Shit" she spat under breath as he launched across the room to help her clear it up, both of them bashing their heads.

"Damn it" she growled, louder this time, sitting back in the chair, rubbing her forehead. He did the same, laughing at how awkward they were after all this time apart. Part of him thought that maybe they'd go back to the way that they were when they were younger.

"You have a daughter now" his voice was strained from the throbbing pain in the bridge of his nose.
Her heart ached as she looked up at him, nodding gently. Scoffing slightly, one look at him and it was like her entire past had been rewritten, like she didn't have Richard or Katy she was just the same as she was when they were teenagers themselves. Laughing nervously she continued to clear up the mess she had made.

"Yeah, she's wonderful, but teenagers you know, they're a handful"

"I, uh, I actually wouldn't know" he rubbed the back of his neck. The woman's eyes were wide. She had made up this story in her mind that somewhere far away, the love of her life was with someone else, living with their own children most likely happily married. Only to find he was single and childless, she couldn't tell if she was envious or slightly depressed by his circumstance.

"then take it from someone who does" she chuckled gently feeling her cheeks flush. 

"So mason huh?"

"excuse me?" picking up the mug from the floor and moving to the kitchen she tried to avoid the topic of conversation, it was a slightly awkward one for her. Mason was like the older brother she never had, she adored him, Noah no doubt still wouldn't approve of the nature of their relationship. He wouldn't really approve of her still being involved with his family, not that she still had to take his wishes into account anymore.

"You and my brother? Is that why you left Rich-"

"Dont!" she snapped, taking him by surprise. Her face had twisted and her careful nature had slipped away. There she was, the girl he knew, the fiery little girl from many years ago. He had caught a slight glimpse, with that they were back.

"Don't?"

"you don't get to march in here and suggest that I was sleeping with mason and that, that's why mine and Richards relationship failed! i was loyal! i was strong! i made all the decisions, supported the family but the minute i needed something where was he? nowhere! he was getting pissed up down the road- Where were you huh? you knew i would have stayed! you knew that i would have waited i'd have-"

"that was the problem...i'd have pulled you down"

"to what? Look at me Noah, i moved back to our house, i raised her here with stories of us, she doesn't even know you and she loves you she always has done, so maybe yeah i ran my marriage into the ground but he dug the grave for it and he was the one to run like a coward instead of fighting for us...you know when i was in the hospital having Katy all i could think of was how much i wanted you there, how much i wanted it to be us... However many bloody years on and I still wanted it to be you, so don't Mason was good to me, he was good to us, Mason took care of us when Rich couldn't Mason was my best friend and when I needed you the most he stepped in" She stopped, staring into his eyes as the tears reappeared. Once upon a time she would have hated for anyone to see her the way she was now, her armour was down but her shields were up around him. How many days? how many nights had she wondered just where he was now, if he was still alive, how many times she cried herself to sleep all those years ago knowing that the one thing she wanted had been ripped from her by the person she loved the most. They were just kids yes, but it didn't matter, not to her. She wanted more for them and in a way she had given it to herself, raising her child in their home, telling her the stories which for the longest time Katy had thought were just stories. Tales her mother told to make her father seem somewhat less evil in her eyes, only to find out Noah was a real person and was never her father at all and loved him still. 

"you moved back, you still wanted this life for us but I wanted better for you, I made you part of something that you never should have been a part of in the first place" He stepped forwards placing his hands on her cheeks. Smiling as he stared down at her, that same soft charming smile.

Should it have been a movie you'd possibly get a flash of an image from the past mimicking them holding them there in the same position from what would feel like a lifetime ago. 

They were children then. Wild and in love. Young but they knew, more than anyone they knew, they were endgame. They were each others other half. The ying and yang. The darkness that he bore and the light that made her.

A typical love story to some. 

"I love you princess, I've been looking for you all over since I can remember" Pressing her hand against his she smiled back at him.

"You should have looked harder...dumbass" She teased. He puled her closer to him, moving one hand to her back in a slight embrace. Holding her there he inched towards her, edging to close the gap between them. She waited for him for a moment but he didnt move after a while he just watched.

"Say it then princess" He whispered, lips centimetres from hers.

"as if it hasn't been clear this entire time?"

"Just say it...for me?"

"I love you Noah" she smirked, taking control and pulling him to her.