𝐒𝐔𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐂𝐔𝐓 , choen

04 | when i run out of road, you bring me home

There's a long silence after they get back in the car that if Noen did know any better, he'd think it was comfortable.

Tiktok had so unfortunately insisted that they came in the same vehicle, as if they were planned for a situation like this, and it wasn't working out in Noen's favor too much at the moment.

Not that anything was even supposed to work out in Noen's favor he figures. He's merely the social-media-money-puppet here.

They remain silent when Chase starts the engine to hastily escape Hollywood Fix. They remain silent when Chase drives through the wretched city.

And when they have to sit in Los Angeles traffic for over 20 minutes in the same spot-- you better believe silence still ensues.

He's not sure why Chase generously chooses to remain silent, he doesn't want to think that this is his way of caring.

There's no snarky quip from Chase along the lines of I saved your ass, or You should be thanking me right now.

Not that he could even deal with such a thing right now. The asphyxiating pressure of being perceived together by millions of strangers who couldn't know better if they tried at this very moment was torture enough.

Noen stares out into the window, he guesses he might get used to the late-night drives from the crazy times TikTok insists they meet them out. That's one part Noen doesn't mind too much. Maybe even the only part.

It's a long drive to the suburbs, after all. If he intentionally catches a glimpse of a place or two that he's been to with Chase before, he'd never admit it to even himself.

Not the grassy park by the heart of Beverly Hills, not the quaint ice cream shop by the flea market he used to love, not the sidewalk of Melrose Avenue, and definitely not the sushi place where he realized he had fell hard for this boy so long ago.

Noen's painfully aware when the car comes to a crawl once they turn the corner on his street.

He wishes he can daydream for the rest of time, something about the delusional make-shift sanctuary of memories in this car makes him feel safe.

The familiarity of cinnamon car-freshener and the mess of sweaters in the backseat, it meant something to him at one point in time and it still does.

"Um.. we're here." Chase says weakly and quiet as he looks down to evade eye contact.

Noen steps out without saying a word, and he realizes that maybe he hasn't changed as much as he wants to believe.

***

When Noen wakes up the next morning he realizes slowly that he must've knocked out on the couch. And while he was ready for a slow morning with no strange corporate meetings he sees a text from Anthony Reeves.

Ah. Shit.

The events from the previous day speed into him. Noen was way too tired last night to even try to think about their little awkward encounter with Hollywood Fix, let alone watch it.

He opens the influx of notifications to peek at their conversation.

Anthony's sent him the link to the video and a frenzy of messages asking him if it was true and playful jokes of why he didn't bother to tell him.

Don't get Noen wrong, Anthony was a very good friend. One of the only ones he had since his split from Tiktok as a whole.

He thinks back to what management told him about not telling anyone. While Anthony may be a dear friend, he's also still a Tiktoker-- with a large circle of self-proclaimed influencers who would kill for another 5 seconds of fame.

Word can travel fast if he's not cautious about this.

Noen scrambles up a response about how yes, they did make up. Sorry you didn't know because not even I knew until a few days ago.

He leaves out that last sentence, and the bit where he's going to intentionally date him for mutual benefit, although if he's being real it's more for Chase's. All Noen's seeking to gain from this is not being hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt.

Anthony's satisfied with his half-assed response, as he would be.

After that, he takes up the mental challenge of watching the video for himself.

Not that it would make any difference now that everyone who was anyone has seen it, but he might as well know if he's made a fool of himself on the internet again or not.

The video stands at about three minutes and twelve seconds, it definitely felt like longer when he was there though.

It starts off with the Hollywood Fix crew happening to stumble upon outside the Tiktok building.

They begin asking their outlandish questions once they see Noen and Chase walking outside together. Noen catches up on a question or two from the video he missed while he had been out of it.

Thankfully he doesn't look too bad for literally having a panic attack, he mostly looks like he was conveniently spacing out.

Chase looks as confident as ever, talking to the camera with the experience he's had during his years of being in the public-eye.

Once the video's over he almost wants to pat himself on the back. Not for morally deceiving millions of people of course, just that they actually looked believable.

Though he guesses anyone's word could be taken as long as a camera was shoved in their face and put on one of the hugest channels on TikTok.

The first step was over. What the second step would bring though, was not as simple as putting on a facade on camera for a few minutes, that dawns on him with the next message he receives from management.

His stomach turns with every word he reads.

Great work with that video! Chase has always been a natural at improvising, he's a great wonder you should be thankful for working with. We're planning on moving forward fast since we want to garner as much general public reaction as possible. A reservation is scheduled for you two next Friday at eight o' clock at the restaurant we've linked below. We've arranged for paparazzi to show up at the end of your date. Make sure to get the kiss on camera! xoxo

Noen needs a drink. Or five.

***

author's notes

yadda yadda sorry for taking slow updates a little too close to heart. i can't guarantee it won't happen again but i can guarantee is that the story reallyyy starts from here ;) i'm really excited to write the process of them slowly picking up their broken pieces and learning to forgive and let go.. and thats when i swoop in with the #gayfeelings cause wow who could've seen that coming.