Chapter 27: What?
Noelle sat in front of the mirror, methodically oiling and brushing his hair, but his focus kept drifting. Thorne had been acting strange all day, even though he looked perfectly relaxed now, lounging on the bed. Still, Noelle noticed the smallest things about him, and today, it was the twitch of Thorne's left pinky finger that betrayed his anxiety. He'd seen this before—back when Thorne had been so determined to walk again after being bound to the wheelchair for months.
Noelle tried to ignore it at first, continuing with his grooming routine, but he couldn't. Thorne's tension hung in the air, distracting him more and more with each passing minute. Finally, unable to take the atmosphere anymore, Noelle cut his routine short, setting down his brush and rising from his chair.
The sudden movement made Thorne jump up like a spring. "You're done?!" he blurted out, far too eagerly. Noelle simply raised an eyebrow, watching him carefully.
Thorne's face flushed as he caught himself, taking a few deep breaths to calm his obvious nervousness. After a moment, he spoke again, his voice a bit more composed. "Will you go somewhere with me tomorrow?" he asked, but there was a strange edge to his tone.
Noelle's curiosity piqued. "Sure," he replied, still watching Thorne closely, wondering what was on his mind. The anxious energy radiating from him suggested that whatever this was about, it was important.
*
Noelle stood at the top of the hill, panting softly. His legs ached from the climb, and he was more than a little confused. Why in the world had Thorne dragged him up here, especially in this cold? The chilly wind nipped at his face, but he was thankful for his fur-lined jacket. He glanced over to where their little house sat in the distance—it seemed so peaceful from this vantage point. Under the large tree, Thorne was fussing about, laying down the blanket and pulling out fruits from the basket he'd insisted on bringing.
"All set!" Thorne called out, looking up at him, but his expression was anything but calm. His nervous energy was almost palpable, and the sight of it made a knot tighten in Noelle's stomach.
What is going on? Noelle thought, his mind racing. The more he observed Thorne's anxious movements, the more his own thoughts spiraled. *Is he about to break up with me?* Panic and anger flashed through him at the thought. *Well, if that's what he thinks, he's got another thing coming. We're not breaking up. He's mine.*
Determined, he moved to sit on the blanket, his eyes never leaving Thorne as he prepared himself for whatever was about to come next. If Thorne thought Noelle would just accept whatever was happening without a fight, he was sorely mistaken.