Chapter 17: Peace Costs Effort
Noel stood up, pulling on a clean shirt, his movements calm but unreadable.
Luca, still lounging on his bed, peeked over. "Are you still mad at me?"
Noel paused, halfway through buttoning up. "What?"
Luca shifted. "You’re leaving?"
"No." Noel glanced at him. "I just want to eat something outside."
There was a beat. Then Luca, in his usual dramatic drawl, sat up straighter. "I just suddenly feel hungry now..."
Noel gave him a blank look, waiting.
"Can I come?" Luca added, like he was offering the biggest peace treaty in history.
Noel didn’t answer right away. He grabbed his phone, slid it into his pocket, then finally looked at Luca again.
"You coming because you’re actually hungry," he asked, "or because you’re scared to be left alone in the room without supervision?"
Luca grinned. "Bit of both?"