Chapter 45: Closer Than Before
Monday Morning.
The first alarm buzzed at 6:45 AM. Noel silenced it without a sound.
He was already half-awake anyway.
By 7:10, the water was running. Steam curled around the edges of the bathroom door while Noel stood beneath the shower, trying to chase the weekend warmth out of his chest.
He didn’t want to admit it, but he was still thinking about that last message. "Yeah, I did."
He stepped out, towel around his waist, running another through his damp hair.
The mirror blurred back at him, a hazy reflection that felt too close to how he felt inside.
Just as he opened the door—
Thud.
"Ah—shit," Luca muttered groggily, rubbing his temple where his forehead had collided softly into Noel’s shoulder.
Noel instinctively reached out, catching him by the arms to steady him.