Chapter 125: The Quiet After
A few minutes later, the bathroom door creaked open and steam rolled out.
Noel stepped into the room, towel slung around his shoulders, hair damp and curling at the ends.
He rubbed it dry as he walked past Luca sat on the edge of his bed, elbows on his knees, fingers loosely interlaced.
"You wanna shower now?" Noel asked, tossing the towel aside and reaching for a shirt.
Luca glanced up, then shook his head. "Later."
Something in his tone made Noel pause. He turned, shirt half-pulled over his head. "You good?"
Luca hesitated just a second too long. "Yeah," he said finally, forcing a smile. "Just tired."
Noel didn’t look convinced. He stepped closer, dropping onto the bed beside him. "C’mon," he said, grabbing Luca’s wrist with a quiet tug. "Nap with me."
Luca let out a breath, not quite a sigh, and followed without protest.
The bed dipped under their weight as they lay back together, the space between them disappearing with a quiet ease.
Noel closed his eyes.
But Luca stared up at the ceiling.