Chapter 9: Scolded
Aka You're Not Supposed to Tell
Pssssst. More spastic POV changing. Sorry for the inconvenience
XoXo... Noah's POV ...XoXo
I cracked open one of my eyes and saw the night sky. I must've fallen asleep, I thought, blinking at the stars. I shivered as I sat up, wincing at the pain that settled in my joints from laying down on a park bench for so long. I rubbed my eyes, flinching as I felt how cold my hands were. I breathed onto them to warm them.
I sneezed and rubbed my hands together. I'm freezing.
"There you are."
I jumped at the voice, on my feet in a second, hands up in fists.
I relaxed, but didn't let my guard down when I saw Hughes standing a few feet away from me. He put his hands up in surrender.
"Why the hell are you here?" I snapped, trying to put anger in my voice I didn't have.
He frowned, crossing his arms over his chest. "I should be asking you the same question," he fired back, his tone sharp. "I've been worried sick about you."
I paused, the statement confusing me.
"I've been patrolling the streets for hours looking for you," he continued, walking toward me. I took a step back. He stopped.
"Sorry for wasting your time," I said, trying to keep my voice hard. "Tell Gracia thanks for everything, but I'll be out of your hair now."
Hughes scowled, his eyes flashing in anger. "Dammit, Noah!" I flinched away, surprised at his sudden change. I didn't think he was capable of being angry. "I don't know what the hell has gotten into you, but knock it off!"
I tried to shoot something back but he cut me off again.
"Don't you start with me!" He shouted, finger pointing. "I don't know what kind of things you've had to go through that made you so angry at the military, but you do not get to run off like that and scare me half to death, do you understand me?"
A mixture of emotions swirled in my chest. Confusion, guilt, and frustration piled in my gut as he yelled at me.
He marched up to me then and I was too shocked to move away. I shut my eyes tightly, bracing myself for the beating that was bound to come. When he draped something over my shoulders, I flinched, but relaxed upon feeling the fabric over me. I stared up at him with wide eyes.
"You're going to catch a cold if you don't keep warm," he said, his usual warm tone returning.
I pulled the jacket over myself tighter, grateful for the warmth. Then he flicked me in the nose. I recoiled back, clasping a hand over the offended area.
"Don't do that again," he said in that firm tone he had used on Elycia.
I gaped at him, unable to fathom what just happened.
I think I just got scolded.
It was a weird sensation.
"C'mon, let's go home, shall we?" He said, turning and walking away.
I didn't know what else to do but follow.
XoXo... Ivy's POV ...XoXo
Al sat opposite of me on the bed, buzzing with excitement. He had been questioning me nonstop about one thing or another, testing my knowledge. I didn't know if it was because he was genuinely interested or he was still testing me to see if I had been lying. I dutifully answered each one, relieved that most of the questions were universal to both series.
It was funny, seeing him so excited over something. He had also asked a few questions of my own dimension, and a few I had to politely decline answering. I didn't want to overload him with information that might overwhelm him. Facts about the future that might tamper with the past, and the like.
"Yeah, it's small enough to carry in your pocket," I told him, trying to explain the use of cell phones. "And it's sort of like...a library full of information at your fingertips with 24 hour access."
"Wow," he breathed and I wished I could see his face. He was like a little kid, all the curiosity in the world. "I bet Winry would love to take apart one of those things."
I smiled at the wonder in his voice.
"It's so strange how technologically advanced your dimension is. I wonder how far advanced alchemy is," he wondered to himself.
I bit my lip, fiddling with the sleeves of my jacket. "Oh, yeah...about that..."
He turned to me patiently and I felt apprehension at the prospect of explaining that alchemy didn't exist where I came from. Exhaustion hit me like a train. I suddenly felt extremely tired. And incredibly dirty. My clothes may be different, but I still haven't taken a shower from that incident with Ugly.
Wow. Was that really just earlier today?
It felt like days had gone by. So much has happened in such a short amount of time. I've done so much running. And so much crying. I wanted to collapse in bed and sleep for a week.
"Hey, Alphonse?"
"Yes?"
"Is it okay if I take a shower?" I asked. "I promise we'll continue our conversation and tell you everything you wanna know."
He shook his head. "No, no, of course it's okay. Go ahead," he urged and I gratefully smiled at him.
I rummaged through my suitcase I hadn't unpacked yet and grabbed some clothes as I exited the room. I poked my head out, searching for the eldest Elric, and rejoiced as I found he was still in his room. I managed to evade him yet again.
I crept into the bathroom, eagerly anticipating the long-awaited shower.
XoXo... Noah POV ...XoXo
The car ride to the apartment was quiet.
"Um..."
Hughes didn't respond. He was probably still pissed at me.
"So..." I started, feeling awkward under the silence. "About earlier, um..."
He didn't move, only kept his eyes trained on the road.
"I'm not used to...trusting...people easily," I reluctantly admitted, still feeling guilty. "From where I come from, people aren't so damn nice. I just...the cops where I'm from don't really...what I'm trying to say is—"
"Noah?"
"Yeah?"
"I forgive you."
He was smiling at the road.
XoXo... Ivy's POV ...XoXo
The grime and dirt had washed from my skin, but no matter what I tried, I couldn't stop seeing my hands stained red. In my panic, I scrubbed my arms and hands until my skin was pink and irritated. It wasn't until my fingers turned into prunes and I started getting lightheaded from the steam did I realize I had been in the shower for far too long.
I dried myself off quickly, not wanting to keep Alphonse waiting for longer than I already had. I changed into some sweats and a t-shirt and skulked out of the bathroom.
I nearly ran back into the shower when I saw Edward, sitting on the sofa. He looked up when he heard the door open and his eyes met mine.
"Hey," he said.
"Hey."
Silence.
He cleared his throat, looking very uncomfortable. "How was the walk?" he asked, and it sounded like he forced the question.
I blinked, trying to think of what he meant, when it hit. "Fine," I said quickly.
More silence.
"So, uh, about today," he started. He darted his eyes to a point at the wall opposite him, rubbing the back of his neck. "Today was...I just wanted to say that you, um, did good out there, considering the circumstances."
It looked like the words pained him to speak and I realized he probably never had to be in this position. He was one of those people who gave tough love. He was asking if I was okay, in that weird way of his. He was entirely out of his comfort zone dealing with a girl he had no obligation to. And here I was, worrying him, putting him in harm's way, and lying to his face.
I felt like the scum of the earth.
"I'M SORRY!"
I burst into tears, hiding my face in my hands. He looked pale, looking from me to the door, as if contemplating running away. I wouldn't blame him. I was snotting all over the place; it was probably super gross.
Alphonse, having heard my cry, burst from the room.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" I continued on, staring red-faced at Edward.
"F-For what?" He asked.
I thought I could see Al emphatically shaking his head when I blurted out, "For lying to you about everything!"
Through my watery eyes I could see Ed furrowing his brows, confused. I heard Al sigh.
"What does she mean, Al?" He asked slowly, eyeing me like a bomb.
"We were going to tell you when we could make more sense of it," he started and Ed's eyes narrowed.
"Tell me what?" He asked, his voice sharp.
That was when I made my teary confession. I told him everything, unloading all my thoughts and problems out in the open. I told him of how I got here, the earthquake, where I was really from. I even spilled the beans about the series, trying hard to make my babbling coherent enough amongst the tears. He was pacing in the room now, eyes on the floor as he touched his chin with his fist in thought. Alphonse was on the couch opposite me, offering me tissues.
"I never wanted to do anything bad, honest!" I explained pleadingly. "I just want to find Noah and try to get back home."
I wiped my nose with a balled up tissue, feeling embarrassed about my outburst now. I had just had an entire pep talk to myself about not crying, and here I was, breaking down again. It confused me; I was never this sensitive before. Why was I now?
Maybe I'm going insane, I thought ruefully.
"Brother..."
"I'm thinking," he snapped, still pacing.
I waited with baited breath, stealing a glance at Alphonse. I tried sending an apology through my eyes for spilling the beans so early after we decided not to say anything. He reassuringly patted my knee. It didn't make me feel any better.
Edward stopped. I felt my hands get clammy as he stared at me with unreadable eyes.
"Why am I supposed to believe you?"
I swallowed, trying to form a response to that. "I-I guess you aren't obligated to, but," I stood on shaky legs. "It'd explain this."
I gingerly sped-walked to my room, avoiding Ed's gaze, and ransacked my suitcase for the thing that ultimately convinced Alphonse. I snatched the watch up and hurried back into the common area, holding my hand out to him.
He watched me carefully, putting his hand out, palm up. I dropped it into it.
Upon seeing the watch, his eyes widened. He inspected the state insignia with confusion and clicked it open.
The look on his face was indescribable. He snapped the watch closed, jaw pulled taut. He stared at me with a whirlwind of emotions, eyes darting over my face in search of a reason, an answer.
"Brother," Al cautioned quietly.
"How do you know about this," he spat, his tone calm, but words laced in outrage.
"It's merchandise for your story," I said quickly, fear crawling up my throat. "I know it sounds insane, but I swear I'm telling the truth."
He exploded. "WHAT'S YOUR ANGLE, HUH?!" He closed the distance between us in two steps. He gathered the front of my shirt in his fists, lifting me so I was only an inch from his face.
"Brother!" Al shouted, standing up quickly.
"What do you want?! Money? Intel?!" he shouted enraged. It took all it had in me not to burst into tears all over again. "How long have you been spying on us, huh?!"
"I wasn't spying!" I yelled desperately, tugging at his hands to let go. Alphonse was pulling at his brother's shoulders now.
"Brother, stop!"
"How else would you know then?!" He roared, shaking me.
"BROTHER, STOP!"
He froze at the sound of Al's command.
"Stop," Al pleaded again, voice quiet.
He slowly released the front of my shirt and I jumped away quickly, holding back tears. I smoothed the front of my shirt with shaky hands as I glared at him, trying to mask the hurt and fear. He returned my glare with a frown and instinctively I flinched at seeing it. Upon seeing that, he darted his eyes away, and ran toward the door.
The sound of it slamming ricocheted in my ears.
I felt the tears brimming in my eyes and I swiped them away before they could fall.
Alphonse approached me slowly, hands up, as if I were a frightened animal. "Ivy—"
"Go," I forced out, my voice rough.
He hesitated.
"Go," I repeated, firmer. I looked into his eyes with what I hoped appeared as strength. "Find him."
He looked distraught. "Will you be okay?" he asked, already leaning toward the door.
"I'll be fine," I lied, though I hoped saying it into existence would make it true. "Go to your brother."
He nodded, relieved, and ran after him.
I was left again with the sound of the slamming door echoing in my ears.
Alphonse flew down the staircase, taking them two at a time. He felt his mind whirl in all sorts of emotions, but the two that rang clearer than the rest were concern and anger. He was angry at Ivy for not being able to keep her mouth shut and he was angry at Ed for reacting the way he did. Most of all he was filled with worry.
He contemplated briefly which way he would go searching for next, but the moment he tore open the hotel doors, he was met with the back of his brother.
They didn't speak for a moment. Al noticed that in his haste Ed didn't grab his jacket and he saw a breeze ruffle his hair. Al hoped it wasn't cold out; the last thing they needed was him getting sick.
"Do you believe her?"
His voice broke through the quiet. Snapping out of his reverie, Al felt the emotion of anger well up in him. "Yes, I do, and you would have heard so if you didn't blow up like you did," he scolded.
Ed turned to him, wincing at the familiar tone. "I just...it seems so impossible."
Al nodded empathetically. "I know it does, but you're not the only one who's having problems coming to terms with it," he said pointedly. Ed understood the implication completely. "Ivy doesn't understand what's happened any more than you do, but maybe together, we can figure it out."
Ed let the words weigh the quiet. He kicked a stray rock on the sidewalk, watching it hop a few feet away from him. "I'm sorry," he relented, reluctantly.
"I'm not the one you should be apologizing to," Al retorted, turning.
Hesitantly, Ed followed.
They rounded up the stairs to the room, Ed grumbling as they went. He was embarrassed about letting his emotions take over him and he didn't want to face her, but he knew if he tried to run, Al would just find him and bring him right back.
All too soon, they reached the hotel room and Alphonse had annoyingly stepped aside to let him take the lead. He huffed. He was supposed to be the older brother, dammit. Nonetheless, he reached for the knob and turned, walking in.
Ivy jumped from the sudden noise, her head bobbing up to stare. Upon seeing him, she glared, pushing herself farther into the couch, hugging her knees to her chest. They stared each other down for a bit and guiltily, he noticed her eyes were rimmed red and more tissues bunched up on the table.
"Hey," he said.
"Hey," she replied back.
Silence.
Al filed in from behind him, pointedly nudging him forward as he entered and closed the door behind him. Ed cleared his throat, reaching up to scratch the back of his head.
"I, um, shouldn't have reacted the way I did," he grimaced, feeling himself recoil at the thought of apologizing. He was justified in his emotions, so he wasn't completely in the wrong.
She only stared at him.
"I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions," he said, feeling the words come easier if he didn't look at her. "I'm...sorry."
Silence.
He found it within himself to look at her and found her unflinching gaze still on him. She unfolded herself from her fetal position, crossing her arms over her chest.
"I'm not a spy," she stated, her tone sharp. He was vaguely surprised at the look of annoyance on her face. She had been so uptight, trying so hard to be polite to them both, him especially.
"I know," he said then, finding it true. A klutzy, emotional girl like her could have never been associated with espionage and he felt shame at accusing her of being one.
"I...I wasn't..." She knitted her brows together, trying to find her words. Her voice became softer. "I wasn't trying to hurt you. I never would dream of it."
"I know," he said again, watching her face.
She looked at a point on the floor, just before Ed's feet. "I don't know why I'm here," she whispered, her voice thick and wobbly, like she was trying not to cry.
"I know," he said once more, taking a few steps forward. He squared his shoulders and announced confidently, "But we'll find out. There has to be a reason why."
She nodded.
He could feel Al's approving gaze and he had to stop himself from rolling his eyes. Seriously. He was supposed to be the one scolding him, not the other way around.
"So run me through this again," he said, collapsing onto the sofa across from her. He could tell this was going to be a long night.
She seemed to perk up, a smile threatening to appear at the corners of her mouth, but just as it appeared, it disappeared as she thought about what she was about to say. "It's hard to explain," she said and Ed felt himself wanting to sigh.
"Try," he urged.
She took a tissue that was lying in her lap and started picking at it, tearing off tiny bits. "I'm from a different dimension—" she started but Ed waved her off.
"Got that part. What about how you got here?"
She paused, tearing off more tiny pieces of tissue in her hand. "I...don't really know. There was a man, he was shouting about how he heard the truth, and then the earthquake happened."
"'Heard the truth'?" Ed wondered to himself.
"Then, I don't know! I grabbed Noah and then this weird purple lightning happened and next thing I know I was getting pulled through this transmutation circle in the floor," she said.
At the mention of 'purple lightning' both Ed and Al glanced at each other. There was only one other time they had seen such a thing. It was that faithful night all those years ago. He felt his left leg whine in an echo of pain long ago felt and he put his hand on his knee to stifle it. Al also reflexively stiffened at the memory.
"What happened after you got pulled through the floor? Did you see anything strange?" Ed asked hesitantly.
He saw her bunch the tissue that now lied in a shredded heap in her hand. She opened her mouth to say something, and then shut it.
"Y-yes," she said, looking away. He leaned forward, waiting for the rest of the sentence, but it never came.
Ed was grateful Al was there to know what to say. "Ivy, you have to tell us. We can't help if you don't tell us anything," Al told her gently.
"I-I know but..."
She bit her lip, trying to grasp more tissue to tear apart. She frowned when she realized she had no more paper to shred in her fingers. She was silent for a few moments, debating something in her mind. The brothers waited.
She sighed, slumping her shoulders, seeming to have lost the argument in her head. "I saw the Gate," she mumbled.
If Ed hadn't watched her carefully, he might've not have caught what she said. But he had. He felt the familiar coil of dread fill his stomach at the mention of the place. He was briefly shocked that she knew of it, but he remembered what she had said about his 'story.' She knew about it because he did. Then, she had the misfortune of seeing it firsthand.
The man who was supposedly shouting about 'hearing the truth' clearly meant the real thing.
"What happened there?" He asked, preparing himself for the worst. There was no way she had seen Truth and made it out unscathed. What had been her price?
"I don't know," she said, defeated. "I can't remember. The memory is all fuzzy and every time I try to remember it, my head hurts like hell, and the images get even blurrier."
A memory wipe. That had happened to Alphonse too.
"Why do you think you ended up there?" Al asked.
She shrugged, her shoulders slumping further down. "I don't know!" She exclaimed, frustration seeping into her voice. "It wasn't supposed to be real. It was just some ani—story!"
Ed felt hurt rise in his chest at her statement and so did Al, though he tried not to show it.
After realizing what she had said, her eyes widened and she gasped, holding her hands to her mouth. "Wait! Oh my god, I'm sorry, I'm sorry; I didn't mean that, I swear!"
"It's okay," Ed lied, trying to dismiss her, but she shook her head emphatically.
"No; no, it wasn't," she pressed, looking between the brothers frantically. "It's not just a story; it's your lives I'm talking about. That was incredibly insensitive of me to say, and I'm sorry."
"It's okay, Ivy," Al said reassuringly. "We know what you meant."
She looked at him much like a puppy who had been kicked. "I'm sorry," she repeated again, sounding ashamed. "I just...I never thought it would be real."
Ed tried to not feel put off, but he couldn't help it. People have read his life and all of his hardships for fun. People read about all his anguish, of all his pain, and wrote it off as fiction.
He frowned, suddenly angry at whatever sick person had the audacity to publish his life and release it for entertainment. He was real dammit! He was a real person with a real life and it wasn't their place to ruin his privacy like that. He felt violated. He felt sick.
He stood, fuming. Both Ivy and Al looked at him.
"I'm going to bed," he announced, trying to keep his voice calm. He marched to his room and without meaning to, slammed the door shut.
Ivy and Alphonse watched the door.
Al saw the hurt on Ivy's face and he put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "It's okay, Ivy. He just needs to sleep it off and process all the information."
"Okay," she said dejectedly, still staring at the door. "I'm sorry..."
Al decided to ignore her apology. "Get some sleep. It's been a long day."
She nodded sadly, standing. A few tissue shreds fell from her lap and on the way to her room, she tossed the ball of paper into the wastebasket. She didn't slam the door, but Al felt the emotion just the same.
How had things become such a mess?
XoXo... Noah's POV ...XoXo
"...You are exactly what is needed."
My head swirled at the amount of information I was given. What in the actual fuck was it talking about?
It seemed to know what I was thinking because it was grinning again. "You have already done something that I did not expect. I look forward to seeing what else you do, Noah Shasta."
The Gate behind the being began to open, the same gray eye appearing amidst the darkness. I heard that sound of dragging stone and I looked behind me to see the door behind me opening slowly, arms and hands the color of pitch darkness wiggling out from the crack of the doors. Instinctively, I began running, but before I could make a step of progress, I was pulled off my feet and landed face first on the ground below me.
I looked back and saw that two hands had wrapped themselves around my ankle and was now pulling me toward them. I tried kicking at the hands to let me go but only more grabbed at my shoes, legs, and traveling upwards. I saw parts of me dissipating in the air and I knew I should feel pain, but the shock froze me in place. The hands' grips tightened until more of my body began disappearing into dust.
"This is going to be so interesting."
I bolted upright, my heart racing. Darkness. I was there. I was in it. I was being swallowed, chewed, and someone was screaming—who was screaming?!—
I squinted. I could make out boxes, a dresser.
I was in bed.
I felt my muscles relax and I grabbed a fistful of the blanket to steady my shaking hands. It was just a nightmare, I thought to myself, willing my heart to slow down.
Somehow, it didn't feel like a dream.
XoXo... Ivy's POV ...XoXo
I peeled open my eyelids, my gaze fixing on a point in the ceiling. It was a dreamless sleep, and despite the aching in my body and the overwhelming exhaustion that greeted me like a familiar jacket, I was thankful. I pushed myself up and winced when I had jostled my right arm, the wound still stinging in pain.
I threw my feet over the side of the bed, leaning down to get the discarded suitcase and put it on the bed. As I rummaged through for my outfit, I heard an enraged shout.
"What the hell do you mean you're in Central?!"
It was Ed. Memories from last night filled my head and I winced upon remembering. I had been so careless with my words, not only revealing something that was meant to be a secret, but also in managing to do the one thing I tried avoiding: hurting the brothers. The image of Ed's hurt expression flashed in my mind and I tore through my suitcase, trying to forget about it.
I had just managed to pull my head through a black t-shirt when a knock tapped on the door.
"Come in," I called, fitting my arms through the sleeves. I grimaced as my right arm complained again from the movement.
The door opened and it was Alphonse. He poked his head in and I noticed he had to hunch over slightly to fit in the doorway. "There's a slight change in plans," he had started when I heard Ed curse as he slammed the phone down on the table.
"Just let me put on some jeans, and I'll be right out," I told him, smiling his way. He nodded and closed the door. I grabbed the pair of denim and rolled my sweats off, chucking the pajamas in the suitcase. I pulled the pants up over my legs and after buttoning them, I went to close the suitcase, grabbing it as I went.
I emerged from my room to see Ed with an irritated expression, arms crossed and scowling. Al looked to be trying to placate him, and failing.
"What's wrong?" I asked, closing the door behind me.
Al turned and I think I heard a sound come from him before Ed cut him off, gold eyes flashing. "Colonel Bastard transferred," he stated with a huffed annoyance. "Which means I'm going to have to move dorms and deal with new old military assholes. Not to mention he's of course demanding to see you immediately, which means we have to haul ass and get moving."
I had been listening empathetically until the mention of me. I felt my heart begin to race and the palms of my hands felt slick against the handle of my suitcase. "Wait, what?"
"Colonel Mustang wants you to come in with us," Alphonse explained. The sentence made my eyes widen. He seemed to sense the dread piling in my gut because he then went, "It's not as bad as you think, really. He just wants a report from you about the chimera incident."
I felt some of the panic lessen as I realized it was only about that.
"He might also ask you about your...situation...as well. Brother had explained as much as he could over the phone, but didn't get to finish before he was ordered to come immediately."
And the panic returned.
I whirled on Ed. "You told him?" I asked, my voice reaching an octave higher than normal.
Ed flinched at the high-pitched shriek of mine and fixed me a look of confusion. "Well, yeah, I had to. There was no way you could just walk into HQ with no form of identification," he said. "You don't exactly have an ID since you're not technically from Amestris and you can't say you're a foreigner because you're not exactly from here." He paused, as if thinking. His brows furrowed. "I mean, I suppose you can lie, but even then you don't have legal documentation allowing you to be in the country. They'll think you're trying to immigrate illegally and arrest you."
All of this information swirled in my head emptily. The thought had never occurred to me that Amestris was an actual country with actual government that enforced actual laws. I suppose that was meant to be obvious, but it wasn't something that I put much thought into. Nor was it something I thought I'd have to deal with, naively.
I mentally scolded myself. What did I think I was going to do? Just waltz into HQ, a government building, and not be questioned? Furthermore, how was I going to go about asking for help to find Noah when I was 1. A complete stranger and 2. Not even a person that had existed before I wound up here? What was I thinking?
Well, I thought guiltily, glancing between the two Elric brothers. I had expected Ed and Al to take care of all that for me, like a spoiled kid. I thought that they would handle all the messy parts so I can continue my search for Noah and finding a way back home freely. How selfish, I thought, disgusted with myself. They had enough on their plates; they were not going to put all that on hold just to babysit me.
I steeled myself, taking a secret deep breath in. I trained my eyes back on Edward's, my hands clenching into fists. "Okay; what do I have to do?"
He searched my face for a moment before speaking. He crossed his arms over his chest. "When we arrive in Central, I'll escort you through the gates. My rank will grant you clearance in. When we get to Colonel Bastard, he's going to question you about the chimera incident and you'll tell him about everything you experienced." He had said that last part a little guiltily, looking away from me as he did so. I tried to ignore the look of pity that flashed on his face, and nodded.
"Then, he might ask you to explain to him your situation," he continued, looking back at me. He sent me an apologetic, sheepish smile. "After that, I'm afraid it's out of my hands. We can discuss getting you papers for a working visa or a permanent residency card, but it would be up to him; I'm not a high enough ranking officer," he said with a grimace. "I can vouch for you, but other than that, there's not much I can do."
I let the information digest as I stared at a point on the hardwood floor. I won't let that permanent residency card live up to its name. I'll be out of here, Noah in tow, as quickly as possible.
"Okay," I said, looking back up. I set my jaw and took a step forward. "Off to Central we go."
Phew. The angst.
I'm very pleased with how this chapter came out. This was the very few chapters I hadn't edited before publishing and I wrote a few of my favorite sentences in here. ie "he felt his left leg whine in a pain long ago felt..." that was one of my absolute favorite pieces of imagery I had written. Doesn't seem like much, I know, but god I remember being so proud at how I crafted that sentence lol
Also I'm gonna give a shoutout to xXSpades231Xx for binging this entire story so far and for making me actually laugh out loud for calling Noah a moody asshole LMAO Yaaas call him out! Trust me, I feel the same way sometimes! But alas, he's my emo son; gotta love him. My flawed, emo son haha. He's got a lot of growing up to do, no doubt
Anyhow, if you liked the story, like what you've read, or even like me, please review! Thank you so much for reading—
Until next chap!