The past few days were quiet. Neither Cody nor Noah spoke a word to each other. It bothered Noah a bit that Cody wasn't saying anything to him. All he heard from Cody was a long sigh. Noah would watch him sometimes pace around the living room or try to calm himself by catching up on some papers from his work. Nothing was helping Cody, but sometimes a phone call from his mother made him feel better.

And Noah would try to ignore this by trying to work on his novel. He hated this uncomfortable feeling between him and Cody, but he didn't know what to say about the whole situation. Noah knew he was making it worse, but he wanted the whole thing to pass so they can be normal again. Noah always believed that if you ignore something, it will go away.

So, while Noah was typing away on the computer, a cigarette in his mouth and a mug on his left, he heard Cody grabbing his coat. Cody was by the door, staring Noah. He lightly cleared his throat.

"Noah. I'm going to visit my dad at the hospital. If you're hungry, I left sandwiches in the fridge."

He opened the door and left. Noah turned around, watching the door close behind Cody. Those were the only words Cody said to him. He sighed, putting out his cigarette in the ash tray. He got up, going to the fridge. Checking inside, there were few sandwiches wrapped up on a plate. Grabbing it, Noah saw that Cody made his favorite sandwiches. He frowned, now feeling worse then before. Cody went through the trouble of making his favorite sandwiches, even though Noah had been acting like he didn't exist these pass few days. He sighed, unwrapping the plate and grabbing one sandwich. When Cody comes back, Noah had to apologize to him. He sat down, taking a bite of the sandwich.

'I'm an asshole.' Noah thought as he took another bite.

Meanwhile, at a near by hospital, Cody was sitting next to his father, holding his hand. His mother was outside the room, talking with one of the doctors. Cody sighed, rubbing his pale father's hand. Tubes were sticking through and out of the man, breathing only through a mask. His father stared at him and Cody smiled back, although it was a small smile.

"How's work, son?" Mr. Booker asked, his voice sounding small and weak.

"Work is fine, Dad." Cody answered softly.

"That's good to hear, Cody." His father said, trying to smile back.

Cody smiles back, squeezing his father's hand. He glanced at the door, watching his mother talk with one of the doctors, a tired and worried look on her face. He watched her plead them for more information about her sick husband and how the doctors told her there was nothing else she could do for him. He sighed, looking back at his father. His father looks up at him with small, tired eyes.

"…Where's Noah?" he asked.

A bit surprised at the question, Cody softly answered back.

"He's working now, Dad. He's writing a new book."

Mr. Booker was quiet for a few moments, only the beeping of the machines was heard. Cody continued to hold his father's hand, trying to warm it up and bring back its colour.

"He couldn't come and visit…?" Mr. Booker asked.

"He's…very busy right now, Dad." Cody said.

"I see…" Mr. Booker said, looking away.

Cody frowned and gently rubbed the pale cheeks on his father's face. His father smiles back, glad to feel the soft touch of his only son. Cody heard the door opening and saw his mother walking in. She sat beside her husband, stroking his hair.

"What did the doctor say, Mom?" Cody asked.

"Nothing that could help me, sweetie." Mrs. Booker answered.

A nurse walks in, telling Mrs. Booker and Cody that visiting hours were over. Mrs. Booker gently kisses the top of her husband's head while Cody gently hugs his father. As they both walked away, the nurse went to check on Mr. Booker's vitals.

Cody watched his mother keep a tight and steady face. It must be so hard for her to feel so useless. Cody checked the time and realized that it was getting late. He looked back at his mother, slightly smiling.

"Sorry, Mom. I have to go now."

Mrs. Booker looked her son and lightly smiled, although the smile was shaky and tight. Cody hugged her and walked out the hospital. Mrs. Booker sighed, wiping her eyes with her hands. She sat down on one of the waiting room chairs, refusing to leave the hospital just yet.


Cody returned home to see Noah in the same spot from when he left earlier. He frowned at him as he took off his coat and walked to the kitchen. He started making tea for himself, listening to Noah type away on the computer. He sat down, waiting for the kettle of water to boil. From the computer, Noah glanced at Cody, seeing how tired he looked. He looked back at the computer screen, biting his lower lip. He should get up and apologize to him, and thank him for the sandwiches. Noah knew better then acting like a bratty child. Sure, he used to be kind of a brat long ago, but he refuses to go back being that stupid stereotype again.

He suddenly felt a presence behind him. Turning around slightly, he sees Cody standing behind him with a blank look on his face. Unable to even face Cody, Noah turns back to the computer screen. Cody stands there while Noah continues to type. Cody looks down, rubbing his hands together, trying to start a conversation.

"D-Did…did you eat?" was the first thing Cody asked.

Noah pretended to type, while nodding his head. Cody slightly smiles, glad that Noah wasn't ignoring him this time.

"That's good. I made your favorite sandwiches, you know. I-I guess you didn't realize it though."

Noah cleared his throat, grabbing a cigarette from his pocket.

"No, I did." He said quietly.

"Oh, ok. That's good."

An awkward silence between the two. Cody shuffles his feet as Noah lit up his cigarette. Noah kept looking around, trying to end his nerves as he inhaled his cigarette. He should be apologizing by now, so what was holding him back? Before he could say anything, Cody stopped him.

"My dad was wondering why you didn't come with me to visit him."

Noah's eyes widen a bit. He frowns, going back to typing. Cody looked uneasy, as he tried to continue at what he's trying to tell Noah.

"It was kind of a surprise to me. I mean, you and my dad never got along. But, it would be nice if you came with me next time…"

Noah blows out a smoke slowly and stops typing. Cody looks on hopefully, waiting for an answer.

"No."

And Noah went on typing again, dragging on another inhale of his cigarette. Cody looked at the back of Noah's head, feeling heartbroken again. He shook his head, frowning.

"Why not?" he asked.

"Because." Noah answered back.

Cody frowned, getting a little fed up.

"'Because', isn't an answer, Noah!"

"Don't yell at me, I'm working." Noah stately said, blowing out another smoke.

"All you done is work, Noah! If you started working on this months ago, you wouldn't be in this mess!" Cody snapped.

Noah turned to Cody, glaring. He put his cigarette down on the ash tray, moving away from the computer. He gave Cody a skeptical look, his arms crossed. Cody continues to glare, his face a bit redden from his anger.

"You've been ignoring me these past few days and when I needed you the most, Noah. All you care about is work! I-It's not fair!" Cody said, his voice shaking every now and then.

"I've haven't been ignoring you. I've been giving you some space." Noah said, taking off his glasses.

"I didn't say I needed space, Noah! I didn't say anything like that at all!" Cody yelled.

"You know I'm no good at this kind of stuff…" Noah mumbled.

"I know you're not, but you could at least…I don't know, try or something. Can't you just come with me next time I visit my dad?" Cody said, now looking a bit defeated.

"Cody, I wish I could, but the deadline is coming up soon and-"

"So?! My father is dying, Noah! All he wants is for you to visit him!"

Finally, something inside Noah snapped. It could be of all the stress he's been having lately but Noah glared at Cody with a deep and angry stare.

"Look, I don't need this right now! I could care less about your father, Cody! In fact, I hope he just drops dead so this whole stupid thing can pass! Like I care he's suffering right now, he deserves it! You know, maybe we'll be lucky and by tomorrow, he'll finally be dead!"

A complete silence between the two. Noah pants a bit and Cody doesn't speak a word. Noah frowns at Cody, who just stared at him. Another heartbroken look on his face and this time, Noah got to see it. Cody lets out a huge shaky breath, small tears coming down his face. The shock look on his face left Noah feeling the most guilt he ever felt in his life. Noah tried to reach out to him, to wipe away the tears. Instead he got his hand smacked away and Cody rushed straight into the bedroom. Noah followed after him, getting the door slammed at his face. He pressed his ear against it and heard Cody's sobs. He lightly knocked on the door.

"Cody? Cody, I'm…"

The sounds of quiet sobs coming from the other side of the door made Noah stop his sentence and walk away from it. He sat back down by his desk. He grabbed his cigarette from his ash tray and took in a long drag. Staring at the computer screen, Noah went back to work.


Author's Notes: ANGSSSSSSST. Oh my, Noah hasn't changed that mouth of his, hasn't he? Is the relationship of Noah and Cody breaking under these pressures?! How do I know?! Oh, wait. I do. Tune in next time in A Lack Of Colour! Ha, it sounds like a soap drama now.

R/R please. c: