Hey guys/girls, this chapter has been defeating me so I apologize in advance if it sucks, I've also got a few little one shot drabbles I'll be doing eventually so keep your eyes out. Also thank you to Hiddencode for their review.
P.S, this song was inspired by clarity by zedd and featuring thh foxes.
Ch. 5: Stay with me.
Noah felt something wrapped around her torso, the feeling wasn't uncomfortable, just strange, as she rolled over she was met with Charles. The petit blonde really tried to keep herself from screaming, and succeeded, however, she failed to get out of his grasp and off the bed without waking him.
"Good morning, love." She stared at him with eyes almost as wide as saucers, "W-Why are you in my bed? We didn't—" Charles chuckled.
"Of course not, I'd never do anything like that without you consent." She felt slightly more relieved.
"so why are you in my bed?"
"You must have been really stressed, last night." She tried to recall but all that came to mind was a kiss.
"Charles, did we…kiss?" He looked over at her.
"was that not okay?" Noah stared back at him for a few moments in silence.
"it's fine, I've just…never had someone kiss me like that before." She walked over to her closet, rummaging through the hand me down as Charles got out of the bed.
"Like what?" he was pushing her, he wanted to know if she was really fine with what had transpired.
"Like they actually meant it." she looked at the shit in her hands and grimaced.
"Then you can't have met many decent men, love." He watched her sift through the clothes, "I think the purple one will bring out your eyes." She turned and looked at him, a light blush on her face. Noah grabbed the shot sleeved V-neck T-shirt and a pair of blue jeans before closing the closet and moving towards the bathroom.
"are you ready for our trial?" Charles watched her close the door to the bathroom.
"As ready as I can be, but to be honest I'm not sure all of us are ready."
"what do you mean?" Noah asked, her voice slightly muffled.
"Erik. His mind is still on revenge; he believes all of the normal humans are like Shaw."
"Humans as a population are in a constant battle with the good and evil inside of them. Without that constant inner turmoil, I think that the word 'human' would cease to exist." Charles felt something bubble up inside him, what it was he wasn't sure.
"That's quite insightful. Where did you come up with that?"
"to be brutally honest, it was just a random thought I had during one of my professor's lectures."
"That's a very intriguing notion, is all." The door opened and Noah smiled at him. "I suppose so, but really it an observation. Go sit in a park someday and just watch people, you'll see what I mean."
He chuckled again, "Perhaps, once this all over, I will do that. Maybe you can show me some lacs to people watch?" he sounded hopeful.
"Charles, I have to go back to California and finish my degree…unless I transfer to Oxford."
"I could put in a good word with the dean of the college, if that is what you decide to do." She grabbed the hair brush of her desk and proceeded to pull her hair back into a high ponytail.
"So, I don't know about you, but Coffee sounds spectacular right now." She set the brush down, Charles watched her with interest.
"Are you coming, pretty boy? Or are you just gonna sit there like a lump?" she left him standing where he was.
"Good morning, Noah, Charles. Sleep well?" Raven had an unsettling smile on her face.
"Good morning…you're blue?" Noah stared at the girl for a few seconds, "So she's blue? that's new. Have you always been that way?" Raven nodded. "And you're a red head?"
"Yeah, though I've never been fond of this colour, that's why I'm always in the form you know."
"I wish I could do that."
"Why? Your gifts are spectacular." Sean and Alex chose that moment to walk in, much to Noah's relief.
"What's for breakfast?" Sean asked, he always had food on the brain it seemed.
"I can make French toast." Charles looked at Noah with interest.
"you cook?" she shot him a sarcastic look, "ha ha, funny. Smart ass." He held his hands up in surrender.
"sounds good."
Noah set to work, "Sean. You wanna go get Erik and Hank?" the red head nodded, leaving the room.
"by the way, Noah, Charles, don't think im letting go of my earlier question." The smaller blonde stared at Raven irritated. "He was the one who fell sleep in my bed." She shot her thumb in Charles' direction, the brunette feigned hurt.
"Oh? what happened between you two last night?" Alex asked raising an eyebrow.
"Noah and Charles had a romantic encounter last night." Alex smirked at Noah, "Oh, so they've final decided to get together?" Noah looked alarmed as the conversation escalated, her eyes flickering between their normal blue green color and gold.
"Guys…"
"in reality, it's about time"
"Guys, I'd stop if I were you…"
"They even kissed." Raven made a kissy face at Charles, Noah however lost control of her emotions and the plate on the counter was enveloped in a gold light before it spontaneously exploded.
"WHOA!" little orbs of gold light surrounded Noah, Charles looked startled. "Noah, Love, calm down." The blonde turned to face all of them, her eyes were silver and gold, a phenomenon Charles hadn't seen yet.
"Noah, I was only playing around, I'm sorry." She stared at raven but said nothing and left the kitchen.
"real mature, you two." Charles scolded.
"Hey, it's not our fault you two can't confess your feelings properly."
"There's nothing to confess, Raven. Leave it alone." Charles stood and went after the small blond.
When he finally found her she was sitting in the garden, plucking a vine that had encased her arm, off.
"Are you alright?" she paid him no mind and continued prying the vine off, piece by piece as he sat down.
"They were only having fun, I apologize if anything said, upset you."
"That's just it, I'm upset and I don't know why!" she shot him a frustrated look, her eyes still glowing gold and silver.
"You don't know why you're upset?" she shook her head, picking the last of the overgrown vine off and tossing it on the ground.
"No, and it's aggravating!"
"Well, you've already admitted you find me attractive." He teased, she shot him a serious look.
"well, you kissed me, so I guess that makes it even."
"I kissed you to get you to calm down and sleep."
"so, you took advantage of me?" Charles looked alarmed, Noah's mood did not improve.
"you're putting word in my mouth, Noah."
"The be straight with me, dammit!" Charles gave her a hard look.
"Noah, Look at me. Do I look like the type of man to take advantage of a woman? Answer me honestly." Noah stared at him for a moment before shifting her eyes down to the ground.
"No, to be honest, you've been a perfect gentleman. But I think Raven and Alex are right. What am I to you Charles? Because I can't simply be a friend when you treat me as something more."
"Noah, It's complicated."
"But it doesn't have to be, you're the one making it complicated, Charles. I've told you how I feel but you…you've been playing around. You're there as a friend and mentor, but then out of the blue you come in my room, you kiss me, say what you did was to calm me down, and then you brush it off like it wasn't a big deal. Who does that?" He watched her as she went on.
"What am I to you Charles? Am I anything to you at all?" her expression was hard-pressed.
"I never meant to lead you on, love, really." He brought his hand up to touch her face, Noah flinched away, watching Charles' expression change to one of hurt.
"Then stop." Without a second though Noah made to stand up, but Charles grabbed her wrist, refusing to let go.
"Don't leave when the conflict isn't resolved, Noah."
"I think the conflict has been resolved, you've said it yourself, You've been leading me on, and I want no part of a one sided whatever this is." She tried to tug her wrist free but his grip got tighter.
"Let go of me, Charles!" when he refused to comply she felt her body be spun around so she was facing him.
"Noah…" she stared back at him defiantly, watching as he moved closer and closer towards her face.
"Charles, what are you—" before she could finish, she felt his lips on hers, her yes shifted between gold and silver now as a wave of emotions washed over her before she finally kissed him back softly. As the embrace continued she saw images flash in her mind, all the little moments they'd had, both good and bad replayed, some from her past replayed as well, she figured he had a right to know about her past if this was going to go any further.
As he pulled away their eyes met, "did that clear things up, love?" her lips were slightly swollen and her face flushed.
She watched him now with glowing silver orbs, he let her wrist drop and smiled.
"Why did you—"
"I didn't want there to be any misunderstandings, love." He ran his thumb over her cheek, she shuddered at the slightly rough texture of his skin.
"Charles…?"
"Noah, I do care for you, more than you know, but we don't know the outcome of this battle…"
"You don't need to explain it, I understand. Thank you, Charles." He watched her leave for the third time that day.
*Later that night.*
"Noah, can we talk?" the blonde looked up, seeing Raven in her doorway.
"What's up?"
"About this morning, I want to say I'm sorry." Noah looked at Raven and cracked up. "I'm not even upset, I know I overreacted. I also kind of ruined the food." She frowned.
"Oh, don't worry about that, we cleaned it up."
"I'm still sorry, but Charles and I patched things up."
"So, you're…?" Noah laughed again. "It's complicated, we both know what we want, however, with our biggest challenge coming up tomorrow, neither of us knows what might happen."
"That's understandable I suppose, if he's waiting to tell you the truth, he must really care for you. He doesn't move this slow with most women."
"Oh?" Noah's interest was captured.
"Normally when Charles is into someone, he uses corny pick-up lines, but I've never seen him genuinely care for anyone the way he does you, Noah." Noah stared at Raven,
"I see. From what I've gathered he tends to go after the girls at the bar. And thank god, he spared me from his strange one liners."
"Oh admit it, you'd love my one liners if I used them on you." Noah deadpanned, seeing Chares in the doorway.
"We meet again, professor X! You shall not defeat me tonight!" he quirked an eyebrow at her eccentric outburst. Raven looked between the two of them.
"You're delusional if you think you can win against me, My little nymph." Noah grinned and stood.
"do I hear a challenge?" Raven asked, looking from one mutant to the other.
"Oh please, you wish you could handle me. I'm not like those other women, and you know it." her attitude shifted, and her eyes flashed a familiar gold.
"Someone is feeling defiant. My telepathy could take you down easily, love, don't forget." Noah grinned. "Well, I have Raven on my side." She knew that didn't mean much but she was in a goofy mood right now. Raven raised her hands.
"Charles knows not to read my mind. And keep me out of you lover quarrel." She winked at Noah before sauntering off.
"Don't have too much fun you two." She closed the door behind her, Charles and Noah stared one another down.
"What's gotten into you, love? You're acting really peculiar." He walked across the room towards her.
"I'm nervous. If I'm being completely honest, Charles, I'm not ready for tomorrow." Charles pulled Noah towards him, wrapping an arm around her shoulder and burying his face in her hair.
"I'm not entirely sure I am, either. But we'll get through this, I promise." She turned her head to look at him.
"How can you be so confident?" he could see the fear in her eyes, reaching up to run his thumb over her cheek, he smiled.
"Confidence is key in any battle, if you enter the fight confident you'll win, then your fear will subside."
"Confidence is key…my father used to say the same thing."
"Your father was wise then, just remember that fear will drown you but confidence keeps you afloat."
"Yu should be a motivational speaker, Charles." She laughed, Charles gave her a dopey smile.
"I'm a professor, it's sort of the same thing." Her laughter increased, he grinned, "did I say something funny?" he poked her in the side, eliciting a small squeak.
"Oh, someone's Ticklish." Noah attempted to get away from him but he had her pinned before she could move. When he finally stopped the assault he gave her another hard stare.
"Charles?" her breath was heavy.
"If we make it through tomorrow unscathed, would you stay here?" the tone suddenly shifted to serious,
"Stay here? As in Stay in New York?"
"I could get you into oxford, like I promised. You could live here in the mansion, with Raven and I."
"Charles…"
"I can't explain it, but when I'm around you all the other thoughts in my mind seem less taxing…non-existent you could say."
Her eyes shifted to silver, staring up at him, she reached a hand up to touch his face. "My heart tells me I'd love nothing more than to stay, Charles, but my head…my whole life is in L.A."
"My dearest Noah…" he inched closer to her face, "if I thought it would change your mind, I'd beg you to stay." He was centimeters away from her face, her eyes lost in his until he closed the gap.
Ha ha, I chose to end on a mushy note for this one, next chapter will hold a few surprises, as usual please review for a faster update, and I apologize for how slow this one came up, life has been absolutely crazy these last few weeks, I've had a consultation for a surgery I guess I've needed for a while. And I'll make sure I keep you all updated with what's going on in case it will affect my ability to update regularly.
But please, all my lovely readers, let me know what you think!
Lots of love,
Kieran
