(no subject)

[iwasmore]

Noah wakes up to something warm tucked up against his neck, under his chin. Without opening his eyes he reaches to feel for whatever it is, and discovers fur. It's followed by a tiny mew. That's a sound Noah recognizes, and he opens his eyes, still groggy and sleep-muddled. Even recognizing the meow, it's still a shock when he picks it up and moves it to see a small ball of grey fur in front of his face. The kitten bites his hand, a futile effort for something so little, and all Noah can do is gape. Carefully, he props himself up on his side to get a better look. There's a familiar feel to the kitten, and he realizes he recognizes what it is. The kitten isn't alive. It's a ghost, like him.

"Where did you come from?" he asks in awe, as the kitten just gazes up at him with big yellow eyes. Noah's own eyes well up with tears, because he already knows, and he knows it means the kitten is especially for him.

Quickly, but with care, Noah gets out of bed, picking the kitten up and tucking it against his chest. He carries the kitten out of his bedroom and into the common room. "Ronan?" he calls, needing to make sure.

Comments

[thedreamthief]

"That's fucked, dude. I'm not Matthew's father."

It's the first time he's really acknowledged that out loud since Adam filled him in, but he can only assume Noah already knows. Noah knows just about everything; that's part of being a fucking ghost.

Still grinning, Ronan bats the pillow away, camera still held in one hand. "Maybe I do, dickface. I'll plaster my walls with them so I can throw darts when you piss me off." His voice is still light, still teasing as he takes another picture, the frame lopsided, getting just a quarter of Noah's face and a fraction of the cat's.

[iwasmore]

The comment about Matthew only makes Noah laugh more, giddy on the feeling of having a cat, and not just any cat, but a special cat dreamed just for him, a ghost like him. Everything is ten times funnier, so when Ronan calls him a dickface and threatens him about darts there are tears in Noah's eyes.

Face flushed and gasping for breath, Noah grins up at Ronan, biting his lip as though to keep more laughter in. "Is that what you're gonna do with them, really?" he asks, waggling his eyebrows suggestively.

[thedreamthief]

Ronan takes several more pictures as Noah cackles, each one capturing his wide, bright smile and stretch of his long throat when he has his head thrown back. Click-click-click.

Noah calms a moment later, enough for his expression to shift to something more flirtatious and Ronan doesn't stop taking pictures. He glances up above the viewer though, eyebrow arched. Noah's tone is teasing and Ronan isn't entirely sure how to read it given... everything. It's likely just a joke; Noah's never been cruel.

"What else would I do with them?" he says, deciding to put it in Noah's court, to make him say just exactly what he means.

[iwasmore]

Noah pauses, his expression dimming when Ronan doesn't play along and he realizes he overstepped. He'd said it without thinking, the sort of inappropriate joke he'd have been able to make with Ronan months ago and not mean anything, but it's not just that. Not knowing how Ronan feels about him, and knowing how he feels about Ronan.

He looks back to Little Ro, watching the kitten as he goes back to petting him. "Nothing."

[thedreamthief]

Noah's smile fades instantly, expression clouding over with what looks like guilt.

Click.

Just a joke, then. One Ronan should've just played along with. He scowls down at the camera, quickly deleting the last few pictures as he mentally berates himself. There's nothing he can do about how he feels, he knows that. But the least he can do is not make it fucking awkward.

"Maybe I'll just send Freddie a care package," he says, ignoring the buzzing under his skin and keeping his voice cool and even as he lifts his eyes to Noah's. "Got any other admirers?"

[iwasmore]

Noah keeps his eyes on the kitten, and tries to think only of her instead of being hurt by Ronan's comment. He doesn't even know if Ronan means it as hurtful, just that it does. He likes Freddie, he's accepted their relationship for what it is, which isn't a romantic one. It's not like Freddie cares about him. No one cares about him like that except Ronan, and Ronan won't even say it.

"No," Noah says and rolls his eyes, trying to brush it off. He smirks, and glances up at Ronan. "Do I look like Brad Pitt?"

[thedreamthief]

"Bullshit," Ronan remarks, though there's no real heat in his tone. More statement of fact than accusation. "What do you call Rapunzel?"

Because he remembers how she'd looked at Noah at Prom and he isn't stupid.

"And why would you need to look like Brad Pitt? You look like you." Which is about as close as Ronan can get right now to saying he finds Noah attractive. It's not like Noah doesn't already know anyway.

[iwasmore]

Noah's nose scrunches up and he looks at Ronan like he's grown a second head. "'Punz is my friend, she's not into me-- you know what, you're so ridiculous."

Ronan's added comment has Noah blushing, so he goes back to paying attention to the kitten, letting her nibble on his finger, wiggling it so she reaches up to grab it and attack. She's so tiny and cute.

"I don't want to talk about me, let's talk about you. How's the barn going?"

[thedreamthief]

Ronan only arches an eyebrow at first, not missing how easily Noah brushes it aside. But it's not exactly something he wants to hound on himself so he's happy to let the topic slide.

So he shrugs instead, setting the camera on the table and grabbing his beer before he drops onto the couch by Noah's feet, relaxing into the cushions. "Nearly done," he says as he takes a sip. "Probably cheating since I'm dreaming so much of it, but fuck if I care. Probably do better in Cabeswater that way anyhow. You gone to see it lately?"

[iwasmore]

Noah promptly re-positions himself a little and drapes his legs across Ronan's lap. "No," he admits, remembering his conversation with Freddie about what a bad friend he's been. He wonders not for the first time if he should drop his job at the dispensary now that he's taking classes to free up some time, but he really likes it there.

"We could go see it later, if you aren't busy. And I could help. Do you need any?"

[thedreamthief]

Swallowing his sip, Ronan lowers his hand to rest it on Noah's leg, the butt of the bottle nudging his shin as he gives an easy shrug.

"Not too much to do any more," he admits, settling his other hand on Noah's bare foot, curling around the arch. "Might need help dragging the kids over in a few weeks though if you want to help there."

[iwasmore]

Noah wiggles his toes, hoping to elicit a foot rub from Ronan.

"Of course I'll help," he says, wondering exactly how they're going to do that, especially with Cinnamon. A U-Haul, maybe? But the feeling that he isn't doing enough still nags. "I'd be happy to help with anything."

[thedreamthief]

Ronan answers with a light squeeze before turning his wrist enough to rub his thumb into the arch of Noah's foot.

"I know you've got class and shit," he says then, honestly not too bothered if Noah pitches or not. It's been almost entirely Ronan's project aside from Adam's help at the start. He's the only one of them without anything else to do, after all. He doesn't mind it. "But once it's done, you'll have a new place to do homework or whatever if you want it."

[iwasmore]

Noah makes a soft sound without meaning to, but even that one gentle movement feels so good.

It's also a relief to hear that Ronan doesn't mind that he hasn't been doing any of the heavy work. "That will be nice," he says with a smile, relaxing back against the couch pillows. "Is there a fireplace? It's almost winter."

[thedreamthief]

It's only a quick, quiet sound, but Ronan falters briefly, forcing himself not to acknowledge it or the affect it has on him before he continues giving Noah's foot another squeeze.

"Yeah," he replies none too proudly. "In the main room. A real one, too. Well, dreamed to be real at least. Takes wood, all that shit." For a moment, he's tempted to lay down a rule that Noah's not allowed to bring anyone there. Mostly Freddie. But he manages to bite it back, to swallow it down. Despite how much the idea of that shitstain stepping foot in his farmhouse makes his blood boil.

[iwasmore]

Noah hums appreciatively, but purses his mouth in protest when the foot rub is, again, just a tease. He nudges Ronan in the side with his other foot, a tiny smile forming.

"That sounds nice," he says on a sigh. He won't invite anyone, not to Ronan's house. He doesn't say so, doing his best not to reply to thoughts, though part of him wants to reassure Ronan. Instead he judges nudges at Ronan again with his foot. "We can make s'mores inside. Roast hot dogs. Um. Pop corn in one of those pop corn tins?"

[thedreamthief]

With a grunt, Ronan squirms against the press of Noah's other foot before grabbing it and setting it with the other across his lip, one thumb still digging into Noah's arch.

"Yeah, all that shit," Ronan agrees with a faint smile, glancing over at Noah then. He likes the idea of all of that, if he's honest. With Adam and Noah both. With Gansey if he can bother to be around. "Tell ghost stories," he adds with a wider grin as gives Noah's big toe a yank. "Or is that racist?"