Through the Screen

Chapter 67

why don't you make your insecure little self capable enough for me?

the statement in itself is enough to scatter the irrationality in noah's mind, the lack of coherence

boosted solely from each splash of burning alcohol down his empty stomach.

pj is glancing at him worriedly, his fingers curling around noah's bicep as if it will stop him from drinking,

and he watches as noah shakes his head harshly as he finishes yet another serving of scotch.

"noah," pj murmurs softly, and noah only looks over to him dismissively, raising his eyebrows as the

bright blue of his eyes slowly dissolves into a midnight cobalt, and pj sighs before continuing. "what the

hell happened? why are you drinking again, it's not good for you,"

"tell me something new pj," noah is uninterested in the growing concern behind pj's jade irises, and he

watches as pj furrows his eyebrows further and licks his pink lips.

"would you at least tell me what happened?" pj pushes, not wanting to make noah feel uncomfortable

but still wanting to provide at least a little solace to the pale boy who's hands are shaking as he grips

another glass, his long fingers outstretched around the girth of the transparent material.

"how does it matter anyway? he's probably sleeping with his stupid fucking friend," noah seethes,

letting the bitterness travel down his throat as he places the glass back on the table, running a fidgety

hand through his hair and making the black strands stray off his forehead into a messy quiff.

"i'm sure he's not, maybe he is just as sad as you are—"

"i'm not sad," noah raises his voice a little. "and neither is he, he can never possibly be sad when he's

with his boyfriend,"

"how are you so sure that he's cheating on you?" pj ponders out loud, and he bites his lip as noah

grabs a fistful of his own hair.

"don't you get it? i call my fucking husband at seven in the morning and another man answers his

phone. i call him at three in the fucking night and he's wasted as hell with another guy, what does this

possibly mean? he doesn't have to time to call me and maybe ask how our only child is doing but he Content (C) Nôv/elDra/ma.Org.

has all time to go and dick around with that asshole," noah's breathing is harsh when he finishes

speaking, a lump of hopelessness settling in his throat and pj only watches him morosely, rubbing his

hand along noah's arm to calm him down.

"come here babe," pj sighs, pulling noah's limp body against his own, and noah falls into his grip

pathetically, burying his face in pj's shoulder and wrapping his arms around the boy's waist, a loud

breath escaping his lips once he feels pj's fingers tangle in his hair in a soothing gesture.

"i'm so sorry, i hope you guys work things out," pj mumbles against noah's hair, and noah just shakes

his head against pj's shoulder before pulling back from the hug, and sitting up straighter.

"i don't want to see him," noah states, voice wavering as if he could break down any other second, and

pj's hand moves to rest on noah's knee, giving it a reassuring squeeze.

"you don't have to, as of now, just don't drink too much okay?" pj ducks his head slightly so he can

meet noah's eyes and noah only groans in annoyance, not responding to the statement.

"noah," pj says firmly. "promise me,"

"i'm not making empty promises," noah denies, his words punctuated by a shrug of his shoulders and

pj shakes his head before rolling his eyes.

"god stop being extra and promise me that you won't drink this often, it's very unhealthy,"

"fine," noah grumbles, and pj smiles at him softly before leaning forward and pressing his lips against

noah's cheek, causing a set of roses to bloom on the pale skin as noah bites his lip and looks over to

him.

"what was that for?" noah sounds amused, and pj is both happy and embarrassed. happy because he

can finally see the cerulean returning to noah's irises as he gives him a small smile, and embarrassed

because he wasn't hoping for noah to react to the affectionate action.

"i don't know you're cute," pj shrugs, his own cheeks flushing as the words leave his lips and he looks

away from noah, a flustered expression on his face.

"you're cute too," with that he feels a pair of lips press against his gradually heating cheeks, noah's arm

gripping the curve of his waist momentarily before he pulls back, both of them leaning against the

wooden bar, a strange tension arising between them.

"hey pj," noah mumbles hurriedly after a moment and pj looks over to him, his cheeks still pink as he

raises his eyebrows in question. "do you wanna come back to my apartment?"