S L U G G E R

@noahxkinsella

52 posts

TATBILB AU

teddy-j-west‌:

Another day at school meant another day closer to graduation. The impending graduation in the still-too-distant-future gave anxious junior had at least one thing to be thankful for. Her sophomore year hadn’t been so bad, but then again Teddy had at least had one friend then: Noah. Now her social interactions were limited to half smiles from some other nobody several seats down from her at the lunch table and feigned friendliness from her lab parter, who only wanted to copy off Teddy’s reports.

She supposed she couldn’t blame them, though. She was touted as a prodigy since her parents had transferred out of some too new-agey magnet school and demanded her spots in advanced courses without the hassle of testing by way of donation… not that Teddy couldn’t have gotten into the courses on her own. Even the accelerated classes bored her, felt too simple and unchallenging.

Teddy was prepared for another day of silence and spacing out during lectures she already knew everything about as she took a moment to organize her locker. She glanced over her shoulder watching other friend groups greet one another as if it had been five years since they last saw one another and not just the 16 or so hours between yesterday’s fifth period and now. She could have pitied them, but instead she was a little jealous. She wasn’t the stereotypical vapid friend. Instead her label would have more aptly read: lonely nerd.

The letter had been...strange. He didn’t know what to say to it, really. Teddy had been his friend for a good amount of time now, but the letter? Flattering, to say the least. But he had a girlfriend – well, that was complicated, too – so the idea was a little far fetched. Gripping the envelope, Noah made his way through the school. He’d gotten it the day before, and he figured bringing it to school would be the best way. That way she couldn’t deny that it had been written.

“Teds?” Noah was holding his lunch tray, setting it down across from her. He didn’t mind the looks, since, hell, people had to know they were friends at this point. Sitting down, he pulled out the envelope, setting it down on the table and slowly pushing it towards her, “Look, this is really nice and all but uh....Steph and I um...”

#this is such TRASH

Reunion || Teddy + Noah

teddy-j-west‌:

“Oh really? Did you see that in one of your visions?” Teddy whispered looking up at him and leaning back into his touch a little more. “What else did you see happening there?” She was cut off by Arlo’s greeting before Noah had an opportunity to answer.

“I’m good,” Arlo answered, a look of genuine happiness to see Noah coloring his features. He glanced over his shoulder at the crowd of his awkwardly bobbling peers and rubbed the back of his neck looking back at Noah. “The one in the teal dress is my date, but I’m with the rest of that group, I guess.”

“It’s still new,” Teddy answered before Arlo could ask for much in the way of clarification. “We’re still figuring it out since it’s been so long but…” She shrugged her shoulders. “We’re just working on figuring it out for now–and we’re here for you this weekend anyway.” Arlo wouldn’t have been able to see it, but to someone who knew Teddy as well as Noah had it was clear nervousness brewed behind Teddy’s eyes in response to Noah’s answer to Arlo’s question. “Go have fun with the youths,” Teddy instructed Arlo. She shooed him away promising, “You can bug Noah back at home, just like the rest of the family.”

“Wouldn’t you like to know? Guess you’ll have to wait like the rest of the world.” Noah smirked before his attention was drawn to Arlo. At least he looked happy to see him. He followed the crowd, finding the girl with the teal dress, “You gonna slap a ring on it? If you’re having sex, use protection. Pretty sure I got condoms in my car.” Noah grinned a little more, simply to annoy Teddy.

Once her brother walked away, Noah turned back towards Teddy, “We should really either hit the dancefloor or break into one of the empty locker rooms.” Noah didn’t bother looking around the room anymore, fixing his gaze on Teddy expectantly. “Or can we just leave?”

Reunion || Teddy + Noah

teddy-j-west‌:

“You are my favorite,” Teddy whispered watching him tuck the flask back into his pocket. She would grab them cups later when things were a little busier and no one would notice him pouring from his secret stash. “Don’t call her that,” Teddy argued with a frown. “She’s the only woman in this entire town I’ve seen go toe to toe with my mother… And I’m pretty sure she won, too.”

“I am not fucking you in a supply closet,” Teddy grumbled with an eye roll. She took to her feet and pulled at Noah’s arm to get up and greet Arlo with her. By the time the two had stood up Arlo was already making his way across the gym toward them with a genuinely happy grin on his face. He gave Teddy a tight squeeze before lifting an arm to give Noah a bro-tastic bro-hug.

“You didn’t say Noah was coming,” Arlo said over the music. “How are you? Was mom pissed?”

“Practically catatonic for about two minutes before the claws came out,” Teddy responded with an eye roll. “You know how she is, but we both wanted to be here for your graduation.”

“Wait… He’s staying with us?” Arlo asked, brow furrowed. “Does that mean—are you two–You’re back together again then? Officially?”

“I’m fucking you in a supply closet,” Noah argued, sliding his hand lower to rest right above her ass before he pulled it back up when she said her brother’s name. Siblings really killed the mood. He had forgotten how big the kid had gotten, and truthfully, he was grateful for just one friendly face in Teddy’s family. “I’m good, kid. How are you?” He glanced over at the dancefloor and the poor kids trying to have some semblance of rhythm before meeting Arlo’s gaze. “Something like that,” he smirked slightly, looking over at Teddy. Everything was still pretty new, and needless to say, he wasn’t exactly convinced she wasn’t going to bail on him in a few months, either.

Reunion || Teddy + Noah

teddy-j-west‌:

“She’s not that old,” Teddy had whispered back before plastering a smile on her face. She looked at Noah and shook her head when he joked that he had turned her down. “That’s not true,” she told him, on a different wave length than the joke due to her nerves over the question. She turned back to Mrs. Doyle again insisting, “That’s not true.”

Mrs. Doyle only offered a soft chuckle in return. “You were a terrible student,” Mrs. Doyle told Noah, “really just the worst. But a good kid. A lot of us are so glad to see you continue to have done well for yourself after you graduated.” She gave Noah a gentle pat on the shoulder. “The Dodgers aren’t Phillips team,” she admitted, referring to her husband, “but we watch almost all of your games… And you,” she said, turning her attention to Teddy. “Don’t think I don’t know your mother signed you up to babysit all these animals. Carol… but try and have a little fun tonight.” She pressed something into Teddy’s palm before excusing herself. “Just in case the two of you need to escape and want to have a little time to reminisce.”

Teddy glanced down at the item in her hand, a key, before tucking it away and looping her arm around Noah’s. “Did you bring a flask?” she asked somewhat hopefully, “or do you mean… that?” She nodded toward the large plastic punch bowl looking pitiful by the bleachers. Teddy walked over toward the bleachers with Noah trying to ignore the shitty music and overall boring atmosphere, although slowly enough more groups of students started pouring in. Before long, Teddy perked up somehow knowing to tug at Noah’s shirt sleeve and announce, “Arlo’s here” almost a full five seconds before Arlo even walked into the room.

His smile wavered for a moment, the reminiscing of his education putting a sour taste in his mouth. He wanted to just tell her maybe it was because she was a shitty teacher, but he held his tongue so he didn’t embarrass Teddy. Noah gave a half smile when she mentioned his games, finding mild relief that she could at least watch him succeed at something. “Nobody is perfect,” he joked, referring to her husband before he looked down at the key in Teddy’s hand. Walking away with her, Noah grinned, “Baby, you think I’d show up without alcohol to shit like this?” Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a flask, shaking it before tucking it back into his suit pocket. “I can’t believe that dinosaur actually gave us a key to go fuck in the supply closet.”

Reunion || Teddy + Noah

teddy-j-west‌:

“My goodness fame has made you vain,” Teddy teased. “Though if they’re busy in line to get a photo with you I suppose they won’t really be causing trouble.” By the look of the parking lot, the two were early. The music from within the school buzzed from where they had parked a couple dozen yards away, but when they got to the gym it only contained a couple of small circles of students who looked embarrassed to be amongst the first to have arrived.

Teddy glanced around trying to find whatever unfortunately adult had been put in charge in order to collect marching orders. Mrs. Doyle, the half-ancient chemistry teacher who had largely been responsible for pairing the two together as a student-tutor pair nearly a decade before, turned from shouting something at the DJ and suddenly warmed as she saw Teddy’s face. It was clear she didn’t recognize Noah until she had gotten much closer. “Little Teddy West and the ol’ MVP Kinsella,” Mrs. Doyle greeted over the music. She tilted her head slightly recalling the old school gossip about the young couple breaking up. “Tell me the both of you aren’t here together out of pure coincidence? Oh! Are you married?”

Teddy flushed slightly at her old teacher’s elation at the idea that the pair might be married. If they hadn’t broken up in the first place they might have been by now, both of them pushing the late side of their twenties. “Oh, um, well, no,” Teddy stammered out, as nervous to disappoint as ever.

“No, no. Adulthood has made me vain. And maybe the size of my dick, too,” he grinned, clearly kidding as he leaned forward to press a kiss against her temple. He took a quick glance around the parking lot, vivid memories of high school coming back to him. Though most of them were blurry, nulled by all the drugs he tried to force into his constantly healing body. Maybe some memories were more clear than others, and the ones with Teddy were some of the few he could hold on to. “She’s still alive?” he muttered to Teddy, forcing a smile when they were noticed.

“Still the MVP, Mrs. Doyle. That hasn’t stopped,” he put on his most charming smile, reaching out to squeeze her hand before he shook his head. “Nah, she’s asked me a few times, but I told her I have to be woo’d,” he winked at the teacher, turning to look at Teddy. “I think we’re gonna go get a lil’ drink.”

Reunion || Teddy + Noah

teddy-j-west‌:

“You still shouldn’t have to listen to anyone say or insinuate things like that,” Teddy responded quietly. “Whether you take it to heart or not, because it’s not true.”

Teddy frowned at the back of the photograph before letting out a sigh. “She was supposed to put all this away, I’ve told her a thousand times,” she mumbled sounding exasperated as she snatched the sash off the mirror and gathered the crown case into her arms. She walked to the closet with the both of items grumbling something incoherent under her breath as she tossed them in the closet with little care and pulled a pair of heels out in their place. “Let’s get out of here,” she said doubled over as she pulled her shoes on. Teddy reached out for Noah’s hand once she was standing again and pulled him out of the house quickly, trying to avoid any further encounters with her parents. It felt childish, the way they’d frequently tried to make swift exits in their youth.

“Arlo’s gonna be excited to see you there,” Teddy said once they were en route to the high school they had once attended themselves. “And probably all the little thirsty high school girls who know who you are.”

“And you thought she would?” Noah rose an eyebrow, though he didn’t say much more about it as Teddy threw the items into the closet. He chuckled a little to himself, walking forward to take Teddy’s hand before they started walking. He rubbed his temple, letting out a sigh, “The quicker we leave, the better it’ll be for my sanity,” he joked, barely giving anyone a second glance before they were out the door. He glanced over at her, shrugging his shoulders, “What can I say? I’m a hot commodity for teenage girls. My fans adore me. Guess I’ll be taking selfies all night.”

Reunion || Teddy + Noah

teddy-j-west‌:

Teddy tossed her clothes onto the bed, something she was sure she’d get lecture for upon their return by her snooping mother, and stepped into her mother’s selection. It wasn’t half as bad as she thought it would be–classic, black, understated, and a high neckline. Always a high neckline. She struggled with the zipper, squirming and stretching and reaching behind herself until she found and dragged the zipper up her back. She turned and looked at Noah when she heard his voice. “Apparently not yet,” she said, nodding toward his tie. She walked up to Noah and took both ends of it gently pulling down on it to get him to lean closer until she could press her forehead to his. “You didn’t have to come, I know being here isn’t the best for you,” she admitted. “But the problem is with you and not them, okay? They think they’re too good for you, but they’re not. No one is too good for you.” She stepped to the side slightly and wrapped her arms around Noah. “You’re enough.”

“Let me get that…” she mumbled after a moment, returning to the tie and tying it loosely so Noah could adjust it as she turned her attention to touching up her makeup before heading out the door. She froze in front of the vanity for a moment before reaching out and pushing the photo face down so quickly and forcefully the entire vanity rattled.

Noah smiled a little, letting her grab ahold of his tie when she walked over. He bent easily, letting his forehead rest against hers as she spoke. “If I took everything to heart, I wouldn’t be a baseball player,” he pointed out, giving her a look. He’d heard it all. Especially when he’d tried his limits at everything. It’d taken a lot for him to stop, but he had, and that’s what was important. “You don’t gotta remind me, just remind yourself.” Looking back into the mirror, he tightened the tie, making sure it was straight before he rose an eyebrow at her sudden movement, “Damn, girl. What’d the picture ever do to you?”

Reunion || Teddy + Noah

teddy-j-west‌:

Teddy turned around fully when Noah leaned forward on the stairs, leaning a bit closer to him. She held his face for a moment before giving him a quick kiss, not bothering to check and see which corner her mother was skulking around to spy on the pair. “I bet you will.” She lifted her arm and grabbed one of his hands leading him back to her room so the two could slink off into a better alternative than her parents’ house–a festering, hormonal swarm of teens.

The bones of her room were the same–the same bed, furniture, the large window that might as well have been Noah’s private entrance for the majority of their teen years. Everything else was different. Cool neutral, untouched and pristine to the point was clear it was un-lived in. Numerous photos hung on the wall, different than the ones that had used to be up in the room–now sanitized of evidence Noah had ever existed. Degrees and graduation photos littered one particular part of the wall. On the spotless vanity, a collection of items fully fleshed out the impression that the room had been fashioned into a bizarre shrine of Teddy’s accomplishments: a glittering crown in a glass case, a sash strewn across the mirror proclaiming: MISS ARIZONA, and a glossy photo of Teddy beaming in the both of them.

Somehow undisturbed by this museum of her own life, Teddy walked to the closet, pushing the small amount of clothes around to find the dress bag and leaving Noah

Noah didn’t mind the room, all things considering. He was pretty sure his father hadn’t touched his, however, since moving out. His son was always a soft spot for the man, and Noah knew that was the reason he’d been able to spiral so quickly. He did have fond memories, however, of climbing up the side of Teddy’s house to get to that same window. Even if he fell, it wasn’t like he’d get too hurt. And it’d been worth it back then.

Rubbing his jaw, he only rose an eyebrow at the woman before he changed into the suit. He left the tie slung around his neck, turning to wait for Teddy, “You done yet?”

Reunion || Teddy + Noah

teddy-j-west‌:

Teddy was almost surprised at her parents’ record setting speed at souring the occasion. Her plate sat in front of her empty–not even everyone at the table had been served before the slights were exchanged. She sat still in her chair for a moment. To an outsider, it would have looked passive, but she felt a ringing in her ears as she tried to grasp at what she even ought to refer to first. It ended up being Noah’s endearment. Her fingers fumbled against the palm of his hand awkwardly–she’d moved to reach for his hand in the same moment he had reached for her. Their synced movement wasn’t lost on Carol, whose eyes displayed a flicker of disapproval.

Teddy’s only response to Noah’s shrug was a nervous look. She stood immediately after he had spoken, the action cutting off her mother’s already open mouth and stopping whatever one-uppery was sure to come out of it.

“They serve dinner at prom,” Teddy said matter-of-factly. “And we’re going to be late if we don’t get ready soon.” She slid her chair back in front of her untouched place setting before making her way to the staircase without allowing for a moment of protest. When she had made it to the first step of the stairs, she looked back over her shoulder at Noah apologetically. “Guess we should go check out whatever trainwreck she wants me to wear tonight and get outta here?”

Noah rose an eyebrow, though he was mildly disappointed he hadn’t gotten to eat. He was literally always hungry, but most of his appetite was also gone at this point. It seemed futile to argue with them, and he didn’t understand how someone’s parents could hate them so much – or not tolerate them. He followed after Teddy, chuckling a little to himself when they made it to the stairs. He leaned forward, resting both his hands on the walls, “Think of it this way – I get to take you out of whatever trainwreck that is. And I’ll make it worthwhile.”

Reunion || Teddy + Noah

teddy-j-west‌:

Teddy would have minded being volun-told significantly more if she wasn’t so used to it by now, if she didn’t think she could take Noah along, and if it didn’t take care of the issue of how to politely separate Noah from her parents’ veneer of politeness when in reality they held nothing but spite for him. And somehow getting dressed up felt nostalgic and fun–although this time she hoped no lockers would be harmed in the process. The pair had gotten to go to Noah’s senior prom together, something Teddy remembered vividly. It was the night she realized she did love Noah, not in the puppy love high school fling way, but in a way she knew would endure. It had been the night the two first slept together as well, with a secretive clumsy enthusiasm that made her heart swell a bit at the memory. By her own senior prom she was too sick to attend. She’d been in the hospital for over a month waiting in desperation for a donor and not long before she had broken things off with Noah. She had missed a lot of things beyond prom–her own graduation, Noah’s stint in the minor leagues. She squashed the thoughts down, replacing them with the hopes they might steal a few of those moments back that evening.

“I had no idea the contracts weren’t identical,” Levi said thoughtfully. “I don’t know if I agree with the mandated counseling and all either. It’s like forcing a toddler to apologize in some way. Politics indeed, and capitalism. I don’t think enough fans keep up or care. Teams only seem to respond in meaningful ways when they start losing money based on a player’s conduct.”

“Perhaps if he was a better player I’d be willing to turn more of a blind eye,” Carol suggested absently.

“Really?” Teddy challenged, setting her fork down. “Really? After all the veiled insinuations that if I had stayed with Noah he would have been controlling and beat me the whole time because all athletes beat their women? Noah’s pretty good, so I guess I can never expect a word out of you on that end? Since you’d be fine with it, right? Because he’s a good player.”

“Now, that’s not what your mother meant,” Levi cut in, however his placating words couldn’t sever the stoney eye contact between Teddy and her mother.

“There’s no need to be so defensive, Teddy,” Carol insisted. “You’ve always been that way since you went to college. Every time I make a comment you snap back at me. And before you say ‘That’s because when you said was wrong’–we both know that’s exactly what you’d say–consider how I feel constantly under attack. We know you’re smart, you don’t have to pick a fight with us to prove it. You’ve always been so intelligent. I just feel like sometimes you try to use it to put distance between the two of us. Isn’t she intelligent, Noah? She’s always been such an intellectual, always in need of someone else at her level.”

Noah almost found it amusing. Almost. His jaw was hard set only because he felt like he’d gone backwards about ten years, maybe eleven. He’d been eighteen during their senior year of high school, and he still felt like he had some weird obligation to Teddy’s parents. But at this point, he had MVP awards under his belt and five long more years with the Dodgers before he had to think about any kind of future. “It’s okay, balım,” the word didn’t really slip out, but he held Carol’s gaze even as he put his hand over Teddy’s.

“I think she’s the smartest damn person in the room at all time,” Noah’s gaze finally flickered over to Teddy, and he shrugged his shoulders at her with a lopsided smile. “It’s even easier to tell whenever I’m around all of you.”

Reunion || Teddy + Noah

teddy-j-west‌:

Teddy wasn’t sure how much her mothers’ insinuation had bothered Noah, as inaccurate a depiction of Noah’s struggle with substance use as it was. She placed a hand on his knee under the table for a brief second trying to offer what little support she was able to in the moment. “There. He’ll be with me, no worries. Besides, I doubt they ever feel they have enough chaperones at these things,” Teddy suggested. She looked at Noah and smiled, if only to prime him for his enjoyment of how her next words grated Carol. “And maybe it will be fun. We never got to go to our senior prom.”

“Now, Noah,” Levi began, too busy looking at his plate to meet eyes with Noah, “you’re in the major leagues aren’t you? This fellow–the one who was hitting his wife and got a forty game suspension and anger management. What do you make of that?”

“Oh my god,” Teddy half groaned under her breath.

“It’s just a question. I want his perspective is all, from someone in the field,” Levi defended, then chuckled. “In the field.”

He nearly made another quip about how Teddy was still being treated like a child, and he was mildly annoyed she hadn’t bitten back at the automatic sign up that Carol had done for her. Decisions, no matter how small, were always important, and Noah figured he’d let it go for now if Teddy wasn’t going to straighten it out. He vaguely remembered the issues of high school, and senior prom had meant nothing to him considering he hadn’t been able to go with Teddy. Even now, he wanted to try and sneak in a dance while they were there just to make up for it.

The question caught him off guard, and he rose an eyebrow as he tried to think about the answer he should give. Noah nearly made a tasteless joke about more violence, but he couldn’t, not with the bad taste lingering in his mouth. “Violence is violence. He should’ve been thrown out. But it’s all politics. They couldn’t handle losing their best player forever, and if they kicked him out, they’d have to pay him anyway since he’d be out of his contract. There’ll be a clause for the next contract he gets that’ll mention getting rid of him without severance if it happens again. Politics are shitty, but it rules everything.”

Reunion || Teddy + Noah

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Teddy gave a little half jump when she felt Noah’s hands slide down her backside, but just let her arms rest against his chest rather than pulling away. “It’s really a shame you’re so tall. I can never reach when I want to…” she trailed off, urging him down to her level to give him a kiss. “Freak,” she teased after as she allowed him to stand at his full height. “If you want I can make you feel more comfortable here and ask them to boo you since you’re so used to it.” Teddy nodded toward the door. “Let’s go get it over with shall we?”

There was a slight murmuring between Carol and Levi from the kitchen, but nothing quite distinguishable from the pair who silenced immediately when they heard a stair groan. The house seemed nearly the same as it always had, but perhaps slightly updated–clean to the point of nearly looking un-lived in and boasting of the happy family within it. On the walls were photos of Teddy and Arlo as children, as teens, Teddy smiling politely with a college degree in hand, a family photo with the extended family. In one corner that Teddy felt particularly motivated to drag Noah past hung a sash and photo of Teddy standing crowned and beaming in an evening dress with a bouquet of flowers nearly the same size as her.

Teddy sat somewhat awkwardly at the dining room table set for the meal. A setting had been added for Noah, and Teddy gave a slight glance toward him. “Where’s Arlo tonight?” she asked, a little worried the buffer she had counted on was gone.

“Didn’t we say on the phone?” Levi asked, gesturing at the food for them to begin filling their plates. “It’s their prom night.”

“We signed you up the chaperone, there’s a dress in the upstairs bathroom waiting for you,” Carol said, partially coded as she glanced at Teddy’s plate as if to police her portions. “You understand, Noah. Volunteerism is important to us. I’m sure you can find some way to pass the time while Teddy’s helping out. I trust your familiar with the local bars…”

“Noah graduated from Miller High, too,” Teddy reminded her mother a bit more sharply than what could be considered casual. “He can come with. If he wants to.”

Noah dutifully kept his hands to himself as they made their way back down the stairs. He was definitely looking for ammo against Teddy, his gaze lingering on the pictures longer than necessary. Especially the one she tried to drag him past. He still managed a wink in her direction, and only realized his one friend besides Teddy in the family was nowhere to be seen.

He sat down beside Teddy, staying relatively silent as he listened to them speak. It would’ve been easier to be ignored, and the stagnant disdain almost would’ve been welcome. It felt almost awkward, and the boiling anger that settled in the pit of Noah’s stomach had very little to do with the insinuation he was a drunk. “I am – they all know me by name. I’ve only fought in one of them, though. Bar fights are a little too tame for me.” Noah set his fork down, trying not to lose his appetite, “Sorry, I definitely must’ve missed when you were asked to chaperone, babe. But count me in. High school was great. Can’t wait to go back.”

Reunion || Teddy + Noah

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Teddy hushed Noah as the pair took the last few steps. Whatever her mother had meant to say about the house looking unpresentable was clearly made up. Teddy pushed the door to her childhood bedroom open for Noah the his bags before giving a slight tug at one of his belt loops when he’d set the bags down. “I can’t blame her,” Teddy said. “Look at that pout,” she teased grinning up at him. “I almost pass out whenever I see you too. Just stick to small talk and being polite during dinner and then I’ll say we’re tired from travelling and buy us some privacy, okay?” Teddy raised an eyebrow at Noah before more genuinely adding, “Thanks for coming with.”

Noah smirked a little more, as if he needed anymore air to inflate his ego, “I know – I’m pretty damn hot, huh? You can thank Spring training. They really keep us going.” He wrapped his arms around her waist when she tugged at his jeans, one of his hands sliding down to grab on to her booty, “Don’t pass out – you’ll miss all the fun stuff. Besides, I don’t know about you, but making sure they hate me isn’t anything we really need to do.” He hummed a little more, “Sure, if that’s what you want. If you think I haven’t been hassled before, you should hear me when I’m at Yankee stadium. I’m booed before I even get to the plate. This? Easy.”

Reunion || Teddy + Noah

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Carol shook Noah’s hand, though it was largely out or the shock that he was standing at her door again with her daughter. If she weren’t so surprised to see him the greeting likely would have been significantly less civil. “Theodosia, the only bed I can offer is your own,” Carol said in a hushed town.

“We fit,” Teddy responded matter of factly, shutting down the idea that there wouldn’t be room based on Teddy’s smaller mattress size. She hoisted her weekend bag back up on her shoulder and raised an eyebrow before her mother stepped aside to let the two of them in.

“Levi, look who’s here,” Carol called through the open living room back toward the kitchen. “Teddy’s… brought Noah. You’ll have to set another place at the dinner table.”

Teddy glanced up at Noah trying to get a quick gauge. The false politeness would likely fade quickly, especially since Arlo didn’t appear to be nearby. “We’re just gonna run our bags upstairs okay?”

Noah gave her hand a light squeeze, finding too much amusement for now. He had to take what he could get, anyway. He knew the weekend would just get more and more trying as they went along. Noah managed to keep himself tame for the time being, biting back a retort when Teddy said they would both fit. He almost wanted to say something raunchy, but poking the bear right now didn’t seem like that great of an idea. “Levi,” Noah greeted idly, managing a smile for her father as well. Anyone who lived with Carol on a daily basis deserved a greeting, in his mind. Noah held onto both of their bags as they walked up the stairs, and he huffed out a chuckle as they reached the top of the staircase, “I almost thought your mom was going to pass out back there.”

Reunion || Teddy + Noah

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Teddy nodded slowly trying to gauge how okay with it Noah actually was, but he had said he’d be fine and she wanted to respect it. She knew there was potential for it to become extremely uncomfortable, and as much as she wanted to spare Noah from it entirely, she knew her role was to be a supportive partner, especially considering the damage her family had done in the past. “I mean, I won’t hate you either but how could I hold a candle to Arlo?” Teddy asked before cracking a slight smile and giving Noah a light kiss.

Before long, the pair were stationed in front of Teddy’s childhood home, Teddy’s small fist poised to knock before she paused. “You might learn about some, uh… weird stuff that happened when we weren’t together. Can you just… hold your questions? I’ll answer them all tonight, I promise…” She knocked and without much hesitation her mother answered the door looking delighted at first but then affronted the moment she locked eyes with Noah and recognized him.

“You’re home,” Carol greeted Teddy, giving her a sudden hug that Teddy looked slightly less than prepared for. “And with… company. The house is barely presentable…”

Noah shrugged his shoulders in response to her. He didn’t really need to know anything, nor was he in the slightest bit curious, but he’d humor Teddy for now. He didn’t expect to spill every detail about what he had been through, nor did he expect her to. “Sure...whatever you say.” He figured whatever she meant would be the least of their worries, especially when the door opened and they were presented with Carol West. Noah’s grin only got even more smug than he originally thought it’d be, and he held his hand out just to gauge her reaction of having to shake his hand, “It’s been a long time, Carol.”

Reunion || Teddy + Noah

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Teddy nodded when Noah said he agreed. “Not now, but it will be nice when we get there,” she stated giving Noah’s hand a light squeeze. “I’ll think about it, okay? Maybe do some apartment searching when I arrange for the movers and see what I turn up with. We have a few days to decide.” Teddy wasn’t ready to admit that she felt nervous and intimidated by the time commitment that came with Noah’s career, and that in the long run when they were ready to move in together or even take the next steps beyond that the many nights apart would eat at her. Instead, she turned back to the problem at hand. “Are you sure you’re okay seeing my parents?” she asked. “I know it can be rough. I don’t want you to feel pressured into coming, and we could get a hotel if you want instead of staying at the house… I know they’re just… a lot.”

Noah gave a few nods, if only to end the conversation. He never used to have this much anxiety, though he knew it had to do with the fact that he was no longer smoking anything near the amount he used to, simply because it had almost no effect on him. The rational part of him wanted to say yes to a hotel, but he was far too petty for that. “Yeah, I’m fine with seeing your parents. We can stay there. I’ll leave when I get told to. And if it comes down to that, well, let’s just say they won’t have their google translates out quick enough,” he managed a smile, looking back at Teddy, “This weekend, huh? At least Arlo won’t hate me.”

Reunion || Teddy + Noah

teddy-j-west‌:

“I didn’t mean a few days to stay,” Teddy corrected in a level voice trying to ease off any of Noah’s irritation. She was surprised Noah felt the correction even needed to be made. Historically she had always been the cautious one. She was quiet for a moment before she suggested,”Maybe we should consider hiring a company to gather it all and move it rather than either of us going back. It would be taken care of while we’re gone that way,” Teddy looked up at Noah’s nervous pacing wondering if his anxiety over what to do was spiraling the way hers had so many times before, the way she was surprised hers wasn’t at the moment. “Hey,” she soothed quietly, trying to attract his attention. She held a hand out to him for him to come to her and to give his hand a gentle squeeze. “It’s not that I don’t want to stay with you, okay? I don’t want you to think that. Please don’t think that. Us being with each other again is just so sudden and new. I know this weekend likely won’t be easy for you around my parents either. Why don’t we see how the next few days go and we can make a decision on the way back?”

Noah felt the tension ease from his shoulders, even as Teddy offered a new suggestion. It would definitely be better for someone else to do it. “Yeah...a moving company,” he agreed finally, nodding his head a few more times. He stopped his pacing when she reached out for him, and he moved towards her, taking a seat on the couch beside her. “No, I know. I agree. I think it’s too much – too soon.” Noah still had trouble imagining what things were going to happen with her parents, and it was still an issue in his mind. It wasn’t anything he would leave Teddy over, but he knew it would be an event nonetheless. “But I wasn’t joking when I said I wouldn’t be there often. Any away games, the place is empty. It’ll be like your own apartment anyway.”

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