the sound of rory's laughter is quiet, but noah catches it all the same. they had done enough pretending not to be thinking about this, noah thinks. he kind of thinks they've been doing enough pretending for weeks. but whatever, he doesn't mind, if he ends up here, with rory grinning at him like he's the most fun person in the world. there's something perfect about this. stairwell echoes, rory pressed against cool sheetrock, the stairs still ahead of them. there's something right about the fact that noah couldn't hold himself back from doing it, like the click of the door had simultaneously closed out the outside wolrd, and opened up his chest, sending adoration pouring out. not that he'd say any of that. "oh i have. obviously, too." he chuckles, "was shocked whenever you didn't bring it up." a grin, "god forbid a man objectify the guy he's out with." out on a date, maybe. but noah never mentions that part either. as far as he's concerned, what they have is great, and he doesn't want to fuck it up by saying something. rory's thumb brushes against him, and noah feels heat climbing up his neck. he likes that rory wants to touch him. he's never felt as desirable as he does in the warm lighting of the city skyline slicing through his bedroom, tangled up into rory and laughing. and sure, it's always short lived. he always comes down from that high too fast, worries too much. but it's worth it, he thinks. because he's with someone he cares about, and for a merciful, short period of time, he doesn't have to think about everything that's wrong with him. "yeah, i'm countin' on it, beaumont." how many times had noah said it β that he's counting on rory thinking he cares. and yet, they're still here. maybe he should be a little less terrified of everything dissolving. rory's forehead presses to his again, and heat climbs up his cheeks once more. in an instant, he's pulling rory upstairs by his wrist, like school boys running to hide in abandoned hallways and behind buildings to sneak just one more kiss. there's something so gentle about it, if noah examined it he'd probably lose his mind. but still, he can't help his own laughter.