Sleeping in a hospital chair was definitely doing her more damage than good. Her back ached and her head pounded, there was a knot in her left shoulder that just wouldn’t give her a peaceful second and her long legs were barely able to curl beneath her in the small space.
A yawn passed her lips and, as she reached up to rub the sleep from her eyes, her stomach growled loudly. A breakfast bought from the hospital vending machine would just have to wait though as she shuffled her chair closer to Fangs’ bed.
Reaching out she took his hand in hers, her thumb gently stroking his knuckles as she murmured her “Good morning.”
The doctors and nurses had warned her that he’d be out of it for a little while. The shock of being shot along with the following surgery had exhausted his body so he needed his rest, they’d used this in an attempt to get her to go home but soon realised they were fighting a losing battle.
There was no way Noelle was leaving his side until he woke.
She began her nonsensical rambling as she traced patterns on his skin with her thumb. She told him about the riots, that the serpents were homeless and Sweet Pea was on a rampage.
“So, basically, I need you Fangs,” she said in a whisper as she brought his hand up to her lips “Because not only can I not control him on my own but I-”
Her sentence was cut off as she allowed her eyes to wander up to his face, his eyes opening and closing as he drew himself out of his deep sleep. The hand in hers curled tightly around her fingers and a smile slowly came to his lips “Hey.”
Tears immediately stung the backs of her eyes as she jumped to her feet, unsure of whether to fling her arms around him or to go and get a doctor “You’re awake,” she breathed as she unravelled her fingers from his to cradle his face with her hands “Are you okay? How do you feel? God, I was so worried, I could punch you right now.”
Fangs laughed lazily, his hand going to the pain shooting across his abdomen at the action “I’d prefer it if you didn’t,” he said as he looked to her from beneath his eyelashes, not quite meeting her eye, seeming as though he wanted to say something.
“Are you in pain?” Noelle asked straightening up and reaching for the buzzer above his bed “I’ll call your doctor.”
“No,” Fangs said quickly, reaching out through his wince to grab hold of her wrist “No not yet,” he continued as he watched her move away from the head of his bed slightly so she was able to grasp hold of his hand once more “I didn’t expect - that thing I said - I just don’t want you to think -”
Her head tilted and that glint of mischief he was so used to seeing shined in her eyes “Don’t you tell me what not to think,” she warned before cupping the side of his face with her free hand, leaning down she pressed her lips against his for a few short seconds before straightening up once more “We’ll talk more later,” she promised “But now, whether you like it or not, you’re being checked over by your doctor.”
Fangs let out a sigh as he hurried to keep up with her “Drink yourself stupid? I blame Sweet Pea,” he said as he lurched forward to catch her when she stumbled.
“No,” Noelle answered as she slung an arm around his shoulders and leaned most of her weight against his side “I mean this!” she continued throwing her arms out, nearly sending them both off balance, as though that in itself explained what she meant “My life. My decisions.”
He kept his arm around her waist as she tried to wriggle free, her feet stumbling over nothing as he fought to keep her upright. He knew this was something to do with Jughead Jones, as soon as she ordered the first double he knew it was because of the new serpent in their lives “Help me out Noe,” he whined as she tried to free herself from his grasp once more.
“Imma go talk to him.”
“Okay no,” Fangs said lifting her up off her feet and continuing to walk, ignoring her protests as they got closer to her place and further away from the Jones trailer “You’re not putting yourself through that any more,” he continued as she fought to be placed back on her feet “I won’t let him hurt you.”
“So let me hurt him,” she argued as she lay her head back onto his shoulder “Please Fangs?” she asked, a pout to her lips as though she were a child asking for an ice cream.
He let out a laugh and shook his head as he finally let her stand on her own and reached for her hand once more “How about you sleep first and hurt him in the morning?”
Noelle thought it over for a couple of seconds as they continued their walk to her place. Swinging their joined hands between them she nodded her head “I guess that’s a good plan,” she said with a shrug “I wish things were easier.”
“If we weren’t tested how would we learn?” Fangs asked arching his eyebrows over to her and reciting one of her mother’s favourite sayings “Here,” he added as he plucked the keys she was holding up out of her hand. There was no way she was going to be able to navigate a key into a lock in her state.
“You’re so good to me,” she said with a sigh as she leaned against the side of her house and watched him unlock the door. Her eyebrows furrowed for a second as her eyes flickered over his frame “Wow I’m really drunk.”
“Probably a bad idea to get into a shot drinking contest with Sweet Pea,” Fangs grumbled beneath his breath as he flicked the hall light on and turned to lock the front door behind them “You go to your room,” he said, gently placing his hands on Noelle’s waist to guide her toward the bedrooms “I’ll bring you some water.”
“And some vodka!”
“No,” he answered shortly before shooing her away, standing in place for a few seconds to make sure she didn’t stumble over.
“Spoilsport,” she mumbled beneath her breath as she slid her jeans down over her legs and kicked her feet out, replacing them with her loose fitting pyjama bottoms. Grasping the hem of the tshirt she was wearing she made to pull it over her head “Fangs???”
“What’s wrong?” he called back as he made his way down to her bedroom, glass of water in hand and a pack of painkillers for the morning. Turning the corner into her room he came to an immediate stop.
She was stood in the middle of the room, tshirt pulled up over her head, bra on show and grumblings of “I think I’ve gone blind. Does this mean I can have a dog?”
“Okay that isn’t an appropriate question,” he said with a huff as he placed the water and the pills down on her bedside table. She jumped as he reached out to her, guiding her arms and her tshirt back down “Can’t leave you alone for a second,” he jokingly scolded as she stared to him with heavy lidded eyes “C’mon,” he encouraged as he helped to push her tshirt up and over her head, his fingertips brushing the skin of her sides every few seconds.
“Will you stay and talk?” she asked once she was safely in her pyjama top “I mean. Just for a little bit?”
Knowing he was unable to say no to her Fangs smiled “Sure,” he said making sure she didn’t fall as she climbed beneath her sheets and hopping up onto the bed beside her.
Laying with their heads on each pillow they rolled over so they were facing one another. A tight lipped smile came to Noelle’s face as she tucked her hands beneath her cheekbone “I wish...” letting her sentence trail off she pressed her lips together once more and shook her head.
He frowned in confusion as her eyes searched his face “Not gunna puke are ya?”
“No,” she said with a sigh before she reached out with her right hand to gently run the backs of her fingers down the side of his face.
“Do I have something on me?”
“No,” she shook her head as she wriggled closer “You always look out for me,” she said as her fingertips traced a line from the top of his face to the bottom “I’m so lucky to have you,” she continued, her fingers running over the top of his ear until her hand was resting at the back of his neck.
“Noe?”
She smiled as her nose bumped gently against his, their lips brushing against one another before she took the plunge and gently kissed him.
His eyes were wide, his eyebrows arched, in surprise when she pulled away from him. Her hand softly running from his neck to his shoulder “Sorry,” she said glancing up to him as she chewed nervously on her bottom lip.
But his arm had wrapped around her waist, pulling her close to him he leaned his forehead on hers for a few seconds before he kissed her back. Her fingers gripped onto his shoulder as her body pressed into his.
“Wow,” she breathed as they parted and her hand moved down to rest on his chest. He was looking down to her through his eyelashes, an odd expression on his face as his fingertips lightly brushed her hair behind her ear “I...”
“It’s okay,” he said with a smile as he rolled onto his back and she rested her head in place of her hand on his chest “Go to sleep,” he said as he ran his fingers through her hair soothingly, dropping a kiss on the top of her head “We’ll talk about it in the morning.”
I’ve been writing this for far too long. Requested by @isaaclahys (or it might have been @beauxbatcns I can’t remember...)
She wasn’t even sure where she was heading. Wandering around the streets of the Southside Noelle wrapped her leather jacket around herself and scuffed the soles of her boots against the sidewalk.
What was she going to do?
She had left Fangs back at their place. He had looked too peaceful for her to wake and that would be her excuse. This wasn’t something she could tell him yet, it wasn’t even something she felt she could tell herself yet and the panic bubbling throughout her body was enough to make the decision to just go for a walk for her.
Spotting Riya in the distance her head raised and she allowed herself to feel a pinch of hope. Riya was level headed, Riya would know what to do…
“Hey!!”
Riya was looking at her as though she had spouted another head “You’re...chipper this morning?” she said, her statement more like a suspicious question, as she looked to Noelle with narrowed eyes.
“Just happy to see my friend,” she answered throwing an arm around Riya’s shoulders and sending her a, possibly manic looking, grin.
She knew she must have looked as though she had lost the plot when Riya came to a stop, reaching out and grasping her hand before she continue walking “What’s happened?” she asked tilting her head to one side with concern written all over her face.
To Noelle’s horror her eyes quickly filled with the tears she had been putting off all morning. Keeping their hands tightly wrapped together Riya turned, checking to make sure no one they knew was around, and dragged the two of them into a nearby cafe.
Though Noelle protested she left her at one of the tables in the back, returning after a few minutes with a soda for them both and sitting in the opposite seat “Okay, shoot,” she said as she dropped a straw into both of the drinks “What’s up?”
“I...can’t tell you,” Noelle said as she bit down on her bottom lip and stirred the soda sat in the glass in front of her with the straw “So, good talk!” she exclaimed jumping to her feet and letting out a groan as Riya grasped onto her sleeve and pulled her back.
“You once came to me to discuss your and Fangs’ sex life Noelle you can tell me anything.”
“That was girl talk,” Noelle replied with a wave of her hand, ignoring the look Riya was sending her “This is kinda big.”
“Did you kill someone?”
“I wish,” Noelle bat back with a sigh as she leaned down to take a mouthful of her drink “It’d be easier to explain. Pea might even be proud of me,” she said with a shrug and an unamused laugh “Okay I’m just gunna say it. Just let the words come out of my mouth,” she said extending her arms in front of her and toward Riya as though that would be any help “I am...you can’t freak out okay? Because your reaction is going to show me what to expect from other people and you, you just can’t freak out okay?”
“You’re kinda scaring me Noe,” Riya said before holding her hands up innocently “I won’t freak out,” she promised.
Noelle took in a deep breath “Impregiegb.”
Riya’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion as she leaned over the table closer to her friend “I’m sorry what?”
“Are you really making me say it again?”
“I genuinely didn’t hear you! You mumbl-”
“I’m pregnant.”
Silence. Riya’s jaw dropped as she sent Noelle a wide eyed look, her hand slowly raising up to cover her mouth.
“You’re freaking out.”
“I, I’m not!” Riya insisted scrambling across the table to grasp onto Noelle’s wrist once more before she could get up and walk away “I’m happy for you! This is what you want right? Of course it is you and Fangs are amazing together...does he know?” she asked before spotting the raised eyebrow on Noelle’s face “Of course he doesn’t you just told me I’m the first one you’re telling...I’m the first one you’re telling?!”
“Okay I knew this was a bad idea,” Noelle said with a sigh.
“It’s not!” Riya insisted before settling down in her seat and clearing her throat “I mean. It’s not,” she repeated in a calmer manner “I’m just...this is amazing Noe honestly. Fangs is going to be so happy.”
A small smile came to Noelle’s face “I’m kinda terrified to tell him,” she said as her hand gently rested on her stomach “Will you walk back with me?”
“Of course,” Riya said as she pushed herself up to her feet and offered her arm to Noelle.
The two of them walked back to Fangs and Noelle’s place in a comfortable silence and with their arms linked, Riya offering reassuring squeezes every so often to let her know she was still there.
“Okay,” she said as the two of them came to a stop outside of Noelle’s place “Off you go,” she continued glancing to her right when all she felt was Noelle gripping her arm even tighter “You got this. Be free!” she paused for a couple of seconds before wriggling her arm from the tight grasp it was being held in “Noelle.”
“Okay, okay,” Noelle answered as she took in a deep breath and brushed her hands down her jacket “Can I come and stay with you if it goes terribly?”
Riya rolled her eyes as she stood behind Noelle and pushed her gently toward the door “We’re thinking of the same Fangs right?” she asked as they both got closer and closer to the house. Reaching her hand into the pocket of Noelle’s leather jacket she plucked the key out and dodged around her to unlock the door “I’ll see you later.”
“I’m going to kill you!”
“Noe?”
She jumped at the sound of his voice, plastering a smile on her face as she turned away from threatening Riya to face him “Morning,” she said as she squeezed passed him through the front door “Hot chocolate?”
“Why were you up and out so early?” Fangs asked as he shut the door behind her and shuffled after her into the kitchen. It was clear he had only just woken up, his hair dishevelled and his hand rubbing at his eye as he let out a yawn “You’re never up early.”
Spinning on her heel she stepped forward and wrapped her arms around his waist, leaning with her head on his chest as he hugged her back and rested his chin on her head “I have something to tell you.”
“Did you kill someone?”
Frowning she pulled away slightly so she could look at him through narrowed eyes “Why does everyone think I’ve killed someone?” she asked with a shake of her head, smiling as his face broke out into a laugh “It’s not funny!”
With his arms still wrapped around her waist he nudged his nose against hers “Is everything okay?” he asked as her arms rested over his shoulders and her fingers ran through the hair at the nape of his neck.
“I love you.”
“I love you too,” he answered slowly and almost suspiciously as he gently rocked the two of them from side to side “Is something going on?”
“If you carry on swaying I’ll be puking on your tshirt,” she offered with a shrug of her shoulders, her eyes dropping down as he placed a kiss on her forehead “Do you think...no. I have to…I just...”
“Are you hungover?” he asked with his face full of concern as his right hand reached up to press against her forehead “Sick? You are a little warm, maybe we could-”
“I’m late.”
Fangs’ eyes narrowed as he brushed her hair from her face “You’re always late Noe, whatever it is I’m sure they’re expecting it to be honest.”
She hated to admit it but, as her stomach squirmed with nerves, her eyes filled up once more as her fingers gripped onto his tshirt “No,” she said slowly “But before I say any more you have to promise you won’t be mad and you won’t freak out because Riya did and it freaked me out a little so I’m kinda nervous and I don’t think I’ve ever been nervous around you before so it’s weird.”
Fangs looked taken aback as she finished her ramble by taking in a deep breath. Cupping the side of her face he ran his thumb along her cheekbone a couple of times before leaning down and pressing his lips to hers “I promise.”
“Okay, okay,” she said with a nod before she took a second to run her eyes over his features. She could tell he was worried about what was about to come out of her mouth and she hated keeping him in suspense...but once it was out there it was out there. It became real and she wasn’t sure if she was ready.
But then a smile came to his lips. A slightly nervous smile but one that hit her right in the chest as his eyes sparkled down to her and she knew it was time “I’m pregnant,” she said quietly and his eyebrows immediately furrowed together. Reaching for the hand he still had resting against her face she pressed it against her abdomen “We’re going to be parents.”
She held her breath as his eyes dropped down to where his hand was pressed against her tshirt “Really?”
Nodding she confirmed “I took the test this morning,” as a tear escaped and rolled down her face “Unless, I mean, do you-” she was cut off by him lifting her off her feet and spinning her around “Don’t forget the puke!” she exclaimed through her giggles, reaching up to cradle his face as he set her back down full of apologies “You’re happy then?”
“Beyond,” he said through his grin as his hands rested on her hips “This is the best news I’ve ever heard,” he continued, his voice thick with emotion as he pulled her closer. His eyes closed as they leaned into one another “This is going to be amazing,” he whispered against her lips before capturing them into a soft, gentle kiss.
“I’m so glad you’re happy,” she replied as they pulled apart “Now,” she began patting her hand against his shoulder “I really need to call Riya so she knows I didn’t chicken out.”
“Oh no,” Fangs said with a smirk as he leaned down to sweep her feet from under her “We’re celebrating. Riya won’t mind waiting until later.”
“You finally made it then,” he greeted her by bumping his fist against hers before throwing an arm around her shoulders and tugging her into his side in a tight hug “Fogarty was fretting,” he continued flicking a piece of paper he’d rolled up into a ball between his fingers across the table to where Fangs was scowling.
“I was not,” he said in a grumble as she pulled away from Sweet Pea and he opened up his arms for her “Knew you’d make it in okay,” he said pressing a quick, welcoming kiss to her cheekbone.
