The Outside Lines (boyxboy) - Chapter 36: Chapter 36

Time passed as I sat alone in the quiet room. Everything was silent aside from the occasional gust of wind blowing past the window next to Nathan's bed.
Just as my drowsiness began to set in the door slid open, Nathan walking in with a plate and mug in hand. I studied the food, curious.
"Here, eat this. It's nothing fancy, but hopefully it'll hold you over for the night." He said as he sat the contents on the nightstand in front of me.
"It's grilled cheese and hot cocoa to warm you up." He answered the question written on my face as he stretched his muscular arm and pointed to the food.
Captivated by the delicious scent emitting from the food I didn't even notice Nathan take a seat beside me. That was until I turned back to meet his gentle stare.
"I know you've been through a lot tonight, do you want to... talk about it?" He offered, leaning back on the bed, propped up by his arms.
I turned away, my vision shifting to the wooden floor. "Not... right now. I kinda just want to sleep."
"Okay." He responded after a short moment. I needed to pour my heart out to someone, but I wasn't ready and didn't know who to trust. I felt the bed shift as he stood up. I didn't look, but I could feel his eyes on me.
"If you need anything I'll be on the couch in the living room just past the kitchen." He informed. The gentle touch he applied on my shoulder spooked me. It caught me off guard.
"Eat up before you fall asleep, alright? You shouldn't go without dinner." He told me, his hand falling from my shoulder.
"W-wait, you're letting me sleep here? On your bed? And you're going to sleep on the couch?" My voice rose in concern as I was suddenly putting the pieces together.
"Uh, yeah?" He seemed slightly confused by my sudden tone. "Don't worry, I washed the sheets just yesterday."
"That's not it... I'm just a guest here, I should be the one on the couch." I said, grasping at Nathan's cover bundled in my hands.
"Nah, don't worry about it, I want you to take my bed. After what I assume was a pretty rough day you should be as comfortable as possible." Hearing him say that, I swear my skin changed a shade of red from head to toe. He's actually worried about me...
"If you think you'd be more comfortable on the couch you can have it though." He shrugged.
"NO." My abrupt refusal caught even myself by surprise. "I'll... take the bed." I simmered down, shirking into the covers, embarrassed.
Nathan chuckled wearing a large smile. "Alright, well goodnight Noah."
He headed for the door but stopped and turned just before he reached it. "Remember, if you need anything at all you know where to find me. It won't be a bother." And with that, he was out of the room. I returned my nose to the softness of the covers nuzzling against them. He said they washed just yesterday, and yet a prominent scent was gracing my nose, a pleasant one at that.
Nathan is a genuinely good person, isn't he? If Taylor can trust him then maybe I can as well...
I ate the sandwich and drank the cocoa while it was still hot before settling into the blankets. The thought and taste behind the food were really comforting, I couldn't hold back the smile threatening to break out on my face. I sat up for a while waiting for the meal to while I further studied the unique clutter in Nathan's room.
Nathan's POV (The next morning)
I sat up from the rough fabric of the couch, just awakening from my sleep. My eyes adjusted to the window beaming in light. I found it strange that last night was so cold and snowy, yet the sun was shining high and bright in the sky like yesterday never happened.
"Oh crap, what time is it?" I asked my self, scrambling for the clock on the end table just behind my head. Ten-AM, not bad, I guess. I glanced around the quiet, empty room. It appeared mom was still asleep.
I got off the couch and headed upstairs for a change of clothes to start off my Saturday. I planned on cooking breakfast for not just one other person, but two now that Noah's going to be living here and I honestly couldn't be more happy about it. I didn't want either of them to wake up without having anything to eat, so I made haste.
I ambled across my room hoping not to wake Noah. He was cuddled up against my blanket positioned in between him and the wall. He had one hand stretched above his head and the other around the blanket, his mouth parted. I couldn't help but release a quiet chuckle at the adorable sight. I was half tempted to join him, but that would probably be even more awkward than the sudden kiss I planted on him last night. I scratched my head at the memory while digging through my closet for a change of clothes. He kissed me back, so I guess I wasn't totally out of line, was I? Finally being certain of his feelings for me had me over the moon. I have to fight back the urge to kiss him every time I see his face now.
After slipping on a t-shirt and a pair of shorts I got started on breakfast. The kitchen was occupied by many delicious aromas with the sound of the eggs and sausage in the frying pan.
Just as I shut off the stove a sleepy Noah appeared in the corner of my sight. He stood at the bottom of the stairs rubbing his eye. I smiled at him, staring at his messy bed head he was sporting.
"You hungry?" I asked, lifting up an empty plate from the countertop.
"Umm, sure." He answered flatly, taking a seat at the worn table. He waited patiently while I fixed us a plate. He glanced down at the meal as I slid it under his face. His tired, dull expression lit up for a brief moment as he admired the view.
"Dig in." I told him, after watching him just staring at the food. "I can make something else if that's not to your liking." I said hoping he didn't have a distaste for eggs or sausage.
"No, no. This is fine." His gaze quickly looked up to meet mine as he assured. Soon enough he was going to town on the plate. I watched him down half of it, amused. I don't even think he noticed my eyes on him.
"Hey um, could I have something to drink?" He asked with the most innocent and adorable expression.
"Sure, give me a second." I smiled, lifting myself from the table. I grabbed two glasses and filled them with the carton of grape juice from the fridge.
"Here you are." I said as I set the glass in front of him. He thanked me and picked it up, but then looked at it strangely and then back at me wearing an unreadable expression. "Is this grape juice?"
"Yeah, why? You don't like grape juice?" I asked with a chuckle as I retook my seat at the table.
"It's not that... it's just..." He paused for a while and proceeded to play with the eggs on his plate.
"Never mind." He said, not wanting to answer. It seemed like it was tied in with a touchy subject, so I didn't press the issue any further. Even then, Noah still continued to play with his food. He seemed to be lost in thought again. I was beginning to get too concerned to even eat my own food.
"Is something bothering you? I don't mind hearing you out." I asked him, leaning closer on the table.
A fearful expression met mine when he realized his head was drifting off in the clouds again. "Um..." He started, struggling to form a response. "I don't know... I just feel kind of lost after what happened yesterday." He lowered his gaze, a sorrowful expression painting on his face.
"Things back home are kind of a mess and I'm staying in an unfamiliar place. It's all kind of a lot to get used to." He explained. "You and June have done a lot to make me feel welcomed and comfortable though, so I really appreciate that." He finished, flashing a weak smile.
"Of course. Remember, anything you need at all, don't be afraid to ask." I reminded him, letting him know that he can lean on me as much as he needs. He smiled again and finally took a sip of the grape juice.
Some time had passed while we ate in a comfortable silence. We cleaned all of the food from our plates. I was left full and satisfied.
"This almost felt like a date... in a way." Noah bashfully admitted. He wasn't wrong, the thought did cross my mind as well.
"We can count it as a breakfast date." I replied smugly.
"Yeah." Noah smiled a little, glancing off to the side.
"Does this mean I get to kiss you now?" I said jokingly with a smirk.
"A-alright." He agreed, still avoiding eye contact. His response had me in shock, I definitely wasn't prepared for it. My eyes went wide and I could feel my heart skip a beat.
I just managed to catch myself gawking at him before making a fool of myself. It seemed as if his embarrassment suddenly vanished when he returned his gaze to mine.
"I'll clean the dishes, it's the least I can do after you made such an awesome breakfast." He complimented, slightly grunting as he peeled away from his seat.
"You don't have to." I smiled at him, leaning on the table against my fist.
"I want to." He shut me down, pulling my dishes from the table.
"I'll have you know I'm not a good dishwasher though." He warned, turning his head towards me as he sat the dishes in the sink. I couldn't help but chuckle in response. His adamant-ness was endearing. Even though he's not confident in his ability he still insisted on doing it. I found it really, really cute.
I sat there the entire time, just watching him at the sink. I was entranced by his smallest moves. I still found it unreal that boy I've had a crush on for so long is here, in my home.
"There, all done." He notified, flicking the water from his fingertips. I stood from my seat pinned him against the counter, leaving him in shock. His bright eyes searched mine with fear, soon turning into pure curiosity. We stayed like that for a good ten seconds before I stepped back.
"That's probably not the greatest idea when my mom's still home." I explained slightly embarrassed, regaining composure of myself. He just stood there, flushed.
"It's surprisingly nice out today." I changed the subject, bending over to get a better view of outside through the living room windows. "Wanna join me on my jog?" I asked.
"... I'd rather stay inside today. I don't really feel motivated to do anything." The sadness in his tone as he spoke had me worried. I guess he still had a lot on his mind.
"In that case, I'll stay inside for today and keep you company." I told him, giving a smile of reassurance. I didn't want to leave him alone with so much going on.
"N-no, you don't have to." He stuttered.
"I want to." I quickly replied, mimicking his response from earlier. His stare was painted with guilt, even though he had no reason to feel that way. "C'mon, let's watch a movie or something." I nudged my head towards my bedroom. His slim figure followed silently behind me as I made my way up the stairs.
(Play the song)
We ended up just talking for hours. Noah was sprawled across the bed on his back while I sat on the floor, my own against the side of the bed. Noah had a lot to get off his chest. He explained everything that had transpired yesterday between him, his family and school. Him suddenly opening his heart and becoming so transparent with me meant a great deal. I could tell how hard it was for him to talk about it but that helps us move forward as human beings.
"Can we watch a movie." Noah asked cutely as he turned over on his stomach to face me.
I dropped my head back on the bed, looking back at adorable being resting comfortably in the sheets. "Sure, what do you want to watch?" I asked, probably with a little too much enthusiasm.
"Let's watch one of your favorites. I trust that your taste in movies is decent." He eyed me suspiciously.
"With that look I'd assume otherwise." I chuckled, lifting myself from the floor to put a movie on. I slid out one of the many DVDs from my shelve of favorites and popped it into the DVD player. I grabbed the remote and reclaimed my spot on the floor.
I was captivated by the movie I'd seen at least a dozen times. However, the extremely relaxing atmosphere filling the room and Noah's presence changed the experience completely. Aside from what was playing on the TV, the room was filled with a cozy quiet. The sun had already passed my window leaving it mostly in the shade.
"Hey um, don't you wanna sit up here? It's your bed, after all." Noah said, patting the open space at the foot of the bed. I glanced over my shoulder and didn't wait for him to ask twice. I just flashed a smile and took the spot. The bed squeaked as I sat on the comfy mattress.
"This definitely beats the floor." I chuckled.
"I bet." Noah said with a half smile.
Watching a movie on a quiet Saturday evening with the most adorable person on earth. For a moment I was convinced I'd died and gone to heaven.
To my complete surprise, Noah rested his head against my shoulder. I looked over to his sandy blond hair pressed against the cloth of my shirt.
"Let me lay here." Noah demanded cutely, looking up at me all while not breaking our connection. "I got so used to doing it with Taylor, it's kind of a force of habit." He laughed a little.
"Well I don't mind." I smiled warmly at him. He smiled back and returned his attention to the movie.
The movie finally came to an end. Noah and I were left in tears, not cause the movie was sad or anything, but the way they decided to end it was comical. Whoever wrote this had a great sense of humor.
I rested against the wall, leaning back on the bed. I released a sigh to relieve some of the tension built up in my stomach from laughing.
"Your pick didn't let me down." Noah complimented, wiping a tear from his eye.
"Should we watch another?" I asked nudging my head to the collection.
"Erm..." He thought to himself for a moment. "I wanna rest for a little. I need a break after that ending." He giggled. I just watched him with a goofy smile on my face.
"You know, I've found it odd how Taylor always knows how to cheer me up. Until recently I thought she was the only one." His sight landed on me. "But I've noticed that whenever I'm down you're right there with her." He said, scratching his cheek with a smile.
"I mean, I still feel like crap right now. But my family issues are something I doubt I'd be able to get over so fast regardless of any amount of support I'd get." He sighed as he draped the back of his head over my lap, managing to catch me by surprise, again. I had to try my best to keep my cool in order for him to stay comfortable. I studied his spacey expression as he peacefully watched the ceiling of my bedroom. It reminded me how casual and comfortable he used to be with everyone around school. After him ignoring me for so long  I never imagined I'd get to be in this situation.
Soon enough the boy was drifting off to sleep in my lap. I made sure not to move a muscle. I kept as still as I possibly could. After a while of watching him, I began to get sleepy myself. I think I ended up dozing off at some point cause what happened after that was a blur.