It took a moment before he shook his head. “He....he didn’t....we...no. Not for a while now. I’m good there. Promise.”
That’d be more questions added to my growing list.
“Good boy. Thank you.”
It was a bit slow going to get him dressed in just shorts, forgoing the shirt.
“I really wish I could pick you and carry you, Noah.” It’d make things a lot easier for the both of us. Although we were built the same, Noah was taller.
Noah didn’t reply, his attention more on his steps as he shuffled along.
Once in the bedroom, I gave him an encouraging smile before setting our waters aside.
“Come on. Get in. I’ll get you some hot cocoa.”
“Sleep?”
I paused as he went around the bed, crawling in. “Coco can wait. Just sleep now, Asher.”
“Okay. Sleep it is.”
Before crawling in myself, I plugged in the fairy lights that I had around the bottom of my walls and turned off the bedroom light.
“Don’t leave, okay. Don’t leave me.” Noah all but crawled on top of me before I was able to get into a comfortable position.
Pulling him against my chest, since he didn’t leave me any other option since I’d never dare to push this boy away, I made him a promise. “I won’t let you go. You’re safe here.
Chapter 19
Slipping from the warm bed as the sun began to shine its rays into the bedroom, I almost regretted leaving. Noah was sprawled out on his stomach, mouth open slightly as his chest rose with each breath. The blanket was up around his shoulders, hiding his small frame and marks from my sight for the time being.
Covering my mouth as a yawn caused my eyes to water, I slowly made my way to the kitchen. There wasn’t all that much to it, but it worked for what I needed. Just enough room for a stove, a sink, and a coffee pot.
I hadn’t slept well at all during the night, jerking awake with every noise and every movement from Noah. He cried in his sleep, tears soaking into my shirt.
Never before had I wanted to take someone’s pain away. I understood him, too. Which made it even harder for me.
I knew the pain he was dealing with. It was so much more than just some bruises. It was worse than some hateful words. It was everything he was dealt with. I wasn’t sure how long, but that didn’t matter.
Noah was always more tender-hearted anyway, so even if it were for a single hour, he’d be torn to shreds inside and out.
Hanging my head as the last few drops of coffee spluttered out of the machine, I mentally pushed my own past down. Now wasn’t the time for any of that to come to the surface. If I could, I’d never let any of it ever affect me again. Just because things were better, it didn’t mean the past hadn’t happened. It still haunted me, never letting me go.
Shaking the thoughts away as much as I could, I put enough creamer in my mug to turn the liquid into more of a cream color than black. Steam billowed from the top as I brought it to my lips, taking a small sip.
I wanted to wish that I could go back in time, to feeling ropes wrapped around me and the world being hazy. Hazy enough to forget about the stress and worries.
Taking another sip of coffee, I looked over the floorplan of the apartment, my eyes not really taking anything in. My thoughts were more on everything at once. It was split between Noah, Oscar, and my own issues. Not the greatest mixture so early in the morning.
Thankfully, or maybe not, my phone began to ring, the tone too loud through the small space. I grimaced, sitting down my mug of coffee on the counter before quickly walking to where it had been left the night before.
I paused long enough to pick Noah’s phone off the floor before grabbing my own.
“Hey,” I answered after seeing it was Oscar. If it was anyone else, I’d have ignored them.
“I hope I didn’t wake you,” he started off. “Sorry if I did. I wanted to make sure you were okay after last night.”
“No, not at all.” I cleared my throat. “I was already up.”
