Through the Screen novel Chapter 32

"i want more," abel sounded slightly tipsy as noah tried screwing the cork back on the half empty wine bottle, and noah just raised his eyebrows in question at him.

"are you sure?" noah looked at him skeptically, and abel just groaned, snatching the bottle from noah's hands, almost tipping it over to the floor in the process.

"of course i'm sure! i can handle my alcohol," abel waved his hand dismissively and noah just giggled slightly at abel 's high pitched voice. he clearly had one too many drinks.

"babe, you've had like four glasses and you have work tomorrow," noah tried knocking some sense into him, but abel was acting reckless, contemplating whether to pour the wine into the glass or straight away press the mouth of the bottle to his lips.

"screw work! who cares?" abel snorted, pressing his lips to the bottle and chugging down the wine in big gulps, almost coughing with the intensity but stopping so he doesn't embarrass himself.

"you're going to have a hangover in the morning," noah rolled his eyes, shoving a forkful of pasta in his mouth as he fondly watched abel, the younger boy settling the bottle down harshly and grabbing his fork, aimlessly poking a few times before finally managing to put some pasta in his mouth.

"i am a wonderful cook,"abel gave himself an applause, and noah almost wanted to record how stupid and childish abel was acting. this was probably his favourite abel ; giggly and carefree and happy.

"yes you are darling," noah agreed, grabbing the bottle himself to drink out of it, flinching slightly at the sour taste. eventhough he'd had a couple glasses himself, the taste just didn't appeal to him at all.

"this wine is disgusting, how did you drink half of it?" noah scrunched his nose in displeasure, almost bursting out into laughter at the offended look on abel 's face.

"excuse me mister noah!" abel pushed himself off the chair, trying too hard not to stumble as he walked over to the other side of the table and right in front of noah, the blue eyed boy just staring up at him with an amused expression.

"i am not exactly the princess of persia, i can't afford expensive wines from editing fucking manuscripts, so please do not insult my cheap wine choice," abel slurred, waving his finger in noah's face to add more volume to his statement and noah just giggled, enjoying the light humour in the atmosphere.

he just dragged his chair back slightly to pull abel into his lap, wrapping his arm around his waist once abel 's hands gripped his shoulders.

"yes, but you are my princess baby," noah whispered, trying to be somewhat sultry as he pulled abel closer, lips ghosting over the shell of his ear.

"yeah," abel nodded in agreement, a stupid grin plastered on his face, not having the effect noah expected him to have, but noah wasn't complaining. abel 's hair was ruffled, some of it hanging over his forehead in short curls and some of it pushed back, dimples popping in both cheeks.

noah couldn't help but stare at him adoringly.

this was so much better.

he wasn't sure how the limited words that left abel 's lips were able to make him forget about every uneaten dinner and every ignored call but it did. everything wasn't particularly great and this didn't solve all the problems they had, but it was so much better than what they had during the past year.

right now, they were honest, raw truth was the only thing that left their lips, feelings unmasked and laying on the table, open for either of them to view.

abel had said everything that noah wanted to hear, everything that made the doubt in his mind flush and the paranoia in his chest to stop gnawing at his skin. he wasn't feeling insecure anymore, or maybe that was just the few glasses of wine, but he wasn't really complaining.

it had been so long since they did this. be themselves completely around each other, laughing and joking and touching without hesitation. there was nothing fake or complicated between their exchange right now, and noah could only hope it would stay that way.

he was distracted when he felt abel shifting closer to him, burying his face in the crook of noah's neck, arms wrapping around him tightly.

"i love you noah, i really do," abel said as if he was trying to make noah believe that he wasn't lying and noah could do nothing but smile, pulling abel closer and pressing a kiss to his hair.

"i love you," noah responded simply, and abel couldn't explain the eradicating feeling of relief bursting inside his body by finally hearing the words.

"it's been a long time since you've said that to me," abel pulled away slightly, a morose expression on his face, pupils blown from all the alcohol he had consumed.

"i'm sorry," noah's fingers were drawing circles on abel 's clothed back, tracing unknown patterns that were supposed to be soothing.

"what happened to us?" abel 's question was a shot in the dark because holy shit, what hasn't happened to them?

"i don't know," noah shrugged, not seeming to find an appropriate answer to his question, not wanting to dig into an inevitable topic and ruin the light mood. "but we'll try to be okay now, right?" noah asked, his voice laced with an undertone of hope.

abel didn't say anything, he didn't have to, because he found no better way to answer it rather than just grabbing noah's cheeks and pressing their lips together, and although noah didn't like the taste of wine just a few minutes ago, abel 's mouth may have changed his opinion.

the kiss wasn't anything they had ever shared before. it was calming and reassuring, gluing the pieces of noah's scattered mind together, helping his chaotic brain to loose the grip on all that was left unsaid.

"can you take a leave tomorrow?" abel mumbled into noah's mouth, lips still brushing together and noah just bit his lip, distancing himself from abel so he could speak.

"i want to, but i have to arrange a few—"

"cancel it," abel whined immaturely, shifting closer to noah and running his fingers through noah's hair, pushing the dark hair off his forehead.

"babe," noah sighed, looking at abel hesitantly and hoping abel would understand, because it just wasn't in him to say no to abel.

"please, i want to spend some time with you," abel pouted, not giving in any soon as he carded his fingers through noah's hair again, gripping them lightly and pulling his head back, leaning forward to press his lips against noah's neck.

"i want to but—" noah tried protesting, but abel suddenly bit into the skin, obviously trying to make noah change his mind.

"come on," abel whined, licking a strip up the pale surface. "daddy," abel added in his drunken state, almost laughing at the way noah's cheeks flushed pink and his eyes widened.

"abel!"

"what? you said we should try it sometime again," abel reasoned, sucking softly on the skin between noah's jaw and neck. "and don't you dare pretend you don't like it,"

"shut up," noah groaned, hands travelling up abel 's waist to tangle in his soft hair, and noah bit his lip, pulling at the curls slightly to get a reaction out of abel.

"be prepared to fucking strip if you do that again," abel muttered, and noah just giggled leaning in and catching abel 's lips in a short kiss again.

"can you really not take a leave tomorrow?" abel whined again after their lips separated and noah just let out a huge breath, pursing his lips as he thought about it. "please," abel bounced slightly in his lap impatiently and noah just rolled his eyes before answering.

"okay, fine, they can't be mad at me anyway i don't take leaves—" noah was cut off because abel was kissing him again, the biggest smile plastered on his face and noah couldn't help when his lips curved up into a smile too.

"we can go grocery shopping together!" abel said excitedly and noah almost laughed at him, but he didn't, instead, pulling abel closer and resting his head on abel 's shoulder, smiling stupidly.

"you're literally the biggest idiot," noah said, and abel could hear the fondness behind his tone. abel only shrugged, wrapping his arms around noah's neck to hug him properly, sighing in relief once noah wrapped his arms securely around his waist.

"yeah, but i'm your biggest idiot,"