DO YOU FEEL LOVE?

────﹒♡﹒────

You and your friends have been planning this trip for what feels like years, when you were back in school you brought up the idea of a girls trip when you get older and can afford it… but it never happened. Even years later, one of you would always be working in the summer, or not have enough money, or there’d be some other excuse that’d push the trip back. 

But this year it finally happened. Kylie found a lovely resort in Greece- adults only, right on the beach, all inclusive, beautiful spacious rooms with a sea view. Jess was always the most responsible of you, so she did the boring important things like booking the flights, sorting the travel insurance, the taxis to take everyone to and from the airports. You and James were both left feeling a little useless, but the others insisted that you helped, that they were more than grateful for your input on their outfit choices for each day. 

Then before you knew it, you were laying by the side of the pool on one of the loungers with your eyes closed, your legs stretched out in front of you as you soaked up the sun, your sunglasses perched on your nose and a drink in your hand, half listening to something Kylie was saying.

You opened your eyes for a second as you brought your glass up to your lips… but then something else caught your attention. 

There was a group of guys by the bar. A group of guys that seemed a little out of place here. 

Not in a bad way, but almost the opposite. Everyone else at the resort was all white linen shirts and pastel bikinis and straw hats… but them? A few of them had long hair that’d been tied into buns or ponytails, a few had piercings, but one thing they all had in common was the tattoos- each of the guys were inked almost head to toe, tattoos crawling up their legs, arms and necks… it made you giggle when the man at the bar handed their colourful cocktails with little umbrellas over to them, your lips curving into a little smile around the rim of your glass. 

“Kylie, look.” You said, not taking your eyes off them. 

She hummed in response, still mid-story, but then she turned her head to follow your gaze-

“Oh my god,” she laughed, “What are they doing here?”

“I don’t know,” you chuckled as you placed your drink back down on the table, “Looks like they took a wrong turn on their way to Inkcarceration.” 

Jess, ever curious, propped herself up and immediately spotted them. 

“Wait they’re kinda…” 

“Don’t say it.” You warned, already knowing what she was about to say- but James got there first. 

“Oh my god they’re so hot.” 

You rolled your eyes half-heartedly before glancing back over… and that’s when your gaze landed on him. God, how didn’t you notice him first?

He wasn’t doing anything particularly attention grabbing, he was just standing there with one arm resting on the bar, his hand wrapped around his drink… but there was just something about him that pulled your attention in like a magnet. 

Oh, he was tall. Easily the tallest in the group. He had broad shoulders too, and very nice arms… his hair was shorter than everyone else's, a dark brown, but in the light it almost looked auburn. He was wearing a grey tshirt, deliciously stretched over his broad back and shoulders, with a pair of black shorts, a chain around his neck and a pair of black sunglasses covering his eyes. Even without properly seeing his face, he looked gorgeous. 

But then he brought his drink up to his lips… and you couldn’t help but stare at his hands. 

Wow. Big, long fingers-

“Hello?” James poked you with his straw, “Earth to y/n?”

You blinked, suddenly realising how you’d gone completely still, utterly transfixed by this guy. 

“Sorry… I’m just observing.” You smirked as you picked your drink back up. 

“That’s one way to put it.” Jess scoffed, but you didn’t argue… and you didn’t look away from him either. 

He was talking to one of his friends, he was tanned, his dark hair tied in a messy bun, and he had stretched ears- then your guy suddenly pushed his sunglasses up, resting them on the top of his head, pushing his messy brown hair back and revealing his face. 

You felt your tummy flutter. Everything about him was just… wow. His pretty eyes, his lovely nose… you took a sip of your drink as you took in the sight of him. 

The advertisement was right. This place did have a great view. 

But then, as if he could sense it, he glanced over. 

Your stomach dropped. For a split second you felt like he was looking straight at you, and immediately you looked away. 

“I need to go inside!” You said quickly, making James laugh. 

“But you just got comfortable!” He teased. 

… 

You didn’t go inside, not straight away anyway. You stayed out there with your friends, pretending to listen to what they were saying, pretending you weren’t staring at the tall guy who was now in the pool with his friends- his shirt long gone, along with your sanity. 

Because somehow, he looked even better now. Not that you noticed, because you totally weren’t staring, and it did not affect you in the slightest seeing his hair wet and falling over his eyes. 

“Okay…” Kylie suddenly said, cutting right through your thoughts. 

“What?” You ask, turning your head to look at her. 

She pushed herself up onto her elbows, looking far too energised for someone who has spent hours laying in the sun. 

“Let’s get in the pool!!” 

“No!” You say immediately, feeling your heart start to race. 

“No?” She pouted. 

You shook your head. 

“I’m good here.” 

“She’s scared.” Jess smirked, not looking up from the book she was reading. 

“Pfft, no I’m not!” You protested. 

“Yes you are,” Kylie teased, “Does it have anything to do with tall, dark and tattooed over there?”

“Of course not! I just don’t wanna get wet.” 

You were waiting for James to make a remark… but when you glanced over at him, he was snoring, his face covered with a stupid straw hat that he bought for the trip, insisting it made him look stylish. 

Then without even realising, your eyes found him again. He was laughing at something his friend said, his head tipped back, shoulders relaxed-

“I’m staying here.” You said, more firm this time. 

Kylie watched you for a moment longer before sighing overdramatically. 

“Fine!” She groans, “Be boring then.” 

“I will.” You smile. 

“I’m getting in.” She grinned, swinging her legs off the lounger. 

“Have fun.” Jess said as she turned a page. 

And with that, Kylie took off her coverup and made her way over to the pool. She got in the water, and for a second you thought this was fine, she was just swimming, there was nothing to worry about… 

But then she made her way over to them. She slicked her hair back, blinking the water from her eyes and then turned to one of the guys… he said something to her, she laughed, and just like that, she was talking to them. 

Your stomach dropped so fast it almost made you feel sick.

“No…” You shake your head, sitting up a little straighter without even realising it.

Jess glanced up again, following your line of sight, and immediately grinned.

“Oh, yeah she’s evil.”

“She wouldn’t…” You started, but your voice trailed off as Kylie laughed with the guys again, this time louder, like she was doing it on purpose to get a reaction from you. 

This is fine! It’ll be fine! Just sit here, mind your business and act normal. 

But then Kylie turned around, shooting a knowing smile over your way. 

“She’s going to say something.” You say quietly, panicked. 

“She’s already saying something.” Jess chuckled. 

“I’m going to be sick.”

Jess nudges your leg with her foot.

“Relax… what’s the worst that could happen?”

…

You couldn’t stay there by the pool, so you complained about being hot and needing a shower, and snuck away when Kylie wasn’t looking. 

And the second you’re out of their line of sight, your pace quickened. 

Your heart was racing, your body hot for reasons that have absolutely nothing to do with the sun anymore. Still, you made your way up to your room, fumbling with the key card before finally getting the door open. 

The second you’re inside, you let out a breath you didn’t realise you were holding. You dropped your beach bag by the door and flopped backwards onto the bed, staring up at the ceiling. 

Why the hell were you feeling like this? You don’t even know the guy. You felt like a teenager at school with a hallway crush… 

You groaned and dragged your hands down your face.

You stayed there for another minute, maybe two, staring up at the ceiling blankly while your heart slowly stopped acting like you’d just run a marathon.

Then you sat up, wondering what you could do to pass the time. Dinner wasn’t for a while, but at least if you started getting ready now then you’d be prepared… and if you sat here thinking about him any longer, you were actually going to lose your mind.

So you grabbed your clothes and headed into the bathroom.

The shower helped to calm you down, you washed the remaining sand and sunscreen off your body, and tipped your head back under the water as you rinsed off your conditioner. 

But you kept seeing him in your mind, the way he laughed with his friends, the way he smile; the way- 

Stop. You don’t even know the guy. 

You got out eventually, wrapping yourself and your hair up in a towel, feeling somewhat human again. You sat on the bed for a while, scrolling on your phone before deciding to get changed, still way earlier than necessary. 

You changed into a cute two piece- a top and skirt- and you absolutely were not putting extra effort in just in case. You were only spending a little longer than necessary on your makeup just because it passed the time… and sure you may have changed your hair style a few times but that was completely unrelated! 

You were standing in front of the mirror putting on your lip gloss when the room door suddenly swung open.

“…Oh my god.”

You turned around, and immediately burst out laughing. James, who you were sharing the room with, stared back at you looking very unimpressed. 

“Don’t.” He warned, but you couldn’t help it. 

Because across his face, shoulders and chest were the most ridiculous tan lines you had ever seen. 

“This is all your fault.” He said. 

“You look like a neapolitan ice cream!” You wheezed.

James looked horrified.

“Oh, that’s so fucking nice, thank you.”

“I’m sorry-”

“This could’ve been avoided if you put sunscreen on me properly!” 

“I did!” You protested, “I covered you in it!”

“Well clearly not!”

“James. You’re a grown man!”

“A grown man that asked for your help!”

You laughed as he dramatically threw himself down onto his bed, groaning into his pillow.

“The whole trip is ruined.”

“C’mon, you’re being dramatic.”

“My skin feels hot and tight.”

“Did you pack any aloe gel?”

“…No. Did you?” 

“I think so. Check my bag.” You said, smiling as you turned back towards the mirror.

Then you suddenly remembered...

Slowly, you looked at him through the reflection, watching him dig through your bag. 

“Uh… was Kylie still in the pool when you woke up?” You asked, trying to play it cool- but he immediately caught on. 

He looked up and grinned. 

“Yep…” 

You didn’t like the look on his face. The look that told you he knew something you didn’t. 

“…And?” 

“Kylie told the big guy- Noah- that you’ve been drooling over him.”

Your mouth fell open.

“SHE WHAT?!”

James burst into laughter.

“I’m kidding, I’m kidding…”

You stood there, frozen still at the mirror, your eyes wide and your jaw dropped. 

“Oh my god!”

He cackled. 

“Okay maybe I’m exaggerating! She didn’t say drooling-”

You stared at him in horror.

“…James.”

“But she did tell him you thought he was cute.”

“No she didn't...” You shook your head. 

“Yes she did. You know what she’s like.”

“So what did he say?”

His smile softened into a suspiciously smug look.

“I didn’t hear him, but he looked quite pleased.”

…

By the time the four of you were ready and made your way downstairs, the air had cooled and was now gentler and cooler, and the sky was a pretty pinky-orange with a few clouds around.

The restaurant was beautiful at night, most of the tables were outside, decorated with little flickering candles and fake flowers, musicwas playing softly, and strings of lights were hung up outside the building and stretching across the fences.

A lot of people were already seated, chatting over drinks and plates of food. For a moment, you let yourself relax, because they weren’t here. Maybe they’d come later, or maybe they-

“Oh my god!” Kylie grinned beside you.

Oh no… you followed her gaze, and there they were, already seated at one of the larger tables in the corner.

And you don’t know how it was possible, but they looked even better now. They looked a little more put together now they’ve changed out of their swim shorts… but again, your eyes lingered on him. 

So his name was Noah...

He wore a short sleeved black button up shirt over a black tank, and his hair looked softer now, dry and a little messy. And in the evening light, he somehow looked even prettier. 

This was becoming a problem.

“Nope,” you said immediately, grabbing Kylie’s arm. “No.”

But it was too late, because her entire face lit up, and she was already calling out one of their names. 

“Folio!”

Before any of you could stop her, she had practically skipped across the restaurant over to their table. 

One of the guys looked up immediately and grinned. That must’ve been Folio- the one she was talking to in the pool earlier before you left. He looked so happy to see her, like they were old friends, and not like they only met a few hours ago.

You watched her for a moment… until Noah looked up. But instead of Kylie, he was looking straight at you, and a little soft smile crept onto his face. 

You felt heat rush to your cheeks, and you immediately looked away- but Kylie didn’t give you the chance, because she had turned around, and with a grin she called out- 

“Y/N! JESS! JAMES!”

Every single head in your general vicinity turned, and you wondered why you even agreed to this vacation. 

“COME MEET MY NEW FRIENDS!” She yelled again, and you shook your head. 

“No, I’m gonna sit inside-”

James looked at you, Jess looked at you, you looked at them... but then they started walking over to Kylie and the guys. 

Fucking traitors. 

You stood there for a second longer, before realising standing there alone was somehow more embarrassing. So with a quiet groan, you started walking too.

And with every step, you suddenly felt hyper aware of everything. How did you look? Were you walking weird? God, why did he have to look so intimidating. 

“There you are!” Kylie beamed as you reached the table. 

Introductions started to blur slightly, because when you looked over at Noah again, he was still looking at you. His elbow was on the table, chin rested on his fist as he still had that soft smile on his face. 

Now you saw him up close, you noticed his eyes were prettier than you’d realised from across the pool, warmer too. His hair fell over his forehead and slightly into his eyes, and there was just something nice about his face up close. Like you could look at him all day without getting bored. 

“Hey.” He said quietly.

You stared at him for a second too long, swallowing hard before you finally said,

“…Hi.”

Wow. Great conversational skills! 

James clearly realised too, because from the corner of your eye you could see he was looking like he was fighting for his life not to laugh.

But then before anything else could happen, Folio suddenly shot up out of his chair.

“Why don’t you guys join us? I can grab a couple more chairs?”

“Oh!” Kylie grinned immediately. “Yes that’d be great!”

And before anyone could object, Folio was already moving, dragging over chairs from nearby tables.

“Folio, what the hell man?” One of the guys laughed.

“What?” He said innocently. “We’re making friends.”

Within seconds, chairs were scraping against the floor, everyone shifting around and squeezing in.

Kylie sat down next to Folio, and Jess sat down beside Kylie. You were trying to remember everyone’s names, a little embarrassed that you couldn’t remember if the guy James was sat next to was called Bryan or Byron. 

And there was one empty chair left. One that had been empty all along. Right beside Noah.

And he had his arm resting on it. 

Your eyes landed on it, but you immediately looked away… but when you looked back, Noah’s eyes were on you again, before they drifted down to the seat and looked back at you. Then he gave you the slightest nod of his head, as if to say sit here. 

Your heart pounded in your chest, but it didn’t feel weird or awkward like you thought it would. He was just watching you softly, his fingers tapping against the wood, like he didn’t mind either way, like he was leaving it up to you, since there was now another chair next to Jess.

Fuck it. You made your way over, and he moved his arm so you could pull the chair out. 

“Thanks.” You said quietly as you sat down.

“No problem.” Noah said.

Fuck, even his voice was nice. 

You hated this. You hated whatever weird little thing your body was doing where your stomach kept flipping every time he looked at you.

For a few seconds you focused very hard on the menu in front of you, pretending to read it despite not taking in a single word, anything to distract yourself from how close he was sitting beside you. 

But you couldn’t distract yourself, because he decided to speak. 

“So…” He said quietly.

You looked up, and he was already watching you, a playful smile on his lips. 

“You’re y/n, huh?”

Oh fuck. What the hell had Kylie told him?

“…Yeah.” You said slowly, feeling your cheeks heat up again. “What exactly has Kylie been saying?”

His eyebrows lifted, amused.

“What?”

“You know.” You narrowed your eyes a little. “About me.”

He let out a quiet laugh. 

“No need to look terrified,” he smiled. “It was nothing bad.”

Great. Now you were terrified. 

You stared at him for another second before deciding to change direction completely.

“And you are…?”

You knew exactly who he was, but there was absolutely no way you were admitting that. Because then you’d have to explain how you’d spent the entire day getting relentlessly teased by your friends because he was the definition of your type.

Noah’s smile grew bigger, like he knew… but thankfully he didn’t say anything. He just held out his lovely, big, strong tattooed hand.

“I’m Noah.”

You looked down at it and slowly slipped your hand into his. 

“Nice to meet you.” You said. 

His hand was warm, and it almost swallowed yours whole...

A waiter came over a couple moments later and took drink orders, since none of you had the chance to look at the menus yet. 

You didn’t feel so nervous anymore, though you were still hyper aware of every movement you made and how close Noah was sitting to you, but the panic had gone. You don’t know why you were so worried in the first place, because talking to him felt… nice. It felt easy. 

There weren’t awkward silences where you scrambled for something to say. There wasn’t that horrible feeling of trying too hard or overthinking every word coming out of your mouth.

You’d say something dumb and he’d laugh, or he’d say something and make you blush. But somewhere along the way, you’d stopped noticing everyone else around you, and it felt like the two of you were in your own little bubble. 

“So…” You said eventually, turning slightly towards him.

Noah looked over, his brows raising as he hummed a “hm?”

“What are you doing here?” You asked. 

He let out a chuckle. 

“Here?”

“Yeah, Greece. A resort on the beach.” You narrowed your eyes at him playfully. “You don’t exactly look like a beach guy.”

Noah let out a quiet laugh.

“I’m not. I can’t think of anything worse than this.”

You were suddenly confused, your brows furrowing, but then he continued. 

“The guys basically forced me into coming.”

“Really?”

“Yep.” He looked almost sheepish suddenly. “It’s because of work. I’m a musician, and I-”

Your eyebrows lifted, and you couldn’t stop yourself from suddenly asking,

“You are?”

“Mhm.”

“What kind of musician?”

“I write, I play, I produce… I sing in a band.”

“Oh my god.” Your eyes widened dramatically. “Are you famous?”

He snorted.

“No.” He shook his head, smiling down at the table. “But anyways, things have just been really busy lately… I work a lot, I don’t let myself take time off and it’s been starting to affect the band and everything.”

Your face softened.

“Oh.”

He shrugged again like it wasn’t a big deal.

“The guys kept telling me I needed a break and I kept saying I was fine.”

You raised a brow.

“Were you fine?”

Noah looked at you, then smiled a little.

“…No.”

You laughed quietly.

“So I'm guessing they kidnapped you and brought you here?”

“Yeah,” he nodded, “Pretty much.”

You glanced over at the rest of the table for a second, Folio and Kylie were both laughing at something Jess was saying. James and Nick were both deep in conversation, and Bryan was nodding his head at whatever he was saying. Jolly and Davis were too busy on their phones, not caring to socialise. 

“What about you?” Noah asked suddenly, and you turned to look at him again. 

“Huh?”

“What are you doing here?”

You smiled.

“Oh...” You sat back slightly in your chair. “This vacation has literally been years in the making.”

“Really?”

You nodded.

“When we were younger, we always said we’d go on some big summer trip together one day.”

You pointed around the table.

“But every year something happened. Kylie would be working, Jess had other plans, James would be broke…” You smiled. “Life stuff.”

Noah listened to you as you spoke, taking in every word you said, not just nodding along- something that didn’t go unnoticed by you.

“And then this year we finally did it.” You grinned. “We made it happen.”

That made Noah smile, and just as he opened his mouth to say something, Kylie interrupted everybody. 

“Do we all know what we’re ordering yet?”

Everyone nodded… except for you and Noah. You both glanced down at the menu, but there were too many options to choose from, and you were still feeling a little giddy just from being in his presence. 

“Know what you want?” Noah asked. 

Yeah, you. 

“Nope.” You shook your head, “Do you?”

He shook his head with a little laugh, as if to say we’re both hopeless. 

He stared at the menu for a moment longer, before looking back up at you. 

“How much do you trust me?” He asked, and you looked over at him, your brows raised to say are you serious. 

“I’ve known you for what… twenty minutes? Not at all.” You teased. 

“Ouch,” he chuckled, “Thanks.”

“I’m kidding,” you grinned, unknowingly leaning more towards him. “Why? What are you thinking?”

“…Do you have any allergies?” 

You shook your head. 

“Not that I know of.”

“Good,” he smiled, “Me neither.” 

“Noah, what are you-“ 

“What if I choose something for you,” he said, resting his elbow on the table, tilting his head and resting it in his hand, “You pick something for me?”

“Seriously?” 

He nodded his head. 

“What if you pick something I hate?” 

“Is there anything on the menu you hate?” He asked, his voice soft. 

You scanned it again before shaking your head. 

“Good.” He smiled again, looking pleased with himself. “So are we doing it?”

You let out a long, dramatic, exaggerated sigh before nodding your head. 

To keep it a surprise, you texted Kylie and explained what was happening- to which she was very excited to hear you both had hit it off so well. You asked if she could order for you to keep it a surprise, and Noah did the same but with Davis, who was a lot more confused about the situation. 

The time passed quicker than you expected, more drinks were ordered, and the entire table all got to know each other. Nick talked about how he tattoos when he’s not touring or travelling to record with the band, Kylie talked about the month she spent in Australia on a business trip, Bryan and Jess began to bond over similar tastes in movies… all while James practically interrogated Davis after he so casually mentioned that he had previously worked for Jeffree Star. 

Every so often, you’d catch Noah looking at you. Not in a weird way, his eyes were soft, his head tilted, and every time you laughed at something or grinned… a little fond smile would tug at his lips. 

Eventually, plates started arriving, and they were passed down the table. One was set down in front of you, and another in front of Noah. 

Your brows drew together as you looked down at yours, then over at Noah’s. Then you both looked at each other. 

“No way.” You said with a little giggle. 

“Great minds think alike, huh?” He smiled. 

Because sitting in front of the both of you, were identical plates. The same thing, with the same sides. 

“You copied me?” You asked with a teasing smile. 

“Nuh uh, you copied me.” 

You tried to ignore the blush creeping into your cheeks as you picked up your fork, thinking to yourself what are the chances. 

… 

People had started to leave the restaurant now, and you had now all finished eating. Plates had been stacked and pushed aside, glasses were pretty much empty, and everyone had a lot less energy now…

Well, almost everyone. 

“So…” Kylie began, a smile creeping up on her lips, “You guys all look like you’re ready for bed. Y’know the night is only just starting, right?”

There were a few groans, you guessed they came from Jolly and Bryan, who looked like they were forcing their eyes to stay open. 

“What’s your plan then?” Folio asked, and you watched as her face lit up. 

“We should all go to the beach! Let’s have a night swim!” 

“I’m in!” James grinned. 

“Yeah, that sounds fun.” Folio nodded before turning to the rest of the table, “What about you guys? You coming?”

Nick was the first to shake his head, saying he was going to go back to his room and call his girlfriend. Jolly and Bryan’s excuse was that they were tired, but Kylie wasn’t taking that for an answer. 

“You guys are so boring!” She groaned, “You don’t have to get in the sea… just come to the beach with us.” 

As Kylie argued with them, Noah slowly turned his head, his gaze drifting over you before he quietly asked. 

“What do you want to do?”

You shrugged softly with a little hum as if to say I’m not bothered. 

“What do you wanna do?” You asked, and a little smile tugged at his lips. 

“Dunno.” He answered, “I was thinking about going back to my room…”

You couldn’t hide the way your face fell. 

“Oh.” You said quietly, the word slipping out without you even realising. 

“But…” he continued, “I don’t really want to just yet. And like your friend said, the night’s only just starting.” 

“You wanna go to the beach?” You asked, trying to act casual. 

He looked like he was thinking for a moment, then he gave a gentle nod of his head. 

“Yeah,” his eyes met yours again, and he leaned over towards you just a little, “Just... maybe without the others?" 

Your brain short circuited. Was this a joke? Or was this his plan all along? Is he going to murder you?

But when you finally looked at him again, you saw the way he was watching your face, looking increasingly nervous. 

Hey, so what if he’s a serial killer? He's cute and you’re in Greece. It’s worth the risk. 

“You trying to get me alone, huh?” You teased, watching his face suddenly turn red. 

“No- I’m just… I mean-” 

You laughed, shaking your head. 

“I’m joking… kinda.” You smirked, “So how are we going to sneak away without this lot noticing?”

…

Everyone went back to their rooms to get changed and grab some towels, and you were all going to meet up again downstairs in ten minutes. While you and James were sitting on your beds, waiting for a text from Kylie or Jess to say they’re ready, he decided to torment you. 

“So… how’d you get on with pretty boy?” He smirked, making you roll your eyes. 

“He seems nice.” You said, trying not to smile.

He just stared at you, brows raised, looking unimpressed. 

“You were talking to him for almost two and a half hours, and all you can say is he’s nice?”

“Well, what do you want me to say?” 

James shrugged. 

“I just expected more, especially since you’ve had that I have a crush face ever since you laid eyes on him… are you gonna go for it?”

“What do you mean?”

“You know exactly what I mean! Are you gonna bring him back here tonight? Have I gotta sleep in the bath with earplugs in, because I bought them-”

“James!” You groaned, “I just think he’s cute, okay? He’s nice, he’s funny- and sure he has really nice hands but that doesn’t mean I want to sleep with him! I only met the guy today!” 

James, looking pleased with your reaction, was about to say something else, probably along the lines of don’t let that stop you! But then the door knocked, and you heard Kylie’s voice call out,

“C’mon guys! They’re waiting for us already!” 

You had never been happier to hear Kylie’s voice in your life, and you immediately shot up, grabbing your phone and towel and practically sprinted to the door. 

“Hey, don’t think this conversations over!” James laughed as he followed you to the door, but you ignored him as you opened it. 

“What were you two yelling about?” Kylie asked as the two of you stepped out. 

“She thinks Noah has nice ha-mmm!” Your hand slapped over James’ mouth just in time. 

“Nothing!” You grinned, “You guys ready?”

Kylie and Jess nodded, and you shot James a glare as you pulled your hand back, and followed the three of them downstairs. 

The lobby was pretty quiet, but it was 10pm so it was no surprise. There were a few couples wandering around, some sitting with drinks by the bar- but then you spotted the guys waiting by the entrance. 

And of course, your eyes were drawn to Noah first. He’d changed out of his dinner clothes and was now wearing a pair of black swim shorts and a black tshirt… yet he still knew how to make it look unfairly good. He had a grey towel slung over his shoulder, his hands tucked into his pockets as he talked to the guys, and his hair…. 

Oh, his hair. 

He had it tied half up half down, half of it in a little bun at the back of his head. But then as if he could feel your eyes on him, he looked up, and smiled the moment your eyes met. 

You smiled back, but it quickly faded when James chuckled beside you. 

“You two are so making out in the water.” 

“James!” You hissed, though he didn’t care. Instead, he gasped. 

“What if you two have a Mamma Mia moment, and you’re crawling across the beach- ow!” 

You swatted his arm, shutting him up as Noah started to wander over. 

“Hey.” He smiled. 

“Hi.” You said back, suddenly feeling shy.

“Let’s go!” Kylie’s voice boomed across the room and you watched as every started following her out… everyone except you and Noah. 

“Remember what we planned?” He asked, his lips twitching into a little smirk. 

You nodded your head. 

“Let them walk ahead… then we sneak off?”

Noah nodded. 

“C’mon, they’ll notice we’re missing.” He said, starting to follow them out. 

“They’ll notice anyway!” You laughed, quickly following behind him, but he just shrugged. 

“Maybe they’ll think we got lost.” He smirked. 

“We got lost? In a resort with signs all over the place?”

He smiled innocently. 

“Yeah, they went left, we thought they went right… then suddenly whoops! We lost them!” 

You couldn’t help but smile. 

“If they tease us for this-”

“I’ll take the blame,” he said, “Now c’mon.” 

You followed everyone out into the warm night air, trying to act normal while the group slowly drifted off ahead. You could see Kylie talking, her arms swinging about as she spoke to Folio and Bryan. James, Jolly and Jess were behind them, walking quietly. 

Nobody was paying attention to you or Noah. It was going perfectly. 

You glanced sideways at Noah, and he glanced sideways at you. You were wondering how much further you have to wait until the two of you disappear… 

But then you felt his hand brush against yours, down by your side. It must’ve been accidental, the backs of his fingers carefully brushing against yours for a moment, but then he did it again. 

You didn’t say anything, you just moved your hand a tiny bit closer… and this time when his fingers brushed yours, they stayed, and he slowly intertwined then with yours. 

“Okay,” he whispered, slowing his steps by the path that led to the beach, “Ready?”

You tried not to giggle as you looked up to meet his eyes. 

“They’re gonna realise-”

“So what?” He smirked, leading you right while the others walked left. “We thought they went this way.” 

You shook your head, not even trying to hide your grin anymore as you let him lead you down to the beach. 

… 

The resort felt miles away now the two of you finally came to a stop on the other beach. And it was so peaceful, no Kylie or James shouting, no arguing, no other people. Just you, Noah and the waves. 

The moon reflected over the water, turning the little ripples in the water silver every time they moved. 

“I know it’s dark, but I think I like this beach better than the other.” You said as you kicked your shoes off, letting your feet sink into the sand a little. 

Noah just smiled at that, then he caught the way you were looking over at the water. 

“...Wanna go in?” He asked, and you immediately shook your head. 

“No.” 

He laughed softly. 

“Why not?”

“Noah,” you said, meeting his eyes, “That water is going to be freezing.” 

He looked back at the sea for a moment, before agreeing. 

“Yeah, that’s true.” 

You looked at him suspiciously as he kicked his shoes off. 

“Is that it? That easy?”

“Huh?”

“No convincing me?”

“...No?” 

“You’re not gonna throw me in?”

He couldn’t help but laugh. 

“Of course not,” he said, “You don’t have to do anything you don't wanna do.” 

It was silly how that made your heart feel warm. If you were with Kylie right now she’d be dragging you in with her, laughing as you’d attempt to push her away.

You watched as Noah dropped his towel down onto the sand, moving it about a little before sitting down, and patting the spot beside him. You smiled and sat down next to him- but before you could properly settle, he laid back and reached out for you, before pulling you down with him. You giggled as you went down, but then the two of you were shoulder to shoulder, looking up at the starry night sky. 

You hadn’t realised just how much the lights in the resort hid the stars… because wow, there must’ve been hundreds, thousands of them.

For a while, neither of you said anything, you just laid there, watching the sky and listening to the sea… but then suddenly, Noah let out a quiet breath before he said,

“Y’know, I wasn’t expecting this.” 

You turned your head to face him. 

“This?” You smiled. 

“Mm,” he hummed, still watching the sky, “I wasn’t expecting to meet anybody here.” 

You let out a small laugh. 

“No, me either.” You said, “It’s something me and my friends joked about, that we’re gonna find a vacation boyfriend, but…” your words drifted off, and you gave a small shrug. 

Noah smiled at that, but then he went quiet again, and he looked like he was thinking. He looked over at you after a moment, but then his eyes were back on the sky.

“Can I be really honest with you?” 

You felt your stomach drop slightly. 

“Yeah…”

His thumb absentmindedly rubbed against his stomach, where his hand was resting. 

“I know we’ve only just met… but I like talking to you. Tonight's been one of the best nights I’ve had in a while, and I’d love to get to know you better…” 

Your heart skipped a beat, but you could tell a but was coming. 

“But…” yep, there it was, “I have to let you know this now, because I don’t wanna be one of those guys that gets to know you and then screws you over and breaks your heart. My life is just… crazy.” He laughed softly through his nose, “I’m always on the road, when I’m at home I spend most of my time in the studio, I hardly sleep, I never have time to text or call people back…” He looked over at you, “Relationships and me just don’t really work.” 

You stayed quiet, listening as he explained it to you, though you worried he might mistake that for you being upset. 

“I don’t want us to spend time together here, get to know each other, and… let this go where it goes, and pretend I’m some guy who’s gonna call every day and make it work out long distance… so I thought I'd let you know now, before anything happens.” 

Your expression softened as you looked at him. 

“Noah… I’m not expecting any of that.” You explained. 

He looked over at you, but you were now looking up at the sky. 

“I just got out of a relationship, and work takes up most of my life too. Even if I wanted to, I don’t think I could make anything work either.” You looked at him, “And I know we’ve only known each other a few hours, but I like you too.” 

Noah went very still, and you pushed yourself up onto one elbow. 

“So…” you continued, “We’ve got a couple weeks here together… that doesn't mean we can't just have some fun?" 

Noah was quiet for a moment, like he was taking that in, and then he smiled. 

“Okay,” he nodded, “I can do that.” 

You grinned, laying back down. 

“Just try not to fall in love with me.” You teased. 

A thunderous roar echoes in the distance, crawling closer, louder than the muffled rumbles that had previously stirred you awake.

A thunderstorm had been looming on the horizon, weather warnings already in place for the day ahead. They never phased you. If anything, you relished them, watching from the window with a thrill curling at the base of your skull with every crack of lightning splitting the sky, followed moments later by the roar of thunder. Sometimes it came loud and deafening, powerful enough to penetrate even closed windows. Other times, it softened into distant rumbles that faded with the passing of a brief storm.

Tonight, it’s the former.

The sound of thunder penetrates louder with your windows left open, and as you turn toward the window from where you lie in bed, listening to the rain striking against the pavement as the heavens finally open, Noah jolts awake beside you at the sudden gunshot-crack of thunder. Unlike you, he isn’t calm when it comes to thunderstorms, and being ripped so suddenly from sleep by one is enough to leave him visibly panicked and disoriented beside you.

Even in the dim illumination cast by the streetlights outside, you can make out the furrow of his brows when you turn to face him. Instinctively, he reaches for you like a safety blanket, your name spilling past his lips in nothing more than a rough croak as he desperately seeks reassurance.

Raising your hands, you cradle his face. “Shh, it’s okay, baby. I’m here. It’s just a little thunder.” Your voice softens as your thumb strokes against his cheek, and he melts into your touch like a cat seeking warmth and affection.

A moment later, your hand slips around to cradle the back of his head, gently guiding him down against your chest while you shift against your already squashed pillows to hold him comfortably.

“I thought this wasn’t until—”

Crack.

Another flash of lightning, followed by a booming roar, cuts him off, and you feel him tremble against you.

“Fuck,” he hisses beneath his breath, burying his face into your chest while your fingers comb soothingly through his hair.

“I guess it came early,” you murmur with a quiet laugh, leaning down to press a kiss to the top of his head.

His fingers curl tightly into the fabric of your shirt, his arms winding around you as though the tighter he holds on, the safer he’ll be.

“It can’t hurt you, baby.”

All you get in response is a grunted acknowledgement that sounds closer to a disbelieving whine, because no matter how many times you’ve reassured him through past storms, it never quite settles the anxiety brewing while he waits for it to pass.

“Why don’t you put on that anime you’ve been watching?” you suggest, taking a different approach, hopeful that a distraction might help and keep him from spiralling into the catastrophising thoughts no doubt brewing in his mind.

“Okay…” Noah murmurs, his voice sounding so small compared to his overbearing size. Even as he shifts to reach for the TV remote he refuses to let go of you, one arm still tightly wrapped around your waist.

Another flash of lightning spills into the room, and Noah immediately tenses beside you. Your touch travels soothingly down his chest as he settles back against you after retrieving the remote.

“Here.” You gently take it from his hand, allowing him to return to his clingy form of self soothing.

The room is soon bathed in the glow of the TV light as you switch it on.

“Which one was it again?”

Opening Netflix, you scroll through the options before moving down to the ‘Continue Watching’ section just as Noah mumbles, “Naruto.”

You could roll your eyes at the amount of times he’s watched it already.

A small grin tugs at the corner of your mouth as you hit play. The screen turns black before the familiar Netflix logo appears on the screen and the signature ta-dum sound suddenly blares through the room, causing Noah to flinch violently against you.

“Oh, baby, did that scare you?” Even though you try to hide it, amusement bleeds into your voice, earning a quiet chuckle from him in return.

“It caught me off guard. It was loud, okay?” he harrumphs, shaking his head before nestling his cheek against your chest again as he settles comfortably into place.

His attention eventually drifts toward the TV, growing quieter as the episode begins, while yours flickers between Noah and the bedroom window.

Outside, the night sky lights up intermittently, cracks of lightning branching across the darkness in jagged lines and fleeting shapes before vanishing just as quickly. At last, the cooling temperature begins to drift through the open window, no longer rendering your fan useless from doing nothing but blowing hot air around the room.

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