Noah St. Claire

“Well, I’m day drinkin’ like it’s a Saturday mornin’ tailgate before a big college game. So about that well.” He drank about half of it in one go as if he were quenching his thirst with water. “Want a beer? I’ve got plenty. I never got to tailgate, but I see the appeal now.” 

“That well, huh? Welp, okay. I mean come on, you think I’d let you day drink alone?” Noah said, plopping down beside Damien. “We going to play and drinking game or- nope. We’re just going for it. Okayyy then. Pass me a beer?”

“No, no no. She didn’t blab. I’m just saying I’m here and I’m not going anywhere. Wait, did all these people know something I don’t know?” she wondered. “Does JJ also know something I don’t know?” She looked over at her boys. “Are my boys keeping secrets from me?” 

“Oh. Welp, in that case, never mind. Please ignore everything I just said,” He told Jae with an uneasy smile. “What?! No. We would never. Okay, maybe a small surprise. But, it’s a good one. I swear.”

“Babe, no. I’m perfectly fine.” Her eyes met his. “I would never even joke about leaving you. You can’t get rid of me that easy.” Jae felt her cheeks heat when he reached out for her hand and kissed her tattoo. “Yeah…it was everything that I ever imagined holding your hand would be.” She lifted their joined hands up and kissed each of his knuckles, whispering ‘I love you’, each time her lips touched his skin. “You can pull out all the stops and be overly romantic. Just because I get embarrassed or say stop doesn’t mean I hate it. I actually love it.” She reached up, framing his face leaning in to kiss him passionately. “Oh please dress up like Spiderman. Actually…also could you dress up like Batman too?” Her brow rose in question, a smirk prominent on her features. “No, not in public. But yes you can record it.” She playfully rolled her eyes. “But he doesn’t have to be your favorite. He’s mine. But even more than that my favorite real life superhero is Noah St. Claire. And I love you more than the Green Arrow,” she said once more.

“Uhuh. Sure, you are,” Noah rolled his eyes lightly over. “Really? You sure about that?” He asked, still finding it hard to believe that one day Jae wouldn’t realize there was something better for her waiting around the corner. “But, there is no word in which I’d want to ever get rid of you. Not now, not ever,” He promised her. “Seriously?” Noah laughed at the thought. “Who know Jayden Todd was such a dork?” He couldn’t help, but grin into the kiss. “Then stop saying ‘stop’. Promise?” He asked, giving her his best puppy dog look as he tilted her chin up to meet his. “I mean I’m not going to say no to being your batman. You know that,” He chuckled. “Yes in public and yes to recording it,” He argued, poking her lightly in the cheek as he did. “But- but that’s like saying Aquaman is your favorite superhero because you like Jason Momoa. I mean we all like Jason Momoa, but that doesn’t change the fact that comic book Aquaman is known to be a joke. I mean he’s a white dude in Spandex who straddles a dolphin as his superpower for crying out loud.  And comic book Oliver is a player dressed up as Robin Hood. Ehh. That still doesn’t make me feel much better,” He said with a scrunch of his nose.

“It’s either that or we start talking about your favorite sex positions, there’s no in-between when I’m nervous. I didn’t take you for a favorite sex positions person. Even if I do get curious about with a girlfriend like yours which one of you is dominant in the bedroom. But I never ask and keep those random thoughts to myself.” She shook her head. “It was more so I imagined he had these piercing beautiful eyes. And once he got to Hogwarts, he fleshed out. You’re ruining my childhood.” 

“Probably the ‘orgasmic penetration’ and yes that is a name of a sex position. It also goes by the name ‘honeymoon’ on a table. Since it’s the ‘honeymoon’ position, but on a- you get it. The ‘upstanding citizen’ is also a close second though. I wanted to like ‘Thor’s Hammer’ because of the name, but that one was more exhausting than anything. Wait- why don’t I come across as a favorite sex positions kind of guy?” He asked, mildly confused. “And I am. Why? Wait- what do you mean by a girlfriend like mine? Jae’s really submissive in the bedroom. She also has a daddy kink, but don’t tell her I said that. And you’re welcome,” Noah laughed at the thought. “What are friends for? Which reminds me- what cartoon character was your sexual awakening if you had to chose?”

“No, in order to not go mad with power or let fame go to my head, I have to be where I am. I may put out an album or two down the line but right now I’m still figuring out how to be right now. So I’m sticking to the background. I’ve seen Operation Uknown. It’s a good show, you really act your ass off on it.” 

“Ahh. I guess I get that. But, I think you should put out an album one day. You love it and even if it’s not performing on a stage, it’s still your passion, right? And thanks, man. It’s actually a lot of fun, especially when Alexa’s constantly almost killing me off, but don’t tell her I said that. I just wish I was better at the lime light and the fame stuff. It’s why I’ve been looking into maybe taking more of a background job moving forwards? I was thinking about potentially directing next season since I’ve been shadowing directors and producers on Operation. Or maybe directing and acting? I’m not sure. It’s not forensics or anything, but I can’t say I hate it either, you know?”

Jae made her way over to him, she kissed their son’s forehead before kissing Noah softly. “You’ve always been my family but we’re definitely family now. You, me and JJ. And…I didn’t plan to say this, but anytime you want to make it even more official, I’ll be here. Neither of us are going anywhere. Not ever.” Jae was trying to say in her own way that she wasn’t going anywhere and that whenever Noah wanted to take their relationship to the proposal level, she’d say yes. She wasn’t rushing by any means. She wanted to take their time, find their footing in their dynamic, but she also wanted him to know that whenever he did want to do so, her answer would be yes, and she didn’t plan to go anywhere. She just wasn’t good at expressing it in so many words.

“What? Shit. Astrid blabbed, didn’t she? Or was it Damien? Jake? I’m gonna kill them,” Noah mumbled under his breath, running his fingers back through his hair as he pouted. “No one in this family knows how to keep their mouth shut but you, huh JJ?” He grumbled some more. The corner of his lips tilting up ever so slightly as JJ reached up towards him. 

“Perfect? Sexy? Everything about you. Is both. No. I’m not concussed. I’ve always felt this way. Do you even know how much I fantasized about the tamest and stupidest but mushy thing? After we got our hand tattoos, and I realized they sort of matched, I just wanted to hold your hand. Your skeleton and mine. It was the stupidest thing but I even found your hand perfect. I’m really going to hide after this because this is information that I don’t think is vital to our relationship. Because I’ll start talking about your fingers next and that’s a whole untamed thing. So…moving on.” She felt her cheeks heating even more at the 98 degrees posters. “Nope. No. I’m not psychic but I know my man. Okay gang romances do sound intriguing.” Jae laughed. “I am going to put it on and do a routine for you. I’ve got to tell every witch I know to keep you away from truth potions.” Even though her eyes closed against the feel of his lips trailing along her skin. She playfully whined when he pulled away. “But that’s your shrine. I never made one.” She pouted and pulled at his shirt. “Come back to my lips and forget about my love for Green Arrow. I love you more.” 

“Yeah... you’ve definitely hit your head at some point. I’m sure of it,” Noah chuckled, blinking over her is shock as she went on. “And that’s not stupid. It’s cute. And hide where? We live together and sleep in the same bed? Where are you planning on going and you’re not allowed to say leaving me,” He told her as he reached over and weaved his hand through hers and gave it a little squeeze. Noah couldn’t help, but smile as an idiot as he held up their interlaced fingers towards her and kissed her skeleton tattoo. “No. Not moving on. I like mushy romantic you. It makes me feel like I can pull out all the stops and do some overly cheesy romance move like get up on a coffee cart and profess my love to you or hang from a roof wearing a spideysuit. See? You’ll like gang romances. It’s like us but in cartoon form. You most definitely will. Actually can you do it in public? Like a whole routine right now in your cheer uniform in front of the whole set? And if the answer is no, then can I at least film it for prosperity? And you can try, but I can get it off the black market. That or get Astrid to make it for me seeing that she is a witch now and all or beg Nat. It’s our bedroom, so technically it’s our shine. And nope. No. Like I get being into Stephen Amell, but Green Arrow? I mean if you like the CW Green Arrow, then your favorite superhero is really batman cause Green Arrow is just a knock off Batman. I mean I literally have batman tats all over me. And superman tats, but no arrows. I mean your last name is literally Todd! Our kid’s name is literally Jason Todd. I know his last name is actually St. Claire, but still, your favorite is the Arrow? Say it again?”

“Hey man. How you holding up with everything?” Noah asked, worried about his future brother-in-law the second the news about the revelationists and the alliance had dropped.

“Of course I loved him in a second. He’s your son. He’s a part of my little brother. If he was some random kid, he could be on the cover of babies I don’t care about.” Rick sighed. “You’ve got to stop holding me to the standards of who I used to be. I’m not dad. I’m not going to come into a kid’s life and fuck it up by being shit and leaving. Yeah he might have died but he still left and his death could have been avoided. So no I don’t plan on leaving. And you want to know why it’s easy to love them? Because JJ looks at me without any preconceived notions he’s a baby. He just likes people no matter what. He doesn’t know my past, he doesn’t look at me with resentment or judge me. He just lays there and laughs or babbles or ruins my expensive shirts with spit and spit-up. And Sabrina knows everything about my past and she accepts that I’m a different man now. And I love you as much as I love them, but no matter how many times I say it you will never truly believe it, will you?” Rick frowned. “I don’t even know what that means. Be enough for me. You don’t have to be anything but you. Maybe you have to promise to never cry again because I don’t know what to do with that situation. But other than that just be you. I’m not your Pack Master and you’re not my enforcer. I’m just your brother and that’s all you have to be.” 

“I wouldn’t describe either of them as “happy” with just me. Content maybe, but I don’t think those people knew happiness. I couldn’t but I also couldn’t. The decision I made for you would have been the decision I would have made for someone else…actually probably would have just killed them in front of the pack and made them watch. Had I just kicked you out anyone who did want to over throw me would have just exploited my weak spots. You and mom.” With Noah gone and his mom at a distance, no one saw either of them as weak spots to exploit. To be honest they feared and respected him more because it seemed as though he could never be distracted by other attachments. “Honest answer? No. You wouldn’t be on the same level. I only cared for them as much as I did because I was the leader of the pack. The dynamic was that pack was family. My family is my family, now. Old pack members are just old friends you run into and smalltalk with and tell each other you’ll make better effort to keep in touch.” 

“That’s a little ironic, isn’t it? You loved him in a second because he’s a part of me, but the moment you arrived on set, you went out of your way to avoid me? I know you’re not dad, Jake. I know you’ve changed. You’re the guy whose fallen in love, whose fighting for supernatural rights and trying to be a good Uncle. You’re the guy who wants me to suck it up and get over the past and isn’t the smallest bit remorseful about what happened or that you pretty much destroyed me. His death could have been avoided, huh? Just like me being adjourned could have, right? If I had somehow managed to stop my body’s natural acid reflex and listen to you? And you being turned into a glowing Birdman? I guess not avoiding shit is a Montgomery Family tradition... I know why it’s easy to love them. It’s because they look at you like you’re their world. Like how I used to look at you. And Sabrina does accept you completely and that’s great. It really is. I’m really happy for you, Jake. But, it’s also easier to accept a person’s past when the only version of them you’ve ever experienced is the changed man and adoring boyfriend. While, for me, I had 17 years with the old Jake and a few times hanging out with the new you, swapping dating advice and high school stories? It’s not that I’d never truly believe it. It’s that I’ve yet to see it. I see the guy who goes out of his way to make an effort and practically shout to the world how much he cares about two people. But, when it comes to us- I mean every time I talk about my big brother to people around set, I get the same shocked reaction that we’re even related. And things are getting better, but we both know things are still awkward between us? It means I don’t know how to get us to be like that? I guess I’ve just spent the past however many years, hoping to be acknowledged? But um... I mean you want to throw a football around sometime or something? Play Elder Scrolls with me? Or I uh... I play Dungeons and Dragons down at the local Homeless Shelter? I help out where I can. No one really knows that I do, but Roni and I’d prefer to keep it that way. But, if you want, I mean you could come with me sometime? Or take a bro trip back to New York? I could take you around and show you my world after I left home and all that? But, um... if hanging out with the Gang is more of your speed or just sticking with our dating advice hangs and leaving it at that, I guess we could do that too?”

“I don’t mean this in a mean way but you know not every relationship is going to start like a Rom-Com, right? Not everyone gets the will they, won’t they. And if she loves you tell me this, has she ever expressed that she didn’t like those grand gestures? Because if not why not go all out? Why just be her friend when clearly she wants you to be more?” Roni chuckled a little at his words about how Jae said she could handle the baby on her own. “You’re talking to the right woman to know what it’s like to get pregnant unexpectedly and panic. I mean we did it differently yes. But your life changes in an instant. And suddenly you’re thinking shit I don’t want this to be an issue. I don’t want to ruin his life. He didn’t ask for this. So you think I can do it on my own if I need to. It was my first thought too It’s why I didn’t tell Carter about the baby until a month after her birth when i couldn’t handle it alone. I don’t think it’s that she didn’t need you Noah. I think it’s that she didn’t want to put you in a position to think you had to do something if you didn’t want to. Kids make dating hard. There’s so many unknowns but Noah that’s your family. That’s your son and your girlfriend and best friend. You know she can be both. You have been friends for fifteen years and you said that she’s been all in and put it all on the line. Then I think you should follow your heart and fuck your head. Because if a woman is all in then she wants your heart. You’re making perfect sense. I think you’re overthinking when the answers are right there.” 

“Yeah, I know. And it’s not like I’m asking for a will they, won’t they. But, I just... I don’t really know where I fit?” He shrugged, shoving his hands into his pockets as he did. “It’s not that she doesn’t like the big gestures. It’s just not her thing. And I know I could do some big romantic gesture from some horror movie, if I really wanted to or do something corpse bride related, but that’s not really the point. It’s not whether to just be her friend or go all out. It’s that I’m struggling to figure out the balance of both? She’s been my best friend for half my life. It’s not that simple to just transition from that to more. Especially when there’s a kid in a mix. There’s just... a lot of pressure, I guess? And I get that and I know she was saying that because she wasn’t trying to pressure me or anything, but are you honestly going to tell me that she didn’t mean it? I know Jae wants me around. I do. I just also know she doesn’t need me. She could do it all on her own if she had to, because she’s an incredible badass. But, it’s why I’m struggling to figure out what my role is both of their lives? I know I’m overthinking things, but it’s not that easy to just shut off your brain, go for it, you know?” He sighed, running his fingers through his hair as he did. 

“That’s because when I punch you…” She gave him a really light punch.”I could feel your muscle. And unf you’re perfect. Sexy.” She reached out and touched his bicep. She gave his arm a squeeze. “Yes…I loved 98 Degrees. Nick Lachey was my favorite.” She nodded. “Yeah I wore cheerleading uniforms. No I didn’t have the butterfly clips. I would never wear butterfly clips. “Actually you can convince me to dress like that again. I actually have an outfit that I bought today, for the occasion. So…say the word and I’ll go slip into it. I feel like this may be the only day that you might get this.” Jae frowned. “Romance mangas? Okay. I feel like we’re getting into a whole other level that I don’t know if I’m going to be ready for that. I…don’t think I’ve ever had an awkward phase. No. Am I that girl? I don’t feel like her anymore. Well right now yes, but not without this truth spell thing.” She looked at him seriously. “Yes. Yes it is. I don’t have a favorite superhero of all time. I just like who I like. Don’t judge me. Just love me,” she said, leaning in to kiss him. 

“I’m what now?” Noah asked with a raised brow, resisting the urge to let out a laugh. “You sure you didn’t hit your head anytime soon? And you know I’m never going to let you live either of these facts down now? In fact, I think we now might have to decorate our bedroom with 98 Degrees posters. Wait- you bought a cheerleader outfit today? Are you psychic?” He asked, blinking over her with wide eyes. “Yes, romance manga. There is an entire genre on Gang Romances. You can’t tell me you wouldn’t be interested in them,” He insisted. “You suck, you know that? And you just told me you’d put on a cheerleading uniform and do a routine for me. Are you really asking me that? Well, then, I guess I’ll just have to get my hands on some more truth potions then,” He grinned. Beginning to trail a train of kisses from her lips down to her neck before pulling away as she spoke. “Nope. No. I am totally judging you. I mean we practically hook up in a shrine to Batman every night and you prefer Green Arrow? The blasphemy!”

Rick laughed. “Of course I know that the internet is forever. And kind of except they don’t know many intimate details about my real life. They know I’ve got a brother, but they don’t know who he is. They know where I work, and where I live. They know what I do in my day to day and what my girlfriend looks like just because I’ve been seen out with her. I don’t mind the world seeing my life.” Rick shook his head. It was odd him being behind the scenes and his brother being in front of the camera. “Well I’m behind the scenes because I’m restricting myself purposely and I’ll kill people if I sing to them.” 

“I mean yeah, seeing your life is one thing. You just made it sound like you were using instagram live as your daily personally detailed diary is all,” He chuckled. “You never wanted to try out acting then? Or just release albums and not preform or lip sing when you preform?” He asked curiously. “Even though, I mean I’m only technically in front of the camera cause I liked the script of Operation Unknown. That and I didn’t think I’d actually get the part when I auditioned.”

“See it’s not the same The beauty of even wanting to do it would be making the forgeries myself I’d want to do it for the experience of creating. Not just the money. When it comes to art, drawing, painting all that shit I love doing it. It’s more so the second part the finding fences, and all that that will take even more time.” Toni laughed. “Don’t make Sabrina hurt you. She threats me a lot so I can only imagine. Mostly superheros. They’re kind of my thing. I painted my entire place each wall had a different superhero theme.” He pulled out his phone to show Noah pictures of his apartment. “I’ve got to do all that again in the house we moved into but it’s going to take some time to do. I mean you won’t ever hear me tell you not to take your shirt off to show me superhero tattoos.” 

“In that case, we could always create it together? I could help pass along some forgery knowledge?” He offered up with a shrug. “And I mean she’s done it before. It’s not that bad. Even though then again, she’s never actually seriously tried to hurt me. If she did, I’d probably be dead. Wait- no way. They’re kind of my thing too. And I mean okay. Just don’t judge me got it,” He said as he pulled his shirt up over his head to show off his tats. “See. I’m pretty much covered in comic book logos.”

“My personal motto has always been I want love like a 90s RnB song. And my personal style? I’d work in some 90s things aby time I can so I had to go all out for this one. Now that you’ve made me love you even more. Are you going to dance with me too? Or do you have to go make your rounds as the handsome host of this thing?” 

“See, I don’t really think I have a personal style? Unless graphic t-shirts count? And no. I can dance with you. Just be aware it’s going to be cheesy. I put embarrassing dads at weddings to shame.”

“The leather does sound intriguing actually. I think I’d like the grunge phase. You do know I don’t know who any of these people are right? While people my age were watching tv shows, I was learning to hunt and camping and going to gun ranges. I’m fairly certain my father wanted a son, but ended up with two daughters. Your girlfriend is the hot troublemaker with the tattoos that looks like a mix of malibu barbie and a biker chick right? If so, your secret is safe with me.”

“And? Last time I checked sons could still watch TV? I mean what did you go as for Halloween growing up? But, okay. Let’s start with Buffy then. Prepare yourself, because we have a whole lot of 90′s content to get through in a very short amount of time. In fact, I hope you’re good with no sleep, because we’re definitely pulling an all nighter. And yup. That’s her.”

Luna’s eyes widened for a second, realizing she Gad overstepped and simply nodded. She sh was quiet for a long while trying to figure out what to say. So she didn’t say anything. She started to over analyze any topic she thought of to fill the gap. “We’re having nice weather today,” she said instead. “Hey don’t Harry Potter shame me. I thought he was cute the fact that he was skinny has nothing to do with that.”

“The weather? Seriously, Lu?” Noah let out a deep laugh. Giving Luna a light nudge as he did, “Is that you go to subject change? He was on the verge of starvation. But, hey if that does it for you, who am I to judge,” He teased, shooting Luna a small smile as if to say ‘thank you’.