#p003

Even though he'd had a lot to drink and he wasn't necessarily in any kind of state to be trying to clean (because, honestly, he was already bad at it sober), Noah picked up scattered cups from around the basement and stuffed them into a garbage bag. Luckily, he wasn't alone in his endeavor. "Thanks, Mia," he drawled with a grin as he carried the bag over his shoulder out to the trash bin on the curb. "Please don't let me get hit by a car?"

Cleaning up the remains of the party, Mia gathered up what she could carry, making sure not to trip over anything as she followed Noah to take out the trash. At his words, Mia laughed. “I’m right behind you, goose. I won’t let anything happen to you. So, tonight was fun. I think Cy enjoyed himself. Plus, I don’t think I’d ever seen James that drunk before.”

Noah grinned, stuffing the bag into the bin before closing it and leaning against it. "You're my hero, Mia Smythe. What would I even do without you? I'm glad he did. I don't think I've seen him laugh in a while, so it was totally worth the hangover tomorrow. I hope things work out for him, you know?" He stretched and smoothed out his shirt before laughing. "Yeah drunk James is something I'm really happy I'm getting to finally experience."

“Hmm, I don’t know...” she trailed off with a grin. “What would you do without me?” Reaching up to comb her fingers through his hair for a second before stuffing her hands in her pockets, lightly kicking around the rock by her feet. “Yeah, I hope so too.” Mia nodded. “But, I’m glad everything turned out fun. I told those guys I would make their asses sing with me. They just needed a little push.” The brunette laughed, shifting her feet around in her spot. Feeling slightly anxious about what she needed to get out to him, unsure of what she was going to say or how he'd react.

"Mmm probably would've ended up in the middle of the road at this point. Nothing good, obviously." Noah smiled when she touched his hair and shook his head. "Or, like, sober and boring. You totally slayed. They were okay too." He tapped his fingers on the lid of the bin and licked his lips. "Wanna smoke? I've been saving this one for a special occasion."

"Nah, not on my watch. That's my duty as best friend, making sure nothing happens to you, knucklehead." She replied with a laugh, tucking a piece of her brunette locks behind her ear. "Oh, thank you." Mia smiled, "You weren't so bad yourself. Chasing Cars? Very nice." Grabbing the cigarette tucked behind her ear, "I'm one step ahead of you, babe. Light up at the same time?"

Noah pulled the tin out of his pocket, opened it, and pulled out a blunt. "I was thinkin' more along these lines but to each their own, Mi." He took out a lighter and glanced around to be sure there was no one else around before lighting up. He took a long draw from it before holding it out for her, along with his lighter if she decided to go with her own. "It was alright. Thanks, though."

"Well, in that case.." Mia trailed off, placing the cigarette back behind her ear before taking the joint and lighter from him. Putting it up to her mouth, sliding it between her lips, she raised her eyebrow at him while taking her first drag; inhaling the smoke deeply. Keeping the smoke in her lungs for a moment, she then made her mouth into an 'O' shape, curling her lips around her teeth and watched the perfect smoke ring forming as she breathed out, holding out the J for him. "Shut up, you were more than alright. You were perfect. Besides, did you see the reactions you were getting? It was like Jesse was about to jizz in his fucking pants."

"Perfect is a little bit of a stretch but I appreciate your support, Mi," Noah grinned and made a face back at her. "Dork." He was a much more casual smoker, taking it back and pulling a few short drags. "I think Jess gets excited at any performance, don't give me any credit for that. You never sang with me, though," he frowned and wrapped his arm around her shoulders to pull her closer. "What'd you wanna talk about?"

Mia bit her lip and casted her eyes on the ground before she took a deep breath, mustering up the courage to say what she wanted to. “Remember when you tried to kiss me that night in the tree-house and I said, um...I said no?” She cast her eyes down for a moment, remembering how she might have disappointed him before lifting them up to look at his warm eyes. “Well, I’ve thought long and hard about that night ever seen then and…the truth is, I wanted to kiss you. But it’s been pointed out to me that I tend to get scared. A lot. Which is true. I do get scared a lot, because there are things in this world that are fragile, that if you so much as try to pick it up, it breaks. And, that’s how I thought of us. I didn’t want to break what we have and make shit awkward. But then…I figured, living in fear of things, well, that’s no fun at all, is it?” She paused for a moment, “I guess what I’m trying to say is, I’m done being scared. I don’t wanna do that anymore. I…I wanna be brave.” With that said, Mia brought up a hand to his face--softly, gently--and grazed her thumb on his cheek. She leaned in close, her eyes flitting to his lips before closing in the space between them and pressing her lips against his.

Noah listened to everything Mia was saying about not being afraid and recalling the incident in the tree house. He furrowed his brows as she spoke, surprised that Jesse had been right. They'd hung out a few times since and he hadn't felt like that was the case at all, but apparently he'd been wrong. He was more shocked as her hand came to his face but he wasn't sure if that was because he was high and he was making things up in his head or if she was actually about to kiss him but that question was answered when she pulled him down into a kiss and he tightened his hold around her shoulders to pull her closer and kiss her back. He'd always wondered what it would be like to kiss Mia and he wasn't disappointed.