Through the Screen

Chapter 6

it's six thirty when noah tiredly rings the doorbell, his fingers already working to loosen the black tie

around his neck as he waits patiently for the door to open.

he still did not expect abel to be home, because it had been far too many times that he's called in, yet

again breaking his promises. his reasons included being suddenly caught up in work, or something

related to chris.

of course.

ten seconds later the door was opened by adrian, as usual, already dressed in his pajamas, a

welcoming smile on his face and his hair sweeping messily across his forehead.

"hey buddy," noah fondly ruffled his hair, crouching slightly so he could hug adrian, before walking into

the house, and dropping his brief case on one of the dining chairs, where adrian had his school work

spread out.

"hi dad, how was work?" he asked, sitting down where he previously was, proceeding to chew on his

pen again.

"it was okay, why aren't you studying in your room?" noah furrowed his eyebrows slightly, his voice

travelling farther as he went into the kitchen, filling up a glass of cold water before gulping it down.

"oh because papa asked me to get out," adrian explained and noah lowered the glass from his mouth.

wow, abel actually kept his promise for once. "he is changing the sheets,"

"oh okay," noah gave him a small smile, kissing his forehead and ascending to his own room, pulling at

the tie around his neck and flinging it carelessly on the bed before unbuttoning his shirt. he was only

halfway through when abel entered, a pile of fresh looking clothes in his hands.

"someone's looking sexy," abel commented cheekily, winking at noah and noah just shook his head

fondly at the dorky gesture, his fingers resuming the action of unbuttoning his shirt.

"when did you come back?" noah questioned, raising his eyebrows slightly as he dug through his closet

to find a comfortable jumper as the weather seemed kind of unforgiving today.

"around two hours ago, i came here fifteen minutes after i ended your call," abel explained, shuffling

through the recently washed clothes, sorting them out so they can be put in either of their cupboards.

"alright, can you check if there is a warm sweater or a full sleeved t-shirt in that pile? it's kind of cold,"

noah asked, beginning to unbuckle his belt as abel pulled out a plain black jumper.

"here,"

"but that's your jumper,"

"so? we're married noah, we can share clothes i suppose,"

"not after that time," noah mumbled, rolling his eyes slightly at the memory as he ignored the jumper in

abel 's hand and took out a plain t-shirt instead, pulling it on.

abel could feel his heart drop at the statement and he just bit his lip, avoiding to look in noah's

direction, his fingers tightening their grip on the rejected piece of clothing.

"i-i said i was sorry for that,"

"that's fine, it doesn't matter," noah pulled the trousers off his legs in a hurry, pulling on some

sweatpants before walking out of the room, not bothering to hear abel 's reply.

"is everything okay dad?" adrian shot a concerned look towards noah as he clumsily drank another

glass of water, and noah just nodded, giving him a half hearted smile.

it was a cold day, and abel was just returning from work, his hands almost numb because of the low

temperature and his hair slightly wet from the freezing rain. chris was walking him home today, instead

of driving, because the roads were extremely slippery and chris was just a learner, who did not want to

bust his car into a tree.

but he did not want abel to go alone either.

not because abel couldn't protect himself or chris was just making sure that he got home safe. abel

was a grown man, he could take care of himself, but it was just their thing.

they switched days alternatively when he couldn't drive, or his car was busy with his roommate pj.

sometimes abel would drop chris home and sometimes it would be the other way round.

today was no different.

except for the fact that abel was really annoyed at a few people at work, who had tried to copy his

ideas and tried to mess up all the hardwork he had put in, in a certain script. also, it was unforgivingly

cold and abel hated cold, unless he was at home and in noah's arms while watching a movie and

sipping on hot chocolate.

noah. his chest ached at the thought of him.

it had only been a wonderful seven months since their marriage and they already have started acting

so distant. some days, noah wouldn't even kiss abel goodnight or ask about his day, and those nights

abel would get the worst possible sleep, tossing and turning because he just wasn't used to distance.

"abel! what the hell, watch where you're going," chris' voice was loud, snapping abel out of his thoughts

when chris grabbed his hand and pulled him to his side, allowing a car to drive past them.

"sorry, i was just thinking," abel sighed and chris just squeezed his hand, and abel felt slightly better,

because his hand was warm and comforting and he did not want to let go.

it wasn't that he had any feelings towards chris, he loved noah and only him. chris was a great person,

no doubt, but abel could never imagine himself with someone other than noah and so whatever

friendship chris and him shared was strictly platonic.

abel 's annoyance was boosted when he entered the house and found the kitchen turned upside down,

into a complete mess and all the cupboards open. it was not everyday he walked in on this and when

he did, he usually just sighed to himself and cleaned up but today he was tired and cold and frustrated

and looking at the messy house made him want to scream.

his head was aching by the time he made his way to his room, trying hard to ignore the messy living Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

room and the way noah's papers were scattered all over the dining. noah was laying back in the bed

with his glasses resting lazily on his nose, his phone in his hand as he tapped away, ignoring abel as

usual.

"hi," abel tried to strike up a conversation but noah just looked up and gave him a soft smile.

"hey how was work?" he asked, although abel knew he had no interest in knowing.

"shit," abel replied dismissively, walking to his closet, wanting to find something warm to wear but he

just couldn't. his closet was a mess too.

"it will be fine," noah replied ignorantly and abel shut his closet with a loud slam, annoyed that he

couldn't wear anything warm. he gave up after that, getting rid of his shoes and slipping in his side of

the bed, his clothes uncomfortably damp.

"the house is a mess," abel remarked after a few seconds and noah just nodded.

"noah are you listening?"

"yeah of course i am honey,"

"really? i don't think so," abel replied gritting his teeth. it was only so much he could take and noah

wasn't even trying to comfort him.

"babe stop fussing over it, we'll clean up later,"

"are you wearing my sweater?" abel was even more annoyed now. not that he did not like noah

wearing his clothes it's just that he was cold and he couldn't find something warm to wear and even

though it sounds extremely petty, he was emotionally drained today and he was just finding ways to

blame anyone and everyone for his mood.

"um, yeah, is there a problem?" noah finally looked up from his phone at abel 's odd question, trying to

read his face.

"no," abel mumbled before the aggravation took over once again. "actually yes, can you not wear my

clothes from the next time? it annoys me when i come back home and i can't find something

comfortable to wear because you are always wearing mine," he rambled, not really assisting what he

was saying or how the words stabbed noah right in the chest.

"i-i thought, i, um, i'm really sorry you felt that way," noah replied, sinking further into his bed and biting

his lip. as it is, he and abel had been having so many problems between them and communication

lacked, so he was not surprised that abel was finding it annoying how they shared clothes. noah just

thought it made up for the intimacy that lacked between them but of course he was wrong.

abel did not really care for intimacy anymore.

"not to mention the fact that all my new shirts are looser on me once you wear them," and now abel

was calling noah fat.

there was once a time when abel would call noah perfect and comfort him when noah questioned

himself too much but oh how the tables have turned.

noah does not even have to put himself down anymore because abel is here to do that for him.

noah has nothing to say to abel 's statement, except quietly slipping abel 's sweater off his body and

carefully placing it next to his so called lover, closing his phone and turning on his side so he doesn't

have to see abel 's face anymore.

maybe they really aren't like they were before.