InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "Say it."

Noah Pierce (quarterback) wrote in halcyon_houses,
@ 2008-10-29 23:16:00

Entry tags:

natalia, noah

Week Twenty: Saturday
Who: Noah and Nat
When: EARLY Saturday morning
Where: House of Fire hallway.

It was way too god damn early. Or maybe it was too late. Noah wasn't entirely sure anymore. He did know that he had pretty much worn a path in the floor of his room with all his damn pacing. And why was he pacing? Because he was pretty sure he was in his first recorded all out fight with Nat. The kind where she didn't speak to him except to get angry at him or ask if he was ready to apologize. And the kind of fight where the gnomes really didn't make any appearances in his room.

It was seriously getting stanky up in there. Good thing Noah had spent more than half his life in a locker room. He was kind of used to the smell of feet. Actually kind of a familiar smell. Now that was kind of scary. Maybe he should just give in and pick up. You know with all that free pacing time he had on his hands.

As the clock worked its way around to 6am Noah didn't bother to clean.... instead he grabbed his ipod slid it into the strap for his arm and donned it, along with a sleeveless t-shirt and a pair of shorts. He needed to not be confined by these four walls. Needed to beat the last of the restless confused energy he had running through his system out through a good run. Like most runners, it usually helped him clear his mind. Though Noah wasn't sure that would help. He knew the problem. Knew... but wouldn't let himself do anything about it. Stupid. Stubborn. Oh did we mention stupid? Yep. He was being all of the above. But above all else he was just scared. Not something Noah liked to admit but it was the damn truth.

Fuck it. He was out. Noah threw open the door to his room and prepared to make short work of the guys wing of the House of Fire. The sound of a door opening behind him gave him pause and enough time to swing his head around.

What. The. Fuck.

"Nat?"

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herbrokensmile
2008-10-31 02:06 am UTC (link)

Aside from her fight with Noah, which sucked, things were really really good. Her time with Rhett was amazing and she couldn't remember the last time she had smiled so much that her face had ended up hurting. Not only that, but the three photo shoots she had set up had gone fantastically well. The clothes that had been provided were fabulous and her subjects were adored by her camera. If everything kept going like this then she was going to have one hell of a calendar on her hands. Here was hoping.

After what could have been the longest day ever, Nat had grabbed a six pack of Corona and headed over to Rhett's room for a little winding down session. Granted the relaxing part of that evening hadn't lasted that long but damn if she didn't sleep like a baby once they were finished pouncing each other. The man really was a genius with his hands. And tongue. And well, everything. Just thinking about it made her feel all tingly.

Now normally after such a long day and fairly long night, she would have opted to sleep in but she had her shoot with Kim and later Vivian and there were a hundred things to do before either of those rolled around. Thankfully she was morning person so when six o'clock came she was awake and creeping out of Rhett's bed. It really was a shame that she had to be up so early because he was fantastic to snuggle with and all warm and mmm.

Slipping out from under his arm, she felt around for her clothes in the dark and got dressed. Her fingers were run through her hair in some attempt to untangle it but it didn't do much good in the end. Kissing his cheek, she snuck over to his desk and wrote him a quick note that was left on the night table next to his bed. Now where did she put those shoes of hers...?

Once the shoes were located, she tucked them under her arm and headed for the door. As quietly as she could manage, she pulled open the door and was all about being stealth in closing it behind her when she heard her name. So much for the unseen walk of shame. Spinning around, her eyes were wide when she Noah. Of course he would be the one to bust her. "Hola, mijo. Going for a run?" Heh.

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quarterback
2008-10-31 03:27 pm UTC (link)

Noah had said that he was okay with Nat having Rhett's babies. But had he really meant it? Hell to the no he hadn't. Of all the guys he'd met so far at Halcyon Rhett was possibly the least dickish and well if Noah was being honest he actually respected the other guy which made it all the harder to have anything to say about him when it came to Nat dating him. If he made her happy that's all that should matter right? Noah wished it was just that simple but it never was in his head.

Exactly why he was going out for a run. Because nothing was making any sense anymore least of all how he was going to patch up whatever was wrong between the two of them. Well what was wrong with him was probably a better way to put it. Either ball up or shut the fuck up. He couldn't seem to do either though.

Apparently there was one way to shut him up. Surprise the ever living hell out of him. Noah had managed to get out Nat's name before the surprise of seeing her complete that hallowed walk of shame down his own hallway set in. And boy did it set in. Jaw hanging open, eyes wide. But behind that surprise was already the growing seed of green. He was doing his best to ignore that though, sticking with the wtf that was at the moment undeniable.

"What? Yes. No wait that doesn't matter..." Noah sputtered for a moment giving his head a shake once he found his voice again. "You're sleeping with him?!" Okay so that came out more accusatory than Noah had intended. Whoops. At least he hadn't asked if she was fucking him. That was worse. Right? Right.

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herbrokensmile
2008-10-31 03:45 pm UTC (link)

If Noah had a problem with her dating Rhett then he should have said so rather than giving her his blessing. As far as she was concerned, Rhett was the first guy that Noah had liked and that was good enough for her. Not that she was settling with Rhett but getting Noah's approval was really important to her. She clearly hadn't been the best judge of character in the past (James) so this was her following Noah's advice. Or something.

Nat would have bet money that she would have been able to sneak out of guys' wing unseen because what guy was up at the crack of dawn on a Saturday? Oh wait that's right, Noah. Did the boy ever not go for a run? Maybe he needed to try the whole sleeping in thing? That could have saved them both this rather awkward moment. Not that she was one to talk because she was always up to catch an early morning wave or two before class but still.

Trying to remain as calm and normal as possible, Nat moved forward as if nothing in the world was wrong and like she hadn't just been busted during her walk of shame. Though was it really shameful if it wasn't a one night thing? Hmm, something to think upon. Her head canted to the side as he muttered something about not walking and her eyes couldn't help but go wide when he practically came right out and accused her of being a whore! Oh no he didn't!

Pale blue eyes blinked as she stood there a tad stunned but the fiery Latina side kicked in and turned her gaze into a full on glare. "So what if I am?" she all but yelled back. It was early so she should probably try to keep the volume down. "Isn't that what you told me to do?" Okay maybe that hadn't been exactly what he had said but it was close enough.

Not particularly wanting to have this conversation with Noah (if she wanted to be yelled at for having sex she would call up Javier) she tilted her chin up and proceeded to walk on by. With any luck he'd still be standing there gaping like a fish while she made her escape.

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quarterback
2008-10-31 04:05 pm UTC (link)

He didn't have a problem per se with her dating Rhett and that in itself was the problem. No one ever said it made sense up in Noah's head but it was what it was and he was doing his best to keep his mouth shut when it came to the confusing stuff that went on up there. Rhett was a good guy, he would probably treat Nat right. But he wasn't Noah. There it was.

Looking at Nat as she slipped out of some other guys door he knew it was true. Damn this sucked. Why did have to be such an idiot about everything. He wasn't right for her and he'd convinced himself of that long ago. Too much chance that he'd turn out just like James. Just like his father. No matter Nat's assurances that he wasn't his father. Blood was thicker than water, and the surge of jealousy that hit Noah like a brick wall was a good indication of that. Fuck.

"I sure as hell didn't tell you to go and do that!" Noah replied not doing as good a job at keeping his voice down as she had. Is that what she thought? Noah sure as hell hoped not and if she had gone and slept with him because of that... no he didn't believe for an instant that Nat would do that.

His hand shot out as she began to brush past him and curled around her upper arm. Keeping her from escaping entirely. "Exactly... so what if you are. It doesn't matter to me at all." Noah started the whole schitck of not caring who she slept with but they both knew it was a lie since he always had. "At least it's not James. I know I didn't tell you to go and sleep with him." Noah's mouth snapped shut after the words had spilled out. Okay so that was a little on the rude side. But he was trying his best to not lose it here. If it was channeled out in some snide comments.

Oh hell that wasn't any better.

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herbrokensmile
2008-10-31 04:22 pm UTC (link)

The only person who was going to make Noah like his father or James was Noah. If he was so hell bent on the fact that he could go there then he probably would. He hadn't tried to hurt James when he had found Nat that day and she believed that should stand for something. If he could control his anger when he saw his best friend with two black eyes and covered in bruises then he could keep himself from doing whatever other stupid shit he was afraid of doing.

"Uh, you said that I could have his babies and sleeping, or well not sleeping in our case, is how you get there!" Okay she wasn't really out to get knocked up right this second but she had a point to prove or something. Besides, it was not okay for Noah to yell at her without having the opportunity to yell back. Man, she didn't think they would ever have their very own gloves off fight but here they were and it was definitely happening. She didn't like it one bit but she was far too stubborn, and right for that matter, to back down now.

The hand on her arm caused her eyes to widened with surprise and she nearly dropped the heels she had been carrying. "GOOD." Actually saying he didn't care kind of sucked even though she knew he was only saying it because he was angry with her. Though why he was pissed she wasn't exactly sure. She was a big girl and could go horizontal with whoever she wanted.

When James was brought up, it was kind of a low blow and if she hadn't been seeing red before, she sure as hell was now. "Well you practically did!" she spat back as she tried to yank her arm out of his grasp. Not that he would have any idea what she was talking about but after his rathe cruel rejection of her back in Mexico she really couldn't have been blamed for running into the arms of the first guy who showed genuine interest in her. All Noah's fault? Maybe not quite but he did have a little something to do with that.

"Now let me go before I have to hurt you." Stilettos in the opposite hand, remember? This had the potential to get ugly if he kept pushing her.

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quarterback
2008-11-02 08:37 pm UTC (link)

So maybe she had a point there. Noah was in complete control of his future, it didn't run in the blood but there was something to be said on environment. It was how he'd grown up and it was ingrained in him on what his future could be.... But he could be different, he just had to learn to control his temper or maybe control his tendency to get ridiculous jealous and he wouldn't be the man his father was. Easier said than done though it seemed. Or maybe Noah just needed to stop being such a pig headed idiot when it came to the whole matter. That though seemed to be a permanent part of his personality.

"I said that-" Noah snapped his mouth shut really really not wanting to talk about Nat having babies or rather making babies with Rhett. He could really pass on that. "I don't want to talk about that." Now there was a mature and effective way to have an argument way to go Noah. In his defense though, he really wasn't thinking entirely clear. Not at all. He was seeing red or maybe it was green. Some combo of that.

Noah's hand tightened around her arm as she tried to shake it off. "WHAT?" Nope, that didn't make any sense to him. How on earth did Noah push... He looked down at where his hand was wrapped around her arm and frowned at himself. Noah dropped his hand away like she was about to burn him. "What the hell are you talking about Nat!?" He asked clearly bewildered by her words and unable to let them go.

"And why in the hell are you going to hu-" his lips were still pressed together in some mask of anger and confusion. "You're already doing that sleeping with- Fuck this!" And it was Noah's turn to try and brush past Nat. This was a dysfunctional argument if there ever was one.

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herbrokensmile
2008-11-02 09:51 pm UTC (link)

How were they supposed to have a decent fight if he didn't want to fight about the stuff that was said? Because hell, if they were going to do this they might as well go all out and have a throw down. They had to make up for twenty something years of never fighting, right? And bickering clearly didn't count because they had never been mad at each other, at least not like this.

Hmm, she probably should have known that the whole James thing wouldn't have gone over well. Sucked to be him! "You heard me!" Nat didn't remember stuttering so that should have come across loud and clear. "If you cannot figure it out then you do not deserve to know!" Noah wasn't the only one who could shut down after almost saying anything. Just a little taste of his own medicine.

"What?!" Okay now it was her turn to be confused because she couldn't understand how her sleeping with Rhett could possibly hurt Noah. Unless it was because he was upset that he wasn't dating someone or something but then that didn't make any sense because he had been the one to say time and time again that he didn't want to date anyone. Ugh! He totally hurt her brain.

Wait a second, was he leaving now? Oh hell no, there was no way he was getting away with being stupid and leaving in the middle of their fight. She was the only one who could get away with that, thanks. "Noah Jeremy Pierce don't you walk away from me!" Hmm, wonder how many people she had woken up with that one? Oops. Since all rational thought was gone and her only goal was to finish what they had started, she ended up chucking one of her shoes at the back of his head. What? It would get his attention, right?

"What the hell is wrong with you? You should be happy for me!" Cue the second shoe flying in his direction. Even if they didn't talk this all out at least she was able to take some of her aggression out. Only problem was, was that she was now out of things to throw. Damn.

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quarterback
2008-11-03 12:23 am UTC (link)

So sorry to disappoint. Alright so he just didn't want to get into those particular nitty grittys. He didn't need mental images of Nat in bed with Rhett. Not only did he not need to see the dude in bed part... but more so it was just not how he wanted to picture Nat. And no he wasn't going to go into details on how he did want to picture Nat thankyouverymuch. Smelling it was bad enough. Minus one for super duper were smelling.

"I heard you but you aren't making any god damn sense." Noah retorted back. Any attempt at keeping his voice down was long since gone. He just didn't even give a shit whether he woke any one up. He might have cared ordinarily but at the moment... it didn't even phase him. They'd deal. Not like shit hadn't woke him up in the past. "Fine Nat. I don't deserve to know." Now that went and pissed him right off. He hated that. He didn't understand what was going on and he'd admitted it. So he wasn't that perceptive, give the guy a break he'd been hit in the head a lot. Or at least that was what he'd argue.

"If you can't understand that..." Noah started to reply not even turning his head around because if he did... well Noah wasn't sure but he already regretted the fact that he'd let his emotions get the best of him and that he'd opened his mouth that much. Her shoe managed to clock him directly in the back of the skull. "OW. What the fuck!" A hand reached up and rubbed the spot that the shoe had collided with and Noah stopped to turn around.

"Should be happy for you..." Noah repeated as he began to slowly walk toward her. Those words didn't even compute at the moment. Not that he didn't want her to be happy but he just couldn't tie that emotion in with his own when he thought about her with someone else. "You want to know what would make me happy?"

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herbrokensmile
2008-11-03 12:39 am UTC (link)

Well Nat thought the mental images of Rhett in bed were pretty sexy. For the record.

"I guess now you can join the club!" How many times had Noah said something that confused the hell out of her and then didn't explain what it was that he was trying to say? Oh, like a billion. Maybe it was rather childish to be playing the game this way but maybe he deserved it. Maybe she was tired of being so open and honest with him while he continually kept things from her. Like his father. That would have been nice to know oh, ten years ago.

"Now who's not making any sense?" How was she supposed to understand anything that he told her when he never finished a thought? And it really was a shame that she had been so angry with him because the expression on his face when she hit him with the shoe was pretty awesome. Not to mention the fact that she had had a direct hit! Football seemed to be paying off after all, who knew?

Her blue eyes went wide as he walked back toward her and for a moment she was beginning to rethink her decision there. Maybe she should have just let him storm off and cool down? Sadly she was far too stubborn and thought she was right, although right about what she wasn't quite sure at the moment, so she was determined to see this through. If anything, maybe this fight could clear some air between them and then they could move on and go back to being best friends. She really did hate fighting with him like this, it made her sick to the stomach.

"Si, tell me what would make you happy since I obviously am not doing something right." Noah had agreed to Rhett being good for her and she followed out with that rather than jumping back in bed with James so what more could he want? And no, becoming a crazy cat lady just wasn't an option.

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quarterback
2008-11-03 01:00 am UTC (link)

The record could blow Noah.

"Fantastic. Always wanted to join that club!" Noah threw his hands up in the air in exasperation. "So I kept shit to myself. How many times am I going to have to apologize for that. I'm sorry. There was a lot going on. And you know what... I'm not apologizing again." There he was taking a stand. But then again, knowing Noah, he'd be apologizing again in ten minutes. Unfortunately sorry was a pretty staple part of his vocabulary.

"Exactly. This is a great conversation we're having isn't it." Communication skills between the two of them seemed to be at an all time low. Noah knew his own problems were stemming from the fact that he was about ready to boil with frustration and jealousy mix that with an attempt to keep it all repressed and he was bound to say next to nothing that made logical sense.

Way to kill more brain cells for the poor guy Nat! He needed all he could get.

His body was moving on instinct, stalking toward her. Maybe there was some of that new DNA playing into the mix, making him want to hunt the prey or rather the potential mate that stood across from him in the hallway. He could feel the bunching of his muscles as he prowled toward her. Logical thought was good and gone and nothing was stopping his progress was forward. But maybe that was exactly what Noah needed. Or maybe what they needed to clear up whatever the hell that was going all sorts of wrong between them. This fighting thing really wasn't working for either of them.

"You asked." Noah said under his breath, his only response to her before he had a hand curling behind her head. Noah's fingers wrapped tightly around her hair and he pulled her head forward letting his lips crash down onto hers. That was exactly what made him happy until he let himself think about it too much. That always seemed to ruin it for him. He wasn't thinking at the moment though. Nothing past the feel of her lips beneath his.

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herbrokensmile
2008-11-03 01:17 am UTC (link)

Wait, Noah still had some brain cells to kill? Lies! Or uh, her bad? One of those.

Natalia really didn't like the way he was moving toward her for a number of reasons. For starters, regardless of the fact that she had hit him in the head with her shoe, she really didn't want to have a full on fight with him in the middle of the boys' hall. Secondly, the way the beast inside of her felt like responding to that particular "threat" didn't sit well with her at all. There were just too many emotions playing together in response to that one and not only could she not sort them all out, but the ones she could were rather disturbing.

Not knowing what to expect for his answer there was one thing that was for certain, she hadn't been expecting that. What the fuck was happening? While her mind was struggling to catch up, her body seemed to have a plan of its own and she kissed him back with all of the frustration and anger she had inside of her. It was like Mexico all over again except that they were both sober and they weren't eighteen. And she had Rhett. Crap.

Pulling away, she pushed her hands against his chest and looked at him, her cheeks flushed and visibly winded. "What are you doing?!" Running a hand down her face, she stared at him with wide eyes. "God Noah you cannot kiss me like that after you find out I am with Rhett!" What would Rhett say when he found out? And he would find out because they had just woken up half of the damn house with their yelling.

Without thinking, she grabbed Noah by the arm and dragged him down the hall and out into the common room. They weren't going to have that discussion right there, it just wasn't going to happen. "What was that about?" she finally asked as she released him and put a few feet's worth of distance between them. She needed air, lots and lots of air. "You break my heart four years ago and you decide that now is a good time to mess with me again?" Now he was just being cruel.

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quarterback
2008-11-03 01:47 am UTC (link)

What had she been expecting? Noah tended to think he was kind of obvious in his affection that he tried to hide. That time at the beach came to mind where he'd managed to embarrassingly pitch a tent in front of her. You know things like that but then again the mind was a funny thing, it was all too capable of ignoring the things that didn't seem to make sense.

Noah knew that this wasn't what he should be doing. That if he really had wanted to tell her what was going on he could have done just that. Without the visual aid. But he was well past the point of doing things cautiously. It had always been like that with Noah. All or nothing. No halfway point. And he was rewarded for his impulsive action, if just for an instant. The feel of her returning the press of his lips. His fingers couldn't help but tighten around her, one arm curling around her waist for a brief second before she was pushing him away and he wasn't fighting it. That second of space between them had been enough to bring reality back to the present.

His face was screwed up in disgust when he looked back over at her. "I don't know and... you taste like." Noah didn't want to finish that sentence. "You smell like him and I can't stand it. I don't want to have this discussion right now." Always running from it, Noah heard the words come from his mouth and he hated that it was always his first reaction to just avoid it all and let it go away. It never did. Wasn't this a damn good example of that.

Noah's arms had fallen limp to his side and he somehow let himself get pulled down the hallway and out into the common room. "I'm not messing with you Nat." He finally breathed out raking a hand through his hair. "You asked what would make me happy and..." he shrugged his shoulders. "Always been the answer but it's always too complicated so forget it. Just like after Mexico." He lifted his head and that was when the confusion really set in. "Huh? Broke what?" Well there was something dense Noah had never really picked up on entirely.

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herbrokensmile
2008-11-03 02:01 am UTC (link)

The look he sent her caused her stomach to churn and she suddenly felt ill. If it wasn't for the surprise of it all, she might have even had to run for the bathroom. That look was exactly how she pictured him looking when he thought about her as anything other than a friend and it didn't matter that he was talking about her tasting and smelling bad. Well, actually that was pretty crappy too.

Nat didn't like the words that came next probably because she wasn't quite understanding them correctly. So what would make him happy was ruining her relationship with Rhett? That was cruel, but not quite as cruel as bringing up Mexico again. God, there had been a time when she had thought she wasn't going to recover from that trip but her madre had kicked her out of bed and forced her to work through it. Then of course came James and the rest was history.

An exasperated sigh fell from her lips as she ran her fingers through her hair. Was he so completely dense that he hadn't known how she had felt? Alcohol or not, she wouldn't have made out with him just because he was there. "My heart, Noah," she said again. This fight was all or nothing right and even though she had forced herself to move on, it seemed time to air out the dirty laundry. Well, so be it.

Turning away from him, she put some distance between them before facing him again. "I was in love with you and when Mexico happened I thought you felt the same way but then you could not even look at me the next day and I knew I had been wrong." Even though she didn't want them to, tears began to well up in her eyes. "I always thought, always hoped that we would end up together but the second it happened you went running away as fast as you could. How did you think that was going to make me feel?"

Reaching up, she wiped what moisture had escaped her pale eyes. "And now, now that I am finally over you and happy with someone else, you decided to ruin all of that for me? You cannot do that, I won't let you. " She had worked too hard to bury those feelings and she was finally happy and he had had ample opportunity to change her mind before she had gotten together with Rhett but it was just too late now.

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quarterback
2008-11-13 01:36 am UTC (link)

There was a whole pile of regret in Noah. A massive pile of it that wished he hadn't kissed Nat and wished that he hadn't opened this particular can of worms. Talking and fights about feelings were always on the bottom of his to-do list. But it was happening and he knew that the only way out of it was to turn around and run away like a little girl. Even Noah couldn't bring himself to do that just yet.

"What..." Her heart wasn't exactly the response he thought he'd get. Then again, he hadn't known what to expect and maybe a big chunk of that could be chalked right up to denial. It was a great river in Egypt thankyouverymuch. Noah raked a hand through his hair leaving deep rivets in the dark strands. "I... fuck..." Noah tried to respond but found that words failed him entirely. "Couldn't even look at you... that's fucking ridiculous. I had to leave. I was going away and I wasn't... fuck it Nat I was scared." Noah finally made the admission turning away from her as he paced the length of the room.

He paused as she began to speak again. Her words settled heavily in his chest, heavy enough that it slowed his pace to a standstill. He fixed his eyes on a bookshelf just next to the stairs. "You're right it's not.... not fair of me to do that. I'm sorry." He didn't want to say the words, didn't want to be sorry for his own continued fuck ups and mostly he didn't want to be sorry that it was... too late. But had there ever been a chance to begin with. The words he was trying to hold down though wouldn't stay put. He whirled around to look at her. "I don't give a shit if it's fair or not Nat. Ruining what? Ruining some fling with some gu-" Noah's mouth snapped shut. No, he wasn't going to let himself run down the path of the jealous moron.

"I'm going..." he held a hand up as if stopping his own mouth not hers. "I'll see you in a few days." Noah sure as hell was getting out of the school for the next few days. Away from... them. Away from his own thoughts. His own mistakes.

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