Re: Holly's place: Holly/ Noah
Holly knew he was doing a really bad job of, like, not letting Noah know the mom thing worried him. And it didn't worry him in a jealous way. Okay, no, okay, there was a sliver of that, because he wouldn't be Holly if there wasn't this, like, possessive mine thing that lived in his gut. And he didn't point out that picking the trailer park? Was so stupid, because that wasn't going to do anything helpful. He kinda wanted to break Ren's stupid face, and Adrian's too. He listened, trying to be chill and blank and maybe even counting a little, and not because he needed to chill out, but because he didn't want to freak Noah out with whatever thoughts happened to flit through his head in some uncontrollable way.
So, right, Noah did that little kid rushed word thing, and Holly felt bad. I mean, he felt really fucking bad, because it was like Noah was scared of him, or like he was some parent the guy was disappointing, and he knew he'd done that, right? And, right then? He kinda wished he'd taken the full painkiller, because chill came pretty fucking easy on a Norco. Anyway, there was no Norco, and Holly just let Noah press close for a second. When he disentangled himself a few moments later, it wasn't to, like, get distance or anything. It was to sit, legs crossed on the bed and facing the guy, and he tugged Noah, you know, so Noah would sit up too. That counting? Still happening. And fuck the sling and the arm. He shoved the sling off, and he cupped the guy's cheeks with both hands, if he could, and he was firm. Like, way firm. "You're going to listen to me right now, okay?"