Chapter 1: I love his clothes

The afternoon was cold for a summer night, the sun was sinking low as I made my through hospital doors and into the elevator with a few people, they gave me weird looks but I just smiled, knowing they were staring at my purple hair, the giant chocolate chip cookie and three giant roses in different shades of grey; I got the correct floor, I walked out of the elevator, down the corridor until I came to the hospital room.

I knocked on the door and walked in to find Noah standing next to his bed, pulling up the zip of his tracksuit which is black with red stripes on each side, his sharp wide jawline relaxed when he saw it was me, his light grey eyes and pouting lips looked done with this hospital "morning" I said as I placed the gifts onto the table, moving towards him "let me do that" I zipped up his jacket, closing the bandaged chest area, I stood on my toes and kissed his cheek as he smelled the paper flower which I had made sure to use everlasting fragrance of honey, his favourite scent.

"Morning" he whispered as he tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. "Did you raid my closet?" He asked if I chuckled, moving away from him, posing against the room door.

"How does it look?" I asked as he sat on his bed with a smile.

"You still need some colour" he commented as I flipped him off, as I sat next to twisting my body to face, I touched his face "how do you feel?" I began to play with his old grown hair.

"I feel like I have been run over by a truck, multiple time" he expressed as I ruffled his hair "but finally home" he exhaled, relaxing his shoulders and closing his eyes.

"Good" I patted his head and jumped off the bed "and everything is taken care of, Liam is checking you out," I said as Noah gave me a look "don't worry, Nat is making sure he doesn't take the hospital to court" I shot him some finger guns "Kins in keeping the car warm because she wanted to get some studying in," I said as I grabbed the leather jacket from the seat, he stood and turned to some I could help him put it on. 

"Where is Olly?" He asked over his shoulder.

"Stalking the hospital gift shop, apparently it's hospital chic month," I said as I gave him the flowers, the giant cookie as he held the items like a lost puppy. "Fair warning, orange"

"Oh god" he expressed as a nurse pulled a wheelchair into the room with a pity smile, we know too well, Noah and I gave each other a look.

I gathered all the luggage as Olly came gliding into the room as he was on a runway, he was taller than most people but lean it well, his dark chocolate skin always glowed against the boredom of life, dressed in leather pants, a patterned shirt that had orange splashes in it and that orange was expressed through accessories, he held a package of gifts about six of them:

"You ready?" That is all he said as Noah just looked up at him.

"Get anything for me, I am the patient" he expressed as I began to push him, Olly went into a certain package and pulled over a party pack of assorted liquorice sweets.

"Of course babe" he handed it to Noah who smiled sheepishly.

"Thank you" he placed the pack on his lap "now help Gia with the bags," he said as Olly just scoffed.

"You lucky I love you" Olly teased as he kissed Noah on his forehead. "How have you been? Babes" they began to chat as they pushed him down the corridor.

"Good and how have you been?" Noah asked as people stared at our interaction "with Charles and all" I knew where this conversation was going.

"Charles turned out not to be the one" he murmured next to me as I smiled.

"How unpredictable" Noah rolled his eyes as I giggled.

"Don't judge" he playfully hit Noah's shoulder as we stopped at the elevator.

"Honey, you need to stop fucking straight men," Noah said as the elevator open presenting a bunch of people standing there with a shocked expression. "Afternoon" he waved as the people quickly walked out of the elevator to create space for us.

"He was not straight" Olly giggled as I shook my head "I mean I made him scream" he laughed as I rolled my eyes.

"Just because a guy sticks it in you doesn't mean he is gay" Noah explained as I just stood there listening to them "he just wanted his dick wet" Noah announced as the elevator came to a stop and the doors opened to another unsuspecting crowd. "Afternoon" he waved again while Olly pouted as I pushed Noah out.

"We just don't want you to get hurt, remember Chad," I said as Olly gave me a look and I raised my hands, showing I was backing off the subject as we got to the reception desk.

We walked up on a scene where Liam, a tall man with the air of great posture, caramel skin and dark inquisitive eyes stood arguing with one of the receptionist while Nat, a tall woman with dull perforate eyes stood nearby, already done with the situation, they both looked like highly paid authority, chewing out some unexpected nurse:

"Did you attempt to get me to forge a signature?" He argued with that calm deep voice and silver tongue when Nat slammed her hand onto the desk.

"You asked her if you could?" She hissed at Liam.

"She shouldn't have hesitated" He crossed his arms shooting daggers at the nurse.

"Are we interrupting?" Noah placed his fingers to fingers, and placed it under his lip, he looked like a bond villain.

"Actually…" Liam was cut off by Nat as she grabbed the paper and placed it in Noah's lap.

"Just sign at the end" she snapped at Noah who didn't seem to notice "Liam, Olly, take the bags to the car" she was always the one to take control, the guys just nodded and walked out with nothing to say "how are you feeling? Kid" she ruffled Noah's hair as he slapped her hand away.

"Good, I want pizza" he looked her straight in the eye "H" he pointed towards the exit as he handed the papers back to Nat as she patted my back.

I leaned down into his ear "I made soup and homemade bread for supper" I coed but all he did was look forward.

"I want pizza," he said in grumbled "specifically, I want your pizza," he said as we came to the car.

Kins stuck her head out of the window of the car "we will talk about this later" I whispered into Noah's ear.

"We will" he turned to look at me "over a slice of pizza" 

"How is the patient?" Kins asked as she hopped out of the car.

"I am ok, Beautiful" he smiled as Kins kissed his forehead, and Liam helped him to his feet as Nat and Olly put his luggage in the back, they climbed into the back.

I climbed into the middle seats and reached out my hand to him, he grabbed it and placed himself next to me as he held a stiff moan, he threw his head back as he smiled softly, Liam jumped into the front next to Kins who drove off, I turned to look at Noah who sat back looking at the ceiling, probably worried about the next two weeks:

"Everything is taken care of, I will be with you for the two weeks of recovery" I smiled as he looked at me "I took time off from work" 

"So you can make my pizza tomorrow and the day after that," he asked with a pout that made his eyes grow big. 

"I don't know about the day after that but tomorrow is a promise" I moved the wild curls from his face.

"Good" he turned his head back up "you're just mooching off me, right?" He asked as I giggled.

"You bet" 

"Wear my clothes, eat my food" 

"That's the plan" 

"I wouldn't ask for anything more" he grabbed my hand as I laid my head on his shoulder.

….

We sat in the parking lot of the farmer's store while I tried to convince Noah to stay in the car while I go get the ingredients for the pizza, while Liam ran to the store to get a motorised shopping cart which he was living for, I wouldn't call Liam a Kevin but he exercises his rights to do anything to the bleeding point, so now we strolling down the empty aisle of the store while Noah sat with sunglasses on, rolling up behind us, Kins sat in the shopping cart of motorised thing reading her medical book while Olly managed to force him on the back; Nat pushed the shopping cart we were using and Liam threw items I called out:

"So spill the drama," Noah said as he pushed his cap low, hoping he wouldn't get recognised but with that display, I am sure he will. "I know you have been keeping out of the loop because of the surgery but come on, spill, assume I know nothing" 

Liam looked at Nat as if they wanted to throw each other's drama out there until they looked at me and both said "Giaattracted an accountant" I shook my head.

Noah turned to me with a prying eye "Hazel" he said in a playful yet disappointed tone "a man" he placed his hand on his chest in a gasp of dramatic pause "am I nothing to you"

I rolled my eyes "it less than a look" I said as I grabbed some tomatoes for one of the sauces "it was nothing"

"Babe, your skills in flirting are not the best so you picking up on something as simple as a look is something," he said as I just looked at him "what did the look 'say'?" He enquired as I turned away and walked on.

I thought back to that moment:

The light shone through the brightly lit room, a room filled with different types of art, all nice preserved behind glass walls, some were just attached to the wall by nails and sculptures stood freely, man, this room was a dream, a whole art gallery in your own home, I stared at the paintings we just set up against the white wall, there were three beautiful pieces of three studies of Lucian Freud, the painting itself was remarkable and stood out against lighter pieces in the room:

"Beautiful, isn't it?" A man's voice sounded next, I turned to the carrier, he was tall and dressed in a well-tailored suit, his posture was casual but had a sense of formality about him, his deep brown skin, kind doe eyes and full lips that seemed to smile.

"It is," I mumbled as I grabbed the straps of my backpack that held me tightly on my back, a habit of mine when I am nervous about interactions.

"Lucas Beckett" he presented his hand as it finally clicked and I grabbed his hand to give it a good shake.

"Oh you are the client, Gia Collymore," I said with a smile nervously.

"And you are?" He inquired with a smile at my nervousness.

"conservator-restorer, I did the paintings for you" I let go of his hand and gestured to the painting.

"You did a magnificent job" he commented with a smile "it looks freshly painted"

"Yea, because it's a forgery" I teased but the man looked shocked and almost scared "oh, jokes, just a little restore humour" I laughed awkwardly and walked towards the paintings, I kneeled pulling my bag off my back, I got my loupe and my soft brush. 

I got close and personal with paintings, looking for any tears, stains or anything that was disrupted by the journey from the gallery to this home, I noted everything we as intact and I lightly brushed the frame before stepping away from the paintings, they were so beautiful, the bright yellow and green background against distorted black and white figures:

"I like your hair" I turned to see Lucas with a shy smile.

"Thank you" I nodded, packing my stuff away.

"Why purple?" He asked as I giggled.

"Why not purple?" I said as he chuckled "plus, it was either this or neon green, I thought purple would be more professional" I teased as he nodded with the brightest smile.

"Well I like it," he said as I did a thankful bow.

I stretched out my arm "I love this room, it's amazing" I expressed with a 'but' that filled the space between us.

"But…" he announced as I turned to him.

"Why this painting?" I asked as I looked around the room "you collect very bright lively paintings while the three studies are very dark distorted"

"I have always found the dark and distorted fascinating, there is depth in sadness, loneliness, insanity, instead of bright paint against canvas" he explained with such passion, I could help but stare at him in wonder and maybe a bit of fluster on my cheeks. "Like they say: 'when it comes to art is important not to hide the madness" 

"Who said that?" I asked as his eyes finally found mine and I held my breath at the look in his eye.

"Some dude named Atticus'"  he waved it off as I just stared …

"Nothing" I waved Noah off as I turned to Liam "some woman at Liam work has the hots for him" I struggled and walked towards the cheese aisle, knowing Liam's drama will keep them busy for at least the rest of the night.

….

I packed away the leftover soup and bread into containers in this beautiful kitchen, only thing I hated about this room was the massive wall of my paintings, sketches and anything from the age of six, Noah was very nostalgic, he saved everything I had ever made, so we're sooo bad but he praised them neatly framed on the wall; I looked around the big kitchen towards the large arched glass doors that led to a greenhouse that was attached to the house to the massive light fixture which was a body floated over the island.

I turned to the fireplace where the others sat watching tv and commenting on the characters, I looked around the artsy room, the deep blue fireplace, the sculptures that scattered the room, the black and white ceilings and weird furniture that littered the room until I realized that Noah was missing, I moved towards the one room I knew he would be in; I walked down the halls past murals after murals of my paintings until I got to the room.

This room was empty but a white fireplace and giant mirror over it, a lounge chair in front of the fireplace, the room was complete with pine hardwood and arched windows that into the garden, in the middle of it all was Noah with his head back and his mind wandering, I moved deeper into the room until I stood behind him, I moved to his side and slipped to sit next to him; he turned his head to look at me:

"Penny for your thoughts…" I asked as I leaned my head against his shoulders.

"Maybe there is something wrong with me?" his voice sounded distant and terrified "do you ever think that? That me feeling this sense of dystopia was a passing phase," he asked as I stared up at the mirror.

"Do you remember when you were twelve?" I asked as I felt his eyes on me " and we were hanging out at the skatepark, you were riding your skateboard, doing all kinds of flips and tricks while very intelligent by the way" he rolled his eyes "I was drawing pictures of you and this kid, what was his name?" 

"Tom Quinn but we used to call him cheese" he smiled at the memory.

"Because he always smelt like some kind of cheese," we said together.

"I remember he was taken by you but I mean who wouldn't be, you were cute, baggy pants, band tees and those plaid shirts you stole from your Dad and not to mention, the red highlights in your hair" he was chuckling "all I remember was him pushing you down and screaming at you" the memory turned sore, "he told you 'you will never be a man, not a real one'"

"He had a crush on me," Noah said as I turned to watch his profile "invited me for a soda pop" he smiled bitterly, "I told him I wasn't interested, I wasn't interested in him that I was going to marry you" I didn't realise I had embarrassed him, I wasn't raised with a certain gender or life, I was raised to be me" he whispered looking at his hands.

"So be you, be the person who asked me to wrap your breast in high, the person who asked me to cut your hair and the person who looks in the mirror now and sees exactly who HE is meant to be" I kissed his forehead "nothing more and nothing less".

"Where did I get so lucky?" He smiled at me as I turned to face the mirror again.

"Luck ain't cheap" I teased.

"How much is this gonna cost me?" He let his finger glide from my forehead to my chin.

"Oh a lot" I chuckled pushing his hand away "a new pair of boots, the name brand kind, Recchiuti confections black box and the rest of your life" 

He sat silently for a moment, pretending to be thoughtful "just that?" he asked "I mean the chocolates and boots are all yours, no problem" he smiled "I can't give you the rest of my life because you already have it." I laughed as he just stared at me.

"Now let's get you off to bed" I whispered, helping him up from his seat. 

...