When You Are Stubborn

"Honey, I'm home," Eden said, walking to Noel with a bouquet of flowers. "I have reservations for tonight. I am taking you out. Because I couldn't last night. Excite-?"

Before the man could finish his sentence, Noel smashed their lips together, making him stumble and fall to the ground, flowers flying everywhere.

"Whoa," Eden said, looking at Noel on top of him with a drunken smile on his face. "That was quite the greeting."

"Don't like it?" Noel typed out, leaning in closer to Eden.

"Why wouldn't I?" Eden asked, pulling in for another kiss. "Hey, we have some time before it becomes night. Want to go to the bedroom?"

"Speaking of night." Noel wrote, getting off Eden. "I have somewhere I have to be tonight."

"Huh?? Where?" Eden asked, pulling himself off the ground. "And … why??"

"I had a job before I met you." Noel typed out and then showed him his phone. "They are calling me to come over just for tonight. Seems like some kind of party is happening and they need help."

"Hmm?" Eden read the name saved on the number. "Wait, bar?? You work at the bar?"

"I am the new bartender." Noel typed out, confused. "I thought you knew that. That bar belongs to you, right? The one from the day before yesterday."

"Yeah," Eden said, even more confused. "You are the new bartender?? The one everyone was talking about??"

"I don't know about anyone talking about me." Noel typed out, confused. "But I am the newest employee."

"Wait. Wait. Wait. Wait. How long have you worked at the bar then?"

"I think … two months? Around that long." He typed, smiling at Eden's distraught expression. "What?"

"You mean to tell me that I could have met you earlier??" Eden asked, throwing his hands in the air. "Why do I feel so bitter at the universe for some reason?"

Chuckling, Noel places his hand on Eden's cheek, making him look at him. "We met when we were supposed to. I don't think I would have cared for you if we met earlier. I was in a bit of a … difficult spot before then."

"Well, at this point, I am just happy we met," Eden said, wrapping his arms around the man. "So I'll cancel our reservations."

"Sorry about that."

"Na. Don't worry about it." Eden shrugged. "I didn't really want to eat out anyway. But I AM in the mood for a party."

"How does that work?" Noel giggled as the man began showering him with kisses all over his face.

"I don't know," Eden mumbled, lips pressed against the man's skin. "I'll make it work."

"Not now." Noel scolded, pushing him off him but his eyes told a different story.

"Ok. Ok." Eden said, giving him one last quick peck before running from him as quickly as he could, stopping in front of the computer. "Oh? What's this?"

"I am transferring the videos into the CDs," Noel explained, watching Eden look at his computer cautiously. "Would you like a drink?"

"Sure," Eden said, noticing two videos in the folders. "Can I see this, Noel?"

"If you want to." Noel typed out. "But I have to warn you, it is a little graphic. What type of drink?"

"Anything," Eden said, playing the first video, instantly showing the kidnapping of the two girls as they were making their way home, talking about the upcoming field trip and how excited they were.

Frowning, Eden stared at the video, refusing to allow himself to take his eyes off the screen, even as the screams and the pleas of the girls broke through, angering him to no end.

The video was not very long, fifteen minutes at the most but … those were the longest fifteen minutes of his life and Eden was angrier than he was shaken up.

Placing the cup in front of Eden, Noel walked behind him and stared at the screen, watching the video for the fourth time that day.

Resting his head on Eden's, he typed, "Are you ok? You don't have to keep watching if you don't want to."

Eden shook his head and turned to Noel so he could read his lips, taking his hands in his, "I have seen things like this happen before. Right in front of my eyes too so it is not bothering me as much as you think. Don't worry, love."

Placing a kiss on the back of Eden's hand, Noel typed out, "You don't look like you are ok though. Take a break."

"It's just fifteen minutes," Eden said, shrugging. "I will see it to the end first. Though … could you say with me?"

"Of course." Noel typed out, giving him a comforting smile as the man turned back to the screen and played the video, gripping Noel's hand every time a scream came.

Putting his phone down, Noel began running his hands through the hair of the man in front of him as an act of comfort. Not like there was anything else he could do.

By the end of the video, Noel had messed up Eden's hairstyle and the latter man is sitting there with a dazed look on his face.

"Here, have this." Noel handed him the cup as the man drowned it completely. "A little slower perhaps."

"You made this? It's delicious." Eden said, eyes sparkling at Noel.

"Want more?" The man typed out, walking to the bar but Eden caught him by his wrist and pulled him to his lap.

"Na," Eden said, resting his head on the man's shoulder. "You are intoxicating enough for me."

Eden was about to kiss Noel again but the man held him at an arm's distance. "Don't. If we start, I will not make it in time for my work."

"To hell with your work." Eden pouted but just held Noel like that. "I really like the way you smell so … inviting."

"Wanna talk about it?" Noel asked, turning around before sitting on the man's lap again, making sure they were face to face.

Eden's surprised face turned to a soft smile as he cupped Noel's face in his hands. "How did you know it was bothering me? I thought I was a good actor. Even Ages would have believed me."

Noel shrugged, wrapping his arms around the man. "Who knows? Maybe we really are soul mates."

Laughing, Eden couldn't help shower Noel with kisses over and over and over again. "How are you so lovable?"

"Focus, Eden." The man typed out, poking him on the forehead. "I told you not to watch that video. You didn't need to."

"Right. Right." Eden said, rubbing the spot Noel poked him on. "And I told you that I have seen things like that before."

"But?" Noel asked, raising an eyebrow, making Eden chuckle.

"But, the people I saw go through things like that are people I know that deserve it," Eden explained, wrapping his arms around Noel's waist. "They were people with years of corruption and had a shady past.

"I don't know what the two girls did, maybe that is why their deaths bothered me so much. It could also be because they are so young also. I don't know. This is all such a fucking mess."

"No matter how tough you try to act, you are a big softie on the inside, aren't you?" Noel typed out, trying to fix Eden's hair as the man leaned into his free hand.

"I am tough," Eden said, melting into Noel's touch as he smiled slyly at Noel. "I was able to take all of you in, wasn't I?"

"You did brave it out, good job." Noel typed out, patting the man's hair as Eden smiled brightly at Noel. "Good boy."

"I am, aren't I?" Eden chuckled, smiling. "Can't I have a reward? For being a good boy?"

"What do you want?"

"Rail me again," Eden said, putting Noel's hands around his throat. "Pretty please."

Phone dropping to the ground, Noel was not able to say anything else to Eden to stop him, not like he would be able to at this moment.

Sighing, Noel grabbed the man by the collar and got to his feet, kicking the chair from under him to make him fall to the ground as he stood over him, a sadistic smile coming on his face while Eden just about melted from that gaze.

_______________________

"That really felt nice." Eden sighted, a towel wrapped around his shoulder as he stepped out of the showers, changing his clothes. "Right, Noel?"

"I am borrowing your clothes." Noel typed out, already wearing Eden's pants and shirt.

"Wear anything you want to," Eden said, watching the man try to put on something presentable for the bar.

A black button-down with long black pants and some shoes he pulled out of nowhere.

"This is not my uniform but it will have to do." Noel typed out, staring out the window at the setting sun. "We are not going to have the time to go to my house. What about dinner?"

Ding dong.

"It's here," Eden said, walking to the door as carefully as he could, trying not to overexert his back.

"You don't have to accompany me tonight." Noel typed out, pressing Eden's back just as he was about to open the door.

"Don't play dirty," Eden said, moving away from him. "I will see my boyfriend work and be in awe. You can't stop me."

"You really-" Noel typed out, slowly blushing.

Kissing him in the lips, Eden asked, "I'm what? Charming? Are you falling for me more?"

"Always."

The two tried to kiss again but the doorbell rang pulling them out of their session.

"I swear-" Eden grumbled, opening the door as Noel went back to getting ready, the former man staring at him go. "Those had better be the best chicken in the world."

"I'm sorry sir?" The delivery boy asked, looking at Eden glaring at him, confused.

"Never mind, give them here." Eden sighed, taking the bag from him before paying him, the boy running away as fast as his legs would take him.

Taking a chicken out, Eden bit into it, disappointment flooded his face, "It isn't even that good. Noel tastes better."