Stop thinking about him!

IN PRESENT –

Ash was bubbling with excitement, bouncing around Noah's apartment as he rambled on about his upcoming wedding plans. "Oh, and we should totally buy those gold-edged invitation cards! And I want the flowers to be in those cute vases we saw last week!" His words were racing, but Noah barely registered them, his gaze fixed on a spot on the wall, his mind elsewhere.

It wasn't until Ash waved a hand in front of his face that Noah blinked back to reality. "Hey, earth to Noah. Are you okay?" Ash's big, worried eyes stared at him, bringing Noah back from his twisted thoughts.

Noah quickly ruffled Ash's hair with a soft smile. "I'm fine, silly. Stop looking at me like that."

Ash grumbled as he smoothed his hair back down. "You always mess it up when I finally get it looking good!" He extended his arms, showing off his outfit—a stylish jacket over a crisp shirt. "You think Elijah will like this for our date tonight?"