Chapter 4
1049 Words
Reid woke up before Noah did. He stayed awake for a while, looking at the ceiling. The room was dark except for the light coming in from the edge of the curtains.
Noah was still asleep beside him, on his stomach, one arm lying loosely on the sheet, breathing slowly like he didn't have a single thing to worry about.
Reid watched him for a moment then he looked back at the ceiling.
He got up quietly, picked his clothes off the floor, and went to the bathroom. He showered, got dressed, did everything in the order which he always did.
When he came out, Noah was still sleeping.
Reid stood at the window with a cup of coffee from the machine on the counter and looked out at the city outside. It was just past six, the streets were still quiet with a few cars driving through, the smell of fresh bread wafted from a nearby café.
He wasn't thinking about anything in particular.
The sheets shifted behind him.
"You're already dressed," Noah's voice was rough with sleep.
Reid didn't turn around immediately. "I have an early morning," he said.
"What time is it?"
"Few minutes past six."
He heard Noah sit up slowly, exhaled and then go silent.
After a moment Reid turned around. Noah was sitting up in bed with the bedsheet on his lap, his hair all over the place, looking at Reid with those dark eyes that were soft from sleep. He glanced through the room once then back at Reid.
"Did you sleep at all?" Noah asked.
"A little."
"Me too." He stretched his neck to one side and winced slightly, "there's no more coffee, is there?"
"The machine is on the table."
Noah looked at it then got up without any fuss and went to it. He didn't seem bothered at all about walking around in just his underwear in a stranger's hotel room at six in the morning.
He made his coffee, came back and stood beside Reid at the window and they both looked out at the city without saying anything for a while.
The morning lingered between them quietly.
"So," Noah said after a moment.
Reid looked at him.
"Last night...." Noah turned his cup slowly in his hands. "That was not what I expected when I sat down at that bar."
"What did you expect?"
Noah thought about it. "Honestly? To drink something embarrassing, feel sorry for myself for an hour or two then go home." He looked at Reid, "you were not part of the plan."
"Neither were you," Reid said.
Noah smiled at that genuinely and stared out of the window.
There was a comfortable silence between them again. Outside, a delivery truck was making its way slowly down the street below, the city was going about its morning completely unbothered.
"Does it bother you?" Noah asked, "that you didn't plan for this."
Reid thought about the question longer than he intended to.
"I don't think so."
Noah nodded like that was a reasonable answer, he didn't push further.
"You never told me your name," he said after a moment.
Reid looked at his cup, "no I didn't."
"Are you going to?"
"No."
Noah nodded again and took a sip of his coffee. He didn't push for it or make anything out of it, he just stared back at the window.
Reid stood beside him, neither of them moved away from each other.
There was a knock at the door, they both turned towards it.
"Good morning sir," the voice on the other side said, very calmly and professional. "It's just a reminder that you have an early meeting and your documents are ready on the private floor. Your mother also called, she said she couldn't reach you and she wanted to remind you about the dinner for next week Friday."
Noah stared at Reid, Reid looked at the door.
"Thank you, I will be up shortly."
The footsteps moved away down the corridor.
The room went quiet again.
Noah turned his coffee cup slowly in both hands, he didn't say anything for a while. He just looked around the room again, slower this time, taking in the suite, the heavy curtains, the floor, the way the staff knocked on the door at six in the morning to remind this man about his schedule like it was completely a normal routine.
He looked at Reid.
Reid stared back at him still quiet.
Noah nodded once like he was taking note and observing quietly then he finished the rest of his coffee. He set the cup down on the nightstand and went to pick up his clothes from the floor.
He got dressed calmly.
Reid stood at the window and looked at the city. He was very aware of every sound behind him without turning around.
Noah picked up his phone and his sweater.
He looked at Reid once again for a moment then Reid turned to face him.
"Last night," Noah said.
Reid waited.
"It was the best night I've had in a long time."
He said it simply and honestly then he smiled and walked to the door.
He had his hand on the handle when he stopped.
"Whoever you are," he didn't turn around. "You should smile more, It would do a lot for that face."
He opened the door and walked out, the door shut behind him.
Reid stood at the window and looked at the door for a while. Outside, the city was waking up slowly, the streets getting busy, the morning sun becoming warmer. He finished what was left of the coffee even though it had become cold.
His phone buzzed on the nightstand, he walked over and picked it up. It was a text from his mother.
Mama🌟: honey don't forget the dinner next week and don't be late. Oh…please, try to bring someone too.
He put the phone down on the nightstand and stood there embracing the quietness of the room. He didn't move for some time.
The bed was still slightly unmade on Noah's side, the two coffee cups sat on the nightstand, the city outside kept moving, completely indifferent.
Reid picked up his jacket from the chair and put it on. He had a meeting to attend.
- Writer
