Through the Screen novel Chapter 6

it's six thirty when noah tiredly rings the doorbell, his fingers already working to loosen the black tie around his neck as he waits patiently for the door to open.

he still did not expect abel to be home, because it had been far too many times that he's called in, yet again breaking his promises. his reasons included being suddenly caught up in work, or something related to chris.

of course.

ten seconds later the door was opened by adrian, as usual, already dressed in his pajamas, a welcoming smile on his face and his hair sweeping messily across his forehead.

"hey buddy," noah fondly ruffled his hair, crouching slightly so he could hug adrian, before walking into the house, and dropping his brief case on one of the dining chairs, where adrian had his school work spread out.

"hi dad, how was work?" he asked, sitting down where he previously was, proceeding to chew on his pen again.

"it was okay, why aren't you studying in your room?" noah furrowed his eyebrows slightly, his voice travelling farther as he went into the kitchen, filling up a glass of cold water before gulping it down.

"oh because papa asked me to get out," adrian explained and noah lowered the glass from his mouth. wow, abel actually kept his promise for once. "he is changing the sheets,"

"oh okay," noah gave him a small smile, kissing his forehead and ascending to his own room, pulling at the tie around his neck and flinging it carelessly on the bed before unbuttoning his shirt. he was only halfway through when abel entered, a pile of fresh looking clothes in his hands.

"someone's looking sexy," abel commented cheekily, winking at noah and noah just shook his head fondly at the dorky gesture, his fingers resuming the action of unbuttoning his shirt.

"when did you come back?" noah questioned, raising his eyebrows slightly as he dug through his closet to find a comfortable jumper as the weather seemed kind of unforgiving today.

"around two hours ago, i came here fifteen minutes after i ended your call," abel explained, shuffling through the recently washed clothes, sorting them out so they can be put in either of their cupboards.

"alright, can you check if there is a warm sweater or a full sleeved t-shirt in that pile? it's kind of cold," noah asked, beginning to unbuckle his belt as abel pulled out a plain black jumper.

"here,"

"but that's your jumper,"

"so? we're married noah, we can share clothes i suppose,"

"not after that time," noah mumbled, rolling his eyes slightly at the memory as he ignored the jumper in abel 's hand and took out a plain t-shirt instead, pulling it on.

abel could feel his heart drop at the statement and he just bit his lip, avoiding to look in noah's direction, his fingers tightening their grip on the rejected piece of clothing.

"i-i said i was sorry for that,"

"that's fine, it doesn't matter," noah pulled the trousers off his legs in a hurry, pulling on some sweatpants before walking out of the room, not bothering to hear abel 's reply.

"is everything okay dad?" adrian shot a concerned look towards noah as he clumsily drank another glass of water, and noah just nodded, giving him a half hearted smile.

it was a cold day, and abel was just returning from work, his hands almost numb because of the low temperature and his hair slightly wet from the freezing rain. chris was walking him home today, instead of driving, because the roads were extremely slippery and chris was just a learner, who did not want to bust his car into a tree.

but he did not want abel to go alone either.

not because abel couldn't protect himself or chris was just making sure that he got home safe. abel was a grown man, he could take care of himself, but it was just their thing.

they switched days alternatively when he couldn't drive, or his car was busy with his roommate pj. sometimes abel would drop chris home and sometimes it would be the other way round.

today was no different.

"yeah of course i am honey,"

"really? i don't think so," abel replied gritting his teeth. it was only so much he could take and noah wasn't even trying to comfort him.

"babe stop fussing over it, we'll clean up later,"

"are you wearing my sweater?" abel was even more annoyed now. not that he did not like noah wearing his clothes it's just that he was cold and he couldn't find something warm to wear and even though it sounds extremely petty, he was emotionally drained today and he was just finding ways to blame anyone and everyone for his mood.

"um, yeah, is there a problem?" noah finally looked up from his phone at abel 's odd question, trying to read his face.

"no," abel mumbled before the aggravation took over once again. "actually yes, can you not wear my clothes from the next time? it annoys me when i come back home and i can't find something comfortable to wear because you are always wearing mine," he rambled, not really assisting what he was saying or how the words stabbed noah right in the chest.

"i-i thought, i, um, i'm really sorry you felt that way," noah replied, sinking further into his bed and biting his lip. as it is, he and abel had been having so many problems between them and communication lacked, so he was not surprised that abel was finding it annoying how they shared clothes. noah just thought it made up for the intimacy that lacked between them but of course he was wrong.

abel did not really care for intimacy anymore.

"not to mention the fact that all my new shirts are looser on me once you wear them," and now abel was calling noah fat.

there was once a time when abel would call noah perfect and comfort him when noah questioned himself too much but oh how the tables have turned.

noah does not even have to put himself down anymore because abel is here to do that for him.

noah has nothing to say to abel 's statement, except quietly slipping abel 's sweater off his body and carefully placing it next to his so called lover, closing his phone and turning on his side so he doesn't have to see abel 's face anymore.

maybe they really aren't like they were before.