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"Let's start off even," she said, picking up her glass. "Cheers to our miserable day?"
Noah smiled and nodded, clinking their glasses together. They both raised their glasses to their lips and took large gulps before they set their glasses down again.
For once, Mykie was looking forward to losing a game.
APOLOGIES MADE
By the time Dexter found them, Mykie and Noah were half-cocked and feeling the effects of alcohol. They quickly finished their glasses and decided that they would rather just drink out of the bottle when it was their turn to lose. They half-forgot about the game as they talked more than played.
It was only when Dexter tried to close Jezebeth's door that their attention was pulled away from the bottle and board.
"Dex," Mykie giggled. "So…So glad you could join us."
"We'd thought you'd end up in there for a while. I'm sure you would have done it anyway, even if she wasn’t miserable tonight," Noah grumbled.
Dexter cocked his eyebrow. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"You know what it means. You're too nice to someone that doesn't give a fuck about you," Noah sneered.
He moved his legs from where they were tucked under the coffee table and moved to stand. Dexter, being who he was, came over to help him, as it was obvious how drunk Noah had become.
"Don't touch me," Noah growled, weakly pushing Dexter's hands. "Actually, no."
Noah seemed to change his mind as he grabbed onto Dexter's arms and pulled him closer.
"Kiss me," he demanded.
"Noah, I can't—"
"What can't you do? Kiss me? You did fine before. Let me show you." Noah reached his hands up to grasp Dexter's face before pulling his head down so he could reach his lips.
Mykie looked away, embarrassed to be there. She didn't want to be a pervert and watch them fight or kiss, but she was afraid to move and possibly spur one or the other into action.
"You're never going to give her up, are you?" Noah whispered.
Mykie turned and looked at Dexter. She'd never seen him look so conflicted in the four years she'd known him. He was the one that solved most of her problems but to see him look so miserable and confused hurt her.
"Her father just died, Noah," Dexter whispered desperately. It wasn't an answer, and Noah seemed to agree.
"Sure, that's the issue right now. What about months from now? What will it be then? Her sister? She needs help at work? Staying by her side out of duty or loyalty isn’t going to make her feel better. When will you finally see that she purposely creates ways to keep you close?"
Noah pushed at Dexter’s chest weakly. "You can do better than her!"
"What are you trying to suggest? I walk into her room, shake her awake and tell her to stay away from me? I can't walk away from her. Not now," Dexter said, his voice expressing the desperation he felt for Noah to understand what he was saying. Mykie understood, but she didn't like it.
"You mean'not ever'. You're never going to walk away from her because you'll always come up with some sort of excuse to stay around her." Noah froze. "Is that the problem? Am I...am I just some sort of experiment for you? You love her, but you're just making sure?”
"Noah, you're being ridiculous," Dexter snapped gently. He touched Noah's upper arm, but Mykie couldn't tell if it was meant as an intimate gesture or to steady the other boy. "Think about it. Would I continue to spend time with you or even allow that kiss, if I didn't like you?"
Noah shook his head slowly.
"So, this isn't just one-sided?"
"No, but you need to give me time. I need to be there for Jezebeth right now, even if nothing romantic comes out of it. I'm not doing it to get anything out of it, anyway. I'm her friend first, and it's my job as her friend to be there when she's feeling down."
"I'm trying," Noah said, looking away. "It's just hard to watch you laugh and spend time with her. She has so much history with you, but me? We've known each other less than a year. I'm not a Cantil, either. I'm nothing but an outsider that wormed his way into your life on accident."
"I'm glad you did," Dexter murmured. "I don't let a lot of people get close, so I'm happy to have met you. I know you don't want to be a Hatchling, which is the only reason you're still on the outside. If you ever want to be—"
