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He hated how he couldn’t look away when he started breaking apart his granola bar. Or when he propped himself up to eat and take in their makeshift shelter like it was some fascinating new world. A world that Grey felt completely disconnected from when all he could think about was Noel refusing to let Reign take him. That was something he doubted any of the people he’d ever known would’ve risked for him.
Grey bit the inside of his cheek, debating if he should sleep or say something. Another thank you didn’t feel like enough, but he wasn’t sure what else felt more appropriate. A hug? A kiss? God, Grey, do you really think he wants a kiss from you? He wrapped his hoodie string around his finger so tight it started to turn white. Too many confusing feelings and not nearly enough time to sort through them all.
He shoved himself up and pulled his journal from his bag. When he flipped to the back page with its miscellaneous scribbles, he jotted down a single word and held it out for Noel with a nudge of his elbow.
“Um, that’s their name.”
Noel’s eyes narrowed on Reign written there, and his mouth twisted like he’d tasted something sour. “Too bad saying it just causes more trouble, unlike if any of those things get our names,” he grumbled. “I’d make them unable to use their legs and cut them up. I still can’t fucking believe how close we came to the Hunt and” —he absently motioned to the air— “everything else.” He popped another chunk of granola in his mouth and chewed.
Grey closed his journal and sat it to the side. His shoes slid against the floor like the dry wood planks of his loft as he pulled his knees to his chest. “I want to thank you for saving me from them. You put yourself in a lot of danger when you could’ve gone on without me, especially after I sort of admitted defeat.”
His chewing slowed as those green eyes drifted back to Grey. “Friend,” he said, pointing to Grey’s chest. “Remember?”
A nod, though Grey wasn’t sure it could be considered a nod with how little he’d moved his head out of uncertainty about how to react. But when Noel’s hand pulled back, Grey finally let go of his knees and wrapped his arms around him. “Thank you,” he mumbled into his shirt, regret washing over him the second he noticed how rigid Noel had gotten. He quickly pulled back. “Sorry if I made you uncomfortable, but I’m… I’m really glad you didn’t give up on me. Thank you for being my friend.”
Noel’s body swayed forward with hesitation before he pulled Grey into a hug—one that Grey fell into like he was being welcomed home. He tensed as Noel rocked back and they dropped against the floor. Huddled together. Safe.
Grey relaxed into it all, reminded of the night Noel comforted him in the midst of his panic episode. Before he knew it, he quickly slipped straight into sleep.
31
GREY
Grey jolted awake to a clang reverberating through the garage. Noel ripped himself away in an instant, his dagger scraping against the concrete as he shoved himself to his feet. Grey recoiled at the bright light flooding into the square cavernous space around the silhouette of a scrawny figure in baggy clothes.
“Oh, fuck me,” came a sharp feminine whine as the shadow’s head tipped back with a sigh. “And here I hoped I could camp out here for a bit because it’s supposed to be fucking abandoned. Didn’t I also tell you two to split up? What the hell is this?”
Noel’s arm fell back to his side with a groan. “Look, we’ve had a rough night?—”
“With each other?”
Grey felt heat creep up the back of his neck as his ears met his shoulders. He wrapped his arms around himself and stared at the floor while the girl from that plague-ridden town ducked inside.
“No, not with each other,” Noel snapped. “We ended up having to travel last night, so just ignore us and continue your looting or whatever.” He waved the dagger at her.
She rolled her eyes and scowled in her survey of the garage. “Apparently there’s not a whole hell of a lot here anyway, and since you two are fucking up my chances of getting caught, enjoy your remaining cuddle time.”
The woman swung her bag around to her back with a wince, and Grey’s gaze caught on the red-stained cloth wrapped around her hand, barely peeking out of her sleeve. He pushed himself up to stand, stumbling as he took a step forward. “Are you hurt?”
She shot him a dirty look and pulled her hand past the cuff to hide it. “I’m fine. I’m taking care of myself. Just like you two should be doing. I’d rather be a little scraped up than dead or dragged away to be hunted.”
“I can—” Grey bit his tongue for a split second. “I can fix you up before you leave if you want.” He wrung his hands.
She sniffed, looking him up and down. “What kind of hemomancer ends up missing an eye?”
Noel stepped in front of him. “One who’s been pushed to his limits and still manages to walk away mostly in-tact. There’s a fucking reason why I’m still in one piece right now.”
The woman snorted. “And you’re keeping him around for bandages and bonus cuddles?”
Grey sputtered and pushed past him. “It-it’s not like that.”
“Uh huh…”
“Do you want our help or not?” Noel snapped.
She rocked back and forth on her heels before heaving out a sigh and rolling up her sleeve. “Nothing funny, or I’ll give you a raging headache, got it?” She shuffled toward him and held out her arm.
Grey took it and slowly unraveled the white strip of cloth from around her wrist and palm. The red-brown stain peeled back to a nasty gash and adjoining scrape. “Come on,” he said, leading her outside to a patch of wild grass and weeds poking up through the gap between the garage and the building.
