Page 73 of Unfinished Noise

Jamie shifted closer, their shoulders touching. Spencer felt the quiet settle around them—no fans, no noise, no chaos. Just the two of them, the soft hum of the air conditioner, and the faint smell of Jamie’s shampoo.

Spencer glanced at him. “You make the whole day feel better, you know.”

Jamie’s cheeks warmed. “You make everything calmer.”

Spencer reached over, brushing his fingers along Jamie’s wrist. “I enjoy ending the night with you.”

Jamie leaned his head on Spencer’s shoulder. “Good. Because I’m not going anywhere.”

Spencer exhaled, letting the moment sink in—the drink, the warmth, Jamie pressed against him. And exactly where he wanted to be.

Spencer let his head fall back against the headboard, the drink warming his chest in a slow, steady way. Jamie stayed tucked against his side, their shoulders touching, legs stretched out across the bed. The room felt dim and calm, the kind of quiet that only came after a long, chaotic day.

Jamie took another sip and glanced at him. “Are you okay?”

Spencer nodded. “Yeah. Just tired. But the good kind.”

Jamie smiled. “You looked happy on stage.”

“I was,” Spencer said. “Seeing you there… it made everything feel easier.”

Jamie’s cheeks warmed, and he nudged Spencer lightly. “You always say things like that.”

“Because they’re true.”

Jamie shifted closer, leaning his head against Spencer’s shoulder. Spencer felt the weight of him settle—comfortable, familiar. He wrapped an arm around Jamie’s back, pulling him in until Jamie fit perfectly against him.

For a moment, neither of them spoke. They breathed, letting the quiet fill the space between them.

Jamie broke it first. “Do you ever get overwhelmed by all of it? The crowds, the noise, the attention?”

Spencer thought about it. “Sometimes. Like after the show, all I wanted was to get to you, but it felt like everyone in Ridgecrest wanted a selfie.”

Jamie laughed softly. “I saw you trying. You looked as if you were dodging obstacles.”

“It felt like that,” Spencer said. “But then I saw you waiting, and it made me want to push through faster.”

Jamie’s fingers traced idle shapes on Spencer’s arm, light and absentminded. Spencer loved when he did those little touches that didn’t ask for anything.

“I enjoy being there for your concerts,” Jamie said. “It feels… I don’t know. Like I get to see a part of you most people don’t.”

Spencer looked down at him. “You see all the parts of me.”

Jamie’s eyes softened. “I hope so.”

“You do,” Spencer said. “You see the parts I don’t show anyone else.”

Jamie’s breath caught slightly, and he curled closer, tucking himself under Spencer’s arm. Spencer shifted so they were lying more comfortably, Jamie’s head resting on his chest. Jamie relaxed, the tension in his shoulders easing.

Spencer ran his fingers through Jamie’s hair, slow and gentle. “I like this,” he murmured. “Being here with you.”

Jamie hummed, a soft sound of agreement. “Me too.”

The air conditioner hummed quietly, the city outside softened to a distant hush, and the entire room settled into a stillness that felt almost suspended in time.

Jamie spoke again, voice low. “Do you ever think about… where we’re going? Like long-term?”

Spencer’s chest warmed. “Yeah. More than I probably should.”