dreamkid | Inbox [MoM]

[About an hour after the Majority Report pings on his phone, Noah drops over the back of the sofa, landing next to Matthew with his socked feet in the air. He's silent for a few moments, but eventually looks up at the other boy with something like hesitant curiosity.]

... So, you and Lucy, huh?

[ Matthew is playing So Farmtastic! on his phone, since Adam sent him a few things he needed to get his farm back on track. He's currently quite distracted by a timed sheep-shearing event and only sort of hears what Noah's saying. ]

Mm, Lucy? Yeah, she's great.

Oh. Huh.

[He tries not to sound like this news is bad. Because it isn't. It's good. Matthew has a girlfriend, and that's great.]

I saw the picture. She's pretty.

[ SEVEN SHEEP SHEARED, okay, he's not quite as distracted anymore. He actually looks up and everything, and smiles. ]

The picture? Oh. Probably from the gala.

[ He nods in agreement, then, and there is a definite fondness in his expression. ]

She is. She's super nice, too. Hey-- [ He pulls his legs up onto the couch, turning to face Noah eagerly. ]

You should meet her if you haven't.

No, I believe you.

[He moves his head a little, so that his hair tickles Matthew's knee.]

And it's pretty cool that she's, like, the ambassador.

[ Matthew laughs a little, and gives Noah's head a gentle nudge with his knee. Just a comfortable, friendly kind of thing. ]

Yeah. She worked real hard.

[ He voted for her. ]

I mean, she works hard at a lot of things. But she's fun, too.

Hm.

[Noah's on his best behavior. He's actually imagining them dancing together, some sort of goofy waltz, and it's adorable.

He wants to be adorable with someone like that.]

... Is she a good kisser?

[ They did dance together, and yeah it was pretty adorable. Those tabloids aren't making up that part.

That question, though. That question is pretty weird, Noah. And yet Matthew, sweet stupid Matthew, just gives the honest answer before he considers the reason for Noah asking something like that in the first place. ]

I don't know.

[ ... Wait.

His nose wrinkles.

Wait. Wait wait wait. Is Noah asking because of his "kiss ten people" bucket list thing? Matthew can't be certain because it's not like he and Lucy have ever talked about it, but, uh. ]

I'm not sure she'd be into that.

[ Casual kissing, is what he means, but they're having two different conversations at this point so it may sound like something different to Noah. ]

[Noah just. Pauses. Because the news said - ]

What do you mean? [He tilts his head back, tickling more with his hair.] You guys just aren't gonna kiss, then?

[ Matthew blinks, peering down at Noah. He blinks again. ]

Why would we be kissing?

[Peering up. There's just a lot of peering going on right now.]

Because you like her, and she likes you. And people who like each other kiss.

[ Matthew continues peering and considers that for a second... two seconds... and then suddenly the laughter just bubbles up out of him in that infectious Matthew Lynch sort of way, and he can't stop it. Not that he tries very hard. ]

Yeah, yeah, but we don't like each other like that. We're not dating or anything.

[ WHATEVER GAVE YOU THAT IMPRESSION, NOAH. ]

[Noah sits up on his elbows, eyebrows drawn.]

The post said called you her boyfriend.

[ Matthew's laughter takes a few moments to fade, like at first he thinks Noah is kidding. Then he realizes it's not a joke, and his round eyes get even rounder. ]

Wait, seriously?

[ He was really not paying attention. ]

Well. I'm not her boyfriend.

[Noah falls back down dramatically, letting out a puff of air.]

Good. 'Cause being the only single one in the house would suck.

[ Matthew is a little distracted again now, trying to figure out if some article declaring him to be Lucy's boyfriend is going to make things weird somehow. Not between him and her, of course; they know they aren't dating.

But she is the Ambassador now. Rumors probably aren't good. Hm.

Anyway, this means his attention is divided again, and that's why Noah gets this stupid question: ]

You think so?

[He can feel Matthew's mind still circling Lucy, and blinks his eyes, trying to get rid of it.]

Sometimes. Like, if all your friends have someone to kiss goodnight, and you're alone.

[ Matthew's thoughts settle a bit more on the actual conversation. ]

Oh.

[ He doesn't really get it, but then, for him, loneliness has always been a very easily solved problem. He just calls up a friend, or group of friends, or wanders around the house until he finds somebody to talk to. Plays with the dog, or Adam's cats, or the ducks, or goes out to find Henrietta.

Having somebody to kiss goodnight has never seemed like a necessary part of the equation. ]

Yeah, I guess. But they're still your friends, too, right? So you aren't really alone.

[ He kind of wants to understand where Noah's coming from, though. ]

[He shrugs, drumming his fingers against his stomach a bit absently.]

Not alone. But it's nice, having someone to kiss. Even if they aren't your girlfriend, or boyfriend, it just makes you feel... warm.

[ ... Huh. Matthew tips his head back, thinking. ]

I don't know.

[ Wait, that sounds like he's disagreeing. ]

I mean, that sounds right. [ A little shrug. ] I've just never done it, though. Kissed somebody.

[ His mom probably does not count. ]

[Noah lifts his head up immediately, looking distraught. Poor Matthew!]

Never? Dude, it's, like, the best thing!

[ Matthew laughs and shifts so he can stretch his legs a little, and there's not enough room on the couch for him to do so without nudging Noah again so there's some jostling. Later he will probably feel guilty for saying this, but-- ]

Ronan and Adam think so.

[ It's a very younger brotherly kind of tease, more affection than mischief, really.

But underneath that, Matthew might be growing just a little curious. ]

[Noah laughs too, his eyes crinkling up in lazy mischief. He hasn't actually seen them, but then, he doesn't need to.]

They've got the right idea.

[He scoots a little to make room, and one foot taps the side of Matthew's head.]

I mean, sometimes it's kind of weird, at first. But if you like the person, it's really fun.

[ Matthew 'hm's pleasantly, smiling as he thinks about it, and distractedly brushing his curls back into place where Noah's foot bumped his head. After a moment of thought, he says-- ]

When dad was alive, sometimes he and mom--

[ Then he stops, laughs at himself, and gives his head a little shake. Noah probably doesn't want to hear about Matthew's parents laughing and kissing in the kitchen, when Niall came back from his trips. But their affection is a very pure and dear memory for Matthew, who will never forget being surrounded by so much love in that house. ]

I mean-- [ He plants his elbow on the back of the couch, and tips his head into his hand, smiling down at Noah. ] They liked each other.

[ They had fun kissing. ]

[Noah feels it anyway - he doesn't see them, he lets that memory stay private, but the love and affection that Matthew radiates are too bright. It makes Noah smile, lazy and wide.]

Mine did too.

[And somewhere, in another universe's Virginia, they still do. He can picture them on the porch, sipping wine on a warm evening, and looking out at the fireflies.]

I can imagine what it's like.

[action; bc i wasn't kidding]

omg

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i'm AM going to bed!!!