[ 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. ]
[ 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: ]
[ 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. ]
[ 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. ]
[ 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.
[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.
YOU JUST COULDN'T SLEEP WITHOUT A LITTLE MORE CUTE FIRST
Yeah, [ Matthew agrees, a simple answer from a simple boy. He kicks his feet up over the back of the couch and flops backwards, imitating Noah's posture. When he settles, they're close enough for their shoulders to be touching.
The truth is, his imagination is not that great, so he can only sort of imagine it for himself, but what he's got in his mind seems pretty nice. ]
So this is why you have "kiss ten people" on your list.
[Noah watches this extravagant repositioning, gently amused, and grins when Matthew finally settles in next to him. Their hair, soft and golden, looks like sunlight together on the cushion.]
I mean, I guess ten was kind of ambitious. But yeah, it's just about my favorite thing.
[ Matthew laughs a little again and wiggles his feet on the back of the couch, like a happy kid that just can't sit still. Ten sounds pretty ambitious to him, but Noah clearly has moves (or something. It sounds like he knows what he's doing, at least.) ]
How many are you at now?
[ He's genuinely curious, because he genuinely cares about Noah's bucket list. ]
[ Matthew is practically giggling now. It's not just the ridiculousness of talking about Noah asking their housemates for bucket list kisses. It's the whole conversation. It's just--
It's silly. He feels silly. He feels like a teenager, a real one.
He turns his curly head toward Noah, and they are very close. ]
[ Matthew is not an over-thinker. He pursues the things that make him happy like a flower reaches for the sun; it's all very natural and easy and doesn't require much thought.
But if he wanted to, honestly, he could think of a lot of worse things than being one of Noah's bucket list kisses. ]
I don't know, [ he admits without a trace of discomfort; in fact he's trying not to laugh again. ]
I mean-- It's been a month and you're still at zero.
[ Any actual game would likely be lost on Matthew anyway. He just looks at Noah for a moment, his mouth still stretched in a wide, easy smile. He's still not overthinking this. Does he want to? Mm, in the moment, yeah, he really kinda does. Did Noah just give him an invitation? That's what it sounded like.
There's a little thrill in his stomach when he decides to just do it, to roll onto one shoulder and lean in and plant what would no doubt be the world's most innocent kiss on Noah's mouth--one down, nine to go. Except Matthew doesn't get that far. In fact, the exact moment his body even suggests the movement an energetic little bundle of soft fur and puppy limbs and puppy teeth attaches itself to his head. ]
Hey-- Max!
[ Matthew immediately bursts into laughter again and almost slides onto the floor in surprise; Max is chewing on his curls, which were apparently too great a temptation to resist, the way he was draped over the edge of the couch. ]
Max, come on, cut it out!
[ There's a happy little 'woof!' from the floor and everything is now 110% excitable puppy. ]
[Between the speeding of his heart and the sudden gray blur of Max, it takes Noah several seconds to realize what's just happened. All he knows is that he was about to kiss Matthew Lynch, and right this moment, he is very much not kissing Matthew Lynch. Which, of course, is totally fine. It's not like he's ever felt the desire to before, so he shouldn't be disappointed now. In fact, he probably shouldn't be disappointed at all! He doesn't need another reason for Ronan to be mad, and making a move on his little brother definitely seems like a step in the wrong direction.
But when he looks over at Matthew - at his blond curls and his bright smile - he still feels... weird.]
Hey, boy! [Noah reaches down to scratch Max's ears, trying to ignore how his shoulder is still pressed up against Matthew.] What have you been up to?
[ See, Noah, that right there is overthinking. The thing that Matthew does not do. He's still laughing when he rolls over and sits up, jostling the other boy in the process, and then-- ]
Whoa.
[ He probably shouldn't have stayed upside down for so long; he's immediately dizzy, which just makes him laugh again. After Noah's had time to give Max a sufficient ear scratch Matthew leans over and scoops him up into his lap (the dog, that is), settling back into the couch, thoroughly distracted now from their conversation. Including the kissing part. Max isn't content to stay in one place and it's not even two seconds before he's squirmed away from Matthew and trying to climb all over Noah, oblivious, as all puppies should be, to what he might have just interrupted. ]
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Wait, seriously?
[ He was really not paying attention. ]
Well. I'm not her boyfriend.
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Good. 'Cause being the only single one in the house would suck.
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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?
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Sometimes. Like, if all your friends have someone to kiss goodnight, and you're alone.
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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. ]
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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.
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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. ]
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Never? Dude, it's, like, the best thing!
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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. ]
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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.
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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. ]
i'm AM going to bed!!!
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.
YOU JUST COULDN'T SLEEP WITHOUT A LITTLE MORE CUTE FIRST
The truth is, his imagination is not that great, so he can only sort of imagine it for himself, but what he's got in his mind seems pretty nice. ]
So this is why you have "kiss ten people" on your list.
it's truuuuue
I mean, I guess ten was kind of ambitious. But yeah, it's just about my favorite thing.
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How many are you at now?
[ He's genuinely curious, because he genuinely cares about Noah's bucket list. ]
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I'm still at zero. It turns out actually finding people to kiss is the hard part, here. It seemed easier at Aglionby.
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[ He 'hmm's again, thinking about it, tapping a finger on one of his own ribs. ]
What about anybody here?
[ He laughs, because it's a silly suggestion. Most of the people in their house are dating each other already.
... Most of them. And he's really got no reason to think Noah might want to kiss any of the ones who aren't. ]
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Dude. [He tilts his head backwards until he's looking at the room upside down.] No one here'll say yes.
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It's silly. He feels silly. He feels like a teenager, a real one.
He turns his curly head toward Noah, and they are very close. ]
Well, it just has to be the one kiss, right?
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Are you volunteering?
[It's half teasing, but half... curious.]
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But if he wanted to, honestly, he could think of a lot of worse things than being one of Noah's bucket list kisses. ]
I don't know, [ he admits without a trace of discomfort; in fact he's trying not to laugh again. ]
I mean-- It's been a month and you're still at zero.
[ It could be weird. Or it could be nice. ]
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Well, I mean - [Woah. There goes all the game Adam thought he had.] Only if you want to. You have to want to.
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There's a little thrill in his stomach when he decides to just do it, to roll onto one shoulder and lean in and plant what would no doubt be the world's most innocent kiss on Noah's mouth--one down, nine to go. Except Matthew doesn't get that far. In fact, the exact moment his body even suggests the movement an energetic little bundle of soft fur and puppy limbs and puppy teeth attaches itself to his head. ]
Hey-- Max!
[ Matthew immediately bursts into laughter again and almost slides onto the floor in surprise; Max is chewing on his curls, which were apparently too great a temptation to resist, the way he was draped over the edge of the couch. ]
Max, come on, cut it out!
[ There's a happy little 'woof!' from the floor and everything is now 110% excitable puppy. ]
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But when he looks over at Matthew - at his blond curls and his bright smile - he still feels... weird.]
Hey, boy! [Noah reaches down to scratch Max's ears, trying to ignore how his shoulder is still pressed up against Matthew.] What have you been up to?
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Whoa.
[ He probably shouldn't have stayed upside down for so long; he's immediately dizzy, which just makes him laugh again. After Noah's had time to give Max a sufficient ear scratch Matthew leans over and scoops him up into his lap (the dog, that is), settling back into the couch, thoroughly distracted now from their conversation. Including the kissing part. Max isn't content to stay in one place and it's not even two seconds before he's squirmed away from Matthew and trying to climb all over Noah, oblivious, as all puppies should be, to what he might have just interrupted. ]
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