Noël's heart raced as he heard the heavy voice echo through the halls.
"Is this what you've become, Avery?!"
He didn't need to peek out to know it was Avery's father in rage. Just hearing him made Noël's stomach twist. He quickly turned and tiptoed back to his room before getting caught by whoever was coming. Careful not to make any noise on the cold marble floor, his breath hitched as he closed the door behind him.
Where do I hide…?
His eyes darted around the room until they landed on the tall wardrobe. It was ridiculous, he knew it. The whole room gave hints that someone aside from Avery was living there. But adrenaline overruled logic. He slipped inside the closet, pulled the door shut, and curled up as tightly as he could.
His breath fogged the space in front of him. He pressed his hands against his chest to stop it from rising and falling so rapidly. His mind spun with images. What if Avery's father came in here? What if he found out?
The minutes dragged like hours.
Then—
The door flung open.
Bright light invaded the dark safety of the closet. Noël winced and shut his eyes tightly, hoping if he just didn't look, maybe the moment would pass.
A warm hand patted his head gently.
"…Noël," a familiar voice chuckled.
He hesitated, then peeked through his lashes.
Avery.
Kneeling in front of him with a stupidly amused smile on his face.
Noël's panic immediately turned to indignation. He gave Avery a light slap on the shoulder. "Are you trying to give me a heart attack?!"
Avery raised both hands in mock surrender, grinning. "Relax, I come in peace."
"Did he leave?" Noël asked quickly, his voice still shaky.
Avery leaned forward a bit. "Mmm… not exactly."
Noël's face fell. "What?"
"…He stormed out," Avery added with a smirk. "Pretty sure the driver's going to need a new ear after that rant."
Noël groaned, crawling out of the closet and flopping onto the bed dramatically. "I hate you sometimes."
"No, you don't."
"I do. Especially when you make jokes at times like this," Noël said into the pillow, his voice muffled.
Avery sat down beside him, then laid back until their shoulders brushed. "You didn't get caught though. That was some quick thinking."
Noël turned his head to the side. "Yeah, I didn't really have time to think. I just panicked."
Avery tilted his head and looked at him. "Actually… speaking of panicking. Why can't I smell you?"
Noël blinked. "Huh?"
"You," Avery said, narrowing his eyes playfully. "Your scent. Your room alwayssmells like you. But when I came in, there was nothing. Like… total scent blackout."
"Oh." Noël sat up and scratched the back of his neck. "I heard your dad downstairs talking about... Omega pheromones. I knew he was talking about me."
His cheeks flushed as he explained, "I sprayed some of the suppressant I found in your room. It was risky but… I didn't want to get you in trouble."
Avery stared for a second. Then suddenly burst into laughter.
Noël frowned. "Don't laugh!"
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" Avery tried to catch his breath. "It's just...only you would think of masking your scent before hiding in the closet."
"Of course I would!" Noël huffed. "It's not funny."
Avery leaned in and kissed his cheek. "It kind of is. But it was also really clever."
Noël pouted, turning away slightly. "You're unbelievable."
Avery's eyes softened. "You did a good job. Seriously."
Noël turned back toward him. "Even though I almost died of panic?"
"Even then."
They laid in silence for a moment, the tension slowly draining from the room.
"…Do you think your father will come back?" Noël asked quietly.
Avery closed his eyes. "He probably will. Eventually. But I'll handle it."
"You always say that."
"And I always do."
"But you get hurt sometimes," Noël whispered. " His words are very harsh"
Avery turned to him and gently brushed his fingers through Noël's hair. "And then I come back to you. That's all that matters."
Noël reached for Avery's hand and laced their fingers together.
"I don't want to hide forever," he said.
"You won't have to," Avery promised. "Not much longer."
Two days had passed since Avery's father had stormed out of the house. Avery had been out since early morning with no explanation, and Noël tried not to overthink it. Still, a small part of him couldn't help but worry.
What if Avery got tired of me?, or is it his father again?
He pushed the thought aside and busied himself around the house. Cooking helped. He prepared dinner, setting the table just in time to hear the front door unlock.
The sound of keys made Noël's ears perk up. He quickly wiped his hands and rushed to the entrance. The moment he saw Avery, his face lit up. He jumped into Avery's arms for a hug.
"You're back!" Noël smiled, wrapping his arms around Avery's neck.
Avery caught him effortlessly and kissed him. "Missed me already?" he teased.
Noël chuckled but then froze as he noticed movement behind Avery. Someone else was there.
"Who… who is that?" he whispered, still tucked into Avery's neck.
Avery stifled a laugh at the adorable way Noël clung to him like a shy kitten. "Relax," he whispered back. "It's just my little sister."
Noël's heart skipped. His sister?
His face turned pink, and he immediately asked Avery to put him down.
Once his feet were on the floor, Noël bowed slightly and offered a polite but nervous greeting. "Hello… I'm Noël. Nice to meet you."
Avery's sister eyed him for a moment, her expression unreadable. "He's shorter than I thought," she said bluntly.
Noël blinked, not expecting that kind of response. He stood there awkwardly, unsure how to react. Avery sighed and turned to his sister.
"Don't bully my boyfriend, Sylvie."
Averina,or Sylvie as Avery called her, shrugged nonchalantly and walked into the living room like she owned the place.
Once they all sat down, Avery resumed being as clingy as ever. He wrapped his arm around Noël's waist and pulled him close, occasionally playing with his hair or whispering little things in his ear. But Noël was painfully aware that they weren't alone and kept trying to gently push Avery away, embarrassed.
"Behave," Noël whispered through gritted teeth, his cheeks red.
Avery ignored the warning and leaned in for another kiss on Noël's temple, which only made Noël even more flustered.
To ease the awkwardness, Avery finally decided to properly introduce them. "Noël, this is my sister, Averina. But I call her Sylvie. Sylvie, this is Noël, the person I told you about."
Sylvie had the kind of presence that could silence a room. Dominant and refined, with sharp eyes that didn't miss much. She sat with her legs crossed, posture perfect, gaze calmly observing Noël like a puzzle she was still figuring out.
"So this is your type?" she finally asked Avery, glancing at Noël.
Avery raised an eyebrow. "What, you've got a problem with it?"
"No," she replied casually, standing up. "I just get why you didn't want Yulan."
And just like that, she walked upstairs, leaving a thick silence behind her.
Noël looked down at his hands, a knot forming in his stomach. She didn't even say goodbye. Did she dislike me?
Avery leaned over and gently touched Noël's cheek. "Don't let her get to you," he said softly. "She's always like that with people she's not used to. Trust me, she doesn't hate you. She's just… guarded."
Noël gave a small nod, though his thoughts were still spinning. Meeting a sibling felt like a big step. He just hadn't expected it to feel this intimidating.
"She'll come around," Avery added, kissing his forehead. "She's already curious. She wouldn't have come here if she wasn't."