The warmth came first and it was soft and quiet. It gently wrapped around him like something, like a lie.
And then...
Light.
Bright lights. Flashing. Voices overlapping in a chaotic symphony.
Noel blinked.
The room disappeared and he was somewhere else.
'A memory? Isn't this...?'
.
.
"Over here! Noel! Noel!"
"Are the rumours true?!"
"Look this way!"
Cameras flashed so fast it almost looked like lightning, each burst carving sharp afterimages into his vision.
Noel stood at the centre of it all, dressed in a fitted black suit, one hand casually in his pocket, the other lifting slightly in a lazy wave. His expression was calm and perfect, the kind of composure that came from years of turning scrutiny into armour.
Beside him...
She smiled.
Lena.
