Noel did not sleep. He wasn't able to.
He sat in the dark after the room emptied and listened to the house settle into its nighttime quiet. He stayed awake with everything that had happened arranged in his head.
He was not angry at Cedric.
He had known before the blindfold came off. He had known from the specific quality of the hands and the specific care in them, so different from Arthur's certainty and Bennett's ease. He had known and he had played his part especially when he had sent Cedric out of the room with a performance that he hoped Arthur had believed completely.
He pressed his back against the headboard and looked at the ceiling.
The deal he had made with Arthur had been the first real thing he had done in days that felt like a move rather than a reaction.
Arthur had come in with a smirk that evening and saw Noel seated on the bed with a bored expression on his face.
"You sure do look bored. How about a game to liven things up for you?"
