NOAH
Noah hadn't been to see Liam and Maea since the incident, but he had been invited. He stood at the base of the great tree for some time, boots sunk in the soft loam, eyes lifted toward the curling stair that wound upward through the branches. Light spilled through the canopy in gold-shifting patterns, dappling the bark and the faces of those who went inside. He could hear them, voices bright with laughter, the murmur of friends meeting again.
He swallowed.
Hauling with him another basket full of Halo-specific treats, Noah finally entered. The air changed as he crossed the threshold: the smell of fresh food and woodsmoke wrapping around him, the low hum of comfort and familiarity threading through it all. He ducked in just as Maea was giving her welcoming speech to her guests, her voice clear and bright like a bell. The warmth of the home filled him and eased some of the tension down his rigid, ram-rod straight spine. He let loose a small, silent breath and let a smile try to tug at his features. He was entirely of how this would go, but he had to be brave.
Once the speech was over, Noah closed the distance to Maea and Liam, offering them the basket. "I brought you a housewarming gift." He said, his tone steady but softened with a trace of warmth. He pulled back the covering with care. Inside was preserved luxere meat that Cordelia had canned herself, packed neatly beside a blend of spiced teas grown in their greenhouse—scents of juniper, wintermint, and a hint of clove rising to meet the room’s air. "Thought you might like a taste of Halo," he added quietly, the faintest flicker of pride and homesickness crossing his eyes.
He swallowed.
Hauling with him another basket full of Halo-specific treats, Noah finally entered. The air changed as he crossed the threshold: the smell of fresh food and woodsmoke wrapping around him, the low hum of comfort and familiarity threading through it all. He ducked in just as Maea was giving her welcoming speech to her guests, her voice clear and bright like a bell. The warmth of the home filled him and eased some of the tension down his rigid, ram-rod straight spine. He let loose a small, silent breath and let a smile try to tug at his features. He was entirely
Once the speech was over, Noah closed the distance to Maea and Liam, offering them the basket. "I brought you a housewarming gift." He said, his tone steady but softened with a trace of warmth. He pulled back the covering with care. Inside was preserved luxere meat that Cordelia had canned herself, packed neatly beside a blend of spiced teas grown in their greenhouse—scents of juniper, wintermint, and a hint of clove rising to meet the room’s air. "Thought you might like a taste of Halo," he added quietly, the faintest flicker of pride and homesickness crossing his eyes.
I'll follow you down through the eye of the storm
Don't worry I'll keep you warm
Don't worry I'll keep you warm
