Noah Carter
"Are you really, really, sure that it's okay? He doesn't have to sleepover if you guys are uncomfortable with it-"
Allie touches Maeve's shoulder gently, quietly telling her to stop rambling. Maeve looks like she wants to jump off a cliff, the amount of fidgeting she's done making me want to help her.
In a friendly way, of course.
"We want to watch Liam for the night. Rhys asked us a couple weeks ago if it was okay so we're prepared. It's not like you're just springing it on us." Allie tells her.
Maeve looks back at Rhys in disgust. "Am I the only one who didn't know I was going on a date tonight?"
He shrugs. "Pretty much. Cam and Mike suggested we go to a-"
Maeve interrupts him, glaring. "Don't you dare fucking tell me what Cam and Mike suggested."
Rhys rolls his eyes, grabbing her shoulders a little too tightly as he guides her out our front door.
"If you guys needs anything, please call." Maeve pleas.
Rhys huffs. "Maeve, it's fine. They know how to call 911 if needed."
Maeve's jaw drops and she looks like she wants to punch the living shit out of him, something I would fully supported if asked to.
Rhys whistles, slowly closing the door on their faces. "Probably not the best thing to say on the first date with your future wife-"
Maeve slaps his arm. "If you don't shut the hell up right now, I will kick it shut. You're going to take me out to dinner, you're going to buy me a drink and you're going to think twice when you open your mouth tonight."
Rhys tips his head back groaning, eyes rolling to the back of his head. "Oh fuck. You bossing me around almost has me on my knees. Talk dirty to me some more, Nova."
Maeve snickers before sobering. "Get your ass out the door. My dinners waiting."
Rhys salutes Allie and I before they finally disappear.
Thank fuck.
Who knew two people could be so fucking loud and disruptive-
"Noah! We have to finish the movie! Rhys told me there's like three movies after this one!"
Liam shouts, running to go plop down on our couch, crossing his legs and waiting patiently.
Damn it, Rhys.
Allie smiles at me, her head tilted as she shuffles towards me, her arms wrapping around my waist tightly.
"I'll finish making dinner so you can go sit down-"
I cup her cheeks in my hands, rubbing my thumb along her lips.
"How about I finish making dinner so you can go sit down and take your knee brace off, mhm? And then you and Liam can cuddle with Leo?" I counter, watching her bite her lip in thought.
"Fine. But only because you offered to bring me an ice pack."
I kiss her nose to hide my own smile. "I think you're starting to use me, Wes."
She grins, eyes bright. "You love it, though."
"I love you."
Liam is disappointed for all of two seconds that he learns we won't be watching the movie right away but it's quickly forgotten when Allie brings out Leo, who likes to snuggle in our bed.
We assume it's because it makes him feel safe and Allie loves it so I tolerate it for now, especially remembering the shape of the puppy when we found him abandoned in a paper box beside a dumpster, shivering and barely moving.
Puppies aren't supposed to be separated from their mothers for at least eight weeks after being born so this must have been some sick fucker to leave a barely six week old on its own in the streets.
I bring Allie her ice pack for her knee, along with a bottle of milk for Leo.
Liam looks concerned. "Why are you giving Leo milk? He's not a cat."
Allie shuffles closer to him so he can get a better look. "Usually, his mom would feed him but since we don't know where she is, the vet told us this was the best option for him."
Allie tells him softly, offering the bottle to Liam so that he can try.
"Wow! He must know we're twins 'cuz he really likes me!" He exclaims, using only his one finger to pet Leo.
It's quite cute.
I make tacos. Allie said it's the safest option with a six year old and I have to agree when Liam devours three, sour cream and salsa dripping off his chin.
"Let's go get you cleaned up and into your pajamas Maeve brought for you." Allie gently takes his hand, leading him down the hall and when they reappear, Liam's dressed in everything Thomas the Train.
It doesn't escape my mind that Allie didn't eat anything, even when she tries to hide it with shoving a few pieces of lettuce in her face.
Liam comes running onto the couch, jumping onto my lap and-yep. Nailing me with his elbow.
I wheeze. "You ready for our movie marathon?"
"I'm not running a marathon and watching a movie. That's crazy." Liam tells me, moving to cuddle with Allie and Leo. Allie winks at me.
By the time we finish the movie, Liam's passed out, snoring away with his head right on Allie's chest, his body sprawled across hers.
I stand, crouching down in front of the two of them so I can adjust Liam's hand off Allie's neck and shoulders, just in case it triggers her.
My hands find their way to her knees. "Are you okay? Do you want me to carry him to our room?"
She shakes her head. "I'll carry him. Would you mind grabbing his bag by the door? Maeve said there's a sound machine in there to help him sleep."
She stands with him wrapped around her like a koala, moving his head to rest on her shoulder when it lolls to the side.
He starts to fidget and wakes up but Allie immediately starts swaying as she walks, stroking his back and he's out like a light again.
As much as Allie and I both don't want kids, I think she'd be a great mother with the way she's so patient and gentle with Liam, like she understands them and their needs as kids.
Apparently Liam's sleeping with us because when I walk into our room, Liam's sprawled out on Allie's side as she steps out of the bathroom in sweats and one of my old hockey shirts.
"I didn't want him to be alone in case he has a nightmare or needs something." She whispers into the faintly lit room, Liam's sound machine playing on her side of the bed.
"Come here, baby." I pull her to my chest, leaving Liam on her side, just a reach away in case he does need anything.
She breaks the comfortable silence. "Has your mom tried calling again today?"
At the mention of my mom, I immediately clam up, arms tightening around her.
"I don't want to be the reason you stop seeing your family, Noah. That's not fair to you." She says firmly.
I know she feels guilty about my decision to stop talking with my parents, talking to only Claire when she's free.
Right after the athlete awards ceremony, Mark River was handed a lifetime sentence. Not only for raping Allie, but assaulting other woman who came forward afterwards along with many other charges.
My parents during this time were the complete opposite of supportive.
My mom claimed that Allie was doing this all for attention and told her to never speak to me again.
My father decided to show up at our apartment one day when Allie was home alone, yelling and banging on the front door for close to an hour before I got home, demanding Allie drop the charges because "an innocent man doesn't deserve to rot in prison".
She was having a panic attack on the kitchen floor when I finally got inside and it shattered my heart that my own parents did that so, yeah.
I stopped fucking talking to them.
"Don't ever say that again. What they did is inhuman. It's disgusting. So I'm okay if I never see or talk to them again. I'd prefer it that way, actually." I say, running my finger up and down the crook of her nose in hopes she falls asleep.
I can feel her blow a breath out and then swallow. "So you're really okay with that? The fact that they may never see you get married or win your first Stanley Cup?" Her voice cracks slightly.
"If it means that we're safe and you're happy, then yeah. Sleep, love. I'll be here when you wake up."
And she will. But that's okay. Because she's healing in her own way, no matter how long it takes.
"I love you, Noah. So much." Her voice is thick with sleep.
"I love you, Allie. So much."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Noah! Wake up! Allie's making waffles and she said that I had to come wake you so that she could make me hot chocolate!" Liam's voice startles me awake, his face inches away from mine.
The bed jostles with his jumping, and he continues to jump until I get up.
"Okay, okay. I'm up!" I tell him, raising my hands defensively before he takes one final jump and tries to tackle me, which ends up with him hanging off my shoulder like a potato sack.
He laughs all the way into the kitchen and continues when I throw him on the couch, going back to grab Leo from his little kennel and placing them side by side, snapping a photo of the two of them and sending it to the teams group chat.
"Breakfast is ready!" Allie tells us, plopping a plate of waffles and Nutella in front of Liam who eats it faster than I eat my own.
"You're going to choke if you eat that fast." I nudge his shoulder.
He grins, chocolate all over his teeth. "But Allie makes the best waffles I've ever had. It'd be a good thing to choke on."
I sputter, laughing when Allie practically spits out her tea.
"Not the best thing to choke on." Allie gives me a cheeky smile before popping some strawberries in her mouth.
Good. She's eating.
Liam glances between the two of us, lips turned down and brows glued together. "What is the best thing then? Nothing can beat waffles."
Allie goes beer red, lips smashes together. "What about chocolate chip waffles? That has to beat plain waffles."
Liam shrugs, trailing off. "I guess..."
And thank god, the doorbell rings, announcing that Maeve and Rhys are done choking on his waffle.
Saved by the fucking devil.