chapter 4 : Unspoken words

The days blurred together for Ethan. He still came by the bookstore every night, as if something inside him had shifted and now, this small, quiet place was the only refuge he truly craved. There was something magnetic about Noah, something that kept pulling him back even though he wasn’t sure what it was.

Noah, for his part, hadn’t said much more about his own life. He was a man of few words, especially when it came to himself. Ethan didn’t ask. Not yet. He wasn’t ready to force any kind of conversation that could disrupt the fragile peace they had built in the small corner of the bookstore.

The conversations continued to be simple—books, the weather, random musings about life—but each word felt heavier than the last, as if they were both testing the waters, wondering if they could dive deeper without scaring each other away.

One particularly quiet evening, Ethan stood near the counter, flipping through a new book Noah had recommended, but his mind wasn’t on the pages. It was on Noah.

The way Noah’s fingers brushed the edge of a book as he adjusted it on the shelf. The quiet hum of his voice when he spoke, like every word was carefully chosen, measured. There was a softness about him, a gentleness that made Ethan feel like an intruder in his own skin.

He didn’t know what he wanted from Noah. Maybe it was just the company. Maybe it was something more.

Noah glanced up from the register, catching Ethan’s gaze. The moment stretched between them. Ethan swallowed, unsure if he should say something or if the silence was enough.

Noah broke the stillness first. “You ever think about why we do this?” he asked, his voice quiet, almost contemplative.

Ethan blinked, surprised by the question. “Do what?”

Noah gestured vaguely around the room. “Come here. Over and over. I mean, you’re not a regular. You could go anywhere. But you keep coming back to this place.”

Ethan hadn’t expected that. The question felt like an invitation, but also a challenge. He paused, letting the words settle before answering. “I guess I… I feel like I can breathe here. For the first time in a long while.”

Noah’s gaze softened, his expression unreadable. “Breathe, huh?”

Ethan nodded, his eyes dropping to the book in his hands. “Yeah. I don’t have to be anyone here. Just… me.”

There was a pause, an awkwardness that hung in the air before Noah spoke again, his voice quieter than before. “Maybe that’s why I keep doing it, too.”

Ethan looked up, meeting Noah’s eyes. His heart skipped a beat at the vulnerability in his voice. Noah was always so guarded, so careful. And yet, in this moment, he was opening up in a way that made Ethan feel exposed, as though he were being let in on something rare, fragile.

“What’s that?” Ethan asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

Noah didn’t immediately answer. Instead, he took a step closer to the counter, his hands resting lightly on the edge as if gathering the courage to say something more. His eyes never left Ethan’s, though the intensity of his gaze seemed to shift.

“I think I’m afraid of needing someone,” Noah said, almost too quietly to hear, the words heavy with something Ethan couldn’t quite place. “Afraid that if I let someone in, they’ll just leave. Or that I’ll end up needing them more than they need me.”

Ethan’s chest tightened. He wasn’t sure what had caused this sudden shift in Noah, but it felt important—vulnerable in a way that made Ethan want to protect him.

“Noah,” Ethan started, his voice gentle but firm, “you’re not alone.”

There it was—his heart speaking before his mind could catch up. He hadn’t intended to say it, but now that the words were out, they felt right. They felt true.

Noah looked at him then, eyes wide, as if Ethan had just shattered some silent barrier between them. For a moment, the space between them seemed to disappear, leaving only the weight of that unspoken understanding.

Neither of them moved.

Ethan could feel the pull, the subtle current between them, but he didn’t push. He stayed where he was, waiting, not sure what would come next.

After what felt like an eternity, Noah exhaled a shaky breath, the corner of his mouth lifting in a small, bittersweet smile. “You’re not what I expected, you know that?”

Ethan chuckled softly, the tension easing just a little. “Yeah, I get that a lot.”

Noah’s smile widened ever so slightly. It was brief, but it was enough.

“I’m glad you keep coming back,” Noah said, his voice quieter now, more sincere. “Even if you’re not exactly sure why.”

Ethan met his gaze, something stirring inside him, a quiet acknowledgment that perhaps—just maybe—he was starting to understand exactly why.

“Yeah,” Ethan said softly. “Me too.”

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To Be Continued…

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