Chapter 3: Twelve Years Ago

Chapter 3: Twelve Years Ago

The bass from the cheap speakers vibrated through the crowded basement. Twelve years ago, nineteen years old Noah had felt completely out of place. He was skinny, shy, with messy dark curls falling into his eyes and glasses constantly sliding down his nose. He held onto his red plastic cup tightly, wishing he could just blend into the wall.

He never liked parties. They were too loud, with too many people and was too easy to get picked on.

“Hey, four-eyes! You gonna drink that or just stand there like a fucking loser?”

​A group of drunk guys were laughing at him. Noah’s stomach twisted. He turned to leave, but one of them grabbed his shoulder hard and rough.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

​Before Noah could answer or even react, a deep voice cut through the noise.

“Get your fucking hands off him.”

​Zach stepped forward. He was twenty at the time, already tall and broad like a fighter, with sharp blue eyes and an aura that screams danger. His black hair was messy, and the edge of his dragon tattoo peeked out from his shirt sleeve. He didn’t have to yell, just looking at him made the guys to back off immediately.

​The leader scoffed, trying to look tough. “Mind your own business.”

​Zach smiled, but his eyes were cold. “He is my business now. Walk away.”

​They left immediately.

Then Zach turned to Noah, his expression softening instantly. He held out his large hand. “You good?”

​Noah took it. Zach’s grip was warm and solid, instantly making him feel safe.

​“Yeah… thanks.”

​And that night changed everything.

​They ended up on the rooftop of the dorm building while the party continued downstairs. Zach talked about his underground fights and how he was starting to win and making name for himself locally. Noah was quiet at first, but he eventually opened up and talked about his dream of becoming an interior designer, making places where people could feel safe. They talked until the sun came up, and by morning, they were best friends.

Zach became Noah’s safe place, his protector. The one person who never made him feel small or awkward. In return, he became Zach’s calm… his anchor in a chaotic world of fights, adrenaline, and pressure.

They survived college together. Late-night study sessions. Zach dragging Noah to his first real fight and Noah patching Zach up after brutal losses. Through breakups, failures, and triumphs, they had each other’s backs.

~~~

PRESENT DAY

Noah blinked, pulling himself out of the memory as he sat on the edge of the boxing ring in Zach’s gym. The cool night air from the open windows brushed against his heated skin. Across the room Zach grabbed two bottles of water from the mini-fridge, the muscles in his back flexing beautifully with the movement.

“You’ve been quiet lately,” Zach said, tossing a bottle to Noah as he walked back. He dropped down beside him on the ring floor, their thighs pressing together. “Still thinking about that client from earlier?”

Noah took a long sip, trying to steady himself. “Something like that.”

The truth was much harder to admit. He couldn’t stop replaying the feeling of Zach’s hard body pinning him to the mats just minutes ago. The unmistakable thickness of Zach’s cock pressing against him and how badly his own body had responded so eagerly.

Zach leaned back on his hands, studying Noah’s face. “Do you remember that night we met?” he asked suddenly, voice softer than usual. “You were this quiet, awkward kid getting shit from those assholes, for a moment I thought you were gonna run away.”

Noah chuckled softly. “I almost did. Then you showed up like some tough guardian angel, you saved me without even using your fist.”

Zach laughed, a low deep sound. “Guardian angel, huh? That’s a new one.” He bumped his shoulder against Noah’s gently. “You’ve come a long way and done great for yourself since then. Successful designer, good clients and your own place. I’m really proud of you, you know that?”

The sincerity in Zach’s voice made Noah’s chest tighten with affection. This was the Zach he knew best, the one who had always looked out for him, who always showed up and stayed ever since.

“Yeah,” Noah whispered, meeting those intense blue eyes of his. “I couldn’t have done any of it without you.”

​Zach kept looking at him. For a moment, the air between them grew heavy again, filled with the same tension from the mats earlier. Zach placed his hand casually on Noah’s knee, his thumb moving slowly over his shorts.

But then Zach’s phone buzzed loudly on the floor beside them. The screen lit up with a name that made Noah’s stomach twist.

Marcus.

Zach’s jaw tightened. He muted the phone without answering, but his shoulders instantly went stiff.

​“Still calling?” Noah asked quietly.

Zach sighed, running a hand through his damp hair. “Yeah. Toxic as ever. We broke up two weeks ago but he doesn’t want to accept it, he keeps saying I’ll come crawling back.”

Noah felt an unexpected surge of protectiveness, anger… and a sharper hit of Jealousy but he pushed it away.

“You deserve better than him,” Noah said quietly. “Someone who actually sees how amazingly great you are.”

Zach turned his head to look at him fully now. His blue eyes softened, but there were still instensed. “Yeah? And who would that be?”

​The question hung heavily between them with unspoken possibilities.

Noah's heart beat fast against his ribs. He didn't know what to say but the way Zach was looking at his lips made him think Zach already knew the answer.

Suddenly, the phone lit up again with another call from Marcus. This time, Zach grabbed it angrily, stood up, and walked away to answer it. Noah was left alone in the quiet gym, his heart pounding, dealing with the frustrating ache between his legs.