Chapter 4. Flustered

Both guys stared at him in surprise. He sounded very annoyed.

“Come on, Cap. Let it go already. Coach had settled things after practice.” Vic immediately jumped in.

“Exactly,” Nath agreed. “Leon was rough during training, but honestly? That rookie is good.”

Noa stared at them blankly for a second before realization hit him.

They thought he was still annoyed about what happened in the rink.

Unknown to them was the fact that something more serious had transpired in the shower stall.

He was actually annoyed with Leon for flirting with Sebastian. The memory of their shower had been torturing him all afternoon, but Leon sat there and smiled as if it was nothing.

“Damn it,” Noa muttered to himself. His jaw clenched tightly as his eyes drifted back toward Leon again.

He was laughing softly at something Sebastian whispered.

And for some reason, that irritated Noa more. He left the cafeteria with annoyance.

The rest of the afternoon passed slowly. Classes ended one after another until students finally started leaving campus.

Noa had almost convinced himself to ignore Leon for the rest of the day.

Then he saw him entering the restroom alone. Instantly, Noa changed direction and followed him inside.

The restroom was quiet except for the distant dripping of water from a leaking faucet.

Noa watched Leon disappear into one of the stalls. He waited patiently.

Then the stall door finally unlocked. The second Leon stepped out, Noa shoved him back inside. Then, she slammed the door shut behind them.

“What the heck?” Leon hissed in shock, stumbling backward against the stall wall. “What are you doing?”

Noa stepped in closer immediately, blocking the exit with his body.

“The better question is,” he said darkly, “What the heck are you doing with Sebastian?”

Leon blinked, then narrowed his eyes. “What?”

“And what was all that crap during lunch, hmm?” Noa continued, voice low and dangerous. “The smirking. The touching. The staring.”

Leon stared at him for a second before crossing his arms slowly.

“That’s none of your business.”

Noa’s jaw flexed.

“The guy likes me,” Leon added deliberately. “He’s rich. He treats me well, and…”

“He likes you?” Noa let out a short, humorless laugh. “Do you even know how many people Sebastian has liked before you?”

“I don’t care.”

Leon tried to step around him.

Noa blocked him instantly.

“Move.”

“No.”

Leon glared hard at him. “Let me out.”

But Noa didn’t budge.

The tiny restroom stall suddenly felt suffocating, with both of them trapped inside.

“You tell me something first,” Noa murmured.

Leon frowned.

“Do you like him?”

Silence followed.

Noa’s eyes darkened further.

“Do you want to become his next boyfriend?”

Leon looked genuinely caught off guard by the question. For a second, he just stared at Noa in confusion. His eyes were studying him. Then finally he found his voice again.

“Whatever I decide,” Leon said slowly, “is none of your business.”

His eyes narrowed slightly.

“Why do you even care, huh?”

Noa chuckled softly. But this time, nothing was teasing about it. His gaze stayed locked on Leon’s face as he leaned slightly closer.

“Why do I care?” he repeated quietly.

The air between them tightened instantly. Because honestly?

Noa was starting to ask himself the same damn question.

Noa stared at Leon in silence.

The restroom stall suddenly felt painfully small, with Leon standing inches away. He glared at him like he was the most irritating person alive.

And somehow, that glare only made things worse. Ever since Noa had first looked into those piercing blue eyes, his head had been a complete mess.

At first, he thought it was because Leon reminded him of Diamond. Those same cold but beautiful eyes. The same sharp tongue and pink lips. The same way they both made his chest tighten without warning.

And, it had gone beyond resemblance. Noa wanted Leon himself, and it was driving him insane.

Every time Leon laughed with someone else, Noa felt irritated. Every time Sebastian touched him, something ugly twisted inside his chest. The worst part? Leon never smiled at him like that. He only got glares, arguments, and cold words. They all depicted hatred.

Somehow, that hurt more than he wanted to admit. Especially when Diamond had already been avoiding him for about a month without explanation. He would read his chats but never reply. It felt like he was losing both of them at once.

“No answer, huh?” Leon asked coldly after the silence had stretched too long. “Move. I’m going out.”

He shoved lightly at Noa’s shoulder, but Noa didn’t move.

Leon glared harder. “Did you suddenly lose your hearing?”

Noa exhaled slowly and lowered his gaze briefly before looking back at him again.

“You know,” he started quietly.

Leon frowned slightly at the strange tone in his voice.

“When you glare at me with those eyes, ” Noa took a step forward.

“It only makes everything worse.”

Leon’s breath caught faintly.

Noa laughed softly at himself, though there was frustration hidden beneath it.

“It became harder to stay away from you.”

The words hit Leon unexpectedly.

It's hard enough to make him freeze for half a second.

“Wh…what nonsense are you saying now?” Leon muttered, though his voice was a bit shaky.

Noa’s eyes stayed fixed on him.

“I tried ignoring you after practice.” His jaw tightened slightly. “Then we met in the shower.”

Leon’s heart skipped, and he swallowed as his memory flashed back.

Noa noticed, but continued.

“Then I saw you smiling at Sebastian.”

Something dark flickered through his expression.

“And I hated it.”

Leon’s heartbeat stumbled strangely.

Noa noticed his uneasiness immediately.

His gaze dropped briefly to Leon’s chest as if checking it out. Then slowly up to his lips. It lingered for seconds before returning to his eyes.

“You know what the craziest part is?” Noa murmured. “I don’t even fully understand why I’m acting like this.”

Leon swallowed again.

The tension inside the tiny stall became suffocating.

Noa leaned one hand against the door behind Leon, trapping him there without actually touching him.

“But I think you should know this, every time someone gets too close to you,” His voice dropped lower, and rougher, “I get fucking pissed off.”

Leon’s breath became uneven again, and that encouraged Noa further.

“You smile at Sebastian for a few minutes and suddenly I can’t focus in class. What should I do about that hmm?”

“Noa…”

“I see him whispering in your ear and I want to drag him away from you.”

Leon’s eyes widened slightly.

Noa took a step closer again until barely an inch remained between them.

“These, your blue eyes” he whispered, staring directly into Leon’s eyes, “the way you look at me now… I want you to keep looking at me like that.”

Silence crashed between them again, and it was getting dangerous.

Leon’s fists clenched tightly at his sides as he tried to ignore the violent pounding of his heart.

“This is ridiculous,” he whispered.

“Yeah, and I want to taste your lips.”

Leon’s eyes widened as his heart pounded violently.

“I wonder if you would allow me to taste your lips, because that's why I'm hesitating. May I taste your pink lips?”

Their eyes locked.

Leon's fist clenched tighter by his side as his heart thudded loudly in his ears.

Noa leaned slowly towards him. Their faces inches away. He lifted his hand to Leon’s face, caressing softly.

Leon’s eyes fluttered closed.

Suddenly, the restroom door burst open with loud laughter and chattering.