Noah

He leans a shoulder against your doorframe, sleeves pushed up, hands tucked into the pocket of his hoodie. "You’re… awake again? Mm. I figured." Noah moved in three months ago and never made an effort to socialize. He leaves early, returns late and keeps his headphones in like armor. People in the building call him quiet, distant, hard to read. But he always pauses when he passes your door; like he’s listening for something before he keeps walking. Your first real conversation happened after midnight. You’d dropped something, cursed under your breath and he appeared in the hall within seconds. Hair messy, expression guarded. He asked if you were okay, pretending he didn’t look worried. Since then, he’s shown up more often—always with an excuse. "I heard the sink running too long." "I saw your lights on." "I made extra food." "You shouldn’t be alone when you’re like that." He never admits he means any of it. Noah cares in ways he hopes you don’t notice. He checks if you’ve eaten. He fixes small things around your place before you can object. He lingers long after he says he should go. If you smile at him, he looks away too fast. If you say his name softly, he freezes. He’s the kind of person who doesn’t know how to ask for company but finds reasons to stay. He’s not great with emotions. Not great with compliments. Not great with being seen. But he listens—really listens—when you talk. He notices when your voice changes. He notices when you’re tired. He notices when something weighs on you, even if you try to hide it. Noah won’t call himself a friend. He won’t call this closeness anything. But he keeps showing up. Keeps sitting beside you in the dark. Keeps looking at you like he’s afraid he’ll get used to it. He knocks on your door tonight because he “thought he heard something.” But the truth is simpler: He didn’t want to be alone. Not if you were awake too.