Through the Screen novel Chapter 48

"what time do we have to wake up tomorrow?" abel 's statement is punctuated by a tired yawn, as he grabs a pair of sweatpants from his suitcase and descends to the bathroom, where chris is brushing his teeth.

noah wasn't aware that abel has been told to share a room with chris, and honestly, he doesn't want him to know either. noah is already insecure regarding their friendship and he wouldn't want to push his mind into overdrive with all the doubt.

"eight," chris' words barely make any sense but abel nods along still, waiting for chris to finish spitting the paste into the sink so he can change. abel leans against the bathtub as he watches chris, his lean figure clad in a loose red sweatshirt and abel 's pajama bottoms. abel rolls his eyes when he realises that chris borrowed his clothes without asking.

chris ruffles abel 's hair fondly when he exists, and abel just scrunches his nose in response, pushing him out and shutting the door. it is several yawns and ten minutes later, when he is slumping down tiredly on the bed, his body sinking into the soft mattress, and he removes one of the pillows from under his head to place it between him and chris, causing chris to raise a questioning eyebrow at the action.

"what's that?" chris northern accent is much more prominent now, his words slightly slurred and his tone laced with sleep, and abel giggles quietly at his tired expression.

"it's a pillow," he shrugs, sinking further into the warm duvet and turning on his side so he's facing chris.

"how exciting," chris rolls his eyes, soft indents forming in both his cheeks as he smiles, reciprocating the action and turning to face abel, a sigh leaving his lips.

"is that pillow here because you don't trust me or because you don't trust yourself around me?" chris' eyebrows are raised in question and his jade eyes genuinely demand an answer, and abel reaches under the duvet to punch him playfully in the stomach to break the intensity of the question.

"shut up," abel groans. "it just makes me feel like i'm morally correct if that makes any sense,"

"does noah have a problem with this?" chris furrows his eyebrows and abel just flushes uncomfortably, weighing the pros and cons of telling chris the reality of the situation.