bleached bones and pinned butterflies

why don't you follow my lead

"You're going out to meet with that Sabbath guy, aren't you?" Noah pauses, and looks over at Samuel, who is sitting cross-legged on his bed. "It's. It's fucking 8PM already." 

Noah gives Samuel a look. "Are you gonna stop me?" She asks, picking through her clothes to look for a hoodie. 'Wear comfy clothes', Bucket Hat said, so here is Noah, looking for some oversized clothes for whatever Bucket Hat has in mind. "I am an adult, you know." 

Samuel makes a noise. "Yeah, but you're going with strangers. People you barely know." He says and Noah-

Noah pauses at Samuel's words. He has a point, and while yeah, maybe she's no longer really pissed at Bucket Hat, she doesn't really know him. At least, not in the way she knows Samuel, or even Owen. 

Noah chews on her lip. She doesn't want go force Samuel to go with her, because she knows he's been wanting to sleep since earlier but was delayed because his mum video-called him, but at the same time, Noah really wants to go. She's bored out of her mind, seeing Owen would just piss both of them off and Samuel- 

Well. Sometimes, Noah wants to be away from her own oldest friend, from time to time. Give the two of them some space and peace of mind. 

But before Noah could think up of a good answer, Samuel sighs and gets up. He rummages through his bag, before he finds whatever he's looking for with a quiet 'aha!'. Walking over to her, Samuel places- 

Noah's eyes widen. "Why do you have taser on you?!" She demands, holding the thing at an arm's distance as she stares incredulously at her friend. 

The look Samuel gives her is unimpressed. "If you're so damn insistent on wandering around an unknown city by your lonesome or with questionable company, then you can at least give me some peace of mind by carrying that around." He retorts bluntly. 

"You do know this isn't enough to really down a guy, right?" 

"No, but it'll give you time to kick someone hard enough to give them a concussion. Or a broken jaw, if you kick 'em right." 

Noah considers this. "Point made." 

Samuel sighs deeply, rubbing his face aggressively before fixing her a serious look. "Your mum told me to look after you, alright, and I'd rather not fuck up. But at the same time, I don't wanna stop you because I'll know you'll throw the hissiest of hissy fits and I really don't want to deal with that." He says. Noah pouts, but doesn't really refute him; he's right, even if it pisses her off. "So here's what we'll do; I can let you go, tonight, but you're going to have to bring that taser with you and be back here 2AM at the latest." 

Noah pouts further, even if she puts the taser in the secret pocket if her hoodie. "I'm not a kid." She sullenly mutters. "Why do I need curfew?" 

Samuel gives her a Look™, and Noah sighs, rolling her eyes as she does so. "Alright, fiiiiiiine, you win this time." She bemoans. 

Samuel nods. "Good. Now, is he going to pick you up, or-?" 

Noah checks her phone at that, startled. "He's, uh, Hyeok's downstairs." Noah hopes she pronounced his name right, because she knows she fucked it up. "Right now, actually."

Samuel nods, and heads for the door, making Noah panic and scramble after him. "Alright, I'll go talk to him for a moment." 

Noah sputters. "The fuck, you aren't!"

"I can and I will, and no, don't fight me on this." 

"Sam, no."

"Samuel, yes." 

"No-"

"Yes." Samuel replies, just as stubborn and just as bullheaded as Noah. "Your mum would have my hide otherwise."