they wish they were us | conan gray

4. an entire garden on you

"Find x in the following equation:-

Y + Z = X

Where Y is unknown and unknowable

Where Z is unknown and unknowable" 

- Nicola Yoon

"Noah's in the yard. Don't let him talk you into feeding the raccoons," Diane says after a quick hi. A part of Conan wanted to believe Noah wasn't into feeding the raccoons even after getting scratched. He didn't find the interest in raccoons weird but more so his slightly wacko self destructive tendencies. 

His mom, satisfied with a quick introduction to Ashley, leaves them at the back door. Conan's eyes catch a glint of the coin his mother had gifted, placed atop the delicate Japanese dishes, painted with cherry blossoms and adorned with intricate blue designs that Conan could replicate onto paper only in his dreams. It looks like it belongs there. 

"I feel like the moment I look at Noah, angels are gonna sing," Ashley laughs, patting the other's shoulder. Conan, fascinated by the description wants to elude her stupid comments. Sure, he's mentioned Noah more than he should have for someone whom he barely knows but, it's normal to talk like that about someone. 

"How would you know? You came from hell," he smirks and they throw open the kitchen door, covered with a pretty lace curtain. 

"You take that back before I tell Noah you have a crush on him."

"I DON'T!" It's pretty loud for someone who wouldn't be bothered that, considering he obviously doesn't have a crush on him. Duh. "I don't. I don't. I don't. If you tell him that, I will come for you in the wee hours of the night."

Ashley snorts, throwing back newly dyed burgundy which smells really good though it was dyed by an old grandma who had really nasty looking hands. "If you don't have a crush on him, why are you so hot and bothered, babe?"

"Just don't make that joke in front of him," he hisses and they step out onto the cobble stoned path of the yard. 

Noah's sitting in a different wheelchair at the far end of the yard. His front is shielded but the creamy pastel colors of his jacket are visible through the gaps in the back of the chair. Conan feels his face light up and lips form a wide grin. He's usually conscious of smiling because he's insecure what his teeth look like. Not now though. He doesn't give a fucking shit. 

Noah waves when Conan waves at him. It's a short and fast wave, like a flag flowing in the wind and drooping down slack. He smiles at Ashley for a second before dropping his gaze back to the ground. The rubber band is around his wrist. Conan wonders if Noah believes it to be a part of his skin. 

"Where'd you get scratched?" Conan asks immediately. 

"Feeding the raccoons?" Ashley asks and Noah nods though it's not particularly directed at either of them. "You went to the-?"

"I had the vaccine for rabies but just in case," Noah shrugs, pulling the sleeve of his jacket up. His skin is clean and soft but near the joint, there are two large gashes, shabbily covered with bandages. 

"Not funny," Conan looks at his arm pointedly, on the bandages with raccoon drawings on them. Ashley chuckles. "Diane told us not to get involved in raccoon business."

"Fine," he murmurs, picking up a plastic bucket from the ground. Conan offers him a smile for handing him the bucket which Noah doesn't even see. It doesn't bother him because he understands it's a part of his diagnosis. "Um, can.."