Chapter Text
“No… not them!”
Those were the last words Noah had heard from Chris as the yacht sailed past the island. It was the fourth season of Total Drama, and the island, now radioactive after two seasons of being a toxic waste dump, had become completely uninhabitable. This time, 13 new contestants were brought in to compete, with the previous cast no longer eligible. The former contestants, now on a yacht provided by the producers, were being quickly whisked away from the hazardous island.
As the island shrank into the distance, Noah thought bitterly, Of course. He expected nothing less from Chris or the producers. Chris was an insufferable jerk, always condescending, crude, and completely indifferent to the well-being of his contestants unless it might land him in legal trouble. Noah couldn’t stand him and often questioned why he even signed up for the show in the first place.
One quick laugh, one quick buck. That’s all it ever was to Chris—nothing shocking about it.
After three seasons of physical abuse, humiliation, and torture for the sake of "entertainment," Noah found himself still empty-handed, missing out on the million dollars. Instead of competing, the producers had stuck him in Toronto to watch the new season unfold from a hotel near the island. Noah knew the original cast was bound to get roped into the fourth season, like pawns for ratings. He wasn’t stupid. He knew how the industry worked; Chris still needed them, no matter what.
As soon as the yacht docked, Noah made a quiet escape to his assigned room, avoiding the others, who were too absorbed in their own drama to notice. The idea of peace and solitude was a relief after everything. He had never been much of a people person, and after everything that happened in past seasons, being around the others was mentally draining. He could barely tolerate anyone, except maybe Owen, Izzy, Eva, or Cody.
At last, alone in his room, Noah sighed in relief as the door clicked shut behind him. He flicked on the lights, dropped his bags by the bed, and dug through them to find the book he’d been reading. Finally, something familiar. He sank into the bed and started reading, immersing himself in the words and the comforting solitude.
It was peaceful for about an hour, but the quiet didn’t last. Noah heard footsteps approaching and figured it was either a staff member or someone heading to their own room. Moments later, a soft knock echoed through the door.
“What?” Noah asked flatly, eyes still on his book.
"...Can I come in?" a familiar voice replied.
It was Cody.
Noah sighed, audibly irritated. “Whatever.”
The door creaked open, and Cody slipped inside, closing it behind him. A smirk played across Cody's face as he looked at Noah. "You get a free vacation, and you’re spending it hiding in your room?” Cody teased.
Noah didn’t bother looking up from his book. “Enlighten me,” he replied, his voice devoid of emotion. “Like you’ve got something better to do. Why are you bothering me?”
"Hey! I just wanted to say hi!" Cody retorted, crossing his arms, his tone defensive. His eyes shifted to the floor, avoiding Noah’s gaze. “You sort of disappeared as soon as we got here.”
Noah glanced up, rolling his eyes. Why did Cody care? They were friendly, sure, but they weren’t close. Why was Cody so fixated on him? What about Gwen, Trent, or even Sierra? “Why does it matter?” Noah asked, pausing before adding, “It’s exhausting being around everyone. Constant drama—it’s tiring.”
Noah returned to his book, trying to focus. He heard Cody start to say something but then hesitate. For a moment, Noah wondered if he’d been too harsh, and the awkward silence began to settle in. Then, Cody found his voice again. “I mean... I consider you a friend,” Cody said, sheepishly glancing at his hands as they fidgeted. “And I care about my friends.”
A sigh escaped Cody’s lips, and Noah raised his eyebrows at the sound. “Come on, Noah,” Cody groaned, clearly frustrated by Noah’s aloofness. It surprised Noah—Cody, of all people, was usually upbeat. “You’re not still mad about Alejandro, are you?”
Alejandro? Noah’s irritation had nothing to do with him. “No,” Noah said flatly. “I’m not mad that I lost a million dollars to an eel dipped in grease, Cody.”
“Noah, he didn’t even win.”
“Neither did Heather.”
Noah sighed, realizing that as long as Cody was here, there would be no regaining his focus. Cody seemed determined to stick around. Reluctantly, Noah placed the bookmark in his book and set it aside, his half-lidded eyes and raised eyebrows conveying his frustration. “Again, why are you bothering me? Don’t you have some girl to go perv on?”
“Gwen? She’s—”
“—Swapping spit with Duncan?”
“Yeah.”
Noah's eyes widened, realizing too late that he might have gone too far. He knew how much Cody liked Gwen and despised Duncan. Honestly, Noah didn’t get the appeal of Duncan either. Still, he almost felt bad seeing Cody’s expression shift from frustration to embarrassment. “Was that too much?” Noah asked, retracting a little.
“No, it’s fine,” Cody replied, though his eyes avoided Noah’s. He paused awkwardly, clearly searching for words. “To be honest, I don’t really like her that much anymore. I still care about her as a friend, but if she’s happy with him, then I’m happy for her... even if I still don’t like Duncan.”
“Please don’t tell me you’ve fallen for Ms. Stalkerlicious,” Noah quipped.
Cody’s eyes widened in panic. “No! Definitely not. She’s a good friend, but that’s all it is, and I’d like it to stay that way.”
“Hm.”
Cody hesitated before continuing, “I just... wanted to see how you were doing. I know we didn’t talk much last season since we were on different teams, and there’s been this weird tension because of... you know, that thing we never talk about. But—” He stopped mid-sentence, his face suddenly turning beet red as if he’d just realized what he was saying. He scratched the back of his head nervously. “Sorry, I-I’m rambling, aren’t I?”
“Yep.”
Cody stepped back, clearly flustered. “Oh... well, I’m just gonna go now.”
“Okay.”
“Bye.”
“Bye.”
Noah watched as Cody left, the door quietly clicking shut behind him. The silence settled in again, and for a moment, Noah felt relieved. But then he wondered if he’d been too harsh, too cold. He knew Cody meant well—Cody cared about him. But Noah also knew that he had a habit of pushing people away, especially those who tried to get close. It just seemed safer that way. After all the betrayal and backstabbing he'd seen, letting someone in felt like inviting pain.
Sighing, he opened his book again and resumed reading. Maybe tomorrow he’d try to talk to Cody—when he wasn’t feeling so tired.