Chapter Text
When I got a call at seven in the morning from Noah I was ready to blow up. He knows I hate waking up early. Ignoring the bridling rage, I grab my phone and accept the call—making sure it’s on speaker.
The other side of the call was silent except for a weird buzzing static coming through.
Narrowing my brown eyes, I groan and decide to get out of my bed. Picking the device up, I bring it close to my face. “Yooo, Noah? Helloooooo, anyone there?” The responding silence did nothing to calm my nerves.
Okay, maybe he accidentally called me in his sleep.
Biting my lower lip, I debate wherever I should just go and check out Noah's apartment to make sure he is okay. Sure he lives with his mum and little brother, Kris, but, knowing him, he probably did something like knock himself out and called his only knight in shining armour. Rolling my eyes, I make quick work getting out of my pyjamas and getting into some casual clothes.
I clutch my fluffy jacket close to my body, it's a special thing to me, okay? Don’t judge!
Besides it's warm.
Shutting the door of my little apartment, I head down the street at the crack of dawn—ready to give my best friend an earful for waking me up.
Fucking weird. That’s the first thing to pop into my head as I got to Noah’s place. No one was around except Kris, which isn’t too weird in itself, if not for the fact that Kris is telling me about how his big brother is going off to save the world.
”Oooookay, back up a foot bud, Noah is saving the world? The Noah who doesn’t even know how to properly cook eggs, that Noah. C’mon, Kris, Y’know I hate pranks, where is he? Hiding in the closet in the hall? Your ma’s room?”
Kris just gave me a raised brow at my dramatics. “No, actually, he is in Peru, or at least that’s what Mirage told me, said he can’t explain too much in case the evil guys are listening over the communications,” he grumbled. He eventually left the door to his room he was leaning on to jump onto his bed. With quick movement he pulled out a small walkie-talkie from under his pillow.
Eyeing the device, I tilt my head curiously towards Kris. “So what, you’re keeping in contact with your brother through some random person who claims they are in Peru?” I blurt out with suspicion laced in my voice. I still believe that this is all some big elaborate prank they are pulling on me for eating all their leftover lasagna the last time I was over.
”Yup, pretty much, I did threaten that if Noah got hurt I would hunt down Mirage, so he keeps me in the loop at all times,” Kris grins, fiddling with the device between his hands.
”Sorry but who is this Mirage again?”
”Oh! You’ll love him, he's a real good guy to talk with, at least better at talking than you and Noah,” Kris slyly grinned.
”Hey! I can be good at talking! I mean—what about, that err, that time I... shouted at that guy... Got him away before, uh—before he snatched your stuff outside the hospital? Yeah! I am great at that stuff. Yup.”
Rolling his eyes, Kris just grumbles something under his breath before responding a ‘sureeee.’
Trying not to let the feeling a kid is out talking me, I go and sit beside Kris. “Well, is there anyway I can help your brother… I mean, can I talk with this, Mirage? I wanna just… understand what exactly is going on.” Kris watches me silently, trying to find something before relenting on his intense stare off. “Okay, but, just be warned, Mirage can be a handful sometimes when talking with, he likes to gloat and talks about himself a lot.” Smirking, I grab the walkie talkie, flipping a side of my hair over my shoulder.
”Kris, you know I am the most dramatic person you’ve met, Mirage has nothing on this.”
Leaning against his wall next to his bed, he raises his hands, palms open. “Alright, just don’t say I didn’t warn you when it bites you in the arse,” he quips sarcastically.
Deciding to get over the anxious suspicion of this whole thing, I eye the buttons on the device.
Looking back up my eyes meet the ones of Kris.
”Uh, mind helping a buddy out?”
With a groan, Kris slouches forward and presses a green button. The thing comes to life with a loud static before slowly dying down to a low hum. As I listen intently, Kris smiles down at the device as if it’s a two way camera.
“Hey, Mirage! You there?”
The line was filled with just static before a smooth voice filtered through.
”…Kris? Hey man! What’s got you up at this time? I thought your regular recharge pattern had you waking up later?”
”Yeah, I would be but I had someone unexpected interrupt my sleep,” Kris gives me a pointed look.
Scoffing undignified by the obvious jab, I pout my lip out dramatically at Kris.
”Someone unexpected? Are you safe? Did someone break into your home? Where are you now—“
Interjecting quickly, Kris cuts the voice off with a small laugh, “Nah, I’m fine, however the person with me is quite… irked. They think my brother got kidnapped right now or that I’m lying about what I told her.”
Blinking at Kris, I cross my arms along my chest. “Well, maybe if someone hadn’t told me firstly that Noah is in Peru and started explaining what is going on with a little more information than—he’s saving the world!—I may have been more inclined to believe you,” I scoffed.
The room was silent with just the sound of the static coming from the device.
”Wow, you sound way more dramatic than Noah.”
Eye about ready to twitch, I grab the walkie-talkie off Kris and bring it close to my face.
”Listen hear mate, as far as I am aware, you’re some random arse stranger who has kidnapped my best friend, manipulated his younger brother and probably selling said older brother to a ring! So you better start talking or I’m going to the police,” I hiss out, getting more angry by the second.
At Kris worried look, I feel my anger quickly leave me. Shit, did I just piss off the guy that has Noah? What if he lets his anger out on him. Fuck! I am so stupid, why did I just do that. He is probably going to kill him now. As I panic internally I don’t notice the slow laugh building up from the other side of the device.
”Man, if I wasn’t so worried about you making a rash decision I’d say that was cute, however, I don’t want you calling the police so listen, I’ll tell you what you want and you leave the feds out. Capish?”
Debating his words carefully in my head, I felt a deep urge to speak up.
”You’re not going to hurt Noah...?”
As soon as my words caught up to my brain I felt my muscles tense. Fuck. I should’ve just ignored the topic all together, now he might get ideas. A small hand rests on my arm. Seeing Kris watch me, I see him studying my face. He probably sees the internal conflict practically grinding my brain to a heap of sludge right now.
”Hey, Iris, it’s okay. Mirage is a good guy, he is helping Noah save the world. Remember I told you what he is doing?”
Nodding stiffly, I am broken out of my little bubble with Kris as Mirage speaks up.
”Sorry to break your little moment but did you ask if I would hurt Noah?”
Feeling stupid all of a sudden, I feel my throat constrict up.
”I—well, I had, you see—I thought that you, he, umm. Y’know I didn’t actually believe it but I… am starting to feel like this isn’t fake. That you aren’t lying... Are you really helping Noah?”
”Helping Noah? As if he gave me a choice, especially Kris—protective little guy!—he also probably told you some stuff about what’s going on, about Noah, besides, I wouldn’t hurt a single mark on him, he is my bro, bro’s stick out for one another. Right, Kris?”
Perking up from his spot Kris replies, “Yup!”
Slumping against the wall against Kris bed, I rub a tired hand along my face.
”So you and Noah are saving the… world?”
”Yup.”
Sighing loudly, I lean sideways to watch Kris. He is getting up to get something, as he leaves the room, I realise how staggering it is with just me and… Mirage.
”Mirage.”
”Oh—uh yeah?”
”That’s a weird name, how’d you get it? Pick it up with a group of friends or something?”
”…”
”Uh, sorry that was rude—“
”Nah it’s okay, actually, it kinda is… a friend thing. I suppose. Just where I’m from it isn’t that weird, I get that being here it is… different.”
Feeling guilty, I bite my lower lip.
”Sorry, I didn’t mean to make you feel out of place, I’m sure it fits you perfectly.”
The sudden laughter and smugness that comes from Mirage’s voice has me guessing that I just stroked this guys ego…
”Well of course it does! After all, I’m Mirage, baby.”
After chatting with Mirage with Kris by my side, I had a few things to think about. Apparently Mirage is apart of some secret military group that Noah got caught up with. Because, of course that dimwit would get caught up in some secret military shit. Mirage was able to clear up that when they had been in a fight with some of the guys they are after, Noah was caught up within the crossfire.
Dumbass.
They brought Noah with them because he is at risk of being identified by the group and the idiot wanted to help them. I can’t help but let the adoration of the man I’ve come to known as a brother fill my heart. Ever since I’ve met the man, he has always looked out for his family. He was awkward and shy at first but slowly gained confidence to be himself around me. Some assumed we would eventually date but I ain’t seen the man like that. Noah has also told me that he sees me more as a sister too, which helped the anxiety that stuck in me settle. I never wanted to hurt Noah, even if I had to reject him, it would hurt us both.
Of course, with explaining that they may identify Noah, I brought up the point about his family. I don’t want his ma and Kris getting caught up in… whatever the hell this is. Kris is already too deep in this mess, I don’t want him physically in it too. To be caught in the crossfire.
Mirage was able to ease my thoughts by telling me they hadn’t seen Noah’s face but it would be safer for him to go with them anyways.
Deciding to let that drop, I was able to be given brief details about how they gotta shut down some massive weapon that could very well end the whole world.
Great, might as well enjoy whatever I want to eat—if the world does end, I wanna at least die eating what I want!
Back to the present, I am currently sat at the kitchen table with Kris, the young boy had told me his mother had left earlier on that morning which is why it’s just me and him. With some eggs I cooked for both of us, sided with crispy toast—we ate in content silence.
Feeling a prickling sensation along my skin, I look up and catch Kris watching me.
Was he staring at me?
”What’s up, bud?”
Taking a few seconds, he pushes his toast with his finger nervously.
”I just don’t want Noah to be gone… what he is doing, what they are doing, he might—he might die.”
With wide eyes I freeze at the tears starting to spill down his face. Shit. I ain’t been good helping people with tears. Looking around wildly, I spot a glass and fill it swiftly with water. Rushing over, I place it down in front of the boy and place a hesitant hand on his back. He breathes out a small ‘Thank you.’ But his mind is definitely elsewhere at the moment.
“Hey, hey, don’t be like that. Noah ain’t going anywhere bud, knowing him, he’ll crawl back here from Peru I’d he had too, just to see you again. He loves you heaps and I ain’t saying that lightly Kris. He would move the world for you.”
Turning around in his chair, Kris snaps harshly at me, I flinch back away from the sudden outburst.
”That’s the point! H-he would do that, he would do the impossible even if at his life! I just want him back! Mir—Mirage promised he’ll look after his back but… what if it’s not enough?”
Taking a deep breath I crouch in front of Kris slowly.
Watching me behind blurred eyes, I lean forward in a silent question.
‘Do you need a hug?’
Accepting my arms, Kris clings tightly to me.
We both stay there embracing one another, Kris hanging onto me as if Noah’s life depends on it. Rubbing soothing circles on the boy’s back I mumble against Kris shoulder, reassuring him that I believe Noah will be back. He always comes back.