Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Alejandro observed Noah, smile itching at the corner of his lips. He was trying hard to hide it, absolve himself from any blame.

There was no other outcome, Alejandro had won. The least he could do was take credit for what he had done.

Noah knew that was probably asking too much of him. He accepted his elimination as fact the second they lost— owe his prediction up to knowing Alejandro’s petty nature. He insulted the guys character, ergo he deserved to get thrown off the plane.

They shouldn’t have lost in the first place, they had done everything right. ‘Catch the Ripper’ Chris said, clearly that wasn’t enough. It wasn’t fair but, Noah could only accept the punches as they came. Laying back and taking it was what he was good at, watching from the sidelines as his fellow competitors (his ‘friends’) got booted one by one.

Ironic how the one time he tried to help it blew up in his face. It made it hard to want to keep going— to try and save himself from his fate. Who cared anymore, he had done his part.

Alejandro had plot armor.

He simply didn’t.

That was that.

It was no big surprised when his name was called, Chef handing him a parachute to slip onto his back.

The parachute felt heavy, his hands gripped the sides tightly— the force turned his knuckles a lighter shade, straining from the effort. The wind blew his hair every which way, blurring his fellow teammates in his vision.

This was it, the end.

He doubted he would get another shot, he failed twice. No third times the charm for him, no requiem.

“It pains me to see you go.” Alejandro said, he was the first one to speak, his words dripped with fake sorrow— there was no doubt no matter how authentic it came across.

“Yeah, sure… I bet you’ll be sobbing into your pillow tonight.” Noah said, rolling his eyes. He was done with Alejandro’s charade, pretending that he gave a crap about anyone other than himself.

Noah knew he was being hypocritical but, at least he pretended to care about other people, Alejandro did it purely to gain an advantage. Every part of him was fake, how could no one else see that.

“Don’t worry Noah I-I promise that I’ll be sob… “ Owen couldn’t even finish the sentence, breaking down in tears. He held his arm up to his face, blocking the painful sight from view. Noah appreciated his sentiments but, they did nothing to hide the unease in the back of his mind—the fresh feeling of failure disguised in apathy.

“You don’t have to do that dude it’s fine I’ll see you in a couple weeks.” Noah said, hand touching Owen’s arm gingerly. He was surprised Chris was letting him speak to them but, he wasn’t about to refuse an opportunity to say goodbye. He was angry but, that didn’t mean he would shut Owen out. The big guy didn’t deserve that.

“Alright enough with the goodbyes I need you gone so I can cut this footage.” Chris chimed in, expectedly, exasperated sigh escaping him. Noah fought the urge to snap at him.

Whatever.

He was done, he didn’t care enough about anyone else on the team to spare them a glance.

“I’m coming quit your whining.” Noah said, willing himself to take a step— it was hard convincing himself to move towards the open door hearing the wind whipping around him. He felt frozen, feet set in the ground at the thought of having to jump out of the plane; again.

Noah was almost relived when he felt someone grab his arm, tilting his body back towards the benches. It was Alejandro, Noah immediately saw the bracelet wrapped around his wrist.

What was he up to now? Noah had no ideas seeing as he was out of the competition.

“I meant what I said amigo it had to be this way.” Alejandro explained, like he cared about Noah’s opinion of him. The guy had voted him out minutes earlier, Noah wasn’t in the mood to hear any rendition of ‘his side of the story’. All he wanted to do was lay down and never think about Total Drama again.

He doubted any of that would be happening but, it was nice to dream.

“Don’t try that with me..” Noah said, narrowing his eyes, A couple more second passed before Noah snatched his wrist away from him, ignoring the apparent puppy dog eyes he spotted on his face. What was his deal? He didn’t really regret what he did, he never regretted it.

Noah didn’t ponder it further, keeping his eyes strained forward at the open door.

In one last display of solidarity he held his hand up, a small wave meant only for Owen.

“See you around..” Noah said numbly, eyes watering up regrettably. He would miss Owen, only him. He would be Alejandro’s next target and Noah knew he could do nothing to stop it.

That wasn’t to say he couldn’t try to help.

“And beware of eels!” Noah said, loud enough for the entire team to hear. He didn’t want to leave it up to chance so he pointed an accusing finger straight at Alejandro. Noah cherished the way his face fell, if only for a moment before it was replaced by a cruel smile.

“Bye little buddy!” Owen said earnestly. Noah wondered if anything he did would make a difference.

“See you dude tell Lindsay I said hi.” Tyler said, finally joining the conversation. Noah didn’t hate him but, he was annoyed with his compliance.

“Good riddance nerd.” Duncan added. Noah did hate him given the lip piercing Duncan had nearly given him at the end of the first season— that was only the most pressing thing.

Noah didn’t bother to respond, nodding to Chef who stood near the doorway. His face remained blank, eyes connected with his for one last goodbye.

“Any day now it’s not like I’m on a time crunch.” Chris said, clearly not in the mood to watch some big dramatic moment.

Noah gripped onto the edge of the doorframe, feeling the wind race by him. It was cold, goosebumps pricking his skin. He would have to jump, or Chris would throw him out of the plane himself.

He acknowledged the racing of his heart, the fear that coursed through his veins. That didn’t stop his fingers from slowly slipping free, body leaning forward until he embraced the clouds.

The drop was instantaneous, his stomach bunching up in a knot. He could barely keep his hand on the cord with his limbs were flailing around.

He was falling, he was going to die, he could see the ground getting closer.

Noah was logical but, the fear was overriding any sane thought. It was due to pure instinct alone that he realized when to pull the cord— the white material that expanded behind him served as a large relief.

It was a working parachute, he was okay.

“Leave it to Chris to give me a heart attack, just add to the humiliation why don’t you.” Noah complained.

The wind no longer felt dangerous but, comforting. The breeze flowed around him like they were in sync, cutting through the sky like a knife to butter.

The feeling was nice, Noah couldn’t tell if it was simply relief at not barreling towards the ground.

Noah’s looked upwards, watching the plane continue on its journey. Screw that flying death machine. He didn’t need Total Drama anymore , he was done with the drama. (for lack of a better word.)

Noah's eyes were forced downward as scenery filled his vision. He didn’t recognize his surroundings, seeing a couple trees and a house that he doubted he would land next to.

The wind was blowing him further and further away, his hand hesitated on the pack around his back. He had to be ready to land. Seeing that he had taken Chris’ mandatory safety class he had absolutely no idea how to.

“The working parachute is nice and all but, it sure would be great if we were taught how to land.” Noah vented to the air in front of him.

The ground was rapidly approaching and-

Scratch that a lake was in his way, the wind deciding to torment him further. Not only did he have to figure out a way back but, he would have to do it with wet clothes if the parachute got its way.

Noah tried to tug his body away from the lake but, it only encouraged the wind. The breeze pushed him closer and closer to the lake as his feet dangled meters above the body of water.

“This is all that slimy eels fault..what was he trying to do anyways, get me on his side as I was about to jump out of the plane…real smart move.” Noah pondered, cringing as his shoes hit the water.

Noah quickly slipped the parachute off, deciding to get it over with and truly soak his clothes. The pack would only make him more likely to drown and, Noah wasn’t in the mood.

“I guess that wasn’t so bad.” Noah said as his feet touched the bottom of the pool. It wasn’t as deep as he thought, water only going up to his shoulders.

Noah knew he needed to stop jinxing himself as he felt something brush up against his leg. A slimy something.

“What the hell..”he muttered, trying to wade through the water. The faster he got out the faster he could find a way back. Knowing Chris there was probably some sort of crew that he had sent out to find him—he was a necessity for the aftermath segment apparently.

Noah felt something brush up against his other leg.

He reached his hand down to be met with sparks. Sparks was the wrong word it was more like a current of straight electricity flowing through him. The water only made it worse, his muscles clenching up as he tried to flinch back.

The water made it difficult but, he fell— his head took on water and all he could see was blurry mud and rocks swimming around him.

Half of his body felt petrified until the searing sensation in his hand and leg stopped.

Through the murky water he could see something small, snake like, attempting to escape him.

It was an eel. An electric eel given his impromptu shocking.

Typical.

Noah tried to flail around but, his muscles felt weak—pain was shooting up his body while his heart beat nearly out of his chest. He had never been shocked before but, the sensation wasn’t a pleasant one.

Feeling weak Noah began to grow worried about drowning, unable to take the large gasps of air his body wanted him too.

As his lungs began to burn he felt arms wrap around him, pulling him to the surface.

Noah coughed, gasping for air as his body hung limp.

The pain was already fading, replaced with pure adrenaline that dulled any feeling. Noah was thankful as it hurt. It hurt a lot.

“Hey careful I got him..it’s okay you're going to be fine.” A voice behind him said—an intern by the green shirt and khakis.

“I’m…..”

“Fine.” Noah said, mouth feeling dry as he was laid out on the ground.

“Yeah sure and that wasn’t an electric eel that just shocked you.” The intern responded, gesturing to another intern standing over him.

“Alright stay with me we’re going to treat these burns and get you back transported back to the set for examination.”

The set, right.

It was exactly where he wanted to go after falling out of a plane and getting shocked by some stupid, slimy, eels.

This was all Alejandro’s fault. Every single thing and, more.

Noah pictured his cruel smile as he was carried away. His emerald green eyes watching as he was treated for electrical burns. His hand on him, grip tightening as he hovered over him.

That slimy eel.

Noah didn’t want to think about him ever again.

He had won.

Noah was done.

Chapter Text

Noah wasn’t a shut in.

Back home he went out, even frequenting a couple school sporting events— if only to campaign for student government. He hadn’t enjoyed them but, he could say that he’d gone.  There was also the various clubs and extracurriculars that he’d dragged himself to for college applications— there was also the rare outings with friends. Making the word ‘friends’ plural was probably an exaggeration, he didn’t have a lot of those— Surprising, he knows, with his outgoing personality.

It never bothered him before but, having Owen —maybe he could count Izzy and Eva although, he hadn’t talked to either of them since season one outside of a passing remark— made him rethink everything. Having friends wasn’t so bad, albeit annoying on occasion.

Seeing him shut in his hotel room, blanket wrapped around him and eyes glued to the TV, no one would assume any of that was true.

After the week he had he deserved to have some peace and quiet to recover.

It had been a day or so since the interns treated his electrical burns --courtesy of the eel. They applied some generic ointment to his skin and stuck, what felt like, a full roll of gauze on both his hand and lower leg.  The initial tightness of the bandages hurt but, the pain had lessened significantly since then. All that remained was a dull throbbing when he moved. He was lucky, as lucky as he could be having been electrocuted,  the eel only brushed his leg— his hand took the brunt of the assault. The doctors doubted it would scar but, it still hurt.

Aside from his impromptu meeting with an electric eel he was fine, the medics discharged him after a quick examination at the studio. He was told that there wouldn’t be any permanent internal damage, as long as he took it easy for the week. Noah didn’t need a doctors note to stay shut in his room, ignoring the gossip that tended to fly around the set of a reality television show.

Seeing Gwen, and then Leshawna—Bridgette too— Noah was thankful he went out the way he did. His elimination wasn’t some big dramatic moment, he wasn’t blindsided; the results weren’t even a surprise. It was of his own volition that he’d been booted from the plane with Alejandro’s smiling face staring down at him. His face haunted his nightmares, pearly smile blinding. He couldn’t escape the guy no matter what he did. Noah could feign apathy at the situation if anyone asked but, he recognized the feeling Alejandro’s presence drudged up.

It was festering under his skin.

Anger.

He was angry at Alejandro for discarding him like he was trash.

It hurt.

More than Noah liked it to.

Noah swaddled himself tighter in the fluffy blanket, desperate to escape the feeling.

The blanket was part of the small welcome basket that sat on his table when he arrived at his room. The other items in the basket included some toiletries and, a couple bags of snacks Noah hadn't touched. It wasn't exactly exciting but, it was the thought that counted.

He, along with all the eliminated contestants, had been given rooms at a large hotel during their time on Total Drama Aftermath, God forbid they see their families when the producers could be making a quick buck on teenage drama.

Noah knew the only reason he wasn’t being harassed about the show was because of his bed ridden status. The second the doctor’s note expired he would be carted down to the audience, maybe even given his own segment. Noah would have preferred death to talking about his elimination on live TV— Alejandro being the sole reason why. Having his misery engraved on live television would only make Alejandro happier. Noah could picture his cruel smile from the elimination ceremony all over again.

Noah felt his fist clench, trying to supress whatever emotion was bubbling to the surface. It worked, for a moment, before a sharp pain shot up his arm.

“Crap.” He muttered, cradling his injured hand with his other. Why was Alejandro getting him so worked up? The game was done and, he was fine with that.

Nothing would change his mind.

Noah didn't want to think about it any further (he wasn't scared, he didn't get scared) so, he turned forward: the colors of the TV swirled together in his vision. It was mindless, it was nice.

Noah wasn’t sure how much time had passed before he heard a prompt knock on the door.

The sound drew Noah’s attention away from the TV in front of him-- out of his trance like state.

Noah was tired. Moving from his spot was the last thing he wanted to do but, he’d already gained a reputation for being a jerk; he didn’t want to make it worse when he would eventually have to show his face on Total Drama Aftermath.

“I’m coming.” Noah said, unaware if the person on the other side could hear him.

No one answered his confirmation of life. The doorway remained silent as he stumbled out of bed.

Why was he even making such an effort? He probably looked like crap.

He knew he did, his hair was disheveled and there was a myriad of wrinkles on the one pair of clothes he had been given.

Whatever, who cared?

Him apparently.

Noah dropped his socked feet onto the carpet.

The door stayed silent as he observed it, the light sneaking under the door from the hall gave it an ominous glow.

Dread manifested in his gut at the thought of seeing someone’s face. It had been a couple of days since he returned and, he hadn’t had to face anyone yet. They probably knew he was there but, Noah was glad no one decided to check on him—until now.

A low sigh echoed across the room as Noah began his trek towards the door. It was a lumbering walk, feet dragging on the carpet.

Noah nearly cried tears of joy when he saw a small envelope slide under the door. It barely managed to cross the thin crack, paper crinkling as whoever was on the other side struggled.

“I totally got it..look.” A voice outside the room said, hand retreating. It sounded vaguely like Geoff but, Noah couldn’t be sure.

He was too out of it to infer much of anything. All he cared about was the fact that he wouldn’t have to talk with anyone. It was a win in his book.

Noah paused, eyes locked in a staring contest with the piece of paper.  Whoever was on the other side didn’t say anything else, the soft sound of footsteps on carpet replacing speech. The mystery visitor(s) had left, along with any probability of social interaction. Noah couldn’t help but smile as he reached down to pick up the note.

It was a white envelope with a large red seal keeping it closed. The seal had the hotel logo on it, probably from the small office desk Noah observed in the corner of his own room.

There was no denying that Noah was a bit curious— unnerved too. What was the purpose of the note, was it something bad, a summons to the aftermath studio?

Noah didn’t waste a second peeling the seal as he walked over to an orange chair. It was located on the side of his room, near a window with the curtains drawn. Noah had shut the curtains himself when he first arrived, the sun shinning straight into his eyes.

Now he opened them, letting the sun light filter into the room. The sight made his vision blur with spots for a moment before clearing up. Maybe getting out would be good for him, everything looked muddled in his vision and, staying in his room sulking wasn’t exactly making him feel better.

The chair cushions felt like rocks but, Noah ignored the discomfort. The letter currently in his hands took up his thoughts.

Noah didn’t bother to grab a letter opener from the office desk so he tore at the envelope with his fingers. He followed the line, envelope giving way until it revealed an unassuming piece of paper folded in a neat rectangle.

Had that been Geoff at the door he must have had help, Noah doubted the guy could be this neat about anything. The thought only made him more nervous, anxiously unraveling the sheet of paper with his hands— the injured one stung slightly at the shaky motion.

The words were typed, Noah squinted at them. What did they want? Whoever they was. Noah wasn’t sure who would go through all this effort to write him a letter. He didn’t know anyone well enough to warrant this —barring Owen of course.

Starting on the first line of the letter things started to become clearer.

——

Dear Noah,

We heard from some of the crew that you arrived back on set. This was meant to be asked in person but, seeing as you haven’t come out of your room in a week we decided to write this letter instead.

You probably were unaware but, they released a new episode of the show, more importantly your elimination. It appears that Alejandro was responsible for it.

Getting to the whole point of this letter, we have a proposition for you. Meet us in the unused green room in the back of the studio tonight, 8pm. We will explain the details there but, we all share the same goal.

Getting revenge on Alejandro.

We hope you’ll accept this invitation. Or that you even get it, we hope the room number is right.

Sincerely,

Leshawna, Harold, Bridgette, and Geoff

——

Noah blinked, shock probably written all over his face.

His elimination had already been aired? No one had informed him before hand. Noah set the letter down on the table, taking a deep breath.

They formed a group? To take down Alejandro?  Noah wasn’t sure what to do with the information.

He could acknowledge that he was angry at Alejandro but, he didn't want to dwell in it. The competition was over and, the longer he sat in his rut the more Alejandro would win.

Noah gave his mostly dark room a sparring glance. The bed sheets were strewn aside without care, the TV was blaring some cult classic and, his blanket discarded on the floor in his hurry to get to the door.

He was doing such a great job not letting Alejandro get to him.

Who was he kidding, having a reason to get out of his room would a good thing.

It wouldn’t be the end of the world to hear them out-- to hear what they had planned for Alejandro. Owen was next on Alejandro's list afterall, it would be wrong of him to not attempt to help.

Alejandro didn’t deserve to win after hurting everybody else; not after he twisted everyone's emotions to suit his own needs. It was only fair that he get a taste of his own medicine.

As long as Noah made it clear to everyone that he hadn't accepted the invitation because of some petty grudge.

He had no right to hold a gruge seeing as he had screwed up. He hadn’t fallen victim to Alejandro, he made one stupid mistake-- he exposed himself. It was almost laughable how stupid he was, Alejandro didn’t even have to mess with his emotions.

An image of Alejandro’s sad smile filled his head. He could picture his hauntingly depressed eyes like he was back on the plane. The memory popped into his mind like someone had thrown a flash grenade; the image was blinding him.

It was Alejandro's fault, all of it.

Conveniently, at that very moment, Noah made up his mind.

He would go to the meeting.

Working together with the others wouldn’t be so bad.

It would give him something to do.

It was something to escape the boredom.

(Escape Alejandro)

Nothing more.

What else did he have to lose?

•••••••

Fun fact, hotel rooms carried irons.

Noah accidentally stumbled upon it having opened the closet to grab his shoes.

A couple minutes and a small burn (what was one more really?) later he had ironed his clothes— his shirt and vest anyways. The others may have known he was being anti-social but, he didn’t have to look the part. It was the reason he sparred a glance at the birds nest on his head, combing it quickly to tame the frizz.

Noah looked up at the analog clock on the wall, the red hand counting down the seconds. He had time, plenty of it to figure out where exactly he was supposed to go. A downfall of never leaving his room was not having a clear mental picture of the hotels lay out. (It was the same one he had stayed in during Action but, their rooms had probably been moved around.)

The door felt ominous as he starred  it down, picturing how he would look to the outside world. He wasn’t insecure about the small wraps of gauze around his body  but, it had certainly earned some stares when he was  brought up to his room—he didn’t feel like being asked anymore questions about what happened to him.

It was a small consolation that he only needed the bandages for a couple more days. The wounds would be healed enough to be exposed to air. Noah would be happy to be rid of the restrictive material, especially around his hand.

There was nothing else keeping him in his room so, he pulled the door open. He was met with a chill breeze as he stepped out into the hallway, hands crossing across his chest.

The hotel door shut behind him with a click. Thankfully Noah had slipped his room key into his pocket. He wasn’t getting locked out of his own room— and, he absolutely was not going to be forced to walk down to the front desk where the entire population of Toronto could see him.

The long hallway that laid beyond him was unimpressive. The carpet was the same shade of brown that his hotel room was with no variety. No surprise there. The walls were lined with weird paintings of plants and randomly shaped tables. Noah didn’t understand modern decor.

The space was quiet, thank God. Noah supposed he had nothing better to do than retrace his steps to the elevator. The film lot was connected to the hotel where they booked the contestants. That meant he simply had to remember where the hotel ended and the film studio began— given that the layout hadn’t been changed.

He would figure it out, he was smart enough.

Noah left behind his hotel door behind, shuffling the room number into his memories.

One step after the other he made his way down the hallway. He was careful not to put to much strain on his injured leg, keeping it elevated when possible. The nurse hadn’t given him an explicit order not to walk on it but, it was implied that he take it easy. He had laid around enough, it was probably fine.

The elevator wasn’t too far from his room, the long walls curving in a couple doors passed his own room. The hotel wasn’t cheap but, it certainly wasn’t five stars either. There were only two working elevators, both of which took forever to reach their destination. Noah didn’t complain as he hobbled into the waiting area, finger pressing the button. It lit up a red color; signifying that he had, in fact, pressed it.

Noah leaned against the wall to wait, the number starting from one. Figures, seeing as the hotel was vacant. The sector he was placed in was probably rented out for the airing of the show. It made sense seeing as they were still underage. Chris would probably get some angry phone calls if they were roomed next to adults.

“Any day now.” Noah said aloud, the elevator number going up to one and a half. Was that to mess with him or was it designed that poorly?

“Nolan?” Came a voice from Noah’s side. Somehow he had missed the sound of footsteps.

Noah turned his head seeing Lindsay standing in the entrance. She was wearing her usual clothes, head accessory a different shade of blue than normal. Noah noticed the high heels on the bottom of her feet, probably why he had missed the footsteps. He had to admit he was impressed that she wasn’t falling over.

“It’s Noah.” Noah responded as she stared at him blankly. Her and Tyler really were the perfect pair.

“Oh Noah right!” Lindsay said, clapping her hands together. She held a bag in her right hand, strap looped around her wrist. It looked like she was headed to the set. Noah wondered why she was going so late, maybe she had gotten a.m. and p.m. mixed up.

“What are you doing here?” She asked, pressing the button to the elevator. Noah didn’t bother to tell her that he already had.

“I’m headed to the set…”Noah trailed off, not bothering to elaborate.

“Oh yay that’s where I’m going we should go together.” Lindsay said, smiling.

Noah wanted to deny her offer but, he needed someone to show him the way— even if that person was Lindsay.

“Sure, if you can show me to the green rooms.” Noah said.

“Oh no problem I totally know where they are..I think I sat in one of them a while ago. The color totally clashed with my outfit but, I made it work.” Lindsay rambled. Noah let the information after ‘I know where they are’ flow in one ear and out the other.

Before Lindsay could say more, the elevator doors opened with a ding.

“Oh that was fast.” Lindsay said, walking into the elevator.

Noah followed after her, watching as she pressed the button for the ground floor. The door closed quickly, Noah shuffling awkwardly as the gears began turning.

“Hey Nolan, uhh do you know how my  Tyler’s doing?” Lindsay asked after a moment of silence. Noah was thankful for a break in the quiet.

“He’s fine..he told me to tell you hi .” Noah said dully, surprised that he was able to successfully relay Tyler’s message. It was the least of his worries when he was about to jump out of a plane.

“Oh yippee...!” Lindsay said, lovesick smile on her face.

Noah couldn’t think of anything else to say, crossing his arms as the elevator traveled down.

Lindsay wasn’t someone he talked to much, or even thought about. She was harmless, a little ditzy, (okay maybe a lot since season three) but, a strong player. She almost won the challenge in Paris by herself,  the only reason she had gone home was because of her rather terrible fashion sense. It was an impressive way to go out, in Noah’s opinion.

“Because I totally miss Tyson..no Tyler, I wonder when he’s coming back.” Lindsay continued, putting her finger to her chin. Noah didn’t feel like dealing with Lindsay’s cluelessness even if he needed her directions.

“I’m sure he’ll be around soon enough.” Noah comforted, knowing Alejandro and how he felt about her boyfriend.

“I hope so…”Lindsay said as the elevator doors opened. Noah silently let out a breath of relief. Finally.

“Oh we’re here, come on Nolan er..Nora?” Lindsay said, trying her best. Noah admired the effort.

“Noah.” He said as they both stepped out of the elevator.

“Right Noah sorry I’m trying I promise!” she said looking serious for once.

“It’s fine come on I need to get to the green room.” Noah said, bypassing the generic lobby towards the hallway.

“Which way?” he asked, looking down both halls.

“Oh um…this way the doors are over here, I think.” Lindsay said, looking around with confused.

Noah didn’t have a lot of faith in her directions but, he was willing to take a risk. He would admit that being out of his room felt nice. He could actually feel ‘fresh’ air and, the newish scenery was refreshing.

Lindsay took the lead, balancing on her heels as she walked down the hall. Noah had nothing better to do than follow, seeing double glass doors at the end. That looked promising, Noah hoped so because he didn’t feel like accidentally wandering into an area where the general public was present.

The second Lindsay opened the large glass doors Noah was overwhelmed with activity, mainly crew members rushing around.

“I told you it was this door…well here we are, the set. They attached it pretty close to the hotel this time.”Lindsay said, transforming into an unnecessary tour guide. Noah didn’t bother telling her that he had been on the set longer than she had.

“Come on I’ll take you to the green rooms.” Lindsay said, weaving her way through the attendants. How there was so much activity this late was beyond him. It made Noah rethink if his clock was set correctly.

“Hey you!” An attendant asked, stopping Lindsay in her tracks.

“Have you seen that guy in the cowboy hat I need him out here we have another segment to film and he’s gone!” She asked, freaking out.

“You mean Jeff?” Lindsay asked, confusion written on her face. Really when wasn’t her face lined with confusion.

“Yes the kid, have you seen him?”

“Oh no sorry…I’m just trying to help my friend here but, I’ll tell you if I see him.” Lindsay said politely.

Noah watched the attendants face fall, nodding her head.

“Alright I’ll keep looking.” She said, slinking away to another part of the studio.

“Sorry Nolan they’re pretty stressed out because of all the segments they’ve had to film…one of the guys was totally telling me everything the other day..he looked exhausted.” Lindsay said, frowning.

Noah ignored her comments, hoping that his walking would signal to her to keep moving.

“Ah sorry the green rooms..they’re right behind the stage come on.” Lindsay said, approaching the large stage where Noah had been forced to sit for the duration of Total Drama Aftermath. He could still recall the rock hard couches he sat on, chin leaning on his hand unimpressed. They hadn’t changed much, aside from the pillows. Morphing from stripes to polka dots. It felt like a pointless change but, Noah could care less—he was ashamed that he even noticed the fact.

Noah followed Lindsay up the steps, then through various curtains until he arrived at the true backstage area. It was as plain as he remembered. Costume racks and a makeup booth littering the space. There were a lot of costume racks, all having some iteration of Geoff’s signature pink shirt. Who needed that many of the same shirt.

What was he, a cartoon character?

“Umm…oh right here.” Lindsay said, stopping at a row of door with stars on them, all identical.

He would have to find the ‘unused green room at the back of the studio’ on his own.

“Thanks..” Noah said half heartedly. It wasn’t that he didn’t appreciate her help, his voice simply sounded like that.

“No problem, it was nice seeing you!” Lindsay said, giving him a hug—it wasn’t a side hug either but, a full on assault. Noah kept a straight face, feeling his face heat up. He hated hugs, they were humiliating.

“Yeah.”Noah said, stepping back as soon as she released him.

“Well I have to go..they told me to come here at 8 something for wardrobe.” Lindsay said smiling to herself. She definitely got the time wrong but, Noah figured someone else would tell her.

“Bye.” Noah said, watching her walk away. It was nice to be alone again, for all of five seconds.

The letter—which he had shoved in his pocket— had made it sound like the room would be obvious. Noah wasn’t sure that was the case as he walked down the row of green doors. The further down he went the less confident he was about accepting some cryptic invitation from the other contestants. They didn’t know him that well why did they bother writing him a letter? Did they need his help or did they have another idea.

Noah reached the last door in the row. The paint looked worn compared to the others and, the metal handle was muddled—its shine had long since vanished. His hand hesitated over to the door for a second, eyes darting down the hall. No one was there, the activity from outside all but, vanishing.

A chill ran down his spine, either from the AC or the unease.

One deep breath later and, Noah knocked on the door. He used his uninjured hand, the sound barely reaching his ears. Maybe he was simply deaf from Lindsay’s constant talking. That was probably it.

Noah heard shuffling from inside the room, whispers that he couldn’t make out. Had he gotten it right? Noah hoped so because he didn’t feel like making a bigger fool of himself. 

“I got it.” A voice finally said, clearly this time.

The handle twisted and the door was opened, a low creaking sound following the motion. Noah remained still, staring into the well lit room. He wasn’t sure what he was expecting, maybe something more ominous.

They (Harold, Geoff, Leshawna, Bridgette, and DJ??) sat on the two couches facing each other. Their eyes were all trained on Noah who stood in the open doorway awkwardly.

“You summoned me?” Noah asked dramatically.

It was time to get some answers.

Chapter Text

“You came.” Bridgette said, surprised. She was the first to speak, sitting with her arms crossed next to Geoff.

“Yeah…” Noah said, stepping into the room and, shutting the door. The silence was awkward, Noah wasn’t sure what he was supposed to say.

“I got your letter.” he added, if only to prove that he was supposed to be there.

Leshawna nodded to him.

“Alright, take a seat honey we were about to call this meeting to order.”

Noah bobbed his head, stealing a seat that was separate from both couches. He wouldn’t complain about not being pressed up against someone. He enjoyed things like personal space.

“Harold.” Leshawna said as they all stared at each other.

“Oh right..”he said standing up and staring straight ahead.

“I now call this meeting of the Alejandro Hate Club to order.” He said banging the gavel on the table. It echoed hollowly on the cheap wood.

“That’s what you're calling this?” Noah asked before he could stop himself. He was trying not to act like an asshole for once, that meant putting a damper on the sarcastic quips— attempting to anyways.

“We thought it summarized the point of the club pretty well..”Bridgette explained scratching the back of her head.

“Wait I don’t hate Alejandro why am I here?” DJ asked, panic written on his face. In his hands he held Irene—his pet fish from Newfoundland and, Alejandro’s plan in motion. Noah could still make out the Egyptian symbol painted on the side of the cod. It was impressive handy work even if it was Alejandro’s.

“Come on man Al totally eliminated you, didn’t you see the Jamaican episode?” Geoff asked, brow furrowed. Noah briefly wondered what he was even doing there. It could be related to the whole Bridgette pole kissing incident but, Noah wasn’t sure.

“But, I don’t care about that anymore..I’m happy to be out of the competition.” DJ said defensively.

“Are you happy knowing that you still have your animal curse?” Leshawna asked, pulling out that card of all things. Noah found the whole notion of a ‘curse’ preposterous but, DJ believed it so that had to count for something.

“No, but everything’s been fine so far.” DJ said not sounding very believable.

“Just sit in on this one meeting DJ, please. We need more members.” Bridgette pleaded.

“Alright, but I don’t hate anybody.” DJ said, adamant about that.

“Can we start the meeting now?” Harold asked.

“Yes let’s get down to business.” Bridgette said. From how she spoke it looked like she was the leader of sorts.

“First of all I would like to formally welcome DJ and Noah to the club, thank you for accepting the invitation.” Bridgette said smiling at them.

“I know you’re probably confused, sorry about the secrecy but, if the producers found out about this club it would definitely be televised.” Bridgette continued, Geoff nodding along like he wasn’t in cahoots with the higher ups during Action.

“Furthermore, this isn’t for fame. All of us here simply want revenge on the person responsible for our eliminations-” Bridgette made a fist with her hand.

“Alejandro.”

“He cannot be allowed to win the competition after what he’s done.” Bridgette finished.

There was a collective nod amongst the small group at the sentiments expressed.

“Now I’ll open up the meeting for discussion and questions.” Bridgette explained, taking a seat.

“Yeah I have a couple questions.” Noah said before anyone else got a chance to speak.

“Okay, spill it.” Bridgette said.

“What exactly is this supposed to accomplish?” Noah asked, it was the first question on his mind. Talking crap about Alejandro behind his back was nice and all but, Noah didn’t feel like wasting his time. (Maybe he was being petty seeing as he had nothing better to do.)

It was, surprisingly, Harold who answered.

“Ensuring that Al looses the competition.” Harold said bluntly.

“Yeah but, how? If you haven’t forgotten we’re out of the competition…last I checked we can’t do anything.” Noah said cynically. Maybe the club needed a voice of reason given their fantasies of revenge. Noah would have thought they at least had some sort of plan but, now he wasn’t so sure.

“Oh that may have been true last season but, this time they changed things up.” Geoff chimed in, smile on his face.

Noah’s eyebrow quirked upwards.

“Since everyone loved the Aftermath segments last season the producers decided to spice things up. Don’t tell anyone I told you but, during the finale the eliminated contestants will play a big role.” Geoff said.

“How big of a role?” Noah asked.

“Like deciding who gets an advantage in the final challenge.” Geoff said.

“Interesting.” Noah said, putting a hand to his chin.

“The only problem is no one told me how big of an advantage…I don’t even think I was supposed to know-“

“I mean they basically kicked me out of my own show for Blaineley.” Geoff vented, holding his cowboy hat over his head.

“Hey since she’s running part of the show you have more time to plot stuff with us.” Bridgette encouraged.

“I guess..”Geoff muttered, looking bitter about the whole thing. Noah was vaguely surprised that they had gotten the host of celebrity manhunt to host the show. Did they want to stir up drama that badly?

“So the plan so far is to wait around and hope we can trip Alejandro up enough to lose the million? Must I mention that he’s almost superhuman, I doubt being at a disadvantage will stop him.” Noah said, strategical mind taking over.

“That’s why we’re here dude, to think of a better plan.” Geoff said scratching the back of his head.

“But, that’s not all we’re here to do.” Bridgette added.

“We also come here to talk about the competition, Alejandro.” She explained as they all looked around.

Great he had accidentally walked into a group therapy session. Noah didn’t feel like talking about his feelings he wanted something to happen or he was going to go back to his room and sulk again.

The thought of doing that another day made him shift uncomfortably. He needed to stop letting Alejandro control him. He was better than that, he didn’t care. The only reason he had come to this stupid meeting was to help the others —he couldn’t have cared less about revenge. Alejandro had gotten the better of him and he was going to move on. That was all he could do.

“Oh so we get to talk about our feelings? That’s great…because I totally miss my mama.” DJ said, hugging the fishbowl containing Irene with a faraway expression on his face.

“Hey it’s okay the show will end soon and, then you’ll get to see her.” Bridgette comforted.

“Yeah and don’t forget you have us too.” Harold said proudly, pointing his thumb at himself.

“If we’re all sharing I’m still ticked off at Ale-jerk face. He needs a good slap or two.” Leshawna said, swinging one leg over the other.

The others mumbled in agreement.

“Don’t worry dude I’d like to give him a good one for kissing my girlfriend.” Geoff said, anger worn on his face.

“I totally wanna give him a slap too for eliminating my sweet Leshawna.” Harold said, trying to look brave. Noah doubted he would have the guts to do anything of the sort to his face.

“Oh Harold.” Leshawna said, shaking her head.

After that an uneasy silence took up the room, each of the contestants looking far away. Was that discomfort all because of Alejandro?

“What about you Noah?” Bridgette asked, trying to get him to join on the conversation. Noah hated being put on the spot. Teachers used to do it all the time being a typical quiet kid in school.

Answering the question they asked with the exact history of the answer and why it would work above any other options usually shut them up quickly.

Noah couldn’t do that here. They were asking for feelings. There was no correct answer to get them off his back.

Noah sighed.

“I don’t want to slap him, I want to throw him off the plane.” If only for Owen and, the others. Noah didn’t bother to explain anymore, they didn’t need to know that he actually cared about other people.

Noah fidgeted with the bandage on his hand as they stared at him awkwardly.

“Hey not to be nosy but, did Alejandro do all that to you?” Leshawna asked when he didn’t elaborate further.

“No, after I got kicked off the plane I landed in a pool of electric eels.” Noah said bluntly, figuring he might as well rip the bandaid off and tell them.

“Ouch dude that sucks.” Geoff said, wincing.

“Yeah.” Noah said, annoyance bubbling to the surface.

This was exactly what Alejandro wanted, to knock them down so they wouldn’t stand in the way of his victory. To have them mope instead of at least trying.

Noah didn’t care but, he cared enough to not stop the next thing that came out of his mouth.

“Okay I’m done this it isn’t getting us anywhere, if we really want Alejandro to pay for all this we need to be pro active. There’s gotta be a way to trip him up, I mean Geoff hosts the Aftermath segments, he’s gotta have some say on things, and even if he doesn’t I’m sure we can find something better to do than sit around and whine about that eel.” Noah said. He didn’t mean to sound cruel but, if he was going to listen to them complain he figured they should at least have some sort of plan to make things better.

Leshawna’s shocked face morphed to a wide grin.

“That’s the spirit.” She said like they had wanted him to get worked up all along.

“Well let’s cut the crap and get to the plans, there’s gotta be something to give that jerk wad his just deserts.” She said confidently, clearly done with the hate portion of the club for a little bit.

A small smirk wormed its way onto Noah’s face as Leshawna pulled out a couple pieces of paper from a bag in the ground. There were plans, ideas for getting revenge with crudely drawn art.

Maybe he could make this work. At the very least it was something to do to keep Alejandro’s face from
his thoughts.

That eel wouldn’t get to taunt him with his cruel smile again. That was a promise.

••••••••

Noah fell into a strange rhythm over the next week in a half.

He got up, he went down to the set, he caught up on Total Drama episodes, he seethed as Alejandro kept winning, he went to club meetings held every other day, he listened to them blab while a semblance of a plan formed, then he went back to his room and, feel asleep. Rinse and repeat sprinkling in some outings and, meetings with the other eliminated contestants— mainly Tyler and Gwen.

Gwen had already developed a reputation for her love triangle with Duncan so, Noah hadn’t managed to catch much of her. She was probably biding her time until the next episode of Aftermath aired, Noah didn’t blame her. If he kissed Duncan he would probably be hiding in his room too, albeit for an entirely different reason.

Tyler on the other hand was severely injured, being carted off to a nearby hospital for treatment. Noah had only caught the tail end of the drama when Tyler arrived back on set. Noah felt bad for him, especially seeing Lindsay’s face fall as her boyfriend was carted away.

Nothing else happened, aside from Owen and Duncan finally realizing how right he was. ‘I told them what I saw yet they only listen when I’m gone’ Noah ranted at one of the club meetings a couple days prior. He had started opening up more, sharing his opinions and, not reigning in the sarcasm.

The club may have not made much progress in terms of ideas but, Noah felt closer with all of them, like he actually had friends and not simply acquaintances. It was nice. Not spending so much time in his room was nice. Alejandro was slowly slipping from his mind despite the club meetings being dedicated to him.

The past couple meetings had been drifting away from the topic of Alejandro regardless— at the last meeting they had played cards after coming up empty on things to do. Noah had won, of course. He was an expert at probability and a master at most card games; poker among them, the game of choice for Harold. Stealing all of the maple flavored chocolates that Harold brought was almost too easy. He wouldn’t be eating them but, they rested on his nightstand back in his room. Owen would appreciate the chocolates when he returned from the competition.

Noah was almost excited when the next meeting arrived, shuffling into the room. His hand and leg lacked the normal white bandages, a small smile on his face. He paid a visit to the nurses station earlier that day, getting the injuries unwrapped and examined. As expected there were thin jagged lines running up his hand and leg. They were darker than his skin, reminding Noah of lightning bolts. It could have been worse, the damage was less visible than he thought, only noticeable if you really looked. Even if it had looked worse he was just happy the bandages were no longer rubbing against his skin awkwardly.

Noah took a seat in his normal chair, injured leg tucked behind his other. The others sat around the couch waiting for the finally member of the entourage—Geoff.

“Oh Noah you got your bandages off that’s great, the burn looks like it's healing.” Bridgette said, giving him a small smile.

“Yeah.” Noah said, voice having an upbeat quality.

“Man I wish I had some sick injury, I bet you'll have a wicked story to tell the kids at school!” Harold said, looking jealous. Noah would have happily let Harold take his place in the pool of electric eels.

“Harold.” Leshawna said, not having to say more before he quieted down.

Noah opened his mouth to respond when Geoff burst through the door with more energy than he should have at 8pm at night.

“Dudes guess what!” he said, hands propped up on the door frame. A wide smile was on his face, he looked like he was about to bounce around the walls or collapse to the ground—maybe both.

“What’s up babe?”Bridgette asked.

Geoff was practically giddy with joy as he walked over to the couch and, took a seat.

“I just got out of this big meeting-“ he began, piquing Noah’s interesting.

“And they totally just told me something amazing!” Geoff said, leading everyone on. Noah wished he would get to the point, even he was on the edge of his seat.

“Next Aftermath they’ll be hosting a never before seen contest to-“

“Get this-“

“Let one of the eliminated contestants back in the competition!” Geoff said raising his hands up as smiles grew on everyone’s faces. Noah found himself smiling at the thought of beating Alejandro at his own game— at seeing the look on his face as one of his victims starred him down. Noah was looking forward to seeing it—from the sidelines.

“No way this is it, this is the plan.” Bridgette said, clapping her hands together as they embraced.

“Wait hold on this isn’t a plan it’s an opportunity.” Noah said before they all got too excited. Blowing this wouldn’t get revenge for anybody.

“There’s still the matter of who’s going to win this contest and what they are going to do once they’re back on the plane.” Noah said to their blank faces.

“No he’s right we need to focus.” Leshawna said, relaxing in her seat. She took a deep breath before turning to Geoff.

“Do you have the power to rig the game so one of us can win?” She asked, Geoff only looked guilty.

“Uh…I don’t know yet but, I swear I’ll do whatever I can to get one of you guys back in.” he said.

“So we don’t even know how this little contest is going to work?” Noah asked. He had to be pessimistic, no one else would be.

“No but, I know it’s going to happen at the next Aftermath so, we have until then to decide who’s going and what the plan is when they win.” Geoff said, as optimistic as ever.

“Alright putting that jarring problem aside let’s say someone gets back on that death trap what are they going to do. Alejandro knows that we all know he’s bad news and, I bet that he has most of the contestants wrapped around his finger at this point. How are we supposed to get him out, we’re automatically at a disadvantage.” He reasoned.

Bridgette thought for a moment, hand pressed under her chin.

“Maybe we shouldn’t focus on getting Alejandro out right away, there’s still seven contestants, plenty of time to make some allies and get one over on the guy.” Bridgette said.

“Ohh I like the way you think girl.” Leshawna said.

“We gain his trust again, then we follow him to the finale where he loses being so close to victory.” She said, pounding her fist into her open palm.

“Brilliant plan but, as I said earlier, do you really think he’s going trust any of you after he personally waved you off the plane … we would all be walking targets.” Noah said, crossing his arms.

“Come on don’t be such a bummer dude this will work.” Geoff said, Noah could tell that he didn’t have an answer.

“Oh wait a second, what if whoever was sent back had a safety net.” Harold suggested counting on his fingers.

“As long as whoever we send back has enough people who won’t vote for them they’ll be safe, right?” he asked.

So Harold was more than just useless facts and video game knowledge. Noah had to admit that the reasoning was solid.

“Okay but, that circles back to the question of who?”

“Well I can’t go because I gotta host the show.” Geoff said sadly.

“I totally would otherwise though, for you babe.” Geoff said. Noah fought the urge to gag. Geoff wouldn’t have been a good idea regardless, he had acted like a major jerk last season and Noah knew that some of the contestants remembered that.

“Well I would go too but, I don’t think everyone’s over the whole uh…pole kissing incident…” Bridgette said, looking away from the others.

“Oh don’t look at me I’m staying here with Irene, you couldn’t pay me to go back there and risk hurting more baby animals.” DJ said, eyes watering as he pet the glass bowl Irene swam around in. Noah figured a therapist would do DJ some good.

“Well I volunteer, to defend my ladies honor!” Harold said, raising up an imaginary sword. Noah wouldn’t have picked Harold but, the number of eligible people was dwindling and he wasn’t about to volunteer.

“Thanks Harold but, I don’t think the other contestants really-“ Leshawna began.

“You don’t really have-“ She tried to continue as he stared at her.

“I don’t think you have enough allies to make it very far dude, no offense man but, Al would probably vote you out immediately.” Geoff said.

“Well that was easy looks like Leshawna’s going now what exactly should she do once she’s back in the competition.” Noah said, rushing over his words purposefully.

“Hold up short stuff we still need to decide between you and me.” Leshawna said.

“I don’t want to go. There, that was easy.” Noah said quickly.

“Why not? I thought you hated Al?” Harold asked, making a big deal about a shockingly simply answer.

Noah took a breath.

“I’m over it...” Noah said waving his injured hand weakly.

“Dude he’s responsible for your electric eel encounter, not to mention he’s probably plotting to eliminate your best bud.” Geoff added in a rare display of intelligence.

“And?” Noah asked.

“You gotta have some sort of fire, that’s the whole point of this whole thing.” Geoff said.

Noah reminded silent, eyes shifting to the side. He was right but, Noah didn’t want to deal with that. Leshawna was perfect for what they had in mind why was he even being confronted.

“Let’s just use Leshawna okay she’s perfect, the only one who really hates her is Heather right?” Noah suggested.

Leshawna looked fairly confident earlier but, now she hesitated. She looked almost guilty.

“I think it should be you.” She said firmly.

“What? Why?” Noah asked, hating how they all were staring at him.

“I won’t pretend that it was all his fault I was eliminated.” She explained.

“I got distracted by the hunk of man that he is.” Leshawna said like she still harbored a superficial crush on the guy. Noah could see Harold opening his mouth but, deciding not to speak. It was probably for the best before he got smacked.

“I don’t wanna let you all down and, I know he’ll try to get one up on me again.” She said, shaking her head sadly. It was rare that things got serious but, Noah could understand her reasoning. He didn’t know what it felt like to have his emotions toyed with but, he could infer that it wasn’t a pleasant thing.

“Hey forget about him, we won’t make you go, if Noah really doesn’t want to go we’ll figure out another way, or maybe we could still send Harold it’s worth a shot.“ Bridgette said. The sight made Noah’s stomach clench up with guilt.

There was no way he would volunteer for this. He was never going back on that death machine. He wasn’t going to stare down Alejandro again, deal with his schemes. All that did was get him hurt, the electric scars running down his hand were evidence enough. Noah didn’t want to do it but, the more he resisted the worse he felt.

It had only been a week and a half since the meetings started but, they had all gotten closer. Noah could deny it all he wanted but, he actually cared about them—somewhat. He understood their pain when Alejandro wound them tightly around his finger. He felt anger at their expense, at his expense—he was simply repressing it further the more it grew.

Noah clenched his fist, dull pain running down his arm. Was he really going to do it? Would it really make a difference. Noah wouldn’t pretend to care about the million, he had lost his competitive spirit the second he jumped out of the plane, but he cared about justice— revenge for the fallen competitors. Alejandro didn’t deserve to get away scot free.

“I’ll do it…” Noah said softly, hesitating to speak the words.

“Did you say something dude?” Geoff asked, being the one closest to him.

“I said fine, I’ll do it I’ll go back on the competition.” Noah said, more confidently this time. What did he have to lose, other than his dignity?

“You mean it dude? This is great!” Geoff said, smile once again reaching his eyes.

“According to my plan you should have an ample number of allies in Duncan, Owen, and no one else other than that slimy backstabbing girlfriend kissing slime hates you.”

“Harold.” Leshawna said, putting up her hand in an unspoken sentence.

Harold nodded his head, fixing his glasses.

“Sorry Uh..anyways you should be set with alliances.” Harold finished.

“Fun fact did you know that the word alliance originated from the old French verb alier meaning to ally.” Harold sprouted off, getting distracted.

“Invigorating.” Noah said with a dead look in his eyes.

“Now what exactly is the plan.” Noah asked as they all looked at each other.

“Don’t worry dudes I’m sure we can think of something..” Geoff said as they all got to work.

••••••••

Noah bobbed his leg up and down, the uninjured one anyways.

His nerves were getting the better of him. It felt like his heart was beating out of his chest at the thought of what he would have to do—what he had agreed to. Why had he done that? He should have sat back and let them send Harold in his place. He would do fine, he may not have been the strongest player but, he had a chance.

Who was he kidding he would probably get sidetracked trying to impress Leshawna.

Noah groaned into his hand, staring at the wall in front of him. The TV was still on in the background, filling the silence of his hotel room. It was a rerun of some quiz show Noah vaguely recalled watching when he was younger. He knew all the answers, impressing his sisters as his eight year old self was explaining to the TV who painted “La Primavera” — it was Sandro Botticelli.

Now, the questions only funneled through his brain, not sticking the way he liked. He was too busy thinking over the plan they had put together. It wasn’t full proof, hell it was more of an idea, its effectiveness would depend largely on his performance in the competition. It was a lot of pressure, especially because they would all be watching his every move. He was the one holding onto all their hatred, all their pain, and combining it into one efficient revenge trip. One that would run Alejandro into the ground for all he had done.

It was a lot, especially knowing who he was up against.

They hadn’t even discussed how Noah was going to get into the competition, Geoff had yet to figure out how the potential contenders would be selected. Noah had to hope that everything would work out, for the others sakes.

And Owen’s.

He still hadn’t been eliminated yet, which meant that Alejandro had avoided sinking his teeth into him. Noah was glad, eliminating Owen due to an overwhelming hatred was unforgivable.

Noah reached for a piece of chocolate that sat unassumingly on his desk. It was wrapped in a golden foil with a red maple leaf — as seen on the national flag— printed on the front. It was one of the maple leaf candies he had won during the round of poker they played.

Geoff had been the one to suggest playing after the awkward silence grew to be to much. He even pulled out a deck of cards from his short’s pocket. They were limited edition cards printed with surfers on the back instead of the typical angel. Noah wasn’t surprised in the slightest. Harold had brought out the chocolates soon after, laying them out on the table as they all stared in awe. They were the fancy kind, not cheap ones you could get at a gas station.

Noah smiled to himself, popping one into his mouth. He had been putting off eating one but, they tasted heavenly— like he had just eaten chocolate flavored maple syrup. Owen would have plenty left after he was done, he simply wanted to enjoy what was — theoretically— his last night in the room until the finale.

It was nice, really nice. The lull of the voices on TV, the soft blow of the air conditioning unit that was probably from 1995, the fading light blocked by the dull green curtains.

This was it. He had to do this. There was no other way, he owed it to everyone—to himself.

The burn on his hand ached as he crumbled up the wrapper. Alejandro had done that, let him fall. It hurt, he was hurt. No matter how badly he denied that fact it was true.

There was a reason they invited him to the meeting in the first place, they could see it in his eyes. Noah had been too stubborn to admit it.

Taking down Alejandro would feel good, great even. He was almost excited to see his expression once the announcement was revealed.

Noah leaned back in his chair, turning towards the fading sunset.

He could do this.

One more night and, then it was time.

Noah was ready.

As ready as he could be because he didn’t have another choice.

Alejandro was going down.

It was only a matter of time.

Chapter Text

“I hereby call this unofficial meeting to order.” Harold said, pulling out a gavel.

“You don’t have to bring out the gavel every time we talk dude.” Noah said, not in the mood for jokes. He was too nervous to find any joy in them.

“I just like the gavel, gosh.” Harold said defensively, sliding it back into his pocket unsubtly.

“Well what did they say?” Noah asked, turning to Geoff.

They were gathered backstage, huddled together as the crew rushed around them. They were probably an odd sight, seeing as they hadn’t spent much time together outside of the green room, but, it was a last minute descision.

“Don’t tell alright but, it’s a game of luck I’ll be giving out cans of peanuts. The lucky winners will have a golden Chris pop out of theirs.” Geoff said, looking oddly happy for this early in the morning.

“Do you know the winning cans before hand?” Noah asked, getting a bad feeling about their chances.

“Nope! But, with all of us I’m sure one of you will get the can and, then you can slip it to Noah.” Geoff said.

“Is that even allowed?” Leshawna asked.

“I host the show I make the rules.” Geoff said winking.

“Alright then we’re set…”Noah said, crossing his arms tightly. He liked to pretend that he didn’t feel extremely anxious at the prospect of getting back on the show but, he was. His heart was beating well above a healthy bpm and, his palms felt sweaty.

“Yeah let’s do this dudes!” Geoff said holding his hand out. He wanted to do a break? Noah would have declined but, he needed the encouragement.

“What about Bridgette and DJ?” Harold asked.

“Im sure she’s around here and, I saw DJ sitting in the audience holding that fish of his, let’s just cut to the chase.” Leshawna said, sticking her hand out as well.

Harold quickly followed leaving Noah who felt the eyes on him.

He extended out his injured hand, dull pain felt as he placed it on top of the others.

“To that eel.” Noah said nodding his head.

“Time to get some revenge.”

“Yeah!” They all said, pulling their hands back in one fell swoop.

“Alright I gotta go dudes but, I’ll be sure to help if things get out of hand.” Geoff said ducking his cowboy hat.

“Let’s get this over with.” Noah said taking a breath.

Without much grander Noah joined Gwen standing awkwardly to the side. Seeing as he, along with Gwen and Tyler, were the most recently eliminated contestants they were kept backstage until the show started. Tyler was missing from the small get together but, Noah wasn’t complaining. The guy usually didn’t have anything intelligent to say anyways.

“Hey…”Gwen said giving him a small wave when he didn’t greet her first.

Noah nodded to her, standing in awkward silence. The show was starting in less than ten minutes, Geoff was adjusting the collar of his shirt and putting an earpiece in. He would announce the intro and, then introduce the recently eliminated contestants. Geoff had convinced the producers to bypass their individual segments all together in favor of the ‘big reveal’. Noah was thankful as he didn’t particularly feel like reliving his fresh elimination or the eel encounter that came after it.

“Hey, what happened?” Gwen asked, shattering the silence— well it wasn’t quiet seeing as there were people rushing around but, it felt awkward none the less.

She was looking at his hand, oddly perceptive of the slightly darker color mark. Noah realized that he was running his hand over the injury, anxiously.

“I landed in an eel pond after my elimination.” He said bluntly. Gwen’s face scrunched up in distress.

“Ouch, that looks painful.” She said.

“Yeah.” Noah said, dropping his hands to his side.

“Not as painful as your elimination, no offense but, that was hard to watch.” Noah said cracking a small smile. He didn’t have a strong opinion about the whole Gwuncan scenario. Sure it was a crappy thing to do but, Courtney wasn’t a saint. Duncan definitely deserved to share the blame seeing as he was the one in a relationship , not Gwen.

“Oh yeah, my nose just stopped leaking.” Gwen said, rubbing the back of her head. She still looked uncomfortable, probably because of the circumstances of her elimination. Normally, Noah wouldn’t have cared but, something compelled him to calm her nerves.

“If you’re worried about the aftermath segment focusing on drawing out all your darkest secrets, don’t be. Their not focusing on either of us because of some special event or something.” Noah said being intentionally vague.

“Really?” Gwen asked, trying not to sound too hopeful.

“Yeah, I uh..heard Geoff and Bridgette talking about it a couple days ago.” Noah said.

“Oh thank God.” Gwen sighed.

“They already hate me from last season, I don’t know how much worse it can get.” Gwen said, rubbing her arms sheepishly.

“I get it.” Noah said.

He wouldn’t pretend that they were close but, it felt oddly nice to help her.

“Thanks.” Gwen said after a moment, smiling at him.

Noah nodded, directing his attention back to the stage. Any second now Geoff would go on and things would really start—he would come to his first hurdle, winning the contest.

It would be easy, he had the will.

He simply had to find a way.

••••••••

Bridgette had been kidnapped, among other news.

Noah wouldn’t begin to act surprised, it was the norm for Total Drama. All he cared about was the eventually announcement, leading to his ‘grand moment’.

He and Gwen had been announced by none other than Blaineley, walking across the stage without much bravado. It was how Noah liked it, the audience barely acknowledging him as he took a seat next to Lindsay.

Tyler was still absent. Noah wasn’t worried, only curious.

“Now that that’s out of the way it’s time for everybody’s favorite installment, that’s gonna leave a mark!” Blaineley said. She had taken over the show for Geoff, who had stormed off to do something. Noah had no idea what it was but, it was clear that he was distracted. It would be up to them to figure out the schematics of the plan.

Noah drew his eyes towards the screen, arms crossed. It figured that he was in the first clip, holding a sausage before a rain of corgis fell on him. He just wanted to eat that sausage in peace.

The next couple clips passed, most of them showing Tyler getting injured in one form or another.

“Oh.”

Noah tilted his head, seeing Lindsay’s face taut. Her mouth was slight agape, eyebrows furrowed.

The empty space next to her suddenly felt more jarring. Was Tyler seriously hurt? Noah had seen him get carted off in a hospital bed but, he thought it was to ward off legal trouble. Could it really be that bad?

Noah supposed you wouldn’t just walk off a land mine to the face.

The segment continued but, Lindsay only looked worse.

Noah hated that he felt bad, genuinely. Was he seriously feeling empathy for dumb and dumber? He didn’t associate himself with them, he could care less about any drama surrounding them.

Yet he cared enough to ask Lindsay what was wrong.

“Are you okay?” Noah asked, eyes flat.

Lindsay turned to him, tears were sparkling in her eyes. She pressed her hands together, shaking her head slowly.

“I can’t watch him get hurt.” she said softly, blinking rapidly to stamp out the tears.

“I miss him.” Lindsay sniffled, wiping her nose.

Noah felt a pang in his heart, empathy? Why were emotions so complicated.

“Where is he?” Noah asked. It was too late to leave the issue alone and, maybe he was a bit curious were Tyler was.

Lindsay’s eyes shifted away from him. She struggled to speak, manicured nail wiping under her eye.

“He’s still in the hospital.”

“I went to visit him but, he’s still unconscious…the doctors said he was just resting but, he looked so lifeless.” Lindsay said, taking a deep breath.

“I just got him back and now he’s gone again.” She finished, sounding serious for the first time since Noah met her. She was hurting, Tyler was hurting.

Noah could think of one guy who was responsible for her pain— Tyler’s pain. The very one who was willing to risk his teammate if it made his life easier. Noah had seen the episode, he saw Tyler face plant in the dirt and then get kicked out of the plane. It felt needlessly cruel.

Noah sighed, wondering when he started caring about other people’s feelings.

“I’m sure he’ll be okay, he’s surprisingly tough.” Noah comforted, picturing all the times that he should have gotten a concussion but walked it off. Tyler had always been a punching bag, even first season.

“I tried to get them to bring him here but, they said he wasn’t ready…” Lindsay elaborated.

He must have been bad as it took a lot to get out of the iron clad contract Noah had stupidly signed.

“Hey, at least he gets to rest instead of further injuring himself dealing with this stupid show.” Noah said.

Lindsay nodded her head slowly. She took a deep breath, wiping her eyes by dabbing her hand over them.

“I guess you’re right. Sorry Nolan, I think I ruined my mascara.” Lindsay said, pulling out a mirror and admiring her blotchy eyes.
“It’s fine.” Noah said, turning forward again. The ‘that’s gonna leave a mark’ segment had ended and Blaineley was trying to hype up the crowd as she explained the super special challenge. Noah was ahead of the game, simply waiting to see how the contestants would be selected.

“That’s right, you heard it here folks five lucky losers will compete to win a first class ticket back on the show!” She said, gesturing to some interns holding T-shirt cannons. (peanut canons??)

“Now let’s not waste anymore time, fire in the hole!” She yelled as the interns readied the canons.

Noah braced himself for the chaos that was about to unfold, contestants gathering closer in a large group. If everything went well their efforts wouldn’t matter. Noah couldn’t deny that his throat felt dry, like sandpaper.

“Come and get ‘em while their hot!” Blaineley said as the peanut cans were launched at the front contestants—some of the cans hitting them in the chest. Blaineley had no mercy.

“Don’t forget the top row guys.” Blaineley said spying the contestants that sat on the couches away from the action. Noah hadn’t bothered to try, they would all get a can and, getting one earlier wasn’t going to improve his chances.

Noah reached up to catch his can, the force nearly taking him back. Those canons couldn’t be legal.

Lindsay caught hers too, admiring the design instead of what it was supposed to contain. Noah wasn’t sure how they would know they won but, Beth quickly answered that question— a golden Chris popping out on a spring.

“Wow it looks like we have our first winner, the Beth is back.” She said to Beth’s wide smile.

“A golden Chris? That’s an insult to boxes.” Leshawna said, watching as peanuts poured out of her own box. It was fine, someone else would get the golden Chris and put the plan into motion.

Noah decided to try his box, ripping off the top. He braced himself for any sort of pop up but, spied peanuts at the bottom of the can. He hadn’t expected to win anyways. Noah sighed, emptying them out onto his hand—he shoved a couple in his mouth, having nothing better to do. They weren’t salted correctly, probably a reject shipment Chris got for dirt cheap.

Lucky for him the action hadn’t ceased, Harold finally catching a can.

“Come on man.” Harold said, staring right at Leshawna as he opened the can. Nothing popped out, worsening his chances exponentially. That left everything to DJ given Bridgette’s absence and Geoff’s revenge trip.

“Wow Justin is out next winner it looks like the competition may get ten time hotter.” Blaineley said as Justin smiled, eyes sparkling. Noah wondered how anyone found the guy so attractive.

“And is that another statue I see?” Blaineley asked looking over at Trent of all people who had one in his outstretched hand. The Chris bounced on it’s spring as Trent looked nervous.

“Uh I don’t know abo-“

“Aw look at that folks he’s super pumped to come back to the competition.” Blaineley interrupted.

“And if not it’s in your contract.” She hummed.

“Ohh I totally got one!” Sadie said, hugging Katie as they squealed. Noah fought the urge to cover his ears, the sound making his head ring.

“Wow talk about a win for the underdogs will this be Sadie’s year? We only have one contestant left who is it going to be?” Blaineley asked as Noah looked around. DJ was holding his, eyes shifty as he finally peeled off the top.

Noah braced himself, praying to the probability gods that DJ got it. He hadn’t hyped himself up this far to fail so miserably.

“Aw man looks like the baby animal murderer isn’t coming back on, who’s left?” Blaineley asked.

Damnit.

They had everything plotted out it couldn’t fail so quickly. Who was he kidding he should have known it would all go to crap the second Bridgette vanished only to appear in Siberia. Geoff was distracted, they were disorganized, they had failed.

They didn’t have a backup, this was it.

Noah was disappointed but, a part of him was relieved. He wouldn’t have to face any of them again, he could hide away in his room and ignore the feelings. It was the better option, the safer one.

“Oh come on open!” Lindsay said beside him, tearing at her can.

“Do you need help?” Noah asked, voice dull as he watched her struggle.

“Could you?” Lindsay asked, holding out the can.

Noah took it, pulling it open from the side as a golden Chris shot up— the metal face taunted him, bouncing up and down. He had been close to the winning can but, not close enough. Noah pretended that he didn’t care but, he didn’t want things to end like this—he had to at least try but, he couldn’t when the power was taken out of his hands.

“Oh fun, what does that mean?” Lindsay asked, scratching her head. She had been talking to him when Blaineley announced the rules, right.

“It means you get a shot at going back on the competition.” Noah said, attempting to hand the can back to her.

“Congratulations.” He added.

Lindsay made no move to take the can, only staring wide eyed.

“But, I don’t want to go back I need to stay here with Tyler.” She said firmly. Noah was impressed that she put any thought into it seeing how clueless she usually was.

“You might as well try.” Noah said.

Lindsay shook her head, glancing back at Blaineley.

She raised her arm up, waving Blaineley over before Noah could speak.

“Hey look at this Noah won the last golden Chris!” She said, all Noah could do was stare open mouthed as Blaineley smiled.

“Well there you have it folks our five contestants for this super special challenge!” Blaineley announced.

Noah’s grip on the can tightened, brow furrowed. The plan was back on track, because of Lindsay of all people. He wasn’t sure whether to thank her or loathe her.

“Get on up here sport.” Blaineley said as the other contestants stared at him.

Noah nodded towards Lindsay who gave him a small smile.

“Go get ‘em tiger!” Leshawna cried, hanging onto Harold who looked happy because of how close Leshawna was to him.

Noah nodded his head, standing up as the spotlight shone on him.

This was it, now he just had to win.

••••••••

Watching Geoff dance around with pants around his ankles— to accordion music —was funnier than it should have been. Noah knew Geoff was usually calm but, taking Bridgette away was the thing that made him snap.

“Mildred?” Noah asked, struggling to keep his face straight. It failed miserably when Blaineley scowled.

“I don’t want to hear it from you.” She snapped. Noah broke down laughing.

“Ahem, ignoring that lovely musical number it’s time to see who’s getting another shot at a million big ones.” Blaineley said. She was struggling to save face, the crowd filling with laughter the more she spoke.

“Alright enough do you want to know what happens or not? I get paid either way!” Blaineley threatened as the crowd quieted down.

“If I’m not mistaken you don’t get paid if we run into over time.” Geoff said with a cruel smile pulling out a contract and pointing to a highlighted section. Noah was impressed he had read the contract, let alone understood it.

“So?!” Blaineley asked, clearly not understanding that Geoff wasn’t someone to be messed with.

“I just thought I’d bring it up, now let’s go to the contestants. They will have to traverse the Total Drama board. The first person to make it across has a chance to answer one trivia question and earn another shot at a million dollars!” Geoff said, largely looking at Noah.

“Now as you can see each square features one of the finale seven contestants or a couple of their last visited locations. Every square you land on contains a challenge you will have to complete to continue.” Blaineley butt in.”

“Now I’ll give the dice to each contestant and we can roll for who goes first!” Geoff said, smiling smugly.

“I don’t think so, Sadie you can go first since I see you are very enthusiastic.” Blaineley said, shoving the oversized dice in her hands.

“Oh yay!” She said, Katie cheering her on from the sidelines.

“Take a big roll, no need to wait.” Blaineley said, tapping her foot impatiently.

“Uh okay…” Sadie said, throwing the dice across the board. It landed on a six but, got knocked over by Geoff ‘accidentally’.

“Huh a six and then a one, guess you get to go seven seeing as Geoff can’t keep off the board.” Blaineley grumbled.

Geoff huffed. It was probably in his best interest not to fudge with things. It only seemed to worsen his chances.

Noah watched Sadie galavant across the board in large leaps. He would have liked to pay attention and see which square triggered what challenge but, he was more worried about failing. Geoff was on his side, probably knowing the board better than anyone, but he was angry. They hadn’t factored in the fact that Blaineley would interfere with the show—Bridgette was supposed to be the co-host after all.

Whatever, they could manage. Noah needed to play smart. Board games may have been largely up to chance but, steps could be taken to improve his odds.

Noah stared blankly as Sadie landed on the Duncan square. That one would be fun, Noah could tell.

“Ah Duncan’s square, this one’s a fun one.” Blaineley said walking over to Sadie.

“Seeing as he was a past delinquent I think it’s only fitting that you get to walk an hour in his shoes, intern bring out the handcuffs!” Blaineley said, a man in a teal shirt running onto the stage with cheap metal cuffs.

Blaineley attached them to Sadie’s arm, letting the other side dangle limply.

“The next contestant to pass you on the board will be handcuffed to you!” Blaineley said, grabbing the dice from Sadie and rushing back over to the others.

“Wait but, how will I win?”

“I don’t know figure it out, man candy it’s your turn.” Blaineley said, shoving the dice into Justin’s chest.

“It is my time to shine, haha.” Justine said, combing his free hand through his hair.

“Ohhh he’s so smoking hot!” Beth said, fawning next to Noah. Noah fought the urge to vomit, eyes glued to Justin. He may have hated the guy but, even he couldn’t look away when he took his shirt off.

“Alright enough fan-girling roll the dice.” Blaineley said.

“Don’t rush me I can’t damage my cuticles… I have a photo shoot tomorrow.” Justin complained, holding the dice carefully as he threw it on the ground.

Predictably it didn’t roll a very high number, scoring a one. Justin wasn’t somebody he had to worry about.

“Al’s square huh?” Geoff observed, crossing his arms. The hatred was there, Noah could see it behind his lazy smile.

“Seeing as Alejandro is known as an ‘eel’ in game its only fair that his square reflect that.” Blaineley said, opening a curtain to reveal a tank full of eels—electric eels.

Noah shifted uncomfortably, rubbing the burn mark on his hand. He was grateful he didn’t have to do it, he never wanted to look at another eel again—electric or not.

“All we need you to do is dive for the treasure at the bottom of this tank, being careful to avoided getting shocked. There is a med team standing by but, I can’t say they’ll be fast enough.” Blaineley said, smirk on her face.

Justin looked appalled.

“No way I quit, I don’t need Total Drama anyway unlike all you losers I can make money just using this.” He said, gesturing to himself.

“Not so face pretty boy you’re contractually obligated to try so get in that tank and swim for your life.” Blaineley said, trying to hurry things along.

Justin pursed his lips, debating what to do in his head.

“Fine but, first I need to stretch so I don’t injure any of my handsome features.” Justin said, set to take his time to Blaineley’s displeasure.

“Take as much time as you need dude wouldn’t want to ruin the bod.” Geoff said comfortingly, grinning wickedly at Blaineley.

“No no no! You have sixty seconds to get in that pool or you’re done!” Blaineley yelled.

Justin looked back and forth, finally climbing the ladder to the giant pool. The eels looked up at him, smiling.

Noah looked away as he heard the splash of water and the sound of bubbles. He couldn’t watch this, it invoked the feeling of sparks coursing through his hand all over again. He began itching at the burn mark, skin rubbing raw.

“Well times up looks like Justin couldn’t get it in time.” Blaineley said as the sound of water splashing came from the tank.

“These eels aren’t electric why did you-“ Justin began before two interns carted the tank away—with him floating in it.

Noah was relieved to hear that the producers knew better than to put a teenage contestant in a tank with live electric eels. It was the bare minimum but, they did it.

“Next is Trent, better hope he gets a nine.” Blaineley said as the audience snickered.

It was a joke but, Trent looked genuinely worried, shaking the dice like it was a matter of life and death before throwing it on the ground. He rolled a six to his displeasure—the highest the dice could go.

“It’s fine, this is fine.” Trent said, sounding pretty insane to Noah as he walked forward. The square had Heather’s face on it. Noah was imagining all the crazy challenges he would be forced to compete in when the square opened up, dropping him into a pit.

“Oh did I forget to mention that some squares are booby trapped, whoopsies.” Blaineley said as Trent’s screams died down.

Great, more obstacles. Noah’s eyes met Geoff’s, a small nod shared between them. He hoped Geoff knew where the danger was because, from the looks of it, he was going next.

“Alright smart ass you’re up.” Blaineley said. Noah had no doubt that would be bleeped for the airing of the episode.

“I got this, Mildred.” Geoff said, snatching the dice from her and pressing it into Noah’s hand.

“Don’t land on any of the flags the challenges are way harder and, avoid the Heather and London square they’re booby traps.” Geoff said. Noah nodded, carefully aligning the dice so had the highest probability of getting the number he wanted a 4 or a 5.

He released the dice, watching it bounce and land on a number.

“Oh no a four what ever shall I do?” Noah asked dramatically, walking to the square with Owen’s face in it. Perfect, he had succeeded.

“Oh Owen’s square! This challenge is epic.” Geoff said as a table rose up from the ground with milk and peppers on it. Noah didn’t particularly like where this was going but, he had a job to do.

“You’ll have to eat some of these peppers and, drown them with milk-“ Blaineley said, sidestepping Geoff and grabbing peppers to shove in Noah’s mouth.

Noah tried to protest but, it was too late. She took the milk and dumped it on his head as well, self assured smirk on her face as she snatched a remote from Geoff.

“Now you have to watch a montage of the top ten funniest fails from the show without making a nose shake.

Easy, Noah didn’t laugh easily and watching people fall had gotten old quick.

Noah watched the TV screen blankly, more focused on the burning sensation in his mouth than Tyler falling off a pyramid.

As he swallowed the last pepper the video ended, the TV screen going black.

Noah released a quick breath of fire as Blaineley looked onward.

“Congratulations you did well you get to try again after the next rotation.” She said, throwing the dice at Beth next.

“You’re doing good dude you only have like eight squares left.” Geoff encouraged.

“Yeah, only eight.” Noah muttered, looking over at the screen which was static.

“Wait what’s that, the satellite feeds back on?” Geoff asked, pressing a hand to his ear.

“Oh man this is great, my poo bear better be okay or we’re going to have a problem.” Geoff threatened, walking over to the screen while Blaineley scowled.

“Beth you got the-“ she started before another trap door opened up, the London one, causing her to fall.”

“Nooo…”She cried.

“You tried your best now back to Sadie. Seeing as I don’t feel like waiting for Noah to catch up to you you’re getting handcuffed to this bear.” Blaineley said, an intern walking out with a giant bear in a chain. Noah wondered how many laws were being broken as Sadie was handcuffed with the creature.

“It’s okay stay strong Sadie I believe in you!” Katie cried to which Sadie nodded.

“I got this!” She said, flinching as the bear growled.

“Come on one of you roll the dice.” Blaineley said as Bridgette appeared on the TV screen, face blurry.

“Hey Geoff I’m fine I swear, don’t worry about me, focus on the plan.” Bridgette said, bandaging up a bears paw.

“But, Bridge you’re in danger.”

“It’s fine I can handle myself, I’ll be better if you focus.” She said, unspoken words clear.

“Alright babe you got it, don’t worry everything’s going great, I’ll arrange a ride for you as soon as the challenge is over.” Geoff said, worry leaching into his voice.

“Wow touching but, we have a show to finish, Sadie you landed on the Sierra square so you need to answer some obscure knowledge questions about a contestant.

Blaineley shuffled through some index cards.

“Ah Uh…this is a question about Katie..” Blaineley said, seeing how problems could arise based on the difficulty of the question.

“What is Katie’s mothers maiden name?” Blaineley asked. Noah would have laughed if he hadn’t heard Sierra’s tale of pretending to be a telemarketer to get information from Cody’s aunt.

“Oh oh oh that’s easy it’s Maria…she never liked that name.” Sadie said as Katie nodded eagerly.

“Correct, good job you get to keep playing now Noah you better hurry if you wanna catch up!” Blaineley said throwing the dice.

Noah rolled his eyes, taking the foam prop and tossing it. He didn’t have time to overthink things, he had survived longer than most of the others, he liked his chances.

“Wow a six, impressive get over to your boyfriends square.” Blaineley said as the audience laughed.

Noah scowled, purposefully walking at a snail pace to get to the green square.

“This challenge is easy,evade the intern for sixty seconds.” Blaineley said, bringing out a poor intern in a purple wig.

“Go get him.” Blaineley said, sending him on Noah.

Normally he would have given up the second athletics were involved but, he had gotten this far and he wasn’t about to stop now.

“Go Noah! You got this dude!” Harold cheered.

“You’re doing great honey keep it up!” Leshawna followed.

“Me and Irene believe in you!” DJ said, hand pressed up to the glass of the fish bowl.

Noah nodded his head, taking off in a sprint the second she started the timer. He didn’t have a lot of space but, he had an idea on how to survive.

“Come and get me!” Noah panted, running down the board with the intern on his trail. He purposefully weaved in between spaces , jumping Heathers all together as he arrived near the end of the board.

“Wait!” he yelled, freezing the intern for a split second, long enough for them to land on the British square, the one that promptly opened up and, swallowed him.

Noah smirked as the crowd applauded, making sure the door was shut as he walked back over to his square.

“And that’s time, impressive now take the dice…Sadie.” Blaineley said, extending the dice towards her. She held her hand out hesitantly, eyeing the bear.

The split second hesitance was enough to send Blaineley into a rant.

“Would it kill you to have some urgency?” Blaineley asked, rolling the dice for Sadie in a fit or rage. She looked like Sierra when Cody got injured, eyes blood shot, hair frizzled, and hands twitching at her sides as the foam dice rolled away from her.

“Wow you got off the board, congratulations now quick take the sack and catch the intern dressed as Jack the Ripper, thirty seconds go!” She yelled, tossing the sack over the bears head, invoking a roar from the bear.

Geoff ran for the dice, returning it to Noah in lightening speed.

“Go dude!” Geoff said, Noah chucking the dice and praying.

“That’s a three folks, go get that Ripper!” Geoff said, shoving a sack at Noah who blinked. Another athletic challenge, great.

It seemed that fate didn’t hate him as much as he thought as Sadie was struggling.

“I’m supposed to be chasing him not being chased!” Sadie cried, holding the bear in her arms —somehow—as she ran across the stage. The intern must have been pretty threatening.

Noah watched him run, the guy sprinting right passed Noah.

In an act of quick thinking her held his foot out, tripping the Ripper with one fell swoop.

“Ow.” The intern groaned as Noah shoved the sack over his head.

“Sorry dude.” Noah said, stringing the sack closed and slinging it over his back.

“I got the Ripper now ask me the question.” Noah said bluntly, staring at the guard who only brought back unpleasant memories.

The guard cleared his throat, taking out an index card.

Blaineley wasn’t having that, snatching the piece of paper and grabbing onto Noah’s shirt, holding him up in the air.

Noah wasn’t sure whether to be impressed or afraid that she had lifted him up so easily.

“You better pay attention I’ll only say this once.” She said, narrowing her eyes at the card.

“What was the original name chosen for the drama brothers?” Blaineley asked.

Noah had no idea, seeing as he stayed far away from any news of the band. That didn’t mean he couldn’t try. He gave Geoff a look but, his face only mirrored his confusion.

Noah turned towards the audience, Harold making some exaggerated gesture Noah couldn’t begin to understand.

“Sixty seconds and counting go go go!” Blaineley yelled, dropping Noah so he could think without her breathing down his neck.

Harold stopped making hand gestures, Leshawna taking over and holding a large sheet of paper, they were the cue cards used by the crew to ensure things went smoothly.

Noah hoped she would hurry up because he was, again, short on time.

As the clock wound down Leshawna held up the paper, clear words written in it as Harold pointed to it.

“Uh I’m going to go with the Handsome Quartet.” Noah said as a buzzer sounded, signaling a correct answer.

“Wow that’s it impressive, I gotta say I’m glad they changed it.” Blaineley said, dropping the index cards as confetti and balloons rained down from the ceiling.

“Well there you have it we have our winner, Noah!” Blaineley said, holding his hand up as she took deep gasps of air. She probably hadn’t expected her day to go so poorly, Noah didn’t particularly care as a smile spread across his face. It was unintentional but, he felt proud. He had never won anything before on the stupid show, even if he had help, it felt nice. The cheering crowd, the whoops of joy from the contestants. He had done it, the first part of the plan had succeeded.

What scared Noah was that it was meant to be the easy part. They held all the cards, sure they could have failed but, luck was on their side. Once Noah was carted to the Total Drama aircraft he would be alone, left to carry out revenge for everybody.

No pressure.

Noah looked to Geoff, who was typing something on his cellphone. He looked conflicted before shutting it off and turning towards the crowd.

“Well this has been your show thank you for joining us for the extra special segment and look out for the next episode of total drama!” Geoff announced as Blaineley crossed her arms.

“Is anyone going to save me from this bear!” Sadie cried in the background.

“Until next time this had been Total Drama Aftermath!” Geoff said as the on air signal shut off.

“Somebody get her unhandcuffed from that bear stat!” Blaineley said snapping her fingers.

Noah sighed in relief, eyebrow quirked upwards as interns chased the bear around the studio.

“And get him packing to Niagara Falls!” Blaineley yelled.

Niagara Falls? How did she know where the next challenge was going to be held. Noah wanted to ask more questions but, interns flooded out from behind the curtains, taking him away.

This was it. What they had been waiting for practically since the competition started.

Noah glanced back at the other contestants amongst the swarm.

They gave him a thumbs up, wide smiles on their faces. There was no more time for talking, it was time.

Time to beat Alejandro at his own game.

Chapter Text

Noah bounced his leg up and down, the metal floor squeaking with every movement. It was a nervous habit, one that he’d never witnessed before.

He had ample reason to be nervous, flying in a small plane over a large lake. The doors were thin sheets of metal and, he could barely hear himself think over the engines roar. The headphones that were handed to him when he boarded did nothing to make the ride more manageable.He knew he shouldn’t be complaining. It wasn’t like it was a long flight, a mere three hours until they arrived at a gambling casino in Ontario

That was the estimate the producers gave anyways, giving him a quick congratulations and sticking him in another death trap. Noah had gotten used to fearing for his life, reducing his reaction with every jolt of the aircraft. It wasn’t like he had much control over how the ride went, he could only hope and pray for dear life that they didn’t crash.

In the mean time his attention was diverted elsewhere, mainly a sheet of paper propped up on a foldable table attached to his chair. He held a pencil, the lead tip dulled from constant use.

Along with being told the location of the challenge he would be returning in he was also given some rather unfortunate news. Chris wanted the second chance contestant to perform a song, a solo to be exact. Another thing Noah didn’t miss from the competition was singing. His voice was gravelly, not exactly the prime material for a solo, about him none the less.

Music never interested him before and, it wasn’t about to start interesting him now. All he had were a couple throw away lines showcasing his hatred for Chris. It was tempting to simply mash them together in some sort of slam poetry piece but, Noah wasn’t sure getting on Chris’ bad side was a good idea. He already had to deal with Alejandro when he got back, having someone else on his ass wasn’t helpful— especially seeing as he was the host.

Noah groaned, erasing the words yet again. Why did Chris insist on being annoying, he didn’t even want his stupid money. Noah wondered what Chris would do if he showed up with no song, just staring blankly at the other contestants.

What would they say? Noah ignored the song, thinking about their faces when he was introduced. He doubted any of them would take him for a strong player—sans Alejandro. Owen would probably crush all 206 bones in his body, breaking down sobbing like he had at his elimination. Noah was thankful he was still in the game, Owen was a good ally.

Duncan too. Somehow.

Noah wouldn’t have predicted that Duncan would grow a brain upon his elimination although it was refreshing to see. It was safe to say that he had both of their votes if things went south but, it wouldn’t be enough.

That was why they had decided back in that green room that he had to win the first challenge. No matter what. Knowing Alejandro he would try to get rid of him the second he rejoined the competition, he wouldn’t get that chance if he won.

Noah still had to work out the schematics, like what team he would be joining if Chris was keeping them around, but he knew he could do it. He had to do it.

They would all be watching, hopes crushed if he failed—not that he particularly cared but, he wasn’t a quitter. Seeing Alejandro squirm was also fine motivation, the guy needed to be taken down a peg.

A tap on his shoulder drew Noah from his thoughts. He looked up to see the co-pilot staring at him.

Noah pulled off the thick headphones, letting them hang around his neck. It was a relief to take them off for a moment, they were turning his ears red.

“Hey kid you might wanna put that away we’re landing” The guy said over the plane propeller.

“Already?” Noah asked, eyeing the mostly empty paper with disdain.

“Yeah, we’ll be landing in T-minus 5 minutes.” He said, turning back around as Noah nodded.

It looked like showing up without a song would be the reality, whatever. Chris wouldn’t kick him off because of that, he didn’t have the budget to wait for a new contestant to be selected.

Noah’s eyes drifted over to the land below. It was getting closer, a magnificent waterfall filling the backdrop. It looked nice from a distance but, Noah wasn’t particularly excited to see it up close given Chris’ sadistic idea of a challenge.

Noah vaguely wondered what he had in mind, having researched Niagara Falls quickly before getting shoved into the plane mere hours after he won. He hadn’t gotten to talk with anybody—predictably— no time was wasted shipping him off to Ontario.

Niagara Falls was a good honeymoon destination, it was also home to three giant casinos that Noah doubted Chris’ underaged contestants would be allowed at.

He was going in blind hoping that he wouldn’t bomb things terribly.

Noah had faith in himself, he had to as the plane slowly lowered on the top of a large casino.

Maybe things wouldn’t be so bad.

He was feeling lucky.

••••••••

“Seriously?” Duncan asked—the voice sounded like Duncan’s anyways as Noah couldn’t see passed the curtain he was hidden behind. The attendants told him to wait for his cue so he stood on the center of the stage, arms crossed; waiting.

“Since you’re are all underage we had to move the challenge from the gambling floor to the far less exciting casino concrete hall.” Chris announced in his typical fashion. Noah wasn’t complaining, ideas of potential challenges flooding his thoughts. He had to win, no matter what it was.

“Ohh I wonder if anyone’s performing!” Owen said happily. It was nice to hear his voice in person even if Noah couldn’t see him.

“You’re in luck Owen my man because last time on the Aftermath show they had a second chance challenge where one of the losers could score a spot back in the game.

“We’re about to enjoy a little…number from the winner.” Chris said to Noah’s displeasure. He could picture Chris glaring at him from behind the curtain. He wasn’t singing and Chris couldn’t make him.

“Is It Gwen?” Cody asked hesitantly.

“That wouldn’t suck.” Duncan added.

“It better not be.” Courtney said.

“Oh what about Izzy?” Owen asked to which everyone grumbled. Noah doubted the girl was sane enough to compete again.

“Without further ado he’s 500 pounds of sass in a 120 pound package it’s Noah!” Chris said as the curtain was shoved open.

“What?” Noah could hear Alejandro, Owen, and Duncan shouting in unison— all for different reasons.

——

“I must rephrase what I said earlier-“

“¿Que?”

“Chris is trying to ruin me.” Alejandro scowled, combing his hand through his hair with uncertainty.

——

Noah kept his arms crossed as Chris glared at him. No one dared to speak until Chris broke the silence.

“I said we’re about to enjoy a little musical number from the winner.” He coughed.

“And you gave me three hours and a crappy pencil to write something suitable for television, no thanks.” Noah said, glaring right back.

“Little buddy, I missed you so much!” Owen cried from the floor.

“Hey.” Noah said bluntly, acknowledging the cast’s mostly confused faces.

“How did the nerdling manage to win whatever competition you hosted?” Duncan spit out, mad that Noah didn’t have blue highlights and an emo get up.

“You should have seen him, man he outran an intern and everything it was a hoot!” Chris said, holding back laughter.

“I don’t know you must have really wanted to come back with that determination I saw.” Chris said, stepping closer to the group. Noah swallowed hard.

“I didn’t try, I got lucky that’s all.” Noah said carefully, anger bubbling underneath his skin. Why was Chris acting like he knew something. They had been careful, he must have been messing with him.

“Yeah that’s probably it, now I’m sure you’re probably wondering what team you’re on so allow me to answer that question.” Chris said as Noah rejoined the group.

“As of right now there are no more teams, it’s everyone for themselves!” Chris said, raising his hands up.

“Yes finally! Uh no offense guys.” Courtney said, arms crossed.

Noah wouldn’t deny that he was relieved, that made the first step in the plan a lot easier to accomplish.

Noah was about to turn towards the others when a large someone engulfed him from behind. Noah felt like his bones were being turned to dust.

“Little buddy!” Owen cried, straddling him like Noah was a life sized teddy bear.

“Dude stop, ow, it burns.” Noah said, squirming as pressure was applied to his injured leg. The swelling had gone down and along with it the pain leaving the scars barely noticeable but, they were still there. Noah was happy no one had brought it up, or even noticed. They were an unfortunate addition to his body and, he would leave it at that.

“Oh sorry uh here.” Owen said, setting him back down and patting his head.

Noah brushed out the wrinkles in his clothes when his eyes met Alejandro’s, in the flesh. It felt weird seeing him again, Noah hadn’t thought he would. He looked the same, same devious smile, same perfect teeth, same flawless hair. He hadn’t learned a thing after his power trip, barreling through contestants to make his way to the top. Noah tried not to let his anger show on his face when their eyes met.

“My friend, how nice to see you again.” Alejandro said. The words were nice but, he sounded distressed. Worried even at what Noah rejoining the competition meant. It was satisfying seeing him struggle to regain face.

Noah nodded his head softly, keeping up niceties.

“Yeah.” Noah said, looking back at Chris before things got even more awkward.

“Well now that that’s taken care of… since we are in the honey moon capital of the world I thought it would be cool to drop some arranged marriages hehehe.” Chris said, rubbing his hands together as Chef rolled out a giant slot machine with some of the guys faces on it. Noah instantly got a bad feeling about the challenge. When did he not dread whatever sick challenge Chris had planned?

“Now Chef care to demonstrate how this all works?” Chris asked, gesturing to Chef who was wearing a bright pink gown. Noah was impressed that he pulled it off.

“Each girl will pull the lever to win a husband who she’ll team up with for todays challenge.” Chef began, Courtney interrupting.

“Wait but, there’s an uneven number of girls.” Courtney said, bringing up a point Noah had been ignoring for his sanity.

“Oh I completely forgot one of the lucky guys will be getting a husband for this challenge!” Chris said.

“Seriously?” Duncan asked, eyeing the others wearily.

——

“Sure it may be good news that the nerds back but, if I have to marry a guy on live television I’m going to fight somebody…I don’t want to marry anybody especially not miss diva-“ Duncan sighed.

“Now that I think about it I’d rather date one of the guys than Courtney.”

——

“Hey love is love dude now let’s get this show on the road. Noah since you’re the newest contender you’ll be joining the ladies for this segment.” Chris said, Noah’s face immediately falling.

“You’ve got to be kidding me.” He complained. This challenge would go poorly, to make matters worse he had a shot at being partnered up with Alejandro of all people, that wouldn’t bode well for his plan even if the guy did tend to be good at winning. His best bet would be either Owen or Duncan —Sierra’s obsession keeping Cody off the table. Owen was the safe bet but, Duncan also distrusted Alejandro; they would both make a good teammate to take to first class.

“Now go line up, Chef will very gently put you in the Total Drama brand giant slot machine, along with a couple other fun surprises.” Chris giggled. Noah noticed that the machine had a bear slot on it, that was promising. A bear would have been preferable to Alejandro.

Noah shifted uncomfortably, left with the rest of the cast. Sierra was ignoring him, hyperventilating into a brown paper bag; Courtney was grumbling under her breath, watching Duncan with disdain; Heather was observing him, questions swimming behind her eyes.

“Can I help you?” Noah asked, not a fan of being stared at like a zoo animal.

She looked at Alejandro who was currently being shoved in the machine before speaking.

“I saw your elimination.” Heather said, finger outstretched.

“So did over a million people.”Noah quipped, wondering if she had a point.

“I know that, will you let me finish.” Heather snapped.

“Fine what?”

“I saw that Alejandro got you out so, you know how dangerous he is.” Heather reasoned. She had no idea what he knew.

“It would be in your best interest to team up with me in taking him down.” She finished. Normally Noah would have been all over an offer of alliance this early in his return but, he had to play things safe. Heather liked to pretend she had things under control but, she was a loose canon. Her crush on Alejandro made her mess up, made her vulnerable to him. Noah didn’t have the breathing room to take a chance, to much rested on his shoulders.

“No thanks I can handle him on my own.” Noah said without much grander. Aside from the risk of Alejandro getting under her skin the other contestants didn’t like Heather, if he was seen fraternizing with her his reputation would tank.

“Are you seriously going to try to beat that slimeball on your own, he turned your entire team against you last time why is this going to be any different?”

‘Because this time I’m actually trying’ Noah wanted to say but, he held his tongue.

“I know what I’m doing.” Noah said instead, ignoring any further argument. Heather would be someone to keep an eye on. Alejandro could easily get her on his side if he wanted to, even if she didn’t realize it. Noah didn’t need a swing vote, he needed Owen and Duncan on his side.

“Alright brides, and husband, to be lineup to meet the future love of your life.” Chris said, all of them trailing up the steps.

“Oh I’ll go first! Mama needs a new pair of Cody’s!” Sierra cried, full on sprinting at the large golden lever.

The machine spun around, the picture landing on Alejandro of all people. Noah was relived, feeling some of the worry subside. He only needed to avoid getting Alejandro, anyone else he could work with.

Sierra didn’t seem to realize this, too far gone into craziness that she slammed Alejandro’s hand in the door.

“Por favor I’m stuck!” Alejandro cried, causing Noah and Heather to snort. They shared a glare for a moment before turning back towards the sight.

“Congratulations Sierra looks like you-“

Sierra didn’t let him finish, running up to him and clinging onto his shirt.

“This isn’t happening, this isn’t happening, this isn’t happening!” Sierra cried shaking Chris like he was a rag doll.

Heather stepped out from the line, walking over to Alejandro.

“I better take him, she won’t stop unless somebody does.” She said to which Chris held up a hand.

“Not so fast love birds, I have an even better idea.” Chris said, smiling wide. Noah wondered what Chris had in mind to deal with stalkerzilla over there.

“Noah why don’t you get acquainted with your new spouse.” Chris said, smiling as Alejandro and Heather’s face fell.

——

Alejandro sighed, crossing his arms.

“So much for Mrs. Burromuerto.”

“I will have to gain Heather’s trust later, she is practically drooling over me already it shouldn’t be too hard.” Alejandro said, smile playing on his lips.

“In the mean time I suppose Noah was my next choice of a partner…if he’s going to be back in the competition he needs to learn his place.” Alejandro’s fist clenched, set on the bathroom countertop.

“Mr. Burromuerto also has a nice ring to it-“ Alejandro said, before his eyes widened.

“Uh I…mierda …you heard nothing-“ he said the camera going dark as he reached for the device.

——

“What?” Noah asked, unable to disguise his annoyance. Chris had to be screwing with him, or he simply liked milking the drama for all it was worth. He should have seen it coming given his exit at the hands of Alejandro.

“Why does he get to take him?” Courtney and Heather asked almost simultaneously.

“Because I said so, now we don’t have time for this get over there and Heather get back in line.” Chris said, leaving no one, other than Sierra, happy.

Noah wanted to tell Chris off. This was the worst possible outcome and it was out of his hands. Winning would be losing if Alejandro got to reap the reward as well.

“Listen, Noah…”Alejandro began as the others tried their luck.

Noah didn’t want to hear it but, he couldn’t be to hostile. That would draw attention to himself as a threat.

“I know we left on bad terms but if we can simply work together for this challenge.” Alejandro said, mind looking heavy. He was playing damage control. The idea made Noah mad, he was trying to save face after what he had done? Noah wasn’t impressed, only aiming a glare at him.

That got Alejandro’s face to change, heavy expression changed to a snarky one.

“Need I remind you how easy it was to eliminate you last time, you wouldn’t want this attempt to be in vain, would you?” Alejandro asked, a chill running down Noah’s spine. There was the Al that he knew, the one who could barely spare him a glance unless he needed something.

Noah took a deep breath, trying to keep a blank face. He had to accept, it was the only option if he wanted to follow the plan.

“Fine, a truce— for this challenge.” Noah conceded lips pursed.

“Gracias.” Alejandro said, remaining oddly close to him despite the conversation ending. Noah couldn’t help but, step back. It was probably some intimidation strategy. Alejandro liked to be in control of things, Noah wasn’t playing that game.

Ignoring Alejandro’s presence next to him, Noah watched the other contestants take their spouse.

Courtney got Owen of all people while Heather was forced with Duncan. It was a match made in hell as Heather grabbed his ear and dragged him away. Noah almost felt bad for him, almost. Owen wasn’t much better off, dealing with Courtney’s up turned nose. That only left Sierra and Cody, a match no one was surprised by.

“Alright now that you’re all paired up it’s time for the next part of the challenge!” Chris said, spotlight shinning on an obstacle course set up in the concert hall.

“You have got to be kidding me.” Courtney said, looking at Owen.

This was going to be a long challenge.

Noah could tell.

••••••••

Chris cut the cameras for a moment while he forced half of the contestants on top of tall white pillars— afterwords he handed them all a megaphone, much to Noah’s displeasure.

He watched everything from the ground. Maybe heard was a better word as a blindfold was shoved over his face along with the others lined up next to him. From the looks of things they would have to rely on their ‘spouses’ to get across safely. Noah didn’t trust Alejandro with anything but, he had no reason to steer him wrong if he truly wanted to win. With the teams newly dissolved Noah doubted he would lose on purpose. He needed to regain his footing before he did that.

“Alright and action!” A voice cut in.

“Now because a good marriage is based on trust and, the ability to argue louder than your spouse, each groom has been given a megaphone to guide his blindfolded bride, or husband, safely to their gown.” Chris announced.

Noah took the moment to shove the blindfold off of his eyes.

“Gown?!” he asked, sounding more distressed than he wanted to.

“Don’t worry I ordered a suit just for this challenge…” Chris said, Noah relief short lived as he continued talking.

“But, it will arrive in four to six business days so you’ll have to make due. Don’t worry dude I think it’s your color.” Chris said, laughing while Noah fumed.

Had he won the reward challenge on his own accord he might have considered quitting but, he had a job to do. If that meant wearing a wedding dress then he was wearing the damn dress— it didn’t matter that he could picture the laughter of his sisters back home and, everyone at his school. It was bad enough that he had to deal with his infamous first season presence but, now this would be up for everyone to see.

Noah clenched his fist, shoving the blindfold over his eyes. It was fine, he would survive.

“Oh and by the way only couples with a dress can continue, now without further ado, go!”

Noah inhaled deeply through his nose, exhaling as he listened for Alejandro’s voice. Things would be fine, he was lucky his ‘husband’ had a distinct Spanish accent.

“Mi amor go straight.” Alejandro said, Noah following the command. He could hear the other contestants struggling around him, varying volume of commands flooding through his ear.

Noah only focused on Alejandro’s voice, stepping one after the other. His legs shook slightly, his arms straight in front of him.

“Rápido, turn slightly left!” Alejandro yelled, words ringing in his ears as Noah put his hands up in discomfort.

“Maybe try not making me go deaf.”he complained, swerving to the side just in time to feel some frosting smear on his shorts.

“Oh, Noah what flavor is that?” Owen asked from his pillar, Noah sticking out a hand and snatching a piece of frosting.

“It’s buttercream frosting over vanilla I think.” Noah said, stopping in his tracks as he tasted it. He nodded his head in confirmation.

“Ohh that sounds sooo good.” Owen said, he was probably drooling from atop the pillar.

“Hey focus I am not falling into-“ Courtney’s voice was cut short followed by the sound of splashing.

“This is outrageous I-“ Courtney fell again, Noah barely containing a laugh.

“Oh uh sorry Courtney I meant to tell you to go right.” Owen said laughing sheepishly.

“Noah shift to the right and stop in five steps.” Alejandro ordered, sound almost over shadowed by Duncan’s yelling.

“No stop, listen to me and go right.” Duncan said, Heather must have been ignoring him. Noah didn’t blame her seeing as they weren’t exactly friendly.

“As If I’m listening to you and your directions.” Heather said.

“Codyyyy where am I going?” Sierra cried, interrupting everyone’s directions.

“Uh left?” Cody muttered, sighing into the device.

Noah tried to ignore all the conflicting voices, veering right and counting five steps in his head. He stopped just before a pool, the plastic exterior bumping against his shoe.

“Bravo Noah now head left three paces and then straight and you’re there.” Alejandro said, sounding on the edge of his seat— or in this case pillar.

Noah reached his hands out, following his instructions to a T. It felt foreign trusting him but, it was strategically wise. He would have to figure out what he was going to do about immunity with Alejandro when he got to it.

Noah felt a mannequin in front of him, practically hugging the thing as he took off his blindfold.

“Buen trabajo Noah!” Alejandro said. Noah smiled to himself at a job well done.

He didn’t waste another second tossing the blindfold aside to observe the dress in front of him.

Chris wasn’t lying about the dress, unfortunately. It was white, rather simple in design and long enough for him to wear. Why did life hate him, would he really have to wear it for the challenge. Noah wanted to melt into the floor, imaging the looks. Was this worth revenge, Noah already wasn’t sure. Maybe Alejandro deserved the million after all.

“Congratulations looks like Noah and Alejandro are moving on, you better hurry up because the clock it ticking, a.k.a my patience.” Chris said.

“Owen come on I am getting my dress!” Courtney raged, Owen looking nervous.

“Okay uh left, then a right, then straight oh and right and then straight again and you’re there.” Owen said quickly, Courtney struggling to follow through. She must have been annoyed as she didn’t even bother stopping when walking face first into a cake.

“Ugh I hate vanilla!” She said, nearly smacking into the mannequin with her dress on it.

“Ugh finally, at least you’re better than Duncan.” She said, admiring the dress that suited her personality and figure.

“Alright come on just keep walking straight and you’re good.” Duncan said, for once he was telling the truth.

Heather didn’t know that though so she went left instead, tripping and on a kitty pool of what looked like chocolate milk.

“Pft-“ Heather said, spiting out the liquid.

“I told you to go straight.” Duncan said, lounging on the pillar he was placed on.

Heather simply scoffed.

——

“I don’t trust that punk as far as I can throw him…he wasn’t the one who had to deal with Courtney’s whining after he went and kissed Gwen.”

“If I had gotten paired with Alejandro none of this would have happened, I’m the only one who can deal with him.” Heather sighed.

“Whatever, Noah thinks he can take care of the slime on his own, now he gets to test that theory.”

“At least I tried to help, it’s out of my hands now.” Heather said, expression turning serious.

——

“He is right Heather you simply have to go straight and you’re there.” Alejandro encouraged, eyes narrowing on Heather.

“Ugh fine.” Heather said, scrambling out of the pond and steadying herself. Noah wanted to ask why he was helping Heather but, he already knew the answer. He was flirting with her, Noah wasn’t sure why but, it sounded forced. They should have been madly in love from what Noah had seen, it was probably just his imagination. They were still giving each other the same goggly eyes when Heather took off her blindfold.

“Thanks, now prepare to lose!” Heather said, eyeing her wedding dress happily.

“Well it looks like we’re out of time looks like only three teams-“

“Cody hurry we’re going to lose!” Sierra cried.

“Oh uh…go straight I guess.” Cody mumbled, Noah could barely hear him from all the way on his pillar.

“Don’t worry Codykins I got this!” Sierra cried, running straight ahead. Sierra had to be superhuman, breaking through a giant cake and dodging the kiddie pools with a startling precision. She reached the wedding dress, ripping off the blindfold.

“OMG I totally got the dress now we can get married eeeeeee!!!” Sierra cried, holding onto the dress stand and twirling around. Cody looked unnerved, sighing into his hand. He wasn’t playing for strategy, it was clear that he was still hung up on the whole Sierra thing. Maybe Noah could use that, down the road. Save Cody from Sierra and his vote was as good as taken. That would be three votes, maybe four with Heather but, he couldn’t rely on her.

Noah was feeling better about his chances, maybe he could vote Alejandro off. The next challenge, or maybe the one after that. It was a nice theory, taking Alejandro to the finale and eliminating him, but it wasn’t feasible. Noah had to get one over him before he realized what was happening, that meant taking any opportunity to rid the plane of the eel.

“Well let’s move onto the next part of the challenge, contestants get in your dresses and meet me outside, I’m sure you’ll all be dying to see what I have planned.” Chris said cackling as he left them alone for a moment.

Noah sighed, eyeing the garment in front of him. If he had a match he would light it on fire. He didn’t like wearing new clothes, especially wedding dresses.

“Mi amor are you alright?” Alejandro asked, climbing down from his stone pillar and making his way over to Heather. To say Noah was annoyed was an understatement.

Noah held his hand up, briefly touching Alejandro’s chest.

“Hey Romeo if I’m not mistaken we’re a team if you want to win this challenge I wouldn’t be getting so close with miss queen bee over there.” Noah deadpanned.

“Careful Noah you may come across as jealous.” Alejandro said, giving him a sly wink before turning towards Heather, effectively shutting down his questioning.

Noah only rolled his eyes.

Jealous?

Not in a million years.

Heather could have Alejandro all to herself once he was done with his plan— if they could find each other after he was booted off the plane.

“Oh Cody look these sleeves are absolutely adrobs!!” Sierra said, still fawning over the two piece dress she held in her arms.

——

“How did she get the dress I didn’t even try?!” Cody exclaimed.

“Does she have some sort of wedding dress radar…I mean come on that’s just not possible!” Cody complained, hugging himself tightly.

“She’s crazy..I just need her gone then maybe I can focus.”

——

“Alright enough lallygagging get to the dressing rooms and meet me outside!” Chris snapped, the contestants groaning.

Noah sighed and slipped the clothing piece off the display model.

The challenge was going well.

This wasn’t about to ruin it.

••••••••

Staring in the mirror of the dressing room didn’t make him feel very good about himself.

Watching most of the contestants (sans Owen and, oddly Alejandro) along with Chris laugh at his displeasure didn’t help either. It was out of his hands, he had to get through this. For revenge, for the others.

“Yeah laugh it up I know now can we get on with the challenge please.” Noah begged, crossing his arms. The dress fit decently aside from the front for obvious reason. It was long enough that he didn’t feel uncomfortable but, it was still a stupid dress. Complete with stupid accessories and white gloves. Needless to say Noah ditched the crown, earrings, and veil he was supposed to wear. Chris would not force that on him. The gloves, on the other hand, weren’t terrible. For some reason they made him feel better, maybe because they covered a lot of his arms.

“Ah my stunning husband.” Alejandro said, smirk playing on his lips.

“Not even a veil could contain such beauty, I see why you chose not to wear it.” Alejandro said.

——

“Kill me now.” Noah said blankly into the camera.

——

“Please just..just..stop.” Noah said, softer than he intended. His cheeks felt warm, they were definitely warm. Why was Alejandro teasing him? Did he have some sort of strategy to get him eliminated before he could spill any secrets. Noah would have to keep a close eye on him, make sure that he really wanted to win the challenge.

“Well I supposed I should announce what the challenge is I’m thinking of calling it ‘till death do you part.” Chris said as they all gathered on the thin wooden platform Chris had corralled them on.

“Okay this can’t be legal.” Courtney said, eyeing the body of water below them.

“We escaped falling down Niagara Falls just so you could have us walk over it, on a tightrope!?” Cody asked, voice breaking for added effect. .

“Oh some of you will be walking it alright, each groom has to carry his bride, or husband-“ Chris said grinning at Noah.

“Over the falls. Not only that but, once you’re there you also have to clear customs!” Chris said as Chef waved from across the way.

“The first pair to do so wins invincibility and, a pimped out wedding reception in first class.”

Noah glanced over at Alejandro, face wrinkled.

“I think I’ll pass on that.” Noah said.

“It wasn’t a question, now seeing as Noah and Alejandro won the first challenge I’m giving them a head start.”

“Ready amigo.” Alejandro asked, holding out his hand.

“Whatever.” Noah said, taking his hand. If this was what it took to win then he would do it.

“Oh I almost forgot to mention, the falls weren’t quite unpleasant enough we stocked them with some very hungry sharks, you have been warned.” Chris said, smiling wide as they all glanced down at the large basin below them.

“No! I’m like a buffet to them!” Owen yelped, holding onto Courtney tightly.

“Get off of me you big oaf!” Courtney cried, struggling in his grasp as Duncan laughed.

“Ha- serves you right.” Duncan said, wiping a stray tear away.

“Now get to it, I have things to do.” Chris said.

“Shall we take advantage of our head start?” Alejandro asked, both of them stepping closer to the rope. Noah was dreading the moment, Alejandro carrying him. If he had the strength he would have tried it the other way, not leaving himself to Alejandro’s whim, but he couldn’t. He had to trust him, ironic given his whole goal. It was simply for the challenge, this was how he would keep things on track— ensure that all that effort wasn’t in vain.

“Just get it over with.” Noah said, Alejandro bending down and scooping him up. Noah should have been worried at how little effort it took but, he had bigger things on his mind—mainly the sharks hunting them on a giant boat below. It was sad that Noah had seen weirder.

Alejandro stepped onto the rope, Noah’s arms crossed tightly against his chest. He wouldn’t hold onto Alejandro, that would really cement his humiliation.

Noah watched the water below, every step Alejandro took shaking the rope. It would be chaos once the other contestants were given free reign. Noah was unnerved having nothing but space beyond him.

The further Alejandro walked, the less he heard the others arguing—the rushing water filling up the space.

Alejandro finally made eye contact with Noah, stopping in the middle of the falls for a moment to catch his breath.

“I must admit-“ Alejandro began, brushing his damp hair out of his face. (the falls were blowing a spray of water onto them)

“ I did not expect you to come back.” He continued.

Noah swallowed hard, wondering where he was going with his words.

“You didn’t take me as the type to want back on the death machine…in your words.” Alejandro said, leaning in close to Noah, eyes gleaming. Noah glared back at him, not moving a muscle. He wouldn’t show that he was bothered by the invasion of his personal space, he was a stone slab and Alejandro wouldn’t make him budge.

“I’m full of surprises.” Noah said bluntly.

“As am I…”Alejandro said, his hold on Noah growing lax.

“What are you doing?” Noah asked, panic worming its way into his voice. Stupid, he couldn’t let Alejandro see his fear—that didn’t stop his heart from beating out of his chest. It was a long way down and, he didn’t want to become shark food.

“Showing you what I am capable of if you decide to tell anyone of my little trickery.”Alejandro said smoothly. So he was going with threatening, how original. While Noah was terrified, he was also relieved. A threat meant that Alejandro was going to keep him around, at least until the next challenge. He was safe, however safe he could be with Alejandro threatening to feed him to the sharks.

Noah scrambled to save himself from slipping— he wrapped his arms around Alejandro’s neck, face practically shoved into his side.

“I won’t, alright…do you hear me?” Noah asked, desperately. He wasn’t a big fan of heights and, sharks.

Alejandro’s grip tightened once again, securing his arms around Noah— it felt like a giant bear hug, a threatening one.

“Good, I’m glad we are clear.” Alejandro said, continuing along the tightrope like nothing had happened. Noah could hear the other contestants approaching them.

“I don’t want to eliminate you again Noah but, I will.” Alejandro lamented, sounding truthful no matter how dishonest Noah knew the words were. Alejandro didn’t care, he would eliminate him at the drop of a hat—easily.

Noah didn’t respond, hugging Alejandro tightly— he only removed his face from the crook of Alejandro’s neck so he could see. He wasn’t falling, he was fine. He wished he could tell that to his heart which was beating out of his chest. Alejandro could probably hear it with how close they were. He would know that his threat worked.

They both grew silent after that.

Noah wasn’t sure how much time past before he saw the end of the rope in sight. The others were gaining on them but, even with Alejandro’s threat there was still a wide berth of space between them.

“Excuse me I’m carrying precious cargo!” Sierra cried from behind them.

“Precious cargo? I’m the one you should be careful with, could you move those stubby legs any faster!” Heather snapped.

A soft smile grew on Alejandro’s face as he turned to stare at Heather. There was a far away look in his eyes that Noah couldn’t quite place.

“Hey I don’t have stubby legs I just have a long torso…”Duncan said as Courtney laughed.

“Hey Al a couple more steps and we’re off of this rope.” Noah said, voice shaky no matter what he did to stop it.

Alejandro looked startled, blush snaking around his ears as he turned back to Noah. He didn’t look away, he simply stared at him with that same far away gaze. Noah wondered if he was trying to intimidate him— that wasn’t a stretch given what he had just done.

“Ah apologies.” Alejandro said, stopping at the booth chef was standing at.

“What is the purpose of your visit, business or pleasure?” Chef asked, face blank.

“Business.” Noah said, eyes narrowed. There was nothing pleasurable about being in Alejandro’s arm. (Aside from his warmth, maybe)

“What my lovely husband to be meant to say was pleasure.” Alejandro said, self assured smile on his face as Noah scowled.

“Alright I just have a couple questions for you.” Chef explained.

“What is the capital of Canada?” Chef began.

“Ottawa.” Noah said bluntly, remaining straight faced as Chef continued to fire off basic knowledge anyone who lived in Canada would know.

“Wow you got them all right, I can’t say I’m surprised, now anything you would like to declare?” Chef asked.

Noah looked over at Alejandro, eyes squinted.

‘I declare that my husband is a massive eel’ Noah wanted to say but, he held his tongue, resorting to a small shake of his head.

“Alright welcome.” Chef said as Alejandro walked off the tightrope. Noah took a sigh of relief as Alejandro set him down. He was safe.

“Wow that was …uh surprisingly uneventful impressive you two, for the newly weds I planned a small reception up in first class.” Chris said clapping slowly.

“And you also gain immunity which means that you can’t vote for each other.” Chris said like Noah needed it spelled out for him.

“I assure you the thought never crossed my mind.” Alejandro said nonchalantly, like he hadn’t just dangled him over the falls.

“I’m sure now without further ado-“

Noah heard the sound of the rope swinging back and forth and, the distinct sound of splashing following.

“Cody!! Hang on!” Sierra cried.

“Perhaps we should go fish out the other contestants.” Chris said chuckling.

“First you can tell me where the nearest changing room is.” Noah asked, pulling the dress fabric off of his legs. Not only was he uncomfortable from nearly dying but, the spray from the waterfall was making his clothes stick in weird places.

“Huh unfortunately we ran out of filming time in the concert hall so you’ll have to wait until we get back on the plane, whoopsies.” Chris said, Noah well aware that it was no accident.

“Don’t worry Noah you pull it off quite well.” Alejandro said, still no hint of laughter. Noah wondered what he was waiting for. Noah didn’t want to analyze Alejandro’s mannerisms. He had to get away from him and talk to Duncan and Owen.

He had succeeded the first step of the plan, now he had to secure alliances, build up the votes—while protecting those on his side. It was going to be exhausting but, he could adapt. It was why they chose him, along with being the only reasonable option.

“Just so you know I want a divorce.” Noah said as they both walked across the bridge.

Alejandro only smiled, that same cruel smile Noah was familiar with. The same smile that made Noah doubt himself.

He was tied up with a monster.

Noah wasn’t sure how to escape.

••••••••

The dress came off rather easy, replaced for a shirt and shorts in an impressive ten seconds. The gloves he peeled off quickly as well, tossing them aside. Finally, he felt miserable.

Chris dragged his feet bringing them back to the plane, leaving Noah in misery. To make matters worse he had to put up with an impromptu wedding reception when they got back, confetti flying the second he stepped into first class. He just wanted to reach his luggage, take off the dress— the challenge— and relax. Relax as much as he could with Alejandro breathing down his neck.

Noah sighed, looking at the first class seats wearily. He wanted to enjoy the time but, he had things to do.

That didn’t mean he couldn’t grab a quick slice of cake.

Chris left it for him and Alejandro, the desert hadn’t been touched—Alejandro muttering something about his body being a temple. Noah wondered when he got to be so self righteous.

Noah grabbed a plastic knife, cutting into the cake.

“That is a rather large slice, no?” Alejandro asked, peaking out from one of the seats. Noah thought he was safe with his ‘husband’ lounging around— he wore cucumbers on his eyes and his legs were propped up.

“I’m hungry, Chris flew me over immediately after I won that Aftermath segment, I haven’t had a chance to eat.” Noah said bluntly.

“Perhaps the calories will do you some good you are rather light.” Alejandro teased, Noah rolling his eyes— he barely held back a sarcastic quip.

Noah pulled out the slice of cake, putting it on a paper plate and setting the knife down.

“I must admit amigo I have missed yo-“ Alejandro paused, clearing his throat.

“….your sarcastic remarks.”

“Really? I couldn’t tell?” Noah asked, venom dripping from his words. It wasn’t wise to reveal his disdain but, Alejandro was aware of what he knew— that and Noah was angry.

Alejandro frowned.

“No need to be so hostile my friend, as long as you stay out of the way I may spare you.” Alejandro said.

Noah furrowed his brow. Alejandro had no idea what he was planning to do. He thought he was trying to survive. He was but, he had already done that. He only had to go up, take the game by the reigns— take the puppet strings away from Alejandro.

That eel had no idea what he was capable of.

“Whatever, I’m done with this conversation so if you don’t mind I’m going to eat this in the dinning hall.”

Away from you, Noah wanted to add but that was left unsaid.

“I will be awaiting your return, we still must plan the honeymoon.” Alejandro teased, Noah’s hand tensing around the paper plate he held. Stupid Alejandro and stupid wedding challenge.

——

“Of course I followed him, I’m not stupid he is clearly planning something.”

“If there is one thing I know about Noah it’s that he’s clever—not as clever as me though.” Alejandro bragged placing a dramatic hand on his chest.”

——

“Yeah sure I’m looking forward to it.” Noah said, stealing a fork before storming away. The second he brushed passed the curtain relief filled him, a great relief that came only when Alejandro wasn’t staring at him. His gaze was intimidating, that was probably on purpose.

He had things to do, serious things before Alejandro figured out that he could never finish a cake slice that was basically half of their wedding cake.

••••••••

Noah walked the halls, they were unsurprisingly empty given that there were only eight, soon to be seven, contestants.

Noah knew who he was looking for and he figured economy class was the exact place to look.

Beyond the curtain he heard chattering, the other contestants plotting —or sulking in their misery. Noah didn’t particularly care for formalities so he brushed the fabric open, everyone turning to stare at him.

“Little buddy!” Owen said, smile widening when he saw what Noah held in his hand. Of course he chose the end of the cabin to sit at, forcing Noah to travel across the entirety of the cabin to deliver the desert.

“Is that..?” Owen asked, drooling already.

“Yep, go nuts Alejandro isn’t going to eat it.” Noah said.

“Let me guess his body is a temple?” Heather asked, arms crossed and one leg swung over the other.

Noah nodded his head, barely sparing her a glance.

“Why are you all of a sudden so buddy buddy with him?” Courtney asked, sitting as far away as possible from Duncan. Noah would have laughed if he didn’t have a goal in mind.

“I’m not, ‘buddy buddy’ with him-“ Noah began making air quotes with his hands.

“If you haven’t forgotten he elimi-“ Noah froze mid sentence, thinking back to the threat over the waterfall. Alejandro wasn’t serious right? He wouldn’t really hurt him just to keep his secret. Noah doubted it was much of a secret with Heather actively trying to undermine him. That didn’t stop his mouth from clamming shut. He didn’t need to be talking to Courtney, she was practically wrapping herself around Alejandro’s finger to spite Duncan.

“Never mind I’m busy.” Noah said, blank expression wavering.

Courtney only scoffed.

“Hey nice going man she’s not worth your time.” Duncan said, from the front of the cabin. He was really intent on going down with the ship.

Noah rolled his eyes, handing Owen the cake slice. No one else knew but, food helped with his fear of flying— mainly sweets. Noah doubted either he or Alejandro would eat the cake so it would be going to waste if Owen didn’t take it. There was no other reason for the deed even if Noah would never admit he.

He wasn’t just ‘nice’ to people.

“Oh this is so good! Thanks Noah!!” Owen said, talking as cake chunks flew out of his mouth.

“Hmm Cody maybe we could have that kind of cake at our reception?” Sierra asked, hugging Cody tightly.

“Ugh talk with your mouth closed.” Heather complained, sitting closer to Owen than Sierra or Cody.

“Sorry…” Owen said sadly.

Noah ignored their bickering, walking back towards the entrance of economy class— towards Duncan.

“What do you want?” Duncan asked, busy carving Gwen’s face with a knife he had somehow been allowed.

“To talk—alone.” Noah said, eyes narrowed.

“Look dude I’m not interested in anything you have to say concerning -“ Duncan began, Noah knowing where he was heading before it got there.

“You really think I care about some stupid love triangle? Newsflash I don’t care about anyone on this plane enough to worry about gossip.” Noah said, glaring at him.

“Eh…. I guess that checks out.” Duncan said, flipping his knife closed and sitting up.

“It’s about Alejandro.” Noah clarified so he wouldn’t ask anymore stupid questions.

“Oh.” Duncan said, standing up and snatching Noah’s wrist.

It wasn’t a comforting grasp, Noah felt like he was a second away from being mugged as Duncan led him out of economy class.

“Whatever you do you can’t let him know that me and Owen are against him .” Duncan said, just outside the hallway.

Noah wanted to tell him to calm down for a second to make sure no one was listening but, he was already rambling at that point.

“I don’t know what your plan is but, if you want that guy out me and Owen will back you up.” Duncan said, like Noah wasn’t well aware.

“I know you will I watched the show but, you need to stay in the game to do that— that means not making two of the most cunning people on this plane mad at you.” Noah said.

“Courtney and Heather? Seriously? Their not a threat Heather’s one wrong move away from elimination and Courtney’s a major bit-“

“Heather was the only one other than me to notice something was up with Alejandro and, Courtney, while revenge hungry, is a good player.” Noah said, sighing.

“You don’t want both of them mad at you while you’re trying to keep a secret.” Noah said narrowing his eyes.

“So play nice, I need both of you to get one over on Alejandro.” Noah said, biting back the sarcasm to come across genuine.

Duncan looked ticked off at his words but, he held it back well. Noah was surprised that he didn’t end up with a black eye.

“Fine, but I’m not apologizing.” Duncan said in typical bad boy fashion.

Noah fought the urge to once again roll his eyes.

“Thanks.” Noah said.

“Was that all you wanted?” Duncan asked.

Noah didn’t get a chance to speak before he continued.

“Because I was wondering why you even decided to come back, I thought you hated this show.” Duncan asked, Noah feeling sweat bead on his forehead.

“I happened to win so I decided I might as well give it another shot, that’s all."Noah muttered.

Duncan eyes him skeptically.

“Whatever you say dude because you're acting super sketchy... not to mention that weird shaped burn on your arm…” Duncan said gesturing to his injured arm.

“It’s not important, I simply wanted to make sure we’re on the same page.” Noah said.

“I have to get back before Alejandro realizes I didn’t take that cake for me.” Noah said before Duncan could fight him on the issue.

“Whatever man, who should I vote for in the mean time… cause if you don’t have anyone in mind them I’m totally voting for Ms. Princess over there.” Duncan spit out, pointing towards the economy class curtain with his thumb.

“I could care less, just try not to piss anybody off too much before the ceremony.” Noah said holding the curtain open.

“Yeah yeah, I’ll tell Owen what you said once he’s out of his food coma.” Duncan grumbled.

Noah nodded his head, that went better than expected and didn’t end with him in the hospital.

Noah let the curtain swing shut, walking down the hallway towards first class.

He could hear Sierra’s hyperactive shouts about her future wedding with Cody, Courtney chewing on the tip of her pencil as she scribbled on her notepad and, Heathers complaining as Owen passed out on one of the benches.

It all sounded so normal.

Noah frowned, steps stalling.

Something felt off, an itch in the back of his brain. It was probably nothing but, he had a feeling that the carefully placed plan to get Alejandro kicked off the plane wasn’t going to be so easy.

He should have stuck with the feeling but, he let it go and kept walking.

Away from economy class and away from his last shot to fix things.

••••••••

“Well thank you all for joining me durning this lovely elimination ceremony, I mean look at that sun.” Chris said, admiring the scenery beyond the plan window.

“Now as you all know Alejandro and Noah won immunity during todays challenge so no voting for them unless you want to waste a vote.” Chris said holding up the passports.

“I gotta say I was a tiny bit surprised seeing the results but, I gotta say you all certainly have me an interesting episode.” Chris said, pulling out some bags of peanuts and tossing them to Alejandro and Noah.

“Now the moment you’ve all been waiting for…” Chris said smiling.

“Owen-“ Chris said, Noah’s heart practically stalling in his chest.

What was happening, Chris couldn’t be serious, what had Owen done-

“You are safe this round.” Chris said tossing him a bag.

“Oh phew.” Owen said, shoveling the food in his mouth.

“Are you alright my friend you look a little tense?” Alejandro asked politely despite the fact that they were as good as enemies once the next challenge started.

“Fine.” Noah said through gritted teeth.

“I suppose I should give a bag to Heather too, and Sierra and Cody!” Chris said tossing the bags at lighting speed to their outstretched hand.

“Well enough stalling the votes were pretty close but, with four votes I’m going to have to send Duncan packing!” Chris announced, tossing a bag to Courtney.

“Ha! Finally it serves you right you two timing-“

“I don’t wanna hear it Princess give me the damn parachute.” Duncan snapped, standing up with his shoulders bunched together.

Noah stared at him blankly as he walked over to the exit.

“It was fun while it lasted…”Duncan said, making eye contact with Noah.

“Sorry man, I tried.” Duncan shrugged, looking surprisingly calm. Noah didn’t blame him hearing Courtney’s nagging. That didn’t stop Noah’s hopes from crashing.

Duncan was gone? The very same Duncan who he had just secured an alliance with. There was no way it was simply a coincidence. Alejandro must have known, or heard. How could he have been so stupid, why didn’t he learn from last time? Noah wanted to scream.

“I hope you get stuck in a tree.” Courtney spit out.

“Yeah well I hope you can finally get the stick removed from your ass!” Duncan yelled, snatching the parachute from Chef and jumping out of the plane. It happened in one fluid motion, Noah blinking as the room got quiet.

“Well that was surprising, sad to see him go but, that’s show business…now hang tight everybody more betrayal and drama await on the next episode of Total Drama World Tour!” Chris said as someone yelled cut, the contestants chatting amongst themselves.

“I can’t believe Duncan’s finally gone.” Courtney said, smiling to herself.

“Does that mean you’ll finally quit whining about him it’s getting hard to sleep in economy class.” Heather complained.

Courtney only gave her a glare.

“Whatever I’m going to celebrate in the dinning hall, come if you want.” Courtney said, self assured smile on her face.

Noah blinked, trying to get his mouth to function. Duncan was gone, one of his votes was gone. If he didn’t come up with more votes he was in serious danger, despite what Alejandro said he was expendable.

He wouldn’t go out so quickly. He simply underestimated Alejandro’s cunning, he would do better next round.

Noah crossed his arms, standing up to follow after Courtney.

Alejandro wouldn’t get away with eliminating Duncan. That was a promise.

All Noah had to do was find someone else, easy.

“Ow Sierra enough with the kisses okay we aren’t really married!” Cody complained.

It seemed like that wouldn’t be very hard at all.

This was only a temporary set back.

He would make the eel pay.

It was only a matter of time.

——

Alejandro flicked something out from underneath his nail, ignoring the camera in front of him.

“It was quite easy to get enough votes to eliminate Duncan. Courtney was a breeze, Sierra was won over with my witness to her marriage and, Heather was bitter about the earlier challenge.” Alejandro said proudly.

“Add those with my vote and the little delinquent is gone, it’s what he deserves for trying to betray me.” Alejandro sighed.

“I must admit had I not followed Noah I would have missed it… I didn’t take Duncan for a schemer.” Alejandro said.

“It is no matter, this little insurrection will be put down in a couple episodes— with ease.” Alejandro’s lip quirked upwards.

“That’s a promise.”

Chapter Text

Noah was lost in a dream. It was a pleasant dream filled with fluffy clouds and a large wooden library filled with books. It was heaven, pure peace with nothing left to think about. Noah was tired of thinking about things, he wanted to sit back and let the thoughts come to him— in the form of words on a page.

The tranquility was short lived as his surroundings began to change. Noah shifted from side to side like he was being shaken.

The cruel grip or reality finally took hold of him, jostling him into an uneasy state of alertness.

“Huh?” Noah muttered.

“It is simply some minor turbulence my friend, go back to sleep.” Alejandro said, voice sounding awfully soothing— awfully close.

“Mhm…”Noah muttered, knotting up the fabric clutched in his hand. His head wasn’t resting on the golden chair, it was laying against something warm. Strange, Noah wasn’t aware that they had heated seats.

Noah wanted to think about it further but, he felt warm— his dream was calling him and, who was he to argue.

His eyes shut, darkness engulfing him once again. It was only fair that he enjoy the peace and quiet for a second longer.

••••••••

“Rise and shine Noah.” Alejandro’s voice called, stirring Noah awake.

This time it was light outside, the windows opened to let in the sun. It was nice, despite the sudden spots dancing in Noah’s vision.

“What time is it?” Noah muttered, rubbing his eyes. He was in the same golden chair he had fallen asleep in. The cushions were cold were his body hadn’t been laying.

“I’m unsure but, would you care for some breakfast we are nearing the next challenge destination.” Alejandro asked, eating grapes from a stem like some sort of ancient Greek.

Noah’s eyes drifted to the side, spying a table filled with food. It must have been brought in before he woke up. He was rather famished, he’d been telling the truth about not eating since before the Total Drama Aftermath segment.

“I guess.” Noah conceded, trying not to sound too eager. He hopped off his chair, standing on shaky feet. The sudden motion sent a dull pain up his body— it was a burning sensation originating from his leg. He must have slept wrong, irritating the injury. He would have to sneak away and put some ointment on it before the next challenge; he had managed to smuggle some burn cream into his luggage before leaving.

In the mean time he was more worried about breakfast.

Noah walked into the aisle, his eyes catching on a small panel on one of the seats. He could have been dreaming but, he could recall feeling warm despite his lack of blanket or pillow. It was probably nothing, maybe he had accidentally turned on some kind of heater.

“Do you know if Chris put a heater in these seats?” Noah asked Alejandro, search yielding no results.

The question seemed to catch him off guard, delaying any reply.

It was delayed further when he popped a grape into his mouth.

——

Alejandro adjusted the collar of his shirt in the mirror, smiling devilishly. He looked impeccably groomed.

“Noah may have grabbed me in his sleep last night.” Alejandro admitted nonchalantly.

“I knew he was a sleep cuddler so I paid him no mind.” Alejandro said, waving his hand around despite the slight redness his face had acquired. He looked like he was thinking back on the memory, fondly.

“I would simply prefer if he didn’t know…yet.” Alejandro said.

——

“I’m unsure, if there is a heater I haven’t found the button.” Alejandro said, continuing like nothing had happened.

Noah sighed, standing up and stretching out his body.

“Never mind it doesn’t matter.” He said, walking over to the table and picking up a plate. The table was fully stocked with pancakes and, a large bowl of fruit. There were mostly melons and honeydews but, a couple strawberries sat on the top. Noah found himself drooling at the smell.

Owen was definitely missing out. Noah would have smuggled some food to him if Alejandro wasn’t breathing down his neck. With Duncan gone he couldn’t draw anymore attention to the big guy.

Thinking back on anything relating to the elimination ceremony made Noah’s stomach flip. He placed a pancake on his plate in an attempt to distract himself.

He may have won the first challenge but, he wasn’t safe. Depending on how he played the challenge Alejandro could get rid of him with ease. Alejandro already had Courtney’s vote and, he had access to Sierra and Heather’s as well. Noah only had Cody’s and Owen’s if he was lucky. Cody was still up in the air, Noah knew he needed to figure out a way to get Cody on his side— quickly. Oh he also had to make sure Alejandro didn’t swoop in and discard all of his hard work if he did get Cody’s vote.

This was going to be a fun challenge.

Noah sighed— loudly— as he sat down.

The original plan was falling apart with Duncan’s departure. He was supposed to cruise to the final four, get Alejandro to squirm before kicking him out like he had done to the others. Noah felt like he wasn’t doing a very good job getting revenge. Instead of beating him he was getting married to him— not to mention failing to identify his trickery. His performance hadn’t exactly been stellar so far. He had to pick things up, make sure their efforts weren’t in vain— their pain.

Noah took a bite of his breakfast, watching Alejandro finish the stem of grapes and toss it in the trash.

“Not going to take part in the rest of breakfast?” Noah asked, expecting some generic response about eating healthy. If you asked him Alejandro didn’t need to be so stingy with his nutrition. One pancake wasn’t going to ruin his perfect figure. Not that Noah thought much about Alejandro’s figure but, he had eyes. The guy was hot, hot enough to eliminate a good portion of the contestants. If that wasn’t enough he was smart enough to take out the rest.

In short, he was the perfect competitor for Chris’ little show.

“Maybe after the challenge, I must remain in peak form.” Alejandro said giving Noah a wink. The action may have made Heather blush but, Noah wasn’t impressed.

Noah only rolled his eyes in response, continuing to eat. He’d already lost most of his appetite thinking about things but, he knew better than to skip another meal. He needed his strength to, at the very least, feign competence if the challenge happened to be athletic.

Noah wasn’t sure how he forced it all down but, it wasn’t long before he finished everything on his plate. Noah shoved the dish aside with haste.

Eating something did make him feel a little better.

“Allow me amigo.” Alejandro offered, picking up his plate and setting it on the disposal tray near the end of table. Noah wondered why he was being so nice. There was probably some angle.

It was rare moments like that that made Noah doubt Alejandro’s heartless nature. He knew what Alejandro had done, was doing, yet he found himself forgetting that for a moment. He had to tell himself over and over again that he wasn’t nice— no matter how much he pretended to be. They weren’t amigos, Alejandro saw him as a roadblock standing in his way of a million dollars. Helping him was only because he wanted something, a purely transactional trade.

“Thanks.”Noah said carefully.

“Of course, anything for my husband.” Alejandro joked.

Noah wanted to say something snarky but, the words died in his throat. He was done bickering with Alejandro, he had to focus— Alejandro was probably trying to distract him.

“Ex-husband.” Noah muttered, sitting up with a small smirk.

Today would be better than the last.

The plan may have fallen off the rails but, he could still salvage the pieces. It was stupid of him to think that things wouldn’t explode when Alejandro was around.

He could adapt, he had to.

Or he would get left in the dust.

••••••••

Noah stared at Chris blankly. Behind him laid the Great Wall of China, running along the hills in a wavy line. It was a predictable destination given that Noah spied the wall outside his window early.

They were all lined up near a large arch. It was placed there for the competition, at least Noah assumed that much.

“Welcome contestants to China! A vast country rich in history, culture, innovation and delicious sauces.” Chris announced, silencing the small amount of chatter among the contestants.

“Our first challenge is torn straight from the pages of China’s rich history in 8 million B.C. Where king Dim Sum led a great battalion of donkey warriors down-“

“Where did you get your information from, Wikipedia?” Noah butt in, unable to listen to the nonsensical history lesson.

“I’ll have you know that I got this information from a very trusted source-“ Chris said defensively.

“Well it’s wrong 8 million B.C was the Miocene era, there were dinosaurs.” Courtney added, causing Chris to frown.

“Yeah… whatever it doesn’t matter because, as I was getting to, you will be harnessing a vehicle and making your way across the Great Wall of China to the finish line. They’re first come first serve so I’d get them while you can.” Chris said holding up his hand.

“Well seeing as you don’t want to listen to my factual history lesson I guess you can go no-“ Chris paused, keeping his hand in the air as his phone rang.

Noah took a sigh of relief, he wasn’t ready to start— he wasn’t ready to race in general but, he would survive.

“Hang on a second.” Chris grumbled, flipping open the phone and placing it to his ear.

“Oh come on you couldn’t have waited five seconds to say start the race?” Courtney huffed, blowing a stray hair out of her face.

“Ohh Cody are you ready, this could be like our honeymoon!” Sierra squealed, hugging him. Noah watched blankly. With Alejandro standing a couple centimeters away he couldn’t try to get Cody on his side. He would have to wait.

“Sierra…can’t…cant…..breathe.” Cody wheezed, clawing at her arms until she let go.

“Oh haha sorry honey boo I got excited about our honey moon.” Sierra said patting a half conscious Cody on the head.

“Sierra wait… there’s something I’ve been meaning to-“Cody tried to say before Chris cut him off.

“Alright sorry about that, the producers are breathing down my neck and- “ Chris looked at all of them confused, most of their legs were poised for sprinting.

“Fine you can go now.” Chris sighed, dropping his arm as they took off.

Noah blinked, watching the others run. He didn’t expect Chris to start them the second he got off the phone. Now he was behind, great.

“Huh, I guess they didn’t want to know about those land mines on the course… or how you aren’t required to use any of the vehicles?” Chris said, giving Noah a wink as he looked back at his phone— dialing another number.

Why was Chris helping him? Noah wasn’t sure what the host’s plan was but, he didn’t have time to think about it.

Noah took off in a steady sprint, running on adrenaline and the thought that he couldn’t fail everyone.

The other contestants were ahead of him but, he didn’t have to run as far as he thought. The small pathway led up to a large segment of the wall— the stone was surprisingly smooth for how old the wall was. Had he not been pressed for time he would have taken a moment to admire the scenery. He hadn’t been out of Canada before joining the show, it was nice to see the sights— even if said sight was tainted by having to deal with Alejandro.

By the time Noah got to the collection of vehicles Alejandro and Heather were already gone, racing rather close to each other. Courtney followed right behind them, peddling a tricycle of all things. That left Sierra to swoop in and steal the last two feasible modes of transport.

“For my sugar faced yummy pie.” Sierra said, moments away from squeezing Cody’s cheeks as he climbed up on the donkey.

Noah fought the urge to gag, walking over to Owen panting on the side.

“Oh, that hill was so steep…”Owen complained in between breaths.

He turned to look at the other modes of transportation, some wooden flip-flops and a carriage with no driver.

“Aw, what are we going to do now?” Owen asked.

“I know you’re not going to like this but, we have to run.” Noah said, hating the words himself. It was no shock that neither him nor Owen were Olympic athletes.

“But, don’t we have to use something?” Owen asked, drawing a smile to Noah’s face.

Noah shook his head.

“We don’t, trust me.” Noah explained.

“Now come on their getting ahead.” Noah rushed, preparing himself for physical exercise.

“Oh, okay hang on I got this!” Owen said, picking up Noah and placing him on his shoulders. Noah would have protested but, it was better than running— a lot better. Who needed a vehicle when he had an Owen.

To make matters better he ran surprisingly fast, running down an incline and up the first hill. Maybe he actually had a shot at winning the first part of the challenge— if the others messed up.

Given that he was following Chris’ second piece of advice it was only natural that he listen to the first.

The second Noah spotted a suspicious looking device on the ground he panicked.

“Owen watch out!” Noah said pointing at the device which Owen promptly dodged.

“What was tha-“

A loud explosion silenced any sound, Noah watching a cloud of smoke rise up from further down the track.

“Oh, good call little buddy.” Owen said in between breaths as they reached another incline.

They were far behind but, gaining on the others. Noah took a moment to enjoy the wind racing through his hair— he also cherished the fact that he wasn’t currently running or riding on a donkey.

Owen slowed to a steady jog as they rose over the incline, reaching the top and seeing the faster competitors below them.

——

“It feels like it’s been so long since I’ve seen Noah, I missed him so much… the tiny patter of his little feet, his sarcastic jokes, the way he always knows everything.” Owen said, eyes watering.

“I even miss his hugs… I know he just lies there limp but, they’re really nice once you get used to them.” Owen said.

“Oh I don’t deserve him..”Owen said sadly.

——

“Hey Noah, uh I’ve been meaning to say..”Owen began, slowing to a steady jog.

“I’m really sorry for not believing you about Al, if I had then maybe you wouldn’t have gotten eliminated.” Owen said, Noah didn’t need to see him to know that his face looked distraught.

“It’s fine chubby buddy I’m back now and he’s not going to win.” Noah said, patting him on the head.

“Oh, that’s good.. I thought that maybe he just hadn’t warmed up to the team yet but, he’s really not very nice.” Owen admitted.

“No he’s not.” Noah conceded, mind flashing back to the meetings— the eliminated contestants.

“Owen, if he tells you anything or tries to talk to you don’t listen alright.” Noah said firmly. Owen wouldn’t become one of his victims. He would rather eliminate Owen himself then let Alejandro get to him.

“Since Duncan’s gone I need you around dude.” Noah said, trying to be sappy but failing miserably. It wasn’t who he was. He could lie all he want but, keeping Owen from Alejandro was also strategic. He couldn’t risk losing another vote, he needed to keep Owen out of the fray.

“Okay I won’t let you down buddy!” Owen said, picking up the pace again.

Noah stared straight ahead as the wind raced through his hair. It felt nice, there was peace for a moment. He was tired, tired of having to stay on his toes— tired of overanalyzing everything just to stay in the game.

Was it worth it?

Worth the revenge?

He was already failing and, there was no telling if the next challenge would end the same. Noah had faith but, would that be enough?

It would have to be. He had to make Alejandro pay. He was determined. He couldn’t question himself now, it was too late to go back.

“Come on we’re almost there!” Noah said seeing Cody and Sierra talking on the sidelines. Before they even arrived Cody’s donkey kicked Sierra over the wall. Noah would have been worried if not for her being practically superhuman.

“That’s what I’m talking about Ace!” Cody cried as the donkey sprinted forward.

As Owen kept running Courtney also came up in their path, bike stuck from the sudden explosion— it was probably the one they had witnessed earlier.

“I guess you should have waited for Chris to finish huh?” Noah asked, unable to resist pissing her off. Maybe he was just ticked off that she was falling for Alejandro. She wouldn’t be laughing when the eel threw her off the plane.

Courtney scowled at his words.

——

“Oh he is so going down. Getting revenge on Heather for stealing Alejandro is now second on my to-do list.”

“Welcome to spot number one Noah.” She said smugly.

——

“You’ll pay for that!” She huffed, Alejandro of all people rushing to her aid.

“Chica allow me.” Alejandro said, skating back towards her. Noah was surprised at how well he was handling the board. He hadn’t taken Alejandro for a skateboarder. He supposed it wasn’t a stretch seeing as the guy was naturally gifted at almost everything he did.

Noah turned his head, watching as they got further away from the scene— from Alejandro.

“Almost there big guy, as long as we cross the finish line.” Noah encouraged, doubting that this was the only challenge. Heather was already too far ahead to catch but, as long as they got there before the others it probably wouldn’t matter.

“Phew..uh I think I need a second.” Owen said, slowing to a stop along the wall. Noah felt his frustration build, he could see the finish line they just had one more hill to get over.

“Come on you can do It there’s just one more hill.” Noah said patting him on the head half heartedly. Noah thought for a moment, pulling out a piece of chocolate he had snatched from a bowl in first class. He had a gut feeling that it might be helpful.

“If you get up there I’ll give you this, it’s chocolate.” Noah said, holding the wrapped sweet above his head like a carrot on a stick.

“No way I haven’t had chocolate in ..uh in a couple hours…”Owen said, perking back up.

Noah knew Owen could be serious with food on the line. That’s why it was no surprise when he caught a second wind, jogging up the hill as Alejandro and Courtney finally got their act together.

“How is that big oaf beating us?” Courtney yelled, peddling the tricycle at an impressive speed.

“Because he has a strong motive.” Alejandro said pointing to the candy in Noah’s hand.

“Ugh.” Courtney seethed.

“Calm down let’s simply cross the finish line, it cannot be helped that you did not see the landmines.” Alejandro said in a silky sweet voice.

Noah rolled his eyes, Owen finally reaching the finish line— he collapsed the second they passed the line, Noah falling off of his shoulders towards the ground.

“Ow-“

Noah released the chocolate as Owen wheezed on the ground.

“Thanks little buddy.” He said, struggling to unwrap the candy. It didn’t help that he was still dripping sweat from the one kilometer along the wall.

“No problem…”Noah muttered, raising his face off the ground with his arm.

“That was impressive amigo I took you both for goners—“Alejandro said, appearing in Noah’s vision, holding a hand out. Why was he trying to help— again? It must have been some kind of taunt. Noah wasn’t going to put up with it.

His suspicions were confirmed as Alejandro finished his sentence.

“But, it doesn’t look like you rode a vehicle to the finish.” Alejandro continued, smiling as he held his skateboard under his arm.

Chris cleared his throat, drawing both Noah and, Alejandro’s eyes.

“If you guys had waited for me to finish explain the challenge then you would know that the vehicles were optional.” Chris said, smiling.

Noah took the opportunity to stand up, cherishing the way Alejandro’s face fell.

“Are you saying I didn’t have to ride that stupid tricycle?” Courtney seethed, holding the busted up vehicle.

“Yep! But you all sure made the first part of this challenge entertaining.” Heather looked annoyed at the news, having crossed the finish line first.

“Well seeing as Sierra and Cody are nowhere in sight I suppose I should ring the gong to move onto the next challenge.” Chris said gleefully.

“Wait Ace hold on we’re almost there!” Cody cried, his donkey charging up the hill. Sierra followed right behind him, face bruised but smile strong. Noah wasn’t sure it was possible for someone to pogo so fast.

Chris shrugged, moving to ring the gong as Cody and Sierra crossed.

The second the donkey crossed the line it stopped, sending Cody’s body flying into the gong. Chris set the mallet down, letting Cody do the work for him.

“Ugh…”Cody groaned, sliding off the plate of metal towards the ground. Sierra ran to him, kneeling down to place his head on her lap.

“There there Codykins it’ll be okay.“ she whispered.

“Oh ouch I’m not so sure about that but, it looks like everyone made it so it’s onto our next challenge which involves a rather interesting lunch.” Chris said. Noah dreaded his usage of the word interesting. Whatever the next challenge was it wouldn’t be easy.

Noah watched Alejandro walk over to Heather. She looked victorious, scowl on her face as Alejandro got closer to her.

“Congratulations mi amor you played this challenge brilliantly.” Alejandro said, smiling at Heather. Did he really think Heather would fall for that after his flirting with Courtney? Noah fought the urge to roll his eyes.

“Yeah I know I did unlike you.” She said, poking him in the chest.

Noah ignored the rest of there conversation, looking down at Owen. He was sprawled out on the ground, chewing on the small piece of chocolate.

“This Is so good…”Owen said, finally sitting up.

“Sorry little buddy I didn’t think I could finish the race.” Owen said sheepishly.

“It’s fine dude at least we made it to the next challenge.”

“Yeah, we’ll totally win this time, I just know it.” Owen encouraged. Noah tried to smile but, he wasn’t confident. There was still so much up in the air, he had to focus.

“Yeah, let’s win this challenge.” Noah said, nodding his head.

He would.

He would try anyways.

••••••••

Chris corralled them all into a long table at an ancient looking restaurant. Noah could smell something distinctly terrible emanating from, well somewhere. Whatever Chris had in mind for the next challenge it wouldn’t be pleasant.

It took some maneuvering on his part but, he managed to snag a seat next to Cody— Sierra of course taking a seat on the other side of him. Noah wasn’t sure when he would get another chance to talk to him with Alejandro busy flirting with Courtney.

Even with him distracted Noah knew he still needed to be cautious. That meant keeping his eyes trained on Alejandro’s turned head. He was talking to Heather, her blush visible from the other side of the table. He didn’t look worried about losing. Noah supposed it made sense seeing as he had the advantage. That would change soon.

“Oh my God Codykins this is so romantic!” Sierra cried, squeezing him like a python. Noah could have sworn he saw Cody’s eyes bulge out of his head.

“Sierra-“ Cody croaked, face turning blue from her grip.

Noah couldn’t have asked for a better opportunity.

“Sierra, you might want to let him go before he passes out.” Noah said, voice soft while his eyes remained glued to Alejandro. He was getting awfully close to Heather, he would have to be careful of revealing anything around her. Noah knew she was strong but, it was better if she didn’t have any secrets to spill.

“Oh sorry Cody.” Sierra said, releasing him as he gasped for breath.

“Thanks.” He wheezed, giving Noah an appreciative look.

Noah’s face remained neutral, looking vaguely in his direction.

Progress but, it wouldn’t be enough. He needed a way to permanently get Cody on his side. Noah pondered a couple ideas the night prior but, came up empty.

If he took a special interest in Cody then Alejandro might catch wind of his efforts but, if he was too subtle Cody wouldn’t know that he was trying to help him. Besides that Cody was set in his vote, it was Sierra without fail. No matter what Noah did for him that wouldn’t change. That left Noah at a standstill, unable to do anything with Sierra smothering him. Noah wished he could just snap his finger and, make her disappear. (From the competition anyways he wasn’t heartless.)

That was when an idea struck. An obvious one Noah felt stupid for not thinking of.

He didn’t need to waste his time trying to weasel his way in between Sierra and Cody. All he had to do was get rid of Sierra. It was all Cody wanted since the competition started and, with the finale nearing the prospects of that happening we’re getting better and better.

It was perfect. All Noah had to do was stack up the votes against her. He already had Cody, his own, and, Owen. Even with the others if he could get a unified force to vote for her then she would be gone.

She would be gone and, he would he one step closer to winning.

Noah’s train of thought was broken when he felt eyes boring into his skull, Alejandro’s eyes to be exact. He was staring at him with a smirk on his face, like he knew something Noah didn’t.

Noah scowled at Alejandro turning forward once again. Noah was glad he managed to keep the smile off of his face. Alejandro could read him like a book if he let any emotion show on his face.

——

“It is rather satisfying seeing Noah scowl at me.”

“He feels threatened, that means he’s planing something.” Alejandro said, legs propped up in the confessional.

“I’d like to see him try, it will be amusing to put him in his place.”

——

“Hey buddy what’s that awesome smell?” Owen asked, sitting in the other side of him.

“I don’t know dude.” Noah said, having a really bad feeling that he was about to lose the pancakes he ate for breakfast.

“Ugh finally!” Chris said, walking back into the room.

“Sorry about that little intrus-“ Chris began before spotting Chef napping in the corner.

“Hey where’s the food I ordered you were supposed to be preparing it!” Chris snapped, slipping his phone into his breast pocket.

“Wha?” Chef muttered, jolting up.

“Hey you made me pilot the plane all night I think I deserve some shut eye.” Chef complained as Chris strolled into the center of the room.

“Whatever we are on a tight schedule so I’ll make this quick.” Chris said.

“Alright to win today you’re going to have to eat more than anybody else at this totally rad Chinese restaurant.” Chris explained, everyone sharing a look at Owen. If this was a eating challenge then the big guy would win, easy. Noah almost laughed. Alejandro wouldn’t have a shot.

His face didn’t look any worse for wear at the news but, Noah figured he was just trying to save face.

——

“Noah probably thinks he can win the next challenge with ease because of that human garbage disposal he calls a friend but, he doesn’t know about my secret weapon…” Alejandro smiled.

“Courtney told me that she has a strong stomach, her words not mine.”

“Seeing as I got rid of Duncan for her I think it’s only fair that she helps me out, she’s practically falling over me already she just needs a little push.” Alejandro said.

——

“Mmmm egg rolls…”Owen said, drool dripping from his mouth.

“Not so fast, this is an authentic Chinese restaurant, you’ll be enjoying real street food delicacies!” Chris said happily.

“We have deep fried grasshopper, broiled larva…”

Noah heard the sound of gagging, it was coming from Alejandro of all people.

“Hey Al are you okay because you look kind of green?” Owen asked.

Noah noticed Alejandro shutter, smile straining more than usual.

“I am quite alright my friend, a bug simply flew in my mouth.” Alejandro explained calmly. Noah had a sneaking suspicion that Alejandro’s ‘my body Is a temple’ mantra was coming back to bite him in the ass.

——

“This challenge will not be a problem, if I can resist gagging at the mere sight of the entrees.”

“Of course immunity would be nice but, it is not necessary this round if Courtney happens to fail. The only benefit of having immunity would be to steal it from Noah. “ Alejandro shrugged.

“He is quickly becoming a thorn in my side, I cannot let him fester much longer.”

——

“Interesting… Anyways you each have to eat a bowl of delicious food, opening your mouths to prove it went down.” Chris explained, pacing around the room.

“If you’re last to finish, or you puke, you’re out and free to join Chef on the loser bench.” Chris said, snapping his fingers at the right side of the table they were all sitting on.

Chef grumbled, standing up and placing himself in one of the seats.

“I turned down an offer on Dancing with the Stars for this.” Chef grumbled.

“Seeing as I have to do everything myself… I’ll pass out the first dish!” Chris said passive aggressively. He grabbed a cart sitting against a wall and, began passing out the bowls.

“Smells amazing.” Noah said sarcastically, picking up a pair of chopsticks that he fumbled for a moment. Winning immunity would be nice, it would ensure that he was safe from Alejandro’s wrath if he happened to fail, but he knew better than to hope for it. The bare minimum would be ensuring that Sierra didn’t win, he needed Cody’s vote or he would be out of time.

The thoughts didn’t quiet, the anxieties, when he picked up the fleshy glob of questionable meat on his plate.

“Ugh what is this?” Courtney asked, speaking for everyone.

“Hehe it’s a delicacy, fresh donkey meat.” Chris said winking.

“Donkey meat?” Cody cried, standing up from his seat.

“What did you do to Ace!” Cody squeaked, the rest of the contestants ignoring his pleas.

Before Noah could even blink Owen inhaled the small chunk of meat, burping loudly.

Noah didn’t waste time taking a small bite of the ‘meat’. It tasted horrible, as expected. Chris had probably left it in the sun to fester before serving it to them. Noah knew he didn’t have a choice, plugging his nose and swallowing the chunk like it was a giant pill. It didn’t go down easy, taste inescapable as he closed his mouth.

He felt himself gag but, held it back. He distracted himself from the horrid taste by looking around at the others. Their faces were lined up in various stages of disgust. Courtney looked like she had a lot shoved in her mouth, chewing with a purpose until she swallowed it whole.

“Done.” She said opening her mouth.

Noah realized that he should be doing the same, mirroring Owen as they both opened their mouths.

“I am done as well.” Alejandro said proudly, opening his mouth to reveal flawless teeth. He didn’t look bothered by the disgusting meat, strange.

“Cody hurry up!” Sierra cried, chewing harshly as Cody crossed his arms.

“No I refuse to eat Ace.” He huffed.

“Done!” Heather said, face scrunched up in pain as she opened her mouth. Sierra soon followed leaving Cody to take a seat next to Chef.

“Great job contestants but, I think it’s time to speed things up a bit, there’s only twenty minutes of episode after all.” Chris smiled devilishly, pulling bowls out from the second shelf. Noah had barely recovered from the first round he wasn’t ready for a rapid fire.

“Ugh I think that meat went down the wrong pipe.” Owen complained as a bowl of worms was placed in front of him.

“Next up some live meal worms, extra crawly for you guys.”

“This looks simply, exquisite.” Alejandro said politely as the time began.

Noah wasn’t sure what compelled him forward but, he shoved the bowl in his face— shoving the bugs into his mouth. The feeling instantly made him gag, bile rising in his throat. Why had he done that, his eyes were burning and, he could feel the bugs crawling around in his throat.

He tried to breath but, all he could smell were those bugs. He had to do this, he had to keep going. He needed to stay in long enough to see Sierra out.

Noah chewed on the bugs, crushing them between his teeth as the world blurred around him. He focused, ignoring the strange sensation or the twitching of the meal worms limbs. He simply ground the bugs into a fine paste before swallowing them.

The world returned, Noah opening his mouth as Chris stared.

“Woah look at that determination folks Noah’s first who else will finish this lovely treat?”

Noah turned to look at Owen, the big guy looked pale— deathly pale.

“Are those w-worms?” He questioned, eyes wide.

The bugs continued to crawl around as Noah patted him on the back.

“They’re just mealworms big guy you got this.” Noah said despite the fact that he nearly lost the first round.

“I can’t eat them they’ll spit webs out and…and..—..” Owen whispered, hugging himself.

“I can’t go through that Noah I can’t!” Owen cried grabbing onto his shirt and shaking him.

Noah only looked confused, eyes connecting with Alejandro’s again to see his self assured smirk. He clearly knew something about Owen’s little freak out. Noah wondered if it mattered.

“Well that’s time Owen my man this is a surprise but, get over to the loser bench.” Chris demanded, Owen’s face falling.

There went the possibility of taking immunity from Sierra easily.

Owen looked ashamed of himself standing up and scooting over towards the bench. To say Noah was shocked at his elimination was an understatement. Owen was scared of worms, since when?

Noah shook his head, trying to focus. He didn’t have time to be caught up in other things.

——

“I totally freaked out, I didn’t mean to but, they were so creepy.” Owen said, shivering.

“Ever since those giant worms wrapped me up in the Amazon I can’t stand to look at the little guys, they’re just so..terrifying.” Owen explained.

“I’m so ashamed I let my little buddy down.”

——

“Well next up we have a speciality dish!”

“Another one.” Chris added, grabbing some bowls and firing them at the contestants. Sierra caught the bowl easily while Noah was blindsided, dish hitting him in the chest. Alejandro grabbed both his and Courtney bowls, allowing Heather to catch her own. She only scowled, face wrinkling further when she saw the thing they would have to put in their mouth.

“It’s starfish on a skewer, delicious, if you don’t have any tastebuds.” Chris said winking.

“Remember no puking and you have to finish it, now go!” Chris said.

Noah eyed the skewer, taking a deep breath.

He didn’t want to eat it, obviously but, it looked better than meal worms.

Noah picked up the stick, eyes darting between Sierra and Alejandro— the latter of which was smushed in between Courtney and Heather. A charming smile wore on his face, twiddling the stick between his fingers as Courtney and Heather started eating.

What was he up to, how was he winning it didn’t make sense. Noah had been too busy forcing down worms to notice.

“Done!” Sierra cried next to him, spurring Noah into action. He took a bite of the rough creature, tasting nothing but salt.

He didn’t have time to wait, Noah pulled the starfish off its skewer, he chewed it slowly
— it was on his tongue, the distinct taste of the ocean making him gag. He never thought the ocean could taste so terrible.

“I’m done.” Alejandro said as Noah kneeled over. Tears were in his eyes from the effort. He just had to swallow.

He was so close, he couldn’t lose, Sierra wasn’t out yet. He had to beat her or Alejandro would have the advantage.

Noah wondered why he had bothered to volunteer for the stupid revenge trip. It was only hurting him.

“Done!” Courtney said. Noah could picture her self assured smirk.

Noah felt his face turn red, about to lose his lunch when Heather spoke.

“Wait!” She said, standing up as Chris jumped.

“Woah you should be eating what do you want?” Chris asked. Noah’s eyes lifted upwards to see him put his phone away. It felt like he had been on it the entire episode.

“This challenge Isn’t fair and you aren’t even paying attention.” Heather snapped.

“This whole time Courtney’s been eating Alejandro’s food and I can’t watch anymore.” Heather complained pointing an accusing finger at the two of them.

So that was how he looked so smug, the bastard.

Noah took the time to get ahold of himself, beginning to chew the fish. He could do it, he had to do it. Alejandro couldn’t win, he wouldn’t win.

In an instant the starfish was gone, the taste of salt inescapable no matter where he sat his tongue.

“Done.” Noah said, holding his mouth open. He wasn’t sure if he had enough energy to stand, let alone speak.

“Huh… that’s Interesting.” Chris said scowling.

“Fine, Courtney you lose this round go sit over there and, Alejandro Chef will be watching you extra close to make sure the food actually goes in your mouth.” Chris said, winking as Chef grumbled.

“Oh and Heather you’re out too, I don’t like tattletales.” Chris added as Heather scowled.

“Whatever at least that cheat can’t win now.” Heather grumbled, looking content with what she did.

“Now give me a second the next dish is something special.”

“And by special I mean Chef found it in a dumpster outside the restaurant.” Chris muttered under his breath.

Noah took the break to relax his head on the table— forcing himself not to vomit. Unlike Courtney, apparently, he didn’t have a strong stomach.

“Doing okay amigo or are you ready to tap out?” Alejandro asked, the wide smirk on his face rather unfounded.

Noah muttered something unintelligible, he didn’t even know what he was trying to say. Something about Alejandro screwing himself— using a harsher word.

“I’m fine I would be worried about yourself.” Noah seethed, tilting his head away. Alejandro winning immunity would be bad but, Sierra winning it was worse.

“Alright here it is fresh as of two weeks ago.” Chris said setting down something near unidentifiable in front of Noah. There was a tentacle sticking out, and maybe some eyeballs— Noah couldn’t be sure.

He saw the others looking at it the same, chopsticks ready as Chris held his hand up.

“Alright, go nuts.” Chris said, putting his hand down.

The eliminated contestants watched in horror as they attempted to eat whatever ‘it’ was.

The taste was indescribable, just putting it near his mouth caused bile to rise in the back of his throat.

“Remember if you throw it up you’re out!” Chris said, unable to keep the smile off of his face.

Sierra was first to try it, getting through the first bite before her face turned green.

“Fwor cwody.” She said in between bites.

Noah didn’t wait for Alejandro, shoving the unidentifiable substance in his mouth like a squirrel hoarding acorns. He wasn’t sure he could finish it but, he would damn well try.

Noah shoved more in until the bowl was empty, cheeks puffed up like a squirrel. He was close, so close, all he had to do was swallow.

Sierra wasn’t looking good and Alejandro was a second away from forfeiting. He could do this.

Noah plugged his nose, chewing the bits of eyeball and tentacle between his teeth. The consistency alone made him want to vomit. There was time for that later he was close.

The second he thought he was in the clear he heard Sierra puke. Noah tried to close his eyes, cover his ears to ignore the retching sound but, he didn’t have time.

Before he could stop himself he felt everything he had just shoved down coming up.

Unlike Sierra he didn’t want to scrub puke off his shoes so he sprinted to the nearest trash can, emptying his stomach contents in one fluid motion.

“Ugh.” Noah groaned, gripping onto the side of the trash can.

“Wow that was unexpected, seeing as Alejandro was the only one to not vomit he gets immunity this round, congrats.”

“What?” Heather asked, filling in for Noah’s exact thoughts. That wasn’t fair, from the looks of it the eel hadn’t even touched his food, he didn’t deserve immunity after Noah suffered through all that.

“That’s not-“ Noah tried to say before emptying more food into the trash can.

He supposed it was typical, seeing as his own elimination was the result of a last minute rule change.

“Hey I don’t make the rules, oh wait I do haha.” Chris said.

“Well clean up you two and Alejandro you’ll get to bring someone to first class so think long and hard about it.” Chris said checking his watch.

“Of course.” Alejandro said, looking over at the others. The gears were turning in his brain and Noah was afraid.

——

“ I didn’t expect to win immunity but, I will not complain.”

“Welcome to first class Courtney.” Alejandro said, smile playing on his lips.

——

Noah focused back on the trash can as his stomach complained. He lost, he ate everything that Chris wanted yet he lost.

Noah shuttered, goose bumps racking his skin. There was still time, time to save the challenge. He had to eliminate Sierra, there wasn’t a better opportunity with Alejandro shut away in first class.

In order to eliminate Sierra he needed to get up, walk back to the plane and figure out how to suddenly become good at charming people.

His thoughts were interrupted by a hand on his shoulder. Noah blinked, reality distorted by the sudden assault on his stomach.

He heard chattering behind him but, whoever it was remained silent.

“Respira hondo.” Alejandro cooed, leaning in closer to him.

“You had a good run amigo.” Alejandro said, words sounding fake.

Noah tried to speak, give any sort of response but, he felt too sick to speak. Stupid Chris and, stupid street food.

“Better luck next time, if there is a next time.”

——

“I don’t have enough votes to eliminate Noah this round, unfortunately.” Alejandro spit out.

“I was hoping to convince Cody to vote with me but, being in first class limits my options.”

“I will have to try again next round.”

“Noah doesn’t need to know any of that, the more tense he is the more likely he is to mess up whatever plan he’s been working on.” Alejandro shrugged.

“I’d say my threat worked quite well.”

——

Noah froze, trying his best not to show how much the threat got to him.

Alejandro couldn’t eliminate him this round. At least Noah didn’t think so.

Noah gripped onto the edge of the trash can, turning his head towards Alejandro.

“You failed to eliminate me the first time, what makes you think this time will be any different?” Noah asked, defeating whatever bravado he had by gaging again over the trash can again.

“Because this time you are throwing up your lunch.” Alejandro said smugly, tapping him on the back before standing up.

“Get better soon amigo.” He said, then he was gone. Noah felt his vision grow hazy. Damn Alejandro taunting him while he was down, he had no shame.

That made Noah more determined to beat him, pushing himself up from the trash can. Alejandro wasn’t going to deter him, he would win.

That was a promise.

••••••••

Throwing up in the confessional wasn’t how Noah wanted to spend his afternoon but, he felt sick. The faster he was better the faster he could put his plan into motion. Everything was lined up perfectly, like an eclipse, for his victory to come to pass.

When he felt well enough to not puke on the ground he exited the confessional. The hall was quiet, predictably given the waning number of contestants.

It was eerie knowing how full the plane once was. Noah didn’t want to think about it any further, he had around an hour until the voting would take place. He intended to be on top by then.

All his suffering wouldn’t be in vain.

Noah turned heel towards economy class. He had to find Owen and, Cody— he had to make sure they were on the same page.

Lucky for him he found the former sniveling next to Heather.

“Hey come get your friend he’s flicking snot at me.” Heather complained, arms outstretched to stop Owen from scooting any closer to her.

“Sorry Heather…” Owen said.

“Hey what’s wrong big guy, if it’s about the challenge don’t worry about it alright.” Noah tried to comfort.

Owen took a breath before sneezing.

“Sorry little buddy.” Owen said. The closer Noah looked the more he saw his red rimmed eyes. He wasn’t sad, something was irritating his nose.

“I Uh…wanted to try some street food on the way back to the plane but, it was too-“

Owen wheezed.

“Spicy.”

Noah sighed.

“Look I need to talk to you real quick dude why don’t we go get some water from the cafeteria.” Noah tried as Owen rubbed his nose.

“Sure, do you need me to vote for someone?” Owen asked. The question sent a pang through Noah’s heart. It was Owen’s first thought when Noah asked to talk with him— his first thought as to the reason Noah was helping him.

It hurt worse because Noah knew that he was using Owen, he knew he was only helping him as a cover to ask for his vote yet he was pretending it wasn’t.

Noah tried to shove down the bad thoughts, ignore the guilt, but it was hard. Owen wasn’t just a vote but, that was how he was treating him with Duncan gone.

“Y-yeah.” Noah stammered, caught off guard realizing that he was staring into the distance.

“Sorry.. I need you to vote for Sierra.” Noah said bluntly as he and Owen walked out of economy class.

“Oh sure, I trust you little buddy.” Owen said with boundless optimism Noah knew he didn’t deserve.

“Thanks dude.” Noah said, forced smile meeting his.

Owen nodded his head.

It wasn’t until Noah got him water and, took him back to economy class that the guilt dulled. He cared about Owen, he wasn’t treating him as a vote. His vote was simply a byproduct of their friendship, that was it.

“What were you two whispering about?” Heather asked as Noah tried to escape economy class. He didn’t feel like dealing with the one other person sitting on the benches but, he clearly wouldn’t get his wish.

“None of your business.” Noah said bluntly.

“I think it is my business, are you trying to vote Alejandro out because I’m in.” Heather said, nose upturned. She looked confident but, Noah knew that Heather would waver when her almost boyfriend was actually faced with elimination.

“Sierra.” Noah corrected, figuring there wasn’t enough time for his plan to be screwed up if Heather decided she didn’t like it very much.

“I’d vote for her too.”

“Not because you want her gone but, because she won’t stop hounding me about Cody.” Heather clarified.

“Thanks.” Noah said, surprised at her willingness.

“Whatever now seeing as I am inadvertently doing you a favor get out of my sight.” Heather said, shooing him with her outstretched hand.

Noah obliged, ducking out of economy class. He still had to find Cody.

Of course he knew that Cody would be voting for Sierra but, he needed to pretend like he didn’t know. Cody needed to know what he was doing for him and, pretending to ask for his help was a great way to let him know.

The only problem laid with finding him. He wasn’t in the back half of the plan seeing as Noah didn’t pass him with Owen. That left first class and the pilots cabin, a place he had been wanting to avoid.

Alejandro would be there, and Courtney. The two people who had a hatred for him.

Noah knew he didn’t have time to tip toe around them, he had to face them head on so he could find Cody. It was too late for Alejandro to reverse the plan that was already in motion. Noah couldn’t hide his smile as he brushed through the first class curtain. Was he actually going to pull one over on Alejandro? It felt like a dream.

“What are you doing here?” Courtney asked. She was sitting at the long table in the corner of the cabin. A notebook was in her grasp, pencil scribbling furiously.

“Calm down, I’m just going to the confessional.” Noah grumbled, continuing forward. Alejandro was no where in sight, keeping Noah’s nerves on edge. What was he up to?

That was when a door opened, the bathroom door to be exact.

Alejandro stepped out, fixing the bracelet around his wrist. He spotted Noah almost immediately, toothy grin filling his face.

“Ah mi amor.” Alejandro said, leaning in closer.

Noah could hear Courtney’s anger simmering from where he stood. What was he doing? Making Courtney jealous? He had Heather for that, Noah wasn’t interested.

“May I ask why you are gracing us with your presence.” Alejandro asked.

“The confessional, Heathers using the other one.” Noah lied, trying to save face. Alejandro was practically inches away from him, eyes boring holes into him. Why did he feel the need to stand so close to him, Noah would have backed up if that wasn’t a sign of weakness.

“Ah…of course.”

——

“Cody went up to the confessional earlier, Courtney told me as much because I was…distracted.” Alejandro said.

“It can’t be mere coincidence that Noah wants to go to the same place…”

Alejandro put a hand to his chin.

“But, what is his plan?”

——

Alejandro was the one to yield, stepping back to allow Noah passage.

“Good luck.” Alejandro said with a fake smile, like he knew what Noah was up to.

Noah voted to ignore him and, shove open the door to the pilots cabin.

Stupid Alejandro trying to assert control over him, it wouldn’t work he was too smart for that.

As expected, Cody was sitting on one of the crates. He was in the middle of venting to the camera when Noah shut the door.

“O-Oh Noah!” Cody said, surprise written on his face.

“Uh..I was kind of-“ Cody began as Noah took a seat next to the blow up doll vaguely resembling Chef. Noah doubted the blow up dolls intended purpose was piloting a plane but, he wouldn’t think about it more than that.

“We need to talk.” Noah interrupted, tilting his seat to face Cody. He only looked startled, fidgeting with his hands.

“About what?” Cody asked.

“I need your help.” Noah began.

“I’m trying to vote Sierra out this round.” Noah said.

“She’s getting on my nerves.” He said, trying to make his eye twitch. Cody didn’t need to know that he was voting Sierra solely for his benefit. The whole point of subtlety was to make sure Cody didn’t know that Noah only needed his vote.

“She’s getting on your nerves too? I’m glad I’m not the only one she’s been getting worse…I heard her giggling about some love potion earlier.” Cody muttered, body swaying.

“I don’t know but, I’m feeling a little—“ Cody said shaking his head.

“I’ll vote for her, I always vote for her.” Cody said, not needing to hear more.

“Really?” Noah asked, eye brow slightly raised.

“Yeah I’ve been trying to get rid of her since the competition started, if you can do that then I’ll do anything you want!” Cody said, hands tighter and, eyes wide. Cody always had good puppy dog eyes it was probably because of his face— compared to Alejandro he looked like a twelve year old.

“I’m glad we’re in the same page, with your vote she’s gone.” Noah said.

Cody looked like he could barely contain his excitement .

“Oh this is awesome we should throw a party!” Cody said excitedly.

“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves dude.” Noah said, hoping that Cody would calm down.

“Right..uh sorry..”Cody muttered.

Just like that he had done everything he needed to do.

Now he simply had to wait until the elimination ceremony, then she was gone and, Cody’s vote was his.

Noah smiled as Cody kept blabbing about the perks of Sierra being gone.

Things were working perfectly.

The competition was his.

••••••••

“Contestants, thank you for joining me for this lovely elimination ceremony.”

“All the votes are in so…let’s get this show on the road.” Chris said patting the stack of passports in front of him.

“As you all know Alejandro has immunity this round so no voting for him, it will be one of the remaining six taking the plunge..” Chris said.

“Now, the people that are safe tonight are…” Chris grabbed a couple bags of peanuts, holding them up in the air.

“Courtney, Owen, and Cody.” Chris said tossing the bags.

“Now…”

“Noah.” Chris said, smiling.

Noah hated that his throat ran dry. He wasn’t going home but, hearing his name was still fear inducing.

“Tonight you are..” Chris continued, cherishing the suspense.

“Safe!” Chris said. Noah turned to Alejandro smugly , he looked oddly happy. Maybe the threat had been a bunch of BS. That was certainly on par for Alejandro.

“Now Heather and Sierra.” Chris said.

“The person that will be taking the drop of shame—“

“And losing out on a million big ones—“

“Is….”

Heather kept her arms crossed while Sierra snuggled Cody close to her chest. The strangulation did not deter the smile on his face. It was the happiest that Noah had seen him in Sierra’s arms.

“Sierra! Sorry but, it’s time to go.” Chris said, tossing a bag to Heather.

——

“Sierra huh..” Alejandro said, pondering something.

“She didn’t stand out in todays challenge and, Cody — maybe Heather too— are the only ones that would vote for her out of hatred…”

“Noah.” Alejandro said narrowing his eyes.

“He wanted to gain that nerds loyalty how could I have not seen.” Alejandro facepalmed.

“Clearly he cannot be left alone I need to keep him close to me , watch him until I can gather the votes required to eliminate him.”

——

“What?!” Sierra cried, squeezing the life out of Cody.

“Sorry but, the votes were decisive .” Chris shrugged, flipping open the passports one at a time.

“Oh…” she looked sad for a moment before perking back up.

“O-M-G I’ve never been voted out of the Total Drama airplane before this is the second best day of my life!!” Sierra said.

“Thank you guys so much it was super fun meeting you! Especially you my Cody wody.” Sierra said, squeezing his cheeks like he was five years old.

“Sierra, can’t breathe.” Cody wheezed.

“Oh sorry..” Sierra giggled.

“I’ll be rooting for you guys, don’t worry I’ll be keeping up with the show.” She said.

“But, I’ll miss you Cody… so much.” Sierra lamented, giving him one last hug.

“Let’s stay in touch my love, I wrote my number on all of your underwear just in case.” Sierra said winking as she grabbed the parachute from Chef.

“Oh oh oh Chris thanks for the bit of hair my mom would totally freak out when I bring back the one and only Chris McLean’s hair for her to add to her shrine!!” Sierra said holding up some chunks of hair. Noah wasn’t the least hit surprised.

Chris looked shocked, touching the back of his head to find a small portion of hair missing.

“Chef get her!” Chris yelled, pointing a finger at her.

Sierra didn’t waste a second grabbing a parachute and, jumping out of the plane, Chris yelling after her.

“That hair cut cost five hundred dollars!” Chris complained, raising his hand up.

“At least you have hair.” Chef complained as the remaining contestants took a collective breath of relief.

“Oh thank you, thank you so much!” Cody cried, smile stretching across his face.

Noah opened his mouth to say ‘your welcome’ when Cody hugged him. It wasn’t a small hug either, he leaned over and wrapped his arms around Noah’s waist, clinging onto him tightly.

Noah only felt discomfort. He hated hugs, especially from people he barely tolerated.

——

Alejandro looked into the camera darkly.

“Cody needs to get his hands off of Noah.” Alejandro said, the camera feed cutting out soon after.

——

“No problem.” Noah said, removing Cody’s arms from around him before it could get more awkward.

“Oh uh..sorry man I just-“ Cody stammered, realizing what he had done.

“You should quit while your ahead.” Heather butt in.

“Well…that was interesting, now go get some rest guys and thank you all in the audience for tuning in for another episode as Total Drama World Tour!” Chris announced.

“Alright cut!” A crew member called.

Just like that he had made it through two episodes. The plan was going well, Alejandro wasn’t winning no matter what he liked to think. Noah was proud that he still had a fighting chance. Soon enough he would be the one jumping out of the plane.

Noah turned towards Alejandro, giving him a blank look.

Alejandro only smiled his cruel smile. The one that brought Noah back to his original elimination— that eel.

Noah rubbed the burn on his arm absentmindedly.

Alejandro wouldn’t win, he couldn’t.

Not again.

——

“Noah wants to play so I’ll play.” Alejandro said.

“First class might be more beneficial than I thought.”

“I think Courtney needs to hear something, something very interesting that happened last night.”

Chapter Text

Victory felt nice.

It also felt a lot like rock hard seats and leaky ceilings.

Noah could ignore that if it meant beating Alejandro.

With Sierra gone that only left Alejandro with Courtney. Noah was no longer worried about Heather— even on the off chance that she did vote with Alejandro everything was still tied.

Everything was primed for his victory. Alejandro would be gone by the end of the day—the end of the challenge in fact.

Noah had been on the edge of his seat for the past three days thinking.

All he had to do was make him lose. The prospect seemed daunting but, after the Chinese challenge, everything else looked like a breeze.

As long as he didn’t have to shove another starfish in his mouth he was okay.

“Hey Noah do you want some?” Owen asked, holding out something near uneditable in his hands. It was a nice gesture, even if the sight made Noah want to gag all over again. His stomach was still recovering from the last challenge Chris put them through.

“No thanks dude,” Noah said, scooting away. They had all been called to the cafeteria hours prior for breakfast (a.k.a a strange unidentifiable mush). Noah couldn’t stomach it, resorting to forcing down the half rotten fruit on his plate and playing around with his mush until their time was up. Chef still hadn’t earned the title of Chef as the season progressed, Noah wasn’t the least bit surprised.

“Oh this is the life!” Cody said from the other side of the cabin. His arms were stretched out, body taking up as much space as possible.

“Normally Sierra would be squeezing me right now, it feels so freeing!” Cody continued, giddy with joy. He looked like a kid on Christmas Day except the present was freedom from his stalker.

“And get this, I’m actually wearing underwear, underwear! Not my swim trunks!” Cody said laughing.

“She wasn’t kidding about writing her number on them but, I scrubbed it off last night,” he said proudly. Noah wished he could go back to five seconds ago— before he heard that sentence.

“TMI,” Heather muttered.

“Oh haha, sorry Heather ….” Cody said sheepishly trying to reign in the boundless enthusiasm.

“I—uh I’m just excited..with Sierra gone I can finally breath, I promise I’m a new man— I’m going to focus on the competition, no more playing around,” Cody declared proudly. He sat up, putting his hands on his hips. Noah noted how his gaze was turned towards Heather.

Instead of telling him off she gave him a small smile, a reassuring smile. Noah wondered if he was hallucinating. Maybe he missed the Heather Cody bonding.

“Oh..man this is good,” Owen mumbled next to Noah, specks of food flying in his face.

“Hey dude do you mind-“ Noah began before the plane shifted, pulling him closer to Owen. Chef always had the worst timing.

“No, No , No wait!” Noah cried before getting smushed into Owen’s side. Great, he could feel the mush Owen was holding dripping into his hair. If that wasn’t bad enough the dull pain in his arm flared up— hadn’t he suffered enough?

“A little help?” Noah asked, face pressed into Owen’s side.

Owen quickly pulled him off, setting him down on the seat next to him.

“I’m so sorry,” Owen said, brushing the mush out of his hair. Noah fought the urge to bat his hands off of him.

“Thanks,” Noah said instead, more annoyed at Chef’s piloting skills. Noah doubted it was that hard to fly a plane correctly. It wasn’t like he would know but he could assume.

Noah ran his hand over the bumps on his hand, almost cradling it. He knew the others noticed the injury but, most of them were polite enough not to say anything— or just clueless.He wouldn’t complain as he would rather not recount his dramatic tale of woe— especially not when Alejandro could find out.

Noah settled back onto his seat, the pain slowly fading. It wasn’t so bad anymore, nothing like just after the injury. It probably could have healed entirely if he hadn’t been forced back onto Total Drama with a week and a half notice. Noah wasn’t aware the fans were dying for a new episode of teenagers getting tortured.

“Hey little buddy are you okay did I hurt you?” Owen asked, apparently perceptive enough to see he was in pain. Noah wanted to tell him that he’d done worse under the guise of a hug but, he didn’t bring it up.

“Fine dude..” Noah trailed off. It was clear that Owen hadn’t noticed the injury, and wasn’t going to notice in the near future. Maybe he should just tell Owen, it would be a surefire way to avoid bone crushing hugs— and prevent further injury.

But what if Alejandro found out? Owen was a blabber mouth, Noah was well aware being forced to listen to him in between challenges.

Knowing what happened would only be another weakness to exploit, Noah wasn’t going to give him anymore ammunition.

Noah shook his head, trying to shake the strategic thoughts. It was hard to turn them off sometimes. Being around Alejandro meant he always had to his guard up, always picked every word carefully.

Owen was leagues different than Alejandro.

Owen was his friend, he told him everything— well mostly everything.

Noah took a breath.

“Hey dude, remember when I got eliminated, the first time?” Noah asked.

“Well Chris didn’t give me a working parachute so I kinda fell into this lake and this electrical eel got me,” Noah said, showing off his arm— and running his hand over the noticeably smoother areas of his skin.

“Oh,” Owen said. Noah swallowed hard, seeing water form in his eyes.

“I’m so so so sorry Noah I didn’t mean to hurt you!” Owen said. He opened his arms for a moment before hesitating.

“Look I’m fine but, can you be careful, please?” Noah asked. He crossed his arms as Owen kept staring at him, pitying him.

He didn’t like to be pitied but it was better than the alternative. At least Owen wasn’t trying to hurt him. Owen would never hurt him— intentionally.

“I will I promise!” Owen said louder than intended (he was already speaking loudly but Noah’s eardrums finally started ringing) Heather and Cody were giving them weird looks.

“And look chubby buddy could we just drop it..I don’t really want to talk about it...”Noah said, brow furrowed. He didn’t need Alejandro catching wind of the little incident.

“Roger that,” Owen said saluting him.

Noah’s face broke into a smile. He wasn’t sure why. Maybe it was the way Owen made that stupid goofy expression but, he felt a lot better. He was confident in himself, maybe it was unfounded but Noah didn’t care.

“Thanks dude.”

——

“Poor Noah, I didn’t know that he got electrocuted,” Owen said, eating mush in the confessionals.

“It must have been bad if he doesn’t want to talk about it..I promise my lips are sealed until he brings it up...” Owen declared proudly

——

“Attention precious….ah hang on,” Chris announced through the speakers.

“Okay It would be under P, an antonym for precious…aha,”

“Ahem attention worthless,useless, deficient, and most importantly disfavored cargo—“

Chris cleared his throat.

“I mean contestants… today we have an extra special challenge if you’ll prepare for landing,” Chris said.

“We’re T-minus five minutes out wanted to give you a fair warning that this challenge may get intense, I’ll leave it at that, Chris McLean out.”

Noah wondered what they were supposed to do with that information. Was he trying to scare them? Maybe he was bored, the plane had been quiet since the last challenge. Noah was grateful for the break given the mental toll the challenges were taking on him.

He would be happy to be rid of Alejandro— and Chris— in a couple weeks whether he succeeded or not.

“At least he’s landing the plane this time,” Noah said to Owen.

“That’s the bare minimum,” Heather snapped.

Owen took deep breaths next to Noah, smiling nervously.

“Y-yeah..” he said shoving more mush in his mouth. Noah wondered if there was anything Owen wouldn’t eat. Noah didn’t underestimate his limits while he was stress eating, Noah would have given him some first class chocolate but, he ate them all the second Noah offered him one.

“Come on Lunchbox let’s just get this over with,” Noah said.

He would win.

He held all the cards, all aces mind you.

There was no way he could lose.

Noah figured he probably shouldn’t jinx himself.

It was too late for that.

••••••••

Noah was growing increasingly more worried at Chris’ absence. He always led them down the plane giving some useless facts to pad the run time. Noah was almost used to it being back on the plane for two episodes already.

“Okay where is he?” Courtney asked, tapping her foot expectantly.

“I’m sure he is simply preparing the challenge,” Alejandro said. From his tone Noah could tell that he was bluffing.

He looked awfully happy when Noah caught his eye. It was the first time Noah had seen him in days— Noah wished it was longer given his greeting. He wouldn’t stop with the pet names, Noah was sick of hearing the word ‘amor’ come out of his mouth.

Economy class had been a nice break from his smug smile.

Noah wouldn’t deny that he was worried about him being alone in first class with Courtney but, there was nothing he could do about it. There wasn’t much Alejandro could really do to stop him— aside from winning. He had to be aware of that, or in denial.

Unless he was missing something. Alejandro was cunning, he shouldn’t put it passed him.

Noah felt his heart beat faster, eyes narrowing as he turned around. He couldn’t deny that there was a certain thrill he felt when outsmarting Alejandro. Every time he saw his face fall Noah filled with more pride.

It was exciting, what could he say. Being proactive could be rewarding— for one split second before Noah was back to regretting his life choices.

The sound of squawking filled Noah’s ears, throwing him off balance.

It was a giant swarm of birds. They formed a feathery tornado as they flew out of the grass. There must have been some sort of water source nearby where they all gathered.

“Well I supposed that certainly serves as a welcome to beautiful Tanzania!” Chris said, startling them further by emerging from another patch of grass.

Noah took note of his strange attire, unable to suppress a laugh. He was wearing some traditional African garment but the star of the show was his bald cap.

“Looks like his old age finally caught up with him,” Noah quipped, motioning to Owen with his elbow. Owen followed him, breaking down in laughter at the sight.

“Good one Noah,” he said.

Chris only glared at them.

“Ahem, We are currently in the Serengeti plains, home to 70 different species that can kill you, including those birds believe it or not.” Chris said with a wink.

“I don’t think they can—“ Courtney began before Chris shushed her.

“Not another word let me have this, please and thank you,” Chris said. He took a breath before resuming his mandatory speech. Noah just wanted to know what the challenge would be, he didn’t care about anything else.

Noah largely ignored his invigorating tidbits, turning his attention towards Alejandro. He was certainly someone he needed to keep an eye on.

After his initial greeting he hadn’t said a word to Noah, staying on the other side of the group like he was adverse to him. The feeling was certainly mutual but Noah knew he was up to something. That much was clear seeing him standing next to Cody of all people.

Cody was hovering close to Alejandro, a mere centimeter away from touching him. His eyes were darting around like something was about to jump out at him.

Alejandro scowled when he noticed, pushing him back light enough so that it could be mistaken for an accident. What was he trying to do, Noah couldn’t say given that they weren’t talking.

Then Noah heard the sound of grass rustling.

Maybe it was another bird?

A bird with scales and fangs.

Cody yelped, frozen as a snake emerged from the grass. It was brown and beige, the perfect camouflage. Noah shook himself out of his stupor, stepping back in case the snake decided he also looked tasty.

“Ah, interns get it!” Chris cried, backing up. So much for his contestants, Noah figured Chris would let one of them get poisoned before doing anything himself.

The snake was, no surprise, unaffected by Chris’ pleas, aiming for Cody. He was the smallest of the bunch, probably the easiest for the snake to take down.

Before anyone else could do a thing Alejandro spurred into action, grabbing Cody’s arm and pulling him behind his back.

Noah watched, entranced, as Alejandro stared down the snake. He slowly bent down, hand shooting out and capturing the snake around the neck before Noah could blink. How he managed to dodge the fangs was beyond him, it looked like he knew what he was doing.

Alejandro lifted the creature up, it still squirming in his grasp. It put up a valiant fight but, it couldn’t do a thing as Alejandro threw it nearly ten meters away from them. Noah may have despised Alejandro but, he had a good throwing arm— a muscular arm.

“Take that, foul serpiente!” Alejandro said triumphantly, the others clapping.

Noah found himself clapping along as well, begrudgingly.

——

Alejandro smiled into the camera.

“My aunt Isabella was a snake wrangler, she taught me the basics.” Alejandro shrugged.

“It’s simply a matter of securing the snakes fangs away from your face, the rest is light work. Anyone with half a brain can do it.”

——

“Wow Al that was awesome!” Owen said.

“I didn’t know you were so good with snakes,” Courtney commented.

“I have many talents,” Alejandro bragged.

Noah narrowed his eyes. He had many talents alright, manipulation among them.

He looked back at Cody who was shaking like a leaf, eyes flitting around at the wall of grass around them.

It was a bold accusation but maybe the snake encounter wasn’t so accidental after all. It was certainly a convenient way to win brownie points with everyone given his less than stellar reputation— Courtney was certainly drooling over him.

Maybe he was overthinking things. Noah hoped everything was just an accident. He wasn’t sure why.

“Well that was certainly interesting, you two are useless. Get back in that grass, if a snake gets you I’m not legally responsible,” Chris said, pointing his finger downwards as the interns sunk lower. They had froze seeing the creature, not that Noah blamed them.

“Now, where was I? Oh right it’s challenge time!” Chris said rather unceremoniously.

Finally.

Noah was done waiting around.

The faster they started the faster he could win.

Noah was confident he could win, even with Alejandro’s gaze digging into his side.

Noah expected the hostility, the disdain. Alejandro knew what he did, eliminating Sierra for Cody’s vote. It was an act of war.

Noah didn’t care how annoyed Alejandro was.

There was nothing he could do to save himself as long as things went well. Noah had to hope that was true.

“I wish you luck amor,” Alejandro said, stopping in his tracks to give Noah a dramatic bow. The show wasn’t complete without his signature wink.

Noah groaned, not impressed with whatever he was trying to do.

“I think you’ll need it more than me,” Noah said in between gritted teeth.

“Come on we need to get over to the challenge area,” Courtney said, breaking the sudden staring contest.

Courtney took Alejandro by the arm, shooting Noah a glare.

“Sorry amor I didn’t—“ Alejandro said, the rest of the conversation lost in the wind as Courtney dragged him away.

“Come on little buddy we got this!” Owen said, optimism a welcome sound.

“Hey you!” Heather snapped, further delaying his movement.

She leaned in closer to him, hand gripping onto his shirt.

“We are going to take down Alejandro this challenge, you got it,”Heather said, narrowing her eyes. She looked angry, angrier than normal. What exactly was Alejandro attempting to do flirting with Courtney, he should have known better. Maybe he had some sort of convoluted plan, that sounded like him.

“That’s the plan,” Noah said blithely.

“Good,” Heather said.

She released his shirt, storming away before Noah could get another word in.

She needed to confess her feelings already, it was getting exhausting seeing her obvious jealousy.

“Come on let’s get this over with.” Noah said to Owen.

And get it over with he would, preferably with Alejandro losing.

••••••••

“Now part one of this challenge combines two of Africa’s most popular sports…”

“Football and cricket,” Chris said, holding up a football and cricket respectively.

“I call it—“

“Crickball!” Chris said.

“Get it like kick ball but, the two sports you’ll use to pummel your fellow competitors.”

Everyone let out a collective groan, even Chef joining in.

“Maybe you should quit while you’re ahead,” Noah muttered.

“Whatever I’m keeping the name, now each player must run one at a time from the starting line to that pile of African safou plums,” Chris said directing the cricket bat towards a giant pile of plums sitting in a basket. Noah immediately dreaded what he would say next. Alejandro already had an advantage seeing as he could easily carry more plums than him, what was next?

“Then you must run back as fast as you can,”Chris said, smile telling Noah that he still wasn’t done.

“Oh and I should mention that you’ll be doing all of this while your fellow competitors try to hit you with footballs.” Chris said, spinning the checkered ball on his finger.

There it was. Noah wasn’t the least bit surprised. Maybe he had a shot being a smaller target— at the very least the playing field was leveled.

“Oh...” Owen frowned. The big guy would not have an easy time, Noah felt bad but, there was nothing he could do.

“Ha, this is going to be easy,” Courtney said confidently. Chris rebuked that argument by tossing a football right at her face.

“Chica hold on,” Alejandro said, catching the ball with one hand.

“Wow dude impressive, Alejandro’s the one to beat,” Chris said, smirking.

Noah could feel Heather grow angrier next to him. Alejandro was making it even easier to eliminate him. Noah was still at a loss as to what he was trying to do.

“Now after doing all that you’re going to take the plums you got and wack them with a cricket bat. The goal it to break open your gourd before anyone else. First to do so will win an advantage in the next part of the challenge,” Chris said, not elaborating further. At least it wasn’t required to win the first challenge. Noah knew he didn’t have speed but, he had even worse aim.

“Well this is going to be fun,” Noah said sarcastically.

“I know right, this is going to be great!” Cody said.

Noah gave him a half hearted nod. They were in an alliance, Noah wanted to at least look like he cared. That and he didn’t want Cody to defect, not that he was worried.

“Now let’s see…” Chris narrowed his eyes, scanning the six remaining competitors.

“Big guy you’re up first, kickers get ready!” Chris said, stepping out of the pathway.

“Hey just try your best dude,” Noah said encouraged.

“Yeah..”Owen said. He swallowed hard seeing Alejandro dribbling the ball with his feet. Of course he was good at football too. With Alejandro it was probably best to list the things he wasn’t good at it.

Noah took a spot next to Heather, putting a football under his arm. He wouldn’t be attacking Owen— obviously— but he might as well prepare for the next person.

“Alright and……” Chris held the whistle to his lips.

Noah noticed Alejandro staring straight at him, smile on his face.

“Go!” Chris said.

Owen sprinted— maybe jogged quickly was the better term— across the dirt. They all waited except for one, a football nailing Owen straight in the head.

Noah glowered at Alejandro.

“Ow!” Owen said, still not stopping as he started shoveling plums into his shirt.

Alejandro kept going, getting more accurate with Owen’s lack of motion.

“You could at least wait until he has the plums,” Courtney said next to him.

Alejandro took a breath before nodding.

In that moment Owen took off, plums also shoved in his mouth. Noah wasn’t the least bit surprised seeing as he looked hungry when they got off the plane. The mush didn’t have a lot of nutritional value, big surprise there.

“Wow in a shocking turn of events Owen comes in with well over twenty plums, and maybe a couple more if he doesn’t eat them all,” Chris chuckled.

“Mmm these plums are really good you should have told me they were sweet,” Owen said, chewing the fruit he shoved in his mouth.

“They aren’t for eating dude,” Noah said as Owen sat down next to him. Noah doubted he could kick the football accurately enough seconds away from going into a food coma.

“Alright new rule no eating the plums they weren’t cheap!” Chris scowled.

“Alright, Cody you’re up dude, good luck cause you’ll definitely need it,” Chris said in a vote of confidence.

Cody nodded.

Next to Noah Owen burped.

“Dude Chris just said to not eat them,”Noah said again, snatching the one remaining plum from his lap.

“Oh come on they’re sooo good.” Owen said.

“You know what’s also good? Winning, don’t eat this last one okay you’ll need it,” Noah said, readying the football under his foot.

“Alright…”

“Ready set go!” Chris said quickly, blowing the whistle for Cody to run. He took off surprisingly quick, ducking whenever a ball flew at his head. Noah supposed that he had done well during the dodgeball tournament first season, this wasn’t that much different.

“Oh yeah the codeminster is unstoppable!”Cody cried, collecting plums in a giant pile. With how skinny his arms were Noah half expected him to drop them on the way back without outside interference.

“Nice try amigo,” Alejandro said, bouncing a football on his knee.

With the increased weight Cody was stumbling along the path, vision obstructed. Alejandro simply had to wait until Cody was right in front of him to nail him straight in the chest with a football.

Plums flew everywhere, Cody managing to grab two in the air before booking it out of there.

“Wow another impressive shot from Alejandro.”

——

“My family is full of gifted individuals, myself included. My brother Carlos is a professional football player— jersey number 23 on the top ranked team in Spain,” Alejandro bragged.

“He trained me for fun when I was younger, it came naturally.”

“Noah will regret trying to grab a single plum when I trip him up,” Alejandro said smugly.

“I would aim for his face but, it’s probably one of the only pleasant things about him, objectively speaking,” Alejandro said.

“Owen on the other hand …well consider his head trauma payback for daring to insult the name Alejandro, among other things..that big oaf will be gone soon enough, I simply have more important things to worry about at the moment..”

——

“Well seeing as Alejandro’s doing so well it’s his turn, good luck matching his skill,” Chris said, Cody taking his place on the side.

Alejandro placed his foot just behind the line, leaning forward. He was poised to sprint, face saying as much.

Chris hovered over the whistle for a couple seconds, watching him. He was trying to psyche him out, Noah wouldn’t complain if it caused Alejandro to fail.

He took the time to line up the ball under his feet. He had to try to hit him, Courtney wouldn’t bother and Owen and Cody weren’t exactly people he wanted to rely on during an athletic challenge.

The whistle sounded. No more words were exchanged before Alejandro took off.

Noah watched carefully as he reached the plums, gathering them in his arms. As Noah predicted he was easily collecting large handfuls from the bucket.

His time to strike was on Alejandro’s return trip. He would be weighed down by fruit, easy picking.

As he began trotting back towards the finish line Noah lined up a shot. He didn’t have much confidence in his accuracy but he just needed to hit him.

He was running, Noah was watching, then Alejandro fell.

“Ha! Take that!” Heather said proudly, Alejandro eating dirt.

“Pft—“ Alejandro coughed, sitting up with a couple plums still in his hand.

“Nice shot, you are beautiful and athletic,” Alejandro winked, flustering Heather enough to cross the finish line.

Alejandro really needed to pick somebody to flirt with, making Courtney and Heather angry at each other would only hurt him down the road once they realized that he was the problem.

——

“Ugh that insufferable flirt, I hit him with a football and he still thinks I’m into him or something,” Heather complained.

“He is so going down once I win this challenge,” Heather snapped.

——

“An impressive run from Alejandro who is going next?” Chris asked, eyes drifting amongst the remaining three.

“Heather why don’t you try,” Chris said, smiling wide.

Heather scoffed, walking over to the starting line. She brushed passed Alejandro on the way— Noah could see him whisper something but, he was too far away to hear it. Heather looked flustered, cheeks pink as she poised her legs behind the start.

“Better hope your boyfriend goes easy on you,” Chris said smugly, blowing the whistle.

Heather took off, fueled by pure rage. Noah didn’t bother to hit her with the ball, he would probably miss anyways. He was content watching as she grabbed a couple plums in her arms.

“Ohhh plums…”Owen muttered next to Noah. His eyes were shut, soft snores coming from him. Noah only rolled his eyes. Owen was good company but, his polar opposite.

“I dare you to hit me,”Heather taunted, glaring daggers at Alejandro as she ran.

Alejandro simply watched making no move to kick the ball at her.

Courtney didn’t have such limitations, kicking a football straight at Heather’s head.

“Watch out!” Noah said, Heather barely dodging as she crossed the finish line.

That earned him a glare from Courtney and, a thinly veiled smile from Alejandro. Crap. Noah wasn’t sure why he’d bothered to help Heather. They weren’t in an alliance, more of a mutual hatred. Why was he suddenly acting so nice?

“Well I would you look at that, Noah and Heather,” Chris said as a matter of fact.

“Courtney, you’re up!” Chris said, moving on quicker than Noah could follow. It was like he was on a time crunch although Noah wasn’t sure why.

“Finally prepare to lose.” She said with as much bravado as Alejandro.

Noah held the football in his hands. He knew better than to piss Courtney off more attempting to kick the ball at her.

“Ready, set, go!” Chris said, blowing the whistle for the fifth time.

Courtney took off, dodging a ball from Heather. She was close but, Courtney was keeping an eye on her. Noah prepared his own ball for her return. She managed to gather a rather large pile in her hands as she walked back.

Noah watched Heather, vaguely interested in the action.

Predictably, Heather shot the ball straight at Courtney plum tower. It managed to knock a couple off but, more importantly, it knocked her off balance.

The tower wobbled for a moment before Courtney fell

Noah had to hold back laughter as she fell forward, plums flying towards the finish line— without her.

“Seriously?!” Courtney raged. Her fist clenched, seeing how close she was to the finish line.

“Wow looks like there’s some drama between the queen bee and miss CIT,” Chris said. He looked way too happy about teenage drama.

“This was a great idea…now saving the best for last we have Noah.”

“Best for last?” Noah asked skeptically.

“Did I say best? I meant funniest, my mistake, now get up to the starting line,” Chris said.

Noah grumbled under his breath, brushing passed a sleeping out Owen. He was still mumbling about plums, sucking on the one that he hadn’t eaten. Noah would have stopped him if he wasn’t currently fearing for his life.

Everyone knew he wasn’t a star athlete but, he also wasn’t in peak form. His limbs still felt shaky and, he hadn’t been eating well since he was put back on Chef’s meals. The mush wouldn’t go down, not after that stupid challenge in China.

Whatever, he could do it— he needed to do it.

Noah made eye contact with one of the cameras just out of view. This was for all of them, because what else did he have to lose.

Other than his dignity.

“Let’s not waste time, go nuts!” Chris said, blowing the whistle.

Noah took off, instantly feeling winded. So everything was going as planned.

A football was launched at his head, vision filled with stars. Noah wasn’t sure who kicked it or even how he kept how he kept running as more came but, he made it to the giant basket of plums— read as small, Owen had really done a number on them.

It was pure adrenaline that caused him to grab the remaining plums from the basket, putting some in his pocket for insurance. It had shrunk after everyone else had gone.

He would have grabbed more but he knew better than to build a giant tower— he wasn’t that stupid. His only advantage was his wiry frame, he had to sprint and hope everyone would spare him.

Noah could feel the eyes on him as he prepped himself for a sprint.

Noah took off, holding the couple plums he had in his grasp tightly. It felt like he was flying, wind whipping passed him at an astounding speed. He wasn’t sure he had run so fast since the last time something was threatening his life.

It felt like foolish hope but, Noah felt like he could make it. He was close, he could see the finish line. The footballs were whizzing passed his head, missing him entirely.

Noah almost smiled until a football hit his head, square in the temple.

He fell, the dirt feeling just as nice as it looked. Noah coughing as a cloud of dust formed around him. He hadn’t expected to get any over the line but, it still hurt— he could see stars.

Noah watched the plums that were once in his hands roll around in the ground.

He tried to stand up, another football hiring him in the side.

Noah let a curse word slip, curling in on himself as pain racked his body.

“Courtney maybe you should—“ Noah could hear being said around him, rather loudly at that. He couldn’t see who was continuing to pummel him due to the dust cloud. He had an idea. He wished they would stop. A concussion seemed on the horizon, as his body curled further inwards. At least he had the plums in his pants, that was weird sentence to think.

Noah wondered why Courtney was hitting him, so viciously at that.

Where was she getting all those footballs anyways, the supply felt endless.

What was he doing again?

The sun was pretty bright… it was hot.

Noah felt woozy. Big surprise there.

Then he saw shade, light disappearing.

He didn’t feel anymore balls being kicked at him, he was left to wallow in his pain. It hurt, he was inhaling dirt, it was hot.

“It’s okay amigo, here,” A voice said softly, helping him to his feet. It was Alejandro, Noah could tell despite his eyes being squeezed shut.

“Mhm…no…get..get back…”Noah tried to say, needing a second to compose himself. Thinking felt like too much work. It figured that Alejandro was around when he was down, he always seemed to appear when he was at his weakest.

“I think he’s taken one too many hits to the head,” Alejandro ‘expertly deduced’. He took one of Noah’s arms, throwing it over his shoulder.

“Looks like Noah’s boyfriend is carrying him to safety, ohh do I sense a love triangle?” Chris butt in. Noah would have replied to the comment if his throat didn’t feel dry from inhaling dirt.

Slowly, his surroundings began to clear, his eyes able to open again. He could see the finish line, see them slowly crossing the finish line.

Alejandro sat him against the tiki statues Chris had probably bought from a Party City. Noah groaned, gripping his head. Stars circled around him.

“Are you alright?” Alejandro asked, placing a hand in his shoulder. It felt threatening, Noah would have brushed it off if he wasn’t in so much pain.

“Ouch.” Chris commented.

“I’m—“

“Fine.” Noah mustered up the willpower to say.

“And I got some plums so I still did better than Courtney.” Noah said, slowly reaching into his pants. The plums felt mush in his hand but, they were still there.

He pulled out the four that he’d managed to shove into his cargo shorts.

“You’ve got to be kidding me!” Courtney raged, probably resisting the urge to hit him with another football.

“What’s her problem?” Noah muttered, thinking more to himself.

——

Alejandro drummed his fingers on the bathroom counter, eyes not meeting the camera..

“I—“ he began, before second guessing himself.

“I underestimated Courtney’s anger.” He admitted.

“I simply told her about our little cuddling session in first class to give her some extra…motivation to take Noah down this round.”

“She went too far, it was a mistake not handling the matter myself… now Noah may be injured.” Alejandro said.

“I may want him gone but, I do not want to hurt him…I would never—“ Alejandro bit back anymore words, face ashen.

“I will make things right, then I will crush him myself.” Alejandro said, trying to muster up a grave expression.

It didn’t have its intended effect.

——

“Alright break it up I don’t want to have to call the medics, Courtney put the football down and contestants take your cricket bats for the next part of the challenge,” Chris said not even bothering to aim before throwing them at the contestants.

“Huh?” Owen muttered, jolted awake by a poorly aimed cricket bat.

“Ha prepare to go down!” Heather said, catching the bat and swinging it over her shoulder.

“Uh is it supposed to be this heavy?” Cody complained, struggling to lift it over his head.

“Well Courtney you may want to take a seat seeing as you don’t have any plums,” Chris said, dropping the two remaining bats in front of Alejandro.

“Make sure he gets one but, I would hurry if I were you we are on a time crunch and, I can’t afford to wait for him to recover,” Chris said. Noah only rolled his eyes, attempting to brush Alejandro off. He was hovering around him like he was a kid that had fallen down on the play ground— he didn’t need to be coddled he was fine, it was probably Alejandro’s fault that Courtney was mad at him in the first place.

“Amo..or amigo you should take it easy you took a hit to the head.” Alejandro said, squeezing his shoulder.

“Im fine.” Noah spit out, pushing his hand off his shoulder. He wasn’t going to give up and lose his opportunity just because Alejandro wanted him to. He had been through worse and he was still standing, a football to the head wasn’t that big of a deal.

Alejandro looked defeated, backing up.

Good, he realized Noah wasn’t falling for his act. He was the enemy, despite how genuine the emotion sounded.

Noah reached down and picked up his cricket bat. He didn’t like his odds to get an advantage in the next challenge but, it was better than Courtney’s odds thanks to Heather’s kick.

“Alright contestant, line up and ready your bats. Each of you will be aiming for a gourd, first to break it wins.”

“You are going down Alejandro,” Heather said, grinning.

“We shall see about that,” Alejandro said, reaching into his pocket for the plums he had collected.

Noah steadied his feet next to Owen— he was currently passed out on the ground, the one plum half way eaten.

“Well it looks like Owen’s out too, shouldn’t have made the ammunition food I guess, looks like it’s between Noah, Heather, Alejandro and, Cody,” Chris said, holding up his hand.

“Alright, on your marks, get set, launch those plums!” Chris cried, blowing the whistle as his hand went down.

Heather was the first to shoot, hitting her gourd straight on— it sported an impressive crack that Noah doubted his plums could hope to do.

Noah readied his bat, the stick swimming in his vision. He had to try, he hadn’t gotten pummeled to get eliminated by Courtney of all people.

He tossed a plum in the air, swinging the bat with all his might.

He missed the plum entirely, watching it drop to the ground unceremoniously. The sudden motion was making his head spin. He couldn’t do this, he was too dizzy.

It didn’t matter he had to try again. Noah shook his head, picking up his plum from the ground.

He could do it, he just had to breathe— concentrate. It wasn’t for himself, it was for the others. He wondered when that had become a strong motivator. He didn’t care about them. He was simply bored of sitting around, he was simply the only one who could get revenge.

Yeah, he was going through all the trouble because he was bored. That was the lie he was going with.

Noah inhaled deeply, his vision clearing for a moment.

He could do it, just focus on the plum.

He watched it fall, he adjusted his grip on the bat. Then, in a mere instant, he swung. Noah was thankful the bat was a cricket bat and not a baseball bat as he actually hit the fruit with its wider berth. The fruit soared, nailing his weirdly snapped gourd straight on. The plum turned to mush upon contact, cracking it slightly.

There, he did it. Now he had to do it again.

Noah sighed.

As he readied the next plum he heard the distinct sound of cracking.

“Yes! That’s how it’s done.,” Heather said, swinging the bat over her shoulder.

“Take that Alejandro!” She said proudly. Noah could hear Courtney scoff from the side.

“Congratulations amiga but, winning isn’t everything,” Alejandro said with a wink. He didn’t even look as he swung the bat, nailing his gourd. It cracked open immediately.

“Well looks like Heather wins with Alejandro in a close second, Cody and Noah better hurry up as the rewards are going fast,” Chris said, chuckling.

“Rewards?” Noah questioned.

“Oops guess I spoiled it,” Chris said not elaborating.

Noah ignored him, hitting another plum. It sailed the same trajectory, hitting the gourd again. Maybe it wasn’t as hard as he thought. Or he was just lucky.

Cody wasn’t making a move to swing, simply looking around for the few plums he collected.

Noah took out his last plum, giving Courtney a glare before throwing it up in the air.

It was almost fate when it connected, gourd splitting open. So that was how it felt to be fueled with pure determination, Noah couldn’t hide his grin.

“Wow that was easy,” Noah said, blurry gaze aimed at Courtney. She only scoffed, sticking her nose up.

“Boyfriend stealer,” She muttered.

——

“First he taunts me in China, then he snuggles up with Alejandro,” Courtney huffed.

“Not that me and Alejandro are…it’s just the principle okay, he’s probably just trying to make an alliance with Alejandro, I’m not going to let that happen.” Courtney said, retreating to her notebook to avoid conversation with the camera.

“Maybe I went too far but, he deserved it, the smart ass,” Courtney muttered.

——

Noah furrowed his brow. What was she taking about?

Alejandro must have said something to her. Courtney was ruthless but, she wasn’t outright cruel to him without an extra push. Maybe it was something with Duncan, he couldn’t recall even interacting with the guy but, Alejandro could have twisted his words. It wouldn’t have surprised Noah if Alejandro had somehow convinced Courtney that he had kissed Duncan too— like he would ever, he doubted the guy brushed his teeth.

“Well in a shocking turn of events Noah lands a reward and Cody, along with Courtney and Owen, get nothing. Sucks to be you and you’ll soon see why,” Chris said not even trying to hide a smile.

“Alright bring ‘em out,” he said, the sound of wheels on dirt forcing Noah to turn around.

There was a crate, a giant crate set on a cart that an intern was struggling to push. There were small holes on the top where sounds were coming from. Noah wasn’t sure if he should be booking it in the opposite direction or not.

“Woah what’s that? Are there more plums in there?” Owen asked, walking closer to the crate. Noah would have stopped him if it didn’t feel like his head was about to explode.

“Better! Drop the crate intern,” Chris said.

The intern looked skeptical, holding a crowbar out. He was shaking— maybe that was Noah’s vision.

“Ahem I said drop the crate intern,” Chris said, glaring at him.

The guy squeaked, digging the bar into the side of the crate and tugging. The wood shook before it toppled to the ground.

“Plums?” Owen asked as a growl emanated from the shadows of a giant cage. That wasn’t good, Noah was half tempted to climb up one of the tiki statues on the side of the finish line to escape.

“Argh!” A sound came from the crate, a figure launching itself at the bars.

Owen stumbled back, falling to the ground.

“Haha nice one Zeke,” Chris said, elbowing the cage. The former contestant barred his teeth, giving Chris the stink eye.

What was Chris’ plan? It couldn’t be legal to keep a contestant locked up like an animal, even if he was acting like one.

“I didn’t want to spoil it but, the second part of the challenge will be a hunt across the African safari,” Chris said. Noah didn’t let his distress show. Hunt? He could barely stand.

“Chef found this guy alone in the cargo hold, somehow he found his way back on the plane despite his various elimination,” Chris said.

“Kids cuckoo he bit me when I tried to grab him.” Chef agreed from behind the line of gourds.

“Yeah all that time alone wasn’t good for him he’s feral which is why he’s perfect for this challenge. Once I open the cage you’ll all be chasing after Ezekiel here with some supplies provided by your kind host,” Chris said.

“If you’ll check your gourds,” Chris said.

Noah stared at the yellowish gourd he’d broken. A pile of mush was dripping off the stump, whatever was in there couldn’t have been spared from the juice.

The thought didn’t stop him from walking over to check it out. He reached into the vegetable and pulled out a sling shot. Interesting but, not helpful without ammunition.

“A pocket? What’s this for magic beans?” Heather asked, holding up the small satchel.

“Close,” Chris said, reaching into the gourd to pull out a couple pinkish balls.

“Tranq balls, one shot of this and its sleepy time, allow me to demonstrate on this intern.” Chris said, taking a sling shot out of the gourd and shooting the intern cowering away from the cage.

“I didn’t hire any wimps!” He said, ball hitting his shirt. A small whiff of smoke rose up, making the interns body lock up. He quickly fell to the ground in a slump. Noah was worried that his eyes were still wide open.

“Is that safe?” Noah asked, skeptical.

“That’s for you to find out,” Chris said.

“Now seeing as Heather won the challenge she gets six of these bad boys, a pocket, and a sling shot,” Chris said, handing off six of them to Heather.

“Yes!” She said. A smile covered her face.

“And for Alejandro and Noah three tranq balls each for breaking open their gourds, don’t use them all in one place,” Chris said winking.

“And for Cody, Courtney, and, Owen one each, with no slingshot to fire them, you’ll have to throw them hard enough to burst which is hard, but fun for me to watch,” Chris said, giggling as he passed out the balls.

“This is unfair!” Courtney said.

“Hey maybe you should have won the first part of the challenge,” Chris shrugged.

“Dude that isn’t a plum,” Noah sighed, seeing Owen eyeing the pink ball, hungrily. He was a necessary ally— friend, they were friends— but Noah was too tired to put up with his antics whilst trying to win the challenge.

“Oh before I get sued here’s some goggles,”Chris mumbled, slinging them at the others.

“Now your job is to use these sleepy time balls on Zeke, first player to knock him out wins—“

“First class with a player of their choice we know now can we start?” Heather asked. Her arms were crossed at her side slingshot ready.

Chris rolled his eyes.

“Fine fine you would think they would learn not to be so impatient from last time.” Chris said to Chef.

“Now Chef release the beast!” Chris said dramatically as Chef walked over to the cage.

“I don’t get paid enough for this,” Chef mumbled. He slid the key into the lock, Ezekiel taking the opportunity to launch out of the metal contraption. He turned up his nose, sniffing the air before taking off. Noah couldn’t help the pity he felt. He may have made a mistake first season but, it felt like he had been punished enough.

Still, it was a challenge— Noah was going to win, screw anything else.

“Ready your slingshots, and hands, contestants,” Chris said, holding up his hand.

“Ugh..I think that was too many plums,” Owen complained next to Noah.

Out of the corner of his eyes Noah noticed Alejandro drifting closer to him— much to Courtney’s dismay.

He was practically hovering in between him and Heather, refusing to acknowledge him.

Was he trying to trip him up or was he looking too much into things? Noah felt paranoid. He needed to ditch Alejandro, for his sanity.

“Prepare to lose,” Heather said, Alejandro the intended target of her words.

“Good luck amiga,” Alejandro said smugly. Noah didn’t watch him any longer, staring straight ahead. The tranq balls were secured in his shorts pocket and, his slingshot was ready. The goggles Chris gave them wore on his eyes, blocking the sun— it didn’t help with the dizziness but, it was a start.

“And….go!” Chris yelled. Noah didn’t wait this time, pumping his legs as fast as he could. He wasn’t a wilderness tracker but, he had a fair idea about were Ezekiel would be had he been trapped in the cargo hold since the beginning of the competition.

“Come on chubby buddy we have to move!” Noah said, sparring a glance behind him. Alejandro and Courtney were focused on Ezekiel’s footprints in the grass while Cody and Heather were splitting up in different directions.

“Where are we going?” Owen asked, watching everyone go in another direction.

Noah waited until they were far enough away from the others to tell him.

“I saw a watering hole when we left the plane, if I were Ezekiel I would go there,” Noah explained, walking through the grass that only seemed to get thicker. The watering hole was to the Northeast of the first challenge area, he simply had to keep going and he would find it. Then he and Owen could lie in wait and, bag him easily. It wasn’t fool proof but, Noah didn’t want to deal with Alejandro and Courtney after his near concussion. Whatever her problem was Noah didn’t want to further injure himself.

Winning would be nice but, stealing immunity from Alejandro would be better.

“Oh okay..”Owen said, falling in line behind him.

“Does your head feel any better?” Owen asked, jumping at every sound.

“Fine, just got bruised,”Noah said. He did feel better, at least better than earlier. He couldn’t afford a concussion when he was close to winning.

“That’s good, Courtney looked really angry at you did you do something to her?” Owen asked.

“Nothing I can remember,” Noah said, putting his hand up as they came to a clearing. He hated the way the grass tickled the exposed skin of his leg, he was thankful to be out of the patch. That and, he wasn’t sure what bugs had probably crawled onto him.

In front of them was a watering hole. It was small with a couple animals drinking from the basin. It was peaceful, until Owen burped.

The animals around the water perked up, looking at them fearfully.

“Sorry,” Owen said as they took off.

“We need to find somewhere to hide,” Noah said, ignoring anything else.

“What about behind behind this tree?” Owen asked, hiding behind a skinny tree.

Noah would have cracked a smile if he didn’t have to win, he needed Owen to cooperate with him. He could probably tackle Ezekiel while Noah took the shot— who needed a net when you had an Owen.

“Why don’t you just stay in the grass.” Noah said, ears perking up at the sound of movement.

He was confident in his prediction being right. Zeke was thirsty, ergo he would sniff out a watering hole; somehow.

“I’ll climb this tree and, when you see Zeke try to grab him and, I’ll take the shot,” Noah ordered, grabbing onto the tree. It looked climbable— to someone of Alejandro’s build.

“Hey mind lifting me up quick?” Noah asked.

“Oh sure little buddy,” Owen said, taking him on his shoulders.

“Thanks,” Noah said, grabbing onto the branch like a monkey. He wasn’t a climber but, he could hoist himself to the end of the branch. He would be the one to catch Zeke and, Alejandro would be gone.

Noah could hear Owen retreat into the grass, all that was left was to wait, and wait they did.

——

“I wonder why Noah didn’t follow Ezekiel’s tracks…he must want to hand me the win,” Alejandro said confidently, smile wide.

His face fell after a moment, lips pursed in thought.

“Or he’s planning something.”

“I should stick to my plan and, keep an eye on him…I am not going home because of some idiotic second chance challenge,” Alejandro said.

“He ruined my plans but, he will not steal victory from me,”

——
••••••••

Noah wouldn’t have guessed that a hunt would be boring. It felt like fishing just waiting for a bite.

Dread was starting to creep up. Was he wrong? Had Alejandro already won while he was sitting in a tree waiting for Zeke? He couldn’t have, it was too soon. Noah could hope anyways, he had to stay hopeful.

It was hard when he was tired of the stupid competition. Jumping out of the plane had been a blessing in disguise, sans the electrical eels. He should have admitted defeat and, never accepted that stupid invitation. Then he wouldn’t have to be met with their stupidly pathetic faces. DJ petting the bowl containing Irene, Bridgette and Geoff eyeing each other distrustfully, Harold stuck in a never ending quest to impress Leshawna, Leshawna trying to wrangle them together whilst keeping down her own pain. It was pathetic, pathetic that he was part of it, picking at his once bandaged arms and glaring daggers straight ahead to prevent himself from saying what he truly felt.

Noah gripped onto the branch tighter, feeling his mind wander away from him. He had to get his act together, he was close, then the nightmare would be over and he could jump out of the plane happy.

The sound of a branch snapping drew Noah to attention. His grip on the slingshot tightened.

The grass ruffled, the sound of sniffing followed by an ugly green nose peaking out from the grass.

There was no doubt about who it was.

Ezekiel padded forward, perched on all fours. His tongue was out, matted hair slicked to his sides. He looked truly animalistic. The guy Noah had called out for bad breath was no more. Maybe he could get Courtney on his case if she ever stopped hating him.

Realizing that the coast was clear, Zeke dipped his head into the water, lapping it up greedily. He looked famished, dehydrated too. Noah could acknowledge the sympathy he felt but, he also knew he had a challenge to win.

Noah watched him like a hawk, reaching into his pocket to pull out a tranq ball.

He would ready the sling shot and then gesture for Owen to rush out at him. It was near full proof.

It was full proof until Noah found his pocket empty. The tranq balls were missing, had they fallen out?

Noah dropped his slingshot, reaching into his other pocket finding nothing. Where did they go? He had put them in his pocket before the second challenge started, they couldn’t have gone anywhere?

Unless..

Alejandro. That eel. No wonder he was so close to him. Noah hated how impressed he felt at Alejandro’s pickpocketing skills. He hadn’t felt a thing.

Now thanks to Alejandro’s kleptomania he was at a disadvantage.

He would have to make do without his reward. Owen still had a tranquilizer , if he could secure Ezekiel then Noah could pop the tranq ball with his slingshot.

Noah held his hand up, attempting to gesture to Owen.

“Dude, get him,” Noah tried to whisper but, it only alerted Ezekiel to his location.

Ezekiel stopped mid drink, water dripping down his chin. That was when Owen decided to listen, rushing him with impressive speed.

It wasn’t enough as Ezekiel had warning, swiping at Owen before fleeing into the grass.

They didn’t have time for this.

Noah tried not to flinch as he slipped off of the tree, landing on the ground with a thud. It hurt, pain running through him, but he didn’t have a second to waste.

“Come on dude we have to get him!” Noah yelled.

“And give me your tranq ball, I’ll explain later,” Noah said.

“Okay..”Owen said, handing him the pink orb as Noah sprinted. It must have been the adrenaline as he pushed through the grass. He hoped Owen was behind him but, if he didn’t hurry he was going to lose Ezekiel. He hadn’t planned things out for Alejandro to mess them up. The smug bastard was probably laughing having three extra chances to win.

Noah kept his eyes forward, trying to listen out for the sound of Ezekiel above his own breathing and the brush of dead grass against his skin as he ran.

He was fleeing in a random direction, like a bull charging, Noah only had to follow him until he thought he was safe, then he would strike; if he could even aim.

It was mere seconds before Noah broke out of the wall of grass, legs moving before he could comprehend what was in front of him.

Then he was sinking, Ezekiel running further away from him.

Noah tried to struggle but, it felt like the ground was swallowing him whole.

His legs were drenched in a muddy liquid, his arms flailing around for a moment until he got a hold on the situation.

It was quicksand.

Noah took a deep breath, relaxing his body. He would be fine, he just needed to calm down before he sunk deeper.

Despite common belief, quicksand wasn’t deadly. The human body was less dense than the sand itself so he would never sink below his chest. That didn’t mean that struggling wouldn’t make it harder to escape.

There was no way he was freeing himself without outside help now that his torso was submerged. The weight required would be equivalent to lifting a medium sized car— Noah doubted he could lift a small car, a toy car was more his speed.

Noah looked around, trying to find anything that could help his predicament.

There was a tree near him and, mounds of grass that made seeing beyond the area difficult. He was vulnerable if he didn’t find a way out.

He squirmed in place, managing to lift his arm out of the muck. It was drenched, mud caked around his sleeves. Whatever, he would have to replace the shirt later.

The only feasible option seemed to be a vine hanging from the tree. It laid just out of reach, his fingertips barely grazing it from his current position. He had to get closer, somehow.

Where was Owen when he needed him? He couldn’t have run that far away, neither of them were Olympic sprinters. He must have gotten distracted, Noah would have yelled for him if he thought it would do any good.

Noah shifted his body as much as the sand would allow, which wasn’t far. He just needed to grab the vine, everything else he could figure out. He needed to get back in the game, he needed to catch Ezekiel and wipe the smug smirk off of Alejandro’s face.

He was so close and, he wasn’t going to lose because Alejandro threw him off with his blatant cheating.

The vine was right there, Noah stretched as far as his body would allow.

Noah nearly laughed as he grabbed onto the plant. It was hanging on a tree, wrapped around a branch. He could do this, maybe he didn’t need help after all.

He looped the vine around his hand, giving it a quick tug to ensure it was stable.

This was going to work. Noah tugged on the vine, pulling himself closer to shore. It was a slow process but, it was working. The vine was holding out he was back in the—

Then he heard the distinct sound of a plant snapping. Noah watched as the vine fell onto the ground, loop wrapped around his hand going lax.

Damnit.

Noah sighed, unwrapping his hand. So much for that, he was stuck— he was helpless to stop Alejandro from winning and, his plan from failing.

It was just his luck. It couldn’t be that easy, he should have tried harder.

The savannah was quiet as Noah observed it blankly.

He wasn’t sure what he was supposed to say.

“…”

He could review what he knew.

It was hot, he was tired, the mud was uncomfortable.

He probably had a concussion, or at least a formidable bruise.

Oh Courtney hated him.

Alejandro pretended that he didn’t hate him.

Owen was probably eating plums from some tree.

The eliminated contestants would probably be watching the episode with disappointment.

He couldn’t let that happen.

Noah wasn’t sure why.

Screw it.

“Owen!” Noah yelled, voice straining. He watched as a couple birds funneled out of the tree he was next to— the same birds from earlier.

“Dude I need a hand!” he tried again. It was pathetic but, he didn’t have another choice. Unwanted attention would be better than no attention.

Noah paused. He heard the sound of rustling grass in the distance. It could have been some of the local fauna but, it sounded different. It sounded human.

That could mean one of two things, one of which would result in Noah getting a face full of bad breath— he couldn’t forget the teeth.

Noah swallowed down his fear, preparing himself for who was in the other side of the grass.

He could adapt to whoever, whatever, it was.

Noah knew he was screwed when a familiar face stepped out. There were a couple pieces of grass stuck in his hair and sweat on his brow but, otherwise, he looked no worse for wear.

He had to adapt, that didn’t mean he would like it.

“Alejandro,” Noah said, voice flat.

“Ah amigo what are you doing in there?” Alejandro asked. A smile instantly coated his face. The smug bastard.

Noah gave him a look. Did Alejandro really expect him to answer such an obvious question?

“I’m stuck,” Noah said plainly.

Alejandro kneeled down, extending his arm out towards him.

“Do you need a hand?” Alejandro asked.

Noah knew there was a catch, there was always a catch.

“I’m good thanks, just waiting for Owen,” Noah said, trying to pretend like he had a clue as to where Owen was.

“Oh your friend.. I saw him running from a horde of monkeys on my way over here, I doubt he’ll be finding you anytime soon.” Alejandro said. Noah could see his teeth as he smiled wider, like a snake curling around its prey.

Noah glared at him. He needed Alejandro’s help, whatever he wanted he would have to accept.

“What do you want,” Noah spit out.

Alejandro’s eyes tilted upwards, face leaning closer to Noah. He could practically see the whites of his eyes, feeling Alejandro’s breath on his face. It was meant to be threatening, there was no doubt. Noah was paralyzed by his stare. Was he going to talk or would Noah be subjected to more psychological torment.

“I would simply like you to hunt with me,” Alejandro said innocently.

“What happened to Courtney?” Noah asked. Alejandro had a plan, he simply had to figure out what it was.

“We split up in order to cover more ground.” Alejandro said. His face revealed no emotion other than glee. He may have been expressive but, Alejandro was good at hiding his emotions— same as Noah.

“So you just happened to find me?” Noah asked.

“Sí.. I was wandering about the grass when I heard you crying out for Owen..I simply wanted to see if you were alright,” Alejandro explained gracefully. He batted his eyelashes like he was trying to flirt with him, Noah only tightened his stare, not moving a muscle.

He wondered when he started to feel so uncomfortable, nervous.

“Could you back up? Not everyone wants to see your attractive face so close.” Noah muttered, gaze flitting away after a moment. He was done with Alejandro’s manipulation techniques. Had Noah not hated him he would have thought that Alejandro was trying to lean in for a kiss. That was stupid.

Definitely stupid.

——

“Attractive?” Alejandro questioned, hope swelling in his chest.

“¡No, no importa, detente!” Alejandro scolded himself, facepalming.

“My technique is making Noah sweat. He will accept my offer, there is no doubt.”

“Everything is going perfectly, I was lucky that Owen spotted the plum tree, it left Noah alone,” Alejandro said smirking.

“He will not leave my side now, that is a promise.”

——

“Of course.” Alejandro said, stepping back.

His hand remained outstretched, hovering within Noah’s sight.

He didn’t have a choice. The eel had taken his tranq balls and, he didn’t have another escape option.

“Fine,” Noah said, grabbing onto his hand.

It felt rough, calloused. It was strangely nice.

Then Alejandro pulled, using everything he had. Noah felt his body raise, legs becoming unstuck from the quicksand. It was freeing but, it also left him feeling muddy— for lack of a better word. Noah was impressed that Alejandro was able to lift him so easily.

Noah felt his feet emerge from the sand but, Alejandro still hadn’t stopped pulling.

The force pulled him forward, landing on the ground away from the literal hell hole he had fallen into.

“Ugh finally..”Noah sighed, relaxing on the muscled chest he landed on.

Crap.

Noah scrambled away from Alejandro, dripping mud onto the grass. Stupid Alejandro. He had probably planned that.

“Very bold amigo,” Alejandro said, rising to his feet like it didn’t phase him. He had been the one thinking thoughts about kissing him— indirectly— this was karma.

Noah couldn’t find the words to tell Alejandro to screw off so he kept his mouth shut. If he didn’t entertain it then it would go away.

“Vamos we don’t have all day.” Alejandro said, offering his hand yet again.

This time Noah didn’t need his help.

He brushed himself off, standing up with ease. He promptly turned heel in the other direction, intent on not letting the road block deter him.

Winning may have suddenly gotten a bit harder but, traveling with Alejandro meant he could sabotage him. It was something after the crappy challenge he was having so far.

“Let’s go,” Noah nodded, making no further comment.

“With pleasure,” Alejandro said, reaching into his pocket to pull out a pink orb.

“For you, just in case …I have a feeling that you lost yours in the quicksand,” Alejandro said nonchalantly. Never had his face looked so punchable before.

“Thanks,” Noah said disdainfully.

And they were off.

Again.

At least he was back in the game.

It was the bare minimum.

——

“There is something about teasing Noah that is addicting…maybe it’s his facial expressions or the way he glares at me, it is amusing to watch,” Alejandro gushed.

“Of course I could have left him in the quicksand but, where’s the fun in that? I need to keep an eye on him regardless, I can’t have him making anymore alliances while we are separated.”

“Cody is a prime example of what he can do if unsupervised,” Alejandro grumbled.

“Soon enough I will eliminate him and spare myself anymore trouble but, I must thin out the competition before then, eliminate the weak links….”

“Once he is alone he is powerless, that is when I will strike,” Alejandro explained, closing his hand in a fist.

“It’s flawless.”

——

••••••••

“Where exactly are we going?” Noah asked, trailing after Alejandro. He seemed to be wandering aimlessly, gaze remaining upwards.

“We are heading towards the source of those marks,” Alejandro said, tapping on a tree. Noah noticed a discrete claw mark further up, like someone had gripped onto the bark and sprung themselves forward.

“He appears to be heading back towards camp, where Chris is,” Alejandro explained. He kept his hand poised on his slingshot while Noah held his tranq ball lamely. What exactly did Alejandro expect him to do with it?

“Right.” Noah said. Alejandro wanted him to stand to the side and watch while he claimed victory? That wasn’t happening. The thought nearly made Noah laugh.

“I didn’t know Zeke could climb so well,” Noah commented as they kept walking. It looked like he had swung from tree to tree in search of— well Noah wasn’t sure what but it was clearly something. Noah couldn’t be sure what he wanted. Chris said he was basically feral, maybe there was no rhyme of reason to what he did.

“He did claw his way back onto the plane after Chef threw him out,” Alejandro said, stopping as they came to a rather tall tree.

Bananas hung from it, the tree casting a small shadows around the clearing.

Alejandro bent his knees, readying his slingshot.

Noah listened intently for any sound. All he heard was crickets— metaphorically anyways seeing as it was midday.

He was almost relieved until someone fell from the tree.

Much to Noah and Alejandro’s chagrin it was Cody. He was holding a banana, peel opened and hand outstretched as he hit the floor.

“Ow…”he muttered, looking up at Alejandro and Noah.

“Oh hi Al, and Noah.” Cody said, pushing himself to his feet.

Noah could feel Alejandro glower next to him.

——

“The geek can go first.” Alejandro said, shuddering.

——

“What were you doing in a tree?” Noah asked, raising an eyebrow.

“I was trying to lure Ezekiel I figured he’d probably want food so I was just waiting to see if he would show up,” Cody said sheepishly.

“So you haven’t seen him yet?” Alejandro asked.

“No,” Cody mummbled.

“I thought you guys were him but, I guess I’m glad that you weren’t because I slipped on the branch,” he sighed, hanging his head low.

——

“I’m happy Sierra’s gone, really I am, I couldn’t be more grateful—“ Cody began.

“But she did everything for me.”

“It’s like I don’t know what to do if she’s not there brute forcing her way through challenges,” Cody admitted.

“I told Heather I would try, I want to try, but, I feel like I’m at a disadvantage..it was like I was watching most of the competition with Sierra around..”

“Maybe it would have been better if she was still here,” Cody said softly.

He shuttered, crossing his arms tightly.

“I mean sure she would probably be planting kisses…everywhere… right now but, at least I wouldn’t be failing the challenge,” Cody said, hugging himself tighter.

“I don’t like her, I don’t want to put up with that but, she—“ Cody cut himself off, squeezing his eyes shut.

“Ugh I hate her, I hate her!” Cody exclaimed, banging his hands on the counter. The sound echoed, tears welling up in his eyes.

“She’s been harassing me this whole season and now she’s making me miss her! It’s unfair!” Cody said, taking a breath in defeat.

He didn’t say anything else, sitting in silence watching the camera light blink a dull red.

——

Noah rolled his eyes at Cody’s incompetence. He claimed that he would try this challenge but, that didn’t appear to be the case.

“Well if Ezekiel isn’t here then where is he?” Noah asked, looking around.

The sound of rustling once again filled the space.

Noah, Alejandro and Cody grouped together, eyeing the source of the noise.

“Prepare the tranquilizer,” Alejandro whispered, holding his sling shot at the ready.

Noah held up his tranq ball half heartedly. It wouldn’t help but, maybe he could ‘accidentally’ bump into Alejandro’s sling shot if anything came from the noise.

The rustling got louder until something popped out. A something that Alejandro didn’t waste a second firing at. It was easy for him seeing as he had more ammo than anyone else.

Noah didn’t have a chance to react before a pink cloud was fired back at them, blurring his vision.

What was happening? He felt the feeling drain from his limbs, his body going numb.

Noah wobbled, hand going to the ground in an attempt to keep himself steady. It felt like he had just run a marathon, legs too weak to support a single kilogram. He knew he was about to topple over.

Without much of a fight he fell, arms and legs going slack on the ground. Even his tongue felt heavy, he wasn’t sure he could speak. The cloud of pink around him was waning, his head turned sideways.

It was those tranquilizer balls, that was the only explanation. He was falling to the ground a little too much for his liking this challenge.

Noah tried to move his head to see the others, flopping around like a fish with the fleeting feeling his limbs still had.

“You have got to be kidding me!” Courtney exclaimed, laying across from them. She didn’t look as affected, arms crossed but, leg limp.

“How could you think we were Ezekiel!” Heather raged, glaring mainly at Alejandro who, Noah noticed, was also sitting upwards. How was he the only one lying limp on the floor.

Noah tried to look around, feeling something on his shirt sleeve, something wet. He had gotten hit with one of those stupid tranquilizer balls. Noah would have groaned in annoyance if he could do anything other than lay there. It was a weird feeling, like he was trapped in his own body unable to control anything.

“I can’t feel my arms,” Cody complained. Noah could only hear his voice from where he sat.

“Hey you might want to check on the dweeb because he looks like he’s about to drool on the grass,” Heather commented, brow furrowed. At least someone cared.

“Noah can you hear me?” Alejandro asked, manifesting in his vision.

Noah tried to speak, say anything, but he could only give him a glare.

“He must have gotten hit with one of those tranquilizer balls, the rest of us only inhaled the gas,” Courtney declared, being a little too informed for Noah’s liking. Something told him that she had taken advantage of the scenario, tossing her tranq ball at him. What was her problem? He would have to confront her when he could move.

“Ah brilliant deduction,” Alejandro said, Noah could see his smile strain. Had Noah been facing Courtney he would have seen her blush.

“Not that this isn’t fun but, I’m getting back to hunting that little gremlin,” Heather said confidently. She attempted to stand before collapsing back to the ground.

“As soon as my leg wakes up.” Heather grumbled.

“It seems we are all immobilized for the moment,” Alejandro said.

——

“¡Mierda! Estos idiotas, ya terminé con este maldito espectáculo,” Alejandro said, gritting his teeth.

“I should have known it wouldn’t be that easy but, now we are all out of the game for the time being.”

“Not to mention that Noah is semi-conscious on the ground…I should have never trusted Courtney with something I should have done. The situation is too delicate—“

“Noah is too delicate.”

——

“Mhm..”Noah muttered. It was the only sound he could make with his lips slightly parted.

“How are we going to catch Ezekiel now?” Courtney huffed.

Her question was answered by the sound of footsteps. They were panicked ones, Noah could practically feel the vibrations with his face pressed to the ground.

“Get back!” A voice— Owen— cried.

Noah could only listen as the footsteps got closer. There were multiple, like Owen was being chased. That sounded up to par with Total Drama standards.

“Wait here I’ll give them back,” Owen cried. Noah heard chatter from behind him, monkey chatter.

“What is happening?” Cody asked, voicing Noah’s exact thoughts.

Noah could finally see Owen as he approached the tree shading them. He was holding plums, more of them. Hadn’t he just said he was sick of them? Owen leaned against the tree, catching his breath for a moment before something caught his eye.

“Ohh..bananas!” Owen said, forgetting about the plums. He admired the large tree as the monkey horde ran up to him.

They didn’t waste a second snatching the fruit from his grasp, using his head as a vault to climb further up the tree.

“Ow..ow..uh you can have the rest of them..” Owen said, chucking sheepishly as he looked back at the others.

“Oh Noah… I’m sorry I couldn’t keep up I saw this tree with plums and then those monkeys started chasing me and I just ran..”Owen rambled.

Noah only stared at him.

“Little buddy are you alright?” Owen asked.

“He got hit with a tranquilizer, he can’t move,” Courtney summarized from her spot on the ground.

“Oh my poor little buddy!” Owen said. He kneeled down next to him, staring at him. Noah only blinked like he was some stupid Chameleon behind glass. Whatever Chris put in the tranquilizer couldn’t be safe, the feeling sucked.

The conversation was broken by a sound emanating from higher up the tree.

“Grgh?” Noah heard the branches rattling from the top of the tree. The sound was different from the monkeys, Noah had a vague idea of who it was.

More snapping could be heard as the contestants watched something— someone— crawl down the tree.

It was Ezekiel. He stared at the others for a moment, locked in a staring contest with them— he looked like a deer in headlights.

Noah knew he only had a moment to act— ‘he’ being code for Owen due to his unfortunate paralysis.

He had to get Owen to catch him. Then Alejandro would be gone and, he would be victorious.

The problem was that he couldn’t move. Thanks Courtney Noah thought sarcastically.

Noah tried with all his might to speak coherent words. He only managed a disgruntled mess of syllables pressed together.

“Gjsis sjsjszko…”Noah said weakly.

He felt Alejandro’s eyes turn towards him as Owen spurred into action.

He ran up and…

He hugged him. No tranquilizers we’re necessary as the rest of them could hear the pained cries of Ezekiel die out as he was lulled to sleep by Owen’s hug— read as choke hold, Noah had personal experience.

Owen had done it?

Noah wouldn’t have bet money on it.

He smiled none the less, attempted to anyways.

——

“I don’t know what happened but, I remember Noah told me to get him and, I didn’t have anything else to knock him out.”

“But, I won! Can you believe it?! Now I can get all those little chocolates they always set on the table they’re sooo good.” Owen said. He was drooling at the thought.

——

“Amazing work amigo,” Alejandro said although Noah could hear the bitterness in his voice.

“Wow that was a bit anti-climatic, although the part where you guys knocked each other out was hilarious,” Chris said, stepping out from— who would have guessed it— the grass.

“Hey dude are you okay I think you got some drool right—“

Noah gave him a glare, trying to move his arm to somehow punch Chris. It , surprisingly, didn’t work.

“Haha anyways congratulations Owen, I gotta say I didn’t take you for a winner but, I guess blind luck works sometimes too,” Chris shrugged.

“Seeing as you all couldn’t get your act together to catch one guy you all are headed to the elimination ceremony, as soon as you can travel back to the plane that is.” Chris said, laughing at his own idea of a joke.

“Hmph..”Noah mumbled. It translated roughly to screw you with his face pressed up against the ground.

“Ugh we were right on his tail, this is totally unfair.” Courtney grumbled.

‘Maybe you shouldn’t have been so trigger happy with your one tranq ball.’ Noah thought to himself. He was done with the stupid African safari challenge. He won, the faster they could get back to the plane the better.

Noah heard voices filter around him at the news but, he was locked in a staring contest with the ground. He wondered if Chris meant the tranq balls to act like a paralyzer, he would have rather gotten knocked out instead of laying limp. It was needless torture . That and the grass was itchy, he couldn’t feel it but, he still had the urge to scratch where the blades were poking him.

Maybe Owen would pick him up, it was what he usually did anyways.

Noah wish was granted, but not by the person he wanted. It was never that easy. He wouldn’t win that easily.

“Amigo, allow me.” Alejandro said. How had his tranquilizer already worn off? It wasn’t fair.

Alejandro hoisted him up from the ground. He didn’t bother to carry him normally, no he held him in his arms like they were back at that stupid Niagara Falls challenge— Noah didn’t want to think about that challenge any longer than he had to.

Noah wished he could protest, it wasn’t good to be at Alejandro’s mercy. It was his own fault for thinking the other contestants were competent.

“Mhm…”Noah muttered.

“Ouch, he got hit hard,” Chris said. Noah didn’t need the constant narration.

“Good,” Courtney said. Noah really wished he could move.

“How is your leg already awake?” Heather asked.

Chris butt in with an answer.

“Oh they aren’t that strong outside of direct contact, they were discounted for a reason you should all be back to normal pretty soon..aside from Noah anyways..that’s rough dude,” Chris said, chuckling.

“Al my man why don’t you take him back to the plane, I’d keep an eye on him if I were you.” Chris said, giving Alejandro an unsubtle wink.

——

“Ugh..” Noah muttered, his head leaned against the side of the confessional.

“This stupid tranquilizer is taking forever to wear off..”

“I don’t know what Chris’ deal is, does he know about my plan or is he just screwing with me..?” Noah muttered, raising his arm up to push himself up.

“This sucks,” he complained.

——

“Of course, do not worry,” Alejandro said. His eyes met Noah’s tired ones. He looked happy, like he had won. Little did he know that Noah had the capacity to eliminate him. He would too, if the stupid tranquilizer wore off before the elimination ceremony. He still had to talk to Cody and Owen about their vote, then Alejandro would be gone.

Noah gave him a half assed smile.

Alejandro responded by pushing the hair out of his face— it had become disheveled from his less than dramatic fall towards the ground.

Noah would have commented if he could speak. What was Alejandro trying to do? Noah didn’t want the answer to that question, locked in a stare with Alejandro.

It felt similar to earlier before Noah chickened out and looked away. Alejandro really liked to stare at him, Noah couldn’t tell why.

Alejandro was confusing, Noah would leave it at that.

Besides, it was exhausting trying to hypothesis his motives when Noah didn’t understand half the things he did. He doubted he would ever know but, that didn’t matter because he was gone.

Finally.

Noah relaxed in his arms, eyes drooping. Now that he mentioned it he did feel kind of tired, either a delayed effect of the tranquilizer or his almost concussion curtsey of Courtney.

A quick nap wouldn’t hurt anyone, when he awoke it would have worn off, he hoped anyways.

Then he could put his plan into motion.

——

“Did I carry Noah back because I wanted to? No, Chris asked and I knew better than to get on his bad side,”Alejandro defended, poorly.

“It wasn’t my fault that he fell asleep in my arms, he’s lazy it’s expected..”Alejandro said, tapping his fingers on the confessional like he was holding something back.

“I didn’t expect him to look so adorable,”

“Objectively speaking,” Alejandro corrected, tapping increasing.

He used the word a little too much for comfort, he was well aware of that.

He chose to ignore that.

For now.

••••••••

“Amigo wake up.” Noah was jolted from his sleep by hands. Rough hands.

“What…?” Noah muttered. His tongue actually moved to speak the words. It was an improvement. His body still felt tingly but, he was aware.

Noah cracked his eyes open, light blinding him.

He was sitting in economy class, head lulled to the side— onto Alejandro’s shoulder. Noah didn’t even bother reacting. He could recall Alejandro picking him up to carry him back to the plane, he would leave it at that.

“You were muttering in your sleep, I simply wanted to ensure that you were alright.”

Noah rolled his eyes at the effort.

He was probably muttering something alright, curse words anyways.

Noah tested his range of motion, sitting up on his seat. His hands felt like he just hit a nerve but he could move them, weakly.

His legs on the other hand didn’t feel moveable, they felt like dead weight as he squirmed around.

“How long did you let me sleep ?” Noah asked. It couldn’t have been long but, seeing as they were in the air again, he had to gauge how much time he had left to talk to Cody and Owen.

“It has been a couple hours, Chris told me to keep an eye on you,” Alejandro said, like Noah had forgotten. Why did Chris always shove them together, Noah felt a sense of dread trying to think of the reason. He was keeping something from him but, he wasn’t sure what.

“Right..” Noah said looking around at the others. They were minding their own business, with the exception of Courtney.

She was glaring at him, typical.

Noah was done with her stare.

“Okay what did I do to you? I know I taunted you but it’s more than that isn’t it?” Noah asked. He stared at her blankly, hoping that she would give him an answer so he could go about his day.

Had his head been less muddled from getting hit by a, probably illegal, tranquilizer he would have thought of a better way to go about it. Screw subtlety. Courtney was getting on his nerves and, it was her fault that he could barely stand. Hadn’t he been punished enough for whatever he’d done.

“I’m not mad at you, why would I be?” Courtney asked. Was she seriously trying to gaslight him into thinking that she hadn’t been targeting him the entire challenge.

“Sure and you didn’t nearly pummel me into unconsciousness,” Noah muttered.

Alejandro cleared his throat.

“Perhaps I should take Noah to Chef so he can confirm that he did not get a concussion,” Alejandro offered. Why was Alejandro trying to break them up?

Noah narrowed his eyes. He definitely had something to do with Courtney’s anger, the sweat beading on his forehead told him as much.

“I’m fine, I just..” Noah ignored common sense and tried to stand up on shaky legs.

It, predictably, didn’t work well. He felt his body sway before Alejandro caught him.

“Amigo, allow me to take you to Chef,” Alejandro pleaded. Why did Noah find himself wanting to agree?

“I don’t—“ Noah’s legs gave out, Alejandro catching him.

“I am taking you to Chef,” Alejandro said, no longer offering.

Noah didn’t want to go but, Alejandro was practically pushing him along. He had things to do he didn’t have time to receive a checkup.

He needed to find a way to get Alejandro off his back, he was hovering— Noah hated it.

——

Alejandro smiled.

“I do not know Noah’s plan this round but, I intend to keep him occupied. The results of the challenge were not favorable but, I can adapt,” Alejandro said.

“No matter what happens, I will win the million and I will succeed,” Alejandro said, almost willing it to happen.

“Entonces finalmente seré mejor que tú, José.”

——

Noah looked back at Cody desperately. He was so close, Noah just had to tell him—

Then his eyes met Heather. She gave him a nod, like she knew exactly what was going on. She watched as he was dragged away, eyes narrowed as the curtain swung closed behind him.

He would have to trust that she could figure things out. They both wanted Alejandro gone, maybe he had more insurance than he thought.

Noah tried to smile, it feeling strained from the tranquilizer.

Alejandro was gone. He had to be.

So Noah let Alejandro string him along.

Because it would be the last time.

It had to be.

Noah couldn’t keep it up much longer, he was tired.

And when he was tired he screwed up.

He couldn’t screw up again, not when he was close to getting everything they wanted.

Not when he had everything to lose.

Noah wouldn’t lose again.

Because if he did he knew he wasn’t coming back from it.

••••••••

“Welcome contestants..to the elimination ceremony,” Chris said. He’d discarded the bald cap and traditional African garment in favor of his normal attire.

Noah was relieved. Bald Chris wasn’t a pleasant sight.

Alejandro had been incessant, staying with him while Chef examined him and then following him back to economy class. It was annoying but, Noah was thankful that he had gone to Chef. The tranquilizer had finally wore off. Sure he felt groggy but, at least Chef said he would be okay. Noah felt like he had had nothing but close calls since he got back on the show— what was new he supposed.

Now Noah sat as far away from Alejandro as he could. Owen sat next to him, looking proud of himself.

“Hey little buddy how are you feeling?” Owen asked.

“Better—“

“Nice job getting first class,” Noah said, not wanting to stick on the topic.

“Oh yeah it’s so nice..I just followed your advice and I won, it was all thanks to you!” Noah could see Owen reaching over to hug him but, he resisted.

Noah narrowed his eyes as Owen chuckled. He resorted to patting him on the head, ruffling his hair.

“Whatever,” Noah muttered. He didn’t mind Owen’s displays of affection but, Owen didn’t have to know that. Chris was talking anyways, he might as well listen.

“Now I’ve tallied up the votes…” Chris said, tapping the passports on the podium.

“They were very interesting..”Chris said. It wasn’t a big surprise, Chris said that almost every episode. Noah wasn’t worried.

Yet.

Chef held up a parachute, blank expression on his face.

Chris opened each passport carefully, observing the stamped face inside.

“Well the contestants that are safe this round are none other than—“

Chef handed Chris the barf bags.

“Cody, Heather and Noah,” Chris said quickly. He tossed the bags with ease. Noah caught it, looking at it apathetically. He knew he wasn’t in that much danger but, it was still nice to have.

Now he had to see if his efforts would pay off. He hadn’t been able to talk to Heather seeing as Alejandro was acting as his resident stalker. That meant he was oblivious to whether or not she had gotten the votes required. He had hope.

Noah felt himself tapping the side of his arm. Things would be fine, he needed to stop freaking out.

He took a deep breath, eyes relaxing on Chris.

“Now the person that will be taking the plunge today is…”

Chris and Chef shared a look for a moment.

“Courtney.”

Noah’s tapping sped up.

“Sorry but, it’s time for you to retire from the show,” Chris said, he tossed Alejandro a bag as Noah watched.

What the hell?

How did she get enough votes to get kicked off?

He hadn’t even considered her in the running for elimination. Besides that she was aligned with Alejandro. He wouldn’t let her go so easily.

Right?

Unless she somehow pissed him off.

Noah hated that he had more questions than answers as he watched her stand up.

“What? Who voted for me?” Courtney questioned. She pointed an accusing finger at Noah.

“This is your fault!” She said.

Noah blinked.

“I didn’t vote for you,” Noah deadpanned.

“Ha! Yeah right, good luck trying to make an alliance with Alejandro because it won’t work,” Courtney said. She narrowed her eyes. Her words sounded targeted but, Noah couldn’t discern meaning from them.

“What are you talking about?” Noah asked. Maybe she would stop being difficult and just tell him what he did that deserved pummeling.

Courtney looked appalled.

“Don’t act so innocent Alejandro told me that you were getting snuggly with him in first class.. not that I care,” Courtney admitted. She slipped the parachute on her back as Noah stared straight ahead.

“What.. when.. I didn’t—“ Noah stammered. He looked at Alejandro. He looked uncomfortable, like he hadn’t meant for the information to be revealed.

“It doesn’t matter I’m done with this stupid show anyways, you’ll be hearing from my lawyer,” Courtney said.

She looked once more at Alejandro. He only gave her a smile, like he knew something she didn’t . He couldn’t have possibly gotten her voted out.

It didn’t make sense. Noah felt a migraine incoming as she jumped out of the plane.

——

“I must admit I didn’t expect Courtney to leave this round but, it is certainly a welcome surprise given her failure this challenge.”

“Maybe Noah voted for her as well…” Alejandro pondered for a moment before snapping back to attention.

“Losing her may mean losing a vote but, we are now down to the final five…I simply need to win or make sure someone messes up..it is almost light work.”

“I would consider this a successful elimination ceremony—“ Alejandro began.

“Aside from Courtney’s little outburst that is..I should never have told her about anything… now Noah will have more fuel to his fire, if he didn’t already.” Alejandro sighed.

“It will be a new challenge soon, then I can align things for my victory,”

——

“Now I would like to make a quick announcement regarding the show,” Chris said, clearing his throat.

The contestants stared at him, Noah shoving down his thoughts for a moment.

“I’m sure you all are well aware that something has been missing from our show these past couple episodes,” Chris began.

“What are you talking about?” Heather asked.

“Oh come on, I’m sure you’ve noticed a certain lack of…something ,” Chris said.

“You know, something new that was added this season,” Chris continued.

“Come on guys it’s obvious,” Chris whined as they all stared at him blankly.

The rest of the contestants blinked at him.

Chris grumbled something under his breath.

“Ugh fineee you guys are no fun,”

“The songs, I haven’t made you sing for three episodes now,” Chris said.

He took a deep breath.

“Unfortunately as of now it is official, there will be no more songs for the rest of the competition, due to budget cuts we can’t devote part of the challenge to singing anymore,” Chris frowned.

The rest of the contestants cheered, Noah included. It was a consolation prize for the crap show that was the elimination ceremony.

He still wasn’t sure what happened.

Had everyone been lying to him about their vote? He didn’t take Heather as someone to go back on her word— Not anymore. He may have not gotten Cody’s vote but, Owen would have voted for him. He should have been going home, jumping of the plane and landing in a pool of electric eels so he could feel exactly what he felt after—

No.

He wasn’t angry.

This wasn’t for him.

He didn’t feel anything towards Alejandro.

“Hey no need to be so happy about it,” Chris grumbled as the cheers died down.

“Now, Owen my man pick someone to take to first class,” Chris said.

“Oh, I chose my buddy Noah,” Owen said happily.

“Alright now go on you crazy cats, get some rest for the next challenge!” Chris said, shooing them away.

Noah sighed, standing up from the bleachers. Why had he bothered to come back. He was only getting hurt.

He should have given up after that eel touched his leg. He should have quit so, why was he still trying?

Alejandro deserved the win after all the backstabbing, he was clearly better seeing at Noah had no idea what happened. He felt blindsided, like Duncan’s elimination. He couldn’t win without losing.

Whatever.

He had to dust himself off, pick himself up off the ground.

He just needed a break.

Noah walked across the cabin, Owen next to him.

His eyes met Alejandro’s— somehow, he hadn’t been looking.

He looked triumphant.

‘Better luck next time amigo’ Noah could hear the words in his head, maybe he was speaking them?

Noah turned away.

Alejandro was a cheat.

That was the only explanation.

••••••••

Chris sighed.

He sat at his desk, papers sprawled everywhere.

They were bills, bills the producers sent in. They always had a flair for the dramatics, a big red stamped placed across some of the papers for added effect. Chris was tired of their nagging, pestering him with phone calls in the middle of the show.

They were running low on budget. The producers tried to convince him to cut costs and get the contestants out faster but, he resisted. He wouldn’t speed things up, he had a plan and he would follow through— it was in his contract.

That was the only reason he cut the songs, to appease them, to keep his plan running.

He couldn’t risk losing the two contestants that were especially helpful to saving the show.

“I can’t believe you did that, you’re such a hypocrite,” Chef snapped. He appeared in his door way, stepping through before Chris could say anything.

“Woah, woah who said you could come into the man cave?” Chris asked.

Chef rolled his eyes.

“You’re hiding from me so don’t pull that,” Chef said. He hovered right in the doorway, his arms crossed.

“If I’m not mistaken a certain someone got punished pretty badly for cheating last season,” Chef complained tapping his foot.

It was a mistake showing Chef the votes, now he had to explain things lest he crashed the plane to prove a point.

“Yeah but, this was necessary alright, I’m the host and I had to take some liabilities.”

“You just wanted to keep that kid in the show, you know he’s good for ratings,” Chef said, visibly ticked off.

“Have some faith that wasn’t the only reason..”Chris said.

Chef raised his eyebrow dramatically.

Chris sighed.

“Look I told you I have a very trustworthy source who told me there’s a revenge plan going down,”

“Come on, you can’t write this stuff it’s gold,” Chris said.

Chef looked at him skeptically.

“Bit…I still need some big dramatic moment to make everything worth it—“

Chris stood up, strolling over to Chef.

“And I can’t have my big dramatic moment if my best contestants gets eliminated early now can I?” Chris said, putting a hand on his hip.

“I still think you should be held accountable for that, only one contestant voted for the girl— if she finds out—“

“She won’t find out, as long as you don’t tell her,” Chris said. It was threat, Chef understood that, even though Chris knew he wouldn’t be able to touch him if he did spill the beans.

Chef looked at him skeptically, arms crossed.

“My mouths shut but, you better not pull another stunt like that, if the producers find out—“

Chris held his hand up. He didn’t want to hear Chef’s worries he had it under control.

“They wont. Find. Out. Period.” Chris said. It was the third season of the show, he had to keep the people watching somehow. A revenge plot was certainly interesting, he simply had to keep it going. The producers would understand, and the fans would eat it up

“Whatever you say, now move I’m taking my turn in the hot tub my back hurts,” Chef said.

Chris stepped back. He didn’t like sharing his hot tub but, Chef was the exception. They were partners, and he had to keep on Chef’s good side. He did a lot for him, it was only fair, even if Chris would never admit that was the reason he shared his private quarters.

Chris glared at Chef, startled by the ringing of his phone. It was placed impeccably in his breast pocket.

“I’ve got to take this.” Chris said. He walked out of the room, flipping the phone open and placing it to his ear.

“Hello?” he said.

A familiar voice spoke on the other end.

An angry voice.

Chris would make good on the deal, once he got his way.

Chapter Text

“You’re kidding?”

Duncan looked between Leshawna and Harold like they had both sprouted another head.

“If it was a joke I would be laughing.” Harold delivered the words offbeat, like he was trying to get back at him to no avail. Duncan could have laughed at the attempt.

Leshawna only sighed, placing a hand to her forehead.

Duncan wasn’t sure what he expected upon arriving back at the studio but, it certainly wasn’t the sight in front of him.

He was too tired to deal with anyone’s shit.

Chris had dropped him off in a tundra— a fucking tundra. He probably waited until they were flying over one to make him miserable. It wasn’t his fault he got eliminated; it was that jerk Alejandro.

That would teach him to scheme. The only reason he even bothered to try and outsmart Alejandro was because of his stupidly smug smile. The guy thought he was all that, Duncan saw through his bullshit.

He would never admit it aloud but, he hoped that Noah and Owen were able to give him a taste of his own medicine— no matter how much he also despised the both of them.

In the mean time he would have to wait.

It had been mere days since his elimination, Duncan only just returning to set.

After watching him freeze his ass off for a bit he figured the interns grew tired of watching him suffer so they swooped in, giving him heated blankets and a couple jackets while they took him back to the plane. Duncan was relived although he tried to shove them off the second his limbs could move— he wasn’t soft, he wouldn’t let anyone think otherwise.

In fact after the whole experience he was still fine. Nothing even happened. The water that had clouded his eyes was from the sting of the cold. He wasn’t afraid he was going to die in the frozen wilderness. He wasn’t a wimp.

None the less he was treated for hypothermia on the way back, kept wrapped in blankets and given access to warm water until his normal body temperature returned. Duncan didn’t speak, he didn’t feel the need to. Wandering around aimlessly looking for some hopes of civilization— with a busted parachute serving as a blanket— didn’t put him in a chatty mood. Did Chris like to watch him suffer? Maybe it was what he saw as karma for abandoning the competition.

Duncan didn’t give two shits about karma.

Had he not been dragged back onto the show due to some stupid contract he would have been gone to the wind.

Needless to say he wasn’t in the mood to hear Harold and Leshawna trying to coax him into joining some stupid club.

He was done with anything relating to Chris or Total Drama.

“Gosh, this was pointless,” Harold complained when neither of them spoke.

“Harold give him some time he just got back,” Leshawna said.

“We’re not asking you to join we’re just asking you to hear out our plan, then you can go sulk in your room because your alliance partner eliminated you,” Leshawna said.

“Ex-alliance partner,” Duncan corrected.

“Why should I bother, what’s in it for me?” Duncan asked. He could have probably scared them off but, he was at least curious as to why they were hounding him. Duncan didn’t think there was anyone left to care about him after the whole cheating scandal— not that he thought he was in the wrong.

He would hear them out and then refuse. The look on their faces would be some cheap entertainment before he shut himself in a hotel room.

“I mean what kind of name is the Alejandro hate club anyways, do you all sit around and whine about the guy, no offense but I’d rather do anything else,” Duncan asked.

“We do talk about him but, we aren’t just sitting back and watching him take everyone down, we’re trying to get revenge for what he’s done,” Leshawna said coldly.

“And how are you planning to do that..if you didn’t know you’re out of the competition it’s over,” Duncan said bluntly.

Leshawna smiled.

“We aren’t planing to do anything we’re already doing something,” she said, waving her hand.

“Now..do you wanna hear us out or are you going to sit around and complain under your breath?” Leshawna asked.

Duncan rolled his eyes.

“I’ll pass on the whole revenge trip, good luck with your plan though I doubt it’ll succeed,” Duncan said.

Leshawna looked annoyed.

“It’s Noah,” she said as he turned away.

“We were the ones that got him back in the competition,” she admitted.

Duncan turned around.

“Ha I knew that nerd couldn’t have gotten up there on his own,” he said. It figured that he had help given how strategic he was acting. Duncan figured he probably should have picked up on that, he wasn’t in a thinking mood— that was it.

“So what… he’s trying to get Alejandro out? Good luck with that seeing as the bastard found out about our little alliance. He’ll be gone soon and you’ll be back to square one,” Duncan argued.

“I’m sure he has another plan, and we need to be here to back him up.”

“I’ll repeat what I said earlier why does this affect me? So tall and lanky’s trying to get revenge good for him but I can’t do anything about it,” Duncan said. Maybe the idea of getting revenge was nice but, he had time to cool down and getting eliminated from a competition he had just rejoined wasn’t that bad. If anything Alejandro had done him a favor— even if he had to walk through an icy tundra afterwards.

“Will you hear us out, gosh it won’t take that long,” Harold said. Something told Duncan it wasn’t his idea to talk to him.

Duncan clicked his tongue.

It didn’t look like they would let him leave— even if Duncan was tempted to book it out of there. Maybe it wouldn’t be the end of the world to see what they were up to. He certainly hadn’t expected Noah to be part of some larger plan.

Something was definitely strange about his return but, Duncan had chalked it all up to his overly suspicious nature. Maybe he should stop doubting himself.

“Fine, but I’m not joining your shit show,” Duncan finally said.

“Good, come on,” Leshawna said, turning away.

He figured he didn’t have a choice in the matter. Duncan was used to that.

“Lead the way,” Duncan muttered.

That was the end of that.

••••••••

The plan was about as stupid as Duncan thought.

Did they really expect the nerd to take down Alejandro. Noah was clever— more of a smartass in Duncan’s opinion— but Alejandro was better. If that wasn’t evidence enough Alejandro also had an athletic advantage, that was obvious just sparing the two a quick glance.

Was he really their best choice? Even Geoff would have made more sense and the guy was an idiot— a fun idiot but and idiot none the less.

It didn’t matter.

For some reason he still let them explain their ‘ plan’; Duncan was hesitant to even call it that given their limited options being out of the competition. All they really wanted was his vote in a sense, that was it. If— by some miracle— Noah made it far in the game then a special episode would be hosted giving the final contestants advantages depending on the eliminated casts performances in some challenges. That was only if Geoff’s information was correct, Duncan wasn’t sure.

Since his return it seemed like Geoff was losing his hold on the Aftermath show.

His main piece of evidence was the small conversation he was currently eavesdropping on.

“No you need to put the couch here it makes me look better in the spotlight,” Blaineley said. It was in her uptight dialect, voice sounding like nails on a chalk board.

“No dude the couch stays here, we only have one episode left we can’t change it,” Geoff protested.

His voice remained calm but, Duncan could see his was pissed off. His fist was clenching and unclenching at his sides, like he was debating what emotion he wanted to stick to.

“How about I ask what your girlfriend thinks, I’m sure she’ll agree,” Blaineley suggested. She batted her eyelashes, sticking her hand up like she had just landed a blow. Her smile reminded Duncan of Courtney’s every time she won an argument— who was he kidding she always won, it was impossible to beat her when she wouldn’t admit that she was wrong.

“Don’t you dare talk to her, you’ve done enough,” Geoff said. His fist clenched at his side, remaining closed.

“Hm I don’t know about that, don’t think I’ve forgotten about your little musical number last show.”

Geoff’s brow furrowed.

Duncan wondered if he was about to see them throw hands. That would certainly be more entertaining than what he was meant to be doing.

He spared a glance at the piece of paper in his hands, giving it a scowl.

It was a stupid note, delivered in a neatly shut envelope.

It showed up in his room when he woke up. He wasn’t sure what the senders problem was but, he didn’t ask to revive cryptic notes. He was tired and he wanted to enjoy himself— however much he could being surrounded by the likes of Harold and the others.

The sender of the note didn’t surprise him, it annoyed him.

It was regarding that stupid club. He wasn’t about to even think the name. After hearing out their plan a couple days ago he ditched them— throwing a couple half hearted yes’s when they spoke. Maybe he should have shut up but, it was the easiest way to escape without them harassing him until he did say yes.

Maybe they took him seriously.

Did they really think he wanted to be part of their little group? It was lame, he didn’t even want to stick around.

He would have ditched the fancy hotel after the first night if not for the ankle bracelet the medical team put around his leg. It was supposed to monitor his vitals but Duncan figured Chris had given everyone the memo that he was flighty. They thought they were being sneaky but Duncan felt it clamp around his leg. They were lucky he was too out of it to pay much attention.

He already tried to get it off with a fork and a couple other items he ‘found’ around the hotel. That only left his leg red and throbbing. It was pointless.

Chris and his obsession with ratings was making him miserable.

Duncan sighed, crinkling the paper in his hands.

Maybe there was a reason he hadn’t torn up the note and tossed it the second he got it— the note which asked him to come to one of their stupid meetings.

He didn’t hate Alejandro but, he hated Chris. Eliminating his prized contestant sounded like a good way to stick it to him. It wasn’t like Duncan liked Alejandro either. Maybe it would be satisfying to wipe the smug smirk off his face. He was certainly tired of seeing it.

Duncan looked up, watching as Geoff turned away from Blaineley instead of punching her.

“I would be careful dude, I don’t think your last performance was very inspiring.”

“People like Bridgette dude, they don’t like you,” he said bluntly.

Duncan’s eyebrows raised. That was a threat if he’d ever heard one. He may have hated the show but, he couldn’t deny that he was interested.

Blaineley scoffed, readying a rant.

“They wouldn’t fire me, I run this show.” She said the words smugly. The confidence wasn’t very inspiring.

“For now dude,” Geoff said. He opened his mouth to speak, shutting it before any words could come out. He was definitely holding something back.

“We can finish the rehearsal tomorrow,” Geoff said. He brushed passed the curtain, disappearing from sight.

“Fine be that way,” Blaineley huffed.

She paused for a moment, taking a glance around at the rest of the crew. They were staring at the scene, eyeshadows raised.

“Haha, uh that’s a wrap everybody good work, I’ll buy you all coffee after this,” Blaineley recovered, clapping her hands and smiling like she had never broken character in the first place.

Duncan shook his head. He was standing to the side of the stage, using the scene as an excuse not to enter the green room at the end of the hall. Duncan wasn’t even aware of its existence, props covering the hallway last time he had been on the show— which wasn’t long given his near victor status.

He sighed, feeling the ankle bracelet around his leg as he took a step forward. He was still a prisoner, it felt like he always was. Total Drama was supposed to be an escape— a way out of jail.

Turns out it was a jail.

Just a different kind.

••••••••

In other news Noah wasn’t a complete loser. He was good for more than a one liner and some cheap humor.

He hadn’t gotten eliminated when the next episode aired. It was the bare minimum but, it was a start. Everyone looked pretty happy about it while telling Duncan the news.

He only gave them a half assed smile.

So maybe he sat in on more of their stupid meetings. They let him sit in the back on a chair, carving something into the wall while they talked. It was an easy trade off if they left him alone after the meeting was over. Duncan liked the arrangement quite well.

The nerd managed to eliminate the resident nut job— aka Sierra. The boot was well overdue. She wasn’t someone Duncan felt strongly about but, the rest of them couldn’t seem to shut up about it.

“This is great, he’s doing better than I thought,” Bridgette said.

“Yeah, look at the little dude go,” Geoff said. He perked up from his earlier argument with Blaineley, arm wrapped around Bridgette like the lovey dovey couple they were. It was weird seeing the two sides of him. Duncan heard about his reign of terror during the second season but, that didn’t make him weary. If anything he was impressed that Geoff could be so ruthless. He’d taken the guy as the type to not hurt a fly.

“And did you see Alejandro’s face it was priceless!” Leshawna said. She was smiling wide, triumphantly.

“That will teach him to put the moves on my sweet Leshawna,” Harold butt in. He hadn’t gotten any less annoying since Duncan had last seen him. That was a given.

“And now he replaced Duncan’s vote, next episode he might be able to vote off Alejandro,” Bridgette said.

Duncan stopped carving for a moment, eyes darting over to the group.

“I wouldn’t get my hopes up,” Duncan said.

“You know the guy and you know Chris, he’s not just going to eliminate his best player,” Duncan spit out. Alejandro made the competition interesting, Chris liked interesting. Duncan knew first hand where being interesting got you after being hunted down for the past couple months. At least the heat was finally off him.

“But he can’t just cheat, right?” DJ asked. Duncan had nearly forgotten he was there. He spent most of the meeting staring into space and petting his fish’s bowl. Duncan wasn’t sure where he’d gotten the fish but, he doubted he wanted to hear the story.

Duncan only quirked his eyebrow upwards.

“Have you met him?” Duncan scoffed.

“That’s not going to happen,” Bridgette said although it didn’t look like she believed the words herself.

“Even if it does we still have plan B,” Harold said, putting his finger up to form a letter B.

“You’re right dude,” Geoff said.

Duncan gave him a skeptical look.

“Not that I care but how do you know they haven’t changed plans without you knowing? I mean no offense dude but it looks like you aren’t even in charge of your own show anymore,” Duncan said. He didn’t really care to pick a fight with Geoff but, if he was going to bother listening to their stupid plan then he didn’t feel like basing everything off of a hunch.

Geoff smiled. Duncan took it with a grain of salt seeing as his eyes were narrowed. It was unsettling. Duncan puffed up his shoulders, flicking his knife closed. It was like the guy was trying to intimidate him. Duncan nearly laughed.

“Trust me dudes I’m still in charge,” Geoff said, his eyes roamed the room — like he was confirming that everyone believed him.

“I heard Blaineley’s going to get a call from the producers soon, after that little stunt she pulled last show they’re giving her the boot, they just haven’t told her yet,” Geoff said confidently.

“That’s great news,” Bridgette said.

“That’ll teach her to kidnap my honey pie,” Geoff said. Bridgette giggled, as Geoff booped her on the nose. Duncan fought the urge to gag. How did he ever do anything like that with Courtney, it felt like a lifetime ago— Duncan was fine to keep it that way.

“Finally that girl was getting on my nerves telling me where to stand and what to say,” Leshawna said.

“The nerve,” Harold butt in.

“Why did they even bring her on anyways, she’s mean,” DJ said, trailing his finger over the fishbowl in his grasp. The fish swimming around inside released bubbles from its mouth.

“She’s a big name, why else?” Duncan muttered.

“Apparently surfer boy’s power trip wasn’t good enough for ratings,” Duncan said. It seemed like common sense.

He wouldn’t pretend to be an avid TV watcher— his parents didn’t even have cable when he was growing up— but, didn’t mean he didn’t watch it. During free time , back in juvie, it was one of the only things to do—watch the same program every week like clock work. It was mind numbing but, everything else got old quick, at least there was a new episode every week. Needless to say he got accustomed to how those type of shows functioned.

If you got renewed for a new season you went bigger and better.

“Well I don’t think kidnapping a cohost is good for the ratings either,” Geoff said.

Duncan shrugged his shoulders. He was getting bored of the conversation.

He flipped his knife open, resuming his carving in the wall.

It was a plane. The total drama plane to be exact. It was a crude drawing but Duncan felt he was pretty good at them adding just enough detail to make it recognizable.

The conversation continued, the noise becoming background sound. Duncan didn’t feel a particular way about it, he got his information on the competition— that was all he really needed.

After the meeting he would go back to his room and try another hundred ways to get the bracelet off his ankle. He just wanted to leave, go back to that night club in London. That would be nice.

Really, really, nice.

••••••••

It had been two weeks.

Two fucking weeks.

He still wasn’t gone, he was simply waiting until he could finally go free. As free as he could be with his tabloid fame.

The only consolation to sticking around the stupid set was seeing Gwen.

He’d looked for her after being released— figuring that she was the only one he could tolerate— but he’d come up empty. She was probably hiding in her hotel room, not that he blamed her. He noticed the glares he got upon returning to the set. Little did they know he couldn’t give a shit about what everyone else thought. They hadn’t had to live with Courtney for nearly three seasons, he was set in his decision to break things off, even if it was in a roundabout way.

Duncan still wasn’t sure what he saw in her, or why he had continued to put up with her. Maybe he saw what they could have been, what he wanted them to be.

He was chasing some stupid fantasy.

Duncan was glad he took the initiative despite what everyone else thought. He was pretty sure Gwen felt the same way.

The feeling was almost confirmed when he spotted her one day on a walk down to the pool deck. The hotel offered free amenities to the eliminated contestants given that there was nothing to do aside from waiting around. He needed the fresh air after the rough night he had prodding at his leg like it would change anything.

When he saw the back of her blue dyed hair he smiled. She looked the same, not that he thought she would change much, the only thing that was different was her outfit. She was wearing a swimsuit— one that she pulled off quite well.

Duncan wasn’t an idiot, he knew better than to walk up to her but, he wasn’t going to just ignore her. He’d spent too much time thinking about her to do that.

Duncan hovered in the hall, waiting to see if she would notice his movements.

She was nearly out the door when she turned around, their eyes meeting for a split second.

She smiled, Duncan waving casually; his other hand was shoved in his pocket, shoulders slouched over. It was barely an acknowledgment but, it was good enough for Duncan.

She nodded to him slowly, turning away and slipping out the door like she had never been there in the first place.

It wasn’t much but it was better than nothing. Maybe his stay wouldn’t be such a shitshow after all. Sure he was a prisoner but he was free from Courtney, free from the nagging.

Duncan should have known better than to jinx himself.

Things were going well, better than they had on the competition. At least he wasn’t stuck in that tundra.

Then the next episode aired.

He didn’t keep up with the show (was it surprising to say that he didn’t really care?) but the rest of the club he’d been forced into had. In fact they did nothing but blab about it the second Duncan walked into the green room. It had become routine, not that he would admit it. No letter was required to summon him anymore.

He took a seat in his corner, continuing a carving he was in the process of making. It was each of the casts faces, surrounding the plane. He figured he might as well draw it so he could cross out each of them slowly. It was better than punching them if they got too annoying.

Then the discussion started.

A part of the discussion Duncan couldn’t avoid.

“How did Courtney get eliminated? It doesn’t make sense,”

Duncan’s ears perked up at the name. He hated hearing it, he hated how his shoulders tensed upon hearing it.

“The votes don’t add up,” Harold agreed. He was scribbling on a piece of paper— typical.

Duncan dragged his knife down the wall, grip tightening. He didn’t speak but he listened, intently. He needed to know how screwed he would be, if he needed to hide or not.

He wasn’t scared of Courtney. He was just smart enough to not get in her way.

“This isn’t fair, he was supposed to go home this round!” Leshawna said, arms crossed. They all looked pissed off, at least it was better than hearing them whine.

“Hey he still doesn’t have the upper hand, according to Harold he still has Owen and Cody, while Alejandro has no more allies,” Bridgette argued.

“Yes but, he’s in the final five now alliances aren’t as useful and Alejandro is statistically a strong player meaning it will be a lot harder,” Harold said, adjusting his glasses.

“That doesn’t mean it’s over, Noah’s still in good standing with everyone, I’m sure he can do it,” Bridgette said.

“We just have to trust him, he knows what he’s doing,” she continued.

“I still don’t understand what happened though,” Leshawna commented, looking to the side like she was thinking of something.

“Maybe Duncan was right, maybe Chris cheated,” Geoff butt in after his silent spell at the beginning of the meeting.

Duncan glared at him, annoyed at being brought into the conversation. Not only would he still have to put up with all of them but according to the newest episode Courtney would be returning— marvelously pissed off at her less than fair departure.

Great, lucky him. Maybe he should just run, hope the ankle bracelet was just decoration. (It definitely wasn’t)

“Oh he better not of,” Leshawna said.

“Why does he get to have plot armor and not my sweet Leshawna,” Harold grumbled. Duncan had the pleasure of hearing him being the one closest to him. He would have moved if he could go any further.

“We need to take this up with the producers,” Bridgette said, turning to Geoff.

Geoff looked around at them awkwardly.

“I hear you babe but, the producers won’t listen, I can’t even get a hold of them with all the pressure to wrap up the shooting, we should wait and see..maybe the votes do add up and they just didn’t show it?” Geoff offered.

It sounded half assed. Duncan would have called it out but he didn’t have the energy to argue with Geoff again. Not when Courtney was probably on the first plane back to the set.

Duncan shuttered at the mere thought of seeing her face again.

He turned his face back towards the wall, knife grooves becoming deeper than before until….Duncan cursed under his breath, pulling his knife with all his might. The damn thing had gotten stuck, sticking out only to taunt him. Whatever, stupid cheap blade.

He would survive.

Only he knew what Courtney would do when she got back. If he had the displeasure of running into her when she arrived he would only be berated for what he did— as if he hadn’t heard enough of that already.

He didn’t want to put up with her bullshit anymore. He was glad she lost but it didn’t feel like enough. Not with all she had done in the past. The contracts, the nagging, the duality of her personality— acting all lovey dovey and then going off on him on a seconds notice.

She was out of the competition but, that was nothing. It wasn’t enough karma for him. He hadn’t done enough to make her understand how over they really were, how much he despised what she had done.

Duncan pulled at his knife again, it coming lose from the wall.

Nothing felt like enough. He could hide in his room but, what would that prove? That he was afraid of her, that he was a coward?

He flicked the knife closed, turning his body to face the rest of the group; to act like he was really paying attention and not just spacing out on the side.

He wondered what she would think of the little group he’d been dragged along to. She would probably hate it given her general uprightness. She would think it was immature— the hypocrite.

The lull of chatter around him accompanied the thoughts racing through his head.

That’s when it struck him. The definition of an aha moment, not that he had them often.

Gwen had been a way to stick it to her (along with him actually liking her). He knew Courtney would hate it and that’s what brought him the most joy.

Courtney would hate the club, he didn’t need to infer it; it was simply fact.

Duncan smiled, barging into the conversation with about as much grace as a toddler tugging on their parents shirt for attention.

“Enough with the yapping… Geoff’s right they’re not going to listen to any of us, we don’t have any evidence so we need to move on,” Duncan spit out, arms perched on his legs. No one was aware that it was his defensive posture, he wanted to keep it that way. No one would know that he was actually opening himself up to rejection for a moment.

The conversation froze, eyes snapping over to him.

Duncan sighed, refusing to meet any of their eyes. He was practically part of the group anyways, he needed to acknowledge the fact. Hiding wasn’t an option if Courtney was back, he needed to go on the offense or she would go right back to yelling at him like nothing had changed.

“Listen I wanna be part of your little group, for real.” Duncan said. He let out an awkward cough.

“To get back at Courtney, that’s all,” he said. Maybe lied was more accurate.

“Uh…I thought he already—“Bridgette began.

“You got it sugar,” Leshawna butt in, giving him a strong smile. Duncan hated it.

“Welcome to the club, officially,” she announced.

“Yeah whatever,” Duncan huffed. He secretly sighed in relief, shoulders relaxing.

“Now maybe we can shut up about the episode and get back to something important, like that plan… I don’t think I was listening the first time,” Duncan said, forcing a smile.

He was done with Total Drama, he was done with putting up with crap just because he got unlucky. He wouldn’t pretend to be a saint but the cards he were dealt weren’t fair.

The group he was surrounded with were trying to beat the system— the show. They were also trying to beat Alejandro— the person Courtney appeared to be rebounding with. It would be killing two birds with one stone.

A final fuck you to Chris and a goodbye to Courtney; a goodbye on his terms. The punishment felt fitting.

Duncan was done sitting around and waiting to be released.

He wasn’t going to let himself be a punching bag for all the chaos around him.

He was going to stick it to everyone who did him wrong.

And that sounded pretty good to Duncan.

Chapter Text

After being stuck in economy class for three days pristine leather seats felt like a dream. Everything looked brighter, Noah felt better. Even if he had been royally screwed.

Things were nice, perfect even. At least for a little while.

There was only one thing. A minor annoyance that was keeping him from enjoying himself fully. It was small, something he was able to ignore for the first two nights. It was only by the time the third night rolled around that he couldn’t put up for it. If he had to deal with that incessant sound for one more second he might scream.

The sound in question was Owen’s snoring.

No matter what Noah did he couldn’t muffle the sound.

He tried shoving his head under a blanket, pressing pillows against his ears, even moving to the couch a couple meters away from Owen. It was no use, nothing worked.

He couldn’t put up with it anymore, he was tired. He had another challenge tomorrow, he didn’t need to battle exhaustion along with Alejandro. That was stupid.

He debated what to do in his head for an embarrassingly long amount of time, finally deciding on standing up. He grabbed his blanket and pillow from the couch, stumbling around first class in uneven steps. He wore his sleep wear, hair jostled about from his rotation through different spots in the cabin. It was late, Noah wasn’t sure what time seeing as the moon was hidden by dark clouds.

It would have been perfectly quiet, before Owen started up.

It wasn’t like he was ignorant to the fact that Owen snored. He’d spent time in both first and economy class with him while on Team Chris. The only difference was that Noah usually fell asleep before him— or got crushed into unconsciousness by Owen— or Alejandro hypnotized him but, he refused to think about that eel, he was too tired for that.

He should have planned for it that was all.

Owen was still a better roommate than the rest of his former team. Noah could tolerate Owen, to everyone’s surprise. It was weird that they mixed so well, maybe Noah just had a soft spot for him— his annoying qualities and all. Owen cheered him up when he was worried about something, bringing out board games and cards that he didn’t know how to use. He talked Noah’s ear off, filling the silence that was usually taken over by his own thoughts. He made him laugh on rare occurrences, breaking down Noah’s walls enough to appreciate the stupid things he did. Noah couldn’t help but smile along most of the time. Owen simply had that energy about him, one that made Noah feel happy.

It was stupid that some part of him wanted things to continue like that. He wanted to be stuck in a limbo with Owen enjoying first class and goofing off without worry. Maybe it could have actually been like that, if Noah had stayed on the Aftermath set, never accepted that invitation— never gotten himself into the mess in the first place. That dream sounded nice, a lot less work than staying in the competition to fight a losing battle. Fighting Alejandro. It felt like he was facing down a brick wall, one that kept getting built higher the more Noah tried to jump over it.

It was frustrating, especially given that any of his thought out plans crumbled to dust like they were never there in the first place.

The African challenge was a prime example of that, even if he could count that as a win. It still wasn’t his plan that he accomplished, it was a matter of luck, or fate. He still wasn’t sure. He was still one step behind Alejandro, he was beginning to think he could never catch up.

Noah tried. He really did. He asked Owen, he talked to Cody, he even ran into Heather near the confessionals. All of them voted for Alejandro. Noah was fairly certain yet the facts were saying otherwise. It was useless to keep thinking about it when it was over. He needed to move on.

He’d already sat in it long enough.

He was tired from all the thinking, it was driving him insane. He hadn’t known the meaning of the word exhaustion before meeting Alejandro. The guy would probably smile if Noah ever told him that. He liked to be the center of attention and Noah certainly made sure Alejandro was at the forefront of his mind.

He didn’t need to think anymore, he needed to act. The next challenge he would get Alejandro, at the very least weaken him.

Never mind that alone Alejandro was still a strong player. Everyone could see through him yet he still stood strong, smiling like he wasn’t a manipulative bastard. It was infuriating. How was he expected to beat someone like that?

The break from Alejandro was probably the only thing maintaining Noah’s sanity. For a moment he bid goodbye to the long stares and the suggestive eyebrow waggles that Alejandro had practically trademarked. His flirting was getting out of hand. Noah pitied Heather who he probably harassed with poorly timed winks and cheesy one liners you could find on the first page of a Google search.

It had been three days. He wasn’t worried that she had changed her tune in regards to her opinion of Alejandro but, Noah would air on the side of caution. He was done making stupid mistakes.

Heather was probably holding out given Alejandro’s flirting with Courtney during the last challenge. The daggers she was staring at Alejandro could cut through solid metal. If Noah wanted to be funny he would call Heather and Alejandro’s rivalry a lovers spat.

It was so obvious that they liked each other, why couldn’t either of them see the signs?

Maybe it was for the best. Feelings only complicated things, Noah didn’t want to deal with a new variable to the already confusing cast of characters he had to put up with.

His internal monologue was cut short when the plane suddenly swayed to the side, taking Noah with it. He hit the wall with about as much grace as one would expect. Noah peeled himself off the wall, swerving through the halls like he’d just drowned a bottle of vodka and was attempting to walk straight.

Stupid Chris.

He hated flying, especially prolonged flying. He was glad he didn’t suffer from aerophobia but, that didn’t mean the experience was comfortable.

Noah grappled with the weight of his blanket, clutching it tightly as he kept moving down the dark hallway. Owen’s snoring could still be heard faintly but, it was better. It was quieter.

He didn’t particularly want to get closer to economy class so he stopped in front of the confessionals, spying the door cracked open.

It was empty— thankfully— but didn’t look like the ideal sleeping arrangement for obvious reasons. Noah was too tired to care, stepping into the stall and shutting the door.

He knew the lock was broken, he also knew that there was nothing he could do in the present without putting in more work. He was lazy, it was common knowledge at that point.

Everything would be fine. He would be woken up by the sunlight from the small window in the corner and sneak back to first class before Owen knew he was gone. It was simply to insure that he got a good nights sleep. It was important and, he didn’t feel like disturbing Owen.

The thinking caused a yawn to rip from Noah’s throat, his eyes turning towards the camera lazily. It was oddly active, red light blinking like someone was watching him on the other side.

——

I’m tired alright, it would be nice if you could not air this,” Noah muttered, rubbing his eyes.

——

No more words were spoken as Noah set his pillow against the wall, the steady thrum of the plane moving his head.

Whatever.

He laid out the blanket he was carrying over him. It was soft, a perk of first class— along with having any blanket at all. It was a luxury, one that Noah would be burning after his short stay in the confessionals. He wasn’t sure how often Chris cleaned them but, it definitely wasn’t often enough.

Noah quickly forgot about that as his eyelids grew heavy. His legs curled up under the blanket, trying not to touch too much of anything at one time.

It wasn’t great— it was perfect. Peace and quiet. Uncomfortable peace and quiet. It was one night, that was all. They would be on the ground soon enough and Noah would be thrown back in the game to finally do what he came to do.

They were waiting.

They were watching.

He didn’t want to disappoint.

He would put on a show, then everyone would see what happened to villains.

They got burned.

Too.

••••••••

“Amigo…” A voice hummed. It sounded similar to the plane engine, soft.

It was a nice voice. He liked it. It felt familiar, somehow. Noah wasn’t sure how yet, not aware of where he was.

He only curled into his blanket tighter, arms grabbing onto the pillow that was slipping to support more of his neck than his head. He had a feeling that he was missing something, a big something. It was on the tip of his tongue.

A tap on his shoulder changed his tune. It was light, airy. Almost polite. Noah cracked one eyes open, vision blurry. Maybe he should see what was happening, his slow limbs reacting to the potential threat.

Where was he? It felt like he was still asleep, dream manifesting phantom settings to confuse him.

Then his eyes opened. He saw a blurry blob of black. A red light blinked, blinding him as it stretched out in his vision.

That’s when it hit him.

Confessionals.

Airplane.

Total drama.

Alejandro.

Noah flinched, startled into a state of semi-alertness at the revelation. What was he doing, was he stupid. Why hadn’t he woken up yet? This wasn’t part of his plan. His body movements were lumber, Noah rubbing his eyes before he could face what— who— was in front of him.

When his vision cleared he saw Alejandro— previously seen as a dark red blob in his vision. He was standing in the entrance of the confessional, neutral expression on his face. His hand was extended out, hovering over Noah’s shoulder. At the realization that he was paying attention he stole it away, arms falling at his sides.

Noah grabbed ahold of his pillow, feeling an awful lot like a deer in headlights with the way Alejandro was staring at him.

“What do you want?” Noah finally asked, voice scratchy.

Alejandro shifted his gaze, roaming the sight before him. Now that he looked Alejandro only appeared confused. He was already accusing him but, it wasn’t like Alejandro had sought him out. He couldn’t have known Noah was sleeping in the confessionals— he simply got unlucky. From his time on Team Chris he knew that Alejandro was an early riser, he should have taken that into account.

Alejandro’s words only confirmed what should have been obvious. Noah knew he could be dense, he would blame the sudden wake up call for the lapse of understanding. “I was simply trying to use the confessionals, I did not expect you to be..sleeping in it,” Alejandro said.

“Why are you here amigo? Did you get lost?” Alejandro asked. Noah blinked, blanking on how to say words for a moment. Alejandro was already deciding to be annoying and it was the first Noah had seen of him in three days. Really he shouldn’t have expected anything less.

Alejandro was too much to put up with when his head was spinning. He had a challenge to win and Alejandro was not gaining any kind of advantage— even if that advantage was ferreting out an inconsequential secret.

“I was sleeping,” Noah said smugly. He cherished the way Alejandro scowled. It felt good to tell him off, in a way it was therapeutic.

“But why are you sleeping here and not back in first class?” he asked, voice teetering on the edge of passive aggressive.

Noah rolled his eyes, readying another quip to get him to give up. Alejandro got annoyed easily even if he was well versed in hiding it. Noah simply had to tear at the lose threads on his temper before the seam came lose and he gave up.

“Because it was comfy,” Noah deadpanned. In the span of silence that followed he toyed with a lose strand of his hair, fixing it lazily. It was obvious that he didn’t look stellar having just woken up from a rough patch of sleep but, even he had standards.

“You are avoiding the question,” Alejandro said. His eye was visibly twitching, a win in Noah’s book.

“I think you’re avoiding my answer, it’s pretty straight forward Al,” Noah shrugged like Alejandro was the one playing dumb. He wouldn’t entertain Alejandro, even if fate decided to push them together against his will.

Noah tore the blanket off of himself, holding the pillow under his other arms.

“I should go get ready for the next challenge, it’s all yours,” Noah said, giving him a smile.

Alejandro leaned against the door, hand gripping the edge of the frame rather tightly. Noah could see the plastic sink in at the motion. He was angry, good. He didn’t need to know everything.

“Amigo, do not play dumb, you are here for a reason, did something occur last night?” Alejandro asked. His voice attempted to be nonchalant but Noah caught his gaze. It was weird that it actually looked like he cared.

“Nothing happened, I needed a change of scenery, that was all,” Noah said. It was partly true. He wasn’t really sure why he was entertaining Alejandro of all people. Telling him anything was a bad idea, somehow he would use it to gain the upper hand. He was good at using what he was given, whether Noah liked to admit it or not. Noah wasn’t street smart, improvising wasn’t his strong suit. He was calculating but, his plans took time.

“You are not very good at lying amor,” Alejandro said.

Noah knew otherwise, attempting to hide the smile from his face.

“So what? I’m still not telling you,” Noah bounced back.

“Now go away I’m tired and I need to get ready for the next challenge,” Noah sighed. He used Alejandro’s momentary shocked face to slide under his arm, his temporary bed in his hand.

He relished the fact that Alejandro was most definitely scowling behind him

——

“Noah is painfully stubborn,” Alejandro sighed, sitting in the confessionals with one leg crossed over the other. His back was poised straight up and down, eyes level with the camera.

“It is irritating…that is all, is it wrong to care that he is sleeping in a place such as this?”

“Pretend to care,” Alejandro corrected himself.

“If my suspicions are correct it had something to do with the big oaf,” Alejandro scrunched up his face.

“I know he is not a pleasant roommate,”

“Perhaps I shall win the next challenge, take Noah to first class with me instead, he would do well with my company, only until I gain the votes required to eliminate him,” Alejandro plotted.

“In the mean time I have a decision to make…” Alejandro narrowed his eyes.

“Who will take the fall this round? There is no time for mistakes this is the final five, soon I will reign victorious,”

“Everything is falling in place perfectly.”

“Perfectly,” Alejandro recited again.

••••••••

“Oh hey Noah!” Owen greeted as Noah stormed through the first class curtain.

“Hey,” Noah muttered, tossing his pillow and blanket onto a nearby couch. Chris’ interns would deal with it, that was the whole point of winning— that he didn’t have to do anything.

“Where were you..did I miss the breakfast announcement?” Owen asked. He was sitting at the large table that seated a good eight or so people if they squeezed.

Noah watched Owen shove a piece of chocolate in his mouth, one of many from the bag he was holding. Noah knew him well enough to tell that he was stress eating.

“What wrong?” Noah asked, sidestepping the question for a moment. He walked up to the table were Owen sat.

Owen looked away, shoving more food in his mouth— his cheeks puffed up like a chipmunk.

Noah sighed. “You didn’t miss breakfast, I just couldn’t sleep last night because of your snoring so I camped out somewhere else for the night..” Noah admitted. He wasn’t sure if Owen was really worried about missing breakfast or not, it looked like something else was on his mind.

Owen hung his head low, chewing the glob of chocolate in his mouth as Noah stared at him confused. He looked nervous, sweat dripping down his forehead. He wasn’t sure what he was missing.

Owen swallowed hard.

“Oh..I’m sorry little buddy,” Owen said, trailing off.

Noah raised his eyebrow, giving Owen a look meant to ask ‘okay and?’. It was too early to play twenty questions with him. He just wanted to know what was wrong and fix it. He was stress eating so there must have been a reason. Noah couldn’t tell if it was his fault or not.

Owen didn’t look very willing to tell the truth until the plane groaned, taking a small dive as they hit turbulence. Noah held onto the table, keeping firm.

Owen did not such thing, frozen in place like he’d been turned to ice.

“Okay okay there’s been turbulence, and it felt like the plane was going down so I freaked out again…”Owen confessed, cowering.

“Oh…”

“I’m sorry big guy,” Noah said, the plane rattling an alarming amount. Did Chef purposefully fly like he was on something? It sure looked that way given that the plane would not stop shaking like someone was bouncing the controls up and down.

Owen reached into the empty bag, scrambling for more chocolate despite knowing it was empty. He took deep breaths, practically shaking.

“Hey take a deep breath, I’m here alright, we’re landing soon and according to our contract Chef can’t kill us,” Noah reasoned, making his way along the table until he was standing next to Owen.

Noah reached his hand out, giving him a half hearted pat on the back. It didn’t seem to be doing much, Owen squeezing his eyes shut. He’d thought he was over his whole areophobia. Maybe it was too soon. Owen did have to be knocked out when Chris first introduced the plane. The exposure therapy still wasn’t enough, he still hated planes.

Noah sighed, accepting his fate. It was only fair given that he ditched him for the night. He just wanted to be ready for the challenge, was that so much to ask?

“Hey lunchbox if you want you can…”Noah trailed off, cringing at the words.

“Hang onto me if you—“ the plane shifted, Owen needing no further convincing before grabbing onto him like he weighed nothing.

Noah sighed, face blank as the blood rushed to his head. It wasn’t a typical Owen hug, no Noah felt a lot more like a stress ball. He could have sworn he heard cracking in sync with the plane groaning.

Then everything stopped. Books stopped falling off the shelves, the chairs stopped leaning, the curtains stopped overflowing onto the golden seats.

Noah took a breath as Owen released him, looking around like he expected the plane to swerve again. You could never tell with Chef.

Owen seemed to calm down, no longer reaching for the empty bag of chocolate.

“Thanks little buddy haha..”Owen said, awkwardly scratching the back of his head.

“Yeah,” Noah said, face turning red from embarrassment. He wasn’t lovey dovey. Owen just needed him for a second that was it, no one would find out and no one would judge him for it. Even he knew he was lying to himself given Chris proclivity for airing embarrassing moments.

Noah didn’t speak after the incident, taking a seat next to Owen while he spun around in his chair. They had exhausted most of the entertainment in first class meaning that all they were doing was waiting until the next challenge. The silence wasn’t uncomfortable, Noah was simply lost in thought.

“We should be landing soon,” Noah said nonchalantly. He picked at his nail, looking straight ahead.

“Oh..yeah you’re right., where do you think Chris is going to land next? I hope we stop in Japan again I really want some more of those yummy happy go time fish…”Owen said, practically drooling. Hadn’t he just eaten an entire bag of chocolate? Noah wondered where he got the appetite.

“I doubt that seeing as we haven’t crossed over land in a good day or so,” Noah said.

“But maybe,” he shrugged.

It had been a long time since the challenge in Japan. At the mention of the challenge Noah’s mind almost warped backwards, it felt like an eternity ago.

Things were calm then. Before…

That was the challenge Alejandro started his reign. Noah knew as much— Harold had told him the details, Noah listening against his will. It wasn’t the cruelest thing he’d go off to do but, it still wasn’t a great start. He was the first to fall but, there would be many more.

Noah cringed.

There was no time to hang around and wait.

He needed to get his ducks in a row and vote him off. He had Owen and he had Cody. Nearly everyone was on his side, so why wasn’t he gone? Noah was tired of doubting himself, forgetting why he was up in the air in the first place.

Who knew what Alejandro was doing while he was lallygagging, playing games with Owen and freaking out at the slightest bout of turbulence. He could be plotting some way to cheat in the next challenge, or be talking to Heather convincing her that she hated Noah more than him. That sounded like him.

Alejandro was ruthless, dangerous even on his own.

And Alejandro hated him.

A lot.

He eliminated him, made his life a living hell, threatened to drop him from the top of freaking Niagara Falls.

He needed to remind himself of that. He was staring to forget, it was scary how much he was letting his guard drop. Even talking to Alejandro that morning he hadn’t been careful. He was dazed, he could have let something slip. He needed to be cold, calculated.

“Hey..dude, this challenge we need to eliminate Alejandro, alright, no funny business,” Noah said aloud, staring down Owen.

He swallowed hard, bobbing his head up and down.

“Okay! Oh I have a great idea what if we work together we’ll be twice as fast, and if one of us wins we can come back here again? Maybe order some happy yum yum time go fish,” Owen suggested, butchering the name of the product once again.

“Maybe..”Noah began, at least able to appreciate his enthusiasm.

——

“This is going to be so much fun! I missed doing challenges with my little buddy!” Owen said.

“He’s so funny and super smart,” Owen said happily, staring off into the distance.

“Spending time in first class was a blast, just two guys playing board games and eating from an endless buffet, I loved being in Team Chris but it’s fun when it’s just the two of us,” Owen said.

“I hope that he can get Al out this round, then the final four will be full of nice people—“

“And Heather,” Owen added sheepishly.

“Maybe Noah can focus then…he’s always staring at Al even when we’re talking he drifts off, somethings off with him but he won’t tell me anything…”

“I still trust him, I’m sure he has a plan!” Owen said confidentially.

“I think..”

——

Noah wasn’t able to finish the sentence as the plane began to rock from side to side. It was difference from the earlier turbulence in the fact that it was purely a result of poor piloting.

As if predicting the future the intercom flared to life, shaking the room as sound waves coursed out of it.

“Attention contestants we will be arriving at our destination soon, it’s sure to be a crazzzyyy challenge haha,” Chris said, shaking speeding up.

For all intensive purposes the announcement was over but, Chris wasn’t aware of that given that static sound was still echoing around the room.

Noah stared out the window, finally seeing a smidgen of land far out. They were over an ocean, most likely landing on an island.

“Come onnnn let me drive,” Chris said, audio far out but Noah able to hear it.

“No, you aren’t piloting again sit back down and let me land,” Chef snapped.

“Hey, give me another chance, what does this button do?” Chris asked. Noah winced when the feed was silent for a moment.

“Stop touching buttons, sit down,”

“It’s my plane you know, and I give you your pay check,” Chris whined.

“Yeah and I can crash this plane at any time so—“

“Woah wait watch out!” Chris yelled, Chef joining in.

Noah made eye contact with Owen who sat glued in his chair. He looked better given that Noah was there. Noah managed to muster up a comforting smile, holding on for dear life.

The plane jolted to the right quickly, only a small belt preventing him from flying across the cabin. He was getting a headache just watching his surroundings shift.

“Can we not nearly die for five minutes?” Noah asked, exasperated. His head was pounding, if that was the reason he lost the challenge then he would have some choice words for Chris.

The plane finally leveled out, gliding across the land Noah could now clearly see through the small plane windows. Along with land he could see statues, giant ones that cued him into their next destination.

“Oh man that was close, nice piloting,” Chris complimented.

“Get out,” Chef said.

“And get your arm off the intercom, the whole plane can hear your whining,” Chef snapped.

“Oops—“ Chris said and then it was quiet, the plane engine humming softly as Noah held his breath. Maybe they wouldn’t have to deal with a plane crash— yet.

It didn’t matter, a plane crash would be preferable to seeing Alejandro again.

Noah stood up, releasing his iron grip from the table.

“Come on dude, let’s go,” Noah said.

And that was that.

••••••••

They walked off the plane without much grander. Noah didn’t mention anything but he could have sworn he saw a scratch on the side of the plane. That would only make Chris angrier and Noah figured he already had it out for him.

Cody gave him a hesitant wave as he and Owen both joined the group.

Heather gave him a nod of acknowledgment, easy to miss had Noah blinked.

Noah expected something like a smirk or a pretentious look from Alejandro, but he only looked green. The planes sudden turbulence was most likely responsible for it.

Noah couldn’t resist the urge to throw a couple words his ways.

He walked up to him, placing a light hand on Alejandro’s back. Alejandro jumped, like he was zoned out for a moment. Noah noted the way his cheeks dotted red— maybe he was embarrassed that Noah had caught him unguarded.

“Are you okay?” Noah asked. It was a taunt. He wasn’t sure why it came out sounding so genuine.

“Maybe Chris will give you some time to recover after you lose this challenge,” he said offhandedly, smile worming its way onto his face. He could vaguely see why Alejandro couldn’t get enough of the flirty teasing.

Alejandro clicked his tongue, widening the distance between them by stepping back. The move felt defensive— Noah had hit the jackpot.

“I wouldn’t act so haughty amigo, the challenge has not begun yet,” Alejandro said, recovering quickly.
He took a deep breath, combing his hand through his hair for a moment to calm himself. The redness of his face slowly died, replaced with his skin’s normal bronze hue.

——

“I am fine,” Alejandro said, face still green.

“In fact I am more than fine, Noah does not know what is coming,” Alejandro said, almost proudly.

“I will cherish this challenge, and beating Noah into the ground,” Alejandro said.

The plane rocked— with it the camera.

Alejandro held his hands over his mouth, the camera cutting to black quickly as he kneeled over.

——

Noah attempted to respond before being cut off by the sound of an air horn. It felt unnecessary seeing as they were the only ones talking amongst the small group.

“Come on people, we’re on a tight schedule,” Chris yelled from somewhere in the distance.

Everyone’s heads turned. The sound originated from the top of a small plateau, where a statue sat. A giant rock head that towered over them, casting a shadow.

“Is he really making us walk all the way up there?” Heather scoffed.

“Are you surprised?” Noah asked, breaking away from the group to head towards the sound. He didn’t want to wait any longer, he was afraid his nerves would get the best of him.

“Oh uh wait for me buddy,” Owen said, following after him.

Noah glanced behind them, barely slowing down as he tracked through the sand and into the grass. It was hot outside meaning that walking was miserable. It was to be expected given that they landed on a remote island in the middle of the pacific. Noah was surprised that they even got clearance to land and perform a challenge given the islands array of very breakable artifacts.

“So uh do you want to work together? I know you want to win this challenge and if—“

“Let’s just see what the challenge is first chubby buddy, alright?” Noah suggested. Owen was a nice partner but, sometimes he got distracted. Noah didn’t need that if it would be easier to work on his own. At the end of the day he was there to eliminate Alejandro, not hang out with Owen— that could come later, when they were both out of the limelight.

“Oh okay!” Owen said as they both trekked up an elevated pathway dotted with the large statues. Knowing Chris the challenge probably had something to do with them, he wouldn’t ignore the opportunity given the exotic location.

Noah heard footsteps behind him, Alejandro, Heather, and Cody following, as he reached the top, spying Chris twiddling his thumbs. Chef was standing next to him, arms crossed and scowl on his face.

He looked more pissed off than normal. It was probably because of Chris’ earlier piloting. For some reason Noah doubted that was the only reason. He wondered how Chef put up with Chris on a daily basis— he would have rather jumped out of the plane if he had to spend days at a time stuck in a cabin with him.

“Ah contestants!” Chris said as Noah’s head peaked over the raised area of land.

Noah barely even batted an eye at his attire. He was shirtless , wearing some elaborate head piece and a small item of clothing that didn’t cover nearly enough. At least it was better than his last outfit.

“Welcome to Easter Island, otherwise known as Rapa Nui!” Chris said. He sounded excited, predictably given the prospect of getting to torture teenagers.

“Home of some statues that have been here so long no one really knows why they were built,” Chris continued. He leaned in closer to them. “Ten bucks said it started off as a dare.”

Noah didn’t even bother to correct him seeing as he couldn’t even be bothered to look up basic information on Wikipedia.

“Twenty bucks says get on with it,” Heather huffed.

Chris scowled.

“Fine, I guess you don’t care about the history of this majestic island,” Chris said.

“Today you, the final five, are going on a highly traditional Easter Island egg hunt,”

“An egg hunt?” Cody asked. It was the first thing he’d said since walking out of the plane.

“You mean like with chocolate eggs?” he asked, already drooling. He was just as bad as Owen when it came to sugar.

“No, with bird eggs, real ones fresh from the nests of some rather angry birds,” Chris said bluntly.

“Birds with giant feathery wings and razor sharp claws, oh did I mention the beaks,” Chris continued, watching Cody’s face turn from excited to fearful.

“Um we won’t have to see those birds..right?” Owen chimed in, hands placed at his sides like he was ready to book it out of there on a moments notice. Noah didn’t blame him, eyes directing towards the sky for any glimpse at the said birds. Something told him that he wasn’t going to like the challenge very much. When did he ever like Chris’ challenges.

The only bright side was it didn’t seem too hard— yet. An egg hunt was child’s play, Noah was always pretty good at them back in elementary school. He wasn’t the fastest but, he always found the eggs with money or the best kind of candy, which he then used to barter for the candy he liked best.

This challenge would be a cinch, the first part anyways.

Chris laughed at Owen’s fear, further developing rapport with the symptoms of a textbook psychopath.

“I guess you’ll find out,” he said playfully.

“Now here take some traditional head feather things,” Chris said, pulling them out from behind his back.

“Yeah I’m sure that’s what they’re called,” Noah sneered,unable to resist.

“Just for that you can have the pink one,” Chris said, tossing it at him like he was holding a baseball.

Noah glowered at him, accepting it unwillingly. It wasn’t even the color he was mad about, it was Chris’ smug look.

“Don’t worry amigo the color suits you,” Alejandro commented, payback for earlier.

Noah fought the urge to pay back the favor with another brash comment. Instead he placed the band around his head, sighing when it wouldn’t fit correctly. He had a weirdly shaped head— so sue him.

“Now the rest of you get ready to catch, Chris said, smiling to himself as he tossed the hats up in the air. Noah was suddenly happy Chris had simply thrown his hat to him.

Noah took the opportunity to step away from the chaos, looking down upon the valley they would probably be trekking through. More statues filled the landscape. They looked different from the ones they passed on their way up, stranger.

That’s when Noah caught a glimpse of the closest statue to them, still a reasonable distance away. The statue was that of a face with something jutting out from behind its carved ears. They were frames, imitations of metal frames carved out on the rock.

Noah doubted glasses were even thought of when the original moai statues were made. The statues weren’t in the original style, they didn’t even try. They were busts of the eliminated contestants, Harold among the most recognizable. Noah didn’t even have it in him to be surprised. He would have been surprised if Chris didn’t do something extremely creepy.

Noah glanced back over at the rest of the contestants, spying them putting on their feathered headpieces.

Alejandro grabbed red— predictable given his obsession with the color. He probably thought it was sexy of something, which was subjectively wrong. Owen was fitting the blue one on his head, Heather snatched purple, the color of royalty, and Cody got green. Noah doubted how traditional the headbands were being brightly colored but he didn’t waste his breath ranting about it.

Noah tried to look away, really he did, but he kept watching Alejandro—his eyes narrowed on him, like he was waiting for a move. He watched him place the headband on his head, brush away any stray strands of hair, turn to Heather and whisper something to her.

He felt lost in what he was seeing, only snapping out of it when Alejandro spoke. He was being creepy— it was just strategic, that was all. He was making sure Alejandro wasn’t cheating. It was an obligation at this point.

“Amor that color really brings out your eyes,” Alejandro said quietly, Noahs ears perking up. Heather had put the headband on, seething at Alejandro’s words. It figured he was trying to flirt with her. He’d probably been trying it the whole time in economy class. Noah wondered if it was working. It was really a matter of what would win out—her stubbornness or her crush.

Heather shot him a glare, red coating her cheeks. It looked like there was no definitive winner.

“Shut up,” she finally said, crossing her arms. Noah was relived. He hoped it meant that she was still up for voting him out. She knew the threat he posed given that they were in the final five.

“So cold amor,” Alejandro said in mock offense. He backed up, retracting his fangs and uncoiling himself like a snake from around Heather. He thought he was in control, some part of Noah knew that he still held some control. He would rip it out of his hands soon enough.

Noah narrowed his eyes at Alejandro’s back, watching as he messed with his headband for another moment. A red feather fell off of it, floating towards the ground.

He turned around, spying Noah.

A smile grew on his face, a flirty smile mind you.

Noah’s scowl only deepened, turning away quickly.

Great, Alejandro knew he was watching him. He needed to be more careful.

——

Alejandro hummed to himself. He regarded the camera, smile stretching across his face.

“Noah was looking at me, staring,” Alejandro said.

“I do not know why,” he clarified. He looked like he was trying his best to suppress a wider smile.

“Maybe he had finally fallen for my charm?” Alejandro asked. It sounded like it was meant to be a joke but, it came across as a genuine question.

“No puede ser…” he shook his head.

“He Is clearly suspicious of me, I need to be more careful,” Alejandro said awkwardly.

He looked away from the camera for a moment, shooing the smile from his face.

——

Noah sighed, crossing his arms.

“Look Noah, I’m a bird!” Owen said, throwing his hands out with the band placed on his head.

“I would be careful, you might lure those giant birds Chris was talking about..”Noah said, slowly backing away.

Chris took that very moment to interrupt the chatter— again.

“Now contestants, while you finish putting on your feathered hat thingys I’m going to explain the rest of the challenge,”he said.

“In case you haven’t noticed there are some new additions to the island behind me, statues anyways,” Chris said.

“Ugh is that Harold..”Heather asked, turning up her nose.

“Good eye, they are rock formations of the eliminated contestants, within each statue there may or may not be eggs hidden,” Chris explained.

“Bird eggs,” Chris added again seeing that Cody and Owen still hadn’t lost hope.

“Now once you collect three eggs matching the color of your fancy headband—“

“I thought it was a feathered hat thingy,” Noah butt in, unable to resist.

He heard Owen snort next to him. He could have sworn he also saw Alejandro attempt to hide a smile on his face.

Weird.

Alejandro didn’t find his quips very amusing— he hadn’t before anyways.

Chris glared at him but kept talking.

“You’ll need to collect three of your eggs from the statues and carry them up to the highest point on the island via that convenient underground tunnel—all without breaking them,” Chris said.

“If you do happen to break one then you’ll be coming back down here to get a replacement,”

Alejandro raised his hand.

“No you can’t take a backup,” Chris said, blank faced.

Alejandro cheeks dusted red, looking away as the others stared. Even Chris knew him by now. It was a wonder he was still in the competition at all.

“Whoever gets there first wins an advantage in the second half of the challenge,” Chris finished.

“Now what are you waiting for? Go!” Chris said.

Noah didn’t waste time. He knew better given his delayed start back in China. He didn’t even wait for Owen, scurrying over to the first statue he saw— which happened to be Lindsay.

He needed to find pink eggs. It just so happened that he caught something in Lindsay’s eye— literally.

Noah stared up at the statue, grabbing onto the base and hoisting himself up.

He didn’t have any climbing experience but, with his small frame he could manage to pull himself up without much trouble. The real issue was the very breakable eggs that he was going to have to carry. He didn’t have time to backtrack if he happened to trip or someone happened to sabotage him (Alejandro).

Noah gripped the rock tightly, seeing the ground sway below him. He wasn’t that high up, he wasn’t sure why looking down was making him grip onto the structure tighter.

He was almost there, reaching Lindsay’s neck. Seeing as the statue was sculpted with sharp edges he was able to climb up with ease and stare straight into her stone face. She still had that same ditzy expression Noah was familiar with. He wondered how she was doing, with Tyler. She was the whole reason he was here in the first place.

“Thanks,” Noah said, taking a breath for a moment before reaching into her eye and pulling out a pink egg. It wasn’t naturally pink, no it was painted with some cheap acrylic paint. He stared at it for a second too long, eyes snapping over to Alejandro and Cody who were currently climbing up Leshawna— Cody failing miserably with his skinny arms.

“Allow me amigo,” Alejandro said through gritted teeth, holding his hand out for Cody to take.

Noah shook his head, holding the egg tightly to his chest. The fabric of his vest insulated it, Noah pausing when he realized something.

Maybe his extra layers would be helpful for once.

Noah held the egg gingerly, wiggling out of his mute red sweater vest and wrapping the egg in the fabric. It wasn’t perfect but it was good enough. He tied the sack closed on two of the ends— ensuring it was secure— before looping it around his neck. Surprisingly it held, Noah wearing it almost like a cape.

It was good enough.

Noah reached to the side of Lindsay, Expecting to find it empty, only to come across another colored egg.

It was red, a shinning color.

Noah swallowed hard. He wasn’t sure what to do. Should he break it or keep it so he could barter for an egg of his color.

He didn’t think about it for too long, slipping it into his sack and sliding down Lindsay’s back, hands gripping the stone. It rubbed his skin the wrong way but, he didn’t have time to wince, taking off towards the next statue that wasn’t occupied— Tyler.

Even in statue form he looked confused. His eyes were looking towards the next statue—DJ— like he said something he didn’t understand.

Noah didn’t feel like debating statue Tyler’s mental space so he began climbing the side of his tracksuit. Noah was thankful it was only stone given that nine times out of ten Tyler was dripping in sweat while wearing his iconic piece of clothing. Noah doubted that he washed it in between uses.

He wasn’t wearing it now. At least he hadn’t been when Noah saw him. It was Alejandro’s fault, it was why he had to win— there wasn’t another option, it was winning or nothing.

Noah took a deep gasp of air as he made it to the half way mark on Tyler’s statue. His was a steeper incline making climbing it a lot more annoying.

Noah searched for the others to gauge how well he was doing.

From where he climbed up his statue he could see Heather on top of Sadie’s head, reaching into her ear to pull out a purple egg.

“Oh yeah!” She said, finding Alejandro’s eyes from where he stood helping Cody up a ledge on Harold’s statue.

Cody was struggling, arms wobbling like they were made of jello. Noah would have been worried about his helpfulness if he wasn’t occupied. He would make sure Cody was still on his side later. Alejandro couldn’t really steal his votes, Cody was unbreakable seeing as Noah had done the unthinkable and eliminated his stalker. All he asked in return was a vote, another one that is. He would do it again and again, until it finally stuck.

Cody didn’t seem to have any eggs in the present while Alejandro had one cradled in his arm. The striking red color was hard to miss.

Heather on the other hand already had two eggs, sliding the second purple egg into a makeshift sack she had fashioned out of grass.

——

“Don’t look at me like that,” Heather snapped.

“I’m not a master weaver like Sierra but she taught me the basics after I hounded her enough..I figured it would be useful and I was right,” Heather said smugly.

“Watch out Alejandro I’m winning this challenge.”

——

It was…

Impressive?

Noah watched as she reached into Sadie’s other ear to pull out a red egg.

Alejandro perked up immediately, like he sensed her discovery.

He turned around, opening his mouth to speak when Heather slowly let the egg slip out of her grasp, falling to the ground with a crack.

“Oops,” She said.

Alejandro glowered against Heather’s smirk, turning back around.

“Vamos, you can do it amigo,” Alejandro said, ignoring her.

Noah tried to repress a laugh.

He reached for the next divot in the rock, attempting to hoist himself up when the rock crumbled.

Noah felt his stomach sink, grip failing as his other hand became unstuck from the wall.

Crap. He was going to break his bird eggs and probably get another concussion in the process. Just what he needed, to be set behind the others.

Noah didn’t have time to shelter the eggs, wind whipping his hair as he fell. It was always something, he got distracted that was all. He really needed to stop staring at Alejandro— watching, he was watching him. There was only so much he could do at once, whatever Alejandro’s plan was would have to be dealt with later.

When he wasn’t currently falling.

Just as quickly as he fell someone swooped in and caught him, heavy arms wrapping him in a safe hug. They were even careful not to break any of the eggs— somehow.

“Don’t worry I got you little buddy.”Owen said the words proudly, Noah cracking his eyes open.

——

“I just happened to see my little buddy falling…I wasn’t really sure what I was supposed to do because I tried to climb a statue and well…I couldn’t get very far,” Owen admitted sheepishly.

“So I decided to see if Noah wanted any help, I know he likes to do things on his own but if we worked together then maybe we can win again?”

“And vote off Al..once he’s gone I bet the competition will be a lot more fun.”

“At least for Noah, it feels like that’s all he talks about,”

“Sorry Al, but Noah was right, you aren’t very nice…”Owen looked away guilty.

——

“Noah, are you okay?” Owen asked, Noah squeezing his eyes shut.

He cracked them open, blinking as his vision stopped spinning. He had the wind knocked out of him, breathing heavily to retrieve it. That was close, too close.

Alejandro was distracting even if he didn’t mean to be.

“Fine,” Noah said.

“Thanks.”

“Do you need me to boost you up?” Owen asked, eyes directing towards Tyler’s head.

“Yeah,” Noah breathed.

“That would be great.”

Maybe he could stick with Owen for a little while— at least for the first part of the challenge. He would be beneficial as long as they could speed things up, his little fall had already put him behind.

Owen grabbed onto Noah’s waist, lifting him up. Noah didn’t particularly like being carried like he was a child but, the embarrassment quickly faded as he was able to reach up and search Tyler’s ears.

Inside he found a blue egg, along with another pink one. Convenient. Noah wouldn’t complain about getting lucky, he was sorely lacking luck lately.

“Hey look,” Noah said, displaying the eggs.

“We’re going to win for sure, look I got one too,” Owen said, pulling an egg out of his pocket. It was smushed, yolk running down Owen’s hand.

“Oh..”

“I’ll hold onto this one,” Noah said, sliding both of them into his pack. It was getting full, and he still had to find one more egg. Not to mention Owen’s other two eggs if they were working together.

“Come on chubby buddy, can you run? We need to get to the next statue,” Noah coached as Owen lowered him onto his shoulders.

“Roger that!” Owen said, grabbing onto Noah’s legs.

Noah winced, squirming uncomfortably.

“Careful..”he said quietly.

“Oh haha sorry,” Owen said, loosing his grip as they took off along the pathway dotted with statues.

——

“You have got to be kidding me..”Alejandro muttered.

“Owen is quickly becoming a thorn in my side…I cannot have Noah winning anymore challenges and the big oaf wants to guide him to victory,” Alejandro spit out.

“Not to mention that he is a vote in Noah’s favor..”Alejandro added, putting a hand to his chin.

“Something needs to be done, soon.”

——

Owen ran surprisingly fast given that Noah wasn’t dangling something in front of his face. Maybe he was trying to impress him? Or maybe his vantage point made any speed feel fast.

They stopped at a couple more statues on the way up the path, Alejandro, Heather, and Cody following close behind.

Alejandro was hovering over Cody almost like Sierra while Heather was trying to ignore his advances. She had all three of her eggs by the time they both reached the last statue.

Noah had no such luck given that he still lacked his final egg. They managed to find the rest of Owen’s and even one of Cody’s that Noah subtly dropped to the floor. He made sure no one was watching other than Owen. He didn’t want to be known for sabotage but he didn’t have time to trade with him when they were ahead— that and he doubted he could carry another egg that wasn’t his.

Owen stopped in front of the Bridgette statue, lifting Noah up like he had before.

Noah tried not to feel worried as he stuck his hand in Bridgette’s left ear.

He came up empty.

There was no way he was missing the last egg, Chris had to have hidden it somewhere— besides that there were more than enough eggs around, maybe he wasn’t looking hard enough.

Noah maneuvered around to reach in her other ear, also coming up empty.

Noah gave a frustrated huff.

“Wait little buddy look,” Owen said, pulling him away from the top of the statue to reach his hand in the small space behind Bridgette’s stone ponytail.

He pulled out another pink egg.

“How did you see that?” Noah asked, grabbing the egg and sliding it into his sweater. It was full there was no more space.

“Well I found my first egg behind Justin’s hair…even in stone form he’s totally chiseled..”Owen said, momentarily distracted at the mere mention of Justin’s face structure.

“Alright come on we have to go!” Noah said, waving a hand in front of his face.

Owen shook his head.

He took off again towards the underground tunnels. Spying Heather and Alejandro vying for first place.

Cody was tagging along behind them, running with a couple of his eggs held over his head.

Noah heard the sound of squawking, seeing something flying over the island.

“We really need to get to those tunnels!” Noah said. He twisted his makeshift egg carrier around, cradling it against his chest. They really didn’t have time to backtrack.

“Vamos!” Alejandro called to Cody behind him, glaring at Heather all in one fluid motion.

——

“First we have to climb these giant statues and now we’re being hunted by these giant birds!?” Cody exclaimed, cowering.

“I’m surprised my eyes didn’t get pecked out,” Cody sighed.

“The only reason I’m still here is because of Al..it’s always someone because apparently I can’t do anything for myself anymore!”

“I didn’t ask for his help but he’s been staring at me since we got back from the last challenge..I hope he doesn’t think I’m a target..”Cody said.

“I’m not going home yet, not to her, and not to my parents.” He said, failing to elaborate.

——

Cody somehow got a second wind, picking up the pace, even passing Alejandro as he ducked into the gaping hole in solid rock.

Alejandro and Heather followed along with him and Owen making it in last.

Noah ducked his head as the passed through the entrance, Owen hitting his head on the rock.

“Ow..”Owen muttered, stumbling around for a moment.

“Can you put me down..”Noah complained, keeping his body compressed as the ceiling quickly shrunk.

“Oh yeah sure buddy,” Owen said.

He grabbed Noah under the arms, setting him on the ground carefully. Noah moved aside for a moment, seeing the bird diving only to bounce back up.

“Something tells me that these are its eggs,” Noah said.

“Come on we have to catch up to them,” Noah said, storming ahead. At least they were still in the competition— without any broken eggs.

“Ugh get away from me, we are not part of a team!” Heather snapped further down the tunnel.

“But amor, what if the rocks collapse..it would be better to stick together, no?” Alejandro offered.

Noah felt his grip tighten on his pack, pace quickening.

“This tunnel is um..awfully small..”Owen commented, following after Noah.

Noah couldn’t deny it. Where the mouth of the cave was wide the tunnel itself was quite small. There were small divots in the walls but the ceiling was low enough that Noah could practically touch it if he stood on his tip toes. Not the ideal space to run from a giant bird or be trapped with your mortal enemy— or Owen given his earlier stress eating.

“Just be careful, if you cause an avalanche we won’t be able to go back if one of our eggs break.” Noah said quietly. Knowing Chris the tunnel system was unstable, an accident waiting to happen.

Speak of the devil, Noah heard shaking originating from further down the tunnel.

“What the hell is that?” Heather asked, voice bouncing around the walls, funneling directly to Noah’s ears.

“I think that’s a—“

“Boulder!” Cody cried, quick feet padding on the dirt pathway.

Noah’s eyes widened. Scratch that there wouldn’t be an accident, there would be a murder.

Noah pressed his body up against the wall, holding the eggs carefully. The wall was made of dirt, dust flying everywhere causing his eyes to burn.

Owen followed suit, taking the opposite wall.

Alejandro, Cody, and Heather appeared from further in the tunnel, a giant boulder chasing them. It was Chris, there wasn’t another explanation for how smooth the boulder was. How iron clad were those contracts again?

“Quick move over against the wall amigos,” Alejandro said, spying Noah and Owen.

In a span of a couple seconds Alejandro pressed himself against the wall next to Noah while Cody and Heather took the other side, hiding in the small divots.

Noah held his breath as the boulder passed them, feeling the stone brush against his shoes. That was too close, he needed get out of the tunnel before he really got crushed to death.

Alejandro sighed in relief next to Noah.

“That was close..”Cody said, slowly inching out from the crevice.

He looked at Alejandro, failing to see the second giant boulder that appeared in the tunnel. Chris had no mercy.

Heather snatched Cody before the boulder caught up with him, pressing her hand over his chest.

The boulder rolled passed them— again. Noah half expected a third boulder to follow like some messed up game of Donkey Kong.

“Thank you Heather..” Cody said, smiling wide.

“Whatever, next time pay attention,” Heather snapped.

“Come on, I’m beating the rest of these losers.”

Cody nodded, scurrying out from the cavern— after looking down both sides of the tunnel.

“Whew that was close..”Owen said, pulling away from the wall which was indented with his body print.

Alejandro followed suit, giving Noah a small smile.

“I will see you at the top,” he said with a wink, taking off before Noah could blink.

Noah felt frozen, watching him jog after Heather and Cody. He was clearly planing something. Noah wasn’t worried about getting eliminated but, he was worried about the three other options.

Heather wouldn’t be so bad— he would never say it out loud knowing her general pettiness— but she was simply nice to have. A neutral vote who had a specific hatred for Alejandro. He could use that hatred, not only was she spiteful but she was a good player.

Cody would be bad. Noah needed his vote. He was easy to control— not that he wanted to manipulate Cody— he was just feeding him information in a certain way; a way that suited him. Without his vote things would be balanced. Noah wasn’t sure what Alejandro was trying to do buddying up to Cody but it couldn’t be good. He would have to talk to Cody later.

The last person was Owen. He didn’t need to say much because he knew losing him would be bad too— even if it was inevitable, unless he got Alejandro out first. He wasn’t sure if he was ready for that no matter how cold he usually acted.

“Noah come on, I think the birds back..”Owen said, shaking his shoulder.

Noah blinked, nodding his head and continuing down the tunnel. He could hear the bird attacking the rock behind him. He wasn’t interested in waiting to see if it would attempt to fly through the tunnel.

They kept walking, climbing up the increasingly squished tunnel. Owen had to resort to ducking his head, breathing picking up the more they walked.

Matters were made worse by the occasional boulder Chris threw at them, forcing Noah and Owen to jump to the side or risk getting crushed.

It was fun. Note the sarcasm.

“How long is this tunnel..are we almost there?” Owen whinged, wiping the sweat off his brow.

“A couple more minutes, It can’t be that much farther,” Noah said rather optimistically. According to the height of the hill they were currently trekking it would be wrong to assume that they would have to go much farther.

The inference might have been generous as Noah felt the ground shake, eyes flitting around the tunnel for the source.

“What is that?” Owen asked, creeping up behind Noah.

Noah heard another squawk, it sounded rather close— not something that was outside the cave.

Noah swallowed hard.

“Run..” Noah said softly.

“What did you say little buddy?”

“I said run!” Noah said, pumping his legs as wind whipped through the tunnel. The giant bird had decided to torment them further. Something told Noah that Chris knew exactly what he was doing.

The giant condor tucked its wings, flying through the cavern at speed faster than Noah could see.

Noah ducked to the ground, ignoring the potential boulders or trampling that could happen. If it was a competition between a giant bird and a rock he would pick the rock. At least he would keep his eyes from being pecked out.

Thankfully the bird flew by him, attempting a rush instead of a strategic assault.

Noah sighed, hoisting himself off of the ground when an egg slipped out of his pack. Noah scrambled for the egg, arm outstretched when someone swooped in and picked it up.

Alejandro.

He smiled, having snuck up on them.

“Gracias amigo…how did you know I needed one more..” Alejandro said. He was holding two eggs, the third ones remains probably lost in the tunnel due to a boulder or the tremors.

“Eel,” Noah snapped, standing up and dusting himself off.

“I prefer winner,” Alejandro said smugly, juggling the eggs in his hands like the show off he was.

Noah was sorely regretting pocketing that other egg. He should have just cracked it— in front of Alejandro for extra satisfaction like Heather had.

Now Alejandro was still in the game.

Noah attempted to reach one of his bright red eggs, Alejandro stepping back.

He smiled, teeth showing, as he sat the eggs snuggly in his arms.

He turned around, attempting to flee before freezing.

“¿Qué?” Alejandro asked, head tilting downwards. Noah wrinkled his brow, not speaking a word as the distinct sound of cracking could be heard.

“What have you done to this egg?” Alejandro asked, turning around shouting accusations.

“Why would I tell you?” Noah asked, relishing the look on Alejandro’s face. Might as well psyche him out seeing as he loved to screw with Noah in ways that he couldn’t even imagine.

Alejandro didn’t have time to respond as the top of his replacement egg fell off, a baby bird emerging from it. The bird was small, probably the size of Alejandro’s hand with wide eyes. It was hard to believe that it would grow up to be as large as its parents.

Alejandro stared at it wide eyed.

The bird chirped, jumping out of the egg and landing on Alejandro’s shoulder. The remaining pieces of the egg fell to the floor, Alejandro shaking his head.

“How..wonderful..”Alejandro said. Noah looked at the sight with satisfaction. Maybe he’d been smart to grab the egg after all.

“Come on, fly back to Noah I have a game to win,” Alejandro said, shooing the bird with his hand.

“Aw, it’s a baby bird!” Owen said, eyes sparkling.

“Congratulations, what are you going to name it?“Noah deadpanned, failing to hide his smirk.

The sound of an impending boulder drew Noah from his taunting.

“Looks like you have a long return trip for that last egg, come on Owen we have to go,” Noah said.

“You cannot just leave me with this thing, it came from your egg,” Alejandro said, eyeing the bird who only seemed to smile at him.

“The egg that you stole?” Noah asked, raising an eyebrow.

Alejandro grumbled something inaudible.

“I suppose we are stuck together pajarito,” Alejandro accepted, scratching the bird under the chin. It cooed, clearly happy with its treatment so far.

Alejandro started walking, making eye contact with Noah for one last jab.

“I suppose I shall call you Noah Jr. after your late father,” Alejandro said smugly.

——

Alejandro sat in the confessionals, a bird sitting in his lap. It chirped happily, pecking Alejandro’s hand if he stopped patting its head.

“Noah Jr. is very needy,” he sighed.

“Perhaps it is karma,” he shook his head.

“I wonder why Noah kept one of my eggs, maybe he wanted to trade in case he dropped his own color?” Alejandro pondered.

“I have him to thank for this thing, it has not left me alone since it hatched..It thinks I’m its father.”

Alejandro sighed.

“I cannot just leave it,” he admitted.

——

Noah thought of some choice words to say to him. He would have vocalized them if there wasn’t a boulder hurdling towards them.

Alejandro took off with the bird cradled in his arms and its unborn siblings safely secured.

Noah pressed himself against the wall, Owen following suit like they had so many times before.

“Come on we’re almost to the top,” Noah said, pulling forward. He adjusted his makeshift sack, insuring that no more eggs would fall out. They couldn’t back track, then it would really be over.

Owen panted behind him, attempting to keep pace.

“Hey little buddy, technically you’re a father,” Owen joked as they went on their way.

“I’ll pass,” Noah said.

“It came from Alejandro’s egg, it’s out of my—“ Noah started, Owen clearly not listening.

“It’s like you and Al have a bird baby,” Owen finished, back straightening as the cavern slowly opened.

“What? Please don’t put it like that,” Noah complained as he finally saw light shinning from the outside. He was getting sick and tired of the dark cavern with no end in sight.

Noah took one last step out into the light, immediately greeted by a giant statue of Chef.

Next to it stood the real Chef with a waning pile of boulders.

Noah gave Owen a looked, meeting up with Heather and Cody who were gathered on the top of the giant hill. It was supposedly the highest spot on the island— according to Chris.

Noah glanced over the edge of the incline, spying the beach down below. They were pretty high up, not that Noah cared. It only brought a slight chill his way, annoying at best.

“Well seeing as we clearly didn’t get here first who did?” Noah asked, crossing his arms.

“Who do you think?” Heather asked, smiling smugly.

“I couldn’t beat her,” Cody sighed. Apparently him and Heather were tightly knit together. Or Cody was smart enough not to follow Alejandro on his fetch quest for another egg.

Noah noted the small bit of egg yolk clumped in Cody’s hair. Interesting.

——

“I um..it was an accident,” Cody said, brushing egg yolks out of his hair.

“He was carrying his eggs and I was carrying mine..I tried to get away from him but he still insisted on helping me, I was kind of nervous..usually Sierra would make him back off..”Cody admitted.

“But, um…”Cody swallowed hard.

“We were walking when I heard this sound..”

“It was this bird squawk, way louder than the earlier one….I thought Chris was lying about the birds..or making fun of me,” Cody sighed.

“I got scared so I held onto Alejandro’s side, he lost balance and one of his eggs fell, right onto my head,”

“I hope he’s not mad at me..don’t tell him I said this but he’s scary when he’s angry, almost as scary as Sierra..”Cody said, putting his hands together awkwardly.

——

“We’re just waiting on Al,” Chris butt in, looking down at his imaginary watch.

“Can we get on with it, I want to win,” Heather snapped. She still held her eggs in a makeshift pack. It may have looked rough but it was doing better than Noah’s temporary sack or Alejandro’s arms.

A bird squawk came from further down the tunnel. Noah was getting tired of hearing the sound, hair standing on edge.

Footsteps sounded in the cavern, Noah moving away from the exit before he got smacked into. He wasn’t going back down for a replacement egg. That would seal his fate— him losing.

“¡Espérame, amigos!” A voice echoed through the tunnel.

“Looks like we won’t have to wait on Al,” Chris said, watching the exit happily.

Faster than Noah thought possible Alejandro exited the cave, jet black wings chasing after him, the condor from earlier.

“Rápido, block the exit!” Alejandro yelled, cradling the baby bird in his hands.

Chef moved swiftly, knocking over the giant statue of his face.

“You’re lucky I like you kid,” Chef grumbled, watching the statue crumble.

A loud thump could be heard as the condor hit the rock.

“Ouch..”Chris said.

“Aren’t they endangered?” Noah asked, wondering if the bird could find its way out.

Chris shrugged. “Who knows, now onto the next part of the challenge,”

“Aw where did you get that baby bird Al?” Cody asked, appearing next to him, smiling as the bird chirped.

“It hatched from one of my eggs..” Alejandro said, eye twitching. He shot Noah a look as he spoke.

He managed to grab another egg— in record time. His arms once again held three excluding the bird.It was moderately impressive.

The bird turned to stare at him, tilting its head and chirping. Noah was unsettled, the bird looked like it was wearing his hair cut.

Creepy.

He would be staying as far away from the bird as he could, hopefully Alejandro could ditch it before they got back on the plane.

The bird didn’t seem to hear his internal monologue, nuzzling itself into Alejandro’s chest, wings flapping softly.

It was kind of cute, objectively. The sight was tainted by the sight of Alejandro and his chiseled chest.

Not that he noticed—

It was just an objective acknowledgment. That was all.

Noah mentally facepalmed.

What was he going on about?

It was probably nothing.

Nothing he wanted to entertain.

“Ahem, ignoring the adorable baby bird I think it’s time Heather got her reward for winning this challenge,” Chris said.

He pulled out a baseball mask from— well Noah wasn’t sure where he was hiding it— somewhere and tossed it to her.

“What am I going to do with this?” Heather asked. “Play baseball?”

“No, if you’ll let me finish..” Chris said.

“The second part of your challenge will be to mend your relationship with those big birds that have been chasing you, the condors!”

“You may have stolen some of their eggs on your little scavenger hunt..I would return them before the other one finds a way out of that cave.”

“Other one?” Noah asked, raising an eye brow.

“Oh yeah, that was the guy condor, if you thought he was scary you should get a load of the female one,” Chris said.

As if on cue a giant bird with even bigger talons flew through the air, landing in a nest perched upon a seemingly impossible rock structure.

Noah had a funny feeling that they would have to climb up it.

“Haha good old condors,” Chris said like he saw them often.

“You’ll each get a chance to climb up the rock in the order you arrived. In this case it would be Heather first, then Cody, then Owen and so on,” Chris said.

Alejandro fumed. Noah could sense the soft change in his facial expressions from a mile away. He had gotten quite good at reading him, it was almost scary.It helped that he’d been observing him, watching him like a hawk (or more appropriately a condor).

“If you manage to reach her nest you’ll deposit your three eggs, securing yourself a spot in the final four, if you do happen to fall and break even one of your eggs then it’s over, no more going back,”

“Oh..and I would be careful, pretty sure she still has some chicks up there and condors can get pretty territorial,” Chris said, failing to hide his glee. How did he manage to come up with a challenge even more psychotic than the last one.

Heather slipped on her baseball mask silently.

“Good choice mi amor we wouldn’t want your stunning eyes to get pecked out by the condors now would we,” Alejandro said, voice sickly sweet.

Noah shifted uncomfortably. His flirting was hard to watch, did he hear himself?

Thankfully the bird snuggled into his chest chirped in protest, earning it a scowl from Alejandro.

“Whatever,” Heather muttered, grabbing onto the rock with her eggs secured against her chest.

——

“Ugh that slime..” Heather scoffed, staring into the camera.

“He makes me want to rip my ear drums out, complimenting my hair or my eyes..he really thinks his little tricks are going to work,” Heather smirked.

“It’s cute—“

“Not that I think he’s in any way cute,” Heather clarified— unnecessarily at that.

“I’d like to see his face when I win this challenge and vote him out,” Heather said.

She sighed, placing her hands on her chin. She almost looked dejected at her words.

“Yeah, that’ll show him.”

——

Noah glanced upwards, watching the giant condor as she sat comfortably in her nest. He wondered why the bird picked that spot. Setting up shop at the top of a skinny rock tower didn’t seem structurally safe— it clearly wasn’t secure either given that Chris (probably his interns) had somehow managed to steal all her eggs when she wasn’t looking.

Noah regarded his own eggs skeptically. They were painted pink, not the best way to hatch healthy chicks. It was a wonder Alejandro’s egg hatched at all.

He would have regretted taking the egg along if he wasn’t greeted with the sight of the mini him attempting to grab Alejandro’s hair.

“Noah Jr. ¡parada!,” Alejandro said angrily, swatting the bird down.

“I don’t think it likes the name,” Noah said, bemused.

“Aw Al he thinks your hair is a nest,” Owen said as the bird nuzzled close to him.

Alejandro scowled, pushing his hair out the birds reach.

“My hair is delicate, it is not a resting spot for your filthy feathers,” Alejandro scolded.

Noah tried to hide his laughter, failing as he exhaled from his nose.

Alejandro made a ‘hmph’ sound, reaching around his wrist and pulling off a hair tie. He grouped his hair together, stringing it up in a half ponytail —the one Noah had bared witness to back in Greece (through a TV screen mind you)

“Perfecto,” Alejandro said, grabbing the bird gently and cradling it in his arms. The bird protested at first before being soothed. Noah could have sworn he heard humming coming from Alejandro. He wasn’t sure why he couldn’t draw his eyes away from the sight.

Alejandro acting gentle? It felt like a fever dream.

——

Noah sat in the confessional, legs dangling over the side of the seat.

He looked off to the side, hand to his chin— he was lost in thought.

“I guess he’s not terrible all the time.”

“Just most of the time,” he clarified.

——

Noah drew his eye away from Alejandro, wondering why he was all of a sudden so Interesting. He had just been annoyed at Alejandro’s creepy staring and now he was doing the same thing.

“Don’t you dare touch me or I will drop these,” Heather threatened, holding out the eggs carelessly. The bird was watching her carefully, head tilting in a way that almost said ‘try me’. She was making good progress climbing up the rock, the nest maybe a meter away at best.

Noah was almost worried that she would win. She had the advantage, and a head start. There was nothing he could do to stop her from sliding the eggs into the nest.

Winning was ideal but, Heather winning wouldn’t be terrible— at least he reasoned as much.

“Hey, watch the hair!” Heather cried, the bird reaching its neck down in an attempt to swat her away .

“I’m trying—“ Heather dodged a beak swipe.

“To return your babies, so enough!” She said.

The bird wasn’t amused with her protests, beak grabbing onto the thick metal headpiece and shaking it back and forth.

“How dare you—“

Heather began, profanities following.

“Yikes, why don’t we take a commercial break, we’ll be right back with more here on Total Drama World Tour!!” Chris said.

“Hey what about me?” Heather asked, fighting against the birds giant beak.

Maybe she shouldn’t have taken a second to glance at Chris as the birds next attack knocked her off balance.

Noah could only watch as she lost her grip on the rock, feet slipping and body falling towards the ground. Seeing as Chris hadn’t enacted any safety precautions her eggs weren’t the only thing in danger of breaking.

“Help me!” Heather cried— maybe demanded was the better word.

Before anyone else had time to react Alejandro spurred into action. He slipped the baby bird onto his head, practically sprinting towards Heather, arms outstretched. It was impressive form given his awkward position, Noah could admit that.

Alejandro looked up, adjusting his footing before catching Heather in his arms.

Silence was held between them, a stare, before Owen and Cody started clapping—even Chef joined in.

“Wow impressive catching, we’ll be sure to put that in the Final Cut,” Chris said, winking.

Heather opened her mouth to speak, arms wrapped around his neck.

“I—um..thank you..”she admitted. Noah was surprised she wasn’t rolling her eyes at his grandiose display.

“Of course amor,” Alejandro said, smiling wide.

——

“Did I want Heather to fall? Of course not,”

“Will I use it to get her on my side? Of course,”

“It is purely strategic, who can resist a knight in shinning armor?” Alejandro said proudly.

“It doesn’t hurt that everyone saw it, perhaps it will help my image in the mean time,”

“I wonder if Noah was watching ,I did not hear his clapping with the others…” Alejandro said, shaking his head. He looked frustrated.

“Of course I do not care, it is unimportant…”Alejandro trailed off.

“It does not matter what he does, Heather will be under my thumb soon, I will ensure that,” Alejandro said darkly.

——

“Congratulations Heather since none of your eggs broke you get to try again, after everyone else,” Chris clarified.

“You think I’m climbing up that dumb rock again? I nearly died!” She huffed.

“But you didn’t die did you?” Chris said, grinning way to cheekily after the reckless endangerment charge he just added to his record.

“Whatever, your turn,” Heather said, turning to Cody.

He swallowed hard.

“Oh..uh okay..”he said. He looked like he was regretting coming in second place.

——

“Maybe this was a bad idea, that mama bird is going to eat me alive!” Cody exclaimed.

“How am I supposed to do better than Heather?”

“Maybe if Sierra was here—“

Cody shook his head, cutting himself off.

“No, I can do it, this time I’m winning this challenge,” Cody said.

He stood up, looking at the camera triumphantly before darting put the door of the confessionals. It swung back and forth before slamming shut, room going silent as the feed faded to black.

——

“Let’s do this!” he said, holding the eggs close to his chest.

Noah barely acknowledged him as he started climbing the giant rock structure. He was more focused on Alejandro and what he was whispering to Heather.

In typical Alejandro fashion he refused to put her down, voting for staring her down like he was looking to attack her. Noah was glad to not be the focus of one of his creepy stares, it was much needed relief.

He could picture his eyes in the back of his head. His emerald green eyes that were the only way Noah could gauge any emotion from him— mouth always molded into a smile.

He had nice eyes, striking anyways.

“Hey Noah, look we can see all the statues from up here,” Owen said, drawing his attention away from the power couple in front of him.

They were made for each other, as long as it wasn’t an alliance he couldn’t care less.

Noah wasn’t sure why it felt like he was lying to himself.

He walked over to where Owen was standing, looking down at the destination of their impromptu Easter egg hunt.

It was true, he could see the statues of the eliminated contestants below them. Noah wondered if he had a statue in storage after his elimination, Chris probably hadn’t expected him to come back— no one did.

“Look the Duncan one is glaring at me, oh and the DJ one had a little birds nest on the top of it,” Owen said. From atop the cliff they could see the bigger picture. Being up close to the statues didn’t give them the best view.

“Interesting,” Noah said sarcastically even though he didn’t mind looking at them. It was nice being outside, doing something other than sitting around in the stuffy plane or fighting tooth and nail with Alejandro to survive another challenge— at least for a moment.

“I wonder what the others are doing right now, probably having a lot of fun!” Owen said, optimistically at that.

“I guess,” Noah said, rubbing his injured arm awkwardly. He ran his hand over the bumps, taking a breath.

He was healed— better anyways. Yet he couldn’t get the thought of the eel out of his head. The actually eel.

Getting eliminated wasn’t the worst part. Getting slapped in the face after the parachuteless jump stung more. He was discarded, a convenient martyr because he dared to say why everyone was thinking.

It annoyed him.

Made him mad.

He was mad.

He was royally pissed off after his run in the competition.

He wanted Alejandro to go down.

He wanted to make his halfhearted attempt at fame mean something, make his suffering mean something. What good was getting electrocuted by some stupid eel if he wasn’t going to learn from the incident.

He’d tried to play the competition passively, acknowledge Alejandro but never more than that.

That only left him nearly drowned in a pool.

This was necessary. Things had to be balanced.

It was stupid to deny that he wanted this too— revenge on Alejandro.

Yet his time on the competition was throwing away every built up feeling he tried to suppress.

He hated Alejandro, he kept going behind his back, kept being such an eel.

But..

Sometimes he wasn’t.

Sometimes he was funny, sometimes he was clever enough that Noah couldn’t help but be impressed by it, sometimes his stares made Noah feel something; he wasn’t sure what.

Why was this suddenly so hard.

He had a reason he’d come back, he hated Alejandro— loathed him anyways. He needed to focus. Alejandro was probably to blame for his sudden doubt. Maybe it was some secret strategy, Noah knew he probably sounded paranoid.

The sound of eggs cracking drew Noah back to reality, back to his spot looking down at the rest of the island.

Noah turned around, spying Cody groaning with egg yolk covering his face.

——

“Did you see that? I was close, I only had one egg to go!” Cody said excitedly.

“It was easy,” Cody said.

“Well not that easy but maybe I have a shot after all,” he said with more confidence than he should have after his performance.

——

“Well Owen, you’re up!” Chris said.

“Oh..okay!” Owen said, stepping away from the edge.

“I could totally go for an omelet right now,” Owen said as he stared up at the nest.

Noah decided not to comment.

“Here, good luck dude, watch your eyes,” Noah encouraged, handing him the eggs he’d been storing in his sweater vest.

He found his eyes drawn back to Alejandro like he was some sort of magnet.

He’d put Heather back down, leaving her be as he watched Owen. His expression was passive but his eyes were hopeful, like he was waiting to see the show.

He didn’t like Owen, Noah knew that. He was beginning to think he underestimated how much.

“Better hurry, that mama birds getting angry, too many people near her nest,” Chris said as if the stakes weren’t high enough already.

Owen began his ascent, swallowing hard when the giant condor squawked menacingly.

“Nice birdy, I’m not going to take your babies I swear,” Owen said, ducking his head the closer he got to the nest.

“Look at that kid climb,” Chef commented, nodding his head.

Noah agreed, Owen was doing surprisingly well. He held the wall firmly, balancing the eggs carefully. It was probably foolish to hope but, maybe he had a shot to win the challenge before Alejandro even got the chance. It would be the best outcome, protect him from Alejandro.

If not he still had a chance to take home the win— if he was lucky. Noah wasn’t overly confident in his climbing skills, especially with a huge condor hovering over him. .

“How is he doing better than me?” Heather scoffed.

She was right, he was passing where Heather fell, climbing higher.

“I have your eggs, here I won’t eat them I promise,” Owen said, speaking like the condor could actually understand him.

For some reason it was working, or the bird was intimidated by his size, as he was able to slide one into the nest, and then two, without her moving a muscle.

Noah kept his eyes glued to Owen, watching the standstill as Owen took the last egg out from his grasp.

The condor watched him, eyes narrowing.

Then she attacked, wings flapping back and forth rapidly. She squawked, the sound of more wings echoing around the island.

“Uh oh looks like she just called reinforcements,” Chris said.

Great.

Noah watched as the male condor, previously trapped in the cavern, flew over them, diving straight for Owen. It was a couple feathers short on it wings, shedding as it flew. It looked like a burning plane, Noah couldn’t tear his eyes away from the animal.

“Dude watch out!” Noah finally called out, louder than he thought his voice could go.

Owen turned just in time to dodge the bird, letting gravity take him down towards the floor. Noah would have tried to catch him if he thought he could.

Owen hugged his last egg tightly, practically bouncing as he hit the floor.

“Wow man that was a close call, looks like you have one more try,” Chris said.

“Are you okay?” Cody asked.

“I’m good….haha..”Owen said, sitting up. His body swayed, probably from the force of his fall.

“We’ll call the medics later, Noah buddy your turn,” Chris said, looking way too happy about it.

“Lucky me,” Noah muttered. He watched as Owen stood up, retreating back with the others.

Noah took a shaky breath.

He trailed closer to the rock, eyeing the angry bird. The tiny bird sitting atop Alejandro’s head chirped, almost like it knew the person it shared its name with was about to get badly injured. It was his luck, Noah didn’t expect anything different. This time he hoped to at least be conscious by the time the challenge was over.

“Good luck amigo, don’t let the bird peck out your eyes,” Alejandro said.

Noah ignored him, grabbing onto the rock tightly. He would show him, as long as he stayed focused. Noah planted his feet, beginning his climb up the rock.

He wasn’t much of a climber but, the rock wasn’t as steep as he thought, footholds easy to find given the rocks uneven structure.

The small pouch of eggs remained tied around his neck surprisingly well, the weight lessened after Owen’s turn.

Maybe he could do this. As long as he acted fast. Owen waited too long, gave the birds time to strike. He wouldn’t give either of them the luxury.

The wind from a pair of sharp black wings spurred Noah into action, causing him to scramble higher up the rock before he became condor food. With the male one on the attack he doubted he would have much time to breathe.

“You got this little buddy!” Owen cried from below. It was kind of hard to hear him with the wind and the glare of both condors digging into his side.

“Yeah, sure,” Noah muttered, looking up to see the nest maybe a half a meter up. It expanded out against the rock, meaning that he would have to grab onto the side to pull himself up.

He was fighting with everything he had to not look down. That would only cause him to stutter, recall Niagara Falls, recall his plane jump. He had a job to do, no time to drudge up everything that made him regret signing up for the stupid show.

Noah hoisted himself up to the nest, eyes flitting around at both the birds. The smaller condor was recovering from its attempts to attack leaving him to deal with the mother bird.

She had a couple eggs in her nest already that she was hovering over.

“Calm down, I’m just returning the eggs he stole,” Noah said, Chris at the forefront of his mind.

“Just let me take off this pack,” Noah said softly.

He carefully reached up to his neck with his free hand— his other hand gripping onto the bundle of sticks like a lifeline.

He slowly undid the knot, keeping his eyes away from the bird. It was a sign of intimidation if he kept staring, he’d watched enough Animal Planet to know that.

He managed to get the fabric unclasped from around his neck when the smaller make condor came up behind him. He could hear the flapping of its wings.

Noah swallowed the spit that built up in the back of his throat.

He held the eggs in his vest, he was so close. He just needed to move.

Then the bird lunged, Noah ducking. He quickly pressed the eggs to his chest, grip loosing on the nest. He knew he was going to fall, or get his eyes pecked out. Whichever one came first he supposed.

To make matters worse his eggs would break and it would be over. It was all Chris’ fault, him and his stupid challenge ideas.

“Stupid birds,” Noah muttered, swatting his hand in the air as he fell. He was used to the skydiving, the initial drop in his stomach was normal. It was the fear of what laid at the bottom that made his heart rate quicken.

He was more worried about his eggs which were floating next to him, pink blobs in his vision.

As fast as he fell he was embraced by the ground, landing with a big oof. It hurt but, it wasn’t as far as he thought. Maybe Heather wasn’t in that much danger either.

Noah propped himself up with his arm, watching as Owen dived, catching his eggs as they fell. Noah was surprised he managed to catch them without breaking them.

Maybe he spoke to soon, given the crack he heard.

Noah cringed as Owen stood up.

“I got them!” Owen said proudly, holding up all three of Noah’s eggs.

“Wait if he caught them all then what was that sound?” Cody asked.

Owen sat up, looking around to see an egg smushed on the ground.

It was Owen’s egg, the blue shells a good indicator.

“Aw, looks like I’m out,” Owen frowned. He didn’t look too bummed about it, Noah sighed.

——

“That big oaf,” Alejandro seethed, rubbing the bridge of his nose.

“Noah was about to lose and then he had to go and give him another chance,” Alejandro scowled.

“I will not let their plan succeed, I will win on the first go, it will be easy their plan will all be for naught,” Alejandro bragged. It was overconfident, he knew that.

The bird on his lap chirped in excitement, sensing its foster parent getting worked up about something.

“First I have to ditch Noah Jr. he is not paramount to my victory,” Alejandro muttered.

He leaned in closer to the bird. “Lo siento, pequeño,”

“It has to be done,” he said.

——

Noah groaned. There went his second chance at winning. Given that Alejandro and Heather failed a second time it was up to him to win.

Easy, seeing as his first attempt had just gone so splendidly.

“Thanks dude,” Noah said, mustering up a smile. Owen was the text book definition of ‘it’s the thought that counts’. It was hard to stay mad at him when it was jarringly obvious that he put his all into everything he did.

Noah moved to stand when a shadow hovered over him. A rather tall shadow.

“I suppose it is my turn,” Alejandro said to the others, Chris giving him a nod.

Alejandro held his hand out for Noah to take. He was trying to put on a show or maybe it was a taunt. Noah couldn’t tell half the time but, he pretended he could.

Noah scowled.

For some reason, despite all the red flags going off in his head, he still grabbed Alejandro’s hand, hoisting himself up. His grip was firm, refusing to let go as Noah brushed himself off with his other hand.

“Oh this is going to be fun to watch,” Chris said, giggling.

Alejandro looked up at the nest before turning back towards Noah, eyes giving him a once over.

“Are you alright amor?” he asked. His voice was low, concern evident. He didn’t want anyone to hear. Noah didn’t buy his little act but he didn’t have the energy to call him out.

“Delightful,” Noah responded, attempting to pull his hand away. Alejandro’s grip held firm, eyes not leaving him. There was the creepy staring again. He didn’t miss it, much.

Noah wondered if there was something on his face. Maybe a smudge of dirt. He had just fallen practically on his face. Alejandro’s face didn’t give any indication. The only thing Noah could see was a half hearted frown in place, his eyebrows furrowed.

As quickly as the strange moment began Alejandro blinked and it was over. He released his hand, placing his arms at his sides.

“I am relieved, seeing as you are feeling better then you are free to babysit Noah Jr.” Alejandro said, a growing smirk sprouting on his face.

Noah would have protested if Alejandro didn’t shove the bird into his hand, turning away before Noah could give him back.

——

“Thankfully Noah is okay, he took quite a fall.” Alejandro said quickly.

“If only he was not so stubborn, it is difficult to get a straight answer when he will not trust a word I say,” Alejandro shook his head.

“Perhaps it is deserved.”

——

The baby bird chirped in protest, crying out as Alejandro walked away.

Heartbreaking— given that Noah cared. Apparently he was free child care.

Noah rolled his eyes, allowing the bird to hop up on his shoulder without much thought. He didn’t like helping Alejandro but, there was nothing he could do when he was already beginning his climb.

Things would be fine, given that Alejandro lost. He needed to lose or Noah wasn’t sure what to do. Who could he target if Alejandro won, he hadn’t thought about it because it wouldn’t happen.

Noah turned his head, walking over to Owen on the ground.

“Here little buddy, sorry I think one of them is cracked,” he said sheepishly, presenting the eggs to him like he’d won a prize.

Noah fixed the ends of his sweater vest turned sack before taking the eggs back. They slid in quite easily, each one feeling just a bit more breakable after the incident.

“I could have made an omelet with that, the world is cruel Noah!” Owen protested, staring at the egg discarded on the ground. It was sprawled out sadly, cracked pieces of blue and yellow scattered around the grass.

“Hey if I win this challenge then we can make omelets in first class, alright?” Noah suggested.

The thought of fresh eggs perked Owen up.

“You mean it?”

“You did save my eggs, I’ll owe it to you,” Noah shrugged, trying not to make a big deal about it. What could he say he was feeling generous.

“Aw, you’re the best!” Owen said.

Noah felt his cheeks heat from the attention.

“Yeah..it’s whatever, thanks dude,” Noah said. He could tell Owen really wanted to hug him, his eyes were wide, hands twitching like he was suffering from withdraw. Come to think of it he did hug a lot of people. Strangle, the word was strangle.

Noah gave him a look. He gave in once already, Owen wasn’t getting another one; even if he did save his eggs from breakage.

“Oh Noah Jr.’s with you!” Owen said, the moment disappearing.

“Did Al let you hold him for a little bit?” Owen asked, scratching the bird under the chin. It squawked at him, Noah couldn’t tell if it was a happy chirp or not.

“He forced me to take him,” Noah grumbled. The mention of Alejandro caused Noah’s eyes to drift upwards, towards the precipice of the rock. He was climbing it, fast at that. It wasn’t promising for his chances. He wasn’t about to lose just because Alejandro was good at climbing.

“I’ll be right back,” Noah said, slinking over to Cody and Heather. They weren’t standing next to each other per se but, they were close enough for it to look like it.

“Hey, you’re not just going to let him win, right?” Noah whispered. Maybe he was enraging her but, an enraged Heather was better than no Heather.

“I know you aren’t talking, I don’t see you doing anything.” Heather snapped.

“What do you want me to do, he gave me this thing,” that and he didn’t have any ideas that could be enacted without Heathers help.

“He clearly cares about you, just pretend to get hurt or something, if he wins you know he’ll probably target you,” Noah said, egging her on (no pun intended).

“Fine, just because I don’t want to hear him bragging that he beat me,” Heather grumbled.

She looked around for a moment, eyeing the giant condor that was hovering around the nest; the male condor to be exact.

“Hey you big bird brain, come and get me!” Heather yelled, waving her arms around wildly.

Noah took a step back, unintentionally grabbing the bird propped on his shoulder. He didn’t care but, the baby bird didn’t need to see what was about to happen.

The male condor stilled its assault, tilting its head at Heather’s outburst. It looked confused, but not exactly against the idea of changing course.

Noah watched, awestruck as the bird began to dive. Heather looked to be regretting her decision but, she held firm, glaring at the bird with an impressive set of daggers.

The sight had its intended effect, Alejandro tilting his head to watch Heather’s risky move. He was close to the top, the nest within a fingertips reach. It was impressive how fast he climbed up, especially with the eggs he held in his other hand. He climbed most of the rock one handed, Noah noted the way his muscle strained, eyes drawn away from Heather for a moment. He wasn’t sure why exactly he couldn’t look away. Alejandro simply had that aura, that was all he could say.

“Watch out!” Alejandro called out, watching with horror as the bird got closer.

At the last moment Heather maneuvered out of the way, ducking and rolling behind the conveniently close statue of Chef as the bird ran into the wall.

“Ha!” Heather said triumphantly.

“Wow talk about a close call,” Chris said, backing up as the bird looked around angrily.

“Chef..”Chris mummbled, ducking behind him.

Heather and Noah’s eyes met for a moment, directing back to Alejandro who looked at them confused.

For a moment nothing happened, then a flurry of wings struck out in front of Alejandro, throwing him off balance. He managed to regain his footing on the rock but, his arms wobbled, an egg slipping out of his hand and falling towards the ground.

He watched helplessly, a cracking sound following the fumble.

——

Alejandro pursed his lips, eye twitching noticeably.

“Mierda, esos idiotas,” he said calmly, hand forming a fist at his side.

“They are both clever, but it is not over, they forgot the fact that I am also clever,” Alejandro smiled wide. It was the look a toddler would give someone after winning an argument.

——

“Ouch, so close Al but, time for you to join the losers, I’m sure Cody and Owen will welcome you with open arms,” Chris said, shooting finger guns at him.

Alejandro scowled, eyeing the egg smashed on the ground with disdain.

Heather dusted herself off, standing up and walking around the statue like nothing happened. Noah was surprised that her plan worked so well but, he wasn’t complaining. With Alejandro out of the running things were better. He could get him out, hypothetically. He knew better than to get his hopes up after the last round.

“Thanks,” Noah said, unable to hide the upward quirk of his mouth.

“Whatever, now watch me win,” Heather said, walking away before Noah could get another word out.

The bird on his shoulder chirped, Noah sighing as he scratched it under the chin. He doubted Alejandro would take it back meaning he was stuck with it. Great, given that Heather didn’t win with her advantage and prior experience he would have to climb while holding the eggs and a live bird that would be sure to make him a target for the already pissed off mama bird.

Noah watched blankly as Alejandro climbed down the rock, Heather suiting up with her baseball mask on the side. Alejandro didn’t immediately join the others, taking a moment to lean in next to Heather. Noah noticed his mouth move but, he couldn’t understand the words. All he could see was Heathers face heating, and Alejandro’s mouth forming a smile.

He was planning something. He had to be. Noah knew he needed to keep an eye on him. He knew that would only fuel Alejandro’s flirting spree. He really hated the comments and the long stares that made him question if he had something on his face. They made him feel weird, with a mix of something else that twisted his stomach in knots.

Noah ignored the pressing issue for a moment, walking over to Owen and Cody—taking a stance on the grass.

All he could do was wait and watch, see if he would get another chance to win. He doubted it. He wasn’t athletically gifted and his arms hurt just scaling the rock. That wasn’t even mentioning the hazard of getting his eyes pecked out by giant birds.

“Hey where did you get the bird anyways?” Cody asked, breaking the uneasy silence filled by the occasional squawk of a condor.

“One of Alejandro’s eggs hatched, he ditched it by giving it to me,” Noah deadpanned.

“Oh, does it have a name?” Cody asked.

Noah remained silent, face stuck in a scowl.

“Al named it Noah Jr. because Noah was the one he took the egg from,” Owen answered for him.

“Oh, that’s cool, he kind of looks like you dude,” Cody said, looking between the two of them.

“I know.” Noah sighed. Why did he have high hopes for any Total Drama challenge. They all went to shit.

He was stuck until he succeeded. It almost felt like a time loop. He was hitting a brick wall over and over again, every time he failed things reset, only with a different set of challenges. All while he had to keep hold of his cards— his votes. If he let something slip it was over and he was a failure. Maybe that was better than dealing with the pressure. He was smart enough, of course, but was he able to follow through on the variety of plans that he thought up in his head.

Only time would tell.

He didn’t even want the money anymore given that he did make it far enough. He was tired of going after a prize that kept moving further out of reach. He just wanted to go back to his normal life, was that so much to ask? He was probably to far gone to go back to whatever he had before.

Noah was perturbed when Alejandro stepped into line behind him. It was near silent but, he noticed the sound of his boots, he was noticeable when he wanted to be.

“That was clever amigo but, do not think this is over,” Alejandro said smugly. He felt Alejandro’s breath brush up against his ear. Goosebumps ran up his spine. Did he try to be intimidating?

“I think it’s over enough, leave me alone Al,” Noah muttered.

“Alejandro,” he corrected to Noah’s chagrin. He only said it to get a rise out of him, at this point it was common sense to everyone other than Owen that he hated it.

The bird on Noah’s shoulder tilted its head, chirping at him almost angrily. Maybe the creature wasn’t so bad, it understood that Alejandro couldn’t be depended on for anything.

Noah ignored Alejandro’s presence from that moment onward, looking up at Heathers slow climb. Her basket of reeds was peeling, holding everything together by one center piece of stitching. He hoped she would make it before then, or maybe he didn’t. He wasn’t sure what Heather winning would bring. He wasn’t planning on voting her out but, would she really use her newfound immunity to vote for Alejandro? He could see him attacking her defenses, he had hoped she was immune but he wasn’t sure. Alejandro had a way of getting under people’s skin and turning them into something else.

Noah absentmindedly rubbed his arm, faint lines muted against his skin.

He was close. Just one more push and the brick wall would crumble.

“Ugh get back, don’t you dare!” Heather exclaimed from atop the rock, glaring at the condor squawking at her.

She managed to make it to the top, sliding one egg into the nest and then another. Noah watched with his eyes locked in place as the bird lunged for her, stopped by the umpire mask she wore.

Noah could still see her smile as she took the last egg out of her pouch, she was almost there when the male condor recovered, swooping up and snatching the egg right out of her hand.

“Hey give it back!” Heather cried, watching the bird fly through the air.

“Huh..that’s not in the rule book..”Chris said.

“Noah get climbing up that rock, if you can get your eggs in that nest before Heather then you can still win,” Chris said, snapping Noah out of his stupor. He didn’t want to make an enemy out of Heather but, he also didn’t like leaving lose ends.

Noah sprinted, bird digging it’s nails into his shoulder. He didn’t have time to argue with Alejandro or barter with Cody or Owen to hold the thing. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad, the birds were distracted with Heather meaning he could sneak up and win. If he could climb fast. That was a big if.

Noah placed his hands and feet on some footholds in the rocks, pulling himself up one step at a time. The wind had picked up, meaning everything felt a lot more intense. Great, now he had to worry about getting blown away.

It didn’t matter because his eyes looked upwards, every step bringing him higher and higher into the air. The motion provided him with a strange sense of pride, he was doing pretty good. That could have been the adrenaline or the time crunch. Or the thought of Alejandro falling out of the plane.

He was right there, victory was right in front of him, fleeting.

He kept moving, taking deep breaths as his arms strained. The sack string around his back felt heavy, crackable. He made sure to keep his movements minimal, body pressed to the rock if he wasn’t reaching upwards.

“Hey nice climbing, I would hurry up, looks like that condors coming back around!” Chris announced through some sort of megaphone, Noah wasn’t about to turn his head and distract himself.

The next step up the rock landed Noah’s hand on the bundle of sticks and dead grass that made up the condors nest.

He pulled himself up, landing in the backside of the birds nest. The female condor was currently watching Heather, unaware of his presence until he landed with a sickening thud.

The baby bird on his shoulder cooed softly, unlatching its talons from his skin and jumping onto his head.

The bigger bird tilted its head away from Heather, observing Noah curiously. Noah wondered if he was about to get his eyes pecked out. Or carried away by the hem of his shirt.

He didn’t waste a second stalling, pulling off his sweater vest from around his neck with shaky hands and slowly placing the eggs in the nest one after the other. The condor was readying herself to lunge at him, Noah was ready for it, braving himself as her neck jutted out, snatching the baby bird off of his head— along with a clump of his hair.

Noah stared wide eyed as she placed the baby bird in her nest, cooing softly.

He knew he didn’t have much time, placing the last egg and climbing out of the nest before the bird could take out her anger on him. It wasn’t his fault he stole her baby she could blame Chris.

“Wow, in an unexpected turn of events Noah takes home the win with Heather right behind him, I would get out of there before those birds see all the broken eggs on the ground,” Chris chuckled.

He’d done it? It didn’t feel real, he hadn’t really expected to win. If anything he felt lucky. He was safe another round, he could try again, he could win—again.

Noah made eye contact with Heather for a split second, her scowl evident. She was pissed off. Noah only swallowed hard.

Things would be fine, she knew it was nothing personal. He had the opportunity so he tried to win. It was what anyone would do, right?

Noah hoped so as the elimination ceremony was soon. And he had everything hanging on its result.

••••••••

They were ushered back to the plane after both him and Heather were recovered from the giant birds nest. It turned out that condors were in fact territorial to anything being removed from their nest— people included.

A couple interns later and they managed to escape. Noah bid Noah Jr. a goodbye in the form of a half hearted wave, it was really a good riddance but the bird wasn’t so bad. Really it was Alejandro who was bringing down his mood.

He and Owen were brought back to first class while the others were shoved in economy. Chris decided to fast track the elimination ceremony due to the fading daylight meaning that it was hard to enjoy anything in the room.

Owen didn’t have the same issue, inhaling the buffet like it was nothing.

Noah sat on one of the chairs, tapping his seat anxiously. He needed to get up and talk to Cody, ask him to vote for Alejandro again. Then there was Heather who he wasn’t even sure was voting with him.

Things would be fine, right? He wasn’t panicking.

“Hey are you okay? Do you want some, sorry I can order more?” Owen asked, stopping for a moment.

“Fine,” Noah said blankly. It wasn’t very convincing, he didn’t care.

“Are you worried about the elimination ceremony?” Owen asked.

Noah didn’t respond, he didn’t need to.

“Because I’m sure you’ll get him out this time,” Owen said optimistically.

“Maybe..you’ll vote for him..right?” Noah asked.

Owen looked around for a moment, eyes grazing both curtains.

“Yeah…”Owen agreed quietly.

“I don’t think he likes me..”Owen said, smiling nervously. It was jarring seeing Owen admit it. He was usually adamant that the opposite was true. It had been going on for a long time, maybe he could finally admit to himself that Alejandro just didn’t like him. It wasn’t a strategic hatred it was simply a fact. Noah hated that but, there was nothing he could do to change his opinion.

“Don’t worry about him, he’s just jealous that he doesn’t have any friends left,” Noah said bitterly. He really was alone yet he was still winning. It was infuriating.

“I guess so,” Owen said, shoving a piece of pie in his mouth.

“Hey uh what do you want to do once the ceremonies over?” Owen asked, changing the subject before things could get somber. Noah was relieved seeing as he didn’t want to think about the ceremony. Alejandro would get out, that was all he needed to know. There couldn’t be another result. Or he would go crazy.

“Movie night?” Noah suggested. It was a way to pass the time, and upon request Noah figured they could get a bucket of popcorn. That and he hoped to fall asleep before Owen to avoid his obnoxious snoring. It was the one downside of sharing first class with him.

Owen nodded along.

“Ohh popcorn…”he said practically drooling.

Noah cracked a smile. Things wouldn’t be so bad if he didn’t succeed. He still had Owen, the one person who actually cared about him on the plan, he did miss him after his elimination— even if it didn’t appear that way.

He would talk to Cody and Heather later, right before the voting. He would enjoy himself for a second on a challenge well done.

••••••••

Noah found Cody outside of the confessionals.

“Oh hey Noah, “ Cody said, throwing him awkward finger guns Noah promptly ignored.

“Look I need to talk to you for a second, Noah said. He didn’t waste time, grabbing his arm and dragging him into the confessionals. Voting was about to start he didn’t have time to find a better hiding place.

“Okay..”Cody muttered, shuffling his feet as Noah held the door closed.

“Uh what do you need?”

“Remember how I voted Sierra out for you?”

Cody perked up at the mention of Sierra, nodding along eagerly.

“Yeah, thank you again!” Cody said, smiling to reveal the gap in his teeth.

“Yeah..do you mind doing me another favor and voting for Alejandro again?” Noah asked bluntly.

Cody swallowed hard. He looked resistant. Noah wasn’t sure why. He had said he would do anything if he voted Sierra out. Why did that promise not feel as iron clad anymore?

“Oh..yeah um..sure,” Cody said, messing with his hands noticeably. Something was off, Noah couldn’t tell if Cody was just nervous about voting Alejandro— given the daggers the guy was staring at Cody— or if it was something more.

“As long as you don’t tell him you’ll be fine alright, once he’s gone you won’t have to worry about him anymore,” Noah argued.

Cody swallowed hard.

“Yeah , sure I did promise haha.” Cody said the words shakily, bobbing his head like Noah would disappear at the motion.

“Good, thanks dude,” Noah said, trying a little to hard to look happy about it.

He backed up, reaching for the door and pulling it open. He was met with Alejandro’s smug face.

Noah swallowed hard, he wasn’t sure why.

“Amigos, it is time to vote may I use the confessional?” he asked. It was like he was waiting for them. Noah wasn’t sure how he felt about that.

Was Cody really willing to vote for Alejandro? Noah wasn’t so sure anymore. It was too late to do anything about it. To make matters worse Heather was ambiguous at best. It was a simple question of who she hated more. Would she eliminate Alejandro or spare him because she hated Noah. He wished he hadn’t taken the win but, there wasn’t another option to guarantee his safety.

He had to hope that he had the votes to kick Mr high and mighty off the show. This time had to be it, right? Third times the charms? More like fourth times, four challenges and he was still doing the same thing.

“Of course,” Noah scowled at Alejandro, taking his leave.

“Good luck, you’ll need it,” Noah said, unable to resist even if the confidence was unfounded.

“I wouldn’t be so sure amigo,” Alejandro said, calling his bluff. He walked into the stall, giving Cody a polite nod— watching Cody walk out— before slamming the door.

Noah sighed, leaning against the wall. A couple more minutes and the stress would be over, things would be over. It was scary, the thought of failing but also the thought of getting what he wanted. What would happen then?

He wasn’t sure.

He would leave it at that.

——

The confessionals screen blurred with static for a moment. Then it revealed Alejandro, and Heather.

Heather stood in the confessional, applying lipgloss in the mirror when Alejandro appeared in the doorway.

“Amor, I did not know you would be in here,” Alejandro said.

“Yeah right, what do you want?” She snapped her makeup mirror closed, turning her head. She was shooting him an icy glare which he didn’t return, simply humming.

“You are so cold, lighten up,” he said, stepping closer to her, the door only propped open with his foot.

“I know what you’re trying to do and I’m not falling for it, you’re gone!” Heather said, smiling as Alejandro’s face fell.

“Do you really want that amor? Your words say yes but your body is saying no..”he said, drawing closer. Heather blushed.

“Yes.” Her words didn’t display confidence, eyes snapping up to meet Alejandro’s.

“You should think about what this will mean for your chances…” Alejandro said, almost off-handedly. He waved his hand around, leaning against the side of the door like they were having a casual conversation.

“Your just scared that I’ll actually eliminate you and win this dumb game,” Heather accused.

“I would not place my bets on you once I am gone, have you forgotten who is masterminding this entire operation?” Alejandro asked.

Heather scoffed. “You think I’m doing this for Noah, I’m not doing a damn thing for that little twerp…our interests just happen to align..”Heather trailed off, brow furrowing.

“Of course, this is of your own free will.” Alejandro smiled.

“But, I wonder what will happen once your goals shift, he has you out numbered in terms of allies, what’s to say he won’t target you next..given that he wants to win the competition,” Alejandro suggested. He shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly.

“Do you really think the little dweeb cares about winning? He’s been like obsessed with eliminating you since he got back,” Heather said.

Alejandro’s face twisted for a moment, pupils widening. A pensive expression wore on his face before it was hidden with a smile.

“I assure you that once he is reminded of what is at stake he will change his tune.”

“Sure, and I’m just supposed to trust you and vote however you want, why not what have I got to lose?” Heather said sarcastically, crossing her arms.

“Of course not amor, I do not underestimate you intelligence, I am simply presenting you with the fact. If I were you I would not go along blindly with the crowd,” Alejandro took a slow breath as Heather thought about his words.

She turned away from him, looking at the camera in the stall— light blinking red.

“If I were you I would target the weak links, then you can decide if you really want me gone or not amor,” Alejandro said. He reached his hand out, brushing Heathers cheek softly.

She turned back to stare at him, blushing bright red. He smiled at her, brushing the hair out of her eyes.

“I’m sure you will make the right decision, otherwise this will be goodbye,”he said. The words were drawn out, in an attempt to make his behavior not ostentatious.

“Sure, I doubt you’ll give up that easily,” Heather scoffed.

Alejandro didn’t respond, letting the silence hang in the air for a good thirty seconds before pulling back.

“I apologize for bothering you amor, I shall see you at the elimination ceremony,” Alejandro said fleetingly.

He turned around, arms falling at his sides as he stepped out of the confessional, leaving it open in his wake.

Heather stared, gaze lingering long after he left. Her face was twisted in thought…a long thought. By the end of it,it was hard to say what she had decided on.

••••••••

“Welcome contestants, to the elimination ceremony!” Chris said. He stood behind the podium, arms pressed onto the worn wood. He was back in his normal attire, the lack of a loincloth a relief to Noah.

“This vote will decide who is getting into the final four,” Chris reminded them.

“I won’t leave you hanging, let’s get straight to the votes.” Chris flipped through the passports in front of his face. He was unable to hide his smile as he flipped. Noah couldn’t help but swallow hard. It seemed like Alejandro was feeling the same, Noah heard the incessant tapping of his boot against the floor. He probably wasn’t aware of it, At the moment supporting his chin as his gaze turned directly onto Chris. He was cocky earlier, maybe he was hiding it? Or maybe a lot of it was up to chance, Noah couldn’t say.

“Well the people who are safe are as follows…”Chris said, readying the barf bags.

“Noah, obviously, and Heather,” Chris said.

Noah reached up and caught the barf bag. Heather did the same, sitting back down quickly.

“Now, three left…who will survive and who will fly the coup, with a totally working parachute,” Chris said. He shot finger guns at them, all of them groaning.

“I’m just kidding..maybe,”

“Now here Cody, grab the bag,” Chris said. He turned around, throwing the bag from behind him. Cody ran around, scrambling to catch it. He failed, it falling to the floor.

Noah rolled his eyes.

He doubted Cody would get eliminated. He wasn’t much of a nuisance but, Noah wasn’t particularly fond of him.

What he didn’t really like was his remaining options. It was either his plan succeeded or it didn’t, the losing option suddenly felt a lot worse. This couldn’t happen, he had been careful— enough anyways. He had won the challenge and stacked the votes against him, this had to be it. Then he could quit to and be done with the whole thing.

Noah felt Owen tense next to him, scooting closer to Noah. He didn’t move away— like he normally would have. He kept his body upright, crossing his arms and trying not to make it look like he was hugging himself.

“Haha I have one last bag in my hand, one more person will make it to the final four while the other will be taking the dive.” Chris snapped his fingers, Chef pulling out a parachute with a tattered backpack strap.

“Ezekiel may have gotten a hold of it before we kicked him off the plane..”Chris said, rubbing the back of his head.

“Well alright—“ Chris looked between Owen and Alejandro.

“Al, my man,” he called out.

“I would say my goodbyes—“ Noah was hesitant to get his hopes up. Could it be real? Could Alejandro really be gone? Would revenge really be served. It felt too good to be real.

“To Owen because he’s tonight’s big loser, sorry big guy,” Chris finished, leaving Noah defeated.

“Oh..me?” Owen asked, swallowing hard as he stood up.

“I guess they really don’t like you, or maybe thems the brakes when we’re almost down to the final four?” Chris suggested.

Noah remained frozen, his eyes the only thing moving— staring straight at Alejandro. It was him, there was no other fucking explanation.

“Chef if you please, I would say your goodbyes quickly, the parachute’s getting antsy,” Chris said.

“Sorry little buddy,” Owen said softly, tears welling up in his eyes. Noah’s heart stung, he hated how bad it hurt. He shouldn’t have gotten so invested in someone else on the show, friendship had no place in the competition— it only ended like this.

“Maybe we can reschedule movie night?” He asked, giving him a small smile.

“Yeah, of course chubby buddy, we can go to my place alright,” Noah said, trying to keep up his stoic persona, he was trying so damn hard and it simply wasn’t working.

Owen was gone, his last true ally— his friend. And he hadn’t done enough to stop it. He should have seen the signs, he should have noticed Alejandro’s smugness. It was right in his face wasn’t it? He was too blindsided to see it. Alejandro was underhanded, he went behind his back and undermined his iron clad votes, that had to be it.

Noah felt his own eyes grow watery.

He looked up at Owen, arguing in his head before stepping forward.

He wrapped his arms tightly around him, unable to hug all of him with his lackluster arms. He leaned his face into Owen. It was probably the sincerest hug he’d ever given him. There was no obligation, Owen wasn’t even asking for it. Noah was the one that needed it.

A sob bubbled up in the back of his throat, muffled by Owen’s shirt. He wouldn’t make another but, he allowed himself a moment to mourn the loss of him. He was going into a competition with no one familiar, no one nice. He had to turn his feelings off, had to play things right, only then could he win.

No more playing around.

Owen hugged him back, big arms a comfort. It felt nice, very nice.

Then he let go. Chris was yelling something about them wrapping it up. Noah fought the urge to snap at him, sitting down on the bleachers blankly.

“Bye guys, this was super fun, see you later?” Owen asked.

Heather gave him a guilty nod, failing to meet his gaze. Meanwhile Cody nodded eagerly.

“Yeah man, sure,” he said, ringing his hands together nervously.

Owen looked over towards Alejandro, no friendliness was returned.

“Bye Al,” Owen said meekly. He knew better than to wait for a response, grabbing the parachute and overlooking the exit.

“Alright kid come on,” Chef hurried him.

“Right,” Owen said. He took a deep breath, giving the expanse below him one more look before falling out the door. It was close but, he managed to fall without getting stuck. Noah was glad, he wasn’t sure he could look at him much longer without feeling crushing regret.

The elimination room drew silent as the wind rushed by, no one sure what to say.

Chris motioned for Chef to shut the door, turning back to the contestants.

“Well that was certainly interesting, now the next order of business—“ Chris banged his cards on the table.

“Noah, who do you want to take to first class with you seeing as Owen isn’t an option,” Chris said, really just sprinkling salt in the wound.

Noah didn’t waste a second speaking. He knew exactly who he was taking and there was no debate.

“Alejandro.” Noah said darkly. He had never meant something more in his life.

The bastard was going to pay, Noah would make sure of that.

Chapter Text

Noah sat on one of the ornate golden seats. He was really getting sick of first class. The stupid blinding lights, the chairs that never seemed to recline far enough, the endless buffet that just made him sick. Maybe he was bitter, he didn’t feel like celebrating. There was nothing to celebrate.

He didn’t feel like moving either, simply sitting in one of the chairs with a book in his lap. He pretended to scan the pages, mind anywhere but the words.

He felt like a broken record, playing the same song over and over again. Only instead of a song it was Owen jumping out of the plane, and the feelings that accompanied it. He knew he needed to move on but he just…couldn’t. The thought struck with him. He could deal with it, he simply needed time.

Time away from Alejandro.

After the elimination ceremony he trailed back to first class after Noah. He didn’t speak, smart given Noah’s short temper at the moment, he only glided passed him. He must have seen Noah’s facial expression, he knew what he’d done and Noah doubted he felt bad about it.

Alejandro took a seat in another row, tapping his boots on the floor. Apparently it was hard to enjoy the amenities if your cabin partner had an enduring hatred of you.

The sound wouldn’t stop, Noah flipping the pages of his book half heartedly in an attempt to distract himself. He just felt so terrible. So angry. It was blinding yet he couldn’t act on it, he needed to be above the emotions. Since when did he have trouble controlling himself? Probably since he met Alejandro.

The tense silence continued for quite some time, both of them making a conscious effort to not speak to the other.

Then it was shattered, Alejandro’s silky voice serving as the hammer. Noah really hated the way his voice sounded, especially when he was smug about something— Noah couldn’t tell if he was smug this time but, he assumed as much.

“It was nothing personal amigo.”

It had been quiet for so long that Noah thought he was hallucinating. He blinked, shifting in his spot to delay any response. He wasn’t sure he wanted to respond.

Alejandro didn’t give him the chance to.

“I simply did what had to be done,” Alejandro continued.

Noah felt his face grow red, anger he suppressed overflowing like a waterfall. The nerve, Noah held onto the page of his book tighter, turning a page with his nose turned up.

“Right, you had to eliminate Owen,” Noah snarled. He wasn’t aware his voice could sound so vicious.

Noah knew he shouldn’t be entertaining him. He should be ignoring him. The only reason Alejandro was even there was so he wasn’t making alliances under Noah’s nose, again. It was strategic. He didn’t want to talk to him. He had no desire to yell at him for what he had done, to understand why he had to be so cruel.

Alejandro was shocked into silence for a moment.Why he even bothered to speak was beyond Noah.

“It was for the best,” he finally said, ignoring Noah’s comment. The words caused Noah to grip the side of his armrest tightly. His rage was blinding. His head felt hot, his eyes were narrowed impossibly closer to each other. He was going to explode. All it took was the slightest touch, the slightest motion and Alejandro pulled the pin, igniting him.

“Yeah, convenient how what was best was eliminating the one person I care about, definitely not targeted at all, gee I’m glad it wasn’t personal now I can go about my day!” Noah said, voice a mix of sarcasm and disbelief.

Alejandro wasn’t sure how to respond. Noah heard footsteps, dread riding in his stomach. Alejandro was trying to intimidate him, that was the only explanation. Noah observed him blithely as he appeared, his face portraying hesitance. His body rocked slightly, arm leaning slowly against Noah’s seat. Good, he could glare at the eel face to face.

“You are being harsh, this is a competition and I played it, that is all.” Alejandro turned up his nose. Noah noted the look in his eyes that betrayed his tone. He didn’t care, he took the words at face value because he was done playing his mind games.

“If you think this is harsh then you should be happy I’m restraining myself,” Noah spit out. Alejandro winced, free hand reaching to brush a stray hair out of his face.

“I thought you would appreciate it, I thought you disliked his displays of affection…”Alejandro said almost…desperately? It was so obviously a ploy to make Noah drop it. Noah wondered why he bothered trying to make it sound genuine.

“You don’t just get to decide that, I know you hated him and I know that’s the only reason he’s gone, don’t try to pretend like I wanted this!” Noah snapped. It made his blood boil. Sure he may have bad mouthed Owen on a couple occasions but, the big guy was his friend. He appreciated him, he cared about him. It was something Noah doubted Alejandro could understand.

Alejandro pursed his lips, adjusting the bracelet on his hand absentmindedly.

“Perhaps I was mistaken,” he admitted.

“Don’t try this now, I know who you are and I know what you’ve done so you don’t have to bother,” Noah said, eyes narrowed into sharp edges.

“Perhaps you are correct but, that does not mean I am wrong, he was a liability, he messes up challenges, he distracts you, and if I’m not mistaken he interrupts your sleep,” Alejandro said, referring to the confessionals. He was poking the bear with a stick. He was trying to get on his nerves. What was his obsession with making him hate Owen anyways? Noah knew Alejandro was just projecting, why did it sound like he almost felt bad.

“Yeah I’m sure you care sooo much, I’ve performed fine clearly or we wouldn’t be in this position!” Noah said, voice growing louder the more his blood boiled.

“There’s no excuse, you had no right to eliminate him, “Noah said, shaky exhale serving as the only physical release of his anger. It was okay, he was calm.

“You hated him,” Noah said again.

“You couldn’t get him on your side so you cut your loses and got him out, does that sound about right?” Noah said icily.

Noah wouldn’t say he was overly violent but, Alejandro was certainly looking punchable had he not had a sense of self control.

“Amigo, that is unfair, someone had to go if I was to stay in the competition, he is collateral, nothing more,” Alejandro said. The words were cold but, Noah hear the tapping begin again— his finger this time. It was hitting the side of the seat, a source of his stress if Noah had to guess.

Noah met Alejandro’s eyes. He looked antsy, not as cocky as his words appeared.

Noah felt anger leave him, replaced by a crushing dread. Who cared anymore, it was over. He was getting worked up for no reason. Alejandro was toying with him and he was giving in.

He could admit that but, not without one more word said.

“You could have eliminated Cody..or Heather..why him?” Noah asked the question knowing full well that he wouldn’t get a clear answer. Noah took a deep breath.

He needed to get over it, move on. He had things to do, plans to make. He needed to salvage his alliances, get his ducks in a row before finally throwing down the hammer.

Above all else he was fine. Owen was gone, that was how things had went. He would be fine on the Aftermath show, Noah needed to keep going. For him. The whole goal of his presence on the plane was revenge, Owen’s elimination would only throw gasoline of the flames.

After he uttered the words Noah expected Alejandro to retreat, give up his pointless endeavor, but he didn’t. He moved closer, arm creeping across the leather seat until he was bending over, eyes trained on Noah.

He didn’t meet Noah’s gaze, debating speaking for a single moment.

“I am sorry.” Alejandro said, voice nearly cracking.

Noah wasn’t stupid enough to believe him.

“Sure you are,” Noah said, turning the page of his book absentmindedly..

——

Alejandro leaned his head against the confessional, eyes hung low in defeat.

“¿Qué he hecho?” Alejandro lamented.

“It was quite easy, getting the oaf eliminated. I simply had to plant a seed of doubt in Heather’s head and threaten Cody to obtain his vote…he is not very strong willed,” Alejandro said.

“I do not know why I feel so…bad,” Alejandro said.

“It was good riddance,” Alejandro said, eyes drifting away from the camera.

“Another pawn has fallen, soon I will be able to eliminate Noah and win the money for myself, a flawless plan,” Alejandro said. He didn’t sound confident.

“I simply wish first class wasn’t so awkward. I’ve tried to get Noah to understand that it wasn’t personal but he still refuses to listen to me,”

“What good has that big oaf done to him that I cannot fill, he cannot possibly spend three days mopping, we have another challenge soon and it will not be satisfying to win if he doesn’t try,”

Alejandro pursed his lips, face pale. He looked worried, tapping picking up.

“Perhaps I went too far..”

——

“We should discuss this later..” Alejandro said, clearing his throat.

Noah agreed. For some reason he felt uncomfortable, Either from Alejandro’s stare or the way his heart was beating nearly out of his chest the closer Alejandro got.

“It is too quiet in here, perhaps you would like to do something to pass the time?” Alejandro suggested out of the blue. He had to be joking, he couldn’t think that Noah would really accept the temporary white flag he was extending.

Noah gave him a look that said as much.

“I will set up a card game if you care to join me, we have three days, there is no point in being enemies amigo, you cannot eliminate me right now and I cannot eliminate you,” Alejandro suggested.

Noah scowled. They may have not been able to do anything but, Alejandro had just eliminated his best friend, was he expected to just ignore that?

Noah didn’t grace the offer with a response, eyes flitting towards the blank screen on the back of the front facing seat.

He wasn’t going to entertain Alejandro’s fantasies of a truce. He would sit in his seat and sulk until he couldn’t anymore. Owen wouldn’t have wanted him to do it but, he didn’t care. Maybe if he sat still long enough he would feel better— even if the only thing that was sedating his pain was the thought of giving Alejandro a sucker punch.

••••••••

Noah spent the rest of the first day successfully ignoring Alejandro.

It was tense, Alejandro moving around the cabin like he wasn’t inhabiting it with the greatest threat to his stay on the competition.

The only bright side to the arrangement was that Alejandro hadn’t gone anywhere, Noah was keeping a close eye on him, watching for any movements outside of the cabin. He wasn’t going to go under his nose again, he was not winning again. Noah needed a win. He wouldn’t fantasize about eliminating Alejandro next round but, he could at least deal a blow by eliminating Heather or Cody— not that he wanted to but, it was necessary. Heather had clearly fallen victim to him whether she wanted to admit it or not, there was no other explanation. Cody was vulnerable too, it was simply a matter of who was more pressing.

It didn’t matter what Noah did Alejandro still tried to get him to do something. He paraded board games around, turned on the large TV located near the table, he even brought him a plate of food, setting it next to his chair.

Noah didn’t acknowledge him, it felt childish but he wasn’t about to accept the advances. He was supposed to do everything with Owen, watch a movie ,play board games. It was supposed to be fun, with Alejandro gone. Instead he was stuck in the small cabin with the eel himself.

The one who had a whole club dedicated to hating him, the one Noah had been tasked to eliminate. Alejandro still wasn’t aware that he was part of a larger plan, it was the one thing keeping him going— the leg up on Alejandro.

He should have known that he couldn’t ignore him forever. They had three days in between challenges, three whole days of ignoring the very unignorable Alejandro. He had to break at one point.

That one point happened on the second day. Alejandro was being particularly persistent, sitting across from him and eating breakfast brought in on a cart. Noah barely acknowledged any of his attempts, only getting up to go to the confessional or grab a snack separate from the food Alejandro brought him. He could tell it was frustrating Alejandro, he hated being ignored being the attention whore that he was.

In a way it was petty revenge for what he had done to Owen. For some reason Alejandro cared about his opinion, even though he wanted to eliminate him. It contradicted itself, Alejandro did. He wanted Noah to tolerate him but, eliminated the one person that he knew would be painful for him to lose. If he was trying to get on his good side he was doing a poor job.

Noah wasn’t over the whole eliminating Owen thing but, the second day made it sting less. He started to think that maybe it was for the best that Owen was gone. The competition was getting toxic, he was too nice to put up with the trickery and the lies.

Whether he succeeded or failed he would get to see Owen again; it wasn’t like he was dead. His elimination simply made everything harder, cemented his hatred for Alejandro (as if he needed justification).

Yet it appeared that the cement was still drying as Alejandro was seeping through the cracks without Noah realizing it.

All he did was set up a chess board, while eating eggs with a fork. It was a small chess set, in a box with the pieces shoved inside. Noah wasn’t sure where he had gotten it given that it wasn’t on the game shelf but, he ignored that like he usually ignored him.

His eyes still gave sparing glances to his motions. What was he doing? Was he going to play chess with himself? He knew Alejandro was vain but, not that vain.

He slowly set up the pieces, white on one side and black on the other. They were all placed correctly, Noah keeping a keen eye on him. He would have no way of knowing but, Noah used to be a chess prodigy. It was back in middle school, when he had some free time. All the game was was patterns on top of patterns. Given his gifted memory it was quite easy to memorize them and win every local tournament. Eventually he dropped it when he graduated middle school, moving on to other things.

It wasn’t his fault that he grew bored easily. Noah figured he could still remember some of his old chess strategies, given he gave it a bit of thought. Of course the trip down memory lane didn’t mean that he was going to play chess with Alejandro. That was stupid. He wasn’t even entertaining him.

He swore that.

Alejandro finished setting up the pieces, eating the last bite on his plate before standing up and walking away. The cart was at the other end of the cabin, a large bin for used dishes to go in.

Noah listened to his boots on the carpet. He wasn’t sure why he let Alejandro into the forefront of his mind. That was what he wanted— to weasel his way back into his life, so that maybe, just maybe, Noah wouldn’t eliminate him the next chance he got. There was no other explanation.

Well there was the avenue that Alejandro genuinely cared about his opinion and maybe felt bad but, the thought only made Noah fight back laughter. Alejandro caring about anyone other than himself, sure, that sounded right.

He should have continued sitting, indulging in a book that he started to grow bored of but, he didn’t.

He stood up, eyes glancing down both sides of the cabin. Alejandro wasn’t paying attention and no one else was watching him— other than the cameras. Perfect for doing something incredibly stupid.

He slowly skulked over to the table where Alejandro left the chess game set up. What was he even doing with it? Did he hope to entice Noah? He would lose if he did that. Beating Alejandro at chess did sound pretty satisfying, especially if he used his poker face.

Noah admired the board, thinking quickly about the best opening move. It was just for fun, that was all. He wasn’t accepting Alejandro’s attempt at a truce. He was simply playing a game. Making one move and seeing what would happen.

Noah quickly moved a white pawn two spaces. It was basic but, he had a strategy.

As soon as that was done he walked back to his seat, sitting down and reopening his book.

What was he doing? He wasn’t sure. It was nothing, just some fun. He needed a break from the competition.

——

Alejandro smiled into the camera.

“It appears my plan is working, Noah underestimated my cleverness, he will eventually accept my truce,” Alejandro said.

“Yesterday I was too forward, had I simply left things alone his curiosity would have eventually gotten the best of him,”

“I am not making the same mistake today…” Alejandro said.

“I need his trust back, if my plan is to go smoothly.”

“I was telling the truth, I do feel bad about eliminating his friend but this is a competition and it was the oaf’s time to go. There is no place in the final four for fun and games,” Alejandro sighed.

“It does not really matter, there are not many contestants left, the game will be over soon whether Noah likes it or not, and I will come out on top, I will win.” Alejandro tapped his hand on the side.

He smiled, it looked forced.

“I will win,” he said, again.

And he truly believed that.

“José will finally see how ruthless I can be…”

Alejandro inhaled sharply.

“Everyone will.”

——

It was a couple minutes later when Noah heard the distinct sound of a chess piece moving across the board.

“Brilliant move amor, but I know how to match that,” Alejandro said.

Noah simply turned the page of his book. He hated that stupid pet name. He wasn’t even sure why Alejandro used it. The wedding challenge was ages ago and since then they had done nothing remotely romantic— at least not something bad enough for Alejandro to tease him about. So why did he use it? It drove Noah crazy.

Unlike Heather he had never shown a hint of attraction towards Alejandro. There was nothing for him to go off of, no reason why he should be trying to seduce him. It could be that he was desperate, resorting to the one thing he was comfortable with, but Noah wasn’t sure. Alejandro was simply confusing, a puzzle he didn’t want to piece together at the moment. Maybe he was ignoring things for his sanity.

More time past. Noah knew Alejandro was sitting there, waiting for him to give in and take a seat in the chair he adeptly pulled out. It was the comfortable chair, the one he always tried to steal when their team won first class. It was the perfect reading chair. Had Alejandro picked up on that? If he wanted a truce he was doing an awfully good job. Too bad Noah didn’t want a truce. He wanted to sit in his anger and remember that Alejandro wasn’t someone to be trifled with. Yet it was exhausting being focused on one thing, feeling one emotion. His focus was staring to slip, his patience wearing thin. Things weren’t always so black and white, sometimes things were just… gray.

Noah shut his book, the pages falling over each other with a clap— it was a rather heavy book, taking up a substantial amount of space in Noah’s suitcase. He set it to the side, on the empty chair, and stood up. It felt like a sign of defeat but Noah wasn’t going to give Alejandro the satisfaction of speaking. He was just interested in the game, getting some small revenge through obliterating him in some stupid match.

He would hold onto his hatred but, there was no point in sitting around waiting. He needed to move, prepare himself for whatever the next challenge was. Most importantly he needed to study Alejandro, gauge what his next move was, understand how he got to Cody so it wouldn’t happen again. It was the least he could do to avenge Owen.

Noah regarded Alejandro lazily, walking over to the table like it wasn’t a big deal. He took a seat, spinning around in the chair for a moment before leaning his elbows on the table. It was an unnatural pose but, his signature position when starting a match. The thrill of the game came back, the mental test he underwent every time he moved a piece forward.

Alejandro mirrored Noah’s original move, except only moving his pawn one space. He intended to meet Noah head on while still being defensive. Clever, but Noah wasn’t about to let him get away with it.

“Ah how nice of you to join me,” Alejandro finally said, smiling that smug smile Noah wanted to wipe off his face. He ignored his words, hand hovering over his bishop. Alejandro wouldn’t see it coming, it was perfect.

The piece glided over the board, felt underbelly making the motion near seamless. It would be checkmate in less than thirty six moves. It was a Noah guarantee.

“Your move.” Noah stated the words cleanly, trying not to let his excitement show. Maybe Alejandro’s lure worked but, he wasn’t going to admit it. They would play a quick game and Noah would go back to sitting in silence.

It was just a break.

One little break.

Then he would make sure the eel never saw a single dollar of prize money.

That was also a Noah guarantee.

And he wasn’t one to break a promise.

••••••••

They played. Alejandro lost.

It was closer than Noah liked to admit, he actually had to adapt as he moved the pieces with precision. Noah was starting to realize that it was Alejandro’s personal chess set— if that wasn’t clear from the initials A.B. carved into the side.

As his king fell Alejandro finally admitted defeat, raising his hands up.

“Bravo amigo, your skills are impressive,” Alejandro admitted. Noah would acknowledge that beating Alejandro into the ground— in a mental challenge— was satisfying. He deserved it, and seeing him flounder on the board was a nice change of pace from the silent sulking and the subtle side glares.

“I know, you shouldn’t have tried to beat me in chess, that was kind of stupid,” Noah said smugly, clearing his remaining pieces from the board. He didn’t have many left, a couple pawns, both his horses, and his king of course.

“I suppose you are correct, I assumed I could beat you having won the chess tournament back in my highschool,” Alejandro bragged. Noah only rolled his eyes, holding back a laugh.

“What is it my friend?” Alejandro asked.

“Nothing, I just didn’t take you for a chess guy, you look more like a football star to me,” Noah said offhandedly.

Alejandro scoffed.

“I am both a football star and a chess champion, I am the best at everything,” Alejandro said.

“Egotistical much?” Noah asked.

“It is called confidence,” Alejandro rebuked.

“It’s called a God complex, you can’t even call yourself a chess champion I beat you, more like a chess runner up and a mediocre football player at best if I’m not mistaken you didn’t even land a hit on me in Africa,” Noah said, toying with one of his pawns.

“Perhaps we need to play again to reclaim my title, and I did not land a hit on you because Courtney beat me to the punch..” Alejandro said, growing silent at the mention of the challenge. Noah didn’t exactly want to relive his near concussion from earlier so he dropped the subject.

“We can play again—“ Noah said quickly.

“But winner gets to pick the game, meaning me in case you hadn’t noticed,” Noah bragged, cherishing the way Alejandro’s face turned sour.

“Of course amigo, whatever you would like,” he said bitterly.

Noah smiled, trailing over to the shelf in the corner containing a couple games he’d opened a million times. It had everything from from dominos to cards, Noah selecting the latter of the two to bring back to the table. He was serious about that poker game after all.

Noah dumped the cards out of the box, shuffling them quickly while Alejandro watched.

Then he spread them out across the table, dealer style.

“Ah, poker,” Alejandro smiled.

This was going to be fun.

——

“I do not know how Noah managed to beat me in chess, I have practiced extensively,” Alejandro sighed.

“It is very impressive, he is very intelligent…it was nice to see his mind at work as he moved each piece,” Alejandro said, eyes drifting away.

“His brow crinkles slightly, and his eyes narrow, he also makes this strange pose on the table that is somehow incredibly attrac—enticing,” Alejandro corrected, clearing his throat.

“I know he is simply bored but, I am glad he accepted the truce, maybe there is hope to mend things with him…”

“Only to gain his trust and win the money,” Alejandro added after the fact. He didn’t seem as confident.

“Ay…what have I done, maybe I should have targeted the dweeb, he was resistant to my advances as well, then Noah wouldn’t hate me and I would not have to deal with this feeling..”

“It is like a hand is grabbing my chest, squeezing it,” Alejandro said, clenching his fist and reading it up in the air to mimic his words.

“It is strange, I do not like it..” Alejandro admitted.

“¿Por qué tenías que ser tú, mi amor?” Alejandro pondered, word meaning unclear but voice a tensive tone.

“It is unfair…so unfair..” he said as the feed cut away.

——

Noah beat him at cards too, for a while. Be it poker, blackjack, or even go fish (Alejandro’s suggestion surprisingly) he still couldn’t win.

Noah was growing bored of Alejandro’s baseless taunting. The sun was slowly lowering in the sky and they were still playing at that same table both of them never leaving their seat, too absorbed in the game to focus on anything else.

“One more game?” Alejandro offered as Noah collected the cards from their previous match.

Noah blinked, noticing his surroundings like he’d just awoken from a dream. He was in the plane, he knew that but he was hanging out with Alejandro like they were old friends. What was he doing? Was he stupid? Alejandro was winning, he was supposed to be ignoring him.

It was too late and Noah was well aware of that. He was supposed to be probing for information but instead they were simply talking trash about each other like it was some stupid game night and they were sitting in his room with a box of pop on the floor. He needed to get his head in the game, at least get something out of their fraternizing.

“Sure,” Noah finally said, dealing out the cards like he had a million times before. He needed to get serious, get information without sounding too forward. They had been at it so long Noah doubted Alejandro had his guard up— not when he was busy kissing up to Noah in an attempt to gain his trust.

The cards were dealt and Noah looked at his hand. It was mediocre at best, not that Alejandro knew that. He waited a moment, allowing Alejandro the chance to speak first. He usually led the conversation and Noah knew that he wouldn’t be stupid enough to ignore Noah’s blatant questions without prior prompting.

Noah made sure to take enough time to read the cards, giving Alejandro time to taunt him. He half expected it. He wasn’t sure why he liked hearing them. It was ironic how confident he sounded when he kept losing every single time. The old Alejandro would probably have lost it given his perfectionist personality but something changed— either his will to gain Noah’s trust or his annoyingly stuck up personality that wasn’t winning him brownie points with anybody.

“Bad hand amigo? It is a shame that you will give the last win of the night to me,” he said nonchalantly.

“No, just weighing my options Al,” Noah said, the nickname meant to get a rise out of him.

“Alejandro,” Alejandro corrected.

“I know,” Noah said.

“Im sure it must drive you nuts when Cody says it,” Noah said. He didn’t bring up that Owen used to say it all the time, that would put a damper on the mood. Noah wasn’t exactly sure what the mood was but he didn’t want to turn it somber.

Alejandro shuttered.

“Sí..”he said.

“The dweeb will get what is coming to him,” Alejandro said, words slipping out. Alejandro held his mouth open for a moment, shutting it and placing his cards down.

“Right,” Noah said, all he could think of was Owen. The big guy was bleeding into his thoughts. Noah held the cards tighter, practically shaking them. He should have kept his brain shut. Talking to Cody was easier than dealing with Alejandro. Noah felt the anger return. What was he doing, really? Being buddy buddy with Alejandro right after Owen’s elimination? It wasn’t fair.

Noah held back a remark, looking over his cards again. He knew what they were but he was stalling.

“You really think you can eliminate him next round, Heather and Cody are pretty close,” Noah said. He wasn’t sure why he was telling Alejandro what he saw but he had to push the topic before it was lost in the wind.

“I have my ways amigo..” Alejandro said, knowing full well where the conversation was heading. The competition, their rivalry, Owen’s elimination.

“Right, like you got under their skin and convinced them to vote Owen out,” Noah said. Screw it, Alejandro wasn’t going to just let information slip. Noah had known him long enough, thinking anything else was wishful at best.

Noah noticed Alejandro swallow hard at the mention of Owen, playing with the chips that were actual chips Noah had taken from a bag of chips (had he said chips enough yet?).

“Do you fold or are you staying?” Alejandro asked, ignoring the words.

“I’ll stay,” Noah said, narrowing his eyes.

“And I’m betting them all,” Noah said, pushing his pile towards the middle. He had most of them given his win streak but he didn’t really care about it that much. He just felt irked.

Alejandro bobbed his head slowly.

“I will stay as well.”

They remained silent, Noah refusing to look at Alejandro.

“I’m sorry,” Alejandro said like he had earlier. He tried to catch Noah’s eyes as he looked around the room. He finally succeeded, if only for a split second. Noah didn’t like how genuine he looked.

“Sorry doesn’t change the fact that you eliminated my best friend, you knew what you were going to do and you’re only sorry because I’m not putting up with your crap anymore…” Noah said. There was that anger again, back like it had never left.

Alejandro furrowed his brow, frowning.

“Nothing I say will change your mind but, I do mean it..” Alejandro said.

Noah scoffed.

“Whatever, I’m sure you do, like you regret eliminating everyone else who happened to be a threat to your prize money,” Noah said unable to control his words.

“I don’t know why I bothered trying to get along with you, I’m done,” Noah said.

He set his cards down, flipping them over lazily. They were crap, he knew he was bluffing.

He stood up from his chair, letting it spin away from him.

Alejandro opened his mouth to speak, before shutting it once again. A smart move on his part.

He moved a stray piece of hair out of his face, graceful fingers hovering over the playing cards before flipping them. Noah only caught a glimpse of them as he turned away.

It was a royal flush.

He wasn’t bluffing.

Noah didn’t have the words to express how he felt so he kept walking, away from first class, away from Alejandro in general. Who cared if he tried to make alliances under his nose Noah needed a break to compose himself. He needed to calm down, think logically, but he just felt so stuck. He wasn’t sure what he felt because anger wasn’t the only thing there, it was a lot messier than that.

He shouldn’t have let Alejandro twist him like that, it was stupid, really he was twisting himself bringing up the topic.

He needed to focus, or he would be going home soon enough.

Noah reached the confessionals, opening the door only to slam it shut. He quickly sat on the seat, knees curled up to his chest for whatever reason. He wasn’t sure why he gripped onto them so tight. He also wasn’t sure why water collected in his eyes, threatening to overflow. It was stupid, he was fine with everything, the anger would pass.

Only when it did he knew grief would follow, it always did.

He should have been more careful, he should have watched Alejandro. Hadn’t he learned his lesson? He wouldn’t make another mistake. For Owen, for Harold, for Leshawna, for Bridgette, for DJ and for the others that Alejandro tossed away because they threatened him.

He would be cold, he would be ruthless. He would be Alejandro because that was how you survived. There was no other option. To beat his game Noah had to play it, and he was more than ready.

He wouldn’t twist his thoughts anymore, it was back to ignoring him, that was a promise.

For now he would sit and wait, have just a moment to compose himself, then he was fine. Things were fine, everything was fine. Life moved on and so did Noah. He would be ready for the next challenge and Alejandro wouldn’t get in his way.

Not anymore.

••••••••

The third day past as one would expect when being housed with your mortal enemy.

They didn’t mention the card game or Noah’s outburst. They went about their daily routine like the other was a ghost, drifting around them but never touching. Alejandro nearly broke, multiple times. He couldn’t go a day without shutting up, he always had to be the center of attention. Noah wasn’t entertaining him again, he knew his tricks and he was calling bullshit.

Alejandro still made him plates of food, he still left out his chess board, he even talked to himself— waiting for a second party to join. Noah wasn’t interested. He only took small bites of the food when Alejandro fell asleep, making sure the evidence was gone by morning. He knew he needed to keep eating, be physically fit for the next challenge. If he had a sliver of hope to beat Alejandro he needed to be in his best condition.

Both mentally and physically.

It was strange. Noah figured that losing Owen would only fester within him, feel worse as the days went on when he finally acknowledged it, but by the time day three rolled around he felt better. Somewhat.

He still missed him, his immature jokes and kind nature, but his loss hurt less. Owen was away from Alejandro, the last card the eel had against him. He was free to be as ruthless as he needed to be. Maybe it was for the best. The longer he waited the more he knew it would hurt. Alejandro did him a favor—indirectly.

He was focused on the next challenge. Focused on winning, stealing the money from Alejandro’s grasp. He thought he could come on the show and steal everything with a couple cheap party tricks and sociopathic tendencies— he had another thing coming. Cold calculated revenge. Noah was prepared to finally follow through, they were nearing the end of the little charade. The end result would be his downfall, Noah smiling because he finally got what he didn’t know he needed.

What he wanted?

He wanted Alejandro to pay for what he did.

He hadn’t stopped to think that maybe he already had.

It didn’t matter, Noah wasn’t falling for his false pity and fake apologies. Who cared if it looked like he was beating himself up about it he still did it. He couldn’t just take that back and expect Noah to put an ounce of trust in him. He wasn’t that stupid.

Alejandro never felt pity before, why would he now?

Noah was perfectly content sustaining that belief as the next challenge began in the form of the plane shaking.

It wasn’t Chris trying to screw with them, surprisingly. The plane had taken one too many hits visiting various destinations around the globe leaving it in less than stellar condition. Noah could hear the rattling as it flew though the air, the sound overshadowed by Owen’s snoring the days prior. Noah was surprised the plane was holding together with all the patch jobs Chef did when he thought the other contestants weren’t looking.

Knowing all that Noah still tensed up. The sound growing louder meant that they were descending, there was no time for pretenses the challenge was going to start and he still hadn’t found out any information about Cody and Heathers vote. He would have to get them alone later, try not to snap at them as he figured out what exactly happened last elimination ceremony.

“Ay avión estúpido,” Alejandro muttered sitting in a row in front of Noah. He had taken claim to the seat upon waking up on the couch, turning on the small movie screen stuck on the seat in front of him. Noah had been entertaining a book despite the fact that he could barely concentrate. He quickly shut the paperback when he felt the plane shake. He knew better than to test fate and assume that it was just turbulence.

“Turning green?” Noah jabbed.

Alejandro tried to hide it but, the unsteady motions of the plane gave him an acute case of motion sickness. He was usually good at managing it but, it appeared to have gotten worse.

“I am completely fine amor, but thank you for the concern,” Alejandro said, head bobbing up and down from what Noah could see peaking over his own seat. Something told him Alejandro was about to lose his breakfast.

“Don’t you dare,” Noah said, jumping up and snatching a trash can from the other side of the room. He wasn’t going to deal with the smell for the rest of his small stay in first class— not when it could be easily prevented.

Noah’s face wrinkled up in disgust as he ran the trash can back to Alejandro’s row, holding it out for him to take just before the motion sickness got worse.

Noah averted his eyes, taking a breath in relief. If Alejandro wasn’t stubborn Noah wouldn’t have had to get up— look like he cared about Alejandro. He didn’t of course, he was doing it for selfish reasons anyways. After the challenge in China he didn’t care to see vomit again as long as he lived.

Alejandro coughed for a moment, dropping the trashcan. The green of his face lessened but, he still looked queasy.

“Gracias,” he said, a smile creeping across his face. It sent chills down Noah’s spine. From what he couldn’t say.

Alejandro looked to be readying another response when an announcement cut through the intercom.

“Gooood morning contestants!” Chris yelled, Noah wincing. The feedback made his ears ring.

“And congratulations for making it to the final four but, it’s only getting more intense from here, haha this is going to get good,” Chris said, Noah swallowing hard.

“Now, prepare for landing and try not to lose anymore of your lunch,” Chris said, Alejandro’s eyes drifting away at the comment.

Without any further comments the feed cut off, leaving them in silence.

Noah didn’t wait around for Alejandro to finish his thought, taking his arm off the seat and retreating back. No more truces, no more tolerating his presence. The challenge was starting soon.

And Noah was prepared to win.

••••••••

“Welcome to Drumheller, Alberta , a world heritage site,” Chris said, holding his hands out like they were supposed to be impressed. It wasn’t his fault that Chris was trying to hype up a literal desert.

The three days he spent stuck on a plane were not worth the sight in front of him. At least they were in Canada again, even if he was far away from anything familiar.

Noah ignored Heather and Cody as he stepped down from the plane. From the glimpses he did catch they were just as miserable as him albeit for a different reason. He needed to get each of them alone, ask exactly what Alejandro said to them. Then he could play offense and finally nail the bastard. Noah hated watching Alejandro slip through his fingers every time like the eel he was. Another challenge and he was going to lose it all over again.

“Oh come on what’s with the long faces? Cabin fever? Betrayal?” Chris asked, making eyes contact with Noah for whatever reason.

“In your dreams,” he scoffed.

“Well this place isn’t all boring, it has the wickedest collection of dinosaur bones on the planet,” Chris offered, none of them even batting an eye. Noah wasn’t sure where he was going with his little tidbits but, he figured it would be sure to make him regret coming back on the show.

Chris continued, basically confirming the fact.

“You’re going to want to take that information to heart as in front of you is a giant pit with a bunch of said dino bones, they’re like super ancient,” Chris said, smiling.

“For the first part of this challenge you’ll need to grab whatever bones you can find buried here to make your very own life sized dino,”

“Which for some of you may not be so life sized,” Chris smirked, looking at Cody.

“Hey!” he said.

“Can you get on with it, it’s hot out here?” Heather asked, fanning her face with her hand.

“Alright fine, you have two minutes to search the cargo hold and grab whatever you can to help make your creation truly stand out from the rest,” Chris finished.

They all blinked, staring at him for a moment as he waited.

“Why are you staring at me, get lost!” Chris said, voice playful. Noah would be happy to be rid of his antics soon.

He slipped between Heather and Cody, vying for the front of the pack as they all sprinted towards the cargo hold. He didn’t have much time to think about the challenge but, he figured he would grab anything he could to stick the bones together successfully. That beget the question of who would be judging. He wasn’t sure who he was sucking up to and whether or not they would appreciate the sculpture he had in mind.

Whatever, he didn’t have time to change his plans, he needed glue, lots of it.

The cargo hold was strangely sunny as Noah made his way into it. It was expected given that the bay door was wide open but it still felt jarring. He couldn’t recall a time when it wasn’t shaded in darkness with the steady sound of dripping ceilings giving it an eerie feeling.

The boxes themselves that Ezekiel used to hide behind were hastily opened— probably via Chris’ interns. Art supplies and colorful paper spilled out from each of them, too much to dig through in two minutes. He wasn’t really going for the creative approach anyways.

Noah hightailed it for the further part of the cargo hold, ignoring the arguing or the yelling from the others. It was probably Heather and Alejandro, Noah didn’t want to hear it in the present. He was probably ticked off enough for the both of them.

Finally, in the corner of the cargo hold Noah found a box containing an enormous amount of glitter and glue— and the amalgamation of the two: glitter glue. Noah didn’t feel like picking glitter off his clothes for weeks to come to he grabbed the normal white glue along with some back up glitter glue. It was all he really needed but he found his eyes drawn to another box which had some pipe cleaners sticking out and a bag of googly eyes poorly hidden behind them.

He didn’t need them but, before he could think he snatched them up and sprinted towards the gaping mouth of the planes cargo hold. It was all he needed, he didn’t plan on staying to fight with Heather over some colorful scraps of paper or get lost in Alejandro’s gaze— Stuck in his gaze, that was what he meant.

“And Noah gets a lead, better start digging up those dino bones the clock is ticking,” Chris said, taping the watch he was surprisingly wearing for once.

Noah rolled his eyes, coming to the middle of the field before setting his things down and looking at the ground with disdain. Chris was expecting them to dig up every bone they needed, great. A meaningless task now with extra physical activity.

He sighed, bending down and getting to work, this was going to be a long challenge.

One that he would win.

——

“Im going to win this challenge, it will be easy,” Alejandro said, smugly. He smirked, the motion not reaching his eyes. They weren’t sparkling like normal, they were missing something. Maybe that devious glint in them that kept him going.

Alejandro dropped the smile quickly, like he figured his confessional was done.The camera kept recording.

He sighed softly, hanging his head at a downward angle . Hair fell in his face, making him appear smaller.

“¿Hay alguna esperanza?” Alejandro muttered.

“He hates me, he is planing my downfall,” Alejandro combed his hand through his hair, trying to fix it.

“What am I to do? I cannot deal with his harsh glares, I do not want him to think of me with hatred, I can’t—“

Alejandro’s hand shook as he closed it into a fist.

“He won’t forgive me.. Tengo que seguir adelante..”

Alejandro didn’t appear to like the sound of that.

He sat there in silence for another moment.

“Perhaps I should apologize again, for good measure. We are meant to have a friendly rivalry, nothing more,” Alejandro said, perking up at the mere thought of the idea.

“Sí, that will work,”

——

The challenge went by slowly, Noah unearthing bones of various sizes, some that he couldn’t even use.

For reference he was building a life sized replica of a dinosaur. He wasn’t an expert but, when he was younger his estranged aunt had bought him a couple plastic modeling sets that happened to be dinosaur skeletons. He finished them in record time but they sat on his shelf for years to come, Noah staring at them every time he sat down at his desk. He was trying to recall the memory in the present, fit the bones together to form a full picture.

So far he wasn’t doing so hot.

The others had taken positions on opposite ends of the pit, digging up bones in droves as each of their statues grew higher.

Noah was devoted to his own work so he barely noticed, until the sound of footsteps drew him from his intense concentration on gluing a dinosaur joint to another.

Noah turned his head, spying Heather impeding on his own section— not that he really had a section but he had laid claim to the area by setting down his supplies in the center.

“What are you doing? Go back to your own statue,” Noah sneered. He hadn’t meant to come across so cruel but he knew that Heather was no ally of his. She had to have voted for Owen along with her obvious crush.

Heather scoffed.

“There’s no rule against digging here, what’s got your vest in a twist?” Heather snapped.

Noah didn’t answer her, only because she knew exactly what he was so angry about. It wasn’t just Alejandro, Heather was smart enough not to fall for whatever crap he was peddling.

He picked a bone out from the ground, dusting it off with his hand before sticking it on the beginning of his statue. He had the legs set and was working on the tail that wasn’t yet attached to anything. It was slow work but, Chris hadn’t called time yet so he kept working. Now that he thought about it Chris never told them how long they had. If he knew anything about Chris Noah figured that he would call time whenever he felt like just to screw with him.

“So you’re just going to ignore me, oh I’m so hurt,” Heather said sarcastically. It was deserved but she didn’t seem as committed to the words as he was.

“I don’t have anything to say,” Noah couldn’t help but snap back.

Heather fell silent again. She knew why he was acting so hostile. She was trying to brush passed it, make him think that it wasn’t that big of a deal when it was. It was a massive deal, even if she didn’t think it.

Noah waited, he needed her to say it. He wasn’t going to hound her for an apology. That wasn’t how it worked and he didn’t want to hear it if it was forced. He wasn’t even sure if she felt bad, she never really liked Owen either— more like tolerated.

The only thing he heard was the sound of dirt being dug up in a large pile. Noah was tired of waiting so he kept going, squeezing glue out of the bottle and sticking the bones together that he already found. It was busy work, harder seeing how hot it was outside.

Minutes must have past before he heard another sound.

“Look..”she began, huffing as she unearthed a rather large piece of history from the ground.

“I’m ashamed of what happened during the last ceremony,” she said.

“He..”

Noah caught her biting her lip out of the corner of his eyes. She was hesitating for whatever reason.

“He got to me in the confessionals and I stupidly listened to him…I knew he was untrustworthy but for a second..ugh—“

“For a second he made sense so I listened to him even if my gut was telling me otherwise.”

Heather exhaled, both of them stopped digging for a moment— each for different reasons.

Noah wasn’t sure what to say. He expected as much but hearing her admit she was wrong felt strange. It wasn’t quite an apology but the intent was there. Or at least the remorse. She knew he was hurt by it, if that wasn’t already clear.

“What did he say?” Noah asked, resuming his work.

“I don’t know some crap about him not being the biggest threat on the plane, It was his dumb flirty voice and he was staring at me and ugh, that jerk face!” Heather said tossing a bone harshly into her pile.

Noah nodded absentmindedly like he agreed with her grievances. He did have an annoyingly flirty voice and deep pooling eyes Noah could stare at for a while before he realized that he was falling victim to Alejandro.

“I get it,” Noah admitted. He didn’t fully mean the words but, he had also had time to think and he wasn’t as angry anymore. It was just some stupid game anyways, and he needed to direct his anger towards someone worthwhile— like Alejandro.

“He was acting cocky the whole challenge, I should have known he would pull a stunt like that..”Noah sighed. Really he should have been smarter. The others shouldn’t have all the blame when he barely tried— thinking he didn’t have to.

“The nerve of that slimeball,” Heather shook her head.

“You know he also got to Cody, I had to listen to him blubbering the entire plane ride,” Heather complained.

Noah raised an eyebrow.

“What was he talking about?”

“He was going on and on about how Sierra was going to find him again and he would never be safe on his own, it had to be Alejandro, he probably threatened the dweeb into voting Owen,” Heather rolled her eyes.

That was news to him but, it made sense. Seduce Heather and threaten Cody. Neither of them could hope to resist given his charisma.

“Did you tell him that Alejandro was just screwing with him?” Noah asked, finally placing the torso on his dinosaur.

“Do you really think he would listen to me? He barely stopped freaking out enough for me to talk to him,” Heather muttered.

——

“Stupid economy class,” Heather ranted, crossing her arms while sitting in the confessionals.

“I didn’t ask to be Cody’s therapist because of stupid Alejandro, I didn’t even do a good job. He’s still uneasy, Alejandro has him wrapped around his finger, I ought to give him a taste of his own medicine!” She snapped.

“I hate the dweeb but…we have an uneasy alliance, I need him to at least try to win this challenge and he can’t if Alejandro is breathing down his neck with baseless threats,” Heather said.

“The nerve of him, he’s as bad as Sierra,” Heather narrowed his eyes.

“I dare her to harass Cody on my watch, he’s like an annoying little brother to me—“

“Don’t judge me, it’s not like there’s many people left to make an alliance with, I had to suck it up,” she grumbled, turning away from the camera.

——

“Typical,” Noah muttered. No more words needed to be spoken. They both knew who Alejandro was and what he could do. Noah debating asking her to talk to Cody, realizing that he simply didn’t want to trust them at the moment. He would deal with that later, when they weren’t in the middle of a challenge.

“Well I’m glad you get it, now I’m going back to my dinosaur, thanks for the bones,” she said smugly, picking up her pile and walking away— leaving a pile of dirt in her wake. He figured that she hadn’t come over on accident, given that she had an adequate pile back at her own site.

She wanted to apologize— albeit indirectly.

Noah smiled to himself, watching her walk away.

He turned back to his own statue when she disappeared behind a stone structure. He carefully picked up the tail on the ground, sticking it into place before stepping back to observe what he had so far. It looked pretty accurate to the image in his head, surprisingly life like for being stuck together with liquid glue and a bit of elbow grease.

All he had left was the head— the torso being built over the legs already. He wasn’t sure exactly how to make the head out of bits and pieces of bones but, he managed with his remaining pile, forming something semi resembling a dinosaur head, sunken skull eyes and all. It looked rather creepy, that blank look in its face with its mouth slightly agape.

Noah readied the glue, eyes drawing away from his own creation to the others.

Heather was on her way back to her dinosaur— a Chris themed dinosaur that screamed suck up. Cody was cooped up in a small sector of the ground, building a small dog like statue— it was certainly his size. Then there was Alejandro’s dinosaur standing as tall as his with only small differences. It was the same idea, a life like replica. Noah would never admit that he was impressed by the sight, even if the bones did look hastily assembled— like Alejandro’s mind wasn’t fully there when he placed each bone together.

It was hard to say who would win given that Chris hadn’t told them much of anything else about the competition.

The dinosaurs soulless eyes kept staring at him, Noah wondering why it felt like his statue was missing something. For all intensive purposes it was good enough, impressive even given his excellent memory— when it suited him mind you.

Noah scrounged around his dig site for a moment, searching for a bone that felt out of place.

He came up empty, finding something else instead.

It was next to his pile, next to the glitter glue he refused to touch.

The googly eyes he grabbed on a whim, for some reason he couldn’t say. They were kind of stupid, Noah didn’t see their appeal.

He figured Owen would probably open the bag and place them in his forehead like he was an alien.

‘I have come here from the planet mars to take over your world’ Noah could hear Owen speaking the words like he was actually there. He couldn’t help but chuckle.

He missed him but, for some reason, it didn’t hurt as much. He would see him soon, and things would be over regardless of the result of the competition.

Noah didn’t think, he picked up an unopened bottle of glitter glue and tore open the bag of plastic eyes.

The statue was missing something.

He wasn’t sure how he hadn’t seen it sooner.

••••••••

Chris called time a couple minutes after Noah placed the head on his statue, effectively completing it. That meant he got a moment to observe it in all its glory. It looked nice, with the added finishing touches. It looked more alive, googly eyes and all staring back at Noah with a derpy expression cemented on the statue’s face.

Noah put his hands on his hips, frowning as Chris walked to the center of the field. He would have to follow. Maybe he could finally figure out what would decide the winner of the first challenge.

“Well it looks like you all made some rather..interesting statues, I guess it’s time to take a tour through the land of imaginary dinosaurs!” Chris said. They all gathered around him, eyeing each other wearily.

“Let’s start with Alejandro,” Chris said, directing both his hands over to Alejandro’s finished (?) creation. His face was held up high but he didn’t look like his usual snarky self.

“I can do better than imaginary, I present to you a life sized Allosaurus, skeleton fully intact,” Alejandro bragged. The show of bravado was rather unfounded as the skeleton was barely hanging on, one breath and it would collapse. Aside from that it looked impressive. The bones seemed to be in the right places and it certainly looked the part.

——

Alejandro rubbed the bridge of his nose.

“It was not my best work..but it will do,” Alejandro sighed.

“I was regrettably distracted, there is no room for error now, I am so close!” Alejandro said, looking agitated.

“I simply cannot get him out of my head…”

——

“Wow, impressive…”Chris said. He cleared his throat for a moment muttering something along the lines of “nerd alert.”

Alejandro only rolled his eyes as Chris continued.

“Moving on, Cody what have you got?”

Cody grinned sheepishly, moving away to reveal his ‘dinosaur’ if you could call it that.

“I went for something smaller, I call it the Codyodon!” Cody said, picking it up proudly.

“Here feel how light it is!” He said, handing it off to the closest person which just so happened to be Heather.

Heather lifted it up in her hands.

“He’s right it weighs next to nothing,” she said.

“I came across a whole pile of these rocks and thought they were really cool!” He said, Heather continuing to observe the statue.

Alejandro crossed his arms, eyeing the work in a less glamorous light.

“They appear to be coprolite fossils,” Alejandro began. Noah picked up what he was getting at, unintentional smile gracing his features as Cody continued.

“Wicked, oh I know let’s call it the Cody-o-light,” he said, gaped tooth grin annoying Noah. He knew why Cody voted with Alejandro—somewhat— that didn’t mean he wasn’t ticked off. How could he not tell that it was a baseless threat, how could he believe Alejandro, lie to his face.

It irked him.

“He means you’re holding fossilized dung,” Noah deadpanned, changing Cody’s tune quickly.

“Ew,ew,ew!” Heather exclaimed, the dino statue jumping up in her hands before Cody caught it.

“Ugh, Noah, save us from this bummer tour,” Chris said, not having high hopes.

“Introducing the Pachycephalosaurus—“

“Bless you,” Chris said, smiling.

Noah rolled his eyes.

“It means thick headed lizard,” Noah said, continuing before Chris could respond.

“And it’s an armored dinosaur based off of a model on my shelf at home,” Noah said, remaining blank faced as he stepped aside for the others to view it. It held better than Alejandro’s—the glitter glue on its face the only historical inaccuracy.

Noah didn’t want to hope but, he felt like he had the challenge in the bag, despite the fact that he wasn’t sure who was really judging them. From the looks of it Chris was just gauging what they had built, not really judging them.

“Well that’s even more impressive than Al’s, can Heather beat it?” Chris asked.

“Easy,” she scoffed, stepping away from Cody to showcase her statue. It looked a little too close to a certain host for comfort.

“Introducing a stunning specimen of a dinosaur, the Chris-ceretops , this intelligent beast roamed the prehistoric planes putting the other dinosaurs to shame,” Heather said proudly.

Noah looked up, observing the dinosaur passively. It was pretty impressive, given the giant portrait of Chris Heather painted from scratch. He hadn’t known she was an artist but, he supposed he really didn’t know all that much about Heather.

Along with the impressive canvas there was also the matter of the birthday hat placed on the dinosaurs head, nestled above the canvas snuggly. Noah wondered why it was there but, he wasn’t about to mention it.

Chris did it for him.

“Love it! But, what’s with the party hat, it isn’t my birthday?” Chris asked.

“Oh—“ Heather said quickly, smiling uncharacteristically.

“I forgot I put it up there I just found it in the cargo hold, It was last minute,” Heather said, waving her hand around.

——

“She remembered?” Cody questioned, nearly stunned into silence.

“I mean maybe it was an accident..uh she could have just put it on by accident..but it’s my birthday today…”

“I only remembered because Sierra wouldn’t stop talking about it before she left..and when Al brought her up again I couldn’t—“

Cody frowned, tapping his hand on the sink for a moment— like a bomb counting down to zero.

Before it exploded.

“I don’t want to go back to her, I can’t deal with her anymore, if that means voting for Al then I will Alright, you would do the same thing!” he said defensively.

“You didn’t hear what he said to me, what he said he would do…”Cody shivered.

“He promised that if I voted him out he would find Sierra, he would tell her how much I missed her and make sure she was waiting when I got back..”

“I need her to forget about me, I can’t live when she’s smothering me like I’m five years old..I don’t want to wake up with her hovering over me ever again,” Cody said firmly.

“Oh..I hate this stupid competition,” he complained.

“And now I know Noah is probably mad at me for lying to him, he’s barely looking at me, I’m probably next..I should just keep my head down until the end of the challenge,” Cody said somberly.

——

“Right…well enough chatter, it’s judgement day, minus the astroid haha, which dino will stay and which will be brought to extinction..?”

“Oh, and I haven’t even mentioned who the special judges are for todays challenge..”Chris said, laughing evilly. Noah swallowed hard. He wasn’t going to like what Chris was going to say.

“I’ve decided that you lot will be judging each others statues, with a pretty shocking twist!” Chris said, winking at Noah. Noah really didn’t like where he was going with that, heart rate picking up.

——

“He better not,” Noah said, eyes narrowed.

——

He should have known better than to hope that Chris wasn’t out to get him.

He watched helplessly as they were led over to a thick wooden chair perched atop a rock. A couple of interns were ordered to wheel a suspicious box over to the chair which happened to have wires hanging from it. It already looked bad but, Noah wasn’t aware that it was about to get worse.

“I’m sure you’re thinking, what does this big chair have to do with anything but, I’m here to answer your questions,”

“It’s a lie detector, if this is going to be interesting at all I can’t have you lying, there’s no drama in fake nice answers,” Chris said like it was obvious.

“Now I was going to use a normal battery to give you a little shock but, I decided to have something else specially imported to make things more…interesting.” Chris said the words darkly, a chill running down Noah’s spine.

Chris nodded to the interns who stopped wheeling the crate, hitting the side of it.

“Introducing the honorary members of the total drama crew, some electrical eels!” Chris said, the box falling to reveal a tank filled with an upwards of three eels swimming around. They gaped at the contestants, shocks coursing through the water.

Noah froze, swallowing dryly. He couldn’t help it when his hand went to his wrist, caressing the faded line on his arm that only he could identify— like the injury was fresh.

He couldn’t be expected to get shocked again? He’d nearly drowned last time and Noah knew he would seriously freak out if he had to go anywhere near the eels again. It had been bad enough seeing them on the Aftermath set but, actually walking up to them was a different story. Maybe he should just take the loss.

The interns picked up the wires hanging from the chair, keeping their arms static in fear as they tossed both ends into the pool. The eels quickly sent shocks their way, the chair lighting up like a firework.

“Ha, perfect,” Chris said.

“So..who wants to go first?” Chris asked.

They all stared back at him blankly, not a single one of them wanting to try the chair.

“I’ll go,” Heather finally said, taking one for the team.

“Perfect, let’s get you hooked up!” Chris said. Noah took an unconscious step backwards, practically running into Alejandro because of course he’d taken residence of the space behind him.

“Amigo, are you okay?” Alejandro asked, sounding too genuine for Noah’s liking.

“Fine.” Noah spit the words out without much grace, crossing his arms tightly. He could do this, Chris was just trying to screw with him. That was it. Chris was just like Alejandro, only 100 times worse.

——

“Something is clearly wrong..”

“More wrong,” Alejandro added upon realizing that Noah didn’t currently have the highest opinion of him.

“His pupils are wide and his hair is on edge, it is quite easy to notice these things.”

“Not to mention that he didn’t even make a comment about me being reunited with my close relatives when the creatures were released,”

“If I figure out what is wrong perhaps I can fix it…that will be sure to win back his favor..”Alejandro put a hand to his chin, sighing.

“This cannot go on forever, he will have to accept my apology eventually, right? There has to be a way to get him to believe me,” Alejandro reasoned.

He remained quite for several moments, the camera still recordings like it was waiting for something.

“Wait a moment.” Alejandro snapped his fingers like a lightbulb appeared over him.

“Maybe I do not need to think any longer, this challenge has provided an interesting opportunity …”

Alejandro nodded his head like he was confirming an idea.

“Gracias Chris, Noah will have to accept my apology now.”

——

Chris clamped the helmet over Heather’s head, securing her in place.

“There we go, why don’t we test it out,” Chris said.

“I’ll pass on getting cooked, can we get to the judging,” Heather snapped.

“Oh come on we have plenty of time, who wants to ask her a question?” Chris asked, having way too much fun.

Heather glared at them. None of them spoke a word, Chris scowling.

“Fine, I’ll ask, why did you put that party hat on your dino, it ruined my perfect face,” Chris frowned.

Heather scowled.

“I told you it was a last minute thing!” Heather snapped, the chair not liking her words. A visible shock coursed through her, Noah tensing.

“All you got to do is tell the truth,” Chris shrugged.

“It’s not important..”she mumbled.

“Huh, sure seems important if you’re trying to hide it,” Chris said cheekily.

“Fine, I remembered it was the dweebs birthday since miss psycho wouldn’t stop talking about it before her elimination, I figured why not celebrate,” Heather muttered, cheeks turning red from the thought of people seeing her as nice.

Cody let a hesitant smile grow on his face.

“That was really for me?” he squeaked.

“Yeah, it’s whatever don’t look at me like that this doesn’t mean I like you, I’m just not heartless,” she said.

“Wow, alright enough with the sappy emotional stuff, what dino speaks to you?” Chris asked, having satisfied his curiosity in the present.

Heather glowered, taking a deep breath.

“I….I liked Noah’s..”she admitted.

“I really like glitter glue,” she continued, stopping herself before she elaborated further.

“Well I did not expect that, Interesting I guess that’s a vote for Noah,” Chris shrugged.

“Oh I’ll go next,” Cody volunteered as the interns unstrapped Heather.

“Daring today huh? I guess the birthday boys going next, strap him in!” Chris said.

As Heather stepped down, Cody walked up the rock barely hesitating before giving Heather a quick side hug. She wore a look of annoyance on her face but, she didn’t push him away.

“Thank you!” He said.

——

“My parents never remember my birthday, I thought I didn’t really care but, it’s nice to be recognized y’know…and not in a stalkerish way,” he clarified.

——

“Whatever, get off of me, I kinda got a present for you after the challenge, but don’t expect much,” she snapped.

“Really?” Cody asked.

“Yeah,”she said.

Without another word Cody released her, taking his place in the seat as she walked down to the rest of them.

Noah raised an eyebrow.

“Don’t look at me like that,” she said to the both of them before taking place on the other side of Noah, away from Alejandro.

“It’s called an alliance,” Heather said to Noah in a low voice.

“If I can convince him to vote Alejandro then we can finally get him out, then it’s everyone for themselves,” she offered. Noah liked the sound of that. A guaranteed elimination, really guaranteed.

Was it too much to hope that it could happen. He wasn’t sure he had hope anymore. Another part of him wasn’t sure if he wanted it. He was kind of expecting to face Alejandro in the final two, eliminating him early felt like it was defeating the whole purpose of coming so far.

It was strange that he was suddenly feeling so conflicted over eliminating the eel from the competition. Maybe the competition was messing with his head, that must have been it.

“Good luck,” Noah finally said, eyes remaining forward.

“Well Cody my man, it’s time to vote,” Chris prompted.

“Oh um…I..uh..”he began, looking down at the three of them watching.

“I like…well..”

“I thought Al’s was pretty co—“ A shock ran through him, Cody sizzling like he was sitting in a giant grill.

“The truth,” Chris said.

Cody sighed.

“I really liked Heathers, it was really nice of her even if her statue does have Chris’ face on it,” Cody admitted.

“Hey!” Chris said.

“Sorry—“Cody began before being shocked. He only smiled sheepishly, slipping out of the helmet and scurrying back to the others before Chris could go prehistoric on him.

“Well looks like Heather has a vote, and because I said so Al also gets a vote,” Chris said, scowling. He was petty that was all. The man had an ego along with the self control of a five year old.

“Hey that’s not fair!” Heather huffed.

“Thems the breaks,” Chris shrugged.

“Now Al your turn,” Chris said.

“Alejandro,” Alejandro corrected as he broke away from the crowd consisting of four people.

“Interns if you please,” Chris said.

Alejandro didn’t resist as they strapped him in, the eels swimming around carelessly. They looked calm. Probably because they were among one of their own. Noah smiled half heartedly at the quip. It made him feel a bit better, but he was still dreading was he was going to have to do. He just couldn’t lie and things would be fine, right?

Problem was Noah wasn’t in the position to be truthful. If someone grilled him about the wrong thing he could spill the beans. He wasn’t about to tell his life story so close to victory. He would resist, he didn’t have a choice.

“Well Alejandro, you know the drill, pick a dino…and no lying,” Chris said waving his hand around.

“Sí,” Alejandro said.

He looked up, hair falling to the side of his face as he thought. Noah doubted he needed time to think, he was making them wait.

“I suppose I can appreciate Noah’s impressive Pachycephalosaurus skeleton, only because of its realism,” Alejandro admitted.

The chair remained still, eels swimming around their cage without a hint of a spark.

“Huh, looks like that’s another vote for Noah, surprising,” Chris said, Noah shooting Chris a quick glare.

“Well let’s not waste any time, Noah get up here—“

“Wait,” Alejandro butt in.

“There is one more thing I would like to share while sitting in this lie detector,” Alejandro said gracefully, like he didn’t hear the words that he just spoke. Noah wouldn’t complain seeing as he wanted to do anything other than sit in a chair next to electric eels.

“Fineee, but make it quick this is a half hour show you know.” He seemed to only remember that when it convinced him.

“Of course,” Alejandro said.

It barely took a second for Alejandro’s green eyes to flit over to Noah. It figured that he had something to say to him. Noah was ready for the excuses, and ready for him to get shocked trying to lie to him. Maybe he believed he was sorry but the lie detector would tell the truth for him.

“Noah, I know you have been hesitant to trust my words but, I simply wanted to admit that I meant every word I said in first class,” he said, being just vague enough that the others may not understand what he meant.

Noah awaited the shock, Alejandro’s face twinging in pain, but it never came. Alejandro sat there, unfettered expression on his face. It didn’t make sense. Noah wasn’t sure what to make of the words. They were the truth weren’t they? If he was to trust Chris’ magical lie detector. It seemed to work otherwise Why would Alejandro’s words be any different.

Noah furrowed his brow, not speaking.

No one else did either, unsurprisingly.

“That is all I wanted to say,” Alejandro said, the interns moving to unstrap him from the chair.

——

“I am unsure if that worked but, it feels nice to get off my chest.”

“Perhaps I can focus now, I must stop getting distracted..” Alejandro scolded himself.

“I will win this competition, I am too close now no more slip ups,” Alejandro said.

——

“Huh, cryptic, what were you up to in first class?” Chris teased, Alejandro only shifting uncomfortably as he stepped down.

“What was that?” Heather asked next to him, Noah looking away from her.

“Nothing,” he said, failing to elaborate. There was no point in telling her anything, given her past betrayal

Noah noticed Alejandro trying to look at him, meet his eyes— see if what he said meant anything. Noah didn’t appease him. Partly because he was petty but, another part of him conflicted. He was telling the truth, he felt bad about Owen’s elimination— or more accurately he felt bad about hurting Noah. He wasn’t sure what he was supposed to do with that.

Why did Alejandro care so much about Noah’s opinion of him anyways? The guy was acting like a lost puppy after Noah started ignoring him. It was strange to say the least, especially given his cunningness in regard to the others.

What made him special? Why was it like he had some sort of advantage over Alejandro without even knowing it. Maybe he already knew what that advantage was but, he wouldn’t admit it. He would leave himself wondering.

Noah watched Alejandro rejoin the crowd, taking a step up towards the chair. He didn’t need Chris’ prompting. He just wanted to get things over with. Chris clearly had some sort of plan or he wouldn’t have brought out the electric eels Noah had spent more time than he liked thinking about.

He took a seat in the chair, allowing the interns to place the device on his head. He didn’t set his arms on the armrests, he practically cradled his once injured arm like it would break if someone so much as looked at it. He knew the racing of his heart was irrational seeing as he controlled if he got shocked but, it beat none the less.

Noah inhaled sharply, then exhaled. In a way he figured it was therapeutic. Face whatever he was still holding onto from the incident and move on. Everything was controlled, he was in control.

He tried to quirk the side of his lip upward, to show that he wasn’t afraid. It worked—somewhat. At least he felt a bit better, just in time for Chris to swoop in and ruin his mood.

“Great work interns, now Noah, now that I have you up here why don’t you say hello to your friends to your right, I’m sure they missed you,” Chris said winking. Noah didn’t react, face kept straight forward.

“I’ll pass,” Noah muttered.

“Scared?” Chris asked.

Noah had the common sense to not answer the question directly.

“Why would I be scared, I thought I was supposed to be judging the statues…”Noah said.

“I mean this is a half hour show,” Noah said, raising an eyebrow.

Chris frowned.

“Fine, take your pick it looks like you get to decide our lucky winner,” Chris said, shrugging. He’d failed, Noah hoped he would take the hint and give up. He wasn’t sure why Chris all of a sudden wanted to bring everything that happened to him to light. Maybe he was that desperate for drama? Revealing that Alejandro had personally put him in the medical bay for a day or so would be sure to reignite tension Noah didn’t need. He was close to the goal, Chris wasn’t about to move it further away from him.

“Well I think all of them are…interesting,” Noah started off with, being intentionally vague. It was hard to miss every statue, even Cody’s miniature dinosaur.

“But uh…”Noah began.

The eels crackled next to him, Noah sweating. He just had to tell the truth. He wasn’t excited to feed Alejandro’s ego but, he did appreciate his attempt. It was impressive, Alejandro wasn’t all false charm and cheesy one liners. He was smart too, smart enough to rival Noah in a variety of academic categories.

“I’m hurrying,” Noah muttered when the eels stared at him. He doubted they were the same ones but, they still had that signature teal hue Noah recognized right before sparks flew. They were antsy being in the middle of the desert but, they didn’t have to freak Noah out in the process.

Noah bunched up his palms tighter, not meeting anyone’s eyes as he spoke.

“I liked Alejandro’s it was..impressive…”Noah said.

“Impressive huh, anything else you liked about it amigo?” Alejandro asked while he had the opportunity. Clearly trying to win him over was bypassed when he could make a cheap jab.

“Don’t flatter yourself I’m just telling the truth that doesn’t mean I like it,” Noah scoffed.

“It’s shoddy, it looks like you threw it together even if all the bones are right,” Noah said.

Alejandro muttered something under his breath, crossing his arms. Noah didn’t pity him, poor Alejandro getting a slight blow to his ego how was he ever going to recover?

“Aw come on guys why don’t you kiss and make up because it looks like Alejandro is tied with you for first place,” Chris said.

“I’d rather kiss an actual eel,” Noah retorted with a blank face.

Before he could blink white hot sparks filled his vision— curtsey of the lie detector.

——

“¿Qué?” Alejandro asked.

“He was lying…”

Alejandro propped his leg up on the seat, hand leaning on his knee. He slowly turned his body towards the camera. A smile sprouted on his face slowly, growing quickly.

“I know I should not get my hopes up but, there is a chance—“ he shook the smile from his face as fast as it came.

“¡No!, I must focus..I need to win this competition and he is distracting me yet again..this must be a part of his plan..”

“Amor you are very clever but, I am more clever, you will not get the best of me,” Alejandro said.

“Not again….”

——

“Ow—“Noah said, coughing up smoke. His body hurt, limbs twitching. He didn’t like the feeling before and he didn’t like it anymore a second time. It sucked, that was the only way to describe it. And it hurt.

Noah was impressed that he didn’t freak out more, sitting tall. Had the quip seriously set off the lie detector? It must be rigged, he meant the words.

He had to.

Definitely.

“Okay I’m done up here can someone unstrap me?” Noah asked, trying to get passed what he just said.

Chris thought for a moment.

“Fine, interns unstrap him, and give the eels some food they look a little antsy,” Chris said. Noah wondered what electric eels and even ate. He didn’t feel like researching them or interacting with them ever again.

“And the rest of you, gather yourselves near the plane for the next part of the challenge!” Chris said, all of them grumbling.

Noah couldn’t wait.

——

Heather smirked.

“I’m winning this challenge and getting first class, then Alejandro is as good as gone!” Heather said.

“Good riddance, then it’s smooth sailing, the dweeb doesn’t stand a chance and that know it all hasn’t taken that much interest in the million,” Heather reasoned.

“All he does is stare at Alejandro when he’s not looking, watching him,” Heather said, setting her hand on her chin.

“I don’t know what’s going on between the two of them but, I’m glad Alejandro hasn’t tried to talk to me, he probably knows better now, I’m not falling for his little charade again,” Heather huffed, flipping her pony tail dramatically.

••••••••

“As I said earlier we have landed in research rich Alberta Canada,” Chris announced as they all gathered around the front of the plane.

“The interns were supposed to burry these barrels full of maple syrup, spiders, and rattle snakes but, long story short the interns buried our reserve fuel instead.” Chris narrowed his eyes, probably resisting the urge to knock the barrels over and send the interns off screaming.

“It’s so hard to find good help these days,” Chris shook his head. Noah knew Chris well enough to know that finding help wasn’t the problem— keeping it was. He’d been Chris’ intern for long enough to know what it was like working with him. Needless to say he was glad he was on the competition and not back fetching coffee from a place across town only to have it spit in his face.

“Anyways, seeing as Al and Noah tied for first place you two get to fight over who gets what.”

“For the first place prize I have this giant drill and the second place prize is this axe and pail, go nuts,” he said, bringing the items out for Noah and Alejandro to stare at.

“Oh and seeing as Heather got third you get this,” Chris said, tossing her a plastic bucket and a kiddie shovel.

“Seriously? What am I supposed to do with this?” Heather huffed.

“I dunno maybe you should have won the first challenge,” Chris said shrugging.

“Now seeing as the day light is fading I would advise you all to hurry up, first person to bring back a barrel of my oil wins immunity and first class with the looser of their choice, pretty straight forward huh?” Chris finished.

“Seriously?” Heather asked, looking out at the badlands, its borders lined with rocks.

Chris was right, the sun was drifting lower in the sky forming a murky orange color that shaded the valley. Maybe that was the color of the sand Noah couldn’t tell given that everything looked the same. It was all just sand and rock, it would be like looking for a needle in a haystack.

“How are we supposed to find a barrel before nightfall there’s probably 50 square kilometers of desert out here and I have to dig with my hands?” Cody asked.

“Huh, I don’t know guess you’ll have to figure it out B-day boy.”

Chris pulled out a whistle, placing it to his lips before a thought crossed his face.

“Oh I forgot to mention, Chef’s up on one of the rock towers, he’ll be throwing down the occasional boulder to make things more interesting, good idea right? I thought of it myself, didn’t even have time to clear it with the producers so everybody watch out,” Chris said, laughing at his own idea of a joke.

“Alright enough talking go get those fuel barrels!” Chris said, blowing the whistle.

Noah barely blinked before Heather took off, Cody’s wrist grabbed. It looked like she was going to talk to him. Noah was weary of Heather but, she seemed sorry enough. Noah understood how easy it was to let Alejandro get under your skin. He still needed to win the challenge but, he had hope. It wasn’t like he had anything else to lose.

Noah looked back at Alejandro who was inching towards the tools in front of them.

“Perhaps we should share the—“

“I’ll take the drill, if you’re really sorry then you’ll let me,” Noah said with no hint of remorse. Was he shamelessly holding the incident over Alejandro’s head, maybe? Could you blame him?

“Not so fast amigo, if I’m not mistaken I illustrated to you that I was truly sorry, that is no longer a valid argument,” Alejandro said, swooping in and grabbing the drill before he could protest. Alejandro really was an eel, agile like one too.

“Hey we tied, and if I’m not mistaken you have muscle to use the axe, it’s only fair,” Noah argued, once again inflating Alejandro’s ego. He really needed to stop doing that, he had a big enough head as it was.

“Ah so you notice, you flatter me amor,” Alejandro said, smiling. He subtly flexed the arm that was holding the drill, Noah shooting him a glare.

“But, fine just know that it will not be enough to beat me,” Alejandro said playfully. Noah returned the look. Alejandro wanted to play that game, Noah would play and win.

“Sure, keep telling yourself that,” Noah said, taking the drill from him. Alejandro didn’t let go immediately, Noah’s hand brushing up against his for a second too long. The silence held, Noah trying not to acknowledge the slight red dusting his cheeks. He wasn’t sure why he felt at a loss for words.

Alejandro looked like he wanted to say something but, decided against it.

“Good luck Al, you’ll need it,” Noah said, turning away and walking out into the badlands. Birds chirped above him and the sun beat down on him. In other words it was the perfect condition to secure his victory.

It was the smart choice, leaving Alejandro before he could forget what he was doing. Alejandro had that way about him, making a Noah forget that he hated him. It was easy when the bad parts of himself were hiding under the surface. Sure Alejandro apologized but he never apologized for anything else and he hadn’t shown remorse for it, not directly anyways.

Noah needed to remember who he was talking to, arguing with like they were old friends. The others were watching him and he was too close now to slip up. He only had a challenge or two left and he would be done, never have to come back and deal with Alejandro’s confusing mannerisms again.

Noah held the drill in his tired grasp, lugging it through the desert, leaving Alejandro in the dust. He didn’t hear footsteps anyways so he assumed that Alejandro was smart enough not to follow.

Noah wasn’t exactly sure where he was going but, he knew that Chris’ wouldn’t order his interns to burry the fuel buckets in easy to find locations. Of course that didn’t help much seeing as ‘not easy to find locations’ covered almost every square kilometer of the badlands. Once he walked far enough he figured he’d have to start somewhere lest he miss something right in front of his face.

Noah had a lot ridding in the challenge and he couldn’t screw it up by not digging in one place.

There was a couple more minutes of near silent walking until Noah stopped, looking around for a good place to start. Who was he kidding everything looked the same, there was no way to tell seeing as the winds weathered away the sand giving all of it a freshly unearthed look.

He was so lost in his own thoughts that he didn’t feel someone bump into him from behind until he was falling towards the ground.

“Apologies amigo,” Alejandro said, catching him by the waist and pulling him to his feet like they were dancing the Waltz and Alejandro had just gone in for the dip.

“Why are you following me?” Noah asked, going right out of the gate accusing him. He hadn’t heard footsteps because Alejandro waited a moment before following behind him, it was the only explanation. The guy really was acting like a lost puppy, he had the opportunity to go off on his own and win so why was he tailing Noah instead?

“You did not let me finish a moment ago, “ Alejandro said like that explained anything.

“What did you need to say so badly that you decided to just stalk me through the badlands?” Noah asked even if Alejandro’s actions barely classified as stalking.

“I was simply suggesting that we work together like Heather and Cody, of course finders keepers if you happen to find a barrel but wouldn’t it be better to stick together in case the other gets injured while searching, the badlands are quite dangerous,” Alejandro offered.

“I’ll pass I’m not a damsel in distress Alejandro I can take care of myself, besides wouldn’t you be happy if I got crushed by a boulder or something, less competition,” Noah said unsubtly, rolling his eyes at the spiel. Alejandro was probably just keeping an eye on him so he could swoop in the second Noah found something.

He would pass on the babysitter.

Alejandro looked offended at the very notion.

“I am devoted to winning the game but, I am not heartless, of course if you need me I will rescue you amigo,” Alejandro said with a really unsubtle wink. The flirting was getting tiring, Noah annoyed that his protests fell on deaf ears.

“Noted.”

“But, if anything happens it will probably be me saving you,” Noah said nonchalantly.

“Is that so amigo?” Alejandro teased, placing a hand on his hip.

Noah didn’t respond, landing on a spot and setting the drill down.

“Ah brilliant placement,” Alejandro said, moving a small ways away to begin a pile with his own tools.

Good, at least he knew to keep his distance when Noah turned the drill on.

——

“Why am I following Noah?”

“No particular reason, I simply feel that I should stay close with him, we are enemies after all and he is clearly plotting my elimination as I speak.”

“Why would I not stay glued to his side, como una mosca en papel matamoscas,” Alejandro recited.

——

Noah ran the drill for a solid five minutes coming up short. He hadn’t really expected to find anything but, it was annoying.

Alejandro had similar luck given that he was still digging with his axe in the ground.

Noah coughed as the dust cleared, tracing the small cracks the drill made in the ground for any hint of metal or oil. It was rather redundant searching for a barrel that they would probably have to break to even notice. It was poor planning on Chris part— along with burying the oil in the first place.

Alejandro must have heard the drill stop as he climbed out of the small hole that had formed at his feet. He was out of breath, hand moving to his forehead to wipe the sweat that was already dripping down the side of his head. Noah wasn’t sure why he was watching him still, he wasn’t that interesting.

The sun must have peaked out from behind one of the rocks, Noah looked up, spotting it hanging low in the sky. He didn’t have time to watch Alejandro, he had things to do.

Noah picked up the drill, moving onto a spot further away. There was no rhyme or reason to the challenge, it was just luck. Noah hated it, seeing as his luck was near non existent.

“Amigo, trying to leave me behind?” Alejandro asked, Noah’s eye twitching.

“If I recall I never agreed to work together, just because I acknowledged your apology doesn’t mean everything is fine and dandy,” Noah snapped. It wasn’t just Owen, he wasn’t sure why Alejandro hadn’t realized that. It was everything he’d done, Noah wasn’t sure why Alejandro was pretending he wasn’t ruthless.

Noah wasn’t an idiot. He remembered his hatred, that stare that was practically engraved into his memory.

That sad stare as he jumped off the plane…

That was probably because he’d just lost a team member he could have manipulated. Alejandro didn’t care about him, he cared what he knew. Why else was she following him around in the desert. He was scared that by the end of the challenge he would be gone; he was sucking up so Noah would take pity on him. That had to be it. Alejandro was desperate. Noah wasn’t going to entertain him.

Alejandro looked hurt at Noah’s words, fake hurt.

“What more shall you have me do?” Alejandro asked.

Noah didn’t respond, pushing ahead. It felt like there was a gap between them, a line extending out over a canyon. Noah was fine with it at first, he didn’t want anything to do with Alejandro given the eel incident, but that changed. An irrational part of him had started wanted to cross that gap the longer he was in the competition. Sure Alejandro wasn’t nice but, he wouldn’t pretend to be a saint. Sometimes he could get along with him, sometimes he even enjoyed talking to him even if it was a round of mental gymnastics.

Noah felt insane trying to justify the feelings. Alejandro hurt people but, maybe that wasn’t all he was. Were his morals questionable, yes but he wasn’t some heartless monster. There were moments when he showed that maybe the competition emphasized a small part of him, the bad part.

Of course that didn’t excuse what he’d done but, it made things complicated to say the least. It was why Noah didn’t grace him with a response. Nothing he said could summarize how he felt in so many words.

Alejandro kept pace with him, reading the room enough to not speak.

Noah wasn’t sure where he was going but, it was away from the situation.

They walked for what felt like ages, not stopping to look, Noah simply walking like he was on auto pilot. He could pretend that he had some secret strategy to win but, he was just running away. Away from the complicated feelings and away from what he had to do.

He just needed a second to breathe, one single second. Then he would be okay.

Alejandro kept pace with him, only a couple steps behind him. Noah wasn’t sure why he kept following him. It would have been smarter to search for the oil somewhere else. Maybe he’d forgotten about the challenge too. It was certainly easy when they were in the middle of a wasteland with no end in sight. The sun was making everything blur together, the reddish sand all looking the same.

Noah swayed slightly, finally stopping near a giant rock structure. It reminded him of the condor nest from the last challenge, he could almost see Noah Jr. jumping up to meet his gaze. Maybe he missed the stupid little bird, so sue him.

“Why are you still following me?” Noah asked, not turning around.

Alejandro set his axe on the ground with a thud, probably leaning against it.

“I do not know..” he admitted. The words didn’t sound staged, Noah was surprised.

“Just go dig a hole or something,” Noah muttered, finally placing his drill on the ground. He set it off before Alejandro could respond, cracks deepening in the ground. He doubted he would find anything but, he just needed to get his head back in the game and maybe he could forget about things. Whatever he was so confused about.

He needed to stop thinking so much it was only hurting his head. Alejandro was bad, why couldn’t that just be that. He dissuaded the thought by pushing the drill further into the ground, body shaking at the motion. Out of the corner of his eyes he saw motion, probably Alejandro, he didn’t care.

He didn’t stop the drill until he had dug a reasonable sized hole in the ground. It almost went up to his head , Noah finding nothing.

He sighed, giving the air a frustrated huff. It was baseless seeing as nothing was resting on him finding the barrel in that spot. It was a long shot.

He climbed back out of the hole, tossing the drill up first and his body following. He would have to try again somewhere else.

“Amigo, what is wrong?” Alejandro asked, bombarding him the second he saw solid ground again.

Noah turned away from him almost immediately. Why did he care so much? Why was he puppy guarding him like he was worried that he hurt his feelings. He was the enemy, he wanted to crush him to dust just like everyone else.

“Nothing, I’m trying to win the challenge and you’re distracting me,” Noah finally said.

He picked up the drill again, intent on moving to another spot when something flew through the air.

Both Noah and Alejandro looked up, watching a rock soar through the sky. Had Noah had a second longer to react he would have sprinted away but, he stayed there staring as it gracefully flew through the air over their heads. At least they were out of the range of fire.

The rock hit the stone structure Noah had noticed a moment earlier, breaking into pieces upon impact.

Noah exhaled in relief, maybe a second too soon as he heard cracking.

The large rock was moving, the ground giving way like it was made of air. It was the cracks, the cracks from Noah’s drill that were springing the rock lose from its spot towering above them. It was coming down, straight towards them, like a giant Jenga tower.

Noah never liked Jenga anyways.

He could only stare until Alejandro grabbed his hand— roughly.

“Amor we have to go!” Alejandro said, taking off across the width of the rock. It was casting a shadow, a giant statue Noah wasn’t sure they could escape in time.

The warning was welcome as Noah finally had the sense to move away, breaking into a sprint. His heart pounded in his chest, eyes glued upwards as he watched the rock fall. Dust picked up around him, clouding his eyes and nose as he struggle to breath. It was scary, more than any little bolder chef could throw at them. Maybe it was his own fault for standing so close to the structure.

They kept running, Noah somehow beating Alejandro who refused to let go of his hand. It was probably for the best keeping them in pace with each other.

The closer he got to safety the lower the celling became, the sun blotted out above them by a giant stone slab layered with various shades of orange and grays.

“Vamos amigo, we are almost there!” Alejandro cried out, looking back at their demise. Noah didn’t expect his life to be threatened during the challenge but, he wasn’t really surprised. It was Chris he was talking about, who was he kidding.

Noah pumped his legs, fearing the worst until his hand was released, a force shoving him the final centimeter required to breakout into the sunlight. It felt a lot better, Noah falling to his knees the second he was spared from the rocks gaze.

Barely a second past before the rock collapsed, the ground shaking and more dust spilling out clouding Noah’s head. His nose tickled, his throat hurt, his eyes watered. Noah coughed, still managing to take deep gasps of air as he stared at the ground, palms in the dirt.

He was okay, he was alive.

Who cared about anything else.

Noah stayed like that for a moment, a single moment, before realizing something was wrong.

Someone shoved him.

Alejandro.

Noah scrambled to his feet, ignoring the dizzy feeling in his head. Alejandro had to be fine, he probably just got out after him.

He better have.

Noah walked closer to the rock, it adjusting to its new position in the ground by sinking the slightest bit lower.

Noah started looking through the dust, waving his hand around to clear it.

“Alejandro?” Noah asked.

A cough could be heard as the dust cleared, a low cough.

“Over here,” he admitted, voice softer than normal. Noah felt his stomach sink. He was okay, right? At least he was able to talk, at least he wasn’t crushed under the rock.

Noah followed the sound of his voice, hand grabbing the side of the rock to find Alejandro sitting there, hands propped up in the dirt like he was the second he escaped.

“I appear to be stuck,” Alejandro said, laughing awkwardly.

Noah rubbed his eyes, letting the water clear from them.

Alejandro was sitting close to the rock, on his back nearly as his ankle was secured snuggly under a stray piece of rock, the ground caving in slightly as to not crush his foot entirely. A precarious situation in short.

Alejandro only smiled vivaciously, appearance way to happy for Noah’s liking. He was at a Noah’s mercy, he knew that. Why was he so happy? Maybe it was a front, that made sense to Noah.

“Are you okay?” Noah asked.

Alejandro nodded his head.

“Aside from the dust in my freshly washed hair and the dirt on my nuevo pants, I am okay, my ankle does not appear injured it is simply stuck,” Alejandro summarized.

“That’s good,” Noah said.

“I..uh..thanks for saving me from that rock,” Noah said, rubbing the back of his head— a hesitant smile rising to his face. He could admit that it was a nice gesture, as far as Alejandro went anyways.

“Of course amor, I could not let my mortal enemy, your own words, get crushed to death before the end of the competition,” Alejandro said, toothy smile annoying Noah. He clearly wasn’t in any kind of danger other than in danger of losing.

“How kind of you,” Noah deadpanned.

“I guess you were right about the whole saving thing,” Noah shrugged.

“Do you think you could assist me? I am unable to free myself,” Alejandro asked, pulling at his leg to no avail.

Noah began to nod his head before something else caught his attention.

It started with an acrid smell, a burning almost like plastic floating over to him in a wave. For once he had never smelt such a beautiful thing. His assumption was confirmed when he tilted his head, spying an inky black fountain spilling out in a puddle further down the rocks path of destruction.

Noah supposed a good way to find oil was to cover as much ground as possible, it was lucky but, also to be expected given how much surface area the rock covered.

Alejandro clearly picked up on what Noah saw as he tried to pull at his leg again.

“Amigo..”he began.

Noah turned back towards him, neutral look on his face. He managed to keep the conflict off of it, for the time being. It would be easy, leave Alejandro stuck and take home the win, or at the very least give him last place.

The others would do it in his position, do what he’d done to everyone else.

He’d stuck Bridgette to a pole hadn’t he? It would be a taste of his own medicine to leave him there for Chef to find.

But, Noah immediately felt guilty. What if the rock fell further, what if his leg really got crushed? Maybe he should help.

Then Alejandro would probably outrun him, take the oil for himself and betray Noah’s moment of kindness.

Neither option sounded like a victory to him.

Alejandro let out a breath, Noah getting out of his head for the time being.

“Amigo..” Alejandro said again.

Noah gave him a look, Alejandro frowning.

“You do not want it to end like this, do you?” Alejandro said. He was trying to save himself, that was all. Noah wasn’t sure why he was still listening.

Noah looked away from him.

“We have been through so much, fighting with each other to get votes, is this really satisfying to you?” Alejandro continued, pulling out all the stops.

“Pretty satisfying, you’ve been stalking me this entire challenge, why shouldn’t I go get that barrel of oil and leave you here, it would be easy,” Noah said, asking himself the question more than Alejandro.

“I did save you from the rock,” Alejandro offered.

“That made us even, that’s all, I don’t owe you anything,” Noah spit out. He needed to understand who he was dealing with, not get caught up in his nice charade or friendly banter that Noah enjoyed more than he should have.

“Of course…” Alejandro said.

“But, is this really the end you want, me gone without a fight, pinned down under this rock, it feels a bit unfair,” Alejandro reasoned.

Noah hated that he was right. The victory was safe but, it was cheap. It was something Alejandro would do if given the opportunity.

And Noah viewed himself as better than Alejandro— by a thin margin.

“This should not be how we end this..”he said again. Like he was forcing Noah to address his stance soon. He couldn’t just stand their forever debating, Heather and Cody were still out there looking for oil and Noah knew he and Alejandro had been gone a good while already.

Alejandro shifted carefully, wincing as his leg got pulled the wrong way. He was really leaning in on the pathetic angle but, for some reason it was working.

“Don’t even start, “ Noah took a breath.

“I’ll help you alright but I have conditions or I’ll leave you to the birds,” Noah said, narrowing his eyes, a cold gaze read in them.

Alejandro bobbed his head.

“Gracias amigo,” he said carefully.

“You haven’t heard what I want…”Noah said, hating that he was still talking. Hadn’t he learned to shut up yet. Alejandro was manipulating him and Noah was letting him.

It wasn’t his fault that part of Alejandro was right. He wouldn’t have beaten him fairly if he took the barrel of oil. He had come to get revenge, not get lucky and leave him trapped under a rock. It was cheap, even if it was effective. He still wanted Alejandro gone but, maybe he could simply stick to his original plan. It was the noble thing to do.

Noah wouldn’t pretend to be the picture of perfectionism but, he tried not to be completely morally reprehensible.

“What would you like in return for freeing me, a kiss?” Alejandro asked, flirting because of course he was.

Noah ignored his efforts.

“I want you as an ally, given that you somehow survive the next elimination ceremony you owe me a favor and you’ll help me get to the final two,” Noah summarized.

“Help us get to the final two?” Alejandro corrected.

“In your dreams,” Noah scoffed even though that was looking more probable given that up to that point every elimination ceremony ended in failure.

“So…to summarize,” Alejandro said, smiling seeing as he was getting exactly what he wanted.

“You help me and I owe you a favor, while also becoming your ally?” Alejandro offered.

“Basically,” Noah said, hanging his arms at his sides awkwardly.

Alejandro held his hand out, smiling even though he had no right to. He wasn’t in a position of power, he was stuck under a rock. Why did it still feel like he was getting what he wanted?

“You my friend have yourself a deal,” Alejandro said. Noah gave him a hesitant look, slowly extending his hand out for Alejandro to reach.

He grabbed it tightly, shaking Noah’s hand before leaning closer and placing a kiss on his knuckles.

Noah pulled back, holding his hand to his chest. He wasn’t sure why his cheeks warmed.

“What was that?” Noah asked, voice squeakier than he wanted it to be.

“A confirmation back home,” Alejandro said, smiling passively.

——

“It is simply a formal agreement, the kiss was all part of the deal, that is all,” Alejandro said smiling wide. Nothing cruel showed in his face, his eyes sparkled, like he’d gotten glitter in them.

——

“Okay..”Noah said skeptically. Something told him Alejandro was messing with his head— yeah something called common sense. He wondered why he was even surprised anymore.

“Now amigo…my leg?” Alejandro asked, waggling his eyebrow. He attempted to move his ankle, the rock groaning as it moved slightly. Maybe it was a good thing Noah was sticking around, he didn’t want to be responsible for Alejandro coming away from the experience with a broken ankle.

Noah sighed, looking around the badlands for something to prop the rock up. He found his answer in the form of a large stick sitting a little ways away. It fell from a dead tree, a rare sight in their environment.

Noah didn’t bother explaining anything to Alejandro, walking towards the branch. His face was blank, thoughts racing through all the ways his decision could backfire. Why was he showing Alejandro good grace? Why wasn’t he being heartless?

Maybe he wasn’t cut out for getting revenge after all. Noah thought he was calloused enough to follow through. Why was Alejandro so annoyingly difficult to handle?

He picked up the branch to the best of his ability, dragging it back over to Alejandro. It was rather pathetic but, Noah didn’t care about appearances. He just wanted to get this over with.

Alejandro watched him silently, face scrunched up slightly, like he was actually in pain and not just being dramatic.

——

Alejandro propped his foot up on the confessional, motion stiff.

“I was not lying earlier, my foot was fine when the rock fell…” Alejandro sighed.

“I shouldn’t have moved it around, the rock slipped and now my ankle is in danger of snapping, Como una ramita,” Alejandro said, wincing.

“I am glad Noah decided to stay and help…in hindsight I should not have trailed him but, perhaps I can still turn things around ..” Alejandro said rather optimistically.

“If he agrees to the terms of his deal he will keep me around, and when push comes to shove I will swoop in and take victory from him..he should know better than to attempt to control me,”Alejandro shook his head.

“Noah will not see it coming..” Alejandro held his hand up, palm outstretched.

“And then things will really be over,” Alejandro said, closing his fist and watching as he made a motion to crush what was inside it.

He sprinkled the imaginary dust on the ground, watching pathetically as it all floated away.

“Pero, ¿a qué coste?”

——

Noah met Alejandro’s eyes, jamming the stick under the rock with all his might. His arms handled it just as well as he expected, barely getting a hold under the giant rock. He didn’t expect to be able to lift it but, he could move a portion of it seeing as it had cracks running down the side of it. Eventually it would fall apart, and Noah was going to abuse that.

He left the branch sticking out of the rock, end jammed underneath. He walked a small distance, grabbing a boulder that had fallen lose from the rock upon impact. It was heavy but, it was the only one Noah had any hope of lifting. Would it surprise anyone to say that he didn’t work out much— or at all?

Regardless of his exercise regimen— or lack thereof— he lifted the rock above his head, adrenaline from the near death experience coursing through his veins. He placed the rock on top of the branch like a lever to lift it up.

The rock budged at the force, slowly lifting up.

Noah pulled on the branch as well, watching as the ground moved, dust picking up and ground cracking further.

“Pull it now!” Noah said, straining against the stick to give Alejandro as much breathing room as possible.

Alejandro quickly scrambled out from under the rock, a wince leaving his lips as he crawled away. Maybe the rock had done some damage. Noah would never admit that he was worried. He couldn’t exactly carry Alejandro back to the plane, he was tired enough from lifting the rock up.

Having done what he needed to do Noah released the stick, letting the rock fall and watching the stick snap as the rock fell back down.

Noah took a breath, putting his hands to his knees for a moment. As if breathing wasn’t hard enough the dust made it harder, his lungs felt chalky, like the particles were circulating through his body.

“Are you..”Noah gasped for air.

“Alright?” Noah asked, it was obligatory— obviously.

The dust slowly settled, Alejandro nursing his ankle with his hand.

“Sí, thankfully the rock did not break my leg,” Alejandro said.

“Good so you can help me dig up the oil and carry it back to camp for me,” Noah said smugly, recovering quickly. Alejandro’s pick axe and his drill seemed to be lost in the chaos so that left them with nothing except their hands.

“I would not go that far…” Alejandro began.

Noah didn’t want to hear it. He walked over to Alejandro’s place in the ground, extending his hand out carelessly. Knowing him he would probably try to kiss it again. He could still feel the sensation of Alejandro’s lips on his knuckles. He wondered vaguely how his lips would feel somewhere else…

For curiosity’s sake.

Alejandro took his hand, gripping it tightly. Noah took the opportunity to pull him to his feet. He wobbled as pressure was applied to his ankle, hanging onto Noah’s neck and shoulders with some of his weight.

“Apologies amigo, I appear to be in more pain than I predicted..”he admitted, toothy grin betraying the sincerity of his words. He was happy that he was injured, the bastard. He just wanted to make Noah’s life more difficult, how typical.

Noah sighed, helping Alejandro down towards the ground.

“Stay here,” he commanded, like Alejandro was a toddler. That probably wasn’t far off with how petty he was.

It looked like he would be digging the oil out himself, then somehow carrying Alejandro back to the plane —all before the sun set and all before Chef decided to throw another boulder at them.

Maybe he should have walked away from Alejandro when he had the chance.

That was on him for trying to be generous.

He saw where that got him.

••••••••

As predicted Noah had a fun time.

By the time he saw the plane in the distance he was exhausted, barely keeping his head up.

Digging up the oil wasn’t so bad, it was the weight of the barrel that sucked. Noah knew he couldn’t carry it so he resorted to rolling it across the ground, after patching the small hole with a rock. That combined with Alejandro leaning on his shoulder made an easy return trip (note his sarcasm).

Things were made worse by Alejandro’s flat out invasion of his personal space. In order to make any progress Noah agreed to let him put an arm over his shoulder, using him like a human crutch. Maybe he had fallen for his pathetic gaze, and hobbled walk as he tried to stand. He knew Alejandro was playing every card he had but, he couldn’t just let him get more injured. He was out for revenge, but he wasn’t aiming for physical retaliation.

The more he walked the more Noah became aware of Alejandro’s breathing next to him, every movement of his body as he walked. It was strange being so hyper aware. Noah felt static, almost shy. He didn’t do shy. He was a loner, he didn’t struggle socially— he was blunt. Why did he feel tongue tied anytime he tried to ask Alejandro to not put his face so close to him, that it was doing weird things to him.

Noah supposed he could have solved the problem by not falling for the obvious ploy Alejandro was pulling. He was trying to intimidate him, gain back control that Noah had taken upon a cruel twist of fate.

It was the only explanation Noah would accept.

“Amigo, the plane,” Alejandro said, he was the reason Noah even noticed at all, he was too focused on balancing everything carefully.

Noah kept walking, watching the plane get closer in his vision.

“Ah, Noah..and Alejandro? Huh Interesting,” Chris said, smiling.

Noah’s hopes of winning were promptly stomped into the ground when he saw Heather and Cody standing there. Heather looked victorious while Cody stood next to her with no discernible expression on his face.

“Here’s a barrel..” Noah muttered, rolling it over to the pile.

“What happened?” Heather asked.

“A rock fell, his leg got stuck..it’s probably just twisted,” Noah summarized, laying Alejandro down at the base of the plane before stepping back.

“Gracias amigo,” Alejandro said, winking.

Noah glowered at him.

“Well with that I think the challenge is officially over!” Chris said, rubbing his hands together.

“Seeing as Heather got here first she wins immunity while Cody and Noah get second and third, not that it matters..”

“And Al buddy, what happened, fourth place?” Chris asked.

Alejandro grumbled something even Noah couldn’t catch.

“Well, good work contestants, looks like we’re back on track after all, no thanks to you two,” Chris said, glaring at the interns who stood to his side. One sprouted a painful looking rattlesnake bite and another’s hair had some sort of brown sticky substance in it. Noah was exponentially grateful that he wasn’t still employed by Chris.

“Ha, in your face,” Heather said smugly.

“There were extenuating circumstance amiga, I would not act cocky yet,” Alejandro said.

“Why don’t you tell me all about it on your way to the med bay,” Chef butt in, appearing with a stretcher in record time. He was wearing a nurses uniform, high heels and all.

“I am alright it is nothing—“ Alejandro tried to protest, Chef hoisting him up onto the cot with ease.

“That’s up for me to decide, we aren’t having another lawsuit on our hands,” Chef said, shuttering —probably at the thought of Courtney.

——

“Yeah that girl tried to sue us a while back because she lost, it didn’t work but Chris rewrote the contracts this season so they’re iron clad,” Chef said, squished into the confessional.

“No amount of reading that over will allow her back on the show, but I’d sure like to see her try,” Chef said, laughing.

——

Noah watched blankly as Alejandro was carted away. He hoped he was okay, him going home with a broke ankle wasn’t how Noah wanted to end their game. It felt unsatisfying, a cop out.

“Hopefully he’ll be okay, in the mean time let’s get comfortable, the weathers nice and the interns have generously set up a campfire outside for tonight’s special elimination ceremony— deciding who gets into the final three!” Chris said.

“Now find something to do, I have preparations to make,” Chris said, smiling a little too much for Noah’s tastes.

Without another word he strolled away, leaving them to their own devices, which wasn’t much seeing as they were standing next to the only hint of civilization for miles.

Noah turned to Heather, knowing what he had to do. He had to see if she got through to Cody, or if she turned him against him.

“Congratulations,” Noah said blithely, crossing his arms.

“Thanks,” Heather said.

“It wasn’t easy digging up a barrel with my bare hands,” Heather snapped.

“Welcome to the club, my prize got crushed under a giant rock along with Alejandro’s ankle,” Noah said, not elaborating.

“What happened with you two? I didn’t think you were teaming up?” Heather asked, narrowing her eyes.

Noah shrugged.

“He followed me, Chef threw a rock and he got unlucky, that’s all,” Noah said, sparing her important details. She didn’t need to know about his deal, or the conflicting thoughts in his head that suddenly told him to wait another round before eliminating Alejandro. If he really wanted him gone he would have left him, wouldn’t he?

Ergo he wanted to keep him around, at least as an ally he could trust— trust only referring to their deal. Of all he knew about Alejandro he didn’t tend to go back on his word, right off the bat anyways. He simply tended to leave details out of things, mold the conversation to his liking.

“Sounds more interesting than trying to talk to him,” Heather muttered, glancing over at Cody who was drawing something in the ground. It was a birthday cake, a crude one. He sighed softly for whatever reason as he drew the base of the cake.

“Did you get him to change his mind?” Noah asked.

Heather scoffed.

“He’s scared of Sierra but, I convinced him that he should be more scared of Alejandro,” Heather said proudly.

She leaned in closer to Noah, hands cupped to ensure Cody didn’t hear.

“And I remembered his birthday for a reason, he trusts me,” Heather said.

“Right, so then he’s gone..” Noah said, referring to Alejandro.

“Yeah, no funny business, Im voting for him and so is Cody, he’ll finally be out…”she said.

“That’s good..”Noah said, failing to meet Heather’s eyes.

He didn’t realize at first that she was doing the same, an expression that wasn’t exactly a frown on both of their faces.

“Finally,” Noah continued, trying to smile after the mood of the conversation dropped dramatically.

“He better enjoy his night on the plane, it’ll be his last one,” Heather said, growing smug again.

“Now go away, I have to wrap the dweebs gift,” she said, words harsh for how nice they were. Noah wasn’t sure he knew how close they were. Heather appeared to be distant but, she had a soft side—for Cody it seemed. Noah supposed he was rather pathetic in a sense, although lately he was trying to change, Noah admired that one quality of his.

“You don’t have to tell me twice,” Noah said, taking his leave.

He wasn’t really sure what he was going to do before the elimination ceremony. He didn’t feel like doing much of anything.

He decided to walk over to the fireplace, take a seat on one of the wooden benches, and think about things.

He had a lot on his mind.

He tried to push it down but, there was no denying it.

He wasn’t sure if he wanted Alejandro gone.

He had the will, he had the way to do it but, some part of him wanted to stop it. Some part of it was strategic but, another part of him didn’t view it as a fitting end to their rivalry, a fitting way to get revenge on him. Alejandro was already down, crushed partly under a rock after saving his life.

Alejandro saved his life.

Noah hadn’t thought about that since it happened. It felt strange to think seeing that he figured Alejandro would probably be the one to end his life.

Strange. He hadn’t even thought twice before shoving him forward.

Noah could only put that in the ‘every time Alejandro wasn’t an asshole’ pile. It was growing bigger everyday, the pile of his grievances against him looking bare.

He hated Alejandro, he hated what he’d done but it almost didn’t feel like the him Noah was familiar with anymore.

He wouldn’t fool himself into thinking Alejandro felt sorry about what he’d done but, something was changing within him. Maybe it was in his mannerisms or how he spoke but, he was slipping up. His persona of smiles and false promises had fallen off its face leaving the underbelly behind. The real Alejandro was cunning, and clever. But he wasn’t heartless.

He saved his life.

He noticed when he hurt somebody he cared about— and tired to fix it.

He was affected by things, by conflict like everyone else.

It was weird to think of Alejandro as someone so human. Sometimes he felt like a shadow, a faceless entity that caused everyone’s suffering.

Alejandro was the villain. The one who was meant to lose while everyone cheered. It was how those types of things went. Everyone loved a good villain even if they knew that they inevitably had to lose. The scene was like a car crash, hard to look away from as the flames grew higher.

That was how Noah felt. He was fanning the flames, becoming a villain only to take down Alejandro.

For revenge.

A noble motive, he thought sarcastically.

He was a vigilante, he may take Alejandro down but he would go down with him. Was that really what he wanted? To ruin whatever relationship they had forever because of some petty emotions, feelings Noah wasn’t even sure he felt anymore.

Maybe he was being stupid letting go of the anger, forgetting what he’d done but it felt stupid. It was just a competition, Alejandro was just a person— a person clawing his way to first place. Noah couldn’t exactly blame him even if his actions were treading the line.

Noah shook his head, the fire crackling.

He needed to eliminate him, get him out and succeed at his goal, the entire point he was there. It wasn’t just his emotions he was handling, it was everyone’s. He was a proxy, he had a greater responsibility. Thinking about sparing Alejandro was inherently selfish.

Noah wished he could go back to being apathetic. He had done such a good job before, only good for a quick one liner and a dead look anytime someone so much as moved in his direction.

It was how he liked things, repel everyone so he wouldn’t have to deal with the fall out of caring. It was why he was a loner, why he kept most people at an arms length. Caring got you hurt, so why bother. Noah didn’t like feeling all tangled up. It hurt, he wasn’t used to it.

Damnit.

He should have sat back and let them think up another plan, let them try something else or better yet give up.

Noah didn’t want to think about Alejandro or the complicated feelings he felt.

He hated Alejandro.

At one point.

He hated him with every fiber of his being. He hated what he’d done, how easily he’d eliminated him, just how clever he was.

Alejandro was smart, and he’d outsmarted him.

There was also the eel pond but, Noah didn’t want to drudge that up.

The more he thought the more he realized that it was only for a second. He hated Alejandro but, more than anything he hated himself for screwing up. He hated that he couldn’t control what happened, he hated that he was stuck being neutral because he didn’t want to put himself out there and try to be someone worth paying attention to.

Noah wasn’t someone great.

He was smart— a smart ass as Duncan would say. He had wit, he excelled enough in school. But that was it. No matter how much he tried the stupid reality show was the only thing interesting about him and all that was was luck.

Noah didn’t like to try, try to make things work out. Unless he had to.

And that was a flaw.

He was flawed. Just like Alejandro.

Noah wasn’t sure why it took him so long to realize that, something he’d already known; something that was obvious.

They were both wrong in their own way, messed up and twisted trying to achieve things they felt were out of reach— Alejandro winning and Noah eliminating him.

He wasn’t sure which outcome would come out on top. Even though it was all up to him to decide.

Did he keep Alejandro around, finish the job next challenge and cash in the favor— make the elimination really sting. Or did he pull the plug, get rid of Alejandro guaranteed no loose strings attached. The answer seemed so easy yet Noah couldn’t decide.

He kept thinking.

And thinking.

And thinking….

When darkness came he still hadn’t decided.

He wasn’t exactly sure why.

——

Cody sat in the confessionals, fingers drumming the countertop.

“I’m 17 today, yippee, “ he said.

“Sierra probably had something big planned knowing her, I bet she was just dying to keep it from me..”Cody said.

“I’m glad she’s not here I don’t think I could take it,”

“She was suffocating me, and I can’t go back to that I just can’t..”

“I guess I thought I always wanted a stalker girlfriend haha,”

“Until I actually got one,”

“She always goes too far…the kiss, the underwear stealing, the stares..”Cody shuttered.

“I felt like an animal trapped in a cage with her, I hate it, I can still feel her eyes on me..it’s like she’s always watching me..”Cody shook his head back and forth.

“No..Heather said…she said she’ll make sure Sierra backs off,” Cody said coincidentally.

He rubbed his arm, realizing that the camera was lost as to what he was saying.

“Oh..uh..I don’t know why Heathers being so nice..one second she hates my guts and the next we’re talking and she actually feels sorry for me..she actually starts standing up for me..” Cody said. He sniffled, wiping his nose unsubtly.

“It’s probably a plot to get rid of Alejandro but, I don’t care, it’s nice to have someone to talk to even if that someone is Heather,” Cody said.

He reached behind him for a moment, taking out a picture frame with a piece of wrapping paper still taped to the side of it.

“Look what she got me for my birthday..I didn’t know I could feel this happy today,” Cody said, bringing the picture closer to the camera.

“I know it’s cheesy alright..I just…I miss before, before Sierra, before this whole stupid competition,” Cody said.

The picture showed his team, all of them smiling as they relaxed around the fireplace. It was near the time the challenges first stated back on the island, only Ezekiel gone at that time. Heather was in the picture too, in the background with large shades on. From the angle he figured that it was probably Geoff who took the picture— the guy could not hold a camera straight to save his life.

It wasn’t a perfect picture but, Cody’s chest filled with a strange sense of happiness seeing it.

“Heather pretends like she doesn’t care but, she must have known how much I missed the old competition, and everyone who’s gone now…”

“Y’know since she had this in her luggage..maybe she missed everyone too?” Cody asked.

“Maybe..” Cody said, humming to himself, perfectly content.

••••••••

Alejandro’s ankle was not broken.

He gave the announcement when he emerged from the plane just in time for the elimination ceremony. The only tell that he was even injured came in the form of a crutch Chef gave to him as a just in case. Aside from that he seemed to be healthy, which annoyed Noah given that he had carried the bastard what felt like 42 kilometers. Sure Alejandro saved his life but, Noah wasn’t sure it was worth that.

“Perfect timing, alright contestants it’s time for voting,” Chris said, standing near the fire.

“Who is going home, Alejandro who somehow got his leg trapped under a rock? Cody who built a dinosaur out of ancient dung? Or Noah who nearly put us to sleep with how long he took getting my oil back?”

“Let’s not waste anytime, get to those booths and stamp those passports!” Chris said.

They all eyed each other wearily, some stares nods of confirmation while others looks of uncertainty.

It felt like the elimination ceremony creeped up on him. He’d thought for what felt like days. He still wasn’t sure in his answer. Both options would leave him missing something. It was only a question of which was worse.

As he shuffled into the confessional he looked at the passports, laying them out on the counter carefully. He gripped the stamp tightly, staring into the camera. If he was going to make a decision he couldn’t have the entire world watching him— five eyes in particular.

He turned away from the camera, swiping the passports off the table. He knew moving things around wouldn’t make his decision any easier but, it was a necessary distraction from the encroaching time limit of his thought.

He waited as long as he thought he could, hearing his own breathing echo back to him. The others were waiting outside, he needed to do something.

The stamp was still enclasped in his hand, slightly raised in the air. It was newly pressed in the ink, bits of red coming off on his hand as he adjusted it.

He pressed the stamp down, straight onto the paper without hesitation. The face stared up at him, not exactly frowning. There he had done it.

He only hoped he wouldn’t live to regret it.

——

Heather held up Alejandro’s passport, staring at it with far away eyes for a moment.

She shook her head, throwing it down and pressing the stamp to the page. The ink seeped through the paper, allowing the ink to run as she held up the giant red X over Alejandro’s face.

“This had gone on long enough, it’s his time to go,” Heather said, not offering any further explanation.

——

“Welcome contestants to the elimination ceremony, hosted by yours truly, Chris McLean!” Their lovely host stood behind a wooden podium, fire casting a thin shadow on the makeshift wall behind him.

The rest of them were seated on the bleachers, moved outdoors by the same interns who screwed up earlier. Hadn’t they suffered enough? Clearly Chris didn’t think so.

“Can you get on with it?” Heather asked.

“Chill man what’s the rush? It’s not like you have anywhere to be,” Chris joked, seeing as they really had no where to go in the middle of nowhere Alberta Canada.

“But, fine I know you all are antsy for these results so I’ll get to it,” Chris said, taking out the passports. They were pressed together in a thick bundle, none sticking out to Noah. He could predict what they contained, all except for Alejandro’s vote.

Speaking of Alejandro he was sitting next to Noah, closer than he liked anyways. He was wise enough to not speak, simply hanging onto his crutch with his injured foot propped up. He still had dirt caked around the edge of his hair, packed together by sweat and probably larger pieces of rock that managed to snag. He didn’t look like his usual charming self. He was tired, body hunched over no matter how he tried to hide it. Noah could tell he was worried from a mile away. He didn’t have any tricks left, he was under Noah’s thumb.

That was a strange thought. As strange as things could be given that he was back on a competition to get revenge on his former teammate turned enemy. It sounded like one of those cheesy romance stories his sister used to ramble about (Sans the romance aspect of course). Why make characters friends when you could make them enemies with suppressed feelings for each other. It was absurd in Noah’s opinion. Hatred was blinding, there was no room for anything else.

“Seeing as there’s so few of you I’m going to read off the votes one at a time,” Chris said, smiling.

“Well, let’s see,” Chris said, flicking open the first passport.

“Looks like our first vote is for Alejandro, that’s rough.” Chris tossed the passport aside, continuing.

“Next up we have, a vote for Cody..”Chris’ brow quirked upwards at that, stilling for a moment. It was like he was thinking of something, Noah didn’t like it when Chris thought about things, it only ended badly for him. (The eels were a great example of Chris’ psychopathy in action)

“And huh looks like we have another one for Alejandro,” Chris said, tossing the passport and pulling out the last one. He almost looked nervous as he read it.

They all hung on the edge of their seats, waiting, listening. Chris didn’t give them anything, pausing like someone had turned him to ice.

“Haha, this is great,” Chris said, resuming.

“Contestants, it looks like we’re in for a tie breaker,” he said, turning over the last passport to reveal one stamped with Cody’s face. The passport Noah had held in his hands before stamping it squarely in the lines.

——

“I admit I did not expect things to end this way, I knew making any alliance with Noah was a long shot but, I suppose he decided to keep me around…” Alejandro said, smiling.

“It Is for the best seeing as I was losing before, I have Heather to thank for that,” he said, eyes narrowing as he said her name.

“She is a thorn in my side, bigger than Noah at the moment..”

“First I threaten Cody and then she steals him away and tries to vote me out, it is predictable but, annoying,” Alejandro said.

“Of course this time breaker practically guarantees my victory, I will make it to the final three and crush her,” Alejandro said.

“Then it will be me and Noah, a battle for the ages,”

“It is how things should be, great minds think alike after all,” Alejandro shrugged.

“I suppose I should apologize to Heather in advance, things are going to go badly for her, it’s only a matter of time.”

——

Noah swallowed hard. It looked like he was successful, begrudgingly.

“What?!” Heather snapped, standing up.

“There’s no way, there must be some mistake,” Heather sputtered.

“I’m ‘fraid not,” Chris said.

“Lucky for you two I have a special challenge prepared in a situation like this, I call it, Chris McLeans extra special sudden death round,” Chris said. He was proud of himself for the name too, Noah only rolled his eyes.

“Gee I wonder what it is,” Noah said. Maybe it was a defensive quip and maybe he was really worried about the outcome of the competition but, none of that mattered. All people saw was his exterior, and externally Noah couldn’t give a crap about anything. He was safe, that was all that mattered. That had to count for something, right?

“I’m glad you asked,” Chris said, stepping down from the podium. His hands were clasped behind his back, head upturned.

“Seeing as todays challenge started off rough I am happy to report that I sent the interns out to burry the correct barrels, filled with some new mystery items,” Chris said, rubbing his hands together.

“Alejandro and Cody will be tasked with finding one of them buried in a small area of the bad lands, whoever brings it to me first wins another shot at the million, the other will be sent home with nothing but a couple spider bites— oops I didn’t mean to say that,” Chris said, in a tone that told Noah that he very much meant to say that.

Great, more of the same. Noah was happy he wasn’t the one getting dirt under his fingernails trying to dig up another barrel.

Chris opened his mouth to spew more meaningless information when Cody’s hand shot up, body arched backwards.

“Um you might want to look at that…” Cody said, finger extending out towards a pile of metal barrels Noah assumed was the barrels from the earlier challenge. They looked normal aside from a bit of dirt, stacked up in a small pile near the loading dock, just out of the fire light. It wasn’t the barrels Cody was pointing to, it was a small trail of black liquid that ran through the dirt, nearing the fire place the interns had prepared.

The bottom barrel was leaking, the one Noah found after a rock cut a hole through it. The one he had patched up shoddily because he had better things to worry about than oil dripping.

Maybe he should have paid more attention.

“Hurry up, someone stop it!” Heather cried out, the oil growing closer as they all watched.

They looked between each other, realizing that they didn’t have time to stop it without getting seriously hurt, or worse.

It was after that split second of silence that things erupted into chaos.

They all scrambled off the bleachers, Chris ducked behind his fake wooden wall, and the oil finally found a fuse.

Noah didn’t have time to think, or even move, before thick arms engulfed him, shoving him towards the ground as the world turned red. It felt like flames were everywhere, exploding like little fireworks right in Noah’s ears. He felt the heat, he felt waves of it course through him as the reaction occurred. It was massive, Noah wasn’t sure how he was surviving given their close proximity to the fire.

He was thankful for the arms wrapped around him, he snuggled into them, feeling semi-protected with the weight of another overtop him. He didn’t stop to think who it was because he honestly didn’t care— even if he knew.

The blast was taking up most of his time at the moment.

It felt like an eternity wrapped into a couple of seconds. The explosion died out quickly, Noah’s ears ringing and breath feeling hot no matter which was he breathed. The air smelled distinctly of smoke and molten metal.

The tense muscles in his body slowly relaxed, Noah taking a breath, and then another until he was calm again. He was alive, and he didn’t feel any glaring injury.

Noah looked up at his protector.

It was Alejandro, again.

He took the brunt of the explosion, arms wrapped around Noah tightly like he would lose him if he let go.

“Amigo, are you okay?” Alejandro asked, relaxing him enough to lean his hands on the ground. He still had Noah trapped, his body propped under Alejandro’s.

Noah didn’t find the words to speak at first, nodding his head to stall.

“Yeah..I think so..”he said, staring into his eyes. They were filled with genuine worry, no hint of smugness.

“That was close,” Noah said, hoping to break the weird tension. It had been close but, Noah had had his fair share of near death experiences on the show. This was nothing new.

Alejandro didn’t seem to think so because he kept staring, mouth changing from a thin line to a frown, like he was thinking of something troubling.

“You could have been captured in the blast, you could have gotten burnt,” Alejandro said, voice a whisper. His face was so close to Noah that he could practically hear the worry in his voice, it was screaming at him through his ringing eardrums.

“Yeah but I’m fine, it wasn’t that bad..”Noah said, words doing nothing to dissuade Alejandro.

The silence held, Alejandro frozen, face hesitating centimeters away from his. Noah recognized the longing in his eyes, he recognized the red the suddenly snaked around his ears and cheeks. Alejandro was close to him, really close.

“Hey, if you think that this gets you out of the alliance then you—“ Noah was cut off abruptly. He wasn’t interrupted, no he was intent to finish the words if not for his physical incapacity to do so.

It was Alejandro, Alejandro was leaning in and he just stared at him. The rest of the sentence died in his throat because Alejandro was kissing him. He was placing his lips on his, holding him there in a compromising position while he kissed him. It was done gingerly, tingles ran up Noah’s spine at the feeling.

Another second was encapsulated in an eternity, Alejandro holding him, Alejandro loving him. For that one second things were perfect. It felt like whatever Noah was missing was fixed, put into place to complete the puzzle.

Then the logical part of himself caught up, the one that always had to ruin all the fun his brain was having.

It was too late, Alejandro pulled away from him, sitting up as quickly as he could. He refused to meet Noah’s gaze, leaving him staring at Alejandro in consternation.

It felt like a dream but, it wasn’t.

Noah wanted to like it, he wanted to say that something inside him wanted Alejandro to do it again and again and again but he didn’t.

Because Noah finally realized something.

Something he had been too dense to see.

When one puzzle clicked another did. Alejandro’s master plan, what he’d been building up to ever since Noah’s return. The one thing Noah could never seem to figure out.

It was so obvious.

The flirting.

The stares.

The nicknames.

The close quarters.

Worrying about him.

It was all a ploy. A clever one. A plan so on brand for Alejandro that it felt too obvious. How had he ignored it, how had he pretended that he wasn’t slowly letting Alejandro cloud his judgment. No matter how much he could say he had resisted Alejandro still won. He was still getting what he wanted, Noah had already played into his hands.

The truth was that Alejandro wanted him to fall in love with him.

And the scary part was that it worked.

Chapter Text

The Hawaiian beaches were beautiful. They were dotted with palm trees and shells that Bridgette had fashioned into a necklace while the crew set up for the next Aftermath segment. The scenery was a nice change of pace compared to the the studio. Being inside didn’t exactly give her the required amount of vitamin D.

Even if the Aftermath was hosted inside it wouldn’t have mattered, it was almost time to leave the studio for good. They had one last hurdle and it was over, she was looking at the sun peaking out over the clouds.

The sooner the Total Drama era of her life was over the better, she was counting down the days. It had been a rough couple months.

Throughout just the third competition she had let herself be seduced by Alejandro, kicked off the plane with her tongue stuck to a pole, kidnapped by Blaineley and taken to the arctic, and most importantly pushed around by Geoff on the set.

She didn’t like to admit that last one but, she knew it was true.

She thought he’d gotten better, after Action he said he’d changed. Apparently running the show was still getting to his head. It hadn’t been so obvious as first but, by the time they were set to film the last episode of the backstage show Bridgette could see it.

Clearly.

It was embarrassing that Duncan was the first to bring it up, indirectly. She’d known, she should have said something. She saw Geoff’s narrowed eyes as he spoke, the way his words felt double edged. He was keeping something in and she was sitting by letting it happen.

And she was smiling about it.

Until she wasn’t anymore.

Something must have clicked into place after her impromptu kidnapping. She landed in the artic, curtesy of their lovely co-host. It took a combined effort before she was finally shipped back to the studio. Geoff made sure that she got back. He was there on the runway when she returned, ready to embrace her before she even stepped off the plane.

“My pooh bear, I missed you so much!” he’d whispered into her ear. His grip felt tight, like he was afraid she would leave if he let go. She wasn’t sure why.

After that she got into a rhythm of preparing for the show, leading meetings of the club and making sure everything was perfect for their next shooting location. It was busy work but, the more time she spent apart from Geoff the more clear her head felt.

He was acting desperate, arguing with Blaineley and clenching his hand into a fist over and over again . She couldn’t be blamed for wanting to stay away, right? She loved him but, he clearly had other priorities once she was safe.

That was until Blaineley left. Bridgette hadn’t expected it, if she was going to go she would have expected it to happen after she essentially kidnapped her co-host. If she wasn’t gone then then she was never leaving, Bridgette accepted that. They even tolerated each other at that point.

Then Geoff presented her the good news, scooping her into another hug with an even wider smile.

“It’s my show now babe! She won’t be able to hurt you again,” he’d said while they were getting ready in their dressing room. Bridgette only remembered smiling back, it felt strained. It was good news but, she wondered how he managed to accomplish that. The producers were money hungry and Blaineley was worth every dime; it didn’t matter how annoying she was to the other cast members.

She still kept her mouth shut, hanging around and trying to forget about her dissenting opinions. The end was coming soon whether she liked it or not. Alejandro would either fall or he wouldn’t, she would watch either way. It had been so long that the plan sometimes slipped her mind. In a way, she supposed, the feelings lessened. The fresh anger scabbed over leaving something dull behind. It was a comforting feeling, yet it made her wonder. Had she ever really been mad?

She knew she was hurt, embarrassed for falling for such an obvious façade. Yet anger hadn’t crossed into the picture until she got back. Until she heard about Harold’s story, talked to Leshawna a week after. She began to feel it then, even more so when she told Geoff. He was angry, he raised his voice when everything was laid bare. Maybe her anger wasn’t necessary, he felt the feeling enough for the both of them.

She wasn’t turning back but, she didn’t have as much hanging on the conclusion of the show. Maybe it would be therapeutic to watch Alejandro fail coming so close to victory but, if he happened to succeed she could walk away. She had to. The only thing that was set in stone was her feelings and she held that little piece of control close to her chest.

“Hey how much longer on those pillows? this has to be perfect dudes!” Geoff said. Bridgette looked up, releasing the shell necklace she hadn’t known she was gripping onto. She was seated on one of the couches they’d brought out for the segment, sand seeping into the floor panel they had to set them on. She wasn’t complaining, only watching as everyone else whined about the heat. They probably should have dressed accordingly seeing as it was early April and even Canada was starting to warm up.

One of the crew members was sweating as he brushed the pillows off. A freak wind had blown some of them far enough to land in the sand, causing an unfortunate delay in the filming. It wasn’t the end of the world, it gave them an opportunity to discuss what was happening. If they were going to secure an advantage for Noah then they needed to have a concrete plan of how to win the challenge Geoff described.

It seemed simple enough, a gauntlet of sorts involving climbing, surfing, and accurate lei tossing. She would have volunteered if she wasn’t the co-host. They would have to find someone else who could perform just as well. They still didn’t know who would be leading the other teams so they had to be prepared for anything.

There were four teams set to be formed, one for Noah, one for Cody, one for Heather, and even one for Alejandro. That team would probably be small, from what Bridgette had seen.

It may have seemed variable but, they held all the cards, Geoff knew everything. If they could trust what he said. Bridgette would have, under normal circumstances. She was keeping him at an arms length, until she figured out what the one thing that was off with him.

Bridgette focused on Geoff for a moment, watching as he spoke with the crew. They had time, maybe it would be best to discuss semantics for a moment before they started shooting. Most of the cast was grouped off to the side, relaxing on some chairs dragged out of storage. The sun was up and the weather was perfect, they all deserved to unwind.

Of course rivalries still stood even in the peace. As she walked over to the small enclosed area she noticed the cliches that had formed. Most of their little group were sitting together while Courtney and a couple others stayed separate, almost scowling.

Courtney was on the phone, yelling at someone by the looks of it while Trent and Justin looked at her strangely. Sadie and Katie were sitting together, talking with Owen of all people. He had returned last, his elimination was cruel in Bridgette’s opinion. He didn’t seem too sad about it, perking up quickly once he saw everybody.

Most of them had suggested they get Owen in the loop but, she protested. He didn’t need to know what they were planning, he didn’t have a negative bone in his body. It would only make him feel guilty. They didn’t need him, he deserved a break after what happened. It took some convincing but she got the rest of them to agree.

“Hey guys..”Bridgette greeted as she walked up to them.

Leshawna was the first to acknowledge her, flipping up her sunglasses and sitting up on her chair.

“Are they filming the show yet?” she asked, raising her eyebrow.

“No, I just figured we should decide what we’re doing for the challenge, Geoff has to make sure everything is perfect before we can start,” she sighed.

“I thought we had that figured out, one of you will win the challenge and win the nerdling his advantage,” Duncan said. He was sitting in the sand, building a sandcastle of all things. He stuck out a shell he was holding to point at her, his sand castle— or more accurately sand fortress— was spiked with sticks and shells that he was only adding to. He may not have looked it but he was starting to get comfortable hanging out with them. It helped that everyone else not in the group was giving him judgmental looks. Duncan pretended to not care but it was obvious that he wasn’t comfortable with the overwhelming negative attention.

“Yeah but we still haven’t decided who’s volunteering for the challenge,” Bridgette clarified, eyeing the shell he was pointing unimpressed.

That drew the attention of the rest of them. The rest of them being Harold and DJ. Harold was close by in the ocean, ears perking up at the invitation to impress Leshawna. DJ on the other hand was sitting a ways away with his fish Irene, debating whether or not to release her into the water, the discussion a good distraction from his choice.

“I volunteer, I can totally surf!” Harold said, waddling around the sand with his swim trunks dripping onto the ground. His hair was damp and his glasses were fogged up yet he still tried to look bold. Bridgette couldn’t help but be impressed at his resolve.

“Uh, surfing? I can do that..”DJ said timidly, joining them. He still was adamant that he didn’t hate anybody but,he accepted the fact that they were in it together. Bridgette had even caught him joining in a couple time when they brought out the games or started venting about their time on the competition.

She felt closer with all of them. It hurt to think that soon they would all part ways. She would be alone soon, apart from them at least.

“You can surf?” Duncan scoffed. He stopped digging in the sand for a moment, turning his nose up.

“Yeah..I used to all the time when I was younger,” DJ said.

“We should have a competition to decide who will earn the title of representative for the challenge,” Harold said, putting his finger up.

“We don’t have to go that far, we can vote instead,” Leshawna suggested, giving Harold a hesitant smile. He looked defeated at the fact that he couldn’t show off to Leshawna.

“Good idea, I vote for the big guy, at least we’ll have a chance then,” Duncan jeered.

“Hey I don’t see you doing anything to help,” Harold said.

“You wanna say that again?” Duncan snapped, eyes narrowing.

“Let’s all calm down, uh..sorry Harold but I vote for DJ too, we need someone with upper body strength for the climbing segment of the challenge,” Bridgette said.

Leshawna nodded her head. “I agree with Bridgette, sorry sugar, you’ve already done a lot for us though,” she said.

Harold sighed. “Gosh okay, I’m sure you can win this man,” he grumbled, holding up his hand for a fist bump.

DJ smiled sheepishly, following through and pounding fists with him.

“Great, now like we discussed, pick a nice animal and don’t loose that lei, this advantage is vital,” Bridgette said. Of course he still had a small chance of losing in the final challenge—before the final two— but, she had faith. Either Cody or Alejandro were going home and the latter of which would mean their work was done.

She sincerely doubted it would be that easy. Alejandro would go out with a bang, someone like that didn’t just yield.

The cliff hanger they’d been left with did cause her to wonder…

All they had seen was the plane blowing up due to Chris’ poor fire safety, the dust clearing as the host cleared his throat and announced that they’d be back next week to find out what would happen. It was typical but, Bridgette hoped they were all okay. They probably were, she wouldn’t let herself think otherwise.

“Sure, but can someone watch Irene, I need to make sure she’s in capable hands in case something happens,” he said, holding onto the fish bowl tightly.

“I can do it ,” Bridgette offered, making semi-eye contact with Irene. The fish released bubbles, not impressed.

“Thanks!” He said.

Any further conversation was cut short by Geoff walking over to them, shadow casting over Bridgette. She could sense his presence before she saw him.

“Hey babe we’re ready to start filming, wanna help me gather everyone up?” he asked, smiling at her. It was a strained smile like he was trying to pretend everything was fine, like she wasn’t keeping him away until she figured out what exactly he was hiding. She knew it was something, the only question was what?

She probably should of confronted him but she was occupied at the moment, whatever it was could wait. That’s what she was telling herself anyways.

“Sure, Ill do a headcount,” she said, relaxed smile pressed to her face. She knew if she didn’t focus on smiling she would frown. Geoff would realize something was off then, realize how overbearing he was being. They’d already had one couples spat that season she didn’t want to cause another one. She couldn’t be the cause of both of their arguments, that might nail the coffin shut on their relationship.

She gave the others a more hesitant portrayal of her smile, turning to tell the others that they were set to film. She felt Geoff’s eyes on her the entire time, making her movements static.

Things would go well, then she would never have to deal with Total Drama again.

Geoff would be better then. He had to be.

••••••••

It was no surprise that the Aftermath was a shit show. Duncan half expected it and barely raised an eyebrow when his prediction was delivered on a silver platter.

It started with a giant wave, then a bear, then discussion on the competition which never ended well. He largely stayed out of it, sitting off to the side with his hand on his chin. He was bored of Hawaii, bored of the rest of the cast more like it. Even when he was lost in his head he could still feel Courtney’s glare stabbing into him. It hurt, he wasn’t sure why.

He took pride in the fact that he’d hurt her, it was what she deserved. So why was he feeling all tangled up, like someone had tied his intestines together in a knot, pulling tighter the more he thought about it. He wanted her to know how he felt, the accumulation of all his built up rage as she betrayed him for simply being. Yet every move he made was crippled by the feeling.

What if she was right?

What if he was bitter, his whole plan, joining some stupid club to get back at Alejandro, was just an immature gambit at revenge. Alejandro was simply a proxy for her, he knew that. Kill two birds, only the second stone missed its target, the sight of the first bird falling enough to startle the second one. Maybe it was pointless, maybe he would always lose.

Courtney had said she was always right, always perfect. Who was he to doubt her? He was just some stupid delinquent, unable to keep himself out of jail without joining some reality show that was almost worse than the brick walls of a ‘corrections facility’.

Why was he bothering. He should have taken the tropical vacation as an opportunity to short circuit his ankle bracelet and run for the hills. Instead he was listening to Bridgette attempt to talk down a bear; thoughts of petty revenge were still on his mind. He was stuck, he figured that some part of all of them were stuck where they sat waiting to watch someone else fall because then maybe they would feel better about what happened. Duncan didn’t like to get insightful but, soon enough he would be done with the show, he wasn’t really sure what would come next.

Whether or not Alejandro fell or not. He didn’t really care, it wasn’t his battle. He was only doing it for the look in Courtney’s face. A rather pathetic reason in his opinion , and probably Courtney’s as well.

Ever since she’d seen him hanging around the others she started sneering at him, stomping away like a toddler who wasn’t allowed to play with the other kids. She was the jealous type, grabbing onto anything she managed to get and clinging to it tightly until the things turned to dust. It was just her ‘type A’ personality as he had put it when he had tried to make excuses for her.

He was done covering for her shit. She needed to take responsibility for her actions and, maybe he did too. He wasn’t perfect.

But he was damn well trying to be better than he was.

Until he wasn’t anymore.

Fuck that.

Who cared about character development. No one even thought he could change.

Now he was acting out of self interest. In a true criminal fashion. It was what she thought he was, what he had been, what he decided was best given that trying gave him nothing.

The truth was he was feeling pretty damn defeated despite being so confident that he was finally giving Courtney the ultimate middle finger. A ‘this is what happens when you try to move on’ in the form of crushing her almost boyfriend to dust. It would feel good.

Thinking it made him sound like the jealous one.

It wasn’t Alejandro really, it was the fact that he was so easily replaceable after how much she’d tried to fix him.

Whatever.

Except it wasn’t whatever.

Not when Duncan was staring straight at her as she stood up tall.

They were standing in front of a blackboard, jungle stopping at a cliff edge behind them. A small river divided the space, a rapid current picking up. It was hot outside. Duncan’s cargo shorts were sticking in weird places as he stood awkwardly, the special challenge being discussed.

It was only when they started dividing into teams— four for each of the final contestants— that Duncan realized how much rage was bubbling under his skin.

He needed to let it out. Who cared what they had talked about before, DJ taking charge, he was winning the fucking challenge and rubbing it in Courtney’s face. Then maybe the feelings could resolve and he could go home without feeling so stuck.

So what if that meant rooting for the nerd. Maybe the twig had grown on him a little bit. Watching him take on a guy practically double his size was satisfying, Alejandro needed to be taken down a couple pegs.

“Looks like we have Courtney for team Alejandro, she’ll have a lot of ground to make up, now onto team Noah, who’s representing the little guy?” Geoff asked. DJ moved his hand, Duncan stepped forward before he could get a word out.

“Me,” Duncan said, smirking.

“Him?” Courtney snapped, eyeing their team almost looking disappointed.

“That’s right, you have a problem with it?” Duncan raised towards her.

“No, I just thought you had more sense than that,” she scoffed, not speaking further.

Duncan shot a look back at the rest of his team, faces in various states of disbelief.

“Alrighty then, Duncan it is..”Geoff said, freezing for a moment. He made eye contact with Bridgette who only shrugged. He knew he needed to win, he could feel the unspoken pressure now that he was in the limelight.

“Well okay then, looks like we have Trent for team Cody, Gwen for Heather, Courtney for Alejandro and..Duncan for Noah, time to get this show on the road,” Geoff said, sweat dripping down his forehead. Duncan couldn’t tell if he was nervous or if the jungle was just humid.

“Now before we start, I need each one of you to pick an animal natively found in Hawaii, from this lovely blackboard behind me.” Geoff took a step back, arms raised to the various pieces of art drawn on the old school chalkboard. The work was impressive, probably an intern seeing as he doubted Geoff could draw.

“Trent you’re up,” Geoff said, and it began.

Duncan took a quick glance at all the options, noting one in the corner that drew his attention. It was a small animal, a fox by the looks of it. It was staring at the other animals, off by itself in an isolated corner. For some reason it reminded him of Noah, the antisocial freak who nearly got his face punched in first season. The description didn’t really do him justice now, he was different from back then. For that matter so was Duncan. It was hard to say if it was better for either of them.

He figured the animal was a safe option given the little he knew about the competition. He needed a tame animal, unlike the raccoon that Trent had picked or the wolf Gwen picked for Heather.

Duncan watched with bated breath as Courtney picked her teams animal. It was a lion, fitting. Then it was his turn. A couple glares from the rest of them and Duncan made his decision.

“The fox I guess,” he said. He crossed his arms, perpetual frown on his face as Geoff continued, revealing the plot twist that came as a surprise to no one on their side.

Then they broke, that was when the challenge really started. The glares got more intense and Duncan could only smile as he turned back towards his team.

“Why did you do that?” Leshawna asked, judgy look on her face.

Duncan shrugged. “I changed my mind, I can do this damn challenge,” he said.

“You better hope you can man or this was all for nothing,” Harold said, dramatic frown on his face.

“Yeah, yeah I know, no pressure,” he said. Duncan rolled his eyes.

“Don’t worry I’ll beat miss fancy pants and the nerd will get his advantage,” Duncan said.

“Is that why you volunteered? To get back at Courtney?” Bridgette asked, joining the conversation. Geoff wasn’t with her, too busy pushing the chalkboard away.

Duncan didn’t respond directly, looking away guiltily. Maybe he wasn’t the hardest to read. It wasn’t like his hatred of Courtney was taboo, they all knew the glares he gave her when she wasn’t looking.

“Gosh, this is all just some petty revenge trip?” Harold asked.

“You might not want to play that card,” Duncan scoffed, Harold shutting up quickly once he realized.

“Are you sure you can win?” Leshawna asked, sidestepping the information. Duncan respected her bluntness. His reasoning didn’t really matter as long as he got results.

“Yeah, I’m sure,” Duncan said frivolously. He wasn’t really sure even knowing what he had to do but, he would make it work. Forget taking down Alejandro if he could get back at Courtney then maybe he would feel better about the twisted up emotions he was feeling. He just needed some relief from the constant hatred and glares.

Duncan may have been used to hating people but, it was exhausting. He just wanted to be done with it. It felt like he’d been in it with Courtney for eternity. He wasn’t even sure what he was mad about anyways, he’d done the obvious screwing up. Who cared if she had treated him like shit he still cheated on her. Duncan didn’t like to admit that truth.

“Alright sugar, go win this thing,” Leshawna said in a vote of confidence.

Harold opened his mouth before Leshawna elbowed him. “Uh yeah..I’m sure you can win this,” he said, lacking her enthusiasm.

“I didn’t really want to do the challenge anyways, what if I get hurt and no one is there to take care of Irene,” DJ said.

Duncan was surprised but, he gave them a smirk. The vote of confidence did feel nice, really nice. He knew he was acting stupid, acting out of a petty grudge, yet they still went with it. Maybe it would be hypocritical if they didn’t but, that was beside the point. He brushed them off as quickly as he joined the group, assuming that inviting him was obligatory but, maybe it wasn’t. It was weird to think that they actually wanted him around.

He liked the feeling, his chest swelling with warmth.

A hand on his shoulder caused him to turn, Bridgette staring back at him.

“Win this challenge, we’re so close,” she said. She gave him a smile, a sad smile. There was something up but, he couldn’t say what. She hid it well.

“Yeah, ‘course,” Duncan said. He brushed her hand off, walking up where the other team leaders were gathered. No more stalling, Geoff was about to start the challenge. He had to win.

He stepped in line between Gwen and Trent, ensuring Courtney was far enough away. Trent gave him a polite acknowledgement. They weren’t friends but, they tolerated each other. Gwen on the other hand looked at him for a good minute. They still hadn’t spoken, things ending awkwardly, but Duncan wanted to talk to her. He needed to. Maybe kissing her was stupid but, it felt right. So what if Courtney got jealous, at least Gwen wouldn’t treat him like garbage when he didn’t adhere to her every whim.

Duncan doubted he had a chance with her anymore. Maybe he didn’t deserve a chance. He needed to work on his own shit before dragging her down with him.

Was he happy with himself? He destroyed a friendship because he was selfish. That made the second of bliss less perfect. Gwen seemed fine with it but, maybe he just wasn’t paying attention.

Duncan only gave her a nod, accompanied by a small smile. He would have to talk to her later, fix things, if he even could.

“Alright contestants, are you ready? Keep in mind this may decide the winner of a million big ones so no pressure.” Geoff laughed awkwardly.

“Alright dudes, on your mark, get set, go!” he yelled, spurring Duncan into action. A knob was turned in his head, he took off in a steady sprint towards the cliff like his life depended on it. Duncan knew he wasn’t the best climber so any extra seconds he could gain would be vital to stealing a lei before anyone else. The challenge wasn’t even difficult, a couple tricky maneuvers and footwork would be all it took to win.

Easy.

Given that he wasn’t racing his now ex-girlfriend who was fueled with renewed rage.

“I can’t believe you!” Courtney huffed as she kept pace with him, through pure fury alone.

Duncan didn’t feel like dealing with her while he was out of breath, running as fast as he could to out match her. As far as he was aware she wasn’t a track star, she was lucky she was keeping pace with him as it was. Duncan knew he couldn’t waste time given the small lead he had.

So he ran, he ran like the cops were chasing him through the forestry. He jumped over rocks and swerved around trees to widen his lead. He ran so hard that he imagined he was outrunning the cold, back in that frozen forest fighting to keep himself warm.

That got the blood flowing as he arrived at the cliff, arms darting out to find footholds in the rock. There were various spots that got Duncan started, his feet hoisting off the ground as he moved his arms. He felt the rush, the crowd cheering. They were cheering for him, and maybe the others who were lagging behind. He let the encouragement propel him forward. He would beat them, Courtney. He had the determination to beat her and Alejandro into the ground.

No matter what course of action was healthy for him.

He gave everyone a shit-eating grin as he made his way up the rock. It got harder to grab on the higher he got, forcing him to jump between rocks. The cliff wasn’t that tall but, it was nice to have insurance.

He could hear Courtney coming up behind him, both her subtle cursing and annoyed breathing were familiar to him. It was all he ever heard from her when they dated, along with the occasional fake smile she wore to pretend like she loved every part of him. He figured she liked the thrill of the chase, after a while she wasn’t satisfied with what she won.

Duncan brushed off the reminiscent thoughts, only adding fuel to his fire by climbing higher.

His ears perked up with Courtney spoke, hand hesitating.

“Why are you hanging out with them and not out kissing your new girlfriend anyways?” She sneered from below him. The words were said in between panted breaths, she was lagging.

Why was she trying to have this conversation now? Apparently she couldn’t wait until he kicked her ass in the challenge.

“Oh so now I can’t have other friends princess? Last I recall we aren’t dating anymore,” Duncan said, sounding exasperated. He’d become everything he hated about relationships. The lying, the backstabbing, the cheating. He swore he wouldn’t do that, that if he ever found anybody he would at least try to do them right.

Wasn’t he just the biggest hypocrite?

“Hmph, I never said I care I just hope you’re happy playing with them, for Noah, I’ll cherish it when Alejandro pummels him with the reward I earn,” she said. She used Duncan’s momentary distraction to hop up the rocks like a mountain goat. Maybe he underestimated just how powerful her determination was.

“I don’t give a crap about that smart-ass but, I’ll cherish the look on your face when your new boyfriend loses the competition,” Duncan bounced back. It wasn’t like he was trying to hide his motives, he wanted her to know everything he was doing to fuck with her.

She deserved it.

She deserved the cheating.

She deserved putting up with his endless shortcomings..

Duncan decided to hop off the train before he started with the self loathing. He didn’t care about Courtney’s opinion of him, he didn’t care that he hurt her. He was jumping the fence to greener pastures and never looking back. So what if he burned the field behind him.

So what?

Maybe he was too much of a coward to just end things, to be alone again…

Maybe bad company was better than—

Duncan tightened his grip on the rock, force nearly slicing his skin open. It hurt but, it stopped the rage fueled spiral of thoughts that made him want to punch himself and her.

He took a breath, reaching over the edge. He clawed his way over it with Courtney right on his tail. He didn’t speak to her, he couldn’t risk letting her take the lead. He needed to focus, focus on the easy feelings like pounding her and everything she cared about into the ground.

He scrambled to his feet, breaking into a burning sprint across the grass. His target was a giant tiki statue centered behind a pile of lei’s. It was kind of creepy, wooden paint oddly articulate. Leave it to the producers to make everything life like. Why put their life in danger if it didn’t look good for the damn cameras.

Duncan stopped at the pedestal. He took a gasp of air, hands on his knees. He was good at running away but, he was out of practice. Maybe he should have done some cardio when he was sitting around the hotel.

He heard footsteps behind him, he turned his head to see Courtney. She smirked, jogging up to him.

“Out of breath already? I thought this would be a challenge?” She taunted. She would regret that. Duncan moved to grab a lei, slipping it around his neck before she could. Then he took off for the furthest surfboard, the one closest to the vertical river.

He caught the eyes of the crowd below him, rush of water drowning out any words. They were cheering, especially loud seeing as he was technically in first place. He smirked, kicking up the surfboard. Duncan realized he shouldn’t have been so cocky seeing as he had never surfed before but, it couldn’t be that hard, right? He was great at skateboarding, why would surfing be any different?

The rushing water would soon tell him as he placed it down, instantly getting carried away with the board. He held on tight, lei whipping behind him. He could hear another splash, then a woosh as Courtney passed by him, standing up while he was crouching.

Maybe it was different. He didn’t know Courtney could surf. He didn’t really know that much about her period. They hadn’t really lasted long enough for that, even if there was a gap inbetween Action and World Tour.

Duncan furrowed his brow in concentration, attempting to steady himself when the water was pulling him faster than he could think.

He tried to take a breath, put on a confident face. If he intended to talk smack he needed to live up to it. He wasn’t a wimp, he could learn how to surf. Even in the span of a couple seconds.

The sound of water catching up to him made Duncan’s head tilt sideways. Gwen appeared, holding her own on a blue surfboard. Her arms were extended, one hand pointed towards the front of her board and the other facing the opposite direction.

She gave him a hesitant smile, slowing down her board with a surprising amount of control.

“You can surf?” he asked, attempting to not wipe out immediately when the water got harsher.

“Yeah, Geoff taught me back in the island, the basics anyways,” she said. Her smile quickly fell, her eyes drifting..

“Then why aren’t you going? You want Heather to win right?” he asked.

She shrugged.

“No one else would represent her, she deserves someone and I think I have some making up to do,” Gwen admitted.

Duncan couldn’t meet her gaze at the words.

“Right..”he said, only to acknowledge the fact.

“But come on I don’t want to see Alejandro win, and I don’t think I’ll be able to get my lei on a wolf without some bite marks,” she said.

Duncan didn’t like the idea of getting help but, wiping out didn’t seem like the best idea either. He still wanted to beat Courtney and Gwen was giving him opportunity to do so. He would be stupid to not take it. Even if it put him in an awkward position. Gwen must have known that he was trying to get back at Courtney, maybe she figured that things would work themselves out. He wanted to ask where they stood but, he figured in the middle of the rapids wasn’t the most appropriate place.

“I don’t have time to teach you much but, you need to stand up, all you have to do is pop up, it’s one fluid motion okay?” she coached.

She slowly crouched down, mirroring his position until she stood up, using her arms to push. Her legs stayed balanced, her board steady. It looked so easy yet Duncan knew he would probably fall.

“After than just keep your arms at your sides, like this,” Gwen said. She reset to her before position, making it look easy. She had a certain grace Duncan knew he couldn’t match.

Screw that he could still try. Courtney wasn’t the only one who could be good at things.

Duncan followed Gwen’s lead. He readied his body to stand, holding himself with the palms of his hands. Then he pushed, jumping up and nearly capsizing himself as they neared the end of the river. It worked, somehow, he quickly steadied himself with his hands, still unable to steer.

“Woah!” he said, unable to disguise the word as it ripped from his throat.

It was just in time too as lava began to rain down.

“Quick how do you make this thing go faster?” Duncan asked. Gwen looked worried.

“That may be a bit too advanced for you..”she said.

“Come on it’ll be fine, Courtney’s almost at the bottom and I know she’ll manage to get that lei on that lion,” he sneered

Gwen weighed the options, ducking as a spray of lava aimed straight for her head.

“You have to lean forward, try not to fall off,” she said, falling to a laying position. The lei in her hand had caught on fire, she dipped it in the water quickly before it could completely disintegrate.

“Got it..”Duncan said, beginning to test fate. Courtney would either laugh or seethe at his attempt. He hoped it was the latter.

He leaned, picking up the pace. His heart was racing, knowing that one wrong move would knock him off balance.

He turned back to Gwen. “Thanks,” he said sincerely. It felt weird but, she gave him a pained smile.

“Can we talk later?” he continued with the remaining seconds he had left.

He wouldn’t pretend it wasn’t to play damage control, or to ask what they were, but he hoped it was also to apologize; it didn’t matter how much he didn’t regret it. It was what he needed to do, something Courtney didn’t think he could do.

She only nodded as he turned away, board gliding across the water as he fought through a lava spray. He could feel the heat, more than that as his leg suddenley felt hot. He tried to ignore the pain, watching the back of Courtney’s head as it got closer.

She would pay, Alejandro would pay.

He would finally win.

Nothing would stop him.

Then his other leg got hit, lava searing into his skin. It was blinding, he reached down to grab his leg. It was subconscious, physics didn’t care about that. He kept flying but, his steady footing was lost. It was just in time as the river was ending, spilling out into the ocean. In that split second he saw the four rafts with the four animals on them. He was heading straight for them.

He gave up on the board, throwing it with his weight for one last push towards the goal. He could swim, it wasn’t over. Courtney was still on her board but, she was slowing down, the lion a good motivator. It roared, Duncan watching out of the corner of his eye.

She stopped in front of the raft while he landed in the water with a giant splash. His clothes were throughly soaked but, he was almost there. He saw the foxes distinct orange hue and started paddling to it, lei held up in the air to prevent it from getting carried away.

Courtney crouched on her board, coaching the lion to accept her advances the closer he got. She was close but, he was closer.

He was almost there, he had to do it. No one else could beat him or things would be over and Courtney would win.

She would be right about everything.

He paddled faster, reaching his hand out. The fox walked closer, as close as it could being limited by a lead around its neck. The raft floated precariously as lava fell down around it, a stray ember had already engulfed the flag and it was only getting worse. Something told him that the interns had been ordered to stir up the volcano to make the challenge more ‘interesting’.

“Come on you big baby!” Courtney yelled a ways away from him. The lion barred its teeth. Duncan didn’t waste another second staring at Courtney. He held out the lei, slipping it around the foxes neck with ease. The animal cooperated, Duncan was surprised.

“Ha! I did it!” he yelled. He scrambled up onto the raft, holding onto the flag pole to prevent himself from falling. He may have been sopping wet but, he won.

He actually won?

The nerd would get his advantage, Alejandro would lose; so would Courtney.

“Take that!” Courtney yelled back a second too late. She finally gave up, throwing the lei carelessly, it somehow managing to slip around the lions neck. Duncan fought back a laugh, cut off by more lava aiming for his head.

He watched as the other two contestants flew down the chute, Gwen ducking low before popping up, and Trent cruising a little too casually for the circumstances.

Gwen flew through the air gracefully, holding the lei and tossing it as she hit the water. The wolf watched it fly and land a couple centimeters away from the raft. The flowers floated in the water for a second. The wolf padded over to the necklace, picking it up with its mouth before tearing into it like a bone was handed to it on a silver platter.

Trent meanwhile wiped out. His chill expression shifted when he realized he was falling, arms flailing as he threw the lei up. Somehow it didn’t make any distance, only meeting him as he continued flying. The flower necklace landed gracefully around his neck; it was probably the only graceful thing about his whole display. Then he fell, sinking under the water for a good minute before interns were summoned.

The idea of victory was nice. Who cared that he had gotten help, who cared if he was really letting Courtney win by getting so damn annoyed with her.

Who cared if he was stuck in a circle, relapsing over and over again…

Why couldn’t he just move on?

Great now he was thinking about things again.

Duncan frowned. He leaned his arm against the flag pole, feeling the raft bob up and down with the waves. He took a deep breath to collect himself. He’d won. The feelings still didn’t change.

The happy feeling was quickly feeling. Why did it not feel as good as he hoped?

He wanted this, didn’t he?

Alejandro would pay because of him, Courtney too. He’d effectively screwed with her, she was pissed off. He found his eyes trailing back over to her, watching her float on her surfboard. Her mouth was pressed in a frown, her eyes darting between the lion and the competitors watching above them.

For a moment she didn’t look angry, she just looked passive.

That was when it clicked for him.

A feeling that ignited in his chest accompanied by dread. The feeling was why it hurt so much, why the revenge was making him feel all tangled up.

No matter what he still wasn’t winning. He’d lost, and no revenge would fix the hole in his heart, as cheesy as it sounded.

Because Duncan realized something watching her sit on her board, the wind blowing her hair back and forth, her freckles dotting her cheeks, her particular way of posing herself.

Duncan felt like punching something the longer he stared. The rage bubbled over.

Damnit, it hurt. It hurt so fucking bad.

Because he missed her, no matter what she’d done. He was hurt, he was sad, and trying to punch a wall with his fist or beat Courtney in a challenge wouldn’t make that pain go away. Nothing would make him stop missing the idea of what they could have been.

He was stupid for not realizing it. He was too stubborn to admit it, lost in fantasies of revenge that he didn’t realize he was sabotaging himself. If he didn’t change something he threatened to explode, and that thought scared Duncan most of all.

Courtney was winning and he needed to stop letting her.

He needed to actually win.

For real.

Maybe then her words wouldn’t have any weight anymore.

••••••••

The call came in while the challenge was underway.

Bridgette heard the phone ring, standing next to Geoff atop a ledge. Her arms were crossed as she watched Duncan. He wasn’t her number one pick but, he was doing well. Bridgette figured DJ would probably be too shy to comfortably win anyways. At least Duncan was driven, his hatred for Courtney left him reckless. She felt bad about being assured by that fact but, it was too late to pretend she was morally superior to anyone.

She was too lost in her own head to acknowledge when Geoff picked up the phone. He got calls often enough, being the host for a moderately popular reality show. Usually it was a couple interns or crew members updating him about changes to the set or schedule. She didn’t get informed about the details, seeing as she was more of a host in spirit. Geoff only agreed to host the show again if she was there to back him up, given that she didn’t win the competiton.

She hadn’t really considered winning as a possibility but, it was nice to wonder sometimes.

The call didn’t strike her as weird at first. Then Geoff started sinking, his head ducking in between his shoulders unsubtly. Say what you will about him but, he was bad at being subtle; that was particularly true when it came to body language. He was straight forward, whether he was being the cruelest person on the planet or not.

She spotted the motion out of the corner of her eye. Her gaze slowly drifted away from Duncan to give him a look.

“What’s wrong?” She mouthed. Geoff didn’t meet her gaze. He was only listening, eyes flitting between her and the competition taking place below them. A nervous smile cracked across his mouth unintentionally, almost jarring when it didn’t reach his eyes.

“You got it dude, yeah no problem,” he mumbled finally.

The call ended almost as quickly as it began, Geoff jammed his phone back into his pocket before Bridgette could get a word out. His cheeks puffed, almost like a squirrel. His brow furrowed, body turned away from her.

Bridgette was tired of his secrets. She was part of the show, she knew something was wrong and he was making a conscious choice not to tell her every time. The thought threatened to make her blood boil.

“Geoff,” Bridgette said. The waver in her voice weakened their weight.

Geoff shifted but, he still didn’t meet her eyes.

“Yeah honey bear?” he asked. His head sunk.

“What was that?” Bridgette asked. She crossed her arms tighter, looking at him expectantly. She put every ounce of will power into her stare, willing him to reveal the truth.

“Nothing babe, just the producers it’s not important right now.” He brushed it off.

“If it’s not important then you can tell me,” Bridgette said bluntly.

Geoff swallowed hard. He rolled on the balls of his feet, conversation stilling between them. She wished he would just speak, spill the secrets keeping them apart. It would be easy, then things could go back to normal. She wouldn’t have to worry anymore, they could fix things again. it felt like she kept putting tape back over the gaping holes in their relationship.

“There’s no point, I’ll tell you later..”he said. The lack of eye contact was telling and Bridgette wasn’t interested in entertaining him.

Maybe she was being hypocritical but, they needed to be honest. She screwed up once and she apologized. That didn’t excuse Geoff if he was hiding something, which he definitely was.

“Tell me now Geoff,” Bridgette said. Her voice was steady, monotone even. The tone reminded her of Noah’s way of speaking, so void of any emotion that it forced people to focus on the words.

“Babe—“

“Now Geoff,” she snapped.

Geoff gripped his cowboy hat, his head seemed to sink underneath its expansive top. He groaned, shoulders still hunched like he was permanently flinching away from something.

“There’s been a small change of plans, they just told me babe I swear ,” he said.

“What did they say?” Bridgette asked.

Geoff swallowed hard, puddles of sweat practically dripping down his face. He looked over the competiton for a moment to delay answering, watching as Duncan slipped his lei onto their team mascot. Bridgette couldn’t be happy about his win, not until she got answers.

She looked away but, Geoff kept staring. He watched as Courtney also managed to wrangle her lei around the lion; the rest of the participants had gotten lost in the waves. It was over but, it was a good effort she supposed.

“The contest…”he finally said.

“They don’t want to end it here, they decided to change things, I don’t know why they didn’t tell me earlier, they tell me everything man,” Geoff rambled. He laughed, it was more creepy than comforting.

“What exactly did they change?” Bridgette asked.

“Putting the lei on the mascot isn’t enough, there’s going to be a second round..a duel,” he admitted.

Bridgette didn’t have to prompt him before he continued. “Whoever gets the lei on their team mascot moves on, and I don’t think the mascot Duncan picked will do anything to help this next challenge,” he said. Bridgette noted how he looked guilty, more than usual. Like it was his fault.

“What kind of duel?” Bridgette asked, only to confirm what she was already thinking.

“The higher ups thought it would be a good idea to make the remaining animal mascots race through an obstacle course..to decide the true winner of the advantage,” Geoff finished.

“I didn’t think…this sucks dude.” Geoff sunk lower underneath his hat.

“Don’t be hard on yourself, it’s not your fault they changed things last minute, they probably just needed a couple extra minutes for the episode,” she reasoned. She knew she was missing something but, the words were one last attempt to keep things how they had been.

Maybe she didn’t want that after all.

“Right babe..”he muttered.

“I just don’t want to jeopardize this whole plan, that jerk needs to pay for what he did!” Geoff said, loudly. He was practically pulling hairs with how frantic he looked.

He pulled himself out of his hat, crossing his arms. “I’m sure the little dude can do it but, we’ve been planing this for months babe I just want to make sure it goes well,” he tried to explain.

Bridgette gave him a shaky smile. She wished that was that but, it wasn’t. Her gut told her that Geoff hid the news for a reason. She just had to keep digging…

Until she struck gold.

“Of course but, why did you hide it from me, I can help, maybe there’s a work around?” Bridgette offered. She hated acting like she didn’t trust him but, she had to know. There were some things she couldn’t ignore, and the problem had been itching at the back of her mind like an ear worm. If they were going to keep going they needed to be honest.

She was honest, so painfully honest. She told him what happened, even if he wouldn’t hear it. She told him about the kiss, that she liked it, that she still wouldn’t do it again, that she was sorry. That had to count for something.

“I didn’t want you to worry, you’ve worked hard on this and I thought I could fix it, for you babe,” he said. He started giving her puppy dog eyes, the sappy look that usually started most of their embraces. She resisted, keeping her feet planted.

“Geoff, please just tell me why, I know you’re lying,” she said. She tried to keep her voice down, knowing that they were already catching stares. Everyone already knew about Alejandro and she didn’t want to worsen her reputation among them. She was already treading on thin ice.

“And stop looking at me like that, I just want to know Geoff, I deserve that,” she reasoned.

“We can work whatever this is out together, I just know you’re not telling me something, I know…”Bridgette took a deep breath. She tried to, it felt like she couldn’t get enough air to her lungs.

“Babe..”he tried again. It wouldn’t work. Bridgette wouldn’t let it.

“Why did you lie? Why have you been acting shady? There’s something, I know it.” She stated, words clogged up.

Geoff turned his body away from her. He stared off the cliff, watching the divers retrieve Trent and Gwen from the water. Duncan stood up on his raft, Courtney paddled in the water a good distance away from her lion.

“This is all my fault babe…”he said, softer than she’d ever heard him speak. He grabbed his cowboy hat again, beginning to sink. He bunched up the ends in his hands, holding on tightly.

He groaned.

“I shouldn’t— I never should have…I didn’t mean to…”Geoff mumbled incoherently.

“Geoff,” Bridgette snapped.

“Right..” he said.

“Why is this your fault? You couldn’t have caused them to change the challenge,” Bridgette asked.

Geoff’s lack of a response gave her all the answer she needed.

“Did you know about the change?” Bridgette asked.

Geoff shook his head. “No! If I had I would have made sure we picked something else, I want this plan to work..”Geoff said. His resolve died out half way through, like he remembered something.

“Then tell me the truth, all of it Geoff,”Bridgette said.

“I thought it was a good idea,” Geoff said, as a disclaimer. Bridgette didn’t like what that meant.

“I was trying to help, I didn’t think..I thought things would be fine,” Geoff continued. Bridgette waited with bated breath.

“He told them..he must have, I didn’t know babe I promise I wasn’t trying to ruin the plan,”

“Just tell me Geoff!” Bridgette said, anger pushing passed the anxiety.

“I told Chris about the plan to get rid of Alejandro! I just wanted Blaineley gone, I didn’t think it would change anything..”Geoff finally yelled, cringing as the words reached their intended target. Geoff had always been taller than her but, in that moment he’d never looked smaller.

“But now they’re changing things, probably to spice things up but, I don’t know dude, I just listened to Chris and he promised she would be off the show, I just didn’t want her to hurt you anymore babe, you have to understand,” he pleaded. His face was stretched into a guilty smile, eyebrows knit with concern.

Bridgette looked at him, unsure what she was supposed to feel upon hearing the words. Mad? Understanding? Confused? She wasn’t sure what she felt, eveything was all jumbled together in one big mess.

“You told Chris?” she asked, more dumbfounded than anything. She wouldn’t pretend Geoff was a super genius but, trusting Chris? She hoped he would know better than that.

“And trusted him?” She added.

Geoff simply nodded, looking embarrassed.

“I knew he could get rid of her, no one else would do anything,” Geoff said.

“I called him after a meeting..I told him how Noah got back on the competition, and I promised to keep him updated on the plan..” Geoff admitted. He took his hat off his head. He held it over his chest, gripping it like a stress ball.

“It was supposed to be one time..maybe two, once Blaineley was gone I was going to stop..”Geoff continued .

“But he waited, he knew what he was doing dude, I should have stopped..”Geoff said. His words were drenched in guilt, Bridgette’s heart squeezing at the sight.

“I already told him about our final plan when Blaineley was finally kicked out..he must have told the producers, I know I would..”Geoff sighed.

“I didn’t think it would change anything, Chris would have his fun and then he would let it go… Blaineley would be gone and you’d never have to know..”Geoff didn’t speak after that, rightfully so.

Bridgette didn’t speak either for a moment, mulling things over.

“What were you thinking?” she finally asked.

“It’s Chris, he’ll do anything for ratings!” She said.

“You should know what’s going to happen next, he’ll probably let Alejandro win because of this, let Noah..no let us think we had a chance and then crush it to dust in front of us,” Bridgette said. So she was picking rage, it was better than trying to sympathize with him. He’d been a Chris clone for all of season two, he knew what would happen and he was ignoring it because he wanted to “protect her”. He was jealous, Bridgette knew that was part of it.

“Babe please—“

“No, I can’t believe this, you didn’t get hurt by him you didn’t get manipulated, you got to sit back and watch from the studio!” Bridgette snapped.

“You could care less about this, about what he’s done, if you did you wouldn’t have even risked the plan,” Bridgette reasoned.

“I didn’t..Chris said he wasn’t going to tell anyone, he was just going to use the information to his advantage,” Geoff tried to say.

“You knew he wouldn’t keep it to himself, you couldn’t have not known Geoff,” Bridgette said. Her tone was more condescending, she couldn’t control it.

“I thought it was worth it babe, she kidnapped you!” He reasoned.

“And this challenge isn’t over, maybe the fox can—“

“I don’t care about the challenge right now I care that you lied to me, that you’re acting like this isn’t that important!” She said.

“I started this, I run the club, I put everything into place and you’re acting like it’s not big deal when you ruin it!” Bridgette felt her voice waver, she didn’t bother stopping it.

“I told you about Alejandro, the second I got back, I didn’t wait, I was honest with you, I told you I messed up and I worked to earn back that trust…” Bridgette said. Her jaw twitched, not at the fact that Geoff had actively lied to her face anymore but, at the fact that he was trying to justify it. Lying was one thing, she hated it but hearing him spew reasons was worse. It was a smokescreen to hide behind, the more Bridgette pushed through the further back he retreated.

“I can’t believe you Geoff..I just..I tried to ignore it, I tried to pretend like you weren’t acting shady because we had just gotten over an argument, I thought I was being the bad guy but, you were hiding this?”

Bridgette turned away from him, refusing to stare into his sad eyes. They didn’t make her feel anything other than rage.

“I thought you cared..”she said.

“Babe..”he tried again.

“Just give me some space..” she said, stepping back.

“And if this changes anything let the others know, figure it out, I don’t care anymore..”she said. It wasn’t true but, it felt like it should be the truth after all the roadblocks. Why was she trying. Karma wasn’t real, Alejandro was simply good at the game and she simply wasn’t. It was life, why did she leave the competition and suddenley decide to act self righteous? It wasn’t going to work. This was a reality show, not some fantasy.

Bridgette didn’t wait for Geoff to confirm or deny her plea. She took a step, and then another. The cliff expanded below her. She walked along it. Her eyes stayed straight, following the edge listlessly. She needed to get away, understand what she’d just pried open. Maybe she should have kept quiet, then she could be ignorant to things going wrong, they could try to deal with it together instead of her going off alone.

The old Bridgette would have been craving that reality but, she knew it was too good to be true. She asked for the truth and she got it. In some twisted way she was happy that things were laid bare. No more secrets, no more lies. The layers were peeled back and they were just them. That was all she asked for, yet it was hard for that to be true.

Bridgette kept walking, she walked until the cliff shrunk away, trees following. She walked until she couldn’t see cameras, until she couldn’t even hear the noise of the crew or the other contestants. She walked until she was alone, really alone.

Then she could think, and what she knew hurt.

It hurt a lot.

The sound of water dropping could be heard from her secluded spot, in the middle of a brush of trees.

She wasn’t near the waterfall anymore.

The sound grew louder.

And all Bridgette felt was alone.

Chapter Text

It was hard to breath. The initial smoke cleared but, a heavy smog lingered long after the flames died. Interns rushed the plane after the explosion, splashing water bottles and anything they could find at the blaze. It didn’t do much, the blast had already taken out a large chunk of the plane and the remaining heat was melting the metal into a demented shell of what it once was.

The incident took up most of the evening. Noah sat wrapped in a blanket, on a wooden log that escaped the blast. His mouth didn’t change from a frown, his eyes didn’t light up once. He didn’t really know what to think, there was almost too much to think about; and he was tired of thinking.

For the large part he was uninjured in the blast, a couple minutes of ringing ear drums the only indicator that he’d just witnessed an explosion. That was thanks to Alejandro.

Heather also escaped largely unscathed, managing to duck behind a large piece of wood seconds before heat covered the area. A couple pieces of wreckage manage to spray out in the blast, landing uncomfortably close to her hiding spot. Noah watched as she rose up from the log, eyes betraying the scowl on her face. She looked afraid, not that Noah blamed her.

Cody on the other hand wasn’t so lucky. He was alive but, that was all Noah could say. The pieces that nearly scared Heather half to death managed to fall on top of him, his hiding place behind the bleachers not adequate enough.

The interns were still trying to free him from underneath the metal chunks. Chris, of course, got out the megaphone and started yelling through a hole in the rubble once the initial shock wore off. He didn’t have a scratch on him aside from a few ruffled hairs, that alone causing him to act prissy. Noah wasn’t in the mood— was he ever?— when Chris caused the explosion in the first place.

“Hey dude you won’t press charges right?” Was the first thing Chris asked when he got out the megaphone. Cody squeaked out a reply that somewhat sounded like a coherent word, maybe it was a yes? Noah wasn’t paying too much attention. He couldn’t after the shock he’d had, of the whole different variety.

The more he tried not to think about it the more the thoughts invaded his head.

Alejandro kissed him. Unprompted. Noah couldn’t get that look in his eyes out of his head, the way his eyes widened. It gave him a strange sense of déjà vu. The first time he was eliminated, it was the same look only under different circumstances. The more he thought the more the two memories blurred together like they were never different in the first place.

Had he always been planning to take Noah down in that way? Was his every action a slow inch towards the end result, the real feelings that enflamed in his gut when Alejandro put his lips on his. That had to be fake, conditioned. Noah knew it was possible to force physiological reaction with enough prompting. That had to be it. Alejandro was smart, he could do it if he had the will. Noah only wished he didn’t have the way to make him feel all twisted up.

It was stupid. Even when his brain knew it was wrong his body still reacted on its own. Heat still flooded his cheeks when he thought of Alejandro nearing him and he still felt a cold sweat drip down his face at the thought of seeing Alejandro again.

He’d been taken to a makeshift medical tent by Chef. His burns weren’t severe but, they required some ointment and a day of rest to put him in peak form for the challenge that he would be a part of.

Right..

Noah forgot to mention that after the third hour of attempts Cody was disqualified. Noah knew part of it was Chris’ impatience but, seeing as they didn’t even know if Cody had broken anything it was safe to assume that he was automatically out of the running for safety concerns alone.

The news was out classed by so many other things that Noah barely even acknowledged the fact that he was on the track to victory. Everything he’d built up to was about to unfurl whether he wanted it to or not.

In the present all Noah wanted to do was sink into the ground and forget he’d ever heard of Total Drama or Alejandro Burromuetro in the first place. Feelings were complicated and having to address them left Noah feeling stuck.

Maybe he could try to strategize, figure out what kind of challenge Chris had planned for them come morning but, he didn’t feel compelled to do anything.

After the interns placed him on a nearly burnt log he simply sat there, staring outwards with a blank look that was probably creepy. It wasn’t like there was much else to do given the grim atmosphere but, the others at least tried to set up a campfire in the rubble of the plane.

Noah would have slept in that position if his limbs weren’t aching from all the running and climbing the past challenged forced him to partake in. He could still feel Alejandro tailing him, saving his life by shoving him out of the way.

Ironic that the guy who saved his life twice in the span of a day was also the one responsible for putting him in danger on a multitude of occasions. Alejandro was a double edged sword, it was only a matter of deciding which side he wanted to get stabbed with.

Noah let his eye lids flutter as dust drifted over him. It tickled his eyes, causing him to shutter before letting out a sneeze. It was the first time he’d moved, it sent a small bit of pain through him. Note to self maybe he should stretch more before deciding to remain immobile for hours.

The motion gave him enough sense to shift himself, pull the blanket tighter around himself. The days in Alberta were hot but, the nights were brutal on the opposite end of the extreme.

A couple interns around Noah perked up at the motion. They were holding up chunks of the plane tasked with finding Chris’ beauty products lost largely in the explosion. A waste of time, in his opinion, when Chris still had a contestant trapped under precarious pieces of metal.

They didn’t speak at first but, they gave him strange looks that he promptly returned. They were really trying to judge him, he wasn’t the one working for Chris unpaid. The longer Noah watched Chris the more he wondered what exactly he was teaching the interns that wouldn’t wind them with at least a couple charges of reckless endangerment.

“Umm..there’s a camp set up a little ways away, with some sleeping bags if you want to rest, Mr. McLean said the challenge will start tomorrow…early,” an intern relayed.

Noah blinked slowly, like a chameleon.

“Fine,” he said. He hadn’t seen Alejandro emerge from the medical tent yet so the area was probably safe (it wasn’t like he was stalking him he could just see the tent in his peripheral vision).

It wasn’t like he was purposely ignoring Alejandro he just didn’t want to look at him after what he’d discovered. The nerve of him, that absolute eel. It made him blood boil so much he threatened to overflow. It hurt more because for a moment he liked it, he wanted to reach out and return the embrace. He couldn’t, because that would mean he yielded.

Noah would do no such thing. He’d rather send their feud into checkmate than knock down his own king. He didn’t lose, not when he’d come this far. He had more riding on this than anyone else and he would deliver. The kiss, the realization, didn’t weaken his resolve it only ignited it.

Alejandro could take that.

Noah felt like he was just making up excuses for how terrible he felt. That wasn’t any ploy, that was just him putting up his feelings on a silver platter only to get a dose of cold reality.

Stupid was what it was. He was lucky he recognized what Alejandro was trying or he may have wrapped himself around his finger. He couldn’t live with himself if he let that happen. He wouldn’t be able to live with the others faces either, those disappointing looks that told him he didn’t learn a thing from them.

Noah didn’t want to think about anything else, that would only make him feel worse about the way the challenge ended. Stupid Chris and his stupid fuel barrels. If he took even one fire safety class none of it would have happened and he wouldn’t be feeling so…well he didn’t really know how to describe what he was feeling.

He stood up, shedding the blanket wrapped around him. It was covered in a thin layer of dust, his nose ticked as he collected it in his arm. Seeing as Chris probably didn’t have much in terms of camping gear he figured the blanket would probably the only thing he would get for the night. For all he knew his suit case and everyone else’s were probably destroyed in the blast as well, it was too dark to tell.

That was a tomorrow thing, not that Noah cared to retrieve much from the plane. The competition was almost over, he just had to push through.

He made his way through the remains of the camp, eyes fixated on whatever was in front of him. It was weirdly quiet, the interns not speaking to each other. Everyone was tired, a challenge topped off with a plane explosion made that pretty obvious. Noah felt his own eye lids waver every couple steps like he would faint.

It was probably the adrenaline from the day. It had been activated multiple times giving him rush after rush of life saving energy only to run him completely up the wall when everything was final over. A crash was coming soon and he might as well succumb to it. Sleep was probably the last break he would get before things really ended. He needed to be prepared, even if the thought of things being over sent one last jolt of fear through him.

Maybe he was scared that his life would go back to normal. Or he was scared that he would lose. He’d never had a distinct fear of failure—perfect grades in school basically assured that fact— but it somehow felt very real. It felt like ice was dropped down his back and into his veins, the discomfort remaining no matter what he did.

Stage fright was probably the name for it. He had to do well, he had to beat Alejandro. Who cared about his feelings, he wasn’t doing this for him.

Maybe he was. He went against their wishes, he voted to help Alejandro. If he was really doing this for them then he would have ended things. If it all crashed and burned it was his fault, he was delaying the inevitable for what..for Alejandro?

Alejandro kissed him, he manipulated his dormant feelings to make him vulnerable. Alejandro wasn’t getting another ounce of sympathy from him. The vote was a display of weakness, Noah had almost given in because of the genuine looks he thought he was giving him.

He’d saved his life, yet it felt like it was clouding his judgment.

No more playing nice with Alejandro, considering forgiving him for what he did to Owen. He would be ruthless, he would act how he used to back when he didn’t care about anything. He would give him nothing.

And then he wouldn’t feel those feelings again, then things would end and the little blip of uncertainty would disappear. He would be able to move on.

Noah liked that idea and, he wouldn’t think about it any further. He risked spiraling out of control otherwise.

He was almost thankful when he was ripped out of his thoughts by a wave of heat coming from a fire place. It was the camp, Heather’s sleeping form telling him as much. She was using a couple sticks as a tent, a rock used as a poor substitute for a pillow. He admired her determination, even more thankful at the fact that he wouldn’t have to make small talk with her.

She didn’t see the kiss, given the smoke, but they probably weren’t on the best terms after his betrayal earlier. He was at fault, not that he would ever admit that to Heather with her ego.

He tried to silently walk around her, finding a cleared patch of dirt that was largely untouched by either dust or rubble. It would have to do, even if he didn’t have a pillow.

For a moment he was jealous of Alejandro getting to sleep in the med tent. Sure it had Chef with his oddly flattering nurse outfit but, Noah knew for a fact that the temporary station had actual pillows and blankets.

Whatever. He would rather sleep on the ground than look at Alejandro.

He slowly ate his words as he laid out his blanket, folding it in half with him in the middle. Seeing as it was a medical blanket it was thin, rocks poking into his sides as he tried to shift into a somewhat comfortable position.

It did nothing, he was stuck staring at the dust filled sky and the half waning moon.

The challenge would be arriving soon.

Noah wasn’t sure he would be ready.

He still tried to shut his eyes, turn on his side and ignore all the thoughts he mulled over just to mull over them some more.

He had to stop thinking.

Nothing could be done except wait, that was it. He made his decisions and he had to live with them. That was all he knew for certain.

The thoughts slowly faded after that, maybe due in part to the uncomfortable ground. He found his body relaxing, his eyes finally shutting and his heart rate stalling. It felt nice, almost better than the seats of economy class.

He almost felt at peace, the steady rhythm of his breathing helping him calm down. He enjoyed the feeling, the tranquility, it was rare to get a moment alone on the competition.

His thoughts blurred together, whatever thoughts remained. He found himself slipping into a dream, an uncomfortably familiar dream brought about by his last fleeting thoughts that still refused to leave.

They were red, a maroon color. They were accompanied by a face, one that gave him a genuine smile before they embraced. He hated the warmth he felt even as he began to forget why he hated it in the first place. The arms were nice, the lips on his forehead made him feel light. Why were the feelings so bad anyways?

Noah slowly lost to whatever was stopping him from thinking the thoughts, letting him settle into something comfortable.

He liked it, all of it. What was the harm of imagining. It wasn’t real, even if some small part of Noah wished it was.

It would stay a dream, and that was for the best… even if Noah couldn’t quite remember why.

••••••••

“Where is it!!!”

Noah snapped to alertness, groaning the instant he woke. His ears rang, the loud voice broadcasted throughout the area.

“Come on I know it’s around here, find it interns!” The voice continued, more accurately Chris.

Noah groaned, pushing himself up with his arm. His vision felt blurry, vision lagging in wake of the sun. The feeling sucked, made worse by the fact that it was accompanied by Chris’ annoying voice. He couldn’t wait five more minutes before throwing a temper tantrum?

“You’re useless, and you’re all fired,” Chris said. Noah wondered where he was going with that seeing as none of them were paid anything close to what they should be given that they were understudies of Chris McLean.

“Would you shut up I’m trying to get my beauty sleep,” Heather grumbled from a small ways away. She was sitting up, face mask shoved over her head. It was impressive that she managed to save the thing after the plane combusted.

“Good luck with that,” Noah bounced right back. He didn’t bother to take another go at sleeping. He was up and by the looks of it the sun had already risen enough. He had a challenge to win and a group to not disappoint.

“Ah contestants..”Chris said. Noah looked around, spotting everyone’s “favorite” host close by standing on a crate. He was overlooking the wreckage, interns digging around in what looked like the remnants of his private hot tub.

“Did I wake you? I’m just trying to find my back up beauty products after my interns didn’t store my fuel somewhere safer,” he scolded, still using the megaphone.

“Um sir actually you said to—“

“Did I say you could talk?!” he yelled. The interns ears practically rang. He quickly went back to digging after that. Noah didn’t blame him. He took the opportunity to shove the blanket off of him, standing up with a scowl already planted on his face.

“No I just sleep with my eyes open,” Noah deadpanned to Chris’ earlier question.

That earned him a glare, not that Noah cared.

“Wow no love, I guess no one cared that my beautiful plane just exploded?” Chris whined.

“I think you should care more about the contestant you crushed with a part of that death traps wing,” Noah muttered.

“Hey he’s fine the interns recovered him early this morning, and he only sprained his ankle when a piece of metal crushed his leg,” Chris said. Noah was relieved, he didn’t want Cody seriously hurt no matter how annoying he could be. He wasn’t heartless, even if sometimes he wished he was.

“Where is he?” Heather asked, standing up from her makeshift shelter at the mention of Cody.

Chris laughed, gesturing to the medical tent a little ways away from them. He adjusted the dial of his megaphone for a moment before speaking into it. Noah was at least thankful that he had time to brace himself.

“Hey Chef, are you ready?” Chris asked. The sound clearly permeated the tents thin layer as someone yelled something back.

“What did I tell you about using that megaphone!” A voice came from inside. Noah could have sworn he saw Chris sweat.

“I’m coming,” he said, softer. Noah didn’t like what Chris was about to reveal. He’d had a solid seven hours of not thinking about the competition or Alejandro, now he would be forced to confront everything in his dazed state. If there was a list of things Noah would really rather not be doing that would probably be near the top spot.

The tent flap began to move, Cody emerging first. He had crutches, predictably, along with a couple burns Chris failed to mention. The way he spoke sounded like he was trying his best to gaslight Cody into thinking he wasn’t injured. Maybe he could only afford so many legal bills when he decided to host the competition on a death trap.

Chef followed behind him, a comforting hand on his back. He wore a scowl but, he somehow looked to be in a better mood than Chris. He wasn’t wearing his nurses outfit, much to Noah’s thanks. He was on the other hand holding a frying pan, Noah had no doubt that there was probably a Chris shaped dent in the back of it.

“Go sit over there kid,” Chef said. Cody swallowed hard, hobbling over to a branch that had been blown away in the light show the night prior.

Noah felt bad for Cody, he didn’t deserve that end, he’d made it impressively far even with Sierra gone. If anything he’d gotten lucky that Alejandro viewed him as important or he might have been crushed under a piece of rubble too.

It was almost his luck when the thought of Alejandro summoned him. The tent rustled behind Chef, a well defined arm pushed it open. The arm followed a figure, slightly crispy but, no worse for the wear.

Noah hated the feeling of his heart squeezing in his chest. He’d been worried, stupidly at that. Alejandro was fine, completely. He had a couple burns, that was all…

Now they matched.

Noah shook his head. His hand went to the ghost of a mark on his arms. Those damn eels, that damn eel. Whatever sympathy he felt morphed into anger. Stupid Alejandro. He managed to make him feel new feelings, hurt feelings.

The fact that he was alive made going back to hating him so much easier. There was no gray it was black and white. Alejandro was bad, he needed to stop doubting that. He would fall that way.

He watched him emerge from the tent, face hesitant. He looked cleaned up, hair combed back. It looked rushed yet it still fit him to a T. For a moment he imagined running his hands through his hair, feeling every thread as he embraced him.

It was intrusive, guilt shooting through him simultaneously. Noah could only cross his arms and plant a scowl on his face. He needed to control himself, Alejandro really thought he could win so easily, Noah wasn’t going to just let him.

“Ah Al my man, there you are, I’m not sure if Chef told you but, you won the tie breaker…according to me!” Chris said happily.

Right, he’d announced it to them while they were still digging for Cody, no Alejandro in sight.

Alejandro looked mildly surprised, only giving Chris a passable smile.

“Gracias, I will not disappoint,” he said. He gave a dramatic bow to make up for his lackluster enthusiasm. It seemed like only Chris bought it, probably because he was lost in his own head.

——

“Ay dios mio…” Alejandro muttered. He sat in the remains of the confessionals, eyes turned upwards as the ceiling practically shook.

“I am unsure if this structure is stable,” he commented. He moved to a spot where the sun shown down through the cracks, taking a breath of relief when the structure settled.

“Perhaps if Chris stored his fuel better he would not have to dig through the remains of his plane to find his things.” Alejandro shook his head.

“It is impressive that this device survived….” Alejandro trailed off, staring into the camera. He knew what he was holding back. He didn’t particularly feel like discussing anything, much less something he wasn’t sure the audience knew.

But what if they did know? Then he would be failing to deliver the drama everyone so badly wanted.

Alejandro took a breath to compose himself.

What was the harm in telling, even if it was a mistake it was his worst mistake. Why had he done something so stupid. He was a naturally cautious person, he only took risks when he knew they would pay off. Nothing about kissing Noah would pay off, statistically. He’d done so in the small chance that something would happen.

Or maybe he was kidding himself, maybe he just wanted to do it. He’d thoughts about it, over and over and over again. Actually doing it felt liberating. It was like a weight was lifted off his chest.

“I may have miscalculated things…”he finally spoke.

“I did not expect the explosion and the day had already been long I wasn’t thinking…”he continued.

“Kissing Noah was a..mistake, a very bad mistake..”he shook his head.

“He probably distrusts me now, it is for the best,” Alejandro said. Sure Noah hated him, those dead eyes stared into his soul, but maybe he could finally focus on the competition. He needed to focus, he kept getting distracted, José would win if he kept on that path. Alejandro felt his fist clenched tighter.

A part of him wanted to backtrack, say that it was all a ploy to save himself the embarrassment, but the thought only made him feel worse.

No one would believe him if he said that he did it purely for strategy. He would be lying to himself.

Maybe if he stopped denying it he could move on with a clear head.

“Kissing Noah helped alleviate any feelings I may have shared, I will focus now, that is a promise.”

“The million dollars will be mine…”

“Mine and mine alone.”

The words he spoke had never sounded more true. He was happy with his fate, it was what he wanted. He had to want it. He wanted to win. Noah didn’t coincide with his victory and that was simply how it worked. The faster he accepted that the faster he could listen to the words he was spilling frivolously.

Alejandro swallowed hard, giving the camera a hard stare.

“That is a promise,” he said, all but sealing his fate.

——

“Aw..this sucks..”Cody sighed next to Heather.

“I just busted my leg, that’s all,” he whined.

“No offense dude but, I don’t have time to film you hobbling around, I’m on a time crunch here,” Chris said. Cruel in Noah’s opinion but, unsurprising.

“Now, thank you Chef you’re dismissed, go find my moisturizer I’m sure it’s here somewhere,” Chris said. He waved his hand casually, Chef shooting him a glare.

“Find your own damn moisturizer,” Noah heard Chef mumble. Noah couldn’t help but snort. He nearly froze when Alejandro did the same.

——

“Things will be fine, I’ll just ignore him this entire challenge, whatever it is…”Noah said. He ignored the poor state of the confessional, picking at dirt under his nail.

“Ugh.. I don’t even know what the challenge is.”

“…this is going to be fun,” Noah groaned, sarcasm evident.

——

Their eyes didn’t meet, in fact Noah directed his eyes purposefully in the other direction. If they were going to act like ex’s that had a falling out then he would play the part. He wasn’t going to entertain Alejandro.

He would reveal nothing to him. He would focus, he would win.

Chris flipped off the megaphone he was holding, not because of Chef’s death glare or anything.

“Look contestants this explosion really messed with the next challenge I had planned but, lucky for you my interns found something this morning that may get us back on track,” Chris said. The look on his face wasn’t promising but, that was beside the point.

“Interns who haven’t gotten on my bad side, please reveal the crate,” Chris demanded. They all watched as a couple interns rushed around, to the backside of a crate that was unassuming until Noah focused on it. It blended in with the grey and black of the explosion site.

They struggled for a moment before pulling the tarp off, the crate’s lid already ajar.

“Ha, perfect,” Chris said. He knelt down, pulling out a pair of keys.

“Now I had the whole challenge planned out and it was going to be super cool but, clearly that won’t be happening so I came up with the next best thing…a race!” Chris said.

He clicked the keys, a shrill sound echoing through the valley.

“What was that?” Heather asked.

“Oh just my backup helicopter, I need to film this challenge after all.” Chris shrugged.

“Do we get helicopters?” Noah asked, sarcastically.

Chris laughed.

“Oh that’s rich,” he said.

“No, you three will be traveling the old fashion way, with these bad boys,” he said, hitting the side of his leg.

“Or whatever you can find around here,” he added.

“Thank you for the demonstration,” Noah said under his breath. He couldn’t help it, Chris was acting extra annoying or maybe that was just his grogginess.

Chris dug around in the crate for a moment before pulling out three devices.

“Here, catch, I would recommend keeping these handy if you don’t want to get lost,” he said as he threw them at each one of them. It was a pair of devices, a gps and a walkie talkie.

“Keep in mind we’re not legally liable to pick you up if you stray off course,” Chris added as they examined their devices.

“I’ve been kind enough to give you gps’ and communicators to talk trash on..”

“Testing, testing!” Chris said.

“Can you not!” Heather muttered, holding her hand over her ear.

“Where do you want us to go anyways?” Noah asked.

“I was getting to that,” Chris said, holding his hand up.

“If you’ll look on your devices you’ll see a blinking red dot, that’s you, and that arrow will direct you towards your destination…the destination.”

Noah raised his eyebrow.

“Hawaii, Tijuana beach to be exact, where the final challenge will be held,” Chris said.

“First two contestants there will be our finalists,” Chris finished. He wore a satisfied smile. Noah didn’t return it.

“Now any questions?” He asked to their confused faces.

“What about me?” Cody squeaked. Chris’ face quickly fell flat.

“Get there somehow, there’s only room for two in my helicopter,” Chris said, shrugging.

Cody gave him a look reminiscent of a kicked puppy. Noah even found himself feeling bad for him. First he dealt with a stalker all season and then he got injured just before the final challenge.

“Okay…”he said.

Chris didn’t skip a beat as he continued. “Oh by the way, the challenge starts now,” Chris said. Noah wanted to give him a good punch in the face. He’d just woken up five minutes prior and his head felt like it was swimming, now he had to figure out a way to get to Hawaii from Canada…or more accurately tye edge of California.

Great.

Noah eyed up Heather and by proxy Alejandro who managed to snag him. Noah wrinkled his face, trying to turn him off. It worked after a second but the quick glance made Noah’s heart race faster than it should have.

——

“I’m glad that Noah is uninjured..although as predicted he does not appear to be fond of me,” Alejandro said.

“It does not concern me,” Alejandro said.

“This challenge will be a cinch, I already have three plans in the works and compared to the others I am the most physically fit for what this challenge requires,” Alejandro bragged. He unsubtly held his arm out, flexing his muscles.

“It is a shame I was unable to lift the rock that nearly crushed my precious bota,” Alejandro shook his head.

“That challenge is over..I will focus on winning now.”

Alejandro pulled out his gps.

“I think I know what I need to do first.”

——

It took a second before Alejandro ran off, into the desert. He was jogging at a steady pace while Noah watched, still unsure how exactly to get from point A to point B.

His train of thought was further interrupted when the shadow of Heather was cast over him. She sported a rather mean looking glare, finger extending out.

“What happened, why is he still here?” Heather demanded. She was awake enough to realize what he’d done, Noah only shrunk. The explosion had been his saving grace, taking up everyone’s attention when Heather was readying her fist for a swing. He didn’t have time to defuse her, he had bigger things to worry about than the stupid mistake he made.

It wouldn’t happen again, that was that.

“I made a mistake,” Noah said bluntly.

“It doesn’t matter now,” he said, shifting uncomfortably.

“What did he say to you?” Heather demanded.

“Nothing…”Noah said. Alejandro didn’t have to say anything, he didn’t even have to lift a finger before Noah showed him an ounce of mercy. He gave an inch and Alejandro decided to take the whole mile.

Heather crinkled her brow.

“Fine, whatever just know that there’s no more truce, I will make it to the final two and crush you or Alejandro,” she said. Noah admired her determination, she was a formidable opponent. Maybe her making to the final two wouldn’t be so bad…it was either him or her.

Only he had to win, he wasn’t really sure why exactly. They were relying on him but, maybe he wanted to finish what he started. He’d gotten this far, he simply had a couple more hills to cross and he was there.

“I’ll see you in Hawaii then,” Noah said. Heather only nodded. She turned quickly, her focus turning to Cody.

“Are you coming with me or are you going to wait for the interns to figure out how to get you back?” Heather asked. Noah didn’t stick around for his response. He took off in an unsteady sprint across the desert, the sun already beating down on him. He was going in the opposite direction of Alejandro, away from his problems.

Noah would never say he was brave, he was a confident coward really. He knew that running away was the right answer. The more he was around Alejandro the more he fell victim to his scheme, ergo staying away would leave him free from influence. It didn’t particularly matter that trying to stay away from Alejandro only brought thoughts of him back. It didn’t matter.

It didn’t..

Noah didn’t have much of a clue where he was going. All he knew was that he needed to make ground as fast as possible if he hoped to stand a chance. Walking through the desert didn’t sound very strategic so he knew he needed another way. There had to be something easy, he just needed a vehicle to commandeer.

Noah ran until he saw the back half of the scattered plane. It was big to begin with but, the explosion spread out the pieces of everything far across the global heritage site. Noah wasn’t the least bit surprised that Chris was polluting the environment.

The wide body radius meant that economy class was on one side of the desert while first class may be on the other. The interns had made good work getting any giant pieces into a pile but, they were still digging through the wreckage as Noah ran passed.

Noah slowed to a stop when he arrived near the end of the wreckage trail. According to the GPS he was going in the wrong direction but, he didn’t care about that. He intended to find something useful in the wreckage of the plane, he had time seeing as Alejandro was heading there the old fashion way.

He eyed an unstable piece of wreckage as he crossed through the outer layer of the remnants of the plane. Knowing Chris there were some things that were spared from the blast which he was probably keeping on the complete other side of the plane. They’d only seen the main side the night prior, too distracted by making sure everyone was okay and freeing Cody from the wreckage. Noah could barely recall the night prior, exhaustion winning out quickly.

He glanced at the GPS for a moment as he moved, watching the interns like a hawk. They knew something, they had to.

There were more of them on the other side, the metal chunks cleared aside to reveal a couple crates full of stuff. Total Drama was a whole operation, Chris would have backups of everything stored away. The cargo hold had lasted as long as it did already, Noah wouldn’t have been surprised if the walls were bullet proof.

From the looks of it it seemed like efforts to clean up were more organized when Chris wasn’t overseeing them. They even had a truck ready, sitting idle while they loaded up whatever was left from the accident.

Noah crouched down behind a conveniently placed rock, peaking his head over.

Maybe he found his way.

It was risky but, maybe the truck would be taken to Chris’ new headquarters: Tijuana beach. It wasn’t out of the ball park. If anything it would get him closer to his destination and, Noah didn’t really have another option. It was already getting hot outside. He couldn’t just walk through the desert and hope for the best, not against Alejandro.

Noah didn’t waste time, he crawled around the back, keeping an eye on the lead intern as he directed the others to load up the truck. It looked like they were leaving soon, crates stacked up high in the back of the truck.

He just had to get in the truck. He shoved the walkie talkie Chris gave him in his pocket, holding the GPS close to his chest. His dot blinked steadily, the arrow pointing the way.

He watched a couple interns wheel a crate into the truck. It had a couple streamers sticking out, and a bottle of glue fell out as the cart went over a bump. It was probably from the earlier challenge. Noah was surprised that the crate survived.

When the intern closer to Noah knelt down to pick up the glue he sprinted. It wasn’t exactly graceful but, he used the large crate as a shield to slip into the truck. If he was lucky no one spotted him. Even if they did Noah wasn’t sure if they would care, they didn’t get paid to deal with contestants.

Noah took a shaky breath, looking at the exit of the truck. He watched the light spill into the darkness. He was surrounded by wooden crates, stacked up higher than he could reach. There wasn’t much space between them, Noah only fitting because of his lanky figure. It wouldn’t be comfortable but, he didn’t have time to find a more luxurious ride.

The space didn’t improve the further back he retreated but, he relaxed against the wall anyways. He’d done it. He looked at his GPS, dot still blinking in the darkness.

He took a breath, a smile rising to his face.

The walkie talkie in his pocket suddenly crackled, Noah nearly hitting the ceiling in surprise. He set the GPS down and reached for it in his pocket. The person on the other end didn’t wait for him to grab it.

“Attention amigos, I simply wanted to advice you to give up now, I will be taking home victory,” Alejandro voice cut through the device. Noah squeezed it tighter, feeling heat build around him, blinding hot anger.

“In your dreams,” came Heathers voice from the device.

“Ah amiga, how is the desert?” Alejandro asked.

“Fine thanks, this breeze feels nice,” she bragged, not elaborating. Noah could hear background noise from the speaker, the sound of rubber screeching against the ground. From his preliminary deduction she’d made some sort of vehicle, in record time too.

——

“I went to an engineering camp one summer, I think my parents wanted to get me out of the house..”Cody said. He sat in the destroyed confessionals, injured leg propped up and crutches set aside.

“It was fun, we built all these different contraptions like a catapult and this little car we could control remotely,” Cody said, his eyes lighting up.

“I guess that doesn’t really relate I was just thinking about it…”Cody said.

“Heather found the parts for a bike while she was digging through the rubble, most of the pieces were intact so she just had to screw on a bolt or two,” Cody said.

“It was probably from the China challenge, lucky it survived I guess…”Cody sighed.

“This show didn’t go the way I hoped but, maybe if I help Heather win she’ll protect me from…”Cody shivered. “Sierra.”

——

“I would not get too cocky chica, there’s still a lot of ground to cover on whatever you managed to build,” Alejandro taunted. Noah wished he could shut them both up. Hearing Alejandro’s voice was like nails on a chalk board.

Heather spoke back, Noah scoffing. He didn’t think before bending down and sliding the walkie talkie across the floor, away from him. They still spoke but, it was muted (he didn’t want to hear it from Chris if he took the batteries out or dared injure his device).

Noah groaned, voice expanding out around the truck. It was probably coincidence when the truck door shut with a loud sound, landing him in darkness. It felt eerie, the only light seeping in through the cracks as metal rattled.

He could only hope that he would get to his destination. Maybe some part of him didn’t want to…

He just felt so angry. Alejandro had walked all over him and he’d let him. He told himself he would never let that happen, that he was privy to his manipulation.

Was he an idiot? Noah felt like one.

He hated the feeling. He felt useless, like all his work was thrown away because of his feelings— the feelings Alejandro probably manufactured.

They were fake, right? They had to be, Noah wouldn’t…

He couldn’t…

He knew what Alejandro did.

He knew that he didn’t feel bad about it. He was a terrible person, an eel if he wanted to reminisce. That was clear from how he walked, how he spoke. Noah could see it, he could watch and know everything about Alejandro. There was no doubt in his mind that he was bad but, it didn’t seem to matter.

Picturing him in his mind brought butterflies Noah couldn’t push down, imagining him smiling made Noah smile. It must have been some sort of sick trick. He didn’t feel things like that, he never had. He thought he was above that, above crushes.

Why was it Alejandro who managed to make him feel so tangled up? Why couldn’t it be anyone else? Anyone at all??

It felt so unfair.

The engine underneath Noah hummed, signaling that the truck was meant to take off. The ground rattled, forcing Noah to slide down the wall. He hugged his knees in the tight space, moving with every bump of the vehicle.

The truth was he could regret the feelings all he wanted but, they were still there. He simply needed to control them.

He couldn’t let Alejandro win.

Not again.

He was terrible, horrible, awful. He wasn’t someone redeemable, he didn’t care.

The thoughts filled Noah’s head like a rain cloud, hovering over him. He had to paint his vision in monochrome, there was black and there was white.

There was no grey.

Alejandro was the villain and he had to take him down.

That was all that mattered in the end.

••••••••

The truck stayed a steady pace for a good thirty minutes. Noah watched the dot representing him to pass the time. To his luck he was going in the right direction, the arrow telling him as much. The only problem was getting off if the truck happened to change course.

Noah got bored of sitting rather quickly, resorting to checking the various walls and crates stacked along them for another exit. He found nothing, the back of the truck secured tightly. It gave him a fair case of worry but, he figured things would work out. It was only for his mental sanity.

The walkie talkie that he threw in the corner hadn’t flared up since his tantrum earlier. Noah was extremely thankful for the peace and quiet. He was surprised Chris wasn’t using his time to make Noah’s life miserable by broadcasting on the device. It was a missed opportunity for torment.

It may have only been thirty minutes according to the clock on the corner of the GPS but, it was starting to feel like hours even with the mental bliss silence was giving him. It didn’t help that his legs were cramped and glitter kept spilling out from a nearby crate managing to get in his eye every couple minutes. There was also an incessant rattling noise coming from outside that drive Noah crazy. He was too antsy to enjoy much of anything.

“Can you be quiet,” Noah sassed, putting his hand on the wall. It did nothing, predictably, but made him feel a little bit better.

He froze when he heard the sound of squeaking, like the brakes were being pulled. He quickly snatched his hand away from the wall, stumbling backwards. He wouldn’t be surprised if Chris was somehow secretly watching him, waiting to act until Noah was the least prepared.

The motion he’d been feeling the entire time slowed before reversing. The door suddenly jiggled. Noah jolted to alertness quickly after that, reaching down to grab his discarded walkie talkie and heading towards the sound. If he was given a chance to leave he had to take it. He hoped that he had a head start but, it was hard to say given the radio silence.

Noah moved towards the door, inching forwards. He squinted, ready to jump if necessary.

The latch clicked, a hand pulling it open. The large hatch of a door released, spilling a new shade of darkness into his environment.

Where the hell was he anyways?

Noah didn’t waste time wondering, he ran, and jumped through the small gap between the truck and another room.

The darkness managed to cover him, an intern standing to the side none the wiser. Maybe they were unloading crates at different stops, it wasn’t like Noah memorized Chris’ delivery schedule even as an intern.

All he knew was that he was getting out of wherever he was, preferably towards the arrow on his GPS.

“Ohh interesting, looks like Noah’s taken a lead over Heather, wonder how he managed that..”Chris crackled through the speakers.

“What?!” Heather asked.

Alejandro remained oddly quiet.

“Maybe try pedaling faster?” Cody’s voice came in through the background.

“I am! And don’t start I didn’t have to take you with me,” Heather argued.

“Trouble in paradise you two? I would take Cody’s advice and pick up the pace if you want to keep up, Chris McLean out,” Chris said before the walkie talkie went blank.

Noah rolled his eyes, running along the perimeter of the room with his knees ducked low. He needed to get out of the room, and preferably find out where he was. Whatever plan he’d pieced together was working, now he just needed to keep doing whatever it was he was doing.

He set his sights on a door near the end of the room, hand grabbing the handle to twist it. Light spilled out, and he was greeted with another door, a train door. Wind raced through his hair, the scenery rushed by him. He was on a train, a moving train.

How was the—

Noah turned his head, stepping near the side to see the truck running next to the train, impressive, it pulled out seconds later, doors closing before going on its way.

It was efficient, he would give them that. He was closer to his destination, and gaining.

Maybe he should find a map, he didn’t recognize his surroundings and the train could very well turn in the opposite direction.

Noah sighed, gripping the tail tightly as he made his way across the bridge holding the two carts together. He wasn’t falling off a train, not when he was so close.

His steps were halted when he heard rattling from the next cart over. It was another cargo hold, made up of giant sheets of metal that were probably attached to the end of the train. Something was making a ruckus, a something Noah wasn’t sure he wanted to stare down. He was playing it relatively safe, he had a lead and jeopardizing it by getting injured wasn’t on his to-do list. Whatever was happening wasn’t his problem.

Noah turned his back, peeking down the remaining train cars to spy another way. He was on the last cart, only open space following it.

It was just his luck, Noah should have known.

Screw it.

Noah faced forward once again, pulling the door open and stepping into a dimly lit room. He pulled out his GPS, using the glow of the screen to look around. He was surrounded by crates, metal ones, held up by bars. Animals resided inside, squeaking and chirping. Noah recognized a couple of the creatures, mainly the bear from the Niagara Falls challenge and the baby seal that DJ used as a punching bags. The seal barred its fangs at Noah, lunging at the bars.

Noah smirked, walking passed the seal unfazed. It could try that act on someone else.

The chaos came from further down the cart, towards a giant crate.

Noah heard mumbling, unable to decipher the syllables. He heard giant footsteps, rattling the entire cart.

Please don’t kill me Noah thought.

He walked further, swallowing hard as more crates piled up around him. The cart had a theme, that was clear.

“Por favor, release me!” The voice said, clearer, as he got closer.

Noah would have frozen at the sound, regardless of the giant yeti standing in his peripheral vision. This was a bad idea, he needed to leave. Why didn’t he just stay back. He had a GPS, he could have waited and watched until he needed to hop off, that was smarter.

Alejandro didn’t notice him at first, too busy trying to escape the yeti’s grasp.

The creature held on tightly, using only one fist

It snuggled Alejandro closer to its chest, like he was a live doll. Alejandro pulled with both arms, to no avail.

Why was he even here? How did they happen to end up on the same train, at the same time? It seemed too unlikely to be a coincidence.

Maybe they just thought alike. Noah hadn’t recalled another truck but, it could have arrived afterwords, Alejandro looping around to jump on.

Whatever, it didn’t really matter. He could leave, Alejandro could deal with the mess he’d probably gotten himself into. It wasn’t Noah’s problem, he was dead to him.

Spiritually, he didn’t really want him to die.

Noah’s head sunk beneath his shoulders. He slipped in the shadow of a crate, trying to make himself appear small. If Alejandro didn’t see him then things would be fine, he wouldn’t have to do anything.

The easy solution never seemed to be the right one did it? Noah felt dread creep up his back as he snuck around the yeti, who was too occupied with Alejandro.

The creature was messing with his hair, smiling. Alejandro sputtered, looking like he was having trouble breathing.

“My friend..if you would kindly—“The yeti pat his head.

“Put me down..”Alejandro finished. He brushed his hair with his hand where the yeti had touched him.

The yeti only shook its head.

Noah swallowed down the dissenting feelings and kept walking briskly down the row of crates. No one noticed him, not even the animals who looked too tired to alert anybody even if they did spot him.

He glanced down at the GPS for a moment, watching his dot blink, the arrow pointing straight ahead. He was still on course, good.

The cart shifted again as the yeti took a step. Noah shoved the GPS back in his pocket, reaching the door. He held onto the handle, willing himself to turn it.

Nothing happened.

His hand didn’t move.

He stared at the metal knob, furrowing his brow. He needed to leave, he didn’t want to deal with Alejandro. He would be fine..he would find a way to free himself. He was on his own.

It was his own fault for trying things on Noah. He should have known it wouldn’t work, even if it did for a time. That was Noah’s fault he was stupid. Why would Alejandro care about him otherwise?

Noah willed his feet to move yet he couldn’t.

He heard more begging, from Alejandro.

“Please amigo, I can’t—“he took a labored breath.

“Please…”he said again.

Noah let out an inaudible groan.

Alejandro had saved his life hadn’t he? At the very least he owed him one. That was all it was, following through on a favor.

He wouldn’t have done so otherwise.

The belief that the statement was true let Noah spring into action. He turned around, running back to the yeti and by extension Alejandro. It wasn’t far, the open space meaning that they both noticed his presence.

Alejandro’s somehow looked more worried at the sight of him. Noah appreciated that he didn’t try to hide the emotions.

“Amigo..”Alejandro began.

——

Alejandro face palmed.

“It had to be him, why am I surprised..”Alejandro sighed.

“I did not mean to draw the attention of that…creature, it spotted me when I was leaving the truck and decided to make me its plaything.” Alejandro shook his head.

“It appears that Noah and I think alike, I simply decided to use Chris’ delivery trucks..the walk into the desert was a smokescreen, one that appeared to be useless.”

Alejandro took a breath. He adjusted the bracelet around his wrist, moving it up and down awkwardly. He looked like he was thinking of something.

“I do not know what Noah is thinking.”

“…”

“Chef took me away before I could speak to him, perhaps it was for the best he was probably uncomfortable with the advance—“

Alejandro cut himself off.” And I need to focus on the competition.”

“The incident will not matter when I have a million dollars.” Alejandro smiled. It didn’t feel genuine.

But, when did they ever.

——

“I appear to have gotten myself stuck..”he said, like Noah couldn’t see.

“Hey big guy, put him down..”Noah tried. He held his hands out, attempting to show that he meant no harm. The yeti looked agitated. He’d probably been shoved in one of the crates around them, Noah could understand that he wasn’t exactly dying to play nice.

The yeti watched him, eyes narrowed. It was guarded. It held Alejandro tighter, bending over and roaring at Noah. He stared blankly as the wind blew his hair back.

Maybe he needed a new plan.

“I have tried all—“ the yeti squeezed him, interrupting his speech.

“That..”he sighed. Sweat was dripping down his forehead. He looked frustrated at his helplessness. Alejandro liked to be in control and in the current situation he was anything but.

Noah didn’t entertain Alejandro’s snappy remarks, in fact he didn’t even want to talk with him. He would get the yeti to drop him and then he on his way. This was a competition, Noah didn’t have time for decency.

Alejandro didn’t have decency when he decided to kiss him. Noah was so stupid… it hurt. His heart hurt, he felt like he was dragged along just because it was convenient Alejandro didn’t have a play with him so he took any opportunity to regain control. He was an eel in every definition of the word.

Noah’s fist clenched. He shouldn’t have to deal with this, he should have been gone, not on the path to victory.

Noah looked around the space. All the ruthless creatures Chris ordered especially for challenges were staring at the scene, silently. There were more crates too, some with shipping labels and wood that covered every inch of them. He scanned the label in the darkness, reading quickly. A particular word caught his eye. Then an idea formed, one he normal would have called crazy.

He was beyond that at this point.

“Alright don’t listen to me, you’ll regret it,” he said sourly. Noah sulked away, towards the crate. He felt eyes on him as he reached the box. He used his skinny fingers to weasel his way under the cracks in the crate, managing to peel off the lid.

The animals surrounding him seemed to understand his plan before Alejandro. They hovered closer. The contents of the crate weren’t pleasant to look at but, he pulled a bag of them out.

It was kibble, probably a specialized type seeing the diverse animal population. Good enough. He shut the crate, poking the bag open with his finger.

“Amigo what are you doing..?” Alejandro asked.

Noah didn’t respond, mainly because his blood was boiling. He used that to ignore his heart beating in his chest as he held the bag up. He juggled it in his hand, giving the audience an entrancing smile.

“Come get it, I know you want it,” he coaxed. They blinked at him.

The seal was the first to move, lunging against the bars once…then twice. The crate shook, flimsy lock unable to hold up against the force. The others followed.

Noah quickly tossed the bag, towards the yeti who was also entranced by the food. It grabbed the bag, pouring the kibble in its mouth. That was its mistake. Noah got out of the way as the stampede of creatures went in for the attack.

The yeti moved its arms to defend itself, its grip on Alejandro loosened enough for him to break free. He fell to the ground, taking greedy gasps of air.

“Gracias..”he muttered, combing back his hair to calm himself.

——

“He is brilliant..”

“Really..”Alejandro said, smiling.

“It is quite attractive..”

——

“Now we’re ev—“

Noah didn’t even get to finish his sentence before more chaos ensued. He should have made a run for it, that was on him.

The yeti was off balanced as the animals swarmed him, knocking into a stack of crates as it fell to the floor. Noah flinched, watching wood crack and bend at the weight. He hoped it was mostly food but, the sound of water told him otherwise.

It spilled out from the wreckage, soaking Noah’s shoes.

“We have to get out of here,” Noah said. He ignored the look Alejandro was giving him, extending his hand out for him to grab. He ignored it, letting Alejandro run towards the door. Noah followed as the water continued chasing him. What was in those crates? Did Chris keep piranhas around for emergencies? Putting them in unmarked wooden crates seemed like a bad idea to him.

His tune changed when he caught a glimpse of something in the water, a spark.

No…

Nonononono.

Noah stopped, feeling the water seep through his tennis shoes and into his socks. He couldn’t do this. Seeing them was one thing but, being at risk of being pulled under the water? His lungs felt squeezed, his vision felt blurry.

He could hear sounds, hear the fighting beyond him, he could hear watery footsteps. He could also feel something slippery against his leg, the same leg where a mark already showed.

He must have been imagining it, the eels couldn’t really be there, he was crazy. He hoped he was crazy.

Then he felt it. A small shock, like the chair but with an extra jolt of fear. It burned, vaguely, his thoughts were racing too fast to pay much attention to any pain.

He felt a hand on his shoulder. He slowly tilted his head, seeing a blurry blob. He shook his head, blinking.

They had to get out of there.

Adrenaline propelled him forward, towards the door. He pumped his arms, letting his legs do the rest as he raced next to Alejandro. It was close, but Alejandro pulled the door open, slipping out. Noah followed, moving to shut the door. It slammed with a click, small bits of water spilled out, onto the cart and the moving ground below them.

Wind whipped through his hair but, he couldn’t feel farther away.

He took a deep breath, putting his hands on his knees.

They were alive, things were fine.

Right.

“My friend are you okay? One of them got you,” Alejandro asked, looking down at his leg.

“Them?” Noah asked.

“The electric eels, one managed to shock you while you were frozen,” he explained.

Noah followed his gaze, spying a thin red mark running down his leg. It didn’t look as bad as his other injuries but, it stung faintly.

“I’m fine.”

Noah inhaled sharply, one last time. He was fine. He survived. He wasn’t drowning.

How ironic that it was Alejandro who saved him. Noah would laugh if he thought it was funny. Now he owed him, again. He didn’t feel like returning the favor a second time.

“Amigo..”Alejandro said again.

“Don’t,” Noah snapped.

He turned away from him, pulling out his gps. They were still headed in the right direction, for however long that was.

He needed to keep moving to find a safe way off the train.

Noah didn’t wait for Alejandro, he crossed the metal structure bridging the two carts and opened the next door. It revealed a passenger cart.

Finally.

“My friend where are you going?” Alejandro called after him. Noah heard his boots on the metal, following him. Did he think Noah didn’t know what he was pulling? Why was he pretending like nothing changed.

He’d tried to manipulate him. Noah wasn’t having it, he wasn’t going to put up with another Alejandro plan. He wasn’t going to be a pawn, he saw what happened to everyone else.

“Away from you, this is a competition and we aren’t working together,” Noah said bluntly. Alejandro wanted to pretend like nothing happened then he wouldn’t sugar coat things. He didn’t want to be around him, in fact he’d be happy to be rid of him once the competition was over.

——

“Noah is mad at me,” Alejandro said.

Alejandro tried to subtly swallow down the spit in the back of his throat.

“It must be about last night, I do not know how to fix that.”

“It’s out of my hands, I need to focus..”

Alejandro frowned.

“I wish he would tell me the truth, how he felt…”

“Only for my piece of mind.”

——

“Of course amigo but, wouldn’t it be in my best interest to follow you so I stay in the lead?”Alejandro said.

Noah muttered some words that would be bleeped on television, continuing forward. He insisted on being difficult. Noah wasn’t surprised. He would still be ignored.

Noah kept forward, passed the rows of passenger seats that were filled. They probably looked strange, Noah’s soaking wet shoes and messed up hair, Alejandro with fur sticking to his shirt and drool in his hair from the yeti. He ignored any stares while Alejandro nodded, flashing a smile at any glares they got.

They both reached the end of the cart and Noah shoved the door open. He didn’t feel like wandering around aimlessly, he needed another plan. Not to mention that his leg was hurting with every step he took.

He thought he was passed that. Apparently not. He would manage.

“Do you need help? I do not want to win if my competition is injured,” Alejandro asked. Noah sincerely doubted that was the reason but, he didn’t comment on it. Alejandro probably wanted to take him out of the running like Cody was, tattle on him to Chris.

“I’m fine,”he said again.

Thankfully he heard his walkie talkie crackle before Alejandro could refute the claims.

“Attention contestants, it looks like you’re getting close to the final destination, all of you…haha this is going to interesting.” He cut off for a moment.

“Take that Alejandro!” Heather butt in.

“Heather you should—“

The end went silent for a second, the sound of wind heard through the speakers.

“I know what I’m doing climb up the ladder faster,” she said.

“Oh one more announcement for all of you, I would suggest getting off soon, unless you want to be stuck headed to…huh looks like it’s going to Alaska, might want to bundle up.” Chris laughed.

Noah turned back to Alejandro.

“Don’t follow me, I know what you’re trying to do and It won’t work, I will win,” Noah said.

If only to stop him from doing so. He didn’t need the money, at this point he wasn’t sure he wanted it. It wasn’t like he’d deserved it with all he’d done to take down Alejandro. The end didn’t really justify the means and, it was too late to play altruist. He had to be realistic, and do what he came to do. No feelings would get in the way, even if Alejandro wanted them to.

Noah wasn’t sure why Alejandro looked so depressed at his words. His face wore the emotion for a second before morphing into cold and calculating. Noah recognized the expression, it was comfortable. He liked it better than the longing in Alejandro’s eyes that he couldn’t get out of his head. He hated how much he fell for it, how genuine it looked.

Who was he kidding, Alejandro liking him? It was as plausible as Lindsay remembering Tyler’s name.

“Por supuesto.” Alejandro bobbed his head slowly.

“Gracias amigo, for saving me,” he said as a parting remark.

“I hope to see you in the finale,” he said. He sounded serious. Maybe he knew how things would have to end. To resolve things.

——

“This is good, Noah is a distraction I cannot afford, I am so close I will not trip now.”

“The money is more important than some grade school crush, he is clearly uninterested.”

Alejandro couldn’t hide the way his head hung low.

——

Noah still wasn’t sure he could say the same. They stood there for a second longer, eye contact held, before Alejandro turned his back. He walked down the cart briskly, leaving Noah alone, again.

It was a relief. One that squeezed his chest tightly as he opened the door to continue his search.

It would pass.

And if it didn’t he would live with it.

••••••••

Heather wasn’t angry.

Annoyed maybe but, she never quite passed that threshold.

She knew she had a right to be angry. She warned everyone, told them all what Alejandro was capable of, and they ignored her. It served them right that they met their fate. What wasn’t fair was that she was in the same danger of getting eliminated— it was all because of Alejandro, everything was his fault.

If Noah had just listened to her and voted for him she wouldn’t be scrambling to beat him in a race. It wasn’t fair. He knew what Alejandro was, yet he still voted for Cody like an obedient little drone. Somehow Alejandro managed to wear down Noah, she wasn’t sure how but it must have been bad. It wasn’t like she could keep an eye on either of them 24/7, she couldn’t guard against his mind games anyways.

Regardless she knew she had to win. No matter what. She would face either Alejandro or Noah and take the money for herself. She deserved it, she played fair. It was hard but, no one put up with her snappy personality anymore. She was forced to change and she might just say she was better for it.

Maybe..

It meant she was playing Alejandro on an uneven field. She should have already won if she didn’t keep tripping. She just needed a win, one win.

“Heather, look, it’s a paraglider!” Cody said from behind her. Heather stopped what she was doing— digging through a crate— and followed the sound of his voice.

They were in some sort of cargo car, crates stacked up with random things the train was transporting. She snuck through the door after ditching the bike (ditch was the wrong word, they barely grabbed onto the ladder before it fell apart).

It was her luck when Chris told them they needed to get off the train they just got on. She didn’t have time to relax, she had Alejandro to beat. He wouldn’t be resting, despite his minor burns from the day prior.

Heather wished he would show his face so she could give him a piece of her mind. How dare he steal her vote, weasel his way out of a surefire elimination. She should get a win. It felt like everyone had done nothing but drag her down since she started the competition.

She would show them.

Heather gave Cody a look, then the hang glider in succession. He gave her a hesitant smile, struggling with the crutch perched under his arm. He managed to hang onto it during their ride, hugging it against his chest.

She felt obligated to take him with her. That was the reason. Deep down maybe she knew she would have just because. He’d done her a couple favors, she’d only gotten this far because he’d taken the fall for her screw up. He’d put up with a lot of crap only to fail, she had to admire his determination through Sierra’s stalking and Alejandro’s threats. If he was still here she had to be, she wouldn’t accept failure when she was almost over the brick wall everyone told her she couldn’t climb.

“Did you find anything else?” Heather asked. The hang glider was an option but, she would rather not put her trust in a cheap piece of plastic. There had to be another form of transportation, Chris wouldn’t leave them with nothing. He was too psychotic to pass up the opportunity.

“Um..a pair of roller skates, some carrots…a giant wheel, wow this looks like a big version of what Mr. Fluffy has at home,” Cody said.

“Mr. Fluffy?” Heather snorted.

Cody’s cheeks went red. “My hamster..it was the name the pet store gave him,” he mumbled.

“Right,” Heather said. “So nothing useful?”

“Oh wait I found another pair of roller skates,” Cody said. “You know I used to skate when I was younger, my babysitter took me to lessons, if were fast enough we could—“

“We need something fast, we can skate all you want when I win this challenge,” she said.

“Okay..” Cody sighed. Heather took the skates, putting them back in the box they came in. It would take forever to look through all the stuff Chris left. They didn’t have time. She intermittently checked her GPS to ensure they were on the right track but, she knew that any second it could point another way. The faster they had a way off the train the better so they weren’t stranded.

He took the carrots in his hands, moving to put them back in the crate filled with them. His movement was halted by a loud bang on the door on the other side of the cart.

Heather’s eyes snapped over to the sound. It felt like she was hallucinating, it coming out of nowhere. Her eyes met Cody’s as the sound came again, louder.

“What’s that?” Cody asked.

“Motivation to hurry up and get out of here,” Heather said.

“Grab the hang glider it will have to work,” she whispered. She wasn’t sure why she was whispering but, it felt right. Cody bobbed his head, following her demand.

The sound came again as they scrambled down from atop the crate. The hang glider didn’t exactly cooperate but, she managed.

“Do you think Chris put something outside?” Cody whisper yelled.

“How would I know?” she asked. She attempted to fold the hang glider as she backed away from the door. It predictably didn’t want to bend. How was she supposed to fit it through the far door before whatever was outside managed to get in.

The sound came again, louder. The cart shook, metal ringing. The door caved in, Heather could see marks in the metal.

“Wait..”Cody said, looking at the door.

“Those look like hoof marks..”he said, gaping at the sight. He stopped running, slowly stepping towards the door. Heather wanted to tell him that they didn’t have time for this but she let him go. She knew what battles to pick and if Cody wanted to get attacked by whatever really wanted in he could do that.

She was only inching closer to watch what would happen— it wasn’t like she could get the hang glider through the door in the present. She was stuck unless she wanted to climb atop a moving train with no plan.

“Look there’s a mark,” Cody said. He rose his free hand up, pointing at a place in the metal. It was a small mark in between the rightmost hoof mark, two letters that read “TD”. Total Drama.

The sound came again, against the door harshly. It shook, the hinges squeaking. Then it fell, dust ruffled up. (The cart clearly hadn’t seen the light of day and most of the things in it were coated in a thin layer of dust themselves).

Heather coughed, covering her mouth with her inner elbow. She wasn’t sure why she wasn’t running. Cody didn’t move, he simply looked at the source of the sound.

Whatever it was made a noise with its mouth, springing forwards with one last clap of its hoofs.

“Cody!” Heather warned a second too late. She lunged forward, intent on stopping whatever it was, when the dust began to clear.

“Hey! Stop it..no down!” Cody said, stepping back.

In place of some harm inducing creature stood a depressed looking donkey wearing a saddle that nearly slid off its back. Heather, begrudgingly, recognized exactly who it was.

“Ace!” Cody said. The donkey was attempting to gnaw on the pocket of his cargo shorts, Cody moving back only to lead him on.

“What do you want in there?” Cody asked as the donkey pulled out a carrot by the green stem sprouting from it.

“Oh..did you want that carrot?” Cody asked. Heather wanted to facepalm, mainly at the fact that she felt her heart pounding in her chest. Stupid Donkey, she thought she had ditched him back in China.

“Great it’s that dumb donkey now we need to keep moving, must I remind you that my victory is at stake?” she snapped. She stole a glance at her GPS noting how the arrow curved slightly, away from the destination they were currently on route to.

“Wait what if he could help? He’s fast, I’m sure of it and we need a sure way off right?” Cody asked.

Heather gave the donkey a once over, the animal somehow looking skinnier than the last time.

“I think I trust the hang glider more,” she muttered.

“But look Heather, we give him some carrots and he’ll be faster than the hang glider, I know he can do it, right Ace?” Cody asked. It sounded like a threat to which the donkey only sighed.

She didn’t appreciate his help brainstorming but she had to admit that he was making an awfully good point.

“Will we both fit?”she asked.

Cody nodded. “I can secure the harness, we just need to way to get him off the train, he doesn’t really like being confined,” Cody said. He gave the donkey a pat on the mane, probably to calm it down.

Heather looked around, spotting light trickling through holes in the wall. “Make a stick to hold a carrot over his head, I’ll get him out of here,” Heather said.

“And this better work, I will not lose to Alejandro riding that..that thing,” she said. She pointed an accusing finger at Ace to no avail.

“Okay, we won’t let you down,” Cody said.

——

“I can’t believe Ace is back, I thought we nearly ate him in China but, I guess Chris was just trying to psyche me out..haha good one ,” he said.

“We made an unstoppable pair, he managed to run fast enough to avoid Sierra and I managed to hang on.”

“I hope he can get us to Tijuana beach, Heather seems pretty stressed,” Cody said.

“She deserves to win, if I was still in the competition I would vote for Alejandro a second time.” Cody shook his head.

“I don’t know he’s scary, Sierra is scarier but he’s still scary..”

“I can’t let either of them intimidate me, and Ace is the way to get ahead of them.”

“I wonder how he got there anyways, he must have been on another cart…probably Chris.” Cody shrugged.

——

Heather nodded. She moved towards the edge of the cart, fingers groping the walls for any sort of latch. She hadn’t seen it at first but, the door seemed movable. If they wanted to get out and win she needed to open the door. She hoped it wasn’t padlocked, then she’d have to try to squeeze the donkey back through one of the doors.

She wanted to win but, not that badly.

“Ha!” she said, finding a groove in the wall. She tugged, feeling the thick metal slide.

Perfect.

“Ace stay still, five seconds buddy I promise,” Cody protested behind her. She paid him no mind, pulling harder. Light spilled into the room.

It was a giant cargo hold, the truck probably loaded in through the doors. Wind billowed through the room as she dragged the door across the cart. It collapsed, bending with a loud groan against the other side.

“Get him ready, we need to go,” she said. The new found view revealed a herd of wild horses outside. Their manes were blowing in the wind, the loud noise startling them.

“¡Mierda!” A voice came from beyond the open space. Heather finished pulling, peering her head out to see Alejandro hanging onto the sides, hand outstretched like he was trying to grab something. He quickly recovered, eyes widening at the sight of Heather.

“Amiga..”he began. She had every right to slap him.

“Don’t start, and go away this is my cart and we’re using it,” she snapped.

“Yet it appears I was here first, luring perfectly good modes of transport until you decided to interrupt me,” Alejandro said sourly.

“Oh cry me a river!” Heather said.

“There’s other options, find one, Cody get on Ace,” Heather demanded never dropping her eyes from Alejandro. She would let him struggle, let him lose even.

Yet she didn’t move to follow Cody, who she could spy waiting in the edge of her vision. He fashioned some sort of stick, waiting near the edge with a very monotone looking Ace.

She swallowed hard, gripping the cart door tightly. How was he still here? He shouldn’t have been able to face her, it wasn’t fair.

“What did you say to him?” Heather demanded suddenly, pointing at Alejandro.

He looked at her confused, pressing against the side of the train to prevent himself from falling.

“What are you talking about chica?” he asked.

“The votes last night, you got Noah to change his vote what did you say to him?”

“And why do you keep winning,” she wanted to say. The words didn’t come out. She was too angry. It was unfair. Every plan was turned to dust because he happened to be attractive and the slightest bit clever. He’d done a lot more harm than good so why was he still there while she was attacked for doing so much as looking at someone wrong.

“He simply had a revelation, I did nothing,” Alejandro said.

“Yeah right, I know you talked to him, you just couldn’t accept failure so you weaseled your way to a tie,” she accused.

“I played the game, that is all,” Alejandro said after thinking for a moment.

“Heather come on,” Cody said.

“You’re going down, everyone knows what you are and you’re going to pay for it,” Heather threatened.

“No matter what happens,” she said.

Alejandro’s face fell, for a split second, before it bounced back.

“That may be so but at least I will be a millionaire..”he said.

Heather didn’t grace him with a response. She turned around, grabbing onto Ace as Cody lured him forwards.

She felt the wind in her hair, felt the ground spin beneath her, then they landed. Ace took off across the dessert, towards the arrows new direction.

Heather looked up, catching Alejandro’s gaze again.

She pulled out her walkie talkie, pressing the button on the side.

“Good luck Alejandro, see you in Hawaii!” she said. She let her worries melt away as they rode, watching the train disappear in the distance.

She wouldn’t stop. Not when she was so close.

She deserved this, she played fair.

Three season.

Three damn seasons of the show. This was her comeback and she would not sit back and let Alejandro take it.

Or Noah.

“Can this things go any faster?” Heather yelled as they rode across the desert.

Cody simply bobbed his head.

She would like to see Alejandro catch up to her now, there was no stopping them.

That was a guarantee.

••••••••

Noah would never admit that he was stuck.

It was in a metaphorical sense but none the less embarrassing.

He didn’t have a way off the train, his search yielded no results. Just more stupid passenger carts and an angry conductor that reminded him of Chef. There was nothing to get him further and to make matters worse he was missing Alejandro.

That was another thing he would never admit aloud.

He was helpful to have around, if only to motivate him. He had a presence, it felt weird to not have him breathing down his neck.

Alejandro had stuck to his side practically since he came back and now he was absent. It felt foreign. Maybe it would have been better to keep him around…

To watch him. He could be half way to Tijuana beach while Noah was floundering.

He needed a way out, the GPS was looking troubling. Not to mention Chris’ various interruptions while he was walking telling him that he should probably be heading off the train.

The crackle of his walkie talkie made Noah jump. He picked it up, listening in to catch the end of the message.

The voice was Heather’s, wishing Alejandro luck. From the wind in the background she was already off the train. He needed to go, he needed to find Alejandro and make sure he didn’t get any ideas in Heather’s absence.

Noah opened the door of the cabin he was in, staring down the next door. He didn’t have time.

Noah grabbed onto the ladder, climbing up the rungs. He needed a better vantage point to find Alejandro and stop him.

Everyone would watch him succeed and then he could walk away from it all.

Noah wondered why it didn’t feel that easy. He wasn’t invested, he didn’t have a stake in this.

Lying to himself wasn’t making him feel as good anymore.

Noah grabbed onto the metal edge of the train’s roof. He pulled himself up, using his feet to get over the top of the train. His leg stung faintly but he pushed through. He struggled to straighten up with the increased wind resistance. He looked around, seeing the ground blur below him. The sight threatened to make his head spin.

He took one step, then another. He didn’t see anything out of the ordinary. Until he looked straight ahead, across the various roofs that made up the train. Near the end he saw something bright, a swirl pattern. It flapped in the wind, struggling against the force. Strange.

Noah walked along the train, jumping the small chasms in between. Every jump made his stomach flip. If he fell there was nothing to catch him.

How comforting.

He grew closer, seeing metal holding the thing up. Someone was holding that up.

Noah squinted, catching a glimpse of something red.

Maroon specifically.

He kept going. He didn’t have a choice. It was Alejandro, with a hang glider. He was preparing for take off, trying to steady himself. Noah had to stop him, or join him. He should have thought things through and now he would pay for it.

Whatever. Unlike Alejandro he could swallow his pride if that meant crushing him later. Thoughts of revenge made what he had to do easier.

Noah jumped the length of the last space, landing on the caboose. He pushed the hair from his face, stalking forward one last time.

Alejandro turned around just in time to see him land.

“Amigo..”he said. He looked caught off guard. His wounded animal expression turned into a smile just as quickly as the expression appeared.

“What are you doing here..I thought you wanted to go off in your own,” he said. His tone sounded bitter. Noah sprouted a small smile born out of disbelief. What did he have to be upset about. They weren’t friends. He was just mad that Noah had seen through his façade. He was trying to collect the broken pieces of his plan, that’s why he was acting hurt. Alejandro was good at faking emotions, Noah should have known.

He felt his fist clench tighter, ready to punch him had he had just an ounce less self-control.

“I did,” Noah said. He refused to elaborate.

“Well it is a shame that you have not found a way off the train..I will miss you in the final two,” Alejandro taunted. Noah inched closed, keeping his face expressionless. He just needed to get help me last time. Alejandro had a way off and he didn’t, he had to hitch a ride.

There wasn’t time to think about how the mere thought of being close to Alejandro made his cheeks heat. He wouldn’t be manipulated again, the feelings didn’t matter.

Alejandro frowned, observing Noah.

“Ah..not so fast amigo,” Alejandro said. He smiled, stepping back. He was close to the edge, standing there with his hand hooked around the metal piece of the hang glider.

“I will be leaving this plane, and you will be stuck here,” he said.

Noah narrowed his eyes. Alejandro met his gaze. They stood still, staring. Noah still inched closer, centimeters away. He just needed to reach over…

They could both fit, and if Alejandro happened to fall then they both would. He couldn’t let him win so easily, he was so close. Who cared how he did it. The end certainly justified the means. It needed to this time.

Noah wanted to move but, he just felt stuck. Alejandro could jump back, it would be over. His gaze was just addicting. His green eyes, staring straight at him. Noah liked how they looked, no matter how cruel they could be. He could picture them closing, leaning in and—

No.

No

No…

A loud sound cut through the air. A train whistle. The sound shook the ground.

That was when Noah struck.

——

Chris sat in the confessionals, crossing his arms. He wore a smile, teeth showing.

“Yeah that was totally me, this is a half hour show and I can’t have them staring into each others eyes for too long haha,” Chris said.

“They’ll be plenty of time for that later when we shoot the last episode,” Chris explained.

“Oh man, I’m definitely getting my moneys worth of this whole revenge plan, it’s tripled the shows ratings,” Chris said. He pulled out a chart, showing it to the camera.

“We only have one more episode, I’m going to make sure everything ends with a bang,” Chris said. His smiled dropped for a moment, showing a facial expression germane to the words spoken.

“That..my dear viewers, is a promise.”

——

Noah reached for the metal handle, trying to grab the hang glider. Alejandro responded by attempting to back up. It would have worked if not for the air following his steps.

He floundered, waving his arm around. Noah used the momentum to straighten himself out, pushing both of them off the train. He hated the feeling of weightlessness but he pushed through. It was rough at first, wind blowing them up and down and Alejandro struggling to hold on. Noah tried to level them out as they crossed the desert.

Alejandro eventually let him. Not without shooting him a glare.

“You are insufferable amigo,” Alejandro said. He held onto the metal, letting his legs float. Noah held on next to him, trying to keep a reasonable distance from him. It didn’t work as every turn moved him closer. He gave up after their bodies were pressed together.

Noah didn’t respond to him. He was a means to an end, that was it.

“If you are going to hitch a ride then check the GPS so we are going in the right direction,” Alejandro said bitterly.

Noah didn’t like that he was right. He just grumbled curse words, pulling out the device wedged in his pocket.

The arrow blinked, pointing left.

“Go left.”

Alejandro suddenley veered that direction. Noah held on tighter, unsure what else he was expecting.

“Not that left,” he muttered.

He looked forward, watching dessert turn to green.

“Congratulations contestants it looks like you’re all on course to Tijuana beach, but it’s still anyone’s race so hurry up, I’ll be waiting,” Chris said.

Noah wanted to drop the walkie talkie to the ground and watch it shatter.

“Perhaps we should hurry,” Alejandro said. He pushed down on the handle, diving. Noah gave him another look. They didn’t have a lot of height seeing as the train wasn’t that tall. One wrong move and they would crash. He figured he’d gotten injured enough for one competition.

Noah did have to admit that they were going faster. He could see water— they must have been pretty close, it was jarring— lining the beach.

Noah shoved the gps back in his pocket. He looked up to see a familiar donkey running along. Cody and Heather sat on its back. Cody had the mane in his grasp while Heather held on to him, yelling something.

“Can you go any faster?” She demanded as they got closer. She had such a way with words.

“Ah Amiga, nice to see you,” Alejandro said as they glided passed her. He shot her a smile, earning a harsh glare from her.

“Ugh!” she huffed. Noah couldn’t tell who the words were aimed at.

Noah didn’t waste time looking at them, he looked towards their goal, seeing it coming up faster than he could comprehend.

“Hey brainiac..”Noah tried to say, he wasn’t loud enough. They were coming up to fast.

“Alejandro!” Noah yelled, trying to use his minimal body weight to steer the glider away from the palm tree in his vision.

It was too late. Alejandro tried but they were already on course. Noah braced for impact, the hang glider getting caught in the branches of the tree. He released the handle before he hit the trunk, feeling himself fall towards the ground.

It was over in a second. One he was in the air and the next he felt sand between his fingers. It was unpleasant but, he was alive.

He sighed, spitting out a couple particles that got in his mouth. He pushed himself up, feeling something in his way.

Noah blinked, looking up to see Alejandro almost underneath him. He had fallen near him in the sand, limbs sprawled out. Noah realized his hand was on his chest. He quickly retracted it, scooting back.

He was not reenacting last challenge.

“Are you okay?” were the first words out of Alejandro’s mouth. He pushed himself up, brushing the sand from his hair.

Noah could only nod as he stood up. He looked up to spy the hang glider dangling in the tree. They’d done it, they’d made it.

Noah wasn’t sure what would come next. It was a tie wasn’t it? Chris said it was a race to Tijuana beach, it figured that he didn’t explain much else.

They both watched as Heather and Cody approached, the donkey dumping Heather while Cody held firm.

“Ugh!” She huffed, spitting sand out of her mouth as she scrambled to her feet.

“You cheater!” She scowled.

Chris, thankfully, interupted before things could escalate.

“Congratulations contestants…and Cody, for surviving the journey here, but lucky for you it’s not over,” he said. His voice came through the walkie talkie but, he was also present in the form of a giant red helicopter hovering above them. He’d probably been watching everything.

“You said it was a race to Tijuana beach?” Noah asked, knowing someone had to prompt him.

“Did I say that? I probably would have remembered,” Chris said. Noah didn’t waste the energy it took to roll his eyes.

“The race was just the first part of the race, your next destination is really Hawaii, first two there are in the final two, I mean it,” Chris said.

“Brilliant challenge idea but, how are we going to get there last I checked Hawaii is over 4,000 kilometers of water that way,” Noah said.

Chris glared at him, lowering the helicopter so the blades blew wind straight into his face.

Noah shut up after that.

“I was getting to that,” he said.

“Behind you are three boats fitted with the latest motor technology..and the cheapest, you’ll have to navigate the dangerous waters of the Pacific Ocean to reach Hawaii,” Chris said.

Noah didn’t like how he said the word dangerous. He’d done something, there wasn’t a doubt. The question was did he want to acknowledge it. He couldn’t be slow, knowing his luck Alejandro would edge out purely because he was good at everything (the pretentious bastard).

“Now what are you waiting for? Last one there is a loser,” Chris said, drawing out the syllables in the last word.

Noah made eye contact with Alejandro. He narrowed his eyes, playful gleam in his eyes. Noah didn’t like it, in fact it made his blood boil.

——

“Chris has more planned, that much is clear…first a foot race and then a boat race,” Alejandro sighed.

“I will win, he is unaware that I was a champion boat racer in elementary school,” he bragged.

“My father insisted I learn how to operate all standard vehicles by my sixth year,” he clarified.

“He had José teach me.”

Alejandro looked away from the camera for a moment. His eyebrow moved downward, almost in confusion.

“A boat race is easy, I will win, I have no doubt,” Alejandro said right as his smile dropped.

——

Noah took off, towards the boats he saw floating in the water. They were an ugly shade of orange and white, with enough space for maybe two people before the vehicle capsized.

Heather and Alejandro followed, able to run a whole lot faster than he could. It didn’t matter once he had control of the boats motor. He’d never captained a boat before but, he was a fast learner. He had to be if he wanted to keep up with everyone else.

Noah pulled up the legs of his cargo shorts as he reached the shore. He waded through low tide towards the boats waiting. The salt water made his leg sting, bringing him back to those stupid eels. He wished he could be done with them but, they kept coming back.

If it wasn’t the animals themselves then it was Alejandro.

How had it come to this?

Why hadn’t he just given up? He kept asking himself that question even when he already knew the answer.

He didn’t care to answer it in his head, stepping through the waves and climbing over the edge of his boat. A quick tug of the string and the motor flared to life. The sound was almost in sync with Alejandro and Heather’s.

They all looked at each other, hands on the steering wheel. Then they took off, leaning forward. The wind blew through Noah’s face, making him feel dizzy with how fast the land was leaving them. He didn’t have time to be worried, he pushed forward, straight ahead. He could see the Island in the distance— somehow— approaching them. The distance was off but, something told him Chris fudged it to make the race more exciting.

His assumption was confirmed in a different way when he heard something explode. The sound threatened to burst an ear drum, heat coating him.

——

“I was trying to grab onto my crutch..it slipped out of my hands,” Cody admitted.

“It fell out of the boat and hit one of those weird metal things floating in the water..I didn’t know they were land mines!” Cody exclaimed.

“Chris really is psychotic,” Cody shook his head.

——

Noah looked around for the source of the sound, while simultaneously trying to control his boat amidst the waves that formed from the explosion. He only found metal balls in the water. They were spiked, stationed a certain distance apparat Noah couldn’t gauge. Why did he think Chris would make the race easy?

“Oh did I forget to mention that I lined the water with bombs, I wouldn’t touch those if I were you,” Chris said. He giggled like a five year old, sound like nails on a chalkboard.

“Helpful,” Noah muttered. He focused on going straight, watching the water for bombs. Unfortunate for him was the sound of another boat approaching him. Noah tilted his head, going on the defensive.

It was Alejandro, edging him out slowly. He was concentrating, taking the same path as Noah as it was the only one free of mines. He didn’t speak—thankfully— but that didn’t stop Noah from being hyperaware of his every motion.

Noah veered away from him, trying to keep his head clear. Alejandro would distract him and then he would be screwed. That was his whole plan wasn’t it? Make his head fuzzy so he would slip up. It wouldn’t happen, he wouldn’t give Alejandro an inch of mercy.

Not anymore.

He pushed the stick forward, letting the wind pick up. He could see the island more clealry see people gathered on the shore watching. Chris must have set it up. He squinted, letting his focus on the water slip to see beyond him.

There was a set of bleachers on the sand, people sitting on them watching. Cameras were set up behind the crowd and interns and crew members alike were running around.

There was no mistaking it, the rest of the cast were gathered there. He recognized Owen first, then DJ and Bridgette on the bottom row.

Noah swallowed down his nerves. He had to finish the job. No matter who was watching.

Noah focused on what was in front of him just in time to see a land mine bobbing into the water in front of him. He swerved, nearly losing control.

Maybe paying attention was a good idea.

It didn’t seem to help with the race aspect of the challenge as his distraction was all Alejandro needed to overtake him.

“Adios amigo,” he said happily, looking behind him to give Noah a smile. It was unfair how good he was at steering the boat.

Noah shook his head. He needed to go faster, or else he would lose. Heather was clearly approaching and he was being too cautious. Funny how being safe was causing him to lose. He supposed he should have learned that a long time ago when Chris let him jump off of a plane without a working parachute.

He pushed harder on the handle, willing himself to go faster. It wasn’t much help when every five seconds he had to swerve to avoid the incoming land mines. Heather had Cody who was yelling out commands, what did he have?

Alejandro was escaping into the distance and he was loosing yet again coming so close. It felt like he’d come so close every time. He had the mental aptitude, the support, he should be doing better. He should be the best.

Maybe he was thinking too much like Alejandro. He didn’t want to be the best, he just needed to beat Heather. That sounded more manageable. He had time, no matter how limited it was.

Noah took a deep breath. He smelt the salty air, tasted the breeze on his tongue. He was doing fine, he just needed to come up with something that Heather couldn’t beat. A speed boost, a lack of inhibition.

A freak landmine caused him to swerve, his boat grazing the latter half of it. The bomb sunk, exploding behind him. The force propelled him forwards, causing him to brace himself.

“Hey careful!” Heather demanded from ahead of him.

Noah recovered, continuing on his way.

A way to go faster..he couldn’t seriously—

He wouldn’t. He had self-preservation, right?

He looked up, seeing the crowd again. He could practically hear their cheers that told him he had to do something stupid. It wasn’t stupider than rejoining the competition so what did he have to lose?

The boat sped up. Noah pushed the handle down. He watched the water in front of him , spotting a perfectly placed land mine. He just had to calculate it right and he could propel himself without breaking the boat— and himself— in half. He had a small window, no pressure.

He kept going, grinning if only to make himself feel better. Smiling was supposed to make you feel better right, Noah’s heart was pounding to fast in his ears to tell if it was working.

The mine was there, he was so close. He barely passed it before veering the handle, intending to nick it like before.

Noah heard the sound of a pin being pushed, then he felt heat on the back of his neck. The boat was slipping away from him, he felt his body flying forward, up in the air. He was used to the stomach clenching feeling of falling but, not knowing if he would land on water or sand terrified him. He could see his boat following below him, the waves rocking back and forth as he tried to push forward.

He was gaining on Heather, flying faster and faster until—

He hit the water with a smack. It hurt, a lot, but he didn’t sink. He clawed his way to the surface, taking a breath of air. He looked around, spying the shore close to him.

He took off in a mad sprint that involved pumping his arms as fast as he could. The boat motor behind him picked up his pace, he was close he was going to get second place.

Noah reached his hand out, feeling the water thin just as a boat buzzed by him, landing in the sand.

He wasn’t sure where the line finish line was but, he was just happy to be alive. He crawled all the way to shore, dragging himself until no part of the water was touching him.

“Ugh..”he groaned.

He looked up to spy Alejandro with his boat. He ignored Heather landing in the sand, reaching his hand out to help Noah up.

“That was impressive amigo, are you alright?”

Noah brushed him off, pushing himself up with sheer willpower alone. He was beginning to hear cheers from the ground, calling both his and Heathers name. Alejandro didn’t look happy about it, the only indicator being his lack of a smile.

“I’m fine,” Noah snapped. He twisted his head to see a lumbering form running towards him.

“Little buddy I missed you so much!” Owen cried. He embraced him in a hug, making sure to break all 206 bones.

“I missed you too dude,” Noah mumbled with his mouth pressed against Owen’s chest. It was nice to see him, Noah missed hearing his voice. It had been nearly a week since they’d talked and even that felt too long. The hug gave him a renewed strength he couldn’t describe. He was ready to beat Alejandro, given that he had won the challenge.

“Congratulations..”Chris began, stepping out from his helicopter that had landed on the beach. Chef was with him.

“It’s a tie,” he said, shrugging. Owen slowly released Noah to hear what the host was about to say.

“What?! How did he—“ Heather began, scowling.

“Thems the breaks,” Chris cut her off.

“It looks like we’ll have to pull out the tie bre—“ Chef began.

“I’ll have to rewind the footage and see who touched the sand first, it’s the only way,” Chris said, unsubtly elbowing Chef in the side. He gave the host a glare but, didn’t speak.

“Yeah, that’s what you said earlier,” he muttered. Noah wondered how much he was getting paid to deal with the man child governing their well being.

“How long will that take?” Heather asked.

“Hmm give the film crew an hour, then we’ll have one final elimination ceremony before the final two!” he said. “For traditions sake.” Chris shrugged.

Noah didn’t like waiting long but, he didn’t really have a choice.

“Now, final contestants come with me, we don’t have time for talking, the rest of you enjoy the weather while you can because things are going to get…heated soon,” Chris said. Noah didn’t like when Chris emphasized random words.

“Oh..bye Noah, good luck I’ll be rooting for you,” Owen said. He ran back over to the rest of them. Noah watched him leave, trying to gauge the others reaction. Bridgette was the first he saw. She looked guilty, giving him a nod that told him he needed to finish what he started.

“Cody my man get over with the others, you lost,” Chris said as they all started to walk away.

Cody looked between Heather and the bleachers looking antsy.

“A-are you sure? I..is there anywhere else I can go?” he asked.

“You should listen to Chris, I think you have someone waiting for you over there,” Alejandro said. He gave Cody a cruel smile.

Cody swallowed hard, lifting his head to see Sierra waving to him, practically foaming at the mouth.

“I warmed her up for you, telling her how much you missed her,” he said with a wink.

“Get lost Alejandro everyone knows what you are and they’re not playing along,” Heather threatened. She extended her nail out, poking Alejandro in the chest harshly. He frowned, not saying another word.

“He’s coming with me, until the ceremony,” Heather said, not taking no for an answer. Chris didn’t push it, mainly because he was arguing with Chef near the helicopter.

Alejandro didn’t speak on the matter further, mainly because Noah shot him a glare. Did he really think Noah would like someone like him, someone so cruel? He’d been stupid to think he could look passed that. It didn’t matter that he had, for a moment, seen passed the veil to the real Alejandro.

Noah wondered if things would have been different if they’d met outside of the competition. Alejandro wouldn’t have given him the time of day, he could predict that much. He wondered if he would be mellowed out, less harsh.

Some part of him hoped that what he saw wasn’t all there was to Alejandro. He couldn’t just be some faceless monster, Noah knew he wasn’t.

It would be in his best interest to ignore any revelations. Beating a faceless monster was far easier than acknowledging that maybe he wasn’t all horrible, maybe he could change. That wasn’t clear in the present so Noah went on thinking it as he walked off, towards whatever camp Chris had his interns set up.

He was tired, yet too anxious of the results to rest.

Noah shook his head, tapping the side of his face. He needed to get back in the game, he was so close, just one more push…one more.

He turned his head to glance over at the bleachers. He heard cheers, circling through his ears. Flags were waved and the others smiled. Noah couldn’t match the expression but, he nodded. The encouragement would have to be enough.

Noah wasn’t sure he felt so encouraged anymore.

He just felt defeated.

And hurt.

••••••••

The camp was nice, for Total Drama standards. It was unfortunate that he didn’t get to see it long.

That was thanks to Alejandro. To add salt into the wound he couldn’t leave him alone. He was still trying to wrap him around his finger even though Noah would play no part in it.

Alejandro must have seen him limping, causing Chef to steal him away. There was a medical tent set up near the edge of camp. Alejandro stalked outside while Chef looked at his injury.

It wasn’t that big of a deal, Noah told Chef as much only to receive a disapproving look from him.

“It’s not nothing kid, there’s some serious trauma here that’s only been irritated, you got to be careful,” Chef demanded.

“Yeah whatever, tell that to Chris,” he said blithely.

“The competitions almost over, it doesn’t matter,” Noah continued.

“You’re set to have nerve damage if this keeps happening kid, I’ll prescribe some burn cream but, you have to stay away from those eels,” Chef advised. Noah was just surprised he wasn’t getting laughed at for his misery.

Noah unintentionally snorted. Stay away from eels? He would probably be facing one in the finale.

“This isn’t a laughing matter,” Chef said.

“I know,” Noah said, not elaborating.

“But it’s not like we know I’m going to be competing in the finale, I could just lose now and I’ll be fine, it’s not like theirs many opportunities to get shocked by electric eels in the middle of Ottawa,” Noah said, shrugging.

Chef gave him a look.

“I’m pretty sure you’ll be competing,” he said offhandedly.

“Me and Heather tied, it’s anyone’s game,” Noah recounted.

Chef shook his head, making a disapproving sound with his lips.

“Trust me it’ll be you and Alejandro in the finale,” he said.

Noah felt a jolt of fear shoot through him, he wasn’t sure why. “What makes you so sure, your gut?” Noah asked defensively.

Chef glared at him. “There was supposed to be a tie breaker in the event that two of you arrived at the same time,” Chef said.

“It was in the plan, a script was written up but, Chris decided to change it last minute,” Chef said.

To distract himself from the conversation he unscrewed the cap of a bottom of burn ointment before applying it to Noah’s leg.

“I’m sure you can guess why that is,” he said after Noah gave him a look.

“So he’s screwing with the results to make things more interesting?” Noah asked. His face didn’t change because he wasn’t surprised in the slightest. Chris cheating? Noah was just weary at the idea that it was being done in his favor.

Chef nodded slowly.

“You didn’t hear it from me, if a word of this leaves this tent you’re done,” Chef threatened.

“I just know he’ll be whining to me about this when it blows up in his face, and I won’t hear it,” Chef muttered, finishing the job and screwing the cap back on.

Noah felt like he was wedged in the middle of a marital dispute.

“Nothings going to happen, one of us is going to win and then it’ll be over, I don’t know what he expects,” Noah muttered. It was pretty optimistic but, he needed something to motivate him.

“Yeah right, Chris knows what will happen when he puts you two together,” Chef said. He gave Noah a look, making kissy sounds unsubtly.

“That’s all him,” Noah said defensively, feeling his face heat.

“It’s just Alejandro trying to mess with my head,” Noah continued.

“Sure…”Chef said. Noah thought it was the end of that until Chef continued.

“But kissing seems a bit extreme, even for him,” Chef said.

——

Chef broke down laughing, holding his stomach like he was about to fall over.

“You should have seen his face,” Chef said.

“Yeah I saw them after that explosion. I was headed back to my tent and ducked behind a rock, gave me a perfect angle,” Chef said.

“They’re just lucky it was too dusty for the cameras to pick up, that would have been priceless,” Chef said.

——

Noah felt himself turn a darker shade.

“That’s not…he’s only messing with me because nothing else will work, you’ve seen him do it to everyone else! He flirts with people and then throws them away, that’s all,” Noah said. He wasn’t sure why he was getting so worked up but, he needed to make things clear.

Chef shook his head slowly in disbelief.

“Whatever you say kid,” he said.

Noah balled up his fist but, didn’t respond. He didn’t want to talk about Alejandro anymore, the topic was exhausting him.

“Are you done? Am I free to go?” Noah asked suddenly, swinging his leg back and forth.

“Yeah,” Chef said sourly.

“Go on, get out of my sight, I don’t want to see you back here again for the rest of the show,” Chef threatened.

“And keep off of that leg as long as you can,” Chef said but, Noah had already slipped through the tents running away from anymore conversation.

He knew he was right and some random talk with Chef wasn’t going to change his mind. Something he said was interesting though.

Chris wouid make sure he got to the finale?

Did he know? Noah wasn’t sure given the hosts mixed signals throughout the show. Forcing him and Alejandro together at inopportune times was definitely sucpicous but, they had a noticeable rivalry. Was it just coincidence?

Noah wasn’t really sure what to think as he took a seat on one of the logs set around a small fire. Chris had done a good job making a makeshift elimination room for the final ceremony, Noah certainly felt weary.

The feeling only intensified when Alejandro took a seat next to him. He had his red over shirt off, draped on a fence post near the camp. It had probably gotten wet during the challenge, Noah could still feel his long sleeve shirt rubbing against his skin uncomfortably. Unlike Alejandro he didn’t exactly feel like showing the whole word how skinny his arms were.

“Are you alright?” Alejandro asked. Why was it always that question? Why not a taunt, why not a “I hope you break a leg Noah so I can win the million”. Noah just wanted him to trash talk him, reignite his fire so he could win the competition.

“I’m fine,” Noah said, not vocalizing any of his annoyances. What was he supposed to say “I just want you to act more hatable so I feel better about all of this?”

Noah knew he was bad, he knew Alejandro was twisting his feelings but…it was hard to argue the claims when Alejandro was so nice upfront, almost genuine.

Noah pictured the kiss in his mind, a flash of rage blinding him. How could he, how could he twist his feelings like that. It hurt, it made him want to curl into a ball and sink into the floor because he fell for it. How could he fall for it? It was so obvious. He’d done it before, to Bridgette, Leshawna, Heather, how had he ignored it? Was he that stupid.

Noah looked back at Alejandro, lip curling outwards in disgust. He wouldn’t get away with it. He wouldn’t get away with eliminating him and he wouldn’t get away with playing with his feelings.

It was almost a relief when Chris interrupted Noah before words could form.

“Final contestants, the results are in, and well it was pretty close,” Chris said. The four of them gathered closer to the center, watching as Chris turned on a screen.

The screen showed a side angle of the dramatic moment of Noah crawling to shore and Heather riding in on her boat. From what he saw they reached the beach almost simultaneously but, it was hard to say at the current angle.

“First I tried this angle and well it looked the same so I went to my other angle and..well long story short this is the best angle,” Chris said, clicking a button to reveal a blurry picture taken from under the water. Noah didn’t even question it.

Of course he had a camera underwater, just for emergencies Noah supposed.

“What were you planning on filming with that?” Noah asked.

Chris looked at him with a grin.

“Well I had more surprises planned to put in the water but, someone interfered,” he said, not elaborating.

“But lucky for you all it caught the moment you both touched the shore, let’s watch,” he said.

The feed played and the sound of a motor quickly sounded. Noah watched with bated breath as he swam through the water, reaching for solid land just as Heather came into frame. The next part happened too fast for Noah to see any clear winner. Lucky for him Chris slowed it down the next time he played it, watching excitedly as Noah’s hand reached and..

He touched the shore, just before Heather beached. It was with the tips of his fingers, grabbing a fist full of damp sand in his struggle to breathe.

Noah felt something he couldn’t describe.

He did it.

He was moving on.

Chef was right. The film didn’t look doctored but, Noah couldn’t say. He couldn’t say for sure about anything.

“Congratulations Noah looks like you’ll be facing off against Alejandro in the final challenge!” Chris said.

“And I’m sorry Heather but, please make your way to the dock of shame I built just for you,” Chris said.

“What? This is unfair! He was supposed to— this wasn’t supposed to happen!” She said, practically turning red. Cody slowly scooted away from her as she stood up, walking over to Chris.

She didn’t slap him or do much of anything. She just sat there, giving him a glare that was probably meant to scare him. He just gave her a loose grin, gesturing to the dock.

“I just need you to jump off of the dock, for the cameras,” Chris said.

Heather looked like she’d rather do anything else. Noah couldn’t help but feel bad seeing as he could have made Alejandro go away last challenge.

He made his bed, now he had to lie in it, for better or worse.

He could pretend that he knew what he was doing but, he didn’t.

All he knew was that he was hurt and Alejandro was going to pay for that.

The rest would follow on its own.

He knew it would.

——

Heather sat in a Hawaiian themed confessional, squeezing water out of her hair. A piece of seaweed stuck in her hair like a headband until she peeled it off, face showing disgust.

“I hate this stupid show,” she grumbled.

“It should have been me that made it to the final two, I deserve it unlike that slime Alejandro,” Heather said.

“Look I don’t like Noah but, if he wanted to keep Alejandro in so badly he better beat him in this last challenge,” Heather said.

“I swear to God, if he wins I’m going to..”Heather stopped herself from squeezing her fist any tighter.

“I could just punch his stupidly attractive face, and he’d deserve it for pulling something like this.”

Heather took a deep breath, trying to relax.

“It’s over, but at least I tried to take him down..unlike everyone else,” she said.

“They better be thanking me, I bet they’re regretting not listening to me now,” she said with a small smile.

For once she wasn’t the bad guy and she liked it.

She liked it a lot.

——

“Well.. it looks like the final challenge will be interesting after all,” Alejandro said. He tapped his foot against the floor acting antsy.

“I doubt Noah will make it easy for me..but I must win at all costs,” Alejandro said.

“Once the competition is over perhaps I can forget about him..maybe move on,” Alejandro said.

He smiled at the camera like it had told a joke. It was a forced smile in every regard.

“I know..I thought that was an amusing things to say before the finale,” he admitted.

“I must clear my head of Noah..he is simply a competitor, nothing more,” Alejandro said.

The tapping of his foot slowed. He ruminated something in his head for a solid minute or so before speaking again.

“I overheard some things said in the medical tent..it is not my fault that I was concerned for his well being..”Alejandro recounted.

“ I simply wanted to ensure things were fair before I crush him into dust,” Alejandro said, defending his actions half heartedly.

“Chef claimed that his leg had been injured before..by the same creature?” Alejandro asked, confused.

“Perhaps during the Jamacian challenge…but I would have noticed if he started limping,” Alejandro asked allowed.

“How could I have missed his injury? When did it happen?” Alejandro asked. He sounded more desperate, pained even.

“I simply do not like the thought of him hurt..that is all,” Alejandro clarified realizing that he was sounding erratic.

“I will not let the worry distract me, there is a time and a place,” he recited almost robotically.

“He is a competitor, standing in the way of my million, it does not concern me.” Alejandro shook his head slowly.

“I will defeat him, that is all I have to say.”

Chapter Text

“Gosh this is a disaster!”

Harold shook his head, tugging at his hair. He was pacing back and forth near the bleachers while a small hole formed in the sand around him.

“Harold..”Leshawna said, expectant look on her face. “Have some faith, this isn’t over.” She didn’t sound like she believed the words herself.

“Everything’s over..gosh it should have been m— no this is pointless, we failed,” he whined, ignoring her.

“Calm down Harold, we need to trust Noah, he beat Heather he can beat Alejandro,” Bridgette said. Heather shot her a glare that she ignored.

“It’s not like we have a choice anyways..”she muttered, looking away.

“For the record..”Heather began, holding her hand up. “He didn’t beat me, we tied, it was a millisecond difference,” she protested. She had joined the crowd gathered on the bleachers—upon Chris’ insistence. Cody sat next to her, sitting near the end of the bleachers, far from Sierra. Heather had done nothing but scowl since she got there. No one blamed her, and no one wanted to aggravate her, seeing as they all knew how many times she could have been saying “I told you so”. For a moment she was above that.

“But he better win, or I’ll wring his neck myself,” she said. No one doubted her. The motion she made only cemented the words.

DJ swallowed hard next to her.

“Well I don’t really care what happens.. I’m just glad this is almost over,” DJ said. He swirled his finger in the water of his fishbowl. It was vacant, no bubbles coming from the bottom. He sounded like he was trying not to cry.

“I can finally go home..to my ma—“

“To your ‘mama’ yeah yeah we get it,” Duncan interrupted with quotation marks. He tuned into the conversation offhandedly, stilling the motion of his knife to give DJ a sneer. The hatred didn’t really seem directed, it was like a wave radiating towards everyone who dared to stare at him. He was aiming to get a rise out of them. To an extent, it worked.

“You wanna try that again?” Leshawna asked. She saw DJ’s eyes water, giving him a comforting pat on the back.

Duncan wielded his knife, sticking it towards her lazily. “Make me,” he said. His voice was dull, eyes betraying nothing.

“Oh stop it Duncan, you lost get over it,” Courtney said. She smiled, sticking up her nose. She wore a Hawaiian lei and her swim wear, hair wet from her earlier swim. A flower was placed in her hair perfectly. She was almost humming to herself from her spot on top of the bleachers.

“I didn’t see you doing anything other than running away from a lion,” Duncan mumbled. His voice didn’t reach, knife stabbing into the wooden bleacher harshly.

“Woah dude watch out,” Tyler said. He moved back, bumping into Lindsay. The motion sent her falling off onto the ground.

“Ow!! Hey!” Sierra said, jumping up. She was hiding under the bleachers, looking up at Cody who noticed her with wide eyes.

“Sierra?!” he said, scooting back. He nearly bumped into Heather in his haste. He held his arms up, practically flailing.

“Aw Codykins don’t be scared, I just missed you,” she said.

“Get back, whatever Alejandro said wasn’t true, obviously,” she said. She wore a look that told the others that they had in fact had that same conversation five times prior.

“Oh..”she said, drooping.

Heather elbowed him only for him to shake his head slowly, not meeting Sierra’s gaze.

“Ugh..”Tyler moaned next to Lindsay, trying to sit back up on his seat. He was oblivious to the whole ordeal going on next to him, head spinning. He wore a cast on his legs, head wrapped snuggly in a bandage

“Oh Tyler it’s okay, here,” Lindsay said. She leaned in, giving him a hug that caused his body to make a snapping sound. Multiple.

“I think he’s passing out..”Sadie said above them. “What do you think Katie?”

“Yeah definitely,” she poked the back of Tyler’s head as he fell.

“Ladies, please focus,” Justin said, eyebrows raised in demand. He held a compact mirror, wearing a smile with a hand holding up the edge of his nose.

“Sorry Justin,” they both said.

“I need to look perfect for the cameras,” he said.

“Don’t worry you look beautiful!” Owen said, looking up from his spot on the bleachers. His eyes were sparkling.

Gwen attempted to hide her laugh at Owen’s outburst, drawing Duncan’s eyes. They met in the middle before awkwardly looking away.

“Thank you,” Justin said, flashing him a carefree smile.

Chris cleared his throat, silencing the cacophony of conversation.

“Contestants, we’re starting the finale soon, ring any bells? No funny business,” Chris scolded like they were toddlers about to get dropped off at daycare.

At his words the bleachers slowly fell quiet, into a near dead silence. They all looked at each other, then back at Chris.

“Oh this is going to be good,” Chris said. He cocked his head towards the camera crew, making a motion with his hands to get the cameras rolling.

“And it’s all thanks to you,” he continued, softer as he moved away from the crowd. He adjusted a spotlight inland, holding his hands out to check the angle.

“Geoff, what’s up, talk to me dude,” Chris said in an embarrassing display of attempted camaraderie.

Geoff attempted to subtly swallow hard, failing miserably. It felt like he had sunken so far down behind his hat that he could barely see Chris in front of him.

“Nothing man, ready to help host the last episode,” he said. He grinned, prying his fingers away from his hat. He could feel eyes on him even if they weren’t watching. It was an ever present feeling that had only grown after his spat with Bridgette.

She knew.

They knew. They had to, she would have told them. He thought she did anyways, he hadn’t spoken much to her since she ran off, busying himself with work that the crew needed done. If that meant coffee runs to a nearby town then so be it.

It was only when Chris arrived, asserting his hegemony over them, that he was forced to slow down and confront his actions. Chris was smiley about it but, that somehow made him feel worse. He didn’t really care what happened during the competition as long as it was interesting.

Geoff knew he was supposed to care, he couldn’t hide behind his job. He loved Bridgette, he cared for the rest of the cast to a reasonable extent. He should care what Alejandro had done. And he did care, that slime had seduced his girlfriend and hurt his friends.

But Blaineley was hurting them, wasn’t she? He did the right thing, she was overreacting.

Right?

The decision had felt so right when he dialed the host’s number and listened to his laugh.

“Geoff you don’t know how much this will change things, leave it to me and she’s gone.” That’s what he said yet he tiptoed around actually doing it until weeks later. There was no point, the harm was done. It was a lose lose situation and Geoff wasn’t sure what he should have done. Maybe the stress was getting to him.

Things had been fine, he liked hosting the Aftermath and he had help. Then the new crew came in with the addition of Blaineley and he was lost again. He knew that none of them would buy his excuses so he didn’t bother trying.

He’d given them up to Chris. At face value he couldn’t come back from it, nothing he did would matter. It was over, everything was.

Chris shook his head watching Geoff spiral just standing there.

“Why don’t you take a break before we start filming, I need you at your best,” he said. He put a hand on his shoulder giving him a smile that could only be fake.

“Sure man..”Geoff said slowly.

“I guess I should say thanks for all the help, some minor tweaks and this will be the most watched season yet,” he said.

Geoff swallowed even harder, not liking that idea very much. If Alejandro won he really wouldn’t be able to live with himself. Giving him the million was one thing but, the look on Bridgette’s face. He couldn’t deal with that. It would just reward Alejandro’s behavior, cement her humiliation on live television forever.

No amount of “I’m sorry” would fix things. He didn’t think he deserved forgiveness at that point.

Geoff choked out a response to Chris. “Yeah..sure man,” he said. Chris must have picked up on his discomfort. He got closer to him, smile seeming wider than before.

“I gotta ask dude..” Chris’ eyebrow raised before he continued. “How is it without Blaineley around, you get the set all to yourself again?” Chris asked. The words were light but, Geoff knew what he was doing. He was reminding him of their arrangement, making sure he was ready to help. Chris had already snaked his arm around Geoff’s neck, securing him in place. He had to lift his legs to do so but, that didn’t lessen Geoff’s unease.

Geoff tried to move away, only managing to look away from the host.

“You know it dude, “ he said. He smiled, stepping back as Chris grip fell through. He tried to act buddy buddy with him since they were both hosting a show, Geoff wasn’t interested in hearing anymore of his tips.

“Glad I could help,” Chris said, anything to boost his own ego.

He stopped Geoff again. He was attempting to escape to a nearby tent where the staff took their mandated breaks, it was still a ways in the distance. Geoff doubted he would get there.

“Look,” he said. Geoff turned his head. He was unable to keep his hands from the brim of his cowboy hat, sinking lower into the space underneath. He just wanted to melt into the floor, especially knowing how Bridgette felt.

Chris extended his hand out, towards Noah and Alejandro. They were sitting away from the rest of the cast, a reasonable distance apart, at some sort of campfire. Noah had his arms at his sides, hand rubbing the bottom of his leg absentmindedly, meanwhile Alejandro was glancing over at him like he wanted to say something. He didn’t speak in the end.

“So much tension,” he said. He spread his hands out, fingers angled like the scene was part of a giant frame. “It’s perfect,” he said.

“Good versus evil, who will come out on top? You couldn’t make this up, oh get this to make things even better I’m letting a couple eliminated contestants help the finalists, it’s going to be sooo good,” Chris said. He smiled wider, shaking his head.

Geoff would have been annoyed when Chris put his hand back on Geoff’s shoulder but, he tuned him out.

“What are you talking about dude? No one told me about that,” he said.

Chris smile remained steady.

“It was a last minute change, the producers went crazy for it seeing as we’re short on time.” He shrugged.

“Nice dude, that’s smart,” Geoff said. His words had never sounded more false.

“I know right, I’m a genius,” Chris said.

He tried to continue the conversation when an intern tapped him on the shoulder. Chris only scowled, turning around to glare at him.

“Um sorry Mr.McLean but we’re scheduled to start now, the crews about to film the intro,” the intern relayed. He tilted his head slowly to spy the other crew members watching him. They’d probably sent him as a sacrifice knowing how he’d react to the news.

Predictably, Chris’ jaw tightened. He clapped his hands together, masking any annoyance with a smile.

“Of course, it’s time haha,” he said.

“No rest for the weary huh? Come on you can help me host the final show, you know to really seal the deal,” Chris said, winking.

Geoff didn’t respond to him, instead looking back at the bleachers, Bridgette specifically. She was talking to the others in hushed whispers. She didn’t look happy, she looked worried, angry too.

“Sure man,” Geoff lied, looking back over at Chris.

“Let’s do this.” He knew full well that he wasn’t about to host the show. In fact he knew doing so would only make things worse.

He only had one chance to make things right with her, a slim chance that could backfire horribly. Geoff knew he still had to try.

It was only right after what he’d done, what he was doing.

Total Drama corrupted, he wasn’t going to let it finish the job with him. He wanted Bridgette, not fame, and not Bridgette’s approval. Maybe he was right at the beginning or maybe he wasn’t but, he’d still done what he did.

He didn’t give Bridgette any excuses when she kissed Alejandro. He shouldn’t get any either.

It was fair.

Geoff shook his head slowly, following behind Chris.

There wasn’t much more time to think about it. He knew what he had to do.

Who cared what anyone else thought.

He would make things right. He couldn’t bare to see the look on Bridgette’s face another second.

••••••••

It felt like they had been sitting there for hours. Noah was sick of waiting, and dodging Alejandro’s attempt at eye contact. He couldn’t seem to stop attempting to talk with him. Noah wasn’t sure why. He was intent on being silent until his job was done.

If things went according to plan then he already had an advantage. He would take everything he could get. He was blind as to what the challenge would be and he was already facing up against Alejandro. The muscular and brilliant Alejandro. Calling him brilliant felt wrong but, Noah couldn’t deny that he was smart. They could understand each other, superficially. That was were their similarities ended.

He wouldn’t think about it more deeply than that

Noah shifted uncomfortably in his spot, attempting to dodge an incoming look from Alejandro. They were sitting apart from each other, facing the opposite direction. It didn’t stop Alejandro from glancing over at him from his log. There were other things to do, why was he trying to psyche him out.

Noah wasn’t sure he could handle another silent stare so he pivoted to face Alejandro head on. He refused to meet his eyes, gaze aiming downwards for a split second before he noticed Noah.

“Amigo..” he said pensively. He smiled, looking anywhere but his eyes. All that effort and he was avoiding eye contact, Noah just about rolled his eyes. The more he looked he realized they were directed elsewhere, towards the leg he currently had tucked underneath the other.

Noah’s brow flattened. What was he trying to do? Pretend to care before chiding him? Noah wasn’t going to be bated. He just wanted some peace before Chris summoned them to the start of some psychotic challenge.

The final challenge.

“Don’t.” Noah didn’t bother elaborating on the phrase, turning around once again. He didn’t like staring into Alejandro’s eyes. He found himself getting lost in them too easily.

“I’m fine,” Noah said offhandedly to get rid of him.

“I wasn’t….” Alejandro pursed his lips, cutting himself off.

“That is good, I would want nothing other than a fair fight,” Alejandro finished.

“Sure,” Noah said. He didn’t bother hiding his distaste. Everything was laid bare, almost. Noah knew who Alejandro really was, he knew everything he needed to know.

“I mean it amigo, I can respect your grit,” he said so gracefully Noah almost believed him.

Noah snorted, at the pure absurdity of conversation at that moment. They were only sitting together because Chris put them there. The second the challenge started they wouldn’t be talking so carelessly. That wasn’t who Alejandro was and Noah didn’t feel like talking to him.

He could talk when he beat him into the ground and stole the million from him.

It wasn’t like Noah wanted it that badly but, the look on his face was worth as much. He wasn’t really sure what he would do with it given that he won. At one point he knew he had wanted it, badly, but that desire faded the second he felt an eel brush against his leg.

Dammit, he was thinking about it again. Alejandro said something back to him but, he had fully tuned him out.

Noah swallowed thickly, taking a deep breath. He would be rid of the creatures soon. Every one of them. Then things would be better. He wouldn’t feel so conflicted about the whole thing. He wouldn’t feel so angry about it. He had enough anger he was supposed to embody, he didn’t have time to entertain his own feelings.

He knew where that got him. A look at Alejandro answered that question quickly. He was looking at him, just staring at him with his mouth parted slightly. It was probably creepy, a far away look in his eyes. Noah wanted to say something but, he just..didn’t. He didn’t want to talk about what happened, if he could he would forget about it.

He lost in that moment, he let Alejandro walk all over him without even realizing. He was a good actor.

A really good actor. He must have had practice. His ego didn’t just appear overnight. It came from somewhere. Somewhere Noah didn’t care to explore because then that would put a damper on all the anger he needed to feel, all the determination to win. He had to put everything aside or he knew he would choke.

He kept repeating “Be ruthless” and his head but the words didn’t seem to help. He was still teetering on the edge, an easy place to slip off the ledge.

“Noah.”

Noah jumped, giving Alejandro a look. He had given up trying to get his attention, going for scaring him half to death.

“I apologize amigo,”Alejandro said.

He continued before Noah could speak. “I think it’s time,” he said.

Noah looked over to see Chris waving at them, trademark-able smile on his face.

“Come on contestants, the finale won’t write itself,” he said.

“Or will it?” he giggled with a self-assured chuckle.

Noah scowled, Alejandro looked away.

Noah didn’t comment on the host’s strange behavior. He’d had suspicion that Chris knew more than he let on but he could never confirm it. He couldn’t know, Noah didn’t like to think about it more than that. He was already in the finale, the anxious thoughts would only mess with him.

Noah stood up, he took a breath.

It was time.

He was ready.

As ready as he’ll ever be.

——

“The final challenge,” Alejandro began, crossing his arms.

“Am I worried about the result?”

“No.”

“I am simply anxious to hear the challenge type, the rest of the cast is here for a reason, I only hope they will not play a role in the competition.” Alejandro swallowed hard.

“I suppose I am also worried about what will happen after…”his face fell, eyes roaming the side of the bamboo stall.

“I know I will win, I must win…but then it will be over.”

“Everything will be over.”

Alejandro tried to smile. He did. It didn’t work, his frown only deepened.

“I don’t want things to be over yet.”

“I suppose I have become too comfortable with seeing him, sparring with him. I must get over this if I am to enjoy my victory. He must fall, it is the only way.” Alejandro clenched his fist, teeth gritted.

“Consider this my farewell to us Noah,” Alejandro said.

It was for his own closure. Because of that he was able to muster up a small smile, a fond one.

“It was enjoyable while it lasted…”

“I only wish that things could have been different.”

“But I suppose that’s what everyone always says.”

——

“Welcome, to the final challenge, the ultimate test to see who deserves the million dollar grand prize!” Chris said. He held his hands up, all cameras on him.

Noah and Alejandro sat to the side awkwardly, arms down at their sides.

The rest of the cast gave him a steady applause, probably because of the crew member holding up a sign that read *Applause*. They smiled half-heartedly, all of them. Even they were tired of the show.

“Thank you, now let’s meet our two finalists before getting into todays challenge.”

“First up it’s everyone’s favorite one liner machine, Noah,” Chris said. Noah wasn’t particularly happy with his introduction but, it could have been leagues worse given what Chris called him during his internship gig. He doubted the words were suitable for television.

“Give a big wave to everyone,” Chris said.

“I think I’ll pass,” Noah said. He gave Chris an unimpressed look, turning his face towards the cast. They clapped, loudly for him with Owen standing up. The cheers felt nice, he could admit that. He hadn’t had people cheer for him in a long time; usually they rooted for his injury given his prickly personality.

“You got this little buddy!” Owen said loudly.

“Come on, kick his butt!” Leshawna said.

“What she said!” Harold said.

“Listen to her, make him fall on his ass,” Duncan said sourly.

Noah wasn’t sure why he smiled so fondly. He was almost thankful when Chris directed the attention away from him. They wouldn’t be clapping if they knew who he’d kissed days earlier. He decided to keep that information to himself.

He wasn’t another Bridgette, he had adapted. It hasn’t happened. He couldn’t have fallen for the same tricks…

“Huh what a warm reception, I doubt that will carry on..to our other finalist, Alejandro!” Chris said. Alejandro stepped forward, only to be met with jeers. Noah doubted he expected anything else. Only Courtney cheered, rather poorly at that.

“Interesting,” Chris said. He smiled wide. Noah wasn’t sure what he was trying to pull. He tilted his head toward Alejandro, watching nervous sweat drip down his back.

“Now—“Chris clapped his hand together.

“With that out of the way, please follow me to the start of the challenge hosted on the sunny beaches of Hawaii,” Chris said. He began strolling along the sand, taking them towards a secluded area a little ways away from the camp. It also happened to give Noah a clearer view of the volcano above them.

That definitely wouldn’t come into play later.

Noah didn’t even feel the need to claim sarcasm.

Noah kept pace with Alejandro as they followed behind Chris. The host moved quickly, interns trailing him with signs. The cast only watched. The destination wasn’t far, they could still watch comfortably from wherever Chris was leading them to.

Noah used the moment to look around. There had to be some sort of clue that told him the nature of the challenge. Something to give him an edge. He needed an advantage to counteract the sinking feeling in his gut that told him things wouldn’t end cleanly.

They never did, why had they planned otherwise. The plan had veered so far off course Noah wasn’t even sure he knew what he was doing. All that was on his mind was winning. Beat Alejandro, don’t let him win after his strategy toyed with the others like they were dolls. Why did it have to be him? Why were things suddenly confusing?

Noah liked it better when he was denying his feelings.

“I wish you luck amigo, you were a worthy opponent,” Alejandro said. It looked like he was putting on a brave face. His features remained taut, giving nothing away. It was like a factory reset. All things were put back and place. Alejandro didn’t have a crack on him, he was a brick wall.

So was Noah. It was all he could do, it was easier than acknowledging that things had changed between them.

Maybe Noah didn’t hate him, not completely. Maybe he wasn’t completely heartless, just..flawed.

So was he, it wasn’t like that made him unredeemable.

The thoughts are counteractive so he pushed them down. He’d forgotten that suppressing and denying his feelings only made them surge back stronger.

They’d be done then. He would accept the cost.

“I can’t let you win Alejandro,” Noah said coldly.

Alejandro nodded his head, not saying another word on the matter. He turned forward, stopping as Chris brought them to a clearing. They were still standing on sand but, a couple palm trees dotted the beach, along with driftwood.

“Here we are, the first part of the final challenge, this is it what you’ve all been waiting for, it’s time to begin,” Chris said.

“The last challenge is pretty simple contestants, I figured it was only fair,” Chris said.

“The first part of this challenge will involve some doll building, mainly a sacrifice for the volcano..since we’ve got here it’s gotten pretty angry,” Chris said. He looked up at the giant mass, seeing smoke rise from it. Noah hoped he was joking.

“I figured who better to appease the ancient spirits..of course since I can’t mess up my hair ordering interns to do it, I’ll also need you to deposit your figures into the active volcano..”Chris said.

Noah barely blinked.

“The first to build their figure, carry it up the volcano— and through my homemade obstacle course— and throw it into the volcano, wins the million!” Chris said.

There it was. They had their challenge.

“Now before you start there’s one more thing I should mention..concerning our special guests…”Chris said.

“You might be wondering why they’re here and it’s because I wanted to spice things up,” Chris said.

“For the first part of this challenge I’m allowing each of you some helpers, two to be exact, who will build your dummy for you, I wouldn’t want you to waste precious energy you could be using to scale the volcano,” Chris said.

“Now contestants..I don’t have all day, pick two prior contestants to help you, the faster the better as the challenge is starting in three two…now!” Chris said as suddenly as they arrived.

Noah blinked, staring at the crowd as hands shot up. They were volunteering, to help him? He shouldn’t be surprised yet he couldn’t help it.

“Oh little buddy I can help!” Owen volunteered.

“I volunteer to protect my sweet Leshawna’s honor,” Harold said.

“Don’t pick me I hate volcanos..and so does Irene..so did Irene..”DJ looked to be on the verge of tears again.

“Hey calm down, it’s for the best,” Bridgette said.

Noah gave her a look, she only looked across the way, towards the ocean. So DJ had finally let go, Noah wasn’t sure DJ was ready for that.

Noah also wasn’t sure if he was ready. He didn’t know who to pick. Everyone would help but then something might slip and they’d know that he was getting buddy buddy with Alejandro— unintentionally but still. That would be sure to put a damper on any victory celebration.

Noah’s eyes scanned the crowd, overlooking everyone until he found someone standing to the side, Geoff to be exact. He was isolated, oddly enough. He made eye contact with him, mouthing something Noah couldn’t understand.

Maybe he would work.

Noah bobbed his head, gesturing for him to follow. He didn’t have time to think too deeply, Alejandro was already picking his contestants— from the limited pool he had available.

——

“Chris is really putting me in a bind…there is Courtney of course but who else can I bring..I need someone who will listen to my every whim..someone uninjured..”Alejandro said.

“It is lucky that I can select anyone, Chris gave no explicit rule that consent had to be obtained before they helped me win a million dollars,” Alejandro said with a smile.

“Perhaps my past schemes weren’t all for naught,” Alejandro said.

——

Noah’s eyes scanned the crowed for a second option when Bridgette stepped forward, making his decision for him. She wasn’t paying Noah any attention, she was staring directly into Geoff’s side. She was usually the most relaxed one in a room but, she was hiding a death glare that made any protest due in his throat.

Noah wondered what he was missing. He didn’t have time to ask, nor even wait for them as Alejandro was moving so he needed to be too.

He took off after him, spying two circles with a stand for a statue.

“Oh contestants I should mention, each of your pieces are color coordinated, Alejandro’s is red and Noah’s is blue,” Chris said lazily. He held his microphone up to his lips, the device drooping from his weird posture in a cast chair.

“Helpful,” Noah muttered.

“Don’t worry we got you little dude!” Geoff called after him, at least understanding the urgency of the situation. He was jogging towards the beach, looking over at the various pieces collected in the sand.

——

“What is he doing?!” Bridgette asked, sticking her hand out.

“Of course he didn’t bother to mention that we could help in the final challenge, maybe we could have prepared.” Bridgette narrowed her eyes, scoffing in annoyance.

“If he’s trying to sabotage something else I won’t let him, this is it, it’s either win or lose,” Bridgette said. “I didn’t have time I just made a decision, and with or without his help Noah is getting up that volcano,” Bridgette said, determined.

——

Noah nodded towards him, stepping into his assigned circle. Alejandro was there too, followed by Courtney and Cody of all people. Noah looked at them confused.

Courtney was a given but, Cody?

Then Noah saw the look on his face, the discomfort. It was dirty but, Noah suddenly understood why Alejandro had picked him. He was still under Alejandro’s thumb, still threatened by his fear of Sierra.

Noah could admit that it wasn’t the worst strategy, although when the challenge required physicality the plan had its draw backs.

“Amigos, if you please,” Alejandro said with a wink directed towards Courtney. She smiled, running off with a haughty expression on her face.

“Sure..”Cody mumbled, trailing behind her.

Noah crossed his arms as he stood in the circle. He felt antsy, watching them both run with an urgency he’d never even seen from himself. He hated not being able to do anything, he hated trusting them.

But he did. He knew he could trust them, even if he was missing something. He knew them, better than he had anyways. They were motivated, they wanted this as badly as he now did.

That would have to be enough for him to calm down. He needed to be ready, seeing as he would have to carry his wooden dummy up the volcano. He wondered how that was fair given his and Alejandro’s noticeable strengths and weaknesses.

Bridgette returned with the first piece, a leg. Geoff was behind her, holding the other. They looked thicker than the sticks Alejandro was ordering Cody to pick up. Maybe he was just seeing things. That was probably it.

Noah grabbed the piece, setting it into a pile. Before Geoff could hand him the other Bridgette took it, handing it the couple extra centimeters he needed to reach it. She didn’t comment on the intrusion she just nodded before taking off.

Maybe they were in the middle of another couples spat? It seemed unlikely, they were going steady during the Aftermath. Nothing should have changed. Noah tried to count the weeks since he’d won a spot back on the competition. The higher the number went the more he realized that it had been months. He’d been gone a while, longer than he liked.

Alejandro received his first piece, drawing Noah’s eyes. He didn’t even need to grab them, Courtney began building the statue pieces for him with Cody handing her more pieces he had stacked up in his arms. If a slight wind traveled towards him things would topple over, Noah knew he wouldn’t be that lucky.

The sight only made him more determined. He really thought he could twist his..everyone’s feelings up in a knot. He really thought he could get away with it, he really thought he could make him feel so messed up as he walked off into the sunset with a million dollars.

Noah snatched the next piece from Geoff’s outstretched hand, teetering as he placed it down. The dummy had its bottom half built, wooden pieces sliding in place. He wasn’t crazy, it was bigger than the pieces Cody held. What was Chris trying to pull?

As Bridgette handed him the next piece he realized how screwed he really was.

The chest piece was shaped, with broad shoulders and a slimed waist. A shape that reminded him a little too much of Alejandro. He was making a dummy of him, to throw into a volcano.

If he didn’t win at least tossing it would be therapeutic. He didn’t have that option, he had to win. There was no what if. It was either he won or he failed.

Noah couldn’t stand to fail, not when he’d jumped every hurdle.

He let Alejandro carry him across a tightrope, let him dangle him over a pool of sharks. Noah grabbed a piece of the sacrifice from Bridgette, attaching an arm to the statue nearly in sync with Courtney.

Then there was China. He puked his guts out, put up with Alejandro’s threats, all for a vote he couldn’t even use. Damnit, why had he done that. Noah attached a wooden hand, it clicking into place. He paced the circle he stood in, nearly bouncing in the balls of his feet.

Africa, that was next. The tranq balls, the quick sand, the feeling of a football hitting his temple. He didn’t have time for this. Then there was the massive bird on Easter island, Owen’s sacrifice as Alejandro smelled the blood in the water. Then that stupid rock in Alberta, the mixed signals he kept getting as he fought against him.

Noah grabbed the remaining pieces of his dummy, attaching them without a hint of an expression. He could feel eyes on him. Whose they were he couldn’t say.

He was only missing one thing.

“Here little dude, the last..piece,” Geoff said, taking a dramatic breath. He displayed a pineapple head, fruit sporting a bright green stem.

“What are you doing?” Bridgette asked as she jogged up to them, also panting.

Noah didn’t wait around for his response, securing the head onto the dummy. It resembled Alejandro, as he predicted. Somehow it had that same pretentious look despite its lack of eyes.

“Ha, I did it,” Courtney exclaimed.

“Can I go sit down now?” Cody asked awkwardly.

“Not yet dude, and congratulations contestants it looks like you both tied,” Chris said.

“Now before you race to the top I need to introduce one more twist, well I guess it’s only a surprise for the two of you love bi—“

“Can you get to it!” Noah snapped, feeling frozen as the name nearly slipped from his lips. There was nothing between them, no matter what he felt there never had been.

Each and every time it was wrong; It was a trick..it was…

Noah couldn’t think of anymore excuses.

He had fallen for his scheme, no matter how obvious it was. He needed to make up for it. He needed to leave every dissenting thought where it belonged: in the past. He was over Alejandro. He didn’t care about the devious glint in his eyes, he didn’t even noticed the way he moved with grace, or how soft his hair must have been. He’d pushed the thoughts down this long, he knew how to. Feelings weren’t rationale but, he was. And they would submit.

Chris scowled at his intrusion.

“Harsh dude, now as I was saying not only are the past contestants helping you now but, they also played a small game on the Aftermath show for another type of help, an advantage!” Chris said. Right, he forgot about that. Maybe he had a small chance, barely.

“Now it was a close call but Alejandro’s team won out in the end,” Chris said bluntly, cruelly ripping the hole out of his hands before he could even feel it. Scratch that. Noah couldn’t help but look at the others confused. They just shook their head, looking distraught. Something must have happened. Things had felt off somehow. He doubted he had time to dissect that at the moment.

“Well the victory means that Alejandro gets this wheelbarrow to help carry the dummy up the volcano,” Chris said.

“And Noah, unfortunately for you second place gets nothing so..good luck haha,” Chris said. He gave him a wink. Noah looked confused. He tilted his head, noting the way Chris’ eyes were aimed slightly above his head.

He saw Geoff behind him, lips pressed together.

“Now get to it, I left a couple…surprises along the way,” Chris said with a laugh. “Oh and selected contestants feel free to follow, the more interesting you make this the more inclined I’ll be to invite you back,” he said. Noah wasn’t sure he understood how much that would motivate them to not try.

Noah eyed the dummy Alejandro with disdain. How was he supposed to carry it? With nothing?. Alejandro had a wheelbarrow he didn’t even need, there was no way—

“Amigo,” Alejandro said with a smile. It was like he had manifested in front of him.

“What do you want?” Bridgette asked for him, hatred clear in her tone.

“Ah amiga,” he said. Noah watched as he swallowed hard, looking away awkwardly.

——

“Do not mistake my discomfort for an apology,” Alejandro clarified.

“It is simply awkward to see Bridgette again, after the pole kissing incident.” A smile drew to Alejandro’s face. “That was one of my best plans, flawless in its simplicity,” Alejandro said.

“Perhaps I was a bit cruel..”the frown was ripped from his face.

“It does not matter now.”

——

“I’m simply here to offer Noah some help, to make things interesting,” he said with a curled smile. Noah eyed him suspiciously. What was he doing? He had a clear way to win.

Maybe Alejandro was too vain to let that be. He had to parade around, really earn his victory. Why take it easily when he could flaunt the prospect in Noah’s face. He could make him think he cared about him. He could bat his eyelashes and pretend that he was this kind person when really all he was was a manipulative basta—

Noah blinked. He watched as Alejandro offered up the wheelbarrow with a telling smile.

——

“It is only fair, this challenge is all there is..and then everything’s over..”

“And bringing him this close will make my victory taste sweeter,” he added when he heard what he said.

“If I were him I would accept, perhaps he can get half way up by the time I make it to the top,” Alejandro said with a self assured smirk.

——

“To help carry myself,” Alejandro clarified, observing the dummy like it was a true to the source material.

Noah picked up the stupid dummy, struggling as he stumbled passed the circle. He could feel Alejandro’s eyes on him as he flung the dummy onto his back in protest. He didn’t need help, especially not Alejandro’s help.

The point was to beat him at his own game, not play it until he ran out of chances. Noah had to take the reigns, he needed to surpass him through his own means. He wouldn’t accept his pity. He could do this, just carry an incredibly heavy dummy up the volcano while Alejandro cruised by with a wheel barrow.

Maybe he was delusional. Hawaii was pretty hot, and so was the volcano filled with molten rock, he was already sweating.

Noah didn’t wait for Alejandro to frown, to put in that depressed expression he always did when Noah declined something. He could picture it as he trudged past him. What did he expect? For Noah to accept his help gratuitously. He wasn’t stupid, he wasn’t going to fall for whatever he thought he was doing.

He was pissed off, and he wouldn’t compromise that for anything. Anger was a good motivator and he had to play into that.

It was more dramatic that way, maybe things could actually end then.

Maybe Noah wouldn’t keep hanging onto Alejandro as someone he cared about.

Noah was surprised when he managed to walk forward. He held the dummies arms like a backpack, its legs dragging on the ground behind him. Its pineapple head laid limp, like it was a real body and not something made of wood and fruit.

He was still walking slowly but, he was making ground as everyone watched.

Like a switch was flipped, Alejandro finally spurred into action.

“As you wish amigo,” Alejandro said. He picked up his dummy by hand, flinging it over his shoulder. He didn’t need the wheel barrow, it would probably slow him down.

“Vamos,” Alejandro commanded. He waved his hands towards Courtney and Cody. Courtney nodded while Cody dawdled.

“I think I’m don—“

“Come on!” Courtney said, snatching his wrist in annoyance.

Cody pulled back. “I did my part I’m not going up there,” he protested.

She scowled. “You don’t have a choice,” she said.

“Quit it, I’ll go if you’ll shut up,” Heather snapped, standing up. Noah could see from the corner of his eye. Cody was one thing but Heather. He needed to get ahead before she unleashed that anger on him that she had after she was eliminated.

“I do not—“

“Good idea, Heather will go instead of Cody, final ruling,” Chris butt in, excited about the prospects of drama clearly.

Heather looked around at the others, muttering something before heading over to them.

——

“Chris will not let me win that easily..”Alejandro sighed.

“Heather is certain to be difficult.”

“It is nothing I cannot handle, seeing as Noah did not accept my help.”

“If he insists on being stubborn then I will simply take the victory I deserve, it is easier in my opinion.”

“Almost too easy.”

——

Noah looked up, being met with Geoff and Bridgette.

“You got this dude, we’ll meet you up there,” Geoff said.

“I’ll meet him up there,” Bridgette snapped back. She stepped in front of him. Geoff looked distraught, ducking his head.

“Trust me babe I’m only trying to—“

“I don’t want to hear it,” Bridgette said.

“We’re winning this and you won’t screw things up.”

Noah grunted in annoyance, walking away without even a nod of acknowledgment. He could barely think with the weight on his back and he wasn’t going to try to. He needed to focus straight ahead or he would screw up their plan.

It was their plan, why was he the one carrying it on his back? This was supposed to be easy.

He should have known that nothing with Alejandro was ever easy. He was instantly regretting not accepting the offer on the case of his pride. It was too late now. He was too close.

Noah trudged forward, every step dragging the dirt lining the path.

“And they’re off ladies and gentlemen, who will come out on top, find out when we return on Total Drama World Tour!” Chris announced, probably to bypass all the boring walking they would have to do. Besides, if the finale didn’t go favorably at least it wasn’t live, Chris could twist things if he needed to.

“Having trouble amigo?” came a voice from behind him. Right on schedule. Alejandro had gotten his bearings and was deciding to put all Noah’s effort to waste. Some quick taunting and he was gone onto whatever Chris had planted.

Maybe once he got there he would have a chance but by then it would be too late. Alejandro was faster and he was stuck taking every step carefully.

He needed to slow him down, somehow. He’d have a small chance then, to maybe use Chris’ sadistic obstacles to overtake him.

He needed to stop trying to brute force things, he needed to think.

“No, this is easy,” he deadpanned.

“You know if you accepted my help then perhaps you would not be struggling, I am going to win but I do not want to make things anti climatic,” Alejandro said. That’s when a plan struck. It was obvious.

Alejandro liked to talk, argue mainly. Get him riled up and he would stick around if only to prove that he was better.

Noah had completed that plan a million times before, without even trying. It was only fair. One last fight before he won and he left everything behind him. Their pointless fighting, their talks that sometimes spiraled into something he could enjoy, those long stretches of silence were he was almost content with him being there as strange as it sounded.

“Accept your pity? I’ll pass,” Noah spit out. He attempted to push passed him only for Alejandro to match his pace. They were really alone now, aside from the cameras. Their helpers were directed towards another path, probably a short cut towards the obstacles to come.

“It was not pity, it was a nice gesture,” he argued.

“Right giving me the reward you ripped away from me, not condescending at all,” Noah said.

“It was not— I did not mean it like that,” Alejandro said. It sounded like he cared a little too deeply about what Noah thought. Where was all the trash talk? The ultimatum.

It was better for his plan but it made everything a lot more awkward.

“I don’t care what you meant I don’t need you or your self righteous ‘help’ I think you’re just scared I can beat you without it,” Noah levied at him. His ego needed some water poured on it, it burned a little too bright.

“That is not true, there is no way you will win,” Alejandro said. “I simply feel all our efforts shouldn’t be in vain,” Alejandro said.

“What efforts? Me trying to eliminate you? News flash It’s not over yet and you aren’t—“ Noah took a sharp breath. Trying to keep him talking while walking with a heavy dummy on his back was not as easy as he thought.

Go figure.

“You aren’t winning,” Noah said.

“Not with what you’ve done,” Noah wanted to say. He kept quiet on that. Alejandro didn’t know what his victory meant to everyone. He wouldn’t know until it was over. That was the point. It was a coup.

“Very clever response amigo,” Alejandro chided.

“You try carrying something twice your size on your back and see if you can think,” Noah spit out.

“It is not my fault I was blessed with superior genes,” Alejandro said.

And the superior ego to go along with it apparently.

Noah squinted as he met Alejandro’s eyes. “Right,” he said. He took a quick step, and then another. Alejandro was slowing to speak with him. Somehow it was working. It seemed like Alejandro was lost in his head, the staring turning hollow.

Noah nearly stopped as well when he saw the look in his eyes. He shook his head, willing the memory of him hovering over him from his mind. Whatever that was wasn’t important. It was a means to an end. Alejandro hadn’t brought it up, maybe he was ashamed of it.

Noah was the one that should be ashamed. He let him weasel his way into his life and twist him in a tight knot.

Noah took another breath, willing himself to breathe. He just had to keep talking a little longer, he could see where the pathway took a turn, covered by a wall. That looked promising.

Alejandro was still playing into his grand scheme wasn’t he, pretending he cared. Maybe he could grab something useable out of that mess.

Noah stumbled forward, keeping tight grip on the dummy as he wavered. The rock he tripped on was imaginary, Noah waving his free arm around.

“Woa—“. In an instant arms grabbed him to steady his balance. The hands were strong, he was stuck.

“It’s okay I got you,” Alejandro said carefully. It was like a lightbulb went off as he turned around, beginning forward again. His body language read “I shouldn’t have done that”. Noah could agree with that.

He shook off the gesture, keeping forward.

“You should be careful,” Alejandro said. “Perhaps if you had accepted my help then you would not be struggling,” Alejandro said. How vain was he? Was he that irritated that Noah didn’t take his stupid reward. He kept bringing it up like he couldn’t get over it. He didn’t even realize it when Noah slowed him down. Maybe he did realize yet his pride couldn’t just let things go.

“I don’t need any of your ‘help’,”Noah said.

“And I never have for the record,” Noah said.

“I recall differently my friend,” Alejandro argued back, slowing his walk.

“Niagara falls, I was the one that carried us to victory, in Africa I saved you from quicksand, and footballs, oh and there was Alberta where I—“ Alejandro shut up quickly, correcting himself before things could get awkward.

“There are a lot of instances where you have benefited from my help, it would be wrong to say I have been nothing but cruel to you,” Alejandro said.

“That was all strategy, it’s not like you did anything out of the goodness of your heart. Niagara Falls was so we could win the challenge and Africa was to keep me from winning the challenge,” Noah said, purposefully ignoring his last example.

“Are my actions at face value never good enough for you? I could have ignored you completely, gone under your nose and eliminated you quite easily but I decided to give you a chance,” Alejandro said.

“You tried to do that, it just didn’t work!” Noah gave him a frustrated huff.

“Don’t act self righteous now Al, if I hadn’t partnered with you the first challenge you would have found a way to get rid of me, same with the next challenge, you wanted me gone and your help was only to benefit yourself, I don’t want to hear it,” Noah said.

Alejandro looked hurt. Good, let him play the victim. Noah was seething. That prick.

“I did not want you gone, you were just endangering my plans, if I could have kept you around I would have,” he said like that made things better. Yeah in a perfect world he’d be on the competition with Alejandro singing Kumbaya together.

In a perfect world he would have never gotten himself into this mess in the first place.

“That makes me feel so much better,” Noah muttered.

“I’m the one who made it this far, no thanks to you,” Noah said. He pressed onward, feeling his back ache. He would certainly pay for his recklessness with a future spinal cord injury.

“So I don’t need any of your help, we’re enemies Al I don’t know why you don’t understand that anymore,” Noah said. Somehow he was overtaking Alejandro, probably because his mouth was gaped. Maybe he’d been a bit too truthful.

Alejandro couldn’t even muster up the breath to correct the nickname like Noah had been expecting him to.

——

“We are enemies, there is no mistaking it..”Alejandro confirmed.

“I know that..I assure you.”
——

The silence was telling that his plan had worked. It didn’t feel like a victory as he glanced down the pathway. They hadn’t made it far but, Noah noticed a break in the trail. The obstacle course had to be close by.

Was it worth the awkwardness? Noah wasn’t sure.

He turned the corner, spying— predictably— an obstacle course beyond him, complete with vines and platforms that Noah doubted he could jump.

“Ah contestants, welcome to the next part of this exciting challenge, featuring the eliminated contestants!” Chris said, walking out from behind a boulder.

“Here I have placed a control panel of sorts that allows them to alter what you see here as they wish,” Chris said.

“That’s a bunch of rope..”Heather muttered.

“We’re tight on budget alright,” Chris said.

“And look I gave you a lot to work with,” Chris said. He gestured to the trail of ropes lining the space behind the obstacle course. They were hooked to a beam which branched off onto the course to various ropes holding up different contraptions.

“How are we supposed to know what does what?” Courtney asked.

“It’s supposed to be a surprise,” Geoff said, Chris giving him a knowing smile.

“You got it, better hope you cut one that helps your contestant,” Chris said.

“Now hurry up, the volcano is getting restless for some sacrifices!” Chris said.

“Oh I almost forgot, catch!” Chris said. He tossed a machete underhandedly towards them. It flew before sliding to the stop on the floor.

Noah somehow met Alejandro’s eyes. They remained narrowed. He nodded before taking a leap onto the first platform. They were metal, hanging over a small pool of water. Chris must have learned his lesson and decided against putting lava underneath them. Noah was thankful as one misstep meant him and his sacrifice would perish too soon.

The sudden action also caused Heather to move. She picked up the knife, swinging it at a random rope. It was her luck when a platform all the way across the course fell.

“Nice try amiga!” Alejandro said as he jumped. He was making ground quite easily, each step graceful.

Noah attempted to follow. He knew he wouldn’t be fast with the giant statue on his back but he would make it work. He managed to make it onto the first metal platform, with minimal shaking. He was almost relieved when he saw a crocodile jump out of the water, attempting to snap at his hand.

Noah flinched back, turning around to use the dummy as a shield. He wouldn’t become crocodile chow today.

He took back what he said about Chris learning his lesson, the water was meant to be another form of torture.

“Don’t worry little dude I got it!” Geoff said. He reached around his neck, pulling off the necklace he occasionally wore— the one with a shark tooth on it.

He began sawing a rope, determined. Bridgette rolled her eyes, she walked over to Heather, raising a question Noah could barely hear while being accosted by a reptile.

Further ahead Alejandro managed to pass the first part of the course, coming to the vines. He smiled. It was short lived when a piranha jumped out of the water to snag the top of his shoe.

He couldn’t enjoy the sight long. The crocodile was restless, gnawing on the wooden torso of the dummy like it was a giant chew toy.Noah attempted to shove the reptile back, only holding onto the dummy by its arm. Between getting his hand bitten off and losing the dummy he knew which he preferred.

“Give it back,” Noah deadpanned, pulling it lightly.

He looked up just in time to see a cage fall from farther down the course, creating a new stepping stone that was rapidly gaining water. Helpful

“Perhaps something more useful..”Alejandro said to Courtney, shaking the piranha from his boot with a steady kick. The fish flew before landing back in the pond to join the others.

“I’m trying, none of these are labeled!” Courtney said, using the force of pure rage (and her nails) to shave away another rope

Noah didn’t have time to tease her as a weight fell down above him, hitting the crocodile on the head. It whined, letting go of the dummy to retreat under the water. Bridgette nodded from across the way.

At least he had some competent help. He ate his words when Geoff finished his efforts, causing the platform he was on to teeter. He quickly jumped, shoe catching on the lack of platform. He reached forward, grabbing onto the next available platform with less grace than Alejandro.

Geoff grinned sheepishly, Bridgette glaring at him. She mouthed something to him, holding her hand out. The words were inaudible to Noah, who was more concerned with the crocodile still prowling the water below him.

It eyed him, now pissed off with a bump on its head. It snapped at him, grabbing the metal holding the platform up.

“Hang on I got you,” came a voice. He was relieved until he realized it wasn’t directed at him.

Alejandro was scaling the vines with the dummy held over his shoulder. Noah was surprised it wasn’t falling with how fast he was moving. Piranhas lunged for his feet, not doing much to deter him. Why did he have to make it look so effortless? His path through the vines was made even easier when Courtney cut a rope, dropping a whole chicken in the water. It bobbed in the water for no more than a millisecond before the piranhas attacked it, along with the crocodile who was submerged in the water.

Noah watched, thoughts spiraling. He had a lot of ground to make up, he had to catch Alejandro. Somehow. He’d gotten this far, he couldn’t just give up. He was in too deep.

It was unfortunate when a viable idea came to mind. Viable was used loosely.

Noah let himself sigh for a moment, mainly at his stupidity. If he failed things would end badly, worse than some hurt feelings. Oh What the hell, he didn’t have time for danger assessment after fighting off an angry condor and a giant rock in the past week.

Noah scrambled for the dummy, hooking the dummy onto his back similar to how Alejandro had it. Like it was fate, Geoff managed to cut another rope. A couple vines fell off the course, some onto the platforms carrying the first half of the obstacle course.

“Thanks guys,” Noah said. He smiled, suddenly understanding why Tyler looked so happy all the time.

Alejandro was acting cocky, he didn’t think Noah could catch up. He would prove him wrong.

Noah took off, using whatever adrenaline surged through him to hop the platforms, keeping pace with the crocodile swimming in the water beside him. Its eyes were directed towards the chicken currently being torn to shreds.

Perfect.

Noah concentrated. He reached down as he ran grabbing a discarded vine to tie while he ran. He jumped, almost on autopilot, holding on the dummy with his other hand. It weighed behind him, doing little to stop the speed of his movements.

With his hand he created some semblance of a loop on the front of the vine. It held taut when he tugged. Just what he needed. Noah held the end of the vine, swinging it around like a lasso. He wouldn’t pretend to have any sort of skills but, if he timed it right then—

He threw the rope, bracing himself for the result. It flew forward, just as the crocodile opened its mouth. The piranhas dissipated as the creature approached, only to watch as it stopped in its tracks. The vine was caught on its front teeth, holding it back.

A cry ripped from his throat, reminiscent of victory. It was strangled as he swallowed, approaching the edge pensively. It wouldn’t hold long, he had to go.

Noah stepped, then jumped. He landed square on the crocodile’s back, forcing his hand to nearly strangle itself grabbing into the vine. The plant broke quickly in the struggle, Noah took the opportunity to grab the newley frayed edge and slip it around the crocodiles neck. Good enough.

Noah held on tightly. He hoped he wouldn’t end up underwater with the giant dummy on his back.

Noah looked up, meeting Alejandro’s eyes further down the course. He’d stopped, turning to watch him.

Alejandro smiled, almost impressed. His wrinkled brow betrayed him.

——

“He is determined, I will give him that,” Alejandro said.

“And reckless, I suppose if this wasn’t a competition I would make sure things didn’t end poorly,” Alejandro said.

“But I cannot stop, not now,” Alejandro said.

——

Noah stationed his heels on the side of the creature, leaning forward. The creature didn’t appreciate being a mode of transportation, so it fought. It wanted to get him off, and it was going to. The only question was how long he could hang on.

The crocodile was currently winning the fight as it lowered its body in the water. Noah realized he hadn’t exactly thought this through. He was gaining on Alejandro but he wasn’t sure he would make it before he was fully submerged.

Lucky, or unlucky, for him Courtney was still annoyed with him. She cut another rope, dropping another chicken further down, on top of the cage that was dropped earlier. It was there on a silver platter, the perfect motivation to not get drowned.

Noah held the rope with his free hand, bracing himself for impact as the crocodile lunged for the bait.

The second he was able he released the vine and stood up, grabbing onto the platform and kicking the chicken away. The crocodile snapped, barely missing his feet as he scrambled away from it.

The chicken floated in the water, he watched the creature tear it to shreds, sitting there to collect himself. That was one way to get ahead. He was nearly at the end, at least. Alejandro was on the last platform, hoping to the floor with grace.

He didn’t have time for this.

“Thank you amigos you were very helpful, I will see you at the top,” he said, sending a wink towards Courtney and Heather. The latter scowled at him.

“You won’t win this!” she raged as he took off.

“What are you waiting for? Go get him,” Heather said, turning her rage to Noah. He didn’t need to be told twice, he scrambled to his feet, using what little adrenaline he had left to climb onto another platform and make his way across. It was slower than the crocodile transport but he managed.

He jumped onto solid ground just as Chris decided things weren’t exciting enough.

“Wow impressive maneuvering from both of you, and thank you to our eliminated contestants for giving me some dramatic footage, you guys were great, unfortunately it’s time to let the finalists go the rest of the way, you can leave, or deal with the crocodile who isn’t one of ours,” Chris said with a wink.

“Aw come on dude..”Geoff began.

Someone must have said something, but Noah started running— if you could consider walking with a 50kg dummy on your back running. He had to make up for lost time and the only way he could do that was by picking up the pace.

“Good luck!” He heard someone call out, he couldn’t quite place the voice. He was too lost in his own head, footsteps hitting the rocky ground evenly until he could no longer hear the racing of his own heart or feel the dread squeezing his stomach tightly.

——

“Who’s going to win?” Leshawna asked, almost baffled by the question. A crew member shoved a camera in her face, looking at her blankly.

“Noah’s got this,” she said, frowning slightly as she looked up at the volcano.

“He better or I’ll go out there and ring Alejandro’s neck myself,” she said, squeezing her fist tightly.

“Don’t look at me like that, you didn’t see what he did, he doesn’t deserve the money,” Leshawna said when the crew member gave her a look.

“If you have a minute I could tell you what happened, to set the record straight..”

The video feed shook.

“Fine, go bother someone else then I have things to do,” she scolded.

The camera was pulled away, feed going black.

——

“Oh the little guy?”

“Yeah he’s totally got this,” Geoff said. “I hope so..”he continued.

“I tried my best..I want him to win, I promise,” Geoff said. It almost sounded like he was pleading.

——

“Noah’ll win this, gosh why are you looking at me like that?”

“I wasn’t the biggest fan of the guy but, he’s got the heart of a true samurai,” Harold said. He bowed, nearly falling on the sand.

“And he’s made it this far, just one more push and Leshawna’s honor will be restored, as she deserves,” Harold said.

The camera turned away, bored.

“But it should have been me,” could be caught in the background.

——

DJ frowned, stroking a glass bowl. Waves flowed behind him.

“Oh…”DJ muttered.

“They’re headed up for the final shot, you’re required to be there,” said a voice behind the camera.

DJ looked up, taking a deep breath.

“I’m mourning the loss of a friend..please just—”DJ sniffled.“Give me a minute,” he said.

He looked out onto the horizon, smiling softly.

“Hey man I think there’s a—“

“Shh don’t, he needs this,” a voice said. The camera was turned, Bridgette revealing herself.

“Okay..well what do you think about the finalists..”the cameraman asked.

Bridgette scoffed. “What’s the point of all of this, you know what we all think and Chris knows what we all want,” she said sourly.

“I don’t know, he asked me to, can you just answer the question please?” the crew member asked.

Bridgette sighed, crossing her arms.

“I hope Noah wins, Alejandro doesn’t deserve the money,” Bridgette muttered. “But what’s the point, we failed and things are falling apart no matter what,” she vented.

“Ugh..I just can’t believe him, he knows how much this means to everyone, he knows how terrible this guy is but he still— I just thought he was done with that,” Bridgette said.

The camera slowly drifted, backing away.

“What, too much drama for you?” She asked sarcastically, scowling.

“I’m just..I have to keep going…”

“You do that…”Bridgette said, staring straight into the lens as it backed away, before cutting to black.

••••••••

Lightweight drones circled the volcano, hovering just high enough to avoid the heat radiating from the open vat of lava.

The various eliminated contestants, in contrast, sat close to the flames. Had one of them tilted forward, passed a wooden sign no one bothered to read, they could see the lava bubbling up. An occasional drop blew up, hissing against the dirt as it died meters away from them.

They chattered quietly, waiting.

Chris sat on a chair, adequately labeled with his face. He scribbled on his clip board, smiling to himself. Everything was ready, he would let his remaining contestants do the rest of the work. An unresolved lover’s quarrel and a revenge plot that had fabulously failed. He couldn’t ask for anything better, for anymore hurt feelings. The pieces were lining up, he simply had to let them fall down around him as the pile of money piled higher.

He quite liked that metaphor. And a mansion with his face on it wouldn’t hurt anything. The views were sky rocketing, he could practically see dollar signs through the smoke of the volcano.

The destination was all his idea. He only had to convince the producers. It was easy, same with getting rid of Blaineley. If you were successful people listened to you, he knew that from experience

Chris bristled quietly as a shadow fell over him.

“You owe me one,” Chef said behind him. He was frowning, arms crossed. There were bite marks on his pant leg and sweat dripping down his forehead.

“Did you at least get the crocodile away from here?” Chris asked.

“Yeah, it’s gone, but it took out a couple of the interns with its tail.” Chef shook his head.

“Ah bummer, looks like I’ll need more for next season,” Chris said.

Chef only grumbled at the prospect of putting up with Chris again, and the contestants. They’d pushed his buttons one too many times, not even mentioning how many times one of them got injured doing something dumb.

“Right,” Chef finally said. That seemed to appease Chris who hummed fondly.

“It’s almost time, I have my cameras on them, and on the audience,” Chris said.

“What exactly do you expect to happen? They hate each other.” Chef knew of their little rivalry, and even of the whole club dedicated to taking down Alejandro but he didn’t get involved with teenager’s love life. At least he tried not to get involved.

He knew whatever protests he had would be ignored, Chris would get his dramatic finale whether he liked it or not.

“I got them into the finale, now they just need one little…” Chris looked to the side, nodding to one of the interns gathered on the sides. “Push.” Chris smiled.

“What are you doing?” Chef asked.

“Nothing, it’s just show biz.” Chris shrugged. Chef observed the crew members behind them, spotting a small tablet in one of their hands. They wore headphones, matching the one that was currently taking off, unsubtly, from the top of the volcano.

“You’re watching them,” Chef said.

“Duh, don’t worry they won’t be hurt, probably,”Chris said. “I have no liability either way,” he said.

“You’re going to get them killed,” Chef said, shaking his head.

“Since when do you care?”

“Since when do you not?” Chef asked.

Chris grew quiet.

Chef observed the lava bubbling up, spitting at the contestants from the bleachers. He sighed, relaxing the arms he had crossed.

“I’m going to make sure everything ready, enjoy your finale,” Chef muttered, stepping away. He didn’t even stop for Chris’ hushed whispers of protest.

“Oh I will,” he finally said.

“I know what I’m doing.”

“I’m just so handsome and brilliant and am never wrong.”

Maybe Chef imagined the last one, it didn’t sound far off with how large his ego had been lately. It annoyed Chef. He was fine when their show wasn’t the highest rated on the network. Things changed too much for his liking.

It didn’t really matter.

He had a couple hours left, he would manage.

He only hoped the final two would as well.

They were smart enough. They would figure it out.

And if they didn’t he’d be leaving either way.

••••••••

Things were going just marvelously. The air itself felt like fire and the sweat dripping down his face only served to further raise his body temperature. His back ached from dragging Alejandro #2 up the volcano and most importantly his pride was wounded as he watched Alejandro slip further out of his grasp. He couldn’t compete with him when he moved so fast, he was beginning to lose the spike of adrenaline that compelled him to jump onto a live crocodile.

Alejandro’s signature red shirt blurred in his vision, maybe that was the heat. Noah felt himself stumble with each step, catching his foot and then repeating the action. It would have been fine if he wasn’t overlooking Hawaii from high up. The ground spun, ocean waves crashing onto the shore below him. The volcano was tucked on the side of the island, part of it touching the land and the rest facing a sea wall that would do little to prevent an explosion seeing as the angled slope of the mountain ran down towards civilization.

Noah took a labored breath as he pushed forward. How long was this stupid path anyways, why couldn’t he just lose already?

He knew why, he knew that the thoughts were made out of frustration. He just couldn’t see a way to win..he couldn’t…

He didn’t want to give up. He was so close. He could taste victory as Alejandro snatched it away. That was the worst part. He’d come so far, he’d nearly lost, hell he had lost yet he was here ready to take victory from Alejandro and finally show him what happened to people like him.

That really made him sound self righteous. He knew he wasn’t guilt free, he’d done things too, but Alejandro had to pay.

He twisted people, tied them up into knots and pulled them tight. Noah still felt twisted up, confused and angry at the same time. He ignored it, it wasn’t constructive to his current efforts yet with every negative emotion he was feeling it managed to bubble back up. Why not? He had nothing else to do but sit in his misery.

Maybe he just needed to complain. Everything had led up to this moment and he was lacking. He tried his best and that wasn’t enough. The group’s support could only go so far and he was going to drag them down with him.

Why did they pick him?

The forgettable one liner machine, the guy that tried but not enough to stir the pot. Why was he appealing? What made them think he could do this? Did they think he was angry? He hadn’t been, at least that was what he told himself. He was now but, it was too late.

They picked him because he was apathetic, because he was such a one off character that no one would suspect a thing. He was picked because he was forgettable. He was easy to underestimate. With how he was performing Alejandro’s estimate of the winner didn’t seem far fetched.

Not only would he watch Alejandro raise the case of money above his head but he would also have to sit with the fact that he let Alejandro twist his emotions around. He let him pull at his heart strings, practically offering himself up on a silver platter.

God he was so…so stupid.

Noah was tempted to throw the fake Alejandro over the ledge to quell his anger. He didn’t, he just kept walking.

Given his pissy mood he barely acknowledged the sound of grass rustling. There wasn’t much as high up as he was but there were still small patches of vegetation that were almost jarring against the mute red of the rock.

He lazily turned his head, spying movement.

“Al?” Noah asked, squinting. If he decided to come back and taunt him he would be treated with disdain. It was strange, he could have sworn he saw Alejandro turn the corner in front of him.

“Look I surrender alright I get it you’re winning,” he said pensively. He took a hesitant step back, narrowing his eyes on a spot of grass that grew atop a rock.

“Can you not…”he muttered. What was his deal? Maybe he was hallucinating. It was pretty hot outside.

Noah started to turn when the hallucination —maybe that was the wrong word now— jumped out from behind a rock. There were two people, both with faces he didn’t catch a glimpse of, as he stepped back.

He should have checked to see if there was actually ground behind him. His foot found nothing but air. The weight of the dummy didn’t help as he fell backwards, towards the water.

Noah screamed, more of a cry of fear than anything. He scrambled, managing to grab onto the root of some tree that managed to grow under the duress. The root was flimsy but it didn’t snap impact.

“Oh my God..what was that?” A voice said from above.

“We were supposed to—“

“Shhh he can hear us,” a voice said.

A head peeked over, one of the people that scared him half to death. He wouldn’t have known who they were if not for the green color of their shirt.

Chris’ interns. He should have known.

“Are you okay?” The tall one asked with some sort of emo swoop for hair.

“Just dangling off a cliff, what about you?” Noah thought sarcastically. He remained silent, too worried about losing his grip on the root. He was barely holding on and the dummy was in an even worse position. Something within him made sure he didn’t let go. It was funny he still thought he could win, that clearly wasn’t happening.

“¿Amigo?”Came a voice from above, beyond the two interns staring at him like he was a zoo animal. The emo one stepped back.

“We need to go,” he said.

“But what about—“

“We did our best, it’s the end of the show what could he do to us?” The intern explained making a very poor point. There was a lot Chris could do. Noah just wanted to know what Chris intended to happen sending them up there. The audience wouldn’t like it if he interfered with the final challenge.

Maybe it was too late for him to care.

Noah listened as footsteps faded, joined by new ones. Great. Alejandro wasn’t there before but he was coming here now. Falling would be easier than putting up with whatever taunts he wanted to throw.

Noah sighed. He might as well make this quick.

“I’m down here,” Noah said bitterly.

The footsteps stopped. Noah was greeted with Alejandro’s head peering down at him. He wasn’t even a meter down off the side but he couldn’t see over the edge no matter how much he moved.

“Noah,”he said, lips pursed. “Are you alright?” he asked. Noah nearly scoffed. He was dangling off a volcano, none of that screamed alright to him.

“I think you know the answer,” Noah said bluntly.

Alejandro exhaled through his nose, covering it by clearing his throat. “Of course, do you need a hand?” Alejandro asked.

Noah regarded him, bemused. “I’m fine.”

The smile Alejandro held dropped. He didn’t keep them as often anymore, Noah knew who he really was and they were alone. Who cared anymore. Noah was sick of his smile anyways, it still twisted his stomach into knots.

“You can go I can climb out myself,” Noah said. Maybe he shouldn’t have led with such an obvious lie. The root he was holding was stretching, leaving him dangling further down. Noah swallowed hard, his throat felt too dry for it to do much.

Alejandro didn’t wait for him to continue protesting. He took one glance towards the path up before reaching down. With his wider wingspan he managed to nearly reach Noah’s hand on his own.

Did he really think Noah would accept his help. Noah wanted to but he didn’t want to admit that he needed help. That would seal his fate as lesser than him, as nothing but second place. He may not be able to win but he—

Wait.

Noah looked up, meeting Alejandro’s eyes for a moment.

If he was here then he still had a chance. He could out smart him, and claim victory. It was still within reach.

Who cared that Alejandro was saving his life, he was in too deep to care. He had to win, winning was all he cared about.

“Fine.” Noah finally decided on a reply. He would begrudgingly accept his help and then pounce. What he would do after that was beyond him. He would figure it out.

Noah took a breath, preparing himself. He held onto the root tightly with his left hand, securing the dummy with his neck, before reaching up with his right.

He nearly missed, managing to graze his fingertips, before Alejandro grabbed his wrist.

“I got you amigo,” he said, attempting to breathe a subtle sigh of relief. Noah wondered what his game was. The feeling couldn’t be real..could they? He must have had some other need to twist him around his finger. Maybe it was insurance.

It was easy to come up with excuses, easier than dealing with a truth Noah was uncomfortable with.

Alejandro struggled at first, managing to pull Noah’s wrist up over the edge of the cliff. The rest of his body followed, along with the dummy Alejandro. As he passed the edge Alejandro kept pulling, essentially hugging him as they both backed away from the edge. Noah’s grip on the dummy faltered, allowing it to fall to the ground.

He took a deep breath, allowing himself a moment of relief.

He couldn’t keep going with the weight on his back, he needed an alternative. Yet he still needed to get it up the mountain somehow.

His answer came in the form of Alejandro’s dummy discarded on the ground, both arms wrapped around Noah in a hug. Alejandro was warm, yet a different fire filled Noah’s veins.

“Amigo, are you al—“

“I’m fine,” Noah said quickly. He stepped back, this time away from the ledge.

“What happened amigo? Did that cause you to trip?” Alejandro asked. He gestured to the dummy which sat abandoned.

“No…”Noah said, trying to pay attention to what he was saying. His eyes narrowed on the dummy behind Alejandro. It was so close. He had to grab it and run. Alejandro couldn’t win if he had it, nether could Noah but that was beside the point. With it he would have leverage, a chance.

That’s all he needed.

Who cared if he felt like total garbage for taking advantage of the situation. Alejandro had potentially given up a million dollars to save his life, again.

It was a ruse, right?. Noah couldn’t keep using that defense. Maybe it was, but that didn’t dampen what he did, what he was still doing even when it seemed pointless.

Alejandro cared what happened to him for some reason, he cared too much when he acted so heartless towards everyone else. It made Noah’s head spin. It felt like he was staring straight at the truth yet his mind wouldn’t focus on it, he refused to.

“I thought I saw something,” Noah continued. He slowly moved forward. Alejandro watched him, taking one steady breath. The reality of the situation was dawning in him. The show had to go on.

“Look…I’m..”Noah bit back an apology for what he was about to do. He didn’t feel bad about it. He was giving Alejandro a taste of his own medicine. Whatever let him sleep at night.

Noah swiftly reached his hand out. He was centimeters from the dummy, its arm outstretched towards him. It wanted him to grab it.

He wasn’t sure what he was doing until he was running, dragging the thing behind him. It was light, Noah nearly laughed at how good it felt. He could run, his steps were firm. Sure, he still wasn’t a sprinter, but he had the advantage of being tall and skinny. That counted for more than enough as he followed the pathway up the volcano. He didn’t even stop to check if Alejandro was following behind him.

He would catch up soon enough, Noah hoped to be up the volcano by then. All that was left to do was barter with him, or take them both out through any means necessary. He could throw the dummy off the side if it came to that. It was Alejandro’s only way to win, why hadn’t he thought of it earlier? Even if he didn’t win he could still make sure he learned his lesson. He would learn, just like Noah did.

Had he really learned? It was hard to say when he was acting just like him, manipulating like him. Noah decided the front of his brain really needed to shut up and let him do what he needed to do. In the end all the pondering wasn’t stopping him, there was no point in guilt tripping himself. He was too determined.

He was winning, Alejandro would learn.

——

Chris face palmed.

“Okay I didn’t want them to knock him off the volcano..although I won’t complain.”

“I just said to make sure they stay close to each other, I guess putting his life in danger served that purpose.”” Chris shrugged. “It can’t be helped that they’re in love with each other.”

••••••••

Noah gasped, greedily inhaling air.

The closer he got to the volcano the more it felt like he was breathing through a straw. The path got steeper and whatever vegetation he had seen was gone. Noah didn’t blame it as the heat rolled in waves towards him making even a light dummy feel like 100kg.

A booming speaker interrupted his misery.

“And they’re approaching the end, who will arrive victorious!” Came a voice further up. Chris, if Noah had to guess. He didn’t need to as he recognized the hosts voice anywhere.

Noah couldn’t muster up a show winning smile for the cameras. He was tired. A couple more and he would advance to the top. Things would end.

It barely felt like they’d begun. For some reason an ending felt scary. He was ready for it, yet it felt like he was missing the whole reason for everything. Was this really how he wanted things to end? He was getting everything he ever wanted, everything they wanted. Maybe it was hard, maybe he regretted the things he’d done but the results were in his favor. Who cared about a conscious when he was winning. He was showing Alejandro that he wasn’t going to be messed with, that none of them were.

Noah stepped forward, dummy held under his arm. He looked up, staring down the other contestants. If he wasn’t going to smile he , at least, wanted to look fierce. He figured it came across more tentative than anything.

Half of the bleachers broke into cheers upon seeing him. The other half returned his blank stare. Noah only bobbed his head in half hearted acknowledgment.

“And it’s Noah who takes the lead, but who’s sacrifice is he holding?” Chris asked. Noah turned his attention towards the host. Chris tried to subtly whisper something to Chef. He nodded, asking for a high five before being promptly declined.

Noah didn’t bother eavesdropping, not that he even could.

He kept walking, with more determination, towards the edge. His movements were quickly followed by more footsteps, Alejandro based solely on the light breathing.

Noah turned around, meeting his eyes blankly. He held the dummy tightly, preventing it from securing Alejandro’s victory.

“Amigo,” Alejandro said, a hesitant smile on his face. He looked pale, confidence drained.

“Take another step and I could toss this over the edge,” Noah threatened. A couple more steps and he could be dangling the sacrifice over the water below them. To show he was serious he took a dramatic step. Alejandro tensed.

He held onto Noah’s dummy tightly.

“Think about what you’re doing, if that comes to pass we will both lose…do you really want that my friend?” Alejandro asked.

Noah scoffed. “It’s better than you winning,” he said honestly.

Alejandro frowned. “I see.”

Alejandro took a step forward. Noah remained firm. He knew Alejandro was trying to intimidate him. Noah was well aware of his tricks. Alejandro wanted to win, badly. Be it for his pride or something else. Noah didn’t feel pity for him, he only felt angry. Maybe that was a flaw, he was in to deep to pretend to be much better than him.

“I’m not going to surrender Al, we can stand here all day or you can give up,” Noah chided. It was the only way he was achieving his goal. Winning was off the table, he had a job to do.

Alejandro shook his head softly, scolding himself.

“I underestimated you,” Alejandro said. The way he worded it made it sound like a compliment. It didn’t help when his next words cut deep.

“Striking while I was vulnerable… “

Noah wanted to wipe the self pitying frown off of his face. He was one to fucking talk.

“Right, everyone should feel so bad for you after you did the same to half the people here!” Noah said, raising his hand out to point vaguely towards the crowd.

“It is all part of the game, I thought that was clear,” Alejandro said, unfazed. He was still trying to turn this around, Noah was baffled.

“Kissing Bridgette was part of the game? Throwing off Leshawna? Using DJ’s animal curse? Talking Harold off the plan? Screwing with me?” Noah asked. He knew what he said, he was too angry to care anymore. Alejandro knew, why should he pretend he was some third party. He was effected by this, he’d always been. He was just stubborn.

“I never..” Alejandro looked like he was piecing things together in his head. Noah waited, feeling rock crumble behind him.

“I simply played the game well, if others are hurt then it is not on me,” Alejandro said coldly. “You should understand, we played it together,” Alejandro said. Noah wanted to walk over and punch him.

They never..

He didn’t…

“I don’t—“Noah sputtered.

“I didn’t want to play, I just did what I had to do so you wouldn’t win,” Noah said.

“Don’t pretend that you weren’t the bad guy this entire time.”

“Everything you’ve done has been to win this stupid game show, everything…I’m not dumb, I saw it, I saw all of it,”Noah took a breath. “You don’t care, you never have, I don’t know why you keep pretending to be hurt.”

Who cared that it hurt to say, it hurt so damn bad.

Alejandro’s face shifted slightly. From distraught to something worse.

“I care about your opinion..amigo”he said. “I just have to put the game first,” he tried to protest.

“Oh cry me a river, the act isn’t working, I’m still here, I’m still winning!” Noah said. Alejandro didn’t even have the gall to fess up. What good was the buttering up, the compliments, saving his life, flirting with him, if he couldn’t use it to get ahead. Alejandro didn’t do things for the fun of it, he needed a reason. And Noah knew exactly what it was. Why was he bothering to hide it?

Alejandro was probably angry at being called out. Noah was angry right back. He felt his face grow red, his arms practically shake from the rage and hurt. He was supposed to push it down, calmly steal victory or at least force a draw.

He was succeeding in part but it hurt, feeling hurt. It hurt more than it should.

Because maybe he liked the fake caring Alejandro just a tiny bit. Maybe he craved what Alejandro was giving to him. Maybe he liked the kiss, maybe he wanted to just walk over to Alejandro and embrace him— forget everything that happened and was happening. He just wanted to hold him and not feel all clogged up and used to further someone else’s goals. He was better than that, he was smarter than that.

How had he not seen it, why was he such an idiot, why was he still letting Alejandro get under his skin?

Noah wasn’t sure when he felt a drop of water on his cheeks. It evaporated quickly yet the sensation remained.

More followed, an unsteady stream down the sides of his face. He couldn’t stop it, he could only stand there silently crying. So much for bravado, he probably looked pathetic.

“It’s funny I almost..I almost believed you for a second,” he muttered, trying desperately to rub his eyes clean of the tears.

Alejandro took another step forward, holding his hand out carefully. His face wasn’t malicious, it could even come across as kind.

Noah followed his movement, backing up whatever distance he still had.

“I will drop this,” Noah said. He wasn’t sure why he hadn’t already. His hands were shaking. He wasn’t speaking as loudly, he couldn’t without his voice wavering.

He didn’t want to talk with Alejandro, he didn’t want Alejandro to know how hurt he felt from all of it. That was weakness. He wasn’t weak, he’d made it this far and he wasn’t going to lose.

“There is nothing to be believed..amigo, please understand I—“ Alejandro tried, looking at him with eyes that reminded him of a kicked puppy.

“I’m done with this,” Noah said before he could finish. Noah held the dummy over the side of the volcano, a collective gasp echoing through the near silent crowd. One movement of his hand and it was gone while Alejandro could only watch.

“Amigo let’s discuss this civilly..”Alejandro corrected, seeing that he didn’t feel like talking.

“No, I’m not going to listen to you talk,” he’d done that enough for a life time.

Alejandro still stepped closer. Somewhere along the way he’d set down the dummy Noah left for him, it was face planted in the dirt. All Noah could hear was silence the closer he walked. He needed to send him away, he needed to move, he needed to do something. He only stared at him with red eyes.

What a great place to finally have a break down, in front of everybody, on broadcast to half of Canada, hell probably the world. He was embarrassing himself.

“Noah..”

“Just shut up Alejandro!” he exploded.

That certainly drew more attention.

Alejandro pursed his lips, taking another step. He was close enough to grab Noah’s shoulder. He didn’t. He didn’t even lunge for the dummy in his hand. He stared at Noah, look uninterpretable.

“I don’t want to hear whatever stupid justification you have, I just want to know why you thought you could get away with it?” Noah lowered his voice as he continued,” why you had to kiss me,” he said.

“That was never—“ Alejandro corrected himself mid-sentence. “That was not part of any plan.” He smiled, almost grimacing. It looked vulnerable, like he almost didn’t want to admit it to himself.

“I did not mean to do that…I do not know why I..I’m sorry amigo, it was a lapse in judgment,” Alejandro justified weakly.

“But I do care about you, do not be mistaken..”

A lapse in judgment? It hadn’t felt like it, and some part of Noah knew that reasoning wasn’t enough.

“You don’t know why you did it? There’s only two possible reasons and it’s clearly not the first one Alejandro,” Noah said.

“I was not trying to manipulate you, I was worried after the explosion took out the plane, the adrenaline caused me to act…irrationally,” Alejandro said. He bristled in his spot. He finally reached out, grabbing a hold of Noah’s shoulder. “Please believe me amigo.” His voice sounded genuine but Noah couldn’t believe it. He’d spent long enough thinking that he was bluffing he wasn’t about to consider that whatever this was could be real.

It didn’t make sense, everything he’d seen didn’t add up to this. Alejandro didn’t just care about people, he was ruthless. He’d hurt people, he’d faked everything too much for him to care about anything underneath.

The truth was he didn’t want to believe it because then he was wrong, then things weren’t black and white. He should have been able to tell but his gut was twisted up in an incomprehensible mess. Maybe Alejandro was telling the truth, maybe he was trying to suppress it just as much as Noah was.

Or maybe it was all some elaborate scheme to get back on top.

Noah hated that he couldn’t tell. Alejandro couldn’t be worth the risk.

Alejandro wasn’t worth trusting again. Those carefree conversations, those times that he’d outsmarted him, flirted with him. Noah didn’t want that. He wanted revenge.

And he wanted revenge enough to stare into Alejandro’s eyes as he dropped the dummy from his closed hand. He didn’t break the stare until he heard a splash far below him.

It was strange how fast it was over. All that work for one second of success.

Alejandro’s expression didn’t change, he barely even acknowledged the sound, the only reaction he gave was a slight shutter.

Noah swallowed hard.

He got revenge, yet he felt exactly the same. There was no satisfaction, absolutely nothing. He felt that same longing, that same emptiness. He couldn’t want this.

But he did.

Noah crinkled his brow, hands falling to his sides uselessly. He felt himself get lost in Alejandro’s eyes, the worried stare that had multiple meaning. Alejandro held his shoulder firmly, almost like a statue.

Noah’s heart raced faster. Another second and it would break.

Screw it. He has no time to think about his feelings. If he did that he would never feel any sort of closure. He had to know if Alejandro was telling the truth about everything.

It seemed unlikely yet Alejandro hadn’t stopped him when he released his dummy.

That had to mean something.

It had to.

Noah felt like he was pleading.

Noah reached his hand up, gingerly grabbing the collar of Alejandro’s shirt. It pulled against him, drawing Alejandro closer. Alejandro had the means to pull away, surrender and be done with things. He didn’t, his hand moved to hold the side of Noah’s face. His touch was warm, he felt complete. Noah couldn’t wait a second longer, he leaned closer, finding Alejandro’s lips easily. If his touch was warm his lips felt like fire. A tingle ran down his spine. It was awkward yet the feeling made it all worth it. He was kissing Alejandro, instead of throwing him off the volcano.

How times changed.

Noah was pensive at first but he quickly relaxed. He held onto Alejandro’s shirt collar loosely, letting them melt together as they naturally drew closer.

Everything felt right. It was just him and Alejandro, complete silence.

Not even a thought ran through his head.

It felt magical.

He didn’t want it to end.

Then the warmth left him, despite his protests. They both fell back, Noah stepping away from the ledge. He took a breath, and then another. His lips felt red, left agape for a moment.

Then the clarity hit him like a truck. Noah forced his eyes to open, aware of what he’d just done. It wasn’t even a single second before he was turning back to the crowd, face aloof and cheeks warm.

They would still be happy, right? He’d done what they’d planned, he’d sealed Alejandro’s fate.

Kissing Alejandro was simply an experiment. Or maybe an apology to himself for acting stupid.

Noah tried to pull off a sheepish smile. Most of their expressions were unreadable. Mostly shock aside from Courtney. She looked annoyed.

“I knew it,” she muttered.

“Woah man, that was totally out of left field,” Geoff said, voice cutting across the volcano’s top.

“You can say that again, in a shocking turn of events it looks like this challenge has ended in a tie.” The words were followed by giggles that slowly devolved into maniacal laughter. If Noah had to give Chris one thing he would say that his laugh was foreboding. The sound sent involuntary shivers up his spine.

“You know what that means, no eliminations this time because it looks like we’re having another challenge,” Chris said bluntly.

“What?” ripped from Noah’s throat before he could console his voice to sound less guttural.

“You two really thought you could pull one over on me and split the prize money? Nice try, the audience wants drama and I need one winner to put on the check,” Chris said. The look Chef gave him was not lost on either of them.

This wasn’t in the script

“What? That’s not fair? Neither of them won so neither of them should get it,” Courtney said.

“For once I agree, that big oaf lost the prize money two seasons ago, let them walk away empty handed,” Heather added.

“Oh..”Owen groaned.

“But according to past seasons if the money is not claimed then the prize needs to increase and carry over into the next season, you can’t just break that trend now!” Sierra exclaimed.

Chris gritted his teeth, stuck in a smile.

“I can change things if I want to and this ending isn’t good enough,” he said with a firm clap of his hands.

“I’m all for a love story but I need a winner and—“

His speech was interrupted by dragging across the rocky ground. A distinct sound that Noah was familiar with when he struggled to carry the fake Alejandro up the volcano.

He swiveled his head, spotting Ezekiel hungrily dragging the dummy towards the open volcano. His eyes were maniac, feet moving like a cartoon roadrunner

Noah blinked as the dummy was brought to the edge. Ezekiel didn’t waste time. He shoved it over the side, watching it fall eagerly. Noah faintly heard hissing as the wood sank below the surface. Ezekiel turned around, crying out happily.

“Woah, that was not cool dude,” Chris said.

“Now where was I?”

Chris never got to finish his sentence. The volcano started rumbling, earth cracking around them. Ezekiel looked around, celebration short lived when the ground he was standing on fell away to dust.

He scrambled, taking a plunge into the volcano. Noah didn’t have time to gasp.

“What have you done?” A new voice asked, Noah couldn’t identify where it was coming from.

“Did you not read the signs?

Chris must have giggled, all Noah could feel was heat.

“Amigo we need to get out of here,” Alejandro said.

“What about everyone el—“ his answer came in the form of a stampede behind him.

“Everybody run!” Bridgette rallied. Noah felt small in comparison to the crowd. He was thankful when Alejandro pulled him aside, watching.

The first of the lava spray started, searing Noah’s exposed skin. He winced, looking up. They had to leave, as of five minutes ago.

The rest could be dealt with later.

Alejandro grabbed his hand, weaving their fingers together.

“Vamos,” he said, pulling him forward. Noah stumbled, following after him. It wasn’t like he needed to be told twice.

Once they escaped the eruption they could figure things out.

Noah knew that things weren’t finished, even if this was supposed to be the “final episode”. He wished it was that easy, the feeling of Alejandro’s hand in his made him want it to be easy.

Why couldn’t he just forget everything and pretend they’d just met, why couldn’t he just have Alejandro with no uncomfortable strings attached like their apparent enemy status and his reign of terror through Total Drama.

He didn’t want to think about it because then he would regret his decision to step forward. He would never regret it, not when it felt so right.

The problem was that when he was right everything else was wrong.

He couldn’t leave it at that.

He still had pieces to pick up, things to do. Explanations to give, some to himself.

The realization still didn’t feel real, Noah wasn’t sure if it was.

He decided thinking was pointless. He let himself get carried away as he and Alejandro ran down the path they’d raced up minutes earlier. Smoke painted the sky a hopeless gray, molten rain accompanied it. Noah watched the vegetation slowly burn away, he watched the ground crack and attempt to trip them. All he could think was escape.

Escape the volcano, escapade the stares, escape his own feelings on the matter. He just needed to escape until he figured it out.

It was a shame he couldn’t run fast enough for that.

Chapter Text

The plane ride home was quiet, predictably. Aside from the trauma of watching an active volcano erupt and sear the earth, they were tired.

Tyler was snoring, more injured than when he arrived for the finale. Lindsay was next to him, leaning  against the handle bars of his wheel chair. Leshawna was patting Harold on the back as he held his knee—it had been scrapped up against the ground as they ran. Duncan leaned against the wall, being his usual “not giving a fuck” self despite the fact that he looked rattled. Noah could go on, they all looked like they’d been through war after fighting through the stampede. Even Noah had dirt on his chin, and sweat dripping down his forehead, Alejandro was the same.

They weren’t sitting together, Noah wasn’t even sure he wanted to sit with Alejandro. It sounded cliché but, he would rather sink into a puddle on the ground. One of shame and defeat.

He won, hadn’t he? The victory didn’t feel right. It hadn’t felt right for a while.

The rest of them…the rest of his friends, they hadn’t been there with him. They hadn’t experienced what he had. They didn’t know how complicated it had gotten, they didn’t—

They didn’t understand….

“He was just playing the game…”

Right? He was justified. They would understand where he was coming from. He did what they all wanted, took the money out of Alejandro’s hands. He hadn’t won, he wouldn’t win if Noah had anything to say about it.

He still hated Alejandro. Their group was called the “Alejandro hate club” wasn’t it? A little on the nose but it was true. They all hated him, what he’d done.

But they didn’t know all he’d done, did they?

That was why they were glaring daggers into him, he didn’t see but he could tell, he recognized looks of betrayal. They needed an explanation. That was all. Then things would go back to normal. They would play cards, talk, vent about things again. They all shared the same pains, they wouldn’t just take that away from him?

He won! He did it! He should get a fucking victory party for all he put up with. Damnit, he put up with so much. He got turned into a life sized punching bag for everybody, didn’t that deserve something? It wasn’t like he won the money, he got nothing but revenge that didn’t even do a thing for him.

They would understand. He wasn’t being a self righteous asshole for thinking he shouldn’t have to explain things. He was in the right, they shouldn’t be glaring at him like he caused this. He didn’t condone Alejandro’s actions, he hated them.

The thin lines that faded more on his skin everyday told him that. Yet, he didn’t mean it, did he? He hadn’t known no matter how much Noah wanted someone to hate. He couldn’t do it the same way he had.

The nuance was there whether he wanted to admit it or not. Alejandro wasn’t some faceless entity to him anymore. And that’s why they didn’t understand, that was why he was still forced to give an explanation. He had to fess up instead of moving on.

Was it self righteous to say he was scared to tell the truth? To say that all the bullshitting he was thinking was to prevent the facts from surfacing in his mind.

The indisputable truth was that, no matter what he thought, he’d still kissed Alejandro. He’d still told all of them that the person they all hated was someone he cared about enough to try kissing him with millions of people watching. He was saying that, no matter what he may have done, he was still rubbing Alejandro’s victory in their face.

Because he did win, to them. He weakened Noah’s defenses until he saw the sliver of good that might be hiding within him, something that he latched onto despite all his actions.

Kissing him didn’t excuse anything, he hadn’t meant it to. It was simply a chance to change things. It acknowledged that he was trying, it acknowledged that he was telling the truth, and most importantly it confirmed the fact Noah was too scared to actually think about for any period of time.

He liked..he loved Alejandro. He couldn’t stand his obnoxious personality or his heartless actions at times yet that wasn’t the only part of him there was. It was the part that he pushed forward because caring hurt, Noah could relate at least.

That didn’t mean he wasn’t deplorable. That didn’t mean he still didn’t hate him. It just meant that Noah saw something that showed he was remorseful. It was up to Alejandro to fix things.

And Noah now..

Even if he was too scared to speak on the matter. He didn’t know what they seen, or what they’d gone through while he was gone. He knew nothing about why they all looked so tired other than what he did. Clearly he was missing something. Or maybe he was an asshole with no feelings, like Alejandro was. He certainly wouldn’t put it passed himself. He was the snarky social outcast on Chris’ casting sheet.  

Noah sighed, quietly. The sound echoed across the near silent plane. He could feel eyes on him. He ignored them— funny enough he was used to people staring at him be it in person or through a lens. It was strange to feel truly alone, while simultaneously surrounded.

He felt blocked in, suffocating under an invisible weight. Noah took a deep breath, and then another. They felt short. He wasn’t that nervous, he knew how to control himself…he had known. Things felt real now, unlike the dream that was the competition.

Whatever he did next was going to define the whole incident, everything he worked towards would either be fixed or irreparably damaged. He was going to screw it up, he was going to mess everything that was good about the situation. All because he had to fall for Alejandro. He couldn’t keep his lips to himself.

Another breath felt like he was breathing through a straw. Noah heard the sound he made with his mouth. He was wheezing, audibly. He put his hand to his mouth, trying to calm down. He wasn’t sure what he was so nervous about, in the present. He was on a quiet plane. They may have been staring at him but no one dared to say anything. The giant hotel would be safer, then they could run to their rooms to avoid talking to him.

Maybe he could leave, not tell a soul where he was going. People may recognize him outside the studio but that didn’t matter the further away he ran from his problems.

The whole competition was him running from his problems. Signing up for the stupid show, getting eliminated and even going back in it. He was avoiding the real reason he was so pissed off about things in the first place. He didn’t know what to do, how to express his emotions.

Nothing had changed. He still felt like a glass jar with a cork on the top. It threatened to spill over if he even messed with the blocker. He could feel things tugging at it, choking him up.

This was not the time or place to process what happened. It was too late to think that when he was already wheezing. It hurt, he put his other hand over his mouth. It only drew attention to him, harsh states that did nothing to soothe him.

It had been his decision, he needed to stick to it. He couldn’t just ignore it. He’d been pushed out of his comfort zone enough in the past months, he should be able to do this.

The thought still sent a spike of anxiety through his chest. He was afraid, of what he wasn’t quite sure. It was hard to pinpoint exactly what he was afraid of. Any talking would be awkward but, he wasn’t in danger. He would only lose the friends he’d actually grown to care about…somehow.

Maybe he was hitting the nail straight on the head.

Noah inhaled, sounding strangled. The way it came out, he almost sounded choked up, like he was about to sob. He wouldn’t dare when they were all staring at him. He didn’t even want to cry, it was more like an itch that he refused to scratch.

“Hey..uh, are you okay man?” Someone said. Noah was too focused forward to recognize who at first.

It was Tyler, he realized once he turned his head. Ironic, given his position in a wheelchair.

“Great…”Noah said, still being a snarky asshole for whatever reason. The guilt was immediate. Why did he make the word sound so sarcastic? He wasn’t on the competition anymore, most of them weren’t out to get him…well maybe—

“I mean I’m fine, thanks,” Noah corrected unsubtly. His voice cracked as he spoke, leading Noah to turn red from embarrassment.

“Oh okay..”Tyler said. He finally picked up on the stares around him, growing silent. Great talk, not that Noah thought it would escalate passed that.

The conversation, surprisingly, took his mind of what he was slowly spiraling on. Noah managed to take a breath with ease, exhaling slowly. Things would work out. It wasn’t like he had a choice. He had to explain himself, then maybe he could move on…to whatever he had left afterwards.

The volcano was the least of his worries, that was for sure.

——

Geoff wasn’t one to keep his mouth shut. He wasn’t talkative, but he wasn’t a fan of awkward silence. If he could ease a hostile vibe with random advice or questions then he would. It came naturally to him, given his personality. Why get mad, it was overrated.

He would be lying if he said there was a situation he couldn’t remedy.

Bridgette was testing that fact as he stared at her.

He was standing at the door of her dressing room, hat clasped in both of his hands.

They’d gotten back hours prior, the plane completely unloaded along with the contestants. They’d all split leaving Geoff alone to figure out what to do next. As typical with Total Drama, things moved quickly. Most of the cast was already packing up film equipment in trucks, moving any furniture not provided by the studio. The place already looked bare when Geoff got back, it gave him a strange feeling of emptiness. The show was over, and he’d royally screwed up. For what? Because of his fears? He was stupid, and no amount of fixing was mending what he and Bridgette used to be.

There was only one last thing, something Geoff knew he couldn’t leave without doing.

He needed to talk to her. If she rejected him like she had been saying the entire final challenge then that was it. He had to move on, he couldn’t keep moping around like a kicked puppy. He had things to do, beaches to surf. Maybe he was tired of the studio, the toxic drama. He’d had his run as a tyrannical TV host, and he was sick of it.

And not the good kind of sick.

“Hey babe..uh can we talk?” Geoff asked. He stared at her, eyes downcast at her blank gaze.

“Why? Can’t you see I’m busy?” Bridgette asked. She broke eye contact with him, turning around. The door was propped open enough to reveal piles of stuff inside.

Right..he was supposed to clean out his dressing room too. Bridgette hadn’t had hers for very long, maybe a couple episodes given how recent she returned but she’d decorated it as her own. Geoff felt dejected seeing all her personal belongings thrown in a box, anger clear in her intention. Even a poster with a famous surfer on it was ripped in her haste to put it away, a piece of it remained on the wall behind her.

Geoff frowned, wringing his hat with his hands. He hated getting it wrinkled but it couldn’t be helped. It was the only thing that prevented him from exploding.

Bridgette gave him a look, an underline of disgust on her face.

“What?” she asked. She paused, putting a hand on her hip. The look on her face was like nothing he’d seen before. It was tense, struggling to remain fitted with a frown.

“Um..”Geoff blanked. He’d spent so long trying to get to this point that he realized he didn’t know what to say. How was he going to convey everything he wanted to say. It had all been said…he tried to explain himself. He knew what he did was wrong, he knew that the second he did it. That didn’t mean he regretted it. If she couldn’t see that he understood, he wasn’t sure he would sympathize with himself given the option.

He betrayed her trust, no matter the reason that hurt. He wasn’t sure how to make that better. It felt like all they’d done was apologize to each other for screw up. Geoff just wanted it to end, he wanted them to be a unit again.

Geoff swallowed hard, eyebrows knitted.

He’d said all he could say. He’d tried to mend things, while making a giant ass of himself. He did everything and yet nothing was changing that look on her face.

He needed her to get it, not that he was right (he wasn’t) but that he wasn’t some heartless jerk she was portraying him as.

“Babe I-“Geoff wasn’t sure when a sad look crossed his face, or when his eyes glazed over. He wasn’t a cryer, the last time he could remember crying was eating a spicy pepper on a dare. It felt weird, yet comforting at the same time.

He surged forward, reaching out for her touch. He hesitated, waiting for her reaction. She melted in an instant, accepting the affection without a word—other than a muffled sob into his chest as she wrapped her arms around him.

“I’m sorry…”Geoff whispered. “I don’t-“

“Be quiet Geoff..just shh,” Bridgette said, hugging him. Geoff held her tightly, refusing to let go of her until she was ready…until he was.

He wasn’t sure when she pulled back, he stood there in a weird daze. He cleared his throat, unsubtly wiping his eyes with the back of his hand.

“I know you’re sorry Geoff…”Bridgette said. She quickly turned away, busying herself with packing. “I saw what you were trying to do I just…I don’t…I can’t forgive you that easily,”she said as a matter of fact.

“You gave me up to Chris, Chris Geoff!? I know what I did but you know what he’s capable of!” She said, as calmly as she could with her voice raised.

“I don’t know what was going through your head, I can deal with Blaineley, and you didn’t even get rid of her until nearly the last episode,” Bridgette said.

Geoff winced, he knew what he was thinking in the moment but looking at the results made him wish he’d never dialed the host’s number.

“I know babe..I didn’t think about it, all I saw was you trapped in the tundra with a polar bear, and her royal highness playing it off as some accident,” Geoff said without thinking.

“I know I was wrong, I betrayed your trust, but I couldn’t stand the thought of her getting away with doing that to you, you deserve so much better,” Geoff said.

“I didn’t know how badly I would screw this up babe..I should have known better,” Geoff concluded. He wasn’t sure if they were the right words but they were..words. He should have known better, he knew Chris and he knew how often he dealt underhandedly. It was stupid to think he would give him what he wanted right away. Season two Geoff certainly wouldn’t, he would dangle it over his victims head until he was practically bending over backwards for him to follow through.

He’d been played, and he had known it was happening. He was ashamed of himself, Bridgette had every right to hate him. No matter what he did he couldn’t see a way to fix things, not without time that he didn’t want to wait. He couldn’t wait.

Geoff squished his hat in his hands, bouncing on his feet like he was getting ready to dive into the water.

“You should have,” she said, cramming the last of her belongings into a box. There wasn’t much but, the room looked a lot blanker than he was used to. Bridgette didn’t even spend much time in her dressing room, it still looked like all her soul was sucked from it.

“But,I won’t pretend to be blameless…” she said.

“I should have known better than to kiss Alejandro,” she continued, brows furrowed. She looked too frustrated to close the box properly, resorting to kicking it with her foot. She huffed, crossing her arms.

“If I hadn’t..none of this would have happened if I hadn’t done that… I can’t just pretend I’m such a great person either.”

“If I can’t forgive you then you shouldn’t forgive me,” she said. She took a deep breath, sounding shaken.

“And I don’t know why I can’t just accept your apology.” Geoff hated the look in her eyes. He dropped his hat to his side, face falling. He didn’t deserve an apology, he wanted her back..that was it. He would do anything.

“I’m sorry…”she said. She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. Geoff only watched as tears pricked the sides of her eyes. She sobbed, silently, as she attempted to cover herself with her sleeve.

“Damnit Geoff, I-I’m sorry,” she choked out.

“Babe, don’t apologize to me, I’m supposed to be doing it,” Geoff said, smiling against his better instinct.

“I know..”she said. She sniffled, shaking her head.

“Look let’s talk about this another time, once we’re out of here,” she said.

“Yeah, okay,” Geoff said. He could get behind that plan. He was sick of the studio. If he never saw it again he would live a good, long, life.

“But could you help me with this box, I still have to get my suitcase from my room too,” Bridgette said. She smirked, eyes still glossy.

“Anything for you,” Geoff said with lovesick eyes.

Bridgette smiled fondly, blood rushing to her cheeks.

Maybe they weren’t perfect but he had hope. It was better than he had before, and that was all Geoff could think about. That look of happiness on Bridgette’s face, and what it would take to keep that look on her.

——

Leaving the plane was about as awkward as his bad mouthing being revealed back in London. Noah felt the familiar hairs on the back of his neck, and that distinct cracked smile that couldn’t decide if it wanted to laugh things off or apologize profusely. He would do neither of those things but, the urge remained.

They were expected to pack up their things and slowly depart from the studio in the next couple days. A couple crew members informed them of the timeline upon landing. Noah wished it was faster, even if he had so much to do.

He didn’t so much as look at Alejandro, he couldn’t yet. He’d done too much, and now he felt twisted into a knot. One part of him wanted to melt into his arms again and the other wanted to run away and hide in his hotel room until he left…until everyone left.

He still had to explain things to them, lest the looks they were giving him remain permanent. He went from the social outcast to some sort of good guy, to an outcast again. It felt worse, a lot more isolating. Maybe because it wasn’t self imposed. He wanted connection with them, he didn’t want to be alone this time.

Yet he was, walking through the building like a ghost roaming the halls. He felt vacant. His dirt stained face was defeated, the ash in his hair made it stick to his scalp with the help of sweat. The minor burns on his arm ached, in fact his whole body felt over exerted. All he wanted to do was shower and collapse onto his bed.

He missed solid ground, and he missed the solitude. He could let his guard down, he had nothing to fear. It didn’t feel as good as he hoped? Big surprise, Total Drama didn’t make him happy. How could it? He screwed it up himself.

He was an idiot. He was a face in the crowd, a face associated with so much hatred that Noah couldn’t bare it. He was terrible, the worst person ever. He was a big fuck you to everyone he cared about.

Who cared that he won when he gave Alejandro the bigger victory. He won Noah over, he pulled him down to his level.

No…Noah pulled himself down there, in an effort to beat him, he couldn’t blame Alejandro for that. Once again the blame defaulted to him, and he felt like shit again. Wow, who could have guessed. Noah just wanted to cry, or scream, or punch something. He wasn’t sure because he wasn’t doing anything other than walking down an empty hall.

He managed to escape the crowd of them, sneaking out a back exit he’d found knowing how Chris’ mind worked. It was as he imagined, a secret compartment in Chris’—now vacant— quarters. He must have built it as a just in case seeing as he took another plane back. It figured, he was probably annoyed at the ending of his show.

Noah couldn’t give less of a crap about his show’s ratings. He was thankful the exit worked. He couldn’t see their faces a second longer, just waiting until one of them would finally break and say something. The conversation felt too uncomfortable for Noah’s liking. He was a coward, that’s what most of them understood now.

He never should have gone back on the show. He should have stayed in his hotel room with bottled up feelings. He was a side character, and that’s what he wanted. He didn’t want to try, he’d done that and it screwed him up. He was done.

That wasn’t good enough, Total Drama had to take everything he had left. His dignity, his newfound somewhat friends, his sanity. Two of those he’d been prepared for, yet it still hurt.

Noah balled his fist up, ready to punch a random wall. He resisted, barely. How was he going to talk to them? He couldn’t even talk to himself honestly without getting worked up. He felt like he was a second from breaking; he was a string one fiber away from snapping, holding on from sheer will alone.

He couldn’t keep doing this. He couldn’t hide the entire time he had left. He would never sleep, he would never be able to stop the itching underneath his skin especially on the marks that never quite faded enough for him. They burned sometimes, randomly. He hated the permanent nature of them. He couldn’t escape Total Drama no matter what he did.

The show would haunt him, and he had no one to blame but himself.

It was all him. Noah couldn’t breathe again. He was scared, it was real. This was the worst he’d ever felt— and he’d gotten shocked by an electrical eel.

What was he going to do? It felt like there was no end to the thoughts, he was walking yet each step contained its own eternity of bad feelings.

He wasn’t even sure where he was going. He thought he knew but he’d gotten turned around. The numbers weren’t familiar, and he just wanted to curl up into a ball. No one would feel sorry for him, would they? Not when they built him up, gave him every opportunity to win for all of them. He still managed to fail. He should have made them pick someone else, or refused.

They would have gotten over it, and none of this would have happened. He never would have had to wear that stupid wedding dress, or thrown up eating mystery goup,or gotten pelted with footballs, or attacked by condors, or…watch Owen get eliminated. He never would have had to dig oil out of the ground, or climb that stupid volcano.

He would never have gotten to know Alejandro, or hang out with Owen, or make sort of amends with Heather.

He would erase everything he’d done. The good and the bad. Why couldn’t it all be bad, why did he have to feel this way about some things.

It wasn’t fair, it wasn’t-

Noah lost his train of thought, bumping into something in front of him. He looked up, annoyed.

The lone string holding him together snapped the second he locked eyes with Owen. Why did it have to be him of all people?

And why were his eyes suddenly watery.

“Noah?” Owen asked, smiling nervously.

“Sorry little buddy I didn’t see you there haha..”Owen said.

“Oh don’t cry, uh hey are you okay..Noah?”

Noah shook his head slowly. His hands itched forward, not even waiting before he pressed his face into Owen’s chest.

“M’ sorry…”Noah muttered against Owen. He could feel tears wetting his shirt. He was too far gone to care. He just needed to cry, that was all.

“For what? You didn’t do anything wrong little buddy…”Owen said, confused yet wrapping his arms around Noah none the less.

Noah was too choked up to respond.

“Hey it’s okay..”Owen patted the top of his head in the way Noah always hated. It only felt comforting to him now.

“Did you get lost in the hallway?” Owen asked, looking for some sort of reason as to why Noah was sobbing into his shirt.

“I know it’s kind of confusing I was trying to find my room actually but I got turned around haha…”Owen rambled.

Noah wished he had the words to tell him what he felt, but he could do nothing other than let tears run down his face. He knew Owen didn’t hate him, he couldn’t. He didn’t hate anybody (not even Blaineley).

But Noah still felt guilty. It was his fault Owen got eliminated, he was only trying to protect him. How could he have ignored Owen? He wouldn’t pretend to be the greatest friend to him but he tried, harder than he had with anyone else. Something about Owen made Noah want to keep him around, even when Noah wasn’t interested in making friends.

“But uh..I can help you find your room if you’d like,” Owen said. Something told Noah he went on a whole tangent while he was thinking, Noah wouldn’t put it past him.

“No it’s fine chubby buddy..it’s fine,” Noah croaked, clearing his throat until it sounded normal.

“Are you okay?” Owen asked, his eyes wider than a puppies.

“Oh..uh-“

“I don’t know,” Noah said lamely. He wasn’t sure what he was feeling other than that he was done crying. He’d had enough for a life time.

“So you don’t need help finding your room?” Owen asked sheepishly.

Noah looked around for a moment, aware that he did in fact not know where he was. Helpful. He wouldn’t admit that to Owen.

“No dude I’m fine, I just got myself lost somehow,” Noah said. “I can find my way back.”

“Oh okay..”Owen said. He looked around awkwardly, twirling his thumbs.

“Is there anything you want to talk about?” he asked. Subtlety was never his thing. Noah wasn’t a fan of it either maybe that was why they got along so great.

“Do you think everyone hates me?” Noah asked before he could consider what the question might lead to.

“What? Of course not Noah, why would they hate you?” Owen asked, tilting his head.

“Because of what I did, during the finale, you saw it dude, everyone saw it,” Noah said. “I can’t be seen..”

“Oh you mean when you kissed Al?” Owen said with a laugh, after a moment of confused silence.

“Why would they hate you? I’m sure everyone wanted to kiss him at one point little buddy, he does have a perfectly chiseled face..”Owen said, getting off topic.

“No listen dude you don’t…I don’t—look, he hurt people and I still kissed him, and now I can never make it up to everyone he wronged,” Noah explained. He wasn’t sure Owen knew everything about why he’d come back to the show and, frankly, it didn’t matter. He just needed someone to tell him the truth so he could stop feeling so bad about what he inevitably had to do.

He had to apologize, he had to grovel at his former friends feet if he wanted to eliminate every negative emotion in his head.

“Oh…yeah,” Owen said. “I guess he wasn’t the nicest,” Owen looked away. Coming from him that was harsh.

“But I’m sure he’s changed, right? He can’t be like that forever, not when everyone hates him,” Owen said.

“You would think,” Noah thought. If anything the more everyone hated him the more determined he got. He wanted to win, at least he had, by the end it kind of felt like he was trying to convince himself he still wanted it. Noah was ignoring the finale, it contradicted everything he’d thought.

It was good that he also ignored everything before that, Alejandro letting Noah drop his dummy was too much to shove down.

“It doesn’t matter if he’s changed, he still did all those things,” Noah said stubbornly. He wasn’t trying to argue with Owen he just needed the truth. Owen was having a hard time giving him the truth he wanted.

Maybe he should have gone to Heather.

“Yeah but, you’ve been gone for a month little buddy, maybe everyone’s secretly forgiven him?” Owen asked.

Noah wished that was true. Owen may be onto a semblance of truth, not that Noah wanted to admit it. Maybe he was being dramatic. He could be hiding for no reason. The awkward stares didn’t have to be a precursor to hatred and yelling. It could have been an awkward stare, shock. Noah sounded like he was pleading with himself.

Did he really deserve to go back to how things were, after falling for Alejandro— the same Alejandro who had left a pile of crushed dreams at nearly every destination they landed at. He was a jerk, and somehow Noah wanted that…what did that make him? An asshole? What was new about that? He’d always been cold, was it so hard to see himself as a jerk too. He got voted out second back on the island, maybe he had devolved.

“I doubt that dude, but thanks,” Noah said, realizing he was staring at Owen, his mouth gapped.

Owen looked like he wanted to say something; he also looked hurt. Noah felt like he was just punched in the gut.

“Seriously, you helped,” Noah confirmed, like the praise would help. Owen would hate him too right, if that’s the path he was set to die on.

Why did he have any it to be true so badly? Did he think he deserved it? After everything he’d been through he was tired. He just wanted everything to be over. Getting hated sounded easier than dissecting complex emotions. Noah was done over analyzing, He wanted to sleep, and shower. The ash on his head was itchy.

What was he talking about…..

Plans, right. Plans to hide in his room until he could go home instead of talk to his “sort of but not anymore” friends.

“You know I’ll help you with anything! I would never abandoned my little buddy!” Owen said, ruffling his hair again. This time Noah felt his eye twitch.

“Back off the hair,” Noah snapped, stepping back. He wouldn’t pretend his hair was styled but Owen was sending soot all over him— like he wasn’t already covered in it.

“Sorry …”Owen trailed off.

He remained silent, just long enough to make it awkward. Noah could tell he had something else he wanted to say.

“Um,” Owen put his fingers together, sheepishly.

“ I know I said I knew where I was going but… “Owen looked down both halls.

“You’re lost?” Noah finished. Owen nodded, smiling.

“Do you think you could help me find my room?” he asked.

“I have my room number and my key card oh and a paper from my room, they have room service Noah, can you believe that!” Owen said, about to head off on another tangent.

“I’m going to stop you right there big guy,” Noah said.

“I’ll take you back.”

Noah smiled.

It was  a distraction. That was unimportant. He wasn’t scared, he would rather wait, that was all. If they happened to all leave the studio before he could meet them then so be it. Noah wasn’t sure he could look at their betrayed faces anyways.

He was sick of that look, especially since he’d once worn it himself.

“Come on big guy I think you’re on the wrong floor,” Noah said, holding up Owen’s key card.

Owen nodded, still looking sheepish.

This wouldn’t take long, unfortunately.

——

Five minutes later, Owen was gone and Noah was alone in the hallway again. Owen made him promise they would see each other soon. Noah gave him a halfhearted okay and a smile. Things weren’t done but he would have to put a pin in any plans with Owen.

No matter how badly he craved more distractions.

Noah looked down the empty hallway he find himself in, goosebumps running up his arms.

That was the fear, he slowly realized.

Noah kept walking forward, dragging his feet with every step. His body was tired, and burnt. He wanted to go home and shower, he wanted to wipe every trace of the show clean. But he couldn’t, this time he knew he couldn’t just go back to his room and hide. His guilt wouldn’t allow it.

He had to find them, and explain things. Only then would he deserve a break from everything. Only then.

The guilt was gnawing on him and he was giving in to it. Since when was he such a push over?

Whatever..Noah huffed, looking around at the same four walls it felt like he’d been staring at for hours. They were an ugly shade of green, similar to his face after eating Chris’ mystery dish. They were also stripped, with a long white wooden board dividing the wall in two— the ugly half and the uglier half. Whoever designed the hotel had no taste, Noah was tired of it.

He hasn’t cared before but, the same sights were making him sick. He needed to get away, scratch the itch that was crawling on his skin; the itch that festered every time he moved towards something different.

He needed to find a map, and then walk to the set, it couldn’t be far—the buildings being connected— but it would be painful none the less. He wasn’t even sure they were there, he was guessing that they were all huddled in a circle talking about him, in that old green room with the lights out. That was the image sticking in his mind, the narrowed eyes and brutal glares that he deserved.

Noah turned around in sudden despair, spying a map on the wall right behind him.

It was nailed to the wall in a large wooden frame, a lone Chris head showing where he was on the map. Maybe Chris did own the hotel, or paid for it. Noah wouldn’t have been surprised. The first season of Total Drama had already made him filthy rich, anything after was just for his pride’s sake. Noah barely recognized Chris anymore, not that he knew him to begin with.

He’d gotten crueler as his ratings got higher. He was desperate. Lucky for Noah he aimed to be home in bed when Chris tried to reboot the show for the third time.

Noah placed his finger on the small Chris head, tracing a path from point A to point B. It was a bit further than he thought, maybe a ten minute walk. He’d spent weeks on the set yet he only knew how to walk from his room to the old green room,  and how to get to the cafeteria. He didn’t starve while on set, and since Chef wasn’t cooking, the food was tolerable.

Having looked at Chris’ face enough for one day, Noah departed from the map. He needed to find the elevator…..

Eleven minutes and..fifty two seconds later according to the clock above the door, Noah walked through the glass doors to the aftermath set.

Had he not located it on a map he wouldn’t have recognized it. It was nearly completely deconstructed. The bulkier interns were carrying wooden panels off the set while the remaining few were checking off pieces and packaging camera and sound equipment. They were fast tracking the ending, they’d just gotten back a couple hours ago.

Noah wasn’t surprised, even if shock over took his face. Time was money, as Chris always said..at least he probably thought it. He certainly acted on it.

Noah kept walking, weaving through interns and crew that remained. He had a mission, this wasn’t going to stop him. The back of the set was still intact, seeing as it was built into the building. And Noah doubted they were leaving yet, it was too early.

He garnered stares as he passed. Noah just shoved his hands in his pockets, giving them all a blank look in return. He was good at those.

The studio faded away and he reached a familiar curtain, currently shoved aside in a bunch. It revealed backstage, still filled with stuff. A backup couch, a giant fish tank, and a whole pile of Chris in a boxes —for emergencies Noah presumed.

He squeezed his way passed the props, and passed the first dressing room door. It was slightly ajar, a couple cardboard boxes with various items stacked up inside. It otherwise looked empty, like someone had just finished packing it up.

His focus was too narrow to pay the room more than a glance. He spotted the door at the end of the hall, hidden. It was achingly familiar. Noah nearly ran at it, forcing his anxious steps to a walk. They were there, whispering. He could hear the sounds coming from the door, floating out towards him.

This wasn’t what he wanted, he’d given everything up. How could he…

He knew why. He couldn’t explain it easily, and any attempt was shut down in his mind. What defense did he have? He knew what he’d done, all that was left was to face the music.

Noah stopped in front of the faded wooden door. He took a breath, fingers grazing it. It was cracked, no visible light coming from inside.

Screw it. He wasn’t a coward, it was hard to be after everything. Yet somehow the thoughts prevailed.

 Noah pushed the door open, cringing as it squeaked. He imagined heads turning towards him, freezing him in his tracks.

He wasn’t sure why he squeezed his eyes shut, cringing like things were about to be thrown at him.

He was met with silence, crippling silence.

Noah exhaled, cracking open his eyes. He relaxed himself, trying not to let anything show anymore. The room was empty, dark and lonely.

The light spilling in from outside was all he had. It showed a deserted table, cards set in the middle in a box. The various chairs were grouped together, like people had once sat in them, they looked untouched now. It barely looked like anything special, it was just another room to pack up, wasn’t it? No one was stopping the interns from coming in and uprooting everything.

What was he thinking? They wouldn’t be here. He was late.

What was he even doing here? Why did he care so much? For his pride? He had nothing to be proud of, he scraped by, he clawed his away to a draw, and it resolved nothing. His whole purpose was nixed, he hadn’t helped anyone.

Maybe that was why he failed.

He wasn’t a “people person” he didn’t care enough. He was an asshole, right? He wasn’t supposed to care. This was all his fault for caring about people, about Alejandro. This was why he didn’t do this, this was why…

Noah took a shaky breath, covering his face with a lone hand. He hadn’t realized how fast his heart was beating, something squeezing it in his chest. It was gripping so tightly that he felt tears collect in his eyes from the pressure.

“You’re fine…it’s fine,” he said to himself, softly . His voice held no emotion, perfectly monotone. Even that couldn’t hide the way he was choked up with the words.

What was he supposed to do now? He couldn’t keep doing this, he didn’t want to. He was tired of the anticipation, it was killing him. Why was he so terrified to see them that his heart nearly stopped? Was he  afraid that they would hate him? Maybe, but they would never hate him more than he was currently hating himself for hiding.

For kissing Alejandro. Why exactly did he hate that so much? He hadn’t in the moment. Now he wished he could take it back. He was terrified of the moment, he wanted it to go away. It was ruining everything.

Everything he thought he knew, his entire purpose for being back on the competition.

Noah heard footsteps coming from behind him. They sounded like flip-flops, the particular rubber sound unmistakable.

He flinched, turning around like it was Alejandro coming up behind him with a live electric eel.

“Dude…” Geoff said, squinting his eyes.

Noah looked at him awkwardly, unable to think of an excuse as to why he was standing alone in a dark room.

“It’s so dark in here,”he said, reaching over to the wall to flip on the switch.

The room illuminated, Noah blinking rapidly. Maybe he should have paused his mental break down for a moment to turn on the light. It was a lot better, and he didn’t feel like he would hit a table corner with a step.

“What are you doing here little dude?” Geoff asked as he moved passed him. Noah was thankful for the lack of eye contact. He looked preoccupied, looking around the room for something in particular.

“Oh..”Noah muttered.

“I was looking for somebody,” he said vaguely.

“Somebody? You mean everyone else?” Geoff asked. He grabbed something hanging on one of the chairs, a something Noah didn’t notice in the dark.

“Well Bridge is finishing packing, and I’m sure everyone else is back in their rooms dude,” Geoff said with certainty that he probably didn’t have.

“I’m just grabbing a sweater she left, this rooms going to be packed up pretty soon,” Geoff said, holding up the blue garment like a prize.

Geoff’s laidback smile was dropped when he met Noah’s eyes.

“Oh..are you okay dude? Did I interrupt something?” he asked, tying the sweater around his waist quickly.

“No, I was just leaving,” Noah said with the same venom he used on Owen earlier. It used to keep everyone away, now it just made him sound like a defiant kid.

Noah made a move for the door, only for Geoff to block it. It wasn’t like Noah had much of a chance, he didn’t really want to leave anyways.

Noah stopped, glaring at Geoff.

“Hey dude, what’s up with you?”Geoff asked, less laid back. The last thing he expected was to be confronted by Geoff, Geoff of all people. Noah wasn’t sure what he was expected to say.

“Nothing I’m just tired, if no one’s here I’m leaving, is that okay?” Noah asked harshly. Every sentence he said was coming out that way. Call it projection, he didn’t care.

“I can help you find them if you’d like, I’m sure Bridgette knows I could take you-“

“It’s fine! I said it’s fine, I’m fine everything great, I just—“Noah trailed off quickly.

“I don’t want to…be here anymore,” Noah said quietly.

“I messed everything up.”

Noah hung his head, doing everything in his power to look away from Geoff. Maybe the pathetic display would make him go away, Noah didn’t have any more energy for mental gymnastics . Not now and not ever. He was tired of everything.

“You messed up?” Geoff said, smiling awkwardly.

“Dude you won the whole show, basically, you beat Al,” Geoff said, giving him an unsolicited pat on the back.

“He deserved that and more dude, trust me,” Geoff said.

“And? You don’t have to play dumb, you saw what happened,” Noah said sourly. He crossed his arms, set in his feelings.

“What are you talking about dude?” Geoff asked like he was serious.

Noah refused to answer, he wasn’t even ready to admit it to himself.

“Oh,” he said after a moment.

“You mean when you kissed him?” Geoff asked.

“No hard feelings alright, I get it, kind of…”Geoff said awkwardly.

“As long as he isn’t trying to kiss Bridgette,” Geoff said, shrugging. He looked back at Noah, eyebrows knitting together.

“Look, I think most of us were just shocked and all, you don’t have to explain it, the competitions over now anyways, it doesn’t matter,” Geoff said. Noah wanted to believe that was how everyone else felt but he couldn’t it didn’t add up to him.

Noah didn’t give him anything to show that his reassurance worked. He stood there, staring, calculating. He wasn’t sure why, he felt stuck.

Geoff sighed, toying with the sweater he had wrapped around his waist.

“Look dude, I wasn’t very helpful during the competition either,” Geoff said slowly.

“You were trying your best, I’m the one the screwed up…”Geoff admitted.

“What are you talking about?” Noah asked, breaking his momentary trance.

Geoff stopped talking for a second, looking guilty. Noah had felt like he was missing something. He still couldn’t shake the feeling that Geoff was just trying to make him feel better.

“You know how all your plans kept failing…how Al was always ahead,” Geoff said.

“Yeah, that’s the whole problem with him, he’s manipulative,” Noah said.

“Yeah but, he had help,” Geoff said. Noah had to crane his ears to hear him.

“What?” Noah asked.

“I sabotaged the competition…I told Chris about your plan so that Al wouldn’t get out so early,” Geoff admitted, talking faster than Noah had ever heard him speak.

“What?! Why?!” Noah asked, grateful to feel something other than anxiety.

Geoff winced. “I..it was a mistake but I was just trying to protect Bridgette,” Geoff said.

“How? By sabotaging my revenge? That doesn’t sound helpful?” Noah asked. Geoff was the reason the game was hell, the reason he was  here feeling all these…things.

“I made a deal with Chris! He gets rid of Blaineley and I tell him everything  you guys had planned, she kidnapped Bridgette, sent her to the arctic, I couldn’t wait for the competition to be over,” Geoff said forcefully.

“It was wrong dude..I know… but somehow you still won, you should be proud,” Geoff said. Noah didn’t want to gloss over what he said. He wanted to tell him off, yell at him for twisting him up, for leaving him open to Alejandro’s manipulation. But…it wasn’t really his fault. Noah could have shut everything down, he could have figured it out. The fact was staring him in the face but Alejandro took up every ounce of his attention.

Add it to the list of things that he’d done wrong. Why was he so worked up anyways? It was over, he still won, according to Geoff anyways.

“Yeah proud, what was even the point of any of this then, why did I put up with the plane, why did I volunteer myself? Why did you have to make everything so complicated…”The last line wasn’t directed at Geoff, somewhere deep down he probably realized that.

It was no one’s fault, really. Everyone made choices, independent ones. They all just happened to screw with him. It was what he deserved for screwing with everyone’s feelings back.

“Noah…”Geoff pursed his lips. He put a hand on Noah’s shoulder, frowning.

He took a deep breath, an anxious one.”I’m sorry, for everything, I ended up hurting Bridgette, and I helped Al…and Chris didn’t even take care of Blaineley until the end anyways..I messed everything up..”Geoff said.

“I should have said something on the plane..or anytime but, I was scared dude…I know how much this meant to you after what he did,” Geoff said.

“I knew it wouldn’t work..but I kept holding out hope that maybe…maybe Chris would make good on his word and everything would be worth it,” he said.

It was ironic, that’s what Noah was doing the entire competition—hoping that everything he was going through was worth it to take down Alejandro, hoping that he wouldn’t fail his mission so close to the end. He choked, he let Alejandro get in and everything was falling apart. He should have shut everything out, it was so easy yet..incredibly difficult. Alejandro had a way of drawing him into his web, Noah couldn’t shake off all the threads in time.

“I get it.” Noah shuffled awkwardly, not bothering to explain himself.

“I mean, I don’t “get it” but I understand,” Noah clarified.

“I don’t even know why I went back,” he said. If he was venting he might as well go for it. Geoff wasn’t scary, maybe because he wasn’t flawless either. Noah felt better, a bit. Well enough to let out some of the feelings he decided to bottle up.

Noah laughed, sourly. “I guess I couldn’t really say no…”he said.

“And I didn’t even feel angry then, I couldn’t..I was just there because I had nothing better to do,” he said.

“I didn’t want to feel angry, I just wanted it to be over…”Noah rubbed his shoulder awkwardly. His eyes fell, staring at his legs. He didn’t attempt to hide it, he let himself stare. The lines on his skin were muted, a slight white that had never really been noticeable. The pain was mostly internal, his nerves fried.

“But then I was shoved back into everything and I—I couldn’t not feel,” he said. He hated that he was saying all of this to Geoff but it was spilling out like a waterfall. He hated what he’d done but he also hated how clogged he was.

Dammit, he couldn’t be apathetic forever. Feeling wasn’t that bad, even though it hurt. He had to accept what everyone felt, take the hate and roll with it. Owen did, he took everything in stride, even Noah’s crude words and belittling humor. He put up with him for the good.

It was the same for Alejandro, for Noah anyways. It was hard to explain, still, but at least he had a definition as to why he felt so conflicted about him.

“And I was angry at him, I wanted him out, for my own selfish reasons…”

Noah took a breath.

“I let him in because I was angry, I put up with him because I thought it would help better my chances, he just kept pushing against me, almost like he was sorry for what he’d done..it just, I don’t know Geoff I don’t know what I’m supposed to be feeling, I want to be happy that we won but how can I when I kissed him?” Noah exclaimed, feeling the foreshadow of tears, eyes glossy. He held everything else back, blinking until the urge to let them overflow was satiated.

Noah looked up, meeting Geoff’s eyes. He looked conflicted, mouth forming a small “o”.

“Sorry, Just forget it,” Noah said. It was defensive, typical. Geoff ignored it.

“Woah, little dude I didn’t know..”he said.

“I should be apologizing, again,”he said. His shoulders stooped. “I didn’t realize..”

“Look I don’t have time for this just..”

Noah decided to take a leap of faith, he needed to stop hiding, moping in his misery. He needed to get the truth, and tell it.

He was viewing them all through a fun house mirror, distorting their feelings to what he thought they should be. He didn’t know, and that was killing him.

“Before I change my mind can you please help me find Bridgette and everyone else..”Noah snapped.

“I want to explain this and I know I’m running out of time,” he said, flinching at how genuine the words sounded. That wasn’t him..that wasn’t-

No, it was. It was him now. And maybe he was better for it.

The apathy was killing him, more so than the feelings ever did.

Chapter Text

——

Geoff did not, in fact, know where Bridgette was—or anyone else.

After following him for…well Noah didn’t want to know how long, they ended up practically back where they started.

Noah was annoyed, but he didn’t stay that way for long.

When he and Geoff walked through the glass doors, after their extensive tour of the Total Drama set, he found his wish dolled up on a silver platter.

“Watch my epic ninja moves, hyah!” Harold exclaimed, carrying two crates—one on each shoulder respectively.

Leshawna watched him, shaking her head. “Oh, honey, why don’t you let muscle here take care of that,” she said pointing to an intern.

“Never fear I am up to the task,” he proclaimed dramatically.

“Why are you helping him? What is Chris not paying them for?” Duncan quipped, leaning against a giant crate with a nail file. Noah hadn’t known him to care about his nail beds, maybe it was to spite Courtney, Noah didn’t care. It was uncanny to see him after his unceremoniously exit from the show.

“Just let him..”Bridgette sighed. She held a box, on her way out of the studio.

“Hey big guy, why don’t you get in there then?” Duncan continued, eyeing DJ.

He looked at him, distressed.

“Can you handle yourself for five minutes I need to load my stuff up,” Bridgette said, rolling her eyes. She turned her head to walk, spying Geoff and Noah.

“Oh.”

“Hey babe..”Geoff said, smile gone, replaced with a shy one. Noah understood what the issue was now. It wasn’t exactly his problem. He had bigger ones when the others eyes turned towards him.

Well shit.

If looks could kill Noah would be dead on the spot. An itch rose up on his skin, unable to be stopped. He needed to leave, he couldn’t talk to them. What was he thinking? He wanted to melt into a puddle.

Noah kept a straight face, outwardly. He crossed his arms, looking bored. They wouldn’t be able to see his eyes shift from one to the other nervously. And if they noticed they wouldn’t say anything. Noah was slipping..his mind felt heavy.

“Who-“ Harold began, spying Leshawna’s facial expression. He turned his head, the crates on his shoulders slipping unceremoniously.

The interns around him all have him a glare, Harold grinning sheepishly.

“Sorry..gosh,” he muttered, fleeing the spot. Noah could appreciate the momentary distraction but it was over before he got to enjoy it.

He just needed to say something, clear the air a bit. Why did the thought of saying a single word exhaust him? He felt frozen, mouth left in an ‘o’ shape.

Noah swallowed firmly. “Hey…” he said. Real suave. The word was simply oozing in sincerity. Noah wished that he was a puddle again.

“Long time no see,” he continued. He smiled, pressing his teeth together rigidly. It was a grimace more than a smile. It wasn’t his fault that he was reading their glares so menacingly. It felt like what he deserved, and he couldn’t think otherwise.

Maybe if he was harsh enough on himself then the others words wouldn’t sting as harshly.

“Noah!” DJ said first. It figured it was him. He was too nice to say anything, he would pretend. The thought provided a thin layer of comfort. It wasn’t enough, Noah was still scrambling for warmth. For a moment he wished Owen was next to him. His hugs were therapeutic—when he wanted them—all his troubles seemed to wash away.

He should have stayed with Owen, and hid from his problems like the coward he’d become again. Coming out of his shell was terrifying, and exhilarating. He was ducking his head back in because it was easier. He wanted this? Their friendship?

Why was he not fighting for it? Why was he hanging his head like it was over.

No. Fuck that. He needed to defend himself, he needed to argue his side. He wanted to keep them, he couldn’t let everything slip away like that. He couldn’t just leave everything again, he had people here. What good was this entire competition if it wasn’t for them?

Had Noah not heard the blood pounding in his ears he would have insulted himself for how cheesy that sounded. Whatever, that was just how feelings worked.

“How are you?” DJ asked with a shy smile. No more than a second had passed, Noah tried to keep up the resolve he built in his head. It shook, like a leaf against a hurricane.

“Burnt,” Noah said, sighing. It was in character, yet it didn’t feel like enough. He was still stalling.

“I-Um..”Noah tried, forcing the words through gritted teeth.

“Look..”he said. It was like he was practicing words in front of the mirror, trying to decide the right way to start, one that didn’t come across the wrong way.

There was no right way. All of it sounded wrong, dammit what was he expected to say? He had no idea where to even start.

Noah’s eyes burned, again. He couldn’t stop them but he refused to let it go there. He wasn’t crying, that was a low blow, pathetic really.

He blinked his eyes, taking the reigns before anyone could respond to his interjection.

“I’m sorry,” he said quickly. He ducked his head. So what if the words made sense, he doubted they would listen to them otherwise. The looks had already started, he needed to face them.

“I messed up, I know I was so close and I just..I choked, and I know this means everything was for nothing but I can’t just leave things like this and I know you all probably don’t like me very much right now but I just needed to say this, please give me a chance to explain, I don’t want to—“

Lose all of you. Noah cut himself off before he could get any further, or maybe other words stopped his mouth from blabbing everything. He was just so graceful. Maybe he’d left all his cleverness back on whatever was left of the plane.

Noah didn’t remain looking down. He forced himself to tilt his head upwards, to stare at them. He’d been confident in what he’d done. The music was calling to him and he needed to hear it, to see it.

“What the fuck are you talking about?” Duncan asked, quirking his eyebrow. He frowned, pulling his leg up to sit against the crate he was leaning against.

“Don’t play dumb,” Noah snapped, regretting the harshness. If anything he was annoyed that they weren’t grasping what he’d done. If they could stop pretending he could move on, maybe fix things. He couldn’t if they kept pretending he was out of line for saying what they were thinking.

He’d never been one for mind games. Not that you’d be able to tell that watching him on Total Drama.

“Do I need to spell it out? I only tied with Alejandro, and I kissed him,” Noah said, the second part quieter. He crossed his arms, eyes shooting sideways in annoyance.

“I know you all are disappointed I’m just saying I’m sorry…I messed up, I let him get to me, okay?” Noah said. He took a breath, and then another. He didn’t realize how fast his heart was racing.

“Noah, “ Bridgette said, glare somehow softer.

“Where did you get the idea that we hated you?” Bridgette asked, softer.

“Yeah dude, ow…you…ngh, should have seen Al’s face,” Harold said, struggling to lift the crates he’d dropped.

“He let you drop his dummy, he knew he’d lost already, I don’t know what else would qualify as more of a victory?” Leshawna said, helping Harold.

“But I let him kiss me?” Noah said.

“And, I..I let him win me over, that’s what really matters!” Noah said, raising his voice.

“That’s why I was there, right? So I lost,” Noah said. He wondered why it sounded so desperate. Did he want them to hate him? He should be meeting their words with relief, yet he felt worse. He needed them to hate him, it all added up, right? It needed to all make sense, why he felt so terrible.

Noah squeezed his fist until it turned white.

“But you didn’t lose,” Geoff chummed in. Helpful.

“He’s right, you did exactly what we all wanted, you made sure that scumbag didn’t win the million dollars.”

“That’s what we wanted, why would be mad at you?” Bridgette explained, calmly at that.

“But I-“

“Look if you’re really hung up on that kiss thing then know that I don’t give a shit,” Duncan said like he was part of the conversation. Noah supposed he would know better than most of them, being on the competition longer.

“I mean you two had been going back and forth even before you came back, it was about time,” he said with a laugh.

“Gee thanks..”Noah muttered.

“It would be wrong to say I don’t understand how he pulled you in,” Leshawna said. “But, it didn’t look like he was manipulating you,” she concluded.

“But-“

“Listen to what they’re saying, what I’m saying, we don’t hate you, I don’t know how you got that idea,” Bridgette said.

“You were glaring at me the entire ride back, and I saw your faces during the finale, it just made sense..”he said.

“We weren’t glaring at you Noah, we were wondering if you were okay, you were practically hyperventilating on the plane back, and then we couldn’t find you anywhere, you vanished…we couldn’t congratulate you,” she said, with kinder words than he imagined receiving. 

He didn’t understand. He stood there staring, mouth gaping.

Where did he get that idea? That was a great question, Noah wasn’t sure because he was so sure that they despised him.

Who wouldn’t? Right? He was a failure, he’d actually tried and he felt he came up short.

He deserved to be hated…

He wanted it. It was the only thing that made sense. He wanted to be hated because then his feelings would match up with his actions.

He hated himself for how the finale ended, it felt like he’d lost after everything. He gave himself up to Alejandro, despite throwing his dummy off the side. It wasn’t how he pictured it ending. He pictured something more dramatic than that, more triumphant.

This just…it felt wrong.

Noah shook his head.

“I—No this isn’t how it’s supposed to be,” Noah said.

“This wasn’t how it was supposed to end, I pushed so hard and—“Noah crossed his arms shrinking on himself in defeat.

“Noah, it’s okay that it didn’t end perfectly,” Bridgette said.

“We didn’t expect it too,” she said.

“This was all just a plan, because we were bitter..it probably wasn’t even designed to succeed but, you did it, you fought Alejandro and Chris, he didn’t get the million, that’s good enough, right?” she said.

Noah wished he could argue her words but, they were coming right from the source. He couldn’t hypothesize what she meant, she was saying it in front of him.

“Right..”Noah said, slowly nodding his head. She was right. He hated his decisions, only him. He was beating himself up for it, because he felt he deserved it.

Maybe he still did. But, it was illogical to keep pretending everyone else hated him. They were his friends, Noah was tired.

“Thanks guys,” he said. He smiled, slowly. A weight felt lifted off his chest.

“I missed all of you, especially when I had to put up with Courtney and Duncan instead,” Noah said, smile turning to a smirk.

“Hey, you wanna say that again punk? If I’m not mistaken I was trying to help you,” He snapped.

“Key word trying,” Noah said.

Bridgette laughed, Harold too. Duncan didn’t take kindly to the latter.

Noah was happy to be back, really. He missed them, a lot. He was serious. Having people wasn’t as overrated as he thought. Maybe he shouldn’t have closed himself off so early, assuming he worked better alone. Maybe he just hadn’t given friends a chance.

It was better than he’d ever imagined.

Noah grinned wider, perhaps the widest smile he’d ever had. It didn’t hurt, it felt good, really good after everything. He’d earned the smile, with all he had.

Things were okay, with them, with Owen…

That just left one more loose end. One Noah knew he had to face before leaving. He’d come this far.

Who was he to stop now?

——

Noah hung around for a lot longer than expected. He ended up helping the crew pack up, with what little crates he could carry. He would put the gym in his to-do list when he got home.

The thought of home seemed foreign, he’d been away for so long. It was time to go back to normal life. No more teams, backstabbing, romance. All the stuff for television Noah always rolled his eyes at. He was living it now, and he would still roll his eyes. It was so..cliche.

That didn’t mean the feelings weren’t real. It just annoyed him that he was becoming a caricature of a reality show contestants.

Whatever. He said that a lot, maybe he should put it on a T-shirt, make good on his near victory in the finale. People knew who he was now, not that Noah was exactly seeking fame anymore. It was overrated.

After parting ways with everyone, Noah could finally sit alone with his thoughts.

He was going home tomorrow. So was Owen, and Alejandro.

He tried to avoid thinking about Alejandro, for as long as he could. He only annoyed Noah. Yet he missed him. He’d seen him nearly every day on the competition— against his own volition on some occasions. It was weird to not see his annoyingly smug face. The one Noah loved to hate, emphasis on the love he supposed.

He couldn’t go around denying how he felt about Alejandro. The truth was he cared about him. It was obvious. No matter what he’d done—Noah clenched his fist against the side of his leg— he couldn’t help what he felt.

Alejandro needed to know where he stood. He deserved that much for passing Noah’s test. For saving him from that blast…that challenge before the plane. It didn’t feel like they were much of enemies anymore.

Noah felt like they should be. He knew better than to trust his feelings now. Clearly they were skewed, somewhat.

He needed to find Alejandro, it was his last chance to make things clear with him, figure out exactly what he wanted to do about the two of them.

The task of finding him was cropping up to be harder than Noah thought. He was supposed to be in one of the various hotel rooms but, no one had heard so much of a word from him. He’d talked to crew, other contestants, even the hotel staff. He was missing, as far as Noah was concerned.

Great, how was he supposed to do the sappy thing and tell him the truth if he couldn’t find him. Noah was annoyed at the effort. What was he supposed to do? It felt wrong giving up. He hadn’t even said goodbye. Alejandro deserved that at least..probably.

Maybe he should tell him the truth, he meant it. Everything from why he was let back on the competition to the very end when he dropped the dummy into the water below him.

He was willing if he could find him. Noah had practically scoured the whole place, he was getting tired. He still needed to shower, and maybe change out of his stupid burnt sweater. He only wore it for recognition, it wasn’t any fashion statement. He wasn’t sure why he’d chosen to wear it first season either. It wasn’t a good look, in his opinion.

If he ever found Alejandro he’d let him give style tips, even if his definition of style consisted of already being attractive and showing as much skin as was allowed by TV ratings. He really was extra. Noah found himself thinking more about him as he walked. It was like the mental block was taken out and everything came rushing back.

Everything that Alejandro was. Noah had to accept that if he was going to do this. Alejandro wasn’t going to just be a good person because Noah wanted him to be. He’d fucked up, and that had never been addressed, really.

It was a conversation Noah had been too busy ignoring. An apology wasn’t why he was there, although now it sounded like a much more feasible option than manipulating the result of a broadcasted competition. That wasn’t who Alejandro had been. He wouldn’t have apologized. He would have said it was part of the game.

Now…well Noah wasn’t so sure what he would say.

He hoped it was good, or at least clarifying. They both had words they needed to say. Noah couldn’t brush him off, that would drive him crazy, almost as crazy as avoiding his friends.

The second he left them he’d made up his mind, he needed to find Alejandro.

It was dead end after dead end. Had he left already? Noah was unaware that they were allowed to. He probably would have taken off given the option, before he resolved things.

Knowing how well off Alejandro’s family was he got a couple ideas of how Alejandro could have left: private jet, helicopter, limo,  It made sense but, left a bad taste in Noah’s mouth. Would he just leave like that, no nothing, no closure.

Noah thought he meant more to Alejandro than that. Maybe he was wrong maybe he had a lapse in judgment.

A mistake. He’d certainly made a lot of them. Was it really a surprise that he didn’t know Alejandro as well as he thought.

Noah wanted to say he did, really. But could he? He couldn’t find him anywhere, he’d looked everywhere. What was he supposed to do except retire? He’d given it his all but-

How much more was he supposed to give? Noah was exhausted of emotional talks, the introvert in him wanted to shut himself in his room and never leave. No more people, no more complications or misconstrued words that sent him into a near panic.

Something in him kept going. A little longer wouldn’t hurt. He would regret it later if he stopped.

Where else could he go? There had to be somewhere.

He’d checked the entire studio, all back rooms and even large crates that were pried open. He’d checked the hotel rooms, Alejandro’s mainly. He knocked repeatedly, not a single sound was heard, it didn’t look like the room was in use. Noah couldn’t think of anyone Alejandro would go to. Even Heather hated him after how the challenge ended. Noah’d even checked the pool deck— an unhelpful add on seeing as it was a crispy 10 C.

Unless he left there wasn’t anywhere else; and Noah didn’t feel like snooping around for every hiding place a tall guy like him could actually fit into. Alejandro didn’t typically hide anyways, only if it benefited him.

Noah groaned in annoyance, stopping in the hall. His head hurt. This wasn’t a good idea, he should listen to his aching body and go back to his room. Screw Alejandro, what had he ever done that warranted this?

Enough.

Noah looked up making eye contact with a Chris face on the wall. It smiled hauntingly at him.

It was that map from earlier.

Noah trudged closer, looking up at it. It didn’t give him any new information. Noah scanned the information for each level, tracing his finger upwards. Nothing, nothing and more nothing.

What was he-

Noah put his finger down on the last bullet point.

“Oh.”

The roof. The map didn’t give much detail on it, other than that you could go up to it. He didn’t even know the roof was walkable.

It was the last possible place Alejandro could be, it was worth a last ditch effort. Then Noah was going back.

——

The walk was unimportant, although the stairs were intolerable. Noah was gasping for air by the time he climbed the last flight. It figured the elevator only took him to the top roofed floor.  That left two flights of stairs for him to walk.

Was the mere guess that Alejandro could be on the roof worth it? Noah wasn’t sure as he shoved open the large metal door that led to it. He was accosted by a breeze, making him regret ever coming up top.

He moved passed the door, letting it shut as he made his way to the center. The roof was massive as the building itself was no small motel. It was largely empty, a couple vents and entrances along with a heli-pad. Chris probably landed there, knowing him. He only rode in helicopters, dragging Noah along whenever he needed a competent assistant during his shoot.

Noah was glad he wasn’t Chris’ lap dog anymore.

He wasn’t glad to find the roof empty. From what he could see there was nobody across the entire stretch. It was a straight shot, to a small fence that blocked off the edge of the building from a gruesome fate below.

Noah sighed. So much for his revelation. Alejandro was playing hide and seek and Noah was giving up. Maybe Alejandro wanted to be alone. Noah still hadn’t processed what happened, and he doubted Alejandro had either.

That and everybody hated him, or at least disliked him. Nobody was dying to know what he was feeling. It sounded harsh saying it like that. Noah didn’t doubt the words though.

“I tried,” Noah said, he glanced up at the sky almost as a ‘look see I’m not a complete asshole’.

What was he expected to do anyways. Noah remained apathetic but, the thought of leaving things unfinished killed him. He needed to resolve this, at least touch base before they parted ways forever.

Some part of him was hoping that Alejandro was set to move on, that the competition was just that and they could leave each other.

That was the safe option, even if the thought left him conflicted. Noah didn’t want that, really.

He looked back down, shaking his head. For some odd reason, his eyes caught on something in the near distance. A small sliver of red at the edge of the roof, peaking out behind the other entrance to the roof. There were two stairwells, both protruding out of the building. The other one blocked a small space from his line of sight.

Maybe he had one more place to check.

Noah sighed, trudging over to the other entrance, his footsteps weren’t quiet, if someone was there wouldn’t they have come out?

Unless….

Unless they didn’t want to be found.

The wind blew against Noah as he walked, muffling any ‘hello?’ He tried. He’d have to see for himself. He found the doors, untouched. Then he glanced behind the small structure.

Nothing.

Noah looked up. He saw legs dangling down, quickly pulled back once he noticed.

Huh.

Interesting.

The roof was slightly angled as the stairs came up to the doors without a break. He couldn’t clearly see the lower angle of the roof, not from where he’d stood. Alejandro was there, in the last spot he’d thought to check.

Now he had to climb up there. Great.

“Are you really going to make me climb? This is a lot of effort,” Noah complained as he walked around the small protrusion. There was a fire extinguisher on the side in a rectangular box. Alejandro probably boosted himself up with that.

Noah attempted the same, clinging onto the metal for dear life.

“Y’know I looked for you everywhere..you could have picked somewhere easier to get to,” Noah said. His hands gripped onto the roof, pulling himself up with every ounce of strength he could muster. He managed to get his middle over the side, pushing himself the rest of the way with his arms.

Noah took a breath, spying Alejandro watching him.

“Thanks for the help,” he complained. He stood up, brushing himself off. Ash fell to the ground, remnants on his shorts.

Alejandro looked at him, deathly quiet. He was standing still, arms crossed with one hand hovering over his face.

“Hello?” Noah asked, waving his hand towards Alejandro’s line of sight.

“I don’t care if you’re trying to zone out we need to talk,” Noah said. He was done playing games with him, he needed the truth—for both of them. This was necessary.

Alejandro finally made some sort of expression, a frown. “Must we?” he asked.

“Perhaps it would be better to leave things here, and move on,” Alejandro said coldly.

“What? You can’t be getting cold feet now, you’re the one that caused all of this,” Noah snapped.

“You can’t hide from it, believe me I know it’s easier but you can’t, it’s not fair.”

Noah took a painful breath. He had to be the one to start this if he had any hope of getting anywhere.

“I liked it when we kissed,” he said in one breath. He kept his face neutral, stepping closer.

“I don’t know what that means now but somehow it wasn’t bad, and…well I didn’t like that I felt that,” Noah admitted.

“I mean what kind of person am I for liking someone who did what you did?” Noah asked.

“But, I realized that it’s not just right or wrong, that if this really meant something whatever this is will keep going,” Noah said.

“This isn’t just some ruse, no matter how badly I thought it was, and I accept that…”Noah said.

“I know what I feel, but-“

“I also know a lot of what you’ve done, and how many people you’ve hurt doing it.”

“Me included.”

“You’ve made everything confusing when you do something selfless after being a selfish entitled prick to me and everyone else, I want you to tell me your side I need you to say something,” Noah said.

“I can’t be expected to do this on my own, because if I do then I’m leaving this roof and not saying another word. You can sulk alone and I guess I’ll never know how things could have gone,” Noah said— an ultimatum.

Noah swallowed hard, standing his ground.

Alejandro looked at him, before his eyes fell. He looked guilty. It was a rare shade on Alejandro’s face.

“Amigo, I’m…”

Noah braced himself for..well he wasn’t sure but something. Alejandro was unpredictable.

“I’m sorry.” Noah felt that he physically recoiled. He brushed it off by shifting his weight. Alejandro, apologizing? Maybe it wasn’t as unbelievable as he once thought.

“For how everything turned out,” Alejandro clarified.

“This was supposed to be for the fame, for the money..”

“Ay mierda.. I really messed everything up.” He laughed dryly.

“You didn’t deserve this, yet I decided to start off with both wrong feet,” he said, almost in disbelief with himself.

He sighed. “Amigo, I know exactly what I’ve done.”

“It’s why I’m here and not down there soaking in the radiant stares of my fellow competitors,” he said. “I’m not afraid I just, don’t want a reminder of the guilt I feel,” he said.

“This was always my plan,” he said truthfully.

“Although it wasn’t my goal to seriously hurt you, mierda I didn’t even realize what I did,” Alejandro said. He turned his body, staring anywhere but at Noah.

“What are you talking about?” Noah asked. “You hurt me a lot you’ll have to be more specific,” he said in an attempt to be funny. Neither of them ended up laughing.

“Your legs, that pond of anguilas,” he said. “I over heard your conversation with Chef, I know what I did,” he said.

“It’s selfish of me to still chase you when I did that,” he said. It was surprisingly mature coming from him. It was Noah’s turn to look away. He didn’t know what to say..exactly. He could remember feeling the hatred yet it happened months ago at this point. Whatever he had felt was forgotten. It hurt but, part of him knew it wasn’t really Alejandro’s fault.

He could blame him for a million and one things but that wasn’t one. He was trying to get him out, not kill him. He was angry, and scared, and honed in on someone to release that onto. Alejandro made a good punching bag.

Look, no matter how much it pains me to say this, that wasn’t your fault,” Noah said bluntly.

“I blamed you for it, sure, but you didn’t know Chris’s plans, you weren’t trying to kill me,” Noah said. “Of course that doesn’t excuse your other actions but-“

“You can’t expect me to let it go after just finding out,” Alejandro interjected.

Noah laughed dryly. “I think I’m the one that should be letting it go.”

“Sí you’re right,” Alejandro admitted sheepishly.

Noah rolled his eyes, finding no words coming to mind. Alejandro appeared the same.

They stared at each other, awkwardly. Noah felt his heart rate spike, and that stupid crush he hadn’t thought about reignite itself like a piece of wood to a flame. Yeah, this was a bad idea.

“I came all the way up here, I didn’t climb up here to reject you,” he said.

“But, I didn’t come up here to just forgive you either, I think you owe everyone something if you feel guilty about it,” Noah said.

Alejandro nodded his head, looking conflicted. Noah understood knowing how antagonist they both were to each other, it felt strange to just…talk, with no words exchanged.

“I can help you, maybe then we could..I don’t know, try something, if you want, later,” Noah stumbled through his words.

Alejandro smiled, breaking the conflicting look in his gaze. “That sounds nice amor,” he said.

Noah’s cheeks warmed. “Don’t you dare start that again,” he fumed.

“What?” Alejandro asked innocently.

“I thought you liked my pet names, you sure do blush at them,” Alejandro taunted. It was playful, and Noah enjoyed it. He didn’t feel on edge, he didn’t feel tense. It was just…nice. No strings attached, no alliances, no tricks. It was freeing, like he’d clipped the strings moving his arms up and down in a sick dance.

“Whatever makes you sleep at night,” Noah said with another eye roll. He turned his head, a hand coming to hold his cheeks. Noah’s eyes were directed towards Alejandro.

“I suppose it is sudden but, may we have one redo, before we break,” Alejandro asked quickly. He looked nervous, smiling with less confidence and suave than normal for him.

Noah eyed him, annoyed. One couldn’t hurt, when he wasn’t in the win-lose mind set that plagued him. His guard was down, no eyes were on them. He didn’t have to perform, he could do this just for him, no audience gratification, no Chris yelling at them.

“What the hell,” Noah responded.

Alejandro obliged, leaning towards him. Their lips touched, melting into a soft kiss. It was a couple seconds, and it felt right. It was right, even if they weren’t there yet, even if there were still hurdles to cross.

Noah felt hopeful, like the bonds broken during the competition could be mended.

Maybe he could finally disband their club, that seemed to only have a member of one.

It was time he move on, leave the childish hate in the past. He could grow, this wasn’t going to define him. He had freedom again, and he had friends, and Alejandro.

It felt much better than the bitter shell he started as.

Noah smiled, breaking away from Alejandro. He held his hand out, tempting him to take it.

“Come on, let’s get down from here.”

And that was exactly what they did.

~