Chapter Text
Finn sits on his couch, taking a long, heavy breath before blinking slowly. He stretches both hands into the air and releases an inevitable yawn.
He wants to sleep—a long and peaceful sleep. He’s been craving it for weeks now, but his body refuses to cooperate. No matter how tired his eyes feel, he remains restless at all hours. It might be because of his hectic schedule; since the last season premiered, he’s been through countless interviews, and his sleep routine is completely thrown off.
It makes his body stay wired, awakened at every turn. It’s exhausting, really. Even at work, he can't help but yawn.
His eyes then drift to the cushion, where a faint light glows from underneath. It’s his phone. His brows automatically knit together as he wonders why it keeps buzzing with notifications.
He hesitates to pick it up, thinking the finale has just been released after all. Maybe everyone is hyped about it, even though to him it’s clear the finale is just a piece of trash.
But, whatever.
He sighs and grabs the phone anyway, curious to see how the fans are reacting to the finale.
He opens his secret account on twitter. It's private and he rarely uses it, just to see what the fans are up to. But before he can even refresh the app again, his eyes are easily drifted to a post with a thousand likes talking about him and his co-star, Noah.
What is this?
Curiosity sinks in, so he digs more into the context of the posts and finds out that it is all comparisons between the Byler scenes and just how they really are together behind the camera.
Then, he sees it. Their combined names.
Foah.
He gasps and looks around his empty apartment.
He blinks. Once, twice, and then at the third time his eyes snap back to his phone.
A sudden heat rushes through his face. He gulps and shakes his head.
No. This is bad. What if Noah gets mad?
He tries to toss the phone aside, telling himself this is just some made-up story to cope with their characters. But his hand refuses to let go. His thumb moves on its own, scrolling through a thread of comments about their ship.
The posts were mixed.Some are pertaining that all scenes with him and Noah were just himself being in love with him, while others are compilations of their videos from interviews and press conferences throughout the seasons.
His heart stammers against his ribs. It is too much, too far, yet he can’t deny it is also too accurate. And reading the fans’ captions on every post feels like a subtle shade at him for being too obvious.
He tries to remember every single moment he’s shared with Noah in those videos, but all he can think is that it has always been their thing. They’ve been through so much together and grown up side by side. So, isn't it just normal to hold your friend on their waist? Stare at them out of nowhere? And use their soft voice when talking to them? Isn’t it also normal to share clothes with your friend? This is just normal, right?
Finn mutters a curse under his breath. “Fuck.”
Was it really just normal?
His throat feels dry. He shouldn't be looking at this. It is a breach of his own privacy, and it can also get them into trouble if it gets worse.
But even with a wear of worriness on his face, his eyes still go to his phone. There's a clip playing the Byler van scene in Season 4 of Stranger Things and where everyone is pointing out that Finn is staring at Noah's lips.
He’d be a coward not to admit it. They’d spent twelve hours filming that one sequence, and all the Duffers had asked for was an emotional take where Mike stayed oblivious. But Finn knows that whenever he is on screen with Noah, everything changes. Like they just have their own world, and Finn already knows where or when he will give his own.
But one thing for sure he doesn't know is when he is supposed to be Mike or if he is just being himself.
And by looking at it now, with a fresh perspective, the truth is right there. Maybe it really is just him. Maybe with Noah, it has always been different.
He stands up, unable to sit still, and starts pacing a tight circle in the living room.
Is it crazy to call him?
The thought keeps rhythm with his footsteps. He hates how awkward this feels. It’s just Noah, his best friend for a decade now. He should be normal about this.
But could he really stay normal when his friend for a decade has been caught up in a rumor with him, dating?
Shit. Shit. Shit.
He wishes he could just say all the curse words he can say to just calm his nerves down. But he can't. And he still needs to call him. He needs to know.
He reaches for his phone before he can talk himself out of it again. His thumb hovers over the contact name and presses it.
The ringing sound feels deafening in the quiet living room. One ring. Two. He presses the phone so hard against his ear he can feel the heat of the screen.
"Hey," Noah’s voice finally breaks the silence. It’s raspy and low, enough to make Finn instinctively bite his lower lip.
Was he sleeping?
Finn glances at his watch, the numbers staring back at him. He’s halfway to a quiet curse when Noah speaks again, his tone shifting from sleepy to concerned. "You alright? It’s kind of late."
Finn winces. “Yeah, yeah… sorry, was I disturbing you?”
“No, you’re fine,” Noah murmurs, the rustle of sheets coming through the line as he adjusts his pillow. “Just waiting for sleep to hit anyway. What’s up?”
Finn takes a sharp breath, the air cold in his lungs. “Okay, okay. Perfect.” He whispers it more to himself than to Noah.
“What? Sorry, I didn't catch that.”
“No, it was nothing. Don’t worry about it... so, uhm...” Finn trails off. He pinches the bridge of his nose, eyes squeezed shut as he searches for a way to say it that doesn't sound ridiculous. “Have you... have you seen it? Online?”
“Seen what?” Noah’s tone sharpens slightly, the sleepiness fading into actual curiosity.
“Uh... uhm... how should I say it... uhm... Jesus Christ.” Finn huffs, his free hand tugging at the hem of his shirt.
Noah lets out a quiet, easy laugh. It’s a sound that usually makes Finn smile, but right now, it only makes his stomach flip. “Finn, why are you so nervous about it?”
Finn forces a dry, shaky laugh, his fingers moving to rub the back of his neck. “I don't even know why.”
“It’s just me, Finn. It’s just me,” Noah repeats.
Well, that is the thing. It is Noah. The person who knows him better than anyone. Telling his best friend that the entire internet is convinced they are in love feels like tripping over a line he’d spent years trying not to cross.
“Alright...” Finn starts, bracing his free hand against the kitchen counter. “There are rumors. About us.”
The silence on the other end feels heavy.
“Okay...?” Noah prompts.
“People think we’re dating. Like, we're in a relationship. There are these entire threads dedicated to ‘the way I look at you’ and all this stuff. It’s... it’s a lot, Noah.”
The silence returns, but this time it’s stunned and absolute. Finn holds his breath, as he pictures Noah on the other end, staring at the ceiling and trying to process the information.
“Dating?” Noah finally repeats. His voice jumps an octave in sheer disbelief. “Wait, like... us? You and me? People actually think we’re a couple?”
“Yeah,” Finn exhales, feeling the heat creep up his neck across to his cheeks.“I know. It’s insane. I just... I didn't want you to wake up to a thousand notifications and freak out.”
Noah didn't respond immediately. The line stays quiet, filled only by the faint sound of each other's breath.
“Noah? Are you still there?” Finn asks, his voice sounding smaller.
“Sorry, I was just—it caught me off guard,” Noah admits, his voice sounding breathless now. “I mean… I knew people shipped our characters, Finn, but a rumor that we’re actually dating? That’s… wow.”
“I know, I know you’ll be upset about it—”
“No, no. It’s okay, Finn,” Noah interrupts, his voice softening. “I get it. It’s just the fans. They’re probably just doing this because of what happened to our characters. They need a way to cope with the finale.”
“Yeah, I know. But Noah… they collected proof.”
“Proof?” Noah asks, a hint of disbelief in his tone. “What proof? As if there’s actually anything to find.” He tries to laugh it off, but the sound dies in his throat when he realizes Finn isn’t joining in.
Finn swallows hard, his grip tightening on the phone. “Actually, they might be onto something. They’ve gone through everything—the clothes we share, the ‘dates’ they say we’ve been on, the interviews… and our looks.”
Noah clears his throat, the sound slightly forced. “Our looks?”
“Yeah. Like, how we look at each other. But mostly…” Finn pauses, the words catching in his throat. “Mostly how I look at you.”
“And how exactly do you look at me?” Noah scoffs, though there’s a hint of a smile in his voice, as if he’s trying to keep it level.
"I—I can't really describe it," Finn stammers. The nervousness comes rushing back at him again. He shifts his position, his eyes darting to his phone as if Noah can actually see him through the screen.
He didn't know why, when it comes to things like this, he’s so awkward when he doesn’t need to be. He tries to stay cool while saying this to him, but the more he tries, the more awkward he looks and it is just embarrassing.
His eyes drift to the dark window of his kitchen, where he catches his own pale, flustered reflection staring back at him.
He gulps, then he continues, “But the fans... they’re really good at spotting it,", his voice dropping until it's barely a whisper. "It made me look like I’m... like I'm in love with you."
A long suffocating beat of silence follows.
“Oh. Okay, yeah. I guess, uh... I’ll look through them. The fanmades, I mean,” Noah says, his voice now sounding just as awkward as Finn's. “I want to see how you really look at me.”
"Yeah. Totally... Uh, I'll send it to you."
“Mm,” Noah murmurs.
Finn switches back to the app, his fingers trembling slightly as he copies the link and hits send.
The line goes quiet. Finn can hear the muffled, distorted audio of the video playing, it's their own voices from old interviews. He listens to the sound of Noah scrolling.
"Shit. Wow. This is crazy," Noah finally breathes, his voice dropping to a mesmerized hush as he scrolls through the threads. "Well, this one... they really got it right."
Finn waits. He moves, sinking back onto his couch and tucking his legs up to sit cross-legged, trying to find a comfortable position. His eyes are fixed on the ceiling as he waits for Noah to say something—anything—from the videos.
"So, how is it? Noah?" Finn calls out. A minute passes, and Noah is still not answering. Finn then lets out a more gentle call, "Noah?" His voice is softer this time.
Noah seems to snap back to his senses right after he hears the sound of his name.
"Oh! Yeah, right. Sorry," Noah says, his voice sounding a little dazed. Finn can practically imagine him shaking his head to clear it. "Sorry, I forgot you were still here for a second.”
Finn can't help but to quirk a smile into his face. “It’s okay. I was hearing your reactions from here though,” he says, his tone light but curious. “So, what do you think?”
“Hmm…” Noah pauses, the sound of scrolling finally stopping. “Well, it’s not that..bad.”
“Really? You’re cool about it?” Finn asks, clearly stunned by Noah’s casual reaction.
So, he's not mad at all?
He rubs his face with his free hand as the tightness in his chest finally starts to loosen. He was really worrying for nothing.
“Yeah, I mean, they’re just having fun shipping us,” Noah replies. He hesitates for a beat then adds, “And it’s not like all of it was fake, right?”
“Right...” Finn says under his breath.
He remembers some of the posts from the fans, especially the ones about sharing clothes. And it’s true—they often swap hoodies or sweaters. Not because they’ve run out of things to wear, but simply, again, it’s their thing.
Or, more accurately, it’s just what Finn usually does.
“Are you not... cool with it?” Noah asks, his voice soft, but there’s a subtle strain beneath it.
“I—I am. Of course I am,” Finn stutters, shifting again from his position. He sighs and looks up, trying hard to ignore why his heart is racing.
“I’m just... thinking about you,” he admits, absentmindedly.
“And you’re thinking about me, why?” Noah responds with a nervous, almost teasing laugh.
Did that just slip out?
He exhales heavily. This damn mouth, really.
“Because I was… I was worried,” Finn confesses. There’s no point in hiding the truth now. “I was worried you’d get mad. That you’d start avoiding me or something.”
“Why would you think that?”
“I don’t know. I just...” Finn hesitates then continues, “I guess I’m just scared you’ll start seeing me differently.”
There’s a pause on the other end, long enough for Finn’s anxiety to grow. He starts biting his nails, waiting for Noah to speak again. The longer he waits, the more anxious he feels. This was the only reason he was anxious to say this to him. He was scared their friendship would just end like that, when he knew this was likely to happen for some.
After a few seconds, he hears Noah clear his throat on the other line.
“Finn, listen. We’ve known each other for a decade,” Noah says, and Finn can almost hear the gentle concern in his voice. “You really think I’d just avoid you over some rumors? There’s no way. You don’t have to worry about that, okay? Not with me.”
Finn exhales—a long, shaky breath that seems to carry away the last of his worries. Then his face breaks into that familiar smile he always gives to Noah.
“You sure?”
“Of course,” Noah replies, firmer this time.
“So... you’re really okay with it? That people think we’re together?”
“Well, uh...” Noah pauses, flustered by the sudden question. “Yeah. They can think whatever they want. It doesn’t change anything,” he says, his voice dropping slightly.
“Is that so?” Finn doesn’t wipe the smile off his face. In fact, it grows even bigger until he realizes he’s smiling too much. Then an idea starts to form in his mind. It’s risky but it's also tempting. “Do you think we could stay like that?”
“Like what?”
“A couple? I mean, if that’s what the fans want... what if we just... go along with it?”
He didn’t know where the idea came from or how it slipped out of his mouth. It just did, and honestly, the idea didn’t seem so bad to him at all.
There's another silence again. Their call has been weird somehow. It isn't like this whenever they call. It is usually light and casual, but there’s still closeness between them. But why is this time different?
As much as Finn hates the silence between them, he is somehow thankful that it's there. Because if it weren't, maybe he’d be the one who’d just be silent the whole time.
And for some reason, he can't tell why he would be.
"Go along with it?" Noah finally asks, his voice cautious. "Like, tell them they're right?"
“I guess... I mean, you said the fans were just having fun shipping us because of our characters, and that they're devastated by the finale. If we keep this going, it keeps them happy too, right?”
The silence returns, but this time it feels heavier than before. Finn wants to wait—to hear what Noah will say—but the longer the quiet stretches, the more he realizes how ridiculous his suggestion must sound.
His confidence vanishes just as quickly as it came.
“Yeah, that’s such a stupid idea. Yeah, just forget that I said it,” he says hurriedly. In his flustered state, his thumb slips across the screen, and he accidentally ends the call.
Finn gasps to the empty room. He fumbles with his phone, his heart climbing into his throat as he frantically hits redial. As soon as the line connects, he blurts out, “Noah? Holy shit! no, I’m sorry for cursing. It was an accident! I wasn’t trying to hang up on you, I just—”
“Finn.”
“Yeah?” Finn stops, his chest getting heavy.
“Let’s do it.”
He freezes. “What?”
“This pretending. Let’s do it.”
Finn's breathing stopped for a moment, he was not expecting for Noah’s to agree to him, and accept his offer. The idea was merely just a way to tease Noah about it, but then he actually agrees.
And he sounds more serious than Finn ever was.
“Noah, if you don't want to, you really don't have to,” Finn says, his voice shaking. “It was just some stupid idea that popped into my head, I didn't think—”
“No, I want to do it. Seriously,” Noah interrupts, his tone calm and sure. “This is for the fans, right?”
“Yeah… yeah.” Finn rubs his temple, trying to steady his thoughts. He purses his lips, then nods. “Yeah, exactly.” He adds, the words sounding more like he’s trying to convince himself.
“Alright, then let’s do this,” Noah replies with quiet determination. “Tell me what you’re thinking. Where do we even begin?”
Finn hesitates, stumbling over his words. “So, uh, like… uh…” He stops, still struggling to believe Noah actually agreed. “Noah, are you really serious about this?”
From the other end, he hears a soft laugh. “I really am, Finn. It sounds a little scary, but honestly, it’s kind of intriguing.”
“Fine, I guess… uh, we just keep it going. We just be ourselves,” Finn says, though his voice wavers slightly. “I mean, we’re already together all the time, right? We just… show people the parts we usually keep to ourselves.”
It sounds easy when he says it, but he still feels a bit unsure.
“That’s too simple, don’t you think?” Noah counters.
Finn blinks, caught off guard. “You think so?”
“Yeah,” Noah replies, and Finn can hear him moving, probably leaning back on his bed. “If we’re going to pretend we’re in a relationship, don’t we need to be closer? And do what other couples do? More… intentional?”
Finn tightens his grip on the phone, feeling a little on edge. “Like doing… physical touch?”
“Yeah,” Noah says, his voice catching for a brief second, almost like he chokes on the words. Then he clears his throat and adds casually, “Something like that…”
Finn swallows hard. The idea of intentionally touching Noah might be the best and most terrifying thing he’s ever heard. He doesn’t know how he’ll behave or how much pretending he can really give.
Sure enough, they’re close. Closer than they were before. And Finn is thankful for that, that they never let their friendship die along the way. Even the filming is done.
But with Noah, and getting touchy with him might be the last thing he never got close to doing. Not because he doesn't like getting closer to him, but because he's scared more for himself. Because if he did, he wouldn't be able to resist, and get used to it.
And he doesn't want Noah to misunderstand him, which is why with Noah, he's always been too careful, subtle and soft—like he’s made of glass and needs to be handled gently and stored properly.
He's afraid that once that glass starts to be taken out and gets used, it'll become his new dangerous habit.
Finn takes a deep breath. “Okay…” He tries to sound more composed than he feels. “We can do that. I can do that.”
“Cool.” Noah says, raising his voice a little, sounding satisfied that Finn said it.
“Cool...” Finn echoes.
The silence comes back, and Finn can clearly hear Noah’s breathing on the other end of the call. It sounds like he’s holding the phone closer to his mouth.
But there's no sound coming from him, just shaky breaths between them. Finn doesn't know what to say, after just agreeing to this set up.
Noah must've felt the same, and he’s just waiting for Finn to say something.
After what feels like a long minute, Noah finally speaks, breaking the silence growing. “Uh… how much longer are we going to do this?”
“Until the promo ends,” Finn answers quickly, almost as if he’s been waiting for Noah to speak so he could respond.
“Oh. Okay.”
“You think it’ll be okay? For us?” Finn asks this time, there's uncertainty in his voice. “This setup?”
“Yeah? I hope so.” Noah says, his voice soft but carrying a quiet optimism. Finn, on the other hand, just agrees quietly, relieved that Noah is okay with it. There’s still some awkwardness between them, but Noah’s effort to make it feel less tense is enough for Finn to be cool with it too.
Then Noah suddenly remembers, “Wait, what about our agents?”
“What about them?”
“They’re gonna be on our asses when we do this,” Noah says, the weight of the consequences sinking in. “Do you want to tell them?”
Finn sighs deeply, sounding genuinely exhausted. “Honestly, I don’t mind them. I’m so tired of them controlling every little thing.”
“So... you’re really going to tell them that we’re together?”
“Yes.” Finn responds more firmly, his voice steady.
“Oh. Okay. Okay.” Noah murmurs, a soft laugh escaping him before he can finish, “They’re definitely going to be furious by tomorrow morning when everyone starts talking about us.”
Finn laughs, imagining his agents losing their minds over them, but then his expression shifts as he suddenly remembers. His brows furrow. “Wait... aren’t we having an interview tomorrow?”
Noah drops his laugh when he hears Finn ask. “Yeah, I think so,” Noah replies, a bit unsure.
“So… we’ll be seeing each other?”
Finn tries his best not to look too happy about it, but his mouth and face betray him. He presses his lips together and moves them around.
They’ve been through countless interviews since the premiere, but for some reason, tomorrow’s interview excites him a little more.
“Of course, Finn,” Noah says, almost laughing at the question, the warmth in his tone easing the moment.
Finn chuckles, leaning his head back against the couch, a strange mix of adrenaline and warmth flooding him. “Then... will the pretending also start tomorrow?”
“Tomorrow?” Noah repeats, his voice a little distant.
“Yeah?”
“Yeah.” Noah says softly, his voice dropping to a low, almost whispering, “Sure.”
“Perfect...”
A sudden, long yawn breaks through from Noah’s end, followed by the sound of him shifting under his covers.
“Oh, shit. Sorry,” Noah mumbles, his voice thick with sleep. “Did you hear that?”
“Yeah, yeah,” Finn says with a soft, breathy chuckle. He can't help but feel a tug of affection at the sound. “But no, don’t worry. It’s my fault, you know? I interrupted your sleep.”
“No, you didn’t,” Noah murmurs, his words slightly slurred as he settles further into his pillows. The soft rustle of his sheets carries through the phone, making the distance between them feel much smaller than it actually is.
Finn glances at the clock on the wall, surprised at how much time has slipped away while they were talking.
He still wants to talk to Noah, maybe figure out what they’ll do with this deal they have going on now, but he knows Noah is tired. He’d feel awful if he kept going while Noah was on the edge of sleep. But they’ll see each other tomorrow anyway, and there will be plenty of time for them again.
He sighs deeply. “I should probably let you get back to sleep,” Finn says, his voice dropping to a quiet, gentle tone. “We’ve been talking for a while now, and we both have a long day tomorrow.”
“You sure?” Noah asks.
“Mmm,” Finn murmurs, a soft smile tugging at his lips.
“Alright, if you say so.”
“Goodnight, Noah.”
“Yeah, goodnight too, Finn.”
“See you tomorrow, Noah,” Finn adds, his voice lingering on the name.
Noah scoffs softly, seemingly confused by Finn's sudden tone, but then he lets out a breathy laugh. “Okay. See you tomorrow... boyfriend.”
The line goes dead with a soft click before Finn can even draw a breath to respond. He sits there in the sudden silence, the phone still pressed to his ear.
What did he just call me?
His eyes stare out into nowhere, lips parted and wide-eyed. It takes him a few seconds before he even realizes what just happened—and that he needs to breathe.
He looks at his phone, but all he sees is the black screen.
No. No.
He’d wanted to call him the same name—to hear how it felt to say it back—but Noah had already ended the call.
He rubs his face with his hand as the word keeps replaying in his head.
Boyfriend. Boyfriend. Boyfriend.
A slow, uncontrollable heat rises to his cheeks. He finally pulls the phone away. Ducking his head, he reaches for a nearby cushion and punches it repeatedly, but the flush on his face won't subside. He buries his face in it, as if he was hiding himself from embarrassment even though he's entirely alone.
When he is finally satisfied that he has released his emotions, he straightens up.
“Yeah, fuck. I think I need to get some sleep too,” Finn mutters, tossing the pillow onto the couch, then he gets up from his seat.
He starts to walk through his room, hoping for sleep to come by. Though he knows sleep would be the last thing his brain will allow him to do.