Archive of Our Own ^beta

"Jeez, my neck is so sore!" Audrey groaned, rising from her position on Noah's bed. For nearly the past hour Bi-curious had her head hooked over Virgin's thigh as she scrolled through her Tumblr dashboard, quickly becoming accustomed to Noah's noises of frustration and the sounds of zombies dying on the TV screen. She had to knock the arm that was resting on her forehead out of the way. Finally being able to sit up and roll her neck, Audrey let out a sigh of relief that sounded far too sexual to her ears for her own liking. Noah didn't seem to notice.

"Should've moved your head earlier," he commented monotonously, eyes glued to the screen and his fingers moving furiously over his controller. Audrey paused digging her fingers into the knob of her spine at the base of her neck, giving him the stink eye. A stroke of genius flashed across her brain and she reached for Noah's controller, smacking the left stick so her best friend's character careened into a hoard of zombies. The screen turned black, Noah's bedroom immediately dimming as it's primary source of light disappeared. Audrey had to bite her lip at the choked cry Noah let out and the look of betrayal he shot her way. "What did you do that for?" he cried.

"For being unsympathetic towards my situation,' Audrey answered, beginning to roll her neck and flex her fingers. "And you've abandoned me for most of the evening."

"Wh-?!" Noah let out. "'Abandoned you'? You've been in my house for the last five hours!"

"And you haven't talked to me for the last two," Audrey countered, raising an eyebrow. Noah looked defeated, the light coming from the lamp on his desk making the lines of his face appear softer, and Audrey's heart melted a little at the sight of her best friend. She scooted closer to him and put an arm around his shoulders, stroking the fabric of his plaid sleeve. "When I come out of the bath, I'll play and you can do anything you like to distract me and kill me, 'kay?" she asked, and Noah pondered her offer for a moment before nodded his head and holding out his hand. The two played out the secret handshake they'd made up when they were ten, back in a time when they only had to worry about what their mums would say about the scrapes on their knees and not about the press that seemed to swell around them since their friends had been murdered and Audrey had shot Piper down at the dock.

"I think your bath stuff's in the cupboard," Noah said as Audrey walked towards his bathroom, collecting her pyjamas from her backpack as she went. "I don't remember where you put it last." Audrey stuck a thumbs-up at him as she closed the door behind her. For a teenage boy, Noah's bathroom was always spotless, and it never failed to surprise her. The pale blue shower curtain was always tucked inside the bath, towels straight on the rack, no underwear or t-shirts littering the floor around his wash basket, and even his toothbrush holder was clean. Audrey plugged up the bath before stripping down to her underwear, piling her clothes by the door and rummaging through Noah's cabinet for the bottle of bubble bath she always kept there. She noticed her brand of paracetamol was on the top shelf, as was one of her bottles of deodorant. The fact that Noah had some of her stuff in her cupboard didn't phase her, it just proved how close as friends they were. There was a can of his shaving cream and his razor at her house.

Audrey caught a glimpse of herself in Noah's mirror as she shut the cabinet door, eyes briefly lingering on parts of her body that she could see, like her collarbones were a little more stark, a consequence of losing her appetite during the attacks, but she didn't mind. She supposed she was content with how her body was; ample-sized breasts tucked away in a simple dark purple bra, flat stomach, compact curves that her mum said was from her side of the family. She'd never paid too much attention to the way her body looked, for the reason that she'd seen what it had done to Rachel. Audrey swallowed thickly at the memory of the dead girl and put her attention back on the bath. It was nearly fully, so she shut the water off and poured in the bubble bath, plunging her arms in up to her elbows and swishing them around to make bubbles. When she thought there was enough foam, she looked over her shoulder at the bathroom door, making sure it was fully closed before stripping off her underwear and stepping into the bath. She hissed at the initial contact, but her body acclimatised quickly as she sank herself completely. The quiet moan she let out as she felt her muscles immediately begin to loosen reverberated around the small bathroom, and Audrey closed her eyes, enjoying the almost-impossible-to-hear sounds of the individual tiny bubbles popping.

She began to drift, head resting completely against the wall, and she lazily rubbed her legs together, enjoying how smooth they felt under the water. The sounds of Noah moving stuff around in the next room filtered through the walls, relaxing her further. Despite the fact that Piper was dead, that shewas the one who killed her, Audrey always felt the lingering fear that the Brandon James mask would suddenly reappear. Audrey opened her eyes out of paranoia, doing a quick scan of the bathroom, and a heavy breath whistled out through her nose when she saw it was still empty except for her. Suddenly feeling exposed, she drew the shower curtain, shielding her from the harsh light of the bathroom. Taking a few deep breaths, she closed her eyes again. Her world was dark and warm, and she sunk further into the bath, wishing she always felt this safe.

In her daze, Audrey didn't register the click of the door opening or the quiet squeak of the door hinges, nor the sound of footsteps on the tiles. Her eyes snapped open and she screamed when she heard the black silhouette on the other side of the curtain roar and push on the fabric, crowding her and making the rings rattle on the metal pole. Its roar slowly changed into a cackle and Audrey felt like she was struggling for breath, and she punched the figure through the shower curtain. It let out a pathetic 'Ow!'.

"Noah!" she yelled, and he kept laughing through his pain. Audrey splashed the water out of frustration. "You're such a bitch!"

"Sorry, but I thought you'd fallen asleep." His voice was muffled through the curtain.

"Get outta here!" Audrey commanded. "I'm naked!"

"Relax, I'm not looking. I only came in to brush my teeth."

Audrey heard the tap being turned and water beginning to run. "Couldn't you have waited until I was out of the bath? Now I'm stuck in here."

"Hmmmmm no," Noah responded, and Audrey could hear the shit-eating grin in his voice.

Bitch she murmured under her breath. She lazily dragged her fingers through the bubbles, but her attention was piqued when she heard the rustle of the lid of laundry basket being moved. Shifting as quietly as she could, she stretched her neck so she could peer through the gap between the curtain and the wall. Noah stood at the sink, staring at the pile of clothes she'd left on the floor, and Audrey's cheeks flushed with colour as she realised her mismatched bra and panties were on top. She shrunk back into the bubbles as Noah turned back to look at the mirror and she finally got a clear view of his torso. It was rare to ever see Noah topless, only on the occasional trip to the pool, and it always surprised her. For a guy who seemed to hate sports and preferred to sit on the sofa playing videogames, there were some traces of a six-pack, and his arms were toned and fairly muscular. His hip bones seemed to jut out in a way that was more sensual than grotesque. Looks like I'm not the only one who's lost their appetite. She retreated away from the curtain completely when he bent to spit in the sink.

"Can I get out now?"

"Jeez, someone's getting impatient," Noah answered.

"The water's getting cold and I don't wanna catch hypothermia."

"Well, technically-" Noah began, but Audrey cut him off with a sharp

"Noah! Don't make me hit you whilst I'm naked!"

Leaving now," Noah narrated, and he scooted out of the bathroom, the door clicking shut behind him. Audrey pulled the plug as she pushed the shower curtain aside and stepped out, taking a moment to bury her toes into the soft bathmat before towelling herself down quickly and slipping into her sleep shorts and t-shirt. When she reentered Noah's room, the TV was shut off and the controller was on the desk.

"Hey, don't you want to kick my butt at Left 4 Dead?" she asked, gesturing to the TV. Noah crinkled his nose from his seat behind his desk, the laptop light giving him an eerie glow. He'd changed into another t-shirt, a simple grey number that'd been stretched out of shape from years of wear.

"Nah, you were right about me being a shitty friend. I shouldn't have to kick your ass for you pointing that out."

"Oh my God, that's adorable," Audrey replied, and she huffed a laugh when her friend shrugged his shoulders, looking bashful.

"You're neck feeling better?" he asked, as Audrey made her way to the bed. She collapsed onto the ruffled duvet with closed eyes and sighed at how cool it was against her still-hot skin.

"Yeah, but still hurts a bit. I just wanna go to sleep, to be honest with you."

The bed dipped next to her and she opened her eyes to see Noah next to her, copying her position. "Well, we can't exactly sleep like this," he commented. The pair of them shuffled around until they were both under the duvet and the right way around on the bed and in their regular positions- Noah on his back, one hand on his chest and his other arm stretched out under the pillow Audrey used, Bi-curious curled away from him but her fingers brushing the up-turned palm that stuck out from underneath her pillow.

"Night, Virgin," she said, and Noah huffed a laugh beside her.

"Good night, Bi-curious."

---/\/\---

Audrey was awoken a short while later by Noah incessantly shuffling around on the bed.

"Noah, what're you doing?" she murmured, rubbing her face into the soft pillow, eyes still closed.

"I didn't mean to wake you," he answered, voice low. "It's too hot. Do you mind if I...take off my shirt?"

"Knock yourself out."

Audrey heard a soft thump as something hit the floor, and Noah's sigh of relief as he relaxed back on the bed. She heard him murmur something like "C'mere" and she shuffled backwards into him, his arm circling her waist and pulling her closer. She fell back to sleep with soft puffs of warm breath against the bare back of her neck.

---/\/\---

The fingers trailing up and down Audrey's thigh began to stir her from her sleep, the occasional scratch of a nail on the bare skin making her breath become deeper. The fingers seemed to tease higher and higher until they began to nudge the hem of her pyjama shorts. Unable to control it, her hips arched into the touch, and the fingers slipped beneath the soft cotton. Letting out a soft groan, Audrey turned onto her other side, burying her face in the soft skin of her partner's chest. The fingers slipped from her thigh and moved up her side, turning into a broad hand that spanned the entirety of her back, pulling her closer. She stretched her legs out and went with the force, her own torso pushing against a much larger one and her face now pressed into the soft skin of a sharp collarbone. The tapered hand moved lower down until it was cupping the curve of her ass, and Audrey gasped as it squeezed, hard and sharp. Audrey's fingers gripped at her partner's side, and a pleased growl vibrated between them from the other's chest. The squeezing settled into a rhythm, Audrey moving her hips with a motion that seemed to please her partner.

"Always thought you had a nice ass, Audrey," he said. "Always wanted to touch it in those skinny jeans you wear."

"Noah..." Audrey groaned quietly, and she turned over onto her other side.

Noah's hand moved from her ass and up her side, dragging her t-shirt out of the way so he had access to the soft skin on her side, placing a soft kiss on the mole that sat just above the waistband of her shorts. Audrey hummed in pleasure. He trailed kisses up the now-bared skin, his top lip soon brushing the edge of her bra, and Audrey began to shiver as hot breath began to blow against her back, Noah's tongue occasionally darting out to tickle the skin below the fabric.

"Noah..." She groaned a little louder, her back arching.

She could feel his teeth against her skin as he grinned and popped the clasp on her bra with his tongue as if it took no effort at all. His body slid up against hers as he pulled himself up to her level again, and his hand snaked under her top to smooth across the freed skin of her ribs. One fingertip moved further than the others, following the curve of the underside of her breast under the wire of her bra. The rest of Noah's hand followed, and Audrey let out a sharp gasp as his fingers pinched at her nipple, hardening it instantly.

"Feel good?" he asked, voice barely above a whisper, and he nipped at her neck, just below her ear.

"Shouldn't...doing this..." she answered breathily.

"Why's that? Noah asked. "'Cuz I'm your best friend? Can't you feel that I want you?" He ground his hips into her ass, and Audrey could feel his erection through their clothes. His fingers continued their assault on her breast, making her breathing uneven, and he moved on from nipping at her neck to sucking on the sensitive spots behind her ear and the skin just above her collarbone. "I don't think I even need to slip my fingers beneath your shorts to know that you want me." Noah's hand moved from Audrey's breast to her thigh, rubbing at the skin on the upper half in circles in an attempt to get her legs to relax. When that didn't work, Noah broke out his nails, dragging them up the seam and Audrey's legs relaxed immediately with a quiet groan. Her breath was cut off with a short whine when Noah cupped her with his entire hand with just enough pressure for her to feel it, but nothing else. In desperation, Audrey's hips tried to move against his hand, but Noah eased up the pressure until it was just enough for him to feel how wet Audrey had become. "Fuck, Audrey!" he hissed. "I can feel how wet you are through your shorts! You're soaked, and all because of me. Who knew it'd be that made you feel this way? Bet you didn't know I could use my fingers the way you like it, or know all your sensitive spots, or-"

Noah was cut off by Audrey's hand weaving into his hair and turning him to meet her halfway so she could seal their lips together in a bruising kiss, hot breath mingling and tongues fighting for dominance. Noah increased the pressure on Audrey's cunt and the girl whimpered, sinking her teeth into his bottom lip, and it was Noah's turn to moan. Smoothly, he pushed aside the crotch of Audrey's pyjamas and underwear and sunk two fingers deep into her wet folds.

Audrey cried out, hips lifting a little off the bed. "Jesus," she gasped.

"Feel good, huh?" Noah asked, twisting his fingers slowly inside his best friend as she mewled her pleasure. After a moment, he added a third, and Audrey's fingers twisted so tightly in his hair that it nearly hurt. "You're so tight, Audrey, fuck." Using his knuckles to push her underwear further to the side, Noah brought his thumb into the mix and circled her clit lightly. He grinned at the way her body began to shake at the stimulation and the whimpers that escaped her clamped lips. "You close? I can feel it. Feel you clenching and trembling and you keep getting wetter and wetter." Noah pulled her in again to kiss her, doubling his efforts as he began to jackhammer his fingers in and out of her to the point where she could stop making little cries and mewls. The hand clutching his bicep began to hurt him as she squeezed harder. "You gonna cum for me, Audrey? All over my fingers?"

"Yes...yes..." she whimpered, unable to control the tremors coursing through her body.

Noah increased the pressure and speed, and Audrey couldn't stop the constant sounds pouring out her mouth at the stimulation and the teeth that Noah kept sinking into her neck, knowing he was leaving red marks in his wake that would last for days. She hoped that he'd see them in a few days at school, faded and nearly gone, and drag her into a hidden corridor and resurrect them. The thought and the sensations combined made the electricity pooling low in her stomach buzz with more force and it was seconds later that her cries became louder and Noah whispered in her ear,

"Cum for me," before biting down on her neck once more.

Her orgasm ripped through her with her own cry of, "Noah!", his fingers still twisting in her and her hips bucking, not sure whether it was trying to get away from the pressure he was putting on her clit or get more of it. Her ab muscles spasmed and she couldn't control her legs as they slid against the sheets. Pressure began building on Audrey's shoulder, shaking her, and it's unknown nature began to pull her out of her daze.

---/\/\---

"Audrey? Audrey, wake up!" Audrey shot up in bed, breathing hard. Just behind her, Noah sat, looking at his friend with wide eyes. "Hey, are you ok?" He asked, reaching out to rub a broad hand between her shoulders. Audrey quickly turned her head to look at him, noting his messy sleep-hair and his not-kiss-bruised lips. "You cried out my name and I thought you were having a nightmare," he explained, dropping his hand with a thump onto the mattress. Audrey pushed away the duvet and looked down, taking in the sight of her pyjama shorts and the feeling of her bra being secure behind her back. She cupped her neck too, but felt no tenderness. With a groan she fell back onto the bed, trapping Noah's hand beneath her and clenching her legs shut beneath the duvet as if she could shut off the buzzing feeling between them, and she covered her face with her hands. "You don't seem ok..." Noah began, but Audrey waved him off.

"I'm fine," she answered, her voice a little shaky. "It was just a nightmare. A really, really vivid nightmare." She let her hands slip from her body and rest on her stomach, staring at the ceiling as she let out a long breath through her mouth.

"Was it about Piper?" Noah ventured, settling down once again beside his friend. Audrey swallowed heavily and went with the easy option.

"Yeah, it was. I was down at the docks."

Noah rolled closer to her and pulled her into a hug, burying his face in her neck and squeezing her tight. Audrey turned into it after a few moments, deciding it would be best for both their sakes if she just forgot about that really, really vivid nightmare.