The frantic hitting of the door shattered the tense silence between them. Noah's hand, which was moving towards Levi, froze mid reach before dropping to his side. What were they even doing.
"Sir!" A voice called through the thin door, breathless and sharp with urgency. Another "we know you're in there!".
Noah's jaw tightened, his expression shifting from desperate vulnerability to cold annoyance with a split second. He moved to the door with the stride of someone accustomed to handling interruptions, though his shoulders remained rigid with barely contained frustration.
As the door swung open, the first figure came into view. A tall, slim dark man bearing a striking handsome face with glasses perched carefully on his nose. Wearing a suit that almost clung to his frame. With his tie hanging loosely around his neck, with his dark hair recently ruffled, adding a touch of disarray to his otherwise polished demeanor.
'Oh my, oh my, why are all the men I'm meeting, so hot'
'Hmm, wait' Standing beside the man was another figure, a shorter, more grounded man. Or a boy, his features were a fascinating inversion of the stereotypical alpha. His face was blushed, and his breathing came in short, almost dramatic gasps, indicating either a moment of excitement or perhaps a situation of some urgency or tension.
The contrast between one's professionally disheveled appearance and the other's more intense demeanor created an intrigue as they stood in the doorway. And they where here for Noah.
'Maybe his assistants'
"Where the hell did you vanish to?" The taller voice carried the particular strain of someone who'd been maintaining professional composure while internally panicking. His sharp gaze swept the room, cataloging Levi's presence on the bed, Noah's defensive stance, the tension crackling between them.
"We've been searching half the city."
The junior, still catching his breath, gestured wildly at the cramped hotel room. "Do you have any idea how many budget motels we've checked? My nose is going to be permanently scarred from the industrial cleaner fumes." He sagged against the doorframe, one hand pressed dramatically to his chest.
"Three hours, sir. Three hours of dead ends."
Levi watched the exchange with fascination, noting how the taller's irritation was tempered by genuine concern, while the junior's complaints carried an undercurrent of real worry. There was something almost domestic about their bickering, like an old married couple who'd been through this routine countless times before.
The junior let out a soft whimper of exhaustion, his shoulders sagging in a way that didn't quite match his earlier dramatic flair. Ethan's expression softened almost imperceptibly, and he reached out to steady the younger man with a gentle hand on his arm.
"Easy," Ethan murmured, his voice dropping to a tone Levi duly noted. "You did well."
The junior's eyes flicked to Ethan's face, something unspoken passing between them before he straightened slightly, drawing strength from the brief contact. "I'm fine. Just... tired."
Levi found himself oddly charmed by the interaction. There was tenderness threaded through their professional dynamic, small moments of care that spoke to a deeper relationship than mere colleagues. It was the kind of quiet intimacy that came from years of trust and shared experiences.
So this is what normal looks like, he thought, watching Ethan's fingers linger for just a moment longer than necessary on the junior's arm before dropping away.
Noah, meanwhile, had been observing the scene with the weary patience of someone accustomed to being the center of other people's worries.
"Enough" his gaze shifted towards Levi, and he gestured his hand to the men at that just walked in.
"Levi, my assistants. Ethan and junior".
Levi raised an eyebrow, letting his gaze travel deliberately over both of them. He nodded earning a nod from them both.
"We're going to the hospital," he announced, his voice cutting through the moment with quiet authority. "All of us."
Ethan's eyebrows rose slightly. "Dr. Elias?"
"He's the only one I trust for this," Noah replied, his gaze sliding briefly to Levi before returning to his assistant. "Call ahead. Tell him we're coming."
The car ride began with a minor comedy of logistics. Ethan had naturally assumed the driver's seat, his hands already adjusting mirrors with professional efficiency. The junior made a beeline for the front passenger seat, only to find himself gently but firmly redirected by Noah's presence.
"Back," Noah said simply, sliding into the passenger seat himself.
"But sir, my legs-" the junior began, his voice taking on that familiar whining quality.
"Will fit just fine," Ethan finished, though his tone was more amused than annoyed. "Get in."
Levi found himself in the back seat beside the junior, who'd immediately began fidgeting with the radio, cycling through static-filled stations with the restless energy of someone who couldn't sit still. His fingers drummed against his thigh in an unconscious rhythm, and Levi caught the faint sound of humming under his breath. It was a nervous habit that seemed to help him process his anxiety.
Junior flicked at the radio, producing a burst of static. "Ugh. Why is every station terrible at night?"
"Stop," Ethan snapped, reaching across to twist the knob back to silence. His patience had edges.
Junior huffed, crossing his arms like a sulking child. "Control issues, much?"
Levi leaned his head back against the seat, watching them.
'So this is what normal looks like. Annoyances,' . Levi sighed 'the trust people had in each other enough to argue.'
"Turn that off," Ethan said mildly, his eyes finding the junior's in the rearview mirror. "You know it irritates me."
The junior's hand stilled on the radio dial, but instead of sulking, he grinned. "Everything irritates you."
"Not everything," Ethan replied, and there was something warm in his voice that made the junior's expression soften.
'I rather not watch' Levi turned to gaze out the window.
By the third intersection, Junior had begun to whine again. "My legs are still cramping from that ridiculous sprint. Do you know how much pain stylish shoes cause at high speeds?"
"You chose them," Ethan replied without looking away from the road.
"They're stylish," Junior repeated as if that settled the matter. "Style matters."
"Incompetence doesn't," Ethan returned, flat as stone.
Junior muttered something under his breath. Levi noted the way Ethan's mouth twitched.