Page 48 of Stop and Seek (Our Childish Games #1)

“I can’t do this.”

Noah sighed. “Theo. We already started.”

He tightened his grip on Theo’s hand, which was clenched so tight it felt like Noah was holding a rock with bones. “You’re okay. He’s super professional. Look, his shop’s spotless. That’s a good sign, right?”

Theo shot him a look that could’ve boiled water. “ Fuck you ,” he hissed through clenched teeth. “I hate needles.”

“Yeah, I’m gettin’ that,” Noah said, grinning. “But I thought you were into pain? With your little issues .”

A string of expletives came out of Theo’s mouth, low and fast, like a swear word smoothie. The buzzing of the tattoo machine started again, and Noah shot the tattoo artist an apologetic smile.

Honestly, it was kind of perfect .

Theo looked like a cat trapped in a bath. Tense all over, shoulders hunched, eyes narrowed like the machine was built to purposefully fuck with him . And jesus, Noah loved it.

He leaned in and kissed Theo’s forehead. “You’re doing amazing, baby.”

“Don’t you dare fucking baby me.”

“You are, though! You’re being so brave.”

Theo’s hand crushed his again.

When Noah had first floated the idea of matching tattoos, Theo had laughed.

A lot. Called it cringe. Said it was lame as shit.

It took forever to hash it out, to convince him that it was for them .

To hell with what anyone else believed. Two weeks later, Theo had brought up Latin phrases like it was his idea.

They landed on something simple. Clean script. Nothing overly romantic. Just... real.

Noah’s was done already. Amor sine fine —love without end—inked over his heart. It hadn’t even hurt that much, not with Theo pressing his face into Noah’s palm the whole time. The pain was an afterthought, but what it meant? Noah almost teared up a dozen times.

Theo, however, looked like he might pass out.

“I’m going to fucking puke,” Theo muttered.

“You’re not gonna puke,” Noah said gently. “But if you do, I’ll still love you. It’s almost done. Ten more—”

“You said that ten minutes ago, Noah .”

“And I’ll say it again in another ten. Welcome to the world of clocks, baby.”

The artist shut off the machine and held up his hands in surrender. Noah couldn’t blame him. Theo had fidgeted like he was trying to win a gold medal in twitching. The fact that the lines were even remotely straight was a goddamn miracle.

Noah leaned forward, brushing his fingers across the fresh tattoo on Theo’s ankle. Semper tuus. Always yours.

His heart gave one of those ridiculous squeezes it did when Theo surprised him. Because yeah, Theo had picked it. Theo , who rolled his eyes and went ten different shades of red every time Noah said I love you out loud. Who just started saying it back a few days ago.

He’d picked this. Always yours.

Noah felt warm all over. Not just happy or proud. Full . Like all the dark, sharp edges of his life had led right here. To this little room with ink on skin.

Noah stared at the menu like it held the secrets of the universe.

Or at least lunch. Most of it was comfort food—greasy and delicious, the kind of thing that made the whole place smell like oil.

Weirdly nostalgic. He was pretty sure they’d been here before—somewhere on the edge of town, between Eunice and Cleveland, where everything looked the same and nothing stayed clean for long.

The plastic menus stuck to the table a little. The tiled floor had a stain he didn’t want to look at too closely. The waitress behind the counter was humming something off-key, and someone was frying bacon in the back .

Theo, tucked under his arm, looked beyond cozy. He flipped through the menu at rapid speed, elbowing Noah whenever he found something worth pointing out. Waffles piled high with strawberries and whipped cream. Apple French toast. A burger that came with a legitimate health warning and waiver.

Noah couldn’t stop smiling. This was the kind of moment he’d used to dream about.

And then his work phone buzzed. Again.

For the fifth time.

He tried to ignore it. He really did. Theo was warm against him, and they’d finally hit that easy rhythm. But the curiosity wouldn’t leave him alone. He pulled the phone out, thumbing the screen like he was checking the time.

Another bulletin board notification.

Please keep your AR children in order. If my team has to deal with another unattended BOI, I’m calling HR.

BOI: Blunt Object Incident. Noah had it set to alert him every time that phrase showed up, especially if it included unattended .

Because the blunt object was probably a crowbar.

Because it meant the Sterlings still didn’t know it was Theo .

The details weren’t on the alert—no images from this Cleaner—but Noah didn’t need them. He’d seen the last four. The building rage. The message, even if Theo didn’t know what it was yet.

His stomach churned.

That was the fifth one in two months.

“You’re always at work,” Theo murmured, tilting his head up, lips brushing Noah’s jaw. “Is that Max again?”

“No. It’s uh… it’s complicated.”

Complicated as in: what happens when the Sterlings find out the person I love is really fucking dangerous and I don’t want to share him.

Noah put his phone face-down on the table, trying not to shake.

Theo’s fingers grazed over his thigh again, soft, thoughtless. Like this was just lunch. Like everything was peachy keen.

And maybe it could be.

“We should move,” Noah said, staring at the syrup bottle. “You’ve always wanted to get out of here, right?”

Theo stared up at him, mouth open—then lit up like Noah had handed him the sun.

“Holy shit , yes,” he said, breaking into one those rare, giant grins. “Oh my god. That would be amazing .”

Noah smiled back. It almost felt real.

“We could pack up and leave. New city, new start. I don’t care where, as long as it’s with you.”

He meant it. He always would. He just didn’t say the rest— before someone else notices the patterns, before I lose the one good thing I’ve ever had.

“Anywhere? Out of the Midwest?” Theo asked, almost breathless. “I’m so sick of it here.”

Noah spat out the first thing that popped into his head. “I like New York. We could crash with Benji for a bit, find our own place. Sound good?”

“Fucking deal . Sold.”

Theo leaned into him again, all trust and overwhelming joy. Noah’s arm curled tighter around him .

He kissed the top of Theo’s head and closed his eyes, letting himself believe, for a second , that this would be enough. That if he kept Theo close, he could keep everyone else out.

That love was still enough to outrun what was coming .