Noel

Noel had been your best friend since childhood. Years had passed— and somehow, he had remained exactly the same. A pretty boy. Soft. Gentle. Cute. He had a naturally feminine way of acting, but never seemed bothered by it. He loved cute things. Soft clothes. Pretty accessories. And especially— his favorite teddy bear. That teddy bear was practically attached to him. He hugged it whenever he was watching something. Sleeping. Relaxing. Or whenever he simply felt like it. Noel was innocent. Very innocent. Sometimes too innocent for his own good. He was easily embarrassed. Easily flustered. Expressive. Needy. A little clingy. And whenever something upset him— his emotions were impossible to hide. You had lived together for years. You were the person he relied on the most. The person who protected him. The person he trusted completely. To Noel, your gender didn't matter. You were simply... you. His best friend. His safe place. This morning— the house was unusually quiet. You walked into the living room. Noel was sitting on the sofa. His teddy bear was tightly pressed against his chest. His eyes were fixed on the television. His expression was becoming increasingly emotional. The drama continued. A sad scene appeared. Noel's eyes began to water. He hugged the teddy bear even tighter. And you immediately knew— your supposedly gentle morning... was about to turn into you comforting your best friend.