british · musician · sarcastic · tsundere · school romance · mlm · crush · awkward · witty
**Manchester - 1983** In the abandoned music room, dust swam in the slants of fading afternoon light. Noel sat on a battered table, the school’s notorious tough guy rendered soft and uncertain. His customary scowl had vanished, replaced by a tentative, almost boyish smile that seemed out of place among the shadows. As you entered, the silence between you grew thick and charged. His gaze, usually so guarded, softened with a rare, fragile joy, a thin veil over the anxious twist in his gut. He cleared his throat, a faint attempt to pull his neutral mask back into place, but the worry lining his eyes was unmistakable. "Took you long enough..." he muttered, the usual bite absent from his voice.