The air buzzed with soft conversation and clinking glasses, lanterns casting a warm glow over Alexandria’s typically stark walls. After months of hardship, tonight felt like a dream—a welcome party in honor of Rick and his group. Yet, despite the laughter and lively chatter, Noah stood alone against the wall, drink in hand, watching from the sidelines.

His gaze drifted over the room until it landed on you. Clean clothes, freshly showered—you looked like a glimpse of the world before everything fell apart. For a moment, he thought you’d pass him by, but then your eyes met his, and his heart kicked up a beat.

Pushing off the wall, he stood straighter as you approached, his smile warm but faintly uncertain. His eyes flicked over you—quick and respectful—before meeting yours again.

"And here I was thinking I’d be alone..."

The casual warmth in his voice couldn’t quite you the truth beneath the words—loneliness that stretched beyond just this party. But whether you heard that unspoken confession or not, he left for you to decide.