Benfay - Part 5a: A BTSB Story
Title: Benfday: Part 5a - A BTSB Story
Author: Dri
Fandom: Glee
Pairing: Puck/Kurt, past Sam/Kurt
Rating: a light R for the whole fic
Word Count: ~2050
Genre: AU, Future Fic, mentions of past mpreg
Summary: Because it’s a new benfday, and the past should remain in the past where it doesn’t hurt… too much.
Disclaimer: They are so not mine, but I gotta keep Ben for myself!
Author’s note: It’s Benfday; enough said. It’s Benfday; enough said. I foresee about four more parts to finish this fic, so please bear with me for a little while, k? Still unbetaed, so sorry for any possible mistakes.
Author’s note 2: Hi there! It's been some tine, but I hope you haven't forgotten this fic. Another short update, and no angst at all here, just lots of sunshine, Ben being his adorable self. Still, I hope you guys enjoy it. *g*
Anyway remember that feedback is loved, cherished and framed!
*g*l*e*e*
The delightful giggles floated in the air.
“M’ceds!”
“Ben!”
Did Noah have to restrain himself from stopping hammering what would be the main structure to the blue roof of Ben’s jungle gym?
No, sir.
“M’ceds!”
“Ben!”
Because Noah Puckerman wasn’t fucking jealous of his baby paying so much attention to his godmother - who had tagged along Finn to the Hudmmels under the (obvious) false pretense of helping Kurt with the food for the party.
But no!
“M’ceds!”
“Ben!”
Was *M’ceds* there, slaving herself along Kurt and Mrs. H, in that stuffy kitchen, getting flour in her hands and dough under her nails so the kids wouldn’t starve to death at his boy’s party?
Was she?
“M’ceds!”
“’s gonna get Ben!”
No, because not ten feet away from where Noah was making sure the wooden planks framing his kid’s jungle gym were sturdy enough to withstand the six pairs of feet that would be stomping all over it within the next couple of hours, there was *M’ceds* roaring like an out-of-control Mack Truck running after a shrieking Ben, who had his short arms raised above his head as he dashed on wobbling legs to attach himself around the long legs of his giant of an uncle, the other fucker who should have been up there helping Noah instead of being the one to raise Noah’s giggling baby up in the air like an helicopter and set chase on Mack-Truck-Cedes around the Hudmmel’s backyard.
“Let them be, Mohawk. Ben won’t get sick and Finn won’t let him fall.”
Mr. H had been the one ordering Noah around since Finn decided it would be more fun to play with Ben and Mercedes. Given the chance, Noah would have done the same, and he really didn’t remember having drawn the shortest straw, but hell if he weren’t the one who got stuck with Mr. H and his cap, chewing gum and the scary, serious scowl from hell for the better part of the day.
Well, serious and scary for Noah, because the only thing it did for Kurt and Mrs. H was make them roll their eyes.
Oh, yeah: and his supposed best friends to laugh at his panic. A lot.
But, wait; fuck, had he said anything aloud?
“Sir?” he asked, looking down to where Mr. H was standing on the ground.
“My grandson is fine, Finn won’t drop him.”
Another splitting shriek cut the air.
“He’s just eaten! Hudson shouldn’t be flying him around; he’ll get sick.”
Noah blinked. Was there a real, real distant kind of fondness softening the scowl from hell when Mr. H rolled his eyes at him this time?
“Trust me, kid, he’ll be fine.” Mr. H walked around the result of Noah’s hard work and nodded his head in… appreciation? “You finished up there? Can we attach the slide now?”
“Hudson and I got it…” a raised eyebrow matched serious scowl from hell and Noah took a step back from the edge of the jungle gym, “…sir.”
“Burt, stop terrorizing Noah and come out here; I need your help in the kitchen.”
Mr. H stepped sideways as if he was going to shout something pretty manly and pretty stupid at Mrs. H, but he seemed to reconsider once he took a look at the rolling pin in her hands.
He turned back to Noah for a second before striding back to the house. “Finn, hand Ben back to Mercedes and come help Mohawk with the slide.”
“Okay, dad.”
“And put your shirt back on, Mohawk, before you get sunburned and ruin my grandson’s party.”
“Yes, sir, I will, sir.”
Noah pulled on his white tee and then waited a full minute after Mr. H got back to the house before jumping from the… what had Mr. H called it… jungle castle to meet an amused Hudson leaning against the wood steps of said castle.
“Serious, man, what’d you do? Hell, not even Sam got this treatment from my dad, and Burt’s always been a firm believer that Sam was the one to pop Kurt’s cherry…Good for Blaine anyway, I guess…”
Somewhere behind them Ben giggled and a dark cloud of sadness momentarily had its grasps upon them, until Hudson proceeded to cheerfully threaten Noah with his, And if you say anything involving my brother and sex I’ll hold you down and watch Burt beat the crap out of you speech.
Noah snorted and forced himself to move away from the memories of his late friend and the joke - because Hudson holding him down was a joke. “It is about sex and your brother, Hudson,” he called forth, not so loud so Mr. H wouldn’t hear him, but enough to get a rise from his friend as he stepped into the empty sandbox slash foundation for the in-laws gift to Ben to get where they had left the slide.
“I’ll deck you, Puckerman.”
“First move your ass over here and help me with the slide.”
The next handful of minutes was filled by their bickering while they got the slide attached to the 4x2 floor of the castle, with Mr. H’s scowl drilled in his memory, nagging at Noah even in absence.
“Not bad, Puckerman,” Hudson said offering a friendly slap to Noah’s shoulder as he looked up at blue tarp and bright wood that framed Ben’s jungle castle. “Even my dad will have to admit you did a good job here.”
“And hell’s just frozen over.”
Hudson laughed and Noah retributed with a slap to his stomach then he turned to where Ben and Mercedes were waiting, the baby bouncing on his feet, huge blue eyes (Kurt’s eyes, Noah smiled) shining with glee and wonder as he admired what for his three foot self was akin to a… well… castle.
“Where’s my baby boy?” Noah asked getting down on his knee in front of the baby. Ben launched himself into Noah’s arms and Noah squeezed his baby to remember that loving this child and his father was right, that Sam would have approved because they would always come first in Noah’s life.
“NONO, LOOK!”
“Look what? Only thing here to be seen here is this gorgeous baby, that I’m gonna kiss and kiss and kiss…” For once Ben didn’t get distracted by the squelching, wet kisses Noah was dropping all over his smooth face, but that was okay because Noah still loved him all the same.
“NONO… BEN, NONO?” The baby bounced and pointed out at his gift and almost made Noah fall down on his ass with his uncoiled enthusiasm. Noah laughed.
“Yeah, that’s Grandpa Burt’s present for you.”
“Gandpa Buh?”
“Yeah, Grandpa Burt. Wanna try it?”
Noah released Ben and the baby squealed and ran to where Finn was waiting for him with arms open. “UP, UNCA FI! BEN UP!”
“Up? Up where?”
“THER, UNCA FI! BEN UP, PLIS!”
Teasing was fine, but if Hudson didn’t see to Ben’s needs after his baby said please, Noah would be the one doing the deck here.
“Hudson…”
“Chill, Puckerman, I got him. Move you’re a-ah… behind up there and pick him up.”
Noah skipped the side ladder, because he really didn’t believe those thin sticks could hold his weight, got a hold of the handles he had screwed at the castle’s entrance for support and pushed his body up. “Okay, come here, Ben.” Ben stretched his little arms and in seconds he was transferred from Hudson’s to Noah’s firm grip.
“NONO, LOOK! M’CEDS, LOOK BEN! UNCA FI!”
“Look at you, Ben, taller than Uncle Finn,” Hudson said, waving back at Ben.
“You look great up there, baby! Puck, steady him; I wanna take a picture. Smile to Auntie Cedes, baby.”
His little guy knew how to charm the ladies; Ben opened a smile that made Mercedes go all aw, and after she snapped a couple of photos Noah put Ben on the floor and held his hand. “Wanna explore your castle, little guy?”
There wasn’t much to see, but Ben had fun getting on his tiptoes to peer over the half-walls of the place.
“UNCA FI, M’CEDS… UP WIF BEN!”
Mercedes climbed up first, and if Noah had doubted Hudson would fit under the blue tarp, well, he had been right. The place for pretty crowded with the three of them up there; Ben, however, didn’t mind, pulling Mercedes by the hand to the four corners of the castle.
“Park, M’ceds!” Ben whispered when they stopped at the edge of the slide.
“Yeah, Ben, like in the park. D’ you wanna slide with Auntie Cedes?”
“Hold on a minute, my lady,” Hudson said, pushing them aside. “Let me try it first to make sure it’s safe for you and our little man.”
“Just admit you want to take a smooth ride, Hudson,” Noah chuckled.
Any non-G rated vocal answer was censored because of the baby’s presence, so Hudson just flipped him the bird behind Ben’s back.
Hudson sat on the edge of the slide and stretched his long, long legs ahead of him. “Bye, Ben!” And then he smoothly slid to the ground.
“Ben now! Ben now!”
It wasn’t a long slide, but Noah followed them to the edge and watched Mercedes settle Ben on the v of her legs. “Say bye to Nono, baby.”
What started as a ‘bye’ morphed into a delighted chorus of ‘ah’ until Ben and Mercedes joined Hudson on the ground.
“AGAIN, M’CEDS! AGAIN! UNCA FI!”
“For the love of Gucci, Ben, what is all this ruckus about?”
“PAPA!”
Noah was such a girl!
He quickly moved to the other side of the castle, because he was in that pathetic stage where he needed to drink as much of Kurt’s presence as possible, and at the in-laws’, thanks to Papa Burt, it had become almost impossible.
And drink Noah did. From how Kurt balanced a tray with cups and a pinch of cold refreshment to the way he smiled at their baby, Noah found himself thirst for the wet kisses they shared all the time while at each other’s places.
Well, remember, Papa Burt’s place, so no, definitely no.
Noah could only dream… and long.
So, yeah, everybody say hello-o to the pussy in their relationship.
Kurt wisely set the tray with refreshments on the yard table with milliseconds to spare before Ben tangled himself around his legs.
‘’PAPA, LOOK! PARK, PAPA!”
Kurt laughed and picked the baby up. Raining dozens of kisses on his face like Noah had done not ten minutes ago, squeezing Ben until the baby was red in the face.
“He’ll pee on you.”
“Shut up, Finn. Where’s Noah?”
“Stalking you from up there.”
Kurt harrumphed but looked at where Hudson was pointing with his glass. A slow smile spread across Kurt’s beautiful face, its intensity reminding Noah of what supernovas must look like.
Nah, they didn’t hold a candle for the vibrancy that was Kurt Hummel.
Yep; such a girl.
“Go wif Nono, Papa.”
Kurt hesitated and then relented, “Fine, but then you drink your juice and rest for a while, all right?” He carried Ben closer to the ladder, where Noah had been watching them. “Up for some company up there, Puckerman?”
“Welcome onboard, princess.”
Noah picked Ben up and offered his hand to Kurt, and once he had the hand made of long fingers and smooth skin in his calloused one, he pulled his boyfriend to him and kissed those wet, sweet lips without a care in the world, Hudson’s cries for them to get a room be damned.
“You aware your dad can catch us at any moment, yeah?”
Kurt considered, smiled and kissed him again. “Carole’s on our side, he wouldn’t dare.”
“If you say so.”
Palm curling at the base of Noah’s chin, caressing the rough skin there…
Impatient hands patting Noah’s chest.
“Nono, park, Nono.”
With a final playful peck on his boyfriend’s lips, Noah released Kurt and put Ben on the floor, one of his hands keeping the baby close and the other pulling Kurt to his side.
“So, what do you think?” he asked, curling one finger around Kurt’s belt loop.
“You did well, Puckerman,” Kurt said looking around. “But isn’t the ladder dangerous for him?”
“As long as he doesn’t come here alone he will be fine.”
“Nono, park, Nono. Papa!”
Kurt smiled and picked their impatient baby up, dancing their way to the edge of the slide. “Are you ready for this big adventure, my precious?”
“YEAH!”
“It’s too high. Aren’t you afraid?”
Instead of grunting his discontentment, Ben stretched his arms over Kurt’s shoulder to present Noah with both an irresistible smile and invitation:
“Come wif Ben and Papa, Nono!”
Kurt did the same and Noah was a goner of the good kind.
With his family safe in his arms, he closed his eyes and let gravity do its job.
His feet had barely hit the ground when Ben started bouncing in Kurt’s arms with vibrant energy demanding Mo, Papa! And the kiss Kurt shared with him had been forever captured by Mercedes lenses.
Noah let the little man take him by his hands, took a deep breath, and followed his family on another ride of a lifetime.
*****
End of 5a. To be continued in 5b.
Thanks for reading.
Author: Dri
Fandom: Glee
Pairing: Puck/Kurt, past Sam/Kurt
Rating: a light R for the whole fic
Word Count: ~2050
Genre: AU, Future Fic, mentions of past mpreg
Summary: Because it’s a new benfday, and the past should remain in the past where it doesn’t hurt… too much.
Disclaimer: They are so not mine, but I gotta keep Ben for myself!
Author’s note: It’s Benfday; enough said. It’s Benfday; enough said. I foresee about four more parts to finish this fic, so please bear with me for a little while, k? Still unbetaed, so sorry for any possible mistakes.
Author’s note 2: Hi there! It's been some tine, but I hope you haven't forgotten this fic. Another short update, and no angst at all here, just lots of sunshine, Ben being his adorable self. Still, I hope you guys enjoy it. *g*
Anyway remember that feedback is loved, cherished and framed!
*g*l*e*e*
The delightful giggles floated in the air.
“M’ceds!”
“Ben!”
Did Noah have to restrain himself from stopping hammering what would be the main structure to the blue roof of Ben’s jungle gym?
No, sir.
“M’ceds!”
“Ben!”
Because Noah Puckerman wasn’t fucking jealous of his baby paying so much attention to his godmother - who had tagged along Finn to the Hudmmels under the (obvious) false pretense of helping Kurt with the food for the party.
But no!
“M’ceds!”
“Ben!”
Was *M’ceds* there, slaving herself along Kurt and Mrs. H, in that stuffy kitchen, getting flour in her hands and dough under her nails so the kids wouldn’t starve to death at his boy’s party?
Was she?
“M’ceds!”
“’s gonna get Ben!”
No, because not ten feet away from where Noah was making sure the wooden planks framing his kid’s jungle gym were sturdy enough to withstand the six pairs of feet that would be stomping all over it within the next couple of hours, there was *M’ceds* roaring like an out-of-control Mack Truck running after a shrieking Ben, who had his short arms raised above his head as he dashed on wobbling legs to attach himself around the long legs of his giant of an uncle, the other fucker who should have been up there helping Noah instead of being the one to raise Noah’s giggling baby up in the air like an helicopter and set chase on Mack-Truck-Cedes around the Hudmmel’s backyard.
“Let them be, Mohawk. Ben won’t get sick and Finn won’t let him fall.”
Mr. H had been the one ordering Noah around since Finn decided it would be more fun to play with Ben and Mercedes. Given the chance, Noah would have done the same, and he really didn’t remember having drawn the shortest straw, but hell if he weren’t the one who got stuck with Mr. H and his cap, chewing gum and the scary, serious scowl from hell for the better part of the day.
Well, serious and scary for Noah, because the only thing it did for Kurt and Mrs. H was make them roll their eyes.
Oh, yeah: and his supposed best friends to laugh at his panic. A lot.
But, wait; fuck, had he said anything aloud?
“Sir?” he asked, looking down to where Mr. H was standing on the ground.
“My grandson is fine, Finn won’t drop him.”
Another splitting shriek cut the air.
“He’s just eaten! Hudson shouldn’t be flying him around; he’ll get sick.”
Noah blinked. Was there a real, real distant kind of fondness softening the scowl from hell when Mr. H rolled his eyes at him this time?
“Trust me, kid, he’ll be fine.” Mr. H walked around the result of Noah’s hard work and nodded his head in… appreciation? “You finished up there? Can we attach the slide now?”
“Hudson and I got it…” a raised eyebrow matched serious scowl from hell and Noah took a step back from the edge of the jungle gym, “…sir.”
“Burt, stop terrorizing Noah and come out here; I need your help in the kitchen.”
Mr. H stepped sideways as if he was going to shout something pretty manly and pretty stupid at Mrs. H, but he seemed to reconsider once he took a look at the rolling pin in her hands.
He turned back to Noah for a second before striding back to the house. “Finn, hand Ben back to Mercedes and come help Mohawk with the slide.”
“Okay, dad.”
“And put your shirt back on, Mohawk, before you get sunburned and ruin my grandson’s party.”
“Yes, sir, I will, sir.”
Noah pulled on his white tee and then waited a full minute after Mr. H got back to the house before jumping from the… what had Mr. H called it… jungle castle to meet an amused Hudson leaning against the wood steps of said castle.
“Serious, man, what’d you do? Hell, not even Sam got this treatment from my dad, and Burt’s always been a firm believer that Sam was the one to pop Kurt’s cherry…Good for Blaine anyway, I guess…”
Somewhere behind them Ben giggled and a dark cloud of sadness momentarily had its grasps upon them, until Hudson proceeded to cheerfully threaten Noah with his, And if you say anything involving my brother and sex I’ll hold you down and watch Burt beat the crap out of you speech.
Noah snorted and forced himself to move away from the memories of his late friend and the joke - because Hudson holding him down was a joke. “It is about sex and your brother, Hudson,” he called forth, not so loud so Mr. H wouldn’t hear him, but enough to get a rise from his friend as he stepped into the empty sandbox slash foundation for the in-laws gift to Ben to get where they had left the slide.
“I’ll deck you, Puckerman.”
“First move your ass over here and help me with the slide.”
The next handful of minutes was filled by their bickering while they got the slide attached to the 4x2 floor of the castle, with Mr. H’s scowl drilled in his memory, nagging at Noah even in absence.
“Not bad, Puckerman,” Hudson said offering a friendly slap to Noah’s shoulder as he looked up at blue tarp and bright wood that framed Ben’s jungle castle. “Even my dad will have to admit you did a good job here.”
“And hell’s just frozen over.”
Hudson laughed and Noah retributed with a slap to his stomach then he turned to where Ben and Mercedes were waiting, the baby bouncing on his feet, huge blue eyes (Kurt’s eyes, Noah smiled) shining with glee and wonder as he admired what for his three foot self was akin to a… well… castle.
“Where’s my baby boy?” Noah asked getting down on his knee in front of the baby. Ben launched himself into Noah’s arms and Noah squeezed his baby to remember that loving this child and his father was right, that Sam would have approved because they would always come first in Noah’s life.
“NONO, LOOK!”
“Look what? Only thing here to be seen here is this gorgeous baby, that I’m gonna kiss and kiss and kiss…” For once Ben didn’t get distracted by the squelching, wet kisses Noah was dropping all over his smooth face, but that was okay because Noah still loved him all the same.
“NONO… BEN, NONO?” The baby bounced and pointed out at his gift and almost made Noah fall down on his ass with his uncoiled enthusiasm. Noah laughed.
“Yeah, that’s Grandpa Burt’s present for you.”
“Gandpa Buh?”
“Yeah, Grandpa Burt. Wanna try it?”
Noah released Ben and the baby squealed and ran to where Finn was waiting for him with arms open. “UP, UNCA FI! BEN UP!”
“Up? Up where?”
“THER, UNCA FI! BEN UP, PLIS!”
Teasing was fine, but if Hudson didn’t see to Ben’s needs after his baby said please, Noah would be the one doing the deck here.
“Hudson…”
“Chill, Puckerman, I got him. Move you’re a-ah… behind up there and pick him up.”
Noah skipped the side ladder, because he really didn’t believe those thin sticks could hold his weight, got a hold of the handles he had screwed at the castle’s entrance for support and pushed his body up. “Okay, come here, Ben.” Ben stretched his little arms and in seconds he was transferred from Hudson’s to Noah’s firm grip.
“NONO, LOOK! M’CEDS, LOOK BEN! UNCA FI!”
“Look at you, Ben, taller than Uncle Finn,” Hudson said, waving back at Ben.
“You look great up there, baby! Puck, steady him; I wanna take a picture. Smile to Auntie Cedes, baby.”
His little guy knew how to charm the ladies; Ben opened a smile that made Mercedes go all aw, and after she snapped a couple of photos Noah put Ben on the floor and held his hand. “Wanna explore your castle, little guy?”
There wasn’t much to see, but Ben had fun getting on his tiptoes to peer over the half-walls of the place.
“UNCA FI, M’CEDS… UP WIF BEN!”
Mercedes climbed up first, and if Noah had doubted Hudson would fit under the blue tarp, well, he had been right. The place for pretty crowded with the three of them up there; Ben, however, didn’t mind, pulling Mercedes by the hand to the four corners of the castle.
“Park, M’ceds!” Ben whispered when they stopped at the edge of the slide.
“Yeah, Ben, like in the park. D’ you wanna slide with Auntie Cedes?”
“Hold on a minute, my lady,” Hudson said, pushing them aside. “Let me try it first to make sure it’s safe for you and our little man.”
“Just admit you want to take a smooth ride, Hudson,” Noah chuckled.
Any non-G rated vocal answer was censored because of the baby’s presence, so Hudson just flipped him the bird behind Ben’s back.
Hudson sat on the edge of the slide and stretched his long, long legs ahead of him. “Bye, Ben!” And then he smoothly slid to the ground.
“Ben now! Ben now!”
It wasn’t a long slide, but Noah followed them to the edge and watched Mercedes settle Ben on the v of her legs. “Say bye to Nono, baby.”
What started as a ‘bye’ morphed into a delighted chorus of ‘ah’ until Ben and Mercedes joined Hudson on the ground.
“AGAIN, M’CEDS! AGAIN! UNCA FI!”
“For the love of Gucci, Ben, what is all this ruckus about?”
“PAPA!”
Noah was such a girl!
He quickly moved to the other side of the castle, because he was in that pathetic stage where he needed to drink as much of Kurt’s presence as possible, and at the in-laws’, thanks to Papa Burt, it had become almost impossible.
And drink Noah did. From how Kurt balanced a tray with cups and a pinch of cold refreshment to the way he smiled at their baby, Noah found himself thirst for the wet kisses they shared all the time while at each other’s places.
Well, remember, Papa Burt’s place, so no, definitely no.
Noah could only dream… and long.
So, yeah, everybody say hello-o to the pussy in their relationship.
Kurt wisely set the tray with refreshments on the yard table with milliseconds to spare before Ben tangled himself around his legs.
‘’PAPA, LOOK! PARK, PAPA!”
Kurt laughed and picked the baby up. Raining dozens of kisses on his face like Noah had done not ten minutes ago, squeezing Ben until the baby was red in the face.
“He’ll pee on you.”
“Shut up, Finn. Where’s Noah?”
“Stalking you from up there.”
Kurt harrumphed but looked at where Hudson was pointing with his glass. A slow smile spread across Kurt’s beautiful face, its intensity reminding Noah of what supernovas must look like.
Nah, they didn’t hold a candle for the vibrancy that was Kurt Hummel.
Yep; such a girl.
“Go wif Nono, Papa.”
Kurt hesitated and then relented, “Fine, but then you drink your juice and rest for a while, all right?” He carried Ben closer to the ladder, where Noah had been watching them. “Up for some company up there, Puckerman?”
“Welcome onboard, princess.”
Noah picked Ben up and offered his hand to Kurt, and once he had the hand made of long fingers and smooth skin in his calloused one, he pulled his boyfriend to him and kissed those wet, sweet lips without a care in the world, Hudson’s cries for them to get a room be damned.
“You aware your dad can catch us at any moment, yeah?”
Kurt considered, smiled and kissed him again. “Carole’s on our side, he wouldn’t dare.”
“If you say so.”
Palm curling at the base of Noah’s chin, caressing the rough skin there…
Impatient hands patting Noah’s chest.
“Nono, park, Nono.”
With a final playful peck on his boyfriend’s lips, Noah released Kurt and put Ben on the floor, one of his hands keeping the baby close and the other pulling Kurt to his side.
“So, what do you think?” he asked, curling one finger around Kurt’s belt loop.
“You did well, Puckerman,” Kurt said looking around. “But isn’t the ladder dangerous for him?”
“As long as he doesn’t come here alone he will be fine.”
“Nono, park, Nono. Papa!”
Kurt smiled and picked their impatient baby up, dancing their way to the edge of the slide. “Are you ready for this big adventure, my precious?”
“YEAH!”
“It’s too high. Aren’t you afraid?”
Instead of grunting his discontentment, Ben stretched his arms over Kurt’s shoulder to present Noah with both an irresistible smile and invitation:
“Come wif Ben and Papa, Nono!”
Kurt did the same and Noah was a goner of the good kind.
With his family safe in his arms, he closed his eyes and let gravity do its job.
His feet had barely hit the ground when Ben started bouncing in Kurt’s arms with vibrant energy demanding Mo, Papa! And the kiss Kurt shared with him had been forever captured by Mercedes lenses.
Noah let the little man take him by his hands, took a deep breath, and followed his family on another ride of a lifetime.
*****
End of 5a. To be continued in 5b.
Thanks for reading.