Choose-your-own-adventure 1

The boys are filming the third series and something unexpected happens to Noel. Noel isn’t happy and he ends up at a party.

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Dreaming

Contents

Dreaming

Author’s Notes: Don’t own, Won’t make money.

Thank you to Ailcia for beta-ing


As Noel watched Julian turn his back and walk towards the door his mouth became dry and his chest felt tight. When Julian reached the door Noel’s panic became unbearable.

“Julian?” Noel half-whimpered.

“Noel? What’s wrong?” Julian asked, turning and striding quickly back towards Noel.

Julian placed his hand on Noel’s shoulder and squeezed it comfortingly, sending shivers up Noel’s spine.

“Noel?” he asked again.

Noel looked up into Julian’s warm brown eyes, chewing his lip nervously.

“I… Ju… please don’t leave me,” Noel choked, his eyes brimming with tears.

Julian sat next to him and moved his hand to Noel’s face and gently wiped away the tears with his thumb.

“Hey, it’s ok pixie pants,” he murmured.

“It’s just… I really don’t want to be alone right now,” Noel sniffed.

“If you want me to, I’ll stay,” Julian said, giving Noel a small reassuring smile.

“Thanks Ju,” Noel whispered, looking down at his knees.

“Ok Noel, scoot up and make room for old Mr Barratt,” Julian said with a broad smile, taking off his shoes.

“Old Mr Barratt?” Noel scoffed, sliding across the bed.

“Yeah,” Julian nodded while climbing into bed. “I feel it in me bones; I’m as stiff as board. I am almost 40, you know”

“Oh, please. You’re only a few years older than me and I’m as fresh as a spring chicken,” Noel replied, happy to join in the idle chit-chat and forget his strange panic.

“Ah,” said Julian while snuggling down under the covers. “But that’s because you’re young in your brain.”

“Young in my brain?” Noel looked at him incredulously.

“Yes sir! Me, I’m an old man in my head. There’s a grumpy old man sitting right behind my eyes,” Julian’s voice was serious, but his raised eyebrow said otherwise.

“So, who do I have in my head then?” Noel asked sceptically, hugging his knees to his chest.

“You, my friend, have a hormone-enraged teenager sitting in your brain, I’m afraid,” Julian nodded sagely.

“A hormone-enraged teenager? Please! I’ve got a twenty one year old, if anything.”

“No, you’re a teenager, Noel. Did you know that you don’t develop reason until you’re twenty five?”

“Oh yeah? And where did you find that out?”

“I read it on the internet.”

“The internet? That’s a reliable source, that is.”

“It’s true!”

“So, you’re saying that I don’t have any reason in me?”

Finally Julian burst into laughter. With the sudden jubilation from his companion, Noel couldn’t help but giggle too.

Smiling, Noel copied Julian and slid down beneath the duvet and rested his head on the pillow.

“Goodnight Noel,” Julian said softly, clicking off the lamp on the bedside table.

The darkness pressed in on Noel, the sliver of light coming from beneath the curtains did nothing to stop it. All he was aware of was the softness of the sheets and Julian’s slow, deep breathing. For the first time that day, Noel was able to relax, feeling calm knowing that Julian was there. And then sleep took him.


Noel was standing in the middle of a long black corridor. He turned his head from side to side; the corridor seemed to carry on forever both ways he looked. He felt a tap on his shoulder and span round, but there was nothing there. Noel frowned and taking a step towards the right he heard someone behind him whisper something. Again he span around and saw no one.

“Hello?” he called out into the darkness.

Nothing.

Noel walked down the left side of the corridor, where the voice had come from. After a few minutes of walking through the never changing scenery he heard the whisper louder, but still couldn’t make out what was being said.

He quickened his pace, his boots making a loud clicking noise on the floor. The whisper came again.

“I can’t hear you!” he shouted.

The whispering continued and Noel started running towards it, desperate to find out what was being said.

Click, click, click. Click, click, click. Click, click, click.

Unable to run anymore, Noel’s legs felt tired and weighted. He bent over, breathing heavily and resting his hands on his knees.

Wiping his brow, Noel straightened up, ready to resume his chase of the now silent whispers.

Noel felt hot breath ghost across his ear.

“Over here,” came the close whisper.

Noel jumped and turned round. Relief washed over him, it was Julian.

“Jesus, you frightened me,” Noel sighed, holding a hand to his chest.

Julian remained silent, standing still with his eyes closed.

“Julian?” Noel asked taking a step closer to him.

“I know what you are, Noel,” Julian said in a strange deep voice.

“What?”

“I know what you are,” Julian raised his voice.

“What are you on about?” Noel was beginning to feel nervous, but again he took another step towards Julian and was now closer an arms length away from him.

“Julian?”

Julian’s eyes snapped open and instead of their usual tender brown, they were completely black, shiny and staring.

“Julian, what’s wrong with your eyes?” Noel gasped.

“I can see it in you.”

“W-what?” Noel stammered.

Julian leaned towards Noel, sneering.

“Faggot!” he spat at Noel.

Noel took a step back, horrified that Julian would say such a thing. Looking at Julian’s black eyes he realised something.

“You can’t be Julian,” Noel murmured disbelievingly.

Before Noel had finished his sentence Julian’s face had began to change. It bulged and mutated strangely, pink lumps popping up all over his face. His mouth and nose became elongated and with a terrifying high-pitched squeal Julian’s head finished its transformation into a pig.

He squealed again and Noel turned to run down the corridor, adrenaline pumping through his veins like liquid fire.

He had barely gotten a few feet away when the pig-Julian hybrid tackled him to the ground, snorting and squealing viciously.

Noel’s head hit the floor with a deafening crack and a sharp pain erupted from his forehead, turning his vision white.


Noel awoke with a start, panting heavily. His skin was clammy and his head ached.

The light was on and Julian was sitting up, staring at him anxiously.

“Noel, are you alright? You were shouting and thrashing around!”

Should Noel:

A: Tell Julian about the dream

B: Tell Julian he’s fine and not to worry

C: Say nothing