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the airport was packed. not in a charming, rom-com way where every soul was an actor, filling the space with drab colours so the main characters stood out. it didn't scream 'love, rosie' or 'love actually.' it was bodies piled to the brim, elbows in ribs and carry-on bags smacking unsuspecting passerbys. new years came with an onslaught of reunions, though, with arms around necks and kisses on cheeks as families reunited at the time of year that was, undoubtedly, the most impactful.
to the left of roisin was a man in a suit and tie, face strictly business. stern brows and a frown to match. he looked tired, dark bags under his eyes as he held an ipad that had a name scrawled on the surface: ms keenan. to her right, the exact opposite. a bright, happy family, all in colourful clothing, clad in party hats, poppers in their clenched fists. a banner that was all-too-large for the five of them was displayed above their heads, 'WELCOME HOME, MUM!' detailed in yellow paint. they chatted amongst themselves with rigid excitement.
roisin, though, wasn't holding anything. she had her phone and keys in her pocket, her jumper wrapped tightly around her small form as she fiddled with the ends of her now long hair. it was noisy in all of the wrong ways, busy with people that mattered very little to her. but there was one person somewhere, trekking from his plane to her arms. her boyfriend. whom she hadn't seen in months, not since they agreed to try long distance.
she waited with bated breath for the familiar man to round the corner, knowing that he would be out within the minute. scenarios were pulsing in her head - her arms around him, his around her. her hands in his hair and his clasped so tightly around her waist. their lips touching so blissfully.
it hadn't been easy staying away from him, but they needed something different. something difficult to prove that they had earned each other in the face of their rushed start and staggered end, then their inevitable restart. and, my god, had they earned each other. every night was a painful facetime, axel keeping her company as she drifted off to sleep, wishing he was there. every week was a livestream, feeding the fans with content they desperately needed, not knowing that the couple yearned for it, too. every hour of those months was a trek.
but, as their eyes locked under the fluorescent lights, every second was worth the wait.
he had a suitcase trailing behind him, plain black with a dark luggage tag, and a backpack over one shoulder. the sweater he wore had a small, embroidered rose directly in the centre, and it didn't take any time at all for roisin to recognise it as her merch. it made her grin as he approached her, picking up his pace to a light jog - the closer he got, the more painfully her heart jumped in her chest...
