Ineffable ꕥ Joost Klein ꕥ

17.

Joost stifled a laugh at the sight of the grumbling troll stood in Elke's doorway. With her hair messy and her lips in a prominent frown, Elke said nothing as she let Joost into her apartment.

'I'm assuming you're not going into work today?'

'Not a chance.'

Elke trudged after Joost once she closed the door behind him. While he was dressed in his puffer jacket and wide-legged jeans, Elke still wore her purple pajama pants and an old t-shirt. Overcoming his initial reaction to her appearance, the bags under Elke's eyes and her pale complexion worried Joost.

As he went to grab himself a mug from the cupboard, Joost watched as Elke collapsed on a kitchen stool. He felt the sound of the metal scrape against the floor and the sigh from it's mover in his core. While the kettle boiled, Joost turned to lean his hands on the counter and address the woman who sagged in her seat.

'Are you still not sleeping?'

'No...' Elke said in a groan. 'Last night was the worst it's been. I left a message on my work's phone at 4am saying I wasn't going to be in.'

'You should see a doctor, El. This has been going on for too long.'

'No, no, I'm not doing that. All they'll do is say I'm working too hard or that I need to meditate. It'll pass. This is just a phase, I'm sure of it.'

The truth was that it was phase that Elke had complete control over. She had done nothing about the backpack in her car and she was suffering greatly from it. It tortured her, knowing that someone other than Roan could be looking for it.

Her ex-boyfriend hadn't shown his face again. Both Elke and Joost were convinced that this was from his and Daan's threatening. Elke was relieved but it hadn't solved her personal problem. She didn't want to make it known to Roan that she had found the backpack and she couldn't bring herself to call the police. What was stopping her, she couldn't quite tell, but it's existence was tearing apart her sanity.

While Joost was unaware of what really troubled her, he was worried for Elke. The lack of sleep was getting to her, he could see that. They had been venturing to each other's apartments in the mornings to have coffee or tea together and every time, Elke was exhausted. 

He wanted to suggest something bold. Maybe if they slept in the same bed for one night, they could see if Elke faired. Joost was yet to build the courage to ask this and from his understanding, her struggle to sleep stemmed from the worry that Roan would turn up at her door again. If Joost was there, directly next to her, with his arms around her and safe against him, Elke would have no reason to worry. 

Elke watched Joost make his coffee and look over his shoulder with raised eyebrows. His motion made her shake her head, already knowing that he was asking if she wanted one. A lot of their conversations were unspoken, just like what their relationship status.

'I'll make you dinner tonight,' Joost stated, stepping to be beside Elke's stool with his coffee in hand. Putting the mug down, he rubbed circles on her hunched back.

'That would be nice... can you make pasta?'

'I can try.'

The thought made Elke drag her upperhalf away from the counter and wrap her around his middle. She hummed while laying the side of her face against his abdomen. When she felt Joost's arms wrap around her shoulders, Elke thought about falling asleep then and there. He was so warm and the money fell to the back of her mind. 

Since their day in Leeuwarden, the neighbours had become incredibly close. The kiss at the canal had made the two realise how much they wanted to see each other. It was soft, slow and left Joost chasing Elke as she pulled away. He looked down at her, his eyes shifting between hers in admiration, wondering how someone like him had landed such a beautiful woman.