the fire between us

chapter 28

martinus view. 

I woke up in my hotel room, the soft hum of the city barely audible through the thick windows. My eyes blinked open, and the first thing I did was reach for my phone on the bedside table. The screen lit up, but no new messages. I sighed, knowing Y/n was probably still asleep, given how late she'd stayed up with Nora.

I tossed the phone back onto the bed and sat up, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. The room was quiet, the kind of peaceful that makes you want to stay wrapped up in bed for a few more hours. But I knew Marcus would be waiting for breakfast.

With a groan, I swung my legs over the side of the bed and stood up, stretching out the stiffness. The air in the room was cool, and I shuffled over to my suitcase, pulling out some clothes for the day. I threw on a simple t-shirt and jeans, ran my fingers through my messy hair, and grabbed my phone again before heading out the door.

Down in the lobby, I found Marcus already waiting, scrolling through his phone.

"Ready for some breakfast?" he asked, looking up with a grin.

I nodded, trying to shake off the last bit of sleepiness. "Yeah, starving."

Together, we walked to the hotel's restaurant, where a breakfast buffet was already laid out. The smell of fresh coffee and pastries filled the air, making my stomach rumble.

We found a table by the window.

As Marcus and I sat down by the large windows of the hotel's restaurant, the soft sunlight streaming in, I took a moment to glance outside at the chilly Oslo morning. People hurried along the streets, bundled in coats and scarves. The warmth inside felt almost comforting as we settled in with our plates.

Marcus had already loaded his plate with eggs, bacon, and a stack of pancakes, while I opted for some fresh fruit and toast. He glanced over at me with a grin. "So, you talk to Y/n this morning?"

I shook my head, grabbing a coffee cup and pouring myself a much-needed dose of caffeine. "Nah, not yet. She's probably still asleep after that sleepover with Nora. They stayed up pretty late."

Marcus chuckled, nodding in understanding as he buttered his toast. "Yeah, I get it. Nora was out cold by the time I called her last night. I'm glad they had their girl time, though. It's been a while since they've hung out like that."

I smiled at the thought of Y/n and Nora laughing together, probably getting into some silly shenanigans like they used to. "Yeah, Y/n was looking forward to it. They needed it."

There was a brief pause as we dug into our breakfast, the soft murmur of other hotel guests around us. I could tell Marcus was enjoying his time with Nora too—he had that relaxed, contented look on his face. The kind that only comes when you're happy with where you are, especially when it comes to someone important.

"So, you ready for the interviews today?" Marcus asked, breaking the silence as he took a bite of his eggs.

I nodded, finishing off my sip of coffee. "Yeah, I think so. It's a little nerve-wracking, but it should be fun. You?"

He gave a casual shrug, though I could see the excitement behind his eyes. "Yeah, I'm good. It's not our first rodeo, but this time, it feels a little bigger, you know? Oslo's always got that extra layer of pressure."

I could feel it too—there was something about this trip that carried a little more weight. Maybe it was because we were stepping up in a big way, representing ourselves in front of new people and potential opportunities. But there was also something grounding about having people like Y/n and Nora back home, knowing they had our backs even when we were miles away.