Invisible string (Robin Le Normand)

Chapter 19

After their last big argument, Leire and Robin spent two whole years not talking to each other. Avoiding each other. Well, Leire avoided Robin and he hoped they could go back to normal but the result was the same. One time when Robin had been very tired, he accused Leire of making things weird. Because of how close they got to each other while in public. He didn't mind any of it when it was just the two of them. And yet, it was what he did that caused them to separate.

They couldn't do that this time. They lived together and Leire wasn't even home so there was no escape. They had to talk.

"You'll be ok?", asked Paddy, who had walked Leire to her front door.

"I will. It's just...I wish it was easier for us like it used to be".

"Maybe it will be again one day".

"Maybe".

She wasn't so sure about it. It was like every time they took a step towards being able to be friends, they then took a few steps backwards. It was so frustrating.

"Hey".

"Hello, Robin", she said, trying to calm down so they could talk. "I guess we should...chat about what happened last night".

"I'm an idiot. I'm sorry".

"I overreacted a bit too. But you took it too far. I get you don't like Fran for whatever reason but you can't do that to me".

"I know. Can we put everything behind and try to go back to being friends? Please? A truce?"

Leire nodded. "Yes. That's probably a good idea".

And so they tried their hardest to avoid arguing. They forced themselves to stop finding things the other did annoying because they weren't annoyed. They were just frustrated. As they had been for two whole years. That was the problem when you loved someone but felt there was nothing you could do to use that love.

Christmas allowed them some time away from each other. Robin visited his family in France while Leire did the same but in San Sebastián. She actually stayed there for a couple of days after Robin had already gotten back to Madrid. Leire noticed many comments on social media about how they weren't spending Christmas together but she didn't care.

"You're back!"

"I am", said Leire, placing her suitcase on the floor so she could take her shoes and her coat off. "Missed me?"

"A little. And I have a Christmas present for you".

"I didn't get you anything. We didn't talk about presents...".

"It's okay, Leire. Just come to my room".

Leire raised an eyebrow and stared at Robin. What kind of present did he get her? "Your room?"

"Oh for God's sake! Just follow me".

Leire walked behind Robin, still a bit confused by what was happening. And when he opened the door, Robin motioned for her to go inside first. That was when she saw it.

"Is that a kitten?"

"Your Christmas present. You always wanted one".

The smile that Leire directed to Robin was the most beautiful he had ever seen. It was like going back in time to when she looked at him like that all the time.

"Thank you! Is it a boy or a girl?"

"A boy. You can change his name", told her Robin, looking a little shy all of a sudden. "But he's called Pistacchio".

"Pistacchio?"

"Yeah, like the nickname the guy from the show you liked picked for the girl. I saw the name on the list of kittens up for adoption and felt like it was meant to be".

"Pistacchio", she smiled, looking at the little kitten who was staring at her trying to work out who the new human was. "I love it".

"He's gotten used to staying in my room but soon he'll be able to walk around the house. You can take him to your room now".

"Let's not confuse him. We can do the change slowly".

Robin then showed Leire all the things he had gotten for little pistacchio. They put more food on his bowl and made sure his litter box was clean.

"Do you want to play with him?"

"Yes!"

Leire picked up the little toy and sat down on Robin's bed. Little Pistacchio still looked a bit afraid of her but he was very playful so he soon started to jump around trying to catch the little mouse Leire moved in front of him.

"He can play for so long. But then he falls asleep and sleeps for hours".

"He's just a baby. And a cat. Sleeping is their thing".

When Pistacchio started to get tired, he moved closer to Leire's legs and she tried to grab him gently. Seeing he allowed her to do so made her so happy and she put him on her lap.

"Take a photo of us, please", she said to Robin, giving him her phone.

"He loves you already. You can take him to your room. I can move the litter box and the bowls...".

"Relax, Robin. Let's allow him to sleep and then we'll move everything".

"Ok", he nodded, not being able to stop staring at Leire smiling down at her little kitten. "Should I bring us some food here? It's dinner time".

"Sure. I'll stay here with Pistacchio".

There wasn't much food left in the kitchen. While Leire was away, Robin just ordered food but that meant there were some leftovers from the previous night. From a restaurant Leire liked so that would do.

"Here", he said, placing the trays of food on the bed. "We can watch the show Pistacchio was named after".

"He wasn't named after the show", she laughed. "But we're letting him keep that name because of it. And it's a cute name for a cute cat".

"It is".

Pistacchio kept sleeping while they watched the TV. Leire was so invested in the show and Robin was not going to tell her that he had been watching it too.

"They fight all the time", he pointed out. "It must be exhausting".

"You say it like you don't know the feeling".

"We're not like them, Leire".

"Yeah, they're hotter", she joked and Robin liked seeing that instead of those comments leading to an argument, they led to something better.

"Speak for yourself. I think my French beauty could be very successful in soap operas".

Leire tried not to laugh too loud so she wouldn't wake Pistacchio up. "French beauty...".

"And a lot of people say my accent is one of the nicest in France".

"Well, to be fair, anyone would melt hearing you speak in French so that's not really fair".

"Is that why you always asked me to talk to you in French?", he asked her, remembering how she blushed whenever he did that.

"You know it was. But I'm stronger now".

"Of course you are", he mocked, pretending to roll his eyes and making Leire laugh more.

Robin felt so giddy after their flirty banter. How he wished that could be their everyday life. Flirting with Leire, seeing her blush, falling asleep next to her...

"Eh...".

Leire had fallen asleep, Pistacchio still on her lap. And Robin didn't know what to do. Should he wake her up? Should he go sleep somewhere else? But then Pistacchio woke up and took the decision for him. He placed himself in Robin's chest, which was where he had slept the last few days, and fell asleep again.

So they would have to sleep in the same bed. All three of them.