Invisible string (Robin Le Normand)

Chapter 24

Leire had dreamed about what her life would be like if she was dating Robin for so long. She dreamed about falling asleep next to him knowing Robin's face would be the first thing she saw when she woke up. She actually didn't expect that to ever happen and yet that was her reality now.

Little Pistacchio was also part of that reality and she smiled seeing him crawl towards Robin's face while he slept. He started to sniff his face and Robin was woken up when the kitten's whiskers tickled him.

"Pistacchio...it's too early", he muttered and then opened his eyes and noticed Leire was there, smiling at him. "Are you really here?"

"No. I'm a hologram".

"You could be, you know? I'll need prove that it's really you who's here".

"Will a kiss be enough?"

The way he scrunched his nose made Leire bite her lip thinking about how cute Robin was. "It's a start...".

Leire had never really been in a relationship. Not a serious one or one that lasted more than a few weeks. She always felt like it was her fault. It had to be her who did something wrong and that was why she was incapable of being in a relationship like everyone else was. But now...now she realised it wasn't her fault. None of the other boys made her want to stay in bed and have a lazy morning full of cuddles of kisses. Robin made her want to spend her whole life like that. There were so many little life experiences she never wanted to do with all the other men she had met and that she was dying to do with Robin. And that was the difference between those attempts at a relationship and what was going to happen now.

But as much as they just wanted to spend all day together, forgetting the rest of the world existed, the sound of the doorbell interrupted them and Robin sighed and got out of bed to see who was there to annoy them.

"Are you expecting someone?"

"No", he said. "I have no idea who it could be".

While Robin opened the door, Leire picked up something to wear so she could also go downstairs to have some breakfast. She should probably get some work done but feared Robin would distract her.

"Hi. What are you doing here?", asked Robin when he saw Jesús on his front door.

"I texted you last night. Didn't you see it?"

"No. I went to bed early".

"Ok. Is Leire here?"

"I am", she answered, walking down the stairs with Pistacchio on her arms. "Do you want to meet little Pistacchio?"

"Sure. I'm not really a cat person but he looks cute".

"Cute?", said Robin, slightly annoyed. "Our cat is perfect".

And because Robin turned to face Leire and their cat, he missed how Jesús mouthed the word our while he frowned.

"So why are you here, Jesús?"

"We got an Adidas shoot next week and I wanted to check that you know about the travel plans and all that".

"Can you send me an e-mail with the details?", asked Robin while he got three mugs for everyone's coffee. "I've got so much going on".

"Sure...you two ok?"

Leire tried not to react to that simple question. "Great. Pistacchio is making us argue less, isn't that nice?"

"It sounds nice".

"Thank you", said Leire when Robin placed a cup of coffee in front of her. She tried not to react to being around him as well but...she failed miserably. How could she not look at him and smile like she was in love with him after everything that had happened in the last hours?

"Ok", laughed Jesús. "What the heck is going on?"

"What do you mean?", asked Robin.

"You refer to the cat as our instead of Leire's like it's your kid or something. And the way you're looking at each other...I almost feel like I should leave you alone".

"We're just getting on well", tried to explain Leire but Jesús didn't buy it.

Pistacchio was smelling Leire's coffee and then moving away from the strong scent when Robin got up and moved to stand behind Leire, making her turn to look at him.

"We're dating", he said. "And it's good you noticed because I don't want to be away from her and not touch her just because we had to hide this from you".

"Can't say I'm surprised...", told them Jesús. "But good for me as well. Makes the job easier".

"It's very new", pointed out Leire while Robin wrapped his arms around her waist. Yeah, dating Robin felt very nice.

"It had been a long time coming, though".

Leire turned again to look at Robin after he said that and smiled at him. It really had but she didn't want to think of all the wasted time and just enjoy the present.

Jesús didn't stay long because he really felt like he was interrupting something he didn't want to see. And Leire and Robin were thankful he was gone because they needed to talk.

"So...we're dating?"

"That's what I want", said Robin. "Isn't it what you want?"

"It is but you know. These kinds of things...is good to talk about them instead of just assume we're on the same page even if we are".
"Right. But we are on the same page, right?"

"We are", smiled Leire, moving closer to hug Robin. She had never wanted to hug and be held by any of the other men she tried to date.

Robin had a day off so they decided to stay home most of the day and just be together. Pistacchio also seemed to appreciate Robin being there, since he wouldn't leave his side.

"I should write", sighed Leire. "I can't miss any more writing days, I'm behind schedule".

"I'm going upstairs. I can bring your laptop when I come back".

"Thanks".

When Robin got back from picking up one of Pistacchio's favourite toys, he gave the laptop to Leire and motioned for her to sit down next to him. It had been so long since he saw her writing properly. He had always felt so special knowing she trusted him enough to show him what she wrote before even her editors saw it.

"What are you working on?"

"My new book. It's kind of connected to my second so I'm trying to make sure everything makes sense, you know? It's a lot".

"Why don't you write the other one?", suggested Robin, in reference to the smutty book he found out Leire was writing. "I can help you with the research for it".

"Shut up".

"Or we can just do the research even if you don't write it...".

Leire bit her lip and tried not to smile. "I can't concentrate".

"Should I leave then...", teased Robin.

"No, just stay here with me but be quiet. If you can".

And Robin stopped talking and just hugged Leire, placing his head on her shoulder. Seeing her writing, seeing her doing what made her happiest was the best feeling. Followed by knowing he could now experience the even better feeling of sharing every aspect of each other's lives, no matter how big or small, together.