Caring

IV

Prompt: Normal -
Adjective; conforming to a standard; usual, typical, or expected.

Image does not belong to me.

Often we, as human beings - as puppets of nature - set ourselves into routines of normality. There are things which are foreign to us at first but soon begin to feel part of us – a daily necessity.

And that's what Nadine was to James.

She was his normal and his days revolved around her like she was a permanent part of him, whether that be the Nadine he saw in person or the Nadine in his thoughts or the Nadine in his dreams.

Everything about their relationship was normal, from the way he couldn't go a day without hearing her voice right to the instinctive way his arms wrapped around her small frame to hold her closer to him. She was his routine, she kept him grounded. James often thought of her as an anchor, not one which restricted him or dragged him down, but rather one which pulled him closer to the bay, to home, to her.

He was unaware of when it happened.

Their attachment to one another became a regular occurrence. The need to care for each other, to share everything, to hold her hand while she spoke to him, to fix her hair, to communicate using their eyes only. Everything was normal...to them.

An outsider would often feel out of place in their company, not that they meant for it to happen but it usually just did. James and Nadine had their own world which they escaped to and it was a world where affectionate stares and stolen glances were the norm between two people who were just friends. It was a world where they could be who they were, strip themselves bare and not worry about being judged. It was a world where they understood each other and connected in a way words can't describe.

James was unaware of when it happened – he just knew he wanted nothing more than for their world to become the only world he lived in.

It soon became normal for him to spend his weekends lazing around in her condo instead of partying with his friends. The lure of the nightlife no longer appealed to him.

He'd much rather be with Nadine - lounging on her couch on Saturday evenings with her head in his lap as he plays with her hair. The TV is usually on, replaying all their favourite movies and shows, but he concentrates more on the girl laying next to him, basking in her beauty.

He'd much rather spend his Sunday mornings waking up, sans hangover, to the smell of her cooking breakfast (or moderately burning it) as he apologises for falling asleep at hers instead of going home the night before – not that he considers any place without her to be his home. James would imagine what it would be like to wake up to Nadine every day, rather than just on weekends, and his heart aches at the thought of it being a reality.

He would much rather drop her off at home himself after she'd accompanied him to the rare parties he did attend instead of staying late with the boys.

It was strange at first – Nadine suggesting they go out clubbing one Saturday instead of curling up on the sofa. But soon it became a consistent thing for her to do. She didn't want James to compromise his nightlife for her and despite many attempts at trying to convince her that he didn't care about going out she would still insist. They'd end up at the bar together with some of James' friends, drinking and laughing.

It was typical for them not move more than three feet away from each other and his friends were used to the way James' arm snaked around Nadine's waist possessively from time to time. They were used to the way his eyes would only light up when speaking to her, and they were used to the way Nadine had made their friend into a better version of himself.

It was normal for them to go on long drives to a secret spot where he'd tell her things he'd never told anyone before – his biggest fears and his smallest dreams. Even things he hadn't fully admitted himself. James would tell her about his childhood, the girl he once loved, his family. She would listen to him whatever it was.
Nadine would tell him the same - about her childhood, her family and the boy she once thought she loved. And soon they were open books to each other with no need to read between the lines.

Even the days he spent with others, she would constantly be on his mind.
What would Nadine think of this?
I wish I could share this with Nadine.
I bet Nadine would laugh at that joke.

He would bring her up in every conversation – with his dad, telling him how much Nadine likes home cooked food; with his sister, telling her how Nadine loves shopping and how he didn't understand why it made her so happy; with his friends, telling them that he didn't enjoy drinking himself to oblivion and flirting with girls anymore because it hurt Nadine.

And that too became normal – that to talk to James was to talk about Nadine in some way or another.

James' late night phone calls on days they didn't see each for filming during their month off work became routine. She would wait up until he called her and they'd talk like they hadn't seen each other in months, although they made sure to meet up at least once a week. It was odd Nadine thought, that they never ran out of things to share and the silences on the phone were as comfortable as the silences they had in person.

Often, she would dose off to sleep whilst on the phone with James and he would chuckle and whisper his goodbyes when he'd hear her light snores - wanting nothing more than to kiss her forehead as he said goodnight.

Their meet ups, or rather friendly dates, were becoming a norm too. They went out like a couple – to restaurants for her favourite dishes, to watch movies together and he would even take her shopping. Her condo became their condo and all his things, hers. They were living like a newlywed couple, their status clear to everyone around them but they chose not to label it. How does one label falling in love with your best friend?

James and Nadine breathed one another. They were two parts of one whole.

Some would say he lost himself in her.

He drowned in her cheerfulness and he depended too much on her smile to bring him happiness.

But James didn't mind losing himself if it meant loving Nadine.

And a part of him knew that this love too would become normal for them.

A/N: Something a little different I wanted to try out.
Thank you for all the comments and support for the last few one shots. I will try to complete the San Francisco chapter soon so look forward to that!
Hope you enjoyed this one!
S