Our Love (Advent Calendar 2015)

The 7th of December

When Kristen wakes up, she immediately knows something is different. First, she's not lying in her bed. Second, it's not a bed she's lying in. Third, there's a warm, familiar body lying next to her.

"Good morning," a soft, croaky voice whispers in her ear. She immediately knows who it is, and though she knows she probably should have gotten up as soon as she realised it was him and be packing her things right about now, she can't. She's lying in Rob's arms, and she has never felt this safe. His slight stubble is tickling her cheek and his bad morning breath is fanning out across her face, but she doesn't mind. In fact, she minds a little too less. She's lying in the arms of her ex-boyfriend after they've spent the night together – sleeping – on his couch, and all she wants to do is snuggle closer (though that might be physically impossible) and never get up.

"G'morning," she whispers back. He chuckles, and she chuckles with him. Not because something is funny, they're just happy.

The reason why none of them is freaking out is because they've woken up like this countless of times when they were also just friends. They've even woken up in bed, her in t-shirt and knickers and him in boxer briefs.

"I would get up and make us breakfast, but..." Rob says, tightening his embrace around Kristen and pulling her closer to his body.

"I know," Kristen mumbles into his chest.

They stay like that, lying on the couch, snuggled up, for a couple of minutes until they both admit that they're hungry. Kristen takes a shower while Rob makes breakfast. When she enters the kitchen, she's wearing his t-shirt and a pair of leggings his sister forgot at his place when she slept there once. As Kristen stands in the doorway to the kitchen, his U2 t-shirt huge on her, surrounded by the Christmas decoration (or at least half of it) they've used every year since they got together, the sight is so familiar to Rob that it makes his heart flutter and ache at the same time.

They eat breakfast in comfortable silence, looking and smiling at each other occasionally.

When she's standing in front of Rob's door, about to leave, she grabs Rob's shirt in her small hands and pulls him towards her in a hug. He wraps his arms around her and she sighs. They reluctantly pull away. "I'll call you?" Kristen says, making it sound more like a question than a promise.

Rob nods and rubs her forearm in a friendly manner, needing the body contact.

"Bye," she whispers, adjusting her bag on her shoulder and grabbing Cole's leash.

"Bye," Rob says in return and offers a slight wave.

As soon as Kristen walks out the door, they both immediately feel like a part of themselves is missing.