City of Angels - K.L

THIRTY

Kian's waiting outside my door when I get home. I can't help but smile as I head down the hall to him
"How long have you been waiting here?"
He stands shrugging
"I didn't know when you wrapped for the night."
I can see he's holding Panda Express, and I point to it
"Is that for me?"
He hums
"Dinner for the working lady."
Instead of taking it from him, I raise up on my tiptoes, and with my arms around his neck press my lips to his. His arms instantly know to trap around my waist and hold me against him. The stars align again, the universe balancing. It's always how it was meant to be.

I return to the couch with our reheated Panda Express, in his shirt and joining him in front of Netflix. After our reunion in the hallway, the food got cold while we, uh, reunited in my bed. We eat with the movie, but it isn't five minutes into it before he begins
"Zi..."
"Mhmm?"
"I choose you. And I'll choose you every day until my last breath."
His words steal mine. I'm at a loss, but all I can do is tell him
"Kian... I love you."
He leans in, kissing me once again
"I love you baby."

Life goes faster with Kian. The whole 'time flies when you're having fun' concept I suppose. It's already been a month since we've been together again, and it still only feels like we've become an item again. But everything is perfect in my life. Perfect job, boyfriend, friends, balance. I'm beyond happy.
"Morning baby."
He answers the door of his and everyone's shared house. I kiss him and step in
"Good morning. Should we cut to the chase?"
I say this because I woke up to a text from him telling me he has exciting news. Taking my hand, he leads me into the kitchen where I begin taking out our breakfast from the Dialogue bag. Avo toasts and iced coffees. He begins when I'm sat down
"I got a job."
I choke on my coffee out of excitement, eyebrows raising
"Like- and acting job?"
He nods
"Mhmm."
I clap, squealing and throwing my arms around him
"Yes baby!"
He laughs with me, and accepts my kiss. I ask him
"When do you start? What part? What movie? I have so many questions."
He answers the first
"Two weeks."
My jaw drops
"So soon! How exciting."
He nods, and adds
"Yeah! It films in Helsinki."
I pause before I can bite my avo toast- Helsinki?
"Helsinki? As in Finland?"
He nods, I can see the excitement in his eyes, but my response is innately more selfish. He's leaving, in two weeks, to Helsinki, when we've only barely been together again for a month. I ask a follow up question before I get in my feelings about it
"For how long?"
"Ten weeks."
For ten weeks. I smile, mixing my coffee with my metal straw
"That's... that's amazing Ki. I'm so happy for you."
His hand raises, tucking my hair behind my ear
"I know you are. But if you're anything like me, which you are, I know you're kinda bummed too."
I nod, admitting
"Yeah. But it's nothing. You got a role Ki- it's exciting!"
He kisses my shoulder
"I'm sad about being apart too."
I add
"We just got back together..."
He agrees
"I know. I know baby."
After a moment of contemplative silence, he pokes my side
"Yee."
I roll my eyes, cracking a smile again. Turning to him, he tells me
"I have an idea."
I tilt my head, taking an emotional bite of my avo toast
"Hit me with it."
"Come with me," he suggests "to Helsinki."
I giggle, and here I was thinking he had come up with a serious solution
"I wish."
He pokes me again
"I'm serious. Come live with me in Helsinki for a couple months."
Oh... he is serious. I reach out, touching his face
"Oh baby... you know I can't."
I can see it set in, his eyes understanding. I can't go anywhere. I still have to film for another two months. I guess as sad as I am to be apart from him again after such little time, we have no choice. I drop my forehead against his, telling him
"It's okay. I'm sure ten weeks will go by fast. This is exciting baby."
He asks
"Come visit me?"
I hum, nodding
"Of course. Any excuse to come to Helsinki."
He laughs, and tickles me again. I slap at his hand. We'll make this work.

We spend every second outside of work together as it gets closer to the time when he has to leave for Helsinki, we may as well have moved in together. That time being tomorrow. We lay together in my bed, bodies fitted together as he hums to me. I love his singing, I don't know if I'll be able to fall asleep without it now. He kisses my shoulder, and pouts
"Please come Zi..."
I exhale
"Kian, I can't."
He rises up over me
"Why? You're the star, Zi. They'll work around you."
I shake my head
"No they won't. They're giving me a shot Kian and I'm not about to be entitled about it."
He looks over my face, shaking his head sadly
"I'm just going to miss you."
I reach up, hand against his face although I'm kind of annoyed at him
"I'll miss you Kian. But this is a big deal for me. Just like this role is for you. You don't see me telling you to put your career on hold for me."
He exhales heavily, moving to sit on the edge of the bed. Learnt forward with his elbows on his knees, rubbing his face
"You know I wasn't asking you to do that."
I raise up on my knees, staring at his back towards me
"It sure sounded like you were."
"-well I wasn't."
His tone is sharp, it cuts me. And like a snake, I retaliate
"Then please, Kian, what were you asking?"
"For my girlfriend to spend a romantic ten weeks away from me."
I scoff
"That's such a bullshit answer."
He stands in frustration
"Okay- forget I said anything."
I watch him as he moves around the room, pulling on one of his shirts I borrowed and never gave back with his grey track pants he was sleeping in. When he sits again to pull on his shoes, I question
"What are you doing?"
"Leaving."
I nod
"Yeah you are. Tomorrow. Not now."
He stands, again, throwing out his hands
"What do you want from me Zaya?"
I tell him
"I want you to get back in bed with me and have one last night together before you go to fucking Finland for ten weeks regardless of this argument or not."
"Oh really?"
"Yeah. Really."
Still annoyed, he kicks off his shoes and pulls off the shirt and joins me back in bed. Begrudgingly hugging me against him and falling asleep beside me.