I –

Irritated, (adj.): showing or feeling slight anger; annoyed.

Nora:

You were late for our third date as well, and I was contemplating walking out and never bothering with answering a text or call from you ever again. After another five minutes I got up and walked out of the restaurant my purse slung over my shoulder, before hailing a cab and giving the driver the address to my flat.

It was raining when I got home, and I was searching for my key when I suddenly saw a shadow move in my peripheral sight. My eyes shot up and I was about to scramble backwards until you stepped into the light, eyes slightly bloodshot and hands raised in surrender; "it's me, Nora."

            "What do you want?" I asked, pulling the key from my purse and walking past him to unlock my door.

            "I just want to explain why I did not meet you at the restaurant," you said, your voice tired and distraught. My arms were crossed as I turned to look at you, my eyebrows raised challengingly until I finally registered the look on your face. "My brother was in an accident," you said quietly, "it happened yesterday evening and I was so preoccupied with getting information and calling my grandmother and stuff like that I completely lost track of time and-"

I did not realize I had moved forwards and wrapped my arms around you before I suddenly felt your arms wrap tightly around my body, pulling me into a warm embrace.

You said nothing for a long time, and I knew you probably needed the hug; I found myself not wanting to step back, needing the hug almost as much as you did.

            "Sorry for jumping to conclusions," I whispered after a long while, starting to feel almost like you were comforting me more than I was comforting you.

            "Of course you jumped to conclusions," you said just as quietly as I had spoken;  "We have been to two dates, one that went really, really badly and one that was amazing... I at least thought it was amazing – and then I don't show up to our third date and I don't pick up the phone when you call, I-"

            "Let's just forget about it," I said pulling away from the hug enough to look into your handsome but tired face. "Do you want to come inside for a coffee or something? You look like you might need it."

            "I should head back to the hospital soon, but a coffee would be great."

            "How is your brother? Roman, was it?"

            "He's gone through two surgeries, and is stable, but they are unsure if he will have full mobility of his arm ever again." You looked down to the ground dejectedly and I reached forwards, taking your hand in mine unsurely before squeezing it gently. "Do you want to talk about it, or do you want to talk about something else? Or maybe not talk at all? I can-"

            "Thank you," you interrupted me, a small smile curling at your lips. "My brother competes in motorsports for a living - I'm not sure I told you that earlier, but either way, he was in an accident and crashed into the ground after a jump and the motorcycle landed on top of him. If he looses any mobility he won't ever be able to do it again, and I think that it what scares me the most; because he truly loves what he does."

            "I'm sorry," I said, unsure of how to make this any easier for you. "From what you have told me about your brother he sounds like a lovely man, and also someone who will fight his way back into the game should he have to."

You nodded, and settled on the couch as I went to make some coffee. A couple of minutes later I walked back into the living room stopping momentarily as I saw you; your head resting on the back of the couch and arms resting on your lap, your eyes closed and breath level as you slept soundly.

A vibrating sound roused me from my thoughts and I hurried over to pick up your phone from the table before it could wake you. Looking down at the screen I hesitated a little as 'Grammy' flashed up at me, before taking one last look at your tired eyes and deciding not to wake you up. Quietly making my way into the kitchen I answered the phone and held it up to my ear, quickly introducing myself before the caller could say anything.

            "Uh... Is Noah with you?" The woman spoke softly, and I quietly explained that he had showed up on my doorstep to explain why he had not showed up at the date we were supposed to have before telling her that he had fallen asleep on my couch while I made coffee.

            "Do you want me to wake him?" I asked timidly, I am sure he would like to know whatever you were going to tell him.

            "No, no," said the woman, who I by now knew were his Grandmother Elise. "If it is ok with you, he can just get some sleep – poor boy has been awake for almost two days straight and was such a mess when he ran out of here earlier. I guess that was because he realized he had forgotten about your date?"

            "Of course," I answered, "that will be no problem at all, and I wouldn't know – I found him on my doorstep when I got home."

            "So this has not ruined anything between you?" Elise asked softly, and I glanced through the doorway to the living room where you were still sleeping soundly.

            "Of course not," I said, "I have to admit being irritated and ready to never hear from him again but of course not. I would never do that after knowing the reason behind his absence."

            "Good." I could clearly hear the relief in her voice; "Noah has not told me of you yet, but I know that for him to rush out of here and go to you under the circumstances you must be quite important to him. I look forwards to meeting you Nora."

            "Uh.. You too?" I more asked than answered as even if I was not ready to give up on this I did not know where we were headed yet. "Is there anything you want me to tell Noah when he wakes up?"

            "Tell him Roman is awake, and that everything seems to be going all right. Make him eat some food too if you can, before he comes back. You are more than welcome to join him of course."

            "I will tell him," I promised, choosing not to answer the last part. We said our goodbyes after that, and I hung up, placing your phone back on the table in front of you before grabbing a blanket and carefully draping it over your sleeping form. After that was done, I settled down on the other side of the couch, laptop on my lap and cup of coffee in hand as I plugged in my head set and browsed to Netflix for something to watch. I did not want to go to sleep and leave you down here alone I realized, afraid that you would get upset with me for not waking you and leaving without letting me explain. After a while, I placed my lap on the table resting my calves on the edge of the table as well as I alternated watching the screen of my Mac and over at you.

At some point you moved slightly, and suddenly you were sliding down onto your side, your head awkwardly landing almost on my lap but not quite. You moved slightly, a frown on your face until you managed to move yourself until your head was completely on top of my lap and your feet lifted onto the couch. You sighed softly and then calmed down again, your face once again devoid of any motion as you continued sleeping.

Biting my lower lip I first tried to slide out from underneath you but quickly gave up as you groaned and one of your hands clasped hold of my knee. Sighing I reached for the blanket that was now barely covering you and lifted it as best I could until it was covering most of your body.

I managed to close down Netflix and close my Mac and then leaned my head back onto the sofa, assuming the same position you had had earlier. Slowly I placed one of my hands on top of your shoulder, figuring that was the best way to sleep.

*            *            *

When I woke up early the next morning you were still sleeping, your breath even as one of your hands clutched my knee. One of my arms were partly wrapped around your shoulder and chest, my fingers brushing against your own – while the fingers of my other hand had found their way into your hair.

Slowly I retracted my hands, but my movements must have woken you up because I felt your whole body stiffen and after a moment you shot up from your position and stared at me with wide eyes; "I... What..." your words trailed off as you realized the sun was up and shining outside of the window and you sprang to your feet in a frenzy, your hands searching for your phone in your pockets.

            "Your phone is on the table," I said calmly, slowly getting to my feet and stretching away some kinks I had acquired during the night. "You fell asleep while I was making coffee and your phone rang when I came back so I answered it instead of waking you up because you looked really tired." My rambling was stopped by your sharp stare, and I lowered my eyes to the floor; "I talked to your grandmother and asked her if she wanted me to wake you, but she told me to let you sleep and that I should just tell you that Roman has woken up and everything seems to be fine; when you woke up again."

Worrying my lower lip I continued to stare at the floor as if it was holding all the answers to every question in the world, "she asked me to make sure you got something to eat before you left, but I am not going to keep you to that, you should just grab something to eat when you get to the hospital. I... Eh... I'm going to go and get a shower, but feel free to get yourself anything you want from the kitchen, there are apples and coffee and- Yeah... anything you want. Just let yourself out when you wish..." My voice trailed off pathetically and I scorned myself silently for not even daring to stand my ground and speak up about the decision I had made yesterday.

Turning with a nod I started to make my way towards the bathroom when your warm hand enclosed around my own and I was drawn back into your chest.

            "Thank you," you said simply, and I was almost sure I could hear a smile in your voice. "Sorry for jumping up like that, I was just a little bit surprised at waking up in your lap."

I barely heard what you said, too preoccupied with the steady beat of your heart that I could feel thudding against my ear as I rested my head on your chest.

            "If breakfast is still on the table I would love some," you continued, "but please do not feel forced into it, I can simply buy something on the way to the hospital."

            "No, no!" I said hurriedly, pulling away from you and all ready starting on my way to the kitchen. "I can make breakfast."

Once again I was stopped by your hand, but this time you did not pull me completely into a hug, merely close enough so that I would have to look at you, "weren't you just on your way to the shower?"

            "Uhh-"

            "Go on," you grinned handsomely, "I can wait."

            "Do you want a shower?"

I smacked my hands over my mouth as soon as the words were out, my eyes horrified as I looked at you; "No! I didn't mean it like that! I meant, if you want a shower after have finished you are more than welcome to borrow a towel and stuff! Oh God... Ok, you think on that and I will just... I am going to go."

I could hear you laugh as I walked, and when I got back downstairs 15 minutes later with wet hair and fresh clothes you were reading the newspaper at my kitchen table, looking as if you truly belonged in my small apartment.

            "I made coffee," you said, looking up at me with a smile. "Is that offer for a shower still up? I have stayed at the hospital pretty much for two days so a shower would feel nice."

            "Of course," I said, nodding my head a little too vigorously; "towels are in the corner cabinet. I do have some clean men's t-shirts and sweatpants you can borrow if you want, they are a bit old, but-"

I stopped as you looked at me with a raised eyebrow, and I quickly scrambled to tell you they were a combination off my dad's and my friend that sometimes spent the night if he had a night shift and could not get home – "he's gay." I finished with, my face already beetroot red, "my friend I mean, not my dad."

You took it all in stride, only smiling slightly at my flushed face before nodding your head and brushing past me as you walked towards the bathroom. I walked after you with my head hanging low, embarrassment burning through me. Good lord, I must seem like a fourteen year old girl that has never interacted with a man in my whole life!

            "No, you seem like a woman who wants to make sure that the guy you are dating does not think you are dating someone else at the same time," you said as you glanced at me, a smile stretching across your face, "I found it quite endearing actually."

A squeak left my mouth as I realized you were answering something I thought I had said only inside my head, and my face burned once again. Your quiet chuckle had me glancing at you as you stopped near the bathroom and I veered off into my room, quickly collecting a pair of sweatpants and two different t-shirts so that you could choose for yourself, which one you wanted – if you wanted them at all.

Practically thrusting the clothes into your hands I sprinted down the stairs again, set on having the breakfast ready when you came back down. I failed at being completely ready; but the scrambled eggs were done, and the buns I had warmed in the oven were just about ready to be put on the table as you came walking into the kitchen again, a small smile on your face as you scratched the back of your neck. I glanced up at you but lost all my words as I saw how snugly the black v-neck t-shirt fit your torso. It practically looked like the t-shirt was giving you a tight hug, and most of your muscles could easily be seen as you slowly moved towards me.

            "The shirt is a little snug, but was bigger than the white one – the sweatpants were too short, so I just used my jeans."

I did not answer at once, a little preoccupied with staring at your muscles as you walked behind me and reached up for two plates from the cupboard before placing them on the table. You truly looked like you lived here, and I could not say I minded one bit.

            "Uh... Nora?"

That snapped me out of my staring contest with your pectoral muscles and my eyes snapped up to yours, a blush threatening to spill onto my cheeks as I offered you a small smile and retrieved the buns from the oven before setting them on the table.

            "Milk?" I asked timidly, and you held your glass forwards as I poured.

            "I could get used to this," you said as you sat your glass down, a warm look in your eyes as they met mine. "Sorry for intruding yesterday and this morning, but I am still glad I did, almost as if we got to have the date after all."

            "You didn't," I shrugged, feeling more comfortable now, "and yeah, it was really nice actually, despite you falling asleep after only ten minutes talking to me."

You laughed quietly, and then offered to do the dishes, as I had made the breakfast. "Sorry," you said suddenly, almost looking embarrassed; "I don't mean to make myself such at home."

            "I don't mind," I replied – shrugging my shoulders lightly. "Honestly, if you want to do the dishes feel free, I do not mind at all. I will even dry the plates."

We finished the breakfast while talking quietly, and as promised you started removing things from the table and putting it away in their respective places before putting the plates and glasses into the sink that I already had filled with water. We worked in silence, you washing, and I drying and putting away.

            "I should go see my brother," you said and I nodded my head, almost wanting to come with you because this morning had been so great. You seemed to think the same because a moment later you said; "I would ask you to come, but it might be a little too soon? I don't know, what do you think?"

I smiled and looked to the floor, biting my lip because you seemed just as reluctant to leave, as I was reluctant to let you go. "I think maybe it is too soon, though your grandmother said the same when I talked to her. If I am ever meeting your family, I would rather it not be in a hospital."

            "Oh, you are meeting them – I can tell you that straight away," you sounded so confident as you stepped forwards, a smile tugging at your lips. "Thank you for letting me sleep here tonight, and for the lovely breakfast."

I smiled and looked up at you just in time to see you lean forwards a little until your cheek was against mine; "I will call you later," you said softly, and then you pressed your lips to my cheek, making warmth course through me.

You looked at me closely as you pulled back, no doubt to check if I was all right with the kiss, and whatever you saw must have assured you because you leaned back in and pressed another kiss to my cheek before you winked at me and walked out the door - leatherjacket slung onto your shoulder and the black t-shirt clinging to your body as you moved – making my eyes focus on your back for way too long.