Au Pair ✔

capítulo número treinta y cinco ; el futuro

He nodded, manoeuvring himself around the kitchen quietly.

Toby ran into the living room and meowed at my feet desperately. I grinned, lifting her into my lap and cuddled her to my side.

"Hey, girl!" I cooed, petting her little body gently, "How are you? Did you miss me?"

She licked my hands, purring loudly as she burrowed her little head against my body and I grinned.

"Did Luca spoil you while I was gone?"

Just in cue, Luca walked in holding a glass of water and my medication in his other hand. "Killian fed her while I was in Florida with you."

I smiled, still caressing her furry little body. "Thank him for me, please?"

He nodded, handing me the cup and pills. Toby jumped into his lap and he smiled, letting her lick his hands and fingers.

I raised an eyebrow, watching as she cuddled up in his lap and shook my head. "I leave her for a little and now she's trying to steal my man."

Luca let out a quiet chuckle, resting an arm over my shoulders and looked down at Toby quietly. There was so much he wanted to say, I knew it, but I didn't know how to exactly bring it up or if I wanted to hear anything he had to say.

I felt like I was holding my sanity in by a thread. I didn't want it to snap and bring up unwanted thoughts into my mind.

He seemed to realise it and didn't say anything about what was in his mind. Eventually I would talk about my fücked up family and answer any of his questions, but now that I was back home, surrounded by familiarity, I wanted to enjoy that.

"I bought her a litter box and food, so, that she can stay, if you still want to live with me." Luca broke the silence first. His voice was awkward, almost distant; formal.

"Thank you," I whispered, looking down at my fingers and forced a smile. "It looks like she likes it here."

He nodded, his eyes shifting down to the feline in his lap and I watched as his jaw muscles ticked in annoyance.

Now that we were alone, in an extremely familiar setting, I felt like I was with a stranger.

~*~

While Luca worked on the kitchen table, I cuddled with Toby and watched TV silently. I had fallen asleep on the couch and Luca must've moved me to the bedroom sometime during the night.

I woke up around 3 in the morning alone and in the dark. The bathroom light was on, but the door was partially closed, so it didn't have much effect in calming me.

His side of the bed was cold, unwrinkled. He hadn't slept with me.

My chest began to constrict, the familiar feeling of a panic attack settling in my stomach as I stood up and tried to control my breathing.

I rushed out of the room and abruptly stopped in the middle of the hallway, staring at Luca on the couch.

He was awake with his hands holding his head in a defeat position. His shoulders trembled and I frowned, trying to figure out what he was doing.

His breath was shaky, uneven and forced.

My panic attack immediately stopped as my heart dropped to the bottom of my stomach.

He was crying.

I quickly walked toward him, almost tripping over my own feet as I knelt in front of him.

"Luca?" I slowly pulled his hands away from his face and bit my bottom lip.

His eyes were bloodshot red, his nose a lighter pink colour and tears drenched his face.