If It Gave Us Time

Yawning sleepily into her hand, Isla quirked a soft smile, her stare settled on Gerard’s face as his soft snores filled the air around the two of them. She knew that it was still early, the fact that Luna, who’d always been an early riser, had yet to knock on the bedroom door and ask if she was awake told her that it was still early without her needing to turn and look at the clock, but still she couldn’t bring herself to disturb to Gerard, even if she knew that Luna seeing him sneak out of her bedroom would raise questions. A small part of her wanted to keep him around for as long as possible.

He hadn’t intended to stay, once he’d walked her back up to her apartment the previous night, she knew that he’d intended to leave once he’d left her settled in her bed, but she had managed to convince him to stay, even if he had playfully tried to fight her. He had fallen asleep almost as soon as his head had hit the pillow.

Letting another yawn slip out of her mouth, she watched Gerard sleep for a few more seconds before the sound of a light tap against the bedroom door reached her ears, something which caused her to turn over, watching as Luna slipped into the room. “Hey” she breathed “It’s about time that you...” she trailed off as she looked up, her eyes landing on Gerard who stirred a little, letting out a quiet snuffle in his sleep.

Isla followed the line of her stare, letting out a soft laugh at the soft sound that Gerard made, before she turned back towards Luna, sparing her a sheepish smile.

Luna watched her for a second, her eyebrow arched, before she gestured towards the door, wordlessly asking Isla if they could talk outside.

Isla hesitated for a second before she nodded, carefully moving to sit up. placing her feet down on the floor, she grimaced as little as she felt the mattress shift before she turned around, sparing a brief glance at Gerard who hadn’t stirred. Letting out a small sigh of relief, she quickly shuffled back to her feet before she followed Luna out of the room, gently pulling the door closed behind her. “Luna...”

“Did you sleep with him?” Luna interrupted, her voice a rushed whisper.

Isla didn’t hesitate in shaking her head, her cheeks already flushing a bright shade of red. “No” she replied “I just...I got a bit carried away when we went out last night, and he bought me home. I think I pulled out the puppy eyes and convinced him to stay, but I didn’t...we didn’t...” she stumbled out.

Luna watched her for a moment, her eyes searching Isla’s, before she nodded her head slowly. “He seems to have been around a lot recently” she commented thoughtfully.

Isla’s face almost immediately lit up with a small bashful smile, something which caused Luna to tilt her head, a small grin of her own tugging at the corner of her mouth. “Oh my god” she breathed “You...”

“Luna” Isla warned, not wanting Luna to finish the end of her sentence. She knew that she was going to say, and whilst Gerard had been asleep when they’d ducked outside of the bedroom, she didn’t want to risk him overhearing the conversation, not wanting to run the risk of making things between them, things which had been better recently, awkward.

Luna merely grinned. “You do, though, don’t you?” she quipped, not even trying to keep the excitement out of her voice. It had been a long time, since Isla had broken up with her previous boyfriend, almost a year had passed, and Luna was excited by the idea of her finding someone new, even if she did want to see her be careful. The idea that Isla could have found someone who made her happy was something which Luna had been hoping for.

Isla opened and closed her mouth a couple of times, trying to think of something to say, before she let out a soft sigh, gently shrugging her shoulders. “I don’t know” she mumbled “I mean, there...there’s a lot to like about him. I mean, he’s a lot of fun to be around, he’s clever and easy to talk to, and that’s without mentioning...uh...how attractive he is, but it’s complicated. I think I do, but...uh...I don’t know” she stumbled out uncertainly.

Luna tilted her head. “Is it complicated?” she asked “I mean, I can’t pretend I know all about the history the two of you have, but I am honestly struggling to recall the last time I opened the front door and he wasn’t stood there. He’s always here, Isla, and when he is, you seem pretty happy about it. I’m not telling you to rush things, it’s never been your style, but maybe it’s not as complicated as you think it is. You like him, he clearly likes you...” she trailed off with a slightly nonchalant shrug.

She didn’t want to push Isla, without knowing precisely what had happened between them before, she didn’t want to force the issue if it was likely to make the blonde woman uncomfortable, but she did want to offer her a little encouragement, knowing that Gerard being around was something which appeared to make Isla happier.

Isla chewed on her lip slightly before she shook her head. “You think he...?” she trailed off.

Luna nodded. “Obviously” she quipped “I mean, why wouldn’t he like someone as amazing as you, Isla?” she pressed with a grin.

Isla scoffed, but smiled nevertheless, something which made Luna smile in return before she took a couple of steps backwards, gesturing over her shoulder with her thumb. “I’m going to get a start on breakfast” she mused “Will your ‘friend’ be joining us?” she added, cheekily emphasizing the word ‘friend’.

Isla glared at her for a second before she shrugged, shyly brushing her hair off of her face. “I’ll ask him” she mused.

Luan grinned, not missing Isla’s nervous tell, before she made her way up the hall, affording Isla the chance to turn back towards the bedroom door. Taking in a breath, she gently pushed it open before she stepped back inside, her blue eyes widening a fraction as they landed on Gerard who stood shirtless on the other side of the bed, stretching his arms above his head.

Swallowing a little, she watched him for a couple of seconds before she lightly cleared her throat, something which made Gerard turn around, a lazy smile quickly working its way onto his features. “You’re still here” he quipped.

“It’s my apartment” Isla replied “Why would I be the one who snuck out?” she added.

Gerard merely offered her another confident smile, something which made Isla shake her head, diverting her eyes to her feet. “What happened to your shirt?” she asked quietly.

Gerard, who’d moved to lay back down on the bed, shrugged lazily. “I took it off last night” he quipped “You don’t remember?” he added impishly.

Isla shook her head. “I don’t” she replied.

Gerard grinned at her, like an amusing thought had just crossed his mind, but whatever it was, he didn’t say it. “You have time for breakfast?” he asked.

Isla nodded. “Luna’s making some” she mused “You’re more than welcome to join us” she added before she stepped across the room, collecting a sweater from her dresser.

“Do you want me to join you?” Gerard asked impishly.

Isla, who was wrapping her jumper around her shoulder, shrugged. “I’m going to have breakfast either way” she mused “You can either come with me, or you can get dressed and get out of here. It’s up to you” she added before she made her way towards the door, stepping out of the room.

Gerard laughed to himself before he shuffled back to his feet, moving to pull his t-shirt back over his head before he followed after her, the fraction of the conversation that he’d overheard Isla and Luna having contributing to the wide grin which lit up his face. He hadn’t meant to listen in, when he’d woken up and gone to look for Isla, he hadn’t intended to eavesdrop, but he couldn’t deny that he was pleased to have heard it, even if Isla hadn’t been quite sure of her feelings. The idea that there was a chance that she felt something for him, something close to what he was almost certain that he felt for her, was something which made him happy.