Chapter 21: My Love for Her
"I love you—obviously, as a man, I'll do anything for you," I said, picking up a piece of stir-fried veggie with my chopsticks, popping it into my mouth slow and deliberate. I let the words hang there, chewing like it was no big deal, giving them space to sink in.
Aeri froze across from me, her spoon halfway to her lips, and I could see the pink flush creeping up her cheeks, fast and bright. Her heartbeat must've skipped—she blinked quick, her eyes darting away, then back, like she didn't know what to say. The air went thick for a second, the clatter of dishes fading into the background.
She tilted her head up, staring at the ceiling like it might give her an answer, then glanced at me. I kept my focus on my bowl, scooping up more rice, acting like I hadn't said anything to her. She swallowed hard, taking the spoon into her mouth slow, chewing as if it'd buy her time.
"So don't say stuff like that again," I said, keeping my tone light but firm, glancing at her with a half-smile. "No guilt trips, okay?"
"Hmm... I won't," she said, her voice soft, almost a whisper, nodding silently. Her blush hadn't faded, but she ducked her head back to her food, and we slipped into a quiet rhythm, finishing off the meal.
A few minutes later, the plates were empty, and we shuffled over to the couch, plopping down side by side. The TV flickered on, some goofy series she loved. Aeri settled in, her legs tucked under her, and started giggling at the screen, her voice brightening up.
"It's so funny, right, Ezra?" she said, nudging me with her elbow, her eyes sparkling as she glanced over.
"Yeah... it is—" I started, but my voice cut off, cracking mid-sentence. My head felt heavy—too heavy—and before I knew it, it dropped onto her shoulder, the weight of the night crashing down on me. My body gave out, exhaustion hitting like a truck, and I dozed off right there, slumping against her without even realizing it.
"Ezra...?" she asked, her voice soft, turning her head to look at me. I didn't answer—just slid further, my head slipping from her shoulder down to her lap, landing soft on her thighs. The warmth of her seeped through her one-piece, and I curled into it, too tired to move.