His words shocked me. Not in an angry way, but in a 'what the fuck?' way.

"How?" was my first question.

I didn't understand how he found him. I didn't even know his name. He was just a random stranger passing by. Something in my heart and stomach warmed as I realized that he must've went through a lot of trouble to find him, and hurt him the same way he hurt me.

Being around Nico feels like being around a guardian angel. He always looks after me, takes care of me. And knowing he was willing to find somebody that hurt me, told me that he never would.

I hope.

"I paid for the security footage," he told me. "But that's not all."

I was staring at him and listening intensively, but my heart sank a little seeing his red and purple knuckles. I reached my hand across the car and touched his hand carefully, to not hurt him or mess up his driving, "You're bleeding, Nico."

"It's okay. Don't worry," he tried to make me feel better even though he was the one that was hurt.

I removed my hand and sat back in my seat. He continued, "Beat the shit out of that creepy trainer in a bar bathroom, and also showed up to that guys' work that hurt you at that party."

"You did?" I said quietly, nearly in shock.

He nodded, taking a quick look at me before looking back out at the road.

"Why?" I asked him.

"Because you're sweet Elle, you're kind. You'd never hurt anybody, and nobody should be able to hurt you without consequences," he spoke matter-of-factly. "I won't let it happen."

He pulled into his driveway, and my hand went to my seatbelt. We stepped outside together, and I still took in everything he just told me.

Once we were inside, I wanted to make sure he was okay before I started asking more questions. I grabbed onto his wrist and started to pull him upstairs, "Let me clean your knuckles."

He removed his hand from my grip, and it made me upset for a moment before he kneeled down in front of me. He told me, "Take your shoes off first - I know you'll trip on the stairs."

I lifted each of my feet up, and he took my shoes off before standing back up to his full height. He allowed for me to guide him up the stairs this time, and I told him to go into the bathroom once we reached his bedroom.

I pulled my dress off and replaced it with one of his oversized t-shirts. I entered the bathroom after and started looking through his cupboards for band-aids and a rag to wet.

"You don't need to do this, Elle," he told me. "I'll be fine."

"If it were reversed, would you help me?"

"Of course," he replied instantly.

"Exactly."

I ran the rag under cold water that came from the sink. I sat up on the counter and had him put his hand in my lap while I pressed the rag against it.

While I let the water clean it, I asked, "You really did that for me?"

He nodded, "And I'd do more."

My eyes moved up to meet his for a moment, and the look he was giving me made my stomach fill with butterflies. I removed the cloth and carefully put the band-aid on his knuckles, and even after it was on, we both stayed exactly where we were.

He put one of his arms around my back, and he pulled me closer to him, making my butt slide to the end of the counter. His head hung low into the crook of my neck, and his breath hit my skin as he whispered, "I'm sorry. I should've controlled my anger."

"It's okay," my hands ran through his hair as he leaned into me. "He deserved it."

He lifted his head up, and was staring down at me with a smile. He nodded, "Good. Because I'm not sorry."

I laughed, and he put his hands on my knees. He asked, "Want your hair up?"

I nodded and he grabbed an elastic off of the counter. He collected my hair in his hands, staring into my eyes as he did so. Once he had it all, he tied it, but he only tied it twice. I tie it three times, but I knew that he didn't want to do it too tight.

"Can you pass me my makeup wipes?" I asked him, gesturing to my small black bag on the counter.

He went through it until he found the white wipes. He held two in his hands while he walked back over to me, and I went to hold my hand out to take them from him, but he lowered my hands. He held the wipes in his hands while he removed my makeup, running it across my skin gently.

"Close your eyes," he told me.

I shut them, and he started to rub off my eyeliner and mascara. He could've pressed harder and it still wouldn't have hurt, but I didn't correct him.

I opened my eyes once he moved it back to my forehead, doing one more swipe before being satisfied. He tossed the wipes into the garbage and picked up the travel-sized bottle of face wash that I had in there.

When he started to put a pump onto his hand to wash my face, I told him, "You don't have to do that, Nico. I can do it myself."

"Shhh," he cut me off while putting it onto my cheeks and rubbing it in circles. "You helped me, so now I'll help you. You can just sit there and relax."

"I helped you because I care about you," I told him.

"And I care about you. So I'm helping you."

His fingertips moved in circles around my face as I felt the foam form.

"I have work in the morning," I told him while he washed my face.

"I'll drive you."

"Can we train tomorrow?"

"Sure."

He grabbed a cloth and wet it, removing the foam from my face. He grabbed a clean and dry one to pat the wet skin, and then once he was done, he put all of the rags on the counter.

"Movie before bed?" I suggested.

He nodded, and I went to jump off of the counter, but he stopped me. He lifted me up, making my legs go around his waist and my head rest on his shoulder. I spoke through a laugh, "It's five steps, you don't need to carry me."

"I wanna make you something to eat first," he said, and I noticed we were walking towards the stairs.

My legs were tightly around his waist, and my arms were tightly around his neck. As we started walking down the stairs, Nico put one of his hands on my head to stop it from bouncing from the steps.

Once we were in his kitchen, he set me down on the counter.

I watched him as he pulled stuff out of the fridge, and I smiled to myself seeing that he still had the heart drawn on his hand. It was fading, and would probably be gone tomorrow, but it still warmed my heart to see it.

"How hungry are you?" he asked me. "On a scale from 1 to 10."

"6," I told him.

"Okay. Then I'll cook like it's an 8," he said while pulling some pans out. "Are you allergic to anything?"

"Nope. Are you?"

"No. But I'm lactose intolerant," he said, making my eyes widen.

I jumped down from the counter, and moved to be between him and the stove so that he had to look at my shocked expression. I said, "But I've seen you eat ice cream?"

"Mhm. Did that to make you happy, sweetheart," he said while kissing my hairline. "Now move, you need to eat."

I felt bad that I made him eat ice cream, but his words made my heart warm.

I crossed my arms at him, "Make me."

He picked me up with ease, and set me back on the counter where he had originally put me. I made a 'pffft' noise, "I let you do that."

"I'm sure you did," he smirked over his shoulder.

"Why didn't you put me beside the stove?" I asked, because then I'd be able to see his face.

"I don't want the oil in the pan to jump and burn you," he said while placing the chicken down.

While the chicken cooked, he turned and walked over to me. He used both of his hands to cup my face, and asked, "Are we painting the day after tomorrow?"

"Mhm," I hummed. "You better be there on time."

He turned around to flip the sizzling chicken.

He looked at me over his shoulder, "Don't worry. I will be."

---------

"Nico, I'm gonna be late," I laughed as I tried to open my car door that he had locked.

He let out a sigh once it hit 11:59 am. He unlocked it and mumbled, "Fine."

I leaned across the seat and kissed his cheek quickly before picking up the coffee that I had in the cupholder.

He asked, "What time should I be here to pick you up at?"

"We close at 3 today, but I'm gonna go home to eat before we train," I told him. "I'll use Romeos' car and meet you there at 4?"

"Okay," he said as the clock hit 12:00 pm.

I pushed my door open, and shut it behind me. While I jogged to the door, Nico rolled down the window and yelled, "Make sure you eat enough!"

"I will!" I yelled back before opening the door.

I entered, my warm skin being met with the air conditioning. My grandma smiled at me, "Hi, Elle."

"Hi!" I said cheerfully, going behind the cash register.

I stood there, a huge smile on my face. I tried to remove it, but it was stuck there as if it were a tattoo.

I spent my entire shift smiling, and it was all because of a guy with black hair and beautiful dark green eyes.

Once my shift was done, my grandma dropped me off at home.

Thankfully, Romeo was cooking something, so I'd be able to get to Nico quickly. I took a seat on the kitchen counter, and I heard Rios' footsteps come down the stairs.

He sat beside me and looked at what Romeo was cooking on the stove, "Family lunch?"

I nodded, "Guess so."

"You guys are lucky I can cook," Romeo shook his head. "You two would starve to death without me."

Nico wouldn't let me.

Once the food was done, Romeo made three plates. We all sat and ate together, but it mostly just included Rio complaining about how much better at video games he is than his friends and that his friends always make him lose.

We finished eating, and I stood up to do the dishes, but Romeo stopped me, "I can do it."

"Are you sure?"

He nodded, putting the plates into the sink. I asked him, "Can I take your car? I'm going to do self-defense with Nico."

"Sure," Romeo replied, but the sound Rio was making made both of us turn around to look at him.

Rio turned his back to us and wrapped his arms around himself while moving his hands up and down to make it look like it was somebody else. He made fake kissing sounds and in between them, he mocked me, "Kiss me, Cross."

I threw the water bottle that was on the table at his back, "Shut up!"

He turned around and laughed. He was going to throw it back at me, but Romeo gave him a 'don't' look, making him put it back down.

I laughed as I picked up Romeos' keys. As I opened the front door, I yelled to them, "Love you guys!"

"Love you, too," Romeo said at the same time Rio said, "Ew."

I got into Romeos' car and drove, a smile on my face the entire time that I did so.

----------

"Get off me, Nico," I laughed, and he smiled while he stared down at me.

We were sparing, and he now had me trapped underneath him. He kissed my lips quickly before standing up and helping me to my feet.

"Try and hit me," he said.

I threw my fist at his chest, but he quickly grabbed it and pinned my arms behind my back. I tried to get out of grip, squirming for a few moments before realizing that I couldn't.

"Ow," I tried the same trick I used at our first session.

"Not falling for that again," his voice said huskily in my ear.

"I'm serious, Nico," I lied. "You're hurting me."

He released me instantly, turning me around with worry filling his face. I stuck my tongue out at him and took a few steps back from him while laughing, and he rolled his eyes once he realized I was fine.

"If that were a real situation, kick your leg back into his balls," he told me before picking up his water bottle and taking a sip.

"Can't I practice on you?" I smiled, and he cringed while thinking about it. "Come on, Nico."

I started walking towards him, so he started taking steps back. I started running after him, making him start to run to his office.

"Come on, Nico! It's what a good self-defense teacher would do!" I laughed while chasing after him.

He got to his office and tried to open it, but swore once he realized it was locked and his key was in his bag.

I went up to him and jumped up, kissing his cheek instead of hitting his balls. I poked his cheek, "I'm just kidding, I wouldn't do that."

He leaned down to kiss my cheek so that we were now even. He asked, "Wanna get some ice cream?"

"No, you're lactose intolerant, so we'll go get some coffee instead. But I'll have to meet you there since I brought Romeos' car."

I waited for him in the hallway while he went back to get his bag. A door beside me opened, and Sin stepped out.

"Elle! Haven't seen you in forever," he smiled. "What are you doing here?"

"Nico was teaching me," I told him, and Nico entered the hallway at that exact moment as if he had been summoned.

Sin looked at Nico, "You training her again?"

"And dating," Nico said, stopping once he was beside me.

Sins eyes widened, "Wow. Congrats, guys. Why'd it sound like you guys were running in here?"

"Nico wouldn't let me kick him in the balls," I said while turning and looking at him.

Sin looked at Nico and opened his mouth to say something, but Nico cut him off, "Don't teach her anything about how she could, she's literally insane and would do it."

An alarm went off from Sins' phone, but he turned it off quickly. He smiled at us, "Got a client now, I'll see you guys around."

I waved goodbye to him before starting to walk outside, laughing to myself over Nicos' words.

I was still laughing as I stepped outside. I looked down at my keys, pressing the unlock button before looking up. Nico followed close behind me, probably to make sure that I didn't fall.

I froze in my tracks, my heart feeling like it stopped beating as I stared in front of me.

My mom stood in front of my car with crossed arms. She had a slightly angry expression on her face, and her eyes moved from Nico, to me, to Nico, to me.

She questioned me, "What the hell are you doing here, and who the hell is this?"