♦ ♦

Elle told me she loves me last night.

I would've thought that it was just a dream if her repeating it wasn't the first thing she said when she woke up.

I can't even explain the fucking way I feel when she says it. I feel like everything in my life has been worth it, I feel like my life is worth living, I feel like I have something so important to me that the thought of no longer having it tears my heart in two.

I now feel like my life has purpose. And that purpose is Elle goddamn Russo.

"Like it?" I asked her as I watched her sip the coffee that I made her. She ate all of her breakfast, even though it wasn't really the morning anymore, which made me happier than she could ever know.

She nodded and smiled, tucking one of the strands of hair framing her face out of her ponytail behind her ear.

Last night, I didn't push her. I didn't ask her any questions about what happened, I didn't want to overwhelm her. All I cared about was the fact that she was okay now, and she needed rest.

"Nico?" she said quietly, making me hum in response.

Her mouth hung open for a moment before words came out, "I think I'm ready to tell you now."

"Are you sure?" I spoke softly, trying to show her that she really didn't need to if she didn't feel ready. But she nodded.

She twisted her torso to put the cup of coffee on her nightstand and turned her body to face mine on the bed. I was fully dressed, but she was still in her pajamas. Which was fine, because she should spend the entire day resting, and because her shorts give one hell of a view.

I listened to her as she told me the story. I didn't interrupt once, and didn't pressure her when she had to take moments to breathe before continuing.

While listening to her, I gripped the bedsheet beneath me. My blood boiled hearing her be scared, but it boiled even more knowing what could've happened.

"I'm so sorry, Elle," I spoke genuinely. "I'm so sorry that I wasn't at the parlor."

"So, where were you?" she asked me gently. I was expecting her to sound a little angry since I had made it seem like I would be there, but I wasn't.

Guilt filled my stomach. I lied to her - I wasn't there.

But that's because I was doing something else.

"Stay here," I told her.

I pushed myself up, off of the bed. I quickly went downstairs to grab it, and I kept it behind my back while I entered the bedroom again.

Her big brown eyes looked me up and down, a curious expression on her face. I put the light brown bear that I knitted for her yesterday in front of me. It wasn't the best at all. The stitching was messed up in some places, and the eyes weren't even. They were fuckin' lopsided.

But she jumped up and gasped like it was the best thing she has ever seen. She asked in disbelief, "You made that for me?"

"Yea. I was at home knitting it. I'm so sorry that I wasn't-"

She cut me off by grabbing the bear from me with the widest smile ever. She held it out in front of her, "I love it! It's going to be a girl, okay?"

"Okay," I nodded, a smile reaching my face once I saw how happy she was. "And what are you gonna name her?"

She studied the shittily knitted bear. She beamed, "Banana."

"Banana?" my eyebrows went up.

She nodded, "It came into my brain, so I'm not going to question it, and will trust the universe."

I chuckled and watched her sit back down on the bed. She sighed and set the bear down on her pillow, "You really have to go to work?"

"Mhm. I'm sorry, baby. I wish I didn't have to," I said before leaning down and pressing a kiss against her forehead. "But you need to stay home and rest, okay? Your grandparents are talking with the police today regarding the robbery, so you don't have to."

"Can't I come with you?" she looked up at me, and I shook my head no. "Please?"

Fuck.

As per usual, her sweet voice tugged on my heartstrings. I hesitantly nodded, "Fine. But you'll sleep in the back room if you get tired, okay?"

"Okay," she nodded in agreement.

I leaned against the doorframe, waiting for her as she got changed. She likes dresses. And I like fucking seeing her in them.

She put a flowy black one on that went to her mid-thighs, and put her brown hair in a french braid. I have no idea how she does that shit.

I watched her the entire time. She was just humming, looking in the mirror as she braided. But it was one of the most beautiful things I've ever watched in my entire life.

"Okay! I no longer look like a piece of shit. Lets go," she said cheerfully, poking my cheek with her index finger as she walked past me.

I grunted like I didn't enjoy it, even though it made my stomach warm.

"I hope banana doesn't miss us too much," she said as I started to drive the car.

"Banana has lopsided eyes," I replied.

Elle smacking my chest made me mutter an 'ow' even though it didn't hurt and turn to look at her for a moment. She shook her head, "Don't say that about her."

I grabbed onto her hand, squeezing it in the air before letting it rest against her leg. I would've stopped and gotten her an iced coffee if she didn't just have a hot one at home.

The tattoo I'm doing today shouldn't be too long, only about an hour. But after, I had a surprise that I thought would really cheer Elle up, even though she seems like her usual bright self.

Romeo and Rio are coming over at 6 for dinner. Elle's grandparents told them about what happened, which I didn't know until I called them this morning. Romeo was worried sick, and Rio was in the background asking me if I play COD.

They agreed to come for dinner. I thought Elle would appreciate being around them after yesterday.

Nothing like that will ever happen to her again.

"Do you know what you're tattooing?" she asked as I parked in my reserved spot.

"Mhm. It's just a wrist tattoo," I told her while we got out.

Sin hadn't been there today, so I had to flip the sign and turn the lights on. I was expecting Elle to go straight for the back room, but when I saw her pull up a chair beside where I sit, a smile slowly spread across my face.

She looked at the clock while I started to get everything for the tattoo ready. She asked, "What time are they coming in at?"

"2," I told her. She slept in really late, which was completely fine. She needed rest.

She nodded. I put my hand on the top of her back before sitting down, my hand running down her back as I did so.

"So," she spoke up, nudging my leg with hers, making me do the same thing back to her. "When do you think you can give Rio his tattoo?"

I thought for a second. A picture of my schedule flashed in my head as I replied, "In three days. You know what he's getting yet?"

"Mhm," she hummed. "And I love it."

I nodded. That's all I needed to hear.

My hand ran up and down Elle's warm leg as I waited for the client to show. 2:00 pm hit, and they weren't here yet, so I waited until 2:05 pm. I pulled my phone out and sent them a text, asking if they were still coming.

At 2:09 pm, they responded, "So sorry - have to cancel."

I rolled my eyes. I understand shit comes up, but it's so fuckin' annoying that they couldn't have just texted me before I drove my ass here.

"What's wrong?" Elle asked me, but then started to smirk. "Did I almost catch you on Grindr?"

"On what?" my eyebrows lowered, but I shook my head seeing her facial expression. "Never mind, I don't want to know."

"The client canceled," I told her as she used her leg to push herself from left to right in the chair.

She shrugged and asked, "So, do we just go back home then?"

I opened my mouth to say yes, but then stopped myself. I've been thinking about doing something for the past couple of days, but I think that I'm finally gonna do it.

"I just want to do something first," I told her, and she nodded.

I put my hand out in front of me, and sanitized it quickly. Elle's eyebrows tugged together as she watched me do this, and then the sound of the tattoo gun turned on.

"What are you doing?!" she asked me as the ink hit my skin.

The corners of my mouth turned up slightly as I told her, "Just watch."

I knew what I was tattooing. I was tattooing a heart, the exact way that she had drawn on my hand. I could tell her that, but I'd rather it be a surprise until I'm done.

As I tattooed myself, Elle watched. She kept looking at it, and then me, with an 'I can't wait to see what it is' expression, but there was also a hint of a 'what the fuck are you doing?' expression.

Her phone slipped out from between her legs, landing on the floor between her feet. She swore under her breath and bent down to pick it up, so I stopped tattooing for a second. I used my hand to cover the corner of the table, in case she hit her head on it while coming back up.

Once she was sitting back up, uninjured, I resumed my tattoo.

The ink covered the bare part of my hand, replicating the heart she had drawn perfectly. Once she pieced together what it was, the sweetest smile formed on her face.

"I love you so much, Nico," her voice raised an octave. "I'd hug you so tightly right now if I didn't want to mess you up."

I kissed her cheek quickly, hearing those fucking words making me feel weak.

It didn't take long for the tattoo to be done. I did the appropriate aftercare once I was done, making sure that the tattoo was covered with plastic wrap.

I stared down at it as I stood in the middle of the room. I suddenly was met with Elle's body jumping on mine, her legs wrapping around my waist and her arms wrapping around my neck.

"I love it and you," she said in my ear.

I pressed a kiss against her neck before replying, "I love you so fucking much, Elle."

I set her down after, and held onto her hand as we exited.

It was 3:00 pm now, and I had to put the food in by 4 if I wanted it to be done at 6.

Once we got home, Elle went upstairs to change into more comfortable clothing. I started to grab all of the food out of the fridge, careful not to hit my tattoo on anything.

I turned the oven on to pre-heat it. I rinsed all of the food first, not wanting Elle to get sick.

Once I heard her footsteps coming down the stairs, I paused what I was doing to listen carefully in case she tripped. I relaxed once I heard her reach the bottom and resumed what I was doing.

"Why are you putting so much food in?" she asked me as I heard her jump up on the counter.

"I invited Rio and Romeo over for dinner tonight," I told her.

My back was still turned to her, but I heard her feet hit the floor, making me turn around. She was smiling, "Really?"

"Really," I confirmed.

"You're the best, Nico," she said as she hugged my back once I turned around to put the food in the oven.

I nearly laughed at her calling me the best. Even though I treat Elle like a fucking princess, which is what she deserves, I'm hardly the best. Elle deserves somebody that's so good that it's impossible for somebody worthy to even exist on this earth.

Elle helped me cook. I taught her how to not burn food, and ignored when she hit my ass with one of the dishrags, but only because I was going to do it back to her later, only harder.

The doorbell echoed through the house as I put the food on the plates. Elle grabbed my arm with a smile and tugged me away from it, "Come on!"

I followed her to the front door, even though I didn't really have a choice, since she was dragging me.

She only released my arm to open the door. Romeo and Rio stood here, and Elle greeted them with a cheerful, "Hey, idiots!"

Elle held her arms out to hug Rio since he was closer. Rio took a step forward, but then walked past her, and gave me a bro handshake.

"Loser," Elle muttered as she hugged Romeo.

I was about to whisper to Rio and tell him to hug his sister or else I'd kick his ass, but then he went and hugged her all on his own.

"What smells so fucking good?" Rio asked as he walked further into the house as if he lived here.

"I should've known that would be the first thing out of your mouth," Elle teased him as we all entered the kitchen.

Rio shrugged, "Smells like Cross can cook, unlike you."

"I can cook!" Elle crossed her arms. "Just ask Nico, I make the best pancakes."

I choked on my spit, making Rio laugh and Elle narrow her eyes at me.

I quickly cleared my throat and lied, "Yea, Elle is the best at cooking."

"Uh-huh," Rio replied.

I put all of the food on the plates, filling all 4. I set them down at the dining table, sitting beside Elle and across from Rio.

The dinner went way fucking better than I was expecting. Rio even made me laugh a couple of times. I could tell that being around her brothers brightened her day, which was all that I hoped for.

They ended up staying for three hours, and the only reason they left was because Romeo had work in the morning.

"Did you have fun?" I asked Elle as we now stood alone in the kitchen.

I washed the dishes, and Elle dried them before putting them away.

She nodded, "We should do that more often."

"Whatever you want, baby."

She set the rag down before she went to put the last bowl away. She turned around and put it on the shelf, and I picked up the rag, hitting it against her ass like I planned to.

She gasped and turned around, although the corners of her mouth were turned up, "Hey!"

"Sorry," I shrugged.

She crossed her arms, "No you aren't."

A small smirk formed on my face.

I nodded, "You're right, I'm not."