The room was bathed in soft golden light, the warmth of the sun streaming through the half-open curtains. The scent of fresh flowers drifted through the air, blending with the faint medicinal aroma lingering in the space.
Ethan sat on the bed, his back propped up by pillows. His eyes—brighter than they had been in a long time—were
fixed on Adrian
, who sat by his side, his silver eyes clouded with hesitation.
It had been
a few days
since Ethan had awakened. His strength was slowly returning, though his body still felt weak at times. But none of that mattered to him.
What mattered was the man before him.
Adrian.
His delicate features were troubled, his fingers fidgeting slightly against the hem of his sleeve. His long black hair cascaded over his shoulders, a few strands falling over his face as he lowered his gaze.
Ethan frowned slightly. He didn’t like seeing
that look
on Adrian’s face—like something was weighing heavily on his heart.
"Adrian?" Ethan’s voice was still a little hoarse, but there was warmth in it. "What’s wrong?"
Adrian hesitated. He bit his lower lip, a habit he had when he was
overthinking
something. Ethan recognized it immediately.
"I..." Adrian trailed off before exhaling softly. "I wanted to tell you something."
Ethan tilted his head slightly, waiting patiently.
For a long moment, Adrian didn’t speak. Then, as if gathering courage, he finally looked up, his silver eyes meeting Ethan’s golden ones.
"I... might not be a normal human."
The words hung in the air between them.
Ethan blinked.
Then, without missing a beat, he reached out and
pinched Adrian’s cheek
.
"E-Ethan?!" Adrian yelped, his face flushing in surprise.
Ethan chuckled, his voice low and soothing. "Yep. Feels real to me."
Adrian swatted his hand away, his blush deepening. "I’m serious!"
Ethan’s amusement didn’t fade, but he softened. "I know. And I meant what I did. You’re real, Adrian." His voice turned gentle. "You’re here. With me."
Adrian’s lips parted slightly, but he had no words.
Ethan reached for Adrian’s hand, threading their fingers together. His grip was warm, firm.
"I don’t care what you are," Ethan murmured. "Human or not. You are
you
, Adrian."
A faint tremor ran through Adrian’s hand. "But... what if I’m something unnatural? What if—"
Ethan leaned forward and kissed Adrian’s cheek.
The moment their skin touched, Adrian
froze
.
His entire body went stiff, his silver eyes
widening
in shock. A warm, tingling sensation spread across his cheek, his mind blanking out for a moment.
Ethan pulled back slightly, a teasing smirk playing on his lips. "Still thinking about all that?"
Adrian felt his
face burn.
"I—You—That’s—!" He stumbled over his words, completely flustered.
Ethan chuckled, obviously
enjoying his reaction.
"You’re too cute when you blush."
Adrian glared at him, but it lacked any real bite. His face was still a deep shade of pink, his heart racing.
Ethan, seeing his
adorable expression
, decided to push further. He gently tugged on Adrian’s wrist,
pulling him onto his lap.
Adrian gasped, his hands instinctively pressing against Ethan’s chest for balance. "Ethan—!"
Ethan wrapped an arm around Adrian’s waist,
holding him securely.
Adrian was
completely red now
, his long lashes trembling slightly as he stared at Ethan in disbelief.
Ethan, on the other hand, looked entirely
pleased with himself
.
"Much better," Ethan murmured, resting his forehead against Adrian’s. "Now, can we stop worrying about nonsense?"
Adrian pouted, still a little embarrassed. "...It’s not nonsense."
Ethan sighed softly. "Adrian." He cupped Adrian’s cheek, making him look into his eyes. "I love you."
Adrian
stiffened
again. His silver eyes quivered.
"Whether you’re human or not." Ethan’s voice was steady, unwavering. "It doesn’t matter to me."
Adrian swallowed.
Ethan brushed his thumb gently over Adrian’s cheek. "I love your
pure eyes,
the way they see the world with kindness even after everything you’ve been through." He ran his fingers through Adrian’s long hair. "I love your innocent soul, the way you try to help others even when it puts you in danger."
Adrian felt like his heart was going to
burst
.
His grip on Ethan’s shirt tightened slightly.
"I love you, Adrian." Ethan’s eyes burned with
sincerity
.
A shiver ran down Adrian’s spine.
And then—without hesitation—Adrian
threw his arms around Ethan’s neck, hugging him tightly.
"...I love you too," Adrian whispered, his voice barely audible.
Ethan’s arms tightened around him,
holding him close
.
For a long time, neither of them spoke. They simply stayed like that—wrapped in each other’s warmth, feeling each other’s heartbeats.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Ethan murmured against Adrian’s ear, "So, are you feeling better now?"
Adrian pulled back slightly, still flustered but
much calmer
. "...Maybe."
Ethan raised an eyebrow. "Just maybe?"
Adrian huffed. "You’re
annoying.
"
Ethan smirked. "But you love me."
"...Shut up."
Ethan chuckled,
pressing a quick kiss to Adrian’s temple.
Adrian
hid his face against Ethan’s shoulder
, completely
overwhelmed
.
Ethan let out a soft sigh, stroking Adrian’s back gently. "Stay like this a little longer?"
Adrian nodded without hesitation. "...Okay."
Ethan smiled.
At that moment, nothing else mattered.
Not their past. Not the dangers ahead.
Just the warmth of
Adrian in his arms.
The house was quiet.
For the first time in weeks, there was no flurry of doctors, no hushed discussions of test results, no urgent calls.
Dr. Zara, Lucas, and Isaac had left for the hospital to finalize some tests regarding Ethan’s condition. Augustin and Leclair had taken the twins out for a drive, wanting to give them some fresh air after all the chaos.
That left
Adrian and Ethan alone
in the house.
Ethan, still recovering, was upstairs resting in bed.
Adrian, however, found himself
pacing
in the living room, unable to stay still.
He glanced toward the kitchen.
"...I should make something for him."
The thought was sudden, but
warmth bloomed in his chest
at the idea. Ethan had barely eaten much since waking up, and he needed something light yet nutritious.
A small smile played on Adrian’s lips.
He wasn’t always good at cooking.
In fact, growing up, he had been
absolutely terrible
in the kitchen.
Back then, he had burned water. He had mistaken
salt for sugar
, once nearly
poisoned himself
with an undercooked dish, and had set off the smoke alarm more times than he could count.
But when he left home and lived abroad, there was no one to cook for him. No personal chefs. No prepared meals waiting. If he didn’t learn, he would
starve.
So he did.
It had taken
months of failures, burnt pans, and tasteless meals
before he had finally
gotten the hang of it.
And now, he could cook.
Maybe not like a five-star chef, but
enough to take care of the person he loved.
With that thought, Adrian
tied an apron around his waist
and stepped into the kitchen.
Adrian opened the fridge, scanning its contents.
Ethan’s body was still
recovering
, so heavy or oily foods were out of the question.
Something warm, easy to digest, but also delicious.
His fingers tapped against the counter as he thought.
Rice Congee with Shredded Chicken, Steamed Egg Custard, and Honey Lemon Tea.
Adrian
washed half a cup of rice
and added it to a
pot of water
, placing it on the stove.
As the water began to boil, he
lowered the heat
, letting the grains
soften and break down
into a smooth, thick consistency.
Meanwhile, he took
a chicken breast
, placed it in a separate pot, and added
ginger slices and a pinch of salt
before boiling it.
After
twenty minutes
, he took the chicken out, let it cool slightly, and then
shredded it into thin pieces
with his fingers.
By now, the congee had turned into a
soft, creamy porridge
. He added the shredded chicken, a
dash of soy sauce,
and a few drops of
sesame oil
to enhance the flavor.
He gave it a
gentle stir
, letting the aroma rise.
Perfect.
Now he was done with one dish, time for the next one.
Adrian cracked
two eggs
into a bowl, adding
a cup of warm water
while whisking it gently.
The trick to a smooth custard was
not over-mixing
—just enough to blend.
He strained the mixture through a sieve, removing air bubbles. Then, he poured it into a
small ceramic bowl
and covered it with
foil
.
Setting up a
steamer
, he placed the bowl inside and let it steam for
ten minutes
on low heat.
The result?
A
soft, silky custard
, jiggling slightly when touched.
Satisfied, he drizzled a
few drops of soy sauce
on top and garnished it with
chopped spring onions
.
Lastly, he boiled a
cup of water
, adding a
spoonful of honey
and a
few slices of lemon
.
Simple, but refreshing.
Adrian placed everything onto a
tray
, arranging the dishes neatly.
He stepped back for a moment, looking at his work.
A small smile formed on his lips.
"Not bad."
Lifting the tray carefully, he walked out of the kitchen, heading upstairs.
When Adrian entered the room, Ethan was
sitting up slightly
, his eyes looking out the window.
At the sound of Adrian’s footsteps, he turned his head.
Adrian saw the faint surprise in Ethan’s expression when he noticed the tray in his hands.
"You cooked?" Ethan asked, amused.
Adrian placed the tray down beside the bed. "Is it that shocking?"
Ethan chuckled, his gaze
softening
. "I’m just teasing you."
Adrian huffed and picked up the
spoon
, scooping up a bit of congee. "Open your mouth."
Ethan raised an eyebrow but obeyed.
The warm congee touched his tongue—
soft, mild, comforting.
"...It’s good," Ethan murmured.
Adrian’s heart
skipped a beat
.
He
tried to act normal
as he scooped another spoonful. "Of course it is."
Ethan chuckled. "Confident now, aren’t you?"
Adrian glared at him. "Eat."
Ethan
obeyed
, his eyes never leaving Adrian’s face.
Warmth filled the space between them.
For the first time in a long while,
things felt peaceful.