Page 124 of Falling in Love with A Tiny Bat

I pat his shoulder and smile. “It will be nice for you to visit your Papa Pollux now and again. So what if it’s for therapy sessions? Alana and Willow highly recommend him. I’ve even been considering it myself. Who knows? Maybe it’s aVillain Protection Programthing. We bond over imposing therapy sessions upon the resident grumpy dad.”

Alexios’s gaze slashes toward my touch, and he mutters, “I’d bite you, but my jaw already hurts from so much chewing.”

“Maybe you shouldn’t chew every bite three hundred times.”

“And feel disgracefulchunksof partially-mutilated foodscrape down my esophagus? Do aspire to possess greater sense.”

This time, I can’t hide my laugh behind a cough quick enough. Slapping my palm to my mouth, I rumble, sputtering, “I’m so sorry. All my aspirations are stupid as a rule.”

He puffs a laugh, lets his head drop, and shakes it as he dissolves into chuckles. “Are we going mad, snowflake?”

“What clued you in?”

“In general, everything.” Sighing, he reaches for a dish containing three bites of a cottage cheese, spinach casserole and begins his extensive inspection. “Are there onions in this?”

“Normally, but I swapped them for onion powder instead. Want me to heat it up for you in the microwave?”

“I can prepare my own doom.” He scoots out his chair and imprisons the plate in the microwave for a handful of seconds that he spends surveying the selection of plates on the other counters. “I don’t believe Kass should ever close school for the summer. You are dangerous with free time on your hands.”

“Most women are, if I’m being honest.”

“I do not doubt it.” Retrieving the cottage cheese loaf, he returns to his seat, frees a sigh, lifts his fork, stares pitifully. “Lie to me. Did you make this with love?”

“No.”

His gaze flicks up, meeting mine. “You…heard the entirety of what I said, right?”

“Yep. God says to love everyone, even your enemies, and I have come to consider you a friend, so don’t treat it like some kind of revelation that I made your food with love. I did not make anything withromance.”

“Yes, well, I do believe I preferlovetoromance.” Red highlights his pale cheeks, and he slips his braid over his shoulder to toy with the tail while he takes a bite of the casserole. Moments pass before he swallows, then he takes another bite.

Breath bated, I watch him as realization falls across hisexpression.

He looks down at the final bite on his plate, then he looks at me. His lips part, but no sound escapes.

“You like it?” I ask.

“I…” He blinks, and his eyes glisten. “Yes.” His throat bobs. “I…I like it. It’s…not bad. Good. It’s good.” Setting his fork down, he weaves his fingers into his hair and tempers his breaths.

“Hey…” I coax, stilling when a tear lands on the paper plate beside the last bite.

“I like it,” he whispers. Trembling. “I like an entire concoction, not a singular tolerable ingredient.”

I watch him for several long moments, feeling the weight of Ash’s breaths against my chest. My heart pounds, hammering, as someone who has become very important to me over the past few months crumples.

Steeling myself, I stand and begin gathering up the remaining paper plates to put away.

Alexios sniffles. “What are you doing?”

I look at him, as I pop an apricot slice in my mouth. “I’m making a full serving.” I grin. “We’re going to eat a whole meal together, Xios. And, later, we’ll find more. Then you’ll bulk up like no tomorrow with the help of your protein shakes, and I’ll get to see what a body builder tiny bat looks like.”

He frees a wet laugh. “Is that what you fantasize about?”

“Pretty much, yeah.”

Eyes weepy, he murmurs, “You and your lies.”

“How offensive a thing to accuse me of insincerity on. Check my search history. It’s just pages and pages ofbuff bats. Promise.”

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