I think I love her

"What happened?" Elara exclaimed anxiously immediately sighting Terrence's bandaged hand.

Terrence… was speechless. He felt a lightheaded feeling overwhelm him, causing a red rose to bloom over his face. 

That was when it hit me… he did have someone. 

At that thought, he felt his nose sour as tears fell from his eyes, leaving Elara even more elated.

"Terry, calm down. Deep breaths, yes, deep breaths," Elara spoke softly with Terrence following through her instructions, and soon he calmed down, sniffing lightly as he cleaned his face with a napkin Merlin had given him.

"You…" Elara began before sighing tiredly, "Are you okay?"

Terrence's head dropped stabbing Elara in the heart at his pitiful state. He replied grouchily, "No."

Sneakily motioning to Merlin she asked, "Want to talk about it… privately?"

"I'll be leaving then," Merlin suddenly reported before vanishing like the smoke in the next instant.

Terrence: You didn't even wait for me to dismiss you…

"Terry, what is it? Speak to me, I'll listen attentively, okay?" Elara coaxed, her sweet and calm voice causing a warmth akin to a comfortable hug envelope him.

He peered a bit at Elara and felt the warmth slowly turn to a scalding heat that spread across him. Did this woman know what she was doing? 

The woman in question was seated before him with a light silky nightgown and a bonnet, leaning across the bed head with her laptop before her. He could see a peek of her plump bosom due to the gown's looseness as well as her exposed legs which stroke a layer of sensuality to her entirety.

The lady stared at him with worried eyes, unaware of the type of charm she exuded, which left him coughing lightly to get a hold of himself. Suddenly, he could feel his bad mood slightly dissipate as his whole body pulsed with excitement.

"Terry?" Elara's cool voice called out to him once more, "What is it?"

Despite not getting any concrete reply, she waited patiently for him to speak at his convenience. Her soft voice, worried gaze, and caring act held a genuity that betrayed no deceit within. She truly was worried for him.

The same familiar warmth from earlier enveloped him once more and a sad smile adorned his face as tears trickled down his face. 

There was no loud crying or dramatic weeping; he simply stood before Elara, sniffing quietly as tears flowed down his cheeks in silence.

He probably looked like a fool. He definitely looked ridiculous right now. Elara was probably either staring at him with condescension at his pathetic self or a bit better, fascination. He had always been told he looked gorgeous even while crying, like an angel weeping.

Maybe it was better if Elara stared at him like that; it was far better than being stared at with a disgusted look or an awkward look from the sheer awkwardness of a grown man crying before her like a child. Anything but those.

She was so quiet… did she end the call?

His blurry eyes were slowly raised to meet Elara staring right at him without much change in expression. Instead, like her worried eyes had softened into a more endearing look, almost like… it was filled with love and adoration.

"Angel," she called out to him in a whisper, her silky voice filled with an underlying feeling of care, "What is it?"

"I think I wanna hug you," Terrence whispered so quietly that his words nearly eluded Elara. 

How long had it been? How long had it been he had shown such vulnerability to anyone? It had been so long… and after that person's betrayal, he never did again. Until Elara. 

Not once, not twice but now thrice. And each time, her reaction was comforting, kindness, care, and consolation. Her generosity knew no bounds as she gave it all to him without hesitation and with utmost genuity. 

This lady, although outlandish meant it when she said she loved him. And he too might just… 

"Terry?" Elara called out once more, her glossy eyes filled with concern, "Continue."

As if led by a force he spilled everything. He told her how he hated going home to an uncle whose indifference pretty much ruined his life, to a cousin sister whose envy sought to destroy him emotionally, and to a loveless home whose only purpose seemed to either infuriate him or remind him of his misery. 

There were lots of omitted details; in fact, even he couldn't make out what he was saying. His words were everywhere. One minute he was complaining about his family and the next, he was speaking about how his inability to not be moved disappointed him. 

And the very next he was speaking about how he wanted someone in his life… How much he needed to be loved. 

It was probably incomprehensible; however, this was his feelings. And all he could do was barely articulate them. When he was done, he looked up to find Elara listening with rapt attention, and that was when he realized it didn't matter to him. 

It didn't matter if she understood any of it. Just having someone listen to him while he went on and on despite probably not making any sense, was more than enough. 

"Why are you so blind?" Elara suddenly asked, leaving Terrence confused. 

"What?" he questioned confusedly. 

"Ha." Elara laughed helplessly, this idiot, "You're such a silly person angel, aren't I right here? Why do you still worry so much? Didn't I say I was here for you? Didn't I say I would always be there for you? Or you won't believe me till I do something extreme to prove it?"

"No…" Terrence trailed off when Elara cut him off.

"Love, care, kindness… Anything you want. I'll give it to you to the fullest and even beyond. Terry, I guess I never really told you," Elara whispered, leaning forward with an alluring smile as if sharing a naughty secret, "You're my angel."

Terrence's pupils dilated and a crimson red stained his face to his neck and further downwards. Elara's words kept ringing in his mind as he struggled to keep calm but failed miserably. 

Elara giggled, laughing at Terrence's cuteness which left the man flushing harder in embarrassment. 

"D-do you have no shame? How can you say such words casually?"

"Not causally. I do mean it," Elara corrected and, with a large grin, stated, "I love you, angel."

"You—" Don't give others hope! 

Terrence cupped his face groaning in annoyance as he tried to keep calm before the flirtatious lady who was laughing at him mischievously. 

He peaked out from the gap in his hands, catching a view of a smiling Elara who, for some reason, looked divinely beautiful, leaving him blushing harder. 

"But I'm not an angel…" he muttered helplessly. 

"Of course you are, but not just any angel, you're my angel," Elara said straightforwardly with a bright smile. 

"Don't say such things…"

"Even if I mean them?"

"You're making me feel embarrassed…"

"Heh." *insert anya meme face*

Terrence: You little… 

Elara: (>^<) < p>

Barely managing to keep his calm, he peered out of his cupped hands once more and was met with Elara's teasing gaze staring right at him. 

She had changed position. She laid on her stomach with her head cupped in one hand, and a small adoring smile as she stared at him lovingly with squinted eyes. 

Terrence felt something akin to fireworks explode in his head and, as if possessed, slammed down his laptop after barely managing to stutter out a goodbye. 

He cupped his heated face in shock as his gray eyes widened with incredulity. 

Merlin walked into the hunched-over man, as red as a shrimp. 

Merlin: ... 

"Sir, are you alright?" he asked respectfully. 

Terrence looked up at him with flushed cheeks, looking like a child who had tasted the sweet delirium of love for the first time, nearly inducing Merlin to laugh. 

"Merlin."

"Yes sir."

"I think I've fallen for Elara."

"....."

"....."

Merlin: You didn't know before? 

***

Terrence woke up very early with extreme dark circles the next day ready to leave immediately. 

All night what kept echoing in his mind was Elara sweetly calling him angel. Their conversation was replayed again and again, and even when he slept off, he dreamt of a rather amorous version of the woman seductively calling him angel while leaning forward to kiss him… And then he woke up. 

He ended up sleepless for the rest of the night and couldn't wait to get home to meet the mistress of his woes. He'd make sure to have her pay!