Alex's head tilted as Amelia's question hung in the air. A blush crept up his own neck, the weight of her words settling in.
"What do you mean, 'what are we'?" he stammered, his voice betraying a hint of nervousness.
Amelia fidgeted with the hem of her armour, her eyes flickering around the room before meeting his gaze with vulnerability. "We don't have a formal bond, Alex," she began, her voice barely a whisper. "But... There's something between us, right? A connection. It feels different from anything I've ever experienced."
She took a deep breath, her voice strengthening with each word. "I know we haven't known each other for ages, but... the way you saved my parents, the way you looked at me just now... it makes me feel..."
She hesitated, her cheeks burning a deeper shade of pink. "It makes me feel... safe, Alex. Like I can be myself around you. And maybe... a little more than that."
