The ride back to the city was quiet—but not uncomfortable. Ella leaned her head against the window, watching the trees blur past in the fading sunlight, her thoughts heavy but somehow a little less suffocating than before. Nicholas's presence, steady and silent beside her, anchored her more than he probably realized.
He glanced at her more than once during the drive, noting the dark circles under her eyes, the way she was trying to keep herself composed. She hadn't said much since they left the hospital, and he didn't press her. He'd learned Ella needed silence sometimes, needed to process without words.
As they neared the city, lights blooming along the skyline, Nicholas finally spoke.
"I want you to stay with me."
Ella blinked, startled out of her daze. "What?"
"Until I know you're safe," he said, eyes still on the road. "I won't sleep if I think you're back in that house. And I know you won't either."
"Nicholas…"
"It's not up for discussion." His tone was gentle, but there was finality in it. "I have the space. You'll have your own room, if you want. Or stay in mine and throw a pillow at my head when I snore. I don't care. Just… stay."
Ella opened her mouth, but the words tangled in her throat. He wasn't asking—he was offering safety. Again. She turned her head, watching his profile in the streetlights. "Okay," she said softly.
He exhaled, like he'd been holding his breath since the question left his lips. "Good."
They drove a little farther in silence before passing a small, cozy-looking ice cream shop on the corner. Neon lights glowed "Open" in soft blue and pink. Nicholas noticed her glance. It wasn't much—barely a second—but her eyes lingered, and he caught the subtle twitch of her lips, like she was thinking of something she didn't dare say aloud.
He smirked. "You hungry?"
She shook her head. "No, just… it looked cute."
"Cute?" He tapped the turn signal and pulled the car into a sudden turn.
Ella blinked in surprise. "Wait, what are you—?"
"I've been told I have a weakness for cute things," he said casually. "Kittens. You. Ice cream parlors."
"I'm not a kitten."
"You have kitten eyes."
"I do not."
"Big. Sad. Easily bribed with sugar," he said as he parked.
She turned to him with a mock glare. "Are you seriously using that as an excuse to stop for ice cream?"
"No, I'm stopping for ice cream because I want to see you smile again."
He got out before she could argue and rounded the car to open her door, offering his hand like it was second nature.
"Come on," he said. "Let's commit carb crimes together."
She bit back a smile as she slipped her hand into his. "You're ridiculous."
"And you like it."
The little shop smelled like vanilla and fresh waffle cones. The owner, a cheerful old man with glasses too big for his face, waved them in. Nicholas ordered two cones—double scoops, Ella's with strawberry and chocolate, his with mint chip and pistachio.
When she got hers, she stared at it, her expression somewhere between joy and disbelief. "This is… a lot of ice cream."
"You looked like you needed a victory."
She licked the cone and groaned. "Okay, maybe I did." She said as they made their way back to his car.
Nicholas watched her with a grin, amused. "There it is."
"There what is?"
"That sound. The happy one."
"I didn't make a sound."
"You did," he said, opening the car door for her to get in. "And it was adorable."
Ella rolled her eyes but blushed faintly as she sat, focusing on her cone. "You're impossible."
"And yet, you're still here with me, voluntarily eating sugar at dusk, letting me spoil you."
"You're not spoiling me," she muttered.
"You're in my car, wearing my hoodie, eating ice cream I bought, while I contemplate punching a guy in the throat for looking at you wrong." He leaned closer. "That's textbook spoiling."
Ella laughed then, quietly at first, then louder. It felt rusty, like something she hadn't done in a long time—but it felt good. Real.
Nicholas got in the driver's seat and started the car, driving with one hand on the wheel, the other resting lightly between them, his fingers occasionally brushing Ella's as she sat curled up in the passenger seat with her ice cream cone. The city lights filtered in through the windows, casting a soft gold glow across her features. She was quiet again, but the kind of quiet that wasn't tense—just thoughtful. Peaceful.
He stole a glance at her when they stopped at a red light. She looked different like this—less guarded. The way she leaned her cheek against the window, licking her cone like a kid who hadn't had dessert in years, made something tighten in his chest.
"You've got chocolate on your nose," he said, breaking the silence.
Ella startled, wiping her nose quickly with the back of her hand. "I do not."
He reached over with a soft chuckle and used his thumb to wipe a tiny smudge off the side of her upper lip. "Liar."
Her cheeks warmed instantly, eyes flickering to his. "You're enjoying this, aren't you?"
He shrugged, his grin cocky. "Immensely."
"You're infuriating."
"I've been called worse," he said, easing the car forward as the light turned green. "Besides, you're smiling again. I'd say it's worth the insult."
She leaned back into the seat with a playful sigh. "You act like that's some kind of achievement."
"It is. Don't take this the wrong way, but you don't smile nearly enough." His voice softened. "You have a really beautiful one."
Ella didn't answer, but she turned her face away, pretending to look out the window. He saw the corners of her mouth twitch anyway.