“I um… let me change into a hoodie and sweat pants, hold on.” I left the room and changed in my room. I was now wearing a black hoodie with a bone outline and some black sweat pants. They were really baggy on me. “Alright, Arlo this conversation is really hard for me because o also have to go into depth of my own struggles with my mental health and past actions that I’m not proud of and I’m scared going deep into that could end our friendship or whatever we have now because I’ve vented to you and I love you so I’m scared by trauma dumping I’ll only push you further away.” It was weird looking down at him due to our height difference because I’m used to looking up or kinda level with my eye level.

“I don’t want you to be scared, I want to learn about you, I want to help. So what's wrong, Aki?” Arlo asked in a nearly begging manner.

I sat down on the couch, “I… I am extremely fucked up mentally, I’m sure I’ve made that clear now. I um… I have extreme anxiety and depression, and… I’m worried because I made the stupid decision to confess and I’m scared I’ll lose a friend. But my depression has worsened because of my anxiety and because of that, well I guess you deserve some extra backstory as to what makes me react this way. I was in an abusive relationship, my first relationship, and I had all this anxiety; it caused me to develop my depression in the first place, and with that it made it hard for me to eat. So when my depression gets real bad along with my anxiety I find it really hard to eat. I know I need to but I just… it’s really hard.” I was crying a bit. “Then with the sleep… my insomnia gets worse with my anxiety because my brain doesn’t shut off and is thinking of the worst possible things and I’m scared I’ll lose you as my friend cause I fucked up! But I don’t want to.”

“Have you eaten today?” Arlo asked.

“No.” I was honest.

“Do you think you can try to eat a bit of food? Please?” Arlo asked.

I looked him dead in the eye, I felt bad for worrying him, “I can try.”

“Do you want me to make it for you?” Arlo offered.

“I have some snacks in the cabinets that I’ll try to eat.” I didn’t want to make him do that.

“Okay.” Arlo went to my kitchen and came back with a few options he laid out on the coffee table, “I don’t know if you want salty, or sweet, or crunchy or soft… so.”

“I’ll eat the rice cakes, thanks.” I smiled, and Arlo sat down next to me.

“You don’t even have to eat the whole bag, don’t force yourself.” Arlo added.

I took a deep breath and opened the bag, I ate one, I felt sick. Like I was going to throw up; I was about to. I got up and rushed to the bathroom, to throw up in the toilet. Arlo followed me unaware of what was going on. When he saw me throwing up he began to hold my hair for me.

“I’m sorry… I couldn’t do it.” I felt bad.

“Hey, hey… Aki, it’s okay.” Arlo got some toilet paper and wiped my face, then flushed the toilet to get rid of it.

“No it’s not.” I sobbed a bit, “You-”

“Aki. You tried. That’s what matters.” Arlo held me in a hug. “And that’s enough, you tried your best and that’s enough. That’s all anyone can ask of you.”

I sobbed on his shoulder for a bit. Then he grabbed my face and looked in my eyes.

“What?” I asked with puffy eyes.

“How do you know you love me?” He asked.

I blushed and was a bit stunned by his question, “Well you’re kind, like right now. I know I want to protect you even though you don’t need me to. I also know because I always want to be with you but when I’m with you I feel this twisting in my stomach because I’m nervous I’ll fuck it up. I also know because I think you're also attractive and handsome, and I love seeing your pretty smile and hearing your cute laugh.” I answered shyly. “Why?”

Arlo looked at me softly, put our foreheads together and kissed me. HE KISSED ME? I was stunned and melted into it, even though it was just a simple lip touch it ignited sparks in my heart. After a bit he pulled away.

“So I could try to figure out mine.” Arlo answered.

“You… you love me?” I asked.

“Yep. I know because… I hate seeing you cry, even though I don’t like seeing people cry when I see you cry it breaks my heart. I feel like my heart just shatters when I see you suffering but with others… it’s not the same. I think I’ve always loved you because you’re so awesome. I mean, you save people’s lives and… you do so much for others.” Arlo answered.

“Even though I’m broken?” I asked.

Arlo’s eyes softened, “Every broken thing can be fixed, and I’m willing to help you fix yourself. I can’t fix you or change you, all I can do is help you.” Arlo smiled.

Those words were some of the best ones I’ve ever heard.

“I… wait does that mean you’re my boyfriend?” I questioned.

“And you’re mine, you’re stuck with me forever.” Arlo chuckled.

“I don’t mind being stuck with you forever.”

Arlo picked me up bridal style and took me to my room where he laid me on my bed and snuggled up next to me. He placed his hand under my hoodie on my stomach.

“Are you cold?” I asked.

“Maybe.” Arlo smiled.

“I’ve got a better idea.”

I sat up and went to my closet where I got a warm hoodie of mine that said “I’m adorable I know.”

“Do you wanna borrow a hoodie?” I offered.

“Yes, my jacket is a bit uncomfortable considering I’ve worn it for a while now.” Arlo took off his jacket and was just in a grey tank top, then he took it from my hands and put it on, it looked oversized on me but… on him… it was so huge, even though we were only a few inches different in height “It’s so soft.”

“I know, and you look adorable in it.” I chuckled.

“And huge.” Arlo smirked.

“I’m taller and like baggy clothing to relax in, so it makes sense.” I chuckled.

“Only be a few inches!” Arlo protested.

“It’s okay to be short, my sister is too.”

“I’m above average height!” Arlo tackled me playfully.