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ELLIE IS curled up on the old couch, eyes shut as she lays there. A firm knock is at the door and it opens, Ghost comes in with something red in his hands. Ellie sits up and looks at him expectantly.
"What is that?" she asks.
He gets closer and holds it up. "Hot water bottle." His eyes go down to her lower abdomen. "For your... cramps."
Ellie's taken aback. She gingerly takes the hot water bottle and places it over her skin, sighing in relief as it helps alleviate some of the pain. "How did you know that was a thing?"
"Just did."
She smiles smally, although the thought of him potentially having done this for other girls makes her jealous. "Thank you, Ghost."
He sits down beside her in silence. He shifts in his seat. "I'm sorry."
Ellie looks at him in confusion. "What? Why?"
"For how I reacted. For making you feel like I was gonna ostracize you."
She shrugs with a shaky laugh. "It would have been understandable."
"No, it wouldn't have," he says roughly. "I'm 34 years old, Ellie. Immaturity... that's not a word I want in my vocabulary. There's no reason for me to act like I'm in secondary school. We're all grown adults here." He looks at her, eyes gentle. "Sometimes I just need time to decompress what I'm feeling. I might seem... unattached. I just need time alone."
She gives him a light nod. "I remember when you said something like that before." Ellie pauses and looks at him. "Does this mean we're okay? Just based on our other conversation... are we good? Do you still like me?"
Ghost surprises Ellie by letting out a very small chuckle. He has little crinkles on either side of his eyes. "Yes. I still like you."
She breathes out heavily. "That's a relief."
His hand goes out, resting on her upper thigh and giving it a light squeeze. "You might give me gray hair before I'm even 35, but I'd like to keep you." Ghost meets her eyes. "If you didn't gather that from when I told you you're mine and no one else's. Hope my words made it clear to you."
Ellie's heart flutters. "Yep. You were quite clear about your feelings. Which is nice."
He shakes his head slightly. "I might not be straightforward all the time, but when it comes to you... I don't want you guessing every day what my feelings are about you. I've not been settled in with someone before. I give you my word I'll try my best, though I'm not gonna get it right every time. I'm still... figuring this out."
"I am too. Guess we'll figure it out together."
He moves his thumb over her thigh in a gentle caress, replying quietly, "Yes. We will."
Ellie spots the black ink peeking out from under his sleeve, a lazy smile spreading across her face. "Can I look at your tattoos?"
He doesn't answer verbally, just starts rolling up his sleeve. Veined and muscular arms are evident. Ellie's mind runs rampant as she takes it in, feeling like a person in the Victorian Age seeing an ankle for the first time. She tenderly runs her fingertips along his skin as she traces the ink. Running over the outline of a skull, she smirks.
