“It always comes back to this park, doesn’t it?” Chloe asked.
It was now firmly nighttime. Lloyd and Chloe found themselves seated on a familiar bench in a familiar park near their home. Despite their lengthy walk, the stalwart knight and capable housekeeper appeared unfazed by the distance they had covered.
“Chloe,” Lloyd said, his tone serious.
“Yes?” she responded, turning to face him.
“Can you explain what this is all about? I think we’ve walked enough.”
Chloe nodded firmly, as if she were expecting this moment. She sprang up from her seat, and positioned herself in front of Lloyd. “Lloyd, why don’t we take this opportunity to air everything out and take a load off our chests?” she proposed, full of earnest excitement.
Lloyd grunted. His brow furrowed in confusion.
Chloe, in her enthusiasm, realized she had skipped over some crucial context. Quickly, she backtracked. “Ah! Sorry, I got ahead of myself...” She sheepishly sat back down next to Lloyd, took a deep breath, and started again. “I don’t know about you, Lloyd, but I feel like things have been weird between us. I can’t quite put my finger on it, but it feels like we’re drifting apart a little, don’t you think?”
Lloyd grimaced, realizing what she was getting at. “I’m sorry; that’s my fault. I didn’t mean to make you worry.”
“No, no,” Chloe hastened to clarify. “I didn’t call you out here to point fingers. I just...didn’t want us to continue like this. The thought of us growing apart now that we’re lovers... It just doesn’t sit right with me.”
As Chloe paused, gathering her thoughts, Lloyd only waited for her to speak.
“That’s why I wanted us to talk tonight. To share what’s on our minds and ease our burdens.”
“I...see,” Lloyd replied softly, absorbing her intent.
Then, much to Chloe’s astonishment, he laughed.
“Did I say something funny?” she asked, a bit puzzled.
“No, not at all. I’m sorry, I just...” Lloyd’s rare smile lingered on his face as he looked at her fondly. “Oh, Chloe. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
Chloe, unsure if she had misspoken, asked, “Did I do something wrong?”
Lloyd shook his head. “No. You were just being yourself, and I appreciate that, more than anything in the world.” He looked up at the sky, a sense of relief washing over him. Oh, how foolish he’d been the past couple of days.
Seeing Lloyd’s change in demeanor, Chloe allowed herself a smile of her own. Feeling it appropriate to take the lead, she began with a heartfelt declaration. “Lloyd, I love you with everything I’ve got.”
At her unexpected opening salvo, Lloyd looked as if the wind had been knocked out of him.
“I love you, Lloyd—so much so that I don’t know what to do with myself. You occupy my every thought, from dawn till dusk. I adore the way you’re slightly groggy in the mornings, how you savor every meal I make as if it’s the best you’ve ever had. I love the way your face scrunches up when you’re reading, and the intensity in your eyes when you practice your swordwork in the garden. Of course, I love how strong you are, and how you use that strength to protect others. When we were accosted by that band of thugs, when you fought Luke to defend my honor, when you confronted my sister—every time, I was so glad it was you. I love the you that always finds something to compliment me for, even when it’s about the smallest, most specific little thing. I love the you that told me I could find myself at my own pace. I love the you that accepts me for all I am, including my past and my flaws. The way you stroke my hair so tenderly, the warmth of your hand—it sets my heart dancing. Your warmth, your touch, your scent, it’s all I ever want. Would you keep hugging me, whenever I ask for it? You’re earnest, sincere, and a hard worker, and you can’t see someone in need without doing something. Your smile, when it appears, is the most precious thing in the world. Before I knew it, you became the center of my world. When I overslept yesterday, it was because my mind was so full of you that I couldn’t rest. Whenever you leave for work, I always wonder if you might come back just a little bit earlier than usual. That was why yesterday, when you came home early, I couldn’t contain myself. Sorry for rambling, but I needed you to know that I love you, Lloyd, with all my heart. You are all I think about, and it’s like I’m not myself when I’m with you. Before I confessed, I’d managed to keep these feelings tucked away, but now, they’re too intense to hide. They’re the reason I’ve been acting differently, and for that, Lloyd, I... Lloyd?”
Chloe’s words trailed off as she noticed Lloyd’s reaction. He was hunched over, his face buried in his hands, his gaze fixated on the ground.
“A-Are you all right? If you’re feeling unwell, we can—”
“No, no, you’ve got it all wrong, Chloe.”
As he lifted his head, removing his hands from his face, Chloe gasped in surprise. A deep blush colored his cheeks, more pronounced than she had ever seen.
He remained silent for a few more moments, taking deep, measured breaths to compose himself. Once he felt more centered, Lloyd spoke again. “It feels so good, and so odd, that I thought I might die.”
“What?!” Chloe blurted out in alarm. “You can’t die, Lloyd!”
“That was a joke.” His reply was characteristically dry. “Knights don’t perish so easily.”
Hearing this, Chloe let out a deep sigh of relief, her worry giving way to a faint smile.
Lloyd pondered her earlier confession. “So the reason you’ve been acting differently is because...you love me too much?”
Chloe nodded, her cheeks flushing a deeper shade as the full impact of her admission hit her; Lloyd’s and Chloe’s cheeks matched now.
“That...makes a lot of sense.” Lloyd’s expression relaxed, as if a puzzle that had long tormented him had finally been solved. He exhaled deeply and covered his face again, the wave of embarrassment returning.
“And what about you, Lloyd?” Chloe prodded gently.
Lloyd slowly turned to face Chloe.
“You also have something you want to tell me, don’t you? Otherwise you wouldn’t have been acting so distant.”
“You’ve noticed, have you?”
“Well, we do live together, you know? And you are the one I love,” Chloe replied, the slightest bit of irony creeping into her smile.
Lloyd fell into silence for a bit, his gaze wandering, as if he were struggling with himself. Then, “I’m the same as you, Chloe,” he said.
“Huh?” Chloe’s eyes fluttered in surprise.
“I also love you, with every fiber of my being.”