It had been gnawing at me for days.
That quiet, persistent itch under my skin — the one that wouldn't let me sleep peacefully or breathe deeply. I tried to bury it under casual smiles and shared moments with Rhea. I tried pretending that it didn't matter, that what we had was enough. But it wasn't. Not when I knew that part of her heart still lived elsewhere. With someone else. With Eva.
We were sitting on the floor of my apartment, tangled in a mess of blankets and half-eaten takeaway, her head on my shoulder as we watched the glow of the city lights through the open window. Everything felt perfect. But perfect isn't always honest.
"Rhea," I said quietly.
She hummed, eyes still fixed on the lights. "Hmm?"
"I want to meet Eva."
Her body stiffened. Not much. Just enough for me to feel the shift.
She turned slowly, resting her chin on my chest now, eyes narrowing. "Why?"
I met her gaze, refusing to flinch. "Because I need to. Because I can't keep pretending I'm okay with her being a ghost in our lives. I know you love her too. I know it's real. And I'm not here to make you choose. I just... I want to look her in the eyes. I want to understand."
Rhea sat up fully now, pulling her knees to her chest. Her silence wasn't anger — it was fear. Hesitation. I could see it flicker in her eyes.
"I didn't think you'd ever ask for this," she whispered.
"I didn't think I'd need to," I said. "But I do."
Her fingers traced lazy circles on the edge of the blanket. "I care about you both in different ways. You... you feel like home. Eva... she feels like fire."
"And you love both?"
"Yes," she said without hesitation. "Equally. Fully."
I nodded, jaw tight. "Then I deserve to know her. Not through stories. Not through passing mentions. Face to face."
She looked at me, her expression softening. "And what if you don't like her?"
I smiled sadly. "Then I will try to prove to you that my love is more powerful than her and if I can't then I will admire her love for you . But if we're all tangled in this together, Rhea... we deserve clarity. You deserve clarity."
She studied me for a long time, and for once, I let her. Let her see the storm in my chest, the quiet ache I'd carried without ever truly naming it.
Finally, she whispered, "Okay."
"Okay?"
I took her hand and held it tight. "That's all I've ever wanted."
She leaned in and kissed my forehead — slow, tender, bittersweet.
And in that moment, we both knew.
Everything was about to change.
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