I watched Emi's eyes widen as she sat on my lap, her body warm against mine. She'd taken the leap, crossed that invisible line between friendship and something far more dangerous. Now came the fun part.
"I'm sure," she whispered again, as if trying to convince herself as much as me.
Something protective stirred in my chest. Unlike Natalia's cold fire or Skylar's sharp edges, Emi radiated this pure, soft light that made me want to handle her differently. Not because she was weak - she wasn't - but because she deserved better than the roughness I showed the others.
I stood up with her still in my arms, lifting her like she weighed nothing. Her little gasp of surprise made me smile.
"Satori!"
"What? You think I can't carry you?"
Her arms wrapped around my neck. "No, I just... wasn't expecting it."
