Ethan didn't even think it through before shrugging and blurting out, "Fuck it."
Elara's eyes widened slightly.
"Yeah, you can stay with me," he continued.
Her eyes somehow widened even further, almost falling out of her head.
"Don't expect anything," he added quickly. "I live in a shitty dump. But if you're fine with that, you can join me."
For a split second, she just stared at him.
Then, she practically bounced in her seat.
*I haven't lived with someone in years.*
The excitement was immediate, unfiltered, and childlike, so much so that it made Ethan pause.
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"...How old are you?"
The suddenness of the question caught her off guard. She blinked, then signed after a brief pause.
*Twenty-three. Why?*
Ethan let out a quiet sigh of relief.
'Okay… good.'
He leaned back again, relaxing slightly.
