MALACHAI
I watched Ezra from the doorway, his silhouette framed against the soft hospital light. He was talking to Lisa, his laughter filling the room like a melody I had come to cherish. There was a warmth in the way he spoke to her, a tenderness that I had never seen him show anyone else, not even me. Not that I was jealous, not really. But it was undeniable Ezra had a way of connecting with people, of making them feel seen, like they mattered. And for a long time, I hadn't known if I could ever matter to him like that.
But now… I couldn't imagine my life without him.
I leaned against the doorframe, my heart a mess of emotions as I watched them. Ezra's bond with Lisa had become something I never expected. I used to think that all of this the healing, the bonding, the relationships, would be a lot more difficult for him. I didn't think he would let anyone in, let alone grow so close to Lisa, to be her rock. But I was wrong.
Lisa's baby girl was the most fragile thing I had ever laid eyes on, yet seeing Ezra with her made me see something I hadn't noticed before. He wasn't just helping Lisa out of a sense of duty. He was nurturing something deeper, something he didn't even recognize yet. A maternal instinct, a love that ran deeper than he could comprehend. He was gentle with the baby, his hands shaking as he held her carefully, his smile soft, even vulnerable. And for the first time, I realized just how deeply I had fallen for him.
Ezra wasn't just strong in the way he handled danger or stood up to me or anyone else. He was strong in the quiet moments, the ones where he let down his walls and gave himself over to the people he loved. And that strength, those quiet moments were what made him so damn irresistible.
But I couldn't lie to myself anymore. It wasn't just Ezra's strength that had pulled me in. It was the softness, the gentle way he cared for those around him. The way he protected the ones he loved without even knowing it. I had fallen for him, body and soul, and it had happened so slowly, so naturally, that I hadn't even seen it coming.
I stood there for a long while, my chest tightening, as I thought about everything we had been through.
I remembered the days when I thought I had lost him forever. When I thought Ezra would never look at me the same way again. When I thought I had driven him to the point of no return. And yet, here we were. Here he was. Standing before me, his smile brighter than I ever thought it could be, his eyes filled with a kind of hope that I had only ever dreamed of seeing. He was healing, he had healed and for the first time in a long time, I wasn't afraid of losing him.
And it wasn't just him healing emotionally. I had been there with him every step of the way as he fought to regain the use of his legs. The therapy had been grueling, painful, but he had never given up. His determination was like nothing I had ever seen, and each day, it became more and more evident just how strong he really was. I used to carry him, help him with everything, but now I watched him walk on his own, and it felt like a miracle.
Sometimes, I'd catch him standing by the window, staring out at the world like he was contemplating something too deep to put into words. And I'd be there, watching him, silently amazed by how far he'd come. When he first started his therapy, I wasn't sure if he'd ever be able to move like he once did, but with every passing day, Ezra proved me wrong. It was as if he was a different person now—a stronger version of the man I had fallen in love with.
I always told him how much I admired him for that. I always told him how deeply I respected the strength it took for him to face the pain, the frustration, and the fear, and still push forward. I knew it wasn't easy for him. I saw it in the way his hands would shake after each session, the way his eyes would flutter shut as if he were willing himself to ignore the pain.
But he kept going. He didn't stop. And I couldn't help but fall in love with him all over again every single day.
I thought about how we had gotten here, how all of this, the happiness, the healing, the family we were slowly but surely building, had started as something so broken, so full of chaos. I thought about Lisa, about how she was once just a woman in distress, lost and afraid, and how Ezra had been the one to save her. To protect her. To remind her that she was worth saving. And Elvis whom I have wronged unbearably always stood by me.
And through all of it, we had become a family. Me, Ezra, Elvis, Lisa, and her baby. A family forged not only by blood, but by something deeper. Something far stronger.
But it wasn't just about Lisa, or the baby or Elvis , or the work we were doing to rebuild ourselves. It was about us….Ezra and me. It was about the late-night talks, the quiet moments when we sat together, just breathing in each other's presence. It was about the way Ezra had let me in when I thought I would never be allowed past the walls he had built. It was about how he had come to trust me, to love me, even when he had no reason to.
I watched him now, smiling down at Lisa and the baby, the happiness radiating off him like a glow. I had never seen him so at peace, so content.
I had never thought I would get to see this. I had never thought I would get to be a part of it.
I took a step forward, and for the first time in what felt like forever, I allowed myself to believe that maybe, just maybe, I was worthy of this love. Of Ezra's love. I walked over to him, my heart in my throat, and placed a hand on his shoulder.
Ezra turned to me, his eyes lighting up the moment they met mine. The softness in his expression made my chest ache.
"You okay?" I asked, my voice low, the question holding more meaning than I could explain.
He nodded slowly, his smile never fading. "Yeah, I'm okay. We're okay."
I swallowed hard, trying to hold back the lump in my throat. How had I gotten so lucky? How had I found someone like him? How had he turned into the one thing I never knew I needed?
I pulled him into my arms, holding him tighter than I ever had before. "I love you, Ezra," I whispered against his ear. "I love you more than I know how to say. I always have."
He stiffened for a moment, as if the weight of my words hit him all at once. But then, he relaxed, his arms winding around me, pulling me closer.
"I love you too, Malachai," he said softly, the words so simple, but they felt like everything. "I really do."
I pressed my forehead to his, letting out a shaky breath. I was finally here, finally where I had always wanted to be….next to him, holding him, loving him. We had fought through so much, and somehow, we were still standing.
We had healed. We had come together, through all the pain and darkness. And now, we were going to build something that could last. Something that could survive anything.
I looked at Ezra, really looked at him, and I knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that this was where I was meant to be. With him. Always.
"Let's build this life, together," I said softly, the promise in my voice.
Ezra smiled up at me, his eyes filled with something beautiful, something hopeful. "Together," he echoed, as if the word itself was a vow we had both made.
And in that moment, I knew it was true. No matter what came next, no matter the challenges, we were going to face it together. Our love was strong enough to weather anything. And we had all the time in the world to make it last.
It was the beginning of everything.
And it was perfect.
THE END!!