“So?” he checked.
“It’s much sweeter than the one I remember from home,” I admitted, when I’d swallowed the second bite. “Not in a bad way. It still brings back really good memories.”
Espen nodded, and remained quiet while I continued to eat.
I only managed two slices of bread before I felt full enough that I thought I might vomit, and Espen’s forehead knitted in concern when I stopped.
“That’s it?”
“I’m full.” I shrugged lightly, and wrapped the food back up.
“You’ll need to eat again in half an hour, then. It’s no wonder you’re so skinny.”
I scowled at him. “If I was as skinny as you claim, wouldn’t my breasts be imperfect?”
His eyes burned into me. “Your breasts are perfect whether they’re flat or round enough to fill a watermelon, Akari. Your health is what matters to me. Two slices of bread isn’t enough for a meal.”
My scowl deepened. “Don’t tell me what I can and can’t eat.”
He returned the fierce expression. “Then eat enough to keep yourself alive.”
I shook my head in frustration, but his words did hit me hard.
Iwasn’teating enough to keep myself alive.
Stars, I hated knowing that.
Mostly because eating was difficult for me, and I didn’t want to try to force myself to do it more often.
“Please, Akari.” His hand landed on mine. “We’re friends now, right?”
I sighed. “I did agree to that, unfortunately.”
“Then I need you to eat enough to give yourself energy to make it through the day.”
“That’s not going to happen immediately. I can’t go from eating nearly nothing to gorging myself; I’ll make myself sick,” I argued.
“We’ll taper up slowly over the next week or two. Give your body time to adjust, while my brother and his friends search for more information about the people we need to kill.”
I gave him a reluctant nod. “That sounds fair enough.”
“Exactly.” He wrapped up the rest of my food for me. “I have a target you can use for knife throwing in my spare room, if you wanted to use it.” He gestured over his shoulder, to a door that I hadn’t been through.
I lifted an eyebrow at him. “Do you practice with weapons?”
His ears reddened a bit. “No.”
He’d had it brought in for me, then.
As a way to get me into his space more often—to give me something to do while we were near each other.
It was actually really damn sweet.
“Thank you. What do you usually do during the day?”
He shrugged a bit. “Stare at the sky and hope the moon doesn’t come crashing down on me.”
The joke had me fighting a smile. “Don’t we all?” I drawled. He chuckled, and I stood. “Let me grab my knives, and I’ll keep you company while you stare.”