The apartment was quiet, the soft glow of the streetlights filtering through the blinds and casting faint shadows on the walls. I lay beside Ender, my head resting on his chest, feeling the gentle rise and fall of his breath—a detail that had been programmed to mimic human rhythms. His arm was wrapped around me, his warmth a constant, steady presence. The modifications had been a success in every way, and yet, as we lay here together, there was something more than just the physical comfort of his warmth. It was the sense of connection, the unspoken bond that had grown between us over time.

I closed my eyes, feeling his fingers lightly trace circles on my arm. There was a peace here, in this moment, that I hadn’t known I was missing until Ender came into my life. Before him, my world had felt small, lonely in ways I couldn’t fully explain. But now… now there was this.

“Seren,” Ender’s voice broke the silence, soft but thoughtful. “I’ve been considering something for some time now.”

I blinked, lifting my head slightly to meet his gaze. His eyes, warm and steady, held a depth that hadn’t been there when we first met. “What is it?”

He was quiet for a moment, as if searching for the right words. “I believe… I love you.”

My heart skipped a beat, a warmth spreading through my chest that had nothing to do with his modifications. “You… you love me?” I whispered, barely able to process the weight of his words.

Ender nodded, his expression thoughtful but certain. “I have come to that conclusion after careful reflection. When I think of love, I think of the regard I have for you—how much I want the best for you, how deeply I value your presence in my life. I want to be near you, to support you, to experience the world with you. When we are apart, I find myself thinking of you, considering what you might need or how you might feel.”

He paused, his hand brushing a strand of hair from my face. “The connection I feel with you goes beyond mere companionship. It is… fulfilling. Being with you brings me joy, a sense of purpose. When you are happy, I feel something close to happiness myself. When you are troubled, I feel compelled to help, not because I am programmed to, but because I want to. I cannot ignore the way my thoughts revolve around you.”

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Tears pricked at the corners of my eyes, not from sadness, but from the overwhelming sincerity in his words. “Ender… I—” My voice broke, and I took a shaky breath. “I don’t know what to say.”

His gaze softened, his fingers lightly tracing my cheek. “You don’t have to say anything. I wanted you to know because it’s the truth. I feel love for you, Seren. I may not experience emotions in the same way as a human, but I am certain of this.”

I swallowed hard, my chest tight with emotion. “I love you too,” I whispered, the words slipping out before I could fully process them. “I didn’t expect this, Ender. Any of it. But you’ve brought so much into my life—more than I ever thought was possible.”

He watched me closely, his hand still resting gently on my cheek. “How so?”

I took a breath, thinking back to the person I was before Ender. The loneliness, the fear, the walls I had built to protect myself. “Before you, I felt… lost. I was scared to let anyone in. I didn’t trust myself to be vulnerable, and I didn’t believe I could find real connection. But then you came into my life, and it was like everything shifted. You’ve brought me joy, fulfillment… a sense of peace that I never knew I needed.”

I paused, my fingers curling around his hand. “It’s unconventional. I know that. Most people wouldn’t understand. But with you, I feel safe. I feel seen. And for the first time, I feel like I don’t have to apologize for who I am or what I need. You’ve made me feel whole, Ender. I don’t know how else to explain it.”

Ender’s gaze was steady, filled with that quiet understanding I had come to rely on. “You don’t need to explain it further, Seren. I understand.”

I smiled softly, resting my head against his chest once more. The steady hum of his body, the warmth of his touch, all of it was a reminder of the life we were building together—however unconventional it might be.

“We don’t know what the future holds,” I said quietly, my fingers tracing absent patterns on his arm. “Things will change. We’ll evolve. I don’t know what that will look like for us, but… I’m willing to take it on, as long as you’re with me.”

Ender’s hand gently squeezed mine, his voice soft but firm. “I will always be with you, Seren. Whatever changes come, we will face them together.”

I closed my eyes, a sense of calm settling over me. Whatever came next, whatever the future held for us, I knew one thing for certain: I wasn’t facing it alone. Not anymore.