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Lighter has heard it many times from her brother, so it should have been simple. Don't stay up too late, Belle. Belle, can you help me sort out the new stock? Are you alright, Belle?
Belle .
Four letters, with one syllable — it was simple enough that a child just learning how to talk could easily form the sounds of the letters with his mouth, but the word had been sitting heavy on Lighter's lips for the past few weeks and for the entirety of the past hour as he watched the azure-haired girl sitting on the rust-colored loveseat beside him periodically shove popcorn into her mouth from the large bucket sitting on her lap, her bright green eyes fixated on the television screen a few paces in front of them.
He told himself that morning that today was gonna be the day that he would broach the subject — he had practiced saying her name in front of the mirror too many times that Lucy ended up thinking that he was harboring Belle in his room — but it had been more than an hour since he set foot in Random Play for their weekly movie date and he was nowhere near accomplishing his goal.
He watches her scoop another handful from the bucket before bringing it all up to her mouth, smiling as a lone kernel escapes her clutches, unnoticed, before soundlessly dropping to her lap.
Eyeing the crumbs still clinging to her face, he picks up the kernel and pops it into his mouth, briefly wondering what she would look like when he finally mustered the courage to call her by her name. Happy? Thrilled, perhaps? Or maybe she’d look at him with a weird and uncomfortable expression that would end up putting a dent in their budding relationship?
He tries to swallow, but the lump that has just formed in his throat at the thought makes it hurt.
He sighs as he watches her reach for another handful in the bucket. Maybe it was too soon for that kind of intimacy? They had only been dating for a few weeks at this point and none of her other friends had ever called her by her name, preferring instead to use “manager” or “proxy”...
A tiny squeal slips through that mouthful of popcorn, jostling Lighter out of his cloud of nervous thoughts. He casts a quick glance at the television screen to check what startled his beloved, only to recoil inwardly at the images on the screen, making him redirect his attention back to her. Lighter never did well with horror films — it had been her turn to pick the movie they’ll be watching for their date this week and true to herself, she picked a horror flick, albeit a less gory and bloody one (at least according to her), taking into consideration his fear of blood. Lighter knew better than to completely rely on her assurances considering her taste in media, but after seeing how bright her eyes sparkled as she explained the premise, he couldn’t find it in himself to refuse.
The slight movement seems to have drawn her attention, because she peels her eyes off the screen for a moment to cast a quick glance at him to her right, her gaze searching his face for something.
"Is it too scary for you? You've been staring at me the whole time," she says after a while, putting the popcorn bucket on the coffee table and picking up the remote to press the pause button. "We can watch something else if this freaks you out."
Lighter shakes his head as he shifts in his seat, leaning forward slightly as he adjusted his sunglasses. "It's scary, but I'm fine." He tilts his towards the popcorn bucket on the table, smiling a little upon seeing the last few kernels of popcorn remaining at the bottom. "I was just wondering when you were planning on passing me the popcorn."
She pulls the bucket to check its contents, cheeks reddening at the realization that she had binged her way through the entire thing on her own for the past hour of the movie. "I'm so sorry Lighter, I didn't realize that I already ate it all!"
His heart flutters at the way she adorably flounders in front of him for a moment before picking up the bucket and making a mad dash for the bedroom door. "I'll be back with more in just a sec!"
"Wait, Belle, it's fine!" He calls out just as her hand manages to turn the knob. “Let’s just finish the movie.”
He doesn’t realize his mistake right away.
She pauses by the doorway, slowly turning around to face him, her hand still on the knob. "Lighter, did you just...?"
Her expression is inscrutable, and Lighter’s stomach sinks as he realizes what he just did — he’d been fussing over the decision so much that his mouth ended up making it for him before his brain could catch up.
But then there’s that small part of him that feels relieved, happy even, because calling her by her name felt like the most natural thing in the world, almost as instinctive to him as breathing.
He clears his throat as his brain fumbles about for a solution. "Did I just what?"
"Call me by my name,” she deadpans.
"I always do.” They both know that it was a bold-faced lie, and he averts his eyes.
"No you don't!” Her voice rises, agitated and shaky, footsteps heavy on the carpeted floor as she walks back to him on the sofa. “You always call me ‘manager’ or ‘proxy,’ but never Belle !"
He now has his answer: it was definitely too soon, and she hated it.
He turns to face her as he makes up his mind. "If that was out of line, then I’m sorry. I wanted to try it once."
"Why are you apologizing!” Her voice turns shrill as she plops herself down on the sofa next to him and puts her face close to his, her eyebrows knitted together in frustration. “I was really worried you'd never get around to calling me by my name since you kept using ‘manager’ and ‘proxy’ even though we’re already dating!”
She was… worried?
Lighter’s eyes widen as her annoyance gives way to complete happiness, and she throws her entire weight at him, knocking all the wind out of his system and wrapping her hands around his neck. “You have no idea how happy you just made me Lighter!"
It takes a minute for her statement to completely sink in — he settles his hands on her waist tentatively as he waits for her to explain, but when she only buries her nose into the crook of his neck, her arms tightening around his body, he understood that there was nothing more to be said.
"If it made you this happy to hear it, then I'm gonna have to say it more often,” he says as he releases the breath he’s been holding as he pulls her closer.
She pulls back with the biggest grin he’d ever seen on her face and gives him a gentle peck on the cheek, her lips warm against his skin. “I would love that.”
" Belle ,” he whispers, his warm hands cupping her cheeks gently, cradling them as if they were fragile like glass. “Belle.”
“Yeah?” He doesn’t miss the flash of mischief in her eyes and the way her gaze drops to his lips.
Picking up on the hint, he quickly closes the short distance between them. “I love you, Belle."
Lighter never knew that cheese flavored popcorn could taste so heavenly.
"I love you too, Lighter."