"Little Flame" Eli's nickname for me echoed in my sleep induced mind.

I hummed in response. I was not ready to start the day. After all the morning yogas, weekly rehearsals, performances, Elysium's school, sport events and my bruised toes from high performing dances. I wanted to just sleep. Forever if possible.

"Breakfast is ready, come on, Love" Eli said softly.

I groaned and opened my eyes, blinking away the haziness. "What time is it?"

"Time for you to eat" Eli replied, ever the caregiver.

I snorted, glancing at him. "That's not what I asked"

"I know but the answer remains the same. I know you want to sleep but you need food. I made your favourite oat milk latte" Eli said, staring at me with beautiful pitch black eyes filled with amusement.

The traitor. He knew I loved my latte.

"Fine. I'm getting up. I'll be down in a few" I said sitting up.

"That's My Good Girl. Now go freshen up. I'll check on Elysium" Eli said, placing a soft kiss on my head tenderly before leaving.

My heart skipped a beat like it always did when it came to Eli Castillo. I sighed, closing my eyes for a few minutes before getting up and doing my morning routine.

Would there be a day where I stopped crushing on my best friend?

Was it even a crush at this point?

I was 29 years old for God's sake. Eli and I were high school best friends. We graduated high school together at the end, right before he turned 18 and I turned 14. We still remained in touch and close friends while I pursued my dream of becoming a Ballerina and him, a Glass Artist but I never stopped loving him.

I think I fell for him the day he protected me from the bullies. He wasn't brash. Loud. Or aggressive. No, he was calm. When he sat down next to me and leveled them with a simple glare that could send older men running for their life. I knew I was done for.

But I never confessed. Maybe I was scared of losing the only friend I had in high school or maybe because he was my calm in the storm and I didn't want to lose the anchor I had found in a world I was still trying to flourish in with two famous authors as parents and the huge pressure to be articulate, perfect, and proper in their eyes.

But Eli was a dangerous calm. One that could swallow you whole if you weren't careful. I knew that much.

Eli was always the silent kind of danger. Calm. Mature. Observant. So neutral that you wouldn't know what to expect from him. He perfected the art of stoicism so well that if I didn't know him personally I would think he was emotionless. And that made him dangerous. The devil you didn't know was far worse than the devil you knew. Because you never know what to expect. Maybe that's why the bullies were frightened of him.

And he could also be very authoritative especially when it came to me and Elysium's well being. That was not all to it though.

Eli was tender underneath all that control and calmness he showed to the outside world. He was protective. Sweet. Gentle. Affectionate. Attentive. Understanding. Respectful and very much mindful of my independence. To put it short, the man was a God. Perfect. Sculpted by the heavens themselves with a muscular body, veiny hands. Dark hair, fair skin with the softest light tan reflection and a perfect straight nose. Add to that, his light trimmed stubble that he lets grow from time to time and pitch black, fathomless pools of dark liquid as eyes and you would be breathless.

The man exuded power. Authority. Calmness. Control and dominance effortlessly but I never once felt small next to him. Or oppressed.

Far from that.

He treated me as his equal. Always have even if he was older. It was impossible not to catch feelings for someone like that who's been a part of your life for so long. Especially when said someone asked you to be his prom date even if he didn't want to go to these things all because you said you wanted to go. The same person also bought you cherry blossom perfumes from all over the world whenever he traveled just because he knew you loved them.

Took care of you during your period even going as far as cancelling his trips all to ensure you were taken care of. Bathed you with care and warmth when you were exhausted beyond measure not once having wandering hands. A best friend who also went to your son's sports events and cheered like it was his own son. Or bought you thousands of Ballerina shoes, attended each of your performances without missing a single one and even carried you to bed whenever you fell asleep on the couch, too exhausted from work. Someone that cooked for you. Gave you kisses on the forehead, temple and warm hugs when you felt exhausted from everything. A man that never hid from you. Always bared his soul to you and showed you his vulnerability, his tears, sorrow and allowed you to comfort him despite the poker face he reserved for the world.

I could say a thousand things about Eli that made me fall for him but it still wouldn't be enough to encompass the magnitude of feelings I had for him. Feelings I kept buried for years now because I didn't want to jeopardise our friendship. Especially when Eli never made a move.

Yes he was very affectionate towards me and sometimes stared at me with a reverence and longing in his pitch black eyes that made me question if he felt for me what I did for him or if I was imagining things. And it was clear we had a deep intimate emotional connection.

But I could be misinterpreting his affectionate demeanour towards me. What if I confessed and it broke us apart, tearing down a friendship founded on trust, love, loyalty and understanding that had survived years of challenges all because I saw him as more than a best friend. All because I wanted more from him.

I couldn't risk it. So I kept it at bay.

And I suppose it was a bit comforting to know Eli never dated anyone until now. Even in high school, he was always disinterested, no matter how much the girls hovered around him. He barely paid them a glance. Dedicating his attention instead to ensuring I ate well and was doing okay which earned me a fair shit ton of hate, envy, jealousy and glares from the girls.

Maybe he was aromantic. Or asexual. Perhaps that's why he never made a move.

Fuck. I was back to psychoanalysing Eli.

Shaking my head, I checked my appearance in the mirror, dressed in a simple floral spaghetti strap dress and ensured I was presentable before heading downstairs.

I was beautiful with green eyes, fair skin, dark hair and an hourglass body shape honed by years of exercises, yoga and ballet choreography that led to me being incredibly fit, healthy, and muscular. And the dress hugged all my curves beautifully.

Judging by the way, Eli's eyes raked over me the moment he saw me, eyes flashing with something I couldn't quite describe before he promptly looked away. I was not the only one who thought that.

"Good morning, Mamá," Elysium said, mouth full of pancakes. (Mamá - common name for Moms in Mexico)

"Good morning, my little Star. How would you sleep?" I ask ruffling his hair lovingly.

"Good. You?" Elysium asked after swallowing his food. Eyes sparkling with happiness and warmth.

My eyes softened at his bright hazelnut brown eyes. "Good too" I whispered softly before settling down.

I still remember how he kept crying and pointing grabby hands at Clara's lifeless body during the funeral, calling 'Mami' again and again. (Mami - Mommy)

It feels like just yesterday I adopted him and yet years have already flown by since I lost Clara. My closest friend at work. A good mother. A good soul.

"We could go to the movies today and the beach tomorrow" Eli said, snapping me out of my sorrow and the knowing look in his eyes told me he knew what I was thinking.

Damn him for being able to read me so well.

I cleared my throat before responding "Sure"

Avoiding Eli's penetrative gaze, I sipped my steaming hot oat milk latte. A soft sound of contentment escaping me.

God it was pure heaven. No one made my latte as perfectly as Eli did.

"Thank you for taking care of us so much even when we give you grey hair and test your instincts."I say enjoying the warmth of the latte.

Silence.

Eli stared at me.

Slowly.

Very slowly.

"Little Flame."

I immediately raised an eyebrow innocently. Knowing what was coming.

"I do not have grey hair." Eli grunted, earning a snort from Elysium.

I grinned.

He narrowed his eyes.

"You are smiling far too much."

My grin widened.

And judging by his expression. He knew I was teasing him. I was the only one that could. And deep down he enjoyed it.

"And my instincts are perfectly healthy." Eli replied, pouring more tea in Elysium's cup.

A snort escaped me. "They are not."

"They are."He countered.

"They absolutely are not." Elysium added.

"They are." Eli grumbled.

"Just weeks ago, you wrapped me in layers of blankets because I sneezed once." Elysium said, giving him a deadpan look.

"It was a concerning sneeze." Eli replied calmly.

"It was dust." Elysium retorted.

"It was concerning dust." Eli replied.

Both me and Elysium bursted into laughter.

And soon Eli chuckled too.

Pure happiness and warmth filling the room.

Bright.

Peaceful.

Pure.

This.

This was everything to me.

Just a quiet Saturday morning with the people I loved the most.

My Son.

My Eli. Mi Sol. (My Sun)