The Name Game Continues

The next day, Kikidori found himself lounging on the couch, his phone in hand, as Ere'ana walked into the room, a smirk dancing on her lips. He could tell by the glint in her eyes that she was up to something—again.

"So, Kikidori," Ere'ana began, her voice dripping with sweetness, "now that you've agreed to call me 'babe,' I think it's only fair if I get to call you something, too."

Kikidori didn't even look up from his phone, but the smile tugging at the corner of his mouth said he knew exactly where this was going. "Oh, really?"

Ere'ana nodded, her grin widening. "Yep. From now on, you're 'love.'"

Kikidori's head snapped up, his expression a mix of surprise and amusement. "Love? Seriously?"

"Yes, love," Ere'ana replied, her tone still sweet but now with a teasing edge. "It's only fair. You made me 'babe,' so now you're 'love.'"

Kikidori opened his mouth to protest, but then he saw the glimmer of challenge in her eyes. It was clear that she wasn't going to back down from this little game.

He sighed dramatically, leaning back into the couch. "Alright, alright, I get it. You're not going to let this go, are you?"

Ere'ana's smile only grew wider. "Nope. Not until you start calling me 'babe' and I get to call you 'love.'"

Kikidori rolled his eyes but couldn't hide the smile that crept across his face. "Fine. You win this round, love."

Ere'ana couldn't resist. She leaned over, her voice dropping to a playful whisper. "You know, I think it sounds kind of cute when you say it."

Kikidori glanced at her, raising an eyebrow. "Yeah, well, don't get used to it."

Ere'ana just giggled, resting her head on his shoulder. "Oh, I will."

The two of them sat there for a moment in comfortable silence, the playful exchange bringing a sense of warmth to the otherwise quiet mansion. Despite the teasing, it was moments like these that made everything else feel less important. Just being with each other was enough.

The End of Chapter Twenty