Do you believe in love at first sight?

Chapter 10:Thinking

"Are you hungry? Do you want me to make you a late-night snack?" It was already 11 PM, well past Ethan's usual bedtime.

"Sure, but is there anything left in the fridge?" Ethan asked, though Maxwell's arms remained firmly wrapped around him, showing no intention of letting go.

Ethan glanced down at the arms holding him, feeling a little self-conscious, yet he didn’t really want Maxwell to release him either. After a brief pause, his face flushed, and he gently pulled Maxwell's hands away. "I'll go see what we have," he said, heading toward the kitchen.

Maxwell watched him, noticing how red his ears had turned. A knowing smile crept across his face.

Maxwell, having lived a life full of fleeting romances, could easily tell that Ethan had feelings for him. However, he was used to being on his own, enjoying his freedom. Even though he felt the same way about Ethan, he couldn’t approach things as casually as he once would.

Maxwell didn’t deny that he had been selfish and even cruel in past relationships, never really considering giving back the emotions others had offered him. But Ethan was different—he wasn't someone Maxwell could afford to be reckless with. Ethan had been hurt before, and his gentle nature made him vulnerable. One wrong move, and Maxwell knew he could send Ethan spiraling into pain all over again.

Now, it was easy for Maxwell to guess why Liam and their mutual friend were so coincidentally absent. It was clearly intended to keep him with Ethan. However, what interested Maxwell was Liam's prediction of Ethan's feelings for him, which was not surprising. But could Liam actually predict that he would also have feelings for Ethan? That was much less foreseeable. What puzzled Maxwell the most was Liam's willingness to take such a risk. Why would he willingly give Ethan to me? Even if Maxwell liked Ethan, he couldn't guarantee that he wouldn't act selfishly like he did before. Could Liam really trust him enough not to hurt Ethan?

"There's pizza from the supermarket in the refrigerator. Let's eat pizza today." Ethan couldn't hide his shyness with his cute pink face. "Okay, you can eat with us." Okay. Ethan turned around and walked back to the kitchen to heat up the pizza in the oven, thinking that he still had time to prepare some fruit. While he was thinking, he didn't notice Maxwell following him.

After placing the pizza in the oven, Ethan turned to wash some figs and blueberries, only to notice Maxwell watching him with a smile.

"Is something up?" Ethan asked, puzzled.

Maxwell shook his head, the smile never fading. "No, just wanted to watch you cook. Go on."

As he spoke, he was quietly mulling things over. Maxwell couldn’t deny the "dish" in front of him was incredibly tempting, but he was calculating how to proceed in a way that would leave both of them satisfied, without anyone getting hurt.

Ethan, not fully understanding, nodded and grabbed some juice from the fridge, casting another curious glance at Maxwell. He never usually watched him like this. What was going on today?

Yet, in Maxwell's deep eyes, all he could see was a gentle smile, no hidden intentions. Ethan wrinkled his nose and, with a sigh of resignation, let him keep watching as he turned back to check on the pizza in the oven.

"All done." Ethan was just about to grab the oven mitts to take the pizza out when, before he could react, someone beside him had already beaten him to it. Maxwell, faster than Ethan, slipped on the mitts and pulled the pizza tray from the oven, setting it on the table. Ethan stood there, momentarily stunned, before picking up the fruit platter and juice.

A few minutes later, when Ethan began to clear the plates and glasses to wash them, those same large hands reached over again, taking everything to the sink for him.

This time, Ethan frowned and fixed Maxwell with a sharp look, his brows furrowing in confusion.

Maxwell couldn't help but chuckle at the sight. With a playful grin, he leaned in and, like a mischievous dragonfly, kissed Ethan lightly between his furrowed brows. "Come on, eat. It's been a long time since I've had pizza."

That night, Ethan went to bed with a head full of questions, still puzzled by Maxwell's strange behavior. Even in his dreams, Maxwell’s unusually tender smile lingered in his mind.