Reo's bento box gotextracare—I drew a tiny book on it with cherry blossoms, acknowledging the Roar's intelligence.
Then Kenji's plate.
The biggest.
The best.
Extra potatoes.
Perfect eggs.
Hollandaise drizzled just right.
And finally, my plate.
I covered both with tops.
"Hey." Hiro gestured to the guards. "Take this stuff up for her. The Tiger should not have to hold anything."
They moved immediately, gathering the bento boxes. One of them produced a food cart from somewhere on the side, andthey loaded everything onto it—Kenji's plate with a cover, my plate too, and all the bento boxes arranged carefully.
Before they could wheel it away, I turned to Hiro.
He was sitting now, his plate in front of him, looking at it like it was something precious. He’d even shoved the sake bottle further away as if he were done drinking for the day.
Good. I hope he’ll be able to go back to sleep after he eats.
"Hey," I walked over to him. "Thanks for helping me out.”
“I had more fun than you will ever understand.”
“I’m glad.” I smiled. “However. . .you gotta give me a hug now.”
He blinked.
“We're family."
He looked up. Surprise flickered across his face. “A hug?”
"Yeah. We cooked together. So we're bonafide family now. You gotta give me a hug."
For a moment, he looked happy and sad at the same time. Next, he stood up—this tall, dangerous man rising from his chair—and then fast he pulled me into his big arms.
Wow!
Warmth encased me.
He held me really, really hard.
Even crazier, the hug lasted longer than I expected. Long enough that I felt his muscular chest hitch. Long enough that I heard a sniffle he tried to hide.
My own eyes watered, and I didn't know why.
Maybe because he needed this so badly.
Maybe because I needed it too—this connection, this family I was building in the most unlikely place.
"Thank you," he whispered against my hair, and his voice was rough with emotion. "Thank you for understanding about earlier and. . .thank you for. . .cooking with me."
