unexpected love (Leah Williamson)

Saying the words

Leah's POV:

Beth's text sat heavy on my mind as I made my way to Ella's flat. I knew her job was demanding and intense, but something about Beth's message told me that today had been especially rough for her. Ella was so strong, always carrying so much on her own, and it hit me that maybe she didn't let on as much as I thought.

When I got to her door, I knocked softly, and she opened it with a faint smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. She looked tired, her usual spark dimmed, and I felt an ache in my chest seeing her like that.

"Hey, you," I said, wrapping her in a warm hug. "You okay?"

She nodded but stayed silent, resting her head on my shoulder. I held her a little tighter, letting her know that she didn't have to put up a brave face for me.

"Do you want to talk about it?" I asked, my hand rubbing gentle circles on her back.

Ella shook her head, sighing as she pulled back and took my hand, leading me to the couch. "Honestly, I just want to sit here with you," she said, her voice soft and a little broken.

We sat down, and I wrapped a blanket around us, pulling her close. For a while, we just stayed like that, the silence filling in all the words she didn't need to say. I could feel the tension in her body slowly fading as she let herself lean into me.

Eventually, she spoke, her voice barely above a whisper. "Some days, it feels like I can handle it all... and then others, it's just too much, Leah. Today, it was too much."

I felt a pang in my heart hearing her say it, realizing just how much she'd been holding inside. "I'm so sorry, Ella," I murmured, pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead. "You don't have to do this alone, you know. I'm here, and Beth's here too. We've got you."

She took a deep breath, nodding slowly. "I know. Beth was amazing tonight. She's always been there for me, you know? But with you... it's different."

My heart swelled at her words, knowing that I meant something special to her in a way that went beyond even her closest friendships. "I want you to lean on me, whenever you need it," I said, running my fingers through her hair. "You don't have to be the strong one all the time."

She gave me a small, grateful smile and leaned her head on my shoulder, her hand finding mine. We stayed like that, quietly sharing the weight of her day, letting her feel safe in this moment. I knew that there would be more days like this, tough days, days that might feel overwhelming, but I also knew we'd face them together.

As the night wore on, I could feel her breathing deepen as she began to drift off to sleep against me. I whispered, "I'm here, Ella, now and always." And as I held her close, I knew I would be, through every tough day and every quiet night.

The quiet weight of Ella sleeping against me felt grounding, like it was the most natural thing in the world. I watched her, her features soft in the dim light, her breathing steady. She looked peaceful, the day's stress finally lifting, and I found myself overwhelmed by the urge to protect this quiet moment, to keep her safe from everything that had burdened her earlier.

I had known I loved her for a while now. It was there in every moment, every small thing I found myself wanting to do for her. But until tonight, I'd held back from saying it. It felt too soon, or maybe I worried she wasn't ready to hear it. But sitting here, watching her relax and breathe easy, I felt a pull I couldn't ignore. I wanted her to know, even if she was asleep.

I brushed a stray strand of hair from her face and whispered, almost more to myself, "I love you, Ella." The words came out soft but steady, each one carrying a weight that felt right.

To my surprise, her eyes fluttered open, just slightly. She looked up at me, sleepy but aware, a small smile curving her lips. For a second, I wondered if she'd actually heard me, if maybe she was still half-asleep.

But then she whispered back, her voice a little raspy from sleep, "Leah... I love you too."

My heart swelled, and I felt a warmth spread through me like nothing I'd ever felt before. She nestled closer, wrapping her arm around me, and I felt like the luckiest person in the world to have her here, to hear those words back from her.

I held her close, pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead, letting the words settle between us, unspoken but understood. We didn't need to say anything more. Just being here, tangled together, was enough.

As she drifted back to sleep in my arms, I realized this was everything I'd wanted—to be the one she could lean on, the one she loved. And in that moment, I knew there was nowhere else I'd rather be than right here, loving her back with every part of me.