🎧🎶 "CoutureCaballo - Kyra Bonik"

After almost a full year of friendship and a meaningful bond between you and Joel, a relationship finally began to develop more comfortably and organically. Months of getting to know each other, being friends, sharing moments together, and Joel decided to take the step of asking you if you wanted to have a serious relationship with him. The concept of "boyfriend" sounded so weird and too cringe for him. He considered himself old enough to not use that title. He even spent weeks thinking of a proper title for you both, so "partner" was okay for both.

Everything was going according to schedule, slow but comfortable, without rushing, without pressure. There were times when Joel spent the nights at your house or invited you out to some decent place in Jackson. It took a while for him to take you to his house, not because he didn't want to, Joel wanted to be sure that both you and Ellie felt comfortable, and taking you into account in his relationship with you.

Luckily, Ellie liked you. She didn't seem uncomfortable or upset the first time Joel brought you to his house. Ellie was actually quite nice, even sweet and funny. She did tease Joel about how he was too slow and old-fashioned for you, which got a few soft laughs and a grunt out of him, but nothing serious enough to really make anyone uncomfortable. She gave you and him enough space to enjoy the date. It got to the point where you spent the night with him, and the next morning was so nice with the three of you having breakfast together for the first time. Joel was relieved that Ellie approved of his relationship with you and supported him, even though it included a few silly jokes that made him sigh in a way that was somewhere between fake annoyance and a bit of amusement.

There was no doubt that Joel loved you...it was quite noticeable, you could feel it in every part of your body and although things took time, your relationship with him improved a lot each time and strengthened that bond that cost him a lot to form...something that took him time to remove the barriers and allow himself to receive love and company again...