Then he fell in love with you, and suddenly the word became inconveniently complicated.

Because now he isn't only worried about whether someone might hurt you.

He's worried about whether you'll give up on yourself.

Whether you'll stop chasing something because someone told you that you couldn't have it.

Whether you'll forget that your dreams matter too.

It's a deeply irritating development. The greatest tactical mind of his generation, and here he is, standing in the doorway of your study, cataloguing the particular tilt of your head while you work. For the record, that's a strategic observation. That's all it is.