Stay (Boy × Boy) ✔

CHAPTER 25 (THE END)

It was precisely three years since the assault, which meant it was the night before the Swimming National Championships, aka Nationals. This time they weren't in a club house. In fact they had spent the entire day at home, seeing no one but each others.

Even though they had been together for over a year, Aydan was still head over heels for William. If it was possible, he was getting more and more in love with him the more time passed.

Correspondingly William could still bear looking at Aydan's face every night before fell asleep and every morning right after he opened his eyes.

They had moved together as soon as William turned 21. Not that they couldn't have done it earlier, but they didn't want to hurry and the mansion wasn't actually a totally terrible place to live in. Not that Aydan would have been living in the mansion officially, he simply stayed there so often he might as well have.

When they finally did move together, they decided to stay in Aydan's apartment. Yes, the penthouse. It was too big for one person, but for the two of them it was a perfect fit.

Aydan was working at Matthew Davies' company these days, but he didn't work full day, since he had been training for the big competition diligently. William, then, had managed to go back to college and he had already started planning what universities he would apply for as soon as he'd graduate from college.

William had recovered well. He would have to take the antiepileptic drugs for the rest of his life, but he had found the right product and his seizures had been gone for some time now. He still had head aches every now and then, but otherwise you could barely tell he had been injured so badly it had nearly killed him.

His skin would carry the scars for the rest of his life as well, but they were merely a reminder of what he had overcome. He had been hurt, but he had survived.

About socialising then, well, William still had his limitations. He still didn't make friends easily and he still rather spent his time on his own or with Aydan, but it wasn't something that needed to be changed.

William was happiest when he had Aydan and the couple of friends he saw sometimes: George, Aubree, Brooke, Josh, James, Randy and Brian.

Actually after everything Brian had done for William, they had gotten really close. Their relationship was intriguing for Aydan, who actually liked talking with his friends when he saw them. Brian often came to see William, but they barely changed a word. Instead they both did their things, just in the same room.

''A penny for your thoughts.'' William murmured, turning to look at Aydan.

They were lounging on a sofa, William on Aydan's lap, and watching some movie about the end of the world. Although Aydan wasn't quite sure what caused the end of the world or pretty much anything about the movie in general.

''I was thinking about tomorrow.'' Aydan murmured back.

''What about it?'' William asked. He seemed to get excited, yet anxious, every time Aydan mentioned the big competition.

''Well.. I was thinking..'' Aydan started to grin widely, before he made it even halfway to the sentence: ''..how much is it okay to exercise the day before the competition?''

''I don't know. I guess you can —'' William began, looking confused, since they were supposed to stay in and watch movies. When Aydan's hands whizzed under his shirt, he realised what Aydan had in mind and started grinning too.

''I swear you have room for just one thing in your mind.'' William reproached him, but didn't resist when Aydan turned them over and ascended on top of him. William didn't seemed to mind about the kiss either, but answered it eagerly and intertwined his fingers in Aydan's hair.

Aydan hauled William to sit in front of him, undressing the totally unnecessary shirt that was only about to get in the way. William returned the favour and pulled Aydan with him as he tipped back to lie on the sofa.

Aydan looked at the person laying underneath him: the beautiful brown eyes, the slightly parted lips, the faded scars and the toned body that he couldn't keep his hands off from.

That person was his best friend. The friend he had grown up with: the sulky snot-nosed kid he had had to take care of, the kid who showed him what it was like to be passionate about something, the teen who wanted to photograph everything for one summer, the guy who had a special smile just for him and the man who he wanted to share the rest of his life with.

The last four years or so had been eventful. Aydan had done things he wasn't proud of and he had done things he could never truly forgive himself for, but things the others had forgiven him from.

He had tried to hide his true feelings, he had brought so much sorrow in their lives and he had almost lost the most important person of his life because of it.

Nevertheless everything had turned out more than great. After all these years William could finally make his dream come true and tomorrow he would get back what Aydan's foolishness had nearly took away from him for good. Even better than that, they would do it together — like they were always meant to do things. Just them two against the world, together no matter what.

''Don't just stare at me..'' William grinned as Aydan had zoned out and had indeed been staring at him for a good while.

''..eat something?'' Aydan smirked and fulfilled William's wish.

(A/N: Not literally though, he wasn't a cannibal. No need to worry.)

***

The indoor swimming pool was crowded with both the competitors, in their swimming suits and swimming caps, and spectators.

Aydan could see his parents and his brother Adam in the grandstand, cheering for him and William. Surprisingly both William's parents had also made it and sat a few rows below.

The ambience was charged, yet festive. Aydan hadn't stressed too much about the competition earlier, but now he was waiting for their turn as anxiously as William who was standing next to him in front of a swimming stand.

They looked at each other: William's eyes nervous but determined, Aydan's eyes probably just nervous.

William smiled at him encouragingly, before turning his gaze forward. He looked so happy, full of life, marvellous. It was almost time to make their dreams come true.. although Aydan's had come true a long time ago.

''Take your mark.'' The starter said, a whistle on her hand ready to kick off the race.

One, two, three —

***

A/N: I got the idea of this story from a dream I saw a while ago. In the dream were two guys, who loved swimming and who had known each other for a long time. They were in a sunflower field and then came the girl.. and well, when I woke up I pretty much had the plot for a new story.

Writing this story meant a lot to me. Even if I end up writing it just for me, it has brought a lot to my life during these couple of months.

If you happened to read this story, getting a star or a comment would mean the world to me. ❤