Bossnoeul ff <Meant to be mine>

12- L-lhong !

Rayal shuddered, feeling Atlas's intense gaze on him. He didn't want to open up, to reveal his vulnerable side to the other man. But something about Atlas's tone made him feel safe, made him want to open up.

"I...I don't know," he said, his voice trembling. "I'm scared. I'm afraid of getting hurt again."

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Atlas's eyes softened even more as he saw the vulnerability in Rayal's expression. He reached out and took Rayal's hand in his own, squeezing it gently before speaking "Do you mind sharing your past with me. "

Rayal took a deep breath, feeling a shiver run through him at Atlas's words. He felt a strange mixture of fear and attraction, torn between wanting to keep his guard up and wanting to open up to the other man.

"I...I don't know," he whispered, his voice shaking. "I don't know if I can talk about it. It's...hard."

"I understand," Atlas said, his tone gentle and understanding. "But I want to know what you're thinking. I want to help you through this."

Rayal closed his eyes, feeling a wave of emotions wash over him. He knew that he needed to talk to someone about what had happened with Lhong, but the thought of opening up was terrifying. He felt like he was exposing his soul, laying himself bare and vulnerable.

"It's just...I've been hurt before," he said finally. "By someone who I thought cared about me. But they were just using me. They didn't care about me as a person, they just wanted my body."

Atlas's expression darkened as he heard Rayal's words. He could sense the pain and hurt in the other man's voice, and it infuriated him to think that someone had treated Rayal so badly.

"Who was it?" he asked quietly, his tone edged with anger. "Who was it that hurt you like this?"

Rayal winced at Atlas's words. He had never told anyone about Lhong before, never spoken aloud the name of the man who had hurt him so badly. But he could see the anger in Atlas's eyes, and he knew that he couldn't keep it hidden anymore.

"His name was L-lhong," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "He was...he was my boyfriend. For a long time. But he didn't really care about me. He just used me for his own pleasure."

Atlas's eyes widened in shock as he heard Lhong's name. A look of realization flashed across his face, followed by a mixture of surprise, anger, and disbelief.

"Lhong?" he repeated, his voice barely above a whisper. "You were with Lhong?"

Rayal felt a pang of dread at the tone of Atlas's voice. He could tell that the other man recognized the name, and he could sense the anger and tension in the air.

"Y-yes," he said slowly, his voice trembling. "Why? Do you know him?"

Atlas's face contorted with anger as he heard Rayal's words. He had known Lhong for a long time, and he had seen the way the other man had treated the people around him.

"Yeah, I know him," he said through gritted teeth. "I know him all too well."

Atlas took a deep breath, trying to control his anger. It all made sense now - the way Rayal had been so guarded and hesitant to open up, the fear and trauma that he had been dealing with. Lhong was the cause of all of it.

"Lhong and I used to be best friends," he said quietly, his tone bitter. "We were close for a long time."

"But I realized over time that he wasn't the person I thought he was," he continued, his voice growing more heated. "He was selfish and manipulative, always using people to get what he wanted. And you were just another one of his victims."

Atlas reached out and took Rayal's hand in his own, his touch firm and comforting.

"Rayal, listen to me," he said, his voice gentle but urgent. "What I feel for you is not the same as what Lhong felt for you. It's real, and it's honest."

Atlas squeezed Rayal's hand softly, his gaze intense and sincere.

"Rayal, I need you to listen to me. I know you're scared, and I know that you've been hurt before. But I'm not Lhong. I'm not going to use you or harm you in any way."

"And I know that you're probably scared of me, too," he continued, his voice softening. "Because of what I do for a living. But I want you to know that I would never hurt you. I'd rather die than see harm come to you."

"I know you've been through a lot, and I know it's going to take time for you to trust me," he added, his tone gentle and reassuring. "But I promise you, I will do everything in my power to show you that I'm different from Lhong. I care about you, Rayal. More than you could ever know."

Despite the fear and anxiety that still gnawed at him, Rayal couldn't help but feel comforted by Atlas's words. There was something about him that made Rayal feel safe, that made him want to believe that what Atlas was saying was true.

Rayal took a shaky breath, feeling a sense of vulnerability settling in his chest.

"I...I need some time," he whispered, looking down at his hands. "I want to believe you, I do. But it's hard for me to trust anyone after what I went through with Lhong. Can you give me some time?"

Atlas's expression softened as he heard Rayal's words. He knew that it would take time for Rayal to overcome the trauma and trust issues that Lhong had left him with, and he was willing to wait.

"Of course," he said, his tone gentle. "Take all the time you need. I'm not going anywhere."

"I understand how hard it must be for you to open up to someone new after what you've been through," he continued, his voice softening. "But I promise you, I'm not going to give up on you. I believe in you, Rayal. I know you're strong enough to work through this and heal."

Rayal felt tears well up in his eyes as he heard Atlas's words. He had never felt so cared for and supported before, and it was both overwhelming and heartwarming.

"Thank you," he whispered, his voice choked with emotion. "I...I don't know what to say. I just...I need some time to sort through everything."

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heyyy guys actually i am just too lazy to write the story.........so thats why i am taking a lot of time.......and i think i will be uploading 2 ch every 5-6th day ..........i am sorry if i am making you wait a lot but plz understand i actually needed to shift the story a bit to give it a happy endng.......plz understand...........thank you bye bye love you all