Ocean stirred, his eyes slowly fluttering open as the soft light of dawn filtered through the curtains. The warmth that surrounded him felt foreign—comforting yet unfamiliar, as if he were waking from a dream. His body was still, relaxed in a way it hadn't been for weeks, but something was different. Slowly, he became aware of the gentle rise and fall beneath him, the steady rhythm of a heartbeat that wasn't his own.
He blinked a few times, his mind still hazy with sleep, before realizing where he was—on Skyler's arm, using it as a pillow. His hand resting lightly on Skyler's chest.
For a moment, Ocean didn't move. He lay still, taking in the soft warmth of Skyler's body, the feeling of being held so close, so safe. Last night felt like it had been some kind of dream—a strange, beautiful dream that didn't seem possible in the light of day. And yet... it was real.
He could hear the steady thrum of Skyler's heart beneath his palm, could feel the rise and fall of his chest as he breathed. This wasn't a dream. Skyler was really here, holding him, protecting him, just as he had promised. The memory of their quiet confessions from the night before washed over Ocean, and his heart swelled with a mixture of emotions—relief, fear, longing.
He shifted slightly, careful not to disturb Skyler, but the movement caused Skyler's arm to tighten around him instinctively, pulling him closer. Ocean's breath caught in his throat, and for a brief moment, he wondered if he should pull away, put some distance between them. But something inside him resisted. He didn't want to leave this warmth, this closeness, not yet.
Skyler stirred then, his grip loosening as he began to wake. Ocean felt him shift beneath him, and after a few seconds, Skyler's eyes fluttered open. His blue eyes, still soft with sleep, found Ocean's, and for a moment, they simply looked at each other in the quiet morning light. Neither spoke. They didn't need to.
"Good morning," Skyler whispered, his voice low and gentle, as though he didn't want to shatter the fragile peace between them.
"Morning," Ocean murmured back, his voice still groggy from sleep.
For a moment, they lay there, neither moving, just soaking in the reality of the morning. It was almost too much to process—waking up like this, so close, after everything that had happened.
Ocean's mind raced with thoughts of the night before. The words they had shared, the quiet confessions, the vulnerability of it all. Had that really happened? Had Skyler really said he'd loved him all these years? Had Ocean really let him stay the night?
It felt so surreal now, lying here in the quiet light of morning, but the warmth of Skyler's body, the steady beat of his heart beneath Ocean's hand, told him that it was real. This was real.
"I didn't mean to... uh..." Ocean began awkwardly, shifting slightly as he realized just how close they still were. "I mean, I didn't mean to fall asleep like this."
Skyler's lips quirked into a small, sleepy smile, his gaze soft and understanding. "It's okay. I didn't mind."
Ocean felt his heart skip a beat at the simplicity of Skyler's response. There was no pressure, no expectation—just understanding. The kind of understanding that came from someone who had known him far longer than Ocean had realized.
"Last night..." Ocean hesitated, his voice quiet as he tried to put the swirling emotions into words. "It almost feels... unreal. Like it didn't actually happen."
Skyler's expression softened even more, and he gently brushed a strand of hair from Ocean's forehead. "It happened, Ocean. I'm still here. I meant everything I said."
Ocean's heart swelled again, but this time with something softer, something more fragile—hope. He wanted to believe in Skyler's words, in the quiet promises they had made the night before, but part of him still hesitated. Part of him still feared that it was all too good to be true.
"I don't know what to do now," Ocean admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. "I don't know how to... fix this."
Skyler's hand cupped Ocean's cheek gently, his thumb brushing softly against his skin. "You don't have to know everything right now. We'll figure it out, together."
Ocean's eyes flickered with uncertainty, but there was something about Skyler's calm, steady presence that made him feel like maybe, just maybe, they could. Maybe they could figure it out.
They lay there in silence for a little while longer, neither of them in a rush to move, to break the fragile peace that had settled over them. The morning sun filtered in through the curtains, casting a soft glow over the room, and for a brief moment, it felt like the outside world didn't exist.
But eventually, reality began to creep back in. There were still so many things left unsaid, so many wounds that hadn't fully healed.
Ocean sat up slowly, pulling away from Skyler's warmth, though a part of him immediately missed it. He ran a hand through his messy hair, his thoughts a jumble as he tried to make sense of everything.
Skyler watched him quietly, not pushing, not pressuring. He sat up too, his gaze steady as he waited for Ocean to speak, to say whatever was on his mind.
"I'm still angry," Ocean admitted, his voice quiet but firm. "I'm still hurt."
"I know," Skyler said softly. "I understand."
"I don't know if I can just... forget everything that happened," Ocean continued, his eyes fixed on the floor. "You disappeared, Skyler. You left me without an explanation. Twice."
Skyler's expression tightened with guilt, but he nodded. "You have every right to be angry. I should have told you the truth sooner. I should have trusted you."
Ocean's heart clenched at the sincerity in Skyler's voice, but the pain of those weeks of silence still lingered. He had spent so many nights wondering why Skyler had abandoned him, so many nights convincing himself that he wasn't worth the effort.
"I was scared," Skyler admitted, his voice low. "I thought I was protecting you by staying away, but I only ended up hurting you more."
Ocean glanced at him, the weight of Skyler's words sinking in. "Why didn't you tell me? About the blackmail, about everything?"
Skyler let out a slow breath, his gaze filled with regret. "Because I didn't want you to blame yourself. I didn't want you to feel responsible for something you had no control over."
Ocean's chest tightened. He wanted to be angry, wanted to hold onto the hurt, but seeing the raw vulnerability in Skyler's eyes made it hard to stay cold.
"I'm sorry, Ocean," Skyler whispered, his voice thick with emotion. "For everything."
There was a long pause as Ocean processed Skyler's words. He could feel the sincerity in them, could see the regret written all over Skyler's face. And while part of him still wanted to hold onto the pain, another part of him—a part that had been buried deep for weeks—longed to forgive, to move forward.
"I'm not ready to forgive you," Ocean said quietly, his voice steady. "But... I don't want to lose you either."
Skyler's expression softened, relief washing over him. "I'll wait. As long as it takes. I'll do whatever I need to make things right."
Ocean looked up at him then, his heart heavy with the weight of everything they had been through. But for the first time in what felt like forever, there was a glimmer of hope.
The morning light continued to filter through the windows, casting a soft glow over the room as they sat there in the quiet aftermath of their conversation.
TBC. 🩵
