Walter x Henry - a secret love story

Chapter 6 - Talk to me

Walter's pov

At first, everything between Henry and me was perfect. Being his boyfriend felt even better than I imagined. We still laughed and joked like always, but now we had these sweet, quiet moments where we'd kiss or cuddle. It made everything feel more real. I'd never been so close to someone before, and I loved it. He'd hold me at night, and I'd feel safe. Like nothing could go wrong.

But as weeks went by, I started to notice things. Little things that bothered me, even though I didn't want them to. Henry wasn't always great at talking about how he felt. He was the type of person who kept everything locked inside, like he didn't want anyone to see the parts of him that weren't always happy or easygoing. He'd joke around or change the subject whenever I tried to get serious.

I wanted to know more about him, to be closer to him, but sometimes it felt like there was this wall between us. I'd open up, tell him about my feelings or how much I liked being with him, but he never really said those things back. It was like he didn't know how, and maybe he didn't. But it still hurt. I wanted to feel like we were both in this, like we were both giving each other everything.

One night, we were lying on my bed after a long day of classes. I was curled up against his side, my head resting on his chest, listening to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat. Everything felt peaceful, but there was this nagging feeling in my stomach that I couldn't shake. I didn't want to ruin the moment, but I couldn't keep ignoring it.

"Henry?" I said quietly, lifting my head a little to look at him.

"Yeah?" he answered, his hand lazily running through my hair.

I bit my lip, trying to find the right words. "Do you... do you ever feel like you're holding back with me?"

He frowned, clearly not expecting that question. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, like... I always tell you how I feel. You know, about us. But you don't really say much. It's like... I don't know. I just want to know what's going on in your head sometimes. How you feel about me. About us."

Henry sighed, pulling his hand away from my hair and sitting up a little. "I don't know, Walter. I don't think about stuff like that as much as you do. I just go with the flow."

That answer stung more than I expected. I sat up too, feeling the warmth of his body leaving mine as we pulled apart. "But it's not just about going with the flow. I want to know what you're feeling. Do you even... like me the same way I like you?"

Henry shot me a look, like I was being ridiculous. "Of course I like you. Why do you even have to ask that? I'm with you, aren't I?"

I felt my chest tighten. He wasn't getting it. "It's not just about being with me, Henry. It's about showing me. You're always so closed off. You joke around, but you don't let me in. And sometimes you're kind of... rough. Like when we argue or when you're in a bad mood, you shut down, and it's like I'm talking to a wall."

Henry's expression hardened, his jaw clenching. "I'm not rough," he snapped. "That's just how I am. I don't know what you want from me, Walter. Not everyone needs to talk about their feelings all the time."

I could feel my frustration building up, my heart pounding in my chest. This wasn't how I wanted the conversation to go, but I couldn't stop now. "I'm not asking you to change who you are, Henry. I'm just asking for you to let me in. I want to know that you care, that this means something to you."

Henry stood up suddenly, running a hand through his hair. "It does mean something to me! Why do you always need more? Why isn't what we have enough for you?"

I blinked, feeling the sting of his words hit me hard. "Because I want to feel like we're in this together! I want to feel like you trust me. But it always feels like you're keeping me at arm's length, and I don't know why. I don't know if you even want this as much as I do."

Henry turned away, his back to me, his fists clenched at his sides. "I do want this, Walter. But I can't be everything you need all the time. I'm not like you. I don't... I don't know how to be."

His voice cracked a little at the end, and I knew I'd hit a nerve. But instead of feeling closer to him, I felt further away than ever. It was like I was finally seeing the wall between us, and it scared me.

"Then tell me what you're feeling right now," I said softly, standing up and walking over to him. I reached out, touching his arm gently. "Please, Henry. Just talk to me."

He didn't move for a moment, his back still to me, and for a second, I thought maybe he was going to open up. Maybe he'd finally let me in. But instead, he shook his head and pulled away from my touch.

"I can't do this right now," he muttered, his voice cold and distant. "I need space."

Before I could say anything else, Henry grabbed his jacket from the chair and walked out of the room, leaving me standing there, alone.

I stared at the door after it closed, my heart sinking into my stomach. I didn't know what to do. I wanted to run after him, to tell him that I didn't need him to be perfect, that I just needed him to try. But he was gone, and I was left standing in the quiet, empty room, wondering if I'd pushed him too far.

What if he didn't come back?

The thought hit me like a punch in the gut, and I sat down on my bed, my hands shaking slightly. I didn't know what to do. All I could do was wait.

And hope that Henry wasn't gone for good.

***

Author's note

I hope you liked it, sorry for the cliffhanger hahaha