For Him, I Stayed

Chapter 35: "Mending Fragments"

Note:
"The intimacy hinted at here will lead into Chapter 36, where their relationship deepens emotionally and physically."

Warning:
NOTHING🥳🎊
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Chapter 35: "Mending Fragments"

The weight of the past hung heavily in the air. Ray had confessed to Matthew three times before, and each rejection had left a scar. Even now, as he texted Matthew to meet him at the park, those memories haunted him.

“What am I even doing?” Ray thought as he stared at his phone, Matthew’s “On my way” reply glowing on the screen. His heart was pounding as if he were preparing for battle.

This wasn’t just about clearing the air—it was about finding closure, one way or another.

---

Sunday Night, the Park

The fountain glistened under the faint light of the streetlamps. Matthew was already there when Ray arrived, sitting on the edge and staring at the rippling water.

When he noticed Ray, his expression softened. “Hey.”

“Hey,” Ray replied, his voice almost a whisper.

They stood there in an awkward silence for a moment before Matthew gestured toward the bench. “Sit with me?”

Ray nodded, walking over. He didn’t sit too close, his posture stiff.

“We need to talk,” he said after a moment, his voice breaking the stillness of the night.

Matthew nodded. “Yeah. We do.”

But neither of them seemed to know where to start. Finally, Matthew sighed. “Ray, I—”

“No,” Ray interrupted, holding up a hand. “Let me go first.”

Matthew blinked, taken aback, but he nodded.

Ray turned toward him, his hands clenching into fists on his lap. “Do you remember the last time I told you I liked you?”

Matthew froze, guilt flashing across his face. “Ray, I—”

“Just answer me,” Ray cut him off, his voice trembling.

Matthew swallowed hard. “Yes. I remember.”

“Three times, Matthew,” Ray said, his voice rising slightly. “I’ve told you how I felt three times. And each time, you told me no.”

Matthew winced, but he didn’t interrupt.

Ray laughed bitterly, shaking his head. “You don’t know how hard it was for me to do that. To put myself out there, just for you to—” He stopped, taking a deep breath. “It doesn’t matter. What matters is that I’m still here, and I still—”

He hesitated, his voice catching in his throat. But he forced himself to continue.

“I still love you, Matthew,” Ray said, his eyes glistening with unshed tears.

Matthew’s breath hitched, and for a moment, he was silent.

“Ray...” he began, his voice soft, almost pained.

Ray shook his head, his heart pounding in his chest. “No, don’t. Don’t say anything unless you actually mean it. I can’t handle another rejection, Matt. Not again.”

Matthew reached out, his hand hovering over Ray’s before he finally took it. “I’m not going to reject you. Not this time.”

Ray’s eyes widened, disbelief etched across his face. “What are you saying?”

“I’m saying I love you too,” Matthew said, his voice trembling. “I’ve always cared about you, Ray. I just didn’t know how to deal with it back then. But I know now. And I don’t want to lose you.”

For a moment, Ray couldn’t breathe. The words he’d wanted to hear for so long finally reached him, and it felt surreal.

“You’re not just saying this because you feel guilty, are you?” Ray asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

Matthew shook his head, his grip on Ray’s hand tightening. “No. I’m saying it because it’s the truth. I’ve been scared, Ray. Scared of what this would mean, scared of ruining what we had. But I’m done being scared.”

Ray stared at him, his heart aching with a mix of hope and fear. “You mean it?”

Matthew smiled, his eyes shining with sincerity. “I mean it.”

Ray let out a shaky breath, his lips curving into a small smile. “You’re such an idiot.”

Matthew laughed softly. “Yeah, I know.”

He leaned in slowly, giving Ray plenty of time to pull away if he wanted to. But Ray didn’t. Their lips met in a tentative, gentle kiss, and it felt like a dam breaking—a release of all the tension and heartache that had built up between them.

When they pulled apart, Matthew rested his forehead against Ray’s. “I missed you,” he whispered.

Ray closed his eyes, his voice barely audible. “I missed you too.”

---

Later, at Ray’s House

When they arrived at Ray’s house, they sat on the couch, the air between them lighter but still charged with emotion.

Ray looked over at Matthew, his cheeks tinged with pink. “So... what happens now?”

Matthew reached out, brushing a strand of hair from Ray’s face. “Now? Now we figure it out. Together.”

Ray smiled, his heart feeling lighter than it had in years. “You’d better not mess this up.”

Matthew chuckled. “I wouldn’t dare.”

Their laughter filled the room, and for the first time in a long time, everything felt right.

To Be Continued...