Unspoken Bonds - Mattheo Riddle x Reader

The days following Y/N's confession were some of the hardest she had ever endured. She had bared her heart to Mattheo, told him everything, but it felt like her words had fallen on deaf ears. He had walked away from her—again—leaving her standing in the wreckage of their strained relationship, more confused and hurt than ever.

Mattheo had retreated into himself completely. They barely spoke, and when they did, it was brief, clipped, and devoid of any real connection. The tension between them was unbearable, thick enough to suffocate. Y/N couldn't stand it, but she didn't know what to do. She had already told him how she felt—what more could she say?

Y/N tried to carry on with her life, tried to focus on anything other than the aching hole in her chest that Mattheo had left behind. She spent more time with her friends, including Theo, though things had become awkward between them since his confession. Theo had apologized more times than she could count, telling her he hadn't meant to make things harder for her, but the damage had already been done. Their friendship wasn't the same, and Y/N couldn't help but feel guilty for the tension that had arisen between them.

Still, Theo remained a constant presence, offering his support in ways Mattheo no longer did. And while Y/N appreciated it, she found herself longing for Mattheo's company more than ever, despite how much he had hurt her.

It wasn't fair. She had told him how she felt—he knew she loved him. But instead of letting that bring them closer, he had used it as another reason to push her away. And Y/N was growing tired of chasing someone who seemed determined to run.

One night, after yet another day of silence between them, Y/N found herself sitting alone in the living room, staring blankly at the flickering fire. Her heart felt heavy, weighed down by the constant ache of Mattheo's absence, even though he was just a few rooms away.

She didn't know how much longer she could take this. The silence. The distance. The not knowing if Mattheo even cared anymore.

Just as Y/N was about to give in to the overwhelming sense of despair, she heard footsteps approaching. Her heart skipped a beat as Mattheo appeared in the doorway, his expression guarded, as if he were unsure whether or not he was welcome.

"Y/N," he said quietly, his voice rough from lack of use.

Y/N looked up, her heart pounding. She hadn't expected him to come to her—not after all this time. But there he was, standing in front of her, looking like he had been through hell.

"Mattheo," she whispered, her voice barely audible over the crackling fire.

He took a hesitant step into the room, his eyes never leaving hers. There was something different about him tonight—something raw and vulnerable. It was as though the walls he had built around himself were finally starting to crack, and Y/N wasn't sure if that terrified or relieved her.

"I need to talk to you," Mattheo said, his voice hoarse.

Y/N's heart clenched in her chest. She had been waiting for this moment, but now that it was here, she wasn't sure she was ready for it. There was so much unsaid between them, so much hurt and misunderstanding. Could they really fix this?

But she nodded anyway, gesturing for him to sit beside her. He hesitated for a moment before slowly lowering himself onto the couch, leaving a small but noticeable distance between them.

For a long moment, neither of them spoke. The silence stretched on, thick with tension and uncertainty. Y/N could feel the weight of Mattheo's gaze on her, but she couldn't bring herself to meet his eyes.

Finally, Mattheo let out a heavy sigh, running a hand through his messy curls. "I've been a fool."

Y/N's breath caught in her throat, and she finally looked at him, her eyes wide with surprise. She hadn't expected him to admit it—not like this, not so openly.

Mattheo's expression was filled with regret, his dark eyes reflecting the flickering flames of the fire. "I've pushed you away... when all I've ever wanted was to be close to you. But I'm terrified, Y/N. I'm terrified of ruining everything. Of losing you."

Y/N stared at him, her heart breaking at the vulnerability in his voice. She had never seen him like this—so raw, so open. It was as if the armor he always wore had finally been stripped away, leaving behind the broken man beneath.

"You're not losing me," Y/N whispered, her voice trembling. "You're pushing me away, Mattheo. I don't understand why. I've told you how I feel. I've told you I love you, but it's like you don't believe me."

Mattheo closed his eyes, his jaw tightening as if he were trying to hold back the flood of emotions threatening to break free. "I don't deserve you," he muttered, his voice barely above a whisper. "You deserve someone who's not... like me. Someone who can give you everything you need. And I'm not that person."

Y/N felt her chest tighten as she watched him struggle with his words. She had known Mattheo had his insecurities, but she hadn't realized how deep they ran. He had always put up such a strong front, but now she could see how much he was hurting—how much he had been hurting for so long.

"That's not for you to decide," Y/N said softly, her voice filled with emotion. "I don't want someone else, Mattheo. I want you. I've always wanted you."

Mattheo opened his eyes, his gaze locking with hers, and for the first time in what felt like forever, Y/N saw a flicker of hope in his eyes. But it was quickly overshadowed by the lingering doubt that still plagued him.

"I'm afraid," he admitted, his voice cracking. "I'm afraid of what loving you means. Of what it might do to us."

Y/N's heart ached as she listened to him, the pain in his voice cutting through her like a knife. She wanted to reach out, to hold him, to tell him that everything would be okay—but she wasn't sure if that was true.

"All relationships are scary, Mattheo," she said gently, her voice soft but firm. "But we can't let that fear control us. We can't keep running away from each other. Not if we want this to work."

Mattheo stared at her for a long moment, his eyes filled with so many conflicting emotions that Y/N couldn't begin to unravel them all. He looked like a man standing on the edge of a cliff, unsure whether to take the leap or retreat into the safety of his own loneliness.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Mattheo let out a shaky breath, his shoulders slumping in defeat. "I don't know how to do this," he admitted, his voice barely a whisper.

Y/N's heart broke at the raw vulnerability in his words, and without thinking, she reached out, her hand gently resting on his. Mattheo flinched at the contact, but he didn't pull away.

"You don't have to do it alone," Y/N whispered, her voice trembling with the weight of her emotions. "We'll figure it out together. But you have to stop shutting me out, Mattheo. You have to let me in."

Mattheo's gaze dropped to their joined hands, and for a moment, Y/N feared that he would pull away, that he would retreat into himself once more. But instead, he slowly turned his hand over, his fingers intertwining with hers in a gesture so small yet so monumental.

"I'm trying," he whispered, his voice filled with a quiet desperation that broke Y/N's heart all over again. "I'm trying, but it's hard."

Y/N squeezed his hand gently, offering him a small, sad smile. "I know. But we'll get through this. Together."

For the first time in what felt like forever, Mattheo's gaze softened, and the distance between them seemed to shrink, if only slightly. It wasn't a perfect resolution—it wasn't the fairytale ending Y/N had been hoping for—but it was a start.

And for now, that was enough.