Unspoken Bonds - Mattheo Riddle x Reader

Mattheo sat in his study, his eyes fixed on the glowing embers in the fireplace. Blaise's words echoed in his mind, gnawing at the walls of his resolve. He had always trusted Blaise's instincts, and Draco's judgment had rarely steered him wrong. But the poison of their suggestion—that Y/N wasn't right for him—had seeped deep, leaving him to wrestle with questions he hadn't dared ask himself before.

"You're not the same with her, Mattheo," Blaise had said earlier, a glass of Firewhisky in his hand, his tone cutting as always. "You're softening. Losing your edge."

Draco had agreed. "You're tied to someone who doesn't understand this world. We can all see it."

That was the part that hurt the most. They had seen through his armor, through the bond he had built with Y/N over these months. And now, their voices were louder than his own.

What if they were right? What if he wasn't the man she needed?

He had spent so long trying to protect her, shielding her from the darker sides of his life. But in doing so, had he grown weak, or worse, unworthy of the title he bore?

The door creaked open behind him, but he didn't turn. He knew who it was. Her presence always brought a warmth into the room, a warmth he now found himself fighting against.

"Mattheo," Y/N's voice was soft but steady, laced with concern. "You've been distant... again"

He sighed, closing his eyes as the weight of the moment settled in. He could feel the tension thickening, the impending confrontation looming.

Y/N stepped closer, her footsteps light on the wooden floor. "You've barely spoken to me since... since everything with Theo, and I don't understand what's going on."

Mattheo's jaw tightened. He couldn't tell her the full truth—couldn't reveal how Blaise and Draco had been planting seeds of doubt in his mind. But part of him wanted to. He wanted to lay it all out, to ask her if she thought she belonged in his life, or if they were doomed to fail as his friends suggested.

"I don't know if this is working," he said finally, his voice barely above a whisper. "Maybe it was a mistake. This... us."

The silence that followed was unbearable. He could feel Y/N's breath catch, the weight of his words crashing over her.

"What are you saying?" Her voice trembled, but there was a steeliness there that hadn't been present before. She wasn't going to crumble under his hesitation.

Mattheo stood, facing her for the first time in days. The pain in her eyes mirrored his own, but there was something else—something stronger, fiercer. She wasn't going to let him do this without a fight.

"I'm saying maybe Blaise and Draco were right," he muttered. "You don't fit into this world, Y/N. It's not fair to you."

Her eyes flared with anger, and she took a step closer, refusing to back down. "Since when do you let them decide what's right for you? For us?"

He couldn't meet her gaze, the guilt gnawing at him. "I'm trying to protect you."

"Protect me?" She scoffed, her voice rising. "From what, Mattheo? From a life I chose to be a part of? Or are you just afraid that I'm not good enough for you?"

Y/N felt her chest tighten as she watched him struggle with his thoughts. Mattheo was torn between two worlds—his loyalty to his friends and the connection they had built together. But this wasn't the Mattheo she knew, the man who had shown her his vulnerable side, the one who had made her feel like she belonged in his life, despite all its challenges.

Chapter 18: The Breaking Point

"I'm done fighting for this alone," Y/N said, her voice cold and resolute. "If you don't want me—if you don't want this—just say it."

Mattheo's heart shattered at her words. He could see the pain in her eyes, the way she had been carrying the weight of their relationship on her shoulders, trying so hard to keep them together even as he drifted away. He had never intended to push her this far, but now, he feared it was too late.

"It's not that simple," he said, his voice barely holding together. "You don't know what this life is like."

"And you don't know what it's like to constantly feel like you're not enough," she shot back, her eyes blazing with hurt. "I've stood by you, Mattheo. I've defended you, supported you. But if you can't see that—if you can't see us—then maybe you're right. Maybe it's not working."

She turned to leave, her hand already on the door when his voice stopped her.

"Wait."

Y/N froze, her breath catching. She didn't know what he would say, didn't know if she could bear hearing more doubt. But when she turned around, the look in his eyes was different—softer, broken, like he had finally let the walls he built crumble around him.

"I don't want to lose you," Mattheo said, stepping toward her, his voice filled with desperation. "I don't know how to do this. I'm scared, Y/N. Scared of failing you."

The vulnerability in his voice sent a shockwave through her. For the first time, Mattheo wasn't just hiding behind his anger, his jealousy, or the expectations of others. He was raw, open, and terrified.

Y/N's heart softened, but the hurt still lingered. "Then why push me away?"

"Because I thought it was the only way to protect you," he admitted, his eyes locking onto hers. "But I can't. I don't want to."

She didn't know whether to yell at him or throw herself into his arms. Every part of her was aching with the weight of this moment, with the months of tension that had built up between them.

"Then stop," she whispered. "Stop pushing me away, Mattheo."

He took another step, closing the distance between them. His hand reached for hers, his touch hesitant but yearning.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, his voice shaking. "I didn't know how to tell you how much I need you."

Y/N looked up at him, her own walls crumbling under the intensity of his gaze. And for the first time, she saw it—all of him. The boy who had hidden his feelings behind arrogance, the man who had tried to protect her, even at the cost of his own happiness.

"I need you too," she whispered, her voice breaking.

And then, before either of them could say another word, Mattheo leaned down, pressing his lips to hers in a kiss that was years in the making—soft, slow, and full of every unsaid word, every unspoken confession they had buried.

The kiss deepened, a release of all the tension that had built between them since their marriage began. Y/N melted into him, her arms winding around his neck as if to anchor herself in this moment. This was everything she had wanted—everything she had feared she might never have.

Mattheo pulled her closer, his hands slipping around her waist, holding her as if he was afraid to let go. The world around them faded, leaving only the warmth of each other, the feeling of finally being understood, finally being together.

When they finally broke apart, both breathless, Mattheo rested his forehead against hers. "I'm not going anywhere, Y/N. I promise."

She smiled, her heart full for the first time in what felt like forever. "Neither am I."