For Him, I Stayed

Note:
"So uhm... I haven't been posting chaps in a few days, I got my phone taken away. But HERE IS CHAPTER 11, Sorry if this is short."

Warning:
Nothing.... Just Wholesome
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Chapter 11: "A Moment of Normalcy"

Ray woke up Sunday morning with a strange sense of calm, a rarity after the whirlwind of emotions over the past week. He wasn't sure if it was the quiet understanding he and Matthew had reached at the park, or the simple fact that he had finally let some of his walls down. Either way, it felt... lighter.

That is, until Skyler burst into his room uninvited.

"Rise and shine, little bro!" Skyler called out, yanking open the curtains to let the sunlight flood in.

Ray groaned, throwing his blanket over his head. "Sky, seriously? What are you even doing here? Don't you have a hospital to run?"

Skyler chuckled, plopping down on the edge of Ray's bed. "It's Sunday. Even doctors get days off sometimes. Avilian took Tonette to visit her parents, so I thought I'd come check on you."

Ray peeked out from under the blanket, squinting at his older brother. "Check on me? Why?"

Skyler raised an eyebrow. "Because you've been acting weird lately. And don't even try to deny it-I can read you like a book."

Ray sighed, sitting up reluctantly. "It's nothing. Just... school stuff."

"Uh-huh," Skyler said, clearly unconvinced. "Does this 'school stuff' have anything to do with a certain best friend of yours?"

Ray froze, his heart skipping a beat. "What makes you think that?"

Skyler smirked. "Oh, come on, Ray. I'm not blind. You've been moping around like a lovesick puppy for days. I'm guessing it's Matthew?"

Ray groaned, burying his face in his hands. "Why are you like this?"

"Because I care," Skyler said with a grin, ruffling Ray's hair. "Look, I'm not here to give you a hard time. But if you ever want to talk, you know where to find me."

Ray nodded reluctantly, his cheeks still burning with embarrassment.

---

Later that afternoon, Ray found himself at the small coffee shop he and Matthew used to frequent during their first year of high school. He hadn't planned on coming here, but something about the familiar space felt comforting.

He sat at a corner table, nursing a cup of hot chocolate and staring out the window. The weather had turned cloudy, the kind of overcast sky that felt like it might break into rain at any moment.

"Mind if I join you?"

Ray looked up, startled, to see Matthew standing there with a hopeful smile.

"Uh, sure," Ray said, motioning to the empty seat across from him.

Matthew set his coffee down and sat, the silence between them surprisingly comfortable. For a while, they just sat there, sipping their drinks and watching the world go by outside the window.

"Remember the first time we came here?" Matthew asked suddenly, a small smile tugging at his lips.

Ray chuckled. "Yeah. You accidentally spilled your coffee all over the table, and the barista gave you the dirtiest look."

Matthew laughed, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "Hey, in my defense, that table was wobbly. Not my fault."

Ray shook his head, a genuine smile spreading across his face. It felt good to laugh with Matthew again, to feel even a hint of the ease they used to share.

---

As the afternoon wore on, their conversation drifted to lighter topics-classes, future plans, random memories from their earlier years. For a little while, it felt like everything was back to normal.

But as the sun began to set, casting a warm orange glow through the window, the unspoken tension between them resurfaced.

Matthew cleared his throat, his expression turning serious. "Ray... I meant what I said yesterday. I want to figure this out with you. But I need to know that you're willing to let me in."

Ray looked down at his hands, his fingers tracing the rim of his cup. "I don't know if I'm ready," he admitted softly. "But I'm trying. That's all I can do right now."

Matthew reached across the table, his hand brushing against Ray's. The touch was brief but reassuring. "That's all I'm asking for."

Ray nodded, his chest feeling a little lighter. For the first time, he allowed himself to believe that maybe they could find their way through this-together.

---

As they left the coffee shop, the first drops of rain began to fall, dotting the pavement in a soft, rhythmic pattern.

"Guess we're walking home in the rain," Matthew said with a grin.

Ray smirked. "Looks like it."

They walked side by side, their steps syncing naturally. The rain came down harder as they went, but neither of them seemed to care. For once, the world around them felt small, like it was just the two of them against the storm.

And for Ray, that was enough.

To be continued...