For Him, I Stayed

Note:
"Help... I'm bawling, shitting and crying, I LUV THESE TOK SM"

Warning:
Too much love😭
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Chapter 48: "The Weight of Three Words"

The morning sun streamed through the window, casting a golden glow over the bed where Ray and Matthew lay tangled together under the blankets. It was the kind of warmth that made them want to stay in bed forever, wrapped up in each other.

Ray stirred first, his face pressed against Matthew’s chest, listening to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat. He let himself stay there for a moment, taking in the peaceful quiet of the morning.

Matthew’s arm tightened around him. “You awake?”

Ray hummed in response, shifting slightly to look up at him. “You’re warm.”

Matthew chuckled, his voice still rough with sleep. “That’s what happens when you use me as a personal heater all night.”

Ray smirked, tracing small circles on Matthew’s chest. “Not complaining.”

For a moment, they just lay there, comfortable in the silence.

Then, Matthew exhaled and shifted so he could look at Ray properly. “Hey… I’ve been thinking about something.”

Ray raised an eyebrow. “That sounds dangerous.”

Matthew rolled his eyes but squeezed Ray’s hand. “I’m serious.”

Ray sat up slightly, resting on his elbow. “Okay. I’m listening.”

Matthew hesitated, running a hand through his hair. His heart was pounding, but he knew he had to say it.

“I want to be with you. For real. For always,” Matthew said, his voice steady despite the nervous energy bubbling inside him. “No more hesitations. No more what-ifs. Just… us.”

Ray’s breath caught in his throat. He blinked, trying to process what Matthew was saying.

“…What are you saying?” Ray asked, his voice quieter than before.

Matthew swallowed hard. Then, with all the certainty in the world, he said, “I’m saying I love you, and I want to spend my life with you.”

Ray felt like his heart had stopped.

Matthew squeezed his hand. “Marry me.”

Ray’s eyes widened. “M-Matthew—”

“I know it’s sudden,” Matthew continued quickly, his face slightly flushed. “I know we’re still figuring things out, but I don’t need more time to know that it’s you. It’s always been you, Ray.”

Ray stared at him, his chest tightening. This was real. Matthew wasn’t just saying words this time—he meant them.

A thousand thoughts ran through Ray’s mind. The past, the years of longing, the pain, the waiting… and now, this.

He took a deep breath.

Then, a smile broke across his face, soft and full of emotion. “You idiot,” he whispered, leaning in until their foreheads touched. “You really couldn’t wait, huh?”

Matthew let out a shaky laugh. “Not even a little bit.”

Ray closed his eyes for a moment, letting the warmth of Matthew’s presence fill him. When he opened them again, there was no hesitation.

"Yes..." Ray murmured. “I’ll marry you.”

Matthew barely had time to react before Ray kissed him, deep and full of every unsaid emotion he had held in for years.

And just like that, their forever began.