The city pulsed with a restless energy as Matthew navigated its labyrinthine streets, each step measured, each breath controlled. The confrontation with Tom was inevitable—a storm brewing on the horizon that could no longer be ignored. Matthew's mind was a tempest of calculated strategies and simmering emotions, all centered around the man who had become his anchor: Vinny.
Tom's apartment was nestled in a nondescript building, its facade as unremarkable as the man himself. Matthew ascended the stairs with a predator's grace, his resolve hardening with each step. He knocked, the sound echoing like a judge's gavel pronouncing sentence.
The door swung open to reveal Tom, his surprise quickly masked by a smirk that didn't reach his eyes. "Matthew. To what do I owe the pleasure?"
Matthew stepped inside without invitation, the air between them thick with unspoken animosity. "We need to talk."
Tom closed the door, leaning against it with feigned nonchalance. "About?"
"Vinny."
Tom's smirk widened, a glint of malice flickering in his gaze. "Ah, I see. The new boyfriend coming to stake his claim."
Matthew's eyes narrowed, his voice a low growl. "Cut the crap, Tom. I know you've been feeding him lies about me."
Tom shrugged, pushing off the door and circling Matthew like a vulture sensing carrion. "I simply told him the truth. That you're a manipulative bastard with a penchant for destruction."
Matthew's fists clenched at his sides, nails biting into his palms. "Stay out of our business."
Tom chuckled, a dark, humorless sound. "Funny, I was about to tell you the same thing. Vinny and I have history. You're just a passing phase."
Matthew's control wavered, the carefully constructed facade beginning to crack. "You don't know anything about what Vinny and I have."
Tom's eyes gleamed with cruel amusement. "I know he's too good for you. I know you'll ruin him, just like you've ruined everything else you've touched."
The words were a spark to dry tinder. Before rational thought could intervene, Matthew's fist connected with Tom's jaw, the impact reverberating up his arm. Tom staggered back, a hand flying to his face, eyes wide with shock that quickly morphed into fury.
"You son of a—" Tom lunged, but Matthew was ready, sidestepping and delivering a swift blow to his abdomen. Tom doubled over, gasping for breath.
"You don't get to talk about Vinny," Matthew hissed, grabbing Tom by the collar and forcing him upright. "You don't get to decide what's best for him."
Tom spat blood onto the floor, a defiant glint in his eye. "And you do? You're poison, Matthew. He'll see it eventually."
Matthew's grip tightened before he shoved Tom away, disgust curling his lip. "Stay away from Vinny. Consider this your only warning."
Without waiting for a response, Matthew turned on his heel and left, the door slamming behind him like a final punctuation mark on the encounter.
The adrenaline from the confrontation still coursed through Matthew's veins as he stood outside Vinny's apartment. He hadn't planned on coming here, but his feet had carried him to the one place where the chaos in his mind might find solace.
He knocked, the sound softer than it had been at Tom's. A moment later, the door opened to reveal Vinny, his eyes lighting up at the sight of Matthew.
"Hey," Vinny greeted, stepping aside to let him in. "Wasn't expecting you."
Matthew offered a small smile, stepping into the familiar space. "Couldn't stay away."
Vinny chuckled, closing the door behind them. "Not that I'm complaining."
They stood in the living room, the air between them charged with an energy that had become all too familiar. Matthew reached out, fingers brushing against Vinny's cheek, tracing the line of his jaw.
"Missed you," Matthew murmured, his voice barely above a whisper.
Vinny leaned into the touch, his own hands finding their way to Matthew's waist. "Missed you too."
The distance between them evaporated as their lips met, a slow, deliberate dance that spoke of longing and unspoken words. Matthew's hands tangled in Vinny's hair, pulling him closer, deepening the kiss.
Vinny responded in kind, his body pressing against Matthew's, seeking more. They moved together, a symphony of touches and sighs, each trying to convey what words could not.
Clothes became an unnecessary barrier, discarded in a trail leading to the bedroom. They fell onto the bed, limbs entwined, mouths never parting for long. Matthew's hands roamed Vinny's body, memorizing every curve, every dip, as if trying to etch him into his very soul.
Vinny's fingers traced the scars on Matthew's back, each one a story he hadn't yet heard but was willing to listen to when Matthew was ready to tell them. For now, he focused on the man before him, the man who made his heart race and his breath catch.
They moved together, a crescendo building between them, each touch igniting a fire that threatened to consume them whole. And when they finally reached the peak, it was with each other's names on their lips, a declaration and a promise all at once.
Afterward, they lay tangled in the sheets, bodies sated but hearts still racing. Vinny rested his head on Matthew's chest, listening to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat.
"Stay the night," Vinny murmured, his fingers drawing lazy circles on Matthew's skin.
Matthew pressed a kiss to Vinny's hair, tightening his hold. "Wouldn't dream of being anywhere else."
As sleep claimed them, Matthew's mind drifted back to his earlier encounter with Tom. He knew he should tell Vinny, but the words eluded him. For now, he chose to focus on the man in his arms, the one person who made the darkness feel a little less suffocating.
The morning would bring its own challenges, but for tonight, they had each other. And that was enough.