The morning after the storm was always the hardest.
Matthew lay in Vinny's bed, staring at the ceiling, his thoughts still reeling from everything that had happened in the past few days. His knuckles were bruised, and a dull ache throbbed through his body, but it was nothing compared to the war waging inside his mind. He had left Tom bloodied on the floor, his words sharp and biting in his mind. The image of Vinny's face—his eyes wide with concern, his lips soft and eager for him—still lingered.
But there was something else, too. The part that gnawed at him. The part that told him he hadn't been completely honest.
Vinny stirred beside him, breaking him from his thoughts. His hair was messy, eyes still half-closed, a sleepy smile tugging at his lips as he turned toward Matthew.
"Morning," Vinny mumbled, his voice hoarse from sleep.
Matthew turned his head to look at him, his gaze softening. "Hey."
Vinny reached out and brushed a lock of Matthew's hair out of his face, the tender gesture making Matthew's heart skip a beat. "How're you feeling?"
Matthew sat up slowly, rubbing his face. "Good. Fine. Just...a lot on my mind."
Vinny's brows furrowed, sensing the unease in his voice. "You sure? You've been acting kind of distant."
Matthew hesitated. He couldn't bring himself to tell Vinny what had happened with Tom. Not yet. It was too much, too raw, and if he said it aloud, it would make everything real.
Instead, he just nodded. "Yeah. It's nothing, really."
Vinny didn't look convinced, but he didn't push, instead reaching out and pulling Matthew back down into the bed. "Whatever it is, we'll deal with it together. Just...don't shut me out, okay?"
Matthew's heart swelled at the sincerity in Vinny's voice. He felt the weight of everything—his past mistakes, his anger, his need to protect Vinny—press down on him, and for a moment, it was almost too much to bear. But the comfort Vinny offered was a balm to his wounds, something Matthew had never known he needed until now.
He nodded, even though the words he wanted to say were still lodged in his throat. He couldn't share this part of himself yet, not when the storm inside him hadn't calmed. "Okay. I won't."
Vinny smiled and leaned down, kissing Matthew's forehead gently. "Good."
They lay there for a while, the silence stretching between them, comfortable in its own way. But Matthew couldn't shake the feeling that he was about to lose control of something. Something big.
Later that afternoon, Matthew found himself on the street, walking to clear his head. He had spent the last hour in his car, just sitting, staring at the road, his mind spiraling. His phone buzzed in his pocket, and for a moment, he considered ignoring it. But then he saw the name—Tom.
He hesitated before answering, his chest tightening. "What do you want?"
On the other end, Tom's voice was laced with smugness. "You don't get to hit me and walk away, Matthew. You owe me an explanation."
Matthew's jaw clenched. He was about to say something sharp when Tom continued.
"You really think I'm the only one who sees how toxic you are for Vinny? He's too good for you. And you're just gonna ruin him like you always ruin things."
The words were like ice, digging into his skin, but Matthew knew better than to let Tom get under his skin. Not this time.
"I'm not doing this with you, Tom. Stay away from Vinny," Matthew said, his voice steady, even as a fire smoldered in his chest.
Tom laughed darkly. "You think you're better for him? You think you can change, huh? You can't. You're still the same Matthew I've always known."
Matthew gripped his phone tighter, feeling the anger building again. "You don't get to decide that."
"Watch me," Tom's voice cut through, cold and taunting. "I'm not done, Matthew. Not by a long shot."
Before Matthew could respond, Tom hung up, the line going dead. The tension in his body only increased, his hand trembling slightly as he lowered the phone. He felt like a powder keg, ready to blow at any moment.
But then he remembered Vinny. The way his smile made everything feel okay, how he could get lost in those eyes, the softness of his touch. He couldn't let this mess with Vinny. He wouldn't.
By the time Matthew made it back to Vinny's place, it was dusk. The sky had turned a deep shade of purple, the last remnants of sunlight fading into the horizon. He wasn't sure what he expected, but when Vinny opened the door, he looked like a breath of fresh air.
"Hey, where'd you go?" Vinny asked, stepping aside to let him in.
"I needed some air," Matthew said with a faint smile. "You good?"
Vinny smiled back, but Matthew could see the trace of worry in his eyes. "I'm fine. Just...a little worried about you."
Matthew didn't want to drag Vinny into his mess, but he could tell that something was off. He couldn't hide it from him forever. The weight of everything—his fight with Tom, the secrets, the lies—was too much to bear.
"I'm sorry," Matthew said, his voice low. "I've been a mess. I've been dealing with some shit...with Tom."
Vinny's expression shifted, a mixture of concern and suspicion. "What happened with Tom?"
Matthew exhaled, running a hand through his hair. "He said things. Bad things. About us."
Vinny frowned, stepping closer. "What kind of things?"
Matthew's gaze dropped to the floor, his words coming out like gravel. "He thinks I'm going to ruin you. He thinks I'm...toxic for you."
Vinny's brow furrowed, his hand reaching out to lift Matthew's chin so their eyes met. "Matthew, I know you. I'm not some...fragile thing. You're not going to ruin me."
Matthew's chest tightened at the sincerity in Vinny's voice. "I don't want to hurt you."
Vinny's fingers brushed the side of Matthew's face, his touch gentle but firm. "Then don't keep it all inside. You're not alone in this."
For a moment, Matthew was lost in Vinny's eyes, the world around them fading away. Then, without thinking, he pulled Vinny to him, their lips meeting in a desperate, heated kiss.
Vinny responded immediately, his hands gripping Matthew's shirt, pulling him closer. They stumbled backward, crashing into the couch, but neither of them cared. Everything else—the fight, the words, the doubts—disappeared. There was only Vinny, only the heat between them.
As they kissed, everything that had been bottled up between them seemed to spill over, a torrent of emotions, desires, and unspoken truths. Vinny's hands roamed to Matthew's chest, slipping under his shirt, and Matthew's breath hitched as their skin met.
Vinny's lips moved to Matthew's jaw, then to his neck, the heat of his breath sending shivers down Matthew's spine. Matthew's hands worked quickly, pulling Vinny's shirt off, eager to feel him against his own skin.
But just as the tension between them reached its peak, Matthew pulled away, his chest heaving as he looked down at Vinny. "I want you," he murmured, his voice raw with desire.
Vinny's eyes darkened, and he smirked, reaching up to pull Matthew's face back to his. "Then take me."
It was the invitation Matthew had been waiting for. He didn't hesitate.
And when their bodies finally intertwined again, it was as if nothing else existed—just the two of them, and the promises made in silence.
The aftermath was quiet, peaceful, as they lay together, tangled in the sheets. The air was thick with the remnants of their passion, and Matthew couldn't remember the last time he felt so at ease. But even in the warmth of Vinny's embrace, the shadow of Tom's words lingered in the back of his mind.
For now, though, he had Vinny. And maybe, just maybe, that was enough.