Page 159 of Covenant

“Can you send these to me? My father deleted all of mine.”

Motherfucker. Not only had he ripped me away from Matt, but he’d removed the physical evidence too. That makes my heart clench, and I nod. “Of course. Anything that’s mine is yours now.”

Yeah. I’m glad the cunt is buried six feet under.

“Maybe we can have some printed,” I say suddenly. “Put them up around the house. What do you think?”

He leans into me. “I think that’d be fucking perfect, Wy. I’ve spent so long keeping that part of my life hidden.”

“No more,” I vow. “Let everyone who comes in see our history. See how long we’ve loved each other. I’m fucking grateful that you picked me, all those years ago, and I want as many people to know as possible.”

Matthias smiles. “Me too.”

I tap the bracelet on his wrist. The leather is worn and faded. “Why did you wear this for all those years?”

I think I know the answer, but I want to hear it all the same.

“Because it was my last link to you,” he says. “Without the photos, withoutyou,I didn’t have any reminders. Except this. I haven’t taken it off since the day you gave it to me.”

“Good.” I stroke it reverently. “Never take it off. I want you to be wearing that and my ring always.”

He nuzzles into me further, our legs twining, our bodies impossibly close as we just lounge. The small space between us is filled with the past. Memories from our childhood. Teenagers.

Then we move on to the pictures from after. To what happened in the time we missed out on. College. Work. The Firm. We talk about everything until our voices are hoarse. Until night has fallen and the rain finally drives us back inside.

Our conversation doesn’t stop then. Everything is laid out in the open, no secrets lingering in the shadows.

This is our cleansing. Our starting anew. No, that happened when I went down on one knee on the balcony. This is just a natural continuation of that. Another step along the path of our journey. It’s not been easy, but we’ve made it this far.

And we’ll continue fighting for each other.

All this revisiting the past has left me feeling raw, my nerves fragile. And yet, I can’t help but feel so full. So happy.

I think Matt knows. He pulls me into his arms and we stand there in silence for a long time, letting the pain wash away.

I know it will settle down the longer we’re together, that things will return to normal shortly. That we will experience our ups and downs as we go through life. Only this time, we will face it all together.

We’re in this. The two of us.

Matthias and Wyatt

Matt and Wy.

We step into the shower together, taking turns washing each other from head to toe. There’s nothing sexual about it, but there’s a quiet domesticity that makes me happy.

So fucking happy.

It hits me then that this is my life now. No more loneliness. No more darkness. No more shouldering everything alone.

I have Matt. Regardless of whatever life throws at me, I won’t face it alone.

Not with him at my side.

I’d known that leaving that request would change my life, but not for the better. I never dreamed I’d find myself in this situation.

One where I’m deliriously, helplessly happy.

“Why are you so quiet?” Matthias asks me as he hands me a towel to dry off with.

---