John pulled me closer, his arms wrapping tightly around me as if he was scared I'd disappear any second. The night was cold, but in his embrace, I felt warmth—something I hadn't felt in years.
"Have you eaten?" he asked, his voice soft but concerned. I shook my head slowly, avoiding his eyes.
Without another word, he got up and walked to the small kitchen. I sat there, frozen, watching him as he prepared something simple but warm. The smell of the food filled the room, making me realize how hungry I truly was.
We ate in silence, the only sound was the clinking of spoons against the bowls. I kept my head down, but John… he kept staring at me, like he was memorizing my every move. After the last spoon, he pulled me up from the chair and hugged me again—this time tighter.
Night had fully covered the sky when he whispered into my ears, "You are mine… Do you hear me? I don't care about the past or what you've done… from now on, you're mine."
His words broke something in me… or maybe healed it. Tears ran down my face, but he didn't let go.
"I was searching for you all this time, and now that I found you… I'll never let go," he whispered, his breath brushing against my skin. "You belong to me, and I'll make sure you never feel alone again."
For the first time, I didn't push anyone away. I just stood there… in his arms… and allowed myself to believe his words. Maybe… just maybe… I wasn't meant to be alone forever.
John wiped the tears off my cheeks gently, his thumb brushing my skin as if I was the most fragile thing he'd ever held. He looked into my eyes, not saying a word, but I could feel every emotion—his regret, his love, his longing.
"Come," he whispered, leading me to sit by the window where the cold wind blew softly. He wrapped his arms around me from behind, resting his chin on my shoulder.
For a moment, there was silence—no words, no tears—just the sound of our breathing mixing with the wind outside.
"I'm not asking you to love me now," he said softly, "but just… let me stay. Let me be the one who helps you carry this pain."
I blinked, more tears falling before I could stop them. No one had ever said that to me—no one ever cared to stay.
John leaned closer, his lips barely brushing against my ear as he whispered, "Even if you push me away again, I'll be right here… until you finally see me, truly see me."
A soft, broken laugh escaped my lips as I whispered back, "You're crazy."
"I know," he smiled, "crazy for you."
And just like that, for the first time, my heart felt a little lighter. Not healed… but lighter.
John let me stand there for sometime as he walked to the table to gather the plates and wash them quietly, while I just sat there, staring blankly at the floor. For once, my heart felt lighter… but the pain, the regret—they were still there, deep inside me.
John walked back, drying his hands. He looked at me for a while before speaking softly, "It's late… you should rest."
I nodded slowly. "Yeah… maybe… but I'm scared… scared I'll wake up, and all this will just be a dream."
He sighed and walked closer, pulling me up gently. "It's not a dream… I'm here, and I'm not going anywhere."
John guided me to the bed, the room falling silent except for the soft sound of the wind blowing outside. He pulled the thin blanket over us, wrapping his arms tightly around me as if trying to shield me from the pain that haunted me.
As I laid there in his arms, I felt his breath close to my ear. "You're mine now… no matter what's happened before, no matter how broken you feel… you belong to me, and I won't let you go."
Those words… simple, but heavy—they made my heart ache and heal at the same time. Tears flowed silently down my cheeks, soaking his shirt.
John didn't move or ask why I was crying. He just held me tighter and whispered again, "Sleep… I'm here… I'll be here when you wake up."
And for the first time in a long while… I closed my eyes, not fearing the nightmares, not fearing the past… because someone finally chose to stay.
That night, we both drifted into sleep, two broken souls holding onto each other… trying to heal.