#valzmakesstuff

Sebastian’s gaze snapped up, cold and calm. “I got it” he said, and the edge in his tone was enough. The other student backed away, muttering, and Sebastian’s thumb stroked yours once, lightly, almost unconsciously. His chest loosened, but only slightly. You were safe. With him. That’s all that mattered.

You glanced up at him. “Sebastian… you doing alright.?.”

He gave you a small, almost shy smile, eyes softening. “Y-yeah.. I can’t help it” he whispered. “Love you, hm?..”

The words made your stomach flutter. That simple sentence carried the weight of every secret thought he never said out loud, the quiet obsession, the need to protect, the ache of affection that sometimes pressed against his chestso hard it was almost painful.

You both then wandered over to a cotton candy stand. Sebastian bought two sticks, handing you yours. his fingers brushing yours again. He noticed you staring at him, and your heartbeat thrummed in your chest when his lips moved closer to your cheek to wipe a stray bit of sugar.

“Can’t have you sticky, yeah?” he murmured.

You shivered,not from the sugar from the way he looked at you like you were the only person in the world who mattered. His bluwish green eyes held warmth, intensity and something else an almost desperate affection that made your pulse race.

Your hand slid into his. He caught it instantly, thumb brushing over your knuckles. “I'm yours, remember that.” he whispered, chuckling softly, voice low just enough for you to hear.

“And I'm yours as well also remember that too” you say chuckling with him, leaning into him. Your chest pressed to his, your lips brushing briefly over his collarbone.

Sebastian’s free hand came up to your cheek, thumb tracing the line of your jaw, and his own breath hitched slightly. He leaned in slowly, testing, holding back only because he didn’t want to rush something so perfect. When your lips met his, a flood of warmth and relief washed through him. You were here. You were real. And you were his.

He deepened the kiss gently, hand sliding to hold the small of your back. The lights of the fair blurred around you, spinning into streaks of gold and red, but he didn’t care. Nothing existed outside of this moment the press of your body against his, your small gasp against his mouth, the steady, relentless thrum of your heartbeat against his chest.

Pulling back slightly, forehead pressed to yours, he whispered, almost to himself, “You know... I don’t know what I’d do if I lost you for even a second.”

You blinked, heart twisting at the sincerity and intensity. “You… won’t.” you said softly.

He smiled, a little shy and the softness of it almost hid how deeply he felt it. “I’ll make sure of it” he said quietly, like a promise meant only for himself. He hesitated, “I just… like being the one you lean on.”

You laughed under your breath, pressing a hand to his chest, feeling his heartbeat jump at the contact. “You’re ridiculous.”

He ducked his head, warmth creeping into his expression, and brushed a slow, careful kiss across your forehead.

“Maybe.." he murmured. “But only with you.”

You swallow back the lump in your throat. Every morning you wake up hoping it’ll be different, and every night you fall asleep wishing you’d vanish, wishing someone, anyone would say you were okay. But that voice, the one inside that repeats, "You’re not trying enough," "Why are you so lazy?" "Why are you like this?" never stops. And yet, somehow, your boyfriend, Sebastian... is here. Oh so calm, patient and yet so steady. Always seeing the part of you you hide even from yourself.

You’ve never told him this. How could you? How could anyone see the depths of the mess inside you and still want to stay? You smile at him, lie about life, laugh when he jokes, act like you’re fine, because the truth is unbearable to say aloud, that you’re failing at life in ways big and small, that you wake up feeling like the world is moving too fast and you’re frozen in place that you could never keep up, that you hide tears in the bathroom/bedroom so no one sees how much it hurts just to exist.

Tonight, though, you can’t keep it in anymore. You find yourself asking him to meet in the park, the words heavy and fragile in your chest. When he arrives, hes the same as always perfectly ordinary in a way that makes you ache, kind and bright and calm, and just being near him makes the weight in your chest feel heavier because you feel even smaller beside him.

“I… We need to talk,” you start, voice tight. Your hands twist together in your lap. “I don’t think… this is fair to you.”

He sat down beside you, his hand brushing lightly against yours. “Hm? Babe tell me, what happened?” he asked gently

You swallow. “I’ve… er.. been hiding things... Pretending I’m okay. Pretending I’m alright. Pretending I can handle life. But I’m... not. I’m slow at academics. I mess up so often. My family… they don’t see me... what I've been through. They only see my failures and mistakes. The comparisons, the words just stick, and it’s like I’ll never be good enough for anyone. Especially not for you.”

He doesn’t interrupt.He just looks at you, with calm and unwavering, like he’s holding space for your pain. That calm makes your chest ache because you can’t hide the truth here anymore, not from him

“I feel like I’m dragging you down,” you whisper, voice trembling. “You’re.. brilliant. Youre perfect in ways I’ll never be and I-” You take a shaky breath. “I think… maybe we should break up.”

Silence stretches between you. You can feel your heartbeat in your ears and fast. The words hang in the air, heavier than anything else.

Then he leans slightly closer, eyes soft, voice quiet but firm. “Hey.”

You freeze and your throat tightens. Not because he’s angry, but because it’s impossible to argue with the calm conviction in his tone.

“You’ve been carrying all of this alone?” he asks. “You think I need protecting from… you?”

“I didn’t want to drag you down.” you admit, almost whispering. Your hands fidget, twisting the edge of your sleeve.

He exhales slowly and deliberate. “You don’t get to decide that for me. Being with you isn’t something I need to be protected from. I choose you.”

The words hit your chest like a lifeline. You still don’t feel like you’re enough, not yet, but hearing him say it makes the edge of the weight in your chest soften.

“I still feel like I’m not enough,” you murmur

“I know” he says softly. “But that feeling doesn’t get to decide for us or for me, Yeah?”

You finally look at him, really look. There’s no judgment in his eyes, only patience. Only care. “I… I don’t know how to do this,” you whisper.

“That’s okay,” he says, a small, gentle smile tugging at his lips. “We’ll figure it out. Together.”

“We?” you aske𝚍, in disbelief and hope tangled in your voice.

“Yes.” he says, calmly. “Together. I’m not asking you to be perfect. I’m not asking you to be happy all the time. I just… want you to let me see you. All of you.”

Tears prick your eyes. You’ve been hiding for so long. Pretending for so long. But he’s still here, still choosing you despite everything you thought made you unworthy.

“I… I don’t know if I can” you whisper.

“You don’t have to know right now,” he says. “Just start by letting me in, okay?.. That’s enough.”

The park is quiet except for the wind rustling the leaves. The sun goes down, the sky gold and pink. Your hands unclench just slightly, and for the first time in a long time, the weight in your chest feels a little lighter. Not gone not fixed, but softer.

Because he hasn’t left. He didn't leave.

And maybe, just maybe, letting him stay means letting yourself stay too.