Still, I Stayed:
Months passed. Daniel found a part-time job at a bookstore and started seeing a real therapist - one who didn't think he was broken. Noah got his scholarship and would be leaving for college in the fall. The future loomed, both beautiful and terrifying.
They still fought sometimes. Daniel had to unlearn years of guilt. Noah had to relearn how to trust him. But they were doing it together.
One evening, they sat on the roof of Noah's house, the city stretched out before them, lights blinking like promises.
"You know," Daniel said, "if you had given up on me… I wouldn't have blamed you."
Noah looked at him. "I almost did."
Daniel nodded. "Why didn't you?"
Noah smiled sadly. "Because even when you ran, some part of you kept reaching back. And I couldn't let go of that."
Daniel took his hand. "Thank you."
"For what?"
"For staying."
Noah leaned his head on Daniel's shoulder. "Still, I stayed."
And this time, Daniel didn't pull away.
He stayed too.