Now and then, Adrian would place a piece of food onto Matteo’s plate. Before long, he was sneaking bites directly into Matteo’s mouth as well, unable to stop fussing over him even while eating.

Matteo pretended to be annoyed by it, but he accepted every bite without complaint.

Once they finished dinner, the maids moved in and quickly cleared the table. 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

The moment they were alone, Matteo leaned back in his chair and fixed Adrian with a steady look.

"Alright, Adrian," he said calmly. "You can tell me what’s been on your mind now."

"No, baby, not yet," Adrian replied smoothly. He turned to a nearby maid and gave a quick instruction.

"Please bring a blanket and some popcorn to the main living room."

"Yes, sir," the maid replied.

Adrian turned back to Matteo. "We’re going to watch a movie."

Matteo raised an eyebrow but nodded. "Alright."

They left the dining room together, their footsteps echoing softly as they made their way into the spacious living room.

Matteo settled onto the plush sofa, and Adrian immediately took the seat beside him. Instead of turning on the television, however, Adrian shifted until he was facing Matteo completely.

Then he fell silent.

He sat there, staring into Matteo’s dark eyes.

One second passed.

Then another.

And another.

Matteo waited patiently, saying nothing.

Adrian opened his mouth as if to speak, only to close it again. His fingers fidgeted in his lap. For once, there was no teasing smile, no dramatic antics, and no playful remarks.

Just nervousness.

It was obvious he was trying to gather the courage to say something important.

A few minutes later, a maid entered carrying a thick blanket and a large bowl of freshly made popcorn. She placed them on the coffee table along with the juice and water Adrian had requested.

"Is there anything else you need, sir?" she asked politely.

"No. Thank you," Adrian replied.

The maid bowed slightly before quietly leaving the couple alone in the quiet space.

The moment the doors clicked shut, all the playful energy drained from Adrian’s posture. He reached out, taking both of Matteo’s large, scarred hands into his own and holding them tightly.

"Matteo, listen to me carefully about what I’m about to say," Adrian murmured, his expression turning entirely serious. There was no joking, no dramatic pouting left in him.

Sensing the gravity in his partner’s tone, Matteo sat up straighter, facing him completely to listen.

"First, I want to apologize for what I said this morning," Adrian began, his voice soft as he tightened his hold on Matteo’s hands. "I was wrong, Matteo. Completely wrong. I know I’ve hurt you, and I know you’ve been upset with me all day because of it. You have every right to be."

Adrian lowered his gaze briefly before looking back up at him.

"But I need you to believe me when I say this. I am not ashamed of you. I have never been ashamed of you. I am not scared for people to see us together. I’m not embarrassed by you, and I’m not trying to hide you."

He took a shaky breath.

"The truth is, when I said those things this morning, I wasn’t thinking clearly. I was so focused on my own fears that I completely failed to think about how my words would sound to you. And because of that, I ended up hurting you."

Adrian swallowed the lump in his throat and looked directly into the eyes of the man he loved.

"The only reason I said I didn’t want Elena’s family to see us together is that I was scared," he admitted quietly. "Not being seen with you. Never that."

His fingers tightened around Matteo’s hands.

"I was scared of what they would think of me. Scared of how they would look at me for moving on. Scared of their judgment. And because I let that fear get the better of me, I ended up saying something that made it sound like I was ashamed of you. But that’s not true, Matteo. It has never been true."

He shook his head.

"I was a coward this morning. Instead of being honest about what I was feeling, I made it sound like you were the problem when you never were."

A painful look crossed his face.

"You have stood beside me through everything. You’ve loved me when I was at my worst. You’ve given me more happiness than I ever thought I would have again. The fact that I made you question your place in my life..." He swallowed hard. "I hate myself for that."

For a moment, the room fell silent.

Then Adrian took a slow breath.

"We’re going together this weekend."

He said, "I’m still nervous about how her family might react when they find out I’ve moved on. I won’t lie to you about that. But I’m done letting that fear make decisions for me. What matters most to me is you."

The words came out without hesitation.

"Your feelings matter more than their opinions. Your place in my life matters more than their approval. And if I have to choose between protecting your heart and protecting myself from uncomfortable conversations, I’ll choose you every single time."

Matteo stared at him, the icy wall he had built up all day finally beginning to crumble under the raw honesty of Adrian’s apology. He let out a long, heavy sigh, his grip tightening around Adrian’s hands.

"Rian, listen to me," Matteo said quietly, his voice dropping into a rare, vulnerable tone. "It doesn’t actually matter to me whether I go with you this weekend or not. All matters are for you to be safe and comfortable. If you want to go alone, I’ll respect that decision. And after hearing everything you’ve said, I understand where you’re coming from."

He paused for a moment, gathering his thoughts. "But I’ll admit something too. I was incredibly hurt this morning."

The confession came out softer than Adrian had ever heard from him.

"My entire life, people have called me every ruthless name imaginable. They’ve looked at me with fear, disgust, and hatred. I’ve been judged more times than I can count."

A bitter smile touched his lips. "And not once did I care. It never got to me. None of it mattered. But when those words came from you..."

He swallowed.

"That hurt."

The room fell silent.

"When you made it sound like I was someone who needed to be hidden, it hit me harder than I expected."

His eyes held Adrian’s steadily.

"Anyone else in this world can call me a monster, Adrian. Anyone else can judge me, fear me, or hate me."

His voice lowered.

"But not you."

A flicker of pain crossed his face.

"You’re the one person whose opinion truly matters to me."

He exhaled slowly.

"So when I heard those words coming from you... It genuinely cut deep."

Tears pricked the corners of Adrian’s eyes, his heart aching at the realization of how much damage his careless words had caused. "I’m so sorry, baby. I am so, so sorry."

Matteo looked at him for a quiet moment, searching his face before the tension completely left his broad shoulders. "It’s fine, love," he murmured gently, reaching up with one hand to brush a stray tear from Adrian’s cheek. He looked closely into his eyes. "Are you sure you are truly okay with me coming along?"

Adrian nodded rapidly, a fierce, protective certainty in his eyes. "Yes. I am completely okay with it."

A genuine, breathtaking smile finally broke across Matteo’s face. "Then I’m coming with you."

Adrian’s entire body relaxed with relief, his heart swelling as he leaned forward and threw his arms tightly around Matteo’s neck. "Thank you, baby. Thank you, love. You are the best father in the world."

Matteo was just about to murmur a soft "you’re welcome, baby," when the final words registered in his mind. He stiffened slightly, his brows furrowing in utter confusion. "Babe... what did you just call me?"

Adrian didn’t answer right away.

Instead, he leaned forward and gently slipped Matteo’s indoor slippers off his feet before setting them neatly on the floor. Then he lifted Matteo’s legs onto the sofa so he could stretch out more comfortably.

Turning around, Adrian grabbed the thick blanket the maid had left behind.

He climbed onto the sofa and settled himself between Matteo’s legs, pulling the blanket over both of them.

With a quiet sigh, he leaned back until his body rested comfortably against Matteo’s broad chest, instinctively seeking the warmth and comfort he always found there.

Matteo’s protective instincts took over automatically; he stretched his long arm out to grab the bowl of popcorn from the coffee table and handed it securely to Adrian.

Once Adrian was fully settled against his chest, he tilted his head up slightly. "I know you heard me clearly, but I’ll repeat myself. You are the best father in the world."

Matteo’s chest vibrated against Adrian’s back as he let out a low, slightly bewildered breath. "Babe..."

Adrian smiled softly, turning his face to rest over Matteo’s heart, listening to the steady, calming beat. "When I was young...