While he was still struggling with his thoughts and emotions, he felt the warmth of Stuart's hand holding his before he eats him say, "I mean it Berry, call me when you get home".
Berry was already having it difficult and that tone of Stuart's, gentle and soft like the ocean breeze left him with emotions he knew he should not be entertaining as it would only lead him to heartbreak. He was slowly starting to obsess over stuart. The maddening urge to claim him was threatening to engulf him.
Maybe it was the secret glances they had stolen at each other while they were seated around the bonfire with the others. Maybe it was the little smiles they had exchanged whenever their eyes met. Maybe it was the dance and the song they had danced to or maybe it was the ocean breeze that carries the calming scent of salt water to their nostrils. It could be all of these possibilities coming at him at once that made him feel like he was going to fall and when he does, there was no helping him.
He had fallen for Stuart, an emotion he never once entertained ever since he was old enough to understand what it meant. With the burst of emotions clouding his judgement and overshadowing his reasoning, giving him an otherworldly courage, he asked for the umpteenth time, "will you be my boyfriend Stuart?"
In all his life, Stuart had never met anyone as persistent as Berry was. This question hand no doubt broken his heart more than a hundred times thanks to the continued rejections but very just would not give up. Other than the guilt accompanied with rejecting him once again,Stuart was surprised that he was starting to consider it. Just what would it be like to be Berry's boyfriend? How would it feel? Would it give him butterflies like Kevin or would it lead to another heartbreak just like with Kevin
This questions,he knew, weren't going to answer themselves and he was dying of curiousity. He had only been with one person all his life and now that that person was gone, he was itching to find out how it would be with someone else. A diffent person, different time and different environment.
He could not let himself be wieghed down by past emotions and memories that he knew were never going to come back no matter how much he wanted them back. He knew that he could not easily rid himself of those memories and it was going to be a log way for him but he was going to try and Berry Yates would be the perfect person to go on this long journey with.
He had crashed into Stuart, or Stuart had crashed into him by mistake but Berry was unwilling to let go. He had managed to wiggle his way into Stuart's life and so far, he had been the perfect distraction for Stuart. From dragging him out of his comfort space to leaving him with lingering sensations and memories at the end of the day.
For this reason, Stuart was going to say yes. What was the worse that could happen? Him ending up with another heartbreak? Nothing was going to change. He had experienced it once, once more would make little difference.
After reaching this conclusion within himself,Stuart calsped Berry's hand tightly and with eyes holding each other's gazes, he whispered, "yes"
Berry hand imagined this moment for so long. He had dreamt of what it would be like too many times. He had seen himself dancing and jumping and shouting around with joy but now that it has happened, he had not the faintest idea on how to react. He was frozen and the word yes just kept repeating itself in his mind like it was the most important thing in the world. Well for now it was. He wanted to say so many things but the words were stuck in his throat, unwilling to come out. He didn't even realise that he was holding his breath until Stuart held him by his shoulder and shook him slightly, "breathe Berry".
Like a spell had been broken, Berry's eyes lit up and he parted his lips to speak but he only ended up clasping his hand over his mouth. This continued with him opening and closing his motmth that he was starting to look like a fish outside of the water and it made Stuart smile .
His expression was priceless.
Left with no words to express himself, Berry threw his hands around Stuart who froze momentarily before hugging him back. Stuart heard him whisper heartfelt gratitude and so much promises that he almost wanted to remind Berry that they were only boyfriends and not husbands yet.
He was glad that he did not reject Berry again. The feeling of seeing this man happy like this left Stuart in an euphoric state. He couldnt believe how happy he is to see Berry this happy. It only made him believe that he had made the right decision by becoming Berry's boyfriend.