Chapter Text
—Three weeks had passed—
Every day, Ron came to see me early and stayed until evening. He was there when I struggled, supporting me, and I had grown used to his presence. I didn’t know how I would have managed without him. Our conversations, his jokes, even just silently sitting next to me—all of it had become a habit, and I couldn’t imagine being without it.
But despite everything, the day finally came when I was allowed to be discharged.
My health was fully restored, and I no longer felt pain in my chest; the cough was gone. Of course, I still needed to see a general practitioner before returning to work, but I already felt fine.
When I stepped out of the hospital, Ron was waiting for me at the doors. Spitz couldn’t come—he was called to the academy and was busy—but Ron was there.
—Toto! — he exclaimed, running up to me and hugging me.
—Hi, Ron, — I replied, feeling warmth inside from his presence.
We hugged, and with a smile, he asked:
—So, where to, Toto?
—Follow me, I’ll show you, — I said with a smirk, pointing the way.
We headed to my home, and when we entered, I looked around and suddenly realized that it had been a while since I’d been here, and yet I missed the comfort I had grown so used to feeling at the hospital. It felt strange.
—Why… — I murmured softly, lost in my thoughts.
Ron noticed my state and approached me, concern written across his face.
—Toto, what’s wrong?
I looked into his blue eyes, which now felt so familiar and dear to me.
—Sorry, I was just lost in thought, — I said, smiling at him. — I look at all of this and don’t feel at home. It’s a strange feeling, as if I’m in a place that isn’t mine, and no one was waiting for me.
I lowered my gaze; everything seemed so unfamiliar and foreign.
—I haven’t told you, but I don’t have anyone, — I added, smiling, though it was a sad smile.
Seeing this, Ron looked at me with surprise; his expression changed. And I suddenly realized that it wasn’t him, or Spitz, or the people I spent time with—they weren’t my family.
—I suddenly understood that you and Spitz—you are my home. You are the ones who matter to me. — I said it aloud, and my heart tightened.
Ron’s face softened, and a genuine smile appeared. He didn’t say anything, but his gaze said it all.
Then I asked the question that had been bothering me:
—Ron, can you answer one question for me?
He nodded, and I gathered my courage.
—What are we to each other? Friends, partners, or… something else?
Ron went silent. His eyes drifted away, and I realized he didn’t quite know how to answer. But then, after a pause, he said:
—Toto, there’s something I haven’t told you either. I have a secret I’ve kept for a very long time.
I didn’t know what secret he was about to reveal, but Ron stepped closer, looked me in the eyes, and said:
—Toto, I love you…
My eyes widened in surprise, and I didn’t know how to respond. Yet, despite that, I understood that this moment was very important for both of us. His words answered many questions I had tormented myself with.
Ron was perhaps nervous and unsure what to do next, but his words still reached me. He continued:
—You are important to me, Toto. More than a friend or a partner.
Silence hung in the air. I didn’t know what to say, but I suddenly felt how important I was to him.
Then I spoke, knowing that every word could affect our future relationship:
—Ron, this… doesn’t bother me. I’m not against your feelings.
I stepped closer and hugged him, not letting my feelings go unspoken. He hugged me back, but his face was filled with doubt.
—I’m afraid you’ll leave me—he said sadly.
I let him go slightly, looked into his eyes, and said calmly:
—Ron, I promised you I wouldn’t abandon you. When we met, I made that promise.
He raised his eyes, clearly not understanding what I meant.
—Did you forget? We’ve been through so much together, and I won’t leave you. Never.
Ron stayed silent, but his gaze softened. I took another step toward him.
—Your feelings don’t bother me, Ron, —I repeated, hugging him again. — I won’t leave you.
I felt him relax, and he hugged me once more, holding me tightly.
—Toto, it’s my fault you ended up in danger. It’s all because of me, because of my illness… —he said, pain in his voice.
I simply sighed, lowering my head and releasing him slightly.
—It’s not your fault, Ron, —I said, gently touching his face. — We’re together, and we’ll find a way to fix everything that happened. We’ll find a way to treat your illness and understand what happened in that case.
His eyes began to fill with tears, and I realized it was hard for him to believe my words. He opened his mouth, but I didn’t let him speak further.
—Don’t bury me before my time, —I said with a smirk.
He pressed against me again, his tears brushing against my neck.
—We’ll do this together, I promise you, Ron
I smiled at him, wiping the tears from his face, and quietly repeated once more:
—You won’t lose me.
Ron pressed even closer, and finally, I felt that we had both found in each other the support we had been seeking for so long.