While they were packing up Olly’s stuff, Nick kindly offered to get David’s car from outside Sarah’s house and drive it round to the Springs’ so that they wouldn’t have too far to carry everything. David and Olly worked to gather up everything that Olly wanted, his clothes, a few pictures and a couple of mementos from his childhood including a small metal toy tractor, the only one that he had left after Jane had declared he was far too old to still have childish toys (he was only 13 at the time).

Olly was quiet on the journey back to David’s their apartment. David didn’t think he’d ever seen a time when he didn’t have something to say. But what had happened was a lot for him to process and Olly just wasn’t ready to talk. He knew his mum would take it badly, but he didn’t think expect it to be as bad as it was. Olly fully expected that now they were engaged, that he would finally say yes to moving in with David properly, but this wasn’t how he wanted it to be.

They got back to their apartment and managed to carry everything from the car upstairs in one trip, but as soon as they walked in the door, the pent-up emotions that were swirling inside of Olly finally broke free. He dropped to the floor and started sobbing uncontrollably. David kicked the door closed behind them, put down what he had been carrying and wrapped himself around Olly, holding him close to his chest and just allowed him to cry as much as he needed to.

Olly turned and tucked his face into David’s neck, allowing the comforting smell of David’s aftershave to wash over him, he smelled like home. David carefully lifted Olly off the ground and carried him to their bedroom, he laid him down on the bed before laying down next to him. Olly crawled back into David’s embrace, nuzzling into his neck as the tears continued to fall. At some point Olly cried himself to sleep, but David just carried on holding him, not wanting to disturb his poor sweet man.

When Olly finally stirred from his slumber he looked up into David’s eyes, “Hey sleepyhead,” David cooed as he placed a gentle kiss on his forehead.

“Hey, sorry I fell asleep on you, you should have woken me,” Olly groggily replied still clinging on to David’s body, fearing if he let ago he’d lose him too.

“It’s ok love, you needed it,” Olly saw nothing but love and concern in David’s eyes.

“Yeah, but I’m sure you didn’t need a big snotty mess clinging to you like a limpet,” Olly joked but David noticed his smile just wasn’t quite as big as usual. The tears still threatening to break through and start all over again.

“I like you clinging to me,” David tried to reassure his fiancé even though his own heart was breaking for him.

“I love you, and I can’t wait until you’re my husband,” Olly said looking up into David’s eyes.

“I love you too,” David replied simply. The pair stayed holding each other a while longer, neither in a particular rush or feeling they needed anything more than the occasional soft and tender kiss. Only when Olly’s stomach started growling at them did they decide they had to get up to find something to eat.

Neither of them felt like cooking that night, so they ordered from Olly’s favourite Vietnamese restaurant and then curled up on the sofa with Olly resting his head on David’s lap while they waited for the food to arrive. David gently stroked Olly’s curls while he laid in his lap, not entirely sure if he was doing it to comfort himself or Olly. As Olly lay there he finally spoke, “I knew it would be bad, but I didn’t think it would be like that,” David didn’t know if Olly expected him to respond but before he could think of the best words to say Olly was continuing, “I’m so sorry she said those things to you David, you have to believe me when I say you did nothing to pressure me into proposing.”

David was confused, why was Olly apologising, it’s not like he was the one who said those things. “Olly, look at me,” Olly turned his head so he was looking up at David. “You have nothing to apologise for,” David said firmly, “Jane has never liked me, we both know that, but all I care about is you. You are my sunshine on a cloudy day, my pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. You are chaotic and brilliant and caring and wonderful Oliver. My life before you had been dull and grey, and now you’re here, I cannot imagine a life without you by my side to hold my hand. I want to share every single day with you, through the good times and the bad.”

“You’re such a sap,” Olly smiled cheekily back at David causing him to smile. David pulled Olly’s face up to meet his, “but I’m your sap,” David replied before tenderly kissing his sweet lips.