The apartment was eerily quiet, the kind of silence that hung heavy in the air, suffocating everything in its path. Connor Walsh sat on the edge of the bed, his elbows resting on his knees, staring down at the floor as if it held all the answers he'd been searching for. He wasn't sure how long he'd been sitting there, but time had lost all meaning. All he knew was that everything felt wrong. The apartment that he and Oliver had shared for years—once filled with love, laughter, and the occasional argument—now felt foreign, like it no longer belonged to them.
Oliver Hampton stood by the window, his arms crossed over his chest, staring out at the city that seemed so much smaller from their vantage point. His eyes were glassy, unfocused, like he was trying to escape to somewhere else. Somewhere where this conversation didn't have to happen.
"I thought I was the one who had it all, I guess I was wrong…"
The lyrics of Demi Lovato's "Easy" played faintly in Connor's head, the words cutting deeper than he expected. He had thought they could get through anything. He had thought their love was strong enough to weather all the storms, all the secrets, all the pain. But now, as the distance between them stretched wider than ever, he wasn't so sure anymore.
"Connor," Oliver's voice broke the silence, soft but heavy with the weight of everything unsaid. "You've been quiet for a while. Please... talk to me."
Connor looked up, his eyes meeting Oliver's, and for a moment, neither of them said anything. There was so much to say, and yet, none of it felt like enough. How could they explain the way they had slowly drifted apart, how the love that had once burned so brightly now felt like it was slipping through their fingers?
"I don't know what to say," Connor finally admitted, his voice rough with emotion. "I don't even know how we got here."
Oliver's shoulders slumped, and he turned away from the window, walking slowly toward the bed. He sat down next to Connor, but the space between them felt like miles. "I don't know either," Oliver said quietly. "I've been trying to figure it out for weeks. Maybe even longer. But I don't have the answers."
Connor clenched his jaw, his hands gripping his knees. "It wasn't supposed to be like this," he whispered, more to himself than to Oliver. "We were supposed to be happy."
"I wish that I could make it easy, easy to love me, love me…"
Oliver's eyes softened as he reached out, placing a tentative hand on Connor's arm. "I do love you, Connor," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "I've always loved you. That's never changed."
Connor flinched at the words, his chest tightening. "Then why does it feel like everything's falling apart? Why does it feel like we're slipping away from each other?"
Oliver's hand dropped, and he sighed, his eyes full of a sadness that made Connor's heart ache. "I don't know," he admitted. "I've been trying to hold on, trying to make it work, but…"
"But it's not enough," Connor finished for him, his voice cracking.
Oliver didn't say anything, but the look on his face said it all. They had been fighting for so long—fighting to stay together, fighting to keep their love alive—but it was like they were running in circles, chasing something that was no longer there.
Connor stood up suddenly, pacing the length of the room, his hands running through his hair in frustration. "It's not fair," he muttered, his voice thick with emotion. "We've been through so much. More than most people. We should be stronger than this."
"I know," Oliver said quietly, watching him with pained eyes. "But maybe that's the problem. Maybe we've been through too much."
Connor stopped pacing, his back to Oliver, and for a moment, he couldn't breathe. He knew Oliver was right. They had been through hell—Annalise, the murders, the lies, the trials. It had all taken a toll on them, on their relationship. But still, the thought of losing Oliver, of letting go, was unbearable.
"But I know that I'm complicated, but you know you're just the same…"
"I'm not giving up on us," Connor said, his voice fierce, but laced with desperation. "I'm not."
Oliver stood up slowly, crossing the room to stand behind Connor. He hesitated for a moment before gently placing a hand on Connor's shoulder. "I don't want to give up either," Oliver said softly, his voice breaking. "But I don't know if love is enough anymore."
Connor turned around, his eyes wide, his heart pounding. "What are you saying? That we should just… end it?"
Oliver's face crumpled, and for the first time in weeks, Connor saw the full weight of Oliver's emotions. "I don't know," Oliver whispered, tears filling his eyes. "I don't want to lose you, Connor. I don't. But I don't know how to fix this."
Connor stared at him, his throat tight. He had always been the one who thought they could fix anything, that as long as they had each other, they could make it through anything. But now, standing here, looking at the man he loved more than anything, he realized that maybe love wasn't always enough.
"I'm so tired of being sorry for something that I didn't do…"
"I'm sorry," Connor said, his voice raw. "I'm sorry I haven't been… what you needed. I'm sorry I've made everything harder."
Oliver shook his head, stepping closer, his hand reaching up to cup Connor's cheek. "Don't apologize," he whispered. "This isn't your fault. It's not anyone's fault."
Connor felt a tear slip down his cheek, and he closed his eyes, leaning into Oliver's touch. "I don't want to lose you," he choked out. "I can't."
Oliver's hand trembled as he wiped the tear from Connor's face. "Maybe we don't have to lose each other," Oliver said softly. "Maybe we just… need time."
Connor opened his eyes, meeting Oliver's gaze. "Time?"
Oliver nodded, though his expression was filled with uncertainty. "Maybe we need space to figure things out. To remember why we fell in love in the first place. Because right now… I feel like we're suffocating."
Connor swallowed hard, the thought of being apart from Oliver sending a fresh wave of panic through him. But he couldn't deny that things hadn't been right for a long time. Maybe time apart was what they needed. Or maybe it would just tear them apart for good.
"You say that I'm too crazy, I guess you were right…"
"How do we do that?" Connor asked, his voice barely audible. "How do we take space without losing everything?"
Oliver's lips trembled, his tears falling freely now. "I don't know," he whispered. "I don't know, but I'm scared, Connor. I'm scared of losing you, and I'm scared of staying like this."
Connor nodded, his own tears falling as he pulled Oliver into a tight embrace. They held each other for what felt like an eternity, both of them trembling with the weight of what they were about to do. The love between them was still there, burning brightly, but the cracks were starting to show.
"I love you," Connor whispered into Oliver's hair, his voice breaking. "I love you so much."
"I love you too," Oliver whispered back, his arms wrapped tightly around Connor's waist. "I always will."
They pulled apart slowly, both of them wiping at their tear-streaked faces. The silence between them was heavy, but there was a mutual understanding now. They weren't giving up on each other, but they needed to figure out how to move forward without breaking completely.
"I wish that I could make it easy…"
As they stood there, side by side, neither of them knew what the future held. They didn't know if time apart would heal the wounds, or if it would push them further away. But for now, all they could do was hold on to the love they still had, and hope that it would be enough.
And as the night stretched on, Connor and Oliver stayed close, knowing that whatever happened next, their hearts would always be tied together—no matter how complicated love could be.
