Found

Fourteen

So, this will be a fluffy little filler chapter, because I want to add this in here. It will more than likely be much, much shorter than usual.
Scott's P.O.V
I sat there, arm wrapped around Mitch as he snored softly, curled against my side. My other hand ran through his greasy, dark hair.

Tomorrow. Tomorrow, we both faced people we knew, but while his interaction with them was purely based on hate and fear, mine was one of love, connections, and what was akin to a friendship. Neither of us were looking forward to it.

I couldn't help but cast a glance at his bandaged arms. It scared me, scared me more than my father ever had, that he did this to himself. How long until this coping skill turned deadly? Until he cut a little too deep, a little too far?

His arms were covered in scars. I wish I could say that they were, in and of themselves, beautiful, like the songs all say, but that would be a lie. They were ugly puckered scars. They were not beautiful on their own. But what made them beautiful to me was who's skin they covered. I would tell him every scar on his body was beautiful, because he was beautiful. The scars didn't define him, and I would never act as though they did. If anything, they showed a struggling boy, a boy who survived insurmountable odds.

"Scott, why do you care? I'm stupid. Worthless. Ugly. Weak. A burden. Everyone would be better off without me." He stated at me as I knelt down to clean off his arms.

I had remained silent, but now I responded to him, knowing that know he wouldn't be able to argue about his worth. I knew there was something off in his brain that the doctors were diagnosing. A mental illness that was running, unchecked, in his mind.

"You are not Stupid. You are not Ugly. You are worth more than you could ever imagine. You are not weak. In fact, you are one of the strongest people I know. And you most certainly are not a burden."

I leaned forward and kissed his forehead. "God. You are worth so much more than this world can supply."

I fell silent and listened to him as he slept on, seemingly undisturbed. But, I have seen how quickly that can go, how quickly he can become a crying, wriggling mess, whining and trying to get away from what ever was haunting his dreams. Sometimes, his eyes would open and he would back away from me, off the bed, begging for whatever he was seeing to leave him alone.

All I could do was talk softly to him until he was once again settled, curled up in a ball, breathing still erratic. Soon, I would have him back in bed, surrounded by his blankets. Many nights, though,no wasn't there for him and it scared me to think that those nightmare, night terrors, rather, went on for God knows how long, and he went through it alone.

"What are words, if you really don't mean them when you say them?" I sang softly, hand still running through his beautifully dark hair.

It transported me back to when I first heard the song. Back then, it held little meaning to me, just a dude singing, promising to never leave his love, even when she was sick.

Now, now it had a meaning. It was my promise to Mitch. I would always be there for him, I would never leave him to suffer through this.

I made that promise, and I was going to keep it, even through the bad times, even through the darkness he was stuck in.

"Every single promise, I'll keep. 'Cause what kind of guy would I be, if I was to leave when you need me most?" I remembered the one time I went to therapy with him.

The woman had a harsh, hawk-like face, gray hair pulled back into a tight, neat bun, cold, icy blue eyes staring at Mitch as he sat on the couch, shaking, looking at his lap where his long fingers clenched around my hand.

"Mitchell!" She reprimanded and he froze, body instantly going rigid. "You will look at me when I am talking to you." She ordered. I saw the small light in his eyes die out as he complied.

"Yes miss. Sorry miss. I accept your punishment." He murmured, and it was my turn to constrict my hand into a fist.

This woman should fucking know what he went through. She should know that speaking to him like that was way off limits.

"Honestly!" She chided quietly, the words harsh as she looked over her notes. "Now, I will be asking you questions and you will answer me. Do you understand?" She growled.

"Yes ma'am." He nodded his head hurriedly, eyes wide with fear, the emotion mixing in his beautiful eyes. "I understand your wishes."

This woman! She was acting as though she had no idea how to deal with abuse and rape victims.

"Good. First question. What were you abused with?"

Had Mitch not been gripping my arm, gripping it like one might grip a life line, I may have left him sitting there and punched her. His gaze dropped back down, and his tense body began to tremble.

"No. No. Please!" He pleaded in a barely audible whisper.

"Answer the question, young man." She simply replied, as if she wasn't putting someone through hell by making them think about the hell they were in.

"I-i-i can't!" He sobbed and I leaned against him, my eyes narrowed. If looks would kill, that woman would be noting but a pile of ashes in her chair.

"Yes you can. Quit lying. But since we seem to be getting no where with that one, how many times were you raped?"

I felt the moment the panic took over in his head. His hand closed around mine, nails digging in hard enough to draw blood. He began to breath heavily and shake all over.

"Mitchie. It's Scott. Listen to me. Please." I paused, trying to remember the same technique I used before. "If you are able, would you look around the room and name five things you can see?"

I waited, silently, letting him be in control. I simply smilies when his eyes lifted up and scanned the room. Then he began to list, voice ragged.

"A window. A small plant..." He paused, eyes scanning over the room, slower, though he was still shaking and breathing weird. "My shoes... The carpet...and you." I ran my thumb over his knuckles in praise.

"Very good! Now, four things you can touch." Again, he listed. I watched as we moved down the list, all the way to one thing you can taste, how he calmed down. Finally, the moment he was functioning, I picked him up bridal style, walking to the door. Once there, I turned around and narrowed my eyes at her.

"You are one of the worst fucking bitches I have ever met. Hope that fucking soul of yours rots in hell."

That was the first time I had promised him that I would always be there for him. And I was trying my best to keep that promise.

"I'm forever keeping my Angel close." I finished the song softly and looked down to him. Then I whispered four words I knew I could never tell him when he was awake.

"I love you, Mitch."

~°~
A short chapter? Would someone please explain this to me. Dang. There was more in this chapter than I had planned on having.

Listen to the song, if you haven't, because it is beautiful, and I think described the relationship between the two in this so well.

What did you think?

I am getting back into the update groove! Yay.

Oh, and stay sexy
-Scomiche❤🍓❤