Title: Bruises
Author: Lauren
Rating: PG
Pairing: Nathan/Haley.
Summary: Haley POV. Dan OOCness… sort of, even though he's never mentioned.
Author's Notes: This is my first fic. I know the idea of Nathan being abused is waaaay overdone (if anybody knows of fics with that theme just lead the way), but I couldn't resist. I'm twisted like that. Feedback would be nice, BTW.
Disclaimer: Nothing's mine. No, seriously, I'm currently broke. Sigh.
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She's not quite sure the first time she noticed them. Maybe it was leaning in for a kiss; maybe it was earlier than that. But she's been seeing them more. A faded mark on his cheek, a more recent one on his forearm. Sometimes she has to be careful touching him.
He's never said anything about them and neither has she. She knows he'll brush her off if she does but they're getting more frequent; more noticeable.
He showed up at a tutoring session with a bloody nose once. He said it was an accident during practice but they both knew she didn't buy it.
She knows she should bring it up. Knows she should tell someone; knows she should do a hundred things.
But it's not as simple as that. She wishes it were, but it's not.
He doesn't smile much anymore; his eyes are always dark. Basketball seems like a duty for him more than a pleasure. Watching him play breaks her heart. Not watching him breaks her soul.
He'll come over sometimes. Sometimes late, sometimes not. Always to stay. And she'll let him in without questions or complaint because the sadness is coming off him in waves. And she'll kiss him and hold him or just stay with him.
He's tried to tell her before she knows it. Several times he'll look up from his history book or stop kissing her. He'll say her name tentatively. Sometimes, he'll even start to say it. "I" or "my dad" or "I need your help" but nothing more. Nothing to confirm what she's suspected for too long.
Nothing to explain the bruises.
So for now she just holds him. Kisses him. Tells him everything will be all right because that's all she knows to say.
She just hopes it will be true.
Author: Lauren
Rating: PG
Pairing: Nathan/Haley.
Summary: Haley POV. Dan OOCness… sort of, even though he's never mentioned.
Author's Notes: This is my first fic. I know the idea of Nathan being abused is waaaay overdone (if anybody knows of fics with that theme just lead the way), but I couldn't resist. I'm twisted like that. Feedback would be nice, BTW.
Disclaimer: Nothing's mine. No, seriously, I'm currently broke. Sigh.
---
She's not quite sure the first time she noticed them. Maybe it was leaning in for a kiss; maybe it was earlier than that. But she's been seeing them more. A faded mark on his cheek, a more recent one on his forearm. Sometimes she has to be careful touching him.
He's never said anything about them and neither has she. She knows he'll brush her off if she does but they're getting more frequent; more noticeable.
He showed up at a tutoring session with a bloody nose once. He said it was an accident during practice but they both knew she didn't buy it.
She knows she should bring it up. Knows she should tell someone; knows she should do a hundred things.
But it's not as simple as that. She wishes it were, but it's not.
He doesn't smile much anymore; his eyes are always dark. Basketball seems like a duty for him more than a pleasure. Watching him play breaks her heart. Not watching him breaks her soul.
He'll come over sometimes. Sometimes late, sometimes not. Always to stay. And she'll let him in without questions or complaint because the sadness is coming off him in waves. And she'll kiss him and hold him or just stay with him.
He's tried to tell her before she knows it. Several times he'll look up from his history book or stop kissing her. He'll say her name tentatively. Sometimes, he'll even start to say it. "I" or "my dad" or "I need your help" but nothing more. Nothing to confirm what she's suspected for too long.
Nothing to explain the bruises.
So for now she just holds him. Kisses him. Tells him everything will be all right because that's all she knows to say.
She just hopes it will be true.