AN: Thank you again for your wonderful reviews, follows, favourites!
I really had some difficulties writing this chapter and I think it's bad. Sorry :(
I hope you enjoy reading anyway!
Disclaimer:I own nothing but the plotline.
Warning: Mild slash, some mentions of violence
Enjoy!
"You can take a shower if you want," Jackson suggested and Isaac nodded. He really wanted to be alone for a while and be able to think.
After Jackson had shown him where the bathroom was, Isaac closed the door behind him and started undressing.
Slowly, he stepped into the shower and turned on the water.
He closed his eyes, trying to relax, while the warm water streamed down his body.
Today had been a rough day.
He thought about how Jackson had stood up for him. Multiple times.
It caused a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips.
Then flashes of his father throwing glass and plates at him came flooding back into his mind.
Weak.
Worthless.
Another plate was thrown at his head. He tried to duck, but failed and the plate hit his forehead hard.
Then his vision went black.
Isaac shook his head, trying to make the thoughts and memories go away.
Careful not to slip on the bathroom floor, he stepped out of the shower and wrapped a towel around his middle.
He let out a deep sigh at the sight of his greatest enemy, the mirror.
He had always tried to avoid seeing his reflection. Simply, because he didn't want to see how awful he looked. He didn't want to face reality.
He took a deep breath and looked up at his reflection.
A gasp escaped him.
His body was covered in bruises, he had a black eye and a scratch on his forehead.
In other words, he looked like he got hit by a train.
Disgusted with himself, he looked away.
His mind started to wander again.
It wandered to horrible memories. Just flashes of the past, things he didn't want to remember.
He remembered when he was locked up in the freezer.
Too little room, the horrifying darkness.
The suffocating feeling of not having enough air. The feeling he was going to die.
Isaac looked down at his nails.
They were short and broken from scratching at the insides of the freezer, always desperately trying to get out.
He remembered how he had lost his voice once from screaming so hard in that stupid thing for his father to come and free him.
He had cried so much in that freezer, he thought he might be able to fill it with his own tears.
His blue eyes turned watery again.
He wiped his face harshly, hoping that would prevent the tears from coming.
But they came anyway. He couldn't stop them. He could neverstop them.
Isaac hated it when he cried. It made him feel weak, just like his father had called him so many times.
Maybe his father was right, maybe he was weak.
Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. He jumped and quickly put on the shorts Jackson had given him.
"Isaac? Are you okay?" Jackson asked from the other side of the door.
Isaac silently cursed and tried to clear his throat to make his voice sound steady and strong.
He failed. "Y-yeah…"
Jackson wasn't convinced either. "You've been in there for a whole hour. You sure you're alright?"
Isaac wanted Jackson to go away, he didn't want him to see him like this.
"I'm fine!" he snapped and regretted it immediately. He shouldn't snap at Jackson, not after all the help he had gotten from him.
"Please just go. You don't need to see this," he squeaked with a fragile voice.
Jackson sighed. Of course he knew Isaac was crying. He wasn't deaf, he could hear it in his voice.
He turned around to leave, but the bathroom door opened slowly and revealed a shirtless Isaac.
Plenty of tears were streaming freely down his cheeks.
Jackson opened his mouth to say something, anything, but closed it again when he couldn't think of the right words to say.
His breath caught in his throat when he noticed the several bruises on Isaac's chest.
On his collarbone, all the way down to his stomach. Like he had been kicked there repeatedly. Jackson was shocked and he felt extremely bad for the other boy.
He was startled when, without any hesitation, Isaac suddenly stepped forward and wrapped his arms tightly around his neck.
Jackson frowned, not knowing how to react to this, but after a moment he returned the hug by wrapping his own arms around the other's waist.
He found it a little awkward at first, standing there hugging a guy who was wearing nothing but some shorts, but when his shoulder got damp with Isaac's tears, he wanted nothing more than to protect and comfort him.
Isaac couldn't stop crying. And he hated it.
He was a mess. A horrible looking mess.
He hated himself for breaking down, for being so weak in front of Jackson and he was ashamed to death for it.
"I-I'm sorry," he sobbed quietly, his voice muffled by Jackson's shoulder.
Jackson didn't answer, he just hugged the other a little tighter, rubbing soothing circles on his back.
They stood there for a few more minutes, until Jackson broke the embrace.
He carefully wiped away the few remaining tears on Isaac's cheeks.
It was a simple, tender gesture. But for Jackson, who normally showed even less emotion than a dead fish, it was very special.
"Come on," he said quietly while guiding the other to his room, his hand in the small of his back.
Once they were inside Isaac immediately walked over to the couch in Jackson's bedroom.
"No. You can sleep in my bed. I'll take the couch," Jackson said.
Isaac opened his mouth to protest, but Jackson shook his head. "It's okay. Just… try to get some sleep, okay?" he said kindly.
Isaac nodded, gave Jackson a weak smile and then crawled into his bed.
He nuzzled his nose in the blankets.
They smelled nice. They smelled like a good and safe place.
"Thank you so much, Jackson." the dead tired boy muttered with a weak smile.
Not long afterwards the soft rise and fall of Isaac's chest, pointed out he was asleep.
Jackson on the other hand, couldn't sleep. He kept thinking about what happened.
Tonight was the first time he noticed how messed up Isaac really was, because of his dad.
Like, really really messed up.
Jackson thought hard about whether he knew everything about this boy.
Yes, he knew that he was badly treated by his father. Badly might even be an understatement.
Hell, he even knew all along that Isaac was being beaten.
But how bad was bad? Did even more horrible things happen in that house that Jackson didn't know yet?
He decided he would talk to Isaac about it when the time was right.
Jackson let out a sigh as he watched the other boy toss and turn in his sleep, probably having some awful nightmare.
*The next morning*
Isaac's eyes fluttered open. He looked around confused, not remembering where he was.
Then he remembered.
Jackson's room.
Safe for himself, the room was empty. Jackson was gone.
He looked sideways and a breathtaking smile brightened his face.
A plate with delicious looking pastries and mouth-watering juice was standing on the nightstand.
He hesitated a moment before he dared to touch it. Then he sat up in Jackson's bed, picked up the plate and placed it on his lap.
A small piece of paper was lying underneath the glass of juice. Carefully, he took it.
In Jackson's elegant handwriting stood: Good morning. I didn't want to wake you. I'm downstairs. Enjoy your breakfast…
His smile grew even bigger, the events of last night completely forgotten for now.
Never before had anyone done something like this for him.
Greedily, he ate the delicious pastries and took large gulps of the apparently fresh juice.
It was the best breakfast he ever had.
When he was done, Isaac thought everything over for a bit.
He liked this new side of Jackson.
He couldn't believe the arrogant jerk who always wanted to win during lacrosse, was the same guy as the kind and caring one he slowly was getting to know.
AN: Sorry for this horrible chapter. Thanks for reading anyway.
Please review if you want! And again, if you have any ideas: post them!
I noticed I didn't write my tumblr – url in the previous chapter.
So here it is again, follow updates about the story here: immasupernoob . tumblr .com
Bye!