Sexual content warning, as well as talk of self-harm
CH 14: Half Truths
When Abigail awoke again, she found herself gazing up at the ceiling for what felt like hours. Her heart thudded hollowly in her ears, each rush of blood causing her eyes to flutter listlessly. Will…where was he? Was he coming home soon?
Oh! She needed to make them lunch!
Lurching into awareness, Abigail ignored the momentary dizziness as she rocketed up into a sitting position. All around her laid a shower of glass. Her arms throbbed their painful reminder, but she ignored the cuts, deciding that she would hide this little episode from Will. She didn't want the look in his eyes to change – she needed him to keep believing the lie, just as she'd managed to believe it herself.
Gathering up the glass, Abigail threw it into the waste bin and mopped her blood off the floor, careful to remove all traces save for the broken mirror. She knew she could explain that as a clumsy accident.
With everything clean and secure, Abigail changed into some shorts and a loose, lightweight shirt with long sleeves to cover her arms. There was very little that could be done about her hands, but by this point she was already formulating her lies. Sometimes it frightened Abigail how naturally manipulation came to her. Was this who she really was? Who she was always meant to be?
Bowing her head, Abigail ignored her heavy heart and headed into the kitchen to make lunch. Will deserved a thank you for the breakfast he'd cooked.
When Will finally returned from his outing, he lugged a cooler of fish into the cabin and set it by the doorway. "Abigail?" he called. "I'm sure you're sick of fish by now, but I couldn't help myself…the weather was beautiful, the fish were constantly nibbling, and before I knew it, I'd spent almost my entire morning out there!"
Abigail came into the room smiling. "Well why didn't you take me along then? Afraid I might beat your tally?"
He huffed, chuckling as she sidled up to him. "I didn't want to wake you…you're not much of a morning person, you know." Shrugging out of his fishing gear, he made his way into the kitchen and asked, "What'd you do while I was out? I hope I didn't keep you waiting too long."
"Oh no, uh…I actually just finished making lunch." Abigail's eyes misted, hurt since he hadn't tried to kiss her. "It's…it's on the table. I made spaghetti and meatballs. Er…fishballs."
Will laughed, eyes twinkling. "So I see! I hope you'll be joining me."
In her head, Abigail could hear the girls chorusing how Will didn't love her – how she was a fool for even believing she could find love in the first place. He didn't want her. She was a burden…a useless, incorrigible burden!
"Abigail?"
She looked up, quivering.
"Aren't you going to sit down?"
Pale and drawn, she slowly moved over to the table and had a seat, eyes downcast as she reached for her silverware.
"This looks great, by the way. Thanks for pitching in."
Abigail threw her fork down in disgust. "'Pitching in'? That's what you're calling it? I made this because I like you, not because I'm 'pitching in'!"
Will winced from the growling force of her words. "Abigail, what's wrong?"
"You're some kind of all-knowing detective, aren't you? Figure it out!" Gathering up her plate, she snapped, "I'll just go finish this in my room. Oh, and don't worry, I'll more than happily 'pitch in' by cleaning up after myself!"
When she moved to storm past him, Will snagged her sleeve and whipped her around. The momentum caused Abigail to drop her plate, her teeth clenching when she realized her arm had been bared.
Following her gaze, Will instantly paled at the sight of the scabbed, nasty cuts and contusions. "Oh, God," he breathed. "Oh, Abigail, what did you…?"
But she broke away from him then, unable to keep up the pretense as she went racing for her bedroom.
"Abigail!"
The door slammed shut and Will immediately went for the handle, cursing when he discovered it was locked. "Abby, c'mon, please…please talk to me."
"Go away!"
"Don't shut me out…not this time." Placing his hand against the door, his heart clenched when he heard her soft sobs. "Abigail, I'm begging you…I'm not leaving until you talk to me."
Silence.
Desperate, Will decided that he needed to tell her the truth. As much as it pained him, it seemed to be his only real option. With a deep, shuddery breath, he leaned against the molding and closed his eyes, now picking at the wooden frame as he tensed his fist. "When I was younger, I…I used to cut myself," he whispered. "So as hard as it may be for you to believe, I know all about being hurt and confused."
There came a pause, then the door slowly clicked open and Abigail's tired, puffy face came into view. Miserable, she stepped back and allowed him room to pass.
Will strode across the hardwood floor and curled his hands, his heart pounding as he began to pace. "I was thirteen," he continued. "No friends, no sense of completion, no nothing… Even though I had my dad, I was alone." He sank onto her bed and swallowed. "I wanted to feel something…to prove I could feel, so I just did what any other lost soul would do. It felt good…freeing, almost. Sometimes I actually miss it."
Hesitantly sitting beside him, Abigail slid her hand down his arm and turned his wrist. To her surprise, she saw several faded, frantic little marks etching the inside of his forearms. Will was telling the truth… Somehow this made her feel worse instead of better. She rubbed her thumb across a particularly deep groove, her chin quivering as a lump formed in her throat. "Will, I…"
"No, it's ok," he assured her. "You don't have to tell me anything you don't want to."
"But I don't do it all the time," she choked out. "I just…I do it when I want to remember I can heal." Abigail sniffled, recalling how good it felt to see the physical proof that she could get better – that she was resilient and capable of overcoming any obstacle. And even though she hadn't broken the mirror on purpose, there had still been a visceral thrill in being marked by the glass.
"Abby?"
Will's hand came over hers and she burst into tears, burying her face against his shoulder as he stroked her cheek.
"Where do you do it?" he softly asked. When Abigail lifted her arms he shook his head, pushing the hair back from her eyes. "I was a habitual cutter, Abigail – I know there's always more than one place."
Ashamed, Abigail rose and slid her shorts down to her ankles, stepping out of them and revealing the pink, hurried little hatches along her inner thighs. Some of the marks were as recent as three months ago.
Will sank down to his knees and gathered her hips, nuzzling into her stomach before sliding a hand between her legs and stroking the raised, ugly scar tissue. But Will didn't seem to think they were ugly… He kissed each individual mark, opening his mouth against her skin with an ardor that left her breathless.
"Will…?"
He responded by pressing a deep, lingering kiss against her clothed heat, his hands tugging on her panties until he slid them down to her knees. Abigail made a move to protest, unsure of what he was trying to do, but Will buried his face between her thighs and she was suddenly gasping, tugging on his curls and urging him to go deeper.
Abigail's toes flexed and she arched her hips, shaking along with her breathy sobs as his tongue drove her closer and closer to climax. He licked and sucked at her wetness, encouraging her to rock into his face as she clawed at his shoulders. She heard him moan and then he was digging his nails into her thighs, angling his mouth strongly into her cunt as she jerked her hips in time to his lashing tongue.
She was close… Oh God, she could scarcely breathe.
Abigail's legs gave out and Will caught her, carefully maneuvering her onto the floor as her thighs parted in surrender. She wanted more…moremoremore!
Dutifully, Will lowered his mouth back to her slit and tilted her hips, helping her take him in as he eagerly devoured her essence. The sensation caused Abigail to scream, her legs hooking over his shoulders as her hips rolled fiercely into his face. She spasmed around his tongue and arched her back, riding out her waves of orgasm with slow, arduous thrusts against his mouth. Will didn't seem to mind the roughness – his tongue kept working between her legs until he was certain she was sated. He murmured and kissed her thigh, now drawing back to observe her heaving breasts and soft, flushed face with wonder. The knowledge that she was his – his! – still made him slightly giddy.
Abigail reached for him and Will slid into her arms, feeling her mouth open beneath his as she tugged at his hair. She could taste herself on his tongue, sweet and ambrosial, so she licked away her essence in an attempt at tasting him and him alone.
Careful to keep from being further aroused, Will broke the kiss and stroked her hair, now pressing his forehead to hers as he smiled. "Feel better?"
Abigail nodded, mirroring his smile. She still didn't want him to know the truth about what happened, so she nuzzled against his chest and decided to lie. "I had an accident," she said. "I got a shower and slipped on the tile, then ended up falling right into the bathroom mirror. It's…it's how I got these cuts."
Will's brow puckered in concern. "Are you ok? Is there still glass on the floor?"
"No, no, I cleaned it up…everything's fine now. You just won't be able to preen for hours in front of your own reflection anymore."
Will chuckled. "Well, there go my plans for Saturday night." Smoothing the hair back from her eyes, his expression grew somber as he studied her face. He wanted to ask her about their fight. He could never forget the hurt in her eyes, nor the strong, inexplicable quaver in her voice as she'd shouted at him. But now that Abigail finally seemed calm and collected, he didn't have the heart to dredge up the past. He would ask later when she'd had time to heal.
"Will?"
He rubbed her back in soft, soothing circles. "Hm?"
"I'm so glad you picked me."
Feeling her face press into his neck, Will held Abigail strongly and tried to ignore the lump in his throat. "Yeah," he whispered. "Me, too."
A/N: Next off, Abigail tries to heal Will's emotional scars (so more smut...but I promise it's not as terrible as it sounds (or at least, I hope lol)).
Individual Thank Yous:
Abigill Fan: Hahaha, lmao! xD Irony is always fun. :P And thanks so much, I'm so glad you think so! xP
Crystal Nightray: Haha aww, well I'm glad! I was worried that (chapter 13, especially) was kind of boring since it's mostly filler for...well...more smut. LOL I tend to update Mondays and Thursdays. :)
Wanderer29: Aw, well thank you very much! :) I've honestly never written any OC romances before, though I'll occasionally write OCs in as supporting characters. I appreciate the support, were I to ever try it, though! ^^