I'm so so sorry for being late with updating :'( and I have absolutely no excuse...

In this one Adam's happy little bubble pops, he loses it, the abuse Gem suffers at the hands of her family gets revealed and Joe is being an idiot xD so it's a little bit of an up and down xD but I do hope you'll enjoy it anyway :)

As always comments would be greatly appreciated :3

Love,

Hatysa Black

This evening when they are headed to the playground there is more power in his pushing and he can't resist the silly urge to dance on his board. Somewhere behind him Joe laughs while Cherry worries but Adam pays it no mind. He's happy and excited, sue him for expressing that.

When Gem is running late he has half a mind to head to her house hoping to meet her on the way but he doesn't. He doesn't want to look like the controling kind of boyfriend now that they've taken the next step in their relationship and it's not like they have a fixed time when they meet so he waits.

She comes into view not much later and it's due to the darkness that he doesn't already notice it even at distance. But then she comes closer and the streetlamps illuminating the playground light up her face and his happy bubble shatters. Her left eye is discoloured to a deep shade of purple and swolen shut completly, her lower lip has a crusted over gash in it and there is an imprint of thick fingers around her chin and on her cheeks as if someone forcefully grabbed her by the chin.

Distantly he can hear Joe and Cherry exclaim in shock and horror somewhere behind him but it's drowned out by the sound of his own blood rushing in his ears and the feeling of raging fury spreading in his chest. Someone - and he thinks he has a fairly good idea of who exactly - has hurt her and that's not gonna fly. Gem is his. His to adore, his to cherish, his to protect and he failed.

'He hurt you.', he growls out because he needs her confirmation, needs to be sure before he can hunt this abusive fucker that is her uncle down.

'This entire family has done nothing but hurt me for the past almost fourteen years.', she confirms with a bitter smile that quickly slips again because it's pulling at her split lip. The damage is already done though.

The gash has opened again, she's bleeding and Adam loses it a little. He grabs his board - it'll have to do as a makeshift weapon, he'll have to get rid of it later but he can always get a new one - and without another word marches past her in the direction of her house.

She tries to hold him back, tells him to 'Stop, please.' but he doesn't listen. All that goes through his head is how she must've uttered those words aimed at her uncle sometime during the day and knowing that the man hasn't stopped just makes him so angry. Then she calls for Joe to stop him and one side of him snarls at the betrayal when Joe suddenly blocks his way. Another, quieter part is glad that she's not trying to stop him herself but asking Joe to do it.

Joe at least has the muscles and stature to fight back. And a fight is more than likely considering that Joe isn't budging. He isn't sure which one of them throws the first punch but someone does and then they are rolling on the floor brawling until Gem's voice sharply cuts through the air.

'For fucks sake, Ainosuke, STOP!'

She doesn't yell but suddenly everything is very silent around them. She's never used his firstname before but that's not what makes him stop. No, it's her voice. There is something heavy, powerful, commanding in it that demands to be obeyed and his body does even if his mind has trouble following what's going on right now. He stills, Joe's right hook connects and he winces a little at the pain blooming in his cheek but he doesn't hit back.

'Thank you.', she almost snarls her voice dripping with sarcasm as she glares down at him.

'Now listen. I neither want nor need you to beat up my uncle.', she tells him her voice strong with conviction.

'He hurt you.', he repeats his earlier statement and if there is a little confused whine in his voice it's nobody's business. Why doesn't she understand that he can't let that fly? What kind of boyfriend would he be if he just let someone beat up his girl?

'And he has done so for almost fourteen years now. He used to hit me with his belt and carved words into my back so I'd never forget what I was. My cousin likes to play Tulipa Trashing whenever he finds me alone. My aunt stashed me in the fucking cupboard under the stairs until I turned eleven while my cousin had two bedrooms all to himself. She made sure I knew that I was unwanted and unloved. I didn't know my own goddamn name until I went to school and learned that I was not in fact named Freak. She told me that my father was a useless drunk and my mother a whore and that they'd gotten themselves killed because dying was the preferable option to enduring my existence any longer. And I believed those lies just like I believed that it was normal and right for them to starve me on a full fridge.', she rants and he stills horrified. She has told him before that her family doesn't treat her well but he hasn't expected for it to be this bad. He barely registers Joe and Cherry exclaim in shock and horror because his attention is fixed on her, looking her over for more signs of the abuse she has suffered.

'After this one I have two more summers to survive before I can leave that house for good. Your intervention will do nothing but make those summers worse for me. I don't need you to avenge me. I need you to support me, to tell me that I'm still pretty even while beaten black and blue and to reassure me that I'm strong enough to survive this shitshow.', she spats at him clearly angry and hurt in equal meassure. There are tears rolling down her cheeks and Adam doesn't know what to do. He gets to his feet because sitting on the floor and just staring at her is not going to do anything. She doesn't resist when he pulls her into his arms and for a moment they just stand there like that with Joe and Cherry watching from opposite sides and with matching absolutely horrified faces. He can tell they don't know what to do or say either.

'Is that why you wanted to wear my shirt yesterday?', he asks softly enough that his friends hopefully won't hear and she nods weakly her face pressed into his chest. He grimaces a little because with her injuries this particular position has to be pretty painful for her.

'Show me?', he requests softly and for a moment she just looks up at him. Then without hesitation she takes a single step away from him, pulls her t-shirt over her head, turns her back to him and pulls her hair over her shoulder so he can see.

Freak

Monster

Demon

Just like she said the words are carved into her skin amidst old, badly healed lashing marks that crisscross all over her back partially hidden by the clasp and straps of her bra. He isn't sure what exactly posesses him to do so but he slowly stretches out a hand and carefully and oh so softly traces the first word. A shiver runs down her back but she doesn't move away or puts her shirt back on so he continues.

'I'm sorry.', he whispers when he is done with the first word and turns to the second.

'Not your fault.', she mumbles and Adam knows she's misunderstood him.

'Not the scars. For losing it like that.', he corrects her and there is a moment of silence while he finishes the second word.

'It's okay. I get it.', she answers with a tired sigh and Adam believes her. She's a fighter, a survivor and he can't imagine her not at least wanting to hit back at some point even if she's never actually done it.

'What are you doing?', she asks when he's just finished tracing the last word and turns to the lashing marks.

'Admiring the proof of your strength. I might not like how you got them but I can appreciate them for what they stand for, can't I?', he explains and another shiver runs down her back.

'Thank you.', she whispers so quietly that he almost doesn't hear her and he doesn't know what to say to that either. He shoots a quick look towards Joe and Cherry who have taken a few steps away to give them some privacy and are studiously not looking at them before he returns to his ministrations.

With every scar he ghosts his hands over the tension in her shoulders bleeds out a little more until she finally relaxes when he finishes the last one. He gently taps her on the shoulder to signal that he's done and she turns back around and hugs him.

'I adore you.', she whispers their confession before she peels out of his arms and puts her shirt back on.

'And I you.', he answers in kind before he takes her hand and leads her over to Joe and Cherry.

'You okay?', Cherry asks worry clear to see on his face when they make it over to him and Joe.

'As well as I can be right now, don't worry. I heal quickly. I should be back to normal by wednesday evening.', she answers with a small reassuring smile that has to pull at her split lip painfully but doesn't seem to bother her much. Adam doubts very much that she'll be healed on wednesday evening. No black eye heals in two days.

'You sure about that?', Joe asks doubtfully eyeing her injuries and for once not smiling.

'Yes, Joe. I'm sure. This is by far not the worst I've had.', she confirms without a hint of anger or annoyance at being so openly doubted. If her words were meant to be reassuring she failed spectacularly, Adam thinks and squeezes her hand to reassure himself that she's really here and not about to keel over. She squeezes back and gives him a small smile.

'That's not reassuring at all.', Cherry deadpans and Gem shrugs.

'Two more summers. And I rarely spend the entire summer here.', she reminds them and the last bit is much more reassuring than anything she told them previously.

'When do you usually leave? And where do you spend the rest of the summer?', Joe asks curiously.

'I tend to spend at least the last week of august in Devon at a friends place. Ron usually invites me over.', she answers easily and Adam can see Cherry raise an unimpressed eyebrow while Joe shoots mildly concerned looks between him and Gem.

'You spend an entire week of summer at a boy's house?', Joe asks sounding slightly worried and Gem shrugs.

'Yeah. It's fun and it gets me away from my relatives quicker. What about it?', she asks not at all getting what Joe is playing at and that reassures Adam more than probably anything else she could've said. Not that he needed much reassuring in the first place. He trusts that she doesn't cheat on him.

'But you have Adam.', Joe tries again and Gem blinks at him before realization dawns on her face and she starts laughing. She stops quickly but Adam can't help the amused smirk that sneaks onto his lips. Her reaction shows very clearly just how impossible she considers what Joe was implying.

'Oh, ow. Joe... Don't make me laugh... Gods, me and Ron? That's just ludicrous. He's more like a brother than anything else. Most of his siblings are, really. Besides, I'm kinda waiting for him to realize that he fancies Hermione. Though that might take another while. According to Hermione Ron has the emotional range of a teaspoon.', she tells them with a grin and Adam can see Cherry mouthing 'Most of his siblings' with a curious look on his face while Joe seems a bit reassured by her answer. He can't say though that he liked Joe's insinuation to begin with.

'How many siblings does that Ron guy have?', Cherry asks his curiosity getting the better of him and Adam agrees with the question. Gem has told him about Ron and mentioned his twin brothers one of which she took to the Yule ball last year but she hasn't made much mention of them beyond that.

'Oh, there are seven of them in total. Bill is the oldest. He's about ten years my senior and works in Egypt. Then there is Charlie. He's two years younger than Bill and works in Romania. Third is Percy. He finished school the year before last and was at Hogwarts as an assistant to one of the officials that organized the tournament last year. Then it's the twins Fred and George, They're pranksters and two years older than me. After that it's Ron and the baby of the group is Ginny who is a year younger than me and the only girl. I don't envy whoever ends up dating her. Six protective older brothers. That has to be most girls worst nightmare. Though if her eventual boyfriend ends up hurting her she'd probably destroy him before her brothers could.', she counts down and Cherry looks a little bit like he's regretting asking. Adam can sympathize with that.

Cherry much like him is an only child and while he's never really thought about it hearing about it from Gem he can't help but imagine himself with that many siblings. It sounds horrible. Never having any piece, always having to be mindful of potentially snooping siblings, the constant character clashes and squabbling. Definitely not something he thinks either himself or Cherry would've done well with even if they would've dealt with it differently. Alas, they are Gem's friends so maybe having Tadashi look into them just so he knows the who is who when he finally meets them might be a good idea.

'They kind of adopted me after Fred, George and Ron stole their dads car, drove it all the way to my house, broke me out of my room and then drove us all back to Devon in a cloak-and-dagger operation three years ago.', she continues reminiscing with a fond look in her eyes. Adam does the math in his head and raises an eyebrow. Two fourteen year olds and a twelve year old stealing a car and taking it for a roughly three hour ride one way. He wonders how they haven't been caught. Probably an incredously stupid amount of luck.

'That's crazy.', Joe gapes and Gem shrugs.

'You get used to it.', she plays it off and her words send Adam right back to worrying. Just how much stuff like that has happened to her that she dismisses it like that. And why hasn't she told him any of it yet?

'Like what?', Cherry asks sounding just as suspicious as Adam feels. She stiffens a little and takes a moment to think before she sighs and Adam has a feeling he won't like the answer.

'I can't actually tell you.', she admits with a grimace. Yep, he doesn't like that answer at all. How is he supposed to protect her when he doesn't know what to expect and what kind of trouble she apparently seems to attract?

'Can't or don't want to?', Cherry asks sounding rather suspicious. Gem's sigh tells him the answer before she actually voices it.

'Can't. I'd break law if I did.', she admits with an annoyed expression. Adam doesn't fault Joe and Cherry for staring at her in disbelief. He knows his expression can't be looking that much different from theirs. Unless she's in some odd kind of witness protection program he can't think of anything that she might be breaking by telling them about the trouble she's gotten into.

'You're not in witness protection, are you?', he asks a little bit hesitantly just to be sure though he isn't certain on what kind of answer he expects. He thinks he remembers reading something about people in witness protection not being allowed to talk about that either. So if she is she wouldn't tell them that either. He kinda doubts it though. He likes to think she'd be more cautious about meeting and trusting strangers if she were.

'Witness protection? What's that?', she asks and Adam inwardly sighs.

'Nevermind then.', he dismisses it and while she gives him a curious look she lets it be clearly trusting him that it's not actually important.

'Anyway, are we skating tonight or do you want to continue sitting around doing nothing?', she challenges playfully and while Cherry narrows his eyes at her not exactly subtle diversion Joe essentially jumps at it.

'Oh, you're on.', Joe crows gleefully as he jumps onto his board and Adam shakes his head fondly at his friend's antics before he joins them Cherry not far behind him.