Be my friend, hold me
There was a couple seconds of tense silence. Reed's body was frozen the second he asked the question. Shane could see the light, which had been so much dimmer than he remembered, leave Reed's eyes. He stared ahead with those dull, lifeless eyes, not really looking at Shane's face anymore. He wasn't looking at anything.
A gripping sensation of fear spread through Shane's body, on top of how scared he already felt. Fear and shock and rage and confusion and guilt all mixing together in battle of hurt and emotions.
But what scared him at this second was the way Reed seemed to completely disappear. It wasn't like he tuned out or wasn't listening; it was like his soul left his body and all that was left was a shell of someone who looked like Reed, but wasn't him at all.
"Reed?" his whispered in a voice that sounded almost too loud in the deathly quiet room. Every occupant was hanging on to what Reed would say, barely even breathing. Even Kurt's sobbing had quieted down.
Shane's arms were trembling as he tried to gently shake Reed out of it. The way Reed had just zoned out was terrifying him. "Reed?"
Finally, Reed's eyes held life again and his face crumbled, breaking down into another crying fit. When the sobbing started Shane almost wished he looked lifeless again, at least that way he didn't have to see him cry like this.
"I can't." His voice broke on the last word and he had to bite down on his bottom lip to stop it from quivering.
Shane's grip on his arms tightened just barely, like he was trying to hold Reed together, keep him from falling apart. It seemed impossible to do though. "Yes you can! You can tell me." He had to calm down before continuing. He couldn't yell at him, that would be counterproductive. "Please. Who did it?"
Reed only shook his head again, letting his eyes close like he didn't want to be here, let alone answer. And he didn't. Reed was in shock that he'd even told them in the first place. His brain still wasn't caught up with what was happening. Shane knowing, Kurt knowing, even Dwight; he didn't want to think about it. And he definitely didn't want to say more than he already had.
"Reed, please." The sound of Shane's voice hurt and made his stomach twist. He could hear the pain in his voice just from two words, and that made him feel so guilty. Guilty for not only causing Shane's tears, but Kurt's as well, not to mention Blaine's distress the last couple of days and now everyone else's too. Everything was his fault.
And everything was happening too fast.
"Please, please tell me. I need to know." So I can kill him. But Shane kept that part to himself. Little did he know that everyone else in the room was on the exact same wavelength.
Reed shook his head again, trying to make Shane understand. "I can't… because I don't know." The last part was whispered so quietly only Shane could hear it. And he kept his head down, like he was ashamed to even say it at all.
Everyone else in the room was staring at Shane, depending on him to understand what was happening. But Shane was confused, trying to figure out what Reed had said and what it meant. When it finally clicked he felt like he was going to be even sicker.
"You don't… you don't know who did it?"
There were a ton of different scenarios that could go along with that statement. If Reed was drugged or knocked out he wouldn't remember who it was or even how it happened, and that meant it could be anybody, more than one person even. With that thought Shane was sure he was going to throw up.
Reed didn't answer him, but he didn't need to. The way he hid his face and refused to look up, crying harder, said enough.
Shane swallowed thickly. He didn't want to ask, not just because he didn't want to upset Reed, but he also didn't think he was prepared for the answer or what it meant. "How," his voice cracked so he tried again. "How did it happen?"
There were so many different possibilities Shane didn't think he could take not knowing any longer.
Reed's body shook harder and he curled up defensively. Shane could tell he wasn't going to let anything out, not now. He reached out to touch his arm again but drew it back when Reed flinched away.
"Reed please, I-I need you to tell me something. Anything." He was scared out of his mind. At least knowing something could help eliminate some of the never ending list of possibilities that were all so horrific it would drive him mad thinking each one could have happened to Reed. "Do you remember what happened? Were you drugged? Did he have a weapon? Did he hurt you, do you have any injuries?" Shane knew he was probably overwhelming him but he couldn't help it. He was going crazy with anxiety and once the flood broke his mouth spilled out the questions he wished he shouldn't have to ask.
A couple of seconds past before Reed whispered a reply without looking up. "N-no. He didn't drug me."
Shane exhaled but he wasn't relieved at all. He didn't know which was worse, Reed being drugged and having to go through life not knowing what happened to him, or Reed going through it sober and conscious to every second, having to live with it. He would have felt terrified and in so much pain. He probably would have screamed…. Shane gritted his teeth and forced the train of thought out. It was making his blood boil.
"What about weapons? Did he have one?" It was hard to keep going, but he couldn't stop now.
He could barely make out Reed's small nod, or his quiet voice. "A knife."
A crippling sense of dread crashed on Shane at his answer. Sure he was narrowing down the possibilities but with that came the truth. No more what ifs. This was actually what Reed went through. Someone actually pressed a blade to Reed's skin. And even if they didn't, they threatened to. They intimidated Reed with something that could kill him. Shane wished he could return the favor.
"Did he…" He could hardly get the question out he was so scared of the answer. "Did he hurt you with it?"
The sense of dread intensified when Reed nodded slowly.
"How?"
The sobs returned and it took Reed a minute to choke them down and find his voice to give an answer. "Cut me…. And…" He trailed off and closed himself off again.
"And what, baby?"
Reed's knees were now drawn up to his chest, he hid behind them and cried. "He said… he…" Shane waited not so patiently while he tried to get the words out. But he wasn't prepared for them. "Slit my throat if I made too much noise."
Shane froze. It was too much and it was too horrifying. Dwight was cursing again but he couldn't hear him. He was trapped in the thought of Reed, sweet, beautiful, innocent Reed going through this. He could have been hurt beyond repair or even killed. He didn't deserve this. Why did it have to be him?
Reed's heavy crying brought him out of it. It seemed like there was more he wasn't saying.
He had to swallow a lump away and blink the stinging tears back. "What else?"
His voice shook. "He said he'd k-kill me if I told." For the first time since he started talking, he looked up into Shane's eyes. "You can't tell anyone else. You can't. Promise me."
Blaine bit his tongue from behind them. That's what he had said to him, too. Blaine tried to keep his promise but it wasn't that easy.
Shane seemed conflicted. He wasn't going to promise that, but he hadn't really considered what he'd do anyway. What was he going to do after this was over? Reed obviously needed to see a doctor and the thought of not telling anyone and letting the person who did this get away was unacceptable to him. This fucker would pay, legally or not.
"I…"
He was so wrapped up with what he was going to do he seemed to forget what Reed said before that.
But the twins didn't. They stepped forward, speaking for the first time. And honestly, from them silence was something to be terrified of.
Evan started the statement while Ethan finished it. "Wait. He said he'd kill you if you told? But you don't know him?" There was a suspicious glint in their eyes. "Does that mean he knows you? How so?"
Kurt hastily wiped his wet cheeks clean, blinking so he could see their faces clearly. He had never seen the twins look so calm, and in a room where everyone else was either crying or red in the face from holding back their fury, that was something that warranted caution.
Reed turned his red eyes from Shane to the two tall figures across the room. "I… don't know. But…" he paused, sniffing and trying to block out the memories that surfaced when he thought this. "He knew my name and which house I was in."
It was all said in a quiet whisper the twins could barely hear. Shane on the other hand, was directly in front of him and heard it perfectly. He gritted his teeth, angered and devastated by this information.
Both of the twin's minds were working a million miles a second, going over the possibilities. Reed was an incredible artist, he was a Warbler; it was completely plausible that he would be known to people he wasn't familiar with. Now it was their job to try to narrow that spectrum down.
It was that determination that made them swallow their hesitation and ask the question they were sure they weren't the only ones wondering. "What did he look like?"
Kurt was still watching them, becoming increasingly alarmed by their tone and the look in their eyes.
Shane closed his eyes tightly, willing himself to breathe. He wanted to know but at the same time every new piece of information made the situation unavoidably real. He couldn't escape into possibilities anymore. And he just knew that whatever Reed said next would haunt him.
Reed's finger nails were digging into his arms, painfully deep. He also had his eyes closed, trying to force his mind from seeing that face. He didn't want to remember. He didn't want to know what he looked like. "I don't remember." He whispered pitifully.
The twins' expressions didn't change. "Did he wear a mask?"
Instead of speaking, Reed only shook his head twice.
"Then how do you not remember?" Reed said nothing. His eyes were still closed, preventing him from seeing which twin was speaking, but whosever voice it was turned sympathetic. "I don't think you could forget that easily." The other twin spoke. "We don't buy it, Dormouse."
Reed flinched. He wished he could. But he was sure that face was burned into his brain permanently. And the twins probably knew that too. "I can't." He was saying that entirely too much.
"Reed please." This time the strangled out plea came from right in front of him. He didn't dare open his eyes. He didn't want to see Shane's face. He knew seeing it would be so much harder that just hearing his voice.
The grip on his arms tightened, nail digging in deeper. He didn't want to think about it, didn't want to voluntarily think of that face. He tried to think of the most harmless thing he could. "He didn't have a blazer on. I couldn't tell what house he was from."
He was quiet but the twins could still hear it. They were disappointed they couldn't narrow down their mental checklist, but relieved that they were at least getting somewhere. "Okay what about his hair."
Reed's face scrunched up. That was all it took to make the face his mind was fighting off appear clearly. He hands shook and his heart ached. "Blonde." His voice cracked. "Dark blonde."
Shane was finding himself beating a faceless person with dark blonde hair over and over again in his mind.
The twins continued. "And the styling?"
His eyes were stinging and he knew he would have to open them soon, if only to just let more tears out. "Short and m-messy."
At least that somewhat helped. "Eyes?"
Reed unwillingly let out a shuddering gasp. Those were the worst part of the face. He couldn't stop picturing those eyes watching him with such a malicious glint. It made him shiver. He stuttered out his response without thinking. "Evil."
The twins bit their tongues while Shane cringed. He tried not to picture it, tried not to imagine but he was powerless to stop it. It was all he could think about. He wondered just how evil those eyes would look with a pencil jabbed through them.
Reed seemed to catch his mistake, but he refused to address it. It was embarrassing enough. "They were brown."
Everyone who attended Dalton and matched this description was filtering through the twins' minds. Bailey's hair was too cared for to be considered messy, same with Julian. They knew that was impossible anyway. And Reed was clear on the fact he didn't know who it was.
"Can you tell us anything else about him, Reed?" This time it was Dwight who spoke, much to the surprise of everyone else. Unlike the twins, his voice had not calmed down since the last time he spoke, spewing out curses. But his face was set in a smooth picture of determination. He definitely looked angry, but it was a little more menacing than that. And given the way he usually handled emergency situations like this, that was more than a little distressing.
Reed's eyes automatically opened at Dwight's voice. He almost forgot that he was in the room too. He choked down his humiliation at realizing every single one of his friends were hanging onto to his every word. His lips quivered when he answered. "He was a lot taller than me. And muscular."
It wasn't much of a profile and it barely narrowed it down at all but at least it was something. No one had a chance to speak before Reed continued.
His voice was hoarse from crying and the new tears splashed over his lips. "I don't want to talk about it anymore. I don't want to think about it." His eyes closed again and he rested his head against his knees, hiding his face once more. Shane could see his shoulders shake with the sobs he fought to hide.
His eyes welled up with fresh tears and his body shook. He clenched his fist in an attempt to resist rubbing Reed's shoulder. "Reed," his voice sounded so pathetic and small. "I am so fucking sorry." Not just for the fact that it happened, but because he had been selfish enough to make him talk about it so much.
Reed's sobs turned audible when he heard this. He didn't want Shane to feel bad or guilty. He didn't do anything wrong.
Shane's clenched fists moved to his head, like he wanted to pound them there. "This is all my fucking fault. Where was I, I…" he trained off, hands falling down as he stared blankly ahead. "Where was I." He repeated. He was with Reed every chance he could be. So when could this have possibly happened? He cleared his throat and tried to speak more calmly. "Reed. Where was I? Where was everyone else? Where were you?"
Blaine hung his head. He was the only one who knew what day it happened. He was the only one Reed told about the Art Hall. He had been listening intently moments before, intrigued to be learning more about Reed's attacker in the last couple minutes than he had in the last couple of days put together. But now he was reminded of just how guilty he felt for agreeing to keep Reed's secret. It was obviously the wrong decision.
Reed didn't want to answer, he wanted to stay there hiding until he disappeared for good. And he certainly didn't want Shane to feel even worse. He tried to speak many times before he finally got the words out. They were barely a whisper. "In the Art Hall…two days ago."
Shane stopped breathing. He felt so fucking stupid. It was so obvious! He took Reed to the Art Hall to paint in peace. He left him there while he was at dance practice. And afterwards he was told Reed was feeling sick and went to sleep early. Sick. And nothing had been the same since. He was so fucking stupid! Reed was hurting inside and out for two whole days while he had his fucking head in the clouds. Thinking Reed was with Blaine was the dumbest thing he could have possibly thought during this. And Blaine knew the entire time. As much as he wanted to be mad at Blaine for knowing, he knew he should have been able to figure it out without being told. He failed spectacularly at being a good boyfriend. He even failed at being a good friend.
He started sobbing, nose running and words shaky. "I shouldn't have left you there alone. This is my fault. I should have stayed with you. I should have been there. I could have protected you. I could have stopped it. I'm so sorry, please…" He trailed off, crying harder.
Reed peeked up from behind his knees, eyes bloodshot and swollen. He felt horrible seeing Shane look so devastated. He was scared and embarrassed but he couldn't take hearing Shane blame himself so much. He wanted to reach out and hold one of Shane's hands but his arms remained frozen. "It's not your fault, Shane," he whispered, but before he could continue Shane had looked up and was doing just what Reed had been too afraid to do.
He grabbed Reed's hands, pulling them from where they were still digging into his arms, and held them in his own gently. He looked into Reed's eyes directly, both pairs still misty and red. This time his voice was clear when he spoke. "I would never let anyone hurt you like that. I would rather it be me."
That didn't make Reed feel better. His face scrunched up slightly. "I wouldn't," he whispered, Shane barely hearing it.
He didn't even stop to think about what he was doing or if Reed would be okay with it. He lunged forward and immediately wrapped his arms around Reed, holding onto him tightly. One hand made its way into strawberry curls as he rocked the body in his arms slowly. He never stopped whispering "I'm sorry" into his ear.
Reed didn't even flinch when Shane hugged him. He only collapsed into his arms like he was too tried to hold himself up any longer. He began crying again when Shane started his soft whispering. He wanted to tell Shane there was nothing for him to be sorry for but he couldn't find the words.
Blaine looked away from them, feeling too heartbroken to continue watching, just in time to see Wes and David, who had been so eerily quiet the whole time he had forgotten they were there, tear out of the door. If anyone else noticed, they didn't show it. Kurt had gone back to holding his face in his hands, no doubt crying once more. Dwight was looking entirely too vindictive for Blaine's comfort. The twins were just staring at each other, probably having a silent conversation, with the same calm faces that hadn't changed once.
Blaine gave Kurt one last rub on the back before he was up and following the other two out the door. They were at the end of the hall, just about to descend down the stairs when Blaine spotted them.
"Hey!" he called but it didn't slow them down. In the next instant he was running. They were already half way down when he caught up. "What do you think you're doing?!"
Wes spun around angrily when Blaine laid a hand on his shoulder. "What do you think?!"
David sounded just as furious as Wes did. "We're not going to just sit in that room and listen to Reed cry anymore!"
This caused Blaine's expression to flicker into anger as well. "Then what are you going to do? What's your grand plan?! Go out and interview everyone who goes to this school with dark blonde hair and brown eyes?!"
Wes and David looked at each other once.
"No," Wes scoffed. "He'll have to be tall and thin, too."
They started to turn away again when Blaine grabbed a shoulder each. "No! Not only is that dumb but on what planet would that work?!"
David shook the hand off. "Well if we can't find out who did it right now we're sure as shit going to report it so we can soon."
With that they were turned back around. Blaine's eyes widened just barely. "You can't!"
"And why not?!" Wes shouted without looking over his shoulder. Someone hurt his friend, he wasn't going to sit around and do nothing.
Blaine followed them hastily. "You'll be betraying Reed's trust! He has to make the decision!"
"Yeah and you heard him! He's not telling. You might have been able to keep it hidden for two days but we can't. We won't. He needs help." David said as they neared the first floor.
Blaine tried to ignore his guilt. "You don't understand! You can't do this to him!" That caused them to slow down. Blaine stopped in his tracks in hope they would follow in suit. He lowered his voice, pleading with them. "He was already hurt against his will once. Don't do it to him again."
They froze, remaining standing there for a long couple of seconds. Finally, they turned around together, looking at other only once. "Fine." David spoke calmly. "We'll go back and talk to him."
"But," Wes was quick to interject. "If it doesn't work we're doing something. I'm not letting some bastard get away with this."
"I completely agree," Blaine said honestly. He wished he could tell them that he'd been begging Reed constantly to see reason. He was almost positive this wouldn't work. But he was just as positive that no one in that room would be satisfied with pretending this never happened. They'd want justice, they'd want Reed to get help, even if he didn't want it himself. Either way, after today, there would be no more hiding it. After today, things were going to change.
Upon reentering the room, Blaine found everyone in the exact same position. Apparently no one had heard their fight. He returned to his seat next to Kurt but Wes and David lingered around where Shane and Reed were huddled on the floor, both still crying.
"Reed," Wes spoke with a lot more tenderness than he had out in the hall.
Reed glanced up at them but Shane's arms only tightened their hold.
Wes knelt down to his eye level. "Reed, you know you need to report this." Instantly, Reed's face was hidden in Shane's chest once more. "Not just so this bastard can get caught and pay for what he did, but for your health too."
"Have you even been to a doctor yet?" David asked in a soft tone.
Reed's loud sob was answer enough.
"You need to make sure you're okay, you-"
"I'm fine!" Reed shouted in the grief stricken voice. It was too easy to see through.
At that Shane leaned back, trying to get a good look into Reed's eyes. "Reed, baby, you are clearly not fine," he choked out. Reed's grip on Shane tightened. His didn't reply.
"Please, just tell a counselor or something. Please Reed. We can't handle this by ourselves," Wes added.
Reed's sobs grew louder and he shook uncontrollably in Shane's arms. "I can't! He'll kill me! Or he'll do it again!"
Wes' eyes darkened. "Do you honestly think any one of us is going to let that happen?"
Shane unconsciously held on tighter. His voice was clear and deep. "I'm not going to let anyone hurt you ever again, okay? Ever."
Knowing full well of what everyone in this room was capable of, Reed tried to believe them. He knew they could make up one hell of a protection force, but that didn't stop him from being so scared. It wasn't only the threat that scared him into silence, it was also the thought of telling so many people, of having everyone know what happened to him and how weak he was. And the thought of seeing a doctor made him want to die. So he couldn't let their words comfort him. There was so much more that they, including Shane, couldn't protect him from.
He remained silent. They could try, but they weren't going to convince him. Not right now.
Shane seemed to sense from his silence that they were getting nowhere. "Can I have a second alone with Reed, please."
No one seemed to protest too much, all eager to take a break from the heavy atmosphere and in favor of fresh air. They all filtered out slowly, walking somewhat trancelike, as if their minds were, predictably, somewhere else. Wes gave Reed's shoulder a squeeze, which was met with a flinch, before standing up and following the rest.
Once the door shut and the room was quiet once more, Shane hugged Reed one last time before sitting him upright so they could be properly face to face. He kept his hands in his own, gently moving his thumbs back and forth.
To his surprise Reed spoke first, voice quiet but resolved. "If you're going to try to convince me to see someone or report it you might as well stop right now. It's not going to happen."
Shane tried to hide his frown. "But why not? I promise you nothing will happen to you. I'll make sure of that, I swear."
Reed shuffled nervously, wiping his sticky cheeks. "I know," he mumbled. "But it's not just that." He felt awkward and uncomfortable. This was the first time he was alone with Shane since he knew the truth. It was frightening.
The grip on his hands tightened. "Then what is it?" His voice was so calm and patient.
Reed gulped. He didn't want to tell him the truth. But then again it felt so… relieving not having to lie to him anymore, not to be constantly terrified that he'd find out and how he'd react once he did. He was still scared about the last part though. "I c-can't tell all those people." He closed his eyes. "I wouldn't be able to handle everyone knowing."
Shane bit the inside of his lip, saying nothing. He could understand that, but he also remembered what Blaine had told him out in the hall. He was soon whispering. "That's why you didn't tell us either, isn't it? Why you didn't tell me." He could barely get the next part out it was so absurd. "You thought I'd hate you."
Reed's eyes remained closed, he couldn't look into his face. He could tell how hurt Shane was from that accusation. Instead he only breathed out, "Yes."
Resisting the urge to hold onto him tightly again, Shane laced their fingers together. "I could never hate you. I love you. So much. You don't ever have to worry about me hating you, especially over this. It wasn't your fault, Reed. You don't have to feel scared or ashamed to tell people or ask for help." Reed's chest started shaking with the force of the sobs he tried to hold back. "Please, please report it. He deserves to pay for this, and you deserve closure."
Reed's eyes finally opened, allowing more tears to spill down his cheeks. "You don't get it," he managed to choke out. "That won't give me closure, that will make everything worse."
Shane sucked in a breath, but made no retort.
"I can't tell anyone. I can't do it. Please," his face contorted into an expression of intense pain. "Please don't make me."
The last sentence was nothing more than a whisper but it still shattered Shane's heart. He knew Reed needed to see a doctor as soon as possible, but he also knew, with what happened to him, he wouldn't be 'making' Reed do anything. His choice of words there really made Shane feel awful, like he had been forcing Reed to do something he didn't want to do this entire time. He would never do something like that. He wasn't like that bastard who hurt him.
Shane inhaled slowly. "I'm not going to make you do anything. I just don't want you to be in pain."
Reed almost laughed, instead his face crumbled. "I don't think that will change no matter who I do or don't tell."
The words sent a wave of anguish as sharp as knife throughout Shane's entire body. He felt his throat tighten and eyes sting once more. He was hit with the realization that he was completely helpless here. There was nothing he could do to take Reed's pain away, nothing he could do to make him feel better. There was no quick fix to this, and maybe no fix to it at all. He swallowed the lump away and tried to find his voice again. He may have been helpless but that wasn't going to stop him from trying. "You said he cut you." He could hardly speak calmly, the thought made him furious. "Can I see it?"
If he wouldn't go to a doctor right now at least Shane could make sure his injuries weren't life threatening.
Reed wanted to say no, but he had shown Blaine without incident (unless you count shaking and crying.) And he knew Shane would be so worried, especially since he lied to him about everything. But mostly, the thing that made him start slowly unbuttoning his cardigan was the fact that this had at least distracted Shane enough to where he had stopped trying to convince Reed to tell someone.
His hands trembled as they undid each button and pulled the soft fabric from his arms. He was left in his white button down, but he didn't move to unbutton it as well. Instead he rolled the sleeves back, revealing the white bandages wrapped around each of his wrists.
Shane took one in his hand silently, trying to remain calm enough to speak. "Who bandaged it for you?"
Reed's answer was hushed. "Blaine."
Of course. That would explain their frequent trips to the bathroom together. Shane could say he now sincerely wished they were actually cheating if it meant this would have never happened.
"What's under them?" he asked, resisting the urge to take the bandage off and see for himself.
"Welts and chaffing," Reed replied, trying not to picture why. It was hopeless though. He knew Shane would ask, so he wasn't at all surprised when he heard, "From what?"
He gulped, looking down to avoid Shane's eyes, even though they were still trained on his wrists. "M-my belt."
He could hear the confusion in Shane's voice when he asked, "What?"
Reed bit his lip, still refusing to look up. "It was tied around them."
Shane's face fell into a neutral expression. Inside he was raging, but his face showed no sign. Only his eyes were on fire. He forced his voice to level out. "What else?"
Reed closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He knew it was unavoidable, but that didn't mean he was any less nervous to be taking his shirt off in front of someone, even if it was Shane who would never hurt him.
Taking the undershirt took longer, but Shane never even moved. He stayed passively calm, not daring to rush him. He knew it was hard.
Finally Reed had all the buttons undone. Instead of taking the shirt off, he only opened it. But Shane had no time to consider why. A gasp washed the words right out of his mouth.
Right above his belly button, there was a large purple spot, a bruise that looked fresh and painful. But that wasn't all. There was a large cut right above his hip, long and tender looking. Shane's calm expression crumpled as he took it in. He didn't like seeing Reed hurt under any circumstances, but this was worse. He had to know, "Why?"
Reed's lip started to quiver. He appeared to be on the verge of tears again. A hiccup before he spoke confirmed this. "I tried to get away."
Shane could feel his own tears return. The pain in Reed's voice was evident and Shane had never felt so helpless. He choked down his tears, taking a second to collect himself before he spoke again. "What else?"
Reed was afraid he would ask. He said nothing as his slowly slid the shirt off his shoulders and onto the floor. He tried not to feel scared, and just sat there staring at the ground and ignoring the feel of the air on his previously clothed skin.
Shane looked around for something out of the ordinary, but everything on his upper arms and shoulders appeared fine. "What is it?" he finally asked in a soft voice.
Reed didn't look up. "My back."
He made no move to turn around so Shane quickly sat up, crawling his way to the short distance behind Reed's body. He froze on his knees the second his back came into view. Words dissolved from both his mouth and his mind. He couldn't think or breathe.
The numerous welts and bruises left him gasping and feeling the tears spill out of his eyes once again. As if on its own, his hand started to reach out, only to freeze right about one of the inch wide welts. He stuttered for several seconds before asking in a watery voice, "What happened?"
Reed only offered, "My belt," as an answer.
Shane finally closed his mouth, lips shaking as he took in the rest of his back. The bruises were small but the welts were big and plentiful. He could tell even now, that they once looked worse.
"How?" The word was broken as he was crying a considerable amount again. He couldn't comprehend how anyone could hit Reed with something hard enough to leave marks like this. But then again there were a lot of things he couldn't comprehend about this situation.
"It…" Reed choked. He didn't want to think about it. "It was after. When he said he'd kill me."
Shane clenched his jaw. He wanted to get his hands on this mother fucker so bad he was starting to see red. His voice reflected this feeling. "He's not going to fucking touch you again."
Reed only let out a sob. He should be comforted by that, but he just hated how bad he was making Shane feel. Everything was his fault. He was causing everyone pain.
Shane finally lowered his hand onto Reed's shoulder, caressing it ever so gently. He finally tore his gaze away from Reed's battered back, falling back in front of him, trying to compose his face. He looked like he wanted to remain calm but was failing miserably. His lips still shook and tears still fell. He reached for Reed's undershirt and slowly helped his arms back into it. He buttoned it back up all without saying a single word. Reed watched Shane do this with swimming eyes.
It was too much for him to take. He burst back into sobs, gasping between cries. "I'm so sorry, Shane."
Shane looked up in confusion. "Why?" His voice was quiet compared to Reed's hysterical one.
"I didn't mean to hurt you. Or any of them. I wish I could have hid it better."
Shane's face turned hard. "You have anything to be sorry for, Reed. And you didn't need to hide anything. We just want to help you. You mean so much to us. You mean so much to me."
Reed just sobbed, feeling worse.
Shane wrapped him up in his arms again, this time mindful of what he now knew to be on his back. Again he was whispering while Reed cried. "Shhhh." "It's okay." "I love you." "You mean everything to me." "I'll always love you."
Reed would have replied, but the tears were too thick for him to speak. He could hardly breathe. He loved Shane too, but that only made it hurt more. He would never stop feeling responsible for bringing Shane such pain.
Meanwhile Shane was thinking the exact same thing. He knew Reed told him to leave that day, but if he would have only stayed with him in that room none of this would have happened. He could have stopped it, protected him, but no. Shane left him alone knowing there was no one else in that building. And then he let Reed suffer silently for nearly three days, all the while he was accusing him of cheating on him. He was a terrible excuse for a boyfriend, and a terrible excuse for a human being. He didn't deserve Reed.
But as the smaller boy cried in his arms, Reed knew that he didn't deserve Shane. Shane who was too caring and understanding and loving deserved someone who wasn't so much trouble and someone who didn't constantly get hurt. Or taken advantage of. He didn't deserve love. Shane was too good for him.
But that didn't stop him from holding onto him tightly as he cried. He selfishly soaked up how safe Shane made him feel, even though he knew he didn't deserve to.
Outside in the hall the others waited not so patiently. Kurt still crying, Blaine still drowning in his guilt, the twins still looking unnervingly expressionless, and Wes, David, and Dwight still not attempting to hide their anger.
No one tried to break the intense silence for a couple of long minutes.
Finally Kurt was tired of sitting there anxiously. "We have to do something," he whispered, afraid to be too loud in Windsor's usually quiet hall.
"You mean if Shane can't convince him to get help?" David asked. Kurt nodded solemnly.
David nodded his approval. "Of course we do."
Wes sighed. "But what if he refuses? I don't want to make him do something he doesn't want to do."
No one knew how to answer. They were all worried about that as well, trying in vain to come up with a solution.
"Well first thing is first," Evan began, speaking so uncharacteristically slow and roughly. "We find out who did this." Ethan nodded in agreement. "And then-"
Before he could finish, Dwight interrupted. "We teach him a lesson."
The twins nodded before speaking in unison. "Exactly."
Kurt watched them with unease. Whatever those three were planning, he doubted it was legal. Now that he thought about it, maybe it was better that Reed didn't go to the cops, that way no one could link them to this guy's murder.
And as much as he knew whatever they were thinking, murder or not, would be bad and all sorts of wrong, he couldn't help but feel like no matter what it was, for once he would probably just look the other way.