Ask Me How I Know

Hurts

                 Tobias's POV
      As I'm walking out from the Control Room, I see Tris walking into the infirmary. Jogging over, I follow her in and stand in the corner until she finishes signing in. Once she sits down, I sit down next to her.
   "Hey," she says when she notices me. "A-are you okay?" She asks. I go to take her hand, but she shakes her head. "Don't, please. It hurts really bad. That's what I'm here for."
    "Oh," I say. "I'm sorry for running off last night; it was immature of me. Your parents must think I'm ter-"
   "I don't care what they think of you. My father had no business to ask you those questions, or bring it up in the first place," she says. The doctor calls her name and she stands up. When she sees that I'm not coming, she stops in her tracks. "You can come."
    Hesitantly, I get up and follow her to the room. She sits down on the small examination table. "So your hand is hurting you?"
    "Yeah. I put a lot of pressure on it yesterday and its hurt ever since. I thought I had felt a bone crack too." She was with me all day yesterday, so I know that there was no pressure she put on it. The only thing I can think that could have caused this was me squeezing her hand under the table yesterday during the dinner.
   "Okay. We'll get an x-ray done," the doctor says and walks out of the room.
    "Why did you let me squeeze your hand that hard if it hurt you?" I ask too harshly. She looks me dead in the eyes.
    "Cause it was helping you," she says. Once a stiff, always a stiff. "And I'll be fine. Its just a bone."
   "That I caused to break. You should have told me." She adverts her eyes from me. "I'm sorry I'm being so rough. Its just that some...memories came back to me and its hard to cope with...even after all this time."
     She takes my hand with the good one and forces a smile. "Can you promise me something?" I nod. "You won't block yourself off anymore. I won't either."
    "I promise." I kiss her gently and the door opens.
    "Sorry for interrupting. Their ready for you in room, but it can only be her unless the x-rays won't come out clearly." She stands up and sets her jacket on the table.
    ×××××××
          She comes back in holding her hand to her chest, tears brimming her eyes. "What happened?"
    "I had to move it as much as I could and I swear it broke more," she says. I pull her onto my lap and she nuzzles her face in my chest. I run my hand up and down her back, trying to sooth her. I'm still not used to being sympathetic or loving.
    "Okay," the doctor says as he comes back in. Tris looks over at him, not getting up. "It is broken, but we're not going to put it in a cast. It's a minor break, so we're only going to give you a brace that you will have to keep on until it is fully healed. We'll give you some pain killers as well."
    "Thank you."
       ×××××××
        "Your not gonna change?" I ask when she lays down in bed with me. She's still in her clothes from today.
    "I can't. It hurts too bad," she says, her lips brushing my shoulder. I stand up and get the shirt I was wearing a few minutes ago. She gets up and allows me to unbutton her jeans and take them off her. I do the same with her shirt.
    "Do you want your bra off?" Her cheeks glare as she shakes her head yes. I unclasp it and let it fall to the floor. I look down for only a second, then put my shirt on her.
    "Thank you," she says. We get back in bed and she lays down with her back to me.
    "Are you mad at me?" I ask.
    "No. Why would I be?" She asks, turning.
    "Well you always sleep close and your far away tonight and your not against me, or-" she shuts me up by pressing her lips to mine. I hate that I'm now becoming soft...but that's only for her.
    "Goodnight. I love you."
    "I love you."
    ××××××
         Tobias eight years old:

     The sound of my mom screaming from hers and my dads room wakes me up in the middle of the night. Tears brim my eyes at the sound.
    "Stop! Please!" She yells. All I can think is, what is happening to my mother?
    "Shut you fucking mouth! Just relax! It won't hurt so much if you stop moving!"
     ×××××××
      My eyes slowly open. Looking at the clock I see its only five and neither Tris or me have work today. Glancing down at her, her head is resting on my shoulder.
    I slowly get up, making sure not to wake her. Making my way to the bathroom, a shiver racks my body from the cold temperature. I turn the on water and strip from my sweats and boxers. Not even the warm water can relax me.
     I don't understand how someone could do that to their wife, or even any women or guy. I might recent my mother for leaving me, but the sounds of her screams make me feel bad for her. She had it so much worse, maybe I'm just selfish. And although I might be selfish, it still hurts.
    The feeling of arms wrapping around my waist snaps me out of my thoughts. Slowly turning around, I see Tris. "Did I wake you?"
    "Yeah. It's okay though. What's wrong? Your crying," she says.
    "I'm fine. Its just the water," I tell her. She softly creases my cheek with her thumb.
   "Your eyes are red. You were crying. Remember that promise we made?" I nod, taking in a deep breath.
   "I had a dream, more like a memory though, of my mom. I was eight and it was the first time I heard...that happening to her. I keep hearing her yelling for him to stop, and him telling her to shut up and relax," I admit. I take in a shakey breath.
    "I'm sorry," she says. Looking I to her eyes they show no pitty, just like they didn't when I first showed her my tattoo. "Why do you think your starting to have these dreams now?"
    "I don't know. They started when-when your father made me come clean to him about my past with Marcus. But it was after Marcus was here that I started remembering the things." She presses herself against me, wrapping her arms around my neck. Anyone else would take this as sexual, but for us its just comforting.
    "Do you think its fear?" I nod.
    "I don't want to be like him. I know his father was abusive to him and I'm terrified that one day I'll be like him and hurt you or whatever kids we might have. Its a cycle with the Eaton men."
     She shakes her head at me. "Its a state of mind, a choice. Marcus chose to be like that cause he's sick in the head, and so did his. Unlike them, you know how to treat people. I know that you would never hurt me or anyone you love. Your not that type of person."
    "But Four is."
  
    AN: What, another update that's not a month after the last chapter? Please comment and share! Be brave 🔪🔪🔪.       -Vaeh