Don't Cry [Goth Stan/Jersey Kyle]

Chapter 7

Raven took in a few shaky breaths before he rose to his feet, looking at Kyle in his eyes.

Kyle had to hide the fact that he was shedding a few tears as well, watching as Raven had finally gotten up from the ground.

"...Kyley," The black haired boy whispers quietly beneath his breath.

"...Yes, Raven?" He questions.

Silence became present once more.

"I...," Raven sniffles, rubbing the sides of his arms with his hands.

"...Yeah? You wanna go back home, babe?" The redhead frowns. "It's okay if you do. I'll even pay for you," He sighs, taking a seat on the ledge of the bathtub.

"...No, I don't want to go back to that damned place at all!" Raven shakes his head as if offended by what he said. "I just... I don't really know where to go," His eyelids drop with a frown.

"...You can stay with me, at my place until you decide where to go. Does that sound good to ya?" The Jerseyite questioned while taking in a deep breath, exhaling it.

Raven thought about the question for awhile before he began to nod his head slowly. He was rather cautious about those to whom he placed his trust in, but it seemed that Kyley had already proved that he was trustworthy to the ravenette. He had saved him from getting beat, after all.

"...Okay. I will go with you, back to your apartment. I just... I don't want to be a burden to you. Just like how I am to everyone else," The goth's eyelashes fall along with his eyelids.

"You aren't a burden to me, babe. You could never be a burden to me," Kyle shakes his head while a soft smile grows upon his lips. He had been living by himself for a long time, almost too long of a time.

"...Stop with that stupid nickname!" Stan shakes his head while a heavy blush forms upon his lips, folding his arms. He feels his heart start to beat loudly in his chest as he turns his head.

Kyle smiles at this. He can tell that his words seem to be getting to Raven a little.

"Come here," Kyley extends his arms out, welcoming the black haired boy into a warm hug.

"...," Raven thinks about everything that could go wrong. Kyley could be tricking him, he thought. The redhead could simply wrap his hands around Raven's neck and choke him until he took his last dying breath, or he could slam his head up against the counter multiple times until his consciousness faded. He could throw him to the ground, grab a knife from his pocket and kill him.

In all scenarios, it ended all the same. Expect for one.

He could genuinely hold Raven close and make him feel safe, showering him in both his love and affection.

That last thought was enough to cloud the other bloodied ones over with a warm and fuzzy feeling, one that came from the goth's heart.

Without a word, Raven jumped forward into Kyle's arms and held onto him the tightest he had ever held onto anybody at all. He couldn't remember the last time he had been in an embrace so loving and sweet.

Kyley, on the other hand, was surprised for sure. The Jerseyite had almost lost balance as he caught Raven in his arms, holding the black haired boy as tightly as he could. But once the surprise had worn off, he held him nice and tight with a smile on his lips.

"Raven...," He smiled, holding onto the shorter boy gently.

"...Yeah?" Raven questioned, meeting eyes with Kyley.

"You're safe with me. I assure you that. I know there's been a lot of shit that you have been through in your life, but I swear on everything good in the world, I'm gonna try to protect ya to the best of my ability. Unless someone's a real shitty person, they shouldn't have to live a life as tragic as yours. And you, of course, do not deserve anything that has happened to you. Raven... I promise with my everything, that you will be safe with me," He closes his eyes as he continues to hold the boy in his arms.

"...And what happens if you are to break that promise, do you know?" The black haired boy is clearly touched by Kyley's words, but the tragedy of his past continues to linger in the back of his mind.

"...I wouldn't ever break it. Nothing's gonna happen, babe. I wouldn't even start to think of breakin' it in the first place," He shook his head with a smile.

"I...," For once in his lifetime, Raven stops in his tracks and examines the taller boy to whom is looking at him.

His heart feels warm as it begins to beat slowly.

A genuine smile forms upon his lips. He looks and feels happy, something that he hadn't ever felt in his life.

"...Thank you," He whispers.

"My pleasure," The redhead nods as he wraps an arm around Raven's shoulders, then leads him out of the house.