One Shots

Can You Hold Me - Nathan Feuerstein

How I met Nate? Well, that's a funny story. I never actually thought I could run into him, like seriously run into him, but how did it go again?

Wait, did I say it was funny? I probably should phrase that sentence again... I was actually terrified at the time. There's of course a reason. There's always a reason.
But my reason was that I was on the run. From my father. From my abusive father, who had beaten me up just few minutes ago before I ran into Nathan.

You know, I actually didn't even know who he was at first, because my father had kept me separated from the outside world. I've got no friends and no other family.
My mother run away when I was 2, and left me with my father.

He had always blamed me, because my mother left. He hates me.
I'm basically a slave in his house.
I clean the house, I was the dishes, I do the laundry, I cook and I just basically do everything.

I've actually been to school, but I didn't tell anyone about my father. Many years went by. I had to cover all the bruises I got to my face or other body part that could be seen with makeup.
I never talked to anybody, only when I had to, so I never really got friends.

No one ever dared to ask me how I was doing. They left me alone.
Then I graduated and thought that I was free from my father, but it didn't go like that.
He locked me in the house. I have only went outside when I went to the grocery store.
But hey, shall we go back to the day when I met Nate?

This time when he was busy beating me up, I saw an opportunity to run.
I kicked the body part, that is the most weakest in the man body. It also causes a lot of pain.

So I did that and ran away. I ran for my life.
Then Nathan somehow managed to stand in my way and I ran into him. We both fell on the ground, me on top of him.

"Fuck, I'm sorry!" I say, trying to get up. But he didn't let me after seeing my face, that was probably horribly bruised.
He grabbed my wrist and didn't let go, though I tried to get away.

"Please let me go! He's gonna kill me!" I scream as the tears were streaming down my face.
He didn't listen. He just dragged me towards a car and tried to put me inside, but I didn't let him.

"Either you go there or get killed by– whoever is after you." He whispered. I just nodded and went into the car.
He comes after me and closes the door.
We stare out of the window.

I see my father running down the street with a knife in his hands. He looks around, trying to find signs of me, but failing.
I hide behind the boy who saved me, just making sure that my father won't see us. Well, me.

Eventually he disappeared from our sight and the boy started the car.
"Where are you taking me?" I ask, panic rising inside of me. I don't know who the guy is and what he could do to me.

"To my place. For now. I need to keep you safe." He says. It doesn't really calm me down, see, people can lie. Especially when it comes to horny men. You know what I mean?

"Who are you?" I ask as I watch his every single – even slightest​ – move he makes.
"I'm Nathan. Just call me Nate. You?" He replied as he was driving.

I hesitate for a moment before I told him my name. "I'm (y/n). Thanks for saving me by the way..." I reply, though I don't really trust him yet. I haven't been in a human contact for a long time, if we don't include those countless times when my father beat me up. So, you see why I have some trust issues?

"Ah, it's no problem. I've got a rough past too. Who was he anyways?" He asks, glancing at me, but keeping his focus on the road.

"My father." I reply sighing. He told me he has a rough past. I would really want to hear his story, but I'm too scared to ask him. Maybe he will tell me without asking.

"Man, I'm so sorry." He said, followed by silence. "My mother's boyfriend used to beat me up when I was younger." He added soon. "But, you're gonna be fine. I promise to help you if no one else." He says.

A smile formed to my face as I nodded. I haven't smiled for years. I didn't even remember what it felt like.
Nate returned the smile.

So, back to the present.
I've spent a week now at his place, you know, recovering. I've got a lot of bruises around my body.
They will heal eventually, but I swear some of them will leave a mark, that won't ever go away. At least those years have left a mark in my soul. It will always be there.

Nate has taken care of me. He has feed me and just made sure I'm feeling fine.
I'm really thankful and I feel fine, but there's that weird emptiness in me, that I can't fill. I don't even know how it can be filled.

I can describe it somehow. Like it's warm here, but I feel cold. I'm not alone, but I feel lonely.
I don't understand it and it's got me questioning like why?
(Hah, did you get that? No? Okay..)

"You wanna watch a movie?" Nate suddenly asks as I was just sitting on the couch, blanket wrapped around my body and thinking about life.

I look up to him. "Sure, I haven't seen a movie before." I say. Yes, I haven't seen a movie before, but I do know what movie is, so don't panic! You can breathe now.

"Wow, I didn't know your father didn't let you watch movies!" He says, as he picked up a DVD.
I watch him as he opened the cover of the DVD and put it then into the DVD player.

"What movie is it?" I ask. He sat on the couch next to me, before he replied, "I don't know what's your favorite genre, so I just put in one of my favorites. It's my favorite, because there's my two favorite Marvel characters; Hulk and Iron Man. It's called The Avengers."

(A/n: I don't know it The Avengers Nate's favorite, but I know Hulk and Tony are his favorites soooo I just picked it because it's the first movie of them all together. The good old times, sigh..)

I just nod for a response.
The movie started.
I wrap the blanket tighter around me.
I still feel cold, though I have it. I guess I'm cold on the inside. Is it even possible?

Soon I started to shake slightly, but Nate saw it anyway, no matter how much I tried to hide it.
"Are you cold?" He asks, rising an eyebrow.
I nod again.

"Ah, c'mere." He says as he opened his arms like he was going to hug me. Actually I think he was going to hug me. No one has ever hugged me before. Is it too awkward if I try to hug him? Is hugging difficult?

I didn't move from my spot. "I won't bite." He says chuckling.
I move closer little by little, until he was able to wrap his arms around me.
My whole body tensed, waiting for something to happen. I guess my body was prepared to be beaten up again. Because the closest human contact I've had was when my father beat me up. I guess I've mentioned that before.

Nothing happened. I was pressed against his chest. I could hear his heart beating in his chest as I felt his chest rise and fall on a steady pace.
My heart was beating so fast – because I was kinda scared – that I swear he could hear it.

I slowly wrapped my arms around his torso.
Soon my body relaxed.
I didn't feel cold anymore. The cold emptiness inside me was filled my his warmth.
It felt odd, but good.

"Thank you." I mumble.
"For what?" He asks. I tighten my arms around him.
"For everything."