𝑹𝑼𝑰𝑵 𝑼𝑺

•𝕮𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖊𝖗 𝕱𝖎𝖋𝖙𝖞-𝕺𝖓𝖊•

I attempted to hug him but he backed up immediately, "d-don't touch me right now.."

I watched him with an astonished expression as he backed from me, his eyes never leaving the bruises.

He stood like that, completely still, eyes glued to me.

"C-Clarence..." I questioned, cautiously walking up to him.

He didn't respond, instead he walked over to the bathroom and shut the door, locking it.

My eyes moved from the bathroom door, to the mirror. I looked at my reflection and the discolored skin on my abdomen area.

There was something more going on with him than what he was telling me.

Him hiding it was only making this worse.

I sat on the bed thinking to myself for about 5 minutes.

Then 5 minutes turned into 10, then 15, then 20.

Still Clarence hadn't exited the bathroom which worried me. I know he was blaming himself, and me flinching from his initial touch definitely didn't help.

"Clare..." I said softly, turning at the locked knob.

I received no response, but instead he opened the door.

As he came into view he stood in the mirror, his eyes stained red but his expression was dead. He just stared at himself in the mirror, emotionless.

"I-I ain't mean to do that..." he spoke lowly, looking at my reflection in the mirror.

"I know, it's okay." I spoke.

"But we have to talk, whatever it is that's doing this, we have to talk about it, or it's gonna keep happening..." I frowned.

"I hurt you, the bruises, I-I ain't mean to—"

Rather than say anything I hugged his back, resting my head against him.

I'd never seen him so shaken up, sure angry and sad. But never completely shaken like this.

"It's okay..." I repeated.

"It's not..." he spoke.

He turned around and softly pushed me back.

"I-I can't even touch you...." he said lowly.

"Clare this isn't your fault, this is a product of what you're putting yourself through when you leave. It's a product of you refusing to talk to me about everything. I don't care if you're sworn into some stupid oath. You can't hold all this in, you're gonna implode.." I spoke.

He looked down at me with a sad expression.

I grabbed his hand and led him over to the bed where we both sat.

"Please, just talk...." I begged.

He again decided on silence.

But to surprise his deep baritone spoke up randomly.

"Where's your phone?" He questioned.