The Mute Reporter

27- Six Years Earlier

Sam Blackwell

'Be safe! Text me when your flight lands okay?' Celia gives me a hug, Becks watching her say goodbye.

"You sure you'll be okay while I'm gone?" She asks.

I nod into her shoulder, and she gives me one last squeeze.

"We'll be back from Paris soon, and I will bring you something back." Celia pulls away, and I nod, excited at the promise of something from Paris.

"Ready to go? The van is waiting." Becks looks at her watch, and Celia turns around, grabbing her luggage.

I don't miss the looks that pass between them, and they head out the door, waving another goodbye.

I close the door behind them and let out a yawn. I woke up at 1am to say goodbye, and I'm ready to go back to sleep.

Turning off the lights as I walk back into my room, I plop on the bed and immediately fall asleep.

———

**TW**

I gasped.

The hand tightened at the noise.

"Shh, you don't want anyone to hear you. Be a good boy for me and be quiet."

I want to scream. But I don't. I can't.

His body is crushing mine, making it even harder to breathe normally.

My body hurts. I don't feel anything else but suffocating pain, and the occasional betrayal of pleasure that makes me want to throw up.

I hate this.

I hate him.

I hate myself.

Tears are falling down my face now, and I let out a choked sob.

Searing pain flashes across my cheek.

"What did I say about making noise?" His rancid breath is hot on my face.

I want to push him away. I want to scream.

And this time I do.

———

I jolt up, and immediately I'm quiet.

My throat hurts, and I can't comprehend that my body woke itself up due to my own screams.

I was waiting for something. Someone maybe?

No, nothing was going to happen. No one was going to come help me this time. I was alone.

I don't want to be alone anymore.

I grab my phone and dial the only number I can think of, the only person who's here in Denver that I can go to.

Unsurprisingly though, he doesn't pick up. I guess I'll have to go to him with no warning then.

Stumbling out of bed, I grab my keys and a hoodie to protect me from the chilly night air and the rain pounding on my window.

I run downstairs, through the apartment complex lobby, and across the parking lot. I make it into my car and immediately begin driving.

I'm not sure whether my eyes sting from raindrops or tears. Maybe both?

I couldn't tell, but my face was wet either way.

The sound of the rain hitting the car was soothing, so I didn't play any music. I just wanted to get to where I was going.

Finally arriving at my destination and punching in the gate code, I turned off the car and ran to the front door.

Not caring at the time of night or if I was waking him up, I pounded on the door. Insistent and as hard as I could.

I needed someone right now, and I was going to the only person I could trust.

Open the door. Please open the door.

Five more seconds of knocking, and suddenly my hand misses the door and I'm accidentally throwing myself onto the person I want to see.

Jensen looks down at me, his dark eyes riddled with sleep.

My cold hand landed on his bare chest, save for the silver chain, from knocking and missing when he opened the door.

His hands automatically went to my waist, but he was still trying to figure out what was happening. It was probably three or four am right now. I don't know.

"Sam?" He asks, his voice still groggy.

I release a held back sob.

He was awake. He opened the door.

Jensen, now more aware of what was going on, pulled my rain soaked body closer to him.

He was warm and dry, and I was cold and wet. I felt bad now for ruining his sleep.

"Sam what's wrong?" He asked, and I relaxed fully into him.

He backed us both inside, and shut the door with his feet. I know this because both of his hands didn't release his hold on me.

He opened the door, and I was going to be okay.

His hands traveled to the back of my thighs, and I took that as a sign to jump and wrap my legs around him.

Satisfied with how I responded, he walked the both of us to his room.

He sat down on his bed, and I was still in his lap, clinging onto him like a koala.

"Sam, can I get you into some warmer clothes?" Jensen whispers, and I nod, climbing off his lap.

'Sorry, I got you all wet.'

Jensen barely glances at his chest as he searches his drawers for something for me to wear.

"Not the first time you got me wet."

My face heated up, and I attempted to dry my face from its tears and raindrops with my damp hoodie sleeve. I won't lie and say I wasn't a little distracted at his back, watching him move around.

Tattoos were hot, okay? At least some of them were at least.

Jensen hands me a pair of clean boxers, and a long sleeved sweater.

I take them from him, and walk into the bathroom connected to his room to change.

I don't look at myself in the mirror as I do so. I face the wall as I change, and Jensen's sweater reaches just barely past my mid thigh. The sleeves covers my hands completely, with a few inches of extra room for me to flap around if I was bored.

I put on the boxers as well, but the length of the sweater hid them.

Walking back into the room, Jensen takes my previous clothes and walks out of the room, returning about a minute or so later.

I made myself comfortable in his bed while he did that, and I was already burrowed into his pillows.

They carried the familiar smell of his cherry chapstick and fresh outdoors.

The bed dipped behind me as he climbed in beside me.

His arms found themselves around my waist, my back to his front.

I grab his hands and bring his arms higher on my body, holding them close to my chest.

My hands were probably freezing, but Jensen made no sign of being bothered by it. In fact he snuggled closer.

Maybe his bed was too warm tonight and needed something to cool him down, while I needed something to warm up.

"Nightmare?" I hear him whisper.

I barely give him a nod.

"You're safe now." Jensen is quiet and dragged out. His breathing slows down to a deep and steady pace not long after he tells me those three words.

I believed him. He was the only person I truly felt at ease with. Celia could no longer help me like Jensen could.

And I was okay with that.

———
(QOTD: favorite marvel character?

I'm a sucker for Wanda and Doctor Strange.)