Forever

61

~implies self-harm~

Standing in his muscle shirt and sweats, Pietro leans on the counter of the island in the common floors kitchen and stares at Bree, who picks at the sleeve of her sweatshirt. She has her head hung and rubs her arm, curled in a ball. He sighs while standing up straight and clears his throat.

"Bree." He calls and she lifts her head.

He nods her over and she pushes herself off the couch to hurry to him and squeeze her sleeves in front of her while standing in front of him. He takes her hands with a deep breath and pushes the sleeve on her left arm up, sending her heart in her throat as he finds the newest result of her hurt.

"When'd you do this?" He asks softly and quietly while grazing his thumb over the mark and she just avoids eye-contact. "Look at me, Anjel." He whispers and she does as told, though scared and shy. "Did you think I wouldn't find out?" He asks and she hesitantly shakes her head. "You were just hoping." He pulls it closer. "You know, one day, these scars won't mean to you what they do now." He shakes his head. "Now, they're a reminder of your pain and what you're going through. But, one day, they're going to remind you of what you survived." He nods.

She smiles a tiny bit with a quiver of her bottom lip and he pulls her wrist to his lips to press a kiss to her scars. Her cheeks quickly flush over and he snickers lightly while giving her another. A small and flustered chuckle leaves her throat and he smiles before moving her arm around his waist while hugging her neck, to rub her upper-back and bicep.

Even though they were clueless to all that happened around them, a few of the others were very aware of what was going on in the kitchen. They had been a little worried to begin with, but were now grinning to themselves or each other, having witnessed, but not heard all of it.

Pietro bends down and wraps his hands around her thighs to lift her up onto his hips as she hugs his neck. She backs up a bit as he supports her up with his arm under her bottom while holding her wrist to rub her smooth skin with his thumb.

"One day," he continues with a nod while she grins down at him, "that ring of yours...that's going to be a real one." He states and she slowly smiles. "And I know it's a little early to think about that, but I can't help it." He shakes his head and she nods in agreement.

He smiles and takes a quick deep breath while moving his arm around her before bending over fast. She throws her arms tight around his neck with a surprised gasp and giggle. He chuckles and speeds her up to their floor to sit gently on the middle cushion of the couch while she straddles his waist with her cheek on his shoulder. He leans forward and puts his and her phones on the coffee table before sitting back.

She pushes herself off of him, but keeps her leg over his lap with her head laid on the back of the couch. He watches her stare at the ring for a moment before she hooks her arm with his, making him smile a bit.

"How did you get this?" She looks up at him.

"What do you mean?" He furrows his brows.

"How did you afford it?" She adjusts her head and he hangs his head with a shy grin before turning back to her with an agape smirk.

"Your dad." He nods and she slowly smiles with a single chuckle.

"Really?"

"I asked him for some money and he wanted to say 'no', but I told him that it was for you and he handed quite a bit off." He nods sideways. "He's very generous when it comes to you."

"He always has been." She shakes her head and lays it on his shoulder.

"Good, because there was no chance in me getting anything for you without stealing it." He jokes and she laughs her little giggle while burying herself in his arm, making him smile.