Lust

Rain

TRIGGER WARNING: DV

Trope: Exes to Lovers

Daniel and Eve

Rain beat down on the glass of Daniel's apartment window, a flash of lightening streaking across the sky. He had spent the last hour scrolling through Netflix, trying to find a show to watch that didn't remind him of his ex, but that was proving to be difficult. It seemed like he saw her everywhere these days. He downed another beer to dull the ache in his chest to no avail; she had a new boyfriend now. She seemed happy. He put the bottle on the coffee table and reached for another but was met with empty space. Damn, out. 

Pounding on his door sent him into high alert, who the fuck would be showing up at 2am? He grabbed the bottle again, gripping the neck in an offensive position as he approached the door, looking out the peephole. Red hair caught his eye; her face was down but he knew instantly who it was.

"Eve?" He opened the door, and his eyes met hers before darting to the fresh bruise forming on her left cheek. "What the fuck is that?" he seethed. She wrapped her arms around herself, why didn't he notice she was drenched?! "Shit, come in," he ushered her in before scanning the hallway for anyone that may have followed her, but there was no one. He closed and locked the door, returning to her side, gripping her arms lightly. He tilted her chin up so that he could assess the damage. Her face was wet with rain and tears, her hair and clothes absolutely soaked-had she ran here? "Did he do that to you?" She nodded slowly. Daniel straightened his shoulders clenching his jaw as rage filled his entire being. "I'm going to kill him." He moved towards the door, but her hand caught his arm, tugging lightly. 

"Danny..."

He stopped, a familiar flutter easing the flames within him. He turned back to her, sighing; she always knew how to calm him down with just a touch-just a word or a look. "Let's get you in the shower before you get sick." He guided her to the glass shower in his ensuite bathroom, noting her slight limp. "Is something wrong with your leg?"

"My ankle, I twisted it earlier." She gave no other explanation, and he didn't know if she was comfortable with him investigating further. 

"Maybe a bath would be better then? It'd keep you off your feet."

She gave him a small smile, shaking her head weakly. "No, that's okay, a shower is just fine." 

He gave her a stiff nod and started the water, gazing at her from his peripherals; she was hurting and scared. What had that asshole done to her? After Evie was taken care of, Daniel would make sure his next stop was that douche bag's front door. "I'll look for a towel and something for you change in to...I might have some of your things still here." 

Eve didn't question why he still had her things after they'd been broken up for almost a year, she was just grateful he had kept something of hers at all. Steam billowed from the top of the glass, signaling she wouldn't be cold for much longer. She peeled the drenched clothes off her skin and dropped them onto the floor with a smack before entering the gloriously warm water of the shower.  So enthralled with the rain flow of the showerhead, she didn't notice Daniel had once again entered the bathroom.

He stopped dead in his tracks, not at her nakedness, but at the many bruises on her back and shoulders in various stages of healing. His breath hitched and he white knuckled the fabric in his hands. He wanted nothing more than to race out of there and kill that waste of space she called a boyfriend. Sensing another presence, Eve turned and caught sight of the murderous look in Daniel's eyes. He licked his lips and turned his eyes downward, setting the clothes down on the counter. "I thought I had more, but it's just a pair of shorts and a scrunchie so there's one of my shirts for you to wear..."