The Beauty Behind the Damage

Chapter 19: Earth, Santa, Zayn

~translations came from two different apps~

Zayn's POV

It's been almost a week since the scene at the restaurant happened.

Earth doesn't leave Santa or my side, no matter what. I don't blame him. He's been through a lot since I've known him and that's been years.

The first time I met them was the most heartbreaking memory I can remember. With me being Billie's bodyguard, I had to attend a meeting with her in California. It was a boring day of them talking about God Knows what.

When the meeting ended, the owner, Mr. Brooks, wanted to go to the local club called Free Fantasies. It was a well-known club. We were there for about an hour and a half. I had to excuse myself because I had to use the restroom.

When I finished my business in the restroom, I made my way back to Billie. A man's voice yelling over the music stopped me. As I was trying to listen to what he was saying, all I could hear were the words "bleeding boy" and "Alley."

I made my way over to him because no one was going to help him. "I couldn't help but overhear. Did you say there was a bleeding boy in the alley?" I asked him.

He nodded his head yes really fast. We both made our way outside and the sight I saw made me want to cry for whoever this boy was.

He looked so fragile. As my eyes raked over his body, I noticed he had cuts all over it. His clothes were torn, and I noticed blood but couldn't tell where it was coming from. There was also a chain around his neck. It looked as if you needed a special type of key to get it off.

Wherever he came from, it couldn't have been a good place. As I was looking, I noticed there was a cut on his neck. So I picked the boy up and ran to my car. I knew the male was following because I heard his footsteps behind me.

When we made it to the car, I took off to the nearest hospital. Once we made it I called for help. They came fast with a gatch bed. When I laid the boy down, I told the nurse where the blood was coming from.

When they weren't in sight any more, I looked over at the male that was standing in front of the double doors. I noticed his clothes were also torn, and he had minor cuts on him, too. " I need you to tell me what happened."

The male was shaking, but nodded. "I've b-been watching o-over h-him s-s-since I've found him. He was in b-bad shape. We were doing fine until these m-men found us and tried to take him away. F-from their looks and how he started acting, I knew they weren't any good, so I tried my best to fight them off. When we got the opportunity we ran,but they came after us. While running, I heard one of them mention a tracker in his neck and how it was easy to find him. They stopped chasing us after that," he said and took a deep breath.

I knew there was more to it just by the way he was looking. He then continued, " I had to cut him to get it out. That's why he's bleeding. I threw the tracker behind the trash at the club." After he said that, he started to freak out a little.

I could tell there was more, but I will not push it out of him. When he finished, I told the nurse to check on him, too.

Ever since then I have taken care of them secretly. I even moved them to New York so they could feel a tad bit safer than before. Billie nor Jessie knew about them. It was kinda hard to keep it from them. I didn't tell anyone because I wanted to keep them safe.

But it all went downhill when I fell for both of them, but I knew we couldn't be together. I left them brokenhearted in a paid off home five years ago. I still beat myself up to this day about it.

I thought they sold the house and left the state. But when we went to the house to check on Selena, that was my first time in three years seeing them again. I thought that would never happen again.

I was happy when I was invited to dinner with them. I could finally be around them again. But an incident happened that brought back a bunch of memories. One of those memories was how I promised I would let nothing happen to them and how I would never leave them.

I may have failed them the first time, but I'm not going to this time. This time I'm determined to let them in my heart fully, no matter what. I won't leave them this time.

I'm going to man up and do what I was supposed to do.

I was pulled out of the thoughts when I noticed a small frame standing at the door. When I got a clear look at who it was, I noticed it was earth. "มาที่ Papa กระต่ายตัวน้อยของฉัน," (Come to papa my little rabbit) I said to him with my arms wide open so he could cuddle with me.

Once I said that, he ran right to me. He made himself comfortable. The way he pushed his body toward me made me think he wanted to be a part of me. It appeared he got frustrated because he wasn't close enough. After a while, I could feel his tears coat my shirt.

"กระต่ายตัวน้อยของฉันผิดอะไร? ทำไมคุณถึงร้องไห้?" (What's wrong with my little rabbit? Why are you crying?) I asked him. He didn't say anything, he just kept crying and hugging me tightly.

"มาเลยที่รัก บอกฉันว่ามีอะไรผิดปกติ คุณไม่ต้องร้องไห้ คุณสามารถบอก Papa ว่ามีอะไรผิดปกติ,"(Come on baby tell me what's wrong. You don't have to cry, you can tell Papa what's wrong.) I said to him.

"ฉันเศร้า. ฉันไม่ต้องการให้คุณจากเราไปพ่อ ไม่ใช่ครั้งนี้ โปรดบอกฉันว่าคุณจะไม่จากไปในครั้งนี้," (I'm sad. I don't want you to leave us, papa, not this time. Please tell me you're not leaving this time.) he said while crying. When he got to the end of his sentence, his body was shaking from how hard he was crying.

I sat both of us up and faced him towards me. "I need you to look at me," I said to him, to which he moved his head back so he could look at me.

Looking into his beautifully tear-stained face I said, "I messed up big time the first go round, but this time I promise I'm not leaving. I hated myself so much for leaving both of you. I got scared of what my heart was trying to tell me, soI got up and left. This time I'm going to listen to my heart and stay. You're both stuck with me now. I will do anything and everything to gain both of your trust back," I said sincerely.

I said the last part because I knew Santa was listening to me at the door. I know it's mostly his trust I need to gain back, and I mean it when I say I'll do anything to get it back.

They are my heart and I didn't notice until I lost both of them, but this time there's no losing. I'll make sure I keep all my promises this time and never let them down again.

I heard sniffling coming from the bedroom door area. When I looked over at the door, I saw Santa looking at us with tears in his eyes. "Come here baby," I said to him.

He didn't move from his spot. It was like he was contemplating if he should come to me or not. "Santa," I called out to him. When he looked at me, it was like he was trying to see if something was going to tell him if I was telling a lie. When he noticed I was being sincere, he ran over to us and threw himself into me.

I know me showing up scares him. He doesn't want to trust me again because he's scared I'll leave again and I don't blame him. But I will make it my mission to prove to them I will be with them until they tell me they don't want me again.

After a couple of minutes of me comforting them, their cries turned into slight snores. I looked at both of them, admiring both of their sleeping faces.

How did I have the courage to break their heart when I was the one who said I will keep them safe? I will put my all into this relationship this time, no fucking up. With that thought, I drifted off to sleep with both of my sleeping angels next to me.