Afterglow

Chapter One - So Cold

*Arin's POV*

As I sink to the floor, I bring my knees up close to my chest. Thoughts circulating around in my mind, my eyes becoming watery. I've hated myself for so long. Depression only made it worse. As a result, I turned to self harm. It was my way to feel something other than the depression.

I lift up the sleeves of my shirt, to reveal a littler of pink scars scattered across my wrists and forearms. If Danny ever found out, it would tear him apart. Dan had truly cared about me, and I knew for a fact that he wouldn't like it. God, I'm such a fucking idiot!

*Danny's POV*

I got out of my car and headed into the apartment complex that Arin and I had resided in. I was out until about 11:30 pm at the grump space helping Ross and Barry with some steam train stuff. I felt bad about leaving Arin alone, It gets lonely when you have nobody there with you. I sighed and hiked my pretty little ass up the stairs and quickly found the door to our apartment. From outside, it was unusually quiet, but I just figured that Arin was just sleeping. I put my key in the lock and entered the apartment.

The sound of hushed sobs came to my attention as I walked down the hall to my room. I stripped off my jacket and set it on my bed before treading down the hall to Arin's door, only to find that his room was the source of the sound. I lightly knocked on the door and said "Arin, are you alright?" The crying stopped, then I heard a bit of shuffling around before he opened the door and I heard him softly say, "Yea, I'm fine.." His voice was shaky and fragile. There was no hiding it now.

"Mind if I come in and we talk for a bit? You seem kind of upset."

*Arin's POV*

He heard me when he came home. Dammit, why can't I just be normal and not have so many problems?! Internally cursing myself, I looked into his deep brown eyes. Reluctantly, I agreed and stepped aside so he could enter and sit on my bed alongside me.
"So what'd you wanna talk about, Dan?"
"Well for starters, why were you crying?"
This was a difficult question to answer. Humans cry as an expression of sadness or pain, so I guess that's what I could say. There's obviously no lying, since he overheard me.
"I was lonely..I felt alone."
That's technically not a lie. It was, in fact, mostly true.
after I had said that, Danny got a look in his eyes that basically spelt that he thought of it as his fault. Which could never be farther from the truth. I anything, it was my fault for my idiocy.
"Danny, it's not your fault, alright? If should be my fault if anyone."
My eyes started to well up with tears. Trying to hold back my emotions wasn't a problem, as it came naturally to me, since I have done it a million times by now. I looked down and began to fiddle with my sleeves, which earned me a strange look from Danny.
"Arin, what's going on?"

**A/N**

Hey, hoped you liked this chapter. Kinda short, but I just wanted a good starter. Kinda sad, I know. But I had some adorable little thoughts that I want to add in, so It will get much better! :)