The Man I Love (Cashby)

"I would never hurt you."

(A/N: This chapter is kinda short, but it felt like the right place to end it☺️, anyways enjoy.)
Chapter 10

Austin's POV
There had been absolutely nothing to do today and I was bored out of my mind. Tino and I had went out  earlier for food and I had a whole box of Chinese waiting for me in the fridge. I was siting on my bed when I heard a knock on the door. I walked to the door slowly. When I opened it no one was there I walked a couple steps outside the door and saw a unmistakable head of ginger hair. His back was to me and he was getting ready to walk down the stairs.
"Alan!" I called out. He turned around and slowly made his way back to me. As I studied his face it dawned on me that he had been crying.
"I just figured you weren't home." He said and gave a small smile.
"Have you been crying?" I asked. I lifted my hand up to brush it over his cheek, when my thumb touched he flinched back.

I looked closely and saw the cheek I had touched was redder than the other.
"Did that have anything to do with James?" I asked. I couldn't help but get angry. I clenched my fists at my sides.
He looked at me cautiously and placed a hand on my shoulder.
"It's okay. Can we just not talk about him?"
"Anything for you." I said and gently pulled him inside the apartment.
I led him to the couch and we both sat down, not saying anything at first. Finally Alan pulled his shoes off and got more comfortable on the couch, tucking his feet underneath him. We soon fell into light hearted conversation. He let out a string of giggles and I couldn't help but smile.

We switched on the tv and he looked through the channels and I got up to warm up my box of takeout. I grabbed two forks and headed back to the small living room.
His head turned towards me as the smell filled the room. He grinned as I handed him a fork and he scooted closer to me. We ate the noodles together. Me laughing as I tried to drape a noodle across his nose. He sighed grumpily and flicked my nose. I stuck my tongue out at him and he laughed.

As I watched him eat i couldn't get the thoughts out of my head. Thoughts of him. How he deserved the world. He needed someone who cared and loved him. He was so confused on what love should be. James has warped his mind and Alan believed be actually cared for him. I stared at him as he laughed at the tv. I couldn't bear the thought of all the bruises I knew had been placed on him over the years. Who would want to mark his perfect pale skin? Who would want to destroy his happiness? He was so lost at times it seemed. Other times, like these, he seemed genuinely happy.

We finished the box and after I sat it on the coffee table, I took a chance and pulled Alan closer to me. He looked up at me and I shrugged giving him a small smile. He didn't pull away. I smiled to myself. We sat there watching tv not saying a word that was until a commercial for relationship abuse came on. You could feel the tension in the room build.
"Tried that once." He said pointing to the screen which was showing a number to call. "They didn't do a damn thing." He said and laughed. "James also found out, that ended in some bruises and days of pain." He said bitterly. I pulled him even closer, he was basically sitting on my lap now. I wrapped my arms around him and whispered in his ear. "I would never hurt you."
"I know." Was all he said as he snuggled closer to me. I placed a light kiss on the top of his head and pretty soon I heard his cute kitten snores. I let out a breath and let my self be lulled to sleep by his soft noises and the movement of his chest as it rose and fell with every breath he took.