Red Rain [Jason Todd]

.51

When I feel something soft brushing against my cheek, my eyes are finally able to open, no longer feeling so tired.

I meet green eyes looking back at me, and I yawn a little.

"Good morning." He whispers and I try to stretch except a terrible ache forms from my navel and down. I wince and grunt, and Jason smiles.

"I told you."

I roll my eyes and plop my head back down on the pillow, looking back over at him.

"I'm sorry, Baby Doll. Maybe I should've taken it a little bit easier on you." He says, gently rubbing my sore hips and lower abdomen with his thumb, although it was my netherlands that ached the most. But nothing would be touching down there right now.

"It's fine," I sigh, closing my eyes, "It was rough sex. Make up sex."

It takes a moment for him to groan a little, "Damn, I am starving."

"I'm sure you are," I open my eyes to him again, "You missed two nights of dinner."

He looks back down at me and sighs, already knowing which direction I had just steered this conversation.

"I'm sorry, Brielle. About the entire Thanksgiving situation and freaking out last night." He apologizes, looking at me with sincere eyes. I look down at his bare chest, not yet fully accepting the apology.

And he sees that, so he continues, "It's not that I didn't trust you, Brielle. I just...don't like talking about it."

"That's not an excuse, Jason." I reply calmly.

"I know, I know." He sighs again, looking away from me as if looking somewhere for words, "I just...didn't want you to feel pity for me or something—"

"Or something? —"

He looks up at me, "Or see me any differently —"

"Well I do see you differently now, Jason." I reply softly, "You're so much stronger than I thought. And I feel even luckier now."

"Luckier?"

"How you treat me," I admit, "I wouldn't have expected you to treat me that way after everything you've been through."

His brow raises a little, "And what's that way?"

I look away from him to try to find the answer, "I-I don't know..."

He raises my chin, "Like you're my world?"

I stare at him for a moment before looking away again. "Yeah, I mean, I wouldn't have ever guess all that happened to you 'cause you're always smiling and laughing—"

"And you wonder why."

I look at him again before sighing deeply, "I'm sorry, Jason. I was being a bitch about Thanksgiving, and I should've respected your privacy—"

"No, I'm happy that you know. I wish I could've been the one to tell you, but...I don't think I ever would have." He looks away from me guiltily.

"You can't hide things like that from me, Jason—"

"I know, Brielle, I know. I'm just..." He sighs sadly and looks down, "Not used to people caring."

My heart softens from his words, so I place my hand on his cheek and softly bring my lips to his. "I care, Jason. A lot."

"And I know that now. I just wish I could've understood that before." He replies, meeting my eyes again.

"It's not your fault. I understand now too." I even it out, "Why you wanted me to leave it alone."