Better Love //dyle//

Chapter 12

When they went the next day, the hospital confirmed that Kyle had broken two of his ribs. There was a lot of internal bruising which would cause a lot of discomfort but there was nothing they could do besides from giving him pain killers. Although he knew it already, Kyle was reminded that he's lucky it wasn't a lot more.  

The police took a lot of pictures of the bruises, cuts, and marks covering Kyle's body, and took a statement from him. They asked him the simple questions, to begin with, the simple: do you feel safe around him, do you feel that he is a danger? But as they went on, they got gradually complex and slightly offensive: Do you feel you have done anything to cause this? Do you blame yourself? Were you texting anyone else that may have caused him to become jealous?

When everything was over, though, when they were finally allowed peace and quiet, Dan decided to treat Kyle. He knows that Kyle might not be feeling up to much, but a quiet night in with a tub of Ben and Jerry's ice cream can cheer anyone up. 

"Do you wanna go to a park or something?" They walk down the street hand in hand, Kyle's head pulled far over his head to hide away from the world. Whereas Kyle just wants to hide away from everything, to let the world forget about him, Dan wants him to blossom. After all, it is turning warm now, and flowers are beginning to bloom. Perhaps this is also Kyle's time to bloom.

But the man just shakes his head in refusal, his eyes focused on the ground. "With a face like this? I think I'll pass on that one, Danny." 

Dan drags his thumb across Kyle's knuckles, squeezing his hand a little bit. "I think you have a nice face. It's a bit bruised at the minute, but I still think it's beautiful." 

Kyle has a hint of a smile on his face, his whole body lighting up a bit. "I still... I don't want people to stare, Dan. I don't want people to stare at me and ask what's going on or just... The fact they just sit there and stare is enough, the wordless judgements, the whispers between people. It's bad enough that I have my hood up when it's this warm." 

Dan nods in understanding- it's a familiar feeling, but for different reasons. Anxiety was something he has battled with for years, the feeling of people judging him, the feeling of people staring at him even if they weren't at all. 

"I understand," he tells Kyle quietly, "Do you want to go to our field? It's a bit quieter there. A bit more personal." 

Kyle nodded at that.

"I do love you." Dan says, letting Kyle lie on his chest just as they did last night. He has his arm wrapped protectively around him, letting him cuddle into Dan as much as he wants to. He's proud of the boy for being so strong to last until now. At least he can let his guard down, now.

"I'm damaged, Dan," Kyle replies, still feeling pretty blue. He doesn't understand how anyone can love him, especially now. 

"It doesn't matter. Damaged things can still be worth a lot. Damaged people are definitely still worth the world, no matter what." Dan takes Kyle's hand in his own and kisses it, before taking a single daisy from the ground next to him and tucking it into Kyle's hair. "You're still worth a lot. Sometimes... Sometimes things happen to people without their consent or knowledge, and sometimes it cannot be stopped. Sometimes we think we love people we don't because we've been forced to love them. It's a strange way of working but it can't be helped. I love you, and I love you more than I have loved everyone because there is something special about you. There is a charming, bright, happy man behind the one currently showing himself to me, and I just can't wait to meet him." 

Kyle smiles, tears in his eyes. It feels weird for somebody to speak so kindly and lovingly towards him that he's not sure how it makes him feel. Part of him is beyond happy, but he can't help but feel that it's all an act, that it's all fake just to make him feel better.

"You're just saying that..." He mumbles, closing his eyes. He smiles as Dan places more daisies in his hair. "You don't mean it." 

"But I do, Kyle! I really, really do. I think you're great! I just have to properly meet you. The real you that I'm sure you miss, too. I'm sure your family hold a very different image of you. Would you like to go and see them?" 

Kyle nods. "I think my sister doesn't like me. I don't blame her much- I let him control me. I was gullible and stupid-" 

"And you thought you were in love. Love can turn the smartest man stupid." Dan rubs Kyle's arm, trying to make him feel better. "I love you, so just remember that."