Janiel Oneshots (Discontinued...Again)

32. Let Me In (Fluff)

HUGE TRIGGER WARNING! ⚠️⚠️

(Daniel's POV)

Joey has been a little M.I.A, he hasn't been available to hang out or even text. I'm very worried for my best friend. Knocking on his front door, his sister Nicole answers. "Daniel! I'm so happy you're here, Joey's locked himself in his room" running upstairs, I knock on the door "Joey? It's me, Daniel, can I come in?" "Why are you here?" "I'm worried about you, please open the door!" I heard a click before his door slowly opened, tears were still falling down his face "oh Joey, what's going on?" He just hugs me "you shouldn't be here, I'm a wreck" "I like wrecks, they're made to be fixed."

After sitting in silence for a few hours, Joey gets up, he walks toward me before hugging me "it was good to see you. I'll text you later." He walks to the door but as I'm leaving I grab his arm "I'm here for you. Don't shut me out" Joey just timidly smiles before closing the door behind me. "How did it go?" I shake my head "not too well, he was very silent, I couldn't really get a word out of him" Nicole frowns "how long has he been like this?" "A couple weeks, our dad doesn't know what's going on either. Has he been bullied in school?" I shake my head "not that I'm aware of, we don't have many classes together" "is there any way you could change your classes so that you're able to watch over him? Just tell the principal that you're worried about him, nothing that's too serious though. I don't think that Joey would like any authority involved at this moment."

The next day at school, I wait in the parking lot for Joey to arrive. Soon his car pulls into the lot "Joey!" Again he gives me a small smile "hi Daniel, thanks for coming over yesterday. I was gonna call you but I just got so caught up in the moment and forgot" "that's fine, hey I have to go talk to the guidance about something. Can you meet me at my locker? It shouldn't take long" he nods before we walk in together.

Sitting in the guidance office, I plan out exactly what I'm going to say. "Daniel? What are you doing back here?" "It's about Joey, I'd like to switch into all of his classes" "what?" We enter her office "I've noticed that Joey has been a little off recently, his sister reached out to me last night because he locked himself in his room. I just want to be in the same classes so that I could keep an eye on him" my guidance counselor awes before nodding "I'll get right to it!" She prints out a new schedule for me "thank you, I have to go meet him" before I could walk out, she reaches out "are you sure you don't want to talk about your self-harm?" I shake my head "no, Joey's more important" walking out, I head to see Joey.

Waiting patiently at my locker was Joey, a small smile arose on his face "hey how'd the meeting go?" I shrug "basic, all about college" he nods and we go to class as the bell rings. Usually, I have first with Joey so he didn't find this odd. But I don't usually have second, fourth, fifth, sixth, or seventh with him so he'll soon figure out something's going on. By the time lunch came around, Joey became suspicious, but said nothing. During sixth, I heard some mumbling coming from behind us, they were talking about Joey.

Joey asks to go to the bathroom before leaving. In this time I turn to face the people whispering harsh things about my best friend "is there something I can help you with?" They stop whispering "uh no Daniel" scoffing, I push my chair back, resting my elbows on their desk "I believe I heard you talking bad about Joey, is this true?" "So what if it is?"

Joey comes back and I turn away, not before flipping them off of course. After school, Joey corners me "why are you in all my classes? What did Nicole say to you?" "Nothing, just that she's worried about you" he scoffs "well she shouldn't be!" Storming off, I'm left stunned. Pulling into the Graceffa's driveway, I'm met with an angry Joey "why are you following me?!" "Why are you acting like this?" "Like what?" "Not yourself!" Joey chuckles "oh okay, I'll just change! Just for you! Happy?" "No, not until you are. Let me in Joey, explain to me what's going on. Before I make you" again, he scoffs "what are you gonna do? Tie me to a chair until I confess? Torture me until I do? Tickle me to a confession? None of that is gonna work, I don't need you. You're just a waste of my time anyway!" Okay, that hurt.

I'm sitting in my room, staring at the piece of metal that's been haunting my thoughts. Taking the sharp object, I glide it against my skin, hissing at the pain. Sliding it again and again until three long cuts are embedded onto my skin, I wash off the running blood. Staring at what I've just done, a sigh escapes my lips "oh Joey, what I've done just because of something you've done." At school, Joey walks right past me, my sleeve is rolled up yet he nor a single teacher has noticed, damn they're all blind! I pull Joey aside after second, asking him to skip with me. "Why should I do anything with you?" "Because you're my best friend, and you trust me" Joey looks at me with a glare, but it soon fades "alright. I'll go" nodding, I take his hand and run out the doors before a teacher could spot us. "'Woah Daniel! What did you do to your arm?" Now he notices?! "I slipped" "bullshit Daniel, you can't just slip and slit your wrists three times! What did you do?"

Sitting in my car, I look at Joey "do you trust me?" He nods "of course, why are you asking?" I look down at my lap with a sigh "because I'm gonna show you something while explaining something you don't know about me" Joey nods and I reverse out of the parking lot. Driving down familiar roads, I park across the street from my old house "Daniel? What are we doing here?" I look at the old brick house I used to live in, dark memories erupt in my head "this is my old house." "Okay? That doesn't explain why we're here" "my family, they weren't very....nice. My father was very abusive, only to me not to my brothers, when I came out to them, it only got worse. My mother shut me out, my brothers soon doing the same. Leaving my father harassing me until I ran away. Bringing only a bag of the little amount of things I was given, clothes and a few novels. When I ran away, I made it to a shelter. The woman there was very nice to me until I was there for four months. After that, she claimed that they needed my spot for others who were homeless before kicking me out. You think I live in a big fancy house correct?" Joey solemnly nods "well you'd be wrong, I live in an alleyway" Joey gasps "w-what?" I pull out of the street before driving to my "home", I get out of the car with Joey following close behind me "this is where I live."

Joey and I sit in the small place that I cleaned up so that it'd be a little nicer. "Why have you never told me? I could've invited you to live with me and my sister!" I glare at him "I didn't want to impose, considering that you wouldn't talk to me! Even if you did it'd be a snappy remark!" Joey sighs "you're right, I'm so sorry Daniel" "why won't you let me in? Why are you shutting me out?" Looking at me, Joey frowns "you still haven't told me about your cuts" way to change the subject Joseph. "You're right, I haven't. Joey, I'm gay. And I started self-harming a few years ago when I fell in love with someone I knew I could never have. A few teacher found out and I was sent to guidance, they called my parents who screamed at me for interrupting their schedule for no good reason. When I went in yesterday, my guidance counselor jumped down my throat about my choice of switching classes to yours because I should 'focus on my health and well-being' instead of focusing on if you're okay. But I couldn't because you're the person Joey. You're the person who I fell in love with, but I bet you're not gay so that tore me to pieces. Then I saw you so down and I made it my mission to get you to talk about what the heck is going on in your head. But then yesterday you called me a waste of your time, and well, this happened."

Joey's eyes water "oh Daniel, I'm so sorry!" "Let me in Joey, what is going on!" Taking my hand, he looks me in the eye "I'm gay. But I was afraid of not being accepted, the fear got to me and I shut everyone out. I didn't mean to snap at you, you didn't deserve that. Daniel, come live with me. Not because you have no choice, but because I want you to stay with me. You'll stay until we graduate then we'll move into our own place, please say you will" I pull him into a tight hug "thank you, Joey! Yes, yes I will come live with you. Thank you!"

Moving in with Joey was probably the best decision of my life. Since there weren't many rooms, Joey got a new bed that had a trundle bed under so we could to share a room. Nicole was so happy to have me in the house so I could take care of Joey if he ever slips back into a dark place. Joey and I have grown closer rather than farther apart, we help each other with our situations. I was sitting on the couch when a realization hit me, I told him that I'm in love with him and he didn't say anything about the subject. "Joey!" "Coming!" I heard him run down the stairs before I'm met with a smiling Joey "what's up Danny?" "Are you in love with me?" He sits next to me "I don't know" I look down at my lap "I'm kidding!" My head snaps up "w-what?" Joey smiles "of course I love you! You're the first person who put in so much effort to break through my barriers, even though it took some scars, you made me happy."

Panic arises "Joey...I have a question that might hurt you" "what is it?" "What if something happens and we break up? We'd be living in the same house, if it gets awkward I'd have to move out." Joey jumps on my lap "no no Danny don't think about that! I love you and I'd never hurt you, you're my hero. Now it's time for me to help you."