heaven in hiding 🌷 tracob

25

TW

Jacob's pov

One long and steady hardworking day down, many to go.

My mind runs wild with thoughts of Troye as I climb up the stairs to the flat, hoping the boy is alright as he never did answer the phone. I hop up onto the balcony and lift the window, rolling in quite easily and standing back to my feet.

"Troye?" I ask as I look around to see no sleepy boy.

I close the window and look around for him.

"T, where are you?" I call out.

It's when I approach the hallway leading to the washroom that I stop, my entire body freezing in shock. 

Water floods from the room out into the hallway, a thousand red flags going up in my mind. I snap out of it and rush through the water, it splashing everywhere as I open the door and look up at the boy in front of me.

"Troye."

He sits up in the overflowing tub, hands clutched to both sides of it as he shakes so violently.

I shuffle through the water and am quick to twist the taps off.

"Troye?" I ask gently.

He continues staring out at the water in front of him, refusing to acknowledge my presence as he holds onto the tub so tightly.

"Please talk to me. It's okay." I murmur, my hand going to touch his before I retract it. I'll probably only end up triggering him if I touch him.

He shakes his head, "No."

"No?" I inquire.

"No, it's not okay." He mumbles, "Y-you said it was okay. It's not. It's not okay."

I nod through furrowed brows, trying my best to understand.

"What isn't okay?" I speculate.

"N-nothing, I'm sorry. I'm sorry." He repeats his words over and over, silencing them to a low whisper after a few seconds.

"Don't be, it's okay." I assure.

He shakes his head again, "Stop saying that. It's not."

I nod, "Alright."

I stand up cautiously, backing away and setting towels from the worktop down onto the floor. There's no telling how bad the water damage is going to be, but that's the least of my worries right now. When I sit back down on my knees in front of the tub he looks over, wincing and shaking harder once again.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry." Troye lets out, bottom lip quivering as he clenches his jaw.

"It's-" I stop myself, leaning back a little and giving him space.

"I forgive you," I say instead.

He lets out a small relieved sigh, leaning back a little and closing his eyes. I can't help but find myself relieved as well, sitting back on the flooded washroom floors and getting comfortable. It's certain we're gonna be here for a while.

...

"I didn't mean to disobey." He finally pipes up an hour later, hands still gripped to the sides of the tub. I'm sure he's quite literally freezing in there, but there's nothing I can do to get him out. You can't really bribe someone when they don't want anything.

"You didn't," I'm quick to reassure.

His closed eyelids twitch the slightest, "Not with you."

"With him. I d-didn't- I didn't mean to." He whimpers, beginning to shake again.