The Love You Gave • 13rw

Bruised Kisses| J. Foley

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Prompt: Justin sneaks into your room one night after a party only to reveal the aftermath of your abusive boyfriend, Montgomery de la Cruz.

Warnings: Mentions of domestic abuse and mild adult language. 1,502 words.

The ending isn't how I planned it at all, but hey, that's the part of writing - you never know where it's gonna go. Also, I do plan on there being a second part and prequel to this one-shot. So three parts total :~) x 
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You stood facing the nozzle of your shower, allowing the ice cold water to hit the top of your head and drizzle down your frame. What only passed as minutes seemed like drowned out hours – willing the cool liquid to sooth your aching skin until it was numb to the bone, and you no longer felt joint pains and throbs underneath your skin.

Opening your mouth slightly, you swallowed a small gulp of water while kneading your temples with your prune fingertips, a shaky breath of hesitation lingering after as you reached for the handle and turned the water off.

You were used to this pain, to a certain extent.

Montgomery always had an anger problem, consistently taking his emotions outs with his fists upon your classmates faces. However, as weeks progressed his grip upon your wrists became tighter - his voice louder, until eventually he lost control and his fists went on autopilot, his chapped knuckles kissing your face.

It happened in a blur and you still, could barely remember what happened first, in between, and after. One minute you both were in your dining room, the next he was shoved and locked outside, ending with you in the shower.

Stepping out with a towel tightly clung around your body; you used your left hand to wipe your foggy mirror – your bruised reflection fading into view. You leaned forward to stare closer to your reflection, wincing in pain as the tip of your finger lightly pressed upon darken hues of light blue and purple around your eye.

You were prone to covering up bruises, having done it thousands of times for your boyfriend, and best friend, Justin. Now, you'd have to cover it for yourself – something you never expected to be done. Another breath of air flew between your lips as you dried off your hair with a hand towel before exiting your attached bathroom.

As you entered your dimly lit room, a clothed frame sat on your bed with their back facing you. You froze in place and your jaw tightened. Your boyfriend was the last person you wanted to see.

"I thought I told you to not come back," you said flatly.

He stood from your bed and his hands went to his hood, pushing it off his head. A gasp left your lips and you rushed to turn your own back towards the one person you least expected to be in your room – especially at this hour.

"What's wrong with you?" Justin questioned.

You could hear his feet coming towards you and your heart began to race in panic. Thoughts swarmed your brain as you tried to rack for an idea on how to escape or make Justin leave without noticing your face.

"I'm naked," you stated the obvious. "Nothing I haven't seen before," he chimed, his voice also flat in sarcasm. You suppressed an eye roll and if your hands weren't clutching the towel to your chest, you would have reached the closest and softest item near you to toss at his head.

No ideas popped into your head fast enough and you let out a defeated sigh. "Can you just please go?"

Your subconscious new Justin was behind you – and you could practically feel his breath fan across the back of your head – cooling your wet skin and hair. "Please," you whispered.