I'll Be the One to Hold Your Hand

Confusing What is Real

(Trigger Warning, descriptions of assault and PTSD episode)

As Brad slipped back into unconsciousness, Rob checked for a pulse. It was still there and Brad was still breathing. 

He doesn't have any gushing wounds on him.. No stitches needed.. I doubt he'd want to go to the hospital anyways, but I could always take him in the morning if things get complicated. 

Rob bites his lip thinking and looks down at the man's head in his lap. He then decides to take Brad to his apartment to get him cleaned up and taken care of. His car is parked not too far away as he raced out of the vehicle when he saw the assault. At the time, he didn't know it was Brad being attacked. 

It's only a few minute drive, but I can't carry him the whole way. That could hurt him too. 

He gently picks up Brad and carries him to the car and laid him out in the backseat, covering him with a spare blanket from the trunk. He then starts to drive to the apartment, glancing in the mirror to check on him every so often. When he pulls into the apartment complex, he gently gets Brad out of the car, still wrapped in the blanket. He gets him safely into his own apartment and lays him down on the couch, running to the bathroom to search for medical supplies. When he comes back, Brad's eyes are widened and fearful, breathing hard and heavily. 

"It hurts, it hurts, make it stop, please make it stop, he wouldn't stop, please." Brad rambles out and tries to get up off the couch, the blanket falling to the side of the the drummer. Brad had fallen into Rob who's just knelt beside him before he realized what was happening. The contact made Brad's reaction escalate even more. 

"No! No, please don't hurt me, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, please, please, stop!" Brad screamed out trying to get away from Rob. Rob was quick to react and backed away from the guitarist, holding his hands up to show Brad he meant no harm. Brad was now backed into the corner of the apartment and shielding his head in his arms. 

"Brad, Brad, it's me, it's Bourdie. It's just me." Rob tries to calm down the guitarist and stays where he's at in front of the guitarist. 

"I'm not going to hurt you. I need you to trust me, okay? You're really hurt and I need to wrap and ice those ribs, okay? Can I do that?" Rob keeps his voice as soothing as he can at this moment. 

Brad lowers his arms and stares at Rob. Rob keeps eye contact with him and softly speaks. 

"You left your blanket over here. Do you want it?" Rob holds out his hand and patiently waits for Brad to respond. Brad nods and keeps staring at Rob, watching him as if he's going to attack the guitarist at any second. Rob pulls the blanket from the side of the couch and shows it to Brad. 

"Can I come near you to help you wrap up in it?" Rob questions and looks at the guitarist who only makes a barely noticeable nod. Rob scoots closer and drapes the blanket over the guitarist's shoulders. 

"There we go.. It's a cozy blanket, I like it a lot. Now for those ribs, can I touch you to wrap them up? I promise, I won't force you. But it's got to be done sooner rather than later." Rob softly informs. Brad nods and squeezes the blanket even tighter in his hands. 

"Hey.. I promise, I will not hurt you or linger longer than I need to. Just a wrap and an ice pack, and we're done, okay?" Rob gently lifts up Brad's shirt to see a mess of already dark black and blue swirls on his torso. It takes all Rob has not to cry or scream in fury. He didn't want to scare the guitarist more than he already was. He heard Brad take a sharp breath and Rob quickly got to work on the bruising torso. When he finishes bandaging the ribs, he takes one look at Brad; silent tears falling down the guitarist's face. 

"It's okay to cry, Brad. Something bad happened and you need to release." Rob carefully wipes a tear off Brad's chin and Brad looks at Rob before climbing into the drummer's lap, tucking his face into the crook of Rob's neck. Rob was shocked that not even ten minutes ago, the guitarist wouldn't even let Rob touch him, let alone curl up in his lap. He slowly responded by wrapping his arms around the guitarist's waist and holding him as gently as possible. He feels his shirt getting wet on the side Brad is on and his heart breaks even more. 

"It's okay, Brad, shh... Let it out." Rob whispers and plays with the curls on the back of Brad's head. Brad clings onto him tighter and cries a bit more. 

"It's been a long night, Braddles. We should get some sleep soon, okay?" Brad breathes a bit faster and clings onto the drummer even tighter. 

"Brad? What did I say or do?" Rob softly asks, not wanting to repeat the action that obviously upset the guitarist. 

"Don't.. Don't want to sleep alone. What if he comes back?.." Brad mumbles out, but the drummer heard it. 

"I'll sleep with you, okay? It'll be alright. He won't come back. I promise you, you're safe here." Rob coos softly and stands up with the guitarist. Brad then wraps his legs around Rob's waist and his arms around Rob's neck carefully. Rob grabs the blanket that Brad likes and goes to the bedroom, dropping Brad gently on the bed and grabbing a pillow for him to sleep on the floor with. He's stopped when he hears a brief yelp. 

"Brad, wha-" Rob's interrupted when he sees Brad looking at him with pleading eyes.

"Brad, I'm sorry, I just didn't think you'd want that. You want me to sleep in the bed with you?"

"Yes please..." Brad whispers out and holds the blanket in his arms, squeezing a bit. Rob smiles reassuringly at him and crawls in the bed beside Brad, not fully expecting the guitarist to curl into a ball tucked securely into the drummer's side. Rob then shifts on his side rather than his back and wraps his arms around Brad gently. He rubs circles on his back soothingly and the guitarist drifts off into sleep. It isn't long before the drummer follows suit.