𝐰𝐝𝐰 𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬 & 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬

when you're ready › d.s.

part two to "i promise i'll get them back".

i didn't have a plate of food with me. i didn't have anything with me. i didn't have a book, or a charger, or paper and pen, or a note from one of the boys. i was alone with my thoughts by my side. not even those could be heard.

i walked up the stairs without anything, trying to be brave enough to face it alone. the floors in our house were creaky, and it was quiet, so i tried very hard not to make any noise.

the boys all sat in the living room. sure, we still talked, but it wasn't really a conversation. not a good one. and if we did have a good conversation, it didn't last very long. all we really ever did was just sit on our phones. sometimes we would text each other, that way we didn't have to make any noise.

she was so scared. she was so easily frightened, it made my heart ache for her. i yearned for her love, but i knew i had to patient. i had promised so, and i love (y/n), therefore, i would keep that promise. even if it meant i was hurting.

(y/n) has been harassed and assaulted almost five and a half months ago. she had come home silent and bruised. her lip was cut open, tiny bits of blood collecting in the corner of her mouth. her shoulders had been bruised terribly. when i saw her come out of the shower after two days, i noticed the two large, dark purple clouds that were forming on the skin. her legs were weak, and when i saw how she could barely walk a few feet to the stairs, i put all the pieces together and figured it out.

it was hard for her. i knew that. that night was by far the worst night i've ever experienced and it will probably be the worst night i'll ever experience.

i promised her that i would help her. i would be patient. i promised her that no matter what happens, i will always be there. i'll wait for her. i'll wait until she's ready to come back to me.

and even though i promised that, i was getting tired of waiting. it had been five months, almost six, and i wanted the (y/n) i loved back. but i had to be patient.

she didn't talk. she didn't smile. sometimes, her doctor or therapist would come in to talk to her because she didn't want to leave her room. but that was really all the talking she ever did.

i didn't blame her for staying in the same room. she was scared to death. she had been so scarred from her experience, i didn't blame her for hiding.

but she couldn't hide from me. i wanted to help her, and it wasn't any easier when she scurried away from me when all i tried to do was love her.

i calmly breathed as i approached our - sorry, her - door. most of the time, i would've brought up a plate of food, or a book, or something that could entertain her.

but i didn't have any of that. i just wanted to talk. it had been so long since we've had a nice conversation, and i just wanted to talk.

my right hand gripped the door knob as i was ready to push the door open, but my left hand formed into a fist and lightly hit the wooden barrier twice.

"(y/n)," i said so lightly. i was scared to speak loud. i didn't want to frighten her. "it's daniel."

i turned the door knob and opened the door. i saw what i saw almost every day. she wore pajamas, her hair was up in a bun. she didn't have any makeup on.

she held a book in her hand, and once i fully entered the room, her attention was ripped away from reading.

"hey," i smiled, trying to strike a bit of reassurance to her. i failed. "um, me and the guys, we, uh, we ordered some pizza. so, if you want any, just come on down or whatever."