TJ closed the door behind him and let out a heavy sigh. He'd been doing better, at least a little. He'd been trying, giving it his best effort. But it wasn't easy.
He'd slipped tonight and was terrified. He knew you'd wake up, he knew you'd see right through him. And it scared him. He'd made promise after promise. And he'd broken all of them.
He knew you'd never stick around. Not with him being a fuck up. He'd always manage to hurt you. Maybe you'd be better off if he just left. The doubt filled his aching head. It always did.
"Teej?," he heard you say, softly as you made your way down the hall. You froze once you saw him. He looked at you, only briefly and looked away. No, he couldn't bear to see the disappointment in your eyes.
"What's going on, babe?," you asked, cautiously moving closer. You could smell the alcohol and your heart sank. He'd done it again. And you knew what would happen next. "I fucked up...," he whispered, his eyes glued to the floor. You knew he couldn't bear to look at you.
You let out a sigh and stood in front of him. Lifting his chin slowly with your finger, you made him look at you. The tears that had gathered in his blue eyes broke your heart. He'd been trying so hard for you. And you knew he felt like a let-down.
"Look at me, Thomas James," you whispered and his eyes locked onto yours. You leaned in, kissing him softly on the corner of his mouth and wrapped your arms around him. He let out a broken sob and it tore at you.
"I'll always be a fuck up," he sighed, resting his head on your shoulder and you shook yours. "I will. I'll always let you down. I'll always break your heart." You let out another sigh and kissed his head.
"No you won't. You're trying, and babe," you said softly and he lifted his head to look at you, "that's all I need. For you to try...," you told him honestly and he released a shaky breath. You gently wiped away his tears and kissed him again, this time it was soft, but full of passion for him.
"As long as you promise to try," you went on, holding him to you, "I promise to not give up. I promise to hold your hand. To love you, to keep you close." He sighed softly and rested his forehead against yours, steadying his ragged breath, breathing you in.
You were his safe haven.
You were his home.
"I promise...," he said, barely audible and you believed him. Because you needed to, because you loved him as much as he loved you. "I'll be the man you need, even if it kills me, Y/N," he told you and you nodded. "I love you. I need you. I'll be everything you need."
"I promise."
