youth

seventy ; real life

mabel blinks at dan for a couple seconds. her eyes wander down to his chest and that's when she sees it. there are several purple and green bruises dotted along his chest. they are fading but still visible close enough. mabel let's the tears in her eyes fall. dan can't see her because it's so dark. he takes her hand and pulls her in, smalling the door. his other hand tunes on the light.

"mabel, are you okay? come on we're going to clean this up." he presses a kiss to her forehead and sits her on his bed. dan gently wipes away the blood and passes her some wipes to clean her face. "baby please stop crying."

"i-im sorry" is all mabel could choke out. dan embraces her and whispers into her ear.

"whatever you're thinking right now, im not angry and i promise im not. i could never be angry at you mabel. if you take your anger and sadness out on me im fine with it, as long as you stop hurting. when you were hitting me it didn't hurt much. i dont think you remmeber much of it but i know you weren't okay. i held you that night until your body stopped shaking and you stopped crying. we lied under my covers for a while but you left without even saying goodbye the next day. i was upset at first but i know you were worse than me. im here for you, whenever you need someone. phil is and dodie and your brother. I love you mabel and im never going to stop." dan is crying by the end of his monologue and he's rocking her back and forth in his lap whilst she cries.

"i love you too dan" it is a whiljte before she speaks again and that's all she says. dan smiles and kisses her hair before lying her down and pushing the satin covers up and over her cold body. he crawls in beside her and takes her into his arms.