Grateful.

A frown grew on your face as you heard grunting.

As you kept walking, the grunting grew louder and when you looked to your side you saw someone getting kicked by a student while two other students watched on.

"HEY!" you yelled as you ran over to the scene.

The kids froze up before running off, leaving the student that they were messing with alone and on the floor, groaning in pain.

Once you got to the kid, you crouched down on the floor and checked on them.

You noticed that the kid was one of the theater kids at your school.

"Hey... Are you okay?" you asked the black haired boy.

He began slowly getting up and once he was up, his intense eyes landed on you, causing your breath to hitch.

Becoming slightly nervous, you looked away from him, your eyes landing on old bruises that decorated his arms.

"Umm. Are you okay?" you asked once more.

You knew you were gonna run late to rugby practice but you really wanted to make sure that he was okay but the boy stayed silent.

"You should come with me so those guys won't mess with you again." you told him and the boy nodded.

You stood up, reaching your hand out to him.

The boy looked up, his eyes going to you than to your hand, grabbing it.

You pulled him up, a little surprise that was kinda taller than you but didn't think to much about it as you let go of his hand and grabbed his book bag that was on the floor.

You grabbed his hand once more and began leading him to your destination.

~~

You moaned awake, your body in a bit a pain from sleeping on Xiao's old couch.

Looking around, you saw that you were in darkness, a soft blanket covering your body.

It seems like when you fell asleep during yours and Xiao's movie night, he tried to make you comfortable before going off to his room to go to sleep.

Getting up, you took the cover off and went to the kitchen, getting yourself a cup of water since your throat was dry.

Sometimes you'd randomly dream of the day you met Xiao.

He was a lanky theater kid that honestly didn't have many friends in high school and for some reason, he was an easy target for bullying.

When you saved him from the bullies that afternoon, you didn't think that he'd end up becoming a very close friend of yours.

Considering the whispers and stares people would give you, you were honestly kinda shocked that he became such an important part of your life.

You sat the cup down on the counter, the silence of the apartment defining.

Xiao was such a sweet guy.

Very thoughtful and also funny.

Xiao was the shoulder you cried on.

He was always there for you and you never understood why he was ever bullied in the first place.

He was such a likable guy...

You flinched as you heard a loud crash and grunting rung throughout the dark little apartment.

Turning around, you quickly walked to where the sound came from which was his bedroom.

Xiao was always stern about you never coming into his room but since it seemed like something happened you decided to open his door, quickly becoming filled with confusion at the scene before you.

Xiao was looking down at his bloody hand that he was gripping tightly, his jaw was clenched and his breathing was harsh.

The glass that used to be his body length mirror covered the floor.

But your confusion turned into nervousness as you walked closer to him, your eyes looking at the wall behind him that seemed to be filled with pictures of you.

You walked past him, your eyes never leaving the photos.

The entire wall was filled with years of photos of you, be it photos that you took with him or of ones when you were by yourself or with friends and family.

You turned around slowly, fear quickly overtaking your senses as Xiao looked you with an intense gaze, and without second guessing you tried to run past him.

Of course, you failed as he was very close to you.

He grabbed you, pushing you back, and quickly picked up a big piece of the broken glass, using a hand to push you back against the wall.

He put the piece of glass against your neck, causing you to freeze.

"I didn't want you to find out yet. Not like this..." he started.

"I just... Why did you talk to him after all he's done to you?" he questioned and you didn't understand what he was talking about.

But since you were too afraid to answer, you stayed quiet.

A yelp ripped out your throat as you felt your head being slammed against the wall.

"ANSWER ME!" he yelled.

"I-I don't know w-what your t-talking about." you stuttered, your eyes become watery.

You have never seen this side of Xiao before.

He was always so kind to you.

"Why did you talk to your ex?" he questioned and you gulped nervously.

"He started talking t-to me. He said he wanted to be f-friends and that h-he was sorry." you said knowing you were going to breakdown and cry at any minute.

You were always sensitive and Xiao knew this.

"Even though he hurt you... I thought you were smarter than that." his voice was laced with disappointment.

He looked away for a bit before looking back at you.

"When I fell for you, it was just puppy love. I didn't expect for me to get this obsessed but I've always been rather... crazy."

You closed your eyes as you felt the piece of glass scratching your skin, Xiao moving it up and down against your neck.

"And though I always showed you how grateful I was for you for saving me from getting beaten that day, a part of me was always sad that you didn't have as strong of feelings for me as I do for you."

The glass stopped moving and you shivered as you felt his breath tickle your ear.

"But that doesn't matter now because you're mine. You've always been mine." he whispered into your ear.

Xiao leaned back.

"Open your eyes and look at me."

You listened, feeling tears roll down your face.

"You've always looked so beautiful when you cried." he said breathlessly.

"I want to be the only one who makes you cry."