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Dark. Scott always hated the dark. And he hated it more on nights like these. His body aches, a soft, dull throb to compliment the sting it once was. His eyes scanned the shadows of his small room, making monsters out of everything he couldn’t quite make out. A whimper came from the back of his throat. He didn’t like this one bit. He wanted out of this place. By now he had heard the TV turn off in his parent’s room, but it was always a good idea to wait a few more minutes just to be sure. Not like he wouldn’t make a break for it if he heard the screams start up anyways, though.
Once he was sure the quiet would last, he fought his entire body’s protests to sit up and chuck his thin blankets off his body. He got up onto his too-thin legs and waddled on stiff limbs to his window. For being parents who locked him in his room at night, he thought it was a little weird they never bothered with his window. But he wasn’t dumb enough to ask them about it. With a little bit of struggle, his tiny hands got it opened up and he pushed away the screen which had long since been broken. When you’re small, especially as small as Scott is, it’s a little difficult to get yourself through, especially being injured, but Scott’s done it enough times to manage.
The feel of grass against his bare feet is welcome, it’s better than anything that reminds him of that house. He’s a little too hurt to feel like running, but he still tries to hurry to make his way through his back yard, sticks and stones may hurt his feet, but it’s nothing his father hasn’t done before. He scrambles to make it to his fence as quietly and quickly as possible, he doesn’t need to get caught, they care if he goes, but thank God they care less when he’s gone. He finds the hole in the fence and his tiny body slips right through with ease, getting through the brambles on the other side is a different story, but his wounds don’t take too much offense.
Scott’s happy to see the house in front of him now, he always is. He rushes to it as fast as his little injured legs will take him, diving for the basement window so close to the ground, so, so happy that it’s one of the many things big enough for him to fit his little body through. The dresser’s just below him and he climbs down onto it, ignoring the flare up of pain in his wounds out of pure desperation just to get down onto the floor. And once there he turns to see the bed beside him, where David and Adam lie sleeping in a heap, they say they sleep like that to beat the cold, and also they just liked sleeping in a pile.
By now, they’re already stirring from the intrusion, well, at least David is. Adam is still pretty much lying there unmoving. And David opens his eyes to see Scott just standing there, bruised, beaten, and dirty. The two simply stare at each other for a second. “h-help me, please…” Scott started to cry, the tears that had been building up for so very long finally having the chance to be free and run down his little cheeks.
- - - - -
It’s a dark night out. Scott stumbles through the hallways of his shitty apartment building. He tries to ignore the soft, dull throbbing in the side of his face. He’s gotten good at that by now. It wasn’t his best show. But that wasn’t his fault. Some stupid pussy freaks had decided to get into a fight with him, and while he totally won that fight (at least that’s what he’ll say), it left him bruised and sore and overall feeling angry and shitty. He just wants to go home now, this nighttime outing has started to become exhausting and suffocating and he really just wants to eat dinner and rest right now.
Call him sappy and he’ll punch your lights out, but Scott can already imagine it now, it would be warmer in his place, beating the cold through the oven being freshly turned off. He’d have something even warmer to eat, who knows what David would’ve decided to make, but it would be good, that’s the plus of keeping that whiny little pussy around. He’d eat and then strip and crawl into bed, probably complain a bit as David curled up on top of him, and then fall asleep to the light of the TV. But that’s only if he can get up these stairs. His legs are aching like a bitch, and for only being in his twenties, he thinks he’s about to complain like an old man.
It would be a wonderful thing if the elevator worked right now, but that thing breaks down again every other week, so Scott’s forced to climb the steps, and he does so grumpily. God, he’s too drunk for this, he’s in too much pain for this, and the carpet is too ugly to stare at for this. Each step is another curse uttered from his lips as he makes the frustrating climb upwards with his injuries throbbing. Scott swears that’s the last time he forgets his pocket knife at home as he curses the fucks that gave him the bruises he sports now. He’d be dead if his apartment was any higher up, but luckily his feet touch his floor now.
Scott’s happy to see the door to his apartment just a few feet away, that stupid skeleton Halloween decoration David put up and never took down still hanging from the handle. His legs as tired as fuck, but he still hauls ass to the door, trying to fish his keys out from his pockets as he does so. Scott’s a clumsy fuck, so it takes a lot more fumbling than he’s happy doing, but eventually he’s got his keys in the door. When he opens the thing, the warmth is just as he imagines, an amazing feeling against the cold of the outside world. “I’m home!” Scott shouts once he shuts the door behind him, but there’s really no need, David popped his head out from the kitchen as soon as she heard the door open.
“What the Hell happened to you?” are the first words that lift off David's tongue once he spots Scott standing there, bruised, beaten, and filthy. “Got into a fight. You should see the other guy, though.” Scott smirked, trying to play it cool and like none of his bruises hurt at all. David simply rolled his eyes, too used to this. “You’re horrible. Here, let me help you get patched up.” David stepped forward to cup his boyfriend’s face, pressing a gentle kiss to his lips.
- - - - -
Before long, Scott’s been scooped up into David’s arms and his chubby little fingers are running through Scott’s baby-blond hair as David takes the smaller of the two to the bathroom to clean him up. “I’ve got you, don’t worry.” David shushes Scott as he sits him down on the toilet so that he could have his hands free to grab for a washcloth and wet it. “It hurts.. It hurts really bad..” sobbed Scott, tiny body shaking where he sat. “I know, I know, now let me get those dirty clothes off of you.” David moves to help Scott take off his too-big shirt and pants, both specked with blood.
Once Scott was out of those dirty clothes, David was able to start cleaning the number of wounds and dirt pressed into his body. “You’re gonna be okay, he can hurt you right now, I’ve got you, Scotty.” David soothed Scott through every little flinch and sting as he cleaned as carefully as his little kid hands would let him. “I’m gonna be okay, right..?” sniffled Scott, looking up at David with wet, reddened eyes. “Yeah, you’re gonna be okay, for as long as I’m around, you’ll be okay.” David reassured him, finishing the cleaning process before going to find the bandages.
The paper wrapping of many, many individual bandages littered the floor as David peeled the backs off of each of them and applied one to every bruise and cut he found on Scott’s body. “Ow! That hurts!” cried Scott as David accidentally pressed a little too hard. “Shh, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, please don’t cry..” David wiped any falling tears from Scott’s face. “I’m trying, I swear, but it hurts so, so bad..” whimpered Scott. “You’re doing so great, just a little more, okay?” David tried to soothe him, shaky, scared hands wrapping the last of Scott’s wounds up. “Okay..” Scott nodded, trying to be brave.
“All done now.” announced David, stepping back to clean up the big mess you made. “Thank you, Dave..” Scott used the back of his too-tiny hand to wipe the tears and snot from his face. “Let’s get you some clean clothes then we can go get some snacks and hot chocolate, okay?” said David. “Okay..” Scott sniffled, waiting for David to be done so that he could take his hand and David could lead him out. “I’ll even wake up Adam too, then we can all go upstairs together.” spoke David, moving Scott out to his dresser where he could try to find something that fit Scott. “I’d like that.” Scott tried to smile a little.
- - - - -
Before long, Scott’s whining about David pulling away, to which David simply responds by chuckling and carding her bony fingers through Scott’s dark sandy brown hair before David starts pulling the bigger of the two over to the bathroom to clean him up. “You’re lucky you’ve got me to take care of you sorry ass.” David sighed while Scott plopped down on the toilet, finding a washcloth out of the cabinets to wet it. “Yeah yeah, just fix me up, doc.” scoffed Scott, fidgeting where he sat. “Just start stripping, fat boy.” David replied. Scott chuckled and began to take off his slightly bloodstained shirt and pants.
Once Scott was out of his dirty clothes, David was able to start cleaning the number of wounds and dirt pressed into his body. “Jesus Christ, Scotty, did a fucking tiger attack you or something? The things you get yourself into..” an exasperated David said as he cleaned Scott up quickly and carefully with her experienced hands. “He started it, Dave, you should’ve heard the shit he was saying.” Scott huffed and tried to defend himself. “I don’t want to know, Scott.” sighed David, feeling lucky that Scott’s filthy comments were kept to a minimum as he finished the cleaning process and reached for the bandages.
David grabbed the rubbing alcohol along with the gauze and everything else before moving to apply it all to each and every bruise and cut she found on Scott’s body. “Ow, fuck, Dave, that stings!” Scott complained as an alcohol-covered gauze pad touched one of his open cuts. “Do you want an infection or not? Let me work.” responded David. “You’re so mean to me, you pussy asshole.” Scott grumbled. “I can make this hurt worse, you know.” said David, ever efficient hands perfectly wrapping the last of the wounds up. “So much for fuckin' bedside manner.” Scott huffed.
“There, all done.” announced David, stepping back to put everything away. “Food time? What did you make for dinner? It smelled good.” Scott immediately got over being butthurt when distracted about something he cared about even more. “Made french onion soup. And you’re not getting any dinner before you put some goddamn clean pajama pants on. Nobody trusts you undressed.” replied David. “Oh come on, Dave. This is abuse.” Scott growled. “Pants. Now. I’ll go get us bowls, you put clothes on” ordered David, standing his ground. Scott complained and insulted David, but obliged.
- - - - -
Once Scott had been dressed in some Transformers pajama pants that were still a big on him, but the best fit they had, David moved to wake Adam up. “Adammm, it happened again, wake up, wake up, we’re gonna go make hot chocolate.” David shook his brother awake. “Huh? Wha?” a very tired Adam lifted his head up, opening his eyes to look up at his brother. “Scott’s back. Wanna make hot chocolate with us? David repeated a brief version of his previous statement. “Hot chocolate? I’m in.” nodded Adam, too used to waking up to this situation than a child should be, he stretched and got to his feet.
“Then let’s go.” David said. “Bet I can beat you both upstairs!” challenged Adam, suddenly beating off his sleepiness to rush upstairs. David didn’t bother trying to prove Adam wrong, he just grabbed Scott’s hand and started to lead him upstairs. It’s a grip that Scott was thankful for, David was soft and gentle and reassuring, and Scott really just needed someone to hold on to right now. He didn’t want to be alone. Ever again. When the pair got upstairs, Adam was already digging through the pantry for the packets of instant hot chocolate, making no comment as they showed their faces, too distracted.
David simply kept his grip on Scott as he turned on the sink and let the water get hot while he grabbed mugs for each of them. Scott did nothing but hold onto David, it wasn’t like they were gonna ask him to do anything, he was hurt and it’s not even like he was tall enough to reach most of the things they needed. David filled the mugs and Adam returned with the instant hot chocolate packets, the twins ripping them open and pouring them into the mugs. “Here you go.” David handed Scott his mug, the smaller of the two happily taking it and starting to sip it, lapping at the tiny marshmallows.
The taste was ambrosia on Scott’s tongue, it was hot and sweet and unlike anything his parents gave him, it tasted like home. David pulled him close and squeezed Scott tight as he drank from his own mug and Scott thought he could cry from how loved he felt. Adam scampered off to go find a bag of chips while David just gently rubbed Scott’s back. Scott thinks of this place as home more than the walls of his parent’s house, this place has his two favorite people in the world, nice food, clean clothes, fun toys, and no angry, house-shaking screaming.
And it also had nothing that gave him bruises and cuts on the regular, nothing that ignored him, nothing that locked him away and left him banging on the door until he gave up crying, and nothing that he needed to shove himself into cramped spaces to hide from. Scott didn’t know why they got so angry at him, what did he ever do? He loved them, he loved them and they did things to him that made him cry and scream. At least there was David and Adam, he loved them, and they loved him a lot, and they only made him scream with laughter, they were so good to him, they made him hot chocolate.
“Chip?” Adam breaks Scott out of his thoughts by offering him the beg of chips. Scott nods and reaches in, grabbing a handful and stuffing them in his mouth and eating like he’s never eaten before. “Do you need anything else to eat? There’s not a lot I think we could make, but if we pulled up a chair, I think we could reach the cereal.” asked David. “I’m good with the chips.” Scott answered, he didn’t want to have to bother David and Adam for anything else, they already did so much for him. When Scott was finished with his hot chocolate, he handed it to David to put away while Scott ravaged the bag of chips with Adam.
“We ready to go back downstairs?” David questioned when he was done. Scott nodded, leaving Adam to put the chips away so that he could cling to David. David slung an arm around Scott and began to lead him back down, Adam rushing right by them once he finished doing his own stuff, skipping down the steps without care. Scott went slower, and David went slow so Scott could stick to him as they made their way down each creaky stair, Scott flinching a bit at each noise that was a little bit too loud and sudden, but he had David to keep him calm and make sure he didn’t hurt himself as they made their way to the basement floor.
- - - - -
Once Scott had found a pair of sweatpants and grumpily slipped them on, he walked back out to the kitchen to find David putting the finishing touches on their bowls, melting the cheese on top. “Damn, looks tasty, babe.” Scott purred, putting his head on David’s shoulder. “I could make some hot chocolate too, if you’re willing to wait for me.” offered David. “That’s a difficult decision, little lady. But I think I’m thirsty enough to wait.” Scott groaned. “Take your bowl and go sit on the couch, you’re tired, eat and rest.” said David, sticking a spoon in a bowl and handing it to Scott.
“Don’t take too long, bitch.” Scott presses a kiss to David’s neck before taking the bowl and leaving. David’s right, Scott’s exhausted, he had forgotten about it for a hot second, but now he feels it in his bones and he really just wants to not be standing right now. He sits down, curling around his bowl and digging into the cheesy layer on top. As with anything David fed him, it was good, that’s part of why Scott kept David around, to feed him, because God knows Scott never learned to cook his own food. “Here ya go, sweetheart.” said David, placing a mug of hot chocolate next to Scott before going to sit down on the other end of the couch.
They didn’t really interact while they ate, doing that really just wasn’t Scott’s thing, he just wanted to shove his food down his mouth and be done with it. He really wasn’t fond of all that cuddling and kissing stuff while eating, it’s not like he actually expected David to steal his food if he got too close, David knows better than that, but when it’s been used to control you before by people you’d rather not think about, some resource guarding seems sensible, yeah? Scott quickly downed his soup and then started sipping on his hot chocolate, he probably should’ve waited for the aftertaste to go away first, but Scott is, well, Scott.
Scott swallowed it all quickly, he was unnaturally fast when it came to eating and drinking, he simply didn’t know how to slow down, one can imagine why. Either way, once he’s done with that, he’s a hypocrite, because he’s immediately up against David, who is eating a slower, more normal place, and if he’s begging, no he isn’t. “How are you gonna try to steal soup from me, babe? Explain to me how you think this works.” David commented on Scott’s sudden appearance. “I will stick my fingers in the bowl, duh.” scoffed Scott. “No you will not. If you want more, there’s more in the kitchen.” David sighed.
“You’re no fuckin’ fun.” groaned Scott, giving up and plopping his body onto David’s lap. “Yeah yeah, I’m a horrible monster and all.” David rolled her eyes, balancing both eating and petting Scott before he could complain. “This is why I hate you so much.” huffed Scott. “You’re breakin’ my heart here, darlin’.” David pretended to be offended, though only in words, too busy eating to give an acting performance. “I better be.” replied Scott, getting comfortable where he sat. And once David was done with his soup, she started sipping on his hot chocolate, freeing up a hand to rub Scott’s chest and stomach.
Scott will have you know he did not purr while this happened, he’s far too rough and tough for that, he even tried to bite at David’s hand, he was that bad. “No biting.” David scolded him when he tried, poking Scott on the nose before going back to rubbing. Scott just let out a low growl to show David just how much this displeased him. But David took so long and Scott was getting pretty tired over here, the pain was going away, he was warm, and fed, and David was sorta comfy, he guessed, so maybe he shut his eyes just a little bit. “Aww, you getting tired, baby?” smiled David.
“No I’m not, shut up.” Scott growled. “Alright, alright, I’m finished, we can go to bed now.” chuckled David, committing the horrible act of making Scott get up so that he could move. Scott growled and huffed and complained the entire time as David got up and put the dishes in the sink, following him around so that Scott could ensure he growled and huffed and complained in range of David’s hearing. “Okay, we get it, Scott, bedtime.. C’mon..” David sighed as she was finished, rubbing Scott’s shoulders for a second before turning him around and pushing Scott towards the bedroom.
- - - -
David pulls Scott up into bed with him and Adam, bringing the runt of the group into the pile. A pile is always better with more people, a sentiment the twins stuck to well. Scott settled down as the top of the pile, he was the most injured, so David adjusted him carefully so that he wouldn’t get squished. “Good night.” said David, pressing a kiss to Scott’s head before shutting his eyes. Scott smiled at the touch, shutting his eyes and trying to sleep. Eventually he can hear Adam softly snore and David purr, signaling that both have fallen asleep. Scott however, found it harder.
Scott didn’t mind it all that much, the house was cold from general lack of heating, the twins always ran icy cold, but he was warm, and he got to warm them up. They got to care for him, and he got to warm them up. Scott wasn’t too sure it was that fair of a trade, they were his saviors after all, but he was small and not very capable, so it was the best he could do. But David and Adam never made him feel bad about it, he didn’t know why, his mama and papa always made him feel bad about being small and incapable and useless, but the twins never ever did, he liked that about them.
Scott liked a lot of things about them. They never cried when he played too rough like all the other kids did, they didn’t scream at him when he accidentally broke things, they didn’t try to grab him and pull him out of his hiding spots, they didn’t ignore him, they didn’t lock him in or out of places, they didn’t leave bruises or cuts on his body, they fed him, they cleaned him, they held him close and cuddled him, they just loved him, they loved him like they had loved him from the day he was born, they loved him like he was one of their own and not just the weird neighborhood kid who doesn’t know how to play right.
They made Scott want to learn how to be gentle, but his too-thin hands were too clumsy to ever be soft. But they loved him even if he wasn’t gentle, they loved him so much. And he loved them just as much, he loved them more than anything, Scott could not even comprehend a day where he didn’t love them. Scott only smiled wider, nuzzling deeper into David’s chest, don’t tell Adam, but Scott thinks he liked David just a little more, David is always the one that patches him up, David is always the one that holds his hand, David is always the one that he hides behind.
Scott thinks he loves him like he sees the people on TV love each other, he thinks he loves them like the boys and girls who kiss in the movies, he doesn’t know what to call it, he doesn’t know what to call it. Scott thinks Adam is his bestest friend, but he thinks he loves David like his mama and papa should love each other, but they don’t. Does that mean he’ll do bad things to David? Scott doesn’t want to do bad things to David, he doesn’t want to scream at him, he doesn’t want to throw things at him, he doesn’t want to leave marks on his skin. Scott just wants to love David and do sweet things with him, hold David like David holds him.
Scott hopes he’ll be big enough to hold him someday, but he doubts it, he’s small, he’s too-thin, he’s a runt, he’s been small since the day he was born. Well, all babies are small, but Scott’s the size of some of the twin’s younger cousins. David will just have to hold Scott for now, but that’s okay, Scott likes it when David holds him, he likes it a lot, when David holds him, he’s always soft and gentle. Through his thoughts, Scott slowly falls more and more asleep until he’s out cold, sleeping deep and dreaming of being big enough to hold David so Scott can show him just how much he loves him.
- - - - -
Scott throws himself down into bed, an arm hooking around David’s waist and taking him down with him, causing David to giggle, a sound sweet to Scott’s ears. Pretend he didn’t think that. David was careful as she settled onto Scott’s chest, taking his time to make sure she wouldn’t hurt his boyfriend. “Night, dumplin’.” David lifted his head up to place a kiss to Scott’s lips and turn on the TV before retreating. Scott let out a snort that was essentially his version of the same statement. They both shut their eyes to the tune of some shitty medical drama, and soon enough, Scott could hear David’s almost silent purrs of sleep. Scott however, despite his exhaustion, needed a little more time to drift off.
Scott was used to that by now, he could never fall asleep immediately, call that a byproduct of his troubled youth. And it just gave him all the more time to feel David’s cold skin contrast the warmth of his bare chest. It was always great on hot nights, and even on cold nights, he was happy enough knowing it would be great on David’s end instead, a fair enough trade, it was the least Scott could do considering David did everything around the house. David would do everything Scott was never taught to do while Scott was able to pursue his musical career, not once asking anything of him other than his company. Scott loved that about David.
Scott loved a lot of things about David. David never made him feel bad for being the way he was, David respected all of his weird habits, David had the wit and the skin to keep up with him, David let him be free to do whatever he wanted, David would wait until he came home for as long as she had to, David would take him back time and time again as if he had never been gone, David worked to feed him, patch him up after every fight, hold him close and cuddle him, David just loved him, David loved him like he would give him the world if he wanted it, David loved him even though David was broken, David loved him as if Scott wasn’t broken.
Scott knew David deserved someone more gentle than he was, less clumsy and less of an asshole, someone as soft as David was. But David wouldn’t leave him for the world, and Scott knew better than to break her heart. Even though Scott knew David should find someone that could say he loved him back and was less of a mess of walls and repressed, loopholed feelings than Scott was. Scott can admit to liking David, but he’s grown too thick of barbed wire around his heart to ever say he loved David. Even though he does, he loves David so much it makes him sick. Scott sighed, squeezing David harder. David’s arms are scarred from reaching through that barbed wire, but she does it with a smile anyways.
Scott will admit to David being his, he’ll stay as loyal as he can, but he can’t be like the knights in shining armour in the movies, love’s never a word Scott will let himself mean, even if he really does, he’s been broken too hard for that. He’s kicking himself for thinking too hard about David now, for admiring him but never letting the word “love” come to his mind. It’s for Scott’s own safety, or at least what he thinks his safety is. Things have changed since they were small, David’s part girl, Scott’s not a whiny baby anymore, he’s tough, even though a little part of Scott regrets that sometimes. But somehow the worst part of changing isn’t his own feelings, it’s the way David still stares at him with loving eyes even after he’s been a giant jerk.
Scott holds David now, he holds him hard enough to hurt. That’s the closest Scott will ever get to saying “I love you” nowadays, it’s shitty, but it’s Scott. David gets to rest sweetly on Scott’s chest now, he’s grown bigger than David ever since he got out of his parent’s house, and David loves it, she’s said so many times. Everything David says is spoken clearly, displays of affection that rots teeth out. Scott’s always unspoken, he just holds David, it’s not soft, it’s not gentle, it’s not any of the wonders David can be. But David takes it with a smile. Through his thoughts, Scott is able to pass out, sleeping deep until he dreams of the days that David used to hold him instead, the days he could say “I love you” back.