Let It Be Your Shirt (Story 3 of Sev & M)

Chapter 15

Severine walked into the kitchen and glanced at the table, Marcus had made scrambled eggs and toast. He grabbed a glass from the cabinet, filling it with water, then sat at the table eyeing the food.

"Eat something," Marcus said.

"I don't think I want to."

"It wasn't a suggestion, eat something, even if it is just a piece of toast."

He grumbled and grabbed the toast, nibbling the edge. As they had gotten closer to the abuse trial date he had been eating less, he had lost some weight and Marcus was always gently pressuring him to eat something. He hadn't been sleeping well either, waking up in the middle of the night drenched with sweat. He had hidden it from Marcus at first but he had woken up and caught him after the first couple of times. He didn't ask anymore when he would find him sitting awake, he just pulled him close and sat with him until exhaustion would finally cause him to fall back asleep.

He felt a tug at his wrist and looked up to see Marcus staring at him concerned. Marcus tugged at his wrist again and he looked down, he had finished the toast without realizing it and was chewing on his nail bed. There was a small spot of blood at the corner of it, sighing Marcus got up, grabbed a washcloth from the drawer, wet it, then sat back down. Grabbing his hand again he gently cleaned the blood from around the nail.

"I'm sorry," he said quietly.

Marcus tossed the washcloth into the trash, "It's fine Sev, just try to be more careful next time."

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Severine woke up with his head pounding and heart racing. He tried to sit up but a heavy weight across him made it impossible. Still half asleep the feeling of being pinned down made his heart race faster, he started to struggle against the mattress and whatever was holding him down. He got one arm free and pushed against the weight across him, whatever it was was hard but soft at the same time. He used his nails to dig into it. There was a sharp intake of breath that he didn't register then the weight lessened. He used the change in pressure to get his other arm free, then pushed and kicked out at everything within reach. Once the weight was completely off of him he scrambled off of the bed, racing for the door. Just as his hand reached the knob an arm went around his waist and another pushed against the door keeping it closed. He started struggling against whoever was in the room with him again.

"Severine, Severine!"

He distantly recognized the voice but his body was still in fight mode. He grabbed the arm around his waist with both hands and dug his nails into the skin, trying to pull it away from him.

"Severine! It's me! It's me Severine. You're hurting me! STOP!"

Marcus's voice finally registered in his brain and he stopped struggling, sagging back against him. Marcus supported his weight easily, slowly sitting down on the floor. He was breathing hard as Marcus whispered soothing things to him. It felt like an eternity before his breathing was back to normal and his heart was no longer racing.

"Severine, are you calm now?"

Marcus had used his power to flip the light switch on. Blinking in the bright light, he nodded and responded with a shaky yes.

"What happened?"

"I don't know," he shook his head, "I must have been having a nightmare. When I woke up I felt scared and when I tried to get up I couldn't which made it worse and I panicked."

"I had my arms around you, that's why you couldn't get up. I'm sorry," Marcus said, rubbing his head against his shoulder.

"It's not your fault." He felt something sticky beneath his fingers and looked down. "Oh my God." He still had a hold of Marcus's arm and there was blood coming from several long scratches along it. "Oh my God. Marcus your arm!"

"It's fine. Once you're okay I'll go clean and bandage it," Marcus said.

How had he done that to him? How had he not realized the weight around him was Marcus? Looking at his hands he started to shake. Marcus's blood was under his nails. He had fought hard enough against him to actually draw blood. Marcus had to be angry at him but he hadn't heard any anger in his words. He couldn't believe he had hurt him like this.

"Sev, shh, stop. It's fine. They're just scratches. You were scared. I should have let go when you first started struggling instead of holding on," Marcus said.

He was shaking his head furiously as Marcus continued to try and reassure him. Marcus pressed his head harder against his shoulder, still murmuring to him. Once he had finally calmed down again he tried to stand. Marcus let him get up before slowly standing next to him. He gently grabbed his hand and led him across the hall to the bathroom. Turning on the water Marcus placed his hands under it then started massaging them with soap, he washed them twice before the blood was completely gone.

After his hands were clean Marcus gently moved him to the side and started cleaning his own arm. With the blood off, he grabbed the first aid kit from the cabinet, pulling out the gauze and wrap. The scratches were too long for a normal bandage to cover. He had stood quietly watching Marcus do everything on his own but finally stepped forward.

"Let me do it," he said.

"It's fine, I can bandage them."

He held his hand out for the gauze. "Please."

Sighing Marcus handed the supplies over. He gingerly wrapped his forearm, making sure the bandage wasn't too tight. When he was done he checked the other arm for any injuries. Not seeing any he handed the left over supplies back to Marcus to put away. With everything put up they went back to the bedroom.

"I'm sorry," he said.

"I had a feeling your nightmares or cold sweats would get worse with the trail being two days away. It's not your fault," Marcus said while gently rubbing the back of his neck. He yawned. "Can you go back to sleep?"

"I think so," he said.

"Do you want me to hold you again?"

He did want him to but was scared he would have another nightmare and hurt him again. "Will you just hold my hand?"

Smiling Marcus laced their fingers together.