Brothers • Brooks Brothers Fanfic •

✗ Battle Scars ✗

*Saturday*

Jai's POV: 

"Jai you wanna come to the gym with me, Luke, James and Skip?" Beau asked, walking into mine and Luke's room. 

"Uhm s-sure" I replied. 

"Throw on a tank and some shorts or something then meet us downstairs k?" he said.

I nodded and he turned around then left the room. A tank? I knew by tank he meant tank top, but I can't wear anything short sleeved. Dad has left too many scars up my arms for be not to be questioned. The past week at school I had been wearing my blazer 24/7, and if it was out of school or at home I always wore a hoodie or long-sleeved flannel shirt. The only time I revealed my torso or arms was in the shower, so no one had seen my scars. 

"Luke!" I called out, and Luke came rushing into the room. 

"What is it? Are you hurt? What happened?" he asked in alarm, before realising that I was fine. 

I let out a small chuckle before walking to the wardrobe. 

"What do I wear?" I asked. 

"A tank top?" he suggested, following me. 

"I can't" I mumbled. 

"Why can't you?" he asked, he hadn't seen my scars. He doesn't know. 

"I just can't" I answered. 

"Take off your shirt" he ordered.

"No. I've decided i'll just wear a long flannel" I replied, dismissing his words. 

"Take off your shirt Jai" he sighed. 

I still had my back to him, so I didn't both turning around, and just slipped off the long sleeved shirt I had on. I squeezed my eyes shut as I heard him gasp loudly. 

"J-Jai, did d-dad do all of th-this?" he asked in shock, bringing a hand up and tracing the scars along my back. 

"Mhm, and I remember each of them as if it was all yesterday" I grunted. 

He walked around me slowly, looking at each of the scars, scattered across my arms, back and chest. 

"This is horrible" he cringed, looking at my largest scar, under my rib-cage on the right side of my chest. 

"He stabbed me. That's the scar" I muttered. 

"I'm so so sorry" he whispered, snaking his arms around my torso and pulling me into a hug. 

"You keep apologising. But for what? There's nothing you could do, nothing anyone could do" I sighed, nuzzling my head into his shoulder as he continued to hug me. 

"Just let me apologise" he mumbled, hugging me even tighter and then releasing me. "Wear this" he added, handing me a loose black tank top. 

"But my scars" I replied with a small sigh. 

"Wear them with pride, they're your battle scars. You fought a war against your own blood and you survived, people should respect that, not knock you down" he smiled. 

I had absolutely no words for that, so I just resigned to putting on the tank top and a pair of sweats. Luke grabbed my hand as we walked downstairs, and the others chose not to question it, instead they stared at my arms.

"Erm" I said awkwardly, and they all immediately looked away as if nothing happened. 

"Why did you two take so looong?" Beau asked, snatching up his keys and walking out of the door. 

"Sorry I didn't realise your life was on the line" Luke replied sarcastically. 

"I haven't been to the gym in a week, I seriously need to get back into routine" he huffed, ushering us all into the car. 

"Calm down Beau we've got all day" James said, rolling his eyes. 

"I wanna get there early though" he said, starting the car. 

As we walked into the gym, I watched as people glanced at my scars with either confusion, sympathy, or disconcern. I ran my hands arm and down my arms uncomfortably, trying to rid their gazes from my mind, and then I suddenly felt another pair of hands gently lift my own away. 

"Like I said. Battlescars" Luke smiled, and I returned it, following the guys to the equipment. 

- - - - -

Ehh this was just a Jake/lookingintothepastkinda thingy idek. Hope you liked it though xD

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Bella ✗