Private Lessons - Tahno x Reader

Chapter 13

Tahno wasn't surprised to see his backdoor was unlocked. His mother had never been as cautious as he had been, and she rarely cared about what kind of people entered their home. She was the complete opposite of Tahno in that aspect. 

Tahno was always cautious. Always inspecting his surroundings, and always looking if there was a way out. He taught himself to do this when he was little, always planning a route so he wouldn't run into his bullies at school. Or when he did, he tried to find the nearest way out. Since then he had always forced himself to do this, even if it did bother him.

He was met by his mother, seated on the emerald sofa with a steaming cup of tea in her hands, the cup leaning onto her swollen stomach, which made it quite a comical sight. She blew softly over the surface, trying to cool it down enough to be able to drink it. As Tahno shut the door behind him and locked it, his mother looked up at the sound, eyes widening at the sight of her son.

Bruises scattered around his neck, and he was limping as he tried to flee up stairs. A gasp fell from her lips, and Tahno couldn't help but freeze at the sound of his mother. He turned to her hesitantly and met her eyes over his shoulder. His hand tightened around the railing of the stairs.

"Tahno... what happened to you?" She questioned, placing her cup on the coffee table and rushing towards him. 

Tahno could only roll his eyes and sigh as she approached him, and he scoffed when she grabbed his hand and gently guided him back down the steps. He stood in front of her while she tilted his head, soft fingers caressing over the marks on his neck, and her eyes going wide in worry for her son. 

"What happened? Who did this?" 

Tahno kept silent, just like he had always did when he was a child. Ever since his father abuse Tahno refused to tell anybody how he felt or what had happened to him. His mother's heart ached at the sight of her beaten up son, and she wished that Tahno would tell her what happened for once. But the guy was stubborn, and he couldn't even meet her eyes as she inspected the marks.

"Tahno?"

"I'm fine, mother." He spoke, and her heart sank at his hoarse voice and the way he lied right in her face. Her hands trembled as he offered her one last look, before turning back to walk towards his room. 

But she couldn't help herself, and with a shaky voice she called out to him.

"Why won't you ever tell me what's wrong?! Why are you hiding from me, Tahno?!" 

Tahno couldn't ignore her this time, not when she looked at him with tears in her eyes, and there was sadness hiding behind the confidence in her voice. 

He wished he could tell her everything. About what happened when he was 15, or how he was still wanted by the equalists. About Kaito, You and why he suddenly disappeared without telling her anything. He wanted to flee from his life and talk to her, but he couldn't curse the consequences upon his mother like that.

"Where's dad?" He questioned instead, trying to change the subject. With a glance over his shoulder he confirmed to his mother that one day he will tell her. One day she will know about all that happened to him, but today won't be that day.

She swallowed thickly before composing herself yet again.

"He won't be home till late."

"Don't tell him I'm home."

She nodded and placed her hand on top of her swollen belly. Tahno nodded in her direction, before ascending towards his room. 

His mother watched him walk upstairs, not moving until he was fully out of sight. A soft exhale fell from her lips, and she returned to her spot on the couch to finish the tea she had brewed.