Heathers One-shots

Prompt 7: "No, don't cry... I hate it when you cry."

Veronica knew that JD became especially sombre and humourless during this time of year. Mostly because they were steadily approaching the anniversary of his mother's death. She knew that his mother was dead, she just couldn't gather up the courage to ask how. But considering JD's fear of loud noises, it couldn't be good.

She was currently making her way over to his house to check on him. As she walked, she recalled the first time she found out about JD's phobia.

~xXx~

"Come in, Jason! It's so lovely to meet you! I must say, you are quite the handsome young man ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)." Veronica's mother gushed over JD as Veronica tried desperately not to die of embarrassment.
"It's nice to meet you too Mrs Sawyer! But I go by JD, actually." He replied to her, smiling kindly. Veronica was actually glad JD had ditched his trench coat to meet her parents, otherwise their opinion of him would be very different. Instead, he stuck with a white shirt with a blue flannel on top, which complemented his eyes.
"Hey JD." She said casually as she pressed a kiss to his cheek. "I'm glad you could make it."

"Oh you two are so cute together!" She squealed once more. JD chuckled awkwardly but Veronica managed to salvage the situation and lead him inside by the hand.
"I am so glad you invited me for dinner, because my kitchen cabinets are so empty it makes me hungry just looking at them."
Veronica snickered.
"I seriously need to take you shopping more often." She deadpanned, causing JD to laugh.
"Or maybe I just come over more often." He cheeked. Veronica rolled her eyes as they sat down at the table and began to eat.

"So JD, tell us more about yourself." Said Veronica's mother (Victoria Sawyer). JD looked thoughtful for a second before answering.
"There isn't really much to say... um... I play guitar?"
"No way! You play guitar?!" Exclaimed Veronica with wide eyes. He laughed slightly and nodded.
"Not very well, though... although my mom used to say she could listen to me make a racket on that thing all day." He said with a smile. She smiled back with a chuckle, but her heart couldn't help but throb for him. She couldn't even imagine losing her mom.
"Why couldn't your parents make it?" Asked Victoria, with naive innocence. Both JD and Veronica immediately froze.
"M-my dad is, uh, caught up with work, and my mom..." He trailed off, not wanting to finish the sentence.
"You don't have to say anything if you don't want to..." Whispered Veronica, grabbing his hand and squeezing it under the table. He smiled at her gratefully.
"My mom just..." He took a deep breath. "She passed away when I was younger."
Victoria gasped.
"Oh my goodness! I am so sorry, I shouldn't have asked."
"No, no, it's fine, really. You didn't know." He was quick to reassure her.

"Oh, I feel awful now..."
"You don't have to, really. I don't mind." He tried to give her a reassuring smile, but he could tell she still felt bad.
Suddenly, the front door slammed open, causing the glasses to rattle and the ground to vibrate.
"I'M HOME!" Came a loud male voice. Veronica rolled her eyes.
"I told you not to slam the door when you came in! You might leave a dent!" Shouted Victoria to her husband as he sauntered inside. Veronica turned to look at JD, but her heart dropped at the state of him. He was pale white, as if all the colour had drained out of his face. He was rigid, and all of his muscles were tense. But what worried her the most were his ragged and shallow breaths.

With quick thinking, Veronica purposefully spilled her water over his top.
"Oh I spilled my water on you! Let's go to the kitchen and clean that up."
She grabbed his hand and lead him to the kitchen, shutting the door behind her.
"Are you okay?!"
He just kept staring down, as if Veronica wasn't even there. His arms were wrapped around himself, and Veronica immediately understood what was happening.
"You're having a panic attack..." She whispered to herself.
"Can I touch you...?" She said to him, holding out a tentative hand. He nodded slightly, and she wrapped her arms around his middle and pulled him in close. With her head on his chest she could hear his heart's erratic beating, and she began to wonder what could have possibly caused him to become like this.

Eventually, he calmed down. His breathing was back to normal, and he was visibly more relaxed.
"JD, what happened...?" She asked quietly. He took a deep breath.
"I just... I hate loud noises. It reminds of when..." He stopped himself, squeezing his eyes shut.
"It's fine... you don't have to tell me." She reached up and kissed his cheek.
"I love you, Veronica."
"I love you too."

~xXx~

Veronica finally arrived at JD's house, and was happy to see that his father's van wasn't in the driveway. She knocked on the door. No answer. She knocked again. Nothing. Only silence.

With a sigh, she walked over into his back garden and saw that his bedroom light was on. She raised a brow.
"JD I know you're up there! Let me in!" She shouted. No response. She resisted the urge to roll her eyes as she started to climb up to his window.
'This is getting old...' She thought as she fumbled in through his open window.
"JD?"
No response. Veronica was about to call out his name again when she heard it. If it was any quieter she would've missed it, but it was definitely there. It was the sound of... crying.

She immediately knew who it was.

Veronica rushed over to the foot of JD's bed, where he was hunched over on the floor, a small photograph clasped between his fingers.
"Go away, Veronica... I'm not in the mood..." He spoke between his whimpering. She could feel tears spring to her eyes at the sound of his heartbroken sobs. Ignoring his request, she sat down next to him, leaving her head on his shoulder.
"I can't possibly imagine how you feel..." She whispered, letting her tears fall. "But you don't have to go through it alone..."
JD sensed her crying, and turned to look at her.
"Please don't cry, I hate it when you cry." He said, wrapping his arms around her shoulders. She nuzzled into the crook of his neck.
"It's been years, JD... I think that you need to start thinking about letting go."
"I just miss her so much..." JD's voice cracked as another sob raked through him. Veronica thought that that might just be the worst sound she'd ever heard.
"I know you miss your mom, but... you have me now, okay? I'll take care of you, I promise..." She planted a kiss on his jaw.

Then, the photograph slipped from his fingers, and he let it flutter to the ground, forgotten.