Implied child abuse and underage sex/ rape

Joel rushed upstairs, his heart pounding as he jumped a few steps, getting to the top, Ellie's door was the first to the left, right next to his.

He opened her door slowly, her lights were off, her blinds closed so there was no light, he couldn't see her on her bed but he could heat soft whimpering from under the bed.

He got down on his hands and knees, looking under the bed and looking at the small girl under the bed, she was cowering in the corner, wrapped in blankets.

"I'm sorry baby girl, I should of been more careful with you" he flopped on the floor, looking over at Ellie who had a hint of a small smile on her lips.

He scooted under the bed, Ellie smiled a little as Joel hugged her "I'm here baby girl, don't worry, I'm not letting anyone touch you" he whispered softly, kissing her head lovingly.

"I need you to answer a couple questions for me, you don't have to answer immediately, and you don't have to tell me anything" he whispered softly and played with her hair gently, Ellie nodded, Joel moved out from under the bed, helping her out gently.

They sat on Ellie's bed, he let her rest her head on his chest, he played with her hair gently, he felt different than David, David was just a man she lived with who decided when she ate and drank.Joel felt like a father, a man she could trust with her life.

Joel looked down at her, the first time they'd met he assumed she was ten, maybe younger, nowhere near 14.

She was small, he could fit her in his arms so perfectly, he assumed she was small because of the lack of food she got from David, she'd been there for four year and it clearly affected her badly.

"Ellie....how often were you fed?" He asked softly, rubbing her back supportively.

She looked at her hands, biting her lip gently "it would usually be once a week....they'd make me do stuff for food and water..." she whispered softly, her eyes drifting up to Joel's face, a look of disgust on his face which made her throat close up "I....I didn't eat much..." she clarified, Joel let out a relived sigh.

"There was these boys....they were brothers, lived in the house next to David's...I went to school with one...they'd sneak food into my window..." she spoke softly "they moved away when I was 12....it got worse after that..." she didn't talk much about Henry and Sam often, even if she missed them.

Joel looked down at her, he wanted to be there for her in any way he could be "my old care worker ignored it all because his son was friends with David's nephew...that's why I was there for so long...they gave up on my case...that's why Tess became my care worker..." she spoke softly, holding Joel's hand.

Joel sighed softly, rubbing her back gently "I'm glad you're honest with me" he spoke gently, combining a hand through her hair affectionately "I'm not going to let him hurt you again" he told her honestly, she nodded and cuddled against his chest.
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Some platonic fluff for y'all

The next chapter is going to focus on Ellie's past foster home, especially David.