Tw: implied abuse, nightmares, ptsd, all that.

Beetho hurt/comfort for the soul

Explanation for this one, because I could not be bothered with exposition: Etho communicates (mostly) through taps. One tap: yes, two taps: no, three taps: don't know/don't want to say, four taps: I love you. Not a direct sequel to my other one on this or anything, but same premise re visited.

"Shh.. Etho.. it's okay, its okay.." Beef let out a small sigh, arms held strongly around the man that lay broken in his arms.

Another nightmare, he thought, nose buried in the gentle fluff of Etho's silver hair. His fingers drew small shapes into Etho's shoulder blades, sweet nothings passing from his lips to help calm his boyfriend down.

Once Etho's gentle sobs had turned into bubbly hiccoughs, Beef asked a question, as he always did on nights like this.

"Do you want to talk about it?" The elder asked, his voice tender as he nuzzled Etho's hair.

Beef felt two taps against his chest, and he hummed in recognition. If Etho was tapping, rather then speaking, the nightmare had to have been a bad one.

"Mm, okay.." Beef smiled gently, feeling Etho's shaking dying down in his arms.

Beef knew it was none of his business, but he began to speculate about what in the world Etho could have been dreaming of. Maybe something about his eye or one of the many, many scars that littered his body. Something about his past? All Beef knew of it was that it was.. messy, to say the least.

When Beef first met him, Etho was shaking like a leaf on his doorstep- similarly to how he was now. Except then, he was covered in blood, and by the scrapes that decorated his skin, the blood was his own.

Beef still remembered that night, how he took the frightened man into his home. He didn't know why he didn't instantly call 911- why he didn't turn the man away, why he let the man stay the night on his couch.

Beef had always been a.. tender soul, too compassionate for his own good. Maybe thats why, when the next morning he found the man curled up on the carpet- as if the couch was too lavish for him, as if merely touching it was too good for him- he decided to make him breakfast, to talk it out.

Maybe thats why Beef decided to let him stay. Pity, compassion, sympathy- maybe. Even he couldn't truly say.

It was only after a week that he discovered just how smart Etho was, not only with machines but emotionally as well.

Even with limited speech, Etho was able to tell Beef exactly what he was thinking- it was as if he could read minds. It might not have been the smartest thing, but Beef decided to trust Etho, and their friendship blossomed.

Then Beef noticed the nightmares, noticed how after them Etho would end up curled on the floor. He noticed how Etho would flinch whenever Beef rose his hands above his head, how whenever he saw someone besides Beef, he would freeze up.

Beef later learned that a simple glance to the eyes was all Etho needed to see to understand someone completely- its why he trusted Beef so much on impulse, a glance in his eyes told Etho his intentions.

Beef couldn't help how touched he felt.

Over the years, Etho got better. His nightmares were less frequent, he no longer flinched when Beef touched him, and he even learned to relax around others.

Sometimes, however, after a particularly bad nightmare, Beef would awake to find Etho curled on the floor, sobbing silently.

Beef wasn't entirely surprised to find Etho there now, sobbing quietly on the gold and quartz floor of his hacienda.

The elder was careful, as if Etho was made of glass. He got down on his knees, fingers lightly brushing against the cosplayer's shoulder and-

Etho flew back, limbs faster than fast as they shrunk into a ball against the bed- the closest available surface to huddle against.

His one good eye was wide with terror, tear ducts overflowing- eye puffy and red as a streak of salty tears coated his cheek.

Then, Beef heard what Etho was muttering, and his heart shattered.

"Please don't hurt me, please, please I'm sorry, please, I'll be good, please.. pleas.. please.. don't- don't-"

The words were uttered in soft, barely distinguishable whispers, each word sloppier than the last. Etho's gaze seemed to faze through Beef- barely acknowledging the man's existence.

The bearded man's lips closed to a thin line, a sharp inhale followed by a shaky exhale. After this, he'd have to push for answers.

"Etho," he murmured gently, trying not to let his worry show in his voice. Etho didn't react, voice now incoherent and terrified murmurs.

"Etho." Beef's voice was firmer now- louder, worry morphing to concern. He spoke in this tone a few more times, each getting progressively louder before finally.

"Etho!" His voice boomed, entirely full of concern now, with no attempt to mask it.

The tone caused the younger to jump back to reality, shaking intensifying. He had jumped from one kind of trouble to another, pressed further into the side of the bed now.

Beef flinched slightly, knowing he probably shouldn't have used such a harsh tome with Etho in the state he was. Too late now, but seeing that he had his attention..

"Etho! Etho look at me!" Beef's tone softened slightly, reaching his hand forward in a gesture of good will.

Etho still didn't look at him, bones rattled with the force of his shaking- the unintelligible murmurs returning.

"Etho! Godamn it I said look at me!"

That did manage to grab some Etho's attention, lips trembling as his eyes flew to in between Beef's.

"Look at my eyes- my eyes, Etho, no one is going to hurt you."

The smaller's reaction was almost in slow motion.

His pupils blew wide, swallowing his iris into a small, honeyed brown ring, realization flashing through his figures as he read the expression in Beefs cerulean orbs.

Beef could almost hear Etho's heartbeat slow down, a relieved sob breaking through the others chest as he latched onto Beef's outstretched hand. The sob had to have been the loudest noise Beef had ever heard Etho make.

The bearded man quickly took Etho into his arms, heart breaking all over again as he heard what the other was now softly muttering.

"I can't go back there.. I can't go back there.. I can't go back there.." the muttering continued until the cosplayers sobs had dissipated, and even then he was a wreck.

His hair had been tamed through Beef running his fingers through it, but his face was puffy and red, throat ragged and sore, body trembling and light, heart rate throbbing in his chest.

After what could have been hours, Etho had finally calmed down enough for Beef to ask:

"Are you feeling better?"

Long, slender, pale, shaking fingers tapped the side of his neck once.

Beef breathed a sigh of breath he didn't even know he was holding, nose burying itself in the fluff of Etho's near silver hair.

"Mm, good.. you know that as long as I'm here, no one will hurt you, right?"

A small sniffle and nod from Etho was a sufficient enough response.

"I don't know pretend to know what goes on in that head of yours, or what happened in your past.. or any of that, but- but.. just.. with me, you will never have to sleep on the floor. Please. I swear it, Etho, I will never hurt you."

Etho nodded slightly, shifting so he was sitting in Beef's lap, head tucked into the crook of Beef's neck. He felt so.. safe, held in the strong arms of his boyfriend. He felt secure, warm, he felt- well, he felt fuzzy, happy, even.

One, two, three, four, his finger tapped  in succession against the side of Beef neck, a pleasant flurry of butterflies swimming in his stomach.

Beef gave a small, happy chuckle, leaving a small kiss in Etho's hair.

"I love you too."
———

uwu idk. A bit janky, ig, but yeah.

Ik its just a rehash of a previous chapter but I like this one more-

And uh- schools started for me and-

1) Lets just say, my English teacher is a dick, so I don't have much free time
2) now apply that to my physics and math teacher

Not much time to write :/ sorry

Oh! And I got a gf :D

-yours, no longer that lonely :D