#link wants to be visible Rhett wants to stay hidden

[casperghosty]

why did he look at Rhett like that ??? he was so clearly saying this to Rhett.....

[watermelonrandom]

Heal

This takes place after Rhett gets free from a Dom.

When Rhett finally gets out, he runs. He doesn't stop until he can't breathe anymore and there's a big chance of his legs giving out. Only then does he catch a taxi. The car starts moving and the driver asks him where to go.

“Home,” he replies quietly, “I need to go home.”

“I’m going to need more than that, buddy,” the taxi driver chuckles.

Rhett catches his eyes in the mirror.

***

It's almost one AM when something wakes Link up. It takes him a good minute to realize that someone's knocking on his front door. He's convinced, considering how late it is, it must be something important so he quickly throws on a pair of sweatpants and hurries down the stairs. I really should get that doorbell fixed.

Link can see a person's silhouette through the glass in the door and immediately recognizes it as Rhett's. That makes him even more worried than he already was. Why didn't he call me? He unlocks the door quickly. "Rhett?"

The other man lifts his head up and Link's blood turns cold. He can see not only tears running down his friend's face but also an ugly bruise that's forming on Rhett's cheek. Reacting on instinct, Link reaches towards Rhett's shoulders as he notices how much they're shaking but stops himself when Rhett visibly flinches. It takes Link a second to figure out what to do now.

"Come in," he says, moving out of the way and leaving Rhett a lot of space. He leads him into the kitchen and asks him to sit down, then spends a good minute gathering a few different things.

He gets back to Rhett as soon as possible. "Look at me?" Link murmurs. Rhett hasn't said anything but at least he's listening. Link's not really sure if that's a good thing, considering the circumstances, even if that makes his job significantly easier.

He starts cleaning up Rhett's face with a wet towel. Rhett shuts his eyes tightly but Link doesn't know if he's doing it because he's embarrassed or because he’s in that much pain. Just in case, he tries to be extra careful. 

He takes a closer look at the skin on Rhett's cheek. It's obviously way too late for an ice pack. He throws the one he prepared into the sink and decides to apply a generous amount of arnica cream instead. It should help with the swelling and hopefully it will also treat the discoloration. His hands are shaking but he manages to cover Rhett’s entire cheek with it. After doing that, he pushes a glass of water and two ibuprofens into Rhett's hand.

"Are you hurt anywhere else?" he asks. When Rhett's eyes start darting to the door in panic, Link raises his hands, palms facing forward, and takes a small step back. “Hey, hey, hey. It's okay. You don't have to- can I come closer?”

After a painfully long moment, Rhett hesitantly nods his head. It pains Link to see him act so untrusting but he understands. As slowly as he can, he moves back to his previous spot, right in front of Rhett.

“Put your hand on my chest,” he says, keeping his eyes fixed on Rhett's face, “Good. That's good, Rhett. Now just keep breathing, okay?”

He stays silent for a long time, giving Rhett a chance to even out his breathing. “You don't have to talk if you don't want to. It's okay. But I want to make sure you're- That you're physically fine. Will you let me do that? Just nod or shake your head.”

A tiny nod.

“Yeah, just like that, Rhett. Alright. Do you want to take a shower first?"

Rhett nods again and starts moving towards the stairs. Link follows him in silence. He can see that Rhett's legs are trembling a little. There's also a weird stiffness in his movement. Link looks higher and that's when notices faint red lines on the back of Rhett's shirt. He knows it’s blood and the thought makes him dizzy. He wants to ask so many questions but now is not the time for it. Rhett would probably just run away again, just like he did when Link confronted him in the office.

They walk into the bathroom and Link turns on the shower, making sure the water's warm enough. He gives Rhett a bottle of body wash for sensitive skin and a big, fluffy towel.

“You're up for it, buddyroll? Think you'll be alright on your own?”

Another nod. A more determined one.

Link accepts his answer but still decides to add that he'll be right outside the door in the bedroom in case Rhett needed him. He tells Rhett to take his time and then leaves, closing the door behind him quietly.

Rhett strips down and walks into the shower. The water is pleasantly hot but Rhett notices that after going down his back, it turns its color to an ugly shade of brown. That almost makes him faint but he pushes through it. A little bit of blood shouldn't bother him that much. Right?

He starts cleaning himself, the body wash making the cuts on his back and thighs sting even more. He likes it. It makes him feel something and right now that's good enough. He doesn't mind pain, not when the feeling of emptiness is the alternative.

He swallows back tears and continues. He focuses solely on the task of cleaning himself. He scrubs so hard that when he's done, his skin is red. He’d love to stay under the shower for a little bit longer, or maybe forever, but he doesn't have the strength to do that.

He steps out. While reaching for a towel, he catches a glimpse of himself in the mirror. His entire back is covered with thin red lines. He looks- He doesn't even want to think what Link's going to think.

When he walks out of the bathroom, he sees Link finishing changing the sheets on his bed. He also notices a small medkit on the bedside table. He had no idea Link had something like that at his house. For a second, both men just stand there in silence.

"I know that your back is hurting," he hears Link say, "Anything else?"

"My thighs," Rhett replies. Even he is surprised by the sound of his own voice. It sounds hoarse and tired. Rhett's not sure if that's because of his crying or screaming. Probably both.

Link nods his head and sits down on the edge of the bed, leaving a lot of empty space. "Can you lie down on your stomach for me?"

Rhett tries not to think about Link's request too much. He doesn't want to remember the last time he was in that position. Moving extremely slowly, he lies down on the bed.

"I'm going to remove your towel in a second. I have aloe vera, it should help with any inflammation and soothe the pain..."

Rhett appreciates Link taking the time to walk him through the process but he can't really focus on the words he's hearing.

When Link finally starts applying the gel on his back, Rhett gets overwhelmed with emotions. He feels completely exposed and so ashamed of the way he looks. Link's not stupid, he must have figured out what happened by now. Link knows that he let someone hurt him and Rhett doesn't know how to deal with it. He'd love to run away and just hide but his cuts finally stop hurting so damn much and that's such a relief. He starts crying again, soaking the duvet under him.

He hisses quietly when Link applies more of the stuff to a particularly deep cut right above his hip.

“I know. I'm sorry.”

Link apologizes using the softest tone he has ever heard and Rhett instantly regrets not being able to hold that noise in. He'd hate for Link to think be doesn't appreciate what he's doing.

“Not your fault,” Rhett replies, his face still half-hidden, “You're helping.

”Before Rhett can realize what's happening, he's being tightly wrapped in a blanket. He doesn't know why but Link tucking him in somehow makes him feel better. He watches Link as he goes around the room turning off every lamp except for the one on the bedside table. That helps Rhett calm down even more. He doesn't feel like he's on a display anymore. But when he sees Link moving towards the door, he feels his panic rising again to the surface.

"No, wait, I-" Rhett stammers. He couldn't possibly ask Link to stay with him, could he? It's bad enough that he woke him up in the middle of the night and basically forced Link to take care of him.

Before Rhett can say anything else, Link moves back to him and starts smoothing out the blanket around Rhett's waist. “I'm just going to clean up this mess, okay?” He points at the pile of disregarded items still lying on the floor. “I'll be right back, I promise.”

Rhett wants to shout out that he doesn't care about the mess and can Link please stay with him as he can't stand being alone right now... But he has no right to do any of that. He stays quiet.

“Rhett?”

“Go,” Rhett squeezes the word out but he's not really surprised when Link looks at him with concern, “I'll be- I am fine.”

Link looks around the room undecided, then shrugs his shoulder. “You know what, I can do that later.” He smiles at Rhett, then quickly shifts an armchair closer to the bed and sits down in it.

Rhett's eyelids are getting too heavy to keep them open but he's still trying to fight his exhaustion. Maybe staying here isn't the best idea. I should be at home. I kicked Link out of his own bed. I don't-

As soon as Link's hand settles down on his forearm in a reassuring fashion, Rhett gives up and closes his eyes. I'll apologize tomorrow.

"That's right, Rhett. You need rest," Link says quietly, “And I'll be right here.”

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(Not mine: it’s an edited repost by barty_l. Took me so long to edit out all the stuff to make it tumbler appropriate)

Ones were they take care of each other make me so happy