Work Text:
Jack has always wondered why you chose to never speak. It's something that has nagged in the back of his head for as long as he has known you. You managed to converse with him through text messages or writing in a journal for him to read but you always remind silent. You made some sounds like a quiet giggle or a hum but as far as words you spoke none. You two have been together for quiet some time but he still never had the courage to ask you why you never spoke a single word. But at the same time, you never asked him about his past so he didn't want to pry into yours. As far as he knows, you lived alone for a long time and your family wasn't on speaking terms with you for reasons you wouldn't mention. But as far as he was concerned, he loved you deeply despite not knowing much about you at all.
It was getting late into the evening when he got back to your little apartment building. He knew he got home much earlier than you would expect so he figured he could surprise you when he got up there. He quietly turned to the key to the door and silently closed it behind him. A mischievous smile crossed his face as he noticed you weren't in the living room or kitchen. Figuring you were in your room he made his way down the little hall were your room was. As he approached your room he reached for the door knob when he paused.
"Lost in the shadow’s lonely embrace. I’m trapped in a web of my own mistakes."
He started to wonder if his age was finally catching up to him, now he started hearing things like phantom singing. He cracked the door open slightly and saw you sitting on your bed staring out the window. You didn't seem to notice that he was there when you opened your mouth.
"What was my light, fades away. My mind’s swarming with these memories that still haunt me."
He was in awe at how beautiful your voice was but more importantly you could actually talk! He was astonished at the fact you hid such a beautiful voice from him but why? He tried to piece together in his head why you never spoke if you could in the first place.
"Time and again, I call out your names. So hopelessly certain you'll do the same."
He decided to go ahead and enter your room instead of continuing the eavesdropping he had been doing. You caught him enter your room out of the corner of your eye and quickly turned to look at him your eyes conveying your shock. He heard you, he heard you sing and inside you started to internally panic. How could you have let your guard down so easily?! It was going to start all over again! You got caught singing and you were going to get hurt again and-
"Don't stop," Jack whispered. You snapped out of your panic and looked at him as he sat down next to you. "Please don't stop singing." he quietly pleaded to you. He wanted to hear your voice again, he wanted to hear you sing again. You looked up into his eyes and seen the love and care you had always had when you looked at him. You knew that Jack would never anything to hurt you and yet inside you still feel that old pain inside your heart. You pushed away the worry growing inside and started again.
"Please, wait for me, my dear friends."
When you started to sing, you felt Jack's arms wrap around you and pull you gently into his chest. You jumped slightly at the contact between you two even though you tried to not be so frightened by it. His head sat on top of your own and his arms was wrapped loosely around you. He could feel your racing heart and wondered why you seemed so anxious as he listened to your beautiful voice ring out one last time.
"Though I did what I thought I had to do. I still lost you."
After finishing the song you slowly look up at Jack and saw the amazement and confusion on his face and the worry started to set in again. He smiled gently and planted a kiss on your forehead and petted your head to calm you down. After a few minutes, sensing you were calm again Jack gently turned you around to speak to you face to face. He had only one real question in his mind but it was one that he dreaded asking you all this time.
"Why?" he questioned. "Why have you never spoke until now?" You hung your head low and reached for the journal that you kept by you. Part of Jack wanted to hear it in your own words but he didn't want to make you any more uncomfortable than you already were. You quickly flipped open the page and started to writing.
*Remember how I told you my family and I rarely spoke to each other?* Jack silently nodded as he wondered if your family had something to do with your silence. You paused for a moment trying to collect your own thoughts. It had been along time since you spoke about the past and you really wished you didn't have to. But in your heart you knew that Jack had to know the truth sooner or later. You just hoped it doesn't tear you two apart.
*Well.... they are the reason I don't talk anymore.* Jack's eyes widen slightly as you continued to write, tears starting to well in your eyes.
*My family was abusive to me when I was growing up. Every little word said out of line and I was punished severely. It got to the point if I spoke at all, I was hurt over and over again. So eventually I just stopped talking in hopes that if I was silent I wouldn't be hurt anymore. Even after I left home I was too afraid to speak to anyone. I was too terrified of being hurt again so I stayed silent. I just didn't want to be in pain anymore.* Your tears were trailing down your cheeks as you wrote, memories of the past flashing before your eyes. Your tears had started to stain the pages as you was lost in the past.
Jack's eyes wandered over your writing over and over again, his blood was boiling in his veins. How could anyone do such a thing to an innocent person like you?! His fury was boundless inside him at the thought of your own family hurting you for simply speaking! But a part of him inside was deeply hurt at the fact you thought he would hurt you if you spoke to him. He noticed that you were crying as he gently hugged you into his chest wiping away your tears.
"It's okay you know," he whispered to you. You snapped out of the painful memories as you heard Jack's voice. "You can let your voice free around me. There's nothing to fear anymore ok?" He gently cupped your face into hands and tilted your head to look at him. He saw your redden eyes and he gently kissed you rubbing more tears out of your eyes.
"It doesn't have to be all at once. We'll take this one step at a time and I'll wait as long I have to hear your beautiful voice again." he gently reassured you. You smiled weakly more tears trailing down and nuzzled yourself into his chest. He wrapped his arms around you hugging you gently as he wanted to build that trust with you. He was true to his word in being patient to hear that voice of yours again. Whether it would be a simple good morning or that I love you he has wanted to hear forever now. He was here to stay and nothing was going hurt you ever again while he was still around.