soa: the promise (tig x Asma)

(SoA: The promise)

Tig found her in the living room, worn out by the busy day she had at work and nursing her migraine with some aspirin. He walked to her kitchen to fetch himself some beer and walked back into the living room she had not left. It wasn't like her to not greet him. She would always run towards him, jump on him and have him carry her, but not that night. Tomorrow she was supposed to have the right side of her torso tattooed, just like his was, with their names entwined and some other details he kinda forgot. Was she nervous about it? He curbed a brow and sat on the chair in front of her.

"No hug for me?" He teased her with but she kept her eyes closed and ran her hand through her black mane.

"Not in the mood tonight, Tig." She sighed, massaging her scalp to ease her migraine away.

"What's wrong Bella? A few days ago you were all up in my face and now you're giving me the cold shoulder." He fake-complained, trying to stir a reaction from her but she remained stoic. the pain, maybe.

"Are we going to argue? Cause if we are, then you won and let's call it a day." She sighed again before she grumbled and wrapped her hands around the back of her neck.

"I was joking, Bella. Talk to me. What's up?"

"Long day..."

"It has nothing to do with tomorrow, has it?" He asked, his icy blue eyes scanning her very reactions.

Since he met her, and with the help of Jessica, Tig learned how to notice and handle those "moments" she sometimes had. Asma was a sensitive person, and she didn't do well with change. She freaked out very often and therefore, he had to make some serious efforts to at least spare her some worries. A little text here, to tell her he was alive and okay. cuddles at night, anything to make her feel safe. Right now, she wasn't feeling safe. He could tell by the goosebumps on her arms, the eyes constantly shifting as if her fight or flight instinct had been triggered. He bent forward, his baby blues inquisitive now.

"Bella?" -He insisted since she did not answer him.-

"It has." She admitted. her eyes still avoiding him. "It has plenty." She added.

"Why?"

"It's a big deal for me, Alex. It's a..... I've been engaged before, you know that. I've been engaged to a man who had everything good and was everything nice, until he wasn't. Until he wasn't and I'm not sure I want...Are we really doing this?"

"I did it already, Asma. I have your name on my fucking body. I put some ink there, because of you, because I WANTED TO. I trust you, Asma." He stood up and then crouched next to her. his hands gently stroked her arms and his face looked at the young woman who was shaking.

"I trust you to, but..."

"I'm not Oscar. I can never hit you." He said, cupping her cheek. "I will not hurt you the way he did."

"Will you stop loving me?" Her voice was a whisper now. She was on the verge of crying and would have curled into a ball if she could. He shook his head and cupped her cheek with his large hand. "You don't know how it is to be with someone like me."

"Someone like you? What does that even mean?"

"I have PTSD Tig.... from domestic violence. There would be days or nights where I wouldn't be able to be near you. Where I wouldn't allow you to be closer...Are you sure, are you sure you won't have enough of comforting me? of always being there for me? you've seen how I freak out, right? you've seen me when Jess was missing, right? so.. do you really want /me/?"

"Are you kidding??? Fuck, Asma! I'm the real messed up asshole here. I'm crazy, I'm a motherfucker with blood on my hands. I have lost my first family, my wife, my kids...I'm messed up in my fucking head. And you still want me." He chuckled, trying to lighten her mood, which worked a little bit. "You here, your name on my skin is a promise I made to myself."

"A promise?" She asked, leaning into his touch.

" Yeah. I will always protect you. even from me. You're the first good thing I ever had and I will take care of you. You think it's asking too much from me? you think the burden is on you? Nope, it ain't. that's on me. That's on me. That's my responsibility to make you happy.."

"It's mine too. I want to make you happy too." She whispered as she cupped his cheek. "I just want you to be alright, Tig and happy with me. I am in love with you, so fucking in love I don't know what to do with this...."

"You could do me." He teased her with, which made her chuckle.

"I could do you, yeah."

-TBC-