Scars and Memories

When Eric was forced in bed by Sinbad, compelled to rest to let his wound heal, SInbad was pretty strict on his no-sex politic. They had, though, plenty of time to cuddle and talk.
In the past years Sinbad had learnt quite a lot about his so elusive and quiet lover, but there were plenty more secrets Eric still didn’t want to share. Talking about his life on the wall, for instance, was still a taboo. And he still refused to explain the story behind his scars. Hell, it had taken years to make him stop being so embarrassed about being naked, and he still hadn’t managed that completely! SInbad had gathered it wasn’t being naked per se that made the male uncomfortable… well, not only that: Eric wanted to hide his bodies mainly to hide his scars. And he had quite many… not just the more evident ones, there was also a whole spiderweb of light scars on his whole body, but when Sinbad had tried to ask about them, Eric had closed up as a porcupine. Now, though, he had no way to hide and nowhere to go. Sinbad could wring his secrets out of him…

It was afternoon, Eric and Sinbad were lazily laying in bed, Eric was lying on his back while SInbad was on his side, looking down at the other boy. Sinbad had tried to extort Eric the story about his wound, managing to make him confess it at least in rough lines: he gathered it had been a fight with a group of wildlings, apparently too many compared to he number of crows. Sinbad was absent-mindedly passing a finger on Eric’s chest, following the trail of some old scars and carefully avoiding the new wound. He was so distracted he reached Eric’s groin without even realizing, he noticed where his hand was only when the boy moaned blushing
“Sinbad… stop…”
SInbad grinned amused, they both knew Sinbad wasn’t going to have sex with the male, but he could still tease him a little…
“I do wonder how such a tough warrior as you are, with such tough skin that allows him to travels miles with that wound…” he started talking, letting his finger tickle Eric’s thigh “can be so sensitive and receptive in certain spots…” he finished teasing him, letting his finger tease him between his butt cheeks. Eric moaned, blushing and arching his back “Sinbad…” he called him in a plea.
The male grinned satisfied, but he agreed to let Eric be. To his surprise, though, after a moment of silence, Eric spoke up again
“I used to be really sensitive in general, you know…”
Sinbad didn’t think Eric was actually going to answer, after all he was just teasing him. Sure, SInbad had easily noticed how the male was so overly sensitive in his private parts, thing that he also loved about him… but he didn’t expect an explanation about it… and he especially didn’t expect Eric to give i to him so easily… he could only guess that all this relaxing and cuddling had made him more forthcoming… well, Sinbad wasn’t going to stop him!
“As a child… I used to whine every time I cut myself… every time I saw blood…” Eric couldn’t hide his face as usual now, he could only turn slightly away, but Sinbad still had a pretty good view of his blushing cheeks.
“I told you my family took me a sword master when I was 8…”
“I remember” SInbad nodded, encouraging him to continue
“Well… to get me used to pain, he made me cut myself every day. The first two years I cried every time I had to do so, then… I just got used to the pain… It’s not like I don’t feel it, it’s just… I don’t care anymore…”
Sinbad was simply horrified. How could hey have done that to a child? To their own son?
“Your scars…” he suddenly realized, and Eric’s silent nodding confirmed it: his spiderweb of scars, the one he was so afraid to show and so reticent to talk about, he had to inflict that to himself! It was years and years of self cutting… No wonder he was so ashamed of that… and he still had decided to tell him… Sinbad had the instinct to hug him, but he didn’t want to hurt him. Instead, he rested his forehead against Eric’s
“oh my poor, fucked up boy…” he commented with tenderness
“I wish I could go back in time and fix this…” he whispered, with a hint of sadness in his voice
“I don’t.” Eric’s answer was firm “If I didn’t go through this… maybe I would have never met you”
Sinbad stared at he male in the eyes, before he turned his surprise in a chuckle
“I love you” he whispered nuzzling him.
As always, Eric didn’t reply with words, instead he rose slightly his head and kissed him with passion.