A/N: I'm sorry this took so long to get out! Hopefully this relatively sweet chapter will make up for that. :) Also, feedback is much appreciated!
The chain's clinking was growing rather annoying, making Lila feel anxious. She wished he could have simply carried her, but that was a childish desire. However this time it was not just her own safety she feared for, but for Eddie's as well. She knew he was strong and quick, but what if he were outnumbered? Then they would both end up dead, rather quickly too.
"Eddie?" She said softly, her words staining the near darkness. "Please be careful."
His only response was a gentle hand, slowly trailing down her arm to firmly grip her hand and squeeze it reassuringly. Lila returned the squeeze with a sigh, feeling less like a dog on a walk thanks to the acknowledgement. She did wonder what exactly he meant by preparations, as they were in an asylum. He could see remarkably well in this darkness, and she was thankful for that.
"Ah! Here we are, my love." Eddie said happily as they walked into a large room, abundant with sewing machines and mannequins. Some of said mannequins looked a tad too realistic, men's horror stricken faces frozen in place. Lila swallowed the bile that threatened to rise in her throat, trying to remain calm. It was her wedding night, after all. Eddie came over and removed the metal collar around her neck, earning himself a grateful peck on the cheek.
He began to walk this way and that, searching for materials. He was humming that song again, the same one she had heard when she woke up. Lila played with the edge of her dress, unsure what to do, not wanting to let her eyes fall on any of the bodies in the room. He came over to her, a pile of off white fabric in his arms along with sewing scissors and various other tools.
"I have waited for you to come along my whole life. This night, is something I have often dreamt of. And my love, I won't have it be anything short of perfect for us." Eddie said, his eyes taking on an intense glimmer of something insane, and something like love. "As I have told you, my darling.. I have been with others before, and I regret every one of them. But you, Lila, I know we are meant to be together."
"Eddie-.." She said his name with such adoration, it came as a surprise. It must have registered with him as well, because he leant forward and kissed her slowly, savoring her lips. He could be so painfully gentle when he wanted to be, it was adorable. She just hoped she had seen the last of his temper for some time yet.
He laughed then, "You distract a poor man like me too easily, Lila."
"I must apologize then." Lila said with a playful smirk, taking the stack of things from him and setting them on a near table. She then made an effort to smooth her dress out, biting her lip girlishly and feigning nervousness, knowing full well he was watching her. She then lifted her hand towards him, beckoning him closer. He obliged, taking her hand and approaching her. She then embraced him, pressing her small frame against his body in a warm hug.
A muffled "Love you." was said against his chest.
Eddie made a quiet content sound, nuzzling her neck gently and inhaling her scent.
A short eternity seemed to pass before they pulled away from each other, knowing full well they had a wedding to get ready for. She then had to promise she would not distract him any longer, at least not until after they were married of course. And with that, Eddie set about making her wedding dress.
"I am sorry it will have to be a private wedding, if that isn't what you want. But we must make do with what we have, my bride."
"No no, that's fine really." Lila insisted. "My family and I.. well, we aren't exactly close."
It was true, her father blamed her for her mother's death. There was nothing she could have done. Her delusional father had believed that somehow Lila could fix her, even though she was terminally ill with lymphoma, and was going to wither away slowly no matter what. She had to get away from them both, as she could not stand to watch her mother die like that, and the constant pressure from her father was far too much to bear. And so she took the job offered at Mount Massive, far away from her native New York, running away from her problems. The decision weighed on her every day.
"I'm sorry to hear that, love." Eddie said, appearing as though he was not really listening, which was understandable. Why would he care about her problems?
He had started up a sewing machine now, the rhythmic mechanical sound grating on her ears. Lila remained quiet, stuck in a host of unpleasant thoughts. She was a little startled once he spoke again, not expecting him to say anything more.
"You noticed my scars earlier. Those are courtesy of my father, sometimes my uncle too." He said in a cold tone, not making eye contact with her. "So I am glad this will be a private wedding."
"Oh, Eddie." Lila whispered, her eyes tearing up a bit. She felt the overwhelming urge to hold him and promise to never hurt him, but she knew by his posture that would be a bad idea right now. He had suffered so much more than she could ever fathom, no wonder he needed some sort of outlet. Even if the outlet was mutilation…
"I am going to be far better than he was, I will be the best father to our children." Eddie said, turning to look at her now, his face softening slightly when he saw her close to tears. "It's alright, Lila. Now that I have you here."
"You're a good man, Eddie." Lila said, touched by his desire to be the father he never had. Although it was highly improbably that she was pregnant now, she was sure he would make love to her again in the future. At least she really hoped so.
"Your dress is done." Eddie said with a grin, halting the machine and holding out the finished product for her. "Traditionally, I would not be able to see you until the ceremony, but I will not risk leaving you alone."
"I wouldn't want you to leave anyways." She confessed, looking over the mostly white gown before her. It was not a bad looking dress, for what it was. It was simple, but in some areas the stitching was rather obvious.
She stripped down and he carefully helped her into the dress. Lila looked down, noticing it fit her surprisingly well, tight around her waist and then the skirt being loose. She must have looked strange in a white dress, her skin stained blue and black in so many places with bruises and dried blood. But the dress made her feel desirable, with the subtle feminine touches like the accentuated waist and bosom.
Lila did a little spin, and then asked "How do I look?"
"You look beautiful. Even more than I could have ever imagined." Eddie praised, staring at her as though she were some kind of goddess, or possibly as if he were trying to decide whether to ravage her on the spot or wait until later. "My perfect bride…"
For the first time, she did not feel like a vulnerable child under the intensity of his gaze. Instead, feeling like a powerful woman. That look that caused a surge of pleasant warmth inside her body. One that made her long to touch him or be touched, but touches infused with love and not just lust. Those were definitely not the things she should be thinking about now, but perhaps later she would act upon those naughty thoughts and try to please her new husband.