It was far easier to block that cry of pain than it had been to stop the whimper, but even still, small mewling sounds escaped her throat as she leaned back against the wall. Her mother marched out of the room, her father close on her heels. Already she could feel her wrist healing, the bones locking back into place. Her blood was drying over slowly closing wounds and still, all Fuiasu could do was sit there.
It was not the first time her mother had laid a hand on her, nor would it be the last. But that didn't mean she didn't wonder, didn't hope and didn't blame herself. Maybe she should have been born a boy; maybe her life would have been-her thoughts froze as she felthim, as he was suddenly kneeling before her. There was the strangest look on his face as he stared at her. "I don't want you're pity," she said coldly, barely managing to keep her voice from breaking.
Carefully, Toga reached out to touch the blood on her neck, horribly, morbidly shocked from what he had just witnessed. As his fingers brushed against skin that was mostly healed, he found himself fascinated. It was the first time she had allowed him to touch her. "I don't pity you," he said quietly, finally meeting her eyes. Deciding now was not the time for charades, he dropped the careful façade he was so used to using with her, with the court.
Uncertain, Fuiasu studied him. Gone was the dashing young male the court knew; no longer was he staring her down with falsely smoldering eyes and rakish charm. Gone was the overly strong sense of arrogance and entitlement. He was just a man and he was looking at her as if she were just a woman. She bit her lip, suddenly exhausted, so much so that she could not bring herself to hide behind her usual coldness, either. "Then what do you want?"
o.O.o
Word Count - 330