Disclaimer: I don't own anything from Texas Chainsaw Massacre
A noise woke Winry, her mind went from calm to panicked in a second after realizing that she had fallen asleep. Curled up in a ball under the thin sheet Winry nearly stretched out before stopping herself and listened for the noise again. A creak had her tensing more as the bedroom door was slowly opened. Winry faced the wall with the boarded window and wished she could roll over to see who was entering the room without them noticing her. Instead she lay tense, closing her eyes to help herself focus her hearing without any distractions.
The door didn't make another noise so she could only assume they hadn't closed it. The silence in the room was unbearable, she didn't know who was in the room or how close they were to her. Winry nearly rolled over to end the tension when she felt a dip in the mattress making her jump out of the bed, but the sheet kept her from doing so gracefully and she tumbled and fell off the other side of the bed. Last second she remembered her injured wrist and held it to her chest, leaving her left arm to take most of the fall as she landed hard.
A short silence followed before she sat up and looked over the bed and saw Thomas sitting on the edge of the mattress, his eyes looked alarmed, but he stayed in place and they eyed each other. With a huff she kicked the sheet off of herself and when her hair fell over her face she eyed the door through the brown curls and saw it was still open like she had assumed. When her left hand shoved the mass of curls out of her vision she already had her eyes on him again acting like the open exit didn't exist. She wouldn't make it out before he grabbed her anyway.
"What do you want?" her words came out quieter than she had hoped, but he seemed to have heard her when his head tilted, though he didn't respond. When she opened her mouth to talk again he quickly stood up which made Winry's body jerk and scoot back into the wall behind her. He was still as he watched her chest rise and fall like a rabbit, his eyes then noticed the wrist she had injured running from him, seeing that a bruise was beginning to darken her skin.
When he didn't move she swallowed and attempted to speak louder, "What do you want?" Winry's eyes widened when he swiftly grabbed something she couldn't see over the bed, he moved quickly for such a large man. Lifting the item into view she saw a brown duffle bag and she nearly smiled. It was her bag, though how he knew it was hers surprised her till he lifted another bag that belonged to Marlene. It hit her then that he hadn't known, he had just grabbed the bags that had women's clothes. The thought of Marlene made her almost smile die down instantly.
Thomas placed both bags on the bed, his mama had told him she might like her things, though after the family had gone through the bags to make sure there wasn't anything bad in them. Not knowing which one to give her, he had brought them both, his hope was that it would make her pleased with him.
"My friends…"
The words made him tense and his hands closed into fists, hearing her soft inhale he looked to see her eyeing his hands and he relaxed till they lay flat at his sides. He pointed at the bags before backing up and turning towards the door to leave. Thomas didn't want her afraid of him, his mama said she would need time and he would give it to her.
Seeing him leave, Winry lifted to her knees and grabbed at the mattress to pull herself up, following around the bed after him. "Wait please, my boyfriend-" her words tumbled out and she hadn't realized how close she was to him till he turned back and Winry stopped in her steps and realized she was close enough for them to touch each other. Now that she was aware of the proximity to him she took a shuffling step backward and regretted it when he walked out and slammed the door shut hearing it lock before she could try and open it.
With a curse she tentatively made her way to the door jiggling the handle confirming it was locked. Her head slowly came into contact with the door and she rested her forehead there for a moment, she felt stupid for not asking more, but he hadn't even spoken to her.
While she threw a small pity party a sound drew her attention from outside her room and she quickly backed up when she heard a key entering the lock. Assuming it would be Thomas she put herself next to the foot of the bed not wanting to be too close again.
The door opened to show Luda Mae, but before she could rush to the door she saw the Sheriff step in and lean against the door frame which stopped Winry in her tracks. He smirked at her and his words held a taunting tone, "going to try something? You wouldn't get far, girl." When he saw her frown and break eye contact he chuckled and left down the hall, but she knew he wasn't far, he had come in with his mother to remind her she was outmanned.
"Don't mind him dear, he means well." Luda Mae spoke as she looked Winry over and held out a hand. "Now let's get some dinner for you, hmm?" The smile on the older woman's face was nothing but sweet and innocent.
Blinking slowly Winry wanted to laugh, but held it back and took another step away from the door and Luda Mae. "I really need some answers, you killed my friends and have my boyfriend strapped down in your basement and you've kidnapped me." Her words came faster and faster as her hands moved to express her frustration till Winry winced as she rotated her right wrist too much.
Seeing the wince Luda Mae went into the bathroom and Winry heard the sink run and shut off, Luda Mae came out holding a wet cloth that which she handed over. "This should help a bit."
Staring at the hand cloth for a moment Winry slowly took it with her left hand and felt the cool water wet her hand, she placed it on her right wrist and held it there staring at the cloth for a moment. "Please I just want to know what you're going to do to me, if you're going to kill me just do it…"
"Oh no child, you have nothing to fear, you're a good one. I could tell when you came in all sweet as pie and were kind to my boy." Luda Mae's words were filled with joy as she eyed the bed and saw the blanket pulled over the end, "Oh my, I didn't think to air out the room or dust. I wasn't expecting company." Walking to the door she exited into the hallway and looked back at Winry, "I can do that after dinner, come on down."
Hesitating a moment Winry slowly made her way to Luda Mae and followed the woman down the hall and then the stairs, her eyes taking in the closed doors which she assumed were other bed rooms. At the top of the stairs she stopped and watched Luda Mae walk down before again following her, the older woman turned into the kitchen as Winry looked forward and the front door was right there, still open except for the closed screen doors. When her foot touched the last step a hand grabbed her right arm and pulled her off the stairs.
Sheriff Hoyt held onto her arm tightly and turned her to look at him, his eyes bore into hers for a long time before he finally spoke quietly, "You're a guest as long as you act like one, so be a good girl. Do NOT make this worse for yourself." When she didn't react he shook her arm a little and she nodded and said 'yes sir' softly before looking at the ground.
"Hoyt? You bring her in here so she doesn't get lost."
The sheriff pulled her towards the door that led into the kitchen where she and Marlene had seen poor Mark dead. When Winry hesitated slightly he gripped her arm even tighter and she gave a small yelp and entered into the kitchen. Her eyes fell to where Mark's body had been and the floor was old and stained enough that she couldn't tell if she could see a blood stain or not.
"Oh good she's here, call Thomas while I grab the soup." Luda Mae tutted around the kitchen as Winry took in the room now that she was aware of her surroundings and not drugged. It could be a cute kitchen, but it was covered in a layer of grime that would take a lot of work to clean off. A crate and wood planks were piled on top of the fridge and looked ready to topple at the slightest touch, jars were spread out on counters filled with preserves, other utensils littered the rest of the counter spaces
Hoyt brought her to a chair and demanded she sit while he moved to help Monty move a chair so he could fit his wheelchair better. Slowly sitting she nearly jumped back up when the sheriff hollard Thomas's name. Now sitting in the chair closest to the wall she was tense as she heard a slow pounding of feet from outside the kitchen and the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end when she suddenly felt like someone was standing closely behind her. He was a large man and he made noise when he moved, but he also could move silently and that put her on edge. He must know every floor board that creaks in this house to avoid them.
Breathing as slow and softly as she could to keep calm she moved her hands into her lap and held the cloth tightly to her wrist, her shoulders began to shake from the tension and when she felt the whisper of a hand pet her hair a whine started in the back of her throat before she could stop it.
"Oh Thomas, leave the poor girl alone and wash up for supper."
The feeling at her back was gone and she could see Thomas make his way to the sink and wash his hands, his apron was gone, but he was still in the same clothes she had seen him in at the gas station. Her eyes flicked to the back of his sweat stained shirt and then back to the table before a pot was placed in the center of the table making her jolt and close her eyes to keep from screaming out. She was too tense and even with the nap she was exhausted.
Monty began to grumble about being hungry and Luda Mae smacked at Hoyt to wait for prayer before he could snag a roll and take a bite, the sheriff whining made Winry open her eyes and take in what would be a normal family dinner if not for what had happened to her and her friends. When no one paid her any mind she felt herself settle till the chair to her right pulled out and her tension returned as Thomas sat down beside her.
Sitting next to her their postures nearly identical as Thomas sat tense with his hands resting in his lap, he kept his head down and used his hair to hide his sideways stare, he couldn't help but notice how small she was compared to him. He wondered if she knew how much she shook as she sat there quietly trying to make herself appear even smaller to be unnoticed. Thomas slowly relaxed his own body and let his legs spread till his left leg pressed into her right one. She jerked and pulled herself as far to the left as she could, but the kitchen table was small and she had nowhere to go, being between him and the wall. Maybe if they had been at the dining room table she would have had more room to avoid him, but thankfully they weren't.
Winry…he had learned her name from him mama after they had first met. He knew her whole name, but Winry suited her just fine. He wanted to say it outloud, but his words never came out right. Maybe it would come out right one day, he would like that.
She could feel the heat from his leg as he let himself relax next to her and she didn't know what to do, she couldn't get up and move, the family might be trying to act normal and dish food out in bowls. They also did nothing about the giant man next to her, she didn't even know what they were going to do with her, they wouldn't tell her anything or answer any questions.
A bowl was placed in front of her and she felt Thomas move his leg back to his side enough that it only grazed her own instead of being under constant pressure. Her eyes stared at the bowl and she could see chunks of meat and vegetables, the broth smelled good, but she didn't have an appetite. Hoyt stayed standing as everyone sat and bowed their heads, she looked around till she felt Thomas palm the back of her head and force it down slightly. Winry nearly fought him, but he wasn't doing more than holding her head down to bow as the sheriff said grace.
While he spoke she could feel Thomas petting into her hair, his fingers worming their way into her strands till he was almost massaging her head. She couldn't hear the words being said, her whole focus on Thomas touching her. When she took a quiet breath and turned her eyes to the right she could easily see his eyes staring at her through his hair. Her eyes jerked back to her lap and she felt his hand make its way down to her neck where his large palm lay there, his fingers fanned around, his thumb settled on her pulse and she knew he could feel it pounding when he softly rubbed at it.
Grace was finished and suddenly his hand was gone and she could hear everyone begin to dig in around her, slowly looking back up she saw the family eating, but when she glanced at Thomas he was just sitting there with his hands in his lap, slightly hunched over and not eating.
"Oh don't mind Thomas, he's shy eating around new people. Especially someone as pretty as you." Luda Mae beamed a smile to her son before she began to eat again, Hoyt and Monty made non committal grunts as they continued to eat.
Looking at Thomas now fully she saw his mask and was surprised she had forgotten about it, but her mind was all over the place since a few hours ago. He wouldn't look at her, but she knew he could feel her stare when his right leg started bouncing and he hunched over more to have his hair help hide his face.
Turning back to her own bowl she just stared at her own food, she couldn't eat even if she wanted to, her friends were dead and she didn't know if Lee was still alive or not. The thought made her throat tighten, looking around again she couldn't hold it back and began to sob while demanding an answer, "why am I alive? What do you want from me? Please tell me, PLEASE!"
Hoyt paused in eating long enough to say 'Thomas' and before she knew it Winry was lifted by hands on her upper arms and hauled up by Thomas, he pulled her from the table and her feet skipped for a moment before being dragged out of the kitchen and back up stairs. Dropping the wet rag in surprise she couldn't fight him, if she did he could just lift her up again and force her where he wanted her to go. "Please I don't know what you want, I don't know why I'm alive." Her words came out choked and they were back in the room she now called her own, but Thomas didn't leave and he didn't let go of her left arm.
Loosening his hold he kept her in place looking down at her, she was so upset and he couldn't talk to her. His words never came out right and now wasn't the time to attempt speaking. His right hand came up and cupped the side of her face making her jump, but she couldn't move back with his hold on her arm.
"Please…"
The whispered plea made him sigh, but when the tears started to drip down her cheeks he moved to the bed and pulled her with him. He sat on the edge of the mattress and felt her resist him then with a soft 'no' before he pulled her next to him and made her sit by him. They sat next to each other tense for a while before he finally let go of her arm assuming she knew not to move, when she didn't his muscles lost some of their tension.
It didn't take long before she shuffled over from him to make room, but stopped when he made a noise in his throat. Winry's lips began to tremble and she pleaded with him again, "please…I don't know what you want." When he didn't move or acknowledge her words she looked up at him and used her good hand to shove her hair out of her face after being dragged before looking down and hunching over. "I just want to go home." She spoke so softly the words came out like a sigh and they seemed more of a statement for herself than him.
A grunt from him had her look back up in time to see him reach for her and grab both her arms to pull her toward him, she struggled, but it was no use and he had her off the bed and awkwardly pressed into his left leg. Her feet were on the floor now and she tried to use them as leverage to keep herself from falling into his lap, her legs nearly tangled on his one to try and keep her feet flat on the ground. Another grunt from him had her lookup and their eyes met and he looked upset before he finally forced her body haphazardly into his lap.
Her body was twisted and tense trying to get out of his lap, but he wouldn't release her and she feared the worst, but when he simply smashed his face into the crook of her neck and inhaled deeply she paused. When he exhaled she heard the near groan and then felt him wrap his arms around her body trapping her arms against herself.
"No, no! Stop!" She struggled harder and one of her legs fell between his own and she took the chance to smash her knee between his legs, but hit his gut instead when he pulled her body up. He grunted at the impact, but it didn't stop her from using the leverage to shove her knee in harder and it surprised him enough that she took the chance to get her other foot on the bed and kick him hard.
The pressure in his stomach made him let go and she almost fell backwards onto the floor, but he caught her arms again and stood to steady her. The sweet smell of her had been like a slice of heaven to him and he wanted to keep inhaling that scent. Rubbing his calloused fingers into the skin of her arms he couldn't help but notice how soft it felt and his eyes took in her skin more now that she was grasp.
He had glanced at her skin enough since they had met, but now that everything had calmed down he could admire it more, he kept rubbing her arms till she surprisingly jerked her arms from his grasp and he watched her run into the bathroom. Before he could get to her and open the door she had locked it. His fist softly made contact with the door, only a light thud could be heard from the bump, but her gasp was still loud. She must have assumed he would have broken the door down. He wasn't an animal, he was raised well enough not to enter a room unwanted.
When his knock was met with a loud and angry 'NO' he grunted in frustration and stormed out of her room and slammed the bedroom door shut on his way out. He wouldn't force her out, but it was upsetting she had locked herself away and wouldn't come out.
Winry waited after her door slammed shut and listened, he hadn't forced his way in, but he had been very grabby on the bed and she had worried what would have happened if she hadn't struggled. When it was still silent she finally unlocked the bathroom door and poked her head out, seeing the room really was empty she moved to the bedroom door and with a prayer tried the handle. It turned easily and she realized with wide eyes that in his rush he had left it unlocked. Winry nearly cried out happily, but smacked a hand over her mouth and slowly let the handle go so it wouldn't make any noise when it turned back.
Quickly she shucked the nightgown and put on her own clothes, undergarments finally and another pair of blue jeans and a black t-shirt with a large gray moth decorating the front. They hadn't left her backup pair of shoes in her or Marlene's bag so she decided to ignore socks and found nothing else useful in either of their bags. Winry grabbed a hair tie and pulled her brown curls into a low ponytail before she made her way back to the bedroom door and slowly she opened the door holding her breath.
It was still unlocked and the hallway was empty.
Not seeing or hearing anything she walked out into the hallway and stopped to listen. It sounded like someone might be moving around upstairs, so she slowly made her way to the stairs and tried to move quickly while still lightly testing the steps for noise while she worked her way to the bottom. Near the bottom she could hear the tv on louder than before, but she didn't hear anyone else till she was off the stairs and near the kitchen once again.
Winry moved as close to the kitchen's door frame as she could and heard Luda Mae talking to someone. She looked quickly enough to see Thomas at the sink and it looked like he was helping with the dishes while his mother spoke to him about girls and how Winry 'needs time' and how 'she needs to get to know you' which made Winry finally realize what Luda Mae had been telling her.
Now it made sense when Luda Mae had told her a few times that she and Thomas would get along well, the mom assumed she had found her son a girlfriend. Winry ripped her left hand up to cover mouth so her fast breathing wouldn't be heard, she wasn't a thing to be given to someone. Closing her eyes quickly and taking a deep breath through her nose to try and calm herself before letting the breath out slowly from her mouth she opened her eyes and focused. Dropping her hand from her mouth she settled it on the wall to steady herself.
Both Luda Mae and Thomas had their backs to the hall and the front door was still open with the screen doors the only barrier between her and the outside world. Lee was still in the house, but she couldn't get him out, she had tried and wasn't strong enough. This time she would need to find help, she had to hope she could find someone in town, any further out and she didn't know if any help she found would make it in time for Lee.
Creeping towards the front door and slowly pressing the screen door open and slipping herself out into the dying light of the sun, the door made a soft snap sound when it shut even though she let it go slowly. She closed her eyes for a second and listened, when she heard a shuffle she opened her eyes and saw to her dismay that Thomas was standing in the kitchen's doorway eyeing her.
It was too soon, of course they would be alert to any sound out of place. Her thoughts were loud in her head and again like in the basement they stared into each other's eyes and didn't move. Winry watched as his right hand slowly lifted towards her, he kept the rest of himself still as though not to spook her. His palm was up waiting for her to take it, she took her eyes away from his hand and looked him in the eyes again.
Come here, it's ok.
His body language felt calm, but she knew he was tense and ready, just like in the basement if she wasn't quick enough he would catch her. Winry's eyes flicked to her right noticing she didn't have as many places to hide until she reached the tree line, but she was outside this time and not trapped to stop at a dead end. His hand beckoned for her, drawing her attention back to it, his fingers moved when he saw her look down and again he motioned for her to come to him.
Come here.
Winry looked back to his eyes and could tell what he was wanting from her. Shaking her head no and taking a step back she saw his hand begin to close into a fist, the look in Thomas's eyes became angry. Winry turned and launched herself off the porch and took off to the right where a few trees were. The slam of the screen door sounded behind her and it didn't take long before she could hear the thud of feet as he gave chase.
Don't look back.
She breathed evenly like she had learned in highschool for track. It had been years, but the correct breathing pattern started as soon as she began running.
Don't look back.
She dodged what she could see in the dark and what her feet did strike she ignored, if it didn't stop her then she had to keep running.
Don't look back.
Her feet carried her through the first set of trees near the house, the high grass covered up nearly to her hips, but it wasn't enough for her to hide from him. Another faint bang could be heard and she could only assume it was someone else now outside after hearing the commotion.
Thomas crashed through the brush, he wasn't as small as her to slip through, but he was big enough to break the branches and anything else that he came into contact with. He noticed her speed, but she didn't have the legs for distance, for now they were evenly matched. It depended on who tired first.
The tree line grew closer and that's all her eyes focused on, not the sounds of crashing from the large man behind her, if she looked back it would slow her down and she couldn't lose what lead she had. Winry felt the incline in the dirt and when she took notice it was too late, her next step met empty air and she fell hard. Her left leg took most of the impact before she forced her body to roll down the rest of the short drop off. Using her left arm to stop the tumble and to push herself up Winry was up and running again.
Thomas slid down the decline where a small creek had dried up years ago, he had hoped it would slow her down, but she took it in stride and was already up and running again. He wanted to smirk at how she handled the drop, but if anything her fall gave her distance on him where he took the slow slide expecting her to stop. He could admire her later when he had her back.
Using her good hand on the incline after the fall she pulled herself up to the other side, her right hand waving up to catch her balance before she was off again. She could still hear him, he hadn't fallen like she had. Winry felt her left leg quiver as she started running again and gritted her teeth, she couldn't have her leg give out now. The trees weren't that far now, but she didn't know how much longer she had, her leg was sore and a stitch was forming on her right side. Winry could feel her body beginning to protest the run and she was losing the breathing pattern and was starting to pant. Highschool had been years ago and besides work she never had the need to exercise, she was running on adrenaline at this point.
The high grass began to lessen around her, the shade from the trees robbing the ground of the setting sun. Her next step brought her into the woods and she would have made a victory sound if she wasn't already panting from exhaustion. Next thing she knew her feet came into contact with rocks and sticks, thorns and other sharp items. The grassy area had hardly any debris, but the forest had other plant life that could drop sharp bits and pieces.
Winry gritted her teeth, but kept going, she heard Thomas make it to the tree line and knew she hadn't made much progress on him, if she didn't find a hiding place her body would make her crash when she least needed it.
Her ears picked up Thomas having issues like she had hoped, the trees were getting tighter and slowing him down, she still pushed on wanting to get more room between the two of them. When a sharp pain in her right foot nearly drove her to topple over she chose then to awkwardly slide behind a tree on her left and clap both hands over her mouth to cover her heavy breaths. Her eyes squeezed tightly closed and she listened as he made his way closer toward her.
The sounds in front of him cut off abruptly and Thomas slowed down from a run into a quick walk before stopping all together. Taking in big gulps of air he looked around trying to spot Winry, he saw a few snapped twigs and a branch, but he didn't see her. She was close though, she hadn't been that far ahead of him before the trees had slowed him down. Thomas stretched his shoulders before taking slow steps forward, she was here, he just needed to find her.
Like a game of hide and seek.
Slowing her breathing the best she could, Winry opened her eyes again and heard Thomas slowly walking in her direction. She was too scared to try and look around the tree and see exactly where he was, it also might give her away so she stood still. Her feet hurt and her side was starting to ache horribly, but she couldn't relax yet, she might have to run again and to give her body any more false hope for rest would make her cry.
When his steps were next to her tree she attempted to slow her breathing more, she could hear his panting more clearly as he got closer to where she stood behind the tree hiding. He may have been ten steps away from her when a bird cried out somewhere to the left of them, she heard him pause and assumed he was trying to figure out if she had disturbed the bird or if she was still around this area. A few breaths later she heard him take off to the left and glanced around the tree enough to see his back disappear into the woods.
A loud exhale escaped her and she slid around the tree to the right in hopes if he did glance back he wouldn't see any part of her. Now that she wasn't in immediate danger she listened to her body and felt all the scratches it had received, the cuts on her feet, pain down her left leg that she could tell would leave a hell of a bruise. Her side felt like someone had stabbed her as she took in more breaths, but she couldn't rest here with him so close.
Winry didn't know where the road was, but she knew she couldn't go back or left so she made her way right and just kept going at a slow pace. Her steps were much slower so she could feel out the ground better before taking her steps. Any time a twig snapped from her, she would tense, but when she didn't hear anything else she assumed he hadn't heard.
Though a snap to her right did make her jump and stop in her tracks, she listened and when she didn't hear anything else she began to walk, but at an even slower pace. Winry wanted to cry, but she couldn't find the energy to do so, her adrenaline was fading and her body wanted to just drop and rest. Forcing her steps she kept moving into the woods as far away from that family as she could.
Worry started in the back of her mind now that she wasn't focused on running, she wondered with her gone if they would off Lee to hide the evidence if she found help. No, they would have killed him whether I left or not. She still wasn't sure if she had been safe though. Was she a "guest" like they claimed for their amusement, or toy for Thomas?
While thinking another snap came now from her left back side and she froze once again and looked behind her before she inched to a tree to her left and slowly moved till she used it as cover from whatever made the noise. When nothing moved Winry closed her eyes for a moment and took a big breath and released it slowly to help calm herself.
When nothing jumped out at her she turned to keep walking when something slammed into her back and forced her front into the tree she had been hiding behind causing her to grunt and gasp for air. Her hands were pulled up above her head and pressed into the bark before she could use them to push off of the tree. Her feet were immobile when her lower half was pressed roughly into the tree and she could move them forward to bend, but not backward without meeting an immovable object. That object was Thomas.
Wiggling to free herself she felt a hand pet at the right side of her face and then his hand moved and gently pulled her ponytail to the side, she realized he had both her hands in one of his trapped against the tree. The other hand then moved down to settle on her waist and his head fell to her shoulder, with their height difference he had to pull back and hunch down. Winry felt him rub his face into her shoulder before he slid his face into her neck and began to inhale her. She could feel mostly leather rub her skin and occasionally she would feel his skin stick to hers from sweat.
A whine started deep in her chest before it came out as a choked sob which he froze for a moment before he pressed himself closer to her, the hand holding both of hers tightened and the hand on her waist started to rub up and down. He was trying to comfort her, but that wasn't what she wanted.
She used her feet to try and push on the tree, trying to get loose, but he pulled up on her hands which had her stretched and she stood on her tiptoes. He kept pulling till she let out a frustrated noise and she screamed in a ragged voice, "LET GO! Stop, please just let me go!" What little movement she had left was stopped when his lower half pressed into her more firmly and she felt him then, he was hard and she heard his breathing pick up and he groaned into her neck.
"Ah God- I…" her words broke and she went limp and began to cry. What started as soft crys soon grew into a mess of sobs and wailing, she couldn't keep quiet as she realized what he might do to her.
Letting up on her neck he pulled his head back to take a breath of fresh air when he realized her body had gone limp in his hold and that she was in a fit of tears. He wanted her, the chase had been annoying, but the closer he had gotten he realized he enjoyed tracking her and when he had hunted her down and found her against this tree he had won. He caught her and wanted a prize, but she didn't feel the same.
A growling noise came from Thomas. Suddenly she was on the ground, he had let go without warning and Winry didn't have the time to adjust her feet and she landed roughly onto the forest floor. She was so sore, she didn't bother to try and get up and run, her body was tapped out. Her sobs were quieter as she tried to choke them back and turned her head to look at Thomas. He was pissed. She watched him rip at the surrounding foliage and kick at the ground, when he reached for a large branch and broke it off of a tree with ease, Winry gulped. He was stronger than she had realized, now she knew he could have broken her body easily at any point since they had met.
After he spun and launched the branch into the forest he then stopped with his eyes closed, breathing heavily as his hands opened and closed into fists by his sides. He seemed calmer when he opened his eyes and looked down at her. She was a mess, leaves and sticks were caught in her long curls and she had scratches all over her face and arms, he couldn't see her feet well, though he assumed they didn't fare any better. When he walked towards her Thomas expected her to move away or yell at him, but she just stared at him, her eyes so sad and filled with tears that were on the verge of spilling.
Winry watched as he came back to her and she was just too tired. Too tired to run. Too tired to fight. She wasn't going to win against Thomas, he appeared like a man that wouldn't have been able to keep up with her, but under his gut he had muscle and endurance. Her lips trembled the closer he got till he stood over her and she dropped her head in defeat, her shoulders shook slightly when he picked her up and held her to his chest.
Holding her in his arms like she was about to break, Thomas began walking home. Her head lay on his shoulder and he rubbed his masked chin on top of her head in a comforting gesture. Winry didn't resist him, she didn't have the energy, her body was too battered and bruised.
When they were out of the tree line Winry noticed it was night time now, the lights of the house not far off, she thought she had gotten farther. Thomas made it through the dry river bed without jostling her too much and she tensed slightly, but his arms tightened around her and she grabbed a fistful of his shirt in her left hand and he stopped walking. Winry looked up to see him looking down at her and she whispered to him, her voice rough from yelling, "are you going to kill me now?"
His body jerked at her words and he shook his head no aggressively, when she didn't release his shirt or look away he adjusted her in his arms to free his right hand and raised it to cup the side of her face and when she only flinched from the contact he shook his head no softly this time. Thomas watched her eyelashes flutter as she closed her eyes and her head dropped back down breaking the eye contact, her hand fell into her lap.
As Thomas walked up to the house he saw Uncle Monty on the porch and heard him holler into the house and his Uncle Hoyt came out a second before his mama did and she looked so relieved to see Winry in his arms. Thomas left Winry in her room and his mama came in speaking softly and began to take care of her, she still wasn't responding, but he assumed she was tired and sore. He left so his mama could clean her up.
Winry didn't respond to anything Luda Mae said to her, she just let the woman clean up her cuts, when that was done and she felt herself being pushed down onto the bed she didn't resist. She didn't have the energy. Luda Mae pulled the sheet over her and finally left the room, Winry heard the lock turn. Finally Winry closed her eyes and let her body pull her into a much needed rest.
Author's Note: Sorry for the late chapter, I hope you all like it. Thank you for the reviews, I appreciate them!