Disclaimer: I don't own anything from Texas Chainsaw Massacre
Sorry for taking so long, I got a bit sad again.
After the bloodbath, the kiss, and a scolding from Luda Mae, Winry was brought to her room by a very upset Thomas. Although he didn't rip her up the stairs like Winry expected, he also gently pushed her into her room before he softly shut and locked the door. Winry had seen his eyes before he shut the door and they burned with anger. Slowly she walked to the bathroom and took a bath, her mind quiet and reliving the kiss. After toweling off and dressing Winry began to dry her hair with a towel and that was when she heard Hoyt slam open the front door and heard him loudly demand why Thomas was cleaning up the front yard of body parts.
Sighing heavily Winry sat on the edge of her bed and kept drying her hair, there was a very quiet conversation, it was too quiet to hear until Hoyt yelled 'SHE DID WHAT'. Rushing footsteps could be heard coming up the stairs and Winry pulled the towel down and slowly clutched the towel to her chest. Luda Mae began pleading for the sheriff to not go in with such a temper, but he didn't listen and her door was unlocked and flew open hitting the wall hard enough to make it creak.
"You BITCH" Hoyt came storming in yelling, he rushed to her in three long strides and grabbed a handful of Winry's hair dragging her off of the bed by it. The towel dropped from her hands as she reached up to grab at his hand trying to pull his fingers out of her hair, annoyed of her though, Hoyt used his other hand to pull her hands down and regripped her hair then threw Winry to the side causing her to yelp out when she hit the floor. Landing on her side she curled into a ball keeping her arms up to cover her face, but she was jerked up when Hoyt roughly grabbed her arm. He began dragging her out into the hall and towards the stairs.
Luda Mae followed and stumbled over her words before she was able to speak up, "Hoyt you let that girl go right now!"
Forcing words out through his gritted teeth Hoyt nearly snarled, "She needs to be punished mama." Looking back at Winry, Hoyt sneered as she tried struggling. "I told you to act like a guest, but if you want to be food that badly then let's show you how food is treated." His words made her eyes widen in fear, but before she could speak Hoyt practically dragged her down the stairs, his hand on her arm was the only thing keeping her from tripping and falling down the stairs. Her legs roughly hit each step and at one time a banister when she tried to grab at it before he jerked hard on her arm causing Winry to fumble on the last two steps where she fell to her knees. The pain caused Winry to suck in a breath, but Hoyt gave her no reprieve, reaching for her again. She gasped and tried to curl up, but Hoyt wasn't having any of it and again cruelly gripped the same arm and started dragging her across the floor to the back room.
"I'm sorry I am plea-" Winry tried to stand and couldn't so she was on the floor kicking out her legs uselessly.
"Silence you ungrateful little girl! We took you in!" Nearing the back room Hoyt yelled back at her.
"YOU KIDNAPPED ME!" her scream echoed in the empty room and she started hyperventilating when she realized where he was taking her.
"We saved you and this is the thanks we get." Forcing the door open caused Hoyt to speak through his teeth from the weight of the door.
"YOU KILLED MY FRIENDS!" Winry tried to stand as she yelled, but before she could Winry felt herself flying in the dark before she slammed into the stairs and rolled down them which would lead to bruises. A short scream came out before she landed in the large puddle at the base of the steps, she came up sputtering and trying to get her hair out of her face. She was drenched in the cold murky water, a small shiver began as she got to her knees trying to get up and out of the dirty water.
The lights began to flicker, making her blink rapidly as her eyes adjusted to the change. She took the time to look up at the top of the stairs and saw Hoyt slowly walking down, the smile on his face made her clumsily stand in fear, but before she could move he stepped off the bottom step and shoved her hard causing Winry to stumble back down into the puddle. Crawling to her hands and knees she felt another kick and fell into the water again face first. Winry came up gasping and gave a quick scream when her head was shoved back into the dirty water. She hadn't gotten a good breath making her struggle harder against Hoyt's hold, she could taste the water that entered when she screamed and desperately wanted to spit it out, but couldn't.
When the pressure on her head released, Winry shot up spitting out water and coughing trying to catch her breath. Hearing arguing behind her, she turned to look and saw Luda Mae was toe to toe with her son and they were having a screaming match at each other. Still trying to catch her breath Winry sat where she was, too scared and tired to move.
The room fell quiet when a sound of thundering footsteps could be heard at the top of the stairs. Winry turned to see Thomas descending and her shoulders relaxed. Thank God. Though when she saw what she could of his face she knew he was still upset about earlier, but he had never punished her beyond holding her down or locking her up. When Hoyt cleared his throat and held a hand up to Luda Mae to calm down he turned to Thomas and returned the angry look when their eyes met.
"Boy she needs to be punished." Hoyt glanced back at Winry before turning to watch Thomas's face as his brows drew down in confusion, his eyes jumping between Winry and Hoyt. "She needs to know her place Tommy, if she doesn't get reprimanded she'll keep trying to leave." Thomas flinched and his shoulders dropped, his face went from confusion to worry and then anger at the thought of Winry leaving him. Hoyt pushed further and pulled his shoulders back before pointing at Winry, "She'll leave and she'll tell. We will be put down like dogs and they'll take her back." Looking up at Winry Thomas made a high crying noise in his throat. Thomas pulled his hands together and tangled his fingers over themselves causing his knuckles to turn white at the pressure. Hoyt took a few steps towards Thomas putting a hand on his shoulder and leaned into his ear whispering loudly, "They'll kill you and all of our family, she could end up with some guy that saved her."
Snapping his head up to look at Winry, Thomas took in her red face and drenched appearance, Thomas turned to look at his brother before he whimpered and hunched over leaning into his mama who stepped towards him and began making tutting noises, she reached her hands out to pet his bowed head, pulling him closer so she had Thomas's forehead pressed to her shoulder.
Winry opened her mouth to speak, but instead cried out when Hoyt hoisted her out of the water and grabbed her to his chest and wrapped his arms around her, trapping her arms in the process. Hoyt snapped at Thomas, "Git her hands boy, tie them up quickly." Struggling against Hoyt she began to cry and looked at Thomas with pleading eyes. Luda Mae patted his shoulder and as Thomas lifted his head, Luda Mae caressed his cheek before he walked toward Winry and Hoyt. He watched as Winry shook her head no, but ignored it.
"Thomas no, please." Her lips trembled as she spoke, try as she might she couldn't break out of the sheriff's hold. Thomas grabbed some rope off of a table and stepped up grabbing at her hands. "NO!" Her yell was ignored as he easily overpowered her resistance and quickly tied her wrists together. "Please I can't do this anymore!" She sobbed as Hoyt began dragging her backwards, she didn't know where he was taking her.
"Ok boy lift her."
Hoyt's words made Winry twist her head the best she could to see what she was being lifted on behind her. Thomas easily lifted her arms in the confusion and pulled till Winry was lifted into the air and the strain made the rope tighten on her wrists. Winry crying out in pain caused Thomas to hesitate, but only for a moment, he felt his hands shake as he looked past her.
She can't leave, I won't let her.
"Ahh, Thomas please stop! I'll be good!" The plea was ignored as her hands came into contact with something cold. Winry felt Thomas let go and she was left to hang, her toes barely touched the ground, but it wasn't enough to take the pressure off of her wrists. "I'll stop, I will. I won't-"
"Bitch if you don't shut your mouth I'll tie that too." Hoyt spat to his left as he walked up to Winry. His hands reached up to hold her face in his palms, shaking her head to make him let go only caused Hoyt to pet her cheeks and make soothing sounds to relax her. It didn't. "You're lucky I don't have Tommy hook you like the others. Though if you keep this shit up maybe losing your legs like Uncle Monty will settle you down." When her lips trembled at his words Hoyt pressed his thumbs on her lips cruelly causing a sob to escape while Winry tried to keep her mouth closed as he attempted to stretch her lips open. When he saw the tears flow down her face Thomas moved forward and a growling noise deep in his chest escaped.
Before Thomas could push Hoyt away the sheriff quickly backed off with his hands raised. "She needs to learn Tommy." Taking one last look at Winry, Hoyt put a hand on Thomas's shoulder to turn him and lead him out. Luda Mae watched in silence and glanced at Winry before she followed her boys up the stairs shaking her head as she went.
"Please don't leave me here!" her yell was met with the sound of the metal door being slammed shut. The lights were left on and she didn't know if it was a small mercy or they just forgot to turn them off when they left. Winry looked up at her wrists and tested the rope by tugging either side, when all it did was tighten the bindings she stopped. Looking around at what she could see she attempted to turn around with the tips of her toes, but she had no traction on the wet floor.
Turning her face into her shoulders Winry wiped her eyes as best she could. Crying won't help. The pain in her wrists started to ache more and she looked to check the skin around the rope, Winry could see her hands and wrists begin to redden and swell. Blinking rapidly to keep from crying, she slumped her head down and sobbed softly, the tears fell freely anyway.
XXX
For three days Winry hung by her wrists, quickly losing feeling in her hands, shortly after that her arms began to burn. She could feel her feet cramp when she tried to loosen the pressure by pushing onto her tiptoes. At the start of the second day her arms slowly grew numb, when the burning had started in her shoulders it made her quiver hard from the strain.
It seemed like the family had forgotten about her, but at night Thomas would sneak down to give her water. He wouldn't let her down and if she began to beg he would put a finger to his mask where his lips would be and shake his head no. When he came Thomas would also caress her face softly and shush her as she cried and leaned his head down so that their foreheads touched. Before he left he would leave Thomas reaching for Winry's eyes to wipe at them with the back of his hands, it left smudges of dirt, but she couldn't do anything about it.
On the fourth day an argument could be heard upstairs, then the metal door was opened she could hear Luda Mae angrily berating someone. "It's been days and she needs food and cleaning up!" Her words were harsh and her last word was followed by the sound of a whack, Hoyt rubbed at his head while walking down the stairs and complaining with a 'mama" though Luda Mae waved her wooden spoon at him and used it to point to Winry. "Winry will be taken down and brought to her room." Hoyt tried another attempt to interject and was interrupted again. "HOYT! You take that girl down now or you can wash your own clothes and make your own meals."
He was shocked that his mama was arguing and threatening him over this girl, but he yelled for Tommy anyway and muttered to himself before going over to Winry and whispered threatenly into her ear, "You're lucky I don't leave ya here longer, pull this kinda shit again and you'll be gone permanently." The sound of Thomas stomping down the stairs could be heard so Hoyt took the moment to wrap his hand around Winry's neck lifting her head and squeezed, leaning in he spoke one last threat, "I'll play with you before I git rid of you and tell them you tried to attack me. Behave.''
Thomas passed his mama and brother, as Hoyt stepped aside Thomas quickly pulled her off the hook which caused Winry to cry out. Panicking, he set Winry on her feet and she began to crumple and whine. "Oh Tommy she must be in pain for staying like this so long, carry her upstairs." Luda Mae tutted as Thomas tried to carefully lift Winry into his arms and cradled her to his chest, her head lolled into his chest and she kept making little noises of pain. She was hurting too much to resist or complain, now that the weight was off of her wrists she imagined it was good, but her hands and arms were still numb. The burning in her shoulders caused her to suck in air and grit her teeth as Thomas attempted to make her comfortable in his arms.
Taking her upstairs Thomas brought Winry to her bathroom and kept holding her as Luda Mae followed them into the room. Thomas shuffled as his mama started up the bath water, he didn't want to leave, he had been denied access to Winry by his brother and Thomas was sure he didn't know about his nightly visits. He didn't want to let her go now that he had her back with him. As the bathtub filled Luda Mae turned to Thomas and she comforted Winry as she began to cut the ropes with a knife she had brought from the kitchen. Winry smashed her face into Thomas's chest and gritted her teeth, numb or not, pain radiated in her shoulders and back muscles. Thomas watched her wrists become free and a whine started deep in his throat and escaped out his lips in a blubbering noise as he realized that he had tied her wrists so tight that there were open wounds and bleeding.
"Shh Thomas, it's done, now let's get her cleaned up." Luda Mae also looked at the wounds on her wrists, worrying if they would cause permanent damage. Looking away she began to lift up Winry's shirt causing Thomas to tighten his hold which made Winry whine again at the grip. "Tommy, I need help cleaning her and I don't want Hoyt in here." At Hoyt's name Thomas's face pinched in anger, so looking away he released his tight grip and felt as Winry's clothes were slowly pulled off. Small noises of pain escaped before Luda Mae asked him to slowly put her into the tub. The water was warm and Winry sucked in a breath as she was placed in and Luda Mae slowly began to help her legs stretch out. "It's ok sweety, I'm going to clean you up, you just relax, Thomas and I got ya."
Head falling back Winry looked up at Thomas and was surprised that his head was turned to the right, she was thankful he didn't sneak a peek. As the water warmed her, it also started to get her blood pumping and the circulation was beginning to return so the pain grew. The hold Thomas kept on her shoulders was light so that his mother didn't have to hold up Winry's body and clean it. I can't believe I want to thank them right now. Her eyelids fluttered closed and when she opened them again she was dressed and in her bed. Trying to focus her eyes and looking around she felt before she saw Luda Mae cleaning her wrists with some liquid and a cloth before wrapping them both with a towel and tying them. It's going to hurt later, the numbness won't keep the pain away forever.
"Alright, you're all clean now dear. I'll make you some soup." Luda Mae spoke as she stood and patted Winry's head lightly and then left leaving the door cracked.
She looked at the cracked door until she felt a hand settle on her stomach, a large hand. "Thomas?" Her voice was soft and uncertain, the hand came up and cupped the left side of her face gently, helping her slowly turn her head away from the door, Winry could see him lying on his side facing her beside her on the bed. Her mouth opened and shut trying to find something to say and he patted her lips lightly with his fingertips making Winry smile a smidge. He put his hand back on her stomach and his thumb lightly rubbed back and forth, she tried to fight sleeping, but her body had other ideas. Closing her eyes softly she whispered a 'thank you' before falling asleep again.
Thomas's hand on her flinched at the thanks, but quickly relaxed and his thumb resumed its slow back and forth pattern. He looked at her face and saw the bruises under her eyes from lack of sleep, the other bruises from the fall down the stairs caused Thomas to feel shame. She looked like she had lost weight and her bright eyes were dim now, the brightness was from hope of escaping, but he would rather have that than her eyes now that looked defeated and tired. A noise at the door caused him to look up and Thomas saw his mama had brought food, but when she saw them she smiled and quietly asked Thomas if he wanted to come down to dinner. Shaking his head no slowly he watched her nod and quietly leave the room and crack the door again.
Looking back at Winry he settled more into the bed and breathed out slowly. She was safe now and he wouldn't let Hoyt do this to her again, Thomas would teach her the rules of the house. Maybe he could find a way for her to spend time in the basement with him, if he didn't have food to prepare that is.
She's so small and fragile, I gotta do better by her.
He watched her breath till his eyes grew heavy, he slowly blinked a few more times and his eyes began to close and Thomas finally spoke in a soft gruff whisper before he fell asleep, "Winry."
XXX
The next few days dragged by as Winry healed from her physical injuries, mentally though she would relive her days in the basement and cry either in private or into Thomas's chest while he worriedly tried to calm her. Hoyt mostly left her alone, if he did pester her it was only when she was downstairs and he would either smirk or lick his lips at her before he would walk away chuckling. The family went back to "normal" activities, if they brought anyone home she would be brought to her room to rest. Luda Mae would bring her broth to drink, she would also try soaking bread in the broth and help feed Winry.
Her silence broke whenever Thomas would leave the room, she would call his name in a panic and look at him with large sad eyes, he couldn't leave her like that when he was the one who had hurt her. If it didn't involve food he would pick her up and take Winry with him. She would clutch at his clothing and he would have to gently force her fingers to release the material so he could move around her where Winry could see Thomas working.
After a week of being in a mostly blank state she finally sat up in bed, Thomas put a hand on hers as he used his other arm to prop himself up in the pillows he had piled under his head. He mostly slept in her room and would soothe her when she would cry in her sleep and eventually wake up screaming, Winry would then curl up to Thomas and hide against his chest where he held her gently with one arm as the other rubbed her hair or back. "Can I help with the laundry?" her words came out calmly, but the tone worried Thomas, it held no life. He looked at the bruises he could see, her eyes were still dark, but the others were lightening. When she said no more and he believed it would be ok Thomas nodded at Winry and slowly sat up, he felt her hand lightly slide down his back after he had turned to stand, but when he looked back she was already heading into the bathroom with some clothes. Thomas took the time to get ready for the work day in his room, when he walked out into the hall he saw Winry in jeans and a black tank top. They sat at the kitchen table with everyone where Winry spooned her food into her mouth after Luda Mae had said it only held broth and vegetables.
Flicking the newspaper Monty mumbled, "good to see you up girl." Winry paused in eating and then resumed. Hoyt ate quickly before he kissed Luda Mae on the cheek and walked out putting his hat on, he didn't talk to her when Thomas was around and lately Thomas was always around which annoyed Hoyt.
Finishing her food she went to the sink and did the dishes as everyone else finished up Winry held out a hand to wash theirs as well when they came to the sink. Luda Mae put a hand to Winry's back and rubbed a small circle between her shoulder blades before sighing out her words, "Tommy was telling me you would like to help with the laundry." Winry only nodded in response and Luda Mae softly patted her on the back before she started cleaning up the kitchen. "Well just don't work too hard." Glancing at her son she raised her brows, "Tommy make sure she doesn't do too much."
"Think she should take another day, looks tired still." Monty's eyes never left his paper as he spoke, but Winry was surprised by the tone of sincerity in his voice. As if feeling her eyes on him Monty looked up at her and nodded before he returned to his paper.
Finished with the dishes Winry looked to see Thomas standing by the front door, his right hand rubbing the back of his head while the other held the front door open. They went outside together and Winry stared out and looked at the sky, Thomas stood behind her not moving and waited for her. After gazing at the sky Winry started with washing sheets and clothes in a large tub of water, when she finished Thomas would take it from her so she didn't have to lift the wet material. Her arms shook and pained her if she lifted them too high and when the towels on her wrists got wet Thomas waited till she was done and got her new towels to protect her cuts. When Thomas was finished with that she sat under a tree near the barn and watched Thomas clean the tools that she hadn't known were out there. Soon Thomas moved on to fix a line of the fence and she just leaned back and rested against the bark of the tree, the shade from the leaves slightly moving in the breeze, she eyed him as he worked and said nothing.
As the morning turned to day the sun blazed hotter and even with shade Winry began to sweat, but Thomas's shirt was starting to get drenched. A noise to the left of Winry alerted her that someone had come outside and they were heading towards the two of them. "Hello! I've brought some lemonade for you kids." Thomas continued fixing the fence till his mother yelled for him to take a break, heading toward the tree. Thomas watched his mom nod at him and then head back to the house.
He slowly approached Winry and just stared down at her, one of her hands held a drink as the other patted to her right for him to sit down. Thomas smiled under the mask as he sat next to Winry in the shade of the tree. He took his own glass and stretched his legs out, though he held the drink awkwardly.
"Do you want me to look away?"
Turning to look at Winry he saw her staring at the fence he had been working on. His body tensed and he began to pull his legs up as if getting his feet under him to stand, but Winry placed the tips of her fingers on his left leg to settle him. Looking at him now they eyed each other, when Thomas blinked she looked down where she touched him.
"May I see?"
Looking up and to the right away from her gaze Thomas could feel his cheeks heat up, a whine started in his throat causing Winry to take her hand back, but he turned and grabbed her hand gently. Winry stared at their hands and watched as he raised it to his mask and framed her hand to it and kept his hand over hers pressing slightly.
"May I?" her words came out as a whisper, but when Thomas didn't shake his head no, Winry placed her drink down and moved to her knees. They were eye level, she moved her hand back towards the ties of his mask, finding a knot she began pulling slowly though she stopped when Thomas jerked and knocked his drink over as his hand gripped her forearm tightly. "You don't have to."
Winry began to sit and pull her hand back, but before she could Thomas released her arm and grabbed around her waist with both hands picking her up suddenly causing Winry to gasp and lay her hands on his shoulder to stabilize herself. Thomas pulled his legs up to cage her between them and his chest, her legs hung over his left hip. He settled his hands on her hips and kept a firm grip. "Don't want me to run?" He nodded before looking down and stared at his hands on her.
She needs to eat more.
Taking his downward gaze as her permission to continue, Winry moved her hands up from his shoulders and to the back of his head, the grasp Thomas had on her tightened, but it didn't hurt. Slowly she pulled at the knots gently, the hold on her didn't change pressure and when the ties gave the mask began to slouch and Thomas closed his eyes and hung his head hoping his hair hid him from her. The movement caused the mask to slip and gave Winry a small glimpse before her fingers touched the top of the mask and carefully pulled it down till it was in her lap.
Seeing the bottom of his face for the first time she was surprised, but said nothing. The left side of his nose was black and looked like the skin was peeling off. It was the same for the left side of his lips, she lifted a hand and she felt the same rough texture from when Thomas had kissed her for the first time. His left hand came up and gripped her forearm tightly. Not moving Winry waited, as she did her eyes strayed to his cheek and saw his cheek had been nearly sawed off with something sharp.
"You cut yourself, you tried to cut it off…" Winry's words were so quiet, but Thomas heard them. He flinched hard and let go of her arm wrapping his arms around her, trapping his mask between them. When the hug became too tight she worriedly said his name and Thomas relaxed, but didn't release her. The sun still filtered through the leaves, they both began to sweat harder from the adrenaline spike they both now had, being so close together didn't help either, but Thomas didn't release her and Winry didn't struggle.
Reaching a hand around his arm awkwardly she patted his shoulder mostly touching his side. "I'm not scared of your face." Her words caused Thomas to rub his mouth into the top of her head, her hair tickled his nose, but hid the skin condition slightly. Winry settled the hand from patting and began to rub his side in small circles.
They sat like that for a long time, long enough that Winry rested her head on his shoulder, Thomas loosened his hold enough for her to adjust and settle. Winry inhaled sharply when she felt him kiss the top of her head before he rubbed his mouth back into her hair.
"Than….k y..ou." His words were like a growl and low. The rumble from his chest as he spoke to her for the first time shocked Winry. She did nothing at first, but when she tried to look up at him Thomas tightened his hold so she couldn't move or look at him.
Giving up on trying to lift her head, Winry settled onto his shoulder again and whispered, "You're welcome Tommy."
Author's Notes: The chapter went up and down like a roller coaster. I wanted to write sooner, but like I said at the top, I got sad again. HellToTheNo123 thank you for the review, it helped me to get working on this again.