Retrograde

A/N: After being in a slump for months, I'm finally writing again on the fic side at least. Hope y'all enjoy it. TW: Emotional abuse, rape, suicide attempt, and gaslighting.

Sandy leaned against the door, closing her eyes as she slid to the floor, tears streaking down her face. As she sobbed, she didn't hear the fast thud of footsteps approaching or the door opening and closing.

Valen breathed, his shirt untucked and unbuttoned as he looked at his wife. His crying wife.

"Why are you crying?" he asked, kneeling in front of her. He reached for her hands, sitting back as she lashed out at him, knocking his hands away.

"Don't touch me," Sandy mumbled, hobbling towards the bed as she continued to cry.

"Sandy," Valen started, walking towards her.

"Don't," she said, drawing the curtain closed. She tried to calm herself down, running her fingers through her hair as Valen walked around the room. "I saw you," she said after a moment. "I saw you with the new maid."

Valen stopped, walking over to the bed and ripping the curtain open. "You don't know what you saw, it could've been anyone." he spat, grabbing her face so she would look at him. "Look at me. You didn't see anything,"

He kissed her, forcing his tongue into her mouth as Sandy tried to push him away. She whimpered, feeling his fingers skim against the inside of her thigh.

No.

She fought against him as he pushed her down into the bed, his other hand closing around her throat.

No. No, no, no, no. "No!" Sandy shouted, hoping someone would hear her as Valen sucked at her collarbone. He kept going, undressing her with a swiftness. "Stop," she choked out, kicking against him.

Valen pressed into her, sighing as their hips met once, twice. "I love you," he said, over and over into her ear as he kept pushing, pushing, pushing.

Tears met the pillow as Sandy buried her face into it, trying to suffocate herself. She muffled her sobs as Valen finished, dropping into an easy sleep beside her. Blood stained the sheets as Sandy shifted uncomfortably. She got up, drawing her own bathwater and soaking in it. She got out a few minutes later, shakily drying off and putting on a nightgown and her wooden leg.

She went to the other side of the manor, trying to quietly open the door to Shadow's room.

"Sandy?" Shadow asked, sitting up in bed. A candle was burning as he held a leather notebook in his hands.

Sandy swallowed, walking towards him and plopping into his lap as she wrapped her arms around his neck. She shook, avoiding his gaze as he frowned. She couldn't speak, couldn't tell him what happened hours ago.

"V-Valen," she croaked out, stopping as Shadow rubbed her back.

"You don't have to say anything," he said, running a hand through her hair and down her back. "You can stay here tonight."

She nodded, sniffling as she laid down and Shadow snuffed the candle out. Valen would pay for this.