p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Days past in comfortable silence, his injuries were getting better and better. They continued to play while she bandaged his wounds and it was becoming easier and easier to him. On day 16 he finally thoroughly showered to his liking. Soon she would stop bandaging his wounds. They were all but healed. He began thinking about how at some point he began to look forward to her bandaging his wounds, it made him happy. Just behind the door of his bathroom she sat on his bed, reading a book no doubt and waiting for him. She looked eager and happy, giddy even. After their talk some boundaries were established, she could hold his hand, hug him but she had to warn him when she was going to touch bear skin. Their midnight fumble did not repeat but his dreams repeated it and continued it again and again. Each time adding new details, new things he wanted to try. Each morning he would wake with a start with tented boxers cursing himself, he must control his urges until they settle in this new routine, this new relationship./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"While she waited for him she reclined against the headboard of his bed, the sheets were dark and silk and so inviting, they were still warm from his body. He was like a furnace, unnatural body temperature was a constant occurrence and at times she wondered was he running a fever. It took time to adjust to it but she liked it, especially now when the month grew colder. She heard humming from the bathroom, the silent trickle of water. There was something incredibly intimate about him showering so close to her without any fear or trepidation, he even left the door slightly ajar. He was humming a lovely tune, she suspected it was a song she never heard of. The whole situation made her more relaxed then she cared to admit. It was late in the evening and they just finished their shared reading session which followed bandage time or as he lovingly referred to it playing with my dearest. After reading the manual he gave her she understood why he needed it, needed the control he required to be more relaxed under such an intense intrusion into his trauma. She also understood it healed him, helped him and she couldn't be more happy to assist. It also healed her, she didn't have to be scared, to worry about her actions. She couldn't hurt him if he controlled her actions. She also enjoyed letting go, releasing all her control to him, something she did not know she needed. She also looked forward to exploring more of the manual, to try new things and scenarios. The singing grew louder, she could make out words now and she realized they weren't even in English. She never head him sing and in that moment all she wanted was to see with her own eyes his whole being but she could not speak, not move, not call out for him. The water stopped running and she could hear every word as it resonated against the tiles of the bathroom escaping through the crack in the door. She didn't understand the words, not at all, she recognized it was French, it sounded happy and joyful, playful like he was these /-V…- she spoke quietly with a deep sigh. How could anyone torture such a pure soul as him she did not understand, she didn't understand what he did to deserve it, what kind of evil being would do such a thing to him, the most sensitive spirit she ever meet. The sadness that gripped her soul at that moment pulled an unexpected sob from her. She was so tired of crying for herself, for her shortcomings but for him she would cry every single tear her body could produce. He stopped singing abruptly calling out to her, high anxiety laced his voice and he entered the room quicker then he intended in abnormal speeds. She was lying on his bed in tears, curled into a small /-My love what has happened?- he was at her feet instantly, kneeling on the floor, his robe was untied, the mask was in place but tied loosely, the wig he was sure wasn't brushed to his liking, the neck piece was left behind, he did not care, not while she /-V…- The sobs were unbearable to his ears. Nothing was amiss, nothing hurt her he was sure of it. What caused her sudden sadness he did not know. He pulled her to him gripping her /-Tell me I am begging you.- If she did not stop she would soon follow her he was sure of it, an uncomfortable lump lodge itself in his /-I love you so much.- she shuddered through a sob gripping his hands tighter.- You must understand.- she gripped his shoulder.- Do you understand?- she said it very loudly, her throat constricting with the last /- I understand. I do understand, I love you.- he pulled her into his lap on the carpet curling around her. She cried into his shoulder, each sob growing louder and louder. He did not know what to do anymore, she wasn't stopping, it seemed to him it was getting louder and more desperate with each breath. He pulled her under his chin , her hands gripping around his abdomen, he could feel her tears tracking down his bare /-They hurt you so much.- he finally understood, his trauma finally settled into her, he expected it would come sooner or later. He drew a shuddering breath raising his hands to the ties of the mask. She did not move she just kept repeating how they hurt him, how she did not understand. He untied it lowering it from his face, the light was harsh, the air was cold and he was frightened but nothing could stop him, not even the light, not while she cried for /-Evey…- it was barely a whisper but it was enough to stop her just for a moment. She pressed her face harder into his /-Give me your hands Evey.- she did but she did not look up. He pushed the mask into her hands closing them around it. She gripped the mask tighter between her hands bringing it to her chest squeezing it tight to her /-They….- his voice was shaking but he pushed on.- They did unspeakable things to me, things I do not want you to know, not because I do not trust you but because I do not wish to hurt you.- She cried quietly again, swallowing large gulps of breath. – But for you I will do anything, say anything you want me to say just to make you stop, to make you laugh. Please my love.- he gripped her face in his hand turning it upwards, unprepared for her to see but he did not know what to do. Her eyes were closed tightly, she almost resisted his hand but not quite like she could not decide if she wanted to /- You are not ready V.- both her hands still clutched the mask between them.- I don't want you to do this just because I'm crying. I want it to be happy, to be the most important thing I ever see.- His tear feel on her /-But I love you.-He sounded so desperate, she still refused shaking her head /-Tell me honestly, would you feel alright without it, will you stop wearing it, will you eat with me, will you sleep with me undisturbed, will you kiss me any time of day and night not thinking about the light?- He stopped to think about what she said and she was right as she always was, he was not ready for such a commitment and it would hurt her for sure if he hid behind it right after she'd seen /-No…- he said, defeated, another tear feel on her /-It's alright. I love you. It's alright.-br /-Let me kiss your tears away.- his forehead touched hers.- Please…-br /-I love you.- she breathed into his /-And I you.- he simply added not wasting any time with words instead he kissed her and kept kissing her till all her tears stopped. She responded tilting her head in his direction, wherever his lips went her head followed pressing it closer to /-Evey.- he lifted her upwards, higher in his lap until she could circle his hips with her legs. – My love.- he lowered his head nuzzling beneath her chin, his hands curling around her. He continued kissing her chin and /-Are you hiding?- she lovingly wrapped her hands around his shoulders coming to her senses at last, no one could calm her down like he /-If I could crawl into your soul I would.- he squeezed /-I'm going to open my eyes now.- she stated pulling him tighter under her chin. He thanked her kindness with kisses across her /-You're not wearing your neck piece.- she could see it next to the sink through the open bathroom /He stopped kissing her just enough to answer her.-I don't need it.-br /-Alright.- she drew circles on his back.- V, aren't I hurting you?-br /-You're not going anywhere.- he bucked his hips closer to her, anything to keep her closer to /-Alright, alright.- her legs came around him lightly. His whole body relaxed into /-Evey….- his hands gripped the back of her neck. – Please.- she understood, he didn't need to say it. Her eyes closed and he emerged from his hiding place, tracing kisses along her neck and chin until he found her lips. – You may touch.- he spoke between kisses. She didn't move, didn't understand what he meant, she was already touching /-You may touch my face. You may touch any part of me, you don't have to wait anymore.- he breathed across her lips and they smiled, the sweetest smile he has yet laid eyes upon. Her hands slowly raised touching his neck tenderly drawing her fingers over his Adams apple. She gripped his chin pushing him in for another /-You're smiling again.- she leaned away touching his lips with her thumb, there was a small scar in the corner of his lip. He kissed her thumb lightly relaxing his face into her open palm. Her other hand found his /-Smile again.- and for her he did, a smile that stretched from ear to ear. There were many small ropey scars along his right cheek and she traced lightly over them with her index /-I can't wait to see you smile.- she kissed the cheek she held a moment ago and continued to explore tracing a path over his right cheek to his /-Did my heart love till now? forswear it, sight! For I ne'er saw true beauty till this night.- she laughed placing another kiss upon his /-I thought I was the one quoting the great bard in moments such as these. -br /-Let me have my moment.- her hand drifter over the bridge of his nose, it felt like it was broken several times. She stopped at the little bump that resided there. – I think I find this bump incredibly charming.-br /-Really?- he closed his eyes trusting she would never open hers. It was strange to him how her touch never offended his /-It gives you a ruggedly handsome look. – she traced her finger down his nose right to the tip of /-You don't know what I look like.- a laugh was begging to bubble in his /-Silence, I am touching a very handsome face at the moment, can't speak.- she could feel a very large scar that ran from his nostril, it connected to the scar on his cheek, she has seen similar injuries while she researched /-Alright.- he finally laughed letting her continue her /- Do you shave?- she continued her path upwards finding another knotted scar where the ending of his eyebrow should be. He took her other hand placing her fingers on the left side of his jaw finding the few patches that received lighter burns, they were still /-Just here. I was about to do that before I heard you.- her whole palm traced over the stubble. It extended across his chin to the middle of his /-Mhm.- she smiled lightly.- I'm sorry I interrupted you. She petted his cheek /-Everything's alright kitten. Don't stop.- She kissed him again softly, her lips were wet and he lingered close to her mouth for a moment. She traced over his right eyebrow. –What about the eyebrows?- she traced over the other one. It had a long scar over it, in trust most of them were /-I keep contemplating about them. To leave them or not.-br /-I think it gives of a bad boy look.- she began giggling /-A bad boy look, noted.- he kissed the tip of her chin. The words sounded so foreign out of his mouth and ridiculously funny to her ears. The scars continued to his forehead where her hands met his /-V…- she pulled her hands through the wigs /-Yes love?-br /-I really like the wig.- she /-Do you like that it's long?- he quickly dipped his head to place an open mouthed kiss on her /-Yeah…- she squirmed in his lap.- Please stop you'll make me….- she inhaled as he blew on it /-What kitten?- he looked at her face again, it was begging to take on his favourite /-You're making me aroused.- she spoke /-I know, I want to.- he placed another tender kiss on her neck. – You may continue. Her hands continued exploring, cupping his whole face in her hands tracing her thumbs over his cheek like he often did to her, he breathed deeply content in her /-There is something you cannot feel with your hands love.- he took her right hand placing it firmly on his right cheekbone. – Do you feel that scar there?- she nodded tracing it with her thumb. It did feel different then the burn scars, it was long and jagged. – I want to tell you what happened.-br /-Alright.- she continued stroking his face with a new found sense of acknowledgment, she would finally /-I did this to myself.- her hands stopped abruptly but did not let /-I told you how they experimented on us, how I don't exactly know what they did to me. They gave us something, Batch five they called it.- his voice was dry and quiet. She continued to stroke /-I was the only one that survived the trial, it gave me speed, strength but you already know that. It took my memories, all of them. I didn't know who I was.- she nodded silently, she knew all of that, he told her in tears he didn't know his name, his parents, his childhood, they took everything from him. She remembered Valerie's letter again, the horror they went through together. It took Evey months to understand what he did to her and why but when she did she /-They gave me certain privileges. I had a garden. I grew vegetables, my roses….- he trailed /-It's alright you did nothing wrong..- He kissed her again, thanked her /-I began collecting fertilizer in my cell, why they allowed me I shall never know, they must have thought I wouldn't know what to do with it. Somehow I knew, I don't know how.- she didn't understand what he meant but she didn't ask, he would tell her. He gripped her tighter like he was reliving something he did not wish to /-I'm right here.- she kissed his cheek again, the place where she found the jagged /-I collected it all and ammonia, gallons of it and chlorine.- the fear in his voice frightened her. She didn't want him to be there in that dark cell again but he continued on gripping the back of her shirt /- I made…- a new tear feel on her forearm, she began whipping the rest of them with her hand. – I made mustard gas and, and…. Napalm.- he finished with a choke.- I blew it up, I blew the whole bloody building up, I wanted to die in that explosion.- his head dropped on her shoulder. – But I wasn't close enough, I don't actually know if I was. Maybe I was, maybe I would have died if they did not do whatever the hell they did to me.- another sob ripped through his chest. She grabbed his face pressing it close to hers.- Breath V.- he inhaled shakily- He began to chuckle. If any other person heard his laughing they would think him crazy. He was, Evey knew that, but he wasn't twisted, he was suffering emotionally, the trauma burned deeper into him then any fire /- It was to my right, I remember. The tanks and the ammonia and it smelled like freedom, like release.- he touched her face again. She didn't know if he was looking at her or not, nothing could make her open her eyes. – It was only an illusion, do you understand? That wasn't freedom…- He placed his forehead against hers, it comforted him, grounded him, she still didn't release his /-Yes V, I understand, you're my freedom too.- he exhaled through his nose.- You're so good for me.- he traced her skull with his hand, her hair was longer then on the fifth, she was growing it out, it was prickly and /- I was standing right next to it holding one of the tanks. I lit it with sulfur and my hands caught on fire first, I didn't care I just moved to the right wanting to take down the door. When it blew up it threw me against the wall. I was standing to the right of it that's why everything is so….-br /- Hurt. It's hurt, you're right side.- he returned her hand to the cheekbone where his story started. – A shard flew into my face right there.- he pressed her finger into the scar.- It took half of my cheekbone, and teeth.- She didn't understand what he meant when he traced over it again, it seemed solid to her, the bone felt the same as his left cheekbone. One of his hands left her body, she couldn't picture what he was doing, she knew he was touching his face. Suddenly half his cheekbone sunk in. She reached for his arm blindly. – I wouldn't recommend dear.- his voice was still the same but his speech was slurred, /-V.- she said sternly. He sighed and looked down at his palm. Her hand found his palm and touched a foreign object to her, she couldn't quite place what it was, it was wet. It came to her like a lightning bolt, they were dentures, she touched them more curiously taking them in her hands. Four molars and a large piece of gum, a piece of prosthetic cheekbone, she could picture it now, she /- You have very large teeth.- she finally stated pushing the prosthetic back into his hand, closing his fist around /-I give you my denture and that's the first thing you comment.- he couldn't believe his ears. She chuckled lightly.- I've never felt someone's teeth like that.- He blinked again in shook. This was not the reaction he expected at all, she seemed almost amused by /-It's just a part of you, like any other part that I love.- she kissed the sunken cheek. He nodded to himself, still a bit shell shocked by what transpired. He returned the denture to its rightful /- How does it stay in?- she traced the outside of his teeth over his cheek with her /-Magnet.- He appreciated her curious nature but he didn't think even he would think of such a /-What about your hair?-br /- Most of it is gone.- he gripped the wig and removed it. Her hands found his /- You shave it don't you?- she traced the base of his /-Yes.- he didn't think he would enjoy her touching his head but a distinct shiver past through his body when her hand gripped around the base of his /-You have a very round and large head.- she tried to span both palms over it. He laughed out loud suddenly giving her a /-I cannot believe you made me laugh after I gave you my denture and shoved you my bald head.- This really wasn't how he expected it to go at all. He now fully understood what she meant by stating she wanted the unmasking to be happy. He had to find humour in all of it, like she did now. – That's my favourite sound you know?- she continued to stroke his head. There were scars there too, like on his face, she imagined they looked the same they looked on other parts of his /-Do you really like my laugh that much?- he distinctly realized how strangely relaxed he was in this moment, it would shock him if it didn't make him incredibly relieved. She nodded her head through her laugh.- I especially like when you giggle. I think its adorable.-br /-Dangerous vigilantly… Adorable. A strange combination love.-br /-Well I am a strange girl.- her hands slid downwards to his ears, one of them was badly scarred, the other was faring better but it too was stiff to her /-Oh good, you don't have protruding ears, I could never be with someone who had does.- she was trying to remain serious but couldn't help the escaping giggle. He on the other hand all but doubled over from laughter, clutching to her for support. It was the loudest and violent outburst of laughter she heard from him in all of their acquaintance. –I adore you Evey Hammond.- he spoke through the laugh trying desperately to calm down, to kiss her, to thank /-What's so funny, it's a personal preference.- she laughed with him. His laugh trailed of into a chuckle while he pressed kisses into her /-I really didn't think it would be like this.- he hugged her closer to himself, in the process of his laughing she slid of his lap and he didn't like that at /- That's because you've never done this. I hope you understand nothing will stop me to make you laugh when I see you.- she kissed the tip of his nose. How she found it as quickly he did not know, it seemed to him like she knew his face for years and not /-I love you.- he offered. No other words seemed more important to him at the /-I love you and your prosthetic.- she kissed his mouth sweetly while tracing the back of her hand over the injured /-Call it what it is, a denture, I am an old man after all.- Now she doubled over with laughter and she looked beautiful and he couldn't tear his eyes away from /-What's that song you sang in the shower?- she finally spoke while he whipped a tear from her /-Toi et moi by Maurice Chevalier. It's a very old song. It means you and I.-br /-Will you sing it to me?- Her hands traced a line down his /-Every day if you so wish it.-br /-When you cook me breakfast, and when you tuck me into bed and of course when you shower.- she squeezed him tight in her /-Whenever you wish love.- he squeezed back murmuring the beginning of the song softly in her ear./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"While she waited for him she reclined against the headboard of his bed, the sheets were dark and silk and so inviting, they were still warm from his body. He was like a furnace, unnatural body temperature was a constant occurrence and at times she wondered was he running a fever. It took time to adjust to it but she liked it, especially now when the month grew colder. She heard humming from the bathroom, the silent trickle of water. There was something incredibly intimate about him showering so close to her without any fear or trepidation, he even left the door slightly ajar. He was humming a lovely tune, she suspected it was a song she never heard of. The whole situation made her more relaxed then she cared to admit. It was late in the evening and they just finished their shared reading session which followed bandage time or as he lovingly referred to it playing with my dearest. After reading the manual he gave her she understood why he needed it, needed the control he required to be more relaxed under such an intense intrusion into his trauma. She also understood it healed him, helped him and she couldn't be more happy to assist. It also healed her, she didn't have to be scared, to worry about her actions. She couldn't hurt him if he controlled her actions. She also enjoyed letting go, releasing all her control to him, something she did not know she needed. She also looked forward to exploring more of the manual, to try new things and scenarios. The singing grew louder, she could make out words now and she realized they weren't even in English. She never head him sing and in that moment all she wanted was to see with her own eyes his whole being but she could not speak, not move, not call out for him. The water stopped running and she could hear every word as it resonated against the tiles of the bathroom escaping through the crack in the door. She didn't understand the words, not at all, she recognized it was French, it sounded happy and joyful, playful like he was these /-V…- she spoke quietly with a deep sigh. How could anyone torture such a pure soul as him she did not understand, she didn't understand what he did to deserve it, what kind of evil being would do such a thing to him, the most sensitive spirit she ever meet. The sadness that gripped her soul at that moment pulled an unexpected sob from her. She was so tired of crying for herself, for her shortcomings but for him she would cry every single tear her body could produce. He stopped singing abruptly calling out to her, high anxiety laced his voice and he entered the room quicker then he intended in abnormal speeds. She was lying on his bed in tears, curled into a small /-My love what has happened?- he was at her feet instantly, kneeling on the floor, his robe was untied, the mask was in place but tied loosely, the wig he was sure wasn't brushed to his liking, the neck piece was left behind, he did not care, not while she /-V…- The sobs were unbearable to his ears. Nothing was amiss, nothing hurt her he was sure of it. What caused her sudden sadness he did not know. He pulled her to him gripping her /-Tell me I am begging you.- If she did not stop she would soon follow her he was sure of it, an uncomfortable lump lodge itself in his /-I love you so much.- she shuddered through a sob gripping his hands tighter.- You must understand.- she gripped his shoulder.- Do you understand?- she said it very loudly, her throat constricting with the last /- I understand. I do understand, I love you.- he pulled her into his lap on the carpet curling around her. She cried into his shoulder, each sob growing louder and louder. He did not know what to do anymore, she wasn't stopping, it seemed to him it was getting louder and more desperate with each breath. He pulled her under his chin , her hands gripping around his abdomen, he could feel her tears tracking down his bare /-They hurt you so much.- he finally understood, his trauma finally settled into her, he expected it would come sooner or later. He drew a shuddering breath raising his hands to the ties of the mask. She did not move she just kept repeating how they hurt him, how she did not understand. He untied it lowering it from his face, the light was harsh, the air was cold and he was frightened but nothing could stop him, not even the light, not while she cried for /-Evey…- it was barely a whisper but it was enough to stop her just for a moment. She pressed her face harder into his /-Give me your hands Evey.- she did but she did not look up. He pushed the mask into her hands closing them around it. She gripped the mask tighter between her hands bringing it to her chest squeezing it tight to her /-They….- his voice was shaking but he pushed on.- They did unspeakable things to me, things I do not want you to know, not because I do not trust you but because I do not wish to hurt you.- She cried quietly again, swallowing large gulps of breath. – But for you I will do anything, say anything you want me to say just to make you stop, to make you laugh. Please my love.- he gripped her face in his hand turning it upwards, unprepared for her to see but he did not know what to do. Her eyes were closed tightly, she almost resisted his hand but not quite like she could not decide if she wanted to /- You are not ready V.- both her hands still clutched the mask between them.- I don't want you to do this just because I'm crying. I want it to be happy, to be the most important thing I ever see.- His tear feel on her /-But I love you.-He sounded so desperate, she still refused shaking her head /-Tell me honestly, would you feel alright without it, will you stop wearing it, will you eat with me, will you sleep with me undisturbed, will you kiss me any time of day and night not thinking about the light?- He stopped to think about what she said and she was right as she always was, he was not ready for such a commitment and it would hurt her for sure if he hid behind it right after she'd seen /-No…- he said, defeated, another tear feel on her /-It's alright. I love you. It's alright.-br /-Let me kiss your tears away.- his forehead touched hers.- Please…-br /-I love you.- she breathed into his /-And I you.- he simply added not wasting any time with words instead he kissed her and kept kissing her till all her tears stopped. She responded tilting her head in his direction, wherever his lips went her head followed pressing it closer to /-Evey.- he lifted her upwards, higher in his lap until she could circle his hips with her legs. – My love.- he lowered his head nuzzling beneath her chin, his hands curling around her. He continued kissing her chin and /-Are you hiding?- she lovingly wrapped her hands around his shoulders coming to her senses at last, no one could calm her down like he /-If I could crawl into your soul I would.- he squeezed /-I'm going to open my eyes now.- she stated pulling him tighter under her chin. He thanked her kindness with kisses across her /-You're not wearing your neck piece.- she could see it next to the sink through the open bathroom /He stopped kissing her just enough to answer her.-I don't need it.-br /-Alright.- she drew circles on his back.- V, aren't I hurting you?-br /-You're not going anywhere.- he bucked his hips closer to her, anything to keep her closer to /-Alright, alright.- her legs came around him lightly. His whole body relaxed into /-Evey….- his hands gripped the back of her neck. – Please.- she understood, he didn't need to say it. Her eyes closed and he emerged from his hiding place, tracing kisses along her neck and chin until he found her lips. – You may touch.- he spoke between kisses. She didn't move, didn't understand what he meant, she was already touching /-You may touch my face. You may touch any part of me, you don't have to wait anymore.- he breathed across her lips and they smiled, the sweetest smile he has yet laid eyes upon. Her hands slowly raised touching his neck tenderly drawing her fingers over his Adams apple. She gripped his chin pushing him in for another /-You're smiling again.- she leaned away touching his lips with her thumb, there was a small scar in the corner of his lip. He kissed her thumb lightly relaxing his face into her open palm. Her other hand found his /-Smile again.- and for her he did, a smile that stretched from ear to ear. There were many small ropey scars along his right cheek and she traced lightly over them with her index /-I can't wait to see you smile.- she kissed the cheek she held a moment ago and continued to explore tracing a path over his right cheek to his /-Did my heart love till now? forswear it, sight! For I ne'er saw true beauty till this night.- she laughed placing another kiss upon his /-I thought I was the one quoting the great bard in moments such as these. -br /-Let me have my moment.- her hand drifter over the bridge of his nose, it felt like it was broken several times. She stopped at the little bump that resided there. – I think I find this bump incredibly charming.-br /-Really?- he closed his eyes trusting she would never open hers. It was strange to him how her touch never offended his /-It gives you a ruggedly handsome look. – she traced her finger down his nose right to the tip of /-You don't know what I look like.- a laugh was begging to bubble in his /-Silence, I am touching a very handsome face at the moment, can't speak.- she could feel a very large scar that ran from his nostril, it connected to the scar on his cheek, she has seen similar injuries while she researched /-Alright.- he finally laughed letting her continue her /- Do you shave?- she continued her path upwards finding another knotted scar where the ending of his eyebrow should be. He took her other hand placing her fingers on the left side of his jaw finding the few patches that received lighter burns, they were still /-Just here. I was about to do that before I heard you.- her whole palm traced over the stubble. It extended across his chin to the middle of his /-Mhm.- she smiled lightly.- I'm sorry I interrupted you. She petted his cheek /-Everything's alright kitten. Don't stop.- She kissed him again softly, her lips were wet and he lingered close to her mouth for a moment. She traced over his right eyebrow. –What about the eyebrows?- she traced over the other one. It had a long scar over it, in trust most of them were /-I keep contemplating about them. To leave them or not.-br /-I think it gives of a bad boy look.- she began giggling /-A bad boy look, noted.- he kissed the tip of her chin. The words sounded so foreign out of his mouth and ridiculously funny to her ears. The scars continued to his forehead where her hands met his /-V…- she pulled her hands through the wigs /-Yes love?-br /-I really like the wig.- she /-Do you like that it's long?- he quickly dipped his head to place an open mouthed kiss on her /-Yeah…- she squirmed in his lap.- Please stop you'll make me….- she inhaled as he blew on it /-What kitten?- he looked at her face again, it was begging to take on his favourite /-You're making me aroused.- she spoke /-I know, I want to.- he placed another tender kiss on her neck. – You may continue. Her hands continued exploring, cupping his whole face in her hands tracing her thumbs over his cheek like he often did to her, he breathed deeply content in her /-There is something you cannot feel with your hands love.- he took her right hand placing it firmly on his right cheekbone. – Do you feel that scar there?- she nodded tracing it with her thumb. It did feel different then the burn scars, it was long and jagged. – I want to tell you what happened.-br /-Alright.- she continued stroking his face with a new found sense of acknowledgment, she would finally /-I did this to myself.- her hands stopped abruptly but did not let /-I told you how they experimented on us, how I don't exactly know what they did to me. They gave us something, Batch five they called it.- his voice was dry and quiet. She continued to stroke /-I was the only one that survived the trial, it gave me speed, strength but you already know that. It took my memories, all of them. I didn't know who I was.- she nodded silently, she knew all of that, he told her in tears he didn't know his name, his parents, his childhood, they took everything from him. She remembered Valerie's letter again, the horror they went through together. It took Evey months to understand what he did to her and why but when she did she /-They gave me certain privileges. I had a garden. I grew vegetables, my roses….- he trailed /-It's alright you did nothing wrong..- He kissed her again, thanked her /-I began collecting fertilizer in my cell, why they allowed me I shall never know, they must have thought I wouldn't know what to do with it. Somehow I knew, I don't know how.- she didn't understand what he meant but she didn't ask, he would tell her. He gripped her tighter like he was reliving something he did not wish to /-I'm right here.- she kissed his cheek again, the place where she found the jagged /-I collected it all and ammonia, gallons of it and chlorine.- the fear in his voice frightened her. She didn't want him to be there in that dark cell again but he continued on gripping the back of her shirt /- I made…- a new tear feel on her forearm, she began whipping the rest of them with her hand. – I made mustard gas and, and…. Napalm.- he finished with a choke.- I blew it up, I blew the whole bloody building up, I wanted to die in that explosion.- his head dropped on her shoulder. – But I wasn't close enough, I don't actually know if I was. Maybe I was, maybe I would have died if they did not do whatever the hell they did to me.- another sob ripped through his chest. She grabbed his face pressing it close to hers.- Breath V.- he inhaled shakily- He began to chuckle. If any other person heard his laughing they would think him crazy. He was, Evey knew that, but he wasn't twisted, he was suffering emotionally, the trauma burned deeper into him then any fire /- It was to my right, I remember. The tanks and the ammonia and it smelled like freedom, like release.- he touched her face again. She didn't know if he was looking at her or not, nothing could make her open her eyes. – It was only an illusion, do you understand? That wasn't freedom…- He placed his forehead against hers, it comforted him, grounded him, she still didn't release his /-Yes V, I understand, you're my freedom too.- he exhaled through his nose.- You're so good for me.- he traced her skull with his hand, her hair was longer then on the fifth, she was growing it out, it was prickly and /- I was standing right next to it holding one of the tanks. I lit it with sulfur and my hands caught on fire first, I didn't care I just moved to the right wanting to take down the door. When it blew up it threw me against the wall. I was standing to the right of it that's why everything is so….-br /- Hurt. It's hurt, you're right side.- he returned her hand to the cheekbone where his story started. – A shard flew into my face right there.- he pressed her finger into the scar.- It took half of my cheekbone, and teeth.- She didn't understand what he meant when he traced over it again, it seemed solid to her, the bone felt the same as his left cheekbone. One of his hands left her body, she couldn't picture what he was doing, she knew he was touching his face. Suddenly half his cheekbone sunk in. She reached for his arm blindly. – I wouldn't recommend dear.- his voice was still the same but his speech was slurred, /-V.- she said sternly. He sighed and looked down at his palm. Her hand found his palm and touched a foreign object to her, she couldn't quite place what it was, it was wet. It came to her like a lightning bolt, they were dentures, she touched them more curiously taking them in her hands. Four molars and a large piece of gum, a piece of prosthetic cheekbone, she could picture it now, she /- You have very large teeth.- she finally stated pushing the prosthetic back into his hand, closing his fist around /-I give you my denture and that's the first thing you comment.- he couldn't believe his ears. She chuckled lightly.- I've never felt someone's teeth like that.- He blinked again in shook. This was not the reaction he expected at all, she seemed almost amused by /-It's just a part of you, like any other part that I love.- she kissed the sunken cheek. He nodded to himself, still a bit shell shocked by what transpired. He returned the denture to its rightful /- How does it stay in?- she traced the outside of his teeth over his cheek with her /-Magnet.- He appreciated her curious nature but he didn't think even he would think of such a /-What about your hair?-br /- Most of it is gone.- he gripped the wig and removed it. Her hands found his /- You shave it don't you?- she traced the base of his /-Yes.- he didn't think he would enjoy her touching his head but a distinct shiver past through his body when her hand gripped around the base of his /-You have a very round and large head.- she tried to span both palms over it. He laughed out loud suddenly giving her a /-I cannot believe you made me laugh after I gave you my denture and shoved you my bald head.- This really wasn't how he expected it to go at all. He now fully understood what she meant by stating she wanted the unmasking to be happy. He had to find humour in all of it, like she did now. – That's my favourite sound you know?- she continued to stroke his head. There were scars there too, like on his face, she imagined they looked the same they looked on other parts of his /-Do you really like my laugh that much?- he distinctly realized how strangely relaxed he was in this moment, it would shock him if it didn't make him incredibly relieved. She nodded her head through her laugh.- I especially like when you giggle. I think its adorable.-br /-Dangerous vigilantly… Adorable. A strange combination love.-br /-Well I am a strange girl.- her hands slid downwards to his ears, one of them was badly scarred, the other was faring better but it too was stiff to her /-Oh good, you don't have protruding ears, I could never be with someone who had does.- she was trying to remain serious but couldn't help the escaping giggle. He on the other hand all but doubled over from laughter, clutching to her for support. It was the loudest and violent outburst of laughter she heard from him in all of their acquaintance. –I adore you Evey Hammond.- he spoke through the laugh trying desperately to calm down, to kiss her, to thank /-What's so funny, it's a personal preference.- she laughed with him. His laugh trailed of into a chuckle while he pressed kisses into her /-I really didn't think it would be like this.- he hugged her closer to himself, in the process of his laughing she slid of his lap and he didn't like that at /- That's because you've never done this. I hope you understand nothing will stop me to make you laugh when I see you.- she kissed the tip of his nose. How she found it as quickly he did not know, it seemed to him like she knew his face for years and not /-I love you.- he offered. No other words seemed more important to him at the /-I love you and your prosthetic.- she kissed his mouth sweetly while tracing the back of her hand over the injured /-Call it what it is, a denture, I am an old man after all.- Now she doubled over with laughter and she looked beautiful and he couldn't tear his eyes away from /-What's that song you sang in the shower?- she finally spoke while he whipped a tear from her /-Toi et moi by Maurice Chevalier. It's a very old song. It means you and I.-br /-Will you sing it to me?- Her hands traced a line down his /-Every day if you so wish it.-br /-When you cook me breakfast, and when you tuck me into bed and of course when you shower.- she squeezed him tight in her /-Whenever you wish love.- he squeezed back murmuring the beginning of the song softly in her ear./p