Who's up for a double update?! I know I am!
First of all, I would just like to say that this chapter may contain content that some readers find distressing in one way or another. And that there are help lines out there that can help if you've experienced something similar or a different traumatic experience entirely.
Key; "Normal speech" 'Thoughts' "Calls"
3
Mathilda made sure that Bryan spent his week off by relaxing. They'd gone for a gentle stroll around the park once his back was better. The cherry blossoms were in full bloom filling the air with their fruity perfume. As thanks for everything she'd done over recent days, Bryan treated Mathilda to some ice cream as they meandered around. When he wasn't paying attention, she gave his hand a little nudge. The result had her cackling sweetly. Mathilda had bopped the hand holding his ice cream cone and now he had a large blue spot on his nose from having bubblegum ice cream smacked into it.
Bryan got her back a day later twofold. Worn out from the previous day, Mathilda slept through her alarm giving Bryan the perfect chance to strike. Into one of Mathilda's hands he sprayed some whipped cream, making sure she couldn't move the other one, and located the feather duster. The first couple of brushes were met with groaning and shuffling until eventually, Mathilda went to swat away the itch, creaming her face in the progress. As one would expect she was not impressed. Bryan had promptly bolted out of the flat, his face hurting from smiling so much. Mathilda couldn't stay mad at him when he returned with a small bouquet of pink and yellow tulips.
She made a mental note to get Bryan back at some point, not expecting him to prank her in return for getting ice cream on his nose. Anyone who saw the mischief would think they were a happy young couple but nothing could be further from the truth. Mathilda had seen no sign of a woman being attached to Bryan and seeing how awkward he was with other girls told her he was actually single. She on the other hand still couldn't recall that other man clearly.
In no time, Bryan was back to work more determined than ever. Mathilda had greatly enjoyed their week of just messing around or chilling together and already missed the playful side to her hero. They slipped effortlessly back into routine, Bryan waking at 5pm so he was well rested for his janitorial duties and Mathilda dutifully making sure he was adequately fuelled for the evening. But something was different about today. Mathilda couldn't shake the ill omen she'd been feeling all morning. Something bad was going to happen. Bryan brushed off her concerns as just being clingy. He almost dragged Mathilda out of the flat as she refused to let go of him. In a last ditch attempt to soothe her, Bryan did something he prayed he wouldn't regret.
Mathilda stood blinking, trying to register with great difficulty what had just happened, blind to the sight of Bryan strolling away up the street. Had he really just done that? No he can't have. Closing the door, Mathilda leaned her back against it, hands drawn up to cover her beet red face. She must be dreaming. The Bryan she knew would never do such a thing. No matter how she tried Mathilda couldn't stop her hands and legs from trembling. What if she wasn't dreaming? That brief moment of closeness might be the only time she'd ever get.
'Oh get a hold of yourself, woman.' She thought bitterly. 'You know full well how he feels about you. Best forget those little flutters you've been getting around him lately or you'll just end up hurt again.'
But did she? Bryan was not a man who vocalised his feelings so who was she to say how he felt? For all she knew he could be dreaming of her every night. All Mathilda could do now was wait for Bryan to come home, silently praying for him to return safe. Until then, she just had to distract herself from going insane. When it came time for bed, Mathilda couldn't sleep. She sat in the dark living room nursing a hot cup of coffee, tears burning in her eyes.
Bryan left work feeling exhausted. How could one week off make him so easy to tire? Passing by a nightclub, Bryan found his thoughts drifting to Mathilda and how he'd gotten away from her. She was probably going to be pissed, anticipating a sharp slap to the chops when he walked through the door. Ever since he'd made that rash decision, his heart had been hurting. Well, he hadn't felt this in a while. When was the last time he ached so much over a girl? Bryan couldn't remember. Dwelling on the past would do him no good so he thrust the unwanted musings to one side and focussed on the journey home.
Bryan's route took him by Spencer's pub and he briefly thought about stopping off for a pint. He decided against going inside but quickly wished he had.
"Well hello handsome."
Against his better judgement, Bryan stopped walking and turned to face the sultry voiced speaker but before he could identify them properly, they pushed him down the nearby alleyway. Was this why Mathilda had been so clingy? Bryan had no time to think on it, trying with little success to push his attacker away. Everything happened so fast he could barely process it all properly. His body registered pain as he was bitten, scratched and tossed around the dark, cramped space.
Bryan pleaded for the clearly drunk, possibly high female partygoer to let him go but she was too caught up trying to get his trousers off. He didn't want to hit her but his options were getting fewer by the second. For a fleeting moment he got away, pinned almost immediately to a stack of crates. Finally, the girl got what she wanted so badly, forcing Bryan into her not caring if he was in pain, deaf to his cries. She didn't get long to enjoy her success however.
"What's going on down here?! Who's there?!"
Bryan saw an opening and he took it without hesitation, striking the girl out of instinct and fled the alleyway holding his trousers up.
A nearby cabby saw him stumbling out of the darkness, springing straight into action. With gentle coaxing he got Bryan into his car, dashing to the driver's seat. He didn't need telling what this scratched up young man had just been through, consoling him softly and repeatedly asked for an address to take him to.
Mathilda sat by the living room window waiting for Bryan to come striding up the path. Instead she saw a cab pulling up at high speed, its driver in something of a panic as he ran up to the window. Curious as to what the man wanted, Mathilda opened the window.
"Is everything all right sir?"
"Ma'am I just picked up a distressed young man who says he lives at this address. Shoulder length gray hair, large forehead. Do you know him?"
"Y-Yes he rents this apartment. What happened?"
The cabby swallowed hard, not liking what he had to say. "Poor bugger's been attacked. Could you leave some fresh clothes in the bathroom for him and contact the police? And whatever you do don't touch him."
The next ten or so minutes zipped by in a blur, Mathilda doing what was asked of her down to the letter. She kept away from the doors, watching from behind her wall as Bryan staggered towards the open bathroom. He looked hurt. What was going on? The cab driver beckoned her back over to the window, some papers in his hand.
"Here's my cab license and vehicle details. If the police ask, give them those."
Mathilda took the documents with shaky hands, still trying to piece together what was happening. She wanted to invite the driver in for a cup of tea but by the time she opened her mouth he was gone. Closing the window, Mathilda tiptoed to the bathroom door and pressed her ear against it. Her heart shattered to the sound of Bryan crying inside. Every instinct she had screamed to go and hold him but the kind man who brought Bryan home had specifically instructed her not to touch him.
Locating the phone, Mathilda shakily picked up the receiver and flipped through a little book of numbers that Bryan kept next to it. She knew Charlotte would be on duty but had no idea if her mobile would be turned on. All Mathilda could do was try, pressing the numbers in the right order then hitting dial. Across town, Charlotte was on her way to investigate reports of a rape victim, pulling over when her phone started vibrating. Not recognising the number, she answered somewhat nervously.
"Hello?"
"Charlotte? It's Mathilda."
Charlotte tensed. Mathilda didn't sound good. "Tilda, what's wrong? I can hear you shuddering."
"Something's wrong with Bryan. He came home in a cab and the driver told me I needed to contact the police right away and not go near him. He said Bryan's been attacked."
"Where's Bryan now Mathilda? Is he safe? Are you safe?"
For a second there was silence, Mathilda seemingly trying to gather her nerves. Charlotte's heart raced wildly as she waited for a response.
"Bryan's in the bathroom crying. I don't know what's going on Charlie. I'm scared."
"Mathilda, listen to me honey. I'm on call right now but I promise I'll come straight to you once I'm done. Until then find somewhere safe to hide. I'll knock the way I usually do. That's three loud bangs okay?"
"Kay."
When it sounded like Mathilda had hung up, Charlotte put her foot to the floor, sirens blaring. The sooner she could finish with her current objective, the less Mathilda would have to suffer. Charlotte's journey came to an end outside a pub. Shutting the car down and pulling the handbrake, she ventured inside, locking the doors on the way. All heads turned to the wide open doors as Charlotte strode into the building. Paying them no heed, she approached the bar where Spencer stood. Her contact was a big, intimidating man. Well, Spencer was certainly big and very intimidating.
No words were needed, Charlotte being led towards a room in the back of house where the reported victim was waiting. When asked if anybody had touched the girl, Spencer said he made sure nobody laid a finger on her, that she'd been locked in a room for her own safety. He waited in the hall while Charlotte slipped inside. What she saw caused her heart to sink. Ming-Ming sat near a lit fireplace, her clothes all torn, right eye swollen badly. Charlotte wanted to hold her but had to follow procedure.
"Charlie! I was hoping they'd send you."
"Calm down Ming-Ming. Tell me what happened?"
"I-I went to the club with Salima and Frankie but got separated from them. As I passed by this place somebody pulled me into the alley and raped me. He ran when the big scary guy came."
"At what point did he hit you? Was that the first thing he did?"
Ming-Ming nodded, snivelling as she tried to calm down. Charlotte would've taken her to the station had she not been interrupted.
"You have to get Mathilda away from him, Charlie."
Wait what? Get Mathilda away from who? Had the pinkette started dating somebody? A dozen questions ran through Charlotte's mind, and it only took one name to answer all of them.
"It was Bryan, Charlie. Bryan raped me on his way home from work. Mathilda's in danger. If she stays there, he'll rape her too. Probably already has and couldn't wait until he got home so grabbed the first girl he could find."
Charlotte didn't stop to question the awfully specific accusation, blindly storming out of the building with a face like thunder. Spencer watched her go, his own blood boiling. He didn't need to hear that Charlotte believed the tale Ming-Ming wove. Her acceptance was visible for all to see. Spencer got the feeling Ming-Ming had asked specifically for Charlotte on purpose, knowing exactly what would happen. And if his hunch was right, the fiery blonde wouldn't listen to the truth right now.
Three loud thumps on the door scared Mathilda half to death. True she'd been expecting Charlotte to arrive but in all honesty Mathilda was too caught up worrying about Bryan to pay attention to anything. Soon as the door was open even a fraction, Charlotte barged inside, knocking Mathilda over in the process. Shaking her head clear of the sudden fog, she traced Charlotte's steps in time to see Bryan being hauled out of the bathroom in handcuffs, his clothes in a sealed plastic bag labelled EVIDENCE.
Mathilda couldn't understand. Bryan had been attacked. Why was Charlotte arresting him? Upon Bryan's left cheek she could see angry looking scratch marks and his neck was covered in bruises. He looked absolutely terrified, squirming to try and escape the fierce hold Charlotte had on his arm.
"Charlie what are you doing?! Why have you put cuffs on him?!"
Mathilda didn't get an answer, forced to watch as Charlotte shoved Bryan into the back of her squad car and slammed the door. Not knowing what else to do, Mathilda grabbed the phone and called the only person she knew might be able to help. Bryan trembled uncontrollably as the car came to a sudden, very abrupt halt. One minute he was on fabric, the next a cold, wet stone floor, his arm pulsing fiercely. The few police officers at the station watched in shock as Charlotte dragged Bryan by his hair and arm straight to an interrogation room.
She left him for only a moment, asking a colleague to take Ming-Ming to the hospital for treatment but neglected to say why. One look at Bryan told the older member of staff that they were dealing with a rape case. But who was the victim? They had no time to question anything, knowing that Charlotte's wrath wouldn't be far behind if she didn't get results soon. With her colleague sent off, Charlotte returned to the task at hand…getting answers out of a traumatised Bryan.
For an hour she got no response from him except whimpers of pain when she tried forcing him to speak. Afterward he was thrown into a holding cell until such a time came that the evidence would talk for him. Charlotte's colleague returned with photographic evidence of Ming-Ming's injuries and…a rape kit? She hadn't asked for that to be done. Charlotte pushed it to one side, figuring her colleague was just following standard procedure. Shortly after however the results came back.
The young man in a long white lab coat didn't like the task he'd been given but nobody else wanted to go anywhere near Charlotte right now. He knocked meekly on the door, freezing when Charlotte's green eyes fixed on him.
"What is it Jim?"
"W-W-Well Officer. The r-r-results are back from the rape kit. But they're conflicting, ma'am."
Charlotte sat up straight and Jim took several steps back for his own safety.
"Conflicting how? Speak man!"
Jim almost wet himself, willing his bladder not to bail on him just yet. "There are signs of forced entry but…after that there's nothing. Everything else points towards the victim being willing. T-t-the hospital would like t-t-to assess your suspect, ma'am. They m-m-might find some missing clue by doing so."
"Are you trying to suggest that the victim is lying?!"
Jim visibly shrank and vanished, leaving only a puff of dust behind. Charlotte wasn't getting out of Bryan being examined, ordered by her CO to take him to the hospital. As expected Bryan wanted to be nowhere near Charlotte given how she'd handled him, dragged forcefully back to her squad car. To make sure she didn't step out of line, a male officer was sent along with them. Hoping it might grant the already tormented janitor some relief, Charlotte's comrade assisted him into the hospital building. Their journey came to an end outside an examination room. One of the attending nurses already saw that something was off.
For Bryan's comfort, only two nurses were present for his exam. His eyes couldn't stay fixed on anything for more than a few seconds, waiting for some form of instruction from somebody. Charlotte waited outside the room, watching as her colleague stepped away to answer a call.
"Excuse me, Officer?"
Charlotte turned to face the speaker, meeting with mismatched light yellow and tangerine orange eyes set into a face of ash brown skin. The next thing Charlotte noticed about this nurse was her hair. At the top of her head it was indigo, shifting to pastel pink then smoky mulberry. She had three braids; one on either side of her face that stopped by the collarbone and a slightly longer one at the rear ending at the middle of her back. Height wise the nurse was a little shorter than Charlotte.
"Is everything ok nurse?"
"Everything is fine except for one thing. With the young man's hands cuffed behind his back we can't examine him properly. They need only be removed temporarily."
Charlotte could not believe her ears. Was this nurse sane? If she uncuffed Bryan he could possibly attack somebody. The nurse could see that her request wasn't going to be granted any time soon given that Charlotte barged into the room and tore Bryan's pants down. In doing so she put him in a very uncomfortable situation for many reasons. Seeing all she had, the nurse was furious. Bryan was clearly already traumatised so why was he being treated so coldly?
"We will also require access to his torso, Officer. Preferably in a way that he's comfortable with."
Charlotte finally removed the cuffs from around Bryan's wrists, warning him that if he tried anything, they were going right back on with an audible growl. Tired of Charlotte's aggression, the dark skinned nurse kicked her out of the room. Bryan seemed to visibly relax with his primary aggressor gone. But on the inside he was still terrified.
Bryan lashing out a little wasn't surprising, the autumn eyed nurse softly soothing his fears. He hadn't pushed her too hard when she'd tried to examine his cheek but her shoulders still throbbed a little. At her signal, everyone in the room backed away.
"It's ok dear. Nobody in this room is going to hurt you. Not while I'm around."
Bryan wanted to trust the nurse, her words sounding so sincere. But everything in his head screamed to get away. She held her hand out to him slowly and allowed him time to properly process what was happening.
"I know the girl is lying." Soothed the nurse. "We can help you prove it but you need to trust us. Your wounds are the only evidence we have now."
Bryan didn't know what to do, his brain still running laps at the speed of light. Giving this stranger his trust would put him at risk it said. She couldn't be trusted. But he badly needed the help she offered. Looking around at the three other people present, Bryan saw they too were begging him to trust them, even the other woman. Fighting against his frazzled mental state, Bryan shakily took the nurse's hand.
"There now. It'll all be over soon I promise. Can you sit up on the bed for me? If not my colleagues can help you."
Bryan really didn't like the idea of being touched with no clothes on but what other choice did he have? His voice wouldn't form the words he needed to say, the shock of what happened still holding him prisoner. Just as the nurse promised she and her fellow doctors collected all the evidence they could all while making sure Bryan didn't feel unsafe at any point.
With everything catalogued, the nurse stepped back. There wasn't a part of Bryan's body that hadn't been scratched or bruised and that included his genitals. The doctors helped Bryan back into his clothes once his wounds were cleaned, leaving the scratched cheek for the nurse to tend. Bryan did not flinch away to her touch but she could still feel him trembling.
Charlotte came barging back in no sooner than the bandage had been placed. Her sudden entry scared Bryan so bad he fell off the bed. Just as she cuffed Bryan's hands behind his back after a major struggle, her fellow officer arrived looking all puffed out.
"What now Bret?" Charlotte spat while yanking Bryan up off the floor.
"We've been called back to the station Charlotte. New evidence has been brought forward from at least two sources. Both indicate that you're actually holding the victim, not the culprit."
As Bret expected Charlotte's face turned dark. He wisely went on ahead to unlock the car, leaving her to struggle with a now panicking Bryan. He somehow managed to slip out of her grasp a few times but she was never far behind. With no care if she hurt him, Charlotte tossed Bryan onto the back seats and occupied the front passenger seat. Bret didn't trust her not to do anything crazy. He'd never seen his green eyed colleague so rattled before.
For Charlotte to be so dogged in her belief of Bryan being the culprit, it must mean she knew his supposed victim. Unsurprisingly Bryan tried to keep as far away from Charlotte as possible when she went to collect him from the back. He ended up dragged out by his feet, head connecting with the floor so hard it left him temporarily dazed. Striding into the station, Charlotte couldn't believe her eyes. Ming-Ming had been cuffed and was being taken to the holding cells. Worse still, the officer escorting her was Charlotte's brother!
"Max?! The fuck are you doing?! Let her go!"
"So she can run around and falsely accuse more men of raping her? Are you even sane Charlotte?! Just bloody look at the kid you've been abusing! Cut almost to ribbons and not to mention flipping terrified. Bret, escort my sister to her office and make sure she watches ALL of the footage we've recovered. Maybe then she'll see this girl's true colours."
Out of spite, Charlotte locked Bryan in the same cell as Ming-Ming. Max stayed behind to keep an eye on them, his heart aching for the petrified youth. If Charlotte had paid attention, she would've seen Spencer and Mathilda sat in the waiting room with the cabby who had taken Bryan home. On her desk Charlotte found two discs, sliding the top one into the nearby TV/DVD combine on the corner of her desk. Footage showed Bryan on his way home from work, stopping very briefly outside the pub.
Ming-Ming appeared next, her clothes already a little torn. Or maybe that was just how they were supposed to look? Charlotte's heart dropped when she witnessed what happened next. Ming-Ming pushed Bryan down the alley in spite of his resistance. And the kicker? He didn't hit Ming-Ming at the start like she claimed or do anything to hurt her. The CCTV had also captured audio, allowing Charlotte to hear just how desperately Bryan was trying to get away, the pain he was in. She rewound the video slightly to get a closer look at something. Charlotte hadn't seen things. During one of the forced kisses, Ming-Ming poured some kind of liquid into Bryan's mouth. She assumed it was meant to get him erect.
Then it happened and Charlotte felt awful. Bryan finally struck back when a voice echoed in the darkness, giving him the window he'd desperately needed. The footage ended with Bryan being ushered into a taxi. Disc two contained the short cab ride to Bryan's apartment. The driver did everything he could to make him feel safe, even offering his hand while at a red light. Next the dash-cam captured the driver talking with Mathilda at the window, then helping Bryan to his door and back to the window after hurriedly grabbing some documents from the glove box of his car. When told by someone poking their head into her office, Charlotte checked the camera facing the holding cells.
In the far corner Bryan could be seen curled up, facing the stone walls while Ming-Ming looked to be glaring at his quivering back. Praying it wasn't too late to make amends, Charlotte ran as fast as she could to the holding cells. Right as she got there, somebody else arrived. Anything Charlotte tried to say got stuck half way up her throat, silenced by the piercing eyes burning holes into her.
She backed away a little but stayed to watch the repercussions of her actions. When ordered, the nurse was granted passage into the cell. Her first few attempts at contact were shrugged off fearfully. Bryan saw something out the corner of his eye, risking a glance to see an identity card. On it was a picture of the nurse who had been calm and patient with him. Seeing her soothed his fears and she was able to get close.
"Hello Bryan. I've come to help you get home. There's a sweet young lady waiting for us in the lobby. Do you remember her name?"
Try as he might, Bryan couldn't form any sound, settling for nodding slowly. The nurse didn't try to force him, rubbing his back tenderly. She gave the signal for two male officers to help Bryan outside, intent on having words with Charlotte.
"Well young lady? Have you finally opened your eyes?"
"Yes ma'am. I can't begin to express how sorry I am."
"It's no my forgiveness you need."
Charlotte nodded woefully, distracted by something to her side. Taking a deep calming breath and stepped into the gated room, facing pleading amberwith no amount of sympathy.
"Charlie you can't be serious! Why are you letting him go?! He raped me!"
Charlotte's hand moved before she could find another outlet for her anger, clouting the snobby girl clean across the face.
"Have you any idea what you've done? The consequences your actions are going to have? I should've known you named him too quickly. Hating somebody doesn't give you the right to falsely accuse them of rape. Find somebody else to bail you out. I'm fucking done."
Mathilda could hardly contain her joy and relief seeing Bryan being brought out, unable to recognize him when he got closer. She was uneasy of the nurse who followed shortly after, calming to the extension of a hand.
"You must be Mathilda. I'm Tesha Zanril. I work as a nurse at the hospital. Once we have Bryan home I need to speak with you."
Turning her gaze away from Tesha, Mathilda saw Bryan discreetly reaching for her spare hand. She must've done something to earn his trust already. Spencer watched on silently as Mathilda shook Tesha's hand eagerly. He merely gave it a slight squeeze. The cabby offered three of them a ride, Tesha insisting she'd follow behind in her own vehicle. Bryan stared blankly out the window as the world scrolled by, Spencer by his side not knowing what to do. How did you help a man who's just been through the most traumatic night of his life? At the very least he was going to stay by Bryan's side for better or worse.
Arriving at the apartment, Mathilda went inside first to prepare a pot of tea and warm up a blanket for Bryan to curl up in. Tesha advised letting him lie down somewhere he would feel safe while they had a discussion. Mathilda was ever so gentle when wrapping him up in bed, waiting until he fell asleep to leave the room. Deep down she felt guilty for letting him leave for work, thinking that he wouldn't have been attacked if she'd insisted he stay or made him get a cab home.
Blaming herself wouldn't rewind time but it didn't ease the pain Mathilda felt inside. Returning to the living room with a hot pot of tea, Mathilda made sure everyone had a cup. At least she'd managed to tempt the cabby in this time, to properly thank him for his help. Once everyone was comfortable, Tesha got straight to the point, sharp and painful as it was. Especially for Mathilda as the way she interacted with Bryan would have to change from the moment he got up later.
Days dragged by with painful slowness and Bryan showed no sign of recovery. He only got worse. Nothing Mathilda tried ever worked. She stuck to their old routine as best she could but some days Bryan just couldn't even get out of bed. On those days all Mathilda could do was sit with him in silence to let him readjust to her at his own pace. If it looked like he didn't want company she'd go somewhere else. As for getting Bryan to eat, it was impossible. Just looking at food made him feel sick. He didn't drink much either.
One afternoon Mathilda was busy in the kitchen as usual when she heard the soft sound of footsteps coming towards her followed by the scraping of a chair along the floor. Silently wishing for today to be the day Bryan finally ate something, Mathilda approached the small dining table where he sat and gently placed a small plate of food in front of him. She moved away to start doing some dishes so not to seem imposing. Mathilda didn't even reach the tap before she heard sobbing at her back, turning to see Bryan close to breaking down. Ignoring the advice left to her by Tesha, Mathilda returned to Bryan's side and offered him her shoulder. He leaned into it slowly and reached for Mathilda's apron.
"I'm sorry Tilda." He sobbed, unable to stop the tears from flowing.
She just stood there quietly rubbing his back, anything to try and ease the pain he felt.
"I want to eat the food you give me. Really I do. B-B-But I just can't. I don't know what's wrong with me."
Mathilda couldn't stand by and watch Bryan suffer any longer, wrapping her arms around him tightly. He steadily calmed to tender forehead kisses and gentle swaying, noticing when Mathilda pulled away that she'd lost weight. Bryan didn't have to say anything, Mathilda could see in his eyes that he'd felt how slim she'd become. His health was her main concern and until he started eating again, she'd go without as well.
Bryan eventually tired himself out so Mathilda left him to sleep on her bed, hoping the Rose-scented sheets might help him relax more. Grabbing her coat, Mathilda took to the streets with only one destination in mind. Spencer was just making a spot of tea when a knock came to his door, opening it for a surprise.
"You coming to my door tells me it's getting bad. In you get madam."
Mathilda didn't argue, following Spencer to his living space beyond the bar. Like the rest of the building it was warm and inviting. He got her sitting down with a warm drink and a slice of cake.
"You're not leaving until that wedge is gone sweet cheeks. How do you expect to help Bryan if you have no strength yourself?"
Mathilda turned her face away. Spencer was right; she couldn't even begin to help Bryan get better if she wasn't properly nourished. He hadn't meant to come across harsh, setting a large hand on Mathilda's slender shoulder causing her to flinch.
"That came out slightly wrong. I'm sorry. I know it can't be easy, watching him go hungry day after day."
"No, you're right Spencer. To help Bryan I need to be in good health. He noticed earlier…that I've not been looking after myself properly."
The caring giant hummed and bobbed his head, sitting down at the table with his own piece of cake. They ate in relative silence, a ticking clock the only sound audible. Afterward Spencer drove Mathilda home and followed her into the apartment. Bryan had woken up during her absence as the bed was empty but he wasn't in the sitting room. His room was empty too. Spencer made a beeline for the kitchen, unsurprised to see it devoid of a human.
"Bryan?"
Mathilda couldn't keep the panic out of her voice when calling for him. Relief washed over her when he came out of the bathroom sheepishly.
"There you are. I was worried when I couldn't find you." Bryan shuffled forward into Mathilda's open arms, apologising for making her worry.
Mathilda was filled with guilt when Spencer pulled Bryan away gently so not to scare him and closed the door. For about half an hour she waited, too nervous to do anything. Any hope Mathilda had for Bryan to keep something down was cut into ribbons, hearing the telltale sounds of somebody being sick. Spencer left the kitchen defeated, a grim look on his face. He proposed they split up, with Mathilda taking Bryan to get cleaned up. The poor sod could barely stand up, his legs weak from lack of food and having just heaved up the little that he'd eaten.
Mathilda took the bulk of Bryan's weight on her shoulders, hauling him into the bathroom. To hopefully keep Bryan calm, Mathilda warned him when she was about to remove a piece of his clothing and he'd just nod, bottom lip quivering. Once Bryan was clean Mathilda stood just holding him in her arms. All she could think to do now was just give him affection and hope for the best. Spencer didn't reappear until they were snuggling on Bryan's bed, signalling that he wanted a quiet word. Promising she'd be back soon, Mathilda slipped out of the room and closed the door quietly.
"So what do we do now? Force obviously isn't the way to go. And I highly doubt simple cuddling is going to cut it either."
Spencer sighed heavily. There was only one option left to them now. And it could still fail.
"There's one final method we can try, Mathilda. But there's no guarantee it'll help more than what you're already doing. Our last hope is getting Bryan to see a therapist for his trauma. Chance of success is gonna depend how bad the mental scarring is. I'll try getting one to see him. You just keep Bryan from doing anything stupid."
Mathilda could certainly try, returning to Bryan with a warm blanket. He didn't even wait for the sheet of soft fabric to fall over him, snuggling into Mathilda as she prepared to cover him, letting out a squeak of surprise.
Spencer reported later that day with good news. A therapist would be out to see Bryan in a couple of days. Until then, he was advised that Bryan be made to feel safe and to keep in routine as best as possible. Being with Mathilda certainly seemed to achieve the feeling of safety. A knock that Mathilda didn't recognise came to the door two days later. She answered it to find a young woman standing outside.
"Ms. Alster I presume?"
"Y-Yes. C-Can I help you?"
"I'm Vanna Zanril. A concerned friend of yours requested counselling for a Mr. Kuznetskov two days ago."
Mathilda quickly realised that Vanna must be the therapist Spencer talked about, shaking her hand without hesitation. It took her a moment to realise she'd heard the name Zanril before. Vanna caught on quickly, smiling a sweet smile.
"I take it you've met my mother, Tesha? She did say something about a young man who had been assaulted."
"Of course. Please come inside. I was just preparing a pot of tea actually so your timing is impeccable."
Vanna looked around as she stepped inside, already seeing one area that could be improved. Bryan had been napping when Vanna came knocking, freezing to the sight of a stranger in his home. It took a few seconds for him to register Vanna's presence, rocketing back into his room out of fear. Apparently she would have to work a little harder than anticipated. Mathilda returned with the promised refreshments along with some small cakes.
"Please have a seat while I go fetch Bryan."
"Actually I'd like you speak with you first, Mathilda. If I may of course?"
"O-Okay. Did I hear a door slam a few minutes ago?"
"You certainly did. My presence is already known to the man of the house. I would much prefer to let him relax before bringing him out."
Seeing no way out of a little chitchat, Mathilda eased herself into a seat once two cups of tea were poured. Vanna sat on the opposing sofa, seasoning her drink accordingly.
In the momentary silence, Vanna observed Mathilda's behaviour. She didn't look too affected by Bryan's trauma on the outside, figuring that perhaps the pinkette was putting on a brave face for his sake. Her posture was strong and at the very least seemed to have a firm grasp on the English language. But Vanna couldn't help feeling that Mathilda didn't…fit. And it was of course due to her choice of clothing.
Ever since Bryan had been assaulted, she took to wearing her more old timey blouses and skirts as they seemed to bring him some comfort. Mathilda noticed that Vanna was staring somewhat intently at her lavender coloured blouse, heat rising to her cheeks.
"I can change into something less distracting if you'd like? More…modern as Bryan once put it."
"If you're comfortable in older style clothing then it's fine with me. It's just not something one sees very often. Now then, how has Mr. Kuznetskov been since the assault? Any changes in behaviour? Has his appetite changed at all?"
"There's certainly issues with his appetite. He hasn't eaten in days and we just can't get him to keep anything down for long. Water is touch and go. As for behaviour he keeps apologising for little things. The other day he broke down in the kitchen wracked with guilt that he couldn't bring himself to eat the food I cooked for him."
Vanna jotted everything down in her notebook to file later. "Okay. I've seen how he's going to be with strangers given he bolted with me standing nearby. But how has he been with people he knows, Mathilda? Does he try to shy away? Is he interacting with yourself or others more than he used to?"
Mathilda had to seriously think this time. Bryan was certainly more snugly with her but he saw others so rarely it was hard to tell.
"Well his friend doesn't come by very often so I don't really know how Bryan is with him. But if it's just the two of us I can't keep him off me unless he's asleep."
Mathilda going red in the face told Vanna that Bryan had become more physical with her, but in what way? She'd see for herself in time, choosing not to press on the matter. For the next hour Mathilda answered Vanna's questions as best she could. Until the queries were targeted more towards the effects Bryan's problems were having on her. She should've expected it in truth. And the assault had affected her in some capacity.
Vanna sympathised with the worried pinkette when she voiced feelings of anxiety if she had to leave Bryan on his own for even a few minutes. Forgetting to look after herself was another issue but she was getting better with it. Vanna could see she had her work cut out for her with not one but two victims. Having all she needed from Mathilda, Vanna requested that she bring Bryan into the light. It wasn't likely to be easy. Mathilda ambushed him with a warm blanket and promised that he was safe. Vanna sat completely still so not to trigger Bryan's instinct to flee.
Even with a sheet draped over his shoulders she could tell he was getting frail from lack of nourishment. They needed to get him eating again and soon. Mathilda kept a secure hold on Bryan's shoulders, hoping the gesture might help him feel secure. All he wanted to do was hide from this strange woman who had entered his home regardless of why she was there. Vanna kept her voice low when addressing him directly.
Eye contact was something he avoided making unless it was Mathilda. She had his unwavering trust by the looks of things. Her time almost up, Vanna knelt slowly in front of Bryan and told him in the most motherly voice she could manage that he wasn't to blame for what happened, promising to help him overcome his feelings of shame, anger or whatever it was that he felt in response to being assaulted. Vanna saw herself out, watching him break through the window with a broken heart.
This isn't really an area I dive into often if I can help it and want to make one thing perfectly clear. I am not, in any way, saying that all or most women reporting being raped are lying. But for the purpose of this story's plot, the accusation was false (As clearly shown before the investigation started.)
To better write the aftermath, i.e helping Bryan over his traumatic experience, I've done a little research into rape/sexual assault recovery. And I cannot stress enough that there are places to turn to if you or someone you know has gone through or is going through the same thing.
If you need help, please seek it out. You're not alone and what happened was absolutely not your fault. I understand reaching out can be difficult, especially for male victims. Reaching out can be done from either side, not just by the victim.
I may end up taking this story one or two chapters further than anticipated if more things come to me. Chapter four should focus more on Bryan's recovery.
Also realised I kinda made a boo-boo. I had originally intended for the Demolition Boys (Except Kai) to all be of similar age but I done gone and gave Ian a kid (I mean I could make said daughter a baby. That'd work.) And Tala got turned into a no-nonsense businessman. Spencer is roughly two to three years older than Bryan so that might also work for Tala. Will just have to see how I feel as chapter four unfolds.