Pleasurable Venom
I am happy to hear most of you enjoy the story and prefer it to the original one. If you have anything you want to see in further chapters let me know. Please review, it makes me feel happy.
Chapter 05: Paint Problems
Swish...swish...swish...dip...slide...swish...swish
Glossy black paint coats the coffin wood tailing after the brush bristles. I delicately drag the handle in long strokes along the surface. After our agreement for me to stay and help the undertaker, he gathered the brush and bucket of black paint and dropped them by the table before dragging in the worn down coffin and placing it next to them. Only a few minutes ago he left me to deal with another client.
I enjoy the silence, only broken by the repetitive sound of the brush dipping into the thick liquid and gliding over the splintered wood. As the amount of paint in the bucket decreases and the graduate lowering of natural light makes it harder and harder to see where precisely I am painting on the box,I stand up from my kneeling position and stretch out my muscles. I glance out of the window and blink at the strips of brass and gold lining the horizon over the sea. I turn back to the interior of the shop and squeak as a yawn pushes out of my throat. Lazily, exhaustion probably, I shuffle over to the newly painted coffin. The black paint gleams from the light and it sits peacefully on the floor.
My lips pull into a tight line as I spot a small sliver of grey. I must have missed it. Leaning down I bend over to pick up the paint brush laying on a cloth on the floor. A sudden opening of the door startles me and I loose my balance for a brief moment. That's all it takes for my ankle to roll and send my body forward. My hands instantly go out in front of me to halt my fall but my palms meet slimy paint and slide outwards, obliterating anything stopping my face from colliding with the edge of the coffin. My knee hits something hard and metallic. The clank causes my eyes to widen. Cool gooey liquid spills around my knees and seeps across my stomach and upper torso when I hit my chin onto the wood, biting my tongue harshly in the process. My arms slip across the wood all the while collecting a large amount of splinters in the blackened skin. The braid I had over one shoulder falls forward and into the black puddle around my knees. Sliding and bunching up in the paint. Quickly the taste of blood fills my mouth and I cough and gag. Pain shoots through my chin and tongue. A hiss slips through my lips and I hit the floor soaked in the black slime.
Hurried footfalls rush towards me and I open my eyes to buckled boots and a cluster of black robes. "What a mess we have here." A set of chuckles eases my tenseness. Letting me sigh and giggle. I was sure I was going to be hurt. He grips my shoulders and pulls me up. "Are you okay, my dear?" I nod. "Yeah, I just bit my tongue and hit my chin." I say smiling. The startle begins to wear off and I notice my legs in the paint. "Oh my god. I am so sorry. I fell and didn't mean to spill the paint everywhere." I begin to panic. How could I screw up at something so small? He just laughs. "It's quite alright, my dear. I spill things all the time" I breathe out and let a small smile curve my lips. I notice the heat seeping into my cheeks. "Still I feel bad." He grins and taps my nose before standing and swiftly turning to rummage through a trunk. "Don't feel bad it's completely alright to make mistakes. Now let's get you cleaned up and out of that ruined nightgown."
I stand up, careful not to spread the paint anywhere other than where it is now. Patiently I wait, not really sure what to do next. It doesn't take long for him to find what he is looking for and he hurries off down the hall. I hear water begin to run and more shuffling. After a couple more minutes he comes back. "I am drawing a bath for you my dear. The restroom is just down the hall with the door cracked open. I also set out a outfit for you. I think it might fit, if it doesn't just tell me and I will see if I can find a better one." I nod and fiddle with my fingers. A strong blush sweeping through my face, thankfully covered by the quickly drying paint. "Thank you so much." I say gratefully. He makes a dismissive hand gesture and smiles. "Its nothing, I have clothes I sometimes need to dress my clients in and I am happy to give them to you. Plus it's not everyday I meet someone as non judgmental as you. Don't worry about the paint either, I will clean it up while you bathe." He turns and exits into the hall towards the back and I nervously step forward. I cringe when I realize I will be leaving a trail of black foot prints. Looking around I bite my lip and dash towards the bathroom. My quick pace and turn ends my body flying into the doorway and I slip over the cold wood and tile.
Hurriedly, I shut the door and lock it. My breathing slows back down as I calm myself. I only made about four or five foot prints rather than the eighteen I probably would have if I didn't lunge most of the distance. I nod to myself happy with it and begin to peel the sloppy fabric off my body. Patches of pale almost white skin patch my body where the fabric covered it from the paint and here and there the small clusters of scales dot the patches, peeking out from under the paint. I look over my black hair. Only half of the braid a pure white. A scowl finds it's way onto my face. The slimy liquid drips off my braid as I undo it. The waist length hair falls around me in delicate small waves. Not quite straight but not overly wavey. It clings and sticks to my body unpleasantly.
Turning from the mirror above the basin and sink, I tilt my head towards the bathtub filled with scented bubbles and water. The water steams pleasantly and soon i find myself with the warm water up to my neck. I hum a little bit and soak to get to paint off. Chunks of it float up and the water blackens in no time. I drain the tub by pulling the plug at the bottom and watch the grime slide down. After its drained I rinse the porcelain out and fill it again. I slip back in and less pain comes off my body but more comes out of my white hair. Again I drain, rinse and fill the tub. The water comes out cooler on the third time so I use it to quickly lather soap on my skin and scales cleaning the black paint from under them. I comb my finger through sections of my hair and apply a generous amount of shampoo to the strands. I rinse my whole body shivering because of the temperature of the now cold water.
Using the sides of the tub to help me out I carefully step over the edge and onto the plush rug next to it. I unclog the bathtub and listen to the gurgling of the water as I pull as towel around me and twist my hair up into one.
Random thoughts criss cross through my mind as take time to dry my skin, scales, and hair with the towels. After I am satisfied with the dry smoothness of my body, my fingers run through my hair and pull it over one shoulder. Looking around I spot a neatly hung up casual gown with a small but comfortable looking bodice to go with it. On a shelf above the small rack is a set of undergarmets, pantes and the likes, as well as a garter belt and thin stockings. I slip on the panties. The material is soft and not at all itchy, much to my relief. The bra follows. This time I twist and turn in attempts to clip thing thing together in the back and eventually turn it backwards before clipping it then twisting it so it is on properly and sliding my arms through the proper holes. After that's on I pull the garter belt around my hips and waist and clip the ends of each stocking into the small metal clasps.
I pull the white dress over my head instead of messing with the lacing in the back and settle it on my body. While the front of the dress ends at my knees, the back extends to my ankles. It makes the look more casual and public, far from the elaborate gowns and seas of cloth, I had seen on women before. I pull the leather of the dark brown bodice around my torso and under my breast line. It pushes my breasts up and supports them while making it appear that my waist is smaller. I huff as my fingers work to tightly lace up the back of the bodice and ties it off in a loose bow. The sleeves of the dress fall off my shoulders and puff out, letting the cloth loosely wrap around my arms and end at my elbows. Small ruffles line the collar line above my cleavage and show off my pale neck. I easily step into the small brown flats by the door and find them to be just a tad too big, but not enough to make the shoes feel uncomfortable. Overall the outfit hides most of my scales save for a few patches. One underneath my ear, one barely visible on my collar bone and one small patch on the underside of my right wrist.
I look up to find a ordinary woman with a decent outfit and ice blue eyes. I spread a slow smile across my face, like butter on toast and I twirl in front of the mirror, happy.
The happy light feeling in my chest doesn't fade as I open the bathroom door and peek around and down the dark hallway. Staying still for a moment, I listen for signs of the eccentric man and pick up some scuffles from the main area of the shop. I blink and step outside of the steamy bathroom and out onto the freezing hardwood floor of the hallway and store. My shadow mimics my movements while i walk and eek my head into the main section of the shop. The rug I had been painting over is missing and Undertaker is as well. The black mess of glossy liquid is gone and so is the coffin. A painful twinge twists in my chest, I should have cleaned that up.
"Oh, you are already done, my dear?" I squeak and jump a few inches into the air out of surprise. I turn around to a waterfall of silver bangs. I slowly nod. "Thank you, Undertaker." I thank him, feeling like I should for his kindness. He makes a dismissing gesture and brushes past me. "It's nothing, lad. Now that you are cleaned up, we can talk for a little while. If you want more tea I refilled your beaker and of course you can help yourself to more biscuits if you want. If you are tired, that's completely reasonable and you can use my bed to sleep. I hardly use the thing anyways." I let the gears in my head process the suggestions and I shyly hide my face by looking at the ground.
"I can talk for a while, but if I may, can I possibly read?" I ask quietly, hoping I didn't say it too quietly. After a slight moment of silence I look up, dreading the cruel look I know is on Undertaker's face. But I am shocked when I am only greeted by a gentle smile and a hand holding out the book I had lost myself in earlier. My book…
"Go right ahead." Those words spring tears to my eyes and I sniffle. Using the back of my hand I wipe them away happily. "You are too kind." I whisper under my breath and step forward. My arms move without my knowledge and soon they are wrapped about the man in black. I bury my face in the clothing over his chest.
XxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxX
Undertaker was shocked, to say the least. Miss Belford had appeared in the end of the hallway just as he was about to settle down to read a book as she bathed. He had planned on thinking about the strange woman, beautiful, but strange. He didn't think she was a threat and wondered where she had come from. Not bothered by she accident with the paint, he had cleaned it up and been walking back to the main part of his store when he saw her peeking over the corner. He chuckled to himself at the behavior of his guest. It was obvious she was shy but purely honest. He walked up behind her and spoke up.
"Oh, you are already done, my dear?" He watched as she was startled into jumping a good distance off the floor and he didn't hide the large smile he sported. Her reactions were just too precious. She paused for a moment, more then likely to try and regain her normal heart rate. He caught the small she gave him and he brushed past her. Not before hearing her thank him. He didn't need her thanks. It wasn't right to not show the young woman hospitality and her calm company was a payment in itself.
"It's nothing, lad. Now that you are cleaned up, we can talk for a little while. If you want more tea I refilled your beaker and of course you can help yourself to more biscuits if you want. If you are tired, that's completely reasonable and you can use my bed to sleep. I hardly use the thing anyways." He offered a number of things for her to do. As his guest it wouldn't do to have her bored. Even though he didn't have much to offer in the ways of entertainment, he did own many books and she had already expressed her interest in reading. Of course he was always up to holding a conversation with her as well.
He studied her reactions to each suggestion, trying to figure out what she enjoyed to do. In the dim lighting of only candlelight he almost didn't catch her gaze move to the ground. Her weight bounced from foot to foot and he waited for whatever she was going to say.
"I can talk for a while, but if I may, can I possibly read?" He couldn't stop the grin on his lips when she asked. He could tell asking for something was a huge leap for her. He may not have known he very well but it was painfully obvious. He turned and picked up the volume from off the small table she left it on before setting to work on the now newly painted coffin. He held it out in front of him. After a brief pause she looked up at him and her eyes traveled down to the book he had in his hand, her book, and then back up to his face. Slight undertones of fright lined her irises and his mood faltered for a moment.
"Go right ahead." He said holding the book out farther to encourage her to take it if she wanted. In that moment water danced in her eyes and gathered in the corner of them, silently a tear slipped down her cheek and fell to the floor. He looked at her with concern and moved to figure out what was wrong but stopped halfway through a step when she whispered something he couldn't make out and wrapped her delicate arms around his waist. He was at a loss of words and looked down at the top of her head not knowing what to do. With her face buried in his chest, she let out small sobs and he cautiously placed one of his hands on her lower back, rubbing his thumb over the lacing in the back of her bodice. He combed his fingers carefully through her long hair, not sure if him doing so would upset her further.
"Shhh….It's okay my dear, what is the matter? If I scared you I apologize." she was quick to rapidly shake her head and he paused his movements briefly before once again running his hand through the silky strands of hair. They both stood there like that for a long while until she stopped crying and took a step back out of his grasp.
XxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxX
I hiccup once and the light feeling in my chest settled itself in again. I relished the fingers running through my hair and the comforting feeling of being held. It confused me, Undertakers behavior. People are cruel, they hate what they don't understand. But this person, he seems to not care whether or not my skin is dotted with scales or if I am different. It is all confusing. The confusion addled my brain and I stay where I am, enjoying the attention I have been starved of. I count the strokes of his thumb over my lower back and eventually feel like I can step back and let go.
Heat rises in my cheeks and I smile at him. "You smell like apples." Mentally I blush. Of course the first thing to come out of my mouth is that. He chuckles and goe into a fit of laughter. "Is that a good thing my dear?" He asks between breaths. I giggle and nod.
I pick up the forgotten book off of the floor and move to curl up in the chair. My fingers flip to my page and I begin reading, a silly grin on my face.