TRIGGERS: Detailed war flashback, mentions of war wounds, PTSD, and physical abuse.
I'd like to thank everyone who read the last chapter! Though I didn't hear from anyone I still appreciate everyone who gave this story a chance! I still would love to hear from you guys though!
A week later
The crackling of dirt under tires reverberated throughout the quiet forest clearing. The crackling slowed to a crawl, then to a stop and the rumbling of the engine sputtered into a silence. Silence washed over the clearing again like the intrusion never happened and Lynn was thankful for it. The young woman inside the cab took a shaky breath. She winced as her body throbbed as one and she carefully folded her arms onto the steering wheel, resting her forehead on them a moment later.
The young woman spared a glance at the haphazard pile of stuff in her passenger seat and emotions, too many to count, hit her like a truck. Lynn hid her face in her arms and cried, ignoring her body as it cried out in pain.
She did it. She finally, after four long years, mustered up the courage to flee. After the utter hell he'd put her through, especially this past week after she hadn't come home when he told her to, she was finally free. Free from his manipulations, from his angry tantrums, from the beatings and the rape that'd come after. His abuse had gotten her fired from her job but she didn't care. She was free!
Lynn's breaths came in desperate gasps and hysterical laughter bubbled up from the depths of her soul. She threw her head back and howled in laughter, tears still cascading down her face. She'd even broke her cell phone in the parking lot; the one he used to control her. Well, she was no longer under his thumb and it felt great!
The young woman eventually calmed herself and took a good look at her surroundings.
"Tommy doesn't know about this," Lynn muttered, sifting through the belongings in the passenger seat. "At least, I don't think so. I hope not. I should hide the truck, just in case."
Slinging her pack on her shoulder, Lynn slid out of her old truck and set to work covering the peeling brown vehicle. "For once, I'm thankful you're this ugly ass colour. You blend in better."
She took in a deep breath of the fresh, cool forest air and felt her soul ease. Toriel's gentle offer of shelter still echoed in her mind, but Lynn decided that she wasn't going to take it quite yet. She wanted time to herself, the first she's truly had in a long time.
Lynn's neck twinged sharply when she turned her head too far and she winced, absentmindedly rubbed it, and went back to work covering her truck and tire tracks. It was evening when she found her work satisfactory and made her way to the ramshackle cabin that was her new home.
The inside was as haphazard as the outside and looked like it had been sifted through. Alarm spiked through Lynn's heart before she caught sight of a loose blue scale glinting on the floor. An amused huff puffed out of her lips and she kicked it to the side before getting to work making the cabin livable.
Lynn was moving a table when the leg caught on the only rug and dragged it a few feet. A metallic square imbedded into the worn wood flooring was revealed and Lynn hurried to cover it back up. That was not a place she wanted to go right now, physically or mentally; she had much to do still.
She decided to call it a day after another hour of work and curled up onto the floor in front of the single lantern. She ate a light meal of crackers, jerky, and water before crawling into her sleeping bag and made an attempt to sleep. The hard floor made her body ache worse and the sounds of the forest around her kept her from sleeping easily to sleep. After hours of shifting uneasily and gritting her teeth from pain she found herself finally slipping into a light doze.
A loud voice nearby instantly had her awake and scrambling out of her sleeping bag. A groan of pain escaped her tightly clenched teeth and Lynn had to steady herself on the rickety table. Her body did not appreciate her sudden movement and it was letting her know.
"THESE FOOTPRINTS WERE NOT HERE YESTERDAY!" a familiar voice announced and Lynn couldn't help but smile in relief. It was just Papyrus and not who she thought it was.
Lynn sighed as she heard Sans reply, emotions starting to churn in her gut. She'd forgotten that their incomplete town was just twenty minutes down the road.
"I always seem to forget they're here," she thought, a bitterly amused smile twisting her lips.
With a weary and pained sigh, Lynn began to clear away her sleeping things despite the noises the skeleton brothers were making just outside. They'd find her eventually and she could hopefully convince Papyrus to give her some space. Her lips twitched when she heard Papyrus discover her truck and loudly fawn over it. Sans's replies had her chuckling, being filled with puns that Papyrus hated. The tall skeleton had warned her about that little habit and she thought it was the funniest thing to get warned about.
Her amusement faded as she heard them start for the cabin and steeled herself for the eminent encounter. Sans, she knew, would not be happy to see her. Hopefully Papyrus would convince him not to destroy her on the spot, though she supposed that it wouldn't be too bad if she died now.
"BIG HUMAN! ARE YOU IN THERE?" Lynn's smile redoubled and she hastily pushed those thoughts to the back on her mind.
"Hello Papyrus!" Lynn greeted, giving a respectful nod to Sans standing a little ways back before focusing on Papyrus. "See? I came back just like I promised."
"I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, KNEW YOU WOULD! TORIEL IS GOING TO BE SO HAPPY TO SEE YOU AGAIN!"
"Err-" The young woman rubbed at her aching neck. "I think I'm gonna stay here for a bit, Papyrus. You see, I kinda want some time for myself, ya know?"
Her heart ached as Papyrus's features fell in disappointment. She glanced around nervously and jumped when Sans practically appeared next to his brother. The suspicious look he gave her made her heart flutter nervously and set her nerves on edge.
"no, you're going." Sans's white pupils flickered to her neck and back to her face. His semi-permanent grin dimmed into a tight line of teeth. "you need some real food in ya. then you can explain where you got those bruises."
Lynn froze. Colour blossomed over her cheeks as her hand flew to her neck. How did he..?
Sans gave her a searching look before rolling his eyes. "get your things. you seem bone tired."
"SANS!"
Lynn numbly did what she was told, gathering her meager belongings and following the brothers down the path and towards the small town. This was the last thing she expected from the skeleton. He seemed annoyed at her presence, which is something she did expect, but not his concern.
Papyrus stuck be her side as they walked, talking to her about seemingly meaningless topics. She sensed his concern and was relieved when he didn't outright smother her with it. He seemed to know that distracting her was best and she felt her regard for him increase.
Sans put his own two cents in occasionally but seemed content on leading them. She could see him glancing back at her every so often, as if making sure she still followed. That wasn't necessary though; Papyrus wouldn't let her wander off.
They eventually got to the unfinished town and made a bee line to Toriel's house. Sans knocked on the monster-sized wooden door and the sounds of small shuffling feet could be heard from the other side.
A muffled child's voice called, "I got it Mom!"
Sans stiffened at the voice and sent a sidelong glance at the young woman standing behind him. The door handle jiggled a moment before swinging inward, revealing a child.
"Sans!" They chirped, a wide smile splitting their face as they hopped forward to embrace the skeleton. "Papyrus! Here for some of Mom's cooking?"
"DOES SHE HAVE ANY SPAGHETTI?"
"I dunno. I'll ask. Come in!" The child bounded away, possibly in search of Toriel. Papyrus laughed loudly and followed them, leaving Sans and Lynn standing on the porch.
Sans caught Lynn's eye and jerked his head inside, a mocking grin plastered on his face. "ladies first."
Lynn shook her head and took a few tentative steps inside, jumping slightly when Sans shut the door behind them. Her fingers played with the pack straps and she shifted her weight from one leg to the other. Being alone with Sans was enough to set her nerves on edge and his unwavering focus almost had her in a full fledged panic attack.
"relax, would you?" Lynn jumped a mile as his voice shattered the silence. "you're making my bones rattle just lookin' at'cha."
"Little hard when you're standing next to the guy who promised to kill ya next time he saw ya." Lynn cringed at her loose tongue and subconsciously curled into a defensive posture. Damn her and her lack of brain to mouth filter! That's gotten her punished more often than she can count.
There was a weighty pause and Lynn relaxed enough to sneak a peek through her bangs. Sans was still in the same relaxed pose he almost always had and was staring at her with a strange look on his face.
"i think how it was said was 'if we met again on bad terms'." Sans gave her a searching look and she, again, felt like he was looking into her very soul. "looks like you got the crappy side of the stick, kid."
"Ain't no kid," she muttered, tearing her eyes away from his and glaring at the floor. "Haven't been anyone's kid in a long time."
Another weighty silence followed. Lynn's hand reached up and fingered the dogtags she wore around her neck, drawing them over her bottom lip in a subconscious gesture. Large shuffling steps had her practically melting in relief and she looked up in time to see Toriel's kind face as she rounded the corner.
"Oh!" Toriel drew up short, a small smile lifting her lips as recognition lit her brown eyes. "Hello Lynn! I didn't think you'd be back so soon!"
"AS I TOLD YOU!" Papyrus cried as he came in behind her, a giggling child set high on his shoulders. He had an extra bounce to his step, presumably to entertain the child.
"OH!" Papyrus flounced to a stop in front of Lynn. "I FORGOT THAT YOU HAVEN'T MET THE BIG HUMAN! BIG HUMAN, THIS IS OUR LITTLE HUMAN!"
The 'little human' waved, a friendly smile on their face. "Hello! I'm Frisk!"
"Lynn." The woman sent back a small smile. "Pleasure to meet'cha."
"Would you like something to eat?" Toriel interrupted gently, her eyes sparkling in warm merriment. "Papyrus, there is some left over spaghetti from the last time you were here."
Papyrus made to rush into the kitchen but paused when his eyes fell on Lynn. His joy flickered and was replaced by a look of concern. He cleared his throat, lifted Frisk off his shoulders and set them down on the floor.
"ACTUALLY," he said. "I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, WILL BE A GOOD FRIEND AND WAIT UNTIL OUR BIG HUMAN IS OKAY. BIG HUMAN, PLEASE ALLOW US TO HELP YOU!"
Lynn felt her face heat as all four people turned to stare at her expectantly. Her hands found the pack's opposite straps and clutched at them, finding a little comfort in the gesture. Her breath stuttered lightly and her heart felt like a rabbit's hammering in her chest.
"My child?" Toriel asked, touching Lynn's elbow gently, retracting her hand slightly when the woman flinched away. "What is it? Are you injured?"
"you could say that," Sans muttered.
If Lynn hadn't been as panicky as she was she would've shot him a dirty look. She could hardly hear him over the pounding of her heart in her ears.
"BIG HUMAN, LET US HELP YOU. PLEASE?"
The begging tone of the normally happy skeleton's voice is what hardened her soul. Though knowing him for such a small time, she never wanted to hear him beg. He was too good to be begging, especially from someone as filthy as her.
Taking a centering breath, she lifted her head and locked eyes with Papyrus, baring her throat and mess of red, purple and, in some places, black bruises showing through her smeared makeup.
She tore her eyes away from Papyrus's gentle and supportive ones when Toriel let out a gasp. Empty, ashamed, dirt-hued eyes met horrified chocolate ones. When they met, something shifted in the chocolate pair, softening and hardening at the same time.
"Papyrus, take Frisk out into town," Toriel ordered, not leaving any room for argument. "Lynn, come with me. Sans, get some warm water and some rags."
"why me?"
"I wanna help, Mom!"
Toriel shot their protests down with a stern look. "Undyne and Alphys are out in town, Sans. You are the only other one here to help me. Frisk, my child, you are helping by keeping out of the way."
"IT'S OKAY LITTLE HUMAN! I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, WILL BUY SOME NICE CREAM AND TAKE YOU TO A HUMAN MOVIE!"
Frisk still looked disappointed but nodded. Papyrus smiled widely and took the child's hand, sending Lynn a worried but hopeful look before shutting the door after them. Lynn didn't have the opportunity to listen to them leave, getting ushered down the hall by a determined Toriel as soon as the door clicked shut.
The room the motherly monster ushered her into she recognized as the same one she'd stayed in before. Lynn was instructed to sit on the edge of the bed, which she obeyed willingly, dropping her pack on the floor beside her feet.
"My child," Toriel started, hesitantly. "I know this will be uncomfortable for you, but I need to check you for more injuries. Could you, um—"
Lynn clutched her upper arms in a moment of anxiety, sending a glance at Sans, who had a bowl of steaming water in his hands and a few towels hanging on his forearms, before sighing in defeat. Looking anywhere but the two monsters helping her, she shed her baggy t-shirt and, at Toriel's gentle insistence, her tattered jeans. Clad in nothing but her undergarments, Lynn shivered and curled into herself, feeling overly exposed and embarrassed at the attention.
"It is alright, my child," Toriel soothed, wetting a cloth and scooting closer to the shaking woman, "Is it alright if I touch your neck now?"
Irrational fear gripped her heart but she nodded anyway. She let the monster tilt her chin up but couldn't help but flinch when the warm cloth touched her abused neck. The cloth pulled back some and understanding eyes searched out hers, patiently waiting for permission to continue. Lynn gulped, steeled herself, and nodded her consent. Toriel gingerly reapplied the cooling cloth, ignored the reactionary flinch, and cleaned off all the makeup hiding the bruises.
"Where in the hell did you get all of these, my child?" Toriel asked as calmly as she could. Lynn could still hear a note of anger in her tone, carefully hidden, and she gulped as more makeup was washed off her face.
Her eyes jumped from the cloth being rubbed on her cheek to Sans, who had sidled up beside Toriel to get a better look. He was still holding the bowl of now-murky water and was cataloging her injuries closely. He glanced up to meet her eyes and she could clearly see contained fury in his eyes. How she could get that from two white pinpricks, she doesn't know, but it was there for a split second before being masked with apathy. Her heart stung for a reason unknown to her and Lynn tore her eyes away to refocus on the makeup-stained cloth.
"I-I" Her throat clenched and she struggled to breath around the icy fingers of fear clenched around her heart. "E-ex."
Both monsters' heads flew up, a flurry of emotions in both their expressions. Lynn flinched at the sudden movement, now wishing that she'd lied.
"Your boyfriend did this to you?" Toriel demanded, no longer hiding her anger. Fire burned behind those chocolate eyes as Lynn meekly nodded, shrinking further into herself.
"animal," Sans spat and Lynn's heart stuttered in confusion. As if he could read her emotions Sans caught her eye and shrugged. "i dislike you for what you did to papyrus. i hate women-beaters far more."
She didn't know whether to be ashamed or comforted so she simply dropped her eyes to her bruised thighs and sighed. Lynn could hear Toriel's heavy breathing as she fought to regain her composure.
"I apologize," Toriel murmured after a few minutes, taking one of Lynn's hands and squeezing softly. "I did not mean to react like that. I startled you and I am sorry."
Lynn looked into the monster's eyes, flabbergasted. This was a first. Normally she was the one apologizing for her actions. Toriel's eyes flicked down to her neck and then to her shoulder. Her brows furrowed and she gently brushed away Lynn's hair to get a better look. Pity washed over her eyes and she brushed a finger over the newly revealed patch of ruddy and twisted scar tissue there.
"Is this from him too, dearie?"
Lynn stiffened and twisted her torso, effectively separating the curious touch from her skin.
"N-no," Lynn gasped, clenching her eyes shut as screams of pain and the rat-a-tat-tat of rapid gunfire blasted in her ears. The deafening boom of more explosions going off rocked her body and sent waves of sand over her exposed form. The stench of fire and explosives and burning flesh had her head swimming and her stomach churning. Her back felt like someone was clawing at it with burning, twisting fingers and her face was caked with tears and sand and something hot and thick. The utter agony had her speechless and gaping for air that didn't reek of death and fire.
"Lynn!" Someone was shaking her beaten and burned body and more pain shot down her abused spine. Her mind tried in vain to put a face to the voice but the smoke and nauseating stench of her own burnt flesh made her dizzy and mind foggy. Oh God make it stop! Make it STOP! MAKEITSTOP!
"kid! you're not there anymore! come back!"
That voice, deep and gritty and full of contained worry pushed through the fog in her mind. It brought to mind images of trees, the smell of dry bones and grease and a pair of frightfully dark eyesockets. Lynn gasped and jolted forward, her eyes flying open as she crashed into something soft and furry.
"kid, look at me." She got the sensation of being turned and a vaguely familiar figure swam into view. The only dark points, His eyesockets, drew her eyes in. White pinpricks sparked into existence, Sans's pupils, she reminded herself, and she was captivated by them.
"can you hear me?" His voice rumbled, the familiarity of it soothing her somewhat and she nodded. "good. now, i will count to four and you breath in through your nose. Exhale through your mouth as i count to seven and we will repeat that. got it?"
Another nod.
"good. one. two. three. four.
"one. two. three. four. five. six. seven."
Sans and Lynn kneeled on the floor repeating the exercise until she had calmed down. Toriel sat and watched the broken woman for any other signs of distress. The monster's eyes drifted over the woman's back and took in the ruddy, mottled, twisted flesh stretching over the tense muscles. Guilt and pity batted at her soul at the sight and she forced herself to look away.
"I-I-I am so sorry!" Lynn gasped, bowing her head in shame. Her fingers clenched into fists on her bruised, bare legs and the woman took a shuddering breath. "I-it happ-pens sometimes."
"You poor child," Toriel murmured, resisting the almost overwhelming urge to scoop this woman in her arms. "I should be the one apologizing. I should have asked before I inquired."
"'S not yer fault," Lynn muttered, leaning back against the mattress. Her bloodshot eyes still flicked about the room and looked empty, distant. A hand came up and clutched the metal tags she still wore like a lifeline. "War does that t' people. I should be used t' it by now."
Toriel and Sans exchanged a grim look. They knew that all too well.
"S-Sans..?" They refocused their attention on the woman. She flashed the skeleton a small thankful smile, nothing more than a quirk of the lips, and murmured, "T-thank you. I-I normally have to go-go through these by my-myself."
A vaguely pained look crossed her face, her coffee eyes reflecting a deep regret. "I know you h-hate me for what I did... rightly so, I might add. B-but, I would really like it if, maybe someday, I could get to-to know you better. Would—would that be... okay..?"
Lynn watched as a multitude of emotions crossed the skeleton's face, too quickly to identify just one. He abruptly pushed himself up and stalked out the door. Both women flinched at the door slamming behind him and Toriel sighed in exasperation.
"Do not worry about him, my child." Toriel offered Lynn a smile, which she returned shakily. "You look exhausted. Go ahead and rest; I will be out in the living room if you need me. You are more than welcome to stay here for as long as you need to."
Numb from exhaustion, Lynn just nodded and crawled into the plush bed. A sigh eased out of her as her body sunk into it and she rolled over in time to watch Toriel gather the bowl and towels.
"T-Toriel?" Lynn called softly as the monster crossed the room. She paused and Lynn smiled, pouring all of her gratitude into that simple gesture. "Thank you, truly."
"You are very welcome, my child. Sleep well." With that, Toriel shut the door softly behind her, leaving Lynn to herself and her thoughts.
Slowly, like the sun over a mountain, her smile dimmed until it was no more. With a deep sigh, the woman closed her eyes and felt dread slog in her chest.
I wish I could.